Social Work for Mankind

Odisha Government to provide 50% reservation to women in Panchayat Raj Institutions

2010-03-07T21:51:00.002+05:30

It’s really a very nice gift for the women on International Women’s Day that, the Odisha State Government today approved a proposal to increase reservation for women to 50 percent in panchayats.

President Pratibha Patil's announcement of the 100-days agenda of the government in June had mentioned the intent to provide fifty percent reservation for women in Panchayats.

Article 243(D) of the Constitution to enhance reservation for women in panchayats at all tiers from the current one-third to at least 50 per cent. The 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendments have accorded Indian women a scope for political representation.

At present, out of the total elected representatives of panchayats, approximately 28.1 lakhs, 36.87 per cent are women. With the proposed constitutional amendment, the number of elected women representatives is expected to rise to more than 14 lakhs.

According to the agenda panchayat samiti chairman would be work as the deputy chairman of the block level advisory committees of the Food and Supplies department.

States like Bihar, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh have already implemented 50 per cent quota for women in the panchayati raj institutions.

Sexual harassment and rape cases in sevashram

2010-03-05T08:53:00.019+05:30

Two teachers, including the head master of a sevashram were arrested for allegedly raping and sexually exploiting four girl students of Badoamboda sevashram of Kosagumuda block, Nabarangpur dist., Odisha. While one is head master, another is a gana sishya (a teacher) and husband of the lady cook-cum-attendant.

The victims were subjected to medical examination and one of them was found to be pregnant.

The sevashram, run by the State SC and ST welfare department, is situated at a distance of 55 k.m. from the dist-headquarter. The strength of the ashram is around 300, including 240 girls.

Sources said that many girls are exploiting by them and not speaking out of fear. The Dist. Collector and the State Government have to take immediate action against those teachers. Otherwise no girl can dare to stay in any ashram in future. May be the sexual harassment and rape in ashrams and organizations are the causes for which till now in Nabarangpur district, we don’t found any destitute home for women. Many popular politicians and richest persons of Nabarangpur and jharigaon told about the exploitation held at Dabugaon kanyashram, Bhimaguda kanyashram and Ratikhandiguda KBK girls hostel. But many from those people were exploited the innocent girls of that hostels/kanyashrams. All may be forget about a issue happened on Jharigaon previous year when computerised naked photo copy of a college girl joint with a man and distributed among the common people. Though police, TV channels and political parties known about the issue all were remained silent. If the common people have no respect for the mothers and sisters of their own village then how can the state Government stop the violence. It's really very shameful and painful incident.

India needs 6,800 more hospitals in rural areas

2010-03-02T20:31:00.001+05:30

India needs 6,800 more hospitals in rural areas to provide basic health facilities to its common people.

"There is still a shortage of 4,477 primary healthcare centres and 2,337 community healthcare centres.

The survey said: "Village level health and sanitation committees were still to be constituted in nine states".

Union finance minister Pranab Mukherjee on Friday proposed to hike the spending on public healthcare to Rs 22,300 crore, up 14% from last year. Besides, health insurance has also been extended to more than 20% of the Indian population covered by the NREGA (National Rural employment Guarantee Act) program.

But the annual survey presented in parliament said: "Almost 29 percent of the existing health infrastructure is in rented buildings. Poor upkeep and maintenance, and high absenteeism of manpower in the rural areas are the main problems in the health delivery system."

"Basic facilities were still absent in many health centres with many PHCs (primary health centres) and CHCs (community health centres) being unable to provide guaranteed service such as in-patient services, operation theatres, labour rooms, pathological tests, X-ray facilities and emergency care."

The survey also said that the infant mortality rate is expected to reach 30 per every 100,000 live births against the current level of 53 by 2012.

Human Trafficking in Ragayagada Dist. of Odisha

2010-02-28T13:30:00.000+05:30

Five children from Rayagada dist. rescued from labour agents of Bissamkatak block named madhavan in Bangalore. The girls are aged between 12 and 15 years from 3 vilages promised to provided better livelihood in Bangalore.

These minors were rescued by railway police at Bangalore. At first they were kept at a children’s home in Bangalore and were finally handed over to their parents.

That children were taken to Visakhapatnam and handed over to Gandhi. Gandhi escorted the children to Bangalore. Police have arrested Gandhi.

In October 2009, 12 girls of kolnara block were rescued from the clutches of Kerala agents and handed over to their families. Human Trafficking mainly trafficking of minors is rampant in the district.

That business is continuing by other agents till now and Odisha Government have to take more initiatives to stop human trafficking, mainly in tribal belts.

Union Budget for 2010-11

2010-02-26T14:25:00.001+05:30

Budget is known as the Annual Financial Statement. It is an estimate of the inflows and outflows of the government for a certain financial year. It lists the financial accomplishments of the previous year and enumerates the new fiscal policy to be followed during the current financial year. The Finance Minister puts down a report that contains Government of India’s revenue and expenditure for one fiscal year. The fiscal year runs from April 01 to March 31.

Indian industry today welcomed the Union Budget for 2010-11 saying it was a balanced approach though it expressed disappointment over the hike in minimum alternate tax (MAT) from 15 per cent to 18 per cent.

Key Highlights

GDP Growth to be targeted at 9%
Target of Rs 25,000 cr disinvestment this year
Fertilizer Subsidy to be reduced
GDP to reach 10% in near future
To consider Parikh Report on Fuel Price
Rs 400 crore to be allocated for Green Revolution in Eastern India
Rs 300 crore for Rashtriya Krishi Vikash Yojna
Extend Loan Repayment for drohught-hit Farmers
Four-pronged agricultural strategy to be adopted
More help to Food Processing Sector
Farmers, who repay loan on time, will get a waiver of 2%
Farmers to get Loans at 5%
To extend farm loan repayment by 6 months
Agriculture Loan for Farmers increased to Rs 3,75,000 crore
New Food Policy from April 1, 2010
Rs 300 crore to be allocated for Pulse Production
Rs. 1.37 lakh crore for Infrastructure Development
Road Development allocation increased to 19,894 crore
More than double allocation for Power Sector to 5,130 crore
Farmer Fund for Women - Rs 100 crore
Dalits and Poor to get more focus
NREGA Allocation at Rs 40,100 crore
Rs 1200 crore package for drought-hit Bundelkhand
Bharat Nirman Yojna - Rs 48,000 crore
Solar Energy - Rs 1,000 crore
Allocation for School Education increased from Rs 26,800 crore to Rs 31,036 cror
Allocation for Health at 22,300 crore
Sarva Sikha Abhiyaan - Rs 36,000 crore
Rs 61,000 crore for rural Development
Indira Awas Yojna to get Rs 10,000 crore
House Loans up to Rs 10 lakh - 1% subsidy extended for one year
Focus on Slum Development
National Social Security Fund for unskilled labourers to be set up with Rs 1,000 crore
National Pension Scheme - New Accounts to get Rs 1,000 per year by the government
National Health Insurance Scheme for NREGA Workers
Rural Banks to be supported
More Private Banks to be encouraged
Banks to get Rs 6,000 crore to improve fundamental structure
Defence Allocation - Rs 147,344 crore
Gross Tax Receipts - Rs 7.46 lakh crore
Railways to be allocated Rs 16,772 crore

Remarks for International Women's Day

2010-02-25T23:48:00.006+05:30

International Women's Day (IWD) is marked on March 8 every year. It is a major day of global celebration for the economic, political and social achievements of women. In some places like China, Russia, Vietnam and Bulgaria, IWD is a national holiday. The first IWD was run in 1911.

The status of women in India has been subject to many great changes over the past few millennia. From a largely unknown status in ancient times through the low points of the medieval period, to the promotion of equal rights by many reformers, the history of women in India has been eventful.

The Constitution of India guarantees to all Indian women equality (Article 14), no discrimination by the State (Article 15(1)), equality of opportunity (Article 16), equal pay for equal work (Article 39(d)). In addition, it allows special provisions to be made by the State in favor of women and children (Article 15(3)), renounces practices derogatory to the dignity of women (Article 51(A) (e)) and also allows for provisions to be made by the State for securing just and human conditions of work and for maternity relief. (Article 42).

In 1946 the United Nations established a Commission on the Status of Women. Originally as the Section on the Status of Women, Human Rights Division, Department of Social Affairs and now part of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). Since 1975 the UN has held a series of world conferences on women's issues, starting with the World Conference of the International Women's Year in Mexico City. These conferences created an international forum for women's rights and illustrated divisions between women of different cultures and the difficulties of attempting to apply principles universally.On occasion of 2009 International Women's Day the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has warned that the specific health-care needs of women.

Remarks for Women's Day

1879:John Elliot Drinkwater Bethune established the Bethune School in 1849, which developed into the Bethune College in 1879, thus becoming the first women's college in India
883: Chandramukhi Basu and Kadambini Ganguly became the first female graduates of India and the British Empire
1886: Kadambini Ganguly and Anandi Gopal Joshi became the first women from India to be trained in Western medicine
1905: Suzanne RD Tata becomes the first Indian woman to drive a car
1916: The first women's university, SNDT Women's University, was founded on June 2, 1916 by the social reformer Dhondo Keshav Karve with just five students
1917: Annie Besant became the first female president of the Indian National Congress
1919: For her distinguished social service, Pandita Ramabai became the first Indian woman to be awarded the Kaiser-i-Hind by the British Raj
1925: Sarojini Naidu became the first Indian born female president of the Indian National Congress
1927: The All India Women's Conference was founded
1944: Asima Chatterjee became the first Indian woman to be conferred the Doctorate of Science by an Indian university
1947: On August 15, 1947, following independence, Sarojini Naidu became the governor of the United Provinces, and in the process became India's first woman governor
1951: Prem Mathur becomes the first Indian women commercial pilot of the Deccan Airways
1953: Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit became the first woman (and first Indian) president of the United Nations General Assembly
959: Anna Chandy becomes the first Indian woman judge of a High Court (Kerala High Court)
1963:Sucheta Kriplani became the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, the first woman to hold that position in any Indian state
1966: Captain Durga Banerjee becomes the first Indian woman pilot of the state airline, Indian Airlines
1966: Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay wins Ramon Magsaysay award for community leadership
1966: Indira Gandhi becomes the first woman Prime Minister of India
1970: Kamaljit Sandhu becomes the first Indian woman to win a Gold in the Asian Games
1972: Kiran Bedi becomes the first female recruit to join the Indian Police Service
1979: Mother Teresa wins the Nobel Peace Prize, becoming the first Indian female citizen to do so
1984: On May 23, Bachendri Pal became the first Indian woman to climb Mount Everest.
1989: Justice M. Fathima Beevi becomes the first woman judge of the Supreme Court of India
1997: Kalpana Chawla becomes the first India-born woman to go into space
1992: Priya Jhingan becomes the first lady cadet to join the Indian Army (later commissioned on March 6, 1993)
1994: Harita Kaur Deol becomes the first Indian woman pilot in the Indian Air Force (IAF), on a solo flight
2000: Karnam Malleswari became the first Indian woman to win an Olympic medal (bronze medal in the 2000 Summer Olympics at Sydney)
2002: Lakshmi Sahgal became the first Indian woman to run for the post of President of India
2004: Punita Arora became the first woman in the Indian Army to don the highest rank of Lieutenant General
2007: Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak became the first Indian woman to be appointed as University Professor at an Ivy League university (Columbia University)
2007: Pratibha Patil becomes the first woman President of India
2008: Renu Khator became the first India born woman to lead a major American university, the University of Houston
2009: Meira Kumar became the first woman Speaker of Lok Sabha, the lower house in Indian Parliament

Below are some of the global United Nation themes used for International Women's Day

- 2010: Equal rights, equal opportunities: Progress for all
- 2009: Women and men united to end violence against women and girls
- 2008: Investing in Women and Girls
- 2007: Ending Impunity for Violence against Women and Girls
- 2006: Women in decision-making
- 2005: Gender Equality Beyond 2005: Building a More Secure Future
- 2004: Women and HIV/AIDS
- 2003: Gender Equality and the Millennium Development Goals
- 2002: Afghan Women Today: Realities and Opportunities
- 2001: Women and Peace: Women Managing Conflicts
- 2000: Women Uniting for Peace
- 1999: World Free of Violence against Women
- 1998: Women and Human Rights
- 1997: Women at the Peace Table
- 1996: Celebrating the Past, Planning for the Future
- 1975: First IWD celebrated by the United Nations

Mamata Banerjee presents Railway Budget 2010

2010-02-24T14:25:00.007+05:30

The railway budget for the next fiscal is scheduled to be presented by the Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee at noon in the Lok Sabha.

With an investment of Rs 14,000 cr estimated in the Vision 2020 document for the next 10 years, the Railways will have to think out of the box in getting the funds needed to sustain the growth and the future demands.

Railway Budget gives emphasis to “social responsibility” and it's said as the ‘aam admi Railway Budget’.

Key highlights

Its aim to Introduce ‘janata ahaar’
Other suggestions regarding food being looked into
To provide cheap bottled water to passengers, Six bottling plants for clean drinking water through PPP model
Safety and security a priority
14 lakh employees in Indian Railways
Special drive for passenger amenities and cleanliness
Freight rates cut for foodgrains
101 hospitals to be built on Railway land
E-ticket based mobile van to provide reservation at important places like hospitals, court, IT centres
Introduce green toilets in at least 10 trains
Special Task Force To Be Set Up To Clear Investment Proposals Within 100 Days
Railway Culture Heritage Board will be et up
Railways Will Not Be Privatized
1000 News Lines Of kilometres In One Year:
National Health Insurance to be extended to Railway porters
Women's Wing To Be Formed In RPF To Ensure Security Of Women
Railways Will Provide Houses To All Its Employees In The Next 10 Years In Collaboration With Urban Development Ministry
54 new trains in 2011
Educational institutions will be set up on Railway land
Rs 1302 crore will be spent on passenger amenities
English, Hindi, Urdu and local languages to be used for railway exams
Examination fee to be waived for poor, minority, SC/ST and women candidates
Concession for madrassa students, artists and journalists
Ex-servicemen to be inducted in RPF
More companies of women RPF personal - to be called as ‘mahila vahini’
PPP model for multi-layer parking
‘Rashtriya swasthya bima yojna’ to be extended to porters and vendors
New housing scheme for railway employees
Employment to one member of the land losing family
Railways to be eco-friendly
Cheaper food, drinking water for all passengers
India's religious, spiritual, pilgrimage hotspots to be connected with 'Bharat Teertha' trains
Special benefits to help Cancer patients. Free tickets to AC3 and sleeper class, 75 percent concession for companion
Bharat Tirth train to mark Rabindranath Tagore's 150th birth anniversary
60 creches and 20 hostels for children of women railway employees
Special trains for Commonwealth Games 2010

Indian children still deprived of basic needs

2010-02-20T23:56:00.003+05:30

India has 375 million children, more than any other country in the world. 360 million people, about 36 per cent of the population (1999-2000 statistics) are living below the poverty line, though the government's latest estimates put this figure at 26 per cent.

It is estimated that women and children account for 73 per cent of those below the poverty line. More than 75 million children continue to suffer from malnutrition because of equitable distribution system and the withdrawal of the public distribution system.

The Fifth Five Year Plan (1974-79) saw the government's focus was on child welfare through the promotion of basic minimum services for children after the launch of the Integrated Child Development Services, 1975.

As against 18.9 million in 1997, the ICDS in 1999-2000 reached approximately 26.5 million children below the age of six. Of these, nearly 12.7 million children, between the ages of three and six, participate in centre-based pre-school educational activities (Annual Report, DWCD, 1999-2000).

The Sixth Five Year Plan was the period of strengthening child welfare and development. It led to the spatial expansion and enrichment of child development services through a variety of programmes.

The focus of the Eighth Five Year Plan period (1992-97) shifted the focus to human development through advocacy, mobilisation and community empowerment.

The Government of India has declared its commitment to every child in the Ninth Five Year Plan (1997-2002).

Category of children under special or difficult circumstances

Children in labour
Street children
Destitute children in need of adoption
Drug addicts
Children in prostitution
Children of prisoners
Refugee children
Slum and migrant children
Children who are neglected or treated as juvenile offenders
Children who are physically or mentally challenged

Children faces problems

From every 1,000 children born in a year, 48 die within 28 days of birth. The incidence is much higher in the rural areas: 52 child deaths at birth
There are not enough beds to accommodate the 25 million annual births
One in 13 infants dies before reaching the age of one year
One in nine children die before reaching the age of five. This figure corresponds to official figures for 1961
Approximately 70 per cent of infant deaths occur in the first week of life
Acute Lower Respiratory Infection (ALRI) continues to claim15-20 per cent of infant deaths, especially in the first three or four months of life
380,000 deaths occur each year due to Vitamin A, iron and iodine deficiencies. And 210,000 children are born cretins, or turn blind at pre-school age
Every year 7 to 8 lakh (700,000-800,000) children die from a preventable disease, like diarrhoea
In a country that has buffer stocks of food grains, nearly 75 million children below the age of 5 years are malnourished
45 per cent of children below three are severely and chronically malnourished
Only 44 per cent of children have completed the immunisation schedule. A massive 14 per cent have not received a single vaccine

Several achievements have been made

Infant mortality rates have decreased from 134 in 1946-50 to 72 in 1997
Under-five mortality rates declined from 177 in 1980 to 100 in 1993
Every girl-child born today can expect to live up to the age of 58 years, as against 41 years in 1951- 60
Every boy-child can live to 58 years, as against 42 years in 1951-60
More deliveries take place in health facilities (33 per cent in 1992-93, compared to 25 per cent five years ago)
More children receive the essential vaccines protecting them from tuberculosis, diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, measles and polio (42 per cent, up from 36 per cent). The Universal Immunisation Programme aims at immunising all 25 million children born in the country each year against the six vaccine-preventable diseases.

Odisha tribals suffer Human Rights Violence by Vedanta

2010-02-14T11:40:00.003+05:30

The Amnesty International’s (AI) recent report on the London-based Vedanta group’s aluminium refinery and bauxite mining project at Lanjigarh in Odisha's Kalahandi district has once again prompted the local tribals.

The Dongria Kondhs, who have inhabited the Niyamgiri Hills for centuries consider the environmentally sensitive Hills to be their “Living God” and are up in arms against the mining project and tell “We may die but we will not allow the destruction of our Niyamgiri Hills.”

Vedanta Aluminium Ltd’s alumina refinery has led to water and air pollution, seriously undermining the quality of life and threatening the health of nearby communities.

The 8,000 strong community, mainly ‘adivasis’ (tribals) in Odisha’s Lanjigarh suffered violations of human rights to water and health, due to pollution by Vedanta’s aluminium refinery.

The refinery project has already led to health problems like skin and respiratory diseases among the locals and these health hazards are expected to multiply once the bauxite mining begins in the hills, the tribals fear.

Around 4,000 people living near the refinery are facing serious health problems because “they are breathing polluted air and drinking water from a contaminated river, the Vamsadhara, that is one of their primary sources of water.”

The environmental pollution caused by the refinery’s fly ash and red mud ponds was reported by Business Standard .

Women Empowerment for Its All Round Development

2010-02-07T15:27:00.005+05:30

Empowerment should be preparation for fulfilling one's role in the best way. It is historically proven that it takes an 'empowered' woman to build an healthy family and only a healthy family build a prosperous society.

The Community Development Programme (CD) was introduced as a massive programme of comprehensive rural development both for men, women and children with community participation. But the community was giving importance only to male and women were only included as participants in Mahila Mandals.

The village level extension workers (VLWs), the Gram Sevaks were provided for grass level extension work, these were 10 male VLWs and two female workers (LVLWs), which was the basic unit of CD programme. That’s why Women participation in community work work was very low.

The First Five year Plan saw women in social welfare and spoke of their low levels of literacy and need of some welfare centres. Thus the First Five Year Plan have gave importance to girls education and maternal health care.

Besides developing planning, the state embarked upon legislation in social matters as Hindu Marriage Act, Hindu Adoption Act, The Restraint of Child Marriage Act, Prohibition of Dowry Act, Maternity Benefit Act, Equal Remuneration Act etc.

‘Self help group’ (SHG) has been recognized as a community based organization that enables members to maximize the utilization of their internal as well as external resources in a sustainable manner. It has been adopted as the primary component in development strategies and most development programmes have made the self-help group the central unit of community mobilization.

SHG’s encourages activities that directly improve the living standards of poor and women, SHG encourages active decision making by members with in thrift and credit frame work. This will result in their greater involvement within the family, socially as well as politically.

In the matter of school education, enrollment ratio shows 87.8 million girls against 98.2 million boys in elementary classes.

Now female literacy grew by 3% higher than male literacy and illiterate women were 190 million in 2001 against 200.7 million in 1991. Mean age of marriage increased from 15.5% in 1961 to 19.5% in 1997 but 44.5% of women were still married off by the age of 18 years.

The 11^th Plan expresses the raising sex ratio for 0-6 years age from 927 in 2001 to 935 by 2011-12 and 950 by 2016-17 and it can only possible by the proper utilization of government schemes.

The reservation of women in panchayat level and municipalities have given decision making facility to at least 1 million women . The reservation in political institutions have provided better facility to them in employment sector.

Research design in social research

2010-01-31T20:32:00.007+05:30

The term ’design’ means drawing an outline or planning or arranging details. It is a process of making decisions before the situation arises in which the decision has to be carried out. Research design is planning a strategy of conducting research. It plans as to what is to be observed, how it is to be observed, when/where it is to be observed, why it is to be observed, how to record observation, how to analyze/interpret observations and how to generalize. Research design is, thus, a detailed plan of how the goals of research will be achieved.

Functions of research design

It provides blueprint
It limits boundaries of research activity
It enables investigation to anticipate potential problems

Characteristics of research design

Researcher should know what is the time to collect data
Researchers should know what is the research situation, i.e., individuals, groups, communities, organizations will be of his interest and how are these varied situations to be interrelated ?
Researcher know when does study involves chan

Phases in research design

Specifying the problem/topic to be studied
Framing research design
Planning a sample
Collecting the data
Analyzing the data
Preparing the report

Advantages of designing research

Research can be conducted on scientific basis since precise guideline is provided by advance designing, carrying research in right direction and reducing inaccuracies
Wastage of time and money is minimized
Optimum reliability is achieved
Designing helps in giving useful conclusions

Basic sanitation and personal hygiene

2010-01-26T20:31:00.001+05:30

The word 'sanitation' refers to the maintenance of hygienic conditions, through services such as garbage collection and waste water disposal. Proper sanitation is important to stay away from diseases at both personal and community levels.

A number of diseases occur due to lack of proper sanitary facilities, especially among poor and rural people. By providing proper sanitary facilities to people, these diseases can be controlled and a number of deaths can be avoided. Inadequate sanitation is a major cause of disease world-wide and improving sanitation is known to have a significant beneficial impact.

Presently 87 per cent of the world population has access to improved drinking water sources, with current trends suggesting that more than 90 per cent will do so by 2015. Lack of financial resources, lack of sustainability of water supply and sanitation services, poor hygiene behaviours, and inadequate sanitation in public places including hospitals, health centres and schools is the cause of numbers of diseases.

Lack of sanitation causes

water-borne diseases including viral hepatitis, typhoid, cholera, dysentery and other diseases that cause diarrhea
Skin and eye infections (trachoma) spread easily
Global burden of disease
Poor hygiene, inadequate quantities and quality of drinking water, and lack of sanitation facilities cause malnutrition

4 billion cases of diarrhea per year cause 1.5 million deaths, mostly among children under five
6 million people are blind from trachoma and the population at risk is about 500 million
300 million people suffer from malaria

By following sanitation tips a healthy environment can be assured

Use adequate toilet and pay attention to proper handling and disposal of excrement
Always wash hands before and after eating, as well as after using toilets
Food should always be preserved without contact with contaminated water and ground
Never store water in open containers for long period of time. Water containers should be washed and if possible disinfected on regular basis
Avoid eating certain food items like un bottled drinks and ice cubes, unpacked milk, cream and ice cream, cold or insufficiently cooked meat, fish, egg dishes
Preservation of meat and milk products needs special attention, especially in regions where cold storage is not an option

Initiatives has taken by Government to maintain proper health & sanitation

The District Health Plan and Village Health Plan will be formulated with the officials of Panchayati Raj, Total Sanitation Campaign, ICDS, and Drinking Water programmes
A community level worker “ASHA” have selected from the community itself to work as a link worker at village level.
Departments of Panchayati Raj, ICDS, Total Sanitation Campaign and Drinking Water will be working to control sanitation

Tribal Development Approaches for their All Round Development

2010-01-10T14:51:00.001+05:30

The tribal population of India constitutes around 8% of total population over 94,000 tribal villages. Tribals are mainly concentrated in Andhra Pradesh, Chattisgarh, Odisha, Jharkhand, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, West Bengal, North-Eastern States and North-Western Himalayan States.

The small, marginal, fragmented, unirrigated and mono crop agriculture holdings and low productive livestock population do not offer adequate opportunitiesto to the tribals. Tribals in remote areas are still devoid of common infrastructure facilities of road and communication, health and education and safe drinking water, which do not allow them to absorb technological and financial facilities provided by government.

So for their All Round Develpment, In 1972, Tribal Development Directorate established for effective implementation of Tribal Welfare Schemes. In 1976 Tribal Development Commissionerate was established for All Round Development of Tribal. In 1984 separate Tribal Development Ministry was established to strengthen the Tribal Development Department, Directorate was merged into Commissionerate in 1992.

The comprehensive Tribal Development Approach involves the following
components

Orchard development (fruit/ plantation/herbal crops & forest plants) as the core componen
Soil conservation in the wadi
Water resources management (conservation and use)
Sustainable agriculture
Human resource development (community development)
Women development - A special emphasis is given for involvement of women in all spheres ofthe programme.
The components include drudgery reduction measures, on-farm and non farm income generating activities and self help groups for inculcating thrift and credit habits.
Community Health
Micro-enterprises for landless people
Processing & marketing
Other auxillary components to dovetail with above activities.

Objectives of Tribal Development Approach

To promote sustainable participatory livelihood programmes
To take up promotional efforts such as capacity building, exposure visits, training, developing literature, sensitization programmes etc.
To implement sustainable livelihood programmes
To support promotional activities for micro-credit, promotion of SHGs, Income
Generating Activities for land-less, SC / ST communities and other weaker sections of the community
To support activities related to development of tribal market
To support other relevant activities as approved by NABARD

Participant Groups (PGs)
The core activity will be a family based programme and will be undertaken by the member of
tribal family. For better planning and management, the individual project participant
will come together as small groups of about 10 members each.

It is necessary for people to understand the relationship between their poverty and
the degraded environment in which they live in. They must also be provided with an equally
good, if not better, economic alternative.

Social
empowerment, improvement in quality of life including health and women development,
in tribal predominant areas of the country through demonstration projects supported
through Non Government Organisations (NGOs)/ Community Based Organisations
(CBOs) / GOs.

Lung Cancer, Its symptoms and treatment

2010-01-01T22:26:00.003+05:30

Cancer usually arises in a single cell, the cell's progress from normal to uncontrolled growth and sometimes spread to other locations in the body via lymph or blood. Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the most common type of lung cancer. It usually grows and spreads more slowly than small cell lung cancer.

Three forms of NSCLC

Adenocarcinomas are often found in an outer area of the lung.Squamous cell carcinomas are usually found in the center of the lung by an air tube (bronchus).
Large cell carcinomas can occur in any part of the lung.
They tend to grow and spread faster than the other two types.

Smoking causes most cases of lung cancer. The risk depends upon the number of cigarettes smoked every day and for how long someone has smoked. Being around the smoke from others (secondhand smoke) also raises your risk for lung cancer. However, people who do not smoke and have never smoked have become sick with lung cancer.

Early lung cancer symptoms

Cough that doesn't go away
Coughing up blood
Shortness of breath
Chest pain
Loss of appetite
Losing weight without trying

Other symptoms that may be due to NSCLC

Weakness
Swallowing difficulty
Joint pain
Swelling of the fac
Bone pain or tenderness
Nail problems
Hoarseness or changing voice
Eyelid drooping
Shoulder pain or weakness

Tests that may be performed to diagnose lung cancer

Chest x-ray
CBC
Sputum test to look for cancer cell
Bone scan
CT scan of the ches
MRI of the ches
Positron emission tomography (PET) sca
Thoracentesis

In some cases, the health care provider may need to remove a piece of tissue from your lungs for examination under a microscope. This is called a biopsy. There are several ways to do this:

    * Bronchoscopy combined with biopsy
    * Pleural biopsy
    * CT scan directed needle biopsy
    * Mediastinoscopy with biopsy
    * Open lung biopsy
    * Endoscopic esophageal ultrasound (EUS) with biopsy

Treatment

Surgery is the often the first line of treatment for patients with non-small cell lung cancer that has not spread beyond nearby lymph nodes. The surgeon may remove:
Some patients need chemotherapy. Chemotherapy uses drugs to kill cancer cells and stop new ones from growing.

Prevention

If you smoke, stop smoking. It's never too early to quit. People who have smoked in the past can be at increased risk for lung cancer more than 20 years after quitting, although the risk drops significantly in the first year after quitting. There are benefits to quitting smoking, even for people who are well into middle age.
Try to avoid secondhand smoke.
Eat a diet rich in fruits and vegetables.

Routine screening for lung cancer is not recommended. Many studies have been done to look at the idea, but scientists have concluded that, at this time, screening does not help improve a person’s chance for a cure.

Micro-credit scheme for rural poor

2009-12-31T21:26:00.002+05:30

"Micro-credit can means women have a chance at running their own businesses, which not only improves their economic circumstances but also their status in society,"

The study also evaluates the benefits and limitations of micro-credit as a resourceful means of enhancing women's economic activities in the labor market and eliminating poverty among market and rural women.

Micro-credit is making available of small amounts of credit to the poor, is seen as a vital tool for poverty alleviation and women's empowerment in developing societies.

Micro-credit is emerging as a powerful instrument for poverty alleviation in the new economy. In

India

, micro-Finance scene is dominated by Self Help Groups (SHGs). Micro-credit involves lending in groups (originally of five members) who were jointly responsible for the loan. It required repayment in small periodic installments, over a relatively short period. It lent not only to farmers but also to rural laborers, petty traders, and most importantly to women.

Banks linkage Programme, aimed at providing a cost effective mechanism for providing financial services to the 'unreached poor'. In the Indian context terms like "small and marginal farmers", " rural artisans" and "economically weaker sections" have been used to broadly define micro-finance customers.

The Finance Minister of

India

on Jun. 20, 2008, launched a micro credit scheme to provide loans at low interest rates to the slum dwellers. The scheme is supported by a slew of state-run banks and Life Insurance Corporation of

India

in collaboration with an NGO, ‘Asha’.

Micro-credit schemes and institutions which provide soft loans to women have become a critical tool in development programmes aiming to empower women. This study therefore investigates women's economic empowerment in relation to micro-credit schemes

The significance of the Grameen Bank and other micro credit experiments was that they countered this axiomatic belief by showing that even formal financial institutions could provide loans exclusively to the poor and still be assured of repayment. This is because they are based on the principle of "group lending" whereby loans are made to a group (of between 5 and 20 people) and therefore peer pressure acts as an effective mode of ensuring repayment.

Women borrow money from the micro-credit schemes to establish businesses, allowing them independence and the ability to provide for themselves and their families well into the future.

The schemes join those who have few or no opportunities into co-operatives, where they can borrow money and receive training.

The role of social mobilization in reducing poverty; working of community banking programmes at the village level is the efforts to create space for women to carry out credit and savings transactions. The process of empowerment through the formation of women's groups and the improvement of women's lives through savings and credit activity.

Education system in India

2009-12-23T22:02:00.003+05:30

Education is the process by which society deliberately transmits its knowledge, skills and values from one generation to another. The right to education has been described as a basic human right since 1952, Article 2 of the first Protocol to the European Convention on Human Rights obliges all signatory parties to guarantee the right to education.

Central Government is responsible for major policy relating to higher education in the country. It provides grants to UGC and establishes central universities in the country. The Central Government is also responsible for declaration of Education Institutions as ‘Deemed to be University’ on the recommendation of the UGC.

The Indian Constitution is committed to the equality of citizens. The Directive Principles of the Government Policy is also to promote with special care the educational and economic interests of the weaker sections of the people and in particular, of the SC/STs and Minorities. To achieve the objective of "Equality" with many facets, special provisions have been made in the constitution of India.

The Ministry of Human Resource Development, on 26 september, 1985, under 174th amendment to the Government of India rules 1961. Currently the Ministry has two departments namely

Department of school education & literacy
Department of higher education

Department of school education & literacy

Teacher Education
Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan
Mid-Day Meal Scheme
Mahila Samakhya Scheme
National Council of Educational Research & Training
Central Board of Secondary Education
Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan
Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti
National Institute of Open Schooline
National Foundation for Teachers' Welfare
Recognized Board of Secondary Education in India Schemes
Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA)
Girls Hostel
Model School
ICT Schools
Inclusive Education for Disabled at Secondary State
Incentives to Girls for Secondary Education
National Merit cum Means Scholarship
Financial Assistance for Appointment of language Teachers
Vocationalisation of Secondary Education
Adolescence Education Programme

Department of higher education

It is responsible for establishment of new institution, startup of new wings, streams and subjects in already established institutions. Education Act & Rules framed there under is the guiding law for the department.

Cancer, Its symptoms and prevention

2009-11-28T14:05:00.004+05:30

Cancer is a class of diseases in which a group of cells display uncontrolled growth (division beyond the normal limits), invasion (intrusion on and destruction of adjacent tissues), and sometimes metastasis (spread to other locations in the body via lymph or blood). Most cancers form a tumor but some, like leukemia, do not.

Symptoms -(Cancer symptoms can be divided into three groups)
1. Local symptoms

Unusual lumps or swelling (tumor)
Hemorrhage (bleeding)
Pain and/or ulceration
Compression of surrounding tissues may cause symptoms such as jaundice (yellowing the eyes and skin)

2. Symptoms of metastasis (spreading)

Enlarged lymph nodes
Cough and hemoptysis
Hepatomegaly (enlarged liver)
Bone pain
Fracture of affected bones and neurological symptoms. Although advanced cancer may cause pain, it is often not the first symptom.

3. Systemic symptoms

Weight loss
Poor appetite
Fatigue and cachexia (wasting)
Excessive sweating (night sweats)
Anemia and specific paraneoplastic phenomena

Stem Cell Therapy
Now, such incurable diseases can be treated by Stem Cell Therapy. Number of experts in different parts of the world say Germany, Mexico, Ukraine, India, China and many more have treated thousands of patients suffering from incurable disease improving their Life quality.

Parliament session begins today

2009-11-19T20:51:00.005+05:30

The winter session of the Parliament begins today. Increase of sugarcane price was the main issue on Parliament today. Thousands of sugarcane farmers from states like UP, Haryana, Maharashtra, Uttarakhand, Karnataka today staged a demonstration in the city to protest the new sugarcane pricing policy of the government and demanded an increase in rocurement prices.

The farmers marched from Ramlila grounds to Jantar Mantar, a demonstration hotspot in the city. The FRP calculated on the sugarcane price (the minimum rate which mills should pay to the growers) at around Rs 130 per quintal, far less than farmers demand of Rs 280 per quintal.

Long-pending Women's Reservation Bill will also going to discuss in this session and pass some key reforms Bills pertaining to the insurance and pension fund sector, which will start from thursday and is scheduled till December 23.

Dr. Jyoti Panigrahi, the new chairperson of Odisha Women's commission

2009-11-18T19:38:00.005+05:30

Dr. Jyoti Panigrahi has been appointed as the fifth Chairman of the State Women's Commission. Chairperson Smt Panigrahi is a Retired professor and a resident of Balangir.

It’s really a strange thing that , this post was vacant since February. There have 8,000 cases are pending on SCW, related to women violence. It will take more time to solve these cases.

The main objective of CSW is to provide proper justice to the tortured and harassed women and provide proper counselling to them.“The commission will also organize camp courts to provide justice to women in rural areas and take immediate steps to stop women atrocities, mainly domestic violence and pornographic CD rackets”, Panigrahi said.

Leprosy, a curable and non communicable disease

2009-11-15T12:54:00.006+05:30

Considering the bacteria are very difficult to destroy, antibiotic treatment has to be continued for a long period of time, depending on the severity of the infection and the doctor's judgment, treatment may continue anywhere from six to many years.

Usually a patient suffering from leprosy has to take medication for the rest of his life. “The disease is 100% curable through multi-drug treatment available at every primary health centre now. The treatment is free of cost,”.

India is among the countries with highest number of leprosy patients in the world. According to latest figures there are 292, 730 patients on record accounting for 2.74 leprosy patients per 10, 000 people.

As per WHO standards the ‘elimination level’ is less than one person per 10, 000 people. Indian states with more than five cases per 10, 000 are Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Odisha. In Uttar Pradesh, it is 4.12 per 10, 000 and in Bengal it is 2.7 per 10, 000. Over all the leprosy rate has reduced from 57.6 per 10, 000 in 1981 to 3.2 per 10, 000 in 2003.

However, there are still 300 leprosy colonies throughout the country indicating a widespread prevalence.

Three more farmers commit suicide in Odisha on Thursday

2009-11-06T20:35:00.002+05:30

Baldeb Barik of Keseipalli village under Loisingha block of Bolangir district committed suicide by consuming pesticide, after his crops on five acres of land were damaged due to scanty rainfall.

Another farmer, Ugrasen Mahananda from Khatkhatia village under Kantamal block of Boudh district also committed suicide because of crop loss and loan burden.

Third victim, Dhanu Champia of Balisamla village near Salepur in Cuttack district died on thursday after battling for life at SCB Hospital for the past three days.

The districts from where farmer suicides had reported so far include Nawarangpur, Ganjam, Nuapada, Bolangir, Sambalpur, Jharsuguda, Balasore and Cuttack. Farmers suicides in Odisha raises to 19 during the past four weeks and a majority of them belonged to Western Odisha. Till now as many as eight farmers have taken their lives from Western Odisha.

Farmers’ leaders from different parts of the State under Utkal Rajya Krushak Sabha (URKS) staged demonstration. Naveen Patnaik's Government have to take some immediate steps to save the farmers from drought situations and protect their life.

The Concept of Development & Displacement

2009-10-29T21:15:00.002+05:30

Development is basically a normative term and carries varieties of meanings. Development generally implies some sort of advancement in positive direction. Though the progress was achieved in agricultural, economic and industrial front, development on the other side has pushed indigenous people and weaker sections of society into poverty and backwardness.

In the process of Displacement, it is the poor more particularly the tribal who bear its brunt most at all. The dislocated of the life of the poor is total stripped off their possession, they are compelled to move out side in search for livelihood to unknown destination.

Though millions of people have been displaced by various planned development schemes since Independence, no reliable data exists on the extent of displacement and rehabilitation. The estimate of total number of people displaced by planned development intervention from 1951-90 ranges from 110 lakh to 185 lakh, which has increased to 213 lakh in 2001.

According the national record 25.5 lakhs of people have been displaced by mines, 12.5 lakhs by industries, 164 lakhs by large and medium dams, 10 lakhs by park and wild life operation etc. The backward communities more particularly the tribal regions and tribal people are most affected in this process of development.

Principles relating to protection from Displacement

1. A specific decision shall be taken by the State authority empowered by law to order such measures
2. Adequate measures shall be taken to guarantee to those to be displaced full information on the reasons and procedures for their displacement and where applicable , on compensation and relocation
3. The free and informed consent of those to be displaced shall be sought
4. The authorities concerned shall endeavor to involve those affected, particularly women. In the planning and management of their relocation
5. Law enforcement measures, where required, shall be carried out by competent legal authorities
6. The right to an effective remedy, including the review of such decisions by appropriate judicial authorities, shall be respected.

Modification of the word Odisha & Odia, both in English and Hindi

2009-10-29T21:00:00.005+05:30

In coming winter session, Indian Government have plan to pass a bill regarding the modification of word Odisha & Odia, both in writing and talking in hindi and english.

The Odisha Cabinet members made an agenda for those corrections last thursday. Till now the word Odisha has used as Orissa in english and Udisha in hindi. Like that, Oriya and Udia has used in stead of Odia. Let's hope for the best result.

Farmers death in Western Odisha

2009-10-29T20:35:00.004+05:30

Kushadhwaja Majhi (38), a landless tribal of Tarbod village at Komna block in Nuapada district, had taken three acres of land on lease to cultivate paddy. Due to crop failure and lack of any governmental facility, Kushadhwaja hanged himself in his house on Sunday night.

He was not able to even arrange Rs 500 to open his account to facilitate payment of funds under Indira Awas Yojana allotted to him. He could get only 27 days of work payment within last one and a half years under NREGS.

This is the second case of farmer’s death in the past few days. One farmer died in Chikiti on Sunday and it was attributed to heart failure. At the same time, at Kusamdihi village in Jhankarpali Gram Panchayat of Rengali Block, Surendra Dhurua (35) tried to commit suicide on Monday by consuming poison. He is battling for his life at a private nursing home. He had taken loan of Rs 3,000 from a SHG and Rs 10,000. from private sector.

Odisha govt. wakes up as farmers commit suicide

2009-10-22T10:02:00.015+05:30

Another farmer commits suicide in Odisha. The farmer has been identified as Sunil Sutar from Murtuma-6 village under Umarkote police station area of Nawrangpur district. His body was recovered from a paddy field.

He had a debt of Rs 40,000 and could not repay the loan he had taken. According to Police crop failure due to irregular rainfall and loan burden is the cause of his suicide. Five farmers ended their life between October 4 to 21, this was the first such incident reported from southern part of the state.

The Odisha Government have decided to form a joint-committee of revenue and said agriculture departments will study the problems suffered by the farmers.