Governance And Institutions
Adult education scheme in Bastar ' a failure'
A report recently published by the Tribal Research Institute of Madhya Pradesh has stated that the adult education programme has not produced the desired results in the tribal dominated Bastar division.Due to lack of education and illiteracy, the tribals are not coming forward in large numbers to educate their children, …
New initiative on education for all
The Central Departmetn of Education in the Ministry of Human Resource Development here has prepared a national programme for universalisation of elementary education.The first draft of this new initiative is new getting th final touches.
Alarming school drop-out rate in State
According to the report, the drop-out rate in Assam from class I to class X was 76.31 per cent as compared to the All-India figure of 69.33 per cent. The drop-out rate in the State for boys was 76.84 per cent while the same for girls was recorded at 75.66 …
A project that helps rural women help themselves
Being the worst hit by poverty in a largely tribal region, the women feel the need to explore alternative means to generate incomes. The bag-making-cum-tailoring unit, started recently by the Grassroot Organisation for Upliftment and Research (GOUR), assumes significance. An affiliate of the People's Union for Development and Reconstruction(PUDAR), GOUR …
SC waiver on Euro-I saves loss to Excise Dept
The Central Excise Department has heaved a sigh of relief with the Supreme Court waiving the ceiling on registration of non-commercail vehicles conforming to the Euro-I emission norms in the National Capital Region from June 1.
Online system to purify water patented
Scientists in Lucknow have patented an on line water purification system that not only makes water free from bacteria in ten minutes but also removes toxic metals from it.The low-cost system, which uses an electronic device "bact-o-kill" for disinfection, was recently developed by the Industrial Toxiciology Research Centre (ITRC) here, …
Tilonia teaches Rajasthan women to man pumps
"Tilonia now calls itself the Barefoot College," says Bunker Roy, founder director fo the centre. "By setting an example it has proved that urban trained experts and professionals can easily be replaced by para-professionals from the vilalge who have never been to college. Training villagers to maintain handpumps, construct with …
Rajasthan fillip to primary education
As part of its ambitious scheme for universalisation of primary education through the Rajiv Gandhi golden jubilee schools, the Congress(I)-led Government in Rajasthan has launched a training programme for the trainers, who in turn will train the "Shiksha Sahayogis" - the local teachers selected by Gram Panchayats in villages across …
Mono-pole magnetic device
A mono-pole magnetic device that reduces the level of noxious gases in exhaust fumes of vehicles has been patented by magnetizer Group Inc. of the U.S. In addition the device is claimed to improve the mileage by about 20 per cent. The launch of this device assumes importance in the …
Literacy rate records 10 p.c. jump
revised data available with the Union Human Resources development Ministry reveals a sharp improvement of 10 per cent in the literacy rate of the country from the hitherto established 52 per cent.Delivering the inaugural address at the three-day UNESCO-ACEID workshop on revitalisation of the Associated Centres of the Asia Pacific …
Pakistan scraps 2,000 NGO's
In a move to crush any voice of dissent against government policies, Pakistan has disbanded nearly 2,000 NGOs, froze their bank accounts and confiscated assets and threatened to take similar action against others, including the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan.
Literacy rate highest in Mizoram
As per the rsults of the 53rd round of the National Sample Survey Organistion(NSSO) there has been a significant increase in the literacy rates in the country. Literacy rate in 1991 was 52.2 per cent. This has gone up to 62 per cent at the end of december 1997 according …
NGOs take up decentralisation scheme
While the Central Govenment has declared 1999 as the year of the gram sabhas, non-governmental organisations(NGOs) have started a programme to bring decentralisation of powers to the villagers. A start to the campaign was made in Karnataka in March, with three networks of NGOs - the Federation of Voluntary Organisations …
Peugeot unveils clean diesel technology
French carmaker PSA Peugeot Citroen has unveiled a filter which it said virtually eliminates emissions of noxious particulates, tackling a big handicap in diesel motors in which it is a world leader.The Chairman, Mr. Jean-martin Folz, said the patented filter systems cuts down particulates to the level emitted by conventional …
Lighting up lives
Making matchboxes is almost synonymous with one of the greatest blights of modern India, child labour. No longer. A unique effort should soon free children from this hazardous job. The Park chain of hotels, along with Fair Trade of Germany and Sasha, an NGO and development marketing organisation, have teamed …
$12.5m WB loan for education in Nepal
The World Bank has announced a $12.5 million-credit for Nepal's Basic and Primary Education Programme. The ten-year programme aims at ensuring participation of communities in managing schools. It allocates resources to districts based on the needs of schools and of targetted under -served groups.
HC gives a new lease of life to panchayat raj
Can a State Government along with a compliant State Election Commission postpone elections so as to enable the Government to select a more opportune time to hold them? No, says the High Court of Karnataka. The court has declared that the Government will not be permitted to do so in …
Children living in poverty 'learn to be poor'
Children growing up in low income families may be "learning to be poor" according to two studies published. Diminished expectations of what their parents can afford leads them to scale down their hopes and aspirations. As a result, the disadvantage may well be perpetuated and passed down the generations, the …
Africa needs schools
It has been nearly a decade since representatives of 155 nations gathered at one of those self-congratulatory conferences sponsored by United Nations agencies and the World Bank promised to provide, within a decade, primary education for all children. Yet today, according to a new report from Oxfam International, roughly 125 …
