Political India: Engaging America

From The Hindu

CHENNAI: The call by the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) to accord permanent resident status for over one lakh Sri Lankan Tamil refugees in the State has triggered more demands from political parties.

Welcoming the resolution adopted by the DMK at a conference last week, D. Ravikumar, general secretary, Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi, who had made a study of the conditions of the refugees three years ago, said the measures taken by authorities here would give India a moral right to seek better treatment of internally-displaced Tamils in Sri Lankan camps.

Urging the administration to increase financial assistance for the refugees, Mr. Ravikumar said the State should exert pressure on the Centre to bring out a comprehensive legislation on refugees.

Responding positively to the DMK resolution, S. Ramadoss, Pattali Makkal Katchi founder, asked what follow-up action DMK president and Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi would take to make the resolution a reality.

“Admission of guilt”

D. Pandian, State secretary of the Communist Party of India, termed the resolution an “admission of guilt” that the refugees would not be able to go back to their homeland.

He held the State and Central governments responsible.

Supporting the idea of giving citizenship to the refugees, Mr. Pandian, however, said that even in such an eventuality, the Centre should ensure that the Sri Lankan Tamils’ right to return to their home country was protected. There should be no compulsion on the refugees.

L. Ganesan, Bharatiya Janata Party’s State president, said that spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravisankar had already made a suggestion on similar lines.

With the Sri Lankan government’s war against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam over, the Centre should treat the refugees in Tamil Nadu better.

The authorities should relax conditions on them, particularly in matters concerning the search for livelihood opportunities. The Centre should also work for their early return to Sri Lanka.

“Goodwill gesture”

S.C. Chandrahasan, founder of the Organisation for Eelam Refugees Rehabilitation (OfERR), an NGO that works with Sri Lankan refugees in the State, termed the resolution “goodwill gesture.”

OfERR would start a consultative process entailing discussions in the camps, at the district and regional levels, after which a decision might be made as to how they could respond to the DMK resolution.

Labels: DMK, OfERR, refugees, Sri Lanka, Tamil Nadu

From The Hindu

CHENNAI: A range of policy initiatives for upgrading the efforts of the Narcotics Intelligence Bureau (NIB) were outlined on Friday. Also, while alcohol production and revenue had increased, the State government emphasised its commitment to curbing the sale and transportation of illicit liquor.

In the context of an increase in the number of drug offenders detained in 2008 from the previous year, the Home, Prohibition and Excise Department said that “intensive raids will be conducted in railway stations, bus stands and near schools and colleges.”

Balancing the focus on raids with plans to spread awareness of narcotics issues, the proposed plan of action for 2009-10 says, “At least one programme per month will be conducted in a school in consultation with the Prohibition and Excise Department.” Addressing the issue of ganja, plans were announced for the coming year to prevent, in coordination with the Forest Department, the cultivation of ganja plants in Tamil Nadu. Steps would be taken to address the issue of “heavy influx of ganja from Andhra Pradesh by road and train.”

The production of Indian Made Foreign Spirits and beer increased to 48.19 crore bulk litres during 2008-09 from 42.82 CBL the previous year.

Revenue from this sector, including excise revenue and sales tax, increased to Rs.10601.5 crore in 2008-09, up from Rs. 8821.16 crore during the previous year.

Labels: Assemby, excise, ganja, illicit liquor, Narcotics Intelligence Bureau, Tamil Nadu

From The Hindu

CHENNAI: New proposals for school education during 2009-10, announced on Wednesday, include plans to fill a significant number of posts for secondary grade teachers and graduate teachers.

In addition to filling 5,166 vacancies for teachers in elementary education, the policy note presented by Minister for School Education Thangam Thennarasu reaffirmed the State government’s commitment to the universalisation of secondary education and emphasised the support given to Kasthurba Gandhi Balika Vidyala (KGBV), a “special intervention for enrolling out-of-school girls in the age group of 11-14 years.”

Speaking to The Hindu about special provisions in the policy for girls’ education, Mr. Thennarasu said: “As part of the secondary education programme, we are also building residential blocks in 12 educationally backward districts. We have allocated Rs.42.5 lakh for each hostel, which can accommodate 100 students.”

The total plan outlay for this scheme is Rs.18.7 crore and it will benefit girls from Standard VI to Standard XII. The Assembly has passed a total outlay of Rs.862.309 crore to be utilised for elementary education schemes. The School Education Department has proposed a number of elementary education initiatives relating to projects for enrolling out-of-school children through bridge courses, inclusive education for persons with disabilities, in-service training for teachers and community training for the Universal Elementary Education scheme (Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan Mission).

Further, the Assembly has sanctioned the use of these funds to provide materials to schools.

Labels: Assembly, school education, Tamil Nadu