National
The National Dental Commission Bill, 2023
⇒ In a significant step towards enhancing healthcare quality and aligning dental education with global standards, the Parliament passed the National Dental Commission Bill, 2023 during the Monsoon Session of Parliament in August 2023.
- The National Dental Commission Act 2023, will introduce a groundbreaking regulatory framework by establishing the National Dental Commission (NDC), which will replace the existing Dental Council of India (DCI) and repeal the Dentists Bill, 1948.
- The Act envisions a complete overhaul of the dental education and profession landscape to bring it on par with international benchmarks.
Key features include:
- Constitution of National Dental Commission and State Dental Councils: The Act establishes the National Dental Commission and mandates the formation of State Dental Councils or Joint Dental Councils. This structure aims to decentralize authority and enhance effective regulation.
- Three Autonomous Boards: The Act will empower three distinct Autonomous Boards: the Under-Graduate and Post-Graduate Dental Education Board, the Dental Assessment and Rating Board (DARB), and the Ethics and Dental Registration Board (EDRB). These boards will carry out specific functions, contributing to a comprehensive regulatory framework.
- Fixed Tenure and Professional Development: The Act will introduce a fixed tenure for the Chairperson, Members, and Secretary of the Commission, with no possibility of reappointment. The NDC will emphasize promotive and preventive dental care services and will focus on fostering the soft skills necessary for career advancement among dentists and dental auxiliaries.
- Industry Collaboration and Technological Innovation: Recognizing the importance of collaboration and research, the Act will encourage partnerships with industry and institutions to promote advancements in dental research. It also emphasizes the integration of cutting-edge technology into dental education.
- Online National Register and Dental Advisory Council: The Act will provide for maintaining an online and live National Register of licensed dentists and dental auxiliaries. Furthermore, it establishes a Dental Advisory Council with representation from all States/Union Territories to ensure comprehensive insights and guidance.
- Merit-Based Selection Process: Under the Act, the NDC will be led by a ‘selected’ Regulator. This entails the appointment of the NDC Chairman and Members through a merit-based selection process conducted by a Search–cum-Committee chaired by the Cabinet Secretary.
- Collaborative Approaches: The Act will facilitate joint sittings with relevant statutory bodies, including the National Medical Commission, Pharmacy Council of India, Indian Nursing Council, National Commission for Indian System of Medicine, National Commission for Homeopathy, and National Commission for Allied and Healthcare Professions.
- Fee Regulation and Constitutions: The Act will empower the Commission to frame guidelines for fee determination for fifty percent of seats in private dental colleges and deemed Universities. Additionally, within a year of the Act’s commencement, all State governments will establish State Dental Councils or Joint Dental Councils.
» The Bill became an Act after the assent of the President on August 11, 2023, and is called the National Dental Commission Act, 2023.
- This is an Act to regulate the profession of dentistry in the country, to provide for quality and affordable dental education, to make accessible high quality oral healthcare and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.
Additional Director General Coast Guard
⇒ Commander (Eastern Seaboard) S Paramesh has been appointed as Additional Director General Coast Guard at Indian Coast Guard Headquarters, New Delhi in August 2023.
About S Paramesh:
- The Flag Officer was at the helm of Coast Guard Region (East), Coast Guard Region (West), and Coast Guard Commander (Eastern Seaboard) before assuming Additional Director General Coast Guard.
- The Flag Officer is an alumnus of the National Defence College, New Delhi, and Defence Services Staff College, Wellington.
- He is a recipient of the President’s Tatrakshak Medal for Distinguished Service, Tatrakshak Medal and was also awarded the Director General Coast Guard Commendation in 2012 and FOCINC (East) Commendation in 2009.
'Iconic Site Museum' at Adichanallur archaeological site
⇒ Union Finance Minister Smt Nirmala Sitharaman visited Adichanallur, an ancient and historical Iron-age burial site located in Thoothukudi District Tamil Nadu on 05 August 2023, set along the banks of the Tamirabarani (Porunai) river.
This archaeological site was one of five declared to be developed as ‘Iconic Sites’ in the Union Budget 2020-21. The other four iconic sites proposed by the government are Rakhigarhi (Haryana), Hastinapur (Uttar Pradesh), Shivsagar (Assam), and Dholavira (Gujarat).
On the occasion, the Union Finance Minister also laid the foundation stone for the ‘Iconic Site Museum’ at the Adichanallur site.
The Union Finance Minister said the government envisions this site as a stop for pilgrims travelling to Tiruchendur, contributing to the cultural heritage and tourism of the region.
Key Points:
- On the site, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has covered with toughened glass excavated trenches with artefacts dating as far back as 3,800 years.
- This is a first-of-its-kind initiative in the country which allows visitors to stand by the trenches and view antiquities and urn burials — burials in which pottery vessels are used for the ashes and bones — in situ (as they are, in their place). Europe, China, and Iran already have such museums.
- The museum will be located about a kilometre from the site.
- The site, where the excavation work has been underway since 2021, is commonly referred to as ‘Parambu’, meaning a dry elevated mound.
International
5th meeting of India-Vietnam Joint Trade Sub-Commission (JTSC)
⇒ The 5th meeting of India-Vietnam Joint Trade Sub-Commission (JTSC) was held in New Delhi on 08 August 2023.
- The meeting was co-chaired by the Additional Secretary, Department of Commerce, Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Shri Rajesh Agrawal from the Indian side and Deputy Minister, Ministry of Industry and Trade, Ms. Phan Thi Thang from the Vietnam side.
- This meeting was held after a gap of more than four years since 4th JTSC meeting held in January 2019, on account of COVID-19 pandemic and other factors.
Vietnam is the 23rd largest global trade partner of India and the 5th largest among ASEAN countries with bilateral trade of USD 14.70 Bn during 2022-23. Vietnam accounts for 11.2% of India’s total trade with ASEAN. Vietnam is an important destination for India’s iron & steel and agricultural and animal products mainly meat products, animal fodder, cereals and marine products.
Highlights:
- Both sides reviewed the progress on bilateral trade and economic cooperation and discussed ways to unlock the vast untapped potential in bilateral trade to enable the business communities from the two sides to benefit from the partnership of two of the fastest growing economies.
- Both sides identified potential sectors such as agriculture, fisheries, textiles, footwear, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, fertilizers, machinery and equipment, consumer products, energy and automobile industry, for expanding trade cooperation; and agreed to work together to resolve market access issues and technical barriers faced by the exporters through regular and sustained bilateral discussions.
- The Indian side raised the issues of pending registration of Indian fishery and meat establishments for export, restricted market access in public procurement of drugs for Indian pharmaceutical companies and high anti-dumping duties imposed on Indian polyster filament yarn products and sorbitol.
- The Indian side highlighted the potential in service sector cooperation and suggested cooperation in IT, financial services, education sector, tourism, healthcare, tele-medicine, medical tourism and start-up ecosystem. The Indian side also suggested Mutual Recognition Agreements (MRAs) on professional services, internationalization of RuPay card, QR based payment system, and domestic currency trade settlement.
- Both sides discussed logistics challenges affecting bilateral trade and agreed to continue efforts for exploring direct shipping services, collaboration in freight movement and improving air connectivity.