Page 145 - Social Issues
Numbers of voters in T'gana up by 15 lakh since assembly polls
The total number of voters in Telangana as on January 1 this year stands at over 2.95 crore, an increase of more than 15 lakh since the December 7 assembly elections. The number of voters as on January 1, 2019 was 2,95,18,964, including 1,48,42,619 male voters and 1,46,74,977 female voters, officials said. The total number of voters was about 2.8 crore in the December 7 assembly elections. During the revision of electoral rolls as on January 1, a total of 26,23,853 claims and objections had been received, they said. The eligible voters have been enrolled after due verification, they said. Special camps would be organised on March 2 and 3 for enrolment of left out eligible voters, they said.
Haryana man detained by police for shouting slogans at Srinagar's Lal Chowk
A man from Haryana, claiming to be an activist of the Akali Dal, was Saturday taken into preventive custody by police at Lal Chowk here as he was shouting slogans. Deepak Sharma was taken into custody near the iconic Clock Tower at Lal Chowk in the early hours as he was shouting slogans like 'Bharat Mata ki jai', a police official said. He said Sharma was taken into custody for his own safety and to maintain law and order. "Sharma claimed to be affiliated with the Akali Dal. He also said that he wanted to hoist the national flag atop the Ghanta Ghar (clock tower)," the official said. The Kashmir valley is tense after the government ordered a swoop on separatists and Jamaat-e-Islami Jammu Kashmir cadres on Friday night. So far, over 150 persons have been detained, including JKLF chairman Mohammad Yasin Malik and chief of Jamaat Abdul Hamid Fayaz.
Seven minor girls flee from govt-funded shelter home
Seven minor girls escaped from a government-funded shelter home in Mokama here in the early hours of Saturday after cutting a window grill, an official said. The government-funded shelter home in question is run by Nazrath hospital society, he said. "Seven girls escaped from the shelter home located at Mokama between 3 am and 3:30 am today. They were under treatment for their violent behaviour," Social Welfare Department Director Raj Kumar told PTI. Kumar, who was on way to the shelter home, said he was not in a position to tell as to exactly how the girls fled and the reason for their fleeing would be investigated. About reports that five of the seven girls had been brought from the Muzaffarpur shelter home which used to be run by an NGO of Brajesh Thakur, the prime accused in the alleged rape and sexual abuse of 34 the minor inmates there, Kumar said, "I don't know exactly... I will be in a position to say anything on this after reaching the spot (shelter home).
Maharashtra govt sets up transgender welfare board
The Maharashtra government has formed a Transgender Welfare Board to provide formal education, employment opportunities, conduct health programmes and give legal help to the community. Maharashtra Social Justice Minister Rajkumar Badole recently held a meeting in Mantralaya for the setting up of the transgender welfare board, officials said. Badole said transgenders are neglected in society and there were misunderstandings pertaining to the community among people. "Hence, they are are discriminated against. This keeps the community away from the development process. The state government has accepted guardianship of this community and we will protect their rights," Badole said. "We have set up the transgender welfare board which will take effective measures for the upliftment of the community and allow them to live with respect in society," he said. He said the TWB will give members of the community identity cards which will help them obtain education, adding that they ..
Trump sets up abortion obstacles, barring clinic referrals
The Trump administration on Friday set up new obstacles for women seeking abortions, barring taxpayer-funded family planning clinics from making abortion referrals. The new policy is certain to be challenged in court. The final rule released Friday by the Health and Human Services Department also would prohibit federally funded family planning clinics from being housed in the same locations as abortion providers, and require stricter financial separation. Clinic staff would still be permitted to discuss abortion with clients, along with other options. However, that would no longer be required. The move is the latest in a series of Trump administration efforts to remake government policy on reproductive health. The American Medical Association warned it could have an impact far beyond abortion, potentially affecting access to health care services now provided to low-income women by the clinics, including birth control, cancer screenings, and testing and treatment for sexually ...
OBCs to hold march on first day of Maha session on Feb 25
Members of Other Backward Class (OBC) communities from Maharashtra will organise a march here on the first day of the state legislature session on Monday for "safeguarding" their existing quota. The organisers of the protest are also opposing any probable move on part of the state government to induct Marathas into the OBC category. The OBC VJNT Sangharsh Samiti has decided to take out the 'Elgaar Morcha' from Byculla in south Mumbai to Azad Maidan, on Monday, Samiti convener Chandrakant Bavkar announced Friday. He said representatives of over 250 castes under the OBC category along with members of 58 Vimukta Jati (denotified tribes) and Nomadic Tribes (VJNT) castes will join the protest. The committee is demanding scrapping of the 16 per cent quota granted to Marathas by the state government last year. Their other demands include nullifying the report of the Maharashtra State Backward Classes Commission (MSBCC) which was the basis for granting quota to Marathas under a
Maharashtra: 2 held in possession of illegal firewood
Two individuals were arrested and a truck carrying illegal firewood was seized by a special patrolling team here on Friday.The two persons arrested have been identified as Janu Padu Kolekar and Santosh Dhondu Patkaro, both natives of Dodamarg. As per a police note, the vehicle bearing registration number MH-07-P-0131 was loaded with illegal firewood on Friday morning to be taken from Dodamarg to Goa.There has been a rise in illegal firewood transportation in the recent past along the Maharashtra border, which was recently declared as an Eco Sensitive Area of Western Ghats. Despite a ban on felling of trees, several vehicles intrude into Goa with illegal firewood.
Odisha govt approves scheme to provide free sanitary napkins to school girls
Odisha Cabinet on Friday gave its approval to 28 proposals including the "Khushi Yojana" under which 17.25 lakh school girls from Class VI to XII will be provided sanitary napkins free of cost.The scheme will be applicable to girls studying in government and government-aided schools.To implement this scheme, the state government will spend Rs 466 crore over five years.Speaking to media after the cabinet meeting, Chief Secretary Aditya Padhi said this initiative will help to improve health, hygiene, attendance and academic performance in schools. All Kendriya Vidyalaya and Jawaharlal Navodaya Vidyalaya located in Odisha will be covered under the scheme which will be spearheaded by the Department of Health and Family in coordination with the department of school and mass education, scheduled tribe and scheduled caste development, minorities and backward classes development and social security and empowerment of persons with disabilities.The other proposals approved by the state cabinet .
R. Kelly indicted for 'aggravated criminal sexual abuse'
Singer R. Kelly was charged with ten counts of 'aggravated criminal sexual abuse', local media said on Friday (local time).The R&B artist is likely to turn himself in shortly, TMZ reported.Earlier this month, a sex tape surfaced showing the singer-songwriter having intercourse with an underage girl. CNN obtained the videotape through celebrity attorney Michael Avenatti, who is representing a man he refers to as a "whistleblower" against Kelly."My client knows the identity of the girl and R. Kelly. He identified the two of them on the videotape. He worked for and has known R. Kelly for decades and he met the girl on a number of occasions," Avenatti said.Last week, Avenatti had tweeted a statement saying that he was retained by "multiple clients in connection with allegations of sexual assault of minors" by Kelly.In a statement cited by Variety, Kelly's lawyer Steve Greenberg said: "HAPPY VALENTINES DAY … The calls and emails I received were the first I've heard of these ...
US aims at keeping Syrian refugees in Lebanon: Hezbollah
Hezbollah's Deputy Leader Sheikh Naim Qassem on Friday said that the US does not want Syrian refugees to return to their homeland in a bid to give an impression that Syria will never be stable again, media reported.'
Cong govt in MP starts implementation of loan waiver scheme
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath Friday launched a campaign to transfer agriculture loan amount of farmers waived under a scheme. The loan waiver scheme, which fulfils a promise made in the Congress's 'Vachan Patra' (manifesto) released ahead of the November assembly polls, will benefit 50 lakh farmers and cost the exchequer Rs 40,000 crore, he said. "The government was formed just two months back. We will not wait for five years to prove ourselves for the trust the people of the state have reposed in us. "We will develop the state day and night," Nath said after launching the campaign from Namli town in the district. Under the "Jai Kisan Fasal Rin Mafi Yojna," farm loans up to Rs 2 lakh of 50 lakh farmers will be waived and the scheme will cost the exchequer about Rs 40,000 crore, he said. In Ratlam, loans of 40,000 farmers amounting to Rs 134 crore are being written-off, the chief minister said. Nath said the other major challenge before the government is to ...
A march for dignity: sexual violence survivors rise for their rights
For 34-year-old Varsha (name changed), a rape survivor from Ujjain Madhya Pradesh, 'Dignity March' was not a mere event, it was a movement she believed, which voiced her demand to live with dignity.
Only Kejriwal capable of taking on Modi: AAP
Aam Aadmi Party MP Sanjay Singh on Friday said Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is the only leader in Delhi who is capable of taking on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the entire Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Odisha cabinet approves 'Khushi' to provide free sanitary napkins
The Odisha cabinet on Friday approved Khushi scheme to provide free sanitary napkins to school girls across the state.
Odisha approves Rs 466 crore sanitary napkin scheme for girls
Odisha government Friday approved a Rs 466 crore Khusi scheme aimed at improving menstrual hygiene among adolescent girl students in the state. A proposal in this regard was approved at the Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik. "The state cabinet approved the scheme Khusi with an outlay of Rs 466.08 crore over a period of five years," Chief Secretary A P Padhi told reporters. Under the scheme, free sanitary napkins will be provided to 17.25 lakh adolescent girl students of Class-VI to XII studying in government and non-government aided schools of the state. The Kendriya Vidyalayas and Jawaharlal Navodaya Vidyalayas will also be covered under the scheme, Padhi said adding that each girl student will be provided with 18 beltless sanitary napkins per month. The scheme also aimed at reduction in the pocket expenditure of the parents towards health care of the girls, reduction in the dropout rate among girls, improved attendance in schools and increase in .
75 Rohingya Muslims arrested in Assam since 2009: Himanta
Blaming the agitation over Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2016 in Assam for the rise in anti-India activities, state Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday said that 75 Rohingya Muslims have been arrested in Assam since 2009, and that a network of sympathisers has come up in the state for the Rohingiyas.
Spurious liquor laws made more stringent in Uttarakhand
The Uttarakhand Assembly on Friday passed a bill to enact stringent laws in the wake of the recent hooch tragedy that left dozens of people dead.
Systematic effort on to push Rohingyas into Assam: Himanta
Senior Assam minister Himanta Biswa Sarma Friday claimed that a systematic effort is on to push Rohingya Muslims into the state by some vested interests and the recent protests against the Citizenship Bill have aided it. Police have arrested 75 Rohingya Muslims recently and most of them were picked up from Hojai, Lumding, Cachar and Karimganj districts, the state finance minister said. Karimganj alone accounted for 30 such arrests in the last one month, he said here. These districts have witnessed demographic change in the past few decades and this could be an effort to further change the demographic pattern of the state, Sarma claimed. "Certain organisations are making concerted efforts to push Rohingya Muslims into Assam and a network has developed to raise donations for them," the BJP leader told reporters. The agitation against the Citizenship Bill has also helped those organisations in their efforts, the minister asserted. The Bill seeks to provide citizenship to minorities of ...
Take steps to end attacks on Kashmiris: SC
The Supreme Court on Friday directed the Chief Secretaries and Directors General of Police (DGPs) in states and union territories to take prompt action to prevent threats, assault, intimidation and boycott targeted at Kashmiris, especially students, in the wake of the February 14 Pulwama terror attack.
Centre withdraws notification giving more powers to Assam Rifles
The Union Home Ministry on Friday withdrew a notification giving sweeping powers to Assam Rifles to conduct searches without a warrant and take people into custody in the non-Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) areas.