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NGOs ASSOCIATION OF INDIA
All India IT Association
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www.aiita.org
PRESIDENT VIEW
New Delhi
March 2014
Armed men in Crimea threaten UN envoy; Ban dispatches human rights official to Ukraine The United Nations has confirmed that Senior Advisor Robert Serry is in good shape physically after being threatened today during his visit to Crimea, Ukraine, by armed men who ordered him to leave the region. “He was met outside the main naval headquarters by a number of unidentified men who were saying that he should leave Crimea and go to the airport,” Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson told reporters in New York, as he briefed via telephone from the Ukrainian capital, Kiev. Mr. Serry apparently returned to his vehicle, and when the car could not drive away, he walked back to his hotel accompanied by a UN colleague. “On his way to the hotel he stopped by a cafe to call me, and that's when we talked,” said Mr. Eliasson. Mr. Serry, who was dispatched to Crimea to take stock of the situation there, had been relying on Ukrainian authorities for security. He was threatened but not kidnapped, the deputy UN chief stressed. “He expects that all authorities that have control of the situation will continue to guarantee his safe return to the hotel and continued work. Otherwise, he will be forced to come back to Kiev to continue his work from here.”
Santosh Shukla, Advocate president@nai.org.in
Success Lesson: The Power of Self Interest As Robert Ringer says that the reason I have never bought a lottery ticket is that I don't want to soil my belief system with fantasies of striking it rich through pure luck. Lotteries are perhaps the ultimate free-lunch delusion, which is why they are a favored method of taxation by governments throughout the world. Sooner or later, anyone who is serious about success must be willing to discard something-for-nothing fantasies and understand that the key to getting what you want in life is to think value instead of rights. You have no right to someone's love, you have no right to someone's friendship, you have no right to someone's respect. All these, and more, must be earned, and to the extent you create value for others, you will have them in abundance. Wealth is a result of value creation, and, because it is quantifiable, it is one aspect of life that makes it very easy for you to gauge how successful your efforts have been. There is no mystery to this, because underlying it is a fundamental principle of human nature, the principle that human beings always attempt to do what they believe to be in their best interests at any given time. If you can't bear to accept this fact of life, ask yourself why millions of buyers purchase foreign cars, notwithstanding the goading of American auto manufacturers, auto workers, and the government for people to buy domestically produced automobiles. Not even government edicts and penalties (“tariffs”) can force people to stop buying higherquality foreign cars when given the opportunity to do so. For decades, the same was true of the garment industry, where garment workers' unions in developed countries spent millions of dollars annually on advertising in an effort to cajole people into buying domestically produced garments instead of less expensive apparel manufactured in foreign countries. Today, however, they've pretty much accepted the fact that they simply can't compete with lower, free-market wages in Third World countries. If you still doubt that people always attempt to act in their own best interests, try asking someone to buy your product just because you need the money.
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Manmohan Singh: He ended Putin cools tensions in Ukraine, Kerry in Kiev with where he began Crimea, with Russian troops firing
New Delhi The seven-nation Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Te c h n i c a l a n d Economic Delhi Cooperation should hold special significance for Prime Minister Manmohan Singh as he returned to New Delhi from its third summit over two days in Myanmar's spanking new capital of Nay Pyi Taw. It was with the first summit of BIMSTEC, as the regional grouping is abbreviated, in Bangkok in July 2004 that he began his first overseas visit as prime minister after taking over the reins two months before. It was again at this forum's summit that he marked what would, perhaps, be his last official overseas visit as India's premier. In the interim, he himself played host to its leaders at the second summit in New Delhi in November 2008, resulting in his attendance at all the three apex-level engagements this forum has seen thus far. Having travelled far and wide during his two terms as prime
minister and having earned more praise as an economist-statesman overseas than within his country, the forum that marked his entry to the high table of global geopolitics should have an added significance. But on a more serious note, the regional forum should hold much importance for Manmohan Singh, as also for the high hopes it today raises to significantly address the demands and aspirations of the people of India's eight northeastern states, who often complain of neglect by New Delhi. He should know this better as it was from Assam that he was first elected to parliament in 1991 as a member of the Rajya Sabha, the upper house, and went on to win four more terms in 1995, 2001, 2007 and 2013, which should last till 2019 beyond his current tenure as prime minister. Each of these eight states Sikkim, Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, Mizoram, Manipur, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh - shares a land boundary with one or more of the forum's members, comprising India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand and Sri Lanka.
MOSCOW: Stepping back from the brink of war, Vladimir Putin talked tough but cooled tensions in the Ukraine crisis in his first comments since its president fled, saying that Russia has no intention "to fight the Ukrainian people" but reserved the right to use force. As the Russian president held court in his personal residence, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry met with Kiev's fledgling government and Moscow agreed to sit down with NATO. Although nerves remained on edge in
warning shots to ward off Ukrainian soldiers, global markets catapulted higher on tentative signals that the Kremlin was not seeking to escalate the conflict. Kerry brought moral support and a $1 billion aid package to a Ukraine fighting to fend off bankruptcy. Lounging in an arm-chair before Russian tricolor flags, Putin delivered a characteristic performance filled with earthy language, macho swagger and sarcastic jibes, accusing the West of promoting an "unconstitutional coup" in Ukraine. At one point he compared the U.S. role to an experiment with "lab rats." But the overall message appeared to be one of de-escalation. "It seems to me (Ukraine) is gradually stabilizing," Putin said. "We have no enemies in Ukraine. Ukraine is a friendly state."
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NASA plots daring flight to Jupiter's watery moon NASA is plotting a daring robotic mission to Jupiter's watery moon Europa, a place where astronomers speculate there might be some form of life. The space agency set aside $15 million in its 2015 budget proposal to start planning some kind of mission to Europa. No details have been decided yet, but NASA chief financial o f f i c e r Elizabeth Robinson said that it would be launched in the mid-2020s. Robinson said the high radiation environment around Jupiter and distance from Earth would be a
challenge. When NASA sent Galileo to Jupiter in 1989, it took the spacecraft six years to get to the fifth planet from the sun. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute astronomer Laurie Leshin said it could be "a daring mission to an extremely compelling object in our solar system." Past NASA probes have flown by E u r o p a , especially Galileo, but none have concentrated on the moon, one of dozens orbiting Jupiter. Astronomers have long lobbied for a mission to Europa, but proposals would have cost billions of dollars.
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15 March 2014 TM
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Memorable Snaps
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Madhuri Dixit: I don't have friends in Bollywood MUMBAI: Being in the industry for around 30 years, it is well expected that Bollywood's dancing diva Madhuri Dixit, who is gearing up for GULAAB GANG, must be having a bunch of friends from the industry to hang out with. But the dainty actress quite s u r p r i s i n g l y, a n d rather shockingly admitted that she doesn't have any close pals from the industry to fall back upon! Elaborating further, she said, "Well, I don't have friends in Bollywood, 'the 4.am friends' so to say...nothing like that, because everybody is so busy in their own lives. Everybody is busy doing movies either outdoors or
in the interiors. But I am sure other actors must be having their own set of friends." "I remember when I started out, I never went to parties and all. Where partying is a norm in Bollywood, I used to feel uncomfortable and out of place. I used to enter from one door saying 'hello' to everyone and leave from the next door. So, I don't have enough friends within the industry, but I definitely have pals outside of it, who I am comfortable with and enjoy their company, "she added in the same breath. But isn't networking and having friends important in today's scenario? "I wasn't networking when I was offered GULAAB GANG or DEDH ISHQIYA. That came to me on the strength of my abilities, because I have talent to play these roles. And filmmakers know that when I do a film, I am very committed to the role. I am well-disciplined. So my reputation precedes me and that's why makers come to me with the scripts. And not because they are my friends," said Madhuri with a puckered brow. Also starring Juhi Chawla, GULAAB GANG is all set to hit the screens on March 7, 2014.
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Email: preschool@alma.in Website: www.almakids.com Phone: 0731 4222242 Helpline : 0 999 39 50000
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15 March 2014
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India not giving up hope of Formula One return
MUMBAI: India's motor sports federation is optimistic the tax problems that have jeopardised the country's Formula One race will be resolved and the home Grand Prix will be back in 2016. Formula One commercial supremo Bernie Ecclestone told Reuters on Wednesday that the Buddh International Circuit near New Delhi will not be hosting a race next year after being dropped from the 2014 championship. Problems over taxation, with Formula One classified as entertainment rather than a sport in India, as well as the considerable bureaucracy governing the import of equipment have been seen as obstacles. The Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India (FMSCI) is waiting for a final clearance from the sports ministry for recognition as a national sports federation and hopes that will pave the way for the race's return. "It's unfortunate but once the government gives the recognition I
am very hopeful that Mr Ecclestone's concerns will be satisfied," Akbar Ebrahim, the chairman of racing at FMSCI, told Reuters. "The good thing is that the International Olympic Committee has recognised the International Automobile Federation (FIA) and made it a full member. "So once we have the recognition the drivers are no longer going to be considered as entertainers but as athletes." Crediting race promoters Jaypee Sports International for building a stellar circuit in India, Ebrahim was hopeful that the FMSCI would be recognised after the country's general elections are over in May. "The required paperwork that was asked for by the government of India has been already submitted a month back," Ebrahim added. "It's a priority. "This recognition is not just for F1 but it is beneficial for the grass root level of Indian motorsports, too." Ecclestone said in November that a deal had been done for the Indian Grand Prix to return in 2015 and for six years beyond that if tax problems could be overcome. A Jaypee spokesman declined to comment when contacted by Reuters, but a source at the promoter said the problems should be resolved and Formula One would return to India.
India witnessing NGO boom, there Kunal Kapoor's portal to raise funds for animal welfare, environment is 1 for every 600 people
NEW DELHI: For a country which till recently had a weak civil society movement, India is now witnessing a boom in the NGO sector. With a population of 1.2 billion, the country could well be the land of opportunities for non-governmental organizations (NGOs) with the Central Bureau of Investigation conservatively estimating 20 lakh of them already operating in states and union territories. The mind-boggling figures boil down to one NGO per every 600 people. Compare this to the latest government data on police. According to the latest figures from the Union home ministry, India has just one policeman for every 943 people. But there is an accountability deficit among the
NGOs. And that's how CBI got into the picture as the Supreme Court responded to a PIL. Many don't submit details of receipt of grant and spending to income tax authorities, the CBI told the apex court. On the SC's order, the CBI sought information from the states and UTs about operation of NGOs and status of audit of their funds. Major states — Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Delhi, Haryana, Karnataka, Rajasthan, West Bengal, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Chhattisgarh and Himachal Pradesh — have provided no data about the number of NGOs operating in their territory. Without the statistics from these major states, the CBI was informed by other states about the existence of 13 lakh NGOs making the agency conservatively estimate that their number could go well be over 20 lakh. In Uttar Pradesh alone 5,48,194 NGOs are operating. Kerala had 3,69,137 NGOs, Maharashtra 1,07,797, Madhya Pradesh 1,40,000 and Gujarat has 75,729 NGOs. While Kerala and Maharashtra have given details of finances of the NGOs operating in their area, Madhya Pradesh gave partial information about their funding. Gujarat was completely silent.
Actor Kunal Kapoor's online crowd-fund raising portal Ketto will focus on gathering contributions for animal welfare and environmental organizations this year, its CEO said. Ketto, formed by Kunal Kapoor, and its CEO Varun Sheth, partnered Kolkata's new boutique hotel and restaurant The Corner Courtyard, to raise funds through a charity dinner to support SOS Children's Village, Kolkata. The portal will link potential donors across the globe to Indian non-governmental organizations (NGOs). "Last year, we gathered funds primarily for NGOs working for women's empowerment. This year, we will focus on groups working for animal welfare and environment. We have been getting a lot of requests from environmental NGOs," Varun Sheth said here on the sidelines of the launch of the Kolkata venture, in Kunal's presence. According to Kunal, the online philanthropy portal banks on the support of youngsters who are well connected through social networks. "We also do fund-raisers in various colleges to get the youth involved," he said. It also bridges the gaps between nonresident Indians (NRIs) and the NGOs. "Over 30 percent of our contributions are from NRIs. About 10 percent is from non-Indians
across the world," said Varun Sheth, adding the initiative aids only India-based NGOs. According to Varun Sheth, Ketto, which was established in 2012, has on its rosters as many as 40 NGOs and it plans to scale it up to 200 NGOs by the end of 2014.
Bihar-born Sulabh International Gas prices: Supreme Court to hear petitions founder gets NGO leadership award challenging formula approved by Cabinet PATNA: Social activist and Sulabh International founder Bindeshwar Pathak has been awarded for his work in the field of public sanitation. The 'NGO Leadership and Excellence Award', instituted by t h e Wo r l d C S R Congress, was given to Pathak on the occasion of the World CSR Day and comprises a trophy and citation, according to a press statement. Pathak founded Sulabh International in 1970 with an aim to liberate scavengers who manually clean toilets. He developed a low-cost
toilet system for individual houses and public places which later became known as 'Sulabh Shauchalaya'. The 'Sulabh Shauchalaya' are being used by over one crore people every day throughout the country and over 60,000 people are directly associated with this initiative. Founder of World CSR Congress R Bhatiya said the jury and board members selected Sulabh for the award keeping in mind the social activist's contribution in the field of public sanitation
N E W DELHI: The Supreme Court will hear two petitions challenging the hike in gas prices. CPI leader Gurudas Dasgupta and an NGO have petitioned against the gas pricing formula approved by a cabinet panel in June last year that allowed a hike in gas prices from $4.2 a unit to $8.4 from April. The petitions accuse Oil Minister Veerappa Moily of helping Mukesh Ambani's Reliance Industries, and seek the cancellation of Reliance's contract to produce gas in the KG-D6 basin, off the Andhra Pradesh coast. The Supreme Court has already issued notices to the Centre, Mr Moily and Reliance Industries. The government, however, claims that the new rates are based on a formula
approved by the Rangarajan Committee appointed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at the request of Mr Moily's predecessor, S Jaipal Reddy. The Oil Minister said the new rates have taken into account the average price prevailing at international gas hubs and cost of importing the fuel into India in past 12 months, and will also benefit the state-owned Oil and Natural Gas Commission (ONGC). "It is absolutely based on recommendations made by the Dr Rangarajan Committee. He is an eminent economist and he has gone through the mills. And I have not changed even a word or a full stop or a comma from the recommendation," Mr Moily had said last month. He termed Gurudas Dasgupta's allegations false and baseless and said the decision to hike gas prices was cleared twice by the Cabinet, first in June last year and then in December. The biggest beneficiary of the gas price hike will be ONGC and another public sector firm Oil India Ltd, which together produce 80 per cent of the country's output.
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15 March 2014
Legalising euthanasia: SC refers Closing political office in Sierra Leone, matter to constitution bench UN shifts focus to long-term development
NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Tuesday referred the issue of legalizing euthanasia to a five-judge Constitution bench in response to a PIL on allowing a person not to continue with artificial medical support. Based on the report of the larger Constitution bench, the apex court can decide whether a person afflicted with a terminal disease be allowed to refuse essential artificial medical support systems as he does not want to prolong his agony? The order was passed by a bench headed by Chief Justice P Sathasivam while hearing the PIL on allowing a person not to continue with artificial medical support. The Centre is vociferously opposing it and
terming it as "suicide" which could not be allowed in the country. The PIL, filed by NGO "Common Cause", argues that when a medical expert opines that the person afflicted with terminal disease has reached a point of no return, then he should be given the right to refuse being put on life support system as otherwise it would only prolong his agony. The petition was filed in 2008 when the apex court had issued notices to the Union Ministry of Health and Law and sought their response on the issue. Opposing the plea of the petitioner, Additional Solicitor General Siddharth Luthra submitted that it cannot be permitted in Indian society and it would be against the law and medical ethics. "There does not arise any question of allowing a physician to take away the life of a patient. Duty of a physician is to protect the life and not to take away the life," Luthra said.
Ministry of Petroleum launches 'Dial Bharatgas Mini' service
NEW DELHI: The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas On Wednesday launched a value added service from Bharat Petroleum called 'Dial Bharatgas Mini'. People desirous of availing a Bharatgas Mini (5 kg cylinder) can dial the toll free number 1800224344 and order a new connection or a refill cylinder. For a new 5 kg connection customers will be charged Rs. 1000/- plus applicable taxes for the cylinder and Rs. 250/- plus applicable taxes for regulator in addition to the cost of LPG which will be as per non domestic rates applicable in the market. The connection / refill cylinder will be delivered to the
residence of the customer within 2 hours of the order booked at a minimal charge of Rs 25/- for this value added service. This service has been launched in the cities of Delhi, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Ahmedabad today. It will be available in Mumbai and Pune in the first week of March and extended to other cities in a phased manner. Orders can be booked on the toll free number 24 X 7. Deliveries for orders will be made from 9 am to 9 pm. Orders beyond 9 pm will be delivered the next day after 9 am. The call centre on receiving the order will pass on the order to the concerned franchise that in turn will make the delivery within the specified two hours to the customer's residence. Once the call centre receives delivery confirmation they will reconfirm the delivery with the customer and close the call. Sale of 5 kg LPG cylinders at market price with minimal documentation had commenced from Retail Outlets (Petrol Stations effective 5th October '2013 in select cities and in Delhi from 21st Jan 2014.
The United Nations today launched a new phase of support in Sierra Leone with the transitioning of its political mission to a more development-focused UN presence, a sign of the West African nation's sustained recovery from a brutal civil war and an example to follow for countries still grappling with conflict. “Sierra Leone represents one of the world's most successful cases of post-conflict recovery, peacekeeping and peacebuilding,” Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said at a press conference alongside Sierra Leonean President Ernest Bai Koroma in Freetown. “Here we have seen great strides towards peace, stability and long-term development,” he noted, calling on other countries to draw hope from Sierra Leone's “inspiring example of the power of international solidarity and national resolve to overcome even the most brutal conflicts.” Fifteen years after it was established, the UN Integrated Peacebuilding Office in Sierra Leone (UNIPSIL) formally closed and transferred its responsibility to the UN Country Team, which consists of 19 agencies, funds and programmes, based on the UN Development Assistance Framework,
known as UNDAF. “I can confirm here officially that the United Nations will continue to stand together with the Government and people of Sierra Leone in their march toward further and more participatory democracy and sustainable development and also promoting human rights,” Mr. Ban stressed in the press conference. He explained that the UN Country team and specialized agencies will carry forward some of UNIPSIL's residual tasks, including support for the ongoing constitutional review process. The UNDAF will help the Government press ahead with implementation of Sierra Leone's Agenda for Prosperity, a social and economic development strategy for 2013-2018. For 11 years, Sierra Leone was torn by a civil war after the rebel Revolutionary United Front intervened in an attempt to overthrow the country's then-President Joseph Momoh. The conflict, which lasted from 1991 to 2002, was often punctuated by acts of extreme brutality as marauding bands of armed youths terrorized the countryside, conscripting child soldiers and used the amputation of limbs as an intimidation method against civilians. In November 2012, the country successfully held national presidential, parliamentary and local council elections. They were the third since the end of the country's civil war. Sierra Leone also contributes police and armed forces to UN and African Union peacekeeping missions around the world, “a strong vote of confidence in the value of UN blue helmets from a country that once hosted the largest UN peacekeeping operation in the world,” Mr. Ban said.
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Tufail Majeed prays for Alma growth at Pilgrimage to Makkah
INDORE: The young and dynamic development officer of International brand Alma has prayed to almighty at Pilgrimage to Makkah for growth of Alma. He visited there recently. This was informed by the director of Alma
Shri Santosh Shukla, Advocate. Shri Shukla told that Alma family believes in faith and prayers to t h e a l m i g h t y. Faith and prayer are o u r strengthen and spirit to work with positive thinking. Surely, Alma family and its all members appreciated the prayer of Mr. Majeed and we blesses by Almighty for nice thing for the betterment of society and humanity.
Published from NGOs Association of India, 18/3, Pardeshipura, Near Bhandari Hospital, Indore, (M.P) and printed at Compac Printers Pvt. Ltd., 3/54, Press Complex, A.B. Road, Indore by Santosh Shukla on behalf of NAI. Editor : Dilip N. Pandit, Email : editor@nai.org.in, Layout Designer : Sanjay Panjwani, Ph. : 0731-4225505, www.nai.org.in