Farmers, policymakers warn Centre against proposed amendments to Plant Treaty

Farmers, policymakers warn Centre against proposed amendments to Plant Treaty

Bharath Beej Swaraj Manch and the Rashtriya Kisan Mahasangh, two organisations of farmers, have written to the Union Agriculture Ministry against the proposed amendments. File. As the ‘Ad Hoc Open-Ended Working Group’ to enhance the Multilateral System (MLS) under the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (the ‘Plant Treaty’) meets in … Read more

PMK urges Centre to listen to Muslim organisations before passing amendments to Waqf Act

PMK urges Centre to listen to Muslim organisations before passing amendments to Waqf Act

PMK president Anbumani Ramadoss on Monday said the Central government’s decision to hold Parliamentary Joint Committee’s meeting to listening to perspectives from various stakeholders regarding the proposed amendments to the Waqf Act should result in beneficial measures with respect to governance of management of properties donated for Islamic religious and charitable purposes. In a statement, … Read more

‘Patients’ rights and access to drugs could be hurt by proposed amendments in patent rules’

‘Patients’ rights and access to drugs could be hurt by proposed amendments in patent rules’

A patient receives medicines at a clinic in New Delhi. File image used for representational purpose only. | Photo Credit: PTI Some clauses in the draft Patents (Amendment) Rules, 2023 have triggered fears that important public health safeguards against patent evergreening and unmerited monopolies will be diluted. Civil society organisations, academics, and intellectual property and … Read more

Govt. constitutes committee to propose amendments to Wildlife Protection Act

Govt. constitutes committee to propose amendments to Wildlife Protection Act

The government has constituted a high-level committee chaired by the Chief Secretary to propose necessary amendments to the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, to seek the removal of “impractical” legal restrictions and hindrances in controlling wild animals that wander into human-inhabited areas. The Additional Chief Secretaries of the Forest and Environment Departments, the Head of the … Read more