Saraswati Namastubhyam

Varade Kamarupini

Vidyarambam Karishyami

Siddhir Bhavatu Me Sada

Saraswatyei Mahamaye Vidye Kamalalochane

Padma Patram Vishalakshi Vidyam Dehi

Namastute.


Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Rs 42,000 cr to be invested to produce oil from coal

PNS | Bhubaneswar

Another Rs 42,000 crore would be invested in the State to make oil from coal and German-based technology would be used for this purpose. The plant would be known as Coal to Liquid (CTL) project and be set up by Jindal Steel and Power Limited (JSPL). “Besides Tata, JSPL would also produce oil and other ingredients from the coal,” said Secretary, Steel and Mines Ashok Dalwai.

After briefing about the project to the Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik at the State Secretariat about the proposed project on Monday, JSPL chief Naveen Jindal said the company would rope in German-based company Lurgee to provide the technical support. As per the plan, the project would come up near Durgapur in Angul in an area of 5,550 acre of lands. Out of it, 413 are forest lands, 1677 government lands, 3863 acre private lands. Only 300 families would be rehabilitated.

As per the plan out of the proposed Rs 42,000 crore, Rs 30,000 crore would be utilised in CTL project, Rs 2,000 crore in coal mining washing and Rs 10,000 crore would be utilised for 2,000 mw power plants. The plant would be of immense help to the country because of volatile oil prices in the market and imported oil prices. Nearly 32,000 people would get both direct and indirect employment because of this company.

The project would be completed in nine years. “It is a huge project,” said Naveen Jindal. Meanwhile, the State Government has allotted Ramachandi Coal Block near Talcher. The proposed plant would procure water from Mahanadi.

Besides the CTL project, Jindal also discussed about its ongoing steel project. They have a plan to expand it from the existing 6.5 MTP to 12 MTP. “The captive power plant would start producing power from September,” he said.

Sunday, March 21, 2010

Health infrastructure in Orissa woefully lacking

New Indian Express,Bhubaneswar,23.03.2010

Even as Orissa continues to struggle with high infant and maternal mortality rates, the latest evaluation report of the National Rural Health Mission has revealed the failures of the State health apparatus.



Beset with a high MMR of 303, the State has to ensure earnest implementation of Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY). But the report revealed that though the number of institutional deliveries under JSY has increased substantially to reach 3.09 lakh in 2008-09, the State is yet to gear up the facilities to meet the load. It has got only 39 primary health centres (PHCs) to work 24x7 so far against the target of 1282 PHCs by 2010.


Only 38 facilities have been operationalised as First Referral Units (FRUs) as against the target of 254 by the year 2010.


Unicef in its State of Children report - 2009 has blamed the lack of FRUs for high MMR in Orissa as haemorrhage after delivery has been identified as the major cause of high maternal mortality in Orissa. Blood storage units are woefully lacking, finds the report.


Skill-based training is moving at a snail’s pace as only 22 doctors have been trained in life saving anaesthesia skills (LSAS) and 24 in comprehensive emergency obstetric care (EmOC) so far against the target of 254. Only 856 Staff Nurses/ANMs/ LHVs have been trained while the target was 6388 by the year 2010.



The report has emphasised the need of ensuring proper supervision of the quality parameters like partograph, skills on delivery and newborn care along with availability of drugs, etc. Given that 68 percent pregnant women in Orissa are anaemic, the State Health department has been able to hold only 20 percent (1 lakh out of 5 lakh) of planned Village Health and Nutrition Days (VHNDs) in 2008-09.


Neonatal Mortality Rate (NMR) - infant deaths within four weeks of life per 1000 live births - in Orissa is 49 and accounts for 69 per cent of the IMR and the early NMR (infant deaths within one week of life per 1000 live births) is 37 accounting for 76 percent of the NMR. The report lamented the fact that there was only one new born care unit in the State when it has the highest neo-natal mortality rate in the country.


The findings also indicate that care-seeking for children with acute respiratory infection here declined from 67.8 to 63.4 percent and only 22 percent of families are aware of the symptoms. Further, only 16 districts out of 30 have implemented the Integrated Management of Neonatal and Childhood Illness (IMNCI) so far.

Friday, March 19, 2010

CFTRI,Mysore and MSSRF,Chennai, in initiative to reduce chronic hunger in KBK regions of Orissa by 2015.

Source: The Hindu,19.03.2010,Mysore:

The Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI) here, in association with the M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF), Chennai, and other organisations, have launched an initiative to end chronic hunger in the Kalahandi-Bolangir-Koraput (KBK) regions of Orissa by 2015.

The initiative is part of an integrated approach to achieve Millennium Development Goal-1 in hunger hotspots and reducing hunger by at least 50 per cent by 2015. Other institutions that are part of the initiative include the National Institute of Nutrition, Orissa University of Agriculture and Technology, Foundation for Agrarian Service , World Food Programme and the Government of Orissa. This was disclosed by eminent agricultural scientist M.S. Swaminathan here on Thursday while delivering a special talk on “A Nutrition Secure India: Role of the Proposed Food Security Act” in the first of the CFTRI diamond jubilee lecture series.

Dr. Swaminathan said the objective of the initiative was to develop technologies for specific foods suitable for the people of the KBK region, and to provide them with food that is ready-to-eat and ready-to-cook and to meet both the macro and micro nutrients. He said the CFTRI, Mysore, would play a major role in the initiative.

Benchmark survey

Dr. Swaminathan said the FAS was currently doing a benchmark survey and the initiative is expected to reduce hunger by half in one of the chronic hunger hotspots of India. This method can also be replicated in other such areas, said Dr. Swaminathan.

IIT Bhubaneswar plans to set up Marine campus somewhere near the coastline of Orissa , may be known as Centre of Climate Change

Source: The Hindu, 19.03.2010 , Bhubaneswar

Indian Institute of Technology, Bhubaneswar, has proposed to have a marine campus as part of its upcoming school of Earth, Ocean and Environment Science. “We propose to set up a school on Earth, Ocean and Environment science. As part of the school, we propose to set up a marine campus somewhere near the coastline of Orissa,” said IIT Bhubaneswar director Madhusudan Chakraborty here on Thursday.

Professor Chakraborty said, “we want this marine campus to focus on research and application-oriented technology development in key areas related to changed climate, sea level rise, extreme weather events, changing ecosystem, fishery development and wildlife, air quality and pollution, water shortage, human health and hydrological cycles.”

The marine campus could be known as centre of climate change, said IIT Bhubaneswar Director. University of Massachusetts, Dart Mouth and University of California, Santa Cruz are likely to be roped in for the proposed school.

The proposed school of IIT-Bhubaneswar might go for faculty and student exchange programmes with University of Massachusetts, Dart Mouth which is said to have such marine campus.

“We have just given a proposal to Orissa government. It is under consideration of the government. I have already constituted an academic advisory committee to work out details of the school,” Prof Chakraborty said.

IIT Bhubaneswar Director said the school assumed significance since Orissa had witnessed disasters like cyclone, flood, extreme weather events and rise in sea level for years now.

Pointing out the upcoming school would an inter-disciplinary one, he said subjects propose to be covered are geology, geophysics, oceanic sciences, atmospheric sciences, marine science, climate change, disaster mitigation and management. To begin with, the school will have 30 to 40 students.

Although the proposal was at very nascent stage, sources said students could shuttle between Bhubaneswar and marine campus.

IIT admissions

Main campus of IIT Bhubaneswar is coming up on land measuring around 1000 acres near Jatni, on the outskirts of capital city. IIT Bhubaneswar has established five schools, which encompass a number of disciplines. At present 234 students have taken admission in the IIT Bhubaneswar.

Prof. Chakraborty said besides Earth, Ocean and Environmental Science, IIT-Bhubaneswar would be having three new schools such as School of Mineral, Metallurgy and Material Engineering, School of Chemical Sciences and School of Designing and Creative Arts. The schools are likely to come up by 2011.

Thursday, March 18, 2010

Orissa eyes Tidal Power ! First Tidal Power Plant in Orissa at Kendrapara !

Source : PTI

If things go the right way, Orissa's first attempt to harness tidal power for generating electricity would be in the form of a 1,236 MW plant along the creeks in Mahakalpada in Kendrapara district in the Mahanadi deltaic region.

SPI Ports Limited, a private limited company, has already carried out a feasibility study and documented a detailed project report for the proposed tidal power plant, Kendrapara district collector Sisirkanta Panda said.

The officials of SPI Ports Limited, which is in the race for an integrated port at Barunei in Rajnagar tehsil of the district, held talks with the district administration.

"The proposed power project will require 600 acre of land. There is availability of required government land in Mahakalpada tehsil. We are locating patches of land that will suit the requirements of the project", Panda said.

Tidal power, also called tidal energy, is a form of hydropower that converts the energy of tides into electricity or other useful forms of power. Although not yet widely used, tidal power has potential for future electricity generation.

Tides are more predictable than wind energy and solar power, according to experts.

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Solar Power Plants In Orissa !

Source : Alternative-Energy-News.INFO - Solar News (03 January 2010)

The renewable energy sector in the Indian state of Orissa is likely to get a boost with many private entrepreneurs showing interest to set up solar power units in the state. The state level technical committee (STC), headed by the secretary, science and technology (S&T) department of the Orissa government, has cleared three solar power projects with an aggregate generating capacity of 19 Mw. This will take the total solar power capacity in the state to 54 Mw. STC had earlier approved proposals with an aggregate production capacity of 35 Mw.

The proposals include 5 Mw power plant of RSB Energy Pvt Ltd in Sundergarh district and Enzen Global Solutionss 5 Mw solar power plant in Khurda district.

Similarly, Lanco Solars 5 Mw solar plant in Cuttack district, Sunark Solars 5 Mw power plant in Puri district and Kolkata based SREI Infrastructures 5 Mw solar power plant in Bolangir district were given the green signal.

The state government had approved Moserbaer Pvt Ltds 5 Mw grid interactive solar photo voltaic project and Sahara Indias 5 Mw solar power plant in the state in the first phase. The STC had also approved eight bio-mass based power projects earlier. It has recently cleared two more bio-mass projects with a combined generation capacity of 39 Mw. This will take the envisaged capacity in the bio-mass sector to 129 Mw.

The state government hopes to get 20 Mw of power from the first bio-mass based power plant in the state by June-July next year. The power is likely to be available from a rice husk based power plant being set up by Shali Vahana Green Energy Ltd at Nimidha village in Dhenkanal district.

The five bio-mass based power project developers, who have deposited the security money aggregating Rs 2.75 crore, are likely to sign the implementation agreement with the Orissa Renewable Energy Development Agency (OREDA) soon. They are Satya Bio-Power Industry Ltd planning to set up a 10 Mw plant in Ganjam, A V N Power Projects setting up a 10 Mw power plant in Kalahandi district and Prasad Bio-Energy planning a 10 Mw unit in Raygada.

While Jay Laxmi Bio-Energy Ltd intends to set up a 10 Mw unit in Nayagarh, another plant of similar capacity is proposed by Andhavarapu Bio-Energy in Nawarangpur. On the other hand, the department of bio-technology (DoBT) of the Union ministry of science and technology, has sanctioned Rs 10 crore in the first phase for the development of an incubator in the proposed bio-tech and pharma park at Andharua, sources added.

Thursday, March 11, 2010

MSSRF centre in Jeypore,Koraput to have training facilities for tribal youth

The Hindu,Koraput, 11th March 2010:

Launching of training facilities for tribal youth will be made in the human resource development centre at M.S. Swaminathan research foundation (MSSRF), Jeypore on March 13, according to Prashant Kumar Parida, scientist from MSSRF.

The building, which was supported by the Mitsubishi Corporation of Japan, will have full-fledged facilities including residential facility for imparting training to the rural poor on various aspects.

Shining example

MSSRF at Jeypore has been engaged itself in the promotion of a non-basumati scented rice, Kalajeera, which is a shining example of how the traditional ones could be purified, made to yield more and fetch double the price of other varieties with proper market linkage.

Promoting cultivation and value addition and providing drudgery free machines to the villagers will go a long way to promote cultivation of nutritious but neglected millets.

The efforts made by the foundation in 25 villages on bio-village, livelihood, organic agriculture, micro enterprises, water management and promoting off -season vegetable cultivation through summer irrigation are all measures taken to improve the living standards of the people.

The community grain-seed bank is another initiative which helps the poor villagers to tide over the lean seasons and make sure that quality seeds are available during the sowing season.

While the research foundation is carrying out the novel ideas of Prof. Swaminathan to bridge the gap in knowledge by taking the ICT to villages through its village resource centre and village knowledge centres in Koraput district, this training facility will go a long way in linking the tribal youth with the development process, he says.

Koraput to have CSIR centre .

Indian Express,Bhubaneswar, 10th March 2010

Koraput will soon be connected to the nationwide network of Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) laboratories as it is chosen as an extension centre to have a pool of master trainers to train grassroots-level people in applied technologies in various fields.


The extension centre would be presently promoted by the State Government with an initial investment or Rs 30-40 lakh on a 25-acre land. However, it would soon have a full-fledged CSIR centre of Rs 40-50 crore investment with master trainers in agriculture, food and rural technologies, environment, biodiversity and food processing and for this a detailed proposal had already been submitted to the central authorities.

It would have active support from Institute of Minerals and Materials Technology (IMMT), Bhubaneswar, Central Foodcraft Technology Research Institute, Mysore, Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants, Lucknow, North East Institute of Science and Technology, Jorhat, and Central Salt and Marine Research Institute, Bhavnagar.

According to IMMT Director Prof. Barada Kanta Mishra, the centre, to be built under `CSIR-800 Programme’ would also help in creating employment opportunity for the backward region in the southern part of Orissa which has seen a series of extremist activities recently.

It would also work as an interface to transfer laboratory-based knowledge to the rural people.

Mishra was speaking to mediapersons on the sidelines of `CSIR technology show for micro, small and medium enterprises’ here on IMMT campus during the sixth Entrepreneurs Week celebration.

On the occasion, Science and Technology Minister Ramesh Chandra Majhi said though things are at a primary level, the proposed project would be ready within a year and would mainly help in promoting rural technologies for economic growth of the region famous for its rich biodiversity.

Industries Secretary Sourabh Garg said our scientists must try to develop patented technologies for economic self-reliance so that we would not go to the West paying hefty sum in getting their R&D knowledge. He also said that the CSIR Director- General had assured all help for the Koraput centre.

Regarding patents, the IMMT Director said till date the city-based institute has acquired 100 patents while another 100 are in the processing stage adding in a year scientists are applying for at least 15 patents on a regular basis.

A day-long workshop and an exhibition on various technologies were also organised. Scientist (G) and Head, Rural Technology Department of IMMT, S.Khuntia, spoke.

Saturday, March 6, 2010

Please sign the petition for the Post Graduate Medical Institute (PGMI) at Kalahandi, Orissa



A PATIENT BEING CARRIED TO A FAR OFF HOSPITAL: THE SHAMEFUL POOR MEDICAL FACILITY IN ORISSA

Dear Sir/Madam,

Delhi Oriya Students' Association (DOSA) sincerely appeals you to sign the petition in the larger interest and forward it to as many of your friends possible.

To view and sign the petition please click on the link below.

http://www.petitiononline.com/PGMIK/petition.html

Post Graduate Medical Institute at Kalahandi, Orissa
To,
Hon’ble President of India,
Hon’ble Prime Minister of India
Hon’ble Chief Minister of Orissa
Honorable Chairperson, UPA
Honorable Leader of Opposition, Lok Sabha


Sub: Request for opening Post Graduate Medical Institute at Kalahandi, Orissa

Respected Madam/Sir,
This is to draw your kind attention that there is an urgent need of opening a Post Graduate Medical Institute (PGMI) with 1000 bed Super Speciality Hospital having Higher Medical programmes like MD/MS /DM/M.Ch/MDS/Ph.D at one of the most deserving regions of the country i.e. Kalahandi in the KBK area of Orissa. The following reasons must be taken into consideration.
1. Backwardness of the KBK region
2. Poor Health care facility in KBK
3. Nonexistence of Tertiary Medical Care in KBK
4. It is not possible at the part of the State Govt. to afford to neither build nor maintain an Institute of this grade.

Post Graduate Medical Institute (PGMI) at Kalahandi, will bring a huge change in socio-economic and other areas, not only for Orissa but also to most of the naxal affected states of our country.

1. The Institute will certainly play a vital role in the development of Naxal affected areas of our country, not only in the Health sector but also in tackling the problem of Naxalism in the Red Corridor zone of our country permanently.
2. This PGMI will act as a national hub for Higher Medical Education and Research
3. It will act as a nodal center and referral hospital for Existing Govt. Medical Colleges of all the Naxal affected states.

Thanking You,
With Regards,
Tejeswar Parida,
President,Delhi Oriya Students' Association (DOSA)
Mob- 91-8010259065, 91-9350112768
http://www.contactdosa.blogspot.com/

Friday, March 5, 2010

DOSA writes letter to Orissa MP Mr. B.J.Panda congratulating him for his wonderful speech in Lok Sabha on 4th March 2010 raising many issues on Orissa

To,

Shri B.J. Panda
Hon'ble Member of Parliament ,
Lok Sabha.

Date: 4th March 2010

Dear Sir,

Hearty Congratulations to you for a very resourceful,relevant and Orissa specific speech in the Parliament few minutes back which we were watching on Lok Sabha TV. Delhi Oriya Students' Association (DOSA) welcomes your concerns in the Parliament regarding Orissa . Some of the issues raised by you are highly appreciated by DOSA.

You gave highest priority to the Regional Disparity which was directly indicated towards Orissa.

Unfair Policies of the Central Govt. which severely affects the state like Orissa.

Left Wing Extremism which has the root at the lack of Development at grass root level . A lot more is needed to be done for improving the Internal Security Situation.

Sir, your 3 suggestions to tackle Left Wing Extremism on permanent basis was appealing. A) Development in Backward Regions, B) Taking tough action against the violent extremists C) Initiating talk to those extremist groups who give up arms.

Sir, You went back to 25 yrs reminding the house what a former Prime Minister had told about Corruption that only 15% reaches to the common man.Here you emphasized on Social Spending and appealed the Central Govt. to start finding whether the situation has improved and how much ?

Again on BPL issue, the non-cooperation of the Central Govt. to the State Govt. e.g. Centre not accepting the BPL list by the Orisa Govt. is a very serious issue. This observation of you will be an eye opener to the respective Govt.s at the Centre who only shout Garibi Hatao and talk of the Aam Admi but never gives attention to the drawbacks i the systems like this, which you mentioned today in the Parliament.

That the BJD will support the Womens' Reservation Bill in the Parliament and Late Biju Patnaik was the Champion of this cause and Orissa is an example for other states in this regard by early implementation of Womens' Reservation in PRIs.

Sir, your seriousness about Education is very very genuine and the truth from the ground level. That the large no. of schools not having Building ,students siting outside,Teachers Absenteeism are very serious issues .You mentioned very rightly that It is not just the question of money , it is about Taking Steps and Implementation. So fundamental changes are required urgently.

Sir, you raised a very fundamental issue of Restructuring or Re engineering the pattern of funding of Education at national level. Sir, we request you to take up this issue with the HRD Ministry and the Prime Minister and serious discusions must be started on this soon.

Sir, on Railways your concerns are not only genuine but also according to the need of the people of Orisa. We congratulate you for raising this issue, particularly the Demand for Eastern India Railways Development Fund for Orisa and Jharkhand.

Sir,you mentioned rightly about the Railways Track Density being much lower in Orissa compared to national average and to our neighbouring states (Bengal and Bihar).It is again Regional Disparity and another reason for the rise of Left wing Extremism in Orissa and Railway Density in Orisa can be a solution to Maoism here.

Sir, we are thankful to you for raising the issue of connectivity to the most backward KBK region and mentioning that only 36KM has been built out of 289 KM for connecting KBK region with Coastal Orisa. The Railways and the Central Govt. must be ashamed of this fact listening from you today in the Parliament.

Sir, you raised very relevant point of IT enable Services in Rural areas for the rapid development and the poor people of villages to take advantage from the Industrialisation process and the E-Governance. It is a national urgent need and must be prioritised and raised again and again by young policy makers like you.

Sir, your concern that basic infrastructure not being emphasized much by the Central Govt. is true and as you mentioned that the farmers are the largest beneficiaries due to PMGSY roads due to improved access to the Market.

Sir, your observation is not only highly relevant but also reminds the country of the dream of Mahatma Gandhi "Gram Swaraj" and that "India lives in its villages". Also the fact that our target in developing the National Highways are very low when compared to China, but the Central Govt. feels proud of our NH development. They must introspect.

Sir, last but not the least your view that India should always compare it with China and the fact which you mentioned that within last 30 years though our population growth is same but China's achieved 4 times higher economic growth than us. Again you questioned the fundamental issue of our so called national development.

Sir, All the issues raised by you in the Lok Sabha today while discussing the Presidents' Address are of much higher importance both for Orisa and the nation. Delhi Oriya Students' Association(DOSA)congratulate you and at the same time feel proud to have a dynamic, visionary leader like you in Orissa.

Thanking You,
With Regards,

Tejeswar Parida
President, Delhi Oriya Students' Association.
Mob-8010259065, 9350112768
www.contactdosa.blogspot.com

Orissa State Task Force on Higher Education favours 13 more Universities in Orissa.

PNS | Bhubaneswar

People of Kalahandi will be happy to learn that the State's Task Force on Higher Education has accepted a proposal for establishment of a unitary university in their district. For the last several years, the people of Kalahandi, led by Non-Resident Odia (NRO) Dr Digambara Patra, were demanding a university at the district headquarters town of Bhawanipatna, which the Task Force chairman Prof Trilochan Pradhan has now obliged.

Pradhan, who recently presented the Task Force's Interim Report to the Government, has favoured establishment of 13 more affiliating and unitary universities in the State. Another NRO, Chitta Baral, has been batting for more universities in the State to improve the Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER), which the Task Force accepted in its proposal.

The State now has 12 Government Universities and two Deemed Universities. The Task Force has proposed three regional universities in the State's southern, western and central regions. The proposals include a South Odisha University at Parlakhemundi by upgrading the SKCG Autonomous College, a West Odisha University at Balangir by elevating the status of the Rajendra College and a Central Odisha University at Angul with up-gradation of the local Government College, said sources. Besides, a Metropolitan University at Rourkela, a Medical Education University at Cuttack by upgrading the SCB Medical College and a university of Management State and an Open University at Bhubaneswar have been outlined.

Every other State has an Open University while Odisha is lacking in this regard. The proposed Open University would cater to the needs of regional requirements, which the IGNOU is not able to address, feel experts.

Taking into consideration the infrastructure, student enrolment, academic ambience and qualitative growth of some of the leading autonomous colleges over the years, the Task Force felt the need of upgrading these institutions to the Unitary University status. Upgradation of GM College, Sambalpur, Khallikote College, Berhampur, Government Autonomous College, Bhawanipatna, Vikram Dev College, Jeypore, RD Women's College, Bhubaneswar, and MKCG Medical College, Berhampur, to the level of Unitary University has been suggested.

In addition to these universities, more institutions of higher learning have been favoured in the Task Force's Interim Report. Setting up of five State Institutes of Technology (SITs) along the lines of National Institute of Technology (NIT) for postgraduate education and research has been favoured. Besides, an Institute for Tribal Art and Culture at Phulbani has been proposed.

Orissa State Health Dept. to go hi-tech !

PNS | Bhubaneswar

In a bid to percolate various decisions of the Health and Family Welfare Department at the highest level to the grassroots, and to get feedback from the grassroots, the department has commissioned close users group (CUG) through post-paid BSNL mobiles. CUG is a facility wherein a group of subscribers within an organisation can talk to each other, free of cost. The users are tied in a pre-specified loop where by users can send or receive messages at one turn. Around 18,315 users are connected under this programme.

The CUG plans for an effective supervision and implementation of various programmes aimed at enhancing healthcare system in the State. This would be implemented by the NRHM with monthly expenditure of Rs 52.57 lakh.

The provision would facilitate prompt and effective communication among field functionaries and programme officers of Health Department and strengthen management of information system, professional growth, important communication and monitoring tool for tracking various important documents. Starting from the field functionaries like ANM (assistant nursing maid) to Commissioner-cum-Secretary is now connected under one net work.

Inaugurating the launching of the programme on Thursday, Minister Health & Family Welfare Prasanna Acharya talked to an ANM Nalini Jena of Chitrokonda of Malkangiri district and ANM Tulashi Majhi of Chalakamba of Rayagada district. CGM BSNL AN Ray and Commi-ssioner-cum-Secretary Anu Garg were present. “The stocks at the sub-centre level can be easily known,” said Garg.

At Block level the programme Officers like the Medical Officer I/C, BEE, BPO and BADA, at district level CDMO, additional CDMO, ADMOs, DIO, DPM, DAM, DHIO, work consultant, hospital manager, ASHA Coordi-nator, PA, MEIO, DTO, Nucleus Leprosy Officer and similarly at State level Secretary, Mission Director, DHS, DFW, DPH, all addl/joint/dy directors, VS and consultants of SPUM are connected under this network.

Extended School Health Scheme to start from July 5, 2010 in Orissa

PNS | Bhubaneswar

In a bid to provide healthcare cover to over 58 lakh students in 60,000 schools across the State, the State Health Department under the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) is going to extend the School Health Scheme to all the schools tentatively from July 5, as decided at a meeting chaired by Health Minister Prasanna Acharya flanked by Mass Education Minister Pratap Jena at the State Secretariat here on Thursday.

The Chief Minister had launched the programme in Kandhamal on October 1 last year.

Initially, the scheme had access to only the 1675 residential girls’ schools in 30 districts under the Tribal Welfare Department.

Both the day-scholars and boarders from classes 1-10 will be covered under the scheme following which a thorough health check-up of each student will be undertaken twice a year. Meanwhile, 325160 and 5157000 health cards meant for boarders and day-scholars respectively have been dispatched to the CDMOs.

Under the scheme, an allowance of Rs 100 will be given to a student travelling from the village to the hospital, Rs 50 per day if admitted and free medicine.

Thursday, March 4, 2010

Orissa Health Department will introduce a Close Users Group (CUG) mobile network for better health services in the state.

Indian Express,Bhubaneswar

To facilitate better and effective communication between grassroots- level workers and the toplevel decision-makers, Health Department will introduce a close users group (CUG) mobile network system from tomorrow.

With the introduction of the CUG loop service under Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL), the workers and officials of the Department can now talk free among themselves resulting in quality health-care delivery.

The CUG network will work under the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) and includes auxiliary nurse midwife (ANM) to the Health Secretary covering 18,315 members at a cost of Rs 52.57 lakh.

The new system will help in better and quicker delivery of messages and monitoring activities and would immensely help blocklevel medical officers, additional district medical officers, chief district medical officers, NRHM mission director, directors of health, family welfare and public health and all deputy and assistant directors who would be included in the loop so that all programme implementation process would be expedited across the State.

Health and Family Welfare Minister Prasanna Acharya, in the presence of top Health and BSNL officials, will dedicate the service to the people tomorrow.

It can be recalled here that with better monitoring of activities of health workers and activists through the mobile network the Health administrators of Mayurbhanj district have reduced the incidence of malarial deaths in the recent past.

This new step would also help in controlling infant mortality rate and maternal mortality rate as health service delivery would be easier through the free network

Right to Education Act will be implemented in Orissa from 1st April,2010

Indian Express,BBSR:

The Right to Education Act will be implemented in Orissa from 1st April,2010.

This was decided at a high level meeting presided over by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik here on Wednesday. As per the provisions of the Act, all children up to 14 years of age will have compulsory education. The State will require Rs 16,000 crore during the next five years for the implementation of the provisions of the legislation.

The student-teacher ratio will be 30:1 while there will be a minimum of two teachers per school. The appointment of new teachers, the need for separate lavatories for boys and girls in schools, construction of kitchens and boundary walls were discussed.

It was decided that the process for filling up vacancies in the posts of teachers in schools will be started within the next few days. It has been found that while some of the education districts have shortage of teachers, others have more than the required numbers.

A committee will be set up under the chairmanship of the district collectors to assess whether there is surplus or shortage of teachers in their districts.

The surplus teachers will be redeployed in districts, which has shortage.

The restriction on transfer of primary school teachers to other districts will be withdrawn. Earlier, only 10 per cent of the total primary school teachers in a district were transferred to other district. More para-teachers will be appointed to fill up the shortage. As the legislation has emphasised on appointment of trained teachers, training facilities for teachers will be created.

The training will be given through Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) and Distance Education Programme of other universities. Inspection of schools by the higher authorities will become strict and regular.

Besides, steps will be taken for improving school infrastructure. Priority will be given to repair school buildings and hostels which are more than 50 years old.

It was decided that the textbook printing press in the State will be modernised and 50 lakh textbooks will be printed.

Books will also be published in Braille.

Increase of scholarship of primary, upper primary and secondary school students was discussed. Minister of State for School and Mass Education Pratap Jena, Development Commissioner S P Nanda, Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister Bijay Patnaik and senior officials were present.

New Orissa Govt. Policy : 5% CSR expenditure

PNS | Bhubaneswar

The State Government seems to have developed a new policy for corporate social responsibility (CSR) expenditures of the mega industries. It follows the model laid by the Supreme Court in the case of Lanjigarh-based alumina project of Vedanta Resources. The annual CSR expenditure will not be below 5 per cent of the profit or Rs 10 crore, whichever is more.

While clearing the lease of Potangi bauxite mines to Nalco, the Chief Minister has made the new policy applicable to this Nav Ratna PSU. So, by now, the new model has been applied to a private company and a Central PSU. However, there is no clear order issued to other mega industries receiving such favours as in the cases of Vedanta and Nalco. Economic analysts are of the view that the Chief Minister is bound to extend the CSR stipulations to all and sundry.

New mega projects, which are coming up in the State, should also earmark 5 per cent of their profits for CSR when in production, said a social activist, adding that to force their hands it should be incorporated as a condition while favouring them with mining leases.

“In fact, this should find a place in the Industrial Policy Resolution (IPR) of the State,” said a senior BJD MLA. Accordingly, an enactment might be made in the State Assembly to make it legally binding, he pointed out.

Right to Education from April 1, 2010 in Orissa

PNS | Bhubaneswar

Under the intervention of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, School and Mass Education Minister Pratap Jena finally agreed to implement the Right to Education Act from April 1, 2010.

Earlier, Jena had made a statement that the State was not prepared to implement the law as it required huge resources to the tune of Rs 16,000 crore. He had even stated that additional 30,000 schools need to be opened for making RTE effective. These statements had invited the wrath of the Chief Minister.

Patnaik on Wednesday convened a meeting to this effect at the State Secretariat. Later, it was decided that the Right to Education Act would be implemented from April 1. Under this act, education would be made compulsory for all children below 14. A student teacher ratio of 30:1 would be created.

All the vacancies would be filled up on a war-footing. There would be a redeployment of teachers. If in one district more teachers have been found, they would be transferred to other districts.

More “Gana (Mass) Teachers” would be appointed. Teachers would be imparted training through Distance Education programme of universities and IGNOU. About 50 lakh books would be published and special care would be taken for visually-handicapped.

School and Mass Education Minister Pratap Jena, Development Commissioner SP Nanda and Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Bijoy Patnaik and others attended the meeting.

Anti-human trafficking units to be opened in Orissa

PNS,Bhubaneswar:

A decision has been taken for formation of integrated anti-human trafficking units at the office of the Inspector General of Police (Crime Branch), the Commissionerate of Police of Bhubaneswar-Cuttack, IG office at Rourkela and DIG offices at Sambalpur and Berhampur to focus on specific places to combat trafficking in women and children in the State.

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

Higher education sector poised for quantum jump in Orissa

Source:Indian Express,Bhubaneswar, 01.03.2010,Report by-Sanjeev Kumar Patro

Orissa’s higher education sector is poised for a quantum jump in the Eleventh Plan going by the latest UGC forecast.

It has projected that enrolment would clock a compounded annual growth rate of 7.5 per cent to touch over 6.5 lakh of an over 50 lakh population in the 18-23 year age group by the year 2012. The overall gross enrolment rate (GER) - the ratio of total enrolment to the total population in the age group of 18-23 years - would be 13 per cent. Consequently, additional enrolment in the 11th Plan period would be over 2.6 lakh.

The forecast, however, has indicated that Orissa’s GER would remain well below the national average of 15 per cent.

One of the reasons would be as high as 18 districts are still educationally backward districts. In Orissa’s case, the EBDs have either a predominant tribal population or are forested regions. Fourteen of the EBDs have over 25 per cent rural tribal population with five of them having over 58-59 per cent forest cover. Another three districts have over 40 per cent forest cover.

Significantly, the State’s chief industrial centres like Angul, Jharsuguda, Keonjar, Mayurbhanj and Sambalpur that, incidentally, have predominant tribal population are listed in the EBD category contrary to the national trend. This does not augur well for Government’s industrial drive.

Inequitable growth is further evidenced by the fact that the collegepopulation index (C-PI) (colleges per lakh population) in Orissa is 17.6 against 12.4 nationally. But, nine districts have the index much below the 12 colleges per lakh population.
Two districts have C-PI even below four and two others have below eight. Thus, lower GER is on account of unavailability of qualitatively affordable higher education opportunities.

If statistics are any indication, the inequity is set to get accentuated in the 11th Plan. Because, as per the population norm of a University per two lakh population, Orissa would require a whopping 25 universities for its 50 lakh student population in the age-group of 18-23 years by 2012.
There are nine at present.

Also, for the additional 2.6 lakh general enrolment by 2012, the State needs over 200more general colleges.

Thus, to supply the manpower requirement of the industries in the State, the Government has to seek holistic solutions for the EBDs here.

Monday, March 1, 2010

Orissa Government to construct 478 more hostels for students of Maoists prone districts

Source: OrissaDiary.com

Atleast 478 more hostels will be constructed for the students of the Maoists prone districts in the state. The Centre government has sanctioned Rs 198 crore special grant in aid for the same.

Atleast 478 more hostels will be constructed in five Maoist prone Debagarh, Sambalpur, Gajapati, Malkangiri and Rayagada districts . Out of total 478, construction of 190 hostels for boys and 288 hostels for girl students. This hostels will be constructed of 5 thousand squire feet and Rs 41 lakh 50 thousand will be invested for each hostels.

In every hostel at least 100 bed will be available. In every hostels 10 latriens, one entertainment room, ands one dining room will be provided. Pipe water supply, water heating facility with solar arrangements and system to collect rain water from the roof of the hostels will be provided. The construction of the hostels will be completed within two years. The district DRDAs will take the responsibilities of the construction, if necessary, it will be given to the Roads and Buildings department.