Saturday, July 31, 2010

Re: [ZESTCaste] The Dalit evangelists

 

JAIBHIM

I AM BHUPALAN, AN AMBEDKARITE, DESERTED HINDUISM, EMBRACED BUDDHISM, GAZETTE PUBLISHED WITH MY CHILDRENS.I LIKE TO JOIN WITH DHRM.
--- On Sun, 6/20/10, Siddhartha Kumar <mailsiddhartha.k@gmail.com> wrote:

> From: Siddhartha Kumar <mailsiddhartha.k@gmail.com>
> Subject: [ZESTCaste] The Dalit evangelists
> To: "zestcaste" <zestcaste@yahoogroups.com>
> Date: Sunday, June 20, 2010, 6:08 PM
> http://www.indianexpress.com/news/The-Dalit-evangelists/636003
>
> The Dalit evangelists
>
> Shaju Philip Posted online: Sun Jun 20 2010, 00:16 hrs

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[ZESTCaste] Now, caste wars over mid-day meal in UP

 

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/lucknow/Now-caste-wars-over-mid-day-meal-in-UP/articleshow/6239047.cms

Now, caste wars over mid-day meal in UP

Manjari Mishra, TNN, Jul 31, 2010, 01.03am IST

LUCKNOW: Caste war in UP seems to be assuming different dimensions,
proves recent spate of mid-day meal boycott in UP government schools.
The two major incidents at Sonbhadra and Kannauj which led to a lunch
hour rebellion in more than a dozen schools over a month, were
triggered off by a power-play between Dalits and backwards while the
`savarnas' -- in minuscule minority -- were relegated to the role of
fringe players.

Investigation carried out by a three-member team from Ambedkar
Mahasabha has thrown up quite a few surprises. On June 20, the
government school in Ghosra Sonbhadra hit headlines after its students
refused to partake lunch prepared by a Dalit cook. Ghosra, the team
discovered, was a hamlet with a predominant Kharvar, a Scheduled
Tribe, population. There are 70 Kharvar households as against 40
houses belonging to the Chamars.

The break up, says general secretary of AMS Veena Maurya, was Chero
(SC) 25, Turia (SC) two, Gond (ST) eight, Agaria (ST) 10 families. The
village has only one Baniya and five Yadav families, Maurya said.

The trouble began when the Kharvar kids refused to touch the lunch
cooked by Prabhawati, a Chamar by caste. In retaliation, the Chamar
group in the school decided to boycott the meal Phoolwati, the Kharwar
cook, had prepared, says Maurya. She squarely blamed the parents for
polluting the impressionable minds by transferring their age-old
prejudices.

Sub-casters within SCs and STs also have their own hierarchy system,
says police officer turned social activist Darapuri. So the Pasi or
Chamar community will not have any social ties with Valmikis, Khatiks
will maintain a distance with Chamars. Unless this issue is sorted out
within the SC and ST segment, the larger issue of unteachability and
exploitation cannot be tacked, he said.

For instance, in Bhadurpur Manjhganva in Kannauj, food cooked by a
Valmiki woman led to public violence when Dhobis, the dominant
community, laid a siege to the school. Similarly, in neighbouring
Haribhanpur headmaster BS Kushwaha, who shared a meal cooked by a
Valmiki to set an example before his students, became an outcaste in
Chamar/Pasi dominated village. Even in the affected belt of Auraiyya,
Kanpur Dehat, Mahoba, etc., the caste equation is more or less
similar.

Incidentally, till three years ago SC/ST cooks were more of exception.
A survey by Right to Food Committee in 2007 detailed that out of the
216 schools they examined, the ratio of SC/ST and Muslim cooks was
17%, 3% and 1%, respectively. Rest of the 79% work force hailed from
upper castes. Even then MDM strikes were pretty common.

Former chairperson of UP SC/ST Commission Shriram Arun suggests
community fine and stringent action against guilty to end the menace.
This could serve as effective deterrent and put an end to the evil, he
adds.

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[ZESTCaste] 5-year-old raped: bandh in Mumbai Dalit colony

http://hindu.com/2010/07/30/stories/2010073063081500.htm

National

5-year-old raped: bandh in Mumbai Dalit colony

Staff Reporter

Mumbai: Residents of Ramabai Nagar, a Dalit colony in suburban
Ghatkopar, observed a bandh on Thursday in protest against the rape of
a minor girl.

Ritesh Kumar, Additional Commissioner of Police, told The Hindu that
there was no untoward incident. He said the accused, who lived
opposite the girl's house, was a minor himself.

A case of rape has been registered and the boy, under arrest, has been
sent to a remand home.

Mr. Kumar said the girl belonged to a Scheduled Caste. Asked if the
police had invoked provisions of the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled
Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, he said, "It is a matter of
investigation."

Chintaman Gangurde, a resident and Republican Party of India (RPI)
member, said the five-year-old victim, whose father was a labourer,
was recuperating in a civic hospital. The colony has been branded a
sensitive area ever since the massacre of Dalits by a police officer
in 1997.

Police bandobust was maintained at Ramabai Nagar throughout the day.


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[ZESTCaste] A powerful literary testimony to the angst, suffering and attempted rebellion of a dalit community in Punjab…

http://www.thehindu.com/arts/books/article541961.ece

In search of form
Mridula Garg

books and literature

A powerful literary testimony to the angst, suffering and attempted
rebellion of a dalit community in Punjab…

Before I review Changiya Rukh (Against the Night), I must record my
strong objection to the semantic quibble asserting that caste is not
on par with race; or else, I lose the right to review this or any
dalit work. Caste-based discrimination is one of the worst forms of
racism because it is practised against one's own countrymen. Like
race, it is determined by birth and does not end with death but passes
from generation to generation. In theory, it is possible to escape
caste (unlike race) by changing one's religion but in practice, we
know, caste follows us into whichever religion we convert to.

At first sight, Balbir Madhopuri's Changiya Rukh is a dalit
autobiography like many others with all the ingredients that shock and
shame non-dalit Indians; or ought to. The unimaginable, horrific
struggle for the barest minimum of survival and the daily
brutalisation of human instincts are etched as is the incomprehensible
capacity of people to survive, escape the tentacles of caste
repression and become people of consequence.

In the words of Madopuri himself:

Many a time

I'm dwarfed

Like a tree cut at the top

Over whom passes the power line

I get pruned out of season

When in passing

Someone is curious to know what my caste is.

Sensitive portrayal

Changiya Rukh is a powerful testimony to the suffering, angst and
attempt at rebellion of the dalit community of chamars in Punjab but
it is something more. It is this something, which makes it significant
as a literary work. It is a lively chronicle of a host of people, each
significant and memorable, not as a representative of a caste in one
part of the country but as an individual.

There is the sensitive boy, planting a mango sapling, acquired with
great labour, in his mud hut to have it roughly snatched by his father
(Bhaiya), telling him not to ape upper-caste Jats. "My heat wilted
like the plant. A storm had blown away the flowers of my desire. Even
so, I thought we too should have a tree in our courtyard, so the
sparrows, doves, and parrots may come to perch and bicker on the
branches." I heard the future poet in the little child as I read the
lines and my heart wilted too.

He is too small to understand the meaning of caste or of defilement,
for which he is taunted, abused, beaten, and denied basic human needs.
But he has no option but to understand quickly or suffer more
humiliation.

There is the dalit grandmother, Daadi Haro who, by sheer force of
personality and an acrid tongue, holds her own against everyone. "If a
Jat woman (or any other woman) passed near her without wishing her,
she would say loudly, "Wonder which arrogant bitch just passed by."
Daadi's authority is unchallenged. One day, Taro Tai (who belonged to
a Jat family) and Chachi Chinni are on the swing … when Daadi sees
them, no one knows what happened but she shouts, "'Is this the only
work left for these wanton women? They are not bothered about their
husbands… Loose women! Bad ones!' The swing stopped… the onlookers
slunk away."

Still around

There is the rebellious Phumman, who tells a Jat landlord, "Threaten
someone else; those days are gone when all of us bowed and scraped
before you. Think before you speak or else I'll pluck your beard."
Alas, 'those days' are not really gone, as Madopuri realises when he
becomes an assistant editor in the city. "It seemed to me that the
curse of caste had permeated our society and there was no indication
of its dying out soon. Then it suddenly occurred to me that the Muhay
formula may be the most effective method of establishing social
equality." The Muhay formula is no different from the Phumman formula,
deliver a sharp slap, termed a 'humanist slap on the face of
casteism', by the writer. Muhay gave a Punjabi poet a resounding slap,
when he kept taunting him about his caste, saying, after retirement,
he could sit under the Neem tree and polish shoes.

Seeds of hope

The oppressed and hapless father, Bhaiya, too declares time and again
in the chamarli of the village, "No one has the time to listen to our
plea that this caste system was not ordained by god, but has been made
by man for his own selfish motives." Though his ranting and railing
serves no purpose and he often ends up thrashing his sons, his
rejection is heartening. As is his instilling a yearning in Madhopuri
to study and escape the drudgery of his birth and help others do it
too, through political action. The mother, bua, and other women are
more down to earth. They accept their so-called fatebut find ways of
dealing with it with courage, determination, even benevolence. They
somehow manage to retain their person-hood and deal with life as women
and mothers do, anywhere, anytime. There are innumerable minor
characters who, transcending the caste-stereotypes, show their human
face, to make the writer title a chapter as 'an oasis in a desert'.

As I read this personal saga full of brutality and pathos, I could not
help wish that Balbir Madhopuri had used the powerful yet intensely
humane material, gleaned from personal experience, to weave a novel
rather than an autobiography. It would have given him the freedom to
edit and prune the repetitive and sometimes inane details. It is a
paradox of human psychology that fictionalising facts does not reduce
but increases their credibility and poignancy. A well-honed novel has
a greater impact as a chronicle of truth than a recital of unedited
events. I could see a vibrant and unique novel straining to get out of
the pages of this autobiography. The fact that I finally read it as a
novel is a tribute to the literary sensibility of the writer and the
compassionate participation of the translator Tripti Jain.

Changiya Rukh, Against the Night: An autobiography, Balbir Madhopuri,
translated from Punjabi by Tripti Jain, OUP, 2010, p.215, Rs. 395.


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[ZESTCaste] Standing tall

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/Standing-tall/654004

Standing tall
Rohan Swamy

Posted online: Mon Jul 12 2010, 00:04 hrs

For 84-year-old Prabhakar Joshi, it was Dr Ambedkar's will to work
against all odds that inspired him to pen the leader's biography in
Sanskrit
His unassuming modest appearance and a constant smile on his face are
an instant ice breaker. And when the octogenarian begins to talk about
his tryst with writing a book on Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar, one cannot
help but admire the sheer grit of a man who would give youngsters less
than half his age plenty of things to think about. For 84-year-old
Prabhakar Joshi, a Sanskrit scholar, the entire ordeal of losing his
eye-sight is nothing compared to the feat he achieved-of completing
the 160-page biography of Dr Ambedkar — the first one ever to be
written in Sanskrit.

Titled Bhimyanam, the book comprises 21 Sargas (chapters) and deals
with all important aspects of Dr Ambedkar's life. "It would be
incorrect to call this book just a biography," says Joshi, adding,
"The book is written in the form of a Maha-kavya, or as we call them
in English, an epic, on the lines of the Ramayana or the Mahabharata.
It is written in Sanskrit to pay tribute to Dr Ambedkar, whose love
for the language virtually knew no bounds."

Joshi, who began working on the book in 2005, says that he was
partially able to read back then when he started his research. "I
began by reading biographies that were penned down by other authors to
get an idea of the person that Dr Ambedkar was, and as I began reading
more and more about him, I realised he was one of the few leaders in
the country who never ever got what was rightfully due to him all his
life. And despite enormous odds he continued to do what was right.
That was something that kept me going even when I lost my eyesight and
began writing my book in 2006," he says.

About writing the book Joshi says it was something that he couldn't
have achieved without the help of his wife Aruna and his student
Madhusudhan Joshi. He says, "There were times when I would just write
down what I had to on sheets of paper, not knowing that I was
overlapping lines or even that there was no ink in the pen. And when I
would discover the same later on, it would be a tough task to
recompose the entire passages for the story but then with their aid I
eventually did it."

He also says that not many people knew that it was Dr Ambedkar's
father Ramji's desire to see him learn Sanskrit. And that it was
against insurmountable odds that Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar actually managed
to do so. "He did it even when he was refused the right to learn the
subject at the Elphinstone High School as he was a Dalit. Back then,
Sanskrit was strictly the privilege of the higher castes," he adds.

Joshi, who was a teacher at Fergusson College and also a guide at the
Pune University for Sanskrit students, says that Dr Ambedkar was a
staunch believer that Sanskrit should be the national language of the
country. He says, "Once when the issue came up for debate in the
parliament, one of the members asked him a question in Sanskrit to
question his love for the language but Dr Ambedkar promptly replied
back in the same language. It just goes to show how good his command
over the language was and how humble he was."

Giving a further glimpse of the literary genius of Dr Ambedkar, Joshi
says, " When Dr Ambedkar went to America to pursue his higher studies
he would study for long hours in the library. His efforts can be
gauged from the fact that while he studied for three years in the US,
he managed to work on four PhD level papers, of which three were
published. And this was something that most PhD level students would
usually do in seven to eight years. It just shows how deep his love
for accumulating knowledge was, and also gives us an insight into his
analytical mind."

Bhimayanam, as Joshi says, contains many such little insights about
the personality that Dr Ambedkar was. "More importantly, the book is a
source of inspiration for even students as after reading the book they
can actually see for themselves, how when someone has an unquenchable
thirst for knowledge they can go on to achieve even the impossible,"
he elaborates. The book has been published under the 'Sharada Gaurav
Granthamala' series by Pandit Vasant Gadgil after six years of
dedicated work by Joshi, who is also a recipient of Maharashtra
government's Mahakavi Kalidas award. While the state governor is
expected to formally launch the book soon, Joshi says his work is far
from being over. "On the anvil are two projects — the first being a
Marathi translation of this book with the original Sanskrit chapters
retained in it so that people can relate to it better, and the second
is a biographical sketch of Swami Vivekananda, which will be written
in Sanskrit," he says.


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Friday, July 30, 2010

[ZESTCaste] 'Bankrupt caste politics led to ban on Shivaji book'

 

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/opinion/edit-page/Bankrupt-caste-politics-led-to-ban-on-Shivaji-book/articleshow/6233551.cms

Q&A

'Bankrupt caste politics led to ban on Shivaji book'

Jyoti Punwani, TNN, Jul 30, 2010, 07.28pm IST

Bookshops are afraid to stock James Laine's Shivaj i: Hindu King in
Islamic India, even after the Supreme Court struck down the
Maharashtra government's ban on it. Film-maker Anand Patwardhan, one
of three petitioners who challenged the ban, speaks to Jyoti Punwani :

What prompted you to challenge the ban?

Ambedkar gave us a Constitution. It is up to us to protect its spirit.
Whether it is Ambedkar's Riddles in Hinduism or works by Taslima
Nasreen, we must not allow bullies to dictate what we read. I would
oppose a ban even on books i abhor, like those by Golwalkar and Godse.
The real inspiration and the legal hard work, however, came from human
rights lawyer P A Sebastian. We have won many court battles against
the censorship of my documentaries. In each case, the courts upheld my
right to freedom of expression and the public's right to information.
Naturally when we heard about a book banned under pressure from
right-wing groups, we intervened.

Shivaji is revered in Maharashtra. Didn't you anticipate an adverse reaction?

Bankrupt caste politics led to the ban. An academic book on Shivaji
would have remained largely unnoticed. But our politicians have many
economic crimes to hide and identity politics is a convenient public
diversion. An emotive rumour that Laine had questioned Shivaji's
paternity spread, since no one had actually read the book. A research
institute was attacked, historical manuscripts destroyed, then the
publishers were attacked and books burned. The government, dominated
by the same caste forces that rampaged in the street, banned the book.

Those opposing the judgement have made it a Maratha Vs Brahmin issue.

No one reads the book so the entire opposition to it is based on
hearsay. Incidentally, all the petitioners come from different castes,
Dalit, Maratha, Brahmin, though each of us categorically rejects the
caste system. In fact, the claim that Laine's book is a "Brahmin"
conspiracy against the "Maratha" Shivaji is so hollow, it could not be
articulated even by those who fought for a ban in court. They could
only argue that it would cause enmity between those who admire Shivaji
and those who don't.

When the court asked "Who does not admire Shivaji?" there was no
answer. The attempt to reduce Shivaji's greatness to his paternity
reveals a desire for sacrosanct bloodlines (Vaunsha and Kula). The
very concept of "purity" comes from patriarchal upper castes that had
to establish their long lineage to mythical forefathers. So some
Marathas proudly claim "Shahannau Kula" (96 forefathers) and some
Brahmins maintain immaculate family trees.

Laine himself has no caste axe to grind. He compares texts written in
Shivaji's lifetime where the Brahmin Ramdas is hardly mentioned, with
those written in the Brahminical Peshwa period where Ramdas gains
prominence as Shivaji's guru, to texts inspired by the Varkari
movement, those written by Mahatma Phule, by the British, each with
their distinct motivations. He paints a complex picture of 17th
century Maharashtra where cross-religious alliances were the norm.

This complexity is anathema to those who want to use Shivaji as a
symbol of Hindutva or who appropriate him as a caste hero. This is not
only an injustice to Shivaji, but also to historical and scientific
enquiry. Laine's anatomy of a legend is not the last word on Shivaji.
Nor must it be a word that is forbidden.

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[ZESTCaste] Maya has sided with feudal forces: CPI

 

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/lucknow/Maya-has-sided-with-feudal-forces-CPI/articleshow/6234662.cms

Maya has sided with feudal forces: CPI

TNN, Jul 30, 2010, 12.38am IST

LUCKNOW: Accusing chief minister Mayawati of buckling under the feudal
forces, the CPI has reacted sharply to the the state government move
to reserve for scheduled castes the cooks slot under the mid day meal
scheme.

The move will only embolden the class which still practices
untouchability, said CPI state secretary Girish while talking to media
on Thursday. While on one hand Mayawati has been promising stringent
action against the "Manuwadis", who distinguish people on the basis of
caste and creed, by abolishing the facility she has exposed her
indifference to the dalit cause, he said.

Daits are suffering under the rule by the dalit diva, he charged.
Scholarships and facilities meant for dalit students are not reaching
them and dalit women are being targeted for exploitation, he said,
adding: the BSP government with eyes firmly on consolidating its votes
bank is turning a blind eye to the development. The leader demanded
the government to provide justice to the affected class keeping its
populist policies aside.

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[ZESTCaste] 5-year-old raped: bandh in Mumbai Dalit colony

http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article540711.ece

Mumbai, July 30, 2010
5-year-old raped: bandh in Mumbai Dalit colony
Staff Reporter

Residents of Ramabai Nagar, a Dalit colony in suburban Ghatkopar,
observed a bandh on Thursday in protest against the rape of a minor
girl.

Ritesh Kumar, Additional Commissioner of Police, told The Hindu that
there was no untoward incident. He said the accused, who lived
opposite the girl's house, was a minor himself.

A case of rape has been registered and the boy, under arrest, has been
sent to a remand home.

Mr. Kumar said the girl belonged to a Scheduled Caste. Asked if the
police had invoked provisions of the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled
Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, he said, "It is a matter of
investigation."

Chintaman Gangurde, a resident and Republican Party of India (RPI)
member, said the five-year-old victim, whose father was a labourer,
was recuperating in a civic hospital. The colony has been branded a
sensitive area ever since the massacre of Dalits by a police officer
in 1997.

Police bandobust was maintained at Ramabai Nagar throughout the day.


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[ZESTCaste] From the fringes

http://www.hindu.com/2010/07/27/stories/2010072759750300.htm

From the fringes
DEEPA GANESH

Janamanadata's Ooru Keri, based on one of the most influential Dalit
autobiographies in Kannada, was lively and charming

Siddalingiah's autobiography "Ooru Keri" brings to mind yet another
Dalit autobiography, Marathi writer Lakshman Gaikwad's "Uchalya". Both
these works recount the trauma and suffering not only of an individual
but also of the whole community. Their narratives open up the
underbelly of the society; they bring the world of the poor and
underprivileged living on the fringes of the society to centre stage.
However, there is a vast difference in the tone that these two writers
adopt to construct their worlds: Siddalingiah is understated and
couches anger and angst in humour, in Gaikwad it is pronounced. What
drives Siddalingaih's composed voice? As the late culture critic D.R.
Nagaraj put it, it must be "the voice of the creative writer."

Interestingly, the theatre group Janamanadata, which had staged
"Uchalya" years ago, now staged Siddalingiah's "Ooru Keri" at Ranga
Shankara recently. With a team of competent actors, the production was
lively and charming. The play directed by M. Ganesh, a drama teacher
at the Ninasam theatre institute, was a fairly convincing stage
version of the autobiography. Retaining the first person narrative of
the autobiography, the protagonist was performed by all the actors of
the team in turns – making it the story of everyone who shared
Siddalingiah's time and space. Many episodes that get a mere mention
in his autobiography acquire fascinating visuals in the course of the
play.

The sets were minimalist and the backdrop which was a patch of black
and white was evocative. Truth, in all its bareness, transcends
compartments of black and white. The presentation was poignant in
episodes that defy typecasting. For instance, both Siddalingiah's
teachers, Nagappachar and Andalamma, were benevolent and refuse to fit
into upper class stereotypes. Also, the story of Siddalingiah's uncle,
who was well versed with Lakshmisha's "Jaimini Bharatha" which again
breaks our notions of the unlettered Dalit. Particularly moving is
Siddalingiah's grandfather who was moved by Gandhi's speech and turned
a teetotaller, a vow that he kept all his life.

The play kept the emotions of each phase intact: from the joy and
surprise of childhood to the more reflective adulthood. In this
journey there is also a sharp departure from the community to the
individual. In that it moves from a small canvas where personal and
public spaces merge to a larger one which begins to locate the self in
society. The narrative of the play is sensitive to the demands of the
text throughout. However, the play doesn't escape the danger of an
autobiography adapted to a stage performance. It changes the tone of
the narrative. Siddalingiah maintains a low mimetic, muted expression
in the text, but in the play his voice acquires a self-indulgent tone.
Siddalingiah subverts moments of deep anguish into clownery, but they
become coarse in the production — particularly when Gaddar is invoked.

Music by Swamy Gamanahalli was exceptionally good, capturing all the
native nuances. The performance by each of the actors was extremely
proficient.

Janamanadata's intervention is important. It not only keeps the
tradition of interaction between literature and other forms of
cultural expression alive, but also re-examines these texts and the
forces that shaped them. Questions emerge: what political and social
ideologies would shape a Dalit autobiography of today? Have the
marginalised gained in dimension?


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[ZESTCaste] Ramabai Nagar tense after rape of minor Dalit girl

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/ramabai-nagar-tense-after-rape-of-minor-dalit-girl/653641/

Ramabai Nagar tense after rape of minor Dalit girl

Express News Service Posted online: Fri Jul 30 2010, 00:54 hrs
Mumbai : Tension gripped Ramabai Ambedkar Nagar slum in Pant Nagar,
Ghatkopar (E), after residents called a bandh in protest against the
rape of a minor Dalit girl in the area. While a 15-year-old was
arrested on charges of rape and sent to Dongri Children's Home on
Wednesday morning, the police had to impose a bandobast as a
precautionary measure.
The police said the incident took place on July 24 when the accused,
who is from outside the community, took the girl out. The two were
neighbours and knew each other. "He took her to a transit camp area
within the slum and allegedly raped her. After she returned home, she
complained of pain and her mother took her to a doctor who confirmed
rape," said deputy commissioner of police, zone 7, Sanjay Shintre.

"The parents were hesitant to lodge a complaint, fearing humiliation
as the accused was their neighbour's son. However, with the support of
local activists, they finally lodged a complaint with the Pant Nagar
police on Wednesday, and the accused was arrested from his house,"
said Shintre.

"Some of the groups called a bandh on Wednesday night. The police
imposed bandobast in the area. Though the shops in the area remained
closed on Thursday morning, the situation was normal," said Shintre.

A senior police inspector with five police inspectors and 90 personnel
were deployed besides homeguards, three patrolling mobile vans and a
SRPF and Delta platoon each.


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Thursday, July 29, 2010

[ZESTCaste] 07/29/10 BSP MPs’ delegation meets PM, requests him to sanction Rs. 80,000 crore special economic package and 06 coal linkage blocks on priority basis to remove regional imbalances-Delegation of BSP MPs meets PM-Kapil Sibal’s comments regarding implementation of RTE irresponsible-UP Government allocated highest amount for basic education sector all over the country-Centre should make arrangements to remove social and regional imbalances without any discrimination-Central Government should immediately release Rs. 2000 crore earmarked for scholarship of OBC students-Approve 15 lakh Indira Avas annually during 11th Five Year Plan-Don’t discriminate against states for establishing Dalhan evam Tilhan Gram Sthapana Yojana-Amount to be provided to villages selected under Pradhan Mantri Adharsh Gram Yojana inadequate-Adopt policy of allocating 75 per cent power to states instead of Gadgil formula-C.M. enquires about the health of journalist and gunner injured in Allahabad incident and wishes for their speedy recovery-C.M. announces Rs. 5 lakh financial assistance to dependents of Vijay Pratap Singh-Recruitment process for 1413 vacant posts of jail guards in jail department should be started immediately-C.M. reviews the works of jail department

07/29/10 BSP MPs' delegation meets PM, requests him to sanction Rs. 80,000 crore special economic package and 06 coal linkage blocks on priority basis to remove regional imbalances-Delegation of BSP MPs meets PM-Kapil Sibal's comments regarding implementation of RTE irresponsible-UP Government allocated highest amount for basic education sector all over the country-Centre should make arrangements to remove social and regional imbalances without any discrimination-Central Government should immediately release Rs. 2000 crore earmarked for scholarship of OBC students-Approve 15 lakh Indira Avas annually during 11th Five Year Plan-Don't discriminate against states for establishing Dalhan evam Tilhan Gram Sthapana Yojana-Amount to be provided to villages selected under Pradhan Mantri Adharsh Gram Yojana inadequate-Adopt policy of allocating 75 per cent power to states instead of Gadgil formula-C.M. enquires about the health of journalist and gunner injured in Allahabad incident and wishes for their speedy recovery-C.M. announces Rs. 5 lakh financial assistance to dependents of Vijay Pratap Singh-Recruitment process for 1413 vacant posts of jail guards in jail department should be started immediately-C.M. reviews the works of jail department
Filed under: General
Posted by: @ 8:21 am

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati attending
 a function on her birthday on January 15 in Lucknow. Photo: Subir Roy
  

Press Information Bureau

Information and Public Relations Department, U.P.

BSP MPs

' delegation meets PM, requests him to sanction Rs. 80,000 crore special economic package and 06 coal linkage blocks on priority basis to remove regional imbalances

Lucknow : 28 July 2010

On the directives of the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Ms. Mayawati

a delegation of BSP M.P.s met the Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh

today and requested him to sanction special economic package of Rs.

80,000 crore and also allocate 06 coal blocks at the earliest.

Ms. Mayawati said that she had discussed state

's development at a

recently concluded meeting with all the MPs held at her official

residence on July 20, in which she had directed all the MPs to meet PM

and other Union Ministers, so that projects pending at the Centre for

approval could be cleared at the earliest. In this light, the delegation

requested the PM to sanction Rs. 80,000 crore special economic

package demanded by the UP Chief Minister Ms. Mayawati at the

earliest to remove the regional imbalances. The MPs informed the PM

that the Central Government had not taken any constructive initiative so

far in this regard. They said that the Rs. 3506 crore drought relief

package sanctioned for the Bundelkhand region was very little

considering the geographical conditions of the region.

The delegation apprised the PM that the UP Government had

requested the Ministry of Coal, Government of India to sanction coal

linkages for thermal power plants to be set up at Etah, Sonbhadra,

Lalitpur and Yamuna Express Way Authority Area. Besides, they also

requested that 06 coal blocks should be allocated for UP considering the

proposed increase in the power generation capacity of the State.

The delegation apprised the Prime Minister that owing to the

shortage of coal, the existing power plants could not use their full

capacity. They said that the Centre should change its policy and

decrease the linkages allocated for coastal States and it should provide

requisite coal as per the linkage to the States like UP. The MPs said that

the power projects based on imported coal should be set up in coastal

areas and if the cost of the imported coal was higher, then the Centre

should compensate the loss of these States.

The Prime Minister lent a patient hearing to the delegation and

assured that full help would be extended for sanctioning Rs. 80,000

crore economic package and allotment of coal linkage blocks.

******

Delegation of BSP MPs meets PM

Lucknow : 28 July 2010

On the directives of the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Ms. Mayawati,

a delegation of BSP M.P.s, met the Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh

at Sansad Bhawan New Delhi today and requested him to take personal

interest for setting up of Taj International Airport (T.I.A.) being

established by UP Government at Jewar in Greater Noida and sanction it

at the earliest. The MPs said the Government of India (GOI) should

promptly approve the TIA near Greater Noida to enable rapid

development of infrastructure facilities and creation of better avenues

for direct and indirect employment in the State.

Ms. Mayawati had discussed state

's development at a meeting with

all the MPs held at her official residence on July 20, in which she had

directed all the MPs to meet the PM and other Union Ministers, so that

projects pending at the Centre for approval could be cleared at the

earliest. They had done the same thing during the previous session as

well. She said that even though these projects had not been cleared so

far despite that meeting. Yet, the MPs should meet the Prime Minister

and request him to give Centre

's approval for TIA, allocation of six coal

blocks and sanctioning of Rs. 80,000 crore special economic package for

the rapid development of the State.

The delegation apprised the PM that TIA

's approval from GOI had

been pending about last 07 years. The technical approval had been

accorded by the Ministry of Civil Aviation, GOI on 09 April 2009 to

establish an International Airport near Jewar at a distance of 72 kms.

from IGI Airport.

The delegation further apprised the PM that only one condition was

imposed while taking approval of Central Government

's Cabinet that in

case of establishing another International Airport within radius of 150

kms.,

'Right of First Refusal' (ROFR) and 10 per cent Price Preference

shall have to be given to Delhi International Airport Ltd. (DIAL), the

promoter of IGI Airport. Same provision was also made by the GOI,

while entering into the State Support Agreement (SSA) with DIAL.

Government of UP has already consented on this condition in May 2007.

While according sanction on TIA by the Central Cabinet, Government of

UP was also asked to participate in the SPV to be made for the

development of TIA. The State Government made it clear that Yamuna

Expressway Authority shall be the nodal agency for TIA project and will

also represent the State Government and participate in the said SPV.

The delegation apprised PM that the Government of UP has

already complied in the year 2007 with the conditions imposed by the

GOI for sanctioning of International Airport. Therefore, sanction for Taj

International Airport be accorded by GOI without any delay. The

delegation pointed out that the Air traffic of Delhi Airport can no longer

be handled by IGI Airport only, so it had become imperative that

another International Airport at Jewar near Greater Noida be sanctioned

immediately for Delhi. Only after sanction of the TIA, the air traffic

congestion of Delhi can be reduced by the 2015-16.

The delegation apprised PM that during the last three years growth

of air traffic has been far more than it was estimated, and any person

using IGI Airport had to face the traffic congestion of Delhi Airport. A

study report of traffic projection was sent to GOI by Government of UP

in the year 2007, according to which air traffic of IGI Airport was

estimated to be more than 100 million by the year 2016. Same is the

traffic projection of Airport Authority of India. Expert study says that on

development of Taj International Airport, the air traffic of NCR shall be

161 million by the year 2021, in which the share of Delhi Airport will be

136 million, which was far more than the designed capacity of 100

million fixed for DIAL. Air traffic of TIA is projected to be 25 million by

the year 2021.

The PM was apprised by the delegation that it was unnecessary to

talk about trigger point or traffic-study for establishing TIA. There was

no such mention of any trigger point or traffic-study while giving initial

technical clearance to the Government of UP in 2003. Attorney General

of GOI has specifically opined that DIAL

's bid condition/agreement does

not create any legal impediment in sanctioning of International airport

at Greater NOIDA.

'Post-Bid-Benefit' should not be passed on to DIAL.

Otherwise also, a big post-bid-benefit has already been given to DIAL,

in terms of

'Airport Development Tax'. Now, even raising the issue of

'

Trigger' is the same as passing on post-bid-benefit to DIAL.

The delegation apprised PM that the delay in sanction of TIA is, on

one hand, unnecessary delaying mitigation of traffic congestion and, on

the other hand, overlooking the interest of UP by impeding the efforts of

the State Government to rapidly develop the infrastructure facilities.

The delegation apprised PM that all the major cities in the world

such as New York, Washington, London, etc. had more than one airport.

These cities had concept of satellite airport to avoid traffic congestion.

TIA would be a second such airport for NCR. This airport would be

important for cargo in view of its location within the proposed Delhi

Mumbai Industrial Investment Corridor and Delhi-Mumbai Freight

Corridor. This would provide multi modal connectivity facility which

would not only contribute to the all-round development of the State but

also of the country.

The delegation apprised PM that upon the repeated request of

GOI, the project consultants appointed by the State Government were

asked to prepare a supplementary TEFR in association with DIAL. Here

it is to be pointed out that DIAL being an interested party, its

association in the activity would involve a conflict of interest. The

Government of UP provided the supplementary TEFR to GOI vide letter

dated 16 June 2010. According to the report, the revised traffic

assessment makes only marginal changes in the immediate future

where the projected traffic would be lower than that presented in the

earlier report submitted in January 2008. The traffic scenario in the long

term perspective does not show any appreciable change.

The delegation apprised PM that to quote the figures, the

passenger traffic at Delhi with TIA in the year 2021 would be 155

million, in which the fraction of DIAL

's traffic would be 127 million which

would be again much more than the designed maximum capacity of 100

million. In the year 2016 and 2021, the TIA traffic is projected to be 11

million and 28 million respectively. Thus, both airports were expected to

grow on the basis of their own markets. The Taj Airport traffic would

increase essentially due to additional traffic on account of transit traffic,

higher economic development in its vicinity and major activities in the

catchment area. Therefore, there would be enough traffic for Taj

International Airport from 2016 and there would be no adverse effect on

the traffic of IGI International Airport.

The delegation apprised PM that it was worth mentioning that GOI

has accorded approvals within a radius of 150 kms. of existing airports

namely Mopa airport which is 65 kms. away from Goa Airport; Kannur

Airport which is 80 kms. away from Callicut Airport and125 kms. from

Mangalore Airport and a Cargo Airport (Virat Nagar) which is 63 Kms.

away from Jaipur Airport. In addition to this, Navi-Mumbai Airport,

which is 35 kms. away from Mumbai Airport has also been accorded

approval. The case of Mumbai Airport and Navi-Mumbai Airport and

Delhi Airport and International Airport at Jewar is exactly similar

wherein both the existing airports have been given on lease to private

companies.

The Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh heard the delegation

seriously and said that the Group of Ministers (GoM) had been studying

the matter and assured the delegation that their points would be

considered seriously. Besides, he also assured that the demand of Rs.

80,000 crore special economic package and allocation of coal linkage

blocks would also be considered seriously.

*******

Kapil Sibal

's comments regarding implementation of RTE irresponsible

UP Government allocated highest amount for basic education sector all over the country

Lucknow : 26 July 2010

The Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Ms. Mayawati has termed Union

Human Resources Development Minister Mr. Kapil Sibal

's comments

regarding the implementation of Right to Education (RTE) Act in UP as

irresponsible and misleading. She said that the Congress led UPA

Government formulated new laws from time to time just to mislead people,

but when the time of their implementation came it just shied away from its

responsibilities and put entire onus on the State Governments. She said that

this was not happening for the first time. She said that the UPA Government

formulated laws and legislations in the name of development, but it never

did its homework before their implementation. She said that the Centre

shoved its half cooked programmes on the State Governments to take their

political mileage. Owing to it, the State Governments were facing difficulty

and RTE Act was a good example of it.

The Chief Minister said that the task force constituted for the judicial

impact assessment in the light of the Hon

'ble Supreme Court's directive had

clearly recommended that if the Central Government formulated any Act on

the subject included in the Union list and in the Concurrent list, then the

Central Government should bear the full cost required for the

implementation of the Act. Since, education is included in the concurrent list,

therefore the Union Government should not pass on financial burden of the

implementation of RTE Act on the State Governments.

Ms. Mayawati said that the State Government had been according top

priority to education especially the basic education. She said that the budget

for basic education was being increased continuously if compared to previous

year. She said that Rs. 8613 crore had been allocated for basic education in

the year 2007-08, Rs. 9700 crore were earmarked for the same head during

the year 2008-09 and Rs. 12412 crore had been allocated under the same

head during the year 2009-2010. She said that keeping in view the

implementation of RTE Act, a provision of Rs. 15175 crore had been made

for the year 2010-11 for basic education. It was 10 per cent of the total

budget of the State, she said . These facts indicated that our government,

despite heavy odds and limited resources, had decided to spend 10 per cent

of the total budget on basic education, she added. She said that if the said

central assistance was compared, then it would be clear that the Central

Government had been misleading people regarding the RTE Act and it was

trying to ignore the efforts of the State Government regarding the

implementation of the RTE Act. She said that Mr. Kapil Sibal should have

checked out facts before airing his views on the issue.

The Chief Minister said that the State Government had requested to

the Central Government from time to time regarding all the circumstances,

affecting the proper implementation of the RTE Act. In this regard, she had

written letter to the Prime Minister to sanction an additional amount of Rs.

22868 crore in the first three years for the proper implementation of RTE

Act. But, it was unfortunate that Mr. Sibal, instead of making arrangements

to provide the requisite amount needed for the implementation of RTE Act,

had been making cheap comments. It was clear that the Central

Government did not intend to make education available to one and all

according to the provisions of the RTE Act. It was just taking political

mileage through this Act, she pointed out.

The Chief Minister said that U.P. was not the only state to ask

additional funds for implementing RTE. She said that states like West

Bengal, M.P., Karnataka, Punjab had expressed their inability to bear the

financial burden needed for its implementation. Likewise, Chhatisgarh, Orrisa

and Congress ruled Andhra Pradesh Government had also asked for

additional funds for implementing this Act. She questioned whether Mr. Sibal

had toured these states and given similar statement against these

Governments. She said that it was clear that the Congress-led Central

Government, which is out of power from the State since last 20 years, had

adopted a negligent and partisan attitude against Uttar Pradesh. It is evident

from the fact that during the last three years, since BSP Government came

to power in the State, the Central Government had not released central

share of Rs. 17492 crore, payable to the State Government, thus hampering

the development works. She said that Mr. Sibal should not shift the

responsibility for failure of the Central Government, but should sincerely

think about implementation of RTE Act and should arrange funds for all the

State Governments according to their demand.

Terming the statement of Mr. Sibal regarding construction of

memorials, museums, statutes and parks in honour of the Saints, Gurus and

Great men of SC/ST and backward classes as very unfortunate, she said that

the people were well aware of the reality that the fund spent on the

construction of these monuments in the last three years was less then one

per cent of the budget. She asked why, Mr. Sibal does not remember

hundreds of memorials, museums, statutes and parks constructed in the

name of Gandhi-Nehru family and billons of rupees were being spent every

year on their maintenance. She said that the stupendous amount of public

money spent on the construction of memorials of Gandhi-Nehru family, can

very well be ascertained from this fact. Therefore, Mr. Sibal

's comments

regarding the memorials constructed in the memory of great-men born in

SC/ST and OBC sections were uncalled for and very cheap.

———–

Centre should make arrangements to remove social and regional imbalances without any discrimination

Central Government should immediately release Rs. 2000 crore earmarked for scholarship of OBC students

Approve 15 lakh Indira Avas annually during 11

th Five Year Plan

Don

't discriminate against states for establishing Dalhan evam Tilhan Gram Sthapana Yojana

Amount to be provided to villages selected under Pradhan Mantri Adharsh Gram Yojana inadequate

Adopt policy of allocating 75 per cent power to states instead of Gadgil formula

Lucknow : 24 July 2010

The Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Ms. Mayawati, during a meeting

of the National Development Council (NDC) presided over by the Prime

Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and held at New Delhi today, said that

the Central Government should come forward to bring the poor and

exploited people back to the mainstream of development and also

remove the regional imbalances. She demanded from the Centre to

sanction various projects pending with it. She further demanded that

the Centre should also release various amounts payable to the State

under different heads. She expressed the hope that the Central

Government would extend all possible cooperation to the Uttar

Pradesh.

The meeting of the NDC had been called to review the situation

arising out of the midterm appraisal of the 11

th Five Year Plan and also

to review various important points. The U.P. Parliamentary Minister Mr.

Lalji Verma represented the Chief Minister at the meeting and

presented her statement. She said that the midterm appraisal pointed

out that the backward states and all the sections of the society were

not getting equal opportunities. To provide equal opportunities to all

the sections of the society and to ensure their progress and prosperity,

action should be taken by putting aside political jealousy.

Expressing gratitude towards the Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan

Singh for holding such an important meeting, the Chief Minister said

that all of us should give serious thought to give development a new

direction on the basis of midterm appraisal. She said that during the

11

th Five Year Plan the concept of faster and inclusive growth had been

conceived so that all round development of all the sections and regions

of the state could be ensured.

The Chief Minister said that special mention of global meltdown,

drought etc, had been made in the midterm appraisal. Allocation of

necessary resources needed for the development works of Uttar

Pradesh had been given top priority. Owing to it, the growth rate of

the state stood at 7.9 per cent during 2007-08 and 7.2 per cent during

the year 2008-09, even though the conditions were adverse. But, the

ever rising inflation had made life difficult for the poor people. She said

that keeping economic condition of the poor, the Central Government

should make proper arrangements to provide relief to them.

The C.M. said that the Centre had kept the BPL list of 2002

intact so far and it was adversely affecting the poor families. She said

that the U.P. Government had requested the Centre several times to

include such families in the list. But, any action in this regard was still

awaited. The Uttar Pradesh Government, with an objective to improve

the economic condition of such poor families, had decided to

implement UP Mukhya Mantri Mahamaya Gharib Arthik Madad Yojana

through its own limited resources. As many as 30 lakh families would

be benefited by this scheme during the first phase.

The Chief Minister said that the midterm appraisal pointed that

the share of the Central assistance, being provided to the States, had

been dwindling gradually. She said that the banks should prepare their

schemes to accelerate the disbursal of loans. They should also

cooperate in the implementation of the schemes being conducted by

the State Government.

The C.M. said that the removal of regional imbalances should be

given top priority. She said that the imbalances present between the

states and within the State would have far-reaching ramifications. She

said that Rs. 80,000 crore special economic package had been

demanded from the Centre to remove imbalances, but the Centre had

not taken any step in this regard. She said that a drought relief

package of Rs. 3506 crore had been sanctioned for Bundelkhand

region, which was very little amount considering the geographical

conditions of this area.

The C.M. said that despite high growth rate, the condition of

poor and farmers was precarious. The farmers were not getting

remunerative prices of their produce, she pointed out. The agriculture

growth rate, fixed for the 11

th Five Year Plan for the entire country,

was lagging way behind. There were immense possibilities of

development of agriculture in the country and the Centre should come

forward to translate them into reality.

The Chief Minister said that her Government had accorded top

priority to the development of agriculture. The farmers were being

provided 90 per cent subsidy on gypsum and zinc sulphate for land

reclamation to encourage organic farming and bio fertilizer. She said

that there was a need to increase the limit of subsidy payable on

hybrid paddy varieties from Rs. 40 to Rs. 100 or 50 per cent of the

cost. She said that any differentiation between the development of

agriculture of various states cannot be accepted. She said that under

the Dalhan evam Tilhan Gram Sthapana Yojana, only 5400 villages

had been selected in Uttar Pradesh, while 10200 villages had been

selected in Maharashtra for this scheme. She demanded from the

Centre to take at least 5 projects as national irrigation projects to

meet the challenges of a large state like Uttar Pradesh.

Expressing her views on MNREGA, the C.M. said that this scheme

should not be confined to merely providing employment of 100 days

only. She said that the problem of unemployment cannot be solved

without providing permanent source of employment to the people. She

said that it was being emphasised to arm panchayats with all the

power, so that they could be made self-reliant. She said that an

amount of Rs. 10 lakh per village, being provided under the Pradhan

Mantri Adarsh Gram Yojana, was inadequate. Emphasising the need to

accelerate the pace of development in the naxal affected areas, she

demanded from the Government of India that Sonbhadra, Mirzapur

and Chandauli should also be included in the list of 33 districts affected

by naxalism.

Underlining the important role of power, roads and transport for

the development of infrastructure facilities of the state, the Chief

Minister said that the Central Government should extend its

cooperation in this regard. She said that efforts were being made to

set up about 5000 MW new projects during the 11

th Five Year Plan and

25000 MW new projects between 12

th Five Year Plan. She requested

the Ministry of Coal to sanction coal linkages for thermal power plants

to be set up in Etah, Sonbhadra, Lalitpur and Yamuna Expressway

Authority Area. She emphasised that the policy of allocating 75 per

cent power to the States should be adopted instead of the Gadgil

Formula.

The C.M. said that all the villages/majras having a population of

1000 or above had been linked under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak

Yojna. She said that the scheme to link villages/majras having a

population of 500 or above was not being sanctioned on the pretext

that the scheme to link villages/majras having a population of 1000

and above was not still fully implemented in other states. On the other

hand, electrification of majras was not being sanctioned under the

Rajiv Gandhi Gramin Vidyutikaran Yojna, while the electrification of all

the majras of other states had been completed. She said that the

Centre should bear 90 per cent cost under the Right to Education Act.

She demanded that Rs. 22868 crore should be provided to UP for the

development of education infrastructure in the short span of three

years. Welcoming Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan, she said that

UP was being discriminated under this scheme. She said that there

was a need to amend this scheme.

The C.M. requested that all the beneficiaries of the widow

pension and disabled pension scheme should also be covered under

National Social Assistance Scheme like the beneficiaries of old age

pension. Besides, she also emphasised that Central assistance should

be provided, so that the students of the pre-10

th could also be

provided scholarship like the post-10

th students. She said that central

assistance for the ICDS program should be made 100 per cent as

earlier. She said that the SC should also be given right to get forest

land like the STs under the Forest Rights Act.

The Chief Minister also demanded 90 per cent subsidy on the

projects of those areas which were often hit by drought, besides the

DPAP declared development blocks. Terming the amount of Rs. 57

crore allocated for 27 districts of eastern U.P. for the green revolution

project as inadequate, she said that at least Rs. 10 crore should be

provided for each district. She emphasised that the limit of refinancing

for NABARD set for providing loan facility to the farmers under the

cooperative sector, should be raised from the existing 40 per cent to

75 per cent. She also requested the Centre to sanction 15 lakh houses

per year annually under the Indira Avas Scheme for the 11

th Five Year

Plan.

The C.M. requested that Rs. 9700 crore should be sanctioned for

projects for the electrification of 1.37 lakh majras and Rs. 5962 crore

should be sanctioned for projects proposed under PMGSY.

The Chief Minister demanded that the International Airport and

Aviation Hub Project proposed to be set up at Jewar should be given

agreement in principle. Besides, the airport, being set up at

Kushinagar on PPP basis, should be given NOC at the earliest. Besides,

she also demanded that Rs. 2000 crore amount for the scholarship of

the OBC students should be released immediately. Besides, one-time

additional central assistance of Rs. 83.31 crore should be released for

Aganbari centres. She also demanded 50 per cent increase in the basic

structure of the courts and to provide 50 per cent of the estimated

expenditure of Rs. 772 crore for the new building of Lucknow Bench.

The C.M. also demanded special encouragement for the states to

upgrade the arms and ammunition of the police force and to provide

them latest equipment. The Chief Secretary Mr. Atul Kumar Gupta,

Infrastructure Development Commissioner and Principal Secretary

Finance Mr. Anoop Mishra and Principal Secretary Planning Mr. Manjeet

Singh participated in the meeting on behalf of the State Government.

———–

C.M. enquires about the health of journalist and gunner injured in Allahabad incident and wishes for their speedy recovery

Lucknow : July 20, 2010

The Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Ms. Mayawati enquired

about the health and well-being of Indian Express Correspondent

of Allahabad Mr. Vijay Pratap Singh and Mr. Sanjay Singh,

gunner of Institutional Finance, Stamp and Court Fee Minister of

U.P. and wished for their speedy recovery. It may be recalled

that they became injured in the bomb blast incident of Allahabad

on July 12 last.

The Chief Minister was informed that according to her

directives, Mr. Vijay Pratap Singh was admitted to Jeevan Jyoti

Hospital and all the necessary arrangements were ensured for his

proper treatment. After the improvement in the condition of Mr.

Singh, he was shifted to a Delhi hospital for his further

treatment, where his condition was improving.

The Chief Minister has directed the Resident Commissioner,

Delhi to enquire about the health of Mr. Singh personally in

regular manner.

The treatment of the gunner, Mr. Sanjay Singh is going on

in SGPGI, who became seriously injured in this incident. The

Chief Minister has also wished for his speedy recovery. Ms.

Mayawati said that she is with the family of Mr. Singh during this

hour of crisis.

******

C.M. announces Rs. 5 lakh financial assistance to dependents of Vijay Pratap Singh

Lucknow: 21 July 2010

The Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Ms. Mayawati has

announced Rs. 5 lakh as financial assistance to the

dependents of Mr. Vijay Pratap Singh who became

seriously injured in bomb blast incident of Allahabad on

July 12 last and died yesterday night.

It may be recalled that the treatment of Mr. Singh

was going on in Army Hospital at New Delhi, where he

died yesterday night.

*******

Recruitment process for 1413 vacant posts of jail guards in jail department should be started immediately

C.M. reviews the works of jail department

Lucknow: 22 July 2010

The Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Ms. Mayawati has directed the

officers to take necessary steps immediately for strengthening the

security system of jails. She has also directed that vacant posts of

1413 jail guards should be filled by completing the process of

recruitment soon with full transparency and impartiality. Besides, she

also directed that the jail department should remain free from the

Government's transfer policy.

The Chief Minister was reviewing the works of jail

administration department in a high-level meeting at her official

residence here today. She directed that the height of old jails' main

boundary wall and circle wall should be extended up to 22 feet and

18 feet respectively as an immediate step to strengthen the security

system. She directed the officers to complete the works of 10 jails

under construction soon.

The Chief Minister has also directed the officers for 10 per cent

increase in the account of food expenditure. She said that effective

action should be taken in the cases of releasing the convicts before

the scheduled time period. She has also sanctioned the posts of 848

personnel as per needs of present jails and recruitment of 3000 home

guards in jails.

The C.M. has directed the officers to set-up the separate jail for

each district as a long term step, besides establishing five additional

central jails. She directed that the facilities of camera, CCTV,

electronic surveillance with control room should be provided for

improving the security system of jails. She also directed that sewer

and sewer treatment plant facility should be developed at every jail.

She directed the officers to issue necessary orders to ensure the

strict implementation of directives issued during the review meeting.

********