The Tribune -Women candidates riding high on gender-centric issues

Gagan K Teja, Tribune News Service

Patiala, January 2. With main political parties of Punjab – SAD and Congress – all set to increase the number of women candidates in the ensuing assembly elections, women-centric issues are expected to dominate the campaign in the assembly segments from where women candidates would be trying their luck. Akali Dal has fielding three women candidates in Patiala district, the maximum from the royal city in the past five decades.

Akali leaders said the SAD would be announcing more women candidates in the next list to be announced shortly.

Though, Congress is yet to announce the names of candidates, but Punjab Mahila Congress president Malti Thapar said that she was rigorously pursuing the party high command in New Delhi that at least one woman candidate from each district of the state should be given Congress ticket.

Meanwhile, the women Akali candidates – Kuldeep Kaur Tohra from Patiala (Rural), Harpreet Kaur Mukhmailpur from Ghanaur and Vaninder Kaur Loomba from Shutrana (SC), are mainly focusing their election campaign on women-centric issues. While canvassing, all the three candidates are listening patiently to women about problems being faced by them.

“Being a woman, it is easier to understand the problems of the women. Though development is our main agenda throughout the state, but I will certainly work for the uplift of women in society”, said Kuldeep on the sidelines of an election meeting in Patiala (Rural) segment.

Expressing similar views, Harpreet Kaur was assuring people of Ghanaur assembly that if elected, she would work for the uplift of women besides taking pains to ensure all-round development of the areas in the constituency.

Vaninder Kaur Loomba said that she was inspired by the work done by Akali MP Harsimrat Kaur against the social evil of female foeticide and would try to follow in her footsteps.

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2012/20120103/punjab.htm#12

Man in Blue in Sikh Channel Ealing studio with ‘Sober services’

‘Man in Blue’ talking to members of ’Sober services’, working with addicted people

If you want to know more about the work of ‘Sober services’, go to the underneath link.
I was an alcoholic, and Guru has liberated me from my addiction.
With Guru’s kirpa we can all be liberated ! 

http://www.soberservices.co.uk/

The Tribune – A Tribune series on government performance: Social Welfare; What govt proposed, Jathedars disposed

Jangveer Singh, Tribune News Service

The SAD-BJP government is banking heavily on its welfare schemes, of which there are plenty, with nearly half the population benefiting. But Akali workers meddling with the selection of beneficiaries for four years may have left many annoyed.

The line between social welfare and party interest remained blurred. That’s what comes out with clarity while evaluating the execution of various welfare schemes in Punjab.

The SAD-BJP government promised a lot, and delivered on many of the schemes too, including the populist ‘atta-dal’ scheme, but let them be run by Akali ‘jathedars’, rather than the state.

After allowing mismanagement of the schemes for nearly four years, the government did realise the folly, and moved to bring in transparency. But by then it was too late to save the credibility of schemes such as the ‘shagun’ scheme for newly married Dalit brides and the old-age pension.

After partially setting its house in order during the past one year, the government also expanded the scope of certain schemes by extending those to all economically weaker sections. This increased the political base of the SAD-BJP combine, touching nearly 50 per cent of the state’s population.

Not content with the various ongoing schemes — including the hugely popular atta-dal scheme that now provides subsidised wheat flour and pulses to 8.2 lakh families — towards the end of its tenure, the government even went in for the distribution of more than 1 lakh bicycles among schoolgirls from weaker sections, a la Nitish Kumar in Bihar. The bicycles, which bear Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal’s picture at the front, were clearly aimed at wooing the poor, traditionally considered to be a Congress vote bank.

Whether these efforts will bear fruit is yet to be seen. Akali managers point out that the atta-dal scheme saved the party from a projected rout in the Lok Sabha elections, as people refused to believe the Congress claim that no subsidised food was being given. The Akalis are now hoping for further gains from the increase in the number of beneficiaries.

However, the government will have to answer charges of favouritism in doling out welfare, with many schemes not reaching many of the down-trodden. Now it must hope that its jathedars who “directed” the delivery of welfare will deliver on poll eve.

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2012/20120103/punjab.htm#1

The Hindu – Nitish being considered for Gates Innovation Award

Patna, 3 January 2012. The Bill Gates and Melinda Foundation has accepted the proposal for conferring the Gates Innovation Award to Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for the first Gates Vaccine Innovation Award.

The proposal came in the wake of Bihar’s remarkable contribution for effectively strengthening the immunisation programme, Executive Director State Health Society Sanjay Kumar told PTI on Tuesday.

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had conceded to the request, Mr. Sanjay Kumar said.

The Union External Affairs Ministry too has given the nod for Mr. Nitish Kumar to receive the award, he said.

The Bihar Chief Minister will thus be the first recipient of the Vaccine Innovation Award, introduced globally by the Foundation having carried a cash of U.S. $ 250,000.

The Gate’s foundation leadership has on their part acknowledged the winner of the award, Mr. Kumar said.

The Foundation had taken the decision last year to bestow the award on an individual/a team having made the most innovative contribution in vaccination field.

The Foundation was of the view that hundreds and thousands of lives could have been saved by improved access to vaccines, which should be cost-effective, safe and proven to protect children from diseases.

Innovation is essential in overcoming the most persistent challenges in reaching more and more children with vaccines, the Foundation felt.

The rise in routine immunisation played a major role in making Bihar a polio-free State in the country with not a single case of the dreaded disease reported in one year, 2011. (PTI)

http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article2771248.ece

November visit to UK 14/11 till 21/11

20/11 – From Hayes to Northwood by bus 140 and 282
Northolt station with 140 bus

20/11 – From Hayes to Northwood by bus 140 and 282
Northolt station with 90 bus from Feltham

20/11 – From Hayes to Northwood by bus 140 and 282
Northolt station, Central Line

20/11 – From Hayes to Northwood by bus 140 and 282
Northwood Iron Bridge with 282 bus

To see more UK public transport pictures go to :

http://www.flickr.com/photos/12445197@N05/sets/72157611244941713/

More UK pictures to follow
Harjinder Singh
Man in Blue

The Tribune – Anti-PM protest in Amritsar shameful, say Sikh scholars

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, January 2. Prominent Sikh scholars today condemned the demonstration against Prime Minister Manmohan Singh during his visit to the Golden Temple on Sunday. In a statement issued today, Dr Mohinder Singh, Member of the National Commission for Minority Educational Institutions, said, “The demonstration by a few misguided individuals in the name of Anna Hazare is an act of national shame. It is all the more shameful that the sacred premises of the Golden Temple, a symbol of harmony and peace, was used by these people to gain cheap publicity.”

J S Neki, honorary secretary of Bhai Vir Singh Sahitya Sadan, Karanjit Singh, Director Punjabi Bhawan, Rawail Singh, Secretary Punjabi Academy Delhi, Manjit Singh, Head, Department of Punjabi, University of Delhi, S.S. Minhas, Principal, Guru Harkishan Public School and other prominent scholars in the national capital joined Singh in condemning the incident.

Amritar: SGPC chief Avtar Singh Makkar today flayed the incident. He said such and incident would not be allowed to happen again around the complex. “The PM was on his personal visit and he came here for paying obeisance like an ordinary human being. The SGPC has taken a strong notice of the misdeed of a group of persons that showed black flags to him while he was about to leave. Such an act will not be tolerated in future,” he said.

It is learnt that the protest was staged by an organisation named, “India Against Corruption”. Even Team Anna has denied any hand in the showing of black flags to the Prime Minister, it is clearly a case of intelligence failure. The incident has elicited a strong reaction from the people.

PCC chief Captain Amarinder Singh has accused the SAD of “planting” the troublemakers in the crowds to show black flags to the Prime minister.

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2012/20120103/punjab.htm#17

BBC News – India protests to China over envoy’s court treatment

2 January, 2012. India has lodged a high-level protest with China over the treatment of one of its envoys in a courtroom.

Delhi said S Balachandran was denied medicine and collapsed as he tried to secure the release of two Indians held hostage by locals demanding payment of money owed.

Mr Balachandran was “manhandled” by the Chinese traders in the courtroom in China’s eastern city of Yiwu, consular officials said.

He fainted and was taken to hospital.

Apology  

Mr Balachandran, attached to the Shanghai consulate, is a diabetic and fainted because he was unable to take his medication, officials in the Indian ministry of external affairs told the BBC.

The diplomat was taken to a local hospital in a semi-conscious state by local officials and some Indian traders based in Yiwu.

On Sunday, he was moved to a hospital in Shanghai and his condition was said to have improved.

An Indian government source told Reuters news agency: “We have taken it up pretty strongly with the Chinese, that this is no way to treat a diplomat, that he should be allowed access to medication.”

The incident took place on the night on 31 December – in the presence of police and the judge – but reports have only just appeared.

Riva Ganguly Das, the Consul General in Shanghai, said Mr Balachandran was “manhandled” while trying to secure the release of Deepak Raheja and Shyamsunder Agrawal, the Press Trust of India reported.

Mr Raheja and Mr Agrawal had been held hostage by local traders for two weeks for non-payment of dues by their company, whose owner had allegedly fled the country.

The Chinese traders were demanding the Indians pay millions of yuan owed to them for commodities purchased.

Local officials later apologised to Mr Balachandran, PTI reported.

The two Indians remain under the protection of the police, it said.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-16381464