Social Work for Mankind

Malnutrition in India Is Widespread

2012-01-20T11:05:00.001+05:30

Malnutrition is the condition that occurs when our body does not get enough nutrients. It is the condition that results from taking an unbalanced diet in which certain nutrients are lacking. According to the World Health Organization, malnutrition is the biggest contributor to child mortality.

According to estimates made by the World Bank, India ranks second in the world of children suffering from malnutrition, after Bangladesh (in 1998), where 47 percent of India’s children below the age of three years are malnourished (underweight).

The UN estimates that 2.1 million Indian children die before reaching the age of 5 every year – four every minute – mostly from preventable illnesses such as diarrhoea, typhoid, malaria, measles and pneumonia. Every day, 1,000 Indian children die because of diarrhoea alone.

The 2011 Global Hunger Index (GHI) Report ranked India 15th, amongst leading countries with hunger situation. At the same time more than 100 million people (11% of Indian population) in India are over-nourished.

Nearly 50% of females aged 15 – 19 face under-nutrition, 40% of women in rural areas and 36% of women in urban areas were found to have mild anaemia. 40% of women in rural areas, and 36% of women in urban areas were found to have mild anaemia.

Odisha begins preparation for Panchyat Election 2012

2012-01-06T23:35:00.001+05:30

Panchayat Raj is a system of governance in which gram panchayats are the basic units of administration. It has 3 levels: village, block and district.

Govt of Odisha declared that Panchayat election in Odisha will be held in February 11, 2012. This Panchayat election will be done in 11th, 13th, 15th, 17th and 19th February 2012 in five phases.

After election, calculation of votes will be done in the voting counters. In March 3, voting for Naib Sarpanch,In 11th Voting for Secretary of Panchayat Samiti, In 13th voting for secretary of Zilla parisad will be done.

In this election totally 2,44,82,765 voters will choose 1,00,841 leaders as Sarpanchs, Ward members, Nominees and members of zilla parisad.

From the 1,00,841 leaders, 87,528 persons will be selected as ward members, 6228 will be selected as Sarpanchs, 6231 persons as nominees and 854 persons will be selected as members of zilla parisad.

To 10 Best Things in India 2011

2011-12-31T12:04:00.000+05:30

1. India won ICC Cricket World Cup

India won their ICC Cricket World Cup final match against Sri Lanka by 6 wickets in Mumbai April 2, 2011. It was the tenth Cricket World Cup. It was Bangladesh's first time co-hosting a World Cup. It was estimated that the number of 1 billion TV viewers saw the match worldwide perhaps the most viewed sports event ever.

2. Anna Hazare breaks fast after 288 hours

Anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare broke his fast after 12 days. That event was celebrated as the victory of people's power. This movement has created a faith that the country can be rid of corruption and we can go ahead with implementing laws and the Constitution made by Dr. B.R. Ambedkar. His future agenda was to chose reforms in election, education systems and working for the betterment of farmers and labourers.

3. India Census 2011

India's population rose to 1.21 billion people over the last 10 years but the growth rate is slower for the first time in nine decades. India has 623.7 million males and 586.5 million women and for every 1000 male infants, there are 914 girls. The literacy rate has increased from 64.83 per cent in 2001 to 74.04 per cent in 2011.

4. Russian court dismisses plea to ban Bhagavad Gita

A Russian court has decided not to ban a religious text central to the global Hare Krishna movemen. Hindus in Russia celebrated their legal victory over efforts to have the Bhagavad Gita banned.The Indian Foreign Ministry said Wednesday it appreciated “this sensible resolution of a sensitive issue.”

5. Death of top Maoist leader Kishanji

Top Maoist leader Koteswar Rao alias Kishenji has been killed in an encounter with security forces at Burishol village in Junglemahal area of West Bengal. He was a a shrewd fighter, a marksman and a ruthless killer. TOI reported that he killed nearly 100 people in the whole life of Kishenji.

6. India's first Formula One Grand Prix

The nation's first Formula One Grand Prix grand finale kicked off today with current world champion Sebastian Vettel of Red Bull on pole position. Celebrities from India and abroad have reached the stadium for this mega event. Formula 1 has arrived in India and it is here for five years for sure.

7. Indian men, women lift Kabaddi World Cup

India defeated Canada 59-25 to win the kabbadi World Cup.Australia and USA teams were disqualified as most of their players were found dope positive by NADA.after a 20-day long competition in which 14 countries for men section and four countries in women section had vied for Rs 4.11 crore prize money.Nov 20, 2011.

8. Virender Sehwag's 219 Runs in the 4th ODI

Virender Sehwag, made a strong come back in the 4th ODI against West indies at Indore by breaking the record of 200, done by Sachin Tendulkar the highest score in a one-day international, setting up to a new mark of 219. Sehwag’s runs came off just 149 balls.

9.Union Budget of India 2011-12

Finally the much awaited Union budget 2011-2012 has been presented in the parliament. The budget estimates for 2011-12 projects Rs 9,32,440 crore - an increase of 24 per cent. Expenditure in 2011-12 is estimated at Rs 12,57,729 crore, an increase of 13.4%. Union Budget 2011-12 to serve as a transition towards a more transparent and result oriented economic management system in India. Revenue deficit fixed at 2.3% in revised estimates of 2010-11 and 1.8% in 2011-12.

10. Gujarat attracts Rs 20.83 lakh Crore investment in 2 days

Leading industrialists of India have flocked to Gujrat to sign MOU’s during the two-day long Vibrant Gujarat Summit that began on 1/12/2011. Chief Minister announced that the state has been able to attract investments to the tune of Rs 20.83 lakh crores during the two-day long Summit. As many as 7,936 MOUs were signed by the state government with several industrial houses to invest in the state.

Top 12 Tragedies in India 2011

2011-12-27T21:07:00.010+05:30

A tragedy is defined as an event that results in great loss, misfortune, and usually death. Throughout the year many strange and unexpected events have caused pain and suffering to millions of people. From these experiences we learn more about how to predict and prevent these occurrences from happening again. Let's have a look on these 10 Tragedies in India which were occurred in 2011.

1. Hooch tragedy in West Bengal: Toll mounts to 171

The death count in West Bengal's hooch tragedy rose to 171. The victims fell ill after consuming spurious liquor from several illegal joints. The government suspended an excise officer in charge of Diamond Harbour range, for "not conducting raids properly" against illegal liquor dens. The hooch victims included labourers, rickshaw pullers and hawkers.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has ordered a CID probe for this tragedy.

2. Kolkata: AMRI hospital fire death toll climbs to 93

At least 93 patient suffocated to death when a massive fire broke in the seven-storey private AMRI Hospital at Dhakuria in south Kolkata on Dec 9, 2011. The AMRI Hospital fire was the worst fire tragedy in any hospital in Indi.

3. More than 50 die in India's doctor strike in Rajasthan

The strike being carried out by government doctors in Rajasthan is nearing a weak now and 50 patients have died in hospitals across the state due to the absence of doctors”.

A total of 410 doctors have been arrested, most of them under the Rajasthan Essential Services Maintenance Act (RESMA), and 40 doctors have been suspended, official sources said.

4. Death of Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Sri Sathya Sai Baba was born in November 23 1926.He is a spiritual leader whose life and message are inspiring millions of people throughout the world. and died in 24 April 2011.

"The news of the death of Sathya Sai Baba has greatly pained to people worldwide. Thousands of devotees, from commoners to VIPs and celebrities are making their way to the pilgrim town for a last glimpse of Sai Baba.

Baba's passing away is a great loss to the country. He will be remembered for his nobel deeds.

5. Death of a Bollywood legend and Ghazal king

Legendary actor Dev Anand was given a tearful farewell by his fans on December 3 at the age of 88. Dev Anand was an actor of distinction who entertained a generation of film lovers as the evergreen romantic hero. He was a Legendary Actor, Director, Writer and Producer of Hindi Film industry. The film industry had lost a creative talent personality of graceful ageing with dignity.

Dev Anand will be given a special tribute by the younger generation of Bollywood at the “57 Idea Filmfare Awards” at Film City in Mumbai on January 29 next year.

Jagjit Singh,The ghazal king died on October 10, 2011 at the Lilavati Hospital in Mumbai after he suffered a brain hemorrhage. He was 70.

He was a singer, composer, activist and entrepreneur. He has sung in several languages including Hindi, Urdu, Punjabi and Nepali.

His death is really a great loss to the music industry and this place will never fulfill.

6. Rupee falls to 53.24 per US dollar

In a crushing blow to the Indian currency, the Indian Rupee plummeted to an all time low against the US Dollar as 53.24 per US dollar.

The domestic currency moved in a range between Rs 53.03 and Rs 53.24 per dollar during morning deals.

7. India experiences tremendous fuel hikes

While fuel hikes in India are fairly common under political pretexts, they’re definitely not welcome. 4th November 2011 saw the fifth oil price hike of the year 2011, with an increase of Rs. 1.82 per liter. That was the second hike within the last 2 months.

8. India Cold Wave Death Toll Surges to 133

At least 133 people have died due to two-week-long cold wave across northern and eastern India.

Most of the death occured in Uttar Pradesh, India's most populous place.

9. Big earthquake in Sikkim

The 2011 Sikkim earthquake also known as the 2011 Himalayan earthquake. More than 111 people were killed in the earthquake.

The earthquake was felt across Nepal, Bhutan, northeastern India, Bangladesh and southern Tibet.

10. Sabarimala stampede kills over 106

Sabarimala stampede was the worst recorded accident. The 2011 stampede was a human stampede on 14 January 2011 at Sabarimala in Kerala, India. It broke out during an annual pilgrimage, killed 106 pilgrims and more than 100 are injured.

Kerala Chief Minister V. S. Achuthanandan announced a grant of INR500,000 for families of each of the victims.

11. India: Floods - Jul 2011

By mid-July, Floods have affected more than 2,500,000, killed more than 130 across the country.

Since late August, the monsoon season flooding has affected more than 10 million people in Assam, Bihar, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal.

12. Naxal attacks in India

Over 500 people including 124 security personnel were killed in 1,476 attacks carried out by Naxals in various states. Out of the total 513 deaths as killed 389 civilians and 124 security force personnel. The highest of 182 were in Chhattisgarh, 137 in Jharkhand, 50 in Maharashtra, 49 each in Bihar and Odisha and 40 in West Bengal.

Centre approves 4.5% minorities quota within OBC Quota

2011-12-23T14:12:00.001+05:30

The cabinet, headed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has cleared a 4.5% minority quota within the existing 27% OBC (other backward classes) quota for government jobs and universities under section 2 (C) of the National Commission for Minorities Act, 1992.

The decision comes on a day the government included minorities in the 50 per cent quota in the Lokpal bill.

The BJP says the quota within a quota is unconstitutional. "Backward classes need to be empowered. They are not in favour of this move."

Cabinet Clears Food Security Bill

2011-12-19T16:57:00.001+05:30

Due to more starvation among the poor, centre took a step to provide food security to the poor. The government sunday approved food security bill by which 63.% of the country's population will get benefit.

Article 25 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1949) recognizes the right of everyone to adequate food.

The Cabinet, presided by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, gave green signal to the draft National Food Security Bill. The Bill is expected to be tabled in ongoing parliament session.

the food subsidy bill is expected to rise by Rs 27,663 crore at nearly Rs 95,000 crore, while foodgrains requirement would go up to 61 million tonnes from 55 million tonnes, as per the Cabinet proposal.

The bill seeks to provide 7 kg of rice, wheat and coarse grains to all people below poverty line every month at Rs 3, Rs 2 and Rs 1 per kg. In rural area, up to 75% and in urban area 50% of people will be covered by this new bill.

Bharat Ratna for sports persons; Sachin in focus

2011-12-17T12:26:00.001+05:30

Bharat Ratna is India’s highest civilian award. Bharat Ratna means “Jewel of India” or “Gem of India”. Bharat Ratna awarded for the highest degrees of national service.

“Instead of the fields of art, literature, science and public services, now on November 16, government has notified that now the Bharat Ratna covers all fields and it can be awarded in recognition of distinguished performance in any field of human endeavour.

The Centre's decision to modify the eligibility criteria for the Bharat Ratna was really appreciated on Friday.

It will really a great day when any sportsperson is named as an awardee of Bharat Ratna. The hockey legend Dhyan Chand and Sachin Tendulkar are the strong contenders now.

A special thanks to the sports minister for suggesting and recommending a category for sports persons.Not only hockey or cricket but every sports man should get the benefit according to their excellency.

'Indian Parliament Attack', Dec 13 2001

2011-12-13T17:22:00.000+05:30

On 13 December five gunmen entered to the India Parliament house with Home Ministry and Parliament labels. While both the Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha had been adjourned 40 minutes prior to the incident, many Members of Parliament (MPs) and government officials as LK Advani and Minister of State for Defence Harin Pathak were still been in the building at the time of the attack.

The 2001 Indian Parliament attack by Lashkar-e-Toiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorists was a painful incident which led to the death of dozen people, five terrorists and six police men. Mohammed Afzal Guru who was the main accused of this incident was sentenced to death and he should be hanged. But he and his family member appealed for mercy petition to the president. After a decade also, Indian Govt. have failed to take any decision regarding Mohammed Afzal Guru's death sentence.

Though the family of Kamlesh Kumari, a CRPF Jawan who died in the attack has said that they would return the Ashok Chakra awarded to her, if the president accepts the petition, but it is unclear if it had been done so. On 13 December 2006, the families of the deceased returned the medals to the government.

Stop Violence against Women

2011-11-25T11:11:00.001+05:30

Violence against women and girls is still one of the world's most widespread human rights violations. It affects women of all ages, races, cultures and social backgrounds, and it happens everywhere: at home and at work, on the streets and in schools, in times of peace and during and after conflict. That's why November 25, marking as the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women.

Domestic violence and abuse are used for one purpose and one purpose only: to gain and maintain total control over another.It does not discriminate. It happens among heterosexual couples and in same-sex partnerships. It occurs within all age ranges, ethnic backgrounds, and economic levels. And while women are more commonly victimized.

The United Nations defines violence against women as 'any act of gender-based violence that results in, or is likely to result in, physical, sexual or mental harm or suffering to women, including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public or in private life.'
Domestic abuse, also known as spousal abuse, occurs when one person in an intimate relationship or marriage tries to dominate and control the other person. Domestic abuse that includes physical violence is called domestic violence.

According to United Nation Population Fund Report, around two-third of married Indian women are victims of domestic violence and as many as 70 per cent of married women in India between the age of 15 and 49 are victims of beating, rape or forced sex. In India, more than 55 percent of the women suffer from domestic violence, especially in the states of Bihar, U.P., M.P. and other northern states.

Orissa becomes 'Odisha' & Oriya is 'Odia'

2011-11-06T14:24:00.001+05:30

The Lok Sabha made minor amendments to the Orissa Bill and the Constitution (113th) Amendment Bill, which have already been approved by the Rajya Sabha.

From today onwards in every place within odisha and everywhere, people will use Odisha instead of Orissa and Odiya becomes Oriya.

Thanks to President of India Smt. Pratibha Devisingh Patil and Chief Minister of Odisha, Mr. Naveen Patnaik, that after a long 75 years of struggle Odisha now got its real identity.

October - The Breast Cancer Awareness Month Worldwide

2011-10-23T20:07:00.001+05:30

October is the national breast cancer awareness month. Due to poor hygiene conditions breast cancer cases are more among rural women and it's common in urban women. It is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in women today, after lung cancer.

According to WHO 1 in 8 women will develop breast cancer in their lifetime. The lifetime probability of developing breast cancer in India is one in 22 women compared to one in eight in US. UK and other developed countries. In India, the number of new breast cancer cases is about 115,000 per year and this is expected to rise to 250,000 new cases per year by 2015.

Each year 10.9 million people suffer from breast cancer worldwide that results in 6.7 million deaths each year.

Breast Cancer Rate Worldwide
Age 20-29: 1 in 2,000
Age 30-39: 1 in 229
Age 40-49: 1 in 68
Age 50-59: 1 in 37
Age 60-69: 1 in 26
Ever: 1 in 8

Celebration of The World Food Day Worldwide

2011-10-16T12:44:00.001+05:30

The World Food Day is celebrating across the world on October 16th. It's celebrated in honor of the date of the founding of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations in 1945.

The World Food Day is also called as the Food Engineer day.It's main aim is to make awareness about the hunger and poverty and how to reduce this evil.

The theme for 2011 is "Food prices - from crisis to stability".

The objectives of World Food Day are to

Encourage attention to agricultural food production
Encourage economic and technical cooperation among developing countries;
Make awrareness for participation of rural people, particularly women and the least privileged categories, in decisions and activities influencing their living conditions;
Heighten public awareness of the problem of hunger in the world
Promote the transfer of technologies to the developing world
Strengthen international and national solidarity in the struggle against hunger, malnutrition and poverty and Draw attention to achievements in food and agricultural development

Anna Hazare breaks fast after 288 hours

2011-08-28T10:19:00.001+05:30

A historic Parliament debate regarding anti-corruption legislation that ended with the broad acceptance of key demands of the social reformer.

Both houses of Parliament Saturday adopted a 'sense of the House' on Anna Hazare’s three conditions for an effective Lokpal bill as establishment of Lok Ayuktas in the states, a Citizen’s Charter, and inclusion of the lower bureaucracy in the Lokpal bill.

After 12 days fight, Anna Hazare is poised to end his fast. Anna responded by announcing that he will break his fast at 10am today. “But the battle is only half-won,” he said.

It's really a great achievement for the common citizen and a land mark for the country that a 74-year-old Hazare began his fast for a strong bill to have a Lokpal institution to tackle pervasive corruption and some how he succeed in this field.

May God give patience and that spirit to all our citizen to go against corruption.

Jai Hind........

Major Mitali Madhumita becomes the first woman officer to get gallantry award

2011-08-20T10:33:00.001+05:30

Major Mitali Madhumita became the first woman officer to be awarded the gallantry medal for her bravery. She played a significant role in rescuing colleagues who were trapped beneath the debris. Major Madhumita, of the Army Education Corps, was the first officer to reach the Indian guesthouse that came under attack by suicide bombers on February 26..

She not only made proud to Odisha but also made a remarkable history. Her courage, bravery and pioneering work sets a bold example for women everywhere.

India celebrates its 65th Independence Day

2011-08-15T12:35:00.000+05:30

"A moment comes, which comes but rarely in history, when we step out from the old to the new…India discovers herself again." - J.L.Nehru

India got its independence from the clutches of British rule on 15th August 1947. It was this day when India’s tricolor flag was unfolded by Pandit Nehru on the Red Fort at Delhi.

Today we are celebrating 65th Independence Day. The significance of the Independence Day in the existence of a nation is of greater value. We can called the day as celebrating the anniversary of India’s free statehood. This is the memorable day when we feel proud as we are free to live as a human being not as a bonded labour.

It's alo the day to remember and give tribute to to the great freedom fghters who gave us freedom "A Beautiful Nation As Bharat".

The Prime Minister said the government will establish a new Education Commission to suggest improvements of education at all levels. Health will also be given high priority in the 12th Five Year Plan. Malnutrition in women and children is a matter of concern. Mr Singh also inspire people to fight against the battle of terrorist. He is admitting that it's the time to end corruption from the land and also give respect to Anna Hazare’s agitation to end it.

Thanks to Google to celebrate Indian Indepenence Day by using a doodle on its home page.

Dengue alert in Balangir, Odisha. Check it's Symptoms & How to Prevent it

2011-07-22T10:24:00.001+05:30

Diptiprakash Ray, A native from Balangir died of Dengue. He was suspected of dengue and reffered to Burla medical. He tested positive and referred to Ispat General Hospital (IGH) in Rourkela for treatment. But he died immediately reaching at Rourkela. The district administration alert the people to prevent the spread of the disease.

To prevent the spread of dengue fever, you must first prevent the breeding of its vector, the Aedes mosquito. The Aedes mosquito is easily identifiable by its distinctive black and white stripes on their body. It prefers to breed in clean, stagnant water easily found in our homes. You can get rid of the Aedes mosquito by frequently checking and removing stagnant water in your premises.

Symptoms of Dengue:

Headache, fever, exhaustion, severe muscle and joint pain, swollen glands (lymphadenopathy), and rash. bleeding gums, severe pain behind the eyes, and red palms and soles.

Prevention:

Mosquito coil and electric mosquito mat/ liquid has to be placed near possible entrance, such as window, for mosquito
Proper solid waste disposal, elimination of stagnant water in domestic environment and improved water storage practices
Wear long-sleeved clothes and long trousers when going outdoors. Bodies could be protected from mosquito bite by applying insect repellent
Mosquito bednet could be used when the room is not air-conditioned

Lokpal Bill Draft Panel to Meet Today

2011-05-07T15:06:00.000+05:30

The Government and civil society members of the lokpal bill joint committee are to hold their third meeting in New Delhi on Saturday evening to draft a stringent anti-draft law.

The joint drafting committee comprising five union ministers and social activist Anna Hazare's representatives will meet here today to take forward the latest version of the Jan Lokpal Bill to combat corruption. The meeting, to be held at 4.30pm in North Block, is likely to see some progress in drafting of the anti-graft bill.

The Committee has five union ministers and five social activists on the panel. Both the government and civil society have exchanged the drafts of the proposed legislation prepared by them and held discussions on several major issues in the second meeting. The next two meetings are scheduled for May 23 and May 30.

The first meeting of the joint committee was held April 16 when a modified draft of the Jan Lokpal Bill, the activist's version of the anti-graft legislation, was presented to the government.

This bill has taken 40 years, still not passed by our elected representatives. We had different government in power, but none wanted this to come up as this would be the biggest hurdle for the corrupt politicians.

The Lokpal bill is an outcome of the findings of the Santhanam Committee for the Prevention of Corruption in 1966.

Every political party has included the Lokpal bill issue in their election manifesto, but none has implemented it.
In 2004 our current Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh had promised on this issue, but still nothing has happened.

Please Go Through This Petition to know more about the Lokpal Bill

http://www.petitiononline.com/lokpal/petition.html

US forces kill Osama bin Laden in Pakistan

2011-05-02T14:02:00.001+05:30

Almost 10 years after the 9/11 terror strike, Al-Qaeda Leader Osama bin Laden was Sunday night killed by US forces after being hounded in a special operation in Abbottabad in Pakistan. Bin Laden, 54, is dead and his body is in US custody, President Barack Obama announced today.

He was reported dead Sunday night, was killed during a carefully coordinated U.S. military operation. The plan to kill bin Laden was put into action at Abbottabad, a city about 75 miles north of the Pakistani capital, Islamabad.

Laden studied business administration at King Abdulaziz University. He was a graduate in civil engineering and public administration. He was doing so many charitable works.

He had raised his voice against the injustices done to Muslims by the United States and other non-Muslim states. He was supporting to the Taliban group, which was indeed torturing Muslim women in the name of religion.

A Tribute To Sathya Sai Baba

2011-04-24T23:29:00.001+05:30

A human body is associated with six stages of transformation: birth, growth, change, evolution, death and destruction.
Death accepts no excuse.

Sathya Sai Baba (Sathyanarayana Raju) was born in Puttaparthi in the Ananthpur district of Andhra Pradesh on November 23 1926. His mission would be to create spiritual regeneration of humanity. Sathya Sai Baba and his organisations support a variety of free educational institutions, hospitals, and other charitable works in India and abroad.

Sai Baba was hospitalised on March 28. He died of cardiac and respiratory failure. He was 85.

Sathya Sai Baba who was in critical condition for last 28 days passed away on April 24, 2011 at 7.40 am. He was admitted in a super-specialty hospital at Prashantigram at Puttaparthi which he himself had created for the common people. After being on ventilator support for many days with all his vital parameters failing, Sai Baba died of cardio-respiratory failure.

Celebration of Earth Day & The Theme for Its Sustainability

2011-04-22T12:29:00.000+05:30

Earth Day Is The World’s Birthday!
Save Earth or Die!!!!!!!!!!!

Earth Day has actually gained much political support since the first Earth Day in 1970 in the United States when a senator in Wisconsin called for an environmental teach-in. Senator Nelson got the idea for Earth Day when he saw an oil spill off the coast of Santa Barbara in 1969 and wanted to raise awareness of the effects such man-made disasters can have on ecosystems. Thousands of organizations joined in and supported that first Earth Day with events taking place in New York City and Philadelphia. The 20th and 30th anniversaries of Earth Day mobilized the caused to countries around the world and the United Nations has since designated April 22nd as Earth Day.

The fight for a clean environment continues in a climate of increasing urgency, as the ravages of climate change become more manifest every day.

The message is loud and clear: Our planet needs help to sustain us and we need to stand up and be counted. The Earth today faces many problems; global warming is one of the major ones. Other problems include pesticide overuse, unplanned drilling of oil-wells, reckless deforestation, overfishing of certain delicate marine species, denudation of coral reefs and expansion of deserts.

Google in its very own special way reminds us all that today is Earth Day with a beautiful Google doodle. In India the 2011 theme for Earth day is ‘Sustainable Water Resources: Rural and Urban Challenges’. In the United States this year Earth Day is themed after A Billion Acts of Green according to earthday.org. The elements of the 2011 Earth Day campaign includes; The Canopy Project, Green Schools, Women and Green Economy, Athletes for the Earth, Creating Climate Wealth and Arts for the Earth.

Earth Day Network and Facebook are collaborating to engage people worldwide in environmental action through the Billion Acts of Green campaign. The two organizations have created a new application to motivate people to reduce their impact on the environment.

5 Disturbing Parts Of Indian Census 2011

2011-04-18T22:56:00.001+05:30

The Indian Census is the most credible source of information on Demography (Population characterstics), Economic Activity, Literacy and Education, Housing & Household Amenities, Urbanisation, Fertility and Mortality, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, Language, Religion, Migration, Disability and many other socio-cultural and demographic data since 1872.

Census 2011 is the 15th National Census of the Country. This is the only source of primary data in the village, town and ward level, It provides valuable information for planning and formulation policies for Central and the State Governments and is widely used by National and International Agencies, Scholars, business people, industrialists, and many more.

Disturbing part of the statistics
1.Unemployment Rate
2. Poverty Rate
3. Hunger and Malnutrition
4. Housing/Slum Problem
5. Environment Pollution

Unemployment
The unemployment rate in India is estimated at 9.4 percent or 94 persons out of 1000 persons in the labour force for the fixed reference period of FY 2009-10, according to employment-unemployment survey by the Labour Bureau under the Labour and Employment Ministry.From 1983 until 2000, India’s Unemployment Rate averaged 7.20 percent reaching an historical high of 8.30 percent in December of 1983.

Poverty
As per the findings of Tendulkar Committeeon Poverty , India’s poverty rate is estimated at 37.2% of the total population, rather than a figure of 27.5% used previously. This implies an increase in the number of BPL households from 65.2 million to almost 80 million. on Poverty , India’s poverty rate is estimated at 37.2% of the total population, rather than a figure of 27.5% used previously. This implies an increase in the number of BPL households from 65.2 million to almost 80 million..

Hunger and Malnutrition
India ranks 67 on the Global Hunger Index 2010, conducted by the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) among 88 nations.India may be the second fastest growing economy in the world, but it fares far worse than lesser deve-oped countries such as Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka in the neighbourhood, when it comes to taking care of its malnourished children. India is home to 42% of the underweight children under the age of five year in the world.

Housing/Slum Problem
As per the report of Pranab Sen Committee constituted to look in to various aspects of slum cesnus, country’s slum population had grown by 17.8 million people in the last decade.The committee projected the slum population in 2011 at 93.06 million, up from 75.26 million in 2001 as per the new definition poverty. The 2001 census figures pegged the slum population at 52.40 million.

Environment Pollution
Poverty combined with escalating population has placed undue pressure on the forests as they are being cut down
without any remorse. Some other effects of population tsunami on surrounding environment (directly or indirectly) are given here :
     • Air Pollution
     • Water Pollution
     • Noise Polltuion
     • Deforestration which further responsible for :
           global warming,decreased biodiversity, soil erosion,
           reduce rainfall, desertification, flooding, removal of
           habitats for animal, removal of topsoil.

World Health Day – Awareness Campaign for Antimicrobial resistance and its global spread

2011-04-07T11:48:00.001+05:30

“He who has health, has hope. And he who has hope, has everything.”
The greatest wealth is health. ~Virgil

World Health Day is celebrated every year on 7 April, under the sponsorship of the World Health Organization (WHO).

WHO conducts public awareness campaign including a special focus on the HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria epidemics. Various governments and non-governmental organizations are also doing so many health awerness programmes and capaigns with interests in public health isssues.

The main aim of World Health Day, this year is "Antimicrobial resistance and its global spread" and focuses on the need for governments and stakeholders to implement the policies, prevent and counter the emergence of highly resistant microorganisms. WHO is calling to safeguard antimicrobial medicines for future generations.

In the special occasion of World Health Day, WHO is introducing a six-point policy package to combat the spread of antimicrobial resistance.

    * develop and implement a comprehensive, financed national plan
    * strengthen surveillance and laboratory capacity
    * ensure uninterrupted access to essential medicines of assured quality
    * regulate and promote rational use of medicines
    * enhance infection prevention and control
    * foster innovation and research and development for new tools.

Ban a book that says Mahatma Gandhi is bisexual

2011-04-03T14:07:00.000+05:30

Mahatma Gandhi was bisexual and left his wife to live with a German-Jewish bodybuilder & a wealthy architect, a controversial biography has claimed. The leader of the Indian independence movement is said to have been deeply in love with Hermann Kallenbach.

Government should initiate steps to ban sale of a controversial book on Mahatma Gandhi by Pulitzer prize-winning journalist Joseph Lelyveld. Gandhiji was a respected leader and is known as the father of nation. He led the freedom movement of India. The government should initiate steps to ensure that the book is not published in the India.

"This is very serious that the author of the book has raised questions about the character of Gandhiji who initiated non-violence movement.

The revelations about Gandhi are likely to be deeply contested by his millions of followers around the world for whom he is revered with almost God-like status.

Source : http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1370554/Gandhi-left-wife-live-male-lover-new-book-claims.html

Celebrate the Utkal Divas or Odisha Day

2011-04-01T10:03:00.004+05:30

Utkal Divas or Odisha Day is celebrated on 1st April in Odisha in the memory of the formation of the state as a separate province on 1st April, 1936. Utkal Divas in Odisha (Oriya: ଓଡିଶା), also known as Orissa (Oriya: ଓଡି଼ଶା), is a state of India, located on the east coast of India, by the Bay of Bengal. Now with the changes in name from Orissa to Odisha it get the proper status.

Odisha was formed after a long struggle of around 350 years. The last Hindu ruler of the Odisha was Mukunda Dev. Utkal Sammilani lead by Utkal Gourab Madhusudan Das, Maharaja Krushna Chandra Gajapati, Pandit Nilakantha Das, Bhubanananda Das and many others played a key role in the formation of Odhisha state.

Odisha was the first state to be delineated on the modern line of languages. As part of Utkal Divas celebrations, cultural programmes, seminars and various competitive activities are organised in various parts of the state. The Day is celebrated as State Holiday in Odisha.

Bande Utkala Janani is the poem written by Kantakabi Laxmikanta Mohapatra, which is the official Anthem of the state Odisha. In this auspicious occasion i present the complete poem to all Odisha people. This is what i want to say about Odisha (Udro, Kalinga, Ekamra, Utkal.) :

Bande utkala janani
charu hasmayi charu bhasamayi
janani, janani, janani
puta-payodhi-bidhyota-sharira
talatamala-susobhita-tira
shubhra tatnikula-shikara-shamira
janani, janani, janani
ghana bana bhumi rajitaange
nila bhudh aramala saje tarange
kalakara mukhrita charu bihange
janani, janani, janani
sundarashali-susobhita-kshetra
gnyana bignyna-pradarshita-netra
jogi rushingana utaja-pabitra
janani, janani, janani
sundara mandira mandita-desha
charu kalabali-shobhita-besha
punya tirthachaya-purna pradesha
janani, janani, janani
utkala surabara-darpita-geha
arikula-shonita-charchita-deha
biswa bhumandala-krutabar-sneha
janani, janani, janani
kabikulamouli sunandana-bandya
bhubana bighoshita-kirti anindya
dhanye,punye,chira sharanye
janani, janani, janani.

….. Jai Jagannath …...

Let's join the Earth Hour 2011 from 8:30 PM - 9:30 PM Today

2011-03-26T13:52:00.000+05:30

Earth Hour came from a think tank initiated by Earth Hour Executive Director and Co-Founder, Andy Ridley, resulting in the formation of a partnership between WWF Australia, Leo Burnett and Fairfax Media to address the climate change issue.

Earth Hour started in 2007 in Sydney, Australia when 2.2 million individuals and over 2,000 businesses turned their lights off for one hour to take a stand against climate change. India joined the campaign in 2009.

Earth Hour is organised annually on the last Saturday of March by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). Over 4,000 cities from 131 countries will be turning off their lights during the global campaign. People across the globe will vote for planet earth by switching of all non-essential lights, on Saturday, from 8.30 pm to 9.30 pm.

During Earth Hour 2010, more than five million people in India switched off the lights. In 2011, every household of the over 31 million Scouts in the 161 member countries of WOSM all over the world, can set a global record by coming together in action for a common cause – the planet. Let's join the Earth Hour 2011 event and make sure that you are a part of this global event.

Happy Women's Day To All My Friends

2011-03-08T12:53:00.002+05:30

Celebration of Panchayat Raj Divas in Odisha on 5th March 2011

2011-03-05T10:09:00.003+05:30

Panchayati Raj Provided a self governance at the village / grass root level, however, it did not have a constitutional status. The Constitution of India under 73rd Amendment Act, 1992 provides a framework on which it was designed to have a 3 tier system for Panchayat Raj institutions (PRIs).

Odisha Grama Panchayat Act was enacted in the year 1948 and 3 tier system of Panchayati Raj Institutions was introduced in the year 1961. It's main aim is to provide sustainable development and socio-economic transformation in rural Odisha. In the year 2002, election to 3 tiers of Panchayati Raj Institutions held under 73rd amendment to empower tribal people.

The State level Panchayati Raj Divas will organized on 2011 on 5th March 2011 at Kalinga Stadium, Bhubaneswar. All Women representatives of 3 tier Panchayati Raj Institutions as women Zilla Parishad Presidents and Vice Presidents, women Chair Persons and Vice Chair Persons of Panchayat Samiti and women Sarapanches and Naib Sarapanches of Gram Panchayat will also be invited to attend the Samaroh.

Main Objectives of PRI:
1. Primary education
2. Primary health
3. Safe Drinking water
4. Sanitation and street lighting
5. Environment protection
6. Common property resources (CPR) management

Panchayati Raj Divas is Celebrated in Odisha:
• To recognize the importance of Panchayati Raj system
• To create awareness among people regarding Panchayati Raj system
• To imbibe the empowerment among Panchayati Raj representatives
• To reward the best performers in Panchayati Raj institutions
• To reward the leaderships in Panchayati Raj systems

A police jawan was arrested in Jharigaon in Nabarangpur Dist. on rape charge

2011-03-04T22:08:00.000+05:30

A police jawan was arrested in Jharigaon in Nabarangpur district, Odisha on rape charge. The victim is studying in Class VIII at the Jharigaon High School. The jawan was posted in Jharigaon three months ago to take part in the anti-Maoist operations. It's really a very strange thing that Nabarangpur Dist. mainly the Jharigaon belt is now within the clutches of maoist. So Odisha Govt. sent special force there three months ago. If the protector of the land break the rules how can we reduce violence ?

The internal sources says that the boy and girl were meeting on mutual consent. The father caught them, demanded Rs 15 lakh and two acres of land from the guy. It's impossible to pay for a police jawan. So her father lodged the complaint and official action was taken on Thursday after a compromise formula could not be reached between both parties.

The fact will come soon to the limelight.

Mother Teresa : The Global Icon of Selfless Social Service

2011-02-25T23:16:00.006+05:30

Life of Great Mother Teresa
Mother Teresa was a true follower of humanity. Many people considered Mother as the "reincarnated form of Lord Jesus". Mother Teresa devoted her entire life in serving the needy and abandoned people of the society.

The original name of Mother Teresa was Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu. She was born in Skopje, the capital of Macedonia, on 26 August, 1910. In 1919, when she was eight years old, Agnes lost her father, a noted politician in Albania. At the age of twelve, she felt strongly the "call of God". Her religious foundation developed further and in 1928, she left Skopje to join the Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Ireland. The institution was popularly known as Sisters of Loreto. There, she received the name Sister Mary Teresa. After a training of around six months in Dublin, the capital of Ireland, Teresa was sent to India. On 24 May, 1931 she took her initial vows as a nun.

Contributions
For around next 15 years, Mother Teresa taught at St. Mary's High School in Kolkata. She also became the principal of the school. On 10 September, 1946, while traveling to Darjeeling, North-Bengal, for the annual retreat Mother realized "the call within call". She felt as if the Jesus was asking her to come out of the walls and serve the down-trodden people.

The feeling was so intense that on 17 August, 1947, Mother dressed in white, blue bordered sari left the Convent. In December 1950, Mother for the first time visited the slums of Calcutta. Although she had no funds, she started an open-air school for slum children. Soon she was joined by many voluntary organizations, which provided Mother, a crucial financial support. She founded the Missionaries of Charity in Calcutta, India in 1950. Although her mission started in India, she succeeded in bringing the people of all societies under one roof, i.e. humanity.

By 1996, she was operating 517 missions in more than 100 countries.[53] Over the years, Mother Teresa's Missionaries of Charity grew from twelve to thousands serving the "poorest of the poor" in 450 centers around the world.

Teresa's Missionaries of Charity continued to expand, and at the time of her death it was operating 610 missions in 123 countries, including hospices and homes for people with HIV/AIDS, leprosy and tuberculosis, soup kitchens, children's and family counselling programs, orphanages, and schools.

Awards
She won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979 and India's highest civilian honour, the Bharat Ratna, in 1980 for her humanitarian work. Mother Teresa had first been recognised by the Indian government more than a third of a century earlier when she was awarded the Padma Shri in 1962 and the Jawaharlal Nehru Award for International Understanding in 1969 for her social works. .

In 2010 on the 100th anniversary of her birth, she was honoured around the world, and her work praised by Indian President Pratibha Patil.

Her Last Days
After 1980, Mother suffered some serious health problems including two cardiac arrests. Despite the problems, Mother herself governed the Missionaries of Charity and its branches, as efficiently as earlier. In April 1996, Mother Teresa fell and broke her collar bone. Since then, Mother's health started declining. On September 5, 1997, Mother Teresa passed away.

Devoting her life to the service of the poor and dispossessed Mother Teresa became a global icon for selfless service to others.

http://sagarika-satapathy.blogspot.com/2011/02/mother-teresa-devoting-her-life-to.html

Education, Training And Career Options In Social Work

2011-02-22T19:57:00.009+05:30

Social work is a profession for those with a strong desire to help improve people's lives. Social workers assist people by helping them cope with and solve issues in their everyday lives, such as family and personal problems and dealing with relationships.

Some social workers help clients who face a disability, life-threatening disease, social problem, such as inadequate housing, unemployment, or substance abuse. Social workers also assist families that have serious domestic conflicts, sometimes involving child or spousal abuse.

Social Work is concerned and involved with the interactions between people and the institutions of society that affect the ability of people to accomplish life tasks, realize aspirations and values, and alleviate distress. These interactions between people and social institutions occur within the context of the larger societal good. Therefore, three major purposes of social work may be identified:

►to enhance the problem-solving, coping and developmental capacities of people;
►to promote the effective and humane operation of the systems that provide people
with resources and services;
►to link people with systems that provide them with resources, services, and opportunities.

Education And Training Related To Social Work
A bachelor's degree in social work (BSW) is the most common minimum requirement to qualify for a job as a social worker; however, majors in psychology, sociology, and related fields may qualify for some entry-level jobs, especially in small community agencies. Although a bachelor's degree is sufficient for entry into the field, an advanced degree is required for some positions. A master's degree in social work (MSW) is typically required for positions in health and school settings and is required for clinical work, as well. Some jobs in public and private agencies may require an advanced degree, such as an MSW with a concentration in social services policy or administration. Supervisory, administrative, and staff training positions usually require an advanced degree. College and university teaching positions and most research appointments normally require a doctorate in social work (DSW or Ph.D.).

2009, the Council on Social Work Education accredited 468 bachelor's programs and 196 master's programs. The Group for the Advancement of Doctoral Education listed 74 doctoral programs in social work (DSW or Ph.D.) in the United States. Bachelor degree programs prepare graduates for direct service positions, such as caseworker, mental health assistant, group home worker and residential counselor. These programs include courses in social work values and ethics, dealing with a culturally diverse clientele and at-risk populations, promotion of social and economic justice, human behavior and the social environment, social welfare policy and services, social work practice, social research methods, and field education. Accredited programs require a minimum of 400 hours of supervised field experience.

Entry into a master's program does not require a bachelor's degree in social work, but courses in psychology, biology, sociology, economics, political science, and social work are recommended. In addition, a second language can be very helpful. Most master's programs offer advanced standing for those with a bachelor's degree from an accredited social work program.

Career Options
Advancement to supervisor, program manager, assistant director, or executive director of a social service agency or department usually requires an advanced degree and related work experience. Others as teaching, research, and consulting. Some of these workers help formulate government policies, by analyzing and advocating policy positions in government agencies, in research institutions, and on legislators' staffs.

http://sagarika-satapathy.blogspot.com/2011/02/education-training-and-career-options.html

Importance Of Sociology To Society

2011-02-20T19:24:00.000+05:30

The Origin & Development of Sociology
Auguste Comte in France coined the word 'sociology' in his Positive Philosophy published in 1838.He believed that a science of sociology should be based on systematic observation and classification not on authority and speculation. This was a relatively new idea at that time. Herbert Spencer in England published his Principles of Sociology in 1876. He applied the theory of organic evolution to human society and developed a grand theory of social evolution. Lester F Ward an American published his Dynamic Sociology in 1883 calling for social progress through intelligent social action which sociologists should guide.

Durkheim gave the most notable early demonstration of scientific methodology in sociology. In his Rules of sociological Method published in 1895. He outlined the methodology which he pursued in his study 'Suicide' published in 1897.Instead of speculating upon the causes of suicide ,he first planned his research design and then collected a large mass of data on the characteristics of people who commit suicide and then derived a theory of suicide from these data. The American Journal of Sociology began publication in 1895 and the American Sociological Society was organized in 1905.

By 1930s the several sociological journals were well filled with research articles and scientific descriptions. Sociology was becoming a body of scientific knowledge with its theories based upon scientific observation rather than upon impressionistic observation.

Importance of Sociology

Sociology makes a scientific study of society
Sociology studies role of the institutions in the development of the individuals
Study of sociology is indispensable for understanding and planning of society
Sociology is of great importance in the solution of social problems
Sociology has drawn our attention to the intrinsic worth and dignity of man
Sociology has changed our outlook with regard to the problems of crime etc
Sociology has made great contribution to enrich human culture
Sociology is of great importance in the solution of international problems

Sociology makes a scientific study of society
Sociology because of its bearing upon many of the problems of the present world has assumed such a great importance that it is considered to be the best approach to all the social sciences.

Sociology studies role of the institutions in the development of the individuals
The home and family ,the school and educaton,the church and religion, the state and government ,industry and work ,the community and association, these are institutions through which society functions.

Study of sociology is indispensable for understanding and planning of society
Without the investigation carried out by sociology no real effective social planning would be possible. It helps us to determine the most efficient means for reaching the goals agreed upon. A certain amount of knowledge about society is necessary before any social policies can be carried out.

Sociology is of great importance in the solution of social problems
It is the task of sociology to study the social problems through the methods of scientific research and to find out solution to them. The scientific study of human affairs will ultimately provide the body of knowledge and principles that will enable us to control the conditions of social life and improve them.

Sociology has drawn our attention to the intrinsic worth and dignity of man
Sociology has been instrumental in changing our attitude towards human beings. In a specialized society we are all limited as to the amount of the whole organization and culture that we can experience directly. We can hardly know the people of other areas intimately.

Sociology has changed our outlook with regard to the problems of crime etc
It is through the study of sociology that our whole outlook on various aspects of crime has change. The criminals are now treated as human beings suffering from mental deficiencies and efforts are accordingly made to rehabilitate them as useful members of the society.

Sociology has made great contribution to enrich human culture
Sociology has given us training to have rational approach to questions concerning oneself, one's religion,customs,morals and institutions. It has further taught us to be objective, critical and dispassionate. It enables man to have better understanding both of himself and of others. By comparative study of societies and groups other than his existence ,his life becomes richer and fuller than it would otherwise be.

Sociology is of great importance in the solution of international problems
The world is divided politically giving rise to stress and conflict. Men have failed to bring in peace. Sociology can help us in understanding the underlying causes and tensions.

The value of sociology lies in the fact that it keeps us update on modern situations
It contributes to making good citizens and finding solutions to the community problems. It adds to the knowledge of the society. It helps the individual find his relation to society.

Sexual Harassment of Sevashram Girls in Rayagada Dist.

2011-02-18T14:21:00.001+05:30

It's really very shameful news that at least four girls, two each of Class III and IV, of Gadiseshkhal sevashram in Kolnara block, Rayagada were harassed by an assitant teacher and a male peon. They met the collector and lodged a complaint against the teacher, Narendra Meneka and peon, Lingaraj Kulusika, of sexually harassing them on Wednesday.

The sevashram situated about 20 k.m distance from the district head quarter of Rayagada, holds classes from I to V. Many students left the sevashram due to the harassment by the teacher.

According to the girls their teacher used to call them to his room at night and used to make sexual advances.

The Dist. Collector (Rayagada), Mr. Nitin Bhanudas Jawle ordered the district welfare officer to investigate into the allegations.

Unemployment in India and death of job seekers

2011-02-02T23:11:00.000+05:30

India as a nation is faced with massive problem of unemployment. The incidence of unemployment is much higher in urban areas than in rural areas. The incidence of unemployment among the educated is much higher in our society.

In a scary news, at least 15 people were killed and more than 50 critically injured when they hit their heads against the low, concrete roof of an underpass 240km west of Lucknow. All the dead and injured were among 60,000 odd job seekers from 11 states who had been turned away this morning from an Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) recruitment camp in Bareilly.

The Himgiri dead are yet to be identified while the injured, some of them critical, have been shifted to hospitals in Delhi and Bareilly.

18 youths in Uttar Pradesh say they were forced to sit on the roof of the train by police and the police said they don't have any information about this matter. That's the law and negligency of our society for which common people are always suffering.

Though ITBP knew about the number of job seekers, it had to inform the police dpt. for security. However, Union home minister P Chidambaram said in New Delhi that ITBP had informed the state police in advance but the state police provided only minimal forces for the recruitment drive.

Though the Indian Govt. make so many ways to give employment to the job seekers, it fails. The unemployment rate of 9.4% means that out of those 359 persons per thousand, or 424 million people – there are 9.4% or about 40 million who were unemployed. According to this survey – Goa is the state with the highest unemployment rate. There are more than 6 crore well educated youth in India who are unemployed.

For the first time ever – the Labour Bureau of the Government of India has conducted a survey on employment. India Gov.t have to do more to fight with this social illness.

Women's Right in our Society

2011-01-26T21:51:00.001+05:30

Celebration and Significance of Republic Day in India

2011-01-26T09:58:00.000+05:30

India became independent from the British Rule on 15th August, 1947. However, the country did not have its own constitution and wholly depended on the modified colonial Government of India Act, 1935. Also, India was headed by King George VI, until the adoption of the Indian Constitution in 1950.

Prior to this, the seeds of a republican nation were sowed by Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru in the Lahore session at the Indian National Congress at the midnight of 31st December, 1929 - 1st January, 1930.

The tri-color flag was unfurled by the nationalists present who took a pledge to celebrate ‘Purna Swaraj’ (Complete Independence) Day every year on 26th January, while continuing to fight for the establishment of a Sovereign, Democratic and Republic of India.

The Constitution of India came into force and India declared itself a Republic on 26 January 1950, a day thereafter celebrated annually as Republic Day in India. The Constitution had been drafted by the Constituent Assembly headed by Dr. B.R. Ambedkar which was set up when India gained its independence from the British in 1947. This, in fact, was a deliberate act

The festivities for Republic Day are a lot more extensive than for Independence Day. To honour the occasion, a grand parade is held in the National Capital New Delhi on this day. The various branches of the armed forces, the police, National Cadet Corps and students from various schools and institution take part in it. There have so many show casing the cultural heritage of the states and there are also the display of the latest armaments that the country has acquired.

The parade starts from India Gate and proceeds through Rajpath. There have also so many cultural programmes performed by children from various schools. Republic Day is also the time when exemplary achievements are recognized and rewarded throughout the country. Selected children are awarded the Children's Bravery Awards on this day. Soldiers who have performed exceptionally are awarded the bravery medals, Param Veer Chakra, Veer Chakra and Maha Veer Chakra.

These celebrations and rituals not only make us happy but also make proud to be an Indian which have so many cultures, religions and languages but having a Unity. Thats why India is also called as a wonderful multi-cultural country.

Republic Day represents the true spirit of the independent India. This day celebrates the power of the citizens and the secularism of the state. The Day has its significance because of our constitution.

Indian Freedom Fighters who fought for Independence

2011-01-02T19:22:00.000+05:30

Indian Freedom Fighters with their courage and true spirit had faced several tortures, hardships and exploitations to got freedom.

Independent India was the dream of each and every Indian who lived under the British rule. Each and every individual during the British rule fought in some or other way having a common aim of abolishing the British and various other colonial authorities ruling over different parts of India.

After a century of struggle, revolution, blood shedding, sacrifices and battles, finally India became independent on the 15th of August, 1947. India secured independence from the British rule but the nation lost a large number of men and women who possessed immense bravery and spirit of patriotism. These great people are honoured with the title of freedom fighters those lost their life fighting for the cause of India`s independence.

Indian Freedom Fighters:

Ashfaqulla Khan
Aravinda Ghosh
Dr. Annie Besant
Allamah Iqbal
Arun Asaf Ali
Mahatma Gandhi
Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar
Bhagat Singh
Bal Gangadhar Tilak
Begum Hazrat Mahal
Bhulabhai Desai
Bankim Chandra Chatterjee
Bidhan Chandra Roy
Bipin Chandra Pal
Bagha Jatin Mukherjee
Chittranjan Das
Chakravarty Rajagopalachari
Chandra Sekhar Azad
Dadabhai Naoroji
Dinesh Gupta
Gobin Ballabh Pant
Gopalkrishna Gokhale
Indira Gandhi
Jhansi Ki Rani Lakshmibai
Jatin Mukherjee
Jay Prakash Narayan
Jawaharlal Nehru
J.B. Kripalani
Kasturba Gandhi
Kamala Nehru
K. Kamaraj
Kulapati Munshi
Khan Abdul Gaffar Khan
Khudiram Bose
The Kakori Rail Dacoity
Lala Lajpat Rai
Lal Bahadur Shastri
Mahadeo Govind Ranade
Motilal Nehru
Pt. Madan Mohan Malaviya
Madam Cama
Maulana Abul Kalam Azad
Mani Lal Gandhi
Mangal Pandey
Meera Ben
Mirra Alfassa (The Mother)
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi
Padmaja Naidu
Purushottam Das Tandon
Rajendra Prasad
Ram Manohar Lohia
Rash Behari Bose
Rabindranath Tagore
Ram Prasad Bismil
Sarla Ben
Senapati Bapat
S. Satyamurti
Sister Nivedita
Shivaram Rajguru
Subhas Chandra Bose
Sukhdev
Sarojini Naidu
Surendranath Banerjea
Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan
Tantya Tope
Vijayalakshmi Pandit
Vinoba Bhave
Vinayak Damodar Savarkar
Vallabhbhai Patel
V.O. Chidambaram Pillai
Dr. Zakir Husain

'We will never leave our land, even if you behead us' - Dongria Kondh, India

2010-12-22T16:18:00.002+05:30

Should Mercy Killing be Legalized?

2010-12-11T18:08:00.002+05:30

Euthanasia, derived from the Greek word eu thanatos, which means "good death": eu (well or good) + & thanatos (death)) refers to the practice of ending a life in a manner which relieves pain and suffering. http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-national/euthanasia-could-be-forced-on-patients-mp-20101117-17x10.html. Mercy killing is known as euthanasia. The victim of a mercy killing dies a painless death after suffering an incurable ailment or serious injury.
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm199900/cmbills/012/2000012.htm

Places in the World Where Euthanasia or Assisted Suicide are Legal
Voluntary euthanasia is legal in Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and the U.S. states of Oregon and Washington. (http://www.euthanasia.com/euthanasiamap.html))

Types of Euthanasia

Voluntary Euthanasia
Involuntary Euthanasia

Voluntary Euthanasia refers to the action taken by the physician and the patient, who both agree (with informed consent) to end the patient's life.

Involuntary Euthanasia refers to a third party taking a patient's life without the informed consent of the patient. This is commonly practiced in veterinary medicine when animals are "put down" or "put to sleep."

While euthanasia is legal in countries like Belgium, Luxemburg, Netherlands and Switzerland, under the assistance of physicians, it's still a matter of debate in countries like India and the US.

The legal definition of Mercy-killing
The term normally implies an intentional termination of life by another at the explicit request of the person who wishes to die. Euthanasia is generally defined as the act of killing an incurably ill person out of concern and compassion for that person's suffering.

It is sometimes called mercy killing, but many advocates of euthanasia define mercy killing more precisely as the ending of another person's life without his or her request. Euthanasia, on the other hand, is usually separated into two categories: passive euthanasia and active euthanasia. http://www.euthanasia.com/page8.html. In many jurisdictions, active euthanasia can be considered murder, whereas passive euthanasia is accepted by professional medical societies, and by the law under certain circumstances.

On June 14 2005 , the newspaper headlines sprang the news that the central Government in India was mulling over the idea of legalising euthanasia -- under the garb of mercy killing. When 25-year-old Venkatesh from Hyderabad died in 2004, it made headlines. http://www.rediff.com/news/2004/dec/17msg.htm. Not so much because he was a former national chess-champion, but because he had pleaded that his life support system be switched off. However, this amounted to euthanasia or mercy killling which is illegal in India.

Mercy killing should be legalized because of the following reasons:
1) The patient is near his or her end.
2) The patient has unendurable pain.
3) All possible ways to avoid the pain have been attempted but are useless.
4) The patient expresses his or her own will to accept mercy, they are never forced.
5) Forcing patients to remain alive against their wishes causes health care expenditures to rise astronomically.

If our Government provides Right to Live as a right to it's citizens, it also have to provide the Right to Die. Approx. 46% of physicians agree that physician-assisted suicide should be allowed in some cases because it's the life of a painful patient and if there have no use of her/his life, it's better to die on her/his will.

Think Global, Starve Local!

2010-12-10T18:15:00.000+05:30

So far 3 trilion dollars have been spent on economic stimulus packages. One percent of this could feed 59 million hungry children for one year. It's time to change something.

UN report warns of deadly pollutants from glaciers

2010-12-09T23:32:00.000+05:30

It is a problem in all parts of the world – pollutants do not respect borders. They travel thousands of miles and they continue to build'

Pollutants have travelled long distances and become trapped in ice in glaciers and ice sheets. But as the ice melts, or when temperatures go up, they are released back into the seas and atmosphere.

The UN study found that levels of POPs measured in breast milk and blood were rising in parts of the world.

Achim Steiner, the executive director of UNEP said freak weather events were releasing stockpiles of dangerous pesticides and other pollutants.

Higher temperatures can also make seals, whales and polar bars more vulnerable to pollutants.

Higher temperatures were likely to increase the spread of malaria – and increase the use of sprays such as DDT which are harmful to people.

Melting glaciers are releasing cancer-causing pollutants into the air and oceans. The long-lasting chemicals get into the food chain and build up in people's bodies - triggering tumours, heart disease and infertility.

The flow of pollutants into the lake peaked in the 1970s, mainly due to the production of plastics, electronics, pesticides and fragrances. The levels declined during the 1980s and 1990s when people realised that these compounds were toxic and they were banned.

Many toxic chemicals are still used in plastics and electronic equipment, such as brominated flame retardants. These could represent the next generation's problem: "They are deposited on glaciers today and will reappear in our lakes in a few decades."

Breast Cancer - Symptoms, Treatment and Prevention

2010-12-09T22:27:00.002+05:30

Cancer is a disease in which abnormal cells grow in an uncontrolled way. Breast cancer is caused by the development of malignant cells in the breast. It arises in the milk-producing glands of the breast tissue.

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women, but it can also appear in men. In the U.S, it affects one in eight women.

Symptoms of Breast Cancer

A change of size or shape of the mature breast
Nipple fluid (not milk) leaking
A change of size or shape of the nipple
A change of color or texture of the nipple or the areola, or of the skin of the breast itself (dimples

Types of Breast Cancer

Ductal Carcinoma In Situ DCIS
Lobular Carcinoma In Situ LCIS
Inflammatory Breast Cancer

Treatment
Surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy are all utilized in the treatment of breast cancer. Depending on the stage, they will be used in different combinations or sequences to effect an appropriate strategy for the type and stage of the disease being treated.

Radiation Therapy
Like surgical therapy, radiation therapy is a local modality—it treats the tissue exposed to radiation and not the rest of the body. Radiation is usually given post-operatively after surgical wounds have healed. The pathologic stage of the primary tumor is now known and this aids in treatment planning. The extent of the local surgery also influences the planning.

Breast Cancer Prevention
Breast Cancer Prevention treatment provided by Anne McTiernan, M.D., Ph.D., director of the Hutchinson Center’s Prevention Center, a member of the Center’s Public Health Sciences Division, and author of “Breast Fitness”

1. Avoid becoming overweight
Obesity raises the risk of breast cancer after menopause, the time of life when breast cancer most often occurs. Avoid gaining weight over time, and try to maintain a body-mass index under 25 (calculators can be found online).
2. Eat healthy to avoid tipping the scale
Embrace a diet high in vegetables and fruit and low in sugared drinks, refined carbohydrates and fatty foods. Eat lean protein such as fish or chicken and eat red meat in moderation, if at all. Eat whole grains. Choose vegetable oils over animal fats.
3. Keep physically active
Research suggests that increased physical activity, even when begun later in life, reduces overall breast-cancer risk by about 10 percent to 30 percent. All it takes is moderate exercise like a 30-minute walk five days a week to get this protective effect.
4. Drink little or no alcohol
Alcohol use is associated with an increased risk of breast cancer. Women should limit intake to no more than one drink per day, regardless of the type of alcohol.
5. Avoid hormone replacement therapy
Menopausal hormone therapy increases risk for breast cancer. If you must take hormones to manage menopausal symptoms, avoid those that contain progesterone and limit their use to less than three years. “Bioidentical hormones” and hormonal creams and gels are no safer than prescription hormones and should also be avoided
6. Consider taking an estrogen-blocking drug.
Women with a family history of breast cancer or who are over age 60 should talk to their doctor about the pros and cons of estrogen-blocking drugs such as tamoxifen and raloxifene.
7. Don’t smoke
Research suggests that long-term smoking is associated with increased risk of breast cancer in some women. Need help quitting? Consider participating in WebQuit, the Hutchinson Center’s online smoking-cessation study.
8. Breast-feed your babies for as long as possible
Women who breast-feed their babies for at least a year in total have a reduced risk of developing breast cancer later.
9. Participate in a research study
The Hutchinson Center is home to several studies that are looking at ways to reduce the risk for breast cancer. Check their website periodically for studies that might be appropriate for you.
10. Get fit and support breast cancer research at the same time
Regular physical activity is associated with a reduced risk of breast cancer. Ascend some of the world’s most breathtaking peaks while raising vital funds for and awareness of breast cancer research by participating in the Hutchinson Center’s annual Climb to Fight Breast Cancer.

Maternal deaths highest in India—UN report

2010-09-18T17:55:00.000+05:30

The United Nations (UN) reports the India maternal mortality rate is very higher among all developed nations. About 1000 women die every day due to pregnancy and child birth case.

The report was released jointly by WHO, UNICEF, UNFPA and World Bank.

The report says that must of the women die of infection, uncontrolled bleeding after childbirth, unsafe abortion and hypertention.

Vulnerable groups

Women from rural area
Women with HIV
Poor groups

Swine flu - Its Symptoms & Prevention

2010-08-28T19:26:00.000+05:30

Swine flu (swine influenza) is a respiratory disease caused by viruses (influenza viruses) that infect the respiratory tract of pigs and result in nasal secretions, a barking-like cough, decreased appetite, and listless behavior. Swine flu produces most of the same symptoms in pigs as human flu produces in people. Swine flu can last about one to two weeks in pigs that survive.

Swine influenza virus was first isolated from pigs in 1930 in the U.S. and has been recognized by pork producers and veterinarians to cause infections in pigs worldwide. In a number of instances, people have developed the swine flu infection when they are closely associated with pigs (for example, farmers, pork processors), and likewise, pig populations have occasionally been infected with the human flu infection. In most instances, the cross-species infections (swine virus to man; human flu virus to pigs) have remained in local areas and have not caused national or worldwide infections in either pigs or humans.

Symptoms of swine flu infections
    * Fever, which is usually high, but unlike seasonal flu, is sometimes absent
    * Cough
    * Runny nose or stuffy nose
    * Sore throat
    * Body aches
    * Headache
    * Chills
    * Fatigue or tiredness, which can be extreme
    * Diarrhea and vomiting, sometimes, but more commonly seen than with seasonal flu

Vulnerable group
Pregnant women, old and those suffering from some other chronic disease

Prevention

Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze
Throw the tissue away after using
Wash your hands often with soap and water for 15 - 20 seconds, especially after you cough or sneeze
You may also use alcohol-based hand cleaners
Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth, to avoid getting infected by germs
Avoid close contact with sick people
If you do get sick, consider staying home from work or school for 7 days after your symptoms begin, or until you have been symptom-free for 24 hours, whichever is longer
Wear a facemask , if possible, when sharing common spaces with other household members

Medicines for Swine Flu

The injectible vaccines available in the market are ‘Vaxiflu-S’ and ‘Humenza’. The nasal vaccine is known as ‘Nassovac'. Tamiflu tablets are also helpful. It will be better to contact a Physician before taking any medicines/vaccination.

Theories of Counselling

2010-08-08T21:54:00.005+05:30

Counselor is a people who listen to others and help resolve difficulties. Counselling can be more precisely defined as a relatively short-term, interpersonal, theory-based process of helping persons who are basically psychologically healthy resolve developmental and situational problems.Counseling activities are guided by ethical and legal standards and go through distinct stages from initiation to termination. Personal, social, vocational, and educational matters are all areas of concern; and the profession encompasses a number of sub specialties. Here are some of the theories of counselling.

Theories of counselling
1. Psychoanalytic
2. Analytical/Jungian
3. Adlerian
4. Self-Psychology
5. Time-Limited Dynamic
6. Client-Centered
7. Existential
8. Gestalt
9. Behavioral
10. Cognitive
11. REBT
12. Reality
13. Family Systems
14. Biofeedback

Psychoanalytic Theory
The founder of psychoanalytic theory was Sigmund Freud. While his theories were considered shocking at the time and continue to create debate and controversy, his work had a profound influence on a number of disciplines, including psychology, sociology, anthropology, literature, and art. Sigmund Freud was the founder of psychoanalysis and the psychodynamic approach to psychology. This school of thought emphasized the influence of the unconscious mind on behavior. Freud believed that the human mind was composed of three elements: the id, the ego, and the superego.

Key Psychoanalysis Terms
Case study
In a case study, nearly every aspect of the subject's life and history is analyzed to seek patterns and causes for behavior. The hope is that learning gained from studying one case can be generalized to many others. Unfortunately, case studies tend to be highly subjective and it is difficult to generalize results to a larger population.
Concious
The conscious mind includes everything that is inside of our awareness. This is the aspect of our mental processing that we can think and talk about in a rational way.
Defense mechanisms
Defense mechanisms are thought to safeguard the mind against feelings and thoughts that are too difficult for the conscious mind to cope with.
Ego - The ego is the largely unconscious part of personality that mediates the demands of the id, the superego, and reality. The ego prevents us from acting on our basic urges (created by the id), but also works to achieve a balance with our moral and idealistic standards (created by the superego).
Id - The personality component made up of unconscious psychic energy that works to satisfy basic urges, needs, and desires.
The superego - works to suppress the urges of the id and tries to make the ego behave morally, rather than realistically.
Unconscious - A reservoir of feelings, thoughts, urges, and memories that outside of our conscious awareness. Most of the contents of the unconscious are unacceptable or unpleasant, such as feelings of pain, anxiety, or conflict.

Analytical/Jungian
Jungian viewpoint, analysis is essentially a dialogue between two people - the analyst and the analysand. Its aim is to help the analysand get in touch with his/her own inner sources of healing and growth, and thus to arrive at individual answers and solutions. Jungian analysis involves weekly face to face meetings between the analyst and the analysand,

Adlerian Psychology focuses on people's efforts to compensate for their self-perceived inferiority to others. These feelings of inferiority may derive from one's position in the family constellation, particularly if early experiences of humiliation occurred; a specific physical condition or defect existed; or a general lack of social feeling for others was present. According to Adler, when we feel encouraged, we feel capable and appreciated and will generally act in a connected and cooperative way. When we are discouraged, we may act in unhealthy ways by competing, withdrawing, or giving up. It is in finding ways of expressing and accepting encouragement, respect, and social interest that help us feel fulfilled and optimistic.

Self psychology is a school of psychoanalytic theory and therapy created by Heinz Kohut and developed in the United States at the Chicago Institute for Psychoanalysis. Self psychology explains psychopathology as being the result of disrupted or unmet developmental needs. Essential to understanding Self psychology are the concepts of empathy, self-object, mirroring, idealising, alter ego/twinship and the tripolar self. Though self psychology also recognizes certain drives, conflicts and complexes present in Freudian psychodynamic theory, these are understood within a different framework.

Time-limited dynamic psychotherapy originated as an interpersonal, time-sensitive approach for clients with chronic, pervasive, dysfunctional ways of relating to others.

Client-Centered Therapy (CCT) was developed by Carl Rogers in the 40's and 50's. It is a non-directive approach to therapy.

CC therapists do:
    * Listen and try to understand how things are from the client's point of view.
    * Check that understanding with the client if unsure.
    * Treat the client with the utmost respect and regard.
    * There is also a mandate for the therapist to be "congruent", or "transparent" - which means being self-aware, self-accepting, and having no mask between oneself and the client. The therapist knows themselves and is willing to be known.

Existential psychotherapy is a powerful approach to therapy which takes seriously the human condition. It is an optimistic approach in that it embraces human potential, while remaining a realistic approach through its recognition of human limitation. Falling in the tradition of the depth psychotherapies, existential therapy has much in common with psychodynamic, humanistic, experiential, and relational approaches to psychotherapy.

Gestalt therapy is highly efficient existential experimental psychotherapy. The process is based upon the relationship between the therapist and the patient.

Behavioral theories of leadership do not seek inborn traits or capabilities. Rather, they look at what leaders actually do.If success can be defined in terms of describable actions, then it should be relatively easy for other people to act in the same way. This is easier to teach and learn then to adopt the more ephemeral 'traits' or 'capabilities'.

Cognitive theory is a learning theory of psychology that attempts to explain human behavior by understanding the thought processes. Cognitive theory is concerned with the development of a person's thought processes. It also looks at how these thought processes influence how we understand and interact with the world.

REBT or Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy was originally founded by Albert Ellis. Basically a process of a rational theory, rationalising our thinking. Rational emotive behaviour therapy focuses on uncovering irrational beliefs which may lead to unhealthy negative emotions and replacing them with more productive rational alternatives.

Reality therapy is a problem solving method that works well with people who are experiencing problems they want help solving, as well as those who are having problems and appear to not want any assistance. Reality therapy also provides an excellent model for helping individuals solve their own problems objectively and serves as the ideal questioning series during coaching sessions.
In Reality Therapy they are classified under five headings:

    * Power (which includes achievement and feeling worthwhile as well as winning)
    * Love & Belonging (this includes groups as well as families or loved ones)
    * Freedom (includes independence, autonomy, your own 'space')
    * Fun (includes pleasure and enjoyment)
    * Survival (includes nourishment, shelter, sex)

Family system operates as a single mutually-influencing unit from which each person must differentiate herself, particularly the children as they move through the process of self-definition. A healthy family system is composed of well-differentiated parents who provide the resources their children need to differentiate themselves, thereby reducing unhealthy behaviors such as emotional reactivity and chronic anxiety.

Biofeedback procedures represents a new approach to clinical management of speech disorders. Thus far, results of experiments utilizing biofeedback techniques have suggested positive effects in the remediation of speech disorders. The purpose of this paper is to provide the reader with the principles of biofeedback; to survey areas of clinical application including voice, fluency, and other clinical disorders; and to explore potential applications of biofeedback procedures for the speech and language pathologist.

Light Pollution: A Growing Problem for Wildlife‎ and Environment

2010-07-10T17:11:00.002+05:30

Air pollution, water pollution, noise pollution, soil contamination are the terms, we know very well. different names for light pollution which refers to multiple problems, all of which are caused by inefficient, unappealing, or unnecessary use of artificial light. It also causes damage to the environment and health, as do other forms of pollution.

Light pollution, also known as photo pollution or luminous pollution, is excessive or obtrusive artificial light.

Artificial light at night can disrupt everything from astronomers' views of the stars to the path-finding abilities of migrating animals.

The most well known light pollution effects are on migratory birds.sometimes leading them to fly into the sides of buildings. But migratory animals are not the only victims. Night-foraging creatures, such as bats and mice, rely on the darkness to either hunt or provide protection from predators.

The more researchers uncover about the startling effects of light pollution, the more obvious it is that something needs to change in the way humans use and direct light. Some cities, like Chicago, have implemented “lights out” programs where tall building lights are dimmed during bird migratory seasons. The effort is thought to save more than 10,000 birds each year.

Estimates by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service of the number of birds killed after being attracted to tall towers range from 4-5 million per year to an order of magnitude higher. The Fatal Light Awareness Program (FLAP) works with building owners in Toronto, Canada and other cities to reduce mortality of birds by turning out lights during migration periods.

The U.S. National Park Service, whose Night Sky Team determined that almost every park that it surveyed has noticeable light pollution.

Right To Information Act (RTI) : A guide to gain information about the Government Departments

2010-07-07T09:44:00.004+05:30

The Right to Information (RTI) Act, similar to the Freedom of Information Act in the United States - was enacted almost five years ago and is aimed at providing a practical way for all citizens to access information held by public authorities.

The RTI Act entitles you to receive all the information you need from government departments and it's time for more widespread use.

RTI is a law enacted by the Parliament of India "to provide for setting out the practical regime of right to information for citizens." The Act applies to all States and Union Territories of India, except the State of Jammu and Kashmir. This law was passed by Parliament on 15 June 2005 and came fully into force on 13 October 2005.

India is ranked 84th or near the middle of 180 countries in the Transparency International Corruption Perception Index

The Act specifies that citizens have a right to

    * request any information
    * take copies of documents
    * inspect documents, works and records
    * take certified samples of materials of work
    * obtain information in form of printouts, diskettes, floppies, tapes, video cassettes 'or in any other electronic mode' or through printouts.

Public Information Officer (PIO)
PIO is the person responsible in a department for receiving RTI applications, and sending responses, or rejecting applications if applicable. PIO is liable for penalty of Rs 250 per day in case of delay beyond 30 days, or even disciplinary action if information is delayed or denied on no just grounds.

Constituents of an RTI application
1. Name and address of applicant.
2. Name and address of PIO
3. Particulars of information required
4. Postal order, draft, cash etc
Click here to download the sample RTI application

How to go about solving a problem using RTI
1. State a personal or public problem area which you need to solve.
2. Find the department responsible for that area.
3. Find the address of PIO responsible for that area.
4. Draft an RTI application addressed to PIO.
5. Enclose a postal order (of Rs 10 in most cases) addressed to PIO and send letter by registered or speed post to the PIO. Postal order is most convenient since it can be purchased in bulk at a post office, and then one can file RTIs one by one.
6. Wait for 30 days for response. If response is not received within 30 days or rejected, you can file appeal

5 ways to follow on Earth Day to save the Earth

2010-04-21T22:09:00.004+05:30

Earth Day was founded by U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson as an environmental teach-in held on April 22, 1970.

Earth Day is now observed each year on April 22 in virtually every country on Earth. Earth Day is now coordinated globally by the Earth Day Network. Its aim is to protect the Earth's environment.

Historically, our lawmakers have always been more concerned with the Gross National Product—maintaining economic growth at any cost. It’s funny that the environment should take a back seat to the economy.

Save Energy By Washing Your Laundry in Cold Water Only : Almost all of the energy used by a washing machine goes towards heating the water, so by simply turning down the temperature, you can really make a dramatic impact on energy use. In fact, washing in cold water costs 5 to 10 times less than using warmer settings.
Save Water By Using As Little Water Possible To Wash Your Dishes : If, you don’t have a dishwasher or would rather wash by hand, try to assess how much water you’re currently using and see if there’s any way to cut back. If you wash by filling up the sink or wash bins, figure out how much water they hold and how many times per day you wash. If you just wash under the running faucet, keep in mind that faucets use about 2 gallons per minute. Get more tips on washing dishes more efficiently.
Save Waste and Water By Switching From Bottled to Filtered Water : The bottled water industry is extremely wasteful. It involves millions of barrels of oil each year and the process actually wastes water. Since bottled water is often consumed on the go, most bottles do not actually end up getting recycled. So why not get yourself a filter and a reusable bottle and fill up from the cheapest and most convenient place — your faucet.
Save Energy and Waste By Switching from Regular Batteries to Rechargeables : Rechargeable batteries embody one of our favorite principles. While traditional batteries can only be used once, rechargeable batteries, as the name implies, can be used again and again. By using the same batteries over and over again, you cut back on the waste created by disposable batteries. When your rechargeables are eventually used up, though, it is important to recycle them. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, any batteries “can cause serious harm to human health and the environment if they are discarded with ordinary household or workplace waste.”
Save Waste By Buying in Bulk : Packaging has gotten a bit out of control these days. More and more we’re seeing items that are wrapped with layer upon layer of unnecessary materials. One way to combat that problem is to buy necessities in bulk. If it’s something you use a lot, it’s worth it to upgrade to a larger size or multi-pack. This tip isn’t just relegated to wholesale stores either, although that’s a good place to start. Bring your own containers to stores like Whole Foods, where you can buy items like beans and grains in bulk–and skip the packaging all together.

Children with Autism

2010-04-04T14:21:00.007+05:30

Autism is likely that both genetics and environment play a role. Researchers have identified a number of genes associated with the disorder. Studies of people with autism have found irregularities in several regions of the brain.

Other studies suggest that people with autism have abnormal levels of serotonin or other neurotransmitters in the brain. These abnormalities suggest that autism could result from the disruption of normal brain development early in fetal development caused by defects in genes that control brain growth and that regulate how neurons communicate with each other.

Autism is a complex brain disorder that affects many aspects of child development, including how a kid talks, plays, and interacts.

Parents should continue to educate themselves about the Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights and Full Participation) Act, 1995, to be aware of what are their rights and benefits are as caregivers of autistic children.Primarily as a result of intense work by AFA with the Ministry of Health in the mid-1990's, the Government of India now recognizes autism as a disability.

Symptoms
    * not play games
    * not point at objects to show interest (point at an airplane flying over)
    * not look at objects when another person points at them
    * have trouble relating to others or not have an interest in other people at all
    * avoid eye contact and want to be alone
    * have trouble understanding other people's feelings or talking about their own feelings
    * prefer not to be held or cuddled or might cuddle only when they want to
    * appear to be unaware when other people talk to them but respond to other sounds
    * be very interested in people, but not know how to talk, play, or relate to them
    * repeat or echo words or phrases said to them, or repeat words or phrases in place of normal language (echolalia)
    * have trouble expressing their needs using typical words or motions
    * repeat actions over and over again
    * have trouble adapting when a routine changes
    * have unusual reactions to the way things smell, taste, look, feel, or sound
    * lose skills they once had (for instance, stop saying words they were once using)

Prevention

If you are a teacher/parents, you should try to understand their language so that they understand yours
you should keep yourself from calling them some sweet names, or shortening their names
Never pressure the child, especially when he has failed to cover the given task correctly. Never shout at him
Try to avoid long, descriptive sentences. Be as specific as you can and make only fundamental points
You should always give the child an open, wide personal space for his movements so that he does not feel confined
Try to develop his communicative skills

Treatment

Antipsychotic drugs: This is the most widely studied group of drugs in autism. These drugs have been found to reduce hyperactivity, repetitive behaviors, withdrawal, and aggression in some people with autism
Antidepressants: Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are one class of antidepressants that are commonly used to treat people with depression obsessive-compulsive disorder, and/or anxiety. In some people with autism, these drugs reduce repetitive behaviors, irritability, tantrums, and aggression
Stimulants: Drugs used to treat attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) may help some people with autism. These drugs work by increasing the person's ability to concentrate and pay attention and by reducing impulsivity and hyperactivity
Other drugs: Other drugs may also help some people with autism. Anticonvulsants are frequently used to manage seizures in people with autism. Anticonvulsants may also be used to stabilize mood and/or behavior. Alpha-2 adrenergic agonists are also sometimes used to manage hyperactivity and behavioral problems in some individuals with autism

India launches world's biggest census

2010-04-01T10:49:00.003+05:30

The nation is all set to embark on the largest census exercise, ever undertaken probably in the world, with Census 2011 on Thursday (April 1) will commence with President Pratibha Patil being the first citizen to be enumerated, followed by Vice President Hamid Ansari.

Indian Census has been the most credible source of information on Demography, Economic Activity, Literacy and Education, Housing and Household Amenities, Urbanization, Fertility and Mortality, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, Language, Religion, Migration, Disability and many other socio-cultural and demographic data since 1872.

Spread across 35 States and Union Territories, the Census would cover 640 Districts, 5767 Tehsils, 7742 Towns and more than 6 lakhs villages. More than 24 crores households will be visited and 1.20 billion people enumerated during this exercise. The Census would cost around Rs. 2,209 crores. Every person over the age of 15 will be photographed and fingerprinted to create a biometric national database.

This is India's 15th census, carried out in the country every 10 years since 1872. India's population is around 1.2 billion people, 7,000 towns and 600,000 villages according to gender, religion, occupation and education. The full census results will be released in mid-2011.

Earth Hour from 8.30 pm to 9.30 pm on March 27, 2010

2010-03-27T13:27:00.002+05:30

Earthquakes in Haiti, Chile, taiwan and other countries have make alarm for natural resource conservation and global warming at all levels.

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has called for this Earth Hour. It's an another step to aware people about natural resources ant how to protect them. According to the United Nations Organization, "individual awareness and action is the key to combat climate change."

Under the Earth Hour initiative, people are motivated to switch off their lights from 8.30 pm to 9.30 pm on March 27 and sit in divine meditation on Earth Hour and pray for the strength of Mother Earth.

Earth Hour started in 2007 in Sydney, Australia when 2.2 million homes and businesses off their lights for one hour to take initiatives against climate change. Only a year later, Earth Hour had become a global sustainability movement with more than 50 million people across 35 countries participating.

In March 2009, hundreds of millions of people took part in the third Earth Hour. 4000 cities in 88 countries officially switched off light/electricity to save the planet, save the earth and made Earth Hour 2009 the world’s largest global climate change initiative.

Earth Hour is organized by WWF. With almost 5 million supporters and a global network in over 125 countries in 2010.

Celebration of World Water week from March 22nd-29th

2010-03-21T12:17:00.003+05:30

On March 22, events in the US, India, and around the world celebrate clean water. It’s aim to focus international attention on the importance of freshwater and to take concrete steps for the sustainable management of freshwater resources. concrete steps for the sustainable management of freshwater resources . we are taking a week to celebrate the 200 million people who have gained access to safe water over the past 10 years.

People from hundreds of villages and slums all over the world will join elected officials, international organizations and community leaders to recognize the importance of water, sanitation and hygiene. They gather to celebrate the improvements made in their villages and rally support for future efforts.

March 22 was first deemed World Water Day in 1993 by the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) as an international day of observance and action to draw attention to the role that freshwater plays in our world and lives. Today’s reality is that one in eight people in the world don’t have access to safe water, 1.1 billion people rely on unsafe drinking-water sources and millions of women and children must still spend several hours a day collecting water from distant, often polluted sources and 2.5 billion people live without a toilet.

Worldwide water quality is declining mainly due to human activities. Increasing population growth, rapid urbanisation, discharge of new chemicals from industries and invasive species.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO) 4 billion diarrhoea cases each year in addition to millions of other cases of illness are associated with lack of access to water and. Per year 2,2 million people die in diarrhoea most of them are children under the age of five and nearly 80% of childhood diseases are related to bad water.

So many World Water Day events , awareness programmes and fund raising are held around the world on 22 March. There will be thousands of Toilet Queues organised all over the world from 22-29 March 2010. It is a Guinness World Record attempt to help solve the global sanitation crisis.

Top 14 Social Journals to know more about Social Work Research

2010-03-19T20:19:00.000+05:30

Social work is for community people, needy people especially of the disadvantaged, providing psychological counseling, guidance, and assistance, especially in the form of social services.

The social work profession promotes social change, problem solving in human relationships and the empowerment and liberation of people to enhance well-being. Social Journals is a daily written record of personal experiences and observations. It's also means a magazine or other regularly published paper and a diary giving an account of each day's social activities.

1. http://www.wiley.com/bw/journal.asp?ref=0022-4537
Journal of Social Issues (JSI) brings behavioral and social science theory, empirical evidence, and practice to bear on human and social problems. Each issue of JSI focuses on a single topic - recent issues, for example, have addressed poverty, housing and health; privacy as a social and psychological concern; youth and violence; and the impact of social class on education. A subscription to JSI also includes a full subscription to SPSSI's two other journals, Analyses of Social Issues and Public Policy (ASAP) and the newest, Social Issues and Police Review (SIPR).

2. http://bjsw.oxfordjournals.org/
Published for the British Association of Social Workers, this is the leading academic social work journal in the UK. It covers every aspect of social work, with papers reporting research, discussing practice, and examining principles and theories. It is read by social work educators, researchers, practitioners and managers who wish to keep up to date with theoretical and empirical developments in the field.

3. http://www.tiss.edu/ijsw.htm
The Indian Journal of Social Work (IJSW) is a pioneering publication of the social work profession in India , by the Tata Institute of Social Sciences. The IJSW is published every January, April, July and October, and has entered its 66 th year of uninterrupted publishing, a record in journal publishing.

4. http://www.socialpsychology.org/journals.htm
This page contains journals related to social psychology, personality psychology, and general psychology. For additional journal information, see:

5. http://www.krepublishers.com/02-Journals/JSS/JSS-00-0-000-000-1997-Web/JSS-00-0-000-000-1997-1-Cover.htm
The Journal of Social Sciences (J Soc Sci) is designed to publish reports of original research, theoretical articles and brief communications in social sciences. Raising issues across disciplinary boundaries and facilitating exchange of views, this journal intends to serve as a forum of social scientists, especially those who share common interests in the understanding of various problems related to contemporary society. It also publishes reviews of books and other publications relevant to social sciences.

6. http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayJournal?jid=JSP
The Journal of Social Policy carries high quality articles on all aspects of social policy in an international context. It places particular emphasis upon articles which seek to contribute to debates on the future direction of social policy, to present new empirical data, to advance theories, or to analyse issues in the making and implementation of social policies.

7. http://www.socialworker.com/jswve/
The Journal of Social Work Values and Ethics examines the ethical and values issues that impact and are interwoven with social work practice, research, and theory development. JSWVE addresses ethical and value issues that encompass the full range of social problems and issues that social workers encounter. The journal provides the necessary historical perspectives on the development of social work values and ethics, as well as present articles providing value and ethical dilemmas stemming from state-of-the-art developments.

8. http://www.springer.com/psychology/personality+&+social+psychology/journal/10560
Child and Adolescent Social Work Journal publishes original articles focused on clinical social work practice with children, adolescents, and their families. The coverage addresses current issues in the field of social work drawn from theory, direct practice, research, and social policy. The range of topics includes problems affecting a variety of specific populations, in special settings.

9. http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals/titles/13691457.html
The European Journal of Social Work provides a forum for the social professions in all parts of Europe and beyond. It analyses and promotes European and international developments in social work, social policy, social service institutions, and strategies for social change by publishing refereed papers on contemporary key issues. Contributions include theoretical debates, empirical studies, research notes, country perspectives, and reviews. It maintains an interdisciplinary perspective which recognises positively the diversity of cultural and conceptual traditions in which the social professions of Europe are grounded. In particular it examines emerging European paradigms in methodology and comparative analysis.

10. http://www.socwork.net/
The new SW&S-Issue is now available! SW&S is very pleased to offer all readers again a great selection of excellent international papers. We are proud to present you a new SW&S-Special Issue on “Orphan Care”, edited by Joanne Bailey from the University of Houston- Downtown.

11. http://www.socialworker.com/jswve/content/view/48/50/
Social work as a discipline focuses on theoretical and philosophical positions such as social justice, equality, and empowerment. While these can be described as “philosophies of social work,” we should ask ourselves, “What is our philosophy of social work?”

12. http://www.accessmylibrary.com/archive/621-journal-of-social-work-education.html
A quarterly journal that provides a forum for the exchange of social work information among professionals and academics.

13. http://rsj.e-contentmanagement.com/archives/vol/9/issue/3/article/1236/meaning-and-the-construction-of-social-impacts
Social impact assessment (SIA) has become an important means through which the social implications of major infrastructure and resource developments are incorporated into public decision making.

14. http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journaldescription.reviewers/620210/description#description
The Social Science Journal is the official journal of the Western Social Science Association. The principal purpose of the journal is to publish scholarly work in the social sciences defined in the classical sense, that is in the social sciences, the humanities, and the ... click here for full Aims & Scope

The implementation of Forest Rights Act and the forest dwellers

2010-03-13T18:04:00.005+05:30

The Forest Rights Act is a good step towards securing and establishing the traditional forest rights of tribal communities. In this regard, many NGOs, government departments, individuals as well as indigenous people across India are engaging in the process of claiming the legal rights to the forest dwellers.

The Recognition of Forest Rights Act – better known as the Forest Rights Act (FRA) of 2006 is to reduce historical injustice committed against forest dwellers but it remains only on paper and pen.

Millions of people live in and near forest lands, but have no legal right to their homes, lands or livelihoods. The forest dwellers also not aware about their rights.

In India 82% of forest blocks in Madhya pradesh and 40% of Odisha's reserved forests were never surveyed. Similarly 60% of India's national parks have till today (sometimes after 25 years, as in Sariska) not completed their process of inquiry and settlement of rights. As the Tiger Task Force of the Government of India put it, In the name of conservation they are doing nothing and now there have only 1411 tigers exists in India.

Commissioner for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, in his 29th Report, said that "The criminalisation of the entire communities in the tribal areas is the darkest blot on the liberal tradition of our country."The Indian Forest Act, 1927, India's main forest law, had nothing to do with conservation.

The gram sabha plays this role because it is a public body where all people participate, and is fully democratic and transparent. The gram sabha's recommendation goes through two stages of screening committees at the taluka and district levels.

The district level committee makes the final decision (section 6(6)). The Committees have six members - three government officers and three elected persons. At both the taluka and the district levels, any person who believes a claim is false can appeal to the Committees, and if they prove their case the right is denied sections 6(2) and 6(4). Finally, land recognised under this Act cann't be sold or transferred.

Further impact

The destruction of five lakh hectares of forest in the past five years alone for mines, dams and industrial projects
The clearing of millions of hectares of forest for monoculture plantations by the Forest Department
The loss of more than 90% of India's grasslands to commercial forest department plantations

What does the Forest Rights Act do?

Makes a beginning towards giving communities, aware common people and the public a voice in forest
Make wildlife conservation
Grants legal recognition to the rights of traditional forest dwelling communities

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

2010-03-07T21:51:00.003+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

2010-03-05T08:53:00.023+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, media persons 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.

Risk factors associated with Alcohol....

2009-10-14T20:43:00.008+05:30

Heavy drinking is associated with increased risk of strokes, liver disease, high blood pressure, infertility, diseases of the nervous system and strong physical dependence.

Withdrawal after very heavy use can involve delirium which can be fatal. Regular heavy drinking in pregnancy can cause lasting damage to the baby.

Different names

Ethanol, Ethyl Alcohol, Booze, alcohol brand names, beers, wines, spirits, liqueurs etc.

De-merits of Alcohol

Alcohol kills brain cells and delays thinking and reaction time
Alcohol is such a common factor in crime, domestic violence, and as an entry drug to more illicit drugs, it seems wise to simply avoid alcohol altogether
Infants born to mothers who drink, even in modest amounts, may be born with fetal alcohol syndrome, which often consists of growth retardation, unusual facial features, and mental retardation

Suggestions to accept

Keep your alcohol intake down if you want to lose or maintain your weight- alcohol is high in calories
Avoid drinks that are high in sugar e.g. sweet sherry, sweet wine and most liqueurs
Alcohol is not advised during pregnancy, it could harm your baby
Excessive intake of alcohol can be harmful to your health
A moderate amount of alcohol can be beneficial
Do not drink and drive

Juvenile Deliquency a social problem

2009-10-11T19:18:00.006+05:30

Delinquency exhibits a specific pattern of behavior. It involves wrong doing by a child or by a young person who is under age specified by the law of the place.

At present it has become one of the most important social problems which has attracted the attention of all serious thinking people.

It’s thus evident from the above observation that a child who commits an offence is called Juvenile delinquent. It includes begging, disorderly conducts, malicious mischief and ungovernable behavior.

Difference names for Juvenile delinquents

"Teddy boys” in England, the "nozem" in the Netherland, "tsotsis" in South Africa, the "bodgies" in Australia, "striliagy" in the USSR has named for delinquency in different countries.

Definition

According to Gillin & Gillin, “Sociologically either a criminal or juvenile delequent is one who is guilty of an act believed, by a group that has power to enforce its belief, to be injurious to society and therefore prohibited.”

Causes of Juvenile Delinquency

Social factors
Economic factors
Psychological factors

Social factors

The determining factors of child delinquency are social. As observed by Dr.M.J.Sethna, undesirable conditions at home, particularly quarrels between parents, desertion, intoxication, crowding in one room lodgings, lack of proper employment, lack of proper sanitation, cruelty of step parent, unwanted child, lack of families, lack of family affection and security, absence of loving mother causes delinquency.

Economic factors

Crime increase with economic depression and unemployment and that crime against property are more common in a capitalistic organization of society.

Psychological factors

The emotional disturbances and mental deviation created due to family dispute, family disorganization, parental negligence, bad environment and bad friend circle. Lack of affection and insecurity are also create mental conflict.

Main causes of delinquency

According to Healy and Bronner the main causes of delinquency are as follows

Bad company
Adolescent instability
Mental conflict
Early sex experience
Emotional conflicts
Social suggestibility
Motion pictures
Poor recreation
Vocational dissatisfaction
Physical condition

After necessary inquiry

When a Juvenile is after necessary inquiry satisfied that a Juvenile has committed an offence, it may

Allow the Juvenile to go home after advice or admonition
Direct the juvenile to be released on probation of good conduct and place under the care of parent/ guardian/ fit person
Order for the Juvenile to be sent to a special home
Order the juvenile to pay fine if she/he is over fourteen years age and earn money

The Business of Prostitution and our girls/women

2009-10-04T21:39:00.007+05:30

The Institution of prostitution is not of recent origin but has existed since many years and reflects the status of women in the society where it prevails. It is an institution based on the assumption that sex is an automatic right of man and purchable commodity. Women are, thereby, denied the right over bodies and are reduced to mere purchable objects.

Once a woman has been labeled a prostitute she is no longer seen as a complete human being with her own needs, desires, hopes, individuality, problems and limitations. Worse still, the children of the prostitutes are also stigmatized and discriminated against for no fault of theirs and what can only be called” an accident of birth”.

Causes of Prostitution

Socio-cultural causes
Economic causes
Psychological causes
Other ( Legal and Administrative causes)

Statistics of girls and women in the business

The average age of entry into the business: 14-16 years old
Percentage of girls/women who would like to leave the business - 87%
Percentage of girls/women who are or were homeless - 84%
Percentage of girls/women who have been raped - 82%
Percentage of girls/women who have been physically assaulted - 82%
Percentage of girls/women who have been threatened with a weapon - 78%
Percentage of girls/women who wish they had a safer place to live - 78
Percentage of girls/women who have been raped five times - 78
Percentage of girls/women who would like help with drug/alcohol addiction issues - Nearly 70%
Percentage of girls/women with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder - approximately 70%
Percentage of girls/women who were sexually abused as a child - 65-95
Percentage of girls/women who were physically abused as a child - 49%

Socio-cultural causes

Ill-treatment by parents
Socio customs like devdasi system
Desertion by spouse
Family tradition or involvement of family members in prostitution
Widowhood and restrictions on widow remarriage
Social or personal reasons as low position of women in society, inability to arrange marriage, violation by incest
Bad company and neighborhood
Connivance of parents or husband
Deception
Lack of sex education and influence of media
Absence of recreational facilities

Economic causes

Economic distress and displacement

Psychological causes

Desire for physical pleasure and luxurious life
Increasing craze for money
Dejection
Love of fun

Other ( Legal and Administrative causes)

Kidnapping and abduction
Delay in rendering service
Urbanization and resulting migration
Ignorance
Illiteracy

The number of women in prostitution is increasing for various reasons and their desire to avoid identification. In fact, such mobility and secrecy in prostitution involves the use of certain public places like bus stands, railway station, street corners, parks, hotels, bars, health clubs etc. as pick up joints.

Shame on all those people, organizations who promote and glorify the idea of prostitution to our girls and young people!

Malutrition & Follow Up Action by the Government

2009-09-18T19:32:00.005+05:30

Malnutrition amongst women is one of the prime causes of low birth-weight babies and poor growth. Low birth weight is a significant contributor to infant mortality.

Moreover, low birth-weight babies who survive are likely to suffer growth retardation and illness throughout their childhood, adolescence and into adulthood, and growth-retarded adult women are likely to carry on the vicious cycle of malnutrition by giving birth to low birth-weight babies.

Malnutrition in India continues to be at a high level with 42.5% children below the age being underweight and almost 70% being anemic. 22% children are born with low birth weight.

The ICDS programme is one of the largest national development programmes in the world. It reaches more than 34 million children aged 0-6 years and 7 million pregnant and nursing mothers. The government of India intends to universalize ICDS in the near future.

Activities of Food & Nutrition Board include:

Nutrition Education and Training, both for the masses and for ICDS functionaries
Training in Home Scale Preservation of Fruits and Vegetables and Nutrition
Development, production and distribution of nutrition education/training material
Development and Promotion of locally available Nutritious Foods
Mass Nutrition Awareness Campaigns
Food Analysis and Standardization
Follow up action on National Nutrition Policy

Follow Up Action on National Nutrition Policy

1. Health and Family Welfare,Food and Public Distribution Department has played a main role for re imposing ban on sale of non-iodized salt

2. Provide fortifying wheat flour with iron and folic acid and distribution through PDS

3. Elementary Education and Literacy training by Nutritionist at the district level

4. The Food & Nutrition Board organize five-day Training of Trainers (TOT) courses for orienting CDPOs, medical officers, senior supervisors, LHVs etc on various aspects of nutrition. These master trainers in turn organize two-day Orientation Training Courses for the grassroot level functionaries particularly of ICDS and health besides volunteers from the community.

5. Five-day training course in Home Scale Preservation of Fruits and Vegetables and Nutrition is organized for housewives and adolescent girls (Kisori Balika Training) to promote consumption of fruits and vegetables. This also serves as an income generation activity for the participants.

6. The staffs inspects 11/6 anganwadies per month for supplementary feeding as well as nutrition and health education components and provide nutrition information to the AWW and community.

Sanghi village in Haryana, where Rape and murder of girls are common

2009-09-12T21:08:00.006+05:30

There have a village named Sanghi, 100k.m distance from Delhi, where Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda was born. Rape and murder by pesticide of teenage girls are common in this village.

Here young women are routinely threatened, abused and killed. Pesticide pills has given to the wayward girls. If a couple runs away, the women in their families run the risk of being raped, gang raped and boycotted.

Till now there have no complaint has registered in police station. According to a teacher in that village, “Yahan izzatdar who hain jo ladki ko marte hain”. This social status has given to the girls in Haryana.

Source: Times of India

Tobacco use and its limitations

2009-09-10T18:22:00.011+05:30

Tobacco use is one of the major cause of death & diseases in the world countires.Eliminating the use of tobacco helps protect our health and well-being and reduces the risk of diseases.

The usage of tobacco is an activity that is practiced by some 1.1 billion people, and up to 1/3 of the adult population. Rates of smoking have declined in developed countries , however they continue to rise in developing countries.

Brain:

Nicotine, the drug that makes tobacco addictive, goes to the brain. It makes, feel good when you are smoking, but it can make you anxious, nervous, moody and depressed after you smoke. Using tobacco also causes headaches and dizziness.

Mouth:

Tobacco stains your teeth and gives you bad breath. It also ruins some of taste buds. Tobacco use also causes bleeding gums and cancer of mouth and throat.

Heart:

Smoking increase heart rate and blood pressure and one can’t do hard work.

Skin:

Smoking cigarettes causes dry, yellow skin and wrinkles.

Muscle:

Less blood and oxygen flow to your muscles,

Facts & Statistics

1. Each day, more than 3,500 people under the age of 18 try their first cigarette, and more than 1,000 become daily smokers

2. Each year in Idaho, more than 1,500 people die from smoking-related diseases, an average of four people per day.

3. One in three teens who regularly smoke will eventually die from a tobacco related illness.

4. Annually, tobacco use causes approximately 400,000 deaths and costs the nation approximately $96 billion in annual public and private health care expenditures caused by smoking.

5. In addition, smokers lose an average of 13 to 14 years of life because of their smoking.

The nine components of this comprehensive approach as recommended by the Center's for Disease Control & Prevention are:

1. Community programs to reduce tobacco use

2. Chronic disease programs to reduce the burden of tobacco-related disease

3. School programs

4. Enforcement

5. Statewide Programs

6. Counter-marketing

7. Cessation programs

8. Surveillance and evaluation

9. Administration and management

Malaria deaths raises in Odisha

2009-09-08T21:02:00.007+05:30

Malaria deaths in Odisha has now raised to 25% from total malaria death cases in the country. Out of total 7,25,502 malaria deaths, 44% were reported from Odisha and maximum are from the tribal dominated areas.

Due to lack of awareness, shortage of manpower and negligence in health sector , people are deprived from basic health facilities. Government has also distribute special mosquito nets and sprayed insecticides , which are also not reach to the common people. Thats the reason that Odisha is now in top list in malaria toll within the country.

State Government has now set a target to reduce malaria deaths 50% by 2010. Let’s saw how much Odisha Government succeed to reduce malaria deaths in the state.

Bal Chetna by the Vedanta Aluminium Limited (VAL) in Odisha

2009-08-15T11:48:00.002+05:30

Vedanta Aluminium Limited (VAL), Lanjigarh, has adopted all the 400 Anganwadis in six blocks of Kalahandi district under a project, Bal Chetna, in association with Sterlite Foundation and Government of Odisha through private-public partnership, which aims to provide five-fold services includes, play way method of learning, nutritious food, improvement of health status with focus on anaemia reduction and provide education materials to the underprivileged group that is from 0-5 years.

Vedanta has already earned a good name for successfully operating 32 Child Care Centres with 1,139 children in the 18 villages at Lanjigarh. The local, poor people have many expectation on the new project, Bal Chetna, which will take care of their children’s health, nutrition and early education.

An Anganwadi worker was paraded naked by the sarpanch at Kendrapada Dist. in "Odisha"

2009-08-14T21:09:00.008+05:30

At Nadiabarei village in the Patakura Police station area at Kendrapada district, a 35 year old Anganwadi worker was beaten and paraded naked by the sarpanch, Bibhuti Parida because the Anganwadi Worker refused to gave rice, dal and baby foods to him.

It’s very ridiculous that how the common people remained silence and enjoyed the reality show when a women paraded naked within the entire village.

In our society no one have the right to go beyond the law and regulations but some people with political & money power always challenge the existing system. Where we are going to celebrate August 15 as the Independence Day in India, this national festival is how much good to celebrate with great enthusiasm where our poor people, women and children are suffering every part of their life everywhere.

Source: Times of India