Press Information Bureau
Government of India
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Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment
DDRS provides assistance to Mentally Retarded Children
New Delhi: August 18, 2009
In 2008-09, 238 NGOs working in the field of rehabilitation of Mentally Retarded Children were provided financial assistance under the Deendayal Disabled Rehabilitation Scheme (DDRS). The country has 7.96 lakh persons with mental disability in the age group of 0 to 19 years, as per Census 2001. There is, however, no centralized data-base of Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) who are working in this field to provide succor to these children.
Under the Deendayal Disabled Rehabilitation Scheme (DDRS), the Government provides funds to NGOs for running projects for the rehabilitation of persons with disabilities, which includes mentally retarded children. Some of the important eligibility criteria for selection of NGOs under the Scheme are as below:
(i) The organization should be registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1860 (XXI of 1860) or any relevant Act of the State/Union Territory; or a public trust registered under the law for the time being in force; or a charitable company licensed under Section 25 of the Companies Act, 1958;
(ii) The organization should be registered under the Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights and Full Participation) Act, 1995;
(iii) The organization should have a legally constituted managing body;
(iv) It should not be running for profit to any individual or body of individuals;
(v) It should have at least 2 years experience in running the project for which the grant-in-aid has been applied;
(vi) It should have engaged qualified staff as prescribed under the Schemes.
The NGOs are provided grant-in-aid on the basis of the recommendations of the concerned State Governments/Union Territory Administrations.
sb/ap/dk/kol/17:37 hrs.
Press Information Bureau
Government of India
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Election Commission
Schedule for bye-elections to fill up the casual vacancies in the Legislative Assemblies of Bihar & NCT of Delhi
New Delhi: August 18, 2009
The Commission had vide Press Note No. ECI/PN/43/2009 dated 17th August, 2009, announced programme for holding bye-elections to fill up 11 vacancies in Bihar Legislative Assembly namely, 02-Bagaha (SC), 09-Nautan, 105-Begusarai, 113-Tribeniganj, 119-Simri-Bakhtiarpur, 130-Araria, 155-Dhuraiya (SC), 167-Munger, 193-Phulwari (SC), 228-Ghosi, 235-Bodh Gaya (SC) and 1 vacancy in NCT of Delhi Legislative Assembly namely 54-Okhla. Earlier, the Commission had announced holding of certain bye-elections vide Press Note No. ECI/PN/42/2009 dated 12th August 2009, which included 7 Assembly Constituencies in Bihar and 1 Assembly Constituency in NCT of Delhi.
The Commission has now decided that in respect of 18 bye-elections to Bihar Legislative Assembly and the 2 bye-elections to the Legislative Assembly of NCT of Delhi announced by the Commission vide Press Notes dated 12th August and 17th August 2009, the date of counting shall be 17-09-2009 afternoon.
rm/as/dk/kol/17:37 hrs.
Press Information Bureau
Government of India
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Ministry of Steel
Steel Minister asks SAIL to complete all ongoing expansion plans on time
New Delhi: August 18, 2009
The Minister for Steel Shri Virbhadra Singh has asked the Steel Authority of India to complete all the ongoing expansion programmes on time. The minister was reviewing the Q1 performance of the public sector major at a meeting here today. The Minister said, the economy looks set for a rebound considering the latest IIP numbers and the projections of GDP this fiscal. He said, this will translate into decent demand growth for steel in the near future. The Minister appreciated the difficult business environment following the slowdown and hoped the situation to improve in the next couple of quarters. The Minister expressed satisfaction over the performance of SAIL during the first quarter.
The steel major reported a turnover of Rs 9747 Crore during April – June 09, a decrease of 20 per cent over the same quarter last year. The net profit also fell by 27.7 per cent to Rs.1326 crore. The profitability was adversely affected due to reduction in average net sales realization of saleable steel, escalation in input prices mainly of imported coal, coke, ferro-silicon, increase in railway freight, increase in fuel cost surcharge by DVC and higher interest charges. Making a presentation the SAIL Chairman Shri S.K.Roongta said, the adverse effect was partially offset by higher saleable steel production(4.0%) and sales volume (4.4%), improved production of value added products(21%), reduction in coke rate and specific energy consumption, improvement in Blast Furnace productivity, write back of provisions for salaries and wages revision of employees and higher interest earnings. Shri Roongta said, most of the ongoing expansion plans are on schedule.
The Minister urged SAIL to strengthen its CSR activities. He said, out of the budget of Rs. 80 Crore, the company has been able to spend Rs10.83Crore during the first quarter which is a drop of 201 per cent on sequential basis and a drop of 60 per cent compared to Q1 of the previous year.
Steel Secretary Shri P.K.Rastogi and other senior officers attended today's review.
dnm/pkm/sb/dk/kol/17:38 hrs.
Press Information Bureau
Government of India
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Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions
Assistant Commandant's Examination, 2008
New Delhi: August 18, 2009
The Union Public Service Commission will be conducting Interview/Personality Test for Central Police Forces (Assistant Commandants) Examination, 2008 from 24.08.2009 to 04.09.2009 in the Commission's Office at New Delhi. Summon Letters for interview/personality Test to all the eligible candidates have been issued. If any candidate has not received Summon Letter for Interview/Personality Test, he/she may contract on Tel. No.011-23386281 or can send message on Fax No.011-23387310. UPSC's Facilitation Counter can also be contacted in person or over Telephone Nos. 011-23385271/011-23381125/011-23098543 during working hours. The schedule of Interview/Personality Test is also available on Union Public Service Commission Website at http://www.upsc.gov.in
rs/hb/dk/kol/17:38 hrs.
Press Information Bureau
Government of India
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Ministry of Home Affairs
Conference of Chief Ministers of Naxal-affected States held
New Delhi: August 18, 2009
A meeting of Chief Ministers of some Naxal-affected States was held here yesterday. It was chaired by the Union Home Minister, Shri P.Chidambaram.
In his remarks at the meeting, the Union Home Minister said that Naxalism poses a serious threat not only to national security, but also to development in the affected areas as Naxalites have been targeting vital infrastructure including roads, bridges, railways, school buildings and communications and power networks. He said that the menace has to be tackled resolutely and without losing any time. Shri Chidambaram called upon the States to strengthen rural policing by filling up vacancies and fortifying police stations. Pointing out the importance of intelligence collection at the local level, he urged the States to strengthen their intelligence set-up. He expressed concern over under-utilization of the amounts made available to some States under the Scheme for Security Related Expenditure, Special Infrastructure Scheme, and Scheme for Modernization of State Police Forces. The Union Home Minister called upon the States to frame an attractive surrender and rehabilitation policy, put in place an effective machinery for grievance redressal and take steps to stop the flow of funds and supply of arms and ammunition to Naxals.
Taking part in the deliberations, the Chief Ministers gave an account of the steps taken by them for fighting the Naxal menace. They sought increased central assistance for training their forces in counter-insurgency operations and for constructing roads of critical importance. There was a consensus at the meeting on the strategy that needs to be adopted for fighting Naxalism.
ok/ks/dk/kol/17:38 hrs.
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