Vikas Maitri
Voluntary Development Society in Jharkhand
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www.vikasmaitri.org |
website for rural and tribal development |
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Vikas Maitri |
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Voluntary Development Society in Jharkhand |
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Mr. Remi Boyer Vice President of Arcelor-Mittal inaugurated the one day workshop organized by the Company on 17th April 2008 at a hotel in Ranchi. The theme of the workshop was "Development Initiatives for a Better Tomorrow". Arcelor-Mittal wants to start its cherished Torpa Kamdara Greenfield Project scheduled to begin by the end of this year. It has proposal to invest USD 20 billion in Jharkhand and Orissa for setting up iron ore mines, power and steel plants of 12 million tones per annum capacity each - one of the largest investment and production targets in steel industry world wide. Outside the hotel a large number of activists were standing with placards in their hands shouting slogans against the proposed project. It was conspicuous that the State Chief Secretary Mr. A.K. Basu whose name appeared in the programme along with other top government officials did not turn-up. Definitely the strong resistance movement of the people against the Koel Karo Project in the same area for the last 25 years played a role. Mr. Boyer said "We have dexterously handled such ethnic problems in Brazil, Australia and South Africa through strict adherence to our CSR guidelines". Jharkhand Government on foreign tour Mr. Madhu Koda the Chief Minister of Jharkhand will lead a delegation of members of his Government and Senior Civil servants to Beijing, China to participate in China-India Iron Ore submit organised by Federation of Indian Mining Industries end April 2008. Another similar delegation will be led by Deputy Chief Minister M/s Sudhir Mahto and Stephen Marandi to Hannover Messe 2008 in Germany to be held from 21st April to 25th April 2008. This is going to cost the exchequer some Rs. 9,100,000. for a poor State like Jharkhand. Dr. Rameshwar Oraon is Central Minister for State On 6 April 2008 Dr. Rameshwar Oraon, Ex-Police Officer was sworn in as Minister for State. He is the Congress M.P. from Lohardaga Constituency. He will look after adivasi affairs of the country. He said he would give priority to the development of adivasis. Dr. Rameshwar Oraon (61) hails from Chianki, Palamau of Jharkhand. He did his Master and Ph.D in Economics. In February 2004 he resigned from his high position as a police officer and joined politics.
Ms. Rama Khalkho belonging to adivasi community was
declared elected as Mayor of Ranchi on 30th March, 2008. Mr. Ajay Nath
Shahdeo was declared elected as Deputy Mayor. This election of Ranchi
Municipal Corporation was held almost after 22 years. Though there
were allegation of vote rigging and protests, the State Election
Commissioner Mr. M.K. Mandal expressed satisfaction over having conducted
polls peacefully. It was heartening to see people thronging around polling stations as early as 6.00 a.m. However reports say only 45% of votes were cast in the Ranchi Municipal Corporation elections. Vote rigging and clashes between rival groups deterred people from exercising their right to vote. A large number of voters were not allowed in the polling premises as they could not produce identity papers (they were never issued one). Many people complained their names even did not appear in the voting list.
It is a fact that majority of our citizens are right
minded, but our fatal weakness is that we tolerate a small minority of
miscreants having their own way. After 22 years the citizens of towns and cities of Jharkhand are getting a chance to elect their Mayors, Deputy Mayors and Ward Councilors. The voting is today (25th March 2008) and the people are making a beeline around election centres. There are 6258 candidates in the fray. In the Ranchi Municipal Corporation the number of candidates for Mayor alone is 34. The election campaign which lasted for 25 days was hectic. The police has made barricades on the main roads. There seems to be no interference from the political parties.
Will the Panchayat elections too follow suit? The former Education Minister of joint Bihar Mr. Karamchand Bhagat died on 8 March 2008. He was 78. He was one of the leaders of JVM.
During his tenure of Education Minister he is credited of
establishing many educational institutions. He was the founder of Bero
College. His funeral was held according to adivasi custom in his
patriarchic village Jharia with State honour.
Some 33 years ago Sibu Soren was an activist leader of a
movement against the exploitation of money lenders. Those days there was a clash between adivasis and non-adivasis in village Chirudih
in which 11 people died. Mr. Soren was allegedly not present but a
case for murder was registered against him. This case prolonged for a long
time and finally on March 6, 2008 the Court acquitted him. This
follows his acquittal on Shashinath Jha murder case in which he was first
convicted by the lower Court but acquitted by the higher Court. The Indo Global Social Service Society, Eastern Region, Kolkata organized a 2-day consultation beginning on 26th February 2008 at Social Development Centre, Ranchi. The consultation was inaugurated by lighting the lamp by Mrs. Lakshmi Singh, Chairperson, State Women's Commission, Jharkhand, Justice Sri Samresh Banerjee, Lokayukta, West Bengal, Sri P.K. Sidhartha, Inspector General, Vigilance and Mr. Dominic Bara, G.B. Member, IGSSS. These Guests also addressed the participants who came from four States - W. Bengal, Orissa, Chatisgarh and Jharkhand. The vote of thanks was proposed by Mr. Dominic Bara. Mr. Prabhat Faibus moderated the inaugural session. The two day Consultation is to be addressed by Mr. Sanjay Basu Mullick, Fr. Benjamin Lakra, s.j., Mr. Gautam Bandhopadhyay, Mr. Bharat Thakur, Fr. Savri Mutthu, s.j. and Mr. Rashmi Katyayen. Governing Body Meeting of ICITP Central Zone
The newly elected Governing Body of the Central Zone of
Indian Confederation of Indigenous and Tribal Peoples (ICIPT) was held at
Social Development Centre, Purulia Road, Ranchi on 16 February 2008.
On 15th February a workshop was organized in which retired Bishop Dr. Nirmal
Minz (Founder Member) was the Chief Guest. The workshop was addressed
by the new President Mr. Chabbi Hembrom. Dr. Ram Dayal Munda
highlighted the vision and mission of ICITP both at national and
international level. Mr. Dominic Bara, an invitee from Vikas Maitri
spoke on the importance of concrete programme formulation for ICITP and how
it can be formulated and conceptualized involving the people. The
other speakers were Mr. P.N.S. Surin, Fr. Augustine Kerketta and Fr. Clement
Ekka. The vote of thank was given by Mr. Binkas Ecka the General
Secretary. A special meeting of Caritas India was held on 13.9.2007 at CBCI Centre, Ashok Place, New Delhi. I was invited by Fr. Varghese Mattamana, Executive Director to attend as a special invitee. I have also been nominated by the Bijhan Regional Bishops' Council as their representative in the Governing Body of Caritas India. Soon I am expected to receive official appointment by the standing committee.
The main agenda of the meeting was to review the
organizational development process of Caritas India which is in the final
stage. Mr. Martin Dietz from Caritas Germany facilitated the
meeting. The final recommendations will be presented to the policy
decision making body of Caritas India. On 10th of August 2007 I attended the AGM of Indo-Global Social Service Society at India International Centre in New Delhi. Mr.
K.P. Fabian was re-elected as President of the Society. Mr. P.J.
Vincent was also re-elected as the Treasurer of the Society. Ms.
Bernadette Pimenta replaced Fr. John Noronha in the Board of
Governors. Ms. Patricia Mukhim and Ms. Ashraf Patel were extended
another term of three years.
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