15 years after the Indian Ocean Tsunami, students across Asia are now better equipped to respond to tsunamis.
Here’s how Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation, UNDP and Japan government support, trained nearly 7,000 children in Visakhapatnam to be tsunami ready.
New Delhi (NVI): Industry body FICCI has suggested to the Finance Ministry that higher education institutions should be allowed to invest their surpluses in a wider range of asset classes.
New Delhi (NVI): Severe cold conditions are very likely to be witnessed in most pockets of Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, north Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, according to the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD).
A fresh Western Disturbance is very likely to affect Western Himalayan region from 30th December night onwards and under its influence and interaction with lower level easterlies, major parts of Northwest & Central India are very likely to experience fairly widespread to widespread rainfall accompanied with hailstorm at isolated places during 31st December-01st January 2020, it said.
Due to persistence of cold north westerly winds in lower levels over northwest India and other favourable meteorological conditions Cold day to severe cold day conditions in many pockets very likely over Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh & Delhi, north Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh during next 2 days.
Such conditions will also continue in some pockets for subsequent 2 days and very likely to abate from these regions from 31st December onwards.
Dense fog at isolated pockets also very likely over Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh & Delhi, north Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh during next 3 days and over north Madhya Pradesh, Bihar Jharkhand, Sub-Himalayan West Bengal & Sikkim and Odisha during next 2 days and over northeastern India during next 4-5 days and abate thereafter.
New Delhi (NVI): Asserting that the Indian armed forces have utmost respect for human rights, Army Chief Gen Bipin Rawat today said his force has diluted in its own way the application of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) and the Supreme Court guidelines are strictly followed by every soldier in the anti-insurgency areas.
He said “Insaniyat” (Humanity) and “Sharafat” (Decency) are the driving ethos of the Indian armed forces but their task becomes challenging and difficult when they have to counter terrorism and insurgency by winning the hearts of the people and alienating the insurgents without any collateral damage.
Addressing the interns and senior officers of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on the topic “Preserving Human Rights in times of War and Prisoners of War” here, Gen Rawat said the Indian armed forces not only ensure protection of human rights of own people but also of adversaries and deal with the prisoners of war as per the Geneva Convention.
‘They are extremely secular. The challenge is the changing warfare tactics with the advent of technology,” he said.
“Unlike the attack by any armed forces, the terror attacks remain unaccountable in international law,” he said.
“Hence, the counter terrorism and anti insurgency operations have to be dealt in a manner of winning the hearts of the people by identifying and alienating the insurgents among them without collateral damage, which becomes very challenging and difficult,” he added.
Referring to the AFSPA, which has often come under criticism, Gen Rawat said the law gives almost the same powers to the Army, which are exercised by the Police and CRPF in connection with search and inquiry operations.
“However, over the years the Army itself has diluted its application in its own way under the ten commandments issued by the Chief of Army Staff, which are to be strictly adhered by every soldier, and particularly those deployed for operations in anti-insurgency areas,” he added.
“The Supreme Court guidelines on this are also being strictly followed by soldiers, who are all given special training before their deployment in counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism operations,” he added.
Gen Rawat said the Army Headquarters created a human rights cell in 1993, which now is being upgraded to the level of a Directorate to be headed by an Additional Director General.
“This will also have police personnel to address the complaints of human rights violations against the armed forces and facilitate related enquiries,” he said.
“A new initiative has been taken in October this year by recruiting women Jawans in Military Police Force,” the Army Chief said.
“The Army takes along with it several police personnel in search operations, but keeping in view the concerns of women during such operations, the Army has now decided to deploy its lady Jawans of its Military Police Force also,” he said.
“Keeping in view the provisions of human rights law and importance of the protection of human rights, now a Court of Inquiry is being held after every anti- insurgency operation and all records are maintained related to such operations,” he added.
Jaipur (NVI) : Russia-made MiG-27 fighter plane, which has the backbone of the Indian Air Force and played a key role in the 1999 Kargil war with Pakistan, flew into history today.
The swing-wing fleet of the upgraded version of the aircraft, which has been part of the IAF for the last four decades, had its last flying day today.
To mark the occasion of the fighter plane’s retirement, a five-aircraft ‘Arrowhead’ formation flanked by Sukhoi 30 was flown.
The IAF’s No. 29 Squadron — ‘SCORPIOS’ — had the proud privilege of flying the aircraft into the sunset.
The event was befittingly graced by IAFs ‘Akash Ganga’ parachutists who painted the sky with their magnificent colourful parachutes flying the national flag and the Indian Air Force ensign.
The Air Warriors Drill Team thrilled the audience with their synchronized drill movements.
The grand finale was marked by scintillating formation aerobatic display by the Surya Kiran Aerobatic Team of Indian Air Force.
The event was witnessed by Air Marshal SK Ghotia, Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief South Western Air Command.
Among the dignitaries who graced the occasion include, Air Marshal B Suresh, Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief Western Air Command, Air Marshal Amit Tiwari, Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief Southern Air Command along with numerous serving and retired officers who were part of 29 Squadron or had flown the swing- wing fighter aircraft during their stint with Indian Air Force.
The aircraft became part of the IAF’s glorious past, joining other variants, such as MiG-23 BN & MiG-23 MF and the pure MiG-27 which have already retired.
These aircraft have made immense contribution to the nation, both during peace and war.
The fleet of MiG-27 earned its glory in the historic Kargil conflict when it delivered rockets & bombs with accuracy on enemy positions.
The fleet also took active part in Op-Parakram in 2001-02, when India mobilised its troops along the Pakistan border in the wake of attack on Parliament by Pakistan-backed terrorists on December 13, 2001. There was an eyeball-to-eyeball situation along the entire border for months.
The upgraded version, because of its survivability, have also participated in numerous national and international exercises.
As of now, Number 29 Squadron was the only unit in the Indian Air Force operating MiG-27 Upgrades.
The Number 29 Squadron was raised on March 10, 1958 at Air Force Station Halwara with Ouragan (Toofani) aircraft.
Over the years, the Squadron has been equipped with numerous types of fighter aircraft such as MiG-21 Type 77, MiG-21 Type 96, MiG-27 ML and MiG-27 Upgrade.
The Squadron is now slated to be number plated on Mar 31, 2020, with December 27, 2019 being its last flying day, thereby making the swing-wing fleet a part of IAFs glorious past.
Srinagar (NVI) : Career counselling desks will be set up in the offices of Deputy Commissioners in Kashmir for the students orphaned because of militancy.
The desks will provide financial assistance to such students for pursuing education as per their choice.
Kashmir Divisional Commissioner Baseer Ahmad Khan issued these directions while chairing a meeting to review the cases of militancy-affected orphans receiving financial assistance from National Foundation for Communal Harmony (NFCH) through the district administrations in the Valley.
The meeting was informed that National Foundation for Communal Harmony, an autonomous organization under the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, provides financial support to children rendered orphans and destitute by militancy.
It was told that the organization is providing Rs 1250 monthly financial assistance up to 12th standard, Rs 1500 up to Graduation & Post Graduation level and Rs 1750 for Professional Courses level (up to 25 years of age) to the orphans.
The meeting was informed that an amount of Rs 1.89 crore was disbursed to 1211 militancy-affected orphans in 2017-18 and Rs 1.61 crore was disbursed to 938 such students in 2018-19.
The Divisional Commissioner stressed the importance of project “Assist” which is helping orphans of militancy to pursue better careers.
For quick transfer of funds, DCs were asked to open Bank Accounts with Aadhaar Numbers and conduct District Level Screening Committee (DLSC) meeting regularly to speed up the identification of new cases.
Khan directed the District Social Welfare officers to maintain close coordination with their respective Deputy Commissioners for verification, reconciliation and submission of pending cases during the present financial year. He also asked them meet the orphans once in a month for redressal of grievance if any.
The DCs were directed to identify those orphans who have attained 25 years of age and need financial assistance to pursue further studies and were asked to submit a proposal in this regard to NFCH.
The DCs were also asked to submit Utilization Certificates (UCs) of funds to the NFCH office within a week.
To assess the impact of the program, the DCs were directed to provide a database of such orphans who have benefitted from the scheme and are pursuing a successful career.
Secretary NFCH Manoj Pant informed that a national study tour under the project “Know My India” is organised annually and this year 12 students of Baramulla district are participating in the programme.
Srinagar (NVI): An Entrepreneurship Development Programme (EDP) has been started here under ‘Himayat’ Self-Employment Scheme for the unemployed youth of Jammu and Kashmir.
During the three-week programme, the Jammu and Kashmir Entrepreneurship Development Institute (JKEDI) will train a batch of 42 candidates with focus on self-development, basic business skills, sector specific technical inputs.
They will be apprised of all the formalities involved in setting up an enterprise.
The aim of the programme is to help the candidates to be self-reliant and enhance their capacity building and facilitate the financial linkages.
The EDP is being conducted under Himayat Self Employment scheme (Ministry of Rural Development- Government of India) and is being implemented by the JKEDI for the educated unemployed youth of J&K in the age group of 18-35 years so as to enable them to earn a livelihood.
The candidates have chosen a varied range of activities including bee-keeping, sheep farming and various service related activities.
The trained candidates shall be provided financial linkage under Term Loan Scheme of National Minorities Development & Finance Corporation.
