Saturday, October 22, 2011
writingonblog uncensored: Panel members yet to get official communique
writingonblog uncensored: Panel members yet to get official communique: Chennai: The members of the panel to clear "misconceptions" about Koodankulam plant hit by agitation on Thursday said they have yet to ge...
writingonblog uncensored: Panel members yet to get official communique
writingonblog uncensored: Panel members yet to get official communique: Chennai: The members of the panel to clear "misconceptions" about Koodankulam plant hit by agitation on Thursday said they have yet to ge...
Panel members yet to get official communique
Chennai:
The members of the panel to clear "misconceptions" about Koodankulam plant hit by agitation on Thursday said they have yet to get in writing of their inclusion in the panel.
Dr V Shantha, noted oncologist and Chairperson of Adyar Cancer Institute, told Express that she did get a call from the Atomic Energy commission but has yet to get an official communiqué stating her inclusion in the panel.
“I will comment only after I get it in writing tomorrow,” she said when asked about her comments on being included in the committee to look into the issue.
Similarly, Prof D V R Murthy,IIT, Madras Mechanical Engineering (Safety Research) who is on his way to Gangtok to take stock of the quake hit region said he is unaware of being included in the panel and refused any comment on his inclusion.
writingonblog uncensored: Varsity violates NCTE norms by admitting 1,023 stu...
writingonblog uncensored: Varsity violates NCTE norms by admitting 1,023 stu...: As per memorandum of understanding Manonmaniam Sundarnar varsity has to admit 500 students every academic year C Shivakumar Chennai: The...
Varsity violates NCTE norms by admitting 1,023 students in one academic year
As per memorandum of understanding Manonmaniam Sundarnar varsity has to admit 500 students every academic year
“Who has authorized to admit 1,523 candidates within two academic years (2009-10 and 2010-11) instead of 1000 candidates? Does the University syndicate approve these type of violations? If so when was the approval obtained from the syndicate?,” sources questioned. The registrar of the university could not be reached for comments.
Interestingly, the registrar of the university has been ordered to submit a report over the irregularities in admission to B. Ed courses in the distance education after The New Indian Express brought it to light. It was revealed that then vice chancellor R T Sabapathy Mohan, a close aide of then Higher Education Minister K Ponmudy, personally handed over the applications of some of the candidates (as mentioned in documents in green ink) as the list of selected candidates for B.Ed course in the distance education was prepared, a month before the submission of the applications.
C Shivakumar
Chennai:
The B.Ed admissions in directorate of distance and continuing education in Manonmaniam Sundaranar University have been made without following the norms of National Council for Teacher Education, according to documents available with Express.
It is learnt that the university flouted the norms of NCTE by admitting 1,523 students in the B.Ed distance education programme in two years where as according to the norms of NCTE it should have admitted only 1,000 students.
Interestingly, as per the terms of recognition to directorate of distance and continuing education of Manomaniam Sundarnar University under Section 14 (3) a of NCTE Act, 1993, the university was allowed an intake of 500 students annually after the formal recognition order came into being in 2009-10.
Surprisingly, as per records the university has already admitted 1,523 students in two years thus violating the prescribed norms of NCTE. And what is more damning is one such admission happened barely four months after admission of 500 students was over.
Sources said the university began admission of B.Ed programme in the academic year 2009-10 by admitting 500n students. Interestingly, on July 2010, the university admitted 523 students instead of the prescribed 500 candidates for the academic year 2010-11. Surprisingly, 500 students were admitted again on November 18 for the academic year 2010-11.
This clearly violates the norms of NCTE and the university also faces the threat of cancellation of B.Ed course, sources said. According to NCTE norms Clause 7 states that any violation to NCTE norms will attract the cancellation of approval to conduct the B.Ed course through directorate of distance and continuing education.
Varsity violates NCTE norms by admitting 1,023 students in one academic year
As per MoU Manonmaniam Sundarnar varsity has to admit only 500 students
“Who has authorized to admit 1,523 candidates within two academic years (2009-10 and 2010-11) instead of 1000 candidates? Does the University syndicate approve these type of violations? If so when was the approval obtained from the syndicate?,” sources questioned. The registrar of the university could not be reached for comments.
Interestingly, the registrar of the university has been ordered to submit a report over the irregularities in admission to B. Ed courses in the distance education after The New Indian Express brought it to light. It was revealed that then vice chancellor R T Sabapathy Mohan, a close aide of then Higher Education Minister K Ponmudy, personally handed over the applications of some of the candidates (as mentioned in documents in green ink) as the list of selected candidates for B.Ed course in the distance education was prepared, a month before the submission of the applications
“Who has authorized to admit 1,523 candidates within two academic years (2009-10 and 2010-11) instead of 1000 candidates? Does the University syndicate approve these type of violations? If so when was the approval obtained from the syndicate?,” sources questioned. The registrar of the university could not be reached for comments.
Interestingly, the registrar of the university has been ordered to submit a report over the irregularities in admission to B. Ed courses in the distance education after The New Indian Express brought it to light. It was revealed that then vice chancellor R T Sabapathy Mohan, a close aide of then Higher Education Minister K Ponmudy, personally handed over the applications of some of the candidates (as mentioned in documents in green ink) as the list of selected candidates for B.Ed course in the distance education was prepared, a month before the submission of the applications
C Shivakumar
Chennai:
The B.Ed admissions in directorate of distance and continuing education in Manonmaniam Sundaranar University have been made without following the norms of National Council for Teacher Education, according to documents available with Express.
It is learnt that the university flouted the norms of NCTE by admitting 1,523 students in the B.Ed distance education programme in two years where as according to the norms of NCTE it should have admitted only 1,000 students.
Interestingly, as per the terms of recognition to directorate of distance and continuing education of Manomaniam Sundarnar University under Section 14 (3) a of NCTE Act, 1993, the university was allowed an intake of 500 students annually after the formal recognition order came into being in 2009-10.
Surprisingly, as per records the university has already admitted 1,523 students in two years thus violating the prescribed norms of NCTE. And what is more damning is one such admission happened barely four months after admission of 500 students was over.
Sources said the university began admission of B.Ed programme in the academic year 2009-10 by admitting 500n students. Interestingly, on July 2010, the university admitted 523 students instead of the prescribed 500 candidates for the academic year 2010-11. Surprisingly, 500 students were admitted again on November 18 for the academic year 2010-11.
This clearly violates the norms of NCTE and the university also faces the threat of cancellation of B.Ed course, sources said. According to NCTE norms Clause 7 states that any violation to NCTE norms will attract the cancellation of approval to conduct the B.Ed course through directorate of distance and continuing education.
C Shivakumar
Chennai:
The B.Ed admissions in directorate of distance and continuing education in Manonmaniam Sundaranar University have been made without following the norms of National Council for Teacher Education, according to documents available with Express.
It is learnt that the university flouted the norms of NCTE by admitting 1,523 students in the B.Ed distance education programme in two years where as according to the norms of NCTE it should have admitted only 1,000 students.
Interestingly, as per the terms of recognition to directorate of distance and continuing education of Manomaniam Sundarnar University under Section 14 (3) a of NCTE Act, 1993, the university was allowed an intake of 500 students annually after the formal recognition order came into being in 2009-10.
Surprisingly, as per records the university has already admitted 1,523 students in two years thus violating the prescribed norms of NCTE. And what is more damning is one such admission happened barely four months after admission of 500 students was over.
Sources said the university began admission of B.Ed programme in the academic year 2009-10 by admitting 500n students. Interestingly, on July 2010, the university admitted 523 students instead of the prescribed 500 candidates for the academic year 2010-11. Surprisingly, 500 students were admitted again on November 18 for the academic year 2010-11.
This clearly violates the norms of NCTE and the university also faces the threat of cancellation of B.Ed course, sources said. According to NCTE norms Clause 7 states that any violation to NCTE norms will attract the cancellation of approval to conduct the B.Ed course through directorate of distance and continuing education.
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
writingonblog uncensored: Data not enough to claim poverty alleviation schem...
writingonblog uncensored: Data not enough to claim poverty alleviation schem...: Chennai: Deputy chairman of planning commission Montek Singh Ahluwalia on Wednesday defended the new economic policy and poverty alleviati...
Data not enough to claim poverty alleviation schemes of XI plan failed: Montek
Chennai:
Deputy chairman of planning commission Montek Singh Ahluwalia on Wednesday defended the new economic policy and poverty alleviation schemes of XI plan saying it is too early to say that the policy has failed.
“We have to look at the data of recent years before we declare the performance of the XI plan’s poverty alleviation schemes failed. The data will be available only two years later,” said Ahluwalia while delivering the V Sankar Aiyar Memorial Lecture here on Wednesday.
He, however, added that not enough has been done to reduce poverty in the country.
Defending the market economy, which is undergoing a churn as growth has collapsed in Western economies, he said while there is a growing protest against market economy in the globe, in the emerging nations like India it is paying dividends as it allows us to show how competitive we are.
Stating the serious dangers of crony capitalism in market economy, he said a strong economy should not encourage crony capitalism and government should be more transparent so that nobody goes away with undeserved gains.
The planning commission chief also stressed the need for devolution of powers in urban local bodies so that other half of the population who are devoid of basic infrastructure can access it.
Reacting to the criticism of Mani Shankar Aiyer on lack of powers to panchayats, the planning commission chief said the onus lies with the state government who have to fulfil the state finance commission (SFC) recommendations.
“The state never takes the recommendation of the SFC seriously and the Centre doesn’t have any powers to intervene,” he said.
He also highlighted the need for a greater flexibility on labour laws to boost industrial growth saying that it should be done only with the consenus of labour unions with a promise of strong social security.
writingonblog uncensored: Euro crisis to hit India’s growth rate
writingonblog uncensored: Euro crisis to hit India’s growth rate: Chennai: The European economic crisis will have a impact on India and the country will not be able to attain eight per cent growth rate, ...
Euro crisis to hit India’s growth rate
Chennai:
The European economic crisis will have a impact on India and the country will not be able to attain eight per cent growth rate, said deputy chairman of planning commission Montek Singh Ahluwalia.
Speaking to reporters after delivering the V Sankar Aiyar Memorial Lecture, he said India will be affected by the global economy slowdown and the eight per cent growth target will be affected.
However, if the global economy stabilizes by the end of the financial year, the XII plan will have a growth target of nine per cent, he added.
Monday, October 17, 2011
writingonblog uncensored: Simmering tensions, allegations of booth capturing...
writingonblog uncensored: Simmering tensions, allegations of booth capturing...: C Shivakumar Chennai: Simmering tensions, faulty webcams and al...
Simmering tensions, allegations of booth capturing surface in South Chennai
C Shivakumar
Chennai:
Simmering tensions, faulty webcams and allegations of booth capturing surfaced from various areas of south Chennai during municipal corporation elections.
In ward number 179 of Velacherry, riot police was seen patrolling the Advent School as protesters were gathering outside the gate. The situation was tense with candidates from DMK, Congress, MDMK and an Independent candidate alleging booth capturing by ruling ADMK in nearby Akshaya School.
Interestingly, police denied there was any such incident and the polling observers remained silent when queries were posed to them. Surprisingly, none of the webcams were working in that booth, where some torn booth slips were littered on the steps.
What was more interesting was the that reporter witnessed ADMK supporters walking inside the polling booth and talking among themselves which booth to cast bogus votes as polling officials and police remained as mute spectators. And then a booth agent ticked them off that Press is watching them and they went out silently.
In Neelankarai Thoraipakkam allegations were made against the ADMK supporters of trying to woo the voters to vote for their candidate T G Govindasamy. Dhanapal, vice-president of Communist Party of India in the region said that a group of supporters rushed inside the area and were indulging in campaigning for their candidate. “We reported this to the police who shooed them away,” he said. But the supporters have managed to emerge again, he added.
Similarly, there was simmering tension in Kanthanchavadi in Perungudi but the situation was brought to normal with the timely intervention of poll observers and the police. “The voting was affected for 10 minutes. We will be reporting it to the polling officer,” said the election official. He also dismissed allegations of booth capture in that area and said polling has been peaceful.
In Sringeri Mutt Road in R A Puram, there were reports of a verbal duel between ADMK and DMK supporters sparking tension in the area. However, it was resolved soon. There were also reports of few bogus votes being cast in that ward. Ramanathan, 51, a businessman, reported to the presiding officer in the booth that his vote was cast by someone else.
In Palavakkam, tension surfaced in the noon when some people tried to cast bogus vote. “With the timely intervention of police the issue was sorted out,” said a DMK candidate adding that the miscreants will try it out again.
writingonblog uncensored: Caste Politics: Okiyum Pettai voters boycott elect...
writingonblog uncensored: Caste Politics: Okiyum Pettai voters boycott elect...: C Shivakumar Chennai: The polling booth in Mootai Karan Chavadi in Thoraipakkam wore a desolate look with the boycott of corporation electio...
Caste Politics: Okiyum Pettai voters boycott elections over merger with Kannagi Nagar
C Shivakumar
Chennai:
The polling booth in Mootai Karan Chavadi in Thoraipakkam wore a desolate look with the boycott of corporation elections by residents of three areas against their inclusion in Kannagi Nagar ward.
The polling booths 3427, 3428, 3429 and 3430 in Mootai Karan Chavadi Panchayat Union School was boycotted by voters from Okkium Pettai, Nehru Nagar and Mootaikaran Chavadi seeking their inclusion in ward number 194.
The residents are opposing tooth and nail for their inclusion with Kannagi Nagar, which has been included as a dalit ward.
The booth has nearly 4,300 votes of which the three areas alone consist of 3,500 votes. It is dominated by upper caste. When the reporter contacted the residents, there were some murmurs over their area being merged with dalit ward. However, some residents said that their area has always been ignored and now the officials have included their region with Kannagi Nagar which has more than 20,000 voters.
“We want our areas to be merged with Metukuppam (ward number 194). We fear residents of Kannagi Nagar as there is law and order problem in the area,” says 70-year-old Baby Ammal.
Anjalathchi says, “Okiyum Pettai has always been ignored by the successive governments. Till now we don’t have potable water and still have to depend on karapakkam. The decision to boycott the lections is taken by the people and not by any political party.”
Interestingly, the voters from Kannagi Nagar also faced trouble in locating the polling booth. Sayed Ibrahim of Kannai Nagar says he has been running from pillar to post to cast his vote and they guided me here. “It about one-and-a-half km away and I have to walk through the hot sun,” says the senior citizen.
writingonblog uncensored: Faulty booth slips deny voters their franchise
writingonblog uncensored: Faulty booth slips deny voters their franchise: Even Vijaykanth got faulty booth slip! C Shivakumar Chennai: Faulty booth slips and missing of names, streets and areas in the voters list h...
Faulty booth slips deny voters their franchise
Even Vijaykanth got faulty booth slip!
C Shivakumar
Chennai:
Faulty booth slips and missing of names, streets and areas in the voters list has left many enthusiastic voters upset who have to return without casting their votes in muncipal corporation elections.Many who had come with their family to vote were puzzled to find that while a member of the family’s name is included others were excluded. Seeking answers from the officials proved futile and they have to return home.
And the funniest thing was that the leader of opposition Vijaykanth also got a faulty booth slip directing him to vote at Clarence school in Saligramam while he was entitled to vote in nearby Kaveri School.
Showing the faulty booth slip to the media, Vijaykanth alleged the booth slip was faulty and blamed the election commission for it. His wife Premlatha said that it was for her supporters they knew where to cast their vote.
Initially the booth slips were not distributed properly in saligramam and after corporation official’s intervention later in the morning, voters in Saligramam got an idea where to cast their franchise.
In Nellankarai Thoraipakkam, retired professors Meikandan and Pankaiah Selvi said they were not eligible to vote as Sakthi Nagar and Customs Colony did not figure in the booth slips. Similar was the case with Prabhakaran, a retired information and public relation officer of the government and his wife Valarmathi who have to return dejected after being denied their vote.
writingonblog uncensored: Faulty EVMs delay polling in Saligramam, Kodambakk...
writingonblog uncensored: Faulty EVMs delay polling in Saligramam, Kodambakk...: C Shivakumar Chennai: Chennai municipal council elections in Saligramam and Kodambakkam began on a wrong note as faulty machines delayed th...
Faulty EVMs delay polling in Saligramam, Kodambakkam
C Shivakumar
Chennai:
Chennai municipal council elections in Saligramam and Kodambakkam began on a wrong note as faulty machines delayed the polls by 90 minutes on Monday.
Technical glitches in the electronic voting machines in ward number 129 left the voters harried and the election observers puzzled as they ran helter and skelter to look for options as election was delayed.
Speaking to Express, the polling official of the ward said, “the voting machines have not been checked properly. If they would have conducted proper checks this sort of issues would have never cropped up.”
The problem began when the voting machines showed the votes as invalid. Interestingly, the officials have changed four voting machines in one booth in Kaveri Matriculation School in Saligramam.
Helped arrived at 8.45 am when officials rushed with fresh voting machines but then patience of voters gave away and many returned to their homes without casting votes.
“I am diabetic and have been waiting here without having my breakfast,” said a 62-year-old Rajagopal. The former commissioner of provident fund blamed the state election commission for not doing their duty properly. Bala, another retired banked from Indian Overseas Bank, said the elections lacked planning and people have to owe responsibility.
Sunday, October 16, 2011
writingonblog uncensored: Dialogue can only resolve Koodankulam nuke stalema...
writingonblog uncensored: Dialogue can only resolve Koodankulam nuke stalema...: C Shivakumar Chennai: The stalemate over the Koodankulam nuclear project could only be resolved if the government stops all work relatin...
Saturday, October 15, 2011
writingonblog uncensored: Huge demand for adoption in TN as infertility rise...
writingonblog uncensored: Huge demand for adoption in TN as infertility rise...: C Shivakumar Chennai: Rise in infertility cases and awareness of adoption procedures has resulted in large queues of parents at adoption...
Huge demand for adoption in TN as infertility rises
C Shivakumar
Chennai:
Rise in infertility cases and awareness of adoption procedures has resulted in large queues of parents at adoption centers across Tamil Nadu, sources in adoption centers said.
“While there are 361 children available for adoption, we have received more than 1,167 applications from parents,” says Rangashree Srinivas the member secretary of Adoption Coordinating Agency, Tamil Nadu, an association of recognized or licensed agencies in Tamil Nadu.
“Infertility may be one of the cause for adoption. But mostly, it is awareness that has resulted in a spurt in applications. In earlier days, men remarry when there is no issue. But now people are aware of legal issues related to adoption and how simple it is to adopt a child,” she added.
Suganya, a social worker with the agency, says most of the parents who approach them are those facing problems of infertility. There is also a rise among single parents, mostly women who opt for adopting children. “Earlier there were one or two applicants but now we have nearly 13 to 15 applications,” says Suganya.
“There was also a case of a 25-year-old man who approached us for adopting a child. But as per rules those who are above 30 and below 45 are eligible as a single parent,” she adds.
Infertility specialist Gita Hari says the state has 15 per cent of couples who are infertile of which 60 per cent are male. “When their funds get exhausted and when they can’t go for donor egg, they resort to adoption as their only means,” she says.
She says cost factor also plays an important role as it costs Rs one lakh to Rs 1.5 lakh for treatment of infertility. “Many try one or two cycles and some register and also come for treatment,” she says.
Usually, consumption of alcohol, stress, smoking as well as environmental pollution and chemicals add up the agony of infertility. She also blames pesticides for the cause of infertility in rural areas. “I have come across lots of cases from agricultural areas close to Thiruvallur. I believe it may be due to pesticides which may have resulted in low sperm count,” she says.
Currently there are 21 legal adoption centers in Tamil Nadu and two in Pondicherry. The children in adoption centers are classified as surrendered babies as well as abandoned babies.
Surrendered babies are those who have been discarded by women deserted by husbands, wives who have eloped with someone, unwed mothers as well as for many other reasons. There is a deadline for 60 days for the parents of the surrendered babies parents to lay claim to their babies. After 60 days, the child will be sent for adoption. There are a lot of parents who take back the children after 60 days.
“There were 13 children who were returned back to their parents of which one was male and 12 female,” Suganya says.
In the case of abandoned babies, they are handed over to child welfare committee who take over temporary custody before filing for abandonment certificate. A probation officer investigates and when the parents are not located abandonment certificate is issued.
Currently, there are 136 surrendered babies as well as 225 abandoned babies of which 101 are male, 258 female and two transgenders.
Interestingly, the demand for babies is such that parents have adopted children who are HIV positive turned negative children as well as those having cardiac problems.
But what happens to the children who don’t get adopted. “The children who can’t be placed are put under the care of directorate of social welfare, who send them to relevant homes,” says Suganya.
writingonblog uncensored: Dialogue can only resolve Koodankulam nuke stalema...
writingonblog uncensored: Dialogue can only resolve Koodankulam nuke stalema...: C Shivakumar Chennai: The stalemate over the Koodankulam nuclear project could only be resolved if the government stops all work relatin...
Dialogue can only resolve Koodankulam nuke stalemate
C Shivakumar
Chennai:
The stalemate over the Koodankulam nuclear project could only be resolved if the government stops all work relating to the project and initiates a dialogue with the protesters, according to one of the leaders of the anti-nuclear movement Father X D Selvaraj.Father Selvaraj, one of the key members of the struggle and a member of the Nuclear Alliance of Anti-Nuclear Movement, told Express here on Saturday that church has nothing to do with the nuclear project as has been projected by some vested interests.
“Few priests are involved as they are staying close to Koodankulam and the parishes around the coast. These sort of rumours have been gaining ground since 19888. During 1988, the people who were spreading the rumours claimed the church was against the Russian nuclear reactors as it was the country that did not believe in God,” the priest said.
He said a reasonable compromise could be achieved only if both the groups go with open mind.
The priest slammed Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and said on the one hand he promises the committee, which met him, that he will form a committee to look into the issue and on the other hand he shoots off a letter to the state chief minister J Jayalalithaa to open the nuclear plant.
He said even if the government forms a committee, it should be a mixed group and not a panel of experts from the nuclear industry, who will try to convince there is no danger to the people from the plant.
He slammed for president Abul Kalam at the comparison of nuclear accidents with road accidents. “Try to come to terms with reality. You can’t compare Hiroshima nuclear holocaust with a road or train accident,” Father Selvaraj said.
writingonblog uncensored: New guideline values for Chennai properties expect...
writingonblog uncensored: New guideline values for Chennai properties expect...: Chennai: The guideline value of properties in Chennai is set to undergo a drastic change with the new values expected to come into effec...
New guideline values for Chennai properties expected to come into force next year
Chennai:
The guideline value of properties in Chennai is set to undergo a drastic change with the new values expected to come into effect by January, 2012, according district collectorate sources.
The draft guideline value which is kept open for eliciting public views will come into being after getting clearance from state committee of Inspector General of registration, said Chennai Collector (in charge) K A Annamalai.
The new draft guideline has classified the residential areas in 59 villages of Chennai into three categories – commercial, residential-commercial and residential areas. The three categories were further classified into rich or elite class, high and middle class, middle class and slums, said official sources.
Revenue officials told Express that the revised draft guidelines are of 14 villages in North Chennai, 24 villages in South Chennai and 21 villages in Central Chennai.
Annamalai said the current draft guideline captures the real market value of the property as the earlier one was four years old and the property prices has since then risen drastically.
Interestingly, the costliest place in the city is Dr Radhkrishnan Salai, which starts from TTK Road to Dr Natesan Salai. The proposed guideline value per square feet is Rs 28,000 while the earlier guideline value per square feet was 19,675. Similarly the lowest proposed guideline value is of Srinivasapuram in Tondiarpet which is priced at Rs 1,000 per square feet. This area consists of slums as such its value has not risen.
Similarly, R K Salai from TTK Road to Dr Natesan Salai is the costliest business area with per square feet costing Rs 31,500. In Nungambakam High Road the proposed per square feet is Rs 23,500. Usman Road is priced at Rs 20,000 where as it was earlier priced was Rs 12,000. Koyambedu Market which was priced Rs 2,600 in 2007 is proposed at Rs 6,000 per square feet.
Similarly, the proposed guideline value of Gopalapuram was Rs 15,000 while that of Poes Garden was Rs 28,000.
Interestingly, the authorities have yet to classify the figures available through various registeration departments into cheapest and costliest places and a communiqué was sent to the departments to classify them accordingly.
Box: (residential)
Name
R K Salai Rs 28,000 Rs 19,675
Anna Salai Rs 25,000 Rs 10,100
Thousand Lights Rs 22,000 Rs 10,661
(Jayant Salai)
Tiruvanmiyur
Nungambakkam Rs 23,500 Rs 19,305
Koyambedu Rs 11,500 Rs 6,346
(J N Salai)
Kodambakkam Rs 22,000 Rs 10,661
Commercial:
R K Salai Rs 31,500 Rs 19,675
Nungambakkam Rs 23,500 Rs 19,305
High Road
High Road
Usman Road Rs 20,000 Rs 12,000
writingonblog uncensored: 55 councillors kept mum during Chennai corporation...
writingonblog uncensored: 55 councillors kept mum during Chennai corporation...: C Shivakumar Chennai: Fifty-five councilors, including 38 from the DMK party, did not pose any questions during the Corporation Council mee...
55 councillors kept mum during Chennai corporation council meeting: Study
C Shivakumar
Chennai:
Fifty-five councilors, including 38 from the DMK party, did not pose any questions during the Corporation Council meetings from January 2007 to 2011, according to a report by Transparent Chennai.
The report said that a total of 458 questions were asked in the council meetings and councilor D Subhash Chandra Bose, DMK, asked the most questions (18) followed by P L Kalyani (Congress), Usha (DMDK), and S
Umasasavi (BSP) posed 17 queries, and S Venkatesan (PMK) asked 16 questions.
The councilors from the parties with the smallest representation asked the largest average number of questions, suggesting that perhaps the allocation of questions by party skews the question hour in favor of extremely small parties, the study by Transparent Chennai said.
“The high number of questions from parties with just one to three Councilors in the Council also allays fears that electing an independent or a non-ruling party councilor will decrease your ward’s voice in the Council, at least in the matter of questions,” the study added.
Similarly, at the Council meeting, after the question hour where councilors get a chance to make speeches to the Council about matters regarding their ward and city-related
problems, the last speakers were almost always the PMK leader M Jayaraman, Opposition leader Saidai P Ravi and the ruling party leader N Ramalingam, the study observed.
In the 58 meetings that took place from January 2007 to May 2011, 844 speeches were made by the Councilors.
M Jayaraman spoke 40 times; Saidai P Ravi 48 times
and N Ramalingam spoke 47 times. Apart from them, V Prabu of the BSP has spoken the most with 36 speeches followed by P Devi of CPI (M) with 33 speeches.
While MLA’s S V Sekhar spoke four times and VS Babu spoke twice, 28 councilors did not speak at any of the meetings. Of these Councilors, 25 were from the DMK, two
from the PMK and one from DMDK.
writingonblog uncensored: Ward development funds of Chennai municipal counci...
writingonblog uncensored: Ward development funds of Chennai municipal counci...: C Shivakumar Chennai: The utilization of ward development fund by councillors in Chennai Corporation has dwindled with the rise in all...
Ward development funds of Chennai municipal councilors unutilised
C Shivakumar
Chennai:
The utilization of ward development fund by councillors in Chennai Corporation has dwindled with the rise in allocation of funds during the last four years, according to a study conducted by Transparent Chennai.
The study pointed out that while there has been a significant rise in allocation of ward development fund from Rs 7 lakh in 2007-08 to Rs 15 lakh in 2008-09, Rs 25 lakh in 2009-10 and Rs 30 lakh now but the utilization of the funds decreased significantly with each increase.
Interestingly, in 2007-08 when the allocation was Rs seven lakh, 70 per cent of funds were utilized by the councilors. However, in 2008-09 when it was raised to 15 lakh, there was a fall in utilization as only 63.50 per cent of funds were used. Similarly in 2009-10, when the fund was raised to Rs 25 lakh, a councilor on an average used only 40.60 per cent of funds, said the study.
Surprisingly, the Mayor’s Special Development Fund also received a sharp increase in allocation from Rs 50 lakh in 2007– 08 to Rs 2 crore in 2009 – 10. But spending from the fund has been dismal, and steadily decreasing, both as a percentage of the total and
in actuals. In 2009 – 10, only a mere 4.9 per cent of the funds were spent. Although the numbers are small relative to the total budget of the city, the Mayor could have still done a better job of spending it.
The systematic under-utilisation of funds by both the councillors and the mayor suggests that either a concerted effort is needed to educate elected representatives and residents about this money, or that the process for spending the money needs to be made simpler, the study observed.
Ward development Fund
Year Allotment Expenditure % used Allotment per councilor
2007-08 Rs 1085 lakh Rs 760.28 lakh 70% Rs 7 lakh
2008-09 Rs 2325 lakh Rs 1476.36 lakh 63.50% Rs 15 lakh
2009-10 Rs 3875 lakh Rs 1573.88 lakh 40.60% Rs 25 lakh
Mayor’s Special Development Fund:
Year Allotment Expenditure % used
2007-08 Rs 50 lakh Rs 18.36 lakh 36.72%
2008-09 Rs 50 lakh Rs 12.62 lakh 25.24 %
2009-10 Rs 200 lakh Rs 9.71 lakh 4.86%
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)