GoodNewsIndia :: The Sieve
Good news filtered from media streams
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Oct 10, 2006 : Child Labour Law becomes more effective
Employment of children under 14 as domestic help, in hotels, motels, teashops, resorts etc has been banned under an amendment to the Child Labour Act of 1986 that comes into force today. Violators face a fine of Rs 20,000 or one year’s imprisonment or both. District collectors have been directed to raise awareness of the new law, to detect violations and to rehabilitate rescued children. Organisations working with children, help-lines, postmen electricity meter readers and neighbours are all expected to be encouraged to look out for offenders.A law is a slow mover, but it is relentless and brings about change in the long run. We should see a somewhat better deal for young, poor children of India in the coming years.
Oct 09, 2006 : The importance of Kanshi Ram
The Dalit politician Kanshi Ram who died today aged 74, may not have been the darling of India’s intelligentsia, but as an instrument of social change within our democratic system, he is to be esteemed. In a very short period, he carved out a space for Dalits in electoral politics, who till his arrival had been been milked for their votes and then ignored. An educated man, he personally knew no oppression but is said to have read Dr B R Ambedkar’s ‘The Annihilation of Caste’, three times in one night that led to his quitting a secure job as a scientific officer and jump into politics. No doubt he thwarted the forward caste politicians by practicing an amorality that was greater than their own, but that is not the point of Kanshi Ram’s life.A very perceptive article by Harish Khare in the Hindu says, “Many extremist groups have tried to enlist Dalits in their “struggles” against the Indian state but rarely do we hear of Dalits arming themselves. Instead, Kanshi Ram’s BSP is a potent advertisement that numbers, not violence, works in democratic India”. Full article
Oct 07, 2006 : India rises in Global Competitiveness Report
India has risen by two places to the 43rd, in the Global Competitiveness Reports published every two years by the World Economic Forum. Countries may be small but highly competitive as Switzerland, Finland, Sweden, Denmark and Singapore, the top 5 suggest. Among the large growing economies, India [43] leaves behind China [54], Russia[64] and Brazil [66]. USA[5] and Japan[6] are the only countries in top 15 that have populations above 100 million.The ranking is a measure of effective use of technology and capital, innovative skills, soft infrastructure like education, financial and legal institutions, markets etc and relative efficiency. WEF site and Report highlights
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