http://realheroes.com/
very interesting persons. Real salute to them !!!
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
Friday, August 19, 2011
Jan Lokpal Bill - salient features
A look at the salient features of Jan Lokpal Bill:
1. An institution called LOKPAL at the centre and LOKAYUKTA in each state will be set up
2. Like Supreme Court and Election Commission, they will be completely independent of the governments. No minister or bureaucrat will be able to influence their investigations.
3. Cases against corrupt people will not linger on for years anymore: Investigations in any case will have to be completed in one year. Trial should be completed in next one year so that the corrupt politician, officer or judge is sent to jail within two years.
4. The loss that a corrupt person caused to the government will be recovered at the time of conviction.
5. How will it help a common citizen: If any work of any citizen is not done in prescribed time in any government office, Lokpal will impose financial penalty on guilty officers, which will be given as compensation to the complainant.
6. So, you could approach Lokpal if your ration card or passport or voter card is not being made or if police is not registering your case or any other work is not being done in prescribed time. Lokpal will have to get it done in a month's time. You could also report any case of corruption to Lokpal like ration being siphoned off, poor quality roads been constructed or panchayat funds being siphoned off. Lokpal will have to complete its investigations in a year, trial will be over in next one year and the guilty will go to jail within two years.
7. But won't the government appoint corrupt and weak people as Lokpal members? That won't be possible because its members will be selected by judges, citizens and constitutional authorities and not by politicians, through a completely transparent and participatory process.
8. What if some officer in Lokpal becomes corrupt? The entire functioning of Lokpal/ Lokayukta will be completely transparent. Any complaint against any officer of Lokpal shall be investigated and the officer dismissed within two months.
9. What will happen to existing anti-corruption agencies? CVC, departmental vigilance and anti-corruption branch of CBI will be merged into Lokpal. Lokpal will have complete powers and machinery to independently investigate and prosecute any officer, judge or politician.
10. It will be the duty of the Lokpal to provide protection to those who are being victimized for raising their voice against corruption.
Read more at: http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/what-is-the-jan-lokpal-bill-why-its-important-96600&cp
1. An institution called LOKPAL at the centre and LOKAYUKTA in each state will be set up
2. Like Supreme Court and Election Commission, they will be completely independent of the governments. No minister or bureaucrat will be able to influence their investigations.
3. Cases against corrupt people will not linger on for years anymore: Investigations in any case will have to be completed in one year. Trial should be completed in next one year so that the corrupt politician, officer or judge is sent to jail within two years.
4. The loss that a corrupt person caused to the government will be recovered at the time of conviction.
5. How will it help a common citizen: If any work of any citizen is not done in prescribed time in any government office, Lokpal will impose financial penalty on guilty officers, which will be given as compensation to the complainant.
6. So, you could approach Lokpal if your ration card or passport or voter card is not being made or if police is not registering your case or any other work is not being done in prescribed time. Lokpal will have to get it done in a month's time. You could also report any case of corruption to Lokpal like ration being siphoned off, poor quality roads been constructed or panchayat funds being siphoned off. Lokpal will have to complete its investigations in a year, trial will be over in next one year and the guilty will go to jail within two years.
7. But won't the government appoint corrupt and weak people as Lokpal members? That won't be possible because its members will be selected by judges, citizens and constitutional authorities and not by politicians, through a completely transparent and participatory process.
8. What if some officer in Lokpal becomes corrupt? The entire functioning of Lokpal/ Lokayukta will be completely transparent. Any complaint against any officer of Lokpal shall be investigated and the officer dismissed within two months.
9. What will happen to existing anti-corruption agencies? CVC, departmental vigilance and anti-corruption branch of CBI will be merged into Lokpal. Lokpal will have complete powers and machinery to independently investigate and prosecute any officer, judge or politician.
10. It will be the duty of the Lokpal to provide protection to those who are being victimized for raising their voice against corruption.
Read more at: http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/what-is-the-jan-lokpal-bill-why-its-important-96600&cp
Monday, July 25, 2011
Working in Mumbai, helping in Konkan
Taken from GoodnesIndia website: http://www.goodnewsindia.com/index.php/Magazine/story/mandal-pawar/
Here are some exceprts:
Here's an example of how the meek might inherit India. Here too, is an insight into what really makes India tick, keeping hope alive amidst unrelieved chaos and selfishness. A small bunch of office clerks, typists and receptionists in Mumbai have found themselves a mission. During working hours they were viewed as rulers of ossified interiors of government offices. After work, they seemed to have no relevance.
A chance offered itself 15 years ago to shrug off their ghost like existence in the big city. They grabbed it to become people who matter, instead of people seen —if at all— as hurdles. Every year they visit the Konkan coast bearing goods and support for hundreds of schools. The rest of the year, they work to plan for that visit.
They are babus transformed into guardian angels of Ratnagiri's poor school-children. They run the Lanja Rajapur Sanghameshwar Taluka Utkarsha Mandal - 'Association for Uplift of Lanja, Rajapur and Sangameshwar Counties'.
.......
..
..
Here are some exceprts:
Here's an example of how the meek might inherit India. Here too, is an insight into what really makes India tick, keeping hope alive amidst unrelieved chaos and selfishness. A small bunch of office clerks, typists and receptionists in Mumbai have found themselves a mission. During working hours they were viewed as rulers of ossified interiors of government offices. After work, they seemed to have no relevance.
A chance offered itself 15 years ago to shrug off their ghost like existence in the big city. They grabbed it to become people who matter, instead of people seen —if at all— as hurdles. Every year they visit the Konkan coast bearing goods and support for hundreds of schools. The rest of the year, they work to plan for that visit.
They are babus transformed into guardian angels of Ratnagiri's poor school-children. They run the Lanja Rajapur Sanghameshwar Taluka Utkarsha Mandal - 'Association for Uplift of Lanja, Rajapur and Sangameshwar Counties'.
.......
..
..
Saturday, June 25, 2011
Magazine from Banglore slums
Slum Jagatthu is published by slum dwellers
You wouldn't find it on newsstands nor would you find its editorials discussed in the offices, and yet for a more than a decade, a modest monthly has been striving to represent the voice of more than a third of the city's population. Slum Jagatthu (Slum World), a 16-page black-and-white magazine, is the country's only magazine catering to the urban poor.
Started 11 years ago, the Kannada monthly has a readership of 2,000 spread over 11 districts in the State. With the slogan, “For slum dwellers, by slum dwellers,” the magazine covers issues of sex workers, pourakarmikas and slum demolitions, among others. The articles are received and edited by a six-member team in the office of the city-based NGO, Jan Sahayog, in Sampangiramanagar.
“We needed only Rs. 168 as initial funding, that is, the fee to register the magazine,” said Isaac Arul Selva, the founder. He himself is a slum dweller, living with his three children in Lakshman Rau Nagar where he grew up.
Having had education only till Class 4, he did odd-jobs till he landed in Slum Suddi, a paper funded by Jan Sahayog. When that publication closed in 2000, Selva started Slum Jagatthu.
Financial constraints from a limited readership (its cover price of Rs. 5 is out of the reach of most slum dwellers) and lack of advertising restrict the reach of the paper.
LANGUAGE OF MARKETING
When asked why he doesn't approach the burgeoning corporate industry in the city for assistance, Mr. Selva, in the manner of the best of editorial writers, points out: “They speak the language of marketing, while we speak the language of activism.” Activism is a policy they strictly adhere to.
The magazine refuses to print government ads claiming successful rehabilitation of slum dwellers in the city. “It's all lies,” he says. The State Slum Clearance and Development Board is adept only at slum clearance and not slum development; and with rehabilitation they're just plucking the slums from the city and placing them on the outskirts.
“Slum dwellers have not yet developed an (awareness) of right to property. They still think of themselves as encroachers, however long they've stayed at a place,” Mr. Selva says.
The magazine, which prescribes Ambedkarism, intends to effect a change in this attitude of slum dwellers. “Slums have gone from the hands of slumlords a decade ago to organised communities now with the youth engaged in activism. The next step will be establishing of slum leadership, that is, democratisation of the urban poor, and Slum Jagatthu is a major aspect of the process.”
The monthly, he says, works in the void left by mainstream media. “Mainstream media doesn't care for the urban poor because they find no readership there,” he says, describing their coverage as shallow. “Only the problems of the slum dwellers — the lack of water, power, and sanitation — are highlighted, without giving a second thought to why these problems exist there in the first place.”
Three years ago, the team launched a website, Janapara.org, which now houses the magazine's archives.
You wouldn't find it on newsstands nor would you find its editorials discussed in the offices, and yet for a more than a decade, a modest monthly has been striving to represent the voice of more than a third of the city's population. Slum Jagatthu (Slum World), a 16-page black-and-white magazine, is the country's only magazine catering to the urban poor.
Started 11 years ago, the Kannada monthly has a readership of 2,000 spread over 11 districts in the State. With the slogan, “For slum dwellers, by slum dwellers,” the magazine covers issues of sex workers, pourakarmikas and slum demolitions, among others. The articles are received and edited by a six-member team in the office of the city-based NGO, Jan Sahayog, in Sampangiramanagar.
“We needed only Rs. 168 as initial funding, that is, the fee to register the magazine,” said Isaac Arul Selva, the founder. He himself is a slum dweller, living with his three children in Lakshman Rau Nagar where he grew up.
Having had education only till Class 4, he did odd-jobs till he landed in Slum Suddi, a paper funded by Jan Sahayog. When that publication closed in 2000, Selva started Slum Jagatthu.
Financial constraints from a limited readership (its cover price of Rs. 5 is out of the reach of most slum dwellers) and lack of advertising restrict the reach of the paper.
LANGUAGE OF MARKETING
When asked why he doesn't approach the burgeoning corporate industry in the city for assistance, Mr. Selva, in the manner of the best of editorial writers, points out: “They speak the language of marketing, while we speak the language of activism.” Activism is a policy they strictly adhere to.
The magazine refuses to print government ads claiming successful rehabilitation of slum dwellers in the city. “It's all lies,” he says. The State Slum Clearance and Development Board is adept only at slum clearance and not slum development; and with rehabilitation they're just plucking the slums from the city and placing them on the outskirts.
“Slum dwellers have not yet developed an (awareness) of right to property. They still think of themselves as encroachers, however long they've stayed at a place,” Mr. Selva says.
The magazine, which prescribes Ambedkarism, intends to effect a change in this attitude of slum dwellers. “Slums have gone from the hands of slumlords a decade ago to organised communities now with the youth engaged in activism. The next step will be establishing of slum leadership, that is, democratisation of the urban poor, and Slum Jagatthu is a major aspect of the process.”
The monthly, he says, works in the void left by mainstream media. “Mainstream media doesn't care for the urban poor because they find no readership there,” he says, describing their coverage as shallow. “Only the problems of the slum dwellers — the lack of water, power, and sanitation — are highlighted, without giving a second thought to why these problems exist there in the first place.”
Three years ago, the team launched a website, Janapara.org, which now houses the magazine's archives.
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Jan Lokpal Bill - Update on Joint Committee Meeting on 30th May, 2011
http://news.indiaagainstcorruption.org/?p=2869
copy paste this link address into your browser window to read about update on the committee meeting on 30th May
copy paste this link address into your browser window to read about update on the committee meeting on 30th May
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Good News - Just In A Day !
Supreme Court of India has once again passed a judgement which making women and people interested in gender issues happier. It was a case of insurance compensation to a housewife. SC has ruled that compensation can not be lowered simply because she was a house wife and not earning. This great relief to hundreds of thousands of women who sacrifice, compromise or even totally let go of their professional careers and ability to earn for the sake of their children and families. Though they are doing greater valued work, they mostly end being weighed lower because they don't earn and so dont own money. Things often get worse as women get older and market value of their abilities start diminishing.
Though I dont know details of this judgement, it looks a great step forward !
******************************************************************************
Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (a political psty shrtformed MaNaSe) is known for its agenda for the local marathi folks in Mumbai and Maharashtra. MaNaSe is also known for its rowdy methods. So when I read the news "MaNaSe stops shooting of a BigB film', my first reactions was, "Oh No! one more case of sic political vandalism". But as I read the news I was in for pleasant surprise. They had searched and found that many workers in the shooting were foreign national not on working visa. So they went to police, filed a complaint and the police then went and legally stopped the work. Kudos to legitimate activism !
*********************************************************
Indian rivers are routinely polluted very much. Around the cities pollutants are mostly of individual human nature. When a person dies and cremeted, it is tradition to immerse his ash into a river. This is one cause of polluting of river. Maratha Mahasangh of Kolhpaur and adjoining towns came together and pledged to immerse only handful of ash into river and spread the rest in fields. Though I dislike cast based organization, this act must be complimented! It may also not have any significant impact on reducing pollution in that river, but its definitely a step into making people own up for pollution and involve them into improving actions.
*********************************************************
'Rahul Gandhi uses RTI to get information on some actions of Mayawati government' This is a BIG complement to RTI (Right To Information Act) that a political bigwig is using RTI. I also notice a spurt in corruption cases against politicians and beurocrats. Such cases can built up only on the basis of internal information and data, which would have been almost impossible to get before RTI times. Now ALL govermnet, semi-government, public data, information, records, sanctioning is easily avialble to anybody and everybody with simple RTI Application.
Thannk you Anna Hazare, Shailesh gandhi, Arvind kejriwal and many others who have worked very hard to get a powerful RTI Act in place and have contiued the work to get people educated and empoweed with RTI !
Though I dont know details of this judgement, it looks a great step forward !
******************************************************************************
Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (a political psty shrtformed MaNaSe) is known for its agenda for the local marathi folks in Mumbai and Maharashtra. MaNaSe is also known for its rowdy methods. So when I read the news "MaNaSe stops shooting of a BigB film', my first reactions was, "Oh No! one more case of sic political vandalism". But as I read the news I was in for pleasant surprise. They had searched and found that many workers in the shooting were foreign national not on working visa. So they went to police, filed a complaint and the police then went and legally stopped the work. Kudos to legitimate activism !
*********************************************************
Indian rivers are routinely polluted very much. Around the cities pollutants are mostly of individual human nature. When a person dies and cremeted, it is tradition to immerse his ash into a river. This is one cause of polluting of river. Maratha Mahasangh of Kolhpaur and adjoining towns came together and pledged to immerse only handful of ash into river and spread the rest in fields. Though I dislike cast based organization, this act must be complimented! It may also not have any significant impact on reducing pollution in that river, but its definitely a step into making people own up for pollution and involve them into improving actions.
*********************************************************
'Rahul Gandhi uses RTI to get information on some actions of Mayawati government' This is a BIG complement to RTI (Right To Information Act) that a political bigwig is using RTI. I also notice a spurt in corruption cases against politicians and beurocrats. Such cases can built up only on the basis of internal information and data, which would have been almost impossible to get before RTI times. Now ALL govermnet, semi-government, public data, information, records, sanctioning is easily avialble to anybody and everybody with simple RTI Application.
Thannk you Anna Hazare, Shailesh gandhi, Arvind kejriwal and many others who have worked very hard to get a powerful RTI Act in place and have contiued the work to get people educated and empoweed with RTI !
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