NEWS TODAY 16.02.2025

 

For now, take affidavit route to register name change: HC

For now, take affidavit route to register name change: HC 

TIMES NEWS NETWORK 16.02.2025

Bengaluru : The high court has said until adequate amendments are made to the Registration of Births and Deaths Act and the Rules regarding change of name of children, the authorities can adopt a procedure calling upon applicant-parents to give a sworn affidavit to the effect that they have changed the name of their ward on their own accord and request that the entries in the birth register be changed accordingly.

Justice NS Sanjay Gowda gave this direction while allowing a petition filed by a three-year-old boy, represented by his mother Deepika Bhat of Udupi. “It is, however, made clear that in case of deaths, the question of changing the name would not arise and hence, these directions would be inapplicable,” the judge added.

The petitioner had requested the registrar of births and deaths, Udupi, that his name be changed from Adhrith Bhat to Shrijith Bhat as the former was astrologically not proper. However, on Nov 4, 2023, an endorsement was issued rejecting the request, citing that neither the Act nor the Rules provide for the same. The endorsement was challenged before the high court. 

Justice Gowda noted that since there is no provision under the Act or the Rules for a change of name, a piquant situation has arisen which requires resolution in such a manner that neither authorities nor the applicants are prejudiced. In the absence of legislation prescribing a procedure for changing the name of a person and until a relevant law is enacted, parents could give a sworn affidavit to the effect that they have changed the name of the child on their own accord and the entries in the birth register be changed accordingly. 

“The authorities should verify the identity of the parents and proceed to incorpo rate the changed name in the register of births. The authorities, in order to ensure that there is no attempt to create a record for ulterior purposes, should make a remark in the register stating that the name of the child was changed subsequently pursuant to a request made by the parents,” the judge said, adding that the register would mention both the original and new names. “In fact, even in respect of an adult who seeks a change of name, the same procedure can be adopted,” Justice Gowda said, directing that the procedure he laid out be followed and name change be permitted in the register of births and deaths. 

With regard to the petitioner, the judge directed for entry in the register of births and also in the birth certificate to the effect that Adhrith Bhat is changed to Shrijith Bhat.

How pure are your daily food items? This kit can tell you in 5 minutes

How pure are your daily food items? This kit can tell you in 5 minutes

 Parth.Shastri@timesofindia.com  16.02.2025

Ahmedabad : Concerned about the quality of your daily food intake? A new rapid testing kit (RTK) developed by researchers at the National Forensic Sciences University (NFSU) enables quick detection of harmful additives and contaminants through strip and reagent based analysis within two to five minutes. These kits, designed for household application, are available at prices ranging from Rs 200 to Rs 500, according to officials.

Jayrajsinh Sarvaiya, associate professor at the School of Engineering and Technology at NFSU, said that while there are several kits available in the market, the development of RTK, which started about two years ago, was aimed at making a reliable kit applicable for a market like India. "Our focus was on segments such as milk and spices. The team has got a patent for liposomebased technique for one of the kits,” said Sarvaiya. “For example, urea is added to milk to improve the solids content and hydrogen peroxide to improve raw milk quality. While it may also occur in normal milk, its quantity is within permissible limits. Similarly, poorly-handled spices have aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) whereas some spices — especially turmeric and chilli powder – have addition of prohibited food dyes,” said Sarvaiya. 

The kit can be used both by industry and citizens’ 

The kits are designed to catch these frequently observed impurities. Similarly, if the food is claimed to be organic, it can be tested for urea concentrate,” Jayrajsinh Sarvaiya, associate 

professor at the School of Engineering and Technology at NFSU. Prof S O Junare, the campus director of NFSU Gandhinagar, said that the testing kits are regularly exhibited at food festivals and science fairs organized in Gujarat by the university. “It is affordable and easy to use. In the past few months, we have produced hundreds of such kits for various calibrations that can be used both by the industry and common citizens,” he said. “The kits come with a manual that provides the user guidance on how to use it. For example, in the milk testing kit, the user has to put four drops at the given points on the strip. If the strip changes colour — grey for starch, yellow for urea, orange for hydrogen peroxide — one can ascertain its presence,” said Sarvaiya. City-based physicians said that prolonged consumption of adulterated food items leads to health complications such as gastrointestinal issues, immunotoxicity and neurotoxicity among others.

Device to treat pain in cancer patients AT RGGGH

Device to treat pain in cancer patients AT RGGGH 

TIMES NEWS NETWORK  16.02.2025

Chennai : A radiofrequency ablation (RFA) device, used to treat chronic pain in the neck, back, and joints, particularly in cancer patients, was inaugurated at Rajiv Gandhi Govt General Hospital. Funded by a donation from the administrator general and official trustee (AGOT), it was dedicated to the public by Justice S S Sundar. 

RFA therapy uses heat to destroy nerve tissue, thereby interrupting pain signals to the brain. “RFA is considered when other methods of treatment, such as pain medication and physical therapy, are not successful,” said health minister Ma Subramanian. The procedure involves inserting a needle-like probe into the target area, where radiofrequency waves generate heat to destroy the nerve tissue. “This therapy can cost up to ₹1 lakh in private hospitals. Patients at RGGH who found no relief from drugs such as morphine will now benefit from this,” he added. 

RGGH dean Dr E Thera-nirajan said the hospital submitted a request and made a presentation to the govt seeking funds for the RFA device. The AGOT board granted ₹42 lakh for the purchase. “RFA is a minimally invasive medical procedure used to treat a variety of conditions. Patients are likely to be pain-free for at least one year,” he said. The equipment can also be used to shrink or destroy tumours in vital organs such as the liver, lungs, and kidneys. Additionally, i t is used to treat irregular heartbeats (arrhythmias) by destroying small areas of heart tissue-causing the irregularities. “It is performed under local anaesthesia, and patients can usually go home the same day,” he said.

5-yr bar on PhD admissions at Raj univ; ‘high enrolment’ complaints

5-yr bar on PhD admissions at Raj univ; ‘high enrolment’ complaints

Yogita.Rao@timesofindia.com 15.02.2025

Mumbai : A university in Rajasthan, popular among Mumbai college teachers for securing PhDs, has been debarred by the University Grants Commission (UGC) from enrolling students in their PhD programmes for the next five years, starting 2025-26. Shri Jagdish prasad Jhabarmal Tibrewala University (JJTU) has also been asked to discontinue enrolling PhD students immediately. The private university from Rajasthan’s Jhunjhunu is governed by laws of the Rajasthan state govt and was founded by Mumbai-based Shri Rajasthani Seva Sangh in 2009. 

The trust, which runs schools and colleges in Andheri, plans to appeal. One of the complaints against the university is they “awarded an unusually high number of PhDs during the period from 2016 to 2020”. The university awarded 1,830 PhD degrees in this period and 408 in 20-20. Another complaint alleged it appoints outside faculty as PhD guides. Teachers said several of its PhD guides earlier were from Mumbai colleges. 

The debarment notice came two days ago following the recommendation of UGC’s standing committee, which found that JJTU did not follow provisions of the commission’s PhD regulations. The university was given an opportunity to explain why it failed to comply with provisions of the UGC PhD regulations; however, the responses received from JJTU were not found satisfactory’. The  committee constituted to monitor whether universities are following the procedure and awarding PhD regulations is also to suggest corrective measures and recommend action to be taken against erring universities. A trustee, though, said there is always misconception about private universities. 

“The UGC has never capped the total number of students who enrol in PhD programmes; what it mentions is the research scholar per guide ratio, which is four for assistant professor, six for associate professor, and eight for professor. JJTU has been adhering to this norm. The only oversight on our part is that we did not submit the Rajasthan govt-appointed committee’s report from 2023 in the submissions to the UGC. The committee was given the list of guides from outside the university along with the in-house ones, and they raised no objection to the appointment of outside faculty,” said the trustee, adding they would submit the committee’s report and appeal to the UGC to reconsider the ban in the coming week. 

The Rajasthan govt set up the committee in 2023 after receiving complaints against the university for appointing higher numbers of PhD guides from outside the university, which was against UGC norms. The committee closed the complaints after an inquiry. JJTU is sought by aspiring college teachers and even those seeking promotions or better placement. 

A senior teacher said the university rose to popularity as there is higher demand from aspirants in Mumbai colleges. “Earlier, Mumbai University’s selection process and approvals from the research and recognition committees (RRC) used to take a longer time, and there were fewer guides for commerce subjects, and JJTU was seen as an easier alternative,” said the teacher, adding the university claims to follow all UGC norms. PhDs from JJTU, on some occasions, were not considered for Maharashtra’s career advancement schemes, said a Mumbai University official.

Deposits up to ₹5L safe, RBI assures New India customers

Deposits up to ₹5L safe, RBI assures New India customers 

TIMES NEWS NETWORK 15.02.2025

Mumbai : The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has appointed Shreekant, former chief general manager of State Bank of India (SBI) as ‘Administrator’ to manage the affairs of the New India Cooperative bank during the moratorium while restrictions are in force on withdrawals by account holders. It has also appointed a Committee of Advisors, which includes Ravindra Sapra (former general manager, SBI) and Abhijeet Deshmukh (chartered accountant), to assist the administrator during the transition. RBI has assured small savings account holders that their investments are safe. It said, “eligible depositors would be entitled to receive deposit insurance claim amount of their deposits up to a monetary ceiling of Rs 5,00,000 per deposit from the Deposit Insurance and Credit Guarantee Corporation (DICGC), as applicable under the provisions of the DICGC Act, 1961.” Deposits coming under the Rs 5 lakh insurance cover over 90% of the bank’s 1.3 lakh depositors (see graphic). The likelihood of depositors getting their full money would depend on the extent of losses reported by the bank for March 2025. 

The bank has 28 branches in Maharashtra and Gujarat. New India Cooperative Bank was founded as Bombay Labour Co-operative Bank in 1968 by late parliamentarian George Fernandes. It was renamed as New India Cooperative Bank after the Emergency. 

The bank reduced its accumulated losses from Rs 30.7 crore in FY23 to Rs 22.8 crore as of Mar 31, 2024. However, its advances portfolio decreased by Rs 155 crore (11.7%) to Rs 1174.8 crore as of Mar 31, 2024. Deposits increased by Rs 30.5 crore (1.3%) to Rs 2,436 crore as of Mar 31, 2024. Advances portfolio stood at Rs 1175 crore, working capital was Rs 2,997 crore, and total reserve funds were Rs 292.9 crore.  Under RBI directions, the bank is restricted from allowing withdrawals from savings or current accounts but can set off loans against deposits under certain conditions. Essential expenditures such as salaries, rent, and electricity bills are permitted as per RBI's directions. It cannot also grant or renew loans and advances, make investments, incur liabilities (including borrowal of funds and acceptance of fresh deposits), disburse payments, enter into compromises, or dispose of properties or assets without RBI's prior approval.

 “The Bank has shifted its Virar Branch to nearby location after obtaining necessary permission from RBI. The Bank has merged its Shanti Park, Mira Road Branch with Poonam Gar den, Mira Road Branch and Wakad, Pune Branch with Bibwewadi Branch to curtail rent & other administrative cost to improve profitability of the Bank,” said vice chairman, Gauri Bhanu in her letter to members last year. 

Senior citizens throng branches, say retirement funds lie locked 

Mumbai : Worried depositors thronged New India Cooperative Bank’s branches on Friday to inquire if their deposits were safe. New India branches had put up banners with a message from the “Acting CEO” saying amounts up to Rs 5 lakh were insured with Depositor Insurance and Credit Guarantee Corporation and would be released “in around 90 days.” But frustration was writ large on the faces of those gathered. There were questions regarding the fate of those with more than Rs 5 lakh parked. Cops were present at some outlets to keep the situation under control. Somashekhar Nair, a retired resident of Virar, said, "I have had an account with this bank for the last 20 years. I also receive some funds from LIC and other sources here. Now there is no one who can answer our queries. What is the govt doing? There is no one to speak to us from the bank. I need money for my medicines and other expenses, why should I beg from others when I have my own funds.” Ashok Bhosale, who retired from the BMC's Fire Brigade department, said he was deeply worried  because he had fixed deposits of 15 lakh in the Mulund branch. Outside the Vasai west branch, senior citizen Chandrashekar Pethe said the restrictions imposed on the bank will hurt the common man. “This is a social issue concerning all.” Another senior Shashikant Karambekar said he was confident of getting his money back as it was insured.

 In Thane, a school teacher who had a savings account, said she had some money in the New India account. Though her salary account was shifted to another bank, she had chosen to keep the account active. 

METAANALYSIS: The number of Urban Cooperative Banks declined to 1,472 in March 2024 from 1,502 a year ago. They had deposits of Rs 5,56,962 crore, of which Rs 3.71 lakh crore were covered under insurance. The rest were held by individuals above the limit. Cooperative banks account for 2.5% of total deposits in the country

NEWS TODAY 15.02.2025