Two awards for talented children, child welfare activists

BHOPAL, May 9: Those working for child welfare as well as those children, who have shown exceptional talent in educational, cultural, sports or any other activity now stand to be felicitated, with two national awards being instituted to honour them.

These awards would be given away by Union Women and Child Development Ministry, an official release today said.

Rajiv Gandhi Humanitarian Service Award has been instituted, to honour individuals working for the protection, development and welfare of children, by the Union Women and Child Development Ministry.

The award would go to the person who has actively worked in this field for the last ten years.

Another award titled "National Child Award for Exceptional Achievement" would be bestowed on such a child who has major and remarkable achievements in educational, cultural, sports or any other activity, to his/her credit

Children from 4 to 15 years of age would be eligible for this award, it said.

Guidelines for proposal for this award is available at the office of District Programme Officer, Women and Child Development at working hours from 10 am to 5 pm every day except holidays. Desirous persons can submit their proposals along with biodata to District Programme Officer, Women and Child Development within 15 days. (PTI)

Midwifes have a role in country’s rural health: Experts

NEW DELHI, May 9: Bijla, a middle-aged woman in Jharkhand, bustled around a woman undergoing her third delivery. Bijla, who doubles up as a ‘dai’ (midwife) saved the woman in labour from life-threatening complications by rushing her off to a hospital for a cesarean.

It is estimated that over 10 lakh women like Bijla still operate as traditional birth attendants (TBAs) in rural and urban communities, especially in the northern part of the country, assisting women in deliveries as also providing counselling and psycho social support.

"The TBA-dais play an active role as sort of a health worker integrating herself into the village or urban poor community by advising the family about pre and post natal care, counselling them about polio and booster vaccinations and counselling them on family planning," says Mirabai, of the Dai Sangathan in Gujarat.

With the Government adopting various methods to push for a reduction in the country’s maternal mortality rate, currently at 300 per 100,000 live births, that includes discouraging traditional home deliveries, experts have pointed out that instead of marginalising the age old support practices that the dais provide, it must be recognised, documented and preserved.

Bijla and others like her from 11 states recounted their experiences and problems at a meeting where health experts and NGOs recently gathered in the capital for a national consultation to advocate for a concrete role for dais in public health programmes such as the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) launched in 2005.

"The official understanding is that if you train the dais then it does not affect maternal morality. When we say dais we do not have the expectation today like that of a nurse. It is like comparing chalk and cheese," he says.

Dr Manisha Malhotra, Assistant Commissioner, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare says, "The NHRM has not disowned dais. It is up to the State Governments to be innovative and integrate dais. NHRM is considering guidelines for financial incentives for dais."

Anil Vyas, state coordinator of NGO Jan Morcha in Rajasthan says, "In Udaipur I can recount instances where a woman was turned away from three or four hospitals just because she was not able to pay the doctors there for her delivery. Finally she tok the assistance of a local dai."

Vyas goes on to say "I can tell you of cases where babies of three women who had undergone delivery in hospitals died within three weeks after they returned home."

"Apart from rural areas, urban slums and areas where there is a large concentration of poor informal workers and migrant labour, pregnant women take recourse to dais," says an NGO worker.

The expert group that met in the capital would send their recommendations to the officials concerned. "We have prepared a detailed report of the recommendations and we will send it to the advisory group on community services and place it before the Government," says Das. (PTI)

SC notice to Bihar Govt on Lalu’s plea

NEW DELHI, May 9: The Supreme Court today issued notice to the Bihar Government on a petition filed by RJD chief Lalu Prasad challenging the Patna High Court’s decision to admit the state’s appeal against his acquittal in the fodder scam case.

The Railway Minister and his wife Rabri Devi contended that the state Government had no locus standi to file an appeal in the case which had been investigated and prosecuted by the CBI.

CBI had also challenged the High Court decision. (PTI)

PM invites Russian President Medvedev to visit India

NEW DELHI, May 9: Extending greetings to new Russian President Dimitri Medvedev, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has invited him to visit India, a proposal which has been accepted.

Singh extended the invitation to Medvedev during a telephone conversation last evening when he conveyed his best wishes to the new President.

Medvedev accepted the invitation, sources said.

The two leaders expressed satisfaction at the current state of Indo-Russian relations and reaffirmed their commitment to the strengthening of the strategic partnership between the two countries.

In a separate message, Singh congratulated Vladimir Putin who took over as the new Prime Minister of Russia.

He conveyed his admiration for the progress that Russia made under the Presidency of Putin.

Singh described Putin as a "great friend of India" who laid the foundation of the India-Russia strategic partnership. (PTI)

HIV/AIDS infected orphans between devil and deep sea

KOHIMA, May 9: HIV/AIDS infected orphans in Nagaland have been thrown between the devil and the deep sea as support facilities are denied to them because of stigma and orphanages turning them away because of lack of wherewithal to care for them.

Government officials and NGOs admitted that there was stigma against the affected orphans at all levels and that it was increasing at an alarming rate.

Orphanages also often refused to accept them on the plea that they hardly possessed special facilities needed for their care, NGOs working in the field of HIV/AIDS said.

Avio, in-charge of AIDS Hospice, Cradle Ridge, Kohima said stigma and discrimination was a major hindrance in extending care to HIV infected orphans.

Project Director of Nagaland State AIDS Control Society (SACS) Dr Niephie Kire said there was no specific programme for children under phase-II of National AIDS Control Programme (NACP-II).

The care and support system was for all vulnerable sections whether child or adult in the state, he said.

Kire said specific and comprehensive support and care programmes would be taken up for children infected or affected by HIV/AIDS in the state during implementation of NACP-III beginning this fiscal.

Kire pointed out that HIV/AIDS affected orphans did not have a voice.

The problem, he said, called for a multi-sectoral approach involving, Government, individuals, NGOs and the community.

Although there was no authentic data about HIV/AIDS infected or affected orphans, Khire admitted that they were subjected to stigma and discrimination in various forms resulting in denial of education and healthcare, making them prone to malnutrition, being exploited as child labour, and being used for prostitution and drug trafficking.

Dr Abou Zao, in-charge of Anti-retroviral therapy (ART) in the Naga Hospital here said that although 272 HIV infected orphans had registered with the facility, only 52 were availing of drugs which helped control HIV infection from becoming full blown AIDS cases.

Chuogtie of Nagaland Network of Positive People (NNP), said they registered 13 HIV infected children, but hardly 12 of them were availing support and care.

The impact of HIV/AIDS on infected and affected children in the state was increasing alarmingly in the state, Marnungla progamme coordinator, FXB India Suraksha, Nagaland branch, said.

Her NGO was taking up the problem with help from Social Welfare Department and NSACS. FXB yesterday organized World AIDS Orphan Day here in collaboration with UNICEF and NSACS.

According to an estimate, over 15 million children worldwide have lost one or both parents due to AIDS and this would to rise to 20-25 million by 2010.

India was estimated to have about 2.20 lakh infected children between the age group of 0-15 years. (PTI)

Govt to invite fresh tenders for Afghan Parliament

NEW DELHI, May 9: Fresh tenders are being floated by the Government in its efforts to construct a new building for the Afghan Parliament as it has failed to receive any response from the construction companies that had evinced interest in the bids.

"We have now decided to invite tenders again for the construction of Afghan Parliament as the first tender failed to get any response," said a senior Urban Development Ministry official.

The CPWD had floated the tenders in August last year for the Rs 215 crore job and about ten construction companies had purchased the tender papers for the construction work in Kabul. However, no one submitted the tenders till the last date in February this year.

While the lack of response is attributed to the volatile situation in Kabul, officials said India was committed to constructing the Parliament building.

"We had a meeting with seven pre-qualified construction agencies and they had suggested certain conditions for participating in the bidding," said the official.

"There were also some issues involving security and visa facility and we have agreed to look into it," he said.

The construction of the Parliament building in Kabul will be a landmark step in Indo-Afghan relations and will help further boost cooperation and enrich relations between the two countries, he said.

Afghan Government had given the go ahead to CPWD’s conceptual plan for the construction of parliament building in November 2006.

The drawing and design of the parliament complex is being finalised keeping in view Afghan culture. There will be a few domes including a central dome in the design.

As per the plan, the parliament complex will come up in 10 acres of land in Kabul and the building will be centrally airconditioned.

The building will be equipped with all modern facilities including security surveillance system, fire detection and fire sprinkler system.

The building, with about 27,000 sq metre built area, will also have the rain harvesting system.

Constructions of a sewerage treatment plant, power sub-station and water supply system are also part of the Kabul project to be carried out by Indian engineers and architects.

An Afghan delegation had met Urban Development Secretary M Ramachandran and held detailed discussion with the team of engineers and architects dealing with the project to give a final shape to the design. (PTI)

More greenfield projects needed to strengthen Navy: Mehta

MUMBAI, May 9: To strengthen Indian Navy, more greenfield projects were needed to enhance production of vessels, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Sureesh Mehta said today.

"The Ministry of Shipping is setting up one ship building yard on each of the two coasts (east and west). Somebody must set up more greenfield projects for ship building as operational yards as the Mazgaon Docks Limited have limitations (of capacity)," Admiral Mehta said, after the conclusion of a two-day Naval Commanders Conference here.

We will also see more of private partnerships in the area, he said, adding that construction major L&T has expressed interest in putting up such a project and have plans to place orders with the company in the near future.

Ideally, the country needs two operational aircraft carriers and other ships. Efforts are on to have three aircraft carriers in the fleet while 34 ships and six submarines are already being constructed to take the total number of ships to 160, he added.

He further said that right now the country does not have an operational aircraft carrier and the situation could have been averted, had aircraft carrier ‘Vikramaditya’ arrived on time. The ship is expected from Russia in three years’ time.

The indigenous carrier building project at Cochin is on as per the schedule and the ship is expected in 2012.

"The facility is expected to be used as a permanent carrier building line and will produce a carrier after the completion of the first ship. One more will be ready by the time ‘Vikramaditya’ retires," he said.

The Russian aircraft carrier Admiral Gorshkov (re-christened as Vikramaditya) is currently undergoing refurbishment and the project was delayed due to cost escalation factors.

Meanwhile, Admiral Mehta also endorsed the use of the time-saving block-wise system of ship building as compared to the "keel-up" concept traditionally adopted by India yards.

"Ships are divided into five blocks and built simultaneously at different locations, thereby saving time. During a visit to UK, I saw each block was of around 1,500 tonnes but I will ask the Cochin yard making the aircraft carrier to consider building blocks of 350-400 tonnes each," Admiral Mehta said.

Admiral Mehta also said that the Navy will be implementing the "Network Centric Operations" programme under which platforms under sea, on it and in the air are integrated with a single communications platform.

The implementation of the project which gives a clear picture on the surroundings will start by this year-end on one platform per time.

The programme is being carried out in-house and with the help of companies like Satyam Technologies and Tata Consultancy Services can be sought for developing software for the system, Mehta said.

Meanwhile, the chief of naval staff also said that in the wake of increased economic prosperity, the country also needs to enhance the numbers of merchant ships for transportation of civilian goods and tankers for energy security. (PTI)

Govt gives nod for national means-cum-merit scholarship

NEW DELHI, May 9: In a bid to arrest dropouts among poor but meritorious students in the secondary stage, government today approved a scholarship scheme at an expense of over Rs 3,000 crore.

A meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh gave its nod to implement the Centrally-sponsored national means-cum-merit scholarship during the 11th plan.

Each year, at least one lakh scholarships of Rs 6,000 per annum would be awarded to students at the Class IX level till Class XII, Finance Minister P Chidambaram said here.

"The objective of the scheme is to award scholarship to meritorious students of economically weaker sections to check their drop-out at Class VIII and to encourage them to continue in the secondary stage up to Class XII," he said.

Only students, whose parental income from all sources is not more than Rs 1.5 lakh, would be eligible to avail the scholarship, meant for students studying in Government, local body and Government-aided schools only, he said.

A selection test would be held at the state level for students of Class VIII. This would be conducted along with the first stage selection test of the national talent search examination conducted by the State Governments under the guidance of NCERT.

Chidambaram said this scheme was announced in the 2007-08 budget and Rs 750 crore was allocated and another equal amount was allocated in this year’s budget.

Reservation would be applicable as per the norms existing in different states, the Finance Minister said, adding that Rs 6,000 per annum would be given as scholarship to selected students for four years till Class XII.

The selected students would be given ATM cards of the State Bank of India and they can directly operate the account in which the scholarship would be deposited, he said.

The progress of the means-cum-merit scholarship scheme would be assessed after two years.

To fund this scheme, a corpus of Rs 750 crore would be created with SBI in 2008-09 and a like amount would be added to the fund every year in the next three years, Chidambaram said.

The yield from the fund would be used for the scholarship scheme, he said, adding that the expenditure on scholarships during the 11th plan period would be Rs 600 crore.

The requirement of funds for the creation of the corpus during the plan period would be Rs 3,000 crore, he said. (PTI)

Indian honoured with a silver platter

LONDON, May 9: A leading Indian entrepreneur, Pralhad Chhabria, has been honoured at the prestigious Institute of Directors here with a silver platter in recognition of his contribution to "entrepreneurship".

Chairman of the UK-India Business Council Lord Karan Bilimoria presented the silver platter at a function organised to celebrate the launch of Chhabria’s autobiography ‘there’s no such thing as self-made man’, a fascinating book depicting his rise from humble beginnings to Chairman of a leading Indian business enterprise.

About 220 dignitaries from the diplomatic, political and business community attended the function hosted by Srichand and Gopichand Hinduja, Chairman and president respectively of the Hinduja Group.

Prominent among those present were India’s acting High Commissioner Asoke Mukerji, Ambassadors of Thailand, Belgium and Egypt. Besides, some members of the House of Lords including Lord Bagri, Lord Brennan, Lord Hameed and Lord Marshall were present.

Launching the book, leading NRI Labour MP Keith Vaz said the success story enumerated by Chhabria was an example of the contribution being made by prominent Indian businesspeople around the world, including many NRIs based in the UK.

"He is an example to us all for how hard work, integrity and customer service will bring success," Vaz said.

Lord Bilimoria spoke about the vision of Chhabria that had created the Dinolex group from humble beginning into a leading industrial group.

"The importance of infrastructure development in India was identified by Chhabria well before most others," he said.

During his speech, Srichand Hinduja focused on the many lessons in the book for leading businesspeople around the world.

"This man’s quiet approach reflects a relentless focus on the important tasks on hand. Further, his model that growth comes from the grass roots and relies upon the team, not I, but we, are lessons for business success worldwide," he said.

Keith Vaz held a luncheon yesterday to honour Chhabria and the Hinduja family at the House of Commons. Present on the occasion included Helen Goodman MP, Bishop Auckland, Virendra Sharma, Labour MP, Mark Fisher MP and Marsha Singh MP.

All proceeds from the sale of the book would be donated to the paediatric unit at the King Edward Memorial Hospital based in Maharashtra’s Pune.

The Finolex group is one of India’s leading business conglomerates with interests in diverse areas such as telecommunications, petrochemicals, irrigation and education. (PTI)

Aus authorities won’t release documents
related to Haneef case

MELBOURNE, May 9: Australian authorities have refused to release the documents related to the bungled case of Indian doctor Mohamed Haneef who was wrongly accused of having terror links in 2007 failed Glasgow Airport attack.

The Immigration Department, which blocked the release of large numbers of documents relating to Haneef’s case under Freedom of Information (FoI), rejected any possibility of releasing them, ‘The Australian’ said today.

Haneef’s lawyers have asked the court to overturn the Immigration Department’s decision that is said to jeopardise further investigations and discourage bureaucrats from giving frank advice to ministers, the report said.

The move came as Federal Attorney-General Robert Mcclelland’s office denied extending the inquiry to consider the actions of Government agencies, including the Australian Federal Police, which maintains that Haneef is still a suspect and under investigation.

The Indian doctor was charged with recklessly helping a terrorist organisation after his SIM card was allegedly found with a cousin linked to the failed UK car bombings last year.

The charges were dropped after he spent three weeks in detention but the Government revoked his work visa on "character grounds". However, the Australian judiciary quashed the Government directive and his visa was restored.

In April, an Australian inquiry was launched into the bungled case.

However, the inquiry, headed by former Supreme Court Judge John Clarke Qc, has been criticised by legal experts because it is being held behind closed doors and without powers to ensure the release of documents or compel potential witnesses to give evidence or face cross-examination.

One of Haneef’s lawyers, Rod Hodgson this week wrote to Mcclelland requesting an extension of the time period of investigations by Clarke to take in the current AFP probe.

Clarke indicated that the scope of the inquiry was restricted to the time of Haneef’s arrest on July 2 last year to his flight to India on July 28.

"We would suggest that, if Clarke is restricted in his inquiry to the events of July 2007, the major questions concerning the conduct of the AFP and its Commissioner will remain unanswered," Hodgson argued.

"These include the issue whether the continued investigation and expenditure of resources is justified on any basis or is it just an attempt to avoid acknowledging the errors of the past, an attempt that continues at the expense of the taxpayers of Australia and the reputation of Haneef and his family."

The AFP’s investigation into the case has so far cost taxpayers almost USD eight million nine months after charges against Haneef, 27, were dropped.

A Spokesman for Ncclelland said it was up to clarke to request an extension in the inquiry’s terms of reference.

Hodgson confirmed he had taken the matter to the administrative appeals tribunal for a review of the Immigration Department’s refusal to release documents under FoI.

Haneef’s second-cousin Sabeel Ahmed had yesterday arrived in India after serving 18 months in jail in UK for his involvement in the failed terror attack. (PTI)

Inflation stable now, will come down: Chidambaram

NEW DELHI, May 9: Dismissing as "statistically insignificant" the 0.04 per cent hike in inflation, Finance Minister P Chidambaram today said the prices of essential commodities had begun to come down and this would be reflected in the inflation index after some time.

Talking to reporters after the weekly briefing on the decisions of the Cabinet and its Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), Mr Chidambaram said the inflation figure released today had come as a "big relief" as it showed that the prices had stabilised.

In fact, he had predicted that prices would be stable for some time before beginning the downward trend and this had come true, he pointed out.

The change in the second decimal (from 7.57 per cent to 7.61) was not statistically significant, he said.

Asked to explain the rise in the inflation figures, irrespective of the fact whether it was significant or not, he said the Government had warned about it in the Budget.

The Government and the RBI had taken steps with the intention and expectation that these would bear fruit. "Text book economics says that it will bear fruit."

Besides banning or suspending futures trading in four commodities, the government had persuaded the steel companies to voluntarily reduce prices and a similar move was on with cement manufacturers, he said.

"We are in the process of asking cement companies to hold back prices," the Minister said.

More administrative steps would be taken if and when they became necessary, he said.

Asked about the criticism of the regulator for the ban on futures trading in four commodities, he said the government had taken the step after careful consideration. However, in a democracy, the regulator was entitled to air its views.

Replying to persistent questions, he said nowhere in the world inflation had begun moderating as the crude prices were still climbing and had touched 124 dollars a barrel.

Asked about the depreciating rupee against the dollar, Mr Chidambaram wondered why reporters kept complaining over the rise and fall in the value of the rupee.(UNI)

NKC for IITs adopting engineering colleges

NEW DELHI, May 9: Concerned over the "glaring regional imbalance" in the availability of Engineering education, the National Knowledge Commission (NKC) has favoured elite institutions like IITs adopting some Engineering institutions to raise their standards.

Noting that two-thirds of the Engineering institutions are located in four southern States and Maharashtra, the NKC headed by Sam Pitroda wanted a framework for public-private partnerships to establish new quality institutions.

In a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, the Commission has also suggested that the elite institutions like IITs and NITs could "mentor" the new institutions in order to help raise their standards.

"Mentoring by its definition is a voluntary activity, but if we can create an atmosphere where institutions of distinction feel a sense of calling in the interest of the larger national good, it would transform our education," Pitroda said.

In this regard, he said elite institutions should consider some additional responsibilities such as adopting a few Engineering institutions of their choice and helping them raise their standards.

"In particular, the existing IITs could mentor the new ones being established. The latter, in due course, could play a similar role vis-a-vis others," the NKC said.

Similarly National Institutes of Technology and Regional Engineering Colleges could play a mentoring role for selected Engineering institutions in their respective regions.

Suggesting integration of science and Engineering education, Pitroda said "we have entered a period in history where the distinction between sciences and engineering has all but disappeared."

In order to reduce the perceived gap between sciences and engineering, there was a need to create mechanisms that allowed mobility between the two streams, the Commission said.

One option could be to start four year undergraduate programmes in sciences, initially in institutes of excellence where facilities for such courses already exist, it said, adding this would enable pursuing doctoral programmes in Science and Technology, without a Master’s degree.

Observing that several initiatives were necessary to promote research in Engineering discipline, he said vibrant and well funded PhD programmes with opportunities for international exposure should be provided to attract students who currently go abroad for their doctoral degrees.

The new academic and research institutions being established should be so located that they could optimise mutual collaboration, it said.

To enhance employability, summer internships should be made an integral part of curriculum, the Commission said.

The Commission has also suggested several measures aimed at attracting and retaining faculty and said the most serious challenge in Engineering education was the dearth of well-qualified faculty.

"We believe that the changes and reforms proposed in this letter are necessary to bring about a qualitative transformation in engineering education to meet present and future needs," Pitroda added.(PTI)