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indianexpress:  TWO-and-a-half-year-old Muskan was too shy to walk up and take the gift from Denise Wilson. Coaxed by her teachers, she took a few steps, accepted her present and a smile broke out on her face.

Muskan is among the 60 children from the slums in Yerawada who will benefit from the community learning centre at Panchshil Nagar which will impart special classes in English, Maths and values. The centre, also called Muskaan, was inaugurated by the UK-based company National Grid in association with Zensar Foundation as part of their corporate social responsibility on Thursday afternoon. The children belong to Akanksha Foundation, an NGO that works to provide better lives to underprivileged children.

The British company, a global utility organisation working in the fields of electricity and gas, has partnerships with its key Indian suppliers—Zensar Technologies, TCS and Wipro. It donated 40,000 pounds for Muskaan raised through two charity dinners held in London.

National Grid, which conducts such initiatives through Global Spirit, plans to help a Bangalore-based school too.

“This is the first time that National Grid is undertaking such a charitable activity in another country, besides the UK and the US. We hope to be a part of many more such social initiatives in India,” said Wilson, National Grid’s director of shared services.

indianexpress:  TO make Maharashtra a premiere investment destination and to push its growth rate into double-digit figures, the State government will roll out a slew of new policies for different sectors within the next six months. While textiles, agro processing and retail policies will be framed for the first time, a separate policy on infrastructure to address concerns of all industries will also be rolled out.

“All policies are in discussion stage and two policies will be announced by June,” industries secretary V K Jairath said on Thursday.

He said the State was looking at textile sector to provide large-scale employment. “Most states do not have a textile policy. If we have a Rs 1,000 crore investment in textiles, over 65,000 jobs can be created,” Jairath said.

The textile policy will focus on creating infrastructure and getting cutting edge technology to the State besides upgrading technical skills of the workers through proper training. “One of the concerns is getting the right people for the right jobs. A major challenge will be getting people ready for jobs that will come in the next 2-3 years,” he said.

The government is also looking at drawing up the agro processing policy in tandem with retail. While the agro policy will deal with providing skill sets and scientific training to the farming community, the retail one is seeking to establish supply chains with huge employment potential and rural marketing

indianexpress:  THE Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has demanded explanation on the alleged misuse of the Annabhau Sathe Samaj Mandir being run by former corporator V R Shinde under the name of Lokshahir Annabhau Sathe Smarak Kruti Mandal trust. It has been brought to the notice of PMC that the trust charges money from the state government’s Integrated Child Development Scheme which is running an Anganwadi at the community hall.

As per rules, a community hall is available free of cost for organisations and even individuals to run community programmes.

Deputy municipal commissioner (Urban Community Department) Ashok Kalamkar said that he had received complaints about the violation and therefore sought an explanation. “The trust has been allowed to run the community hall and to manage its daily affairs. But it is not supposed to charge money,” he said.

The explanation was asked last week, but Kalamkar said that till now no response has come from the trust’s side. “We will wait for another week and then seek further course of action,” he said. If found guilty, the PMC may discontinue the trust’s hold on the community hall.

When contacted an angry Shinde said that money is being charged for maintenance purpose. “I pay for the light bill and other needs of the anganwadi. The money is taken for cleaning of the room, repairing and painting,” he said.

The anganwadi uses the premises of the community hall from 9 am to 2 pm, after which it remains closed till the next day’s classes.

Meanwhile, the hall also houses Shinde’s family. A staircase has been constructed from the ground floor to the terrace of the community hall, where Shinde’s wife and son stay.

“It is true that part of the community hall is used for my official purpose and part for my family. But there is nothing wrong in it as the property belongs to me,” said Shinde.