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June 09
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Jharkhand Art and Culture - Repository of one of India's Richest Ethnic Cultures
The cultural mosaic of Jharkhand was dreamt about, shaped and polished by generations of communities, which have inhabited this land since time immemorial.
From the legendary Asurs and Santhals, to the Banjara, Bihor, Chero, Gond, Ho, Khond, Lohra, Mai Pahariya, Munda, Oraon, Kol or Kawar-over thirty-two tribal groups (28 % of the total population of the state), have left their impression on the culture of the region. And with them, were the cross-cultural influences of local non-tribal communities and successive waves of Buddhism and Jainism, Mughal rule and the reign of the Hindu emperors of Bengal.
Art historians ascribe the 'oldest cave paintings' in India, the "scroll paintings" to a Jharkhand tribe known as the Shabars, who today live on the edge of extinction. It is an established fact that Stone Age tools discovered in Hazaribagh district and axes and spearheads found in the Chaibasa area, are remnants of a civilization dating back a few thousand years. 10,000 to 30,000 years old rock paintings, paintings in huge caves in the Sati hills and other indicators of ancient, even pre-historic, human settlements are found in profusion.
Living Rhythms
Every ethnic community has the blood of tribal memory circling their hearts. Today the Adivasis of Jharkhand are coming back, not to the despair that has marked their recent history, but to the strong sounds of drums, flutes, cymbals and voices raised in song.
When the tribes of Jharkhand gather to celebrate a very special occasion, whether at home or in village society, they make music and dance to its rhythm. Maybe it makes them happy because it brings that long memory back, into the framework of real life.
It does not matter whether you understand the language or the lyrics of the song that the; sing - ekhariya damckach, orjapi, jhumar, fagua, veer seren, jhika, philsanjha, adhratiya or bhinsariya, doad, asadi, jhumti, or dhuria or other important folk-songs - you will recognize that they yearn to carry ancient memory and culture into their lives today.
Percussion, many kinds of percussion, along with a variety of musical instruments are used by Jharkhand tribes to accompany their singing and dancing. The Nagara, made of wood and stretched animal hide played with drumsticks. Interestingly nagaras sound the best in summers, in winter they lose their vibrant beat. The cylindrical Mandar, played by hand. Dhak, dhamsa, damana, Madan bhewri, ananad lahari, tuila, vyang, ar-bansi, shankh, karha, tasa, thala, ghanta, kadri and gupi jantra are some quaint instruments played.
Dance forms echo warrior-like movements of battles fought long ago, for the men. Observations of animal and bird behaviour were also blended into the dancing, sometimes light and airy, sometimes heavy and solemn, as the mood demands. Everyday activities of womenfolk -working in the fields, in the forests, in their homes, all reflect themselves in dance forms like the timeless Chhau, which requires agility, suppleness, skilful hand movements. The Seraikela school of Chhau is held during the Sun Festival. It is influenced by the principles of Bharatiya Natya Shastra but the theme is based on folk-lore, nature and mythology. The choreograph follows Odissi in composition and execution.
Other well-known dances of tribal communities in Jharkhand include festive dancing such as - Sarhul / Baha, where sal and mohua flowers are used ceremonially; the Dansai & Sorhai where the youth sing and dance through the night of karam; Maghi Puja, an important festival of the Munda tribe; Sarhul in which 'shalai' the flower of the sal tree is offered to the gods, with the flower as a symbol of brotherhood; Tusu, the harvest festival, celebrated mainly by unmarried girls. A canopy is added of light wood and covered with thin tissue paper. The pyramidal shaped structure, edged with tinsel and decorated with painted/printed images of local deities (sometimes even film stars), is carried by village woman-chanting songs along the way-to the nearest water resource and immersed in it. Bazra Puja, when Bazra or 'millet' is ready for harvesting; and the Bhagta Parab or the worship of Budha Baba.
Most of the folk dance around Jharkhand is accompanied by traditional music played by the musicians using some traditional musical equipment. Some of the very famous Jharkhand dances are as follows:
Paika is one of the very famous dance forms of Jharkhand. In fact, it is a dance form where martial arts are mixed with some other dance steps. This is why the dance form is only performed by the male members of the society. Paika of Jharkhand is a very interesting dance form of the region. It offers a thrilling entertainment to your eyes as the men risk their lives to perform it. The dancers have to handle a sword in one hand and the shield in other. For protection, they are dressed with safety chest plates and head wears and bells are tied on their ankles.
Paika in Jharkhand is accompanied by the melodious music of Narsingha, Shahnai, Bheir and the Dhak and Nagara drums. This folk dance of Jharkhand is performed for welcoming guests during various functions.
The whole ambience during the performance of this dance form is very charming. The dancers wearing their colorful robes along with the local tribes create fascinating scenery. The dance adds more glaze to the festivities.
Chhau is one of the finest folk dances of Chhota Nagpur Plateau region. The folk dance is performed in various states that lie in this region such as West Bengal, Bihar, Orissa and Jharkhand. The word Chhau is derived from the Sanskrit word Chhaya which implies shade, image, or mask.
Chhau of Jharkhand is a very beautiful dance form where the dancers cover their faces during the dance with a mask and it is this mask that attracts your attention towards the dance. Chhau is different from classical dance because in the latter dance form facial expressions are must, whereas in Chhau, it is the body movements including the neck and head gesture. In Chhau, the dancers use the mask and their body gestures to convey the stories. A commentator stands aside who not only narrates the whole story with dialogues but also sings the songs. During Chhau in Jharkhand, music is played using various instruments such as Nagara, Jhanj, Mohuri, Turi, Clude Dhol, Dhumsa, Flute, Bheri and Conch shells.
Over the years, this folk dance of Jharkhand has been classified into various forms but the most authentic and original version of the dance is available only in Jharkhand. The melodious music and the colorful dancers with their brilliant dancing skills intoxicate you so much that you do not feel like leaving the place before its completion. So if you like dancing and are always open to learn, then the best place to learn Chhau would be in Jhrakhand where the original version is performed. Some of the very famous stories that have been performed through Chhau in Jharkhand are Ramayana and Mahabharata.
Santhal is a very popular folk dance of Jharkhand. It is a group dance performed by Santhal tribes of Jharkhand. This dance was performed by the Santhal tribes during all special festivals and occasions. This dance not only reveals the culture or traditions of the local tribes but also showcases the strength of unity. The main attraction of the Santhal dance in Jharkhand is the colorful costumes worn by the tribal people. The typical garments worn by men during the Santhal are dhoti and a turban but the main attraction is their body decoration with various species of flora. Since the Santhal are believed to be close to nature, they use natural things such as leaves, branches and flowers to do their make-up and design their clothes.
If you wish to witness the fun and frolic of Santhal dance at Jharkhand then do visit it during the spring season for it is during this season that the Santhals celebrate the spring festival where they perform the folk dance. The colorful environment of the festival is made more charming and attractive by the musicians who play the music on various folk instruments such as cymbals, pipes, flutes and drums. Moreover, the singers also put the right chord with the rhythm. After, the Bamboo folk dance of Assam and Mizoram, it is the Santhal dance of Jharkhand which is very popular among the tourists of north eastern region. Moreover, the Santhal dance would also help you in exploring the life style and culture of the Santhals.
Karma is a very popular folk dance of India. Though the folk dance is performed in other states such as Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, it can be enjoyed the best in Jharkhand. The folk dance is performed in the month of August during the Karma festival.
This folk dance of Jharkhand has derived its name from a tree named Karma which is considered sacred because people believe that it brings good luck and prosperity. Hence the Karma festival is nothing but a celebration for the plantation of this tree. Karma at Jharkhand seeks the participation of both men and women. The festival starts with the plantation of trees after which the dancers get into a circle and dance with their hands around each other's waists. While dancing, they pass on the branch of the tree to each other.
After the branch of Karma gets a complete circle, it is washed with milk and rice. It is the belief of the local tribes that after these rituals, the branch should not touch the earth. After this, once again the branch is raised in between the dancers.
During the Karma of Jharkhand, the men leap forward with the rapid roll of the drums whereas the women bend down with their feet moving to and fro with the beats of the music. The dance of Karma in Jharkhand is accompanied by the melodious music of folk music instruments such as Jhumki, Thumki, Chhalla and Payri. Various forms of Karma are performed in various regions. The two most popular forms of Karma in Jharkhand are Lahsua and Khare. This dance in Jharkand is performed mainly by Baigas and Gonds.
Jharkhandi Art, Craft & Living
Jharkhand is full of surprises. Archaeologists have unearthed pre-Harappan pottery, and pre-historic cave paintings and rock-art that hint at ancient, cultured civilizations inhabiting these parts. If you look at the intricate woodwork, the pitkar paintings, tribal ornaments, stone carvings, dolls and figurines, masks and baskets, will tell you how deep into time these manifestations of culture go, how the well-spring of creativity continues to recharge the spirit of the tribes and the state itself.
Among the most delicate, fragile, beautiful ands threatened indigenous traditions of India are for example, the Kohvar and Sohrai paintings, which are sacred, secular and relevant to a woman's world. This is the art practiced exclusively by married women, during weddings and at harvest time, and the skill and the information is handed down to younger females of the clan.
Comb-cut or finger-painted, Kohvar art celebrates marriage, and the wall-painted Sohrai, bumper crops. Elaborate design motifs, animal and plant forms, fertility motifs are abundant and often echo ancient cave art found in the surrounds. The colours used are all natural - neutral earth shades, red oxide from stone, red ochre, kaolin white, manganese black earth etc.. Blue and green are aberrant colours and do not feature prominently.
Jharkhand is known for its wood work, bamboo works, pitkar paintings, tribal ornaments and stone carving. The beautifully carved wood products and bamboo products show the craftsmanship of the Jharkhandi people. Lack of promotion and marketing for these products has mostly resulted in extinction of some crafts like paitkar paintings and stone carvings. Wood Craft: Once a dense forest area, Jharkhand with the abundance of wood, resulted in the use this for creating variety of wood articles for household requirements. Bamboo: The bamboos found in the Jharkhand forest are thin but flexible and strong. Using these, the artisans of Jharkhand produce different artifacts like basket, haunting and fishing equipment.
The people here are to be much involved into artistic approaches in whatever they work, to name some of the fame arts in this region could be Oraon Bhitichitra, Santhali Bhitichitra and Jado Patiya are the styles of paintings that still exist.
Crafts for Life, Life for Crafts
Superb craftsmen for generations, the tribal communities of Jharkhand have created and perfected exquisite works of art based in the rich and unique natural resources of the land.
Woody Wonders.
The slender, strong and supple bamboo is sculpted into beautiful and practical articles such as door panels, boxes, spoons, hunting nd fishing equipment, boat-shaped baskets, rice huskers and bowls that are smeared with pink and leaf-green powder on ritual occasions.
'Pattal' plates and bowls made from 'sal' leaves are used widely during wedding and other festivities. "Sabai ghaas' or wild grass is woven into bowls, pen-stands, coasters and mats, or dyed and woven into intricate and colourful boxes, dolls, table mats and Christmas tree decorations. Chaibasa region is famous for these.
Small villages around Ranchi have for generations created finger-painted toys from palm leaves, some with detachable limbs and wheels for mobility. These toy-makers create elaborate toys based on the wedding of Lord Rama, and brilliant parakeets with red beaks and paddy green feathers.
'Kanghee' combs are wonderful items for use and decor. Wood axes with tribal motifs burnt into their handles, are collectors items, but found in almost any weekly 'haat' or village bazaar.
Upturned, bowl shaped umbrellas of cane are used in fields, but can be used in any corporate garden. Finely carved door panels, wood inlay boxes, wooden Crosses and Virgin Mary figurines and the crown of thorns rendered in wood - are crafted in villages like Khunti.
Tribal theme toys and carvings, like a band of drummers, ancient 'bird-woman' figurines, statuettes of tribal leaders like Birsa Munda and those of mighty and mythological animals such as the Rhino, all created in wood, will delight connoisseurs and art-collectors and scholars alike.
The people of Jharkhand though they are tribal base they are good craftsmen with great workmanship, they excel in terracotta, bamboo-work, Seenk-work, Kasida, Pottery, Stone craft, textiles etc; apart from these they do wonderful body paintings , tattoos, stone cutting, bull painting ( during Bandna) folk painting fresco, sculpting horse, elephant etc; for the uses of rituality. Scroll painting or Paitkar is famous but recently becomes obsolete.
Crafts of Jharkhand
The crafts of Jharkhand form a very significant part of the cultural lineage of the state of Jharkhand in India. The crafts at Jharkhand exhibit a great deal of expertise. But, the perfection of the craftsmanship is not matched with necessary promotional activities. Due to this, the crafts in Jharkhand, as a whole, have not received the national and international acclaim that it deserves.
Some of the important crafts in Jharkhand are bamboo crafts, wood crafts, metal works, Paitkar paintings, ornaments, stone carvings and toys.
The bamboo crafts of Jharkhand exhibit wonderful hand work. The important bamboo articles in Jharkhand include different baskets. Other bamboo articles of the state are the accessories used for fishing and hunting. The Jharkhand crafts of wood are mainly of day-to-day use. The different articles that the people of Jharkhand make include window, boxes and the panels of doors.
The Paitkar paintings, also called the scroll paintings, are mainly based on the theme of what happens to the human life after death.
The main varieties of jewellery that the tribal people of Jharkhand wear are the ornaments meant to be worn on the different parts of the arm including wrists, earrings and neck pieces. The metal works of Jharkhand include hunting implements, weapons, agricultural equipments and ornaments. The stone carvings of Jharkhand are another important form of craft, which is gradually becoming extinct. The toys of Jharkhand are mainly made up of wood. The toys are colorfully painted and can be moved according to one's will.
Wood crafts of Jharkhand: The wood crafts of Jharkhand form one of the most significant art forms in the state. Earlier, the state of Jharkhand had plenty of forestland, which gave a massive supply of wood. This led to the large-scale use of wood in making a variety of articles of daily use.
A great variety of wood crafts in Jharkhand are made by the people of Jharkhand, which exhibit a blend of beauty and utility. The items are mostly of daily use, but the beautiful designs that they showcase make them pieces of art. The different shapes and sizes of Jharkhand wood crafts that they produce include things as mundane as boxes and the panels of doors.
The boxes as well as the panels exhibit wonderful patterns carved out of hard wooden surface. Windows made of wood are also included in the list of items that the tribal groups of the state of Jharkhand produce. The people of the state make beautiful spoons with intricate designs on them with wood. The tribal people of the Jharkhand State are involved in different types of wood crafts of Jharkhand. These carvings require a great deal of skill. The wooden articles are quite in demand within as well as outside the country of India.
However, the recognition that the people of Jharkhand get for the labor they put in producing wood crafts at Jharkhand is not sufficient. This is due to the lack of marketing strategies of these tribal people. The wooden articles that are produced by the tribal population of the state need to be promoted for the economic and social improvement of this impoverished lot.
Bamboo crafts of Jharkhand: There are quite a few forms of craft in the eastern state of Jharkhand and one of them is the bamboo crafts of Jharkhand. The people of the state who belong to the different ethnic groups in the state are mainly engaged in this form of craft. The Jharkhand bamboo crafts that the tribal people of Jharkhand are engaged in show a great deal of intricate and fascinating hand work, which is quite unique to the state of India. The major articles that are made out of bamboo in Jharkhand include baskets and accessories used for fishing and hunting.
The bamboo crafts in Jharkhand that the ethnic people of the state of Jharkhand make are mostly carved out of the bamboos available locally. The variety of bamboo produced by the bamboo grooves of the state is not very thick. However, these bamboos are suitable for the different kinds of bamboo crafts at Jharkhand, since they are not weak and yet can be twisted and turned to a great extent.
The bamboo crafts that the people of the state of Jharkhand make out of bamboo show a lot of deftness in the profession. But, unfortunately, these beautifully crafted items carved out of bamboo have not got the critical acclaim that they deserve.
This is owing to the fact that these articles are mostly made by the tribal population of the state and these people are not quite aware of the ways of today's world including marketing or advertisement. This lack of awareness keeps the rest of the world quite unaware of what these people are creating.
Paitkar paintings of Jharkhand constitute one of the most popular crafts of the state of Jharkhand. The Paitkar paintings at Jharkhand are one of the most ancient schools of painting in the entire country of India. Yet, they are not as much in demand in India and abroad as they ought to be. This is due to the fact that most of the forms of craft of the state are mainly the domain of the tribal people.
The historical lineage of the Paitkar paintings of Jharkhand can be traced to the culture associated with the state of West Bengal. The cultural heritage of this old form of painting has associations with one of the most well known goddesses in the Bengali household, Ma Mansa. The Paitkar paintings of Jharkhand have links with the socio-religious custom of holding yajnas and giving alms.
The Paitkar paintings in Jharkhand are also popularly known as the scroll paintings. The form of painting has got its name from its character. The paintings that belong to this school have a common subject of what happens to human life post death.
These people have not been able to spread the name of their creations far and wide. Particularly, the Jharkhand Paitkar paintings are suffering a massive setback and in near future, it might transform into a form of painting of the past. The tribal people of the state of Jharkhand can not save this ancient art form from extinction due to their inability to market it owing to financial constraints.
Metal works of Jharkhand constitute one of the most well known forms of craft in the whole state of Jharkhand in India. The metal works at Jharkhand exhibit a wonderful amalgamation of utility and looks.
The Jharkhand metal works produced by the ethnic people of the state can be classified into four broad categories. These are the weapons, the ornaments, the hunting implements and the agricultural equipments. The two main metals used for making different kinds of jewelry are silver and gold. They make metal weapons mainly for defensive purposes. The hunting and agricultural equipments help the people of the state in their ways of livelihood.
There are two communities in the state of Jharkhand whose names are specially associated with the Jharkhand metal works. These are the Tentri community and the Malhar community. These two communities have become popular throughout the state of Jharkhand for the expertise they show in the metal works in Jharkhand.
The people of the communities of Thentri and Malhar are very efficient in the technique of casting of iron. The artisans of these two communities mainly specialize in metal articles of day-to-day use. They cast iron to produce such articles.
In comparison to the level of craftsmanship these metal works of Jharkhand show, the acknowledgement they have received is quite nominal. Most of the metal works of Jharkhand are created by the people belonging to the various tribal communities of the state. These people are not well accustomed as the urban people with the industrial strategies like advertisement and other forms of promotion.
The stone carvings of Jharkhand constitute one of the most well known forms of craft in the state of Jharkhand in the eastern part of the subcontinent of India. The stone carvings in Jharkhand show quite a lot of efficiency on the part of the artisans. They make fine and beautiful designs on stone.
Their work deserves a large-scale recognition. But unfortunately, the stone carvings at Jharkhand have not got the fame that they should have. This is owing to the fact that most of the carvings on stone in the state are the domain of the people who belong to a variety of tribal sects. These people are not well equipped with the nuances of the industrial world. Hence, they have yet not been able to acquire the promotional skills.
The Jharkhand stone carvings are gradually becoming a dying small-scale industry due to the lack of its promotion. This ancient form of art very badly needs some funds for its marketing. Some initiative should be taken by the government of Jharkhand or some private sector organization, which is interested in keeping alive this art.
A very few stone carvers still exist in the state of Jharkhand, though they too depend on some alternate profession for their bread and butter, due to the lack of market value of the stone carvings of Jharkhand.
Jharkhand ornaments are one of the major forms of crafts in the state of Jharkhand in India. The ornaments created by the people belonging to the tribal groups of Jharkhand show a great deal of perfection in the art.
The people belonging to different tribal groups have a special knack for beautifying themselves with a wide range of ornaments in Jharkhand. However, the kind of ornaments that they prefer to wear is not very complicated or elaborate.
The major types of jewellery that they wear are neck pieces, earrings and ornaments worn on the wrists and other parts of the arm.
The artisans of the state of Jharkhand in the eastern part of India are involved in making basic ornaments. They use two kinds of metal for making jewellery. These two metals are silver and gold. The people of Jharkhand also like to wear another type of jewellery, which are mainly made up of beads. The ethnic people of the state occasionally wear Jharkhand ornaments made with various kinds of precious stones.
The different types of ornaments of Jharkhand are yet to achieve the name and fame that they deserve within India as well as outside the country. The ornaments at Jharkhand have not attained a large-scale market due to the fact that most of these jewelleries are created by the ethnic people, who are not well equipped with the activities necessary to promote an art form.
The art of ornament making has developed into one of the foremost art forms in the state due to the high level of interest of the tribal people in jewellery.
Jharkhand toy making is one of the major crafts of the state. The people who belong to the various ethnic communities of the state show a great deal of expertise in the art of toy making. The main framework of the toys, which are the products of Jharkhand toy making industry, is cut out of wood.
The craft of toy making in Jharkhand is not devoid of the technological aspects of the modern world. The toys are often equipped with wheels, so that children can control and move them according to their own whims and fancies. The toys have limbs that can be moved with the help of a string. The flexible toys are made up of portions of palm leaves. These leaves are painted with fingers or dotted with pink color.
The toys are painted with bright colors for drawing the attention of the little children. The toys created by the people of Jharkhand are inspired by the world around.
The craft of toy making of Jharkhand has thrived particularly in the hilly areas of the state. Another region that is well known for this art form is the surrounding area of Ranchi, which is the capital of Jharkhand. These places of the state boast of a couple of families which have picked up the skills of toy making at Jharkhand generation after generation.
Source: Jharkhandi Art n Culture - http://jharkhandi.com/art.aspx
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April 21
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Jharkhand News
Adivasis in Kokrajhar district of Assam are Voting for the third time — from a relief camp
Sawna Tudu does not exactly remember the date when his third son died of malaria for want of treatment at the age of three in a makeshift relief camp. He only remembers that his wife was carrying the third child in her womb when a violent ethnic clash in 1996 uprooted thousands of downtrodden Bodos and adivasis like him and forced them to take shelter in relief camps.
The adivasi farmer, who now earns his bread by working as daily wage earner and running a small shop, will be casting his vote at one of the three polling centres located within a cluster of make shift relief camps for internally displaced persons.
This will be for the third time that Tudu and about 2,000 other voters of the Joypur adivasi relief camp in lower Assam’s Kokrajhar district will be casting their votes in a Lok Sabha poll.
Quickly forgotten
Those in the camp say that politicians remember them only during elections and make promises to rehabilitate them but conveniently forget once the hullabaloo is over.
This time too, the candidates of Kokrajhar Lok Sabha constituency and their agents have made the same promises when they approached them for votes.
A series of violent ethnic clashes between the Bodos and the adivasis in lower Assam’s Kokrajhar and Bongaigaon district in 1996 and 1998 and between Bodos and Muslims in 1993 uprooted 48,556 families from their homes. Some of them have been rehabilitated.
However, for past 16 years, thousands of refugees, mostly adivasis, are still languishing in congested makeshift relief camps in sub-human conditions without proper food, drinking water, sanitation, healthcare and livelihoods. Children born in the camps do not have any idea what a proper home is.
For more than 13,000 occupants of the Joypur relief camp at Karigaon by the side of the National Highway there are only five tube wells as the only source of water for drinking and other household purposes.
The refugees have not heard about the Total Sanitation Campaign and open defecation is the normal practice for children and elders alike. No ration cards
The government provides them free rice that lasts 10 days of the month. For the remaining 20 days they have to manage for themselves. The government has not issued ration cards.
Some of those who live in the camp have been issued job cards under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS). But they are yet to get jobs.
Those in the relief camp are willing to return to their homes provided the government increases the rehabilitation grant from existing amount of Rs. 10,000 for each family to Rs. 50,000.
“The government has been asking us take the rehabilitation grants of Rs. 10,000 and return to our villages. As farmers we need livestock for resuming agricultural activities and at the same time we will also have to rebuild our houses. What will we do with such little amount?” said Ramsing Lakra, president of the camp inmates’ committee of Joypur Relief Camp.
Like him, the others are waiting to exercise their franchise during the second phase of polling on April 23.
However, this time they under no illusion that exercising this right will change their lives for the better.
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March 25
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Jharkhand Blog
Fire in an abandoned coalmine in Salanpur block
25/March/2009: Statesman News Service: A fire that broke out in an abandoned coalmine in Salanpur block near Asansol last night caused land subsidence in the area, leaving thousands of people panic-stricken.
Smoke fumes followed by scattered fire balls covered the entire Samdi, Muchipara and Sangramgarh localities in the Jharkhand bordering stretches at about 12.30 a.m. today. Residents woke up to mild tremors at midnight and ran from their homes. About 400 square metres of surface adjacent to Eastern Coalfields Limited's abandoned Sangramgarh pit caved in due to the subsidence. A senior ECL officials stated: “The fire and subsidence was a result of rampant illegal coal mining in the area.” In 2001, 14 labourers engaged by the Mafia had died due to similar subsidence in Sangramgarh. The civil administration and ECL officials were manhandled by the aggrieved residents on arriving at the spot around eight a.m. today. The group included the BDO of Salanpur, Ms Soma Saw; the Salanpur panchayat samiti sabhapati, Mr Shyamal Majumdar, as well as several ECL officials headed by Mr S N Tripathy, custodian manager of the adjacent Bonjemari colliery.
The locals alleged: “Last June, we were told that we would be rehabilitated to a safe zone after previous subsidence in the area. Since then, no officials have come to the village. Today, when yet another subsidence occurred, the same officials have come to estimate the extent of the damage.”
Mr Majumdar said: “Nothing has been done for their rehabilitation as yet. The local's distress is valid.” BDO Ms Saw said: “The residents will be shifted to a different, safer location in two phases. The ECL has agreed to share the responsibility.”
Two fire tenders were pressed into operation to combat the mine fire, though smoke fumes didn’t stop till this evening. Mr Tripathy, ECL official, said: “A further dozing operation is required in the area to fill the porous strata from where the residue coal bearing methane is emerging and periodically causing fires.”
Jharkhand Forum's Video Blog @ jharkhandforum.wordpress.com
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February 21
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Jobseeker turned politician Yashwant Sinha: Na Ghar Ke, Na Ghat Ke, now beaten up mercilessly by Police.
Police beat us up 'mercilessly': Yashwant Sinha
Former Union minister Yashwant Sinha and former chief minister Arjun Munda were among those beaten up by the police during a BJP protest, Ghera Dalo, Dera Dalo, in Ranchi outside the Raj Bhawan on Thursday.
Injured in his legs and shoulders, Sinha fell down and was lifted by the police. "They caned us mercilessly and indiscriminately when we were leading a peaceful demonstration," he said.
A total of 45 persons, including Sinha, Munda and MLA Sarayu Rai, were arrested on charges of rioting and disturbing the peace. They were released in the evening. The state administration had deployed three companies of the police to maintain law and order.
The agitation was called by the state unit of the BJP to protest against the decision of the UPA Government to keep the state Assembly in suspended animation while imposing the President's rule in Jharkhand on January 19. They demanded fresh Assembly elections along with the Lok Sabha elections.
"By keeping the Assembly in suspended animation, the UPA has kept the horse trading on," said BJP's state unit president Raghuwar Das.
An identical demand was raised by the opposition JD(U), Jharkhand Vikas Morcha led by Babulal Marandi and the Left -- CPI, CPI(M) and the CPI(ML).
However, JMM's spokesperson Madan Nayak said, "Since the Assembly elections were due next year, there is no need of polls now. We want the democratic government to be formed at the earliest."
http://www.indianexpress.com/story_print.php?storyid=422665
Public comments
Good they deserved it
by Jim on 2009-02-13 20:41:19.576982+05:30
Good they desrved it, its not mercilessly but its without discrimination, which is usually rare. Good good - goondas deserve that only.
Great job
by RS on 2009-02-13 16:19:01.197802+05:30
Well done Indian police....thrash more netas....all they can do is transfer you to some other place..u will find more netas there..thrash them as well..
Good job police
by Angry indian on 2009-02-13 15:19:04.364249+05:30
They deserve it. When they go around hitting poor girls, they would not have expected this...
That's life
by Mia on 2009-02-13 11:06:39.168156+05:30
It is not at the behest of anyone. This is generally how the police behave towards ordinary people. Just because the netas have been at the receving end does not make it anything special. No harm if they receive a few dandas from time to time. At least they know how common people live.
All Indians Should Think Now Please !
by Rajeev on 2009-02-13 08:48:00.761675+05:30
THIS IS ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF CONGRESS TO RUIN DEMOCRACY AND USE OF ITS OWN GIVERNER. CONGRESS HAS DONE SO MUCH DAMAGE TO COUNTRY ON EVERY FRONT, FROM 1947 INCLUDING J
police lathicharge
by arvind on 2009-02-13 06:33:34.282914+05:30
I am a supporter of BJP, but Police allover is the same. Akali Dal in Punjab is in power with the open support of BJP, BUT WHAT THEY all ARE DOING.i heard today about the same treatment students had in JALLIANWALLA Bagh in Amritsar, what Yashwant Sinha had in Ranchi. So after all these lathi charge, all these politicians from all main parties have to see what they have in consolation for the ordinary voter
Police brutality
by GNS on 2009-02-13 04:19:32.425328+05:30
Sinhaji : this happens when the police charge ordinary people agitate where BJP is in power too whatever the cause.I am NOT supporting the police aggression against people including you.But what BJP did during those 5 years in power to civilise police ? Nothing.
Freedom or congress
by Anon on 2009-02-13 07:29:51.739801+05:30
Democracy in India is always in threat from congress
Congress is repsonible
by GK on 2009-02-13 04:06:06.911058+05:30
This is done at the behest of Congress top leaders. They have tried to crush democracy by lathicharging on a peaceful demostration. Congress will have to pay a heavy price in the election. Their support base is dwindling and they have become a second rung party in nearly all the states.
BJP means Divide and Rule
by Peace on 2009-02-12 22:54:41.401832+05:30
Wow BJP is a hindu party ....What it did for the hindus when it was in power only raising Ram Ram will not fill the belly of the common man ... Show some concrete plan it has to develop India .. I challenge it can't afterall they know only divide and Rule.
BJP...high time learn it
by gautam singh on 2009-02-12 18:43:16.019997+05:30
Jharkhand has just become a joke in the name of politics. curruption over there is on all time high. UPA is keeping the assembly suspended showing their power hungry attitude. People had voted BJP in power twice there but what happened? They made a near illitrate and most currupt Arjun Munda chief minister who spent his time in womanizing and scamming. BJP know it that biggest reason of your losing elections everywhere is you dooming yourself to caste politics.
Live in Joy
by sumit on 2009-02-12 17:41:24.981342+05:30
When demonstrations are peaceful why does the police use violence. I think even the policemen may be feeling bad. This is all the result of wrong thought process in the politics. God please help our country to live in peace and be joyful. But yes joy does come after a lot of struggle...may be even violence..pray it does come
Good
by paul on 2009-02-12 17:14:41.416725+05:30
Beating to any politician of any party is welcomed by the entire public
Polotics
by rajesh on 2009-02-13 16:11:11.926704+05:30
They will learn how to be civilised after some rounds of beating. Then decent people also can enter politics.
Shame-Mera Bharat mahan
by Raj on 2009-02-13 09:37:43.957007+05:30
Police beat up public offenders. Do you have anything to say about all the vanara senas that beat up peaceful people at their homes, pubs, churches, mosques, etc. Mera Bharat Mahan!
Soniaji:
by Reddy on 2009-02-13 04:03:29.976619+05:30
Open your eyes. It is Congress playing the vote bank politics for which religion and caste is the prime candidates. In AP, my boyhood days we do not know what is caste. We all like one family. A cast was treated something like a sir name. But after 30 yrs, I see divisive and confrontational castism and rampant corruption. But there is no BJP in AP at all. The castism made confrontational due Christians also. They provoke dalits against hinduism so that they can be trapped fro conversion. BJP/VHP/RSS,etc is the way to go. Because their approach is of no nonsense.
What can a common man expect?
by Niharika Babu on 2009-02-12 16:54:30.932593+05:30
If our police are so stupid as to act in this manner against a former central minister, what can a common man expect? One hopes that a sensible government will take severe action against the guilty policemen
what can --
by ak on 2009-02-13 06:43:27.353621+05:30
What do you expect from a simple police wala. They have to do whatever high officials say
RELATED - OLD NEWS CLIP
BJP tells Yashwant Sinha to shut up
Press Trust of India
New Delhi, June 24: In a clear disapproval of his open attack on the party-led Jharkhand government, BJP today made it clear to senior leader Yashwant Sinha that he should raise issues within the party forum and not air them through media.
Notwithstanding the party caution, Sinha insisted today that he was compelled to raise the issue in public as he felt it was his duty to do it.
Embarrassed over his surprise attack on Chief Minister Arjun Munda charging his government with corruption, which had come on top of his criticism of party president L K Advani during the recent leadership crisis, party spokesman Arun Jaitley said "... Sinha is advised that if he has to raise any of these subjects, he should do so within the party forum and not through the media".
Jaitley's remarks came after Advani's discussions with general secretary Rajnath Singh, who had earlier talked to Sinha on his criticism yesterday.
Sinha had recently raised the hackles of the party when he had termed Advani's remarks on Jinnah as unnecessary and doubted whether he would be effective as the leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha after his resignation as party president.
Jaitley, who had also talked to Sinha, said the former minister should keep in mind that only two months ago Arjun Munda had got a mandate to rule again.
The spokesman said Sinha told the party that his intentions were to highlight some subjects to improve the performance of the party's government in Jharkhand.
Referring to the advice of restraint, Jaitley hoped that "Sinha will see virtue in this advice".
Asked if Sinha's outbursts amounted to indiscipline, Jaitley evaded a direct reply saying that he would not say anything more. He has not levelled any personal allegation against anybody, he added.
Meanwhile, Sinha said, "I felt it was my duty to raise problems. I have raised it within the party and I have been compelled to raise this in public now."
Asked about the possibility of a disciplinary action against him, he said he had raised the issue in the party and it was for it to decide. "I have nothing to say."
URL: http://www.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=49407
About - Yashwant Sinha
Born and educated in Patna, Bihar, Sinha received his Masters Degree in Political Science in 1958. Subsequently, he taught the subject at the University of Patna till 1960.
Yashwant Sinha joined the Indian Administrative Service in 1960 and spent over 24 years holding important posts during his service tenure. He served as Sub-Divisional Magistrate and District Magistrate for 4 years. He was Under Secretary and Deputy Secretary in the Finance Department of the Bihar Government for 2 years after which he worked in the Ministry of Commerce as Deputy Secretary to the Government of India.
From 1971 to 1973, he was First Secretary (Commercial) in the Indian Embassy, Bonn, Germany. Subsequently, he worked as Consul General of India in Frankfurt from 1973 to 1974. After working for over seven years in this field, he acquired experience in matters relating to foreign trade and India's relations with the European Economic Community. Thereafter, he worked in the Department of Industrial Infrastructure, Government of Bihar and in the Ministry of Industry, government of India dealing with foreign industrial collaborations, technology imports, intellectual property rights and industrial approvals. As Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Surface Transport, Government of India from 1980 to 1984, his main responsibilities were road transport, ports and shipping.
Janata Dal
Yashwant Sinha resigned from the Indian Administrative Service in 1984 and joined active politics as a member of the Janata Party. He was appointed All-India General secretary of the party in 1986 and was elected Member of the Rajya Sabha in 1988.
When the Janata Dal was formed in 1989, he was appointed General Secretary of the party. He worked as Minister of Finance from November, 1990 to June 1991 in Mr. Chandra Shekhar's Cabinet.
BJP
He became the National Spokesperson of the BJP in June, 1996. He was appointed finance minister in March, 1998. He was foreign minister from that date until May 22, 2004, when a new government took office after parliamentary elections. He represented Hazaribagh Constituency in Bihar (now Jharkhand), in the Lok Sabha. However in an amazing development, Yashwant Sinha was defeated from Hazaribagh seat in the elections of May, 2004. He reentered Parliament in 2005 as Rajya Sabha member from Jharkhand.
Directory
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February 20
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Hindu Caste OBC - Barber (Nayee / Thakur) Community demand Schedule Caste (SC) status
Barbers in Jharkhand are demanding Schedule Caste status, which will help them get reseved jobs and educational opportunities. They are presently classified among Other Backward Communities in the state.
'We are one of most backward communities of society. Our social status and educational levels are very low. To improve our situation we demand inclusion of our community in the Schedule Castes (SC),' said Gopal, president of Ranchi Barbers Association.
Echoing his view, Ganesh Thakur, a barber, said: 'No one can live without our services. Despite serving each and everyone in the country, from urban to rural areas, we are still leading a wretched life. The state government should issue cards to barbers and extend facilities provided to SCs of the state.'
The barbers' demands include free education to their children in schools, inclusion of their community in SC category, subsidy in train and bus fares and soft government loans to open saloons.
There are over 1,000 barbers in state capital Ranchi.
The barbers' association is planning to demonstrate in front of the governor's house to press the demands.
POVERTY in Barber (Nayee / Thakur) Community
(IANS/July/2007) He is probably the youngest barber in India. But seven-year-old Praduman Thakur of Jharkhand is already an expert. And there is always a long queue outside his shop.
Praduman, a resident of Ramgarh in Hazaribagh district, picked up the skills from Ram Tahal, his 65-year-old father, a barber for decades who has called it a day.
As Praduman is his eldest son, the onus of supporting the family has fallen on the boy.
Praduman was just five years old when he began learning how to shave beards and cut hair.
'When I found my father was unable to work and my family was facing problems as there was nobody to earn money, I decided to adopt my father's profession,' said the boy.
The young lad charges Rs.2 for a hair cut and Rs.1 for a shave. He manages to earn between Rs.30 and Rs.35 a day. The low charges combined with Praduman's neat fingers and dedication has won him many clients.
No one really sees him as a child worker.
'Praduman is showing a path to young people looking for employment. I prefer to get my hair cut and beard shaved from him. He talks well and keeps everyone happy with his work,' said Nagendra Mahto, a resident of Ramgarh.
Praduman is a Class 2 student at a local primary school but cannot afford to go to school regularly. He attend classes whenever possible.
His mother Kullo Devi is proud of him but does not want Praduman to become a barber by profession.
'The situation forced my child to work as barber. But I do not want him to continue in the profession for a long period of time. I want to see a pen in his hand instead of the knife,' she said.
Directory
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February 05
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Jharkhand Blog
Scheduled Tribes Finance & Development Corporation
National Scheduled Tribes Finance and Development Corporation (NSTFDC) has been set up in April, 2001 as a Government Company under Section 25 of the Companies Act. 1956 (A Company not for profit), following bifurcation of the erstwhile National Scheduled Castes and Schedule Tribes Finance and Development Corporation (NSFDC) into two separate corporations.NSTFDC is a fully Government of India owned Undertaking under the Ministry of Tribal Affairs and is managed by a Board of Directors with representation from Central Government, State Level Channelising Agency, financial institutions and persons representing Scheduled Tribes.
2.3 SHARE CAPITAL
The Authorised Share Capital of the Corporation is Rs.500.00 Crores.
2.4 BROAD OBJECTIVES
NSTFDC is the Apex organisation for providing financial assistance for scheme(s)/project(s) for the economic development of Scheduled Tribes. The broad objectives of NSTFDC are as under: -
| i.
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Identification of economic activities of importance to the Scheduled Tribes so as to generate employment and raise their level of income.
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| ii.
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Upgradation of skills and processes used by the Scheduled Tribes through providing both institutional and on the job training;
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| iii.
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To make the existing State/U.T Scheduled Tribes Finance and Development Corporations who are nominated as the State Channelising Agencies (SCAs) for availing assistance from NSTFDC and other developmental agencies engaged in the economic development of Scheduled Tribes more effective.
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| iv.
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To assist SCAs in project formulation, implementation of NSTFDC assisted Schemes and in imparting necessary training to their staff.
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| v.
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To provide financial support for meeting the working capital requirement of the Central / State government owned agencies, for undertaking procurement and marketing of minor forest produces, agricultural produces ,and other products grown/made or collected by the Scheduled Tribes.
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| vi.
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To innovate, experiment and promote rather than replicate the work of the existing agencies. |
2.5 FUNCTIONS
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i.
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To finance viable income generating Scheme(s)/ Project(s) costing upto Rs.10.00 Lakhs through the SCAs for the economic development of eligible Scheduled Tribes.
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ii.
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To provide grants through the SCAs for undertaking training programmes for the skill and entrepreneurial development of eligible Scheduled Tribes..
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iii.
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To upgrade skills of officials of the SCAs through periodic training. |
2.6 ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
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i.
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The beneficiary should belong to the Scheduled Tribes community.
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ii.
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Annual family income of the beneficiary should not exceed double the poverty line (DPL) income limit (presently Rs.39,500/- p.a. for the rural areas and Rs.54,500/- p.a. for the urban areas).
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|
iii.
(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)
(e)
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Individual, Partnership Firms/Co-operative Societies / any other form of Legal Associations are eligible to avail financial assistance from NSTFDC. However, proposals submitted by the Partnership Firms, Co-operative Societies and any other forms of Legal Associations shall be subject to the following :
a) All the members should belong to the Scheduled Tribes community.
b) Annual family income of each member/applicant should not exceed double the poverty line income limit.
Eligibility Criteria for Self Help Groups (SHGs) :
Proposal(s) submitted by an existing profit making SHGs to the Channelising Agencies of NSTFDC (SCAs) shall only be eligible for financial assistance under NSTFDC scheme of Micro Credit.
All members of each Self Help Group should belong to the Scheduled Tribe community.
Annual family income of each member of SHG should not exceed double the poverty line (DPL) income limit (presently Rs.39,500/- p.a. for the rural areas and Rs.54,500/- p.a. for the urban areas), at the time of availing of financial assistance [ Income Limit is revised from time to time based on the poverty norms revised by the Planning Commission.]
The financial assistance given will be subject to further condition that till the currency of loan, availed under NSTFDC Scheme, non Scheduled Tribe (ST) person and or otherwise in-eligible ST person shall not be made member of the said Self Help Group.
An undertaking for the above condition will be obtained by the SCAs from the SHGs prior to sanction of loan.
Financial assistance is to be extended only to the eligible person(s) who is/are residing in the concerned State/U.T. for which the said Tribe has been notified as Scheduled Tribe by the Government.
Note : SCAs are to verify the Tribe Caste as declared for each of the member by the SHGs with the notified Scheduled Tribes for the concerned State/UT prior to sanction of loan.
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2.7 ALLOCATION OF FUNDS
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a)
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CRITERIA
At the beginning of each financial year, funds are notionally allocated by the NSTFDC to the SCAs in proportion to the Scheduled Tribes population in the respective States and UTs. This is intimated to the SCAs. The SCAs may ensure the flow of funds in such a manner so as to maintain proper balance among different districts/regions, sectors and achieving an equitable gender-wise balance among the beneficiaries.
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b)
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UNIT COST
Within the overall allocation, funds are to be allocated keeping the following broad norms :
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| %age of Notional Allocation |
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i) scheme(s)/project(s)
costing upto Rs.5.00 lakh /per unit /profit centre
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90%
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ii) scheme(s)/project(s)
costing above Rs.5.00 lakh /per unit /profit centre
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10% | However 10%of allocation earmarked above can also be availed for small value projects .
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c)
| SECTORAL ALLOCATION
The broad norms of sectoral allocation are given below .The norms are indicative .However,the SCAs are expected to ensure a balanced approach on sectoral allocation while forwarding scheme(s)/project(s) to NSTFDC for consideration.
| Sector
| %age of Notional Allocation |
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| i) Agriculture & Allied Sector
| 40%
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| ii) Service Sector (Including Transport)
| 50%
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| iii) Industrial Sector
| 10% |
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3.4 LlST OF STATE/UT CHANNELISING AGENCIES OF NSTFDC
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| S.No.
| Name and Address of the SCA
| Telephone No.
| Fax No.
|
| 01.
| A.P. Scheduled Tribes Coop. Finance Corpn. Ltd.,
1st Floor, Telugu Samkshema Bhawan,
Masab Tank, HYDERABAD - 500 028 ANDHRA PRADESH.
| 040-3390487
-3391634
| 040-3315236
|
| 02.
| Andaman & Nicobar Island Integrated Development Corporation Ltd.,
New Marine Dry Dock/WorkShop Complex,
P.B. NO. 180, PORT BLAIR - 744 101 ANDAMAN & NICOBAR ISLAND.
| 03192-32801
-32095
| -
|
| 03.
| Arunachal Pradesh Industrial & Finance Dev.Corporation,
(Near A.O.C.), ITANAGAR - 791 111
ARUNACHAL PRADESH.
| 0360-212672
-212673
| 0360-212751
|
| 04.
| Assam Plain Tribes Dev. Corpn. Ltd.,
Ganeshguri Chariali, DISPUR - 781 005 ,
GUWAHATI ASSAM
| 0361-201521
| -
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| 05.
| Bihar State Scheduled Castes Co-operative Dev.Corp.Ltd.,
4th Floor, Biscomaun Tower,
PATNA - 800 001 BIHAR
| 0612-231406
-231674
-231672
| -
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| 06.
| Dadra & Nagar Haveli, Daman & Diu SCs/STs Other
Backward Classes & Minorities Financial & Devp. Corpn. Limited,
2nd Floor, Rightwing, Old DIC Office, PWD Complex,
SILVASSA - 396230 DADRA & NAGAR HAVELI
| 0361-201521
| -
|
| 07.
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Chhattisgarh Rajya Antyavsayee Sahkari Vitta Avam
Vikas Nigam, Plot No. R-12, Anupam Nagar,
Near Door Sanchar Kendra,
Sankar Nagar, Raipur
| 0771-666105
| -
|
| 08.
| Goa State SC & Backward Classes Development Corporation,
4th Floor, Patto Centre, EDC Complex,
Near KTC Bus Stand, PANAJI - 403 001, GOA .
| 0832-220201
-227107
| 0832-222340 |
| 09.
| Gujarat Tribal Development Corporation,
Block No.: 10, 2nd Floor, Dr. Jivraj Mehta Bhawan,
GANDHI NAGAR - 382 010., GUJARAT
| 079-322 0009 (O)
-322 2635 (R)
| 079 - 322 3710
|
| 10.
| Himachal Pradesh Scheduled Castes & Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation,
Jain Bhawan, Hospital Road, SOLAN - 173 212
HIMACHAL PRADESH.
| 01792-20671
| 01792-20058
|
| 11.
| J & K Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes & Backward Classe Development Corporation,
Ramesh Market, Shastri Nagar,
JAMMU.
| 0191-433229
-452009
| 0191-433229
|
| 12.
| The Jharkhand State Tribal Co-operative Dev. Corpn. Ltd.,
Balihar Road, Morabadi, RANCHI - 834 008
JHARKHAND.
| 0651-541398
| 0651-316686
|
| 13.
| Karnataka Scheduled Castes & Scheduled Tribes Dev. Corp.Ltd.
9th & 10th Floor,Visweshwaraiah Mini Tower, Dr. Ambedkar Veedhi,
BANGALORE - 560 001,
KARNATAKA.
| 080-2867097
-2865747
-2865192
| 080-2860396
|
| 14.
| Kerala State Development Corporation
For Scheduled Castes & Scheduled Tribes Limited,
Town Hall Road, THRISSUR - 680 020,
KERALA.
| 0487-331064
-331202
| 0487-331469
|
| 15.
| Lakshdweep Development Corporation Limited,
G-406,Panampilly Nagar, ERNAKULAM,
COCHIN - 682 036,
KERALA.
| 0484-310979
-310990
| 322924
|
| 16.
| Manipur Tribal Development Corpn. Ltd.,
Lamphelpat, IMPHAL-795 004,
MANIPUR
| 0385-310452
-310293
| 0385-310293 |
| 17.
| Meghalaya Cooperative Apex Bank Limited,
M.G. Road, SHILLONG 793 001,
MEGHALAYA.
| 0364-224160
| 0364-222026
|
| 18.
| M.P. Adivasi Vitta Aivam Vikas Nigam,
Rajiv Gandhi Bhawan Parisar II,
35 Shyamala Hills, BHOPAL - 462 002,
MADHYA PRADESH.
| 0755-660672
| 0755-221825
|
| 19.
| Mizoram Khadi & Village Industries Board,
"Zorun" Zarkawat, AIZWAL - 796 007,
MIZORAM.
| 0389-342460
| 0389-347587
|
| 20.
| Mizoram Urban Cooperative Development Bank Ltd.,
Lalsawmliani Building (Top Floor), Zarkawt,
AIZWAL - 796 001
MIZORAM.
| 0389-346508
343475
| -
|
| 21.
| Nagaland Industrial Devp.Corporation
Limited, IDC House, P.B. No. 5,
DIMAPUR - 797 112,
NAGALAND.
| 03862-30571
-30573
| 03862-30572
|
| 22.
| Nagaland State Cooperative Bank Ltd,
Post Box No. 151, DIMAPUR 797 112,
NAGALAND.
| 03862-28335
-28578
-20702
| -
|
| 23.
| Orissa Scheduled Castes Scheduled Tribes Dev. & Finance Coop. Corpn. Ltd.,
Lewis Road, BHUBANESHWAR - 751 014,
ORISSA.
| 0674-432949
-431623
| 0674-431798
|
| 24.
| Rajasthan Scheduled Castes & Scheduled Tribes Finance & Development Co-op. Corporation,
Nehru Sahkar Bhawan, Central Block, IIIrd Floor,
Bhawani Singh Road, JAIPUR -302 002.
RAJASTHAN.
| 0141-740745
-740880
| 0141-740880 |
| 25.
| Shabari Adivasi Vitta Va Vikas Mahamandal Maryadit,
Adivasi Vikas Bhawan, 3rd Fl., Ram Ganesh Gadkari Chowk,
Old Agra Road, NASHIK - 422 002 MAHARASHTRA.
| 0253-576860
-571782
| 0253-571560
|
| 26.
| Sikkim Scheduled Castes, Tribes & Backward Classes Dev. Corpn. Ltd,
Bhanupath, GANGTOK - 737 101, SIKKIM.
| 03592-23261
-25310
-23456
| 03592-25318
|
| 27.
| Tripura Scheduled Tribes Co-op. Development Corpn. Ltd.,
Supari Bagan, Krishna Nagar, P.O. Lake Chowmani,
AGARTALA - 799 001 TRIPURA.
| 0381-305090
| 0381-305090
|
| 28.
| Tamil Nadu Adi Dravidar Housing & Development Corpn. Limited,
Tamil Nadu Housing Board, Shopping Complex, 2nd floor, Thirumangalam
(Anna Nagar) - 600 101 TAMILNADU
| 044-6286280
-6287075
-6286283
| 044-6282007
|
| 29.
| West Bengal SCs & STs Development & Finance Corporation,
(2nd Floor) 135-A, Biplabi Rashbehari Basu Road,
KOLKATTA - 700 001, WEST BENGAL.
| 033-2432099
-2429381
| 033-2428566
|
| 30.
| Uttaranchal Bahudeshiya Vitta Evam
Vikas Nigam, 6-A, Rest Camp, Near Prince Hotel, DEHRADUN - 248 001, UTTARANCHAL
| 0135-628099
| 0135-628099
|
| 31.
| U.P. Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Finance & Development Corporation
B-912, Sector - C, Mahanagar,
LUCKNOW - 226 006 UTTAR PRADESH
| 0135-386989
| 0135-672054
|
| 32.
| Tribal Co-operative Marketing Development Federation of India Ltd. (TRIFED)
N.C.U.I Building , IInd Floor,
3 Siri Institutional Area ,August Kranti Marg,
NEW DELHI -110016
| 26510923
| 26866149
|
| 33.
| Girijan Co-operative Corporation Ltd.
East Point Colony, Visakhapatnam-530017 ANDHRA PRADESH
| 2796164
| 2796345 |
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Jharkhand Blog
Development of Forest Villages in India
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After the enactment of Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 State Governments faced problems in taking up non-forestry developmental activities relating to infrastructure for improving socio-economic conditions of people living in the villages located in the forest areas. Consequent to the intervention of this Ministry, steps like stopping of illegal eviction of genuine tribal people living in the forests, allowing diversion of forest lands for providing the basic and essential developmental facilities to the tribal/forest villages etc have been achieved.
This programme was launched during the 10th Plan as a one time measure with for Integrated development of 2690 forest villages originally identified with about 2.5 lakh tribal families with a view to:
i.) to raise the Human Development Index (HDI) of the inhabitants of the Forest Villages
ii.) Provide basic facilities and services like food, safe drinking water, health care, primary education, approach roads, other infrastructural facilities etc.
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|
During the 10th Five Year Plan, Rs. 450 crore was allocated to the Ministry of Tribal Affairs for the development of forest villages under Special Central Assistance to Tribal Sub Plan (SCA to TSP).
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Presently there are 2,474 forest villages/ habitations (reduced from the original 2,690) spread over 12 States (reduced from the original 13 States). As per the latest information available in the Ministry of Environment and Forests on forest villages / habitations based on reports received from States, details are as under:-
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| S. No.
| Name of the State
|
No. of forest villages
|
| 1.
| Assam
| 499
|
| 2.
| Chhattisgarh
| 425
|
| 3.
| Gujarat
| 199
|
| 4.
| Jharkhand
| 24
|
| 5.
| Meghalaya
| 23
|
| 6.
| Madhya Pradesh
| 893
|
| 7.
| Mizoram
| 85
|
| 8.
| Orissa
| 20
|
| 9.
| Tripura
| 62
|
| 10.
| Uttaranchal
| 61 Habitations
|
| 11.
| Uttar Pradesh
| 13
|
| 12.
| West Bengal
| 170
|
| Total
| 2474
|
| The Ministry of Tribal Affairs has approved proposals covering 2413 forest villages in 12 States and also released Rs. 59856.26 lakh (upto May, 2008).
|
|
Under the programme, infrastructure work relating to basic services and facilities viz. approach roads, healthcare, primary education, minor irrigation, rainwater harvesting, drinking water, sanitation, community halls, etc. and activities related to livelihood are taken up for implementation.
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The project proposals received from the States for the activities to be undertaken in the villages are scrutinized by the Ministry of Environment & Forests and put up for the consideration of the Project Appraisal Committee constituted for the purpose. Joint Secretary in the MTA acts as the chairperson of the Committee in the normal course. As per recommendation of Project Appraisal Committee, the proposals are approved and funds released after getting the financial concurrence.
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|
Forest Development Agency (FDA) - forest division level
Joint Forest Management Committees (JFMCs) - village level, composed of all willing adult members of the village
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|
- The funding is done under the programme of 'Special Central Assistance to the Tribal Sub-plan Fund flows from Ministry of Tribal Affairs to Department of Tribal Welfare/ Tribal Development of the States and then to the implementing agencies.
- Since forest villages are most backward and are located in forest areas, they have not got benefits of development over the years. To enable these settlements/forest villages to get the fruits of development, to begin with 100% financial assistance is provided under this special Programme. As a first step, funding of proposals for each forest village has been generally given for Rs.15 lakh each. Additional funding of Rs 15 lakh per village has been initiated in the second phase during 2006-07.
- Year-wise allocation of the funds so far under Plan is as under:
|
| Year
| Allocation
|
| 2005-06
| Rs. 230 crore*
|
| 2006-07
| Rs. 220 crore
|
| 2007-08
| Rs. 150 crore
|
| 2008-09
| Rs. 150 crore
|
| * In RE 2005-06, this was reduced to Rs.191.82 crore.
|
| - This Ministry has kept Rs 150 crore in BE 2008-09 and out of this Rs. 139.32 crore has been released in May, 2008 for the purpose.
|
| - For the following villages proposals under the programme have not been received.
|
| S. No
| State
| No. of villages pending under 1st phase
|
| 1.
| Assam
| 1
|
| 2.
| Chhattisgarh
| 3
|
| 3.
| Madhya Pradesh
| 26
|
| 4.
| Uttarakhand
| 20
|
| 5.
| Uttar Pradesh
| 11 |
|
Total
|
| 61
| |
| o Impact
Teams comprising of Director/ Dy. Secretary/ Under Secretary level officers of the Ministry had been deputed to various States during 2006-07 to get a first hand information on the progress of the activities undertaken in the forest villages for which funds were released by the Ministry. The reports received from the teams has been very encouraging and based on the same and other factors, extension of the programme by another at least two years has been done so that sufficient developmental activities take place in these villages, which are comparatively backward.
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Courtesy: Ministry of Tribal Affairs, India
Directory |
January 20
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Jharkhand Blog
People are paying Rs 5 to recharge a mobile phone battery in Nawadih village, Jharkhand
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Nawadih (Jharkhand): Ever heard of paying Rs 5 to recharge a mobile phone battery? Welcome to Nawadih village, which falls under Jharkhand's Tamar constituency from where chief minister Shibu Soren was seeking to enter the state assembly—the locals here have to pay up each time their cell phones run out of charge.
"What can we do? This is our fate. As there is no electricity in the village, most of us use solar power for energy requirement, and some of us make a living by recharging cells (of mobile phones)," says D. Pramanik, a resident of Nawadih.
"We don't expect much from the political leaders. They come during polls only to make promises that remain unfulfilled," says an elderly woman in the village.
"The crowd you find now has come just to see the helicopter, and not to see the leaders," adds the woman showing her distrust of politicians' campaigning in the area.
It is not only the lack of electricity that has angered thevillagers, but also a canal going dry because of damage to the barrage on the Kanchi river, affecting irrigation in the area.
"The villagers depend on agriculture and with the canal going dry for a year, the farmers are depending on rainwater and wells," says a teacher of Nawadih high school, requesting not to be identified.
Courtesy: livemint.com
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January 08
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Jharkhand Blog
An eight-year-old Jharkhand State is awaiting its 7th chief minister
Ranchi, Aug 27 (IANS) With his flowing beard, he looks more like a Hindu godman. But newly anointed Jharkhand Chief Minister Shibu Soren is a politician to the core and hugely popular in the state despite being dogged by bribery allegations.Popularly known as "Guruji", the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) chief took to politics after battling for years moneylenders who exploited members of his poor and impoverished tribal community.
Born Jan 11, 1944 in Nemra village of Hazaribagh district (now in Ramgarh district), Soren had to cut short his education after his father was allegedly killed by thugs in the employ of moneylenders.
That made the young man a lifelong foe of moneylenders. At the age of 18, he constituted the Santhal Navyuvak Sangh.
In the late 1960s, he set up an ashram at Tundi block in Dhanbad district. Despite being born in Chotanagpur region, the young revolutionary chose the Santhal region to take on the moneylenders.
The man became a terror for those who lent money to the needy at exorbitant rates of interest. He also took up the cause of the poor. Very soon, he was also opposing "outsiders" — the non-tribals.
In an outbreak of violence against "outsiders", the tribals killed 11 people in Chirudih village of Jamatara district. Soren was made an accused in the case.
By then he was being revered as a "god" in the tribal society. The murder case forced Soren to go underground. But not for long.
In 1971, Soren became the general secretary of JMM. He was elected to the Lok Sabha in 1980. In 1986, he became the JMM president. He went on to represent the Dumka Lok Sabha seat in 1989, 1991 and 1996.
Soren's image changed with the passage of time. As he came to be seen as another politician who made deals and took short cuts to power, he failed to get elected to the Lok Sabha in 1998 and 1999.
Soren's popularity declined after he and three other Lok Sabha MPs were charged with taking bribes to vote in favour of the Congress government of P.V. Narasimha Rao in 1992. He was jailed in the bribery case.
In 2004, he became coal minister in the Manmohan Singh government. He was forced to quit the cabinet in July 2004 after a warrant pending against him in the Chirudih massacre surfaced.
Soren was again made a minister in the central government in October 2004.
He quit the cabinet in March 2005 after becoming the chief minister of Jharkhand. But he failed to prove his majority in the assembly, and had to step down.
Soren was again inducted in the central cabinet in 2006.
He had to leave the central cabinet again in October that year after he was convicted and awarded life imprisonment for the murder of his personal secretary Shashinath Jha.
He was acquitted in the murder case by Delhi High Court in 2007. He has also been let off in the Chirudih massacre case.
On Wednesday, as he again became chief minister for a second time, Soren declared that his aim was to promote the people's welfare.
"I understand the problems of both the rural and urban people. I will try to take development to the last person in the state."
End.
The defeat in a by-poll of Jharkhand chief minister Shibu Soren can only be described as surprising. Usually, such events are scripted beforehand and any correlation they may have with popular will is, at best, weak. But what happened at the hustings in the Tamar assembly constituency was astounding: Soren lost to a novice, Gopal Krishna Patar, by around 8,000 votes. In Jharkhand politics this is a 7.0 on the Richter scale event.
Jharkhand is a state that has been beset with political instability right since its creation eight years ago in November 2000. No chief minister has completed a five-year term. Defections, independent legislators turning into kingmakers and utter lawlessness in the countryside have been the salient features of political life in the state. A small legislative assembly (with 81 legislators), a political landscape divided along tribal lines and a legacy of gravely weakened institutions inherited from its parent state, Bihar, have contributed to this sorry situation.
In the instant case, however, a large part of the blame must be laid on the doorstep of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government. In a bid to save its government and the Indo-US civilian nuclear deal, the UPA's political managers vacuum-cleaned all political allies who could save the government. Soren, who was embroiled in a murder case, came in handy, as did his Jharkhand Mukti Morcha.
The tacit bargain stuck at that time, that Soren would vote for the UPA in Parliament and would in turn have a free hand in Jharkhand, made a mockery of representative politics. Soren, one could say, simply walked into government last August. He ousted chief minister Madhu Koda, himself an independent who had earlier ousted another chief minister by "walking out" with the right numbers of legislators.
His defeat is unlikely to change things in Jharkhand. In the fractured electoral landscape of India, states with weak institutions of governance stand little chance to improve their lot. At a time when every single member of Parliament counts in forming governments at the Centre, states such as Jharkhand come in handy to secure these numbers. It's another matter that the people of the state deserve better.
http://www.livemint.com/2009/01/08205341/Surprise-in-Jharkhand.html?h=B
RANCHI (Jharkhand), Jan. 8: The historic Morhabadi grounds of Ranchi will now be readied for a new oath-taking ceremony. But with JMM supremo Mr Shibu Soren losing the Assembly bypolls today and with it his chances of staying the chief minister of the state, Jharkhand is now clueless about who will be taking this oath.
An eight-year-old Jharkhand is awaiting its 7th chief minister.
Mr Soren, the chief minister in office, was defeated in the Tamar bypolls by Mr Gopal Krishna Patar aka Raja Peter. Mr Patar contested the by-polls on a Jharkhand Party ticket and has secured his win with a convincing margin of nearly 9,000 votes.
But Mr Soren's defeat in the elections, especially when he was contesting as a chief minister in office, has managed to surprised all.
The question which arises here is why Mr Soren chose to contest the polls from the Tamar constituency. Being a veteran political campaigner, Mr Soren should have known that Tamar was a constituency alien to him and was far from the political map of Santhal Parganas, which has been his political region over decades.
Initially, it was Mr Soren himself who was very categorical to contest the Jamtara seat after the sitting candidate from there and a rebel BJP MLA Mr Vishnu Prasad Bhaiyya, put down his papers making way for Mr Soren. Mr Soren is not a member of the state Assembly and had to win an election to remain at the helm of affairs in Jharkhand within six months of his oath taking. Jamtara would have been a relatively safe seat for Mr Soren as it was very close to his own political hinterland, Dumka.
However, Mr Soren, later, decided to contest the Tamar bypolls. The answer to the question of what prompted him to do so, is unknown.
Also, Mr Soren did not consider the fact that JMM does not have enough organisational support across Tamar Assembly constituency before filing his nomination. The seat is an erstwhile stronghold of the Congress and the JMM actually had utilised the Congress's organiSation structure during Mr Soren's campaign.
http://www.thestatesman.net/page.news.php?clid=2&theme=&usrsess=1&id=239381
The chief minister of Jharkhand Shibu Soren suffered a major set back when he lost a crucial assembly by-election to Jharkhand Party candidate Gopal Krishna Patar by 9,000 votes. Gopal Krishna is a member of the ruling alliance led by the JMM. The winning of Tamar assembly seat was important for Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) chief Shibu Soren as it would have kept his post of chief minister safe. After the loss, the chief minister may have to resign from the post.
The Tamar constituency fell vacant after JD(U) legislature party leader Ramesh Singh Munda was killed on July 9 last year by Maoists. The bypoll was held on January 3 and the counting was taken up today. Soren became chief minister in August last year and needed to be elected to the state assembly within a six month period that ends Feb 27.
Gopal Krishna who secured 34,186 votes said that the people of Tamar have made the right choice as he had working here for the last ten years. Meanwhile, the BJP demanded the resignation of Shibu Soren and wants President's rule to be imposed in the state of Jharkhand. BJP national spokesperson Rajiv Pratap Rudy said that Soren's defeat is equivalent to that of Congress and the Rashtriya Janata Dal's defeat in the state.
The BJP demanded fresh elections in Jharkhand. Reports say that the UPA have asked Shibu Soren and former chief minister Madhu Koda to visit New Delhi to discuss the political scenario. It is very likely that Soren will be asked to step down and ensure formation of a new UPA government in the state
http://www.india-server.com/news/jharkhand-chief-minister-shibu-soren-5559.html
|
| Constituency :
| Dumka-ST (Jharkhand )
|
| Party Name :
| Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM)
|
| Email Address :
| shisoren@sansad.nic.in | | |
| Father's Name
| Late Shri Shobaran Soren
|
|
|
|
| Date of Birth
| 11.01.1944
|
| Place of Birth
| Nemra, Distt. Hazaribagh (Bihar)
|
| Marital Status
| Married
|
| Date of Marriage
| 01 Jan 1962
|
| Spouse's Name
| Smt. Roopi Soren
|
| No. of Sons
| 3
|
| No.of Daughters
| 1
|
| Educational Qualifications
| Matriculate
Educated at Gola High School, Hazaribagh (Jharkhand)
|
| profession
| Agriculturist
|
| Permanent Address
|
| Qr.No. 14, Sector 1-C, P.O. Ram Mandir,
|
| P.S. City Thana, Bokaro (Jharkhand)
|
| |
|
| Present Address
|
| 224, North Avenue,
|
| New Delhi - 110 001
|
| Tels. (011) 23093857, 23093861 |
|
| Position Held | |
| 1971 onwards
| General Secretary, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (J.M.M.) |
|
| 1980
| Elected to 7th Lok Sabha |
|
| 1986 onwards
| President, J.M.M. |
|
| 1989
| Re-elected to 9th Lok Sabha (2nd term) |
|
| 1991
| Re-elected to 10th Lok Sabha (3rd term) |
|
|
| Leader, J.M.M. Parliamentary Party |
|
| 1996
| Re-elected to 11th Lok Sabha (4th term) |
|
| 8July 1998-18July 2001 and 10April 2002-2June 2002
| Member, Rajya Sabha |
|
| 2002
| Re-elected to 13th Lok Sabha (5th term) |
|
| May 2004
| Re-elected to 14th Lok Sabha ( 6th term) |
|
| May 2004
| Union Cabinet Minister, Coal and Mines |
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| July 2004
| Resigned from Union Council of Ministers |
|
| 2 March 2005-11 March 2005
| Chief Minister, Jharkhand |
|
| 29 January 2006-28 November 2006
| Union Cabinet Minister of Coal |
|
| 29 November 2006
| Resigned from Union Council of Ministers |
|
| 2008
| Leader of JMM in Lok Sabha | |
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January 05
|
Jharkhand Blog
Bewakuf Hotel & Burning issues in Giridih, Jharkhand
Giridih is a small town bustling with people who love to eat in a chain of food joints called Bewakuf, Bewakuf No. One, Shri Bewakuf and Maha Bewakuf. People who loved and watched the 'family' film Vivah so much that it had a super hit run of 6 months and where 'mineral' water brands like Baba Jal, Kempti, Vailleys give a run for money to Bisleri.
Giridih is also split into CCL (the govt. owned Central Coalfield Ltd.) and non CCL areas. The CCL areas are rich for its natural resources of coal deposits under the ground and the non CCL areas are rich for its natural resources of forest, timber like sal, bamboo, khair over the ground. But… the people who live here are far from being rich. So close to these rich resources and yet so far removed from the benefits of this proximity and so utterly poor.
The reasons for this are several, In the CCL areas the reasons are:
This town is supposed to be administered (provide civic, health, education services to the inhabitants) by the govt. owned Central Coalfield Ltd. (CCL). But, CCL does this in areas where its employees are concentrated and the rest of the people 'do not exist' for CCL.
1. These people 'do not exist' because as required by the govt. they don't have the 'patta', a long, scroll-like, official paper that proves ownership of the land.
2. Non-existent people don't get their rights – to a home, health, education and thus a livelihood.
3. The govt. schemes like employment guarantee schemes, income generation schemes, mooted to help all people below poverty line are so mired in corruption that they fail to benefit the very people. The schemes either just stay on paper. Or get implemented by the contractors for the contractors i.e. they pay the local people less or get people from outside, pay them less and pocket the rest.
4. The govt. owned CCL now does a lot of open mining (dig and scoop out pits the size of a sports stadium) to reach the coal below. They are supposed to cover it and return it to the original state. But they just leave it open. Result – these open, deep pits over time collect water that gets used by the local people leading to diseases. There is less and less of flat land left for even basic vegetation.
5. The officially closed mines still continue to be mined illegally. Out of desperation the local people including children go in and then travel long distances to sell the coal. In case of accidents or death inside the mines due to the pillar or roof collapsing etc., it goes unrecorded and uncompensated.
The reasons of deprivation, unique to the non-CCL areas are:
1. The rampant illegal deforestation happening with the complete sanction of the forest dept. officials. Leading to a fast depleting forest cover, soil erosion, change in crop patterns.
2. The prevalence of age-old and deep rooted social sanctions primarily in the area of caste and gender discrimination. The lower caste is unable to get out of the vicious cycle of poverty, debt, bonded labour, generation after generation.
The rest of the reasons remain the same 2, 3 and 4 as in the CCL areas mentioned above.
Excerpt from: childrightsandyou.blogspot.com/2008/08/sarrkar-raj-was-movie-running-in-this.html
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December 29
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Jharkhand Blog
Tilaiya Ultra Mega Power Plant, Jharkhand
Bids for the 4,000 MW Ultra Mega Power Project, which needs an investment of about Rs 18,000 Crore
The Union government plans to call this month the next round of bids for the 4,000MW power plant at Tilaiya in Jharkhand, but a person familiar with the project claims it poses significant environmental problems that have been glossed over.
"Tilaiya project has no water. In order to provide water linkage, the dam's height needs to be raised which in turn will submerge 20 villages," added this person who did not want to be identified, referring to the Tilaiya dam over the Barakar river. "Even the transport corridor for the project will pass through forest land. This issue is yet to be resolved." The person said Water and Power Consultancy Services Ltd, a public sector undertaking with expertise in dam surveillance, power and infrastructure, was asked to study the issue of water supply to the project and had recommended spending Rs350-500 crore to strengthen the Tilaiya dam.
"This amount is for increasing the height. Everyone knows it," the person added.
Eleven developers had qualified for the so-called request for proposals stage, or the sec ond stage of bidding for the plant, one of the so-called ultra mega power projects launched by the Union government to accelerate the addition of power generating capacity in the country. Of the 11, nine companies have purchased the documents for the next stage of bidding: NTPC Ltd, Essar Power Ltd, Reliance Power Ltd, Tata Power Co. Ltd, Larsen and Toubro Ltd, Jindal Steel and Power Ltd , Sterlite Industries (India) Ltd, Lanco Infratech Ltd and Citra Thermal Power and Infrastructure Ltd. Lanco has bid along with Malaysia-based Genting Sanyen Power Sdn Bhd.
The Tilaiya project was to have been awarded by 23 June.
This was deferred and the last date for the submission of second-stage bids was extended to 4 November. The government has said it will award the project by December.
A senior government official associated with the Tilaiya project said there was no problem with water supply. And information on the website of Power Finance Corp. Ltd (PFCL), the state-owned firm responsible for all ultra mega power projects, says: "The site has been examined for environmental aspects and found to be compatible with various eco-sensitive landmarks."
The Tilaiya plant has already faced hurdles related to the law and order situation in Jharkhand—a state where there is significant Naxalite activity—and land acquisition which could lead to the displacement of tribals.
These issues are largely to blame for the delay, said Anish De, chief executive at Mercados Asia, an energy consulting firm.
The United Progressive Alliance government planned to set up 10 ultra mega power projects across the country. So far, three have been awarded— Mundra project to Tata Power and Sasan and Krishnapatnam projects to Reliance Power.
epaper.livemint.com/Articletext.aspx?article=17_12_2008_004_001&mode=1
Tata Power, Essar Power, L&T opt out of Tilaiya
BS Reporter / New Delhi December 30, 2008, 0:39 IST
Reliance Power, Lanco, NTPC submit technical bids.
Four companies, including India's largest private sector electricity generator Tata Power and infrastructure major Larsen & Toubro Ltd, chose not to bid for the Rs 16,000-crore ultra mega power project (UMPP) in Tilaiya in Jharkhand even as Reliance Power, Lanco Infratech and NTPC Ltd, the country's largest power producer, submitted their technical bids today.
Jindal Steel and Power Ltd and Sterlite Industries were the other two firms which bid after buying request for proposal documents in May this year. A total of nine companies had bought these bid documents.
Essar Power, part of the telecom-to-oil Essar group, and Citra Thermal Power and Infrastructure Ltd had bought bid documents but did not bid.
"If everything would have been normal (referring to the current financial turmoil), we could have more bidders. But under the circumstances, five bids placed for the project is in itself an achievement," said Jairam Ramesh, minister of state for power. "The project is expected to be awarded in a month's time from now," Ramesh added.
The financial bids, indicating the tariffs at which electricity from the 4,000-Mw Tilaiya project would be sold, are expected to be opened in a fortnight, after which the project would be awarded to the company that offers to sell power at the lowest price. The technical bids, in which the bidder mentions his technical capabilities for implementing such a project, were opened today.
Experts say five companies bidding for the mega project in the middle of a financial turmoil is a healthy sign. "Five bids received for a multi-crore project like Tilaiya out of nine is a good response keeping in view the current economic situation," said a senior official from Power Finance Corporation (PFC), the nodal agency for implementing the UMPPs.
Three companies had bid for the last UMPP offered at Krishnapatnam in Andhra Pradesh.
Essar Power, one of the four companies which had bought the bid documents but did not submit a bid, said its current capacity under implementation was large enough for the time being. "We will take up only that much (project capacity) which we can execute. We are too tied-up in other projects," said a senior official from Essar Power.
The bids for the Tilaiya project come at a time when a financial crisis is making it difficult for companies to get loans from banks to fund projects. The credit crunch has also driven up interest rates to 14 per cent — 15 per cent from around 11 per cent — 12 per cent a year ago.
The government is, however, planning to ease the lending norms for banks and financial institutions so that they can provide funds for the UMPPs. Demand for electricity in India is growing at around 10 per cent every year, but generation continues to be less than demand.
For the Tilaiya project, experts estimate companies to bid between a range of Rs 1.19 and Rs 2 per unit of power sold.
Tilaiya will be the fourth UMPP to come up in the country under the public-private partnership route through tariff-based competitive bidding. Reliance Power has bagged two of these UMPPs, at Sasan in Madhya Pradesh and Krishnapatnam in Andhra Pradesh, while Tata Power bagged the Mundra UMPP in Gujarat.
The project is a part of the government's UMPP scheme under which it proposes to set up 13 UMPPs to increase India's power capacity by above 50,000 Mw by the end of 2017 in order to fill the electricity demand and supply gap in the country. India has envisaged a capacity addition of 100,000 Mw by 2012 and the achievement of this target requires the development of large power projects like UMPPs.
Five power generation firms including state-run NTPC and Anil Ambani-led Reliance Power on Monday submitted bids for the 4,000 MW Tilaiya Ultra Mega Power Project in Jharkhand, which needs an investment of about Rs 18,000 crore.
Other companies that submitted bids at the close of the submission process today included Lanco Infratech, Jindal Power and Sterlite Energy, sources said.
The process of selecting the developer of the UMPP is likely to be finalised in 15 days, they said, adding that the qualifying technical bids were being opened this evening.
The final financial bids will be opened within 15 days.
Officials said that only a handful of companies out of the 11 pre-qualified bidders submitted bids in the midst of a global financial crisis and the prevalent liquidity crunch.
Power Finance Corporation (PFC), the nodal agency for Ultra Mega Power Projects, will verify the bid documents of the companies.
The companies have to produce details such as the schedule of the project's commissioning date, and a minimum bid guarantee of Rs 120 crore.
The cost of the project is estimated to be around Rs 16,000-18,000 crore, with a debt-equity ratio of 70:30 and the project is expected to come up during the XIIth Five Year Plan (2012-17).
profit.ndtv.com/2008/12/29183053/ADAG-NTPC-Sterlite-in-race-f.html
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December 24
Jharkhand Org and A Global Network of Jharkhand wish you a Merry Christmas
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December 20
Now days no body can ignore the importance of English language, that is the most acceptable international language and has been used as primary official language in India.
So, most of official things have been documented in English along with regional languages. And, thinking of a better communication all lawmakers and government of India's officers should be comfortable with English.
In India, without knowing English, it's very hard to get a job in most of the sectors. Higher and technical educations are not available in regional languages. It is sad to note that, most of Jharkhandi politicians including chief minister can not read, write and speak in English. They advocate for using regional languages to general public though prefer to educate their children in English medium school.
Jharkhand Blog Editor
news@jharkhand.org.in
Ranchi, Nov 13 (IANS) Chief minister since Aug 27 and only 15 days in the state secretariat. Tongues have begun wagging in Jharkhand over how Chief Minister Shibu Soren seems busier in transferring officials and inaugurating district blocks rather than getting down to the nitty gritty of governance.
According to officials in the chief minister's office (CMO), Soren has attended office in the state secretariat for just 15 days in the two-and-a-half-months since he took over. He prefers to see files at home or at the CMO attached to his official residence.
In the weeks that he has been in power, Soren has transferred 13 Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officials, 20 sub-divisional officials and 63 block development officers (BDO). He has also inaugurated more than 20 new block offices.
A block office is the lowest in the administrative system pyramid. The BDO plans and implements development schemes in villages and resolves issues related to land.
Jharkhand has only 148 BDOs for 212 blocks, located about 20-30 km from each other.
The opposition seems to have got the ammunition it has been looking for with Soren's absence from office.
'Soren does not seem to be serious regarding development of the state. He hardly sits in the secretariat. We are not against new blocks but Soren should ensure that BDOs are appointed through service commissions by creating posts,' former chief minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Arjun Munda told IANS.
Opposition leaders feel that Soren is transferring officials with an eye to the upcoming Lok Sabha election.
In the current financial year, the Jharkhand government has been able to spend only 33 percent of its development funds.
December 20, 2008 Ranchi (PTI): There was a din in the Jharkhand assembly on Saturday over English language when Independent MLA Inder Singh Namdhari asked Health minister Bhanu Pratap Sahi to read out a court order written in English with a tinge of sarcasm, leading to a brief adjournment.
Pandemonium broke out when Namdhari boasted in the House that he was academically superior to Sahi and that he understood things better, angering JPCC president Pradeep Balmachu, CLP leader Manoj Yadav and a host of other ruling bench MLAs.
They rushed to the well in protest against the Indepenent MLA's remarks against the minister.
Deputy Chief Minister Stephen Marandi said knowledge of English langauage did not necessarily indicate to intellectuality and that in a democracy any person could become MLA.
The opposition NDA MLAs joined when Sahi and HRD minister Bandhu Tirkey asked Namdhari not to boast of his merits and that others were equally good.
The Speaker adjourned House for half-an-hour to cool down the tempers of the legislators across the floor.
It all began on a Namdhari query that why the Health department evoked suspension of an officer facing corruption charges and the minister showing a High Court order of quashing it in his defence.
Shibu Soren (born 11 January 1944) is an Indian politician who is the current Chief Minister of Jharkhand state in India.[1] He was sworn in as the 6th Chief Minister of Jharkhand on August 27, 2008 and won a trust vote on August 29 in the Legislative Assembly.[2] He previously represented the Dumka constituency of Jharkhand in the 14th Lok Sabha and is the President of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) political party, a constituent of the UPA.
He was the Minister for Coal in the Union Cabinet in November 2006, when a Delhi district court found him guilty in the murder of his private secretary Shashi Nath Jha in 1994.[3] He has also been indicted in the past on other criminal charges.
Life
Soren was born in Nemra village of Hazaribagh district, Jharkhand States and territories of India. He completed his schooling from the same district. After schooling, he got married and decided to work with his father who was a farmer. He has three sons—Durga, Hemant, and Basant—and a daughter, Anjali.
He started his political career in the early 1970s and rose to become a tribal leader. On 23 January 1975, he was alledly part of a mob that attacked the Muslim-dominated Chirudih village in Jamtara district in a campaign to drive away "outsiders", a term used to describe non-tribals. Ten people including nine Muslims were killed in the attack. Along with sixty eight others, he was charged with murder.
He lost his first Lok Sabha election in 1977. He was first elected to the Lok Sabha in 1980. In 1986, an arrest warrant was issued against him. He was subsequently elected to the Lok Sabha in 1989, 1991 and 1996 as well. In 2002, he was elected to the Rajya Sabha with the help of the Bharatiya Janata Party. He won the Dumka Lok Sabha seat in a by-election the same year and resigned his Rajya Sabha seat. He was re-elected in 2004.
He became the Union Coal Minister in the Manmohan Singh government, but was asked to resign following an arrest warrant in his name in the thirty-year old Chirudih case. After the warrant was issued, he initially went underground. He resigned on 24 July 2004. He was able to secure bail after spending over a month in judicial custody; released on bail in September 8, he was re-inducted into the Union Cabinet and given back the coal ministry on 27 November 2004, as part of a deal for a Congress-JMM alliance before assembly elections in Jharkhand in February/March 2005[2].
On 2 March 2005, he was invited to form the government in Jharkhand by the Governor of Jharkhand, Syed Sibtey Razi. He resigned as Chief Minister nine days later, on 11 March, following his failure to obtain a vote of confidence in the assembly.
Life imprisonment and acquittal
On 28 November 2006, Soren was found guilty of murder in the twelve year old case of the kidnapping and murder of his former personal secretary Shashinath Jha. Apparently Jha was abducted from the Dhaula Kuan area in Delhi on May 22, 1994 and taken to Piska Nagari village near Ranchi where he was killed. The CBI chargesheet stated that Jha's knowledge of the reported deal between the Congress and the JMM to save the then Narasimha Rao government during the July 1993 no-confidence motion and an act of sodomy was the motive behind the murder. The charge-sheet asserted that: "Jha was aware of the illegal transactions and also expected and demanded a substantial share out of this amount from Soren." [3]
Soren has resigned from his post of Union Minister for Coal after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh demanded that he do so in the wake of the verdict. This is the first case of a Union Minister of the Government of India being found guilty of involvement in a murder. On 5 December 2006, Shibu Soren was sentenced to life imprisonment; he still awaits trial in the Chirudih case.
Recently a Delhi court rejected his bail plea, stating: 'We cannot overlook the fact that the appellant (Soren) has been convicted after a detailed and elaborate trial only in November 2006 and sentenced in December 2006.'[4] The bench also noted that he was also being tried in a number of other cases, including the case of mass murder in Jharkhand.
Subsequently however, the court pulled up the prosecuting attorney, R M Tiwari of the (Central Bureau of Investigation), for "not doing its homework" and presenting weak evidence[5].
On June 25, 2007, Shibu Soren was being escorted to his jail in Dumka, Jharkhand when his convoy was attacked by bombs[6], but no one was hurt.
The Delhi High Court on 23 Aug 2007 overruled the District Court and acquitted Soren, [4]. stating that "the prosecution has miserably failed in bringing home the charge against the accused persons. The trial court's analysis is far from convincing and not sustainable."
The five men convicted by the Tis Hazari court were held guilty of criminal conspiracy, abduction and murder primarily on the basis of forensic evidence provided by a post-mortem report of a body discovered in Jharkhand, namely a skull superimposition test and skull injury report. This was in addition to eyewitness accounts and some circumstantial evidence[7]. But the DNA that had been extracted from the skeleton did not match Jha's immediate family: in its judgment overruling the district court, the High Court bench wondered how the trial judge could have "ignored the well-established fact that a DNA test is considered conclusive evidence while skull superimposition tests only allude to a probability"[citation needed], concluding that the skeleton was not Jha and that the case reduced to merely circumstantial evidence.
References
- ^ "Shibu Soren sworn in as Jharkhand CM". Rediff. Retrieved on 2008-08-29.
- ^ "Jharkhand CM Shibu Soren wins trust vote". Rediff. Retrieved on 2008-08-29.
- ^ PTI (November 28, 2006). "Shibu Soren guilty in murder case, quits cabinet", rediff.com. Retrieved on 12 May 2007.
- ^ "Shibu Soren's bail plea rejected" (2007-03-14). Retrieved on 2007-05-13.
- ^ Abhinav Garg (29 May 2007). "HC slams CBI for failing to counter Soren challenge", Times of India. Retrieved on 3 August 2007.
- ^ "Shibu Soren escapes bomb attack", India Abroad News Service IANS (June 25, 03:30 PM). Retrieved on 26 July 2007.
- ^ Shibu Soren's aquittal on expected lines- Hindustan Times
External links
Now days no body can ignore the importance of English language, that is the most acceptable international language and has been used as primary official language in India.
So, most of official things have been documented in English along with regional languages. And, thinking of a better communications all lawmakers and government of India's officers should be comfortable with English.
In India, without knowing English, it's very hard to get a job in most of the sector. Higher and technical education are not available in regional languages.
It is sad to note that, most of Jharkhandi politician can not read, write and speak in English. They advocate for using regional languages to general public though prefer to educate their children in English medium school.
Jharkhand Blog Editor
news@jharkhand.org.in
…..
Ranchi (PTI): There was a din in the Jharkhand assembly on Saturday over English language when Independent MLA Inder Singh Namdhari asked Health minister Bhanu Pratap Sahi to read out a court order written in English with a tinge of sarcasm, leading to a brief adjournment.
Pandemonium broke out when Namdhari boasted in the House that he was academically superior to Sahi and that he understood things better, angering JPCC president Pradeep Balmachu, CLP leader Manoj Yadav and a host of other ruling bench MLAs.
They rushed to the well in protest against the Indepenent MLA's remarks against the minister.
Deputy Chief Minister Stephen Marandi said knowledge of English langauage did not necessarily indicate to intellectuality and that in a democracy any person could become MLA.
The opposition NDA MLAs joined when Sahi and HRD minister Bandhu Tirkey asked Namdhari not to boast of his merits and that others were equally good.
The Speaker adjourned House for half-an-hour to cool down the tempers of the legislators across the floor.
It all began on a Namdhari query that why the Health department evoked suspension of an officer facing corruption charges and the minister showing a High Court order of quashing it in his defence.
http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/004200812201731.htm
December 13
The tribal people of the Union Territory of Puducherry, spread over 138 habitations in three regions, have all the five characteristics required to be notified as a Scheduled Tribe under Article 342 of the Constitution – primitive traits, a distinctive culture, shyness of contact with the public at large, geographical isolation and social and economic backwardness. But 61 years after Independence and over five decades after the merger of the four enclaves of French India – Pondicherry, Karaikal, Mahe and Yanam – with India, these people, belonging to more than 1,300 families, have not been given this status. In the absence of a Presidential notification, the Central government has declared that no community has been specified as a Scheduled Tribe in Puducherry.
The Madras High Court, in an order on October 24 on a writ petition filed by a native of Lakshwadeep belonging to a Scheduled Tribe, observed that there could not be any reservation for Scheduled Tribes in the Union Territory of Puducherry so long as there was no Scheduled Tribe population there and so long as there was no Presidential notification.
The tribal communities of Puducherry – Irular, Kattunaicken, Malaikuravar, Yerkula and Kuruman – who have been living for generations in Puducherry, Karaikal and Yanam, quietly bear with their fate in the midst of poverty, illiteracy, lack of basic civic amenities and administrative negligence.
Many among these tribal communities do not have even a roof above their heads and are often forced to seek shelter in cashew and mango groves. There are others who have been pushed out of their farm lands and homes by influential land-owning communities and now live in tiny thatched huts in remote areas or on the outskirts of the villages where their families had lived for generations. Most of these habitations do not have power supply, potable water or sanitation facilities.
The strict implementation of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, and the shrinking natural scrub jungles have forced tribal groups to give up their traditional occupations of hunting in many places. They work as farmhands and take up low-paid jobs such as strengthening bunds in fields, weeding, collecting cashew fruits, peeling cashew nuts, cutting cane, making baskets and mats and cleaning poultry farms. For instance, members of the Irular tribe and its sub-castes, Villi and Vettaikaran, who are known for their hunting skills, now eke out a living by trapping hare, squirrels, tortoises, field rats and mongooses. They have virtually given up snake-catching.
According to the president of the Pondicherry Scheduled Tribes People's Federation (PSTPF), K. Ramkumar, the Irular, Villi and Vettaikaran tribes live in 63 villages in the Bahour, Mannadipet, Nettapakkam and Villianur communes and in areas under the Karaikal municipality. Members of the Kattunaicken tribe reside at 22 villages in the Bahour, Villianur and Nettapakkam communes and in areas under the Oulgaret municipality in the Puducherry region and certain areas in Karaikal. Kurumans belong to nine villages in the Mannadipet commune and areas within the Oulgaret municipality. Malaikuravans live in 35 villages in the Villianur, Bahour, Nettapakkam and Mannadipet communes and areas under the Oulgaret and Puducherry municipalities. Yerkula tribes live in a total of nine villages in Puducherry and Yanam.
Interaction with residents of the tribal settlements, including those at Kalapet, Vadanour and Irulan Sandai, vindicate anthropologists' view that certain of the core elements of these people's culture are still intact.
The tribal people see the non-issuance of community certificates as the major stumbling block on the road to progress. Among other things, it means their children do not get a chance to pursue higher studies.
The condition of the Irular people in Kalapet, close to Pondicherry Central University, is appalling. Addiction to liquor is a major problem among this tribal group. Most of them make do without a roof over their heads: they leave the children and the aged under the shades of cashew trees. Their clothes are hung on the branches and they cook, eat and sleep in the groves. But even this shelter is uncertain. "Once the cashew groves are auctioned, we are not supposed to stay here," said K.Boominathan.
L. Kanniamma and Govindamma said they were allowed to work in the groves and were given Rs.15 for collecting 100 cashew fruits. Most of the Irular people engaged in peeling the hard outer shell of the cashew nut complain that the anacardic acid it contains burns their fingers. P. Manjula said she was paid around Rs.100 a day for cleaning poultry.
Safe drinking water is rare in many tribal habitations. The tribal people of Kalapet depend on a pond close to the Akkamittar Aiyanarappan temple in Kollimedu to quench their thirst, along with the livestock of adjacent villages. The tribal people of Irulan Sandai rely on the excess water drained from paddy fields for bathing and for washing utensils. The quality of water drawn from a borewell in the area is so bad that rice cooked in it turns yellow. Thirty-two families have put up thatched shelters, but residents said they had not received land pattas from the government.
Unlike Kalapet and Irulan Sandai, where the percentage of school-going children is low, in Vadanour, around 60 tribal children, including 20 boys, attend classes from lower kindergarten to Standard IX at the local government high school. S. Krishnan and S. Sudhakaran were among those who could not proceed with their studies after completing Standard X, in 1984 and 1997 respectively.
The residents of the new habitation, which has come up close to the original one, has 55 families of four tribal groups – Irular, Vettaikaran, Yerkula and Kattunaicken. They live in harmony while maintaining their separate cultural identities. S. Sivakumar said, "We seldom seek the help of the police as all our disputes are settled amicably at the Adivasi Kula Panchayat comprising representatives of all the four groups."
But the tribal groups faced stiff opposition from other communities when they built shelters at the Vadanour settlement, even after the government issued house site pattas in October 2007. In an attempt to prevent the settlement from coming up on the outskirts of the village, these communities pitted Dalits against the tribal people. The problem was sorted out with the timely intervention of the local activists of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), with the government also playing a proactive role, said R. Saravanan, a State Committee member of the CPI(M).
Feedback from the functionaries of the PSTPF, Dean of the School of Social Sciences and International Studies of Pondicherry Central University, T. Subramanyam Naidu, Lok Sabha Member M. Ramadass, and leaders of the Congress, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, the CPI(M) and the Communist Party of India revealed that the issue of community certificates had reached a deadlock because the Registrar-General of India (RGI) had vetoed the proposal to recognise the tribal people of Puducherry as Scheduled Tribes.
According to the guidelines approved by the Central government in June 1999, claims for inclusion in the S.T. list can be considered only if they are backed by the State/UT government, the RGI and the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST).
Professor Subramanyam Naidu, who conducted an ethnographic study on behalf of the UT government in 2000, is of the view that the problem has its roots in the post-merger era of the 1950s, when the administration identified no tribe as an S.T. on the grounds that there was no hilly terrain or thick jungles in the four regions of Puducherry.
The Puducherry government tried to take corrective steps subsequently, following representations made by tribal organisations. It argued that the tribal population in the UT, though numerically small, deserved a share in the welfare measures and constitutional guarantees, such as reservation in employment and education. When the issue was raised in Parliament, the UT government was asked to conduct a detailed ethnographic study. Subramanyam Naidu, who undertook the study, described the work as "an attempt on the lines of Edgar Thurston's efforts in publishing 'Tribes and Castes of Southern India' in 1909".
"These tribes were rather small in number because they were only relics of larger communities that had been enslaved while they themselves had escaped, or because they became separated in the forests and hills of South India, and in course of time, developed into different tribal societies. Moreover, their hunting and collecting mode of life forced them to live in small groups…" Subramanyam Naidu pointed out in his report.
The report identified five tribal groups – Irular (including Villi and Vettaikarn sub-tribes), Kattunaicken, Malaikuravan, Yerkula and Kuruman as original inhabitants and Malayali and Konda Reddy as migrant tribes. Successive Chief Ministers pleaded with the Centre for S.T. status for the tribes, especially after Subramanyam Naidu's report.
In February 2001, the Puducherry government notified the Irular, Vettaikaran and Kattunaicken and the migrant Konda Reddiars as Other Backward Classes. In May 2003, the government decided to earmark 1 per cent of the vacancies in civil posts and services for Scheduled Tribes. The UT Assembly adopted a resolution in September 2001 pleading for recognition of these tribes as S.Ts. Now the government has come forward to start special schools, besides constructing houses for the tribal groups.
Subramanyam Naidu's report was accepted by the UT Cabinet in August 2002. Subsequently, the Assembly and the Lieutenant-Governor gave it their approval. It was sent to the Ministry of Tribal Affairs on October 7, 2002, for Presidential notification. After obtaining the comments of the RGI, they were communicated to the Puducherry government on February 2, 2005. The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs and the NCST, after visiting the UT in 2005 and 2006, respectively, also supported the demand for recognition of these tribal groups as S.T. The Backward Classes Commission of Puducherry had acknowledged the fact that these tribes existed in the UT even before the French left in 1954.
The PSTPF, which has been making representations to the Central government, the NCST and the RGI for two decades, prepared a documentary film portraying the life of the tribal groups. The federation referred to J.J. Chabrelie's lithographic editions of 1827 and 1835 on the social life of the Kuravars, Vedars and Irulars in areas including French Indian territories. Several agitations were launched on the issue of S.T. status.
But the RGI raised questions on the claim and described the tribal groups in the UT as migrant tribes. A detailed reply to the RGI's queries has been forwarded to the Centre by the UT government. Subramanyam Naidu and the federation activists have cited the existence of places bearing the names of the tribal groups, such as Irulan Sandai and Kurumbapet villages in the Puducherry region and Vettaikaranpudur in the Karaikal region, even during French rule as proof that these tribal groups have lived in Puducherry for generations.
It was also pointed out that geographically the UT regions were surrounded by Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Andhra Pradesh and the boundary marks in the survey map were nothing but lines of political and administrative divisions that were drawn after the French occupation. The tribal groups in Puducherry had matrimonial relationships with their kin in the three neighbouring States.
The Parliamentary Standing Committee (Home) expressed concern over the issue in 2006. The RGI's views on the five criteria for recognition were "not pragmatic and hence might be dispensed with", it said, recommending the issuance of the notification in view of the existence of the tribes in Puducherry before 1954.
December 12
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Jharkhand Blog
Bauxite mining threats to Adivasi's existence in AP
Government of Andhra Pradesh has been pushing the mining the bauxite deposits in Easternghats of Visakhapatnam District in a hasty and surreptitious manner to the detriment of the tribal people The present Government at the Centre and the government in our State, when they came to power, have assured that the tribal peoples' right to mineral resources within the Agency areas will be safeguarded and protected. The provisions of Schedule 5 of the Constitution provide such safeguards, as interpreted clearly by the Hon'ble Supreme Court in the Samata judgment. The MOU that were signed by the State government with Jindal South West Ltd on 01/07/05 and with the government of Ras Al Khyma on 14/02/2007 were violating the Samata judgment, as the APMDC is being used in a benami manner to take over the bauxite reserves existing in the agency areas to private interests.
The present situation in the agency areas of Visakhapatnam is very tense as many strong protests have taken place in respect to illegal construction of buildings and occupation of tribal land in violation of the LTR Act during the last few months. The State and central government should respect the sentiments of the tribal community and act in a sensitive manner so that the law and order situation is not destabilized by its hasty and anti tribal action. Moreover the entire tribal belt in chintapalli during the recent public hearing on 3rd October 2008 is filled with the anti naxal squad (greyhounds) created fear among the tribal people and as the literacy rate in the 66 villages is very low it is not possible to voice their opinions in a scientific and democratic manner.
The Gram Sabha is a body created by the Constitution and it is supreme in the agency areas of our state as per the PESA Act and as per the Apex Court's directions in the above mentioned Samata judgment. I am aware that no Gram Sabha has been approached with the complete details of the proposals and no Gram Sabha has given the consent for the proposed project. Therefore it is a violation of PESA provisions and the Constitution of India.
The Tribal advisory Counsel (TAC) convened in the previous government's time had considered the proposals for setting up bauxite mining, Alumina Refinery & Aluminum Smelter in the agency area of Visakhapatnam and proposed an amendment to the LTR Act of 1959 which would have disastrous effects for the tribal. The composition of the TAC in the year 2000 during the Telugu Desam government's time was different from now and therefore a TAC meeting should be convened immediately to consider the proposed bauxite mining and aluminum complexes. Clause 4 of Schedule 5 to the Constitution makes it mandatory that the government should obtain TAC's advice while taking any major decision that affects the welfare of the Scheduled Tribes in the Agency Areas. NGOs like Samata and Adivasi peoples requesting the Govt of AP to convene a meeting of the TAC and seek its views on these projects. In the absence of TAC's consent, I feel it is unjust and illegal to go ahead with the proposed projects as they stand today.
The TAC which was convened during the previous government's time initially showed hesitation to agree to bauxite mining in the Agency areas. Later, TAC had visited the NALCO bauxite mines and, based on the information made available to it at that time; it gave consent to the projects proposed. Eight years have elapsed since then and the situation in the bauxite areas of Orissa has undergone drastic changes since then. The tribals in the NALCO bauxite mining areas have since faced problems. In Orissa, new mining projects (Posco, Vedanta etc.) have been started and these have also given rise to tribal dissatisfaction. I therefore propose a visit by TAC members to all those areas namely – Damanjodi, Kashipur & Lanjigarah etc... The approval or otherwise for the proposed projects in A.P. can be considered only after studying the situation there. The Young Leader of the congress government, Mr. Rahul Gandhi has expressed his reservations about these mining projects and emphasized his support to the tribal people of Orissa.
Large area of pristine forests coming under reserve forest category will have to be cleared for the project and it is mandatory for the Central Empowered Committee (CEC) to visit before the forest clearance can be obtained. No such visit has been made by the CEC appointed by the Honorable Supreme Court. I am aware that CEC has not visited the site and forest clearance is not accorded yet. Moreover the aspect of highly endangered species like the "Blewitt's Owl" has not been mentioned in the EIA documents by APMDC and the entire area from Sileru to Lambasingi, padeu to Araku & Anathagiri is a proposed "important Bird Area of the country" as per the the Orissa Bird & Bio-cultural survey in their ornithological survey of the eastern ghats (as per information of chief conservator of forests visakhapatnam obtained under RTI)
As per the MOU's signed by the state government with JSWL and RAK, a high level committee has been appointed to go into the aspects of fixing the price and royalty to the state government and the said committee has been convened as per Go.Ms.No 222 dated 13-08-08. I notice that as per the high level committee the price fixed is very nominal considering the international market rates as decided by the London Metal Exchange. The pricing formula announced by the government is more favorable to the private parties than the tribals and the government. I feel that the tribal communities or the nation will not benefit from this kind of pricing policy. So therefore the TAC has to take a decision on the above matter in the light of demand of bauxite and aluminum in the international market and the Governor's approval has to be sought.
It is also important to note that in such projects a competitive bidding procedure should be in place before according / signing any agreement or MOU with a particular company and in this case this procedure has been set aside and the government seems to have acted in a partisan manner. This compromises the interest of the nation in general and the tribal communities in particular.
The TAC minutes of 2000 during the TDP government's tenure, the members of TAC had asked specifically regarding the Rehabilitation and compensation packages offered to tribal people in other projects and also regarding the cultural specificity to be considered before giving permission to such industrial projects. In this regard I have had the opportunity to peruse the EIA of the proposed mines at Jerilla and it does not mention any such aspects. When TAC considered the employment opportunities for tribal boys and girls in the project in 2000, the situation was vastly different. During the last eight years, the number of educated tribal youth has increased thanks to the efforts of the concerned departments. As such, the projects should assure greater employment opportunities for the tribals now. If necessary, some tribal youth should be given training so that their upgraded skills may bring them greater benefit. In the present project proposals, no such assurance is available.
When TAC met last in 2000, the members were given the impression that both the mining and alumina refinery-cum-smelter projects would be located in the Agency area, thereby offering greater employment opportunities for the tribals. Now, the position has changed as the refinery-cum-smelter projects are being located outside. TAC needs to look at the project proposals afresh from this point of view.
In the TAC minutes of 10/05/00 & 24/05/00 the representative of the National Commission of SC and ST had stated clearly that the permission of the National Commission has to be obtained as per the 64th amendment of the constitution of India and no such permission has been obtained as per our knowledge. Similarly the approval of the Ministry of Tribal Affairs New Delhi also has to be obtained as in the case of Polavarm Dam project and in this case the same is lacking.
In light of all the above concerns The Political Paties and NGO's like Samata demanding to scrap the MoU's between Anrak, Jindal Companies and Govt of AP to mine the Bauxite Deposits in Traibal area of Visakhaptanm Districit. According to Ravi Rebbapragada of Samata, an NGO working for protecting tribal rights in the Eastern Ghats " the last but not the least in the case that the all statutory permissions are obtained in due time and the present TAC approves the proposals for mining and refining and smelting then propose that a cooperative of all the primary, secondary & tertiary affected tribal families be formed separately (e.g. The Jerilla mining affected tribal cooperative) and a royalty of Rs.100/- per ton be levied on APMDC and the same be deposited in the account of the said cooperative. " That the tribal peoples development needs in terms of agriculture, coffee plantations, education, drinking waters needs be met from the same and the onus of developing the infra structure and maintenance of roads, afforestation and eco-restoration etc be borne by APMDC separately as per the guidelines of the apex court in the Samata Judgment " Ravi Explained.
Srinivas Ganjivarapu
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December 07
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Jharkhand Blog
Indo-Asahi Glass Factory, Bhurkunda, Jharkhand
IAG Company Ltd is recommencing its production. The glass Furnace No.1 of the company's factory at Bhurkunda, Jharkhand which produces Sheet Glass was fired on Nov 20. The company hopes commercial production will start in the 1st week of December. Shares of IAG Company were suspended on Sep 19 at Rs 5.31.
Business Profile
Formerly known as Indo-Asahi Glass, IAG (IAG) was incorporated in 1956 at Calcutta and commenced business from Oct. 01, 1956. It was promoted by Asahi Glass Company, Tokyo, Japan in order to revive a sick unit viz., Sodepore Glass Works, which went into liquidation. The Industrial Finance Corporation of India who had considerable investment in Sodepore, as mortgage, took possession of their assets. The name of the company was changed to the present one in May 2004.
The main objective of the IAG was to manufacture sheet glass, including thinner grades ranging from 1:1 mm thickness, substantially required by the defence and civil health services, ophthalmic lenses and desiliconised zircon products. The product range of the company was later widened to include tinted glass and figured glass of low fragility and exquisite designs of thicknesses of 2 mm and above in thickness. The products are exported to Bangladesh, Srilanka, Mauritius, Yemen and the Philippines, and to the highly competitive markets of Japan, Australia, France, Italy, etc.
Financials
I A G Company announced that loss for the quarter ended September 2004 has widened.
Net Sales for the quarter rose 15.93% to Rs 165.20 million for the quarter ended September 2004 from Rs 142.50 million for the quarter ended September 2003.
Total income rose 18.07% to Rs 168.6 million for the quarter ended September 2004, from Rs 142.8 million for the quarter ended September 2003.
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December 05
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Jharkhand Blog
Why Rs 8,000 crore rehabilitation plan for Jharia Coalfield is not working?
Industrialist turned politician S Bagrodia, the Minister of State for Coal, took charge of the Coal Ministry in April this year. Within a short span of seven months he has been witness to ups and downs in the Indian economy, largely due to the global recession and its impact on the coal sector.
In an interview with Business Line, Mr Bagrodia explained how the Ministry structured its policies to adjust to falling industrial confidence. The Minister also outlined the steps being taken by coal companies to turn more consumer-friendly.
Excerpts from the interview:
You took charge of the Coal Ministry in April, when the economy was said to be booming. However, now the situation is quite different and we are witnessing the impact of the global economic crisis on the domestic economy. To what extent has the Indian coal sector been affected by the global meltdown?
The global economic crisis has not had any major impact on the domestic coal sector because most of the coal produced in India is used for domestic power generation. However, the international situation is impacting the availability of coking coal as well as its prices.
Coking coal, used for making steel, is mostly imported by steel manufacturers. As a result of the slowdown, import of coking coal is likely to drop. However, the Coal India subsidiary, Bharat Coking Coal Limited (BCCL), which produces coking coal, is not likely to be affected as its entire production will get utilised. There will certainly be that much demand.
Every industry is talking about a credit crunch in the economy and poor cash-flow. Are there any strategies that the public sector coal companies are putting into place to make their services more consumer-friendly?
Yes, they are trying to do exactly that. There are serious problems and many companies that need coal sometimes do not have the ready money to purchase it. Very recently, coal companies have taken some new initiatives.
In the earlier system, if you went to Coal India, they would ask you to pay in advance. But now the new system is that the consumers do not have to pay upfront. A letter of credit from the bank is enough. We understand that there are problems in getting credit.
There has been a lot of concern about the continuing underground fires in the Jharia mines. Earlier, initiatives were taken to contain the fires, but these did not all succeed. Are there any fresh measures planned to extinguish the fire and save the coal resources?
The fire in Jharia mines is a 100-year old problem. Originally, there were 67 fires. Later, another 10 new fire spots came up. Of the total 77, it was possible to extinguish 10, bringing the number back to 67.
What are the efforts being made to rehabilitate the people living in the Jharia area?
The Ministry has a Rs 8,000-crore rehabilitation plan that it wants to implement. However, we are not able to roll it out as, for various reasons, the people are not willing to leave the place and settle in a different location. For rehabilitation, 300 houses have already been built, but of those, there have been takers only for 100 houses. People are just not willing to move away. Adding to the problem is that there are more and more people coming to Jharia and settling there.
We have also appealed to the non-government organisations (NGOs) working in this area, the local political leaders, local governments and panchayats to arrange to move these people to safer places, saying we would bear the expenses for it. Still, most people are not willing to move.
What about the future uses of coal? There have been earlier efforts by the Ministry to set up a project to make oil from coal. What is the progress on that front?
We have given coal blocks to the ONGC and they are still experimenting with it. However, this process was once necessary only for South Africa where, because of sanctions, they could not get the necessary oil. But the economic viability of the project has to be established. As far as India is concerned, when there is already shortage of coal, there is no need to go in for such novel projects.
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December 02
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Jharkhand News
India Shopping for Coal Mines in America
Mountaintop coal mining in Virginia. Appalachia looks good to India.
As Clifford Krauss pointed out last spring, the United States, in response to increasing global demand, has become a major exporter of coal for the first time in years, forcing domestic buyers to compete with others from countries like Germany and Japan.
Now it appears that India — a giant in coal production itself — is doing some window-shopping of its own in American mine towns, not just to secure exports, but to invest.
(And all this at a time when the globe is ostensibly embracing a migration away from fossil fuels and the reduction of C02 emissions.)
Following up on a tidbit published in India's Business Standard last week, our New Delhi bureau chief, Somini Sengupta, confirms today that Santosh Bagrodia, India's coal minister, and Partha Sarathi Bhattacharya, the chairman of Coal India, were on a shopping trip in the Appalachians last week.
Ms. Sengupta wrote in an e-mail dispatch:
State-owned Coal India Ltd., part of a five-company consortium, is searching for coal mines in the United States, Canada, Australia and Indonesia to satisfy India's sharply rising demand for coal to feed its power plants.
India already imports 50 million tons of coal every year, and its demand is projected to grow. Indian officials say buying coal mines is a better way to secure supply and at potentially better prices. 'If we want to make foreign coal available in the country it should be through acquisitions,' said Mr. Bhattacharya, chairman of Coal India, who accompanied the Indian Coal Minister on the trip to the United States to explore private financing for the projects.
Mr. Bhattacharya said he was prepared to invest more than $4 billion from his company for the acquisitions, which are still in their nascent stages. He said he was encouraged by falling prices of mines in the United States.
As a percentage of total production, foreign direct investment in coal production in the United States dropped precipitously in 2004, from 21 percent to 14 percent, when RAG (Germany), RWE (Germany), and Itochu (Japan) sold their interests, according to data released earlier this year by the Energy Information Administration.
The largest remaining foreign companies active in coal production in the United States, according to the E.I.A., are Rio Tinto and BHP Billiton (Australia) and Scottish Power.
Coal India, the largest producer in India, began signaling its interest in investing in foreign energy sources as far back as June.
"Of course, it's a buyers market," Mr. Bagrodia, told Ms. Sengupta. "Money is not a problem."
greeninc.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/10/23/india-shopping-for-coal-mines-in-appalachia/?pagemode=print
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November 28
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Jharkhand News
Eight Jharkhandis killed in terror attack at Mumbai
KODERMA (Jharkhand): A pall of gloom descended at Charidih village on Friday after news reached here that six persons of a family had died in the terrorist firing at Chattrapati Shivaji Terminus in Mumbai.
"I got the news that my son, daughter, uncle, aunt and two nephews died after being hit by bullets on Wednesday night. After missing Mumbai-Howrah Mail, they were returning to their accommodation in Mumbai when the terrorists fired upon them near VT,'' M r Mohammad Mustakin, family head, told newsmen here.
He broke down saying, "Had they not missed the train....'' The dead members in the family, who were into tailoring profession in Mumbai, include Mustakin's son Arif Ansari (32), daughter Murtaza (17), uncle Abbas Ansari (60), aunt Akeela Khatoon (55), n ephews Ilyas (40) and Sarfaraz (19). Two other nephews suffered bullet wounds, he added.
They were returning home to celebrate "Bakri Id'' on December 9, Mustakin said adding now he only waited for the bodies which are expected to arrive here tonight.
A daily labourer from Murshidabad district in West Bengal Ajfar Ali, 21, was killed outside the Taj Hotel in Mumbai when terrorists opened indiscriminate fire on Wednesday night.
Ali and his brother, who too was a daily labourer in Mumbai, hailed from Badhua village in the Baroan police station area. His family sources said that his body was being brought on Friday to his village. - PTI
http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/blnus/14281981.htm
Ranchi (IANS): Two people from Jharkhand were among those killed in the coordinated terrorist attacks that rocked Mumbai on Wednesday night.
Malayesh Banerji, a resident of Ranchi, was killed by terrorists in Taj hotel and Prakash Mandal, a resident of Giridih district, was killed at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST) railway station of Mumbai.
Malayesh, 27, was working as an executive in Reliance Urban Infrastructure Venture Company and was attending a meeting at the hotel. He was gunned down by the terrorists Wednesday night.
Malayesh's relatives said: "He was the only son and was to get married on Dec 6. Parents were busy preparing for his marriage. Now, th | | |
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