Month: May 2012

Mail News Service
New Delhi, May 29 : The Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Development of North Eastern Region and Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs and Chairman of North Eastern Council (NEC), Shri Paban Singh Ghatowar has addressed the the Conference of Ministers of Welfare/Social Justice of North Eastern States in Shillong today. The Union Minister of Social Justice & Empowerment Shri Mukul Wasnik was also present on the occasion.
In his address, Shri Ghatowar said that as stipulated by the Government of India, the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment has to earmark 2% of their Gross Budgetary Support (GBS) for expenditure in the North Eastern States in case of schemes for SCs. For other schemes, the money to be earmarked is as per norms of 10% of GSB, he added.
The Minister informed that the schemes of Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region pertain, mainly, to investment in physical infrastructure. He said that under major scheme of NLCPR, till date, 1393 projects worth Rs. 11529.17 crore have been taken up in sectors such as roads & bridges, education, health, power, irrigation & flood control, water supply, sports etc.
He outlined that under North Eastern Council (NEC), despite having limited outlay for Human Resource Development and Education, following projects/programmes have been funded:
(i) National Tournament on Cricket for Physically Challenged Players in Manipur during 2010-12;
(ii) Construction of School Building and Hostel at Lyntijam Welfare Development Association, Mawtnum, Ri Bhoi District, Meghalaya for the benefit of physically challenged students;
(iii) Part-funding of construction of De-addiction Centres;
(iv) Sponsored a Training Programme on Hearing Disability Sector organized by IGNOU at Shillong for disabled persons
Shri Ghatowar expressed confidence that the Conference would prove to be an important milestone in journey towards achieving a just and equitable growth leading to all-round development of the nation as a whole and North Eastern States, in particular.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/ghatowar-addresses-conference-of-social-welfare-ministers-of-ne/

Guwahati, May 29 NNN : Assam is the second state in India after Punjab that has the highest record of crime against the fairer sex.
According to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Assam’s record of crime against women is alarming. The NHRC therefore, asked the government of Assam to do something in this connection.
“The government of Assam should do some ‘serious introspection’ so that the crime against women is reduced,” stated the NHRC.
NHRC member Justice GP Mathur said in Guwahati today, “This is as per data received from National Crime Records Bureau.” He stated this after the NHRC ended its two-day camp sitting to decide 50 pending cases related to rights violations in Assam. The NHRC team was headed by its chairperson Justice KG Balakrishnan.
Justice Mathur did not explain the nature of the crimes but underscored dowry and witch-hunting as the main reasons why Assam was getting a bad name. “Maternal and infant mortality rates are equally high in the state,” Justice Mathur said, adding Assam’s sex ratio was similar to Punjab.
“There is clearly a problem that Assam needs to address. Some introspection needs to be done,” he said. “A large number of complaints about crime against women were received last year. The problem can be addressed through education and awareness.”
Justice Balakrishnan said the Commission primarily discussed domestic violence, marital discord and trafficking (of women and children) in its camp sitting. “Assam is seriously affected by trafficking,” he said.
“The Commission has pointed out that custodial deaths and encounter killings need to be informed within 48 hours. Almost all states are complying with our recommendations,” Justice Balakhrishnan said.
It can bev noted that out of 50 cases, 17 were heard by NHRC’s full bench. At least six cases were closed after the panel received satisfactory answers from government authorities. In the other cases, NHRC gave time to the authorities to respond to its recommendations. It recommended about Rs 35lakh as compensation in different cases of human rights violations.
On Wednesday, the team will hold a day-long sitting in the Meghalaya capital Shillong.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/assam-high-on-crime-against-women/

Mail News Service
New Delhi, May 29 : The Central Bureau of Investigation has today filed two chargesheets against three accused U/s 120B R/w 302 of IPC and Section 3/25/27 of Arms Act in the court of Special Judicial Magistrate for CBI cases at Lucknow (UP) relating to murder of Dr.V.K.Arya and Dr.B.P.Singh, the then Chief Medical Officers, Family Welfare Department of Uttar Pradesh
The High Court of Allahabad, Lucknow Bench vide its orders dated 27/07/2011 in Writ Petition No.3659 of 2011 directed the CBI to take over and investigate Case Crime No 322/2010 of PS Vikas Nagar, Lucknow pertaining to the murder of Dr. V K Arya and Case Crime No 269/2011 of PS Gomti Nagar pertaining to the murder of Dr. B.P. Singh. Accordingly, the CBI re-registered the two cases on 30/7/2011 and took it up for investigation.
It was alleged that on 27.10.2010 at around 6 am, Dr. V. K. Arya, the then CMO, Family Welfare, Lucknow was shot dead by two motorcycle borne assailants when he was on his morning walk, in front of Rani Luxmi Bai School, near his residence in Vikas Nagar area of Lucknow. A Case was registered by UP Police at PS Vikas Nagar. Similarly on 2.4.2011 at around 6.15 am, Dr B P Singh, the then CMO, Family Welfare was shot dead by motor cycle borne assailants when he was on his morning walk in Gomti Nagar area of Lucknow. A case was registered at PS Gomti Nagar.
The CBI investigation of these cases revealed that the motive behind the killing of Dr. V.K. Arya and Dr. B.P. Singh was to be due to various issues relating to the alleged expenditure of NRHM funds. The then Dy.CMO Dr Sachan(now no more) conspired with others and hired two shooters through a contractor, all of UP-based. The accused got embolded after Dr VK Arya’s murder as the actual killers were not detected by local police at the relevant period and indulged in the second murder. Same weapons have been used by the killers in both murders. One accused chargesheeted earlier by local police in Dr VK Arya case, has been absolved of murder charges.Further investigation to unearth the larger conspiracy in the alleged murders will continue. The public is reminded that the above findings are based on the investigation done by CBI and evidence collected by it. Under the Indian Law, the accused are presumed to be innocent till their guilt is finally established after a fair trial.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/cbi-files-chargesheet-against-three/