National plan of action for children on the anvil

6,sept 2003
National plan of action for children on the anvil – Smt. Jaskaur Meena
UNICEF Chief holds talks with central, state governments

The Government would soon come out with the National Plan of Action for Children, and extensively involve voluntary sector and community for development of children in the country.
Announcing this at the meeting of Central Ministries and state governments with the UNICEF officials here today, Minister of State for Women and Child Development, Smt. Jaskaur Meena said that the Government was serious about implementing the goals set at the UN General Assembly’s Special Session on Children* in May 2002. In fact, she said, the National Plan of Action forms one of the commitments announced by the Prime Minister in his Independence Day address last year. The UNICEF team is being led by Ms. Carol Bellamy, Executive Director of UNICEF, who is on a visit to India.

The Minister underlined the need to reach the programmes of child development to the grassroot through involvement of the family and the community. Women’s self-help-groups were also being involved to bring about change in attitudes of the community towards children’s needs, she said.

Secretary, Women and Child Development, Smt. Kasturi Gupta Menon informed that she had had detailed discussions yesterday with state secretaries regarding UNICEF programmes. She noted that the programmes being run in different States under the GOI-UNICEF master-plan of operations were creating a synergy with and adding value to the government programmes particularly in the areas where there were critical gaps.

The meeting was also addressed by Ms. Bellamy. Referring to India’s long association with UNICEF, she said India had the largest UNICEF country programme in the world and UNICEF would be happy to have more fruitful partnership with sectoral ministries and state governments in evolving and implementing programmes relating to all areas of child development.
*: The following is the background on the UN Special Session and the goals set by it:
The Special Session deliberations culminated in an outcome document, 'A World Fit for Children'. It spelt out the new agenda for - and with - the world's children, including 21 specific goals and targets for the next decade. The document's Declaration commits leaders to completing the unfinished agenda of the 1990 World Summit for Children, and to achieving other goals and objectives, in particular those of the UN Millennium Declaration. It reaffirms leaders' obligation to promote and protect the rights of each child, acknowledging the legal standards set by the Convention on the Rights of the Child and its Optional Protocols. All of society is called upon to join a global movement to build a world fit for children, based on a 10-point rallying call that also formed the core of the Say Yes for Children campaign.

The Plan of Action sets out three necessary outcomes: the best possible start in life for children, access to a quality basic education, including free and compulsory primary education, and ample opportunity for children and adolescents, to develop their individual capacities. There are strong calls to support families, to eliminate discrimination and to tackle poverty. A wide range of actors and partners are called upon to play active roles, including children themselves; parents, families and other caregivers; local governments; parliamentarians; NGOs; the private sector; religious, spiritual, cultural and indigenous leaders; the mass media; regional and international organizations; and people who work with children.

The Plan of Action also reaffirms previous goals and targets relevant to children endorsed by world summits and conferences, including the UN Millennium Summit. It lists 21 goals for children in the four priority areas of action, goals considered a vital step towards the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals adopted in 2000 by world leaders at the Millennium Summit. [adopted from UNICEF document on A World Fit for Children]

President asks policy makers to ensure due respect and importance to teachers

National Awards presented to 282 teachers Ladies and Gentlemen: Five lakh teaching posts created in 1-1/2 years

New Delhi - President Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam today asked policy makers to ensure that teachers are given the importance and respect they deserve. He was addressing teachers who had gathered here from different parts of the country to receive the National Award for the year 2002 from him.

Dr. Kalam brought out how the destiny of the nation depends on teachers. A student, he said, spends over 20,000 hours in school till he completes the 12th class and during this long period he absorbs the qualities of his teachers by observing their conduct. Considering that there are 20 crore children in Indian schools today who will become the backbone of the country’s economy and society, one can see the enormity of the responsibility of the teacher in imparting values and knowledge to the future generation.

The President exhorted the awardees to spread their excellence to their schools and their surroundings so that others could emulate them. Human Resource Development Minister Dr. Murli Manohar Joshi informed the gathering that nearly five lakh teaching posts have been created in the last one and half years - as many as could be created in the previous ten years. Besides, teacher education and training have been greatly expanded in recent years for rapid technical upgradation of the teaching manpower.

Dr. Joshi also informed that in a recent survey, teachers have come out as role models of the majority of students while in earlier surveys parents came out as the majority’s role models. This, he said, showed that the Indian society and students keep teachers in very high esteem. This puts additional responsibility on teachers’ shoulders as they have to live up to the expectations of their students and be a link between the family and the pupils.
Dr. Joshi said that besides health and nutrition of children, education is an essential key to rapid economic development of the country.

Dr. Joshi also underlined the need to inculcate values in children and added that in view of the impact of globalisation on traditional wisdom and values, care must be taken that values should be the ones that are rooted in the Indian culture and not those imported from outside.
In his welcome address, Minister of State for Human Resource Development, Dr. Vallabhbhai Kathiria said that the vision to make India a developed country by 2020 can be realised only through high quality of education. Teachers have the responsibilities, Dr. Kathiria said, to not only spread knowledge but also impart spirituality and scientific outlook which are essential for a nation to grow.

Secretary, Secondary and Higher Education, Shri S.K. Tripathi expressed the hope that awardees would enthuse other teachers to excel in teaching, like them.
The awards were given away by the President to 282 teachers from primary to senior secondary levels from various States and Union Territories. Sixteen teachers were given awards from Andhra Pradesh, 2 from Arunachal Pradesh, 5 from Assam, 8 from Bihar, 6 from Chhattisgarh, 2 from Goa, 14 from Gujarat, 7 from Haryana, 4 from Himachal Pradesh, 13 from Karnataka, 16 from Kerala, 12 from Madhya Pradesh, 29 from Maharashtra, 2 each from Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Nagaland 10 from Orissa, 4 from Punjab, 13 from Rajasthan, 2 from Sikkim, 22 from Tamil Nadu, 2 from Tripura, 27 from Uttar Pradesh, 4 from Uttaranchal, 12 from West Bengal, 2 from A&N Islands, 1 from Dadra & Nagar Haveli, 4 from Delhi, and 2 each from Daman & Diu, Lakshadweep and Pondicherry. Teachers from examination boards and the National School for Open Schooling have been given awards this year in addition to regular schools.
The National Award carries Rs. 25,000 in cash, a silver medallion and a merit certificate.

Kashiram Rana inaugurated Review Meeting of North-Eastern states

Subsidy to North-Eastern states for transportation of food grains under SGRY
Shri Kashiram Rana, Union Minister for Rural Development urged State Governments of North Eastern Region for effective and result oriented implementation of rural development programmes in the Region. Inaugurating Review Meeting of the North-Eastern States in Gangtok today, Shri Rana said the Government of India allocates 10% of the budgetary support under different development Ministries to this Region. Accordingly, Rural Development Ministry has also been allocating 10% of its budget allocation to the North Eastern Region for implementation of various Rural Development Schemes. During 2002-03, the Ministry allocated Rs.881.09 crore to the North Eastern Region as a whole under various programmes (except PMGSY) but the NE States could take only Rs.787.65 crore. In the current year, development has allocated Rs.929.56 crore under different major progrmmes (except PMGSY) but the Region so far has taken only Rs.201.25 crore, which is only 21.65% of the Central allocation to the Region.
Shri Rana indicated that serious problem being faced by the North Eastern States is the inability to mobilize matching State share to the Central releases. Therefore, there is a demand to change the funding pattern under the Centrally Sponsored Schemes to 90:10 from the existing 75:25. Rural Development Ministry has been advocating and supporting this change. Shri Rana expressed hope that a favorable decision would come from the Planning Commission.

Considering the major problem in the implementation of Sampoorna Grameen Rozgar Yojana (SGRY) for transportation of foodgrains in the region, Shri Rana announced that the Ministry has taken a decision to grant Transportation Subsidy to all NE States, henceforth.
Shri Rana further informed that the Ministry is willing to support alternate mechanisms for the delivery of credit to the Swaranjayanti Gram Swarojgar Yojana (SGSY) beneficiaries by involving traditional bodies in the North Eastern States. A pilot project to deliver credit through Village Development Boards (VDBs) in Nagaland is being taken up with the support of SBI, NABARD and the Government of Nagaland. The Ministry has also been financing Special Projects under SGSY in the Region for creation of self employment opportunities on a cluster basis. The experience of Assam in this regard has been satisfactory. Shri Rana called upon North-Eastern States to come up with innovative and viable Special Projects to exploit the potential of the Region for generation of self-employment opportunities.

Responding over the demand for strengthening of infrastructure in DRDAs of the North-Eastern Region, Shri Rana announced that it has been decided to support the construction of DRDA buildings, wherever needed, and purchase of one vehicle and computers for new DRDAs.
Shri Naik approves release of additional 10,000 KL kerosene for Orissa
Shri Ram Naik, Minister of Petroleum & Natural Gas has approved release of 10,000 kilo litre (KL) additional allocation of kerosene to Orissa for meeting the emergent requirements of the flood affected people in the State.

Shri Naveen Patnaik, Chief Minister of Orissa informed Shri Naik on 3rd September, 2003 that 2.5 million people in 3,872 village and 15 towns of 16 districts in the State have been affected by the recent floods. In order to meet the emergent requirement of the flood affected people, he requested the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas for an additional allocation of 10,000 KL of kerosene.

Keeping in view the havoc created by the floods paralysing the normal life of the people in Orissa, Shri Ram Naik today approved release of this additional allocation of kerosene. The State Government would be required to lift this additional allocation as per their requirement.
Centre to depute inter-ministerial team for assessing the flood situation/damage in Orissa
The Union Home Ministry has decided to depute an inter-Ministerial Central Team to assess the flood situation in Orissa and requirement of the Financial Assistance to the State. The eleven member team which will be led by the Joint Secretary, Shri K.S. Ramasubban (MHA) will also recommend whether the calamity can be considered to be of severe nature. The team will include officials from the Planning Commission, Ministry of Agriculture and the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Finance, Health, Water Resources, Urban Development, Surface Transport, Rural Employment and Poverty Alleviation and Rural Development.
As informed by the Orissa Government 16 out of the 30 districts in the State have been severely affected in the August 2003 floods resulting in damage to public and private properties besides loss of human lives and cattle.

IGNOU launches another channel "Bhasha Mandakini"

New Delhi - The Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) launched here today another channel "Bhasha Mandakini" marking the Teacher’s Day. It begins with our ancient language Sanskrit which is also one of the few oldest languages of the world. Called "Sanskrit Net", it aims at promoting the languages covering 30 lakh people, 10 lakh through the net and 20 lakh under distance education.

Launching the channel, the Minister for Human Resource Development Dr. Murli Manohar
Joshi said this unique initiative opens a new chapter in distance education. It would be a new window to understand our art, culture, tradition and languages. Various facets of Sanskrit including Vedic mathematics will be covered under Sanskrit Net. The channel will move to other languages as and when the software are ready. The Minister pointed out that the channel will also help in preserving our ancient heritage.
The Rashtriya Sanskrit Sansthan and the Central Sanskrit Board are providing the necessary help and input for the channel.
Aircraft Carrier Alliance starts Stage 3

The third stage of Assessment Phase (AP3) for the production of the
biggest and most powerful carriers ever built in the UK formally
begins today.
Contracts totalling around £50 million in value have been placed with
BAE Systems and Thales UK to complete the Assessment Phase of the
Future Aircraft Carrier (CVF) project.
Announcing the third stage, Defence Procurement Minister, Lord Bach
said:
"The letting of these contracts represents a significant step
forward. It gives added impetus to this key defence programme that
was first announced in the Strategic Defence Review in 1998. It is
further evidence of our continuing commitment to bringing the most
capable Carrier force, outside of the USA, into service, and to
provide the Armed Forces with the equipment that they require.
"The Alliance (between MOD, BAE Systems, and Thales UK) represents an
innovative way of working together with industry, and one which
offers the best prospect of delivering the ships we want on time and
to cost."
The aim of AP3 is to increase the maturity of the design and optimise
capability and value for money. It will pave the way for the placing
of contracts for the demonstration and manufacture of the ships in
Spring 2004.
The Carriers will be equipped with the world's most advanced
supersonic jump-jet, the Lockheed Martin F35 which together will
provide the joint services with a flexible and greatly enhanced
operational capacity.

Dungavel Immigration Removal Centre

LONDON =Commenting on calls for Dungavel Immigration Removal Centre to be
closed, Immigration Minister Beverley Hughes said:
"There are a number of allegations being made about conditions at
Dungavel which are completely untrue. It has been suggested that
Dungavel is some kind of Scottish Guantanamo Bay. This is an
outrageous suggestion and offensive to the local people who work at
the centre. A recent independent inspection reported that "overall
the centre was fair, decent and that they-[detainees]-were
well-treated by staff."

"An independent Press Association journalist who visited the centre
less than a month ago wrote that "It has wrongly been portrayed as a
modern-day concentration camp for asylum seekers, according to the
company which runs it. But anyone who has set foot inside the
Dungavel detention centre knows different-.inside there is no
evidence to suggest children are suffering."

"It is untrue that people are locked up 23 hours a day. Mothers are
free to feed their children whenever they need to.
"Most people in Scotland agree that we need to have fair, proper and
effective immigration controls. We have to have the ability to detain
the minority of people who, for example, are dishonest about their
identity, have failed to abide by the rules or where we want to
ensure the return of those who have no right to be here. But everyone
held at Dungavel is treated with decency and respect.
"Immigration is a reserved matter and I am happy to be accountable
for explaining why detention is necessary. But it is important that
healthy debate on these matters is not distorted by lies and
misinformation."

Jack Straw details UK commitment to the United Nations
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has published a Command Paper
"The UK in the UN" today.
Foreign Secretary Jack Straw says in the preface to the Paper:
"Though the United Nations is rarely out of the news, too little is
known about all that it does, and of the United Kingdom's important
contribution to its work. With the UK assuming the Presidency of the
Security Council this month, the new September Parliamentary Session
and the General Assembly later this month, I decided earlier in the
summer that there should be an annual report to Parliament about "the
UK in the UN". This is the first edition."

The Paper looks at the UK's engagement with the UN system, at all
levels of Government. It sets out how the UK's resources are focussed
on ensuring the UN is as effective as possible, and gives an outline
of our vision for the UN.

Festival allowance for coir workers

Thiruvananthapuram: The kerala state government has allowed an amount of Rs. 21,04,400 as festival allowance to 10422 workers of 180 coir manufacturing and trade units which had been closed down in the state. Each coir worker will receive an amount of Rs. 200 and the amount will be distributed through District Labour officers.

People caught selling helmets at high prices

Thiruvananthapuram: The onam special squad of the Legal Metrology Department conduted a lightning surveillance in Thiruvananthapuram at different places which included Nedumangad, Venjaarammoodu, Kilimanoor, Attingal and Thiruvananthapuram, in which four tradesmen were caught selling helmets at prices above the market rate. The squad found the prices on the packets rewritten and that they extracted large amounts from the consumers. Other than them, the squad also registered cases against three bar hotels which sold alcohol in less quantities and also against six tradesmen who violated the Packaged Commodites rules. In surveillance conducted at roadside trade centres and markets in places which included Attingal and Nedumangad, the squad caught 24 tradesmen who used illegal quantity and weight-measuring equipments. Instructions have been issued to inform in the Legal Metrology Assistant controller's office, if correction in price is noticed on the label of the helmet packets.
50 lakhs allowed for "Onam Varaaghosham"

Thiruvananthapuram: The state has allowed an amount of Rs.50 lakh for the " Onam Vaaraaghosham" in the various districts in the occasion of the festival of Onam in Kerala. For the cultural activities on the occasion of the onam celebrations, an amount of 32 lakh has been allowed. This year's "Onam Vaaraaghosham" starts on September 5 and will continue till September 10. In all districts, the cultural activities will be from 6th of September to the 10th. There won't be the "concluding float" to mark the end of the Onam Varaaghosham. In Thiruvananthapuram the illumination is limited to a small area owing to the government's policy to reduce the amount spent on celebrations.