An innovative scheme by the NGO Gram Vikas to provide rural communities with toilets and running water in every house has been given the first 'Global+5 award' in Geneva, USA
Orissa, where the programme was already under a cloud after an NGO alleged false data were being entered on the state's NREGA website, is now uncovering more scams. A team of researchers led by economist Jean Dreze and Ritika Khera, which is doing a survey focussed mainly on the corruption in the programme in Orissa, recently dug out a doctored muster roll in Badhigam gram panchayat of Boudh district.
Survival International, a London-based NGO, has appealed to the director of the Hollywood blockbuster Avatar, James Cameron, to lend his support in fighting against London-listed mining and metals major Vedanta Resources from setting up its aluminium plant in Orissa.
"The way mineral and water guzzling heavy industries are being pushed, the fast pace of deforestation and mercurial behaviour of climate could cause desertification of state's land even faster."
The rural BPO centre will be established by the Tata Business Support Services -- the BPO wing and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Tata Sons -- in partnership with Tata Steel Rural Development Society -- a corporate NGO managed by the Tata Group for the last 60 years. To start with, it is expected to employ around 200 people. Sources close to the development said the company has already recruited the first batch of the executives for the BPO unit.
As part of its strategy to woo the villagers, not only has Posco CMD started taking lessons in the local Oriya language besides strolling into more peaceful villages, the company plans to tie up with an NGO which was started by Manibhai Desai a follower of Gandhi.
The apex court had earlier dismissed a similar plea, which made identical allegations filed by advocate Kamini Jaiswal.
In December, some 400 youngsters aged 15 to 18 years boarded a train for the Tata Jagriti Yatra (TJY), a 9,000-km, 16-state journey of 18 days from December 24, 2010 to January 11, 2011, starting from Mumbai travelling through Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Hyderabad, Orissa, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, to Delhi, Rajasthan and Gujarat and back.
"It is a matter of faith for crores. If Lord Jagannath will not come out tomorrow, he cannot come out for 12 years as per traditions," said Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, who mentioned the matter before a bench headed by Justice Arun Mishra.
The attacks on the Christian community are not restricted only to Mangalore or Orissa, but have spread to other states like Madhya Pradesh, Kerala, Chhattisgarh and even the national capital, says activist Jospeh Dias
Sources in Greenpeace said the representatives of different environmental NGOs are meeting Tata Steel MD B Muthuraman next month. Despite the allegations from various quarters that it has twisted facts and forged reports about the presence of rare Olive Ridley turtles near Dhamra coast in Orissa -- the site where Tatas with partner L&T are developing Rs 2,400-crore (Rs 24 billion) port -- global environmental NGO Greenpeace is bracing for its next phase of action, which may w
'Lord Jagannath won't forgive us if we allow this year's Rath Yatra to go on'
'No judge can take up a matter on its own unless allocated by the CJI as the CJI is master of the court,' the top court said.
'No one would be allowed to impure the stream of justice,' declared the top court.
Actor-politician Hema Malini on Thursday sought to defend her remarks that widows from West Bengal and Bihar should not crowd Vrindavan in Uttar Pradesh, saying she said this in the context of how they were being ignored in their home states and government not doing enough for them.
Who are the NGOs in India with maximum funding in India? Which are the countries funding them? How many NGOs are registered under the law? Vicky Nanjappa finds out.
The apex court said it would pronounce its order on Tuesday whether such a plea was maintenable or not.
'There are 25 million farmers in India with at least 2 to 3 cows each.' 'If all them use biogas to cook, millions of LPG units and firewood can be saved.'
As we celebrate the spirit of childhood, here are some children who've made India proud.
'The idea behind the new rules is that slaughter markets must buy directly from the farms as is the case in the bloody world.' 'The cattle markets have become centres for the organised beef mafia.'
'Human rights violations are there in rural areas and in cities. In rural areas it is crude and in the open. In urban areas it is well hidden.' 'Awareness has grown several fold. India has 160 national and state human rights institutions. No other country in the world has this.' 'Unfortunately the right to association, right to assembly, freedom of expression, right to protest and discuss are all being curtailed systematically one by one.'
Shuvajit was confident of making a huge difference in the lives of people in rural India.