Mirchpur: Dalits to challenge acquittal of four juveniles - Chandigarh

A day after a juvenile was sentenced to three-year jail term in the infamous Mirchpur caste violence case, victim families have decided to challenge the acquittal of four other minors in the case.

The Juvenile Justice Board (JJB) on Monday had awarded three years imprisonment to a juvenile after he was found guilty for murder, assault and dacoity.

Lawyer for dalits hit by the violence, Rajat Kalsan claimed that that there were sufficient evidence against the juveniles acquitted by the board. "The witnesses had recognized all the five accused in the court but they could reveal the name of only one accused, who has now been convicted. But the evidence collected by the police also establish the guilt of four acquitted accused," said Kalsan.

However, counsel for the accused, Dharmender Goyat claimed that the judgement related to acquittal of the four accused was well reasoned as per the material available on the file. "There is no legal substance for the purpose of guilt of the four juveniles. There were general allegations against the accused not the specific," he said.

Goyat also said that they would challenge the conviction of fifth accused also. "He should be given benefit of doubt," he added.

A 70-year-old dalit Tara Chand, along with his physically-challenged daughter Suman, 18, were killed during the attack on their houses by the upper caste men in Mirchpur village of Hisar district on April 21, 2010. The incident had taken place after a dalit's dog had barked upon upper caste youths. A commission set up to probe the violence had blamed the police for failing in its duty to act swiftly.



Source : TOI, 3rd Feb 2016

TS, AP reap MGNREGA awards - Telangana

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District Collector Yogita Rana and DWMA Project Director Venkateshwarlu jointly receiving an award from Union Rural Development Minister Choudhary Birender Singh at Vigyan Bhavan in New Delhi on Tuesday

Two Telugu States bag top awards for effective implementation 

• Chandurthi sarpanch in Karimnagar district gets award for effectively monitoring the programme
  
• Nizamabad district is selected for the top award for effective implementation of the programme
   

Telangana State along with AP bagged seven of the top national awards in the implementation of MGNREGA works for the year 2015-17. While the two Telugu States bagged the award for social auditing and transparency, Telangana State also saw four more awards going its way.

While, Nizamabad district bagged the top award for effective implementation of the programme, Chandurthi (Karimnagar district) sarpanch bagged the individual award for effective monitoring the programme. Likewise, Bijjur Post Office in Adilabad district bagged the Post Office award for clearing all payments within three days throughout.

Telangana State also secured one more award for employing 85 per cent of the total physically challenged persons. YSR Kadapa district bagged the best district award in Andhra Pradesh for effective implementation of the programme in drought-affected areas. The awards were presented to the officials and individuals at a function held here on Tuesday to mark completion of 10 years of the programme in the country.

Meanwhile, the Union Rural Development Minister, Birendra Singh, announced here on Tuesday that from April 1 this year, all payments under MGNREGA would be made through direct cash transfers to the beneficiaries account. Currently, 94 per cent of the beneficiaries were being covered under the scheme.

Addressing the MGNREGA Sammelan to mark completion of 10 years of the scheme in the country, the Minister said that 2015-16 had seen a revival of the MGNREGA programme due to a slew of reforms undertaken by the Ministry of Rural Development. The person-day generation was the highest in the second quarter (45.88crore) and in the third quarter (46.10 crore) than it has been in the last five years.

Birendra Singh said more than 64% of total expenditure was on agriculture and allied activities and 57 per cent of all workers were women, well above the statutory requirement of 33 per cent, the highest in three years. 

The Minister said, among the reforms responsible for revival of MGNREGA were the timely release of funds to states to provide work on demand, an electronic fund management system, consistent coordination between banks and post offices besides monitoring of dues clearances.

The Ministry had also reacted swiftly to the distress situation of droughts in nine states by declaring an additional 50 days of employment in the drought affected areas, he said.

He said, the focus in the upcoming years would be on simplification and strengthening of procedures and a Master Circular was being issued on Tuesday which consolidates all key instructions from the Central government on the implementation of the Act.

He said the Ministry would also aim to train and place 10,000 barefoot technicians from worker households. The Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said that the government was committed to strengthening the programme and had allocated Rs 37,000 crore this fiscal, which was the highest ever budgetary support to the scheme.

The government would boost public spending in other rural sectors also like road, electrification, health, education and irrigation to spur the growth as private sector was not contributing to it as desired.

Source : The Hans India , 3rd Feb 2016

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NHAI gives nod for pedestrian subway - Vellore

Essential facility:Once preliminary works are completed it will take about three months to complete the subway, say officials.

It will help to cross the Chennai-Bangalore NH-48 near Sathuvachari

Crossing the Chennai-Bangalore National Highway-48 near Sathuvachari has for long been a nightmare for pedestrians. But this is set to change in the coming months, as the long-felt need for a subway across the NH will soon become a reality.

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has given its nod to construct a subway enabling pedestrians to cross the six-lane NH at the Regional Transport Office (RTO) Road point at Sathuvachari. Residents have been demanding for a subway for more than six years now.

From being NH-46, the Chennai Bangalore NH was recently re-numbered as NH-48 as part of a nation-wide exercise.

Bhoomi puja

With the “bhoomi puja” for the subway works held on Monday, officials said excavation works for the subway will begin after certain preliminary works are completed.

“Encroachments have to be removed from the service lanes on either sides of the NH. We need to shift certain utilities such as major Ponnai water pipelines and electricity lines. We will then widen the service lanes to allow the local traffic to flow, and divert the main traffic from the NH into the service lanes,” said an official.

Once the preliminary works are completed, he added that it will take about three months from the date of commencing work to complete the subway. “The excavation for the subway on the NH will be carried out for a depth of 3 m and width of 5 m. The subway will be built for a length of 51 m,” he added. Officials said the subway will come up at a cost of around Rs. two crore.

Useful for cyclists too

In fact, the subway will come up in such a way that even cyclists would be able to utilise it. “We will be providing a ramp to enable physically challenged persons to use the subway,” he said.

Officials said the work that will be carried out by L & T has been agreed upon for public cause as it was a long-pending demand.

M. Abdul Rahman, former Member of Parliament, Vellore had taken up the need to establish a subway at this junction during his tenure 2009-2014.

“Residents brought this issue to my notice as there were several fatal accidents at this spot. They had also resorted to stage road blockade then to draw the attention of the government,” he said.

He had raised this issue in the Parliament eight times, and represented during the visit of then Union Road Transport and Highways Minister to Vellore in 2012.

Demands from public

There have been demands from public in various parts of the district for underpasses or flyovers on the NH. A demand for an underpass near Ambur Sugar Mill surfaced a few years ago.

Source : The Hindu , 3rd Feb 2016 

Dr. Kamlesh Kumar Pandey has been Appointed as Chief Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities

Dr. Kamlesh Kumar Pandey has been appointed as the Chief Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities (CCPD) on 28^th January, 2016, for a period of three years.

Dr. Pandey is a Science Graduate from University of Allahabad and Medical Graduate from Agra University in 1990. He has been associated with Sewa Bharti, an NGO working in rehabilitation of slum dwellers, Akhil Bhartiya Dristihin Kalyan Sangh, an NGO working for visually challenged persons. Before joining the post of CCPD, Dr. Pandey was associated with Saksham, an NGO working in the field of disability.

Dr. Kamlesh Kumar Pandey

The Chief Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities (CCPD) is appointed by the Central Government from persons having special knowledge or practical experience in matters relating to rehabilitation of Persons with Disabilities.  The CCPD also coordinates the work of the State Governments’ Commissioners to monitor the utilization of funds disbursed by the Central Government; to take steps to safeguard the rights and facilities made available to persons with disabilities; and to submit reports to the Central Government on the implementation of the Persons with Disabilities Act, 1995.

Source : PIB , 29th Jan 2016 

Differently-Abled Woman Passenger Alleges Air India Made Her 'Crawl' - Delhi

A differently-abled woman passenger has alleged she had to "crawl" to the passenger coach after deboarding an Air India plane as the carrier failed to arrange a wheel chair for her due to "security" reasons, a charge denied by the airline.


The government-run airline claimed a wheel chair was provided to the passenger at aircraft doorstep itself.

The incident took place yesterday when Anita Ghai, a Delhi University associate professor, landed at the Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) in New Delhi by Alliance Air (Air India's regional arm) from Dehradun and requested for a wheel chair.

"I boarded this flight with four of my colleagues. Despite my repeated request, the (air) hostess did not cognize my requirement for a wheel chair after reaching. The flight reached at 7:30 pm. I waited patiently with one of my friends," she said.

"At 8:15 pm, we realise that there was no chance of (getting) a wheel chair. The (passenger) coach came at 8.30 pm after repeated requests from the flight commander. Since security reasons are critical they made me crawl to go to the coach," she alleged.

"We strongly deny the statement...We at Air India give utmost importance to passenger's safety and comfort," an Air India statement said.

The flight which operated on ATR aircraft landed in Delhi from Dehradun. Since it was parked at a distant bay it took some time to bring the wheel chair, the airline said.

"Since passengers were getting down from the aircraft, our support staff actively helped the passenger to come out of the plane and the wheelchair was provided at the doorstep," Air India said.

"We deeply regret any inconvenience caused to the passenger," it added.
News link - to watch video  : http://www.ndtv.com/india-news/differently-abled-woman-flyer-alleges-air-india-made-her-crawl-airline-denies-1271841

Source : NDTV 31st Jan 2016

MOL PAKISTAN LIFTS SPIRITS OF SPECIAL PERSONS - ISLAMABAD,PAKISTAN

Physically handicapped persons are an integral part of any society. We, at MOL Pakistan, stand fully cognizant of this fact and often create lively opportunities for the special persons to display their skills in sports besides proving their worth in different fields. 

This was said by MrAkos Grosz, MD MOL Pakistan after the final of ‘6th MOL Cricket Championship for the Physically Handicapped 2015-16’ played here at Shalimar Cricket Ground. 

In line with its CSR initiatives, MOL Pakistan has been organizing this cricket tournament to encourage the special persons and boost their morale. 

The championship’s matches have been played between the rival teams, all comprising of special persons, in different parts across the country.

In his message, Ali Murtaza Abbas, MOL Group Regional Advisor Middle East, Africa and Pakistan, held the special persons in high esteem. 

“Special persons are highly respectable citizens of Pakistan. They need to be accorded with utmost respect, dignity and warmth. 

MOL Pakistan organizes different sports and recreational activities to make sure that special persons are not left alone and are the vital ingredients of our social fabric”. 

“There are many fields in which the special people have not only excelled but have, as well, brought fame for them, their families and our country. We will keep striving to do our best for special persons”, he concluded.



Source : Pakistan Observer , 31st Jan 2016 

CM TO VISIT RAJNANDGAON TODAY - RAIPUR

Chief Minister Raman Singh will tour Rajnandgaon district on Sunday. He will leave Raipur by helicopter at 11.45 am and land at Manpur in Rajnandgaon at 12.30 pm.

He will participate in a Forest Department programme from 12. 30 pm to 1.30 pm. He will perform ‘’Bhoomipoojan’’ of the Ropeway to Maa Bambleshwari Temple at Dongargarh at 2.30 pm.

The Ropeway will be built at a cost of `5.51 crore. The Ropeway will carry 14 passenger trolley and two goods trolley. About 500 devotees will be transported in an hour on the ropeway. He will return back to Raipur by 4 pm.

Chief Minister will dedicate a modern bridge on Gaajmara canal built at a cost of `5.45 crore. The bridge will connect Chichola-Dongargarh. People of 31 villages will be benefitted.

Singh will dedicate a four-lane road connecting Pragnagiri- Murmunda. The five km road has been built at a cost of `9 crore. He will dedicate 13.6 km long Chirchari-Pitemani road laid down at a cost of `9 crore.

He will inaugurate 50-seater hostel on the campus of Dongargarh I.T.I. built at a cost of `1.16 crore. Singh will perform ‘Bhoomipoojan’ of Bambleshwari School at Bacherabata village. The school is being built at a cost of Rs 3 crore by the Bhambleshwari Temple Trust. A  Memorandum of Understanding  will also be signed between the State Government and Power Grid Corporation to build a boarding school for physically handicapped at Rajnandgaon which is the home assembly constituency of the chief minister. The school will be built at a cost of `3 crore.



Source : The Pioneer , 31st Jan 2016 

Makhan deserves better deal; physically challenged blossoms in Academics, Sports - JAMMU

Hard to believe! But it is true. One, who had met a tragic accident at the tender age of six months, receiving over sixty percent burns and losing his both the hands by falling into a ‘Chullah’ at his village Ghar in Akhnoor Tehsil of Jammu District, way back in mid eighties, is having the distinction of excelling in athletics at the National and International scene, besides blossoming in Academics.

Physically challenged Mak-han Lal, son of Jagdish Raj, a resident of Village Ghar in Akhnoor, has set an example of winning a galaxy of medals in Athletics in the Nationals, besides pursuing for Masters Degree in Economics at Jammu University, despite many hardships.

A middle-distance runner, he has won silver medal in 10,000 meters and bronze medal in 5,000 meters events of the 37th National Masters Athletic Championship by clocking 41:12:12 and 19:18: 95 timings respectively at Vidasha in Madhya Pradesh recently.


He was named the best athlete in 21 kilometers Jammu Marathon held on April 19, 2015 and was honoured for the same. Makhan has also the distinction of winning gold by completing a distance of 21 kilometers in 1 hour and 33 minutes at Pune. The ace athlete has been selected for representing India at Italy in the month of May, 2016.
Apart from these achievements, the physically handicapped athlete has many more achievements to his name at domestic and National levels.


Mr Makhan, who can only write by handling the pen with both of his handicapped hands, has done his matriculation from Government High School, Chowki Chowra and has passed 12th class examination from Government Higher Secondary School, Akhnoor, before graduating from MAM College Jammu, with Compound Arts subjects including Economics, Mathematics, Statistics and English.


Presently, Makhan is pursuing MA in Economics at University of Jammu.


He takes tuition classes in Mathematics for his earnings.

For his livelihood Makhan used to sell empty apple cartons and old bags at Fruit Mandi and Sabzi Mandi, Narwal. Makhan completed his graduation at Jammu by the same earnings.

Such people, who can serve as inspiration for others deserve a better deal. They possess all that is required to serve the society, State and the Nation. Government needs to take initiatives to accommodate them in Government jobs for rendering better services.


Source : Daily Excelsior , 30th Jan 2016

Microcephaly: What is happening to the babies?

Pregnant women are being urged to think twice before travelling to Latin American and Caribbean countries battling a rise in cases of microcephaly—a rare but brutal condition that shrinks the brains of unborn babies.

The increase has coincided with an outbreak of the usually benign Zika virus. But the virus and the birth defects have not been scientifically linked, leaving many questions about what is happening to these children in the womb.

We asked the experts.

Q: What is microcephaly?

A: Babies with microcephaly have an abnormally small brain and skull for their age, in the womb or at birth, with varying degrees of brain damage as a result. It has many potential causes: infections, viruses, toxins or unknown genetic factors.

- Jean-Francois Delfraissy of France's Inserm medical research institute.

Q: What are the consequences for the child?

A: In serious cases, early death. If the brain is under-developed, the body cannot function properly. In French Polynesia (one of the regions affected), these deformities have caused most of the babies to be stillborn, as the unborn infants simply cannot survive.

- Andre Cabie, infections disease head at the University Hospital of Martinique.

A: For children who survive pregnancy and are born with microcephaly, the future is bleak. In the worst cases, children will be severely intellectually and physically handicapped. But even those less severely affected will likely struggle with psychomotor impairment—characterised by slow thought, speech and physical movements.

"It is a real tragedy."

- Delfraissy

Q: How does a virus affect an unborn child?

A: Many types of viral infections, such as rubella or cytomegalovirus, can cause physical deformities and intellectual deficiencies, especially during the first three months of pregnancy, when the vital organs are being formed. Viruses can travel through the placenta and infect the foetus directly, sometimes in the brain.

- Delfraissy

Q: Why is microcephaly thought to be linked to Zika virus?

A: Microcephaly cases seem to have increased in the zone of the Zika outbreak. But also, the virus has been detected in stillborn children with microcephaly, as well as in the amniotic fluid.

The link between Zika and microcephaly is highly likely, but has not yet been proven scientifically.

- Delfraissy

A: This is a very new situation. Until a few months ago we did not know that Zika could cause congenital infections (which are present from birth) and microcephaly. It caught us all by surprise.

The evidence for the link is relatively strong, and considered strong enough to warrant public health measures.

- Laura Rodrigues of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, via the Science Media Centre.

Q: What are we doing to learn more?

A: Studies are underway in French Polynesia, where a Zika outbreak ocurred around the end of 2013 - beginning of 2014, to better understand how the virus may affect foetuses. In Martinique, where there is an outbreak right now, a trial group ofpregnant women is being put together for study.

The difficulty is that people infected with the virus usually have no symptoms. A pregnant woman can thus be infected without knowing it. On the other hand, cases have been observed of pregnant women infected with Zika whose children did not develop microcephaly.

- Cabie

Q: Is Zika contagious between people?

A: There has been a case of sexual transmission, and theoretically transmission by transplantation or transfusion cannot be ruled out. The main route of infection is through mosquitoes.

- Alain Kohl of the University of Glasgow's Centre for Virus Research.

Source : Medical Express , 28th Jan 2016 

KEA releases candidate list - Bangaluru

The list of candidates, who have applied for the post of assistant professors under the physically handicapped (blind/low vision) quota, has been displayed on the Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA) websitekeauthority-ka@nic.in. The examinations authority has informed the candidates to appear before the Medical Board on February 3 at 11 a.m. on KEA premises with all necessary medical documents to avail the benefit of a scribe during the competitive examination, according to a KEA release.

Source : The Hindu , 28th Jan 2016 

The transfer fiasco of Government Higher Secondary teachers in Kerala

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The teacher-transfer process seems to have met a permanent roadblock 

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Many schools in the southern districts of Kerala –especially Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam and Alappuzha- now have more than one teacher for the same post, while many in Northern Kerala –especially Wayanad, Idukki and Kasargod- flaunt many vacant posts, with not even a single teacher posted for a subject. 

This was not surprising as not many wanted to serve in government schools situated in remote corners of the inhospitable hilly terrains of Northern Kerala, as compared to the plains of southern Kerala.

A teacher from the Left’s Kerala School Teachers Association (KSTA) speaking on condition of anonymity shared an interesting fact with The News Minute: “There are around 800-900 such teachers who had served more than five years outside their home district. On the other hand, there are around 1500 teachers who have stayed put in their home-districts for almost ten years without ever having been transferred.”

There are at present around 400 government higher secondary schools in Kerala with almost 4000 teachers on the rolls.

The last time the state government had called for online applications for transfers was in November 2013. After a long gap, it was only in May 2015 that the process was renewed.

After discussions with various higher secondary teachers’ unions, the norms for general transfers were decided upon. It was accepted that teachers who had served for five years or more in their home district would be mandatorily transferred.

Following this, sometime in July-August last year, the teachers were asked to submit their choice of district in the first phase, while they were assured that in the second phase, they would have the option to choose from a list of schools with vacancies displayed on the website of the Directorate of Higher Secondary Education www.dhsekerala.gov.in

Trouble started with the government implementing only the first phase, where teachers were transferred without any prior intimation, apparently based on the choice of districts given.

That the transfers were not based on actual seniority worsened the brewing crisis.

Following widespread protests and based on a Kerala Administrative Tribunal (KAT) directive, the state government formed a four-member committee headed by Additional Chief Secretary VS Senthil to look into the matter.

The committee decided that the post of a teacher who had put in five years of service in a particular school would be considered as an open vacancy and all such existing vacancies would be published online.

Based on the choices submitted, the committee said that a provisional list would be put out, and teachers would be given time to submit complaints if any.

The final list was then put out on January 18 with the state Education Minister PK Abdu Rabb verbally assuring the teachers that the transfers would come into effect only at the start of the new academic year in June this year.

The affected teachers now say that this list is not based on seniority but on priority grounds such as compassionate posting, physically handicapped, widows of armed forces’ personnel, spouse postings and even NRI postings  now being introduced.

The last quota mentioned was introduced for the very first time, thereby giving the state education department the privilege of being the only government department to have such a quota in place.

Because of these various priority lists, many who were ranked higher in the general transfer rank list lost out to those who figured in the said priority lists.

We now have to take a look at the major players in this transfer game to get a clearer picture of the same.

With the Education Minister belonging to the Muslim League -the second largest constituent in the ruling United Democratic Front- naturally the League’s Kerala Higher Secondary School Teachers’ Union (KHSSTU) reportedly has the major say in the current political scenario.

Then there is the Left’s KSTA mentioned earlier, as well as the Congress-allied Higher Secondary School Teachers’ Association (HSSTA), the Government School Teachers’ Union (GSTU) and the Kerala Pradesh School Teachers’ Union (KPSTU).

It may be a matter of simply throwing mud at each other. But reports abound of loads of money changing hands with officials concerned reportedly cashing in on both sides.

It is said that bribes were apparently paid to go ahead with the transfers as well as stop them from taking place. An ideal “Caught between the devil and the deep sea” scene being played out.

Allegations are rife, with the various unions accusing each other of a concerted conspiracy by vested interests in resisting any move to transfer them out of their home-districts despite having never been transferred even once in their entire teaching career.

“This is especially true of teachers posted in the Cotton Hill Government Higher Secondary School in Thiruvananthapuram–considered as one of the plum postings- in Kerala. There is a very powerful political lobby at work there which resists any attempts of a transfer,” alleges a KSTA member.

This group of teachers -most of whose spouses hold positions in the Kerala Secretariat apparently- approach the law courts at every turn for stay orders so that the government is reportedly unable to implement the order at one go.

They have supposedly even catered for a change of political masters in case the Left comes to power in the upcoming Assembly elections in May on the reported assurance of fresh transfer norms being formulated which would apparently protect their own interests.

Foreseeing such a deadlock, KAT has now said that no fresh case filed will be considered till such time that the entire transfer process is  actually implemented on ground.

That refreshingly is a smart move. So hope it’s finally check and mate, dear teachers.



Source : The Newsminute , 26th Jan 2016  

Do you need the book of Sex, Love, and Physically Handicapped (Sex Love Phys Hndcap Clh) by author Ayrault, Evelyn West?

Order : Regularization of Service for Person with Disabilities

Modi distributes aid to differently-abled, flags off train in Varanasi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday distributed assistive devices to over 9,000 differently-abled persons and flagged off a new train at the Diesel Locomotive Works (DLW) ground on his fifth visit to his constituency Varanasi.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi interacting with a 'Divyang' (physically challenged) child while distributing aid & assistive devices at a function, in Varanasi on Friday.

Out of the 9,296 differently-abled persons, 18, including five visually-impaired, shared the dais with the Prime Minister during the Divyangjan Sashaktikaran Samaroh. While one out of the 29 persons suffering from leprosy was given an ADL leprosy kit by the PM, others were handed over the kit later.

Modi presented assistive devices to 18 people on the dais. He also gifted sewing machines to five poor women in the presence of UK’s Lord Raj Loomba, whose Loomba Foundation is working to empower 5,000 widows in Varanasi.

Union minister of social justice and empowerment Thawar Chand Gehlot and two state ministers from his department Krishanpal Gurjar and Vijay Sampla were also present during the event. Union minister of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) Kalraj Mishra also attended the camp.

Gehlot’s ministry had written to the Guinness Book of World Records to take note of the event, which is touted to be one of the largest of its kind. A team from Guinness Book of World Records was present at the venue to cover the event.

The Prime Minister had in a radio address recently made a plea for doing away with the word ‘vikalang’ (handicapped) and calling the differently abled as ‘divyang’ (born with a divine limb/organ) in a bid to sensitise the society towards their right to live a life of dignity and honour.

Reports have suggested that a new disabilities act may be passed by his government wherein the word ‘handicapped’ may be replaced with ‘impairment’, in all national institutes, as a mark of ‘changing attitudes’ towards persons with disabilities.

The Diesel Locomotive Works (DLW) premises also witnessed the flagging off of the Mahamana Express by the Prime Minister.

The thrice-a-week superfast train, which has been named after renowned educationist and founder of the Benares Hindu University (BHU) Madan Mohan Malaviya, promises to cover the nearly 800-km distance between Varanasi and New Delhi in less than 14 hours.

The last tour, on December 12 last year, was marked by Modi witnessing the famous Ganga Arti on the banks of the holy river, accompanied by the Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

Modi will also visit Lucknow, the constituency of former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee, later in the day. It is the first visit to the UP capital by a Prime Minister in the last 13 years.

He is scheduled to attend the convocation ceremony at the Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University and interact with students there, distribute e-rickshaws among beneficiaries at Colvin Taluqdars’ College, and pay tribute to Dr BR Ambedkar and then go back to Delhi.




Source : Hindustan Times , 22nd Jan 20016

Man rapes physically disabled woman in UP - Balia

A 30-year-old handicapped woman was allegedly raped by a youth here after she stepped out of her house to attend nature's call today.

"The incident took place yesterday when the woman, a resident of a village under Dubhar police station area, had gone out to relieve herself," SP Anis Ansari said.

The accused, Ajay Yadav who belongs to the same village, is still at large and efforts are on to nab him, the SP said.

An FIR has been lodged in this connection, he said, adding the girl has been sent for medical examination.

Source : Zee News , 23rd Jan 2016

Teachers to get tips on helping disabled students get jobs

In a push to impart vocational training to disabled people, the Delhi government is considering a proposal to send teachers from technical institutes and polytechnics for a training programme outside the city.

The proposed course would help them provide training to disabled students.

It will be conducted by the National Institute of Technical Teachers Training and Research, Chandigarh.

“Job fairs for disabled people, employment opportunities for the disabled in government and public sector undertakings and corporate social responsibility initiatives would also be a part of the training,” said an official. 

The course is likely to give a push to the Arvind Kejriwal government’s insitutions to frequently conduct projects for the disabled students admitted under the physically handicapped quota.

The February 29-March 4 orientation programme in Chandigarh would also look at generating self-employment opportunities for the disabled, said an official.

Through regular job summits, Labour Minister Gopal Rai has been trying to generate job and self-employment opportunities for the disabled. 

“We have been regularly holding job fairs for the disabled,” said Rai.

In August, hundreds of disabled job seekers were shortlisted for jobs with multi-national companies.

In November-December, an 11-day job summit was organised by the Delhi government.

The shortlisted differently abled youths were selected by MNCs for jobs like financial planning adviser, housekeeping, tele-caller, data entry operator, security guard, attendant, helper, driver and peon.

In the last one year, over 15,000 job seekers have got appointment letters through job summits conducted by labour department.

A special job fair was held in October at Karkardooma by the Delhi government in association with the Vocational Rehabilitation Centre For Handicapped.

Rai said all job summits culminate with counselling session for  applicants in which they are provided offer letters after verifying their documents and qualifications.



Source : Deccan Herald , 22nd Jan 2016

Civic bodies slam move to audit accounts

The BJP-controlled municipal corporations on Thursday criticised the AAP government's decision to audit the accounts of civic bodies calling it "a political move to deflect attention" from its own failure. 

The Delhi Government recently decided to set up a committee to inspect and scrutinise the records of all three corporations to see whether they are duly performing the obligatory functions mandated under the DMC Act. 

The North Delhi Mayor, Ravindra Gupta, said that the Delhi government adopted double standards when it came to scrutiny and accountability. 

"The Delhi government has a bias attitude towards the municipal corporations as it is only politicising the issue to hide its own corruption," he alleged.

"Despite the Court's order, Delhi Government is not releasing funds under the 3rd Finance Commission and implementing the 4th Finance Commission report. 

Had it released the funds on time, the corporations would not have faced such serious finance crunch. But instead of cooperating with the corporations in performing development functions, Delhi government is setting up committee to hide its own weaknesses," the Mayor said. 

Gupta further alleged that the move was a conspiracy to keep citizens busy in "useless issues" and divert people's attention from corrupt practices going on in various departments of Delhi government. 

"Delhi Government so far has not set up any committee on charges against its own departments. CNG scam is a recent example. It has given clearance to itself on its own. I request the Chief Minister to stop this petty politics as citizens of Delhi suffer the most," Gupta said. 

He further said that the North Corporation is ready for any audit or enquiry. However, he said that the enquiry should be conducted by an independent agency. 

The Mayor said, "North Corporation is not afraid of any kind of scrutiny as it has always functioned with complete transparency and accountability." 

He said that the decision of setting up an enquiry committee has been taken with a cruel and malafide intention as CAG already scrutinises the accounts of the municipal corporations from time to time.

Echoing his view, the East Corporation Mayor, Harshdeep Malhotra, said that the exercise was against the rules as the "Delhi government has no jurisdiction to order audit of autonomous municipal corporations." 

Further, the South Corporation passed a censure motion in its standing committee meeting on Thursday condemning AAP government's audit decision. 

The Leader of Opposition in the Delhi Vidhan Sabha, Vijender Gupta, also crticised the Delhi government's decision saying the move as "a serious threat to autonomy and independence of municipal institutions". 

Even in the case of pension for senior citizens, widows and physically handicapped, it did not pay any attention to pleas of municipalities. Therefore, the court had to direct it to take up the responsibility. 

"It reflects its unsympathetic attitude towards nearly 1.8 crore citizens residing within their jurisdiction and nearly 1.5 lakh employees who are finding it difficult to make their both ends meet. Motivated by political vendetta, it has over looked the effect that both public and employees are suffering untold hardships," said Gupta.




Source : The Statesman, 22nd Jan 2016