Archives for June 2018

The President Ram Nath Kovind will visit Tripura on Thursday (June 7 and 8).

This will be his first visit to Tripura as the President of India and the 26th state visited by him since he assumed office as the President of India.

On June 7, the President will inaugurate the National Highway from Matabari to Sabroom in Udaipur. He will also lay the foundation stone for the re-development of Matabari Temple complex in Udaipur.

In the evening, the President will attend a civic reception hosted by the Government of Tripura in his honour and the declarement tothe Queen Pineapple as the State Fruit of Tripura in Agartala.

The President will return to Delhi in the morning of June 08 (Friday).

Hindusthan Samachar/Shri Ram Shaw

Children are the worst victims of conflicts, natural or man-made disasters and other social upheavals as they are often rendered abandoned and homeless. Securing a future for children without families is only possible when the government extends support to NGOs dealing in such issues, says SOS Children’s Villages International head Siddhartha Kaul.

“There has been a lack of political will in bringing a change towards the status of children and women which at times becomes a little frustrating. No NGO can provide the best care solely. Help from any government is very much necessary,” Kaul told IANS in an interview.

Kaul was initially elected as the president in June 2012 and re-elected for a second four-year term in June 2016. His association with the child care NGO started around 40 years ago when he was appointed Director of the SOS village in Madras, now Chennai.

“We want to partner with anyone who wants to partner us. The approach has to be long-term and for that, support from the central authorities is very important; else it will be difficult to fix the issues. The solutions have to come from the states and not from private houses,” he further added.

According to SOS, migration is the major reason for leaving children homeless. In the recent past, there has been mass migration across Europe and, closer home, the crisis caused by some 600,000 Rohingyas fleeing to Bangladesh to escape persecution in their native Myanmar.

Talking about offering sustainable solutions to such situations, Kaul said SOS alone could not do so.

“The problems are big; the world is far worse than imagined. We can only present a model of how to take care of a situation. We need to create such conditions in their home countries so that no one has to leave their land,” he noted.

Currently, SOS Children’s Villages International comprises 118 national SOS Children’s Villages associations globally. Its General Assembly, which convenes every four years, is its highest decision-making body.

Talking about major challenges that SOS faces, Kaul stated that improper utilisation of resources has always remained a major area of concern.

“There are countries where there are resources, but they remain unused, whereas there are countries where there are no resources and the demand is huge; the challenge comes in there, like in African countries,” he noted.

According to the UN, globally, there are more than 220 million children living without parental care and need alternative care like foster homes and orphanages, among others.

In India, SOS villages are home to around 17,000 children across 22 states. Apart from financial instability where parents often leave their children at shelter homes, Kaul also pointed that in India, children born out of wedlock is another major reason for children having to live in shelter homes.

“It is very much a social stigma in India. Unmarried woman being pregnant is not accepted in our society. In such cases, the child is left to be brought up in a shelter home. The society’s approach towards women and children needs to be changed,” Kaul contended.

Can a shelter home offer the same atmosphere as that of a proper home?

“An SOS village is the best alternative to a family. We are focused on giving the young souls the value of love and respect and make sure they are brought up in a good environment. Each and every child under our care is being provided with education and employment, leading to sustainable development.”

Asked about his future plans globally, Kaul said reaching out to poorer countries is the prime focus.

“Our target is to continuously grow even if it is minimal. We have plans to invest in poor countries. We want to give sufficient amount of assistance so that the children don’t have to seek refuge in other countries,” he explained.

In a bitter incident which happened at the swearing-in ceremony of new ministers, security staff blocked entry of Assembly Speaker, K R Ramesh Kumar, into Raj Bhavan.

In protest thereof, the Speaker has shot a letter to state chief secretary, K Ratna Prabha.

“In response to your invitation, I had arrived at Raj Bhavan to attend the swearing-in ceremony. I waited for thirty minutes in front of the venue before returning helplessly. I do not know who is responsible for this situation. You might be aware that in addition to the chief minister and chairperson of the ceremony, assembly speaker’s is a constitutional position,” the letter reads in part.

“The government system owes a responsibility to make arrangements for receiving the chairperson of the function and assembly speaker in a way that they are treated with due respect. Arrogance and lack of knowledge of the government officials and haughtiness prevalent within the Raj Bhavan are responsible for these things. Which were the vehicles that had filled the space within and out of the Raj Bhavan? I am curious to know who gave permission to them, and which positions they enjoy in public life. I end my letter by registering my protest against this inexcusable violation,” he stated in his letter.

Some reports said that the Speaker reached the venue little late as he was stuck in heavy traffic. But the officials still failed to make arrangements to take him to the place where the swearing-in was held.

Later the Speaker said that chief secretary and Bengaluru police commissioner phoned him to apologize. “Hence the matter is closed now,” he said.

Union Home Minister on a two-day visit to J$@$#K from today

The Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh will be on a two-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir (JnK) from today (Thursday, June 07).
During his visit, Singh will meet the Chief Minister of JnK Ms Mehbooba Mufti. He will review security arrangements for Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra – 2018.
The Home Minister will also hold meetings with various delegations during the visit.

Hindusthan Samachar/Shri Ram Shaw

State BJP president B S Yeddyurappa here on Wednesday, June 6 of every an undeniable reference to Janata Dal (S) supremo, H D Deve Gowda and Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy said “Both father and son, have planned to finish off the Congress,”

Addressing media here, Yeddyurappa cautioned that the Congress would fall off the worst in the coalition it had framed with the JD(S).

“There is definitely no uncertainty about this. It is difficult to say how long this coalition government will last,” he said.

Taking note of that the JD (S) and Congress had proceeded with their alliance notwithstanding for the Jayanagar election and Council elections, he announced, “Regardless of what they do, we will do our best to win as we have lost by a little edge in 20 constituencies,”