Lizard in midday meal, 79 kids fall ill

It appears that the authorities in the state haven't learned any lessons from themidday meal tragedy that claimed the lives of 20 children in a school in Chhapra, Bihar. 

At least 79 kids of a government higher secondary school in Maliyon Ka Mohalla in Baneda town of Bhilwara district fell ill after consuming contaminated midday meal. 

Preliminary investigations indicate that a lizard was found in the cooked meal. Taking cognizance of the incident, the district collector has ordered action against three officials. 

The midday meal incharge of the school, Dinesh Tanwar, who is also the physical training instructor and K C Garg, headmaster, were suspended. Lalu Lal Koli, additional block education officer, was put on awaiting posting order (APO). 

"After having midday meal, they complained of nausea, vomiting and dehydration. All of them were rushed to the government hospital. The condition of children is stable. Most of them were discharged from the hospital by the afternoon," said a senior health officer of Bhilwara. 

The incident came to the notice when a girl, Devi, found a dead lizard in her plate. She immediately rushed to the headmaster Kailash Garg and complained about it. 

The people engaged in midday meal had prepared rice and daal which was served in the verandah of the school. "Preliminary investigations suggested that lizard fell into the daal prepared for the midday meal which went unnoticed. It is utter negligence and hence we have suspended the midday meal incharge and headmaster and removed the additional block education officer," said Onkar Singh, district collector, Bhilwara. 

After taking the contaminated meal the students started vomiting and fainted on the ground. 

Meanwhile, parents gathered outside the school and shouted slogans against the school administration. 

Meanwhile, the district administration has also terminated the services of three women who were engaged in cooking the midday meal for the children. "The contractual employees Asha, Lalita and Kanchan were terminated for their negligence. We have also constituted a three member committee to probe the matter. It comprises sub divisionalmagistrate (SDM), district education officer (DEO), and block development officer (BDO).

Goons “cook up” devilish plan, sells poor woman in Rajasthan for Rs 65,000 ‘only’

A criminal minded woman “cooked up” a devilish plan and sold a woman, badly in need of running her life for day-to-day life, in Rajasthan for Rs 65,000. The woman and her one accomplice have been arrested by the police in this connection.

According to police, the main accused Kamlabai Sukhdeo Savarkar (50), resident of Bharatwada Bhandeshwar Society, Kalamna, and Ranglal Karu Mali (65), native of Ranodiya, Kota in Rajastshan, have been arrested. Kamlabai first introduced the woman to her friend Rakhi. Rakhi enticed the woman with a job of cooking food in Rajashtan. The poor and needy woman was perfectly trapped in their nefarious designs. Rakhi promised the woman of Rs 20,000 salary per month. After noticing the woman totally trapped in their ugly motives, Rakhi called her to a temple in Bhavani Nagar and took her Kamlabai’s house and introduced her with a man Jamnalal. The man took the woman to another woman Durga’s house. Jamnalal and Durga again introduced the woman with a man Ghanshyam. After the introductions and introductions, they all took the woman to Rajasthan.

However, after reaching Rajasthan, the woman was “married” with Ranglal Karu Mali. After the “marriage,” all the gang members Kamlabai Savarkar, Jamnalal, Rakhi and Durga “recovered” their cost of Rs 65,000 after selling the “product” (The woman). However, the woman soon realized, also, developed cold feet, that she had been sold to Ghanshyam and Ranglal at the “cost” of Rs 65,000. The poor woman was warned by Ghanshyam and Ranglal that if she tries to escape from their house, she would be killed. The woman, too, kept cool after the warning from both the men.

However, the destiny had a positive plan. The woman any how manged to escape from their grisly clutches and reached Nagpur. As soon as she arrived in Nagpur, the woman approached Kalamna Police Station and narrated her tragic tale to policemen. Police booked Kamlabai Savarkar, Jamnalal, Rakhi and Durga and also Ghanshyam and Ranglal. The PSI Vaidya after investigation into the episode, arrested Kamlabai and Ranglal Mali.

The sources said, both Kamlabai and Rakhi are pimps and are in the business since past few years. Police are now probing whether their connections are with more and more criminals who are in the women trafficking.

women conductors on Rajasthan State Roadways Transport Corporation buses

The next time you travel in a Rajasthan State Roadways Transport Corporation (RSRTC) bus, chances are a female conductor will ask you to show the ticket.

Breaking into a male bastion, 148 women bus conductors have been selected as conductors for RSRTC-run buses. Joining the league of states like Delhi, Gujarat and Kerala, Rajasthan too will one of the first states to induct women into bus services.

Ghaziabad shamed: Crimes against women rise

Acid attacks in Ghaziabad sadly represent only a fraction of the crimes against women. Rapes, molestation and harassment have almost become routine. Even though police say they're doing their best to prevent such incidents, the frequency of crimes against women speaks for themselves.

According to senior cops, a rape takes place every week in the city and many go unreported. While cases of 'molestation' are common, chain snatchers exclusively target women. "The situation is so bad that one fears getting out of the house after it gets dark. The police is barely helpful, and in some cases, they are at fault," said Renu Sharma, a Delhi University student who lives in Indirapuram.

Increasing crime against women sparks fear of chaos in volatile Hyderabad

A staggering 112 rapes have been reported across Hyderabad so far this year, just 38 short of the total number recorded last year, which analysts said are worrying signs at a time when a possible decision on new Telangana state was likely to cause more civil unrest in the city.

Only two CARICOM states ranked for encouraging female entrepreneurs

Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago are the only Caribbean Community (CARICOM) states ranked among 20 Latin America and Caribbean countries that provide the best environments for female entrepreneurs.

The Women’s Entrepreneurial VentureScope (WEVentureScope) index was released by the Multilateral Investment Fund (MIF), a member of the Inter-American Development Bank Group, and developed by the Economist Intelligence Unit.

In its debut edition, the WEVentureScope analyzes the factors that promote or hinder the success of women-owned micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs). It is the first comprehensive and standardized assessment of the region’s enabling environment for women seeking to start and grow businesses.

According to the survey, Jamaica is ranked 12 while Trinidad and Tobago is placed at number 18.

The survey found that Chile, Peru, Colombia, Mexico and Uruguay provide the best environments for female entrepreneurs in Latin America and the Caribbean.

The WEVentureScope examines and scores 20 countries in the five areas that most affect women’s entrepreneurship: business operating risks, including macroeconomic risks, security, and corruption; the entrepreneurial business environment, including costs and regulatory requirements associated with starting businesses; access to finance, including the availability and use of formal financial products by women; capacity and skills, including educational advancement by women and availability of business skills training.

 “Latin American women are among the most entrepreneurial on the globe, but are still greatly underrepresented as owners of SMEs,” said MIF General Manager Nancy Lee.

 “We at the MIF and the IDB are committed to supporting women entrepreneurs throughout the region. The WEVentureScope will help us better understand what the obstacles are and how they can be addressed.”

Overall, the WEVentureScope finds that Latin America and the Caribbean score relatively well for educational and business training opportunities for women; in nearly all countries, more than 50 percent of post-secondary education graduates are women, and more than half of the countries analyzed offer access to business networks. 

At the same time, women’s access to personal and business finance is relatively poor in the region. In the majority of countries studied, less than a third of women had saved money in a financial institution within the past year, and banks finance only about 20 percent of their business needs, the MIF added.(CMC)

Easy credit access will spur women into business

The complex loan application procedure discourages women to apply for institutional finance, Selima Ahmed, founder president of Bangladesh Women Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said yesterday.
“Different requirements by different banks create difficulty for women entrepreneurs in accessing loans,” she said.
Women-dedicated desks are not active in many banks and some are yet to establish such desks, she said.
The BWCCI chief requested bankers to cooperate more with women to make loan-processing free from hassles.
Selima spoke at a seminar on Promoting Women Entrepreneurship in Bangladesh organised by BWCCI and Asian Development Bank at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre.
Bangladesh Bank with finance from ADB started a project to support women entrepreneurs in September 2010.
BWCCI was assigned as the implementing agency to enhance capacity of women entrepreneurs and associations to fully access the financial resources and services earmarked for women SME enterprises under the ADB loan programme, Selima said.
The chamber trained 900 women entrepreneurs at micro and SME levels from six districts, including Khulna, Rajshahi, Barisal, Sylhet, Rangamati and Gazipur.
After the training, women are more encouraged and capable of seeking institutional finance, said Sangita Ahmed, president of BWCCI.
“Women are now informed on bank requirements, necessary documents and are able to prepare them better,” Sangita said.
The Bangladesh Bank is giving the utmost emphasis on women empowerment by creating easy access to finance, said Sukamal Sinha Choudhury, general manger SME and special programmes department of the central bank.
“We have set a dedicated desk for taking complaints from women entrepreneurs and to help them,” he said.
Women now constitute over 10 percent of the total business entrepreneurs in the country, compared to negligible numbers of a few years ago, said M Teresa Kho, country director of ABD to Bangladesh Resident Mission.
“We are glad that ADB help BWCCI in ‘Technical Assistance’ project to ensure easy access of finance for women,” Kho said.
Development is not possible without the development of women as half of the total world population is female, she added.
“If we want to develop our country, first we should empower our women,” said AMA Muhith, finance minister. “We are also doing well in human development.”
The bankers should be cordial in dealing with women, said Meher Afroz Chumki, state minister for women and children affairs.
The government has also allocated grants of Tk 100 crore for women entrepreneurs in the new budget.

Time to unleash potential of women entrepreneurs

Shortage of start-ups led by women is national problem affecting economic growth

Pamela Jeffrey (centre), founder of the Women’s Executive Network, with some of the recent award-winners in the Ireland’s Most Powerful Women awards announced last month by the network and HSBC Ireland. “As a nation, we need to change our attitude towards women in business and take radical steps to encourage and support start-ups. We need to break down the barriers to success.” Photograph: Alan Betson

Realtors body woos women entrepreneurs

Women Realtors Business Contact: 96509 49966

This banner catches the eye of visitors to the National Association of Realtors – India Web site.

A curious visitor calling the number is greeted by a recorded voice welcoming the caller to NAR-India’s women realtors’ business connect service. Press one to continue in English and so on…

What is the idea?

Following its annual convention in New Delhi earlier this month the realtors’ association is encouraging women to get into the real estate business.

Anuja Sinha, Chairperson of the women’s panel of NAR-India said the realtor business is an ideal opportunity for women to get into a business of their own and gain financial independence. Not much initial investment is needed. Just time to spare and knowledge of the local market, ability to communicate, familiarity with the systems and procedures in a property transaction are needed.

NAR-India also runs training courses for realtors.

The business connect service will link the caller to the respective regional offices of NAR-India and help women with the formalities of enrolling and getting started.

A representative pointed out that women are often the final decision makers in a family choosing a particular property.

A woman realtor can do better helping a family choose a location.

A realtor is not just an agent keen on closing a transaction but the role has evolved more into an expert advisor who understands the requirements of the buyer and helps them choose an ideal property.

Nigeria: NECA Tasks Women Entrepreneurs On Wealth Creation

The Director General of Nigeria Employers' Consultative Association (NECA), Mr. Olusegun Oshinowo, has urged women entrepreneurs in the South-south zone of Nigeria to be wealth creators by leveraging on the business opportunities in Nigeria. He stated this at a pre-launch enlightenment programme of NECA's Network of Entrepreneurial Women (NNEW) in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

He acknowledged the fact that the business environment in Nigeria is surrounded by enormous challenges but added that the challenges could be surmountable when the entrepreneurs are focused and determined to thrive. He applauded the International Labour Organisation (ILO) for its collaboration to replicate the success story of NNEW in the South- South. He assured the women of the support of NECA in ensuring that women entrepreneurship is promoted and strengthened in the region. In the same vein, Dr. Josephine Diete-Spiff also explained that starting a business is most times challenging but noted that it could be started on a small scale, which eventually grows. She added that an entrepreneur must notice an opportunity, develop a plan, and must be innovative and creative.

Diete-Spiff, who is also the Managing Director, Titare Microfinance Bank and Chairperson, Bereton Academy Nigeria Ltd, informed the women that a productive idea is key to the success of a business. She encouraged women entrepreneurs to generate productive idea from what they are familiar with, something they have a flair for and something they are passionate about. NNEW 2nd Vice President, Mrs. Modupe Ehirim, in her presentation, identified the need for capacity-building programmes for entrepreneurs to enable them put the right structure to run a viable, profitable and successful business in any given economy. She added that trainings and re-training are paramount in any venture in life.

In his remarks, Senior Specialist, Employers' Activities, ILO/SRO Addis Ababa, Mr. Hezron Njuguna, said women in Africa have come of age to face challenges as it arises in their business. He urged women entrepreneurs not to limit themselves in taking steps. NNEW is a platform established in 2005 under the aegis of Nigeria Employers' Consultative Association to promote and nurture entrepreneurship amongst women. The Network has successfully groomed and mentored a large number of women entrepreneurs in the Lagos and Abuja Metropolis, who have now been able to take their businesses to a new height. It has a membership base of over 300.

Women at Work: Metropolis Healthcare’s CEO

Thirty-three-year-old Ameera Shah is the managing director and chief executive of Metropolis Healthcare Ltd., a Mumbai-based chain of 100 pathology laboratories with a presence in five countries; India, Sri Lanka, United Arab Emirates and South Africa.

Born in Mumbai, Ms. Shah went to the U.S. for university and after graduating worked for Goldman Sachs Group Inc. (GS), an investment bank in New York, and then for couple of U.S.-based startups.

But her dream of working in India pulled her back to the country in early 2000.

On her return she took over her father’s single lab venture, Dr. Sushil Shah’s Laboratory in Mumbai, changed its name to Metropolis Healthcare and expanded the business mostly by partnering with local laboratories within and outside India.

All-woman city buses launched by CM in Orissa

Chief minister NaveenPatnaik on Monday launched an all-woman city bus service, nearly four months after introducing a similar transport service for women betweenBhubaneswar and Cuttack on the occasion of International Women's day on March 8.

Four dedicated JNNURM city buses for women would ply on airport-Nandankanan and KIIT-Balakati routes in peak hours daily. "The buses would transport only women from 8.30 am to 11 am and 4.30 pm to 7 pm on those routes. In other times, male passengers can also board the buses," said Sudhansu Jena, chief executive officer of Dream Team Sahara (DTS), operator of the city bus service.

SRK defends Kolkata on women's safety

Defending Kolkata in the wake of the rising incidents of crime against women in the city, superstar Shah Rukh Khan Saturday said not only Kolkata, but the whole world had issues when it came to the safety of women.
Khan, who is the state's brand ambassador, came to his "favourite" city's rescue by pointing out that safety of women is a global concern: "This is very personal. You can't pick on a city because it's easiest to blame the system...the whole country... the whole world actually has issues as far as safety of women is concerned."

Inspired by Rani of Jhansi, women will fight to liberate India from Congress: Sushma Swaraj

Highlighting the rise in cases of crime and atrocities against women and the girl child, Swaraj said both women and girls in this country are not safe in their houses as well as outside.Drawing inspiration from Rani Lakshmi Bai, the fiery Queen of Jhansi, who was the epitome of courage and bravery in the 19th century, senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Sushma Swaraj on Monday said women will fight to liberate India from the Congress Party.

“Rani of Jhansi fought to liberate India from British. Today, we women will fight to liberate India from the Congress,” she said, while addressing the BJP Mahila Karyakarta Sammelan here.

“We couldn’t become a part of freedom struggle, born after 1947. Now, we will be a part of freedom from Congress battle,” she added.

Highlighting the rise in cases of crime and atrocities against women and the girl child, Swaraj said both women and girls in this country are not safe in their houses as well as outside.

“Indian women are in politics, they have reached the space. They have achieved so much, but it’s a shame that women are not safe in India,” she said.

Asserting that the national mood is in favour of the BJP, Swaraj also used the occasion to lure the women voters of the country.

“We have a four point programme for women when we come to power. It’s our declaration and mission.

The senior BJP leader also hinted at early polls.

“Mission 2014 can also be Mission 2013. The situation in which the nation is I don’t think the government can survive,” Swaraj said.

“In the upcoming assembly elections, we have to snatch states from the Congress and defend our states. This is our aim,” she added, while spelling out the BJP’s strategy for the upcoming state assembly polls and general elections.

Mobiles beep health messages to women in India’s villages

“Aapke bacche ka tikakaran ka samay hai (It is time to get your child vaccinated),” beeps the voice message.

From pregnant women to community health workers in remote districts of Bihar, Haryana and Rajasthan, to the tea growing adivasis of Nilgiri hills in south India or in remote forested villages of Chhattisgarh, the mobile phone, which has now an almost universal reach across this vast country of 1.2 billion people, is proving to be a useful solution.

Harnessing technology to access areas hitherto untouched by the national healthcare system, mobiles are being used increasingly to beep important health messages, like reminders to get children inoculated and for pregnant women to get their check-ups done in time across India, particularly in states where social indicators are low.

These innovative mobile applications run on basic phones and keep beeping the message — either as an animation or an interactive voice response — so long as the phone owner does not switch it off.

The Women Mobile Lifeline Channel application, designed by ZMQ Development, is being used by NGOs in villages to empower women.

In the Mewat region of Haryana and Doodha in Rajasthan, the mobile applications provide women with information on maternal health, child immunisation, girl child healthcare and adolescent girl healthcare.

“There is not enough content available for women at the grassroots level. Men just need one calculator, while women need many calculators like menstrual cycle calculator, immunisation calculator and pregnancy calculator. So this application is an integrated solution,” Hilmi Qurashi of ZMQ Development, told IANS.

“The channel also has a pregnancy and immunisation tracker with external voice applications giving reminder of the dates to the women and urging them to take action,” added Mr. Qurashi.

Women can choose either of the three options — voice, pictorial, or written messages. The application is free of cost and is available in both English and Hindi.

The applications also have some simple games for entertainment as well as a section for inspirational stories to guide women to take decisions in life and make them more independent, said Mr. Qurashi.

“In just 15 months’ time we have got 35,000 subscriptions, including 11,000 for pregnancy-related alerts and 8,000 for immunisation alerts. So, you can see how well it is being accepted by the people,” he added.

BBC Media Action, an NGO, has introduced similar applications in eight districts of Bihar. Their Mobile Kunji and Mobile Academy services are being widely used by community health workers in Bihar for women and child healthcare.

“Since 70 percent of the population has access to mobile phones, we thought of utilising the phones to deliver timely and appropriate information,” Siddarth Swarup of BBC Media Action told IANS.

Under Mobile Kunji, the specific healthcare needs of the woman and girl child is looked after through an interactive voice message.

“The interactive audio helps in providing credibility to what the health workers are saying. We have tied up with six operators, hence it’s toll free. We have given 38,512 Mobile Kunjis to health workers,” added Swarup.

Mobile Academy is a training course application for the health workers, ASHAs, and aganwadi workers on safe delivery measures, health and sanitation.

Health workers have to pay 50 paise per minute for using Mobile Academy. On completion of the course, the health worker is given a certificate from the government, Priyanka Dutt, project director of BBC Media Action, told IANS.

There is another application called Project Leapfrog, which addresses the needs of tea growers of the Nilgiri hills in south India.

The Adivasi Tea Leaf Marketing (ATLM) self-help group, buys tea leaves from the adivasi growers and sells it in the market.

“Project Leapfrog helps make the process of buying and selling tea leaves more transparent. The real time data on the transactions can be easily accessed by the growers on their mobile phone,” said Ramshreyas Rao of ACOR, who developed the application.

ACOR works in tandem with ATLM to provide the data on mobile phones to adivasi growers.

These innovative applications were awarded Rs.1 million each at the Vodafone Foundation Mobile for Good Awards.

Crime against women: when will it stop?

24-Year-Old Woman Forced into Marriage and Gang Raped by In-Laws

A 24-year-old Indian woman was married against her wishes and then gangraped, in an apparent act of revenge in north India. The woman's brother eloped with a married woman and she was forced to marry her new sister-in-law's former husband.

Not content with the humiliation of a forced marriage, the young woman was then attacked and raped by her in-laws. The village council is believed to have supported the horrific act, claiming it was in line with ancient codes. The entire incident only came to light after the victim filed a police complaint about the gangrape.

The victim, whose identity is protected by the Indian constitution, reportedly toldpolice she agreed to the marriage under pressure and because "I knew there would be bloodbath in the village if I refused." 

The case filed against the victim's brother was dropped, after investigations proved his wife married him willingly. Meanwhile, the brother accused local law enforcement of aiding and abetting the forced marriage and gangrape of his sister, claiming the police present did not take action until those responsible had fled the village.

"The husband of the Panchayat [village council] chief was also present when the fate of my sister was decided. He was very vocal and wanted the harshest punishment for us," he added.

The above incident comes only two weeks after another young woman was allegedly gangraped and burned alive in Etawah, the hometown of Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav. In that instance, the 20-year-old victim was turned away by police officials, who refused to register her complaint.

Women Power:HIV positive women turn changemakers

 For several years, Asha Jat was just a 27-year-old homemaker from Ajmer who had tested HIV positive and was shunned by society. Then four years ago, she was introduced to a health project that helps HIV positive mothers avail medical assistance for themselves and their child. Now Asha is one of the 25 volunteers for the project in Rajasthan's Ajmer district and has facilitated 102 childbirths of HIV positive women in the last four years.

The project titled, Reduction of Parent to Child Transmission of HIV in India: Improving access of Positive Women to Public Health Services (PPTCT), was launched in three states — Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Rajasthan in 2009. "The project taught me to speak for myself and stand up for my rights," says Asha.

Funded through European Union and Christian Aid, the project aims to contribute to the National Aids Control Programme—III's overall goal of halting and reversing the HIV epidemic in India. This was to be achieved by providing non-stigmatized PPTCT services through networks and volunteers.

According to Asha, before the PPTCT project, women were neither able to access government health services nor opted for hospital deliveries. After the programme began, there has been a definite increase in both accessing services and hospital deliveries. "More importantly there has been a drop in the number of children that are born HIV positive," says Asha, who shared her experiences at a round table meeting in the capital on Tuesday.

District government doctors give lists of HIV positive people to PPTCT volunteers to follow-up. "The project enables a woman or mothers to go to heath services and say "I am HIV+, my child is negative and I need medical assistance," said Akhila Sivdas, executive director, Centre for Advocacy and Research (CFAR) that advocates for informed representation about gender and development issues such as HIV/AIDS, child rights and violence against marginalised groups.

The PPTCT project was implemented by the Positive Women's Network (PWN+), a Tamil Nadu Voluntary Health Association (TNVHA), Arogya Agam, Tamil Nadu and Society for People's Action for Development (SPAD), Karnataka.

According to Padmavati, president (PWN+) Tamil Nadu, the project is making a big difference in tribal districts such as Nilgris, Theni and Coimbatore. "In those places the volunteers are literally the lynchpins of the programme. Every village has a volunteer network and the women, though they don't get an honorarium, are happy to work as volunteers because they have had positive children themselves and they do not want others to go through the same experience".

Citing a highpoint of the programme, Padmavati described how a volunteer secured 30 ration cards (a necessary document for securing various government healthcare facilities) from the Coimbatore collector for the HIV+ women of the area in a single day.

For Gajalaxmi, Sex Workers Collective from Trichi district, the lack of such documents led to sex workers facing discriminations towards their rights and entitlements. "If other women have to make two-three visits to avail of an entitlement, a sex worker would have to go 10-12 times. Even today 50% of them do not succeed in getting their entitlements," she said.

Tracing the journey undertaken by the Christian Aid, EU and four other civil society organizations in extending PPTCT services to positive women, Semeda Steve, programme manager, Christian Aid maintained that since the programme began the response from HIV positive women has gone up from 7% to 93% in intervention areas.