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TOI : PUNE: The state government stands exposed on its tall claims of providing jobs to the unemployed youth. In a startling revelation, a city-based organisation, Om Pratishthan, has discovered that the state government-run employment exchange had given jobs to just 5.5% of all applicants between 2001 and 2007 in Pune district.

The disclosure was made under the Right to Information Act and an application seeking the information was moved by the Pratishthan.

As many as 3, 03,548 candidates had applied for employment between 2001 and 2007, of which 2, 74,790 were interviewed and only 16,879 candidates got jobs. As a result, there has been a substantial dip in the number of applications post-2004. The findings also revealed that part-time jobs as well as financial assistance to the educated unemployed had been stopped since 2004.

Bhagwan Nevdekar of Om Pratishthan said the findings were absolutely startling. “The youth have totally lost faith in the government and the way it handles applications. There is clearly a downward trend in the number of applications received by the exchange over the years (see box),” he pointed out.

Nevdekar said these figures were only for Pune district and wondered what the state figures would be like.

The state government used to pay Rs 100 to unemployed graduates while those who had cleared the SSC and HSC examinations used to get Rs 50 per month. In 1995, the state decided to give part-time jobs and Rs 300 to graduates, while SSC and HSC passouts were paid Rs 100 per month. But in 2004, all such assistance was discontinued.

“The part-time jobs in government organisations used to help the youth gain experience, which would further help them in getting jobs at other places. However, the job offer too was subsequently discontinued,” said Nevdekar.

The information obtained also revealed that…More

TOI : PUNE: Always longed to live the farmer’s life but found yourself tied up by urban constraints? Well, here’s your opportunity to pamper your passion without setting foot outside the city.

The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) is starting a unique city farming project where citizens will be encouraged to grow vegetables and crops on specially allocated land. For a start, the civic body is in the process of acquiring a three-acre plot at Salisbury Park for the project, perhaps the first of its kind in the country.

Speaking to TOI on Monday, PMC’s garden superintendent Yashwant Khaire said citizens will be responsible for and cultivate chunks of land. “The concept of city farming is new to India. The PMC will provide land, seeds, fertilisers and water free of cost to interested persons and also help them market the produce.”

The project will initially be launched at Salisbury Park and may be extended to other areas of the city depending on the success of the pilot project.

The PMC is looking at the project not as a profit-making venture but as a socio-environmental initiative. “This exercise will allow people to experience the joy of farming and also provide fresh and quality produce,” Khaire said.

“The garden department of the PMC, which has initiated the project, will work out the details,” said municipal commissioner Pravinsinh Pardeshi. The details will be announced after the Salisbury Park land acquisition.

For Puneites, this is a welcome move. “I have always dreamed of trying my hand at farming. Given the opportunity, I would definitely grow vegetables for self-consumption,” said Girish Kulkarni, a professional.

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TOI : PUNE: A foreign national, staying at Pune camp, was arrested by the city police’s special branch (SB) on Monday for allegedly staying in India without a passport and visa since 2001.

The arrested foreigner apparently hails from an African country. However, officials from the special branch refused to divulge any details regarding his nationality. The man was staying as a paying guest and had come to India on a student visa.

A few days ago, the city police had deported his fellow national to their home country, after his visa validity expired. However, the police got a tip-off that both foreign nationals had decided to meet in Pune Camp on Monday.

The police then took the foreign national into custody. The officials said a large number of ‘valuable’ documents have been seized from him.

On an estimate, the special branch of the city police arrests and deports over 45 foreign nationals, every year, who came to city on a tourist or student visa and manage to overstay in the country. tnn
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TOI : PUNE: Central information commissioner (CIC) M.M. Ansari claimed on Monday that the Right to Information (RTI) Act is reducing corruption at the rate of 15 per cent and has increased transparency in the country.

“It is the perception of ‘Transparency International’ (the global civil society organisation leading the fight against corruption) that RTI has enabled decline in corruption in India at the rate of 15-20 percent. The annual report of TI shows that transparency is increasing,” Ansari said.

Ansari was speaking to the media on the sidelines of the meeting of members of the national co-ordination committee on Right to Information Act.

He said some states were conducting research on reduction in corruption by getting feedback-forms filled by information seekers. Ansari said the feedback forms include questions like whether officers are demanding money or whether their conduct has improved. Ansari revealed that around 95 per cent decisions on RTI appeals have been given in favour of information seekers.

Speaking about Monday’s meeting, Rajan Kashyap (convenor of the co-ordinating committee and CIC of Punjab) said a national resource centre for all matters relating to RTI would be established within three months.

“The centre would co-ordinate the activities and initiatives within the purview of the Central Information Commission and the state information commissions. The Centre for Good governance, Hyderabad, has submitted a proposal for establishing the centre,” Kashyap said.

Another decision was to undertake modernisation and scientific management of all records in government offices.

“The management of records is poor in all states. It has been decided that records should be upgraded in all states. This will facilitate data retrieval and delivery of information to the public under the RTI,” Kashyap said.

Ansari said that individuals, NGOs, media and institutions could give their suggestions on the RTI regime by email…More

TOI : PUNE: A state-level organisation of primary school teachers has called for a protest rally near state assembly in Mumbai on April 15 demanding fulfillment of pending demands.

Sanjivani Raikar, president of Maharasthra Rajya Manya Khajagi Prathamik Shikshak and Shikshaketar Mahasangh, announced this at a press meet on Friday.

Organisation members said they have 11 pending demands which they have been pursuing since last five years.

Among the main demands, the Mahasangh wants a system in place by which salaries could be drawn on the first day of every month. Besides, the maximum number of students per class should be 40 in city and 30 in rural areas. It is also against the evaluation method which gives grants to non-aided schools. Print Save EMail Write to Editor Get personalised news s…More