Jharkhand CM unveils State's Disability Policy on 20 Mar 15

Dear Friends,

Jharkhand Chief minister Raghubar Das on 20 March 2015 (Friday) released the state's disability policy, underlining the need for collective efforts to facilitate barrier-free movement of people with disabilities and inclusive programmes to bring them into mainstream.

Mr. Das heading the BJP Govt in Jharkhand urged all government departments to be sensitive towards the problems of persons with disabilities and  to ensure proper execution of the policy to bring about tangible changes across the state.

"All old government buildings in the state, which currently do not have lifts, will soon be equipped with elevators to ensure barrier-free movement of people with disabilities," Das said while speaking at a daylong state-level workshop on disability at Sri Krishna Institute of Public Administration in Ranchi which was organised by Department of Social Welfare, Women and Child Development in association with NGOs Deepsikha, Chotanagpur Sanskritk Sangh and UNICEF.

The newly launched state disability policy accepts that at least 5 per cent of the state's population lived with some sort of disabilities - double the number (2.26 per cent) quoted in the recent census report of 2011.

Apart from barrier-free movement, the policy also stresses on inclusive programmes with regard to health, education, nutrition and employment, to ensure social rehabilitation of persons with disabilities.

To access the copy of the Jharkhand State Policy for Persons with Disabilities- 2015 in Hindi Language click on the image below or the Text Heading below the image. 

झारखण्ड राज्य विकलांग जननीति हिंदी भाषा में प्रकाशित की गयी है/ इसे पढ़ने के लिए कृपया निम्न लिंक पर क्लिक करें!

  झारखण्ड राज्य विकलांग जन नीति 2015

Mines Ministry to GoM: Ask firms to spell out CSR plans

Dear Friends,

A welcome step from the Ministry of Mines, Govt. of India through the draft Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Bill 2010! The consequences of mining on ecology in terms of bio-diversity, flora, fauna and habitat and  on the quality of life of local population are humongous. The Ministry through this draft looks at mitigating these consequences by ensuring that the Companies engaged in mining set out their plans in advance and allocate a certain percentage of their profits for their Corporate Social Responsibility towards the ecology and the local population.

The ministry also wants that the Companies furnish a Progressive Mine Closure Plan  in terms of  "sustainable development framework" that should include details of closure, rehabilitation and restoration activities proposed in the next five years and what companies proposed to invest on these activities.

The draft law also talks about National and State Mineral Funds which could be inter alia used for maintenance of community assets and services for local populations in the area; and human resource development of local populations for creating employment and self-employment capabilities.

There are many areas which might not be liked by the Mining Industry but this is the minimum essential cost that should come from them to the community!

regards

SC Vashishth

Here is the coverage from Indian Express, October 07, 2010
Mines Min to GoM: Ask firms to spell out CSR plans

The metal and mineral PSUs aspiring captive mines would henceforth have to spell out the quantum of money they intend to spend annually in their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities to secure mineral concessions. If the Group of Ministers (GoM) approves a proposal of the mines ministry to this effect, then these companies would have to elaborate their welfare spent by appending a CSR note in their mining plans.

The suggestion of the mines ministry is currently being deliberated by the GoM, headed by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, which has been constituted to iron out the inter-ministerial differences on the Draft Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Bill 2010. In its supplementary note for the consideration of the GoM, the ministry has said, “without prejudice to the generality of the provisions of the mining plan, there shall be attached to the mining plan in respect to the mining plan in respect of all major minerals, a CSR document, comprising of a scheme for annual expenditure by the lessee on socio-economic activities in and around the mine area for the benefit of the host population...”

In the document the companies would have to spell out the measures for enabling and facilitating self employment opportunities for the populace impacted by their mining activities. “The lease holder shall at the end of each financial year publish in his Annual Report and corporate website, the activities carried out during the year and expenditure thereon,” the ministry pointed out.

Reacting to this move, a senior steel ministry official told The Indian Express that all profitable steel PSUs have earmarked at least 2 per cent of their distributable surplus for CSR activities since 2007-08. The ministry mining behemoth National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC) has earmarked 5 per cent of its distributable surplus for CSR activities. In total a total of Rs. 290.11 crore had been allocated for carrying out CSR activities by the Steel Ministry PSUs during 2008-09.

This move is likely to trigger reactions from the steel utilities, who meticulously remind all and sundry of their CSR activities in and around their plant and mining areas.......... (click on the link below to read the full story)  Mines Min to GoM: Ask firms to spell out CSR plans