No Indian study says tobacco causes cancer: Parl panel head

New Delhi: PTI





As India is set to defer its April 1 deadline for increasing size of pictorial warnings on tobacco products after pressure from various lobbies, head of a Parliamentary panel on Monday said there was no Indian study to confirm that use of tobacco products leads to cancer.Dilip Gandhi, head of Parliamentary panel on subordinate legislation examining the provisions of Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act, 2003 which had sought deferment of the move, on Monday said all studies have come from abroad and one should consider the Indian aspect too.
The Parliamentary Committee, which Gandhi -a BJP MP from Maharashtra -heads, had “strongly“ urged the government to keep on hold its proposal to increase the size of pictorial warnings on tobacco packets from 40% to 85%.
“All agree on the harmful effects of tobacco. Cancer does not happen only because of tobacco. We have to study the Indian context, as four crore people in states like Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh are dependent on bidi-making,“ Gandhi said. The panel said a large number of representations expressing “serious“ apprehensions from MPs as well as other stakeholders against the proposed notification.
Gandhi had also written to health minister J P Nadda in this regard.

2^ND HR SUMMIT AND INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ONEMERGING CHALLENGES FOR HR

INDIAN INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT RAIPUR, INDIA

 

2^nd HR SUMMIT AND INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON

Emerging Challenges for HR: VUCA Perspectives

August 21-22, 2015
Raipur, India

CALL FOR PAPERS

Last date for abstract submission is April 15, 2015

Indian Institute of Management, Raipur (IIMR), is happy to announce the 2^nd HR Summit and International Conference on Emerging Challenges for HR: VUCA Perspectives. The objectives of the conference are: 

·      to provide a special forum to present and discuss research in HR and allied areas, with special reference to the  VUCA world  more so, in the emerging markets of India.

·      to facilitate sharing research based knowledge among academicians and practitioners on  several other areas of Research in HR and allied areas.

 

This will be achieved through multi-disciplinary research-based idea generation and discussions. The attempt is to bring about richness in discussion by encouraging contributions from researchers across academic institutions and industry worldwide. 

The Conference is scheduled from August 21-22, 2015 at the IIMR campus. For details of the conference please visit our website:    

Conference Brochure

CONTACT: Summit Secretariat, 2nd HR Summit & International ConferenceIndian Institute of Management-Raipur.
GEC Campus, Sejbahar, Raipur -492015, India
Email: hrsummit2015@iimraipur.ac.in;
Website : http://www.iimraipur.ac.in/hrsummit2015
Tel: +91-7583032416/ +91-7581803576/ +91-7566515003
Fax: +91-771-2772102

Tribal Youth attending the Seventh Tribal Youth Exchange Programme call on the President

New Delhi: A group of young participants attending 7th Tribal Youth Exchange Programme (TYEP) organized by Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan called on the President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee at Rashtrapati Bhavan today (March 28, 2015). 

Speaking on the occasion, the President welcomed the participants of 7th Tribal Youth Exchange Programme to Rashtrapati Bhavan. He stated that there is a lot to learn from the tribal societies. The gender behaviour and relations in tribal communities and the respect and honour accorded to tribal women in their societies holds significant lessons for us. We must also learn from the manner in which the tribal societies have retained, nurtured and developed their contact with nature. 

The President said that the notion of tribal welfare is not just about development of tribal communities through economic progress but a larger concept of lifestyle that fosters holistic living. The philosophy for tribal welfare enunciated by Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru was human development with conservation of their rich and diverse cultural heritage. The challenge in preparing any policy for tribal upliftment exists even now as the policymakers have to strike the right balance between preservation of tribal identity with their distinct culture and values, while ensuring their access to mainstream education, healthcare and income generating opportunities. 

The President said that the seventy third amendment to the Constitution bestowed special powers to the Gram Sabha in tribal villages and hamlets in decision-making and self-governance. This has provided an impetus for protection of rights and enhancement of welfare of the tribals. At this point of time, when the country is marching forward in unity, it is absolutely essential that we ensure all segments of society to participate in and benefit from inclusive and equitable growth. The Government has taken several measures for the development of the tribal population. It has emphasized on rapid educational development to bring tribals into the mainstream of the population. It has allocated considerable resources to provide infrastructure and other incentives such as scholarships, free boarding and lodging, free distribution of clothes, books and stationery for better educational attainment by the tribals. The President said that education and capacity building can open a window of opportunity for the tribal youth. The educated youth from tribal societies, can usher in progress and bridge the development gap. He called upon them to be the torchbearers of a young and resurgent India. He stated that they must join hands with the youth from the rest of the country to build the India of our dreams. They must engage with the affairs of the nation whole-heartedly. They represent a potent force in the fight against criminality, poverty, deprivation, backwardness, domestic violence, caste discrimination, gender discrimination and exploitation. They also must give voice to the voiceless and become the strength of the weak. He called upon them to make the struggle of the needy and deprived their own. 

How to prepare for the Civil Services Examination

Are you concerned about the quality of governance in the country? Are you young and aspiring to improve the existing social, economic, infrastructural and civic conditions by contributing to policy decisions on welfare and development with honesty and integrity. One wonderful option is to join All India Services such as the India Administrative Service (IAS) by cracking the Civil Services Examination.

> Around five lakh candidates appear for the examination every year. At least 100 toppers are selected to the IAS. Another 1,200 candidates join other services.

> Graduates or those in the final year of graduation should watch out for the notification in April/May every year in Employment News, a weekly newspaper registered under the PRB Act with RNI, and published since 1975. It is published by the Publications Division of the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting (I&B).

BEFORE YOU START

Find the cut-off marks for the competitive examination and chalk out a strategy that suits your knowledge. Last year, the cut-off marks for the mains examination was around 600/1,750. Revise what you learnt in school. Focus on reading NCERT books, newspapers and publications of the Publications Division of the I&B ministry.

Need help preparing?

Aspirants can enrol in Tamil Nadu government-run All India Civil Services Coaching Centre on Greenways Road and private coaching centres in CIT Nagar, Anna Nagar and Adyar. Study centres have also been formed in major libraries and employment exchanges.

PREP TIME

One year of intense study after graduation, on average

HOW TO APPLY

> Application can be made online at www.upsconline.nic.in. Detailed instructions on filling up the form are available on the website

> No fee is required from SC/ST/women/physically-challenged candidates. Others have to pay Rs. 100. Various modes of payment are available, as mentioned in the notification

PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION

> This round has two papers:

Paper 1 with 100 questions carrying two marks each (covers general knowledge)

Paper 2 with 80 questions carrying 2.5 marks each (Civil services aptitude test, with questions in aptitude, reasoning and English) comprehension

There is also negative marking is 0.333

> Last year, the cut-off for general category was 241 out of 400 marks and for the physically-challenged (hearing impaired), it was 163 out of 400.

MAINS EXAMINATION

> Two qualifying papers: English and any of the languages mentioned in the eighth schedule of the Constitution (not for final ranking)

> General Studies papers: four papers of 250 marks each

Paper 1: Indian heritage, culture, history, geography of the world and society

Paper 2: Governance, constitution, polity, social justice and international relations

Paper 3: Technology, economic development, biodiversity, environment, security and disaster management

Paper 4: Ethics, integrity and aptitude

One optional subject: Two papers of 250 marks each

General essay paper with two essays of 1,000-1,200 words each

> Last year, the mains cut-off for general category was 564 out of 1,750 marks, and for the physically-challenged (hearing impaired), it was 410 out of 1,750

> The interview carries 275 marks. It is a test of the candidate’s personality

> The cut-off for the finals, last year, was 775 out of 2,025 marks for general category, and 613 for the physically-challenged (hearing impaired)

> Usually, the preliminary exam is conducted on the 3 Sunday of August

> The mains exam is conducted during December, every year

> The interview is held after May every year

Expert speak

There seem to be fewer candidates for sensible policy making. Motivated candidates should start preparation for the exam at least one year ahead by shaping their personality and widening their knowledge base. Chennai offers aspirants a lot of opportunities to learn – Aeron Israel Jebasingh, IAS (Mr. Jebasingh resigned from IAS after 10 years of service to train young aspirants in Chennai)

How Not to Rush Into a Water Crisis





India's water sector requires greater policy attention and more resources, not business-as-usual populism, to meet rising demand in a fast-urbanising economy . The AAP government's move to hike water charges in Delhi by 10%, for those who consume more than 20 kilolitres (KL) a month, may seem like reform. But it would be perverse incentive for those who consume less than 20 KL of piped, treated water gratis, to tamper with the meters for low readings. Delhi is an example for the rest of the country, because it is a prime example of both mismanagement and bad politics.In Delhi, 20% of households lack access to piped water, and another 23% have unmetered supply . While Delhi's daily re quirement is 1,000 million gallons a day (MGD), the supply is barely 80%. As much as 40% of the available supply leaks away from ancient pipes that are in dire need of replacement The AAP government in relatively high-income Delhi would do well to provide water supply for all households, rather than fritter away its political capital in giveaways and reckless, wasteful subsidies. While limited lifeline water supply is unexceptionable, reasonable user charges are a must to garner the resources needed to invest in the infrastructure and maintain it.
Nationally , we need to reverse groundwater usage. Already , the figures suggest that well over half the irrigation requirements are now met by mining groundwater and that 15% of all aquifers are in a `critical condition', and further that 60% of them would steadily become so affected, over the next two decades, in a business-as-usual scenario. We clearly need increased investment in dams, large and small, along with extensive water harvesting and comprehensive recycling. We need a businesslike approach, not populism, vis-à-vis water.

Vedanta - Music and the Void

BINDU CHAWLA





In Indic tradition, in terms of basic numbers, what followed as we counted after the number nine was not 10, or even one, where the count begins again, but zero. The concept of zero is shunya, a state of everythingness, fullness or wholeness, and a condition of mind our gurus asked us to reach before the singing of any raga before its unconditional manifestation could begin.Shunya in the ancient texts is known as pujyam, or `worthy of being prayed to'. In classical music, it is symbolised by `sa', the first swara, the root note where all notes rest. Japa, or chanting, of the `sa' activates the shunyata of `sa', which then begins to manifest unconditionally . Whatever it manifests, provided it is unconditional, or pure, and not conditional, or sullied, is the active word of God, and his message for all.
Ashunyata stirs, so does the divine, opening out its light, along with nada, or sound, its initial manifestations or vibrations, which then formulate as swaras unfolding the Brahmanda, or universe, of the seven notes.
When the raga is sung by a pure soul, the notes will be accompanied by light -difficult to see by the ordinary listener -reflecting the colours and hues that the specific raga configuration shows up, with immense healing properties.
The raga and its colours are the celebration of intuition, the inner eye, having no reason as its manifestation, and that is why also, the classical raga in our music has to be sung without reason, or `conditionality', or nihilism, or empty zeros.

OVER 300 FARMER GROUPS IDENTIFIED - Tribal Farmers to Form Co-ops to Roll out `Farm to Fork' Scheme

Deepshikha Sikarwar

New Delhi:





Over 2,000 farmer organisations in Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh & Telangana will be incubated to grow into cooperative society, trusts and ultimately company as part of NABARD's plan

Farmers in tribal states are joining hands to form corporate structures as the Narendra Modi government's `Farm to Fork' programme begins a quiet rollout even as the much-criticised APMC law is yet to be exorcised.Over 2,000 farmer organisations in Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana will be incubated to grow into a cooperative society, trust and ultimately, a company, as part of the plan being implemented by the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development, the country's largest development lender. “We have already identified over 300 farmer groups...We will be hand-holding them, helping with registrations and business process re-engineering to facilitate their take off,“ Nabard chairman Harsh Kumar Bhanwala told ET.
These organisations will get help at each level -from sourcing of inputs such as seeds, fertilisers and pesticides to machine requirements for management of farms, processing of produce, marketing and linking up with large value chains. The Agricultural Produce Marketing Committee Act has been amended in some states to allow farmers to sell perishables directly to consumers to help farmers get better value for their harvest. However, even where the act has been amended, constraints on farmers and large customers remain, such as multiple registration requirements and limitations on sourcing of perishable fruits and vegetables.
` 200 crore fund set Nabard will use a .up by the government to provide initial-stage funding besides additional money through its NBFC arm.
The move is aimed at facilitating creation of structures that would take the country's farm sector to the next level by bringing in cost efficiencies.The government has identified agri reforms to enhance productivity and value as a key focus area.
“Land holdings in the country have come down from the 80s...Thus, farmers organisations can help in bringing costs down and making agriculture more efficient,“ Bhanwala said.
These structures permit pooling of land so that farmers can come togeth er and benefit from greater use of technology and reap the benefits of scale.Nabard has also launched a digitisation programme for self-help groups in rural India that can be expanded to offer multiple products, including government services and the sale of consumer goods.
“I don't mind if an FMCG company wants to use the platform to sell its products,“ he said.
The bank funded 44 lakh self-help groups through a programme called e-Shakti. The pilot digitisation project was started in Ramgarh district of Jharkhand.
This platform will allow members to receive transaction information through SMS, a facility that till now has been used only by banks.
It also uses the Aadhaar identity programme, which helps curb the practice of multiple loans.
“There are 74 lakh SHGs of which 44 lakh are bank fundImprint Line The Economic Times, Bangalore ed...We are now looking to digitise them by providing tablets which is on a platform hosted by Nabard,“ Bhanwala said, adding that the second pilot project is being launched in Dhule in Maharashtra.
The programme will be expanded to 10 districts before a countrywide rollout, he added.