Press Information Bureau
Government of India
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Vice President's Secretariat
Vice President inaugurates Conference on Right to Education with Special Reference to Sikkim
New Delhi: October 29, 2009
The Vice President of India Shri M. Hamid Ansari inaugurated the Regional Conference on "Right to Education with Special Reference to Sikkim and its impact on Legal Awareness Campaign" in Gangtok (Sikkim) today. The conference was organized as part of the on-going Golden Jubilee celebrations of the High Court of Sikkim. Delivering inaugural address, he said that it has taken us six decades after independence to provide the right to every child in the 6-14 years age group to free and compulsory primary education in neighborhood schools. The Right to Education Act passed by the Parliament last month is a historic step and empowers our citizens to demand education so that every citizen can develop her potential to the fullest.
He opined that with its impressive record in the field of education, the question for the state is to assess whether formal enrolment has been translated into meaningful educational outcomes. We need to question if our children have acquired skills commensurate with their schooling and whether they have access to vocational and technical skills, social and life skills that are necessary once they leave the portals of the school.
The Vice President emphasized that we need to question whether there exists inequity, and segregated access to quality education. We need to assess if this is being realized for the poor and the vulnerable at the bottom of the socio-economic pyramid.
He said that the products of our education system are the future citizens of the country. A rudimentary legal awareness of their rights and duties as citizens and of the basic political, Constitutional and legal scheme of things in the country are imparted in the schools. However, empowering citizens in a more meaningful manner can only be done through specific and specialized legal awareness programmes of the kind conducted by the Sikkim State Legal Services Authority. He hoped that the existing synergy between civil society and the government would continue to further legal awareness in the state.
The Vice President stressed that the narrative of educational reform must begin from the premise that every citizen has the right to a dignified life and that it is the duty of the state to make it possible. Education is indeed the most potent instrument for social and economic mobility and for eventually bringing about social and political change. The state government has correctly recognized the importance of education. He wished all success to the government and to the legal fraternity in their endeavour to promote education and legal awareness in the state.
Following is the text of the Vice President's inaugural address :
"It gives me great pleasure to inaugurate the Regional Conference organized as part of the on-going Golden Jubilee celebrations of the High Court of Sikkim. The merger of the state with the Union of India in 1975 has strengthened the functioning of the High Court and subordinate court structure in Sikkim. It has also reinforced the separation of judiciary from executive and ensured speedy dispensation of justice. It is a momentous occasion for the High Court and the people of the state and I extend my congratulations. The subject of the conference is of topical relevance. Sikkim is a progressive state and one of the first in the country to recognize the importance of human development. In keeping with the new development paradigm and focusing on broader development measures, the state has produced its Human Development Report as far back as 2001 under the guidance of Chief Minister Chamling.
Sikkim has a long tradition of religious, monastic and missionary education. The first government school began over a hundred years ago. The state government had focused on "education for all" along with quality, access to school within walking distance, improvement in material and human resources and encouraging vocational education and education for weaker sections. The priority for education was also reflected in the budgetary allocation, with education accounting for around 15 per cent of the total Plan outlay.
Literacy outcomes in Sikkim have also been very impressive. The state has a literacy rate of over 75 per cent, and in urban areas, it is over 80 per cent. The increase in literacy has been particularly impressive in the 1990s as the government emphasized rural and female literacy. The state has now targeted 2011 to achieve a 90 per cent literacy rate and the year 2015 to achieve 100 per cent literacy.
It has taken us six decades after independence to provide the right to every child in the 6-14 years age group to free and compulsory primary education in neighborhood schools. The Right to Education Act passed by the Parliament last month is a historic step and empowers our citizens to demand education so that every citizen can develop her potential to the fullest.
With its impressive record in the field of education, the question for the state is to assess whether formal enrolment has been translated into meaningful educational outcomes. We need to question if our children have acquired skills commensurate with their schooling and whether they have access to vocational and technical skills, social and life skills that are necessary once they leave the portals of the school. We also need to question whether there exists inequity, and segregated access to quality education. We need to assess if this is being realized for the poor and the vulnerable at the bottom of the socio-economic pyramid.
The products of our education system are the future citizens of the country. A rudimentary legal awareness of their rights and duties as citizens and of the basic political, Constitutional and legal scheme of things in the country are imparted in the schools. However, empowering citizens in a more meaningful manner can only be done through specific and specialized legal awareness programmes of the kind conducted by the Sikkim State Legal Services Authority. I hope that the existing synergy between civil society and the government would continue to further legal awareness in the state.
The narrative of educational reform must begin from the premise that every citizen has the right to a dignified life and that it is the duty of the state to make it possible. Education is indeed the most potent instrument for social and economic mobility and for eventually bringing about social and political change. The state government has correctly recognized the importance of education. I can only wish all success to the government and to the legal fraternity in their endeavour to promote education and legal awareness in the state. I once again extend my hearty congratulations for the golden jubilee celebrations of the High Court of Sikkim and thank Justice Aftab Saikia for inviting me to this function."
sk/dk/kol/14:17 hrs.
Press Information Bureau
Government of India
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Ministry of Railways
Railway revenue earnings up by 6.89 per cent during the period 11th – 20th October 2009
New Delhi: October 29, 2009
The total approximate earnings of Indian Railways on originating basis during the period 11th October – 20th October 2009 were Rs. 2216.29 crore compared to Rs. 2073.46 crore during the same period last year, registering an increase of 6.89 per cent.
The total goods earnings have gone up from Rs. 1388.69 crore during 11th October – 20th October 2008 to Rs. 1521.18 crore during 11th October – 20th October 2009, showing an increase of 9.54 per cent. The total passenger revenue earnings during the period 11th to 20th October 2009 were Rs. 618.23 crore compared to Rs. 617.20 crore during the same period last year, reflecting an increase of 0.17 per cent. The revenue earnings from other coaching amounted to Rs. 59.81 crore during this period compared to Rs. 52.13 crore during the same period last year, showing an increase of 14.73 per cent.
The total approximate number of passengers booked during the period 11th to 20th October 2009 were 193.44 million compared to 208.04 million during the same period last year, showing a decrease of 7.02 per cent. In the suburban and non-suburban sectors, the number of passengers booked during 11–20 October 2009 were 101.34 million and 92.10 million compared to 113.62 million and 94.42 million during the same period last year, registering a decrease of 10.81 per cent and 2.46 per cent respectively.
aks/hk/lk/tr/dk/kol/14:17 hrs.
Press Information Bureau
Government of India
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Ministry of Railways
Performance of production units during April - September 2009
New Delhi: October 29, 2009
Chittranjan Locomotive Works (CLW) produced 81 electric locomotives against the target of 90 electronic locomotives and Diesel Locomotive Works (DLW) produced 132 diesel locomotives against the target of 127 diesel locomotives during April-September 2009. Rail Coach Factory (RCF) produced 770 coaches against the target of 770 coaches where as Integral Coach Factory (ICF) produced 635 coaches against the targets of 620 coaches during the same period. Rail Wheel Factory (RWF) produced 95483 wheels and 38630 axles during the same period against the target of 95357 wheels and 309975 axles during April-September 2009.
During the month of September 2009, CLW, DLW, ICF, RCF and RWF have produced 17 electric locomotives, 19 diesel locomotive, 120 coaches, 130 coaches, 14953 wheels and 6283 axles respectively against the target of 21 electric locomotives, 22 diesel locomotive, 105 coaches, 130 coaches, 15578 wheels and 5120 axels.
Railways have realized an amount of Rs. 36.27 crore approximately during the month of September 2009 through ticket checking.
aks/hk/lk/tr/dk/kol/14:17 hrs.
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