Commonwealth Games to go green
KOCHI, India: The New Delhi Commonwealth Games would be the first green games adopting eco-friendly practices, said Jiji Thompson, Special Director General, Organising Committee of Commonwealth Games.
Mr. Thompson was speaking at a media briefing held here on Monday.
This would be the first “consumption-neutral” event through sustainable action and demonstration of eco-consciousness in the decision-making process. The organisers will be focusing on waste management, forestation, anti-litter campaigns, sustainable transport, use of renewable energy sources and efficient water management, Mr. Thompson said.
All the 2,000 vehicles for transporting athletes and officials will run on compressed natural gas.
The games authorities have signed an MoU with the United Nations Environmental Programme to assist in the delivery of the Green Games Mandate. The Green Games initiative will be implemented at all competition and non-competition venues. All the venues are being developed using principles of sustainable site planning, design and construction of buildings, he said.
Reference Link
http://www.hindu.com/2010/04/06/stories/2010040653340200.htm
Courtesy
The Hindu
‘Distressed' families have a reason to smile
WARANGAL, India: Some people talk less and do more. And they earn lot of faith and leave a trail behind for others to follow. Warangal district Collector N. Sridhar belongs to this category.
In less than six months, he brought cheers to over 100 families which have been distressed for long having lost their respective bread-winners due to ill-health, extremist violence or medical /invalidation.
The kin of these families have been waiting for compassionate appointments for a long time.
Mr. Sridhar cleared 156 cases under various categories and gave appointments to all 156 persons filling up all the ST, SC backlog vacancies. Collectorate Administrative Officer N. Madhusudan said it is a record in the history of district administration that we filled up 69 junior assistant post, 25 typists and 61 office subordinate posts. “Last year, in all only 35 posts were filled up.
The Collector took keen interest in doing justice to beleaguered families waiting for long and cleared 156 cases. There are people waiting for compassionate appointments still, which in due course will be filled as and when the vacancies arise,” he said.
Of the 156 cases, 24 cases pertain to those families affected by extremist violence, 83 belong to compassionate grounds category and other under disabled, and SC, ST backlogs and medical invalidation.
Speaking to The Hindu, Mr. Sridhar said several were pending for a long time and he was moved by the plight of the poor who have been making rounds of his office again and again.
“In their case, justice is pending. For me, it might look simple but for them, my timely decision makes a great difference. I wanted to accord top priority and focused more on completing all the pendency without any delay. And in six months, I could clear them all,” he said.
Reference Link
http://www.hindu.com/2010/04/06/stories/2010040653440300.htm
Courtesy
The Hindu
Disabled youth on awareness mission
Nelson heading for Chennai
CLEARING DOUBTS: Collector T. Soundiah interacting with A. Nelson of Tirunelveli district in Tiruchi on Monday.
TIRUCHI, India: A differently-abled man from Tirunelveli district A. Nelson who has embarked on a journey in his tri-cycle since October creating awareness among public about HIV /AIDS met Collector T. Soundiah at the Collectorate here on Monday.
Twenty-six-year-old Nelson, a diploma holder in Cooperative Business, had started his 200-day campaign from Dindigul on October 21 last year.
He will conclude his campaign in Chennai.
An official press release here said at the Collectorate that Nelson spoke about HIV/ AIDS besides highlighting the role played by ‘Nambikkai Maiyams’ in clearing doubts about HIV/ AIDS.
The Collector appreciated the effort made by Nelson, the release added.
Reference Link
http://www.hindu.com/2010/04/06/stories/2010040658770200.htm
Courtesy
The Hindu
Sops beckon entrepreneurs
To those for starting and developing micro, small and medium enterprises
KARUR, India: A slew of concessions offered for starting and developing micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in Karur beckons entrepreneurs willing to utilise the concessions and provide employment to others in the district.
The aim is to introduce latest technologies to upgrade MSMEs and make them competitive besides increasing employment opportunities and imbue a spirit of self-employment, according to the Collector J. Uma Maheswari.
In a release issued here detailing various benefits of the new industrial policy of the State Government in vogue since February 2008, she said that the sops including capital subsidy, low tension power subsidy, subsidy equivalent to the Value Added Tax suffered, waiver of stamp duty in case of mortgage of immovable property as security, special capital subsidy for agro-based units and special production units were some of them.
One of the highlights of the package was the capital subsidy of up to 15 per cent on machinery cost, low tension power subsidy amounting to 20 per cent for 36 months, return as compensation the value of VAT paid on purchase of machinery over the first six years being extended to any micro industrial unit being established in any part of the district.
That apart for industrial units being established in areas declared backward including Thanthoni, K. Paramathi, Aravakurichi, Krishnarayapuram, Thogamalai and Kadavur would attract special subsidies not exceeding Rs. 40 lakh and they include grant on machinery up to Rs. 30 lakh, employment generation grant of up to Rs. 5 lakh for three of the first five years, additional subsidy up to Rs. 2 lakh for units started by women and SCs and STs, 25 per cent subsidy on green environment technology machinery.
Special category units numbering 10 and including electrical and electronics products, leather products being set up in any part of Karur district would attract 15 per cent or a maximum of Rs. 30 lakh subsidy component, Dr. Uma Maheswari has noted.
Besides, a 25 per cent subsidy on purchase of power generators for a maximum amount of Rs. 1.50 lakh would be allowed for all MSMEs. Potential entrepreneurs and unit operators could access the District Industries Centere for details on the options and subsidies available for various sectors, Dr. Uma Maheswari has pointed out in the release.
Reference Link
http://www.hindu.com/2010/04/06/stories/2010040654680300.htm
Courtesy
The Hindu
Survey begins to identify ‘out of school' children
It will be completed on April 12, says Collector – Photo: N. Bashkaran
Collector V.K. Shanmugam (second left), inspecting the enumeration of drop out students at Narikuravar Colony in Sikkarimedu, near Krishnagiri, on Monday.
KRISHNAGIRI, India: The survey to identify ‘out of school’ children and admit them to the respective schools during the coming academic year will begin in Krishnagiri district on Monday.
Collector V.K. Shanmugam inaugurated the survey at the Narikuravar Colony in Sikkarimedu village near Krishnagiri.
The one-week-long exercise is being carried out by the Sarva Siksha Abhiyan (SSA). The field staff of the SSA will compile a data on children who had dropped out from schools.
The block level survey with the help of SSA staff, anganwadi workers, village heads and local people who well-versed about the details of the children those who were out of the school stream of education. Officials were given a model questionnaire to elicit the basic details from public.
Later, Mr. Shanmugam told reporters that this exercise will be on till April 12.
About 3,000 personnel including 167 Block Resource Teacher Educators, UNICEF volunteers, NCLP workers, anganwadi workers, Valarkalvi workers and NGOs would be involved in the survey.
The door-to-door survey would be conducted in all the 4,058 habitations in 337 panchayats in the district. This effort is being taken up by the SSA in preparation for the Right to Education Bill, which came into force from April 1, this year.
Every child has to be given school education at least up to Standard VIII.
Block Resource Teacher Educators have been asked to supervise the SSA survey since they would already know the places where enrolment of children in schools is less than expected level.
The enumeration will be done by special teams to be formed for this purpose.
The objective of the survey is to ensure that every child is in school and no one should miss school education.
Out of school children identified during the survey would be admitted in KGBVs, Bridge Schools, Residential Schools for the drop outs and special schools run by the NCLP, Mr. Shanmugam said.
P. Semalai, Chief Education Officer, Sarva Siksha Abiyan, T. Manoharan, Public Relations Officer and other officials accompanied the Collector.
Reference Link
http://www.hindu.com/2010/04/06/stories/2010040650910300.htm
Courtesy
The Hindu
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