Institute on Geriatrics

Setting up of National Institutes of Aging at New Delhi and Chennai has been included in the 12th Five Year with a specific objective of health care for elderly people, including promotion of research in the field of geriatrics. Under the National Programme for Health Care of the Elderly (NPHCE) started in 2010-11, 8 Regional Medical Institutes have already been selected and funded for establishment of dedicated geriatric departments for the benefit of the elderly population, which will also be responsible for research on specific elderly diseases. No project on development of low-cost medicines for Alzheimer’s disease has been supported under NPHCE.

National Cancer Institute and a National Cardio Care Centre to be developed at Jhajjar

The Union Government of India on 24 November 2012 announced to set up a National Cancer Institute (NCI) and a National Cardio Care Centre (NCCC) at the second campus of All-India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Badhsa village of Jhajjar, Haryana during the inauguration of the Outreach OPD of the AIIMS-II campus spread over 300 acres. This outreach OPD is well equipped with all the facilities and has a capacity of 1000 beds and the first OPD in the nation to provide free medicines to the patients.

On this occasion, the Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad also declared that the AIIMS-II, with a total capacity of 2,100 beds, would be developed as a world-class institute. International bids in form of the Expression of Interest for drafting the master plan was already called on by the ministry. The Proposed National Cancer Institute would be the country’s largest cancer institute with a capacity of 600 beds and facilities of treating almost every form of cancer.

Establishment of Ghani Khan Ghoudhary Institute of Engineering and Technology(GKCIET), Malda

The Union Cabinet in its meeting held on 20th November, 2008 had approved establishment of Ghani Khan Ghoudhary Institute of Engineering and Technology(GKCIET), Malda, West Bengal. As per the decision of Cabinet, the State Government of West Bengal was to provide 150 to 200 acres of land, free of cost. However, the State Government has conveyed their inability to find suitable non-agricultural land for GKCIET, Malda.

Nepal Elected as a Board Member of the ECOSOC

Nepal was elected on 8 November 2012 as a board member of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) for a three year term starting from January 2013. Nepal along with seventeen other countries was elected as board members. Nepal was elected with 131 votes out of the total 194 in the UN General Assembly.
The fifty-four member ESOSOC is one of the principal organs of the UN which coordinates the economic, social and related work of the UN and its specialized agencies and institutions.

About ECOSOC:

The world’s economic, social and environmental challenges are ECOSOC’s concern. A founding UN Charter body established in 1946, the Council is the place where such issues are discussed and debated, and policy recommendations issued.

As such, ECOSOC has broad responsibility for some 70% of the human and financial resources of the entire UN system, including 14 specialized agencies, 9 “functional” commissions, and five regional commissions.

ECOSOC MEMBERS

The Council's 54 member Governments are elected by the General Assembly for overlapping three-year terms. Seats on the Council are allotted based on geographical representation with fourteen allocated to African States, eleven to Asian States, six to Eastern European States, ten to Latin American and Caribbean States, and thirteen to Western European and other States. 

Full list of members of the Economic and Social Council for 2012 and the expiration date of membership


Country

	Term expires on 31 December
Argentina	2012
Australia	2013
Bahamas	2012
Bangladesh	2012
Belarus	2014
Brazil	2014
Bulgaria	2013
Burkina Faso	2014
Cameroon	2013
Canada	2012
Chile	2012
China	2013
Comoros	2012
Cuba	2014
Dominican Republic	2014
Ecuador	2013
Egypt	2012
El Salvador	2014
Ethiopia	2014
Finland	2013
France	2014
Gabon	2013
Germany	2014
Ghana	2012
India	2014
Indonesia	2014
Iraq	2012
Ireland	2014
Italy	2012
Japan	2014
Latvia	2013
Lesotho	2014
Libya	2014
Malawi	2013
Mexico	2013
Mongolia	2012
Netherlands	2012
Nicaragua	2013
Nigeria	2014
Pakistan	2013
Philippines	2012
Qatar	2013
Republic of Korea	2013
Russian Federation	2013
Rwanda	2012
Senegal	2013
Slovakia	2012
Spain	2014
Switzerland	2013
Turkey	2014
Ukraine	2012
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland	2013
United States of America	2012
Zambia	2012