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[1] From: Pradip Kumar Datta <pradip200@yahoo.com> Date: Thu Jan 4, 2007 Subject: Micro-credit 'people' bank a huge hit in rural Assam Rural banking at its best in Assam Deborshi Chaki CNN-IBN MOVING AHEAD: A rural bank in Assam has been conceived on the lines of rather famous venture of Nobel winner Muhammad Yunus. Borihat (Assam): When Girish Chandra Das, a farmer in Assam's Borihat village decided to expand his piggery business, he did not have to go far for financial help. Thanks to a novel venture by some enterprising men from his village, the main force behind Rani Bholagaon small savings bank, Girish was provided timely help. "I went to this bank because things are very simple here. Government banks take a long time to sanction loans for ventures like mine," says Girish Chandra Das, a farmer. The bank, conceived on the lines of rather famous venture of Nobel winner Muhammad Yunus, has been a big hit in the area. The two-roomed bank that was started just four months ago by a handful of villagers with just Rs 80,000 is a runaway success and the figures say it all. "Till date, we have collected over Rs 22 lakhs in deposit and have disbursed loans up to Rs 18 lakhs to the needy," says the chairman of Rani Bholagaon small savings bank, Muhammaed Siraj Ali. And the reasons for the bank's success are not hard to find. Operating micro-credit schemes, the bank has deposit rates pegged much higher than the rest, even as lending rates are reasonably lower. "We hope to reach out to more than 1,000 families in near future," says Ali. Interestingly, when it all began, the villagers had not heard of a similar venture in Bangladesh by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus. "if they can do it in Bangladesh, we in India and Assam can do it too. We have taken it as a challenge," says the chairman of the small savings bank. The banking sector boom and the visible transformation of Urban India is visible to all. But this is one rare instance when people themselves have taken to transform the rural side and the changes are already visible. http://www.ibnlive.com/news/rural-banking-at-its-best-in-assam/29933-7.html ----------- [2] From: Pradip Kumar Datta <pradip200@yahoo.com> Date: Thu Jan 4, 2007 Subject: China in Arunachal, India won't care : CNN-IBN China in Arunachal, India won't care : CNN-IBN - Meetu Jain New Delhi: First the Chinese ambassador to India Sun Yuxi made a sensational statement to CNN-IBN claiming that Arunachal Pradesh was a part of China, and now the Chinese seem to be making good their claim. Reports indicate that the Chinese have actually crossed the border to occupy parts of the state’s territory. However, it’s not the first time that such an incident has occurred. Every time the snow on the high peaks melts, the Indian side realises that China has intruded deeper into the country. But the envoy’s outrageous claim and the infiltration don’t seem to be bothering the Indian Government, keen on taking the dialogue process forward. “There are some inadvertent incursions. Are we going to make them a national issue and make them come in the way of talks that are heading positively towards a resolution – no,” said Home Secretary V K Duggal. In an interview with the CNN-IBN, Duggal also spoke about other law and order challenges of 2007. Interestingly, while the UPA Government is demanding President’s rule in Uttar Pradesh – going to polls soon – the state is not really a cause for worry. “There is nothing like worrisome in that state,” said Duggal. Instead, it’s the Congress-ruled Punjab that the intelligence agencies are especially keeping a watch out for. “The election fervour this time seems to be a little bit more charged. It’s going to be a little bit more tensely-fought election,” said Duggal. The Home Secretary also admitted for the first time that both the Singur violence and the Kalinganagar massacre in early 2006 had a Naxal element to it. “What you saw in Singur and Kalinganagar, all states are conscious that they need a better rehab policy, now that they are setting up development projects. If that’s not done, these people can become a source of information to Naxals,” he said. The Centre's big claim for 2006 is that violence was at an all time low. But it’s the New Year that will be the big challenge, as waiting to upset the status quo are not just sleeper cells from within the country, but also the terror groups from outside. http://www.ibnlive.com/news/arunachal-is-chinese-territory-envoy-minces-no-words\ \ /26108-3. html Arunachal is Chinese land: envoy: CNN-IBN -- Surya Gangadharan New Delhi: Arunachal Pradesh is Chinese territory, Beijing's envoy to Delhi has said ahead of the country's President's visit to India on November 20. In an exclusive interview to CNN-IBN, Chinese Ambassador Sun Yuxi reiterated his country's claim to the strategically important state and said the border dispute with India was complicated and would take time to resolve. “In our position the whole of what you call the state of Arunachal Pradesh is Chinese territory and Tawang (district) is only one place in it and we are claiming all of that-that's our position,” said Ambassador Sun Yuxi. Sun Yuxi avoided a question on China wanting India to give up nuclear weapons. "Unfortunately, we have five nuclear weapons powers in the world. That number should be reduced. We will be very happy if we can give up our nuclear weapons and are working for an international agreement on elimination of nuclear weapons," he said. Long march to settlement China cites the Tawang Monastery, one of the last vestiges of Mahayana Buddhism, as evidence that the mountainous district of Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh once belonged to Tibet and that India should hand it back to help settle the row. The dispute over the 3,500-km India-China border led to the 1962 war. New Delhi disputes Beijing's rule over 38,000 sq km of barren, icy and uninhabited land on the Tibetan plateau, which China seized from India in the 1962 war. China, for its part, claims 90,000 sq km of territory in Arunachal Pradesh. Within that disputed area is Tawang and its monastery. The neighbours have held several rounds of talks since 1981 to resolve the dispute but have so far failed to make progress. Last year, they agreed on an 11-point roadmap to settle the border row in light of booming bilateral trade and growing ties. The proposal was seen as an attempt towards accepting the status quo and hammering out a swap whereby China would give up claims in the east in return for India's recognition of Chinese sovereignty in the strategic Aksai Chin area in the west. Although both sides seemed amenable to such a deal, Beijing's demand for Tawang - and India's refusal to part with any populated territories - has created a stumbling block. http://www.ibnlive.com/news/china-in-arunachal-india-wont-care/top/30039-3.html ---------- [3] http://countercurrents.org/ind-farasast040107.htm The High Level Justice Sachar Committee was appointed to examine the social, economic and educational status of the Muslims in India. It confirms the uncomfortable fact that comparing indicators of socio economic development, it’s evident that Muslims fare worst than even the SC/STs. ------------------ [4] From: EMPOWER INDIA <ttn_empower@sancharnet.in> Date: Thu Jan 4, 2007 Subject: Adding a dash of nutrition to their lives - `Kitchen Queen' contest for HIV positive women organised Adding a dash of nutrition to their lives `Kitchen Queen' contest for HIV positive women organised FUN FEAST: Participants at the Kitchen Queen contest organised by the Indian Community Welfare Organisation in Egmore in Chennai on Sunday. - PHOTO: K. Pichumani CHENNAI: Nutrition for the HIV positive was the theme of the Kitchen Queen contest organised by the Indian Community Welfare Organisation in Egmore here on Sunday morning. Fifteen women, including commercial sex workers and the transgendered, were selected to participate in the contest for people living with HIV/AIDS. They each made one juice and one solid food item, explaining to the judge why they chose particular ingredients and what nutrients their dishes had. They were ranked according to the taste, presentation and nutritive value of the food. Adithya, a music director who has also anchored cooking shows on television, was the judge for the event. He has previously taken classes for HIV positive women on nutrition and food. Vice Consul General of the United States Brian T. Bedell said the event was an innovative method to help positive people realise they had space to exhibit their skills. P. Krishnamoorthy, Project Director, Aids Prevention and Control Project (APAC), emphasised the importance of nutrition. Since several participants were taking anti-retroviral drugs, their food needed to be of enhanced nutritive value. Some participants were nervous about identifying themselves in public as HIV positive, recalls Mary Priya Dan, counsellor. Source: THE HINDU Forwarded by : Yours in Global Concern A. SANKAR Executive Director EMPOWER. www. empowerindia. org -------- |
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| << January03, 2007 - [India Thinkers Net]Modi's privatisation of water ,Singur (Reji P George) |
January06, 2007 - [India Thinkers Net] Karat ,Saddam,2006 etc >> |
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