Latest news with #Sitharaman
Indian Express
a day ago
- Health
- Indian Express
Chemotherapy training begins for Delhi doctors under PM's cancer day care centre initiative
As a part of establishing cancer day care centres announced by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman during her Budget speech, the Delhi State Cancer Institute has begun training doctors from Delhi hospitals for providing chemotherapy to patients at the District Day Care Cancer Centres (DCCCs). The training is being imparted under PM's cancer day care centre initiative to four General Duty Medical Officers (GDMOs) and Nursing Officers from Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital, Rao Tula Rao, Janakpuri Super Speciality Hospital and Pt. Madan Mohan Malaviya Hospital. Dr Diwakar, Director, Delhi State Cancer Institute, said on Friday that this was the first such initiative in Delhi where training is being provided to doctors to provide chemotherapy for cancer day care centres. The training at Delhi State Cancer Institute is being conducted in batches over the coming months and will continue till November. According to Dr Diwakar, the move has been taken to strengthen cancer care services across the country and hands-on training on chemotherapy. He said the first batch comprises four medical officers and four nursing officers from four different DCCC centres. 'The training is designed to equip frontline healthcare professionals with essential skills in chemotherapy drug handling, patient monitoring, and clinical management, in alignment with the guidelines of the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoHFW),' he said. Dr Diwakar said the move will enhance the clinical competence of healthcare providers at the grassroots level, especially in outer areas, where early and effective cancer intervention is crucial. 'We will first stabilise the patients at our centre and from here we can transfer the patients to these day care centres where trained staff and doctors will look after the patients undergoing chemotherapy,' he said. In February, Minister Sitharaman had announced the establishment of day-care centers for cancer treatment at all district hospitals over the next three years. This initiative aims to improve access to essential cancer treatments, while also easing the heavy patient burden on large tertiary care hospitals in metropolitan cities. 'Two hundred centres will be set up in 2025-26,' Sitharaman had said.
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Business Standard
4 days ago
- Business
- Business Standard
"I stick to what I strongly believe in": FM opens up on her life journey
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, in a candid conversation in Shillong, reflects on her journey in education, personal values, North East development, and governance New Delhi Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, in a rare personal conversation, said that one of her core values—often mistaken for rigidity—is simply sticking to what she strongly believes in. Sitharaman was speaking to entrepreneur Mark Laitflang Stone in the greens of Ward's Lake in Shillong, Meghalaya, on topics ranging from her journey as an educator to becoming a minister. 'People sometimes ask me why you have to be so rigid on this, so rigid on that. It is not rigidity. I am just sticking to what I believe very strongly in—particularly if you have been given an opportunity to serve the country… I don't do any explaining,' she said. The finance minister spoke about her time as one of the founders of a school in Hyderabad, long before entering politics, and how even now, those who knew her then still call out 'Nirmala Ma'am'. She recounted how she entered the education space in the early years of her daughter's schooling. 'It became a routine in the family and they said, why don't you run a school… And I said, why not,' she added. Sitharaman reflected on her experience as an educator—from ensuring children with special needs were in mainstream classrooms and receiving extra attention, to organising trips for students to places such as Tibet, Himachal Pradesh, and Gujarat. She also spoke about the energy and commitment of her team in government, saying they often reframed her priorities and objectives. She acknowledged that while governance comes with limitations, it also presents powerful opportunities. '…Yet it gives you that kind of an opportunity which can open an entire world for some sections of the people. I depend on my team for my performance. I will never hesitate to recognise them,' she said. Sitharaman also praised the spirit of the youth in the North East, saying they do not perceive challenges as hindrances. 'Hindrance is only when they have to go far away from home to seek what they can otherwise seek at home,' she said. She added that every North Eastern state sees opportunity not just in building roads and bridges, but in creating material advantages by giving youth the right skills. 'The dividend they have placed on making youth a big catalyst is showing in both the enthusiasm of the youth and the government saying that is the best way. That I see in common in all the eight states.' The finance minister said the government has relentlessly pursued better connectivity for the North East—both within the region and with the rest of the country. 'Digitisation has opened up avenues for the North East—with ONDC, etc., giving a window to reach products to a larger audience, which was not there before,' Sitharaman said.
Time of India
4 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Delhi Court Imposes Rs 5,000 Fine on Somnath Bharti's Wife for Non-Appearance
New Delhi: A Delhi court on Wednesday imposed a Rs 5,000 fine on Lipika Mitra, wife of former Delhi minister Somnath Bharti, for non-appearance in a criminal defamation complaint against Union finance minister . Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The court of additional chief judicial magistrate Paras Dalal said: "None is present on behalf of the complainant, and even none appeared on behalf of the complainant side through video-conferencing (VC)." The judge noted that during the last hearing, the date and time were fixed according to the convenience of both parties. "In view of non-appearance, a cost of Rs 5,000 is imposed on the complainant (Mitra) to be deposited with the Central Delhi Court Bar Association," the court said. Mitra filed a criminal complaint against Sitharaman before a court, accusing her of defamation. The complaint stems from alleged defamatory, false and malicious statements made by Sitharaman regarding Bharti and Mitra's marriage during a press conference held on May 17 last year. Mitra claims the remarks were widely aired by national television channels with the intention of damaging her husband's reputation and electoral prospects. The judge provided the last opportunity to Mitra to file a reply and address arguments and posted the matter for further proceedings on Aug 2. On June 26, Sitharaman told a Delhi court that AAP functionary Somnath Bharti cannot legally represent his wife in a defamation case due to conflict of interest. The counsel of the Union minister said Bharti could not appear in his own case and should withdraw his vakalatnama, failing which a reference ought to be made to the Bar Council of India for initiation of disciplinary proceedings against him. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now On May 19, the court issued notice to Sitharaman, noting that she is to be given the opportunity of being heard. According to the complaint, the utterances were made "solely with an intent to hurt the complainant and her husband" for political gains to BJP's candidate and political loss to the complainant's husband during the 2024 Lok Sabha election. Sitharaman, it said, spoke about the matrimonial discord of the complainant and her husband but withheld the information of their reunion and living together happily.
The Print
5 days ago
- Business
- The Print
Finance Minister Sitharaman promises to boost GCC growth by easing taxation rules, govt support
In four sessions at the summit, representatives of GCCs discussed the multiple challenges they face over government taxation and pricing rules—managing indirect taxes like GST, navigating transfer pricing regulations, complying with permanent establishment (PE) risks, and addressing withholding tax obligations on foreign payments. Sitharaman was delivering the valedictory address at the inaugural edition of the Global Capability Centers Summit Monday in New Delhi, organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII). New Delhi: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has promised that the Union government will offer relief to Global Capability Centres (GCCs) for the challenges they face in terms of taxation and transfer pricing rules in the country. As the challenges were put forth to the minister, she acknowledged the need to provide necessary relief, wherever required. GCCs, also known as Global In-house Centres or Captive Centres, are offshore units established by multinational corporations to perform strategic functions, leveraging global talent and cost advantages for innovation, product development, and driving core business functions. India is a prominent GCC hub, with cities like Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai, Mumbai, and Pune leading the way. As of 2024, over 1,700 GCCs operate in India, according to a Nasscom-Zinnov India GCC landscape report. When Sitharaman said that approximately 50 percent of all Fortune 500 companies have set up their GCCs in India, according to the data she received, she was informed that almost two-thirds of these companies have not yet established themselves in the country. She now plans to 'invite the rest of them to come here'. She went on to mention that the GCC sector contributes $68 million to India in direct gross value addition—1.6 percent of the national GDP. She added that it is set to grow in the range of $150-200 million by 2030, underlining the potential and scope of GCCs. She also mentioned that 28 percent of global science technology engineering mathematics (STEM) individuals, and 23 percent of global software engineering talent are involved with GCCs, while 32 percent of the global GCC talent is currently based in India. As mentioned by speakers at the forum, many are returning to India and choosing to stay here due to the high-quality opportunities available in the country. She lauded the GCCs for hiring 35 percent of female STEM graduates, making them a part of the workforce. 'Our talent is more cost-effective compared to other countries,' she said, adding that GCCs hire from within the country's pool of skilled professionals. Referring to an estimate, she said that in India, 'the operational costs are 30-50 percent lesser than in the UK, US and Australia giving the GCCs a lead advantage'. Sitharaman further said that there is enough data to prove that GCCs are not 'glorified BPOs' anymore, but have become centres for research, development, leadership and innovation resulting in alignment with start-ups. Mentioning the Stanford AI Index Survey of 2024, she underlined that India is ready for artificial intelligence. According to the survey, since 2015, India has had the highest penetration of AI skills. Also, India has grown a whopping 263 percent in AI talent concentration since 2016, positioning the country as a major hub. Referring to the United Nations Development Programme's Human Development Index, the Union minister said that while in 2019, AI-specialised and talented individuals would want to leave the country and pursue careers abroad, as of 2023, 20 percent of Indian AI researchers choose to stay in the country. She also mentioned the steps that the Centre is taking to boost the country's potential in the field. Fellowship funds are being offered, particularly under the PM Kaushal Vikas Yojana to full-time PhD scholars specialising in AI in the top 50 NIRF-ranked institutions in order to enhance accessibility. Data and AI labs are being established in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities. A model IndiaAI Data Lab has already been set up in the National Institute of Electronics and IT in New Delhi. (Edited by Mannat Chugh) Also Read: As Trump targets trade imbalances, economists' data traces over 200 yrs of global wealth flows
Time of India
5 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman promises government support to power GCC growth
File photo: Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman NEW DELHI: India's Global Capability Centres (GCCs) could add up to $200 billion to the economy and generate thousands of jobs by 2030, FM Nirmala Sitharaman said as she promised government support to power growth of GCCs. FM emphasised how the government has been working on reducing approval timelines, enhancing tax certainty including on Advance Pricing Agreements and integrating administrative support across ministries. Sitharaman backed greater investment in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities and showcased models such as the GIFT City as examples of regulatory facilitation. "India must not lose this opportunity," she said. FM said the sector has grown at a CAGR of 11 per cent over the last five years, stating that one new GCC was being established every week in 2024. While speaking at the CII-GCC Business Summit, she noted that nearly 50 per cent of Fortune 500 companies now have their GCCs in India as operating costs in India are 30-50 per cent lower compared to the UK, the US, and Australia. "There are about 1,800 GCCs currently operational in India, employing 2.16 million professionals. This is expected to rise to 2.8 million by 2030 - and I believe that's a conservative estimate," she said. Stay informed with the latest business news, updates on bank holidays and public holidays . AI Masterclass for Students. Upskill Young Ones Today!– Join Now
