Latest news with #EAG
Scoop
6 days ago
- Politics
- Scoop
Government To Stop Council Plan Changes
Minister Responsible for RMA Reform The Government will stop councils wasting their officers' time and their ratepayers' money on plan changes in advance of the new planning system coming into force, RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop says. 'The Resource Management Act (RMA) has crippled New Zealand for decades, and the Government's planning system reforms are well underway to make it easier to get things done in New Zealand,' Mr Bishop says. 'We've already made a series of quick and targeted amendments to provide relief to our primary sector and passed the Fast-track Approvals Act to speed up the consenting process for projects with regional or nationally significant benefits. We've also opened consultation on sweeping changes to the regulations that sit under the RMA, and next month our second RMA Amendment Bill is expected to pass into law which will make important changes in the short-term to make it quicker and simpler to consent renewable energy, boost housing supply, and reduce red tape for the primary sector. 'Later this year the Government will introduce two new Acts to completely replace the RMA – one Act to focus on land-use planning and the second to focus on the natural environment. The new system will provide a framework that makes it easier to plan and deliver infrastructure as well as protect the environment. 'The existing RMA mandates that councils review their plans and policy statements every ten years. This has led to a situation where, even though councils know the RMA's days are numbered, many are required to continue with time consuming, expensive plan-making processes under the RMA. 'Much of this planning work won't be completed or implemented by the time the new system takes effect in 2027. Even if it were, it would need significant changes in the next couple of years to comply with the new planning laws. 'So rather than let these pricey, pointless planning and policy processes play out, the Government will be giving councils clarity on where to focus their efforts while they await the new planning system. 'The Government will suspend councils' mandatory RMA requirements to undertake plan and regional policy statement reviews every ten years, and the requirement to implement national planning standards. We will also extend the restriction on notifying freshwater planning instruments which we put in place last year. 'Councils will be required to withdraw plan reviews and changes that have not started hearings as soon as possible and within 90 days of the law coming into effect. Any rules that have immediate legal effect will continue to apply until the plan review or plan change is withdrawn by councils and then those rules will no longer apply. We will also stop new plan changes and reviews from being notified, except where there is good reason for them to continue. 'This decision has been made after careful consideration, and a recommendation from an Expert Advisory Group (EAG) that the Government relieve some of the workload of councils in the lead up to the new resource management system. 'The Government's intention is that stopping plan requirements for councils will enable them to focus on critical work to prepare to transition to the new system.' Exemption pathways and notification 'Plan reviews and changes will be stopped through an Amendment Paper to the Resource Management (Consenting and Other System Changes) Amendment Bill, which is expected to become law next month. There are a limited number of plan changes that will be automatically exempt from the stopping of a plan change. Examples of automatic exemptions include Streamlined Planning Processes and private plan changes (which are initiated by landowners and developers). 'The Government believes it's also important that councils can continue work on proposed plans, or parts of proposed plans, that relate to natural hazard management as well as for plan changes required by Treaty settlement agreements. Proposed plans that address these matters will be subject to an exemption. 'The proposed amendment also allows councils to apply to the Minister for the Environment for an exemption to continue or notify a new plan change. 'I want to be clear that stopping plan changes does not mean stopping progress on work that supports the Government's priorities in areas like housing, intensification and urban development, and councils will have pathways to continue with work that unlocks housing growth,' Minister Bishop says.
Hindustan Times
12-07-2025
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Looking to propel Uttar Pradesh's economy, Yogi Adityanath holds first meeting with EAG
Chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday held his first meeting with the Economic Advisory Group (EAG) and asked senior officers to act on its suggestions in a time-bound manner. The 16-member Economic Advisory Group (EAG) was set up by a state government order dated June 18, 2025. (HT FILE) Among its suggestions, EAG has proposed the launch of an IT Talent Mission to give a boost to software development and exports. EAG would help the state achieve the objective of making Uttar Pradesh a trillion-dollar economy, those aware of the development said. Welcoming EAG's inputs, the chief minister said 'Uttar Pradesh is on track to become the growth engine of India's economy. All departments are working in coordination, and the advisory group's suggestions must be implemented in a timely manner.' He mentioned that the state is promoting clean, sustainable, and modern public transport through the use of electric buses. Uttar Pradesh will soon become a hub for electric vehicle (EV) manufacturing, the chief minister added. A unit of the Hinduja Group, set up in the state, is expected to start EV production very soon. The 16-member Economic Advisory Group (EAG) was set up by a state government order dated June 18, 2025. It comprises leading experts from different sections of society to advise and make valuable suggestions to give a push to the state's economy under the changing scenario on the economic front across the world. The EAG made a presentation suggesting changes in the agriculture, transport, energy, irrigation and entrepreneurship sectors and lauded the progress made by the state government in the past eight years. 'The chief minister has asked for implementation of the EAG's suggestions. The EAG made over 10-20 suggestions and we will have to find ways about incorporating them in the government's policies,' a senior officer said. The chief minister mentioned that the Uttar Pradesh government has set up the Uttar Pradesh Rozgar Mission to create more job opportunities for the youth. This mission will start working soon. The chief minister said Uttar Pradesh is making significant strides in solar energy. He highlighted the recent inauguration of an 8,000 MW power plant in Kanpur by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and noted that all processes for renewable energy expansion are in place. The state aims to generate 22,000 MW of renewable energy by 2027. 'Uttar Pradesh will emerge as a national role model in green energy, with supportive policies driving self-reliance in clean power,' the CM said. Professor Nachiketa Tiwari of IIT Kanpur is the coordinator of the group. EAG has experts from the agriculture sector, labour intensive industry, defence, semi-conductor, power, energy, medical technology, hospitality industry, employment and the transport sectors. EAG will analyse short and long-term economic changes taking place at the global level and evaluate the impact of policy changes and global economic incidents on the state's economy. EAG has been tasked to extend cooperation in the formulation of the state's economic development policy and advise the state government about sector specific reforms and strategies for inclusive development of Uttar Pradesh. EAG will provide specialised guidance to the state government's various departments. It will work out a research-based report to give directions to a public debate on the main economic issues and policies on inequality, productivity and employment.
The Hindu
07-07-2025
- Health
- The Hindu
Fostering a commitment to stop maternal deaths
In childbirth in India, why should 93 women lose their life while one lakh women have a safe delivery? For the time period 2019-21, the Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) estimate for India was 93, in other words, the proportion of maternal deaths per 1,00,000 live births, reported under the Sample Registration System (SRS). 'Maternal death is the death of a woman while pregnant or within 42 days of termination of pregnancy, irrespective of the duration and site of the pregnancy, from any cause related to or aggravated by the pregnancy or its management, but not from accidental or incidental causes'. But the MMR in India has declined over the years — it was 103 in 2017-19, then 97 in 2018-20 and now 93 in 2019-21. To understand the maternal mortality situation better, States have been categorised into three: 'Empowered Action Group' (EAG) States that comprise Bihar, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Assam; 'Southern' States which include Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu; and 'Other' States that cover the remaining States/Union Territories. In the group of 'Southern' States, Kerala has the lowest MMR (20) and Karnataka the highest (63). The rest of the data is Andhra Pradesh (46) Telangana (45) and Tamil Nadu (49). In the EAG States, Assam has a very high MMR (167); the rest of the data is Jharkhand (51), and Madhya Pradesh (175). Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand are in the 100-151 range. In the category of 'Other' States. Maharashtra is 38 and Gujarat 53; the rest of the data is Punjab 98, Haryana 106 and West Bengal 109. We need to have a differential approach in strategy to reduce maternal deaths in the different clusters of States. In this, addressing three issues is fundamental. There are 'three delays' that lead to a mother dying, according to Deborah Maine of Columbia University — I had incorporated this in the training module on 'Safe Motherhood in India' in 1992. Key factors that endanger a life The first delay is in recognising impending danger and making a decision to rush and seek expert care. The husband and other family members often experience inertia, thinking that all deliveries are a natural process and so the mother-to-be can wait. Or they may not have enough money or other issues at the family level that prevent them from going to a hospital. If the educational level of family members and their financial position are weak, delaying decision making is detrimental. But empowered, neighbourhood mothers and women's self-help-groups have resulted in a remarkable change; no longer is a mother-to-be neglected by lethargic family members. Ever since Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHA) began networking with Auxiliary Nurse Midwives (ANM) since 2005 (when the National Rural Health Mission (NHRM) was launched), institutional over home deliveries have become the better option. The financial incentives for the mother and ASHA were the turning point. The second delay is in transportation. From remote rural hamlets and forest settlements or faraway islands it may take many hours, or an overnight journey for a mother-to-be to reach a health facility with a skilled birth attendant (midwife/staff nurse) or a doctor or an obstetrician. Many women die on the way. However, the 108 ambulance system and other Emergency transport mechanisms under the National Health Mission has made a difference. Other problems The third delay, an unpardonable one, is in initiating specialised care at the health facility. The excuses are plenty and difficult to justify — a delay in attending to a woman in the emergency room; a delay in reaching the obstetrician; a delay in getting a blood donor, in laboratory support, the operation theatre not being ready, an anaesthetist not being available is a list that can go on. The concept of the operationalisation of a 'minimum four FRUs [first referral units] per district of two million population, is crucial. The 'first level referral unit' with specialists such as an obstetrician, anaesthetist, paediatrician, blood bank and operation theatre was aimed at preventing maternal death at the doorstep of a hospital. Unfortunately, this has not worked out as expected since 1992. There are problems such as 66% vacancies of specialists in 5,491 community health centres out of which 2,856 are supposed to be FRUs in 714 districts. The lack of blood banks or blood storage units in these designated FRUs was another reason for many mothers not receiving adequate blood transfusion within two hours of the onset of massive bleeding after delivery, leading to fatalities. The biggest killer is bleeding after delivery. This could be due to inadequate and timely contraction of an overstretched uterus with a baby of three-kilogram weight floating in amniotic fluids. When the placenta is separated after delivery, the raw opened surfaces of the uterine wall will bleed profusely unless it immediately contracts. From a total reserve of five litres of blood, more than half is lost in such a short duration, resulting in the mother going into shock and death. If there is underlying anaemia, which has not been treated with iron folic acid supplements in pregnancy, it will also result in tragedy. Thus, there is a need for immediate blood transfusion and emergency surgical care. The next emergency is obstructed labour where the contracted bony pelvis of an already stunted young mother (who is also malnourished and has low body mass index) does not allow the normally grown baby to emerge. Prolonged labour can lead to foetal distress and a lethal rupture of the uterus. This can be avoided by a Caesarean section. Thus, there is a need for a well-equipped operation theatre and obstetrician/ surgeon and an anaesthetist on call. The third medical cause is hypertensive disorders of pregnancy that are not recognised and treated on time. They can result in a dire emergency with convulsions and coma and very little time to medically control high blood pressure. There are some home deliveries by untrained birth attendants which lead to trauma and puerperal infection, resulting in sepsis and death. Antibiotics could have saved their lives, but the patient is admitted to hospital late. A failure of contraceptive devices, resulting in unwanted pregnancies and crude abortion techniques by quacks, also leads to sepsis and death. In EAG States, associated illnesses such as malaria, chronic urinary tract infections and tuberculosis are also high risk factors. The focus areas for States The prescription for averting maternal deaths is early registration and routine antenatal care and ensuring institutional delivery. Many of these systemic deficiencies will be highlighted in the mandatory reporting and audit of all maternal deaths under the NHM. While the EAG States have to focus on the implementation of basic tasks, the southern States group and probably Jharkhand, Maharashtra and Gujarat need to fine tune the quality of their emergency and basic obstetric care. The Kerala model of a Confidential Review of Maternal deaths, initiated by Dr. V.P. Paily, has some analytical leads on how Kerala can further reduce its already low MMR of 20. It is a model other southern States can emulate. The use of uterine artery clamps on the lower segment, application of suction canula to overcome atonicity of the uterus, and a sharp lookout for and energetic management of amniotic fluid embolism, diffused intravascular coagulation, hepatic failure secondary to fatty liver cirrhosis are strategies taught to obstetricians, which even developed countries have yet to practise routinely. They even address antenatal depression and post-partum psychosis as there were a few cases of pregnant mothers ending their life. Finally, if there is a commitment and a will to stop preventable maternal deaths there is no limit to the varieties of proactive interventions. Dr. K.R. Antony is a Public Health Consultant in Kochi, Kerala, and drafted the first Safe Motherhood module for the Ministry of Health on behalf of UNICEF. The writer acknowledges inputs on the Confidential Review of Maternal Deaths in Kerala from Dr. Smithy Sanel, a Spokesperson of the Kerala Federation of Obstetrics and Gynaecology
The Hindu
31-05-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
Supriya Sahu honoured for contribution in fight against financial crimes
Supriya Sahu, Additional Chief Secretary to the Departments of Environment, Climate Change, and Forests, Government of Tamil Nadu, has been recognised for her contribution to the fight against financial crimes. At the 41st Plenary Meeting of the Eurasian Group (EAG) held in November 2024 in Indore, Sahu was one of the few individuals honoured for her exemplary leadership and service. In recognition of her work, Ms. Sahu received a commemorative certificate of merit presented by Vivek Aggarwal, former Additional Secretary and Head of the Indian Delegation to Financial Action Task Force (FATF). In a letter, dated April 30, Mr. Aggarwal expressed deep appreciation for Ms. Sahu's dedication, highlighting how her efforts had strengthened the integrity of the financial system and enhanced India's position within the international community. The event, which also marked the 20th Anniversary of the EAG, brought together global leaders, representatives from member States, and international observers committed to anti-money laundering and combating the financing of terrorism (AML/CFT). The recognition highlights Ms. Sahu's role in India's successful evaluation under the FATF, where the country was placed under the 'regular follow-up category,' an honour afforded only to a select few of the world's leading economies.
Scoop
27-04-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
EDS releases concerning assessment of RMA reform proposals
Press Release – EDS EDS will continue to engage in good faith as detailed policy development continues at pace. EDS has released its comprehensive analysis of the Government's proposals for a new resource management system and, overall, finds the design concerning. In March, the Government's Expert Advisory Group (EAG) released its recommendations for a new resource management system. The release included a table with Cabinet's high-level responses. 'EDS has added to the table, so it now shows the key recommendations of the EAG, Cabinet's decisions on them, and EDS's position, colour-coded to reflect our assessment of the risk to the environment,' said EDS RM Reform Director Dr Greg Severinsen. 'Some of the recommendations are likely to improve the existing system. For example, it's positive to see a commitment to the need for clear environmental limits, not just a system that continually balances development with environment – although a lot will depend on their scope and detailed design. It's also positive to see spatial planning or constraints mapping feature as a tool for signalling where development should proceed and where it should not. 'Many proposed changes to the mechanics of the system also look good. There are measures to make planning simpler and faster (including a national e-planning portal), and for fewer and more consistent plans. Stronger compliance monitoring and enforcement provisions look promising too. 'However, the EAG's recommendations and related Cabinet decisions reveal considerable risks to the environment. Fundamental changes will be needed in some key areas to make the new laws acceptable. 'For example, a system that's limited to managing just the 'externalities' of land uses would fail to address some of the most pressing resource management issues we face, like restoring degraded environments, or creating well-functioning urban environments. We strongly disagree that the central purpose of land use law is 'the need to protect a person's use and enjoyment of their land'. 'Further, a broad framework for regulatory takings, where controls more stringent than national standards would trigger a presumption of compensation, would disincentive local environmental protections even when required to protect a threatened species. This is an especially egregious concept that needs to be dumped. 'There are other risks that could be minimised through careful legislative design. For example, splitting the RMA into two statutes for 'planning' and 'environment', while not a great idea, could be made to work if both Acts are properly integrated. If they aren't, we could see extremely concerning outcomes like environmental protections being made subservient to development or excluded from land-use decisions. There's still a lot of confusion about how the two statutes would work. 'Our table identifies several other risks, including that a new permissive regime could unfold without first identifying high value areas deserving of protection, and in the absence of an independent regulator to ensure evidence based limit-setting and appropriate checks in the system. 'Overall, while we agree the RMA requires reform, there are elements here that could steer us completely in the wrong direction. If the Fast-track Approvals Act is any indication of where we are heading, there are good reasons to be seriously concerned. Replacing the RMA needs careful, thoughtful, nuanced thinking and we have seen little of that for the fast-track process. 'The speed of policy development is another concern: fast law is often bad law. What we don't need is another round of repeal and replacement when the government changes, but that will be the likely outcome if this isn't done right. 'EDS will continue to engage in good faith as detailed policy development continues at pace,' concluded Dr Severinsen.
