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

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

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

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

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

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

India needs 6,800 more hospitals in rural areas

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

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

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