UnProud Indian

5 Very Useful Articles For Social Entrepreneurs

2010-09-11T14:30:00.000+05:30

Here are this week's useful links/articles for Social Entrepreneurs.

1. Essential Tools to Start a Social Enterprise
A compilation of the best resources to help you get your social enterprise planed, designed, launched and creating a sustainable impact.
Over the past few months a conversation has been evoling in the social entrepreneurship scene around the topic of super heros and how we can open up the social enterprise sector to the broader public, especially the inclusion of those at the bottom of the economic pyramid to become social entrepreneurs themselves.

2. Three Lessens Learned as a Startup Social Enterprise
On a train again, heading back to London after a few days in the Edinburgh Festival, I thought I’d write a few reflections on starting up our social enterprise.
Not to suggest that we’ve had world-beating success or anything, but to look back on our experience of developing an organisation around a set of ideas, that’s given us both a job!
So here we go….

3. The World Needs More Social Entrepreneurs
Given all the problems our world faces — in teaching, technology, health care, or finance — we need many more social entrepreneurs and change makers. Progress against these problems will be intolerably slow if only 3% to 5% of world's population thinks they can solve them.

4. Travel Tips For Social Entrepreneurs
We spend a lot of time talking about the big picture issues around social change. But, sometimes it’s important to get practical and talk about nuts and bolts issues. Being a social entrepreneur is all about doing more with less. So, how do you stretch your travel dollars? As a social entrepreneur who is typically on the road more than half the time, I find myself thinking about this a lot. What’s the tradeoff between saving time and saving money?

5. Top Websites For Women Social Entrepreneurs
In Forbes.com’s recent article Top 100 Websites for Women, I was surprised to discover that entrepreneurship was one of the major themes in the list. The chosen websites spanned a number of themes - fashion, cooking, business advice, and news services, but entrepreneurship was the sole topic of a number of the websites, not to mention a major component in many others. I chose the below short-list of websites from Forbes’ top 100.

5 Free Ebooks for Social Entrepreneurs

2010-08-28T18:59:00.002+05:30

Here are some great FREE E-books for Social Entrepreneurs to help them build better social enterprises and create more social change.

This free e-book introduces the concept of how to measure social impact and presents an easy-to-use format to help you start.

Measuring Your Social Impact: A Practical Introduction - FREE E-Book

This free e-book answers the most common questions we are asked about how to write a business plan as a social enterprise.

Business Plans: Your Questions Answered - FREE E-Book

Trying To Figure Out How Twitter Can Help Your Small Business or Non-Profit?
Get Started The Right Way So That You Can Create Results You Want.

Twitter jump starts: The complete guide for small non-profits

A guide for professors interested in understanding and teaching in the field of social entrepreneurship including program initiatives, courses, competitions, cases, and research in this context. The objective is to uncover the “best practices” around the world for faculty to share with one another.

Download Social Entrepreneurship Teaching Resources Handbook

74 pages of inspiration and motivation. If you’re sitting back and waiting for change to happen to you, download this ebook and learn how you can start bringing about change yourself!

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE INCONVENIENCE OF CHANGE

Time To Make My Bharat Mahaan

2010-08-15T15:55:00.000+05:30

This post was originally published on Purba Ray's blog A-musing and is being posted here so that the message she wants to send out spreads far and wide. Happy Independence Day everyone.

It’s been 63 years of being on your own and you are still struggling. A nation in a constant state of crisis, you hurt, you heal, yet you don’t learn from your mistakes or perhaps you do not want to. We chant Mera Bharat Mahaan, but ironically most of us think you are a nation propelling towards disaster. We rant, we fume and occasionally laugh at the inept bunch of fools we elected to govern. But I am a die-hard optimist and thrive on hope that someday all will be well. As a thinking citizen who cares, here’s presenting my quirky “ seven point quick fix program” to make you Mahaan.

Legalize Corruption: We can’t shy away from the fact that we are a nation of middlemen and touts. Corruption is so deeply entrenched in our system that it is now a part of our DNA profile. From the chief ministers to office clerks, everyone has a price. And being caught on tape accepting a bribe doesn’t necessarily jeopardize your career, especially if you can find someone else to bribe. So why fight a futile battle? Why not embrace it and showcase our under the table skills for the rest of the world to emulate. I suggest we launch an “Incredibly corrupt India” program - take people from across the globe under our expert tutelage and help them hone this extra ordinary skill. And let’s not trivialize it by calling it a bribe, after all our babus and netas expend much of their valuable energy and time in wheeling-dealing. Facilitation fee sounds more business- like and adds an aura of respect.
Showcase our politicians as role models for our youngsters: Scrap all the no brainer reality shows and replace them with a live telecast of the Parliament proceedings. Rahul Mahajan, Rakhi Sawant and all the desperate bakras can go to hell. The Lok Sabha session has all the elements of a pot boiler – drama, melodrama, table banging, slipper flinging, impassioned speeches by Mamata Banerjee. We can have Arnab Goswami throw disapproving glances and rebuke the pranksters of our politicos; Barkha Dutt running around with her mike asking the slightly saner ones “Kaisa lag rahaa hai apko”? The spiralling TRP’s will have the producers rubbing their hands in glee. And what a fun way to motivate and educate our youth with the nitty- gritties of politics. All the world’s a stage and all men and women mere players. Shakespeare will be sighing in ecstasy.
One woman solution for Kashmir: Kashmir burning while a clueless Omar looks on? A meek looking Manamohan Singh making a pitiful speech on National television is not enough. I propose we send Mayawati to placate the angry and disillusioned Kashmiris. One look at her scowling visage and the protesters will flee for their dear lives. She can also take Jyoti Kumari, the Bihar legislator of the gamla flinging fame for added effect.
Make stone pelting, effigy burning into competitive sports: An extremely effective way to utilize all the goons on hire who surface magically to protest against the escalation cost of tomatoes, rotting grains or demanding reservation for a newly discovered OBC. This will keep these trouble mongers off the streets and shift our cricket crazed nation’s attention to worthier sporting events. The cricketers in the meantime can pelt stones and burn buses to register their protest.
Ministers on foreign junkets should not be allowed to return. About 200 politicians and officials spent close to 45 crores of tax payer’s money to visit Melbourne, Beijing & London on “study tours” for the Commonwealth games. Just last month when Punjab was dealing with the worst flood in 20 years, Akali Dal MLAs flew off to Scotland to study scotch breweries. And sadly it is our money which is used to sponsor these junkets. Let’s ensure that these foreign junketeers stay behind wherever they go and dedicate the rest of their lives in path breaking studies. Good riddance to bad rubbish.
Water crisis and power outages. With our population multiplying like rabbits, we are a nation in a perennial state of shortage. The Ganges might dry up- the climate alarmists warn, China will soon monopolize the Brahmaputra and with the rains getting increasingly undependable our future doesn’t exactly look rosy. But the government needn’t despair. Encourage citizens to desist from water. It’s contaminated, causes diseases, why drink it anyway. Why have water when you can have cola? The poor are not our headache anyway. Power shortage can also be similarly tackled. Initiate get back to nature campaigns, encourage play in the dark activities. Open the doors and the windows and let the climate come in. See the demand plummet and soon we might just transform into a land of plenty.
Divide and rule but with a difference: We are a multicultural nation that speaks 16 official languages and 2000 dialects. On paper we are a secular nation, yet ours is one the most caste ridden society. And it suits the government. Leaders get elected on basis of their genealogy rather than ability, students are denied admission because they are not backward enough, village khaps endorse honour killings and in the guise of religious outrage mindless thugs force the country’s best known artist into exile. Quoting Jug Suraiya “social illiberalism has grown in direct proportion to economic liberalization”. So what do you think we do? I say, make the entire populace take a mandatory dip in the Ganges to wash off their caste rather than their sins. And let us adopt a two-party political set up. One could be the Indian Parliamentary Law-breakers (IPL), and the other the National Party of Troublemakers (NPT). We should have an Indian icon heading each because that is what will make all our lazy citizens make that trip from their homes to the polling station. Amitabh Bachchan and Shahrukh Khan. Sachin Tendulkar and MS Dhoni. Rakhi Sawant and Mallika Sherawat.....errr maybe not. Getting a party ticket will be based on the candidate’s proven track record in hand-to-hand combat and being heard over the din in cricket matches. Each party will reserve 33% of its seats for men, 33% for erstwhile members of various Senas (Shiv, Ram), 33% for people who have served out jail terms, and 1% for others. This will ensure that there is adequate muscle in our administration. Thus armed, our government can eliminate poverty, ignorance and sloth – not just their own, but also of the teeming billions out there.

I agree my seven point program will hurt like hell. Truth after all is a bitter pill to swallow. But you have to know at 63, you are still a gangly, pockmarked teen who has a lot of growing up to do. When you look at yourself in the mirror, do you really like what you see? On the eve of your birthday, here’s hoping you introspect. My best wishes to you and I pray to god that you turn into a woman of substance and allure, who the rest of the world looks up to. We may be unkind to you, ridicule you but you must always remember that we love you and will stand by you, come what may. Vande Mataram.

A Quick Trip Within Pune

2010-07-28T11:30:00.002+05:30

It was a nice cloudy day when we friends decided to go for a drive away from the everyday rush and pollution. We decided to go towards the Hingewadi side but to avoid the IT area as its nothing new to visit for engineers like us. We took a right turn from McDonalds and our journey began through the various ting villages with lush green trees and fields. We crossed two small villages and then towards our left saw a huge beautiful dam.The location of the dam was picturesque with mountains on three sides. The water was crystal clear. We made small paper boats and played in the water. You can’t just resist not entering the water though you must be careful and should avoid going far into the dam. This place looked isolated with only the local villagers crossing our paths frequently. It was a peaceful calm location with no noise and no pollution. It was just the perfect destination for our short trip within Pune.

The day we went was cloudy and there was a light drizzle to add to the beauty around us. We could see school children walking merrily back home in the afternoon. A bike with at least four people seated comfortably on them was a common thing to watch. We had packed a light lunch for us and were enjoying it there sitting on the bank of the dam. Though this place was isolated we never found it unsafe or scary. People there seemed friendly and helpful. We didn’t have annoying eyes staring at us hence we were very comfortable and peaceful in that surrounding.

The bird life too was rich in that region. With a variety of trees present, birds have their natural habitat intact and hence their population grows at a healthy rate. Also the dam provides with small fishes and other water animals for food. Birds like painted storks, black shouldered kites, and blue swifts are a common sight there. This area is now being developed with a few industries coming up. The farms and the trees might soon be gone endangering the bird and insect life in the process.

I guess not many know about this place may be so it is clean. The dam is rich with fishes as well. Boats come on to the waters during the evenings for fishing. The sunset here is just very beautiful and and click a perfect picture. It’s a good place within Pune for friends to come and relax. The air leaves you fresh and energetic. It’s a perfect place for people who love water and isolated calm locations for a quick one day refreshing trip.

These Docs Rock for Good Causes

2010-07-27T08:07:00.004+05:30

TNN | Dr Dasmit Singh,a paediatric surgeon and percussionist said, "We all came together 10 years ago, the common denominator being our love and interest in music since our college days.We thought of forming a music group and our aim was to relive those wonderful college days and also to showcase our talents for charity.This is how we formed a charitable trust,LETS ACT,in 2001 to utilize revenue generated through musical programmes for benefit of patients and to encourage and promote creative and performing arts amongst practicing doctors."
Dr Kamlesh Bokil,cancer surgeon and on lead guitar said,Though we all are doctors by profession,we have never compromised on the standard of our performance.At a musical show,we should be as good as professional musicians.
THE SHOWS

The group has staged over 125 programs till date dealing with various themes such as Nostalgia,Laughter,Tsunami,Ghazals,Adult spastics etc.
The money earned through these programs has been utilized for medical treatment of economically challenged patients.Till date our trust has donated nearly Rs.70,000 every financial year to charity.Besides this,it has donated medical equipment worth Rs.30,000 to SOFOSH (Society of Friends of Sassoon Hospital ).The trust has also donated some money to the 'Aamhi Numaviya',society of ex-NMV students who started Sinhagad Cleansing programme to help the social cause, said Dr Rakesh Jamkhandikar,Radiologist and organiser of the musical shows of LETS ACT. He added, Our band also performed for the aid of Tsunami affected victims and their families and donated over Rs.1 lakh for their rehabilitation. Fundraising programs were also performed for various Rotary and Lions Clubs,who are well known for their charitable work.Other than donating money,the doctors have also helped the economically compromised patients by offering their medical /surgical services free of cost,e.g.operating on patients with burns,cleft lip and palate,cancer etc.

Many doctors have approached us,wanting to be part of our band.That is really overwhelming.But since the band strictly requires professionals who have a good idea about music and musical instruments,there is a proper audition which they need to undergo before joining the band.We are not the ones who conduct these auditions.Noted music director Anand Modak renders a helping hand by selecting the new entrees for our band.Interested doctors recorded CDs are sent to him after listening to which he decides, said Dr Singh.

PRACTICE SESSIONS
Our practice sessions are very serious.We generally practice twice a week if there is a show coming up in two months time.Our practice room is soundproof,located in Dr Kamlesh Bokils house.We start practice at 10 pm which carries on till 1.00 am or beyond.We,of course,cant practice during the day, said Singh.

STRESS BUSTER

Bokil said,Needy patients get help for their treatment when we perform for them.The band is also a great stress buster for all of us.

FAMILY SUPPORT

Our families too are really very supportive and our kids too love to watch their parents perform, said Singh.

Competition to Promote Environment Awareness

2010-07-27T07:59:00.002+05:30

Pune: The state ministry for environment and the Centre for Environment Education (CEE) have invited entries for Srushti Mitra Awards,with a view to promote environmental awareness and recognise environmental action projects undertaken by students. The categories include environment projects for students,environment photographs (which is open to all),environment slogans and childrens literature on environment both open to all.
The entries are invited in two categories - up to Std X and Std XI,XII,and senior college.The most inspiring and creative entries in each category will be given a citation and honorarium ranging from Rs 1,000 to Rs 8,000.
The environment projects by students of schools and colleges will include reports and plans for action and projects undertaken by them.Preferences will be given to those projects that have social and economic benefits.
Examples include environmental conservation or restoration work,energy/water/biodiversity conservation,waste management,improving traffic management and safe access to school by students,encouraging non-motorised transport,participating in local level civic issues and so on.
Last date for receipt of entries is September 30.Details are available on http:// envis.maharashtra.gov.in Entries should be sent to: Srushti Mitra Awards,Centre for Environment Education A 10 Garden Estate,167/1 Nagras Road Aundh.TNN

AN ALMOST EXTINCT SPECIES-THE VULTURE

2010-07-26T11:50:00.006+05:30

The news that’s griping the world today is global warming. Its effects are now slowly coming to light. Some things that were just understood by intellectuals now concerns the common man as well. This ecological imbalance is undoubtedly a result of mans self centric activities. When the sea levels are rising at an alarming rate and the agriculture is suffering, it’s now that he feels the heat. A lot of awareness and steps to reduce global warming are now being discussed on a global level.But a lot which is left in the dark is still facing problems. One such thing is the extinction of vultures that play an important role in maintaining the ecosystem and the bio diversity in general.
As we all know vultures are scavenging birds. They feed on dead animals mostly the cattle. But they don’t kill their prey but are born to clean the environment by consuming the dead. These natural cleansers of the ecosystem are facing a grave problem of extinction, a cause of great concern for all of us.
Extinction of these birds was considered to be the result of their loss of habitat which is partially true. Increasing urbanization has rendered not just vultures but many more species of birds and animals in danger. But a more recent study claims that population of vultures has been drastically abridged, due to poisoning by the anti-inflammatory drug called diclofenac. This drug is present in the pain killers that humans normally use. It is also present in large amounts in pesticides and chemical fertilizers given to plants and crops to increase productivity. Cattle tend to feed on these plants and hence imbibe these pesticides. When humans and cattle die vultures in turn nourish on them. Diclofenac causes renal failure in vultures.
Scientists feel the quantities of pesticides found in carcass may not cause death of cattle but vultures being small framed animals these chemicals lead to disorders in their reproductive organs. Also, Vultures don’t eat a single carcass, they survive on them. So if one Vulture has tasted flesh of 100 different animal corpses in its lifetime, it has absorbed a lot of chemical. These disorders cause thinning of their egg shells which further results in high mortality rates. This is bothersome, because vultures lay just two or three eggs and that too once a year, also a Vulture chick needs at least 3 complete years to develop, which makes them naturally susceptible to immature death. Researchers studying their deteriorating population have found that pesticide residue causes almost a 20 percent thinning in the egg-shells, making them more vulnerable to the elements of nature, premature hatching and also being an easy prey to predatory birds.
To add to this, a survey has also found out that in India a number of tribes in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Maharashtra eat vulture meat! But what leads to the concern is the fact that villagers view these as scavenging birds as aggressive predators with a tendency to lunge and lift their livestock. Hence detailed entraps are laid out to destroy these vultures, the widespread method being to mix lethal poison in a body which kills these birds instantly.
Dr. Salim Ali in ‘The Book of Indian Birds’ described vultures as God's own incinerators, which cannot be replaced by even the most sophisticated ones. Serving as nature's doorkeepers, these birds dash about, tolerating the most repellent of food, and ridding our ecosystem of young insects and disease-carrying viruses in the process.Hence it’s our duty to help save these birds from going extinct.

How to use Social Networking For Social Causes...

2010-06-10T22:03:00.005+05:30

SocialNet For Social Causes

Online social networks used to be just gathering places for friends and long-lost acquaintances. Then the marketers arrived, followed by politicians and job recruiters, all looking to tap into a growing mass of young people who are spending much of their time on the Web.[...]

Now, non-profit organizations are testing ways to raise money through these networks, betting that the Internet’s viral nature will open fresh avenues for fundraising and marketing.It’s a big change for non-profits as they shift from direct-mail campaigns and relying on the checkbooks of older givers to the unpredictable whims of Web popularity. Though the transition is nascent, charities see potential in recruiting young activists who already use online networks to broadcast their identities and make connections.

Change.org is an organization that aims to transform social activism by serving as the central platform that connects likeminded people, whatever their interests, and enables them to exchange information, share ideas, and collectively act to address the issues they care about. The visitor can choose to “connect, discover, or make a difference,” on a wide range of issues, such as: End Global Hunger, End Dependency on Oil, Eliminate Child Labor Worldwide, Protect Endangered Habitats etc..

There are other social networking sites dedicated to philanthropy such as YourCause.com, HopeEquity.org and actor Kevin Bacon's SixDegrees.org, changeagents, takepart, and even gamesforchange (G4C), which calls itself, “the primary community of practice for those interested in making digital games about the most pressing issues of our day, from poverty to race and the environment.” And before you write them off as a bunch of youngsters looking for excuses to play online games all day, note that the G4C’s “soup-to-nuts workshop for newbies” was one of 17 winners of the first Digital Media and Learning Competition funded by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation. In fact, our own The Youth Impact is a venture into the social networking world of blogging. So, Is social networking right for all nonprofits?

The answer depends on the culture and branding of the specific organization, but any organization that would describe itself as moving toward a web-enabled, technology-supported business model should seriously start thinking about how to include social networking in its platform. And every organization needs to demonstrate its leadership through knowledge of the issues in its own community, and, frankly, beyond. The question is just how user-generated the information about these issues will be. For many organizations, the more comfortable approach is to create and publish information on the issues themselves and have their clients “interact” with the content via social networking-like tools (e.g. forms, comments, etc.).

The bottom line is that people will increasingly be looking for information on issues of importance to them, and for ways to engage around those issues. Social networking is moving into the mainstream as a key way to reach an important constituency.

Sale of engg forms before MHT-CET results opposed

2010-06-09T20:24:00.001+05:30

Selling engg. forms before
CET results

Swati Shinde | TNN Pune: Students and parents have expressed concern over the sale of forms,each costing Rs 600,for autonomous engineering colleges,even before the results of the entrance test is announced.Admissions to the six autonomous colleges is undertaken by a centralised process and the Maharashtra Health and Technology Common Entrance Test (MHT-CET ) scores are accepted for admissions.Now,parents have insisted that these forms should be sold
after the MHT-CET results are announced,so that students can buy the forms depending on their scores.
City-based College of engineering,Pune (CoEP) is the competent authority to conduct the centralised admission process (CAP),and will start sale of forms on June 11.The MHT-CET,conducted by the directorate of medical education and research (DMER),on the other hand,will announce the results on June 14.
The cut off for autonomous engineering colleges is 110 marks and we cannot judge beforehand how much our children will score.In fact,even they cannot judge for themselves.What if we buy the form and my child does not get the desired score It will be a waste, a parent said.
Kedar Takalkar,who conducts coaching classes for engineering entrance tests,said,Last year,around 5,000 forms were purchased,but not submitted by students.This means these students must have failed to score the desired marks.Such students ended up wasting Rs 600 per head.This also means that the authorities earned about Rs 30 lakh (5,000xRs 600) only from the sale of forms.
It has been a regular practice for a long time till parents and students protested against it,and last year,the CAP committee announced sale of forms after the CET results were announced.However,the same process was repeated this year.
Rakesh Jain,a student waiting for his MHT-CET scores,said,For me,the paper was good and I will score well.But,what if I dont get the desired marks.It will be waste of money if I buy the form.
The CAP is conducted for the four-year degree courses in engineering technology in the autonomous institutes,including CoEP and the Vishwakarma Institute of Technology in Pune,the Institute of Chemical Technology and the Veermata Jijabai Technological Institute in Mumbai,the Shri Guru Gobind Singhji Institute of Engineering and Technology in Nanded and the Walchand College of Engineering in Sangli.
A D Sahasrabudhe,director,CoEP,he said,It is not compulsory to buy the forms before CET results.Those confident of scoring desired marks can buy the forms.The rest can wait for results to be announced.The last date is June 21.

Hookah smoking not so harmful-Wrong!

2010-06-09T10:31:00.003+05:30

Is Hookah smoking bad
for health?

by Tausif Alam(TOI): If you are among those youngsters who smoke the hookah and think it is not harmful,then listen to what the medicos say.The hookah is worse than smoking cigarettes.
Smoking the hookah causes the same diseases as cigarettes cancer of the lungs and heart and heart-related diseases.It is a myth that tobacco smoke passing through the water in the hookah causes less harm.According to a study done in

Jaipur,the detrimental effect of the hookah is five times higher than smoking beedi and cigarettes, said chest physician Sundeep Salvi.Though the amount of nicotine in hookah smoking is less,the chemical components mixed with nicotine causes more harm,he added.
The consumption of tobacco through hookah causes chronic bronchitis,shortness of breath,restlessness,asthmatic disease and other harmful diseases.The amount of nicotine one inhales through the number of drags while smoking hookah is much higher than smoking a cigarette.It causes more deposition of nicotine and other harmful components in the body, said chest physician Rajeev Adkar.Chemical components produced from hookah smoking are hydrocarbons,carbon-monoxide,tar and other heavy metals.Their inhalation can pose major ill-effects to the body.
Continuous hookah smoking can cause mouth-related diseases and mild burns on the tongue and inside the cheek.Hookah smoking can cause cancerous growth in the mouth,gum diseases and other mouth diseases, said dentist Prakash Chandorkar.The water pipe used in the hookah used for dragging smoke can also cause mouth infections since many people use it while smoking.
A sporadic habit is enough to turn one into an addict.People get admitted to deaddiction centre to rid their hookah habit.We have counseled many, said consultant physician Sanjeev Saraf.He is attached to the Muktangan Deaddiction Centre.

Pune City to have a RTI library soon..

2010-05-18T21:08:00.002+05:30

The process to set up a Right to Information (RTI) library, the first in Pune and probably the first in the country, kicked off on Monday with the Pune Municipal Corporation inviting tenders for the contract.
Revealing this, civic body Standing Committee chairman Nilesh Nikam, also unveiled his plan to name the library after one of the pioneers of the RTI movement, Prakash Kardaley, the former resident editor of The Indian Express, Pune edition. Nikam on Monday said he would place a

proposal to name the library after Kardaley, who had championed for RTI even before the Act had come into existence.
“He was a pioneer of the Right to Information movement in Pune. Naming the library after him will be a tribute to him,” Nikam said. The PMC has made a provision of Rs 25 lakh to set up the library on the third floor of the PMC headquarters. Some officials felt the cost of setting up the library would come around Rs 10 lakh. The library will house the latest resolutions passed by the civic general body meetings and standing committee meetings besides all administrative decisions and proposals.

RTI activist Vijay Kumbhar, on whose initiative the library is coming up, said copies of the latest civic decisions will be made available. “From copies of resolutions passed in civic general body meetings and standing committee meetings to various administrative decisions affecting the city and the general public, everything will be available for public viewing¿For old documents, citizens will have to go to Nanawada near Vasant Talkies,” Kumbhar said.

The library, said Kumbhar, would also lessen the load on public information officers. “Since the Act came into effect, the PMC office has been flooded with RTI queries. Once the library is set up, all information will be readily available for public scrutiny throughout the day. At present, citizens can see documents only from 3 pm to 5 pm on Mondays,” he said. Kumbhar said the PMC’s digital library would be connected to the RTI Library. Welcoming the idea of naming the library after Kardaley, RTI activist Vihar Dhurve said, “He was the guru of RTI movement in Pune. Without him, RTI wouldn’t have made deep inroads as it has today.” He added there should be copies of the BPMC Act, development plans and development control rules in the library as these are not freely available. State Information Commissioner Vijay Kuvlekar also welcomed the idea to name the library after Kardaley. “It is a good suggestion. I am happy the library will have documents as mentioned in Section 4 of the RTI Act, 2005. Also, it will mean fewer RTI applications for the civic body.”

LEARN-AND-EARN SCHEME: UoPs welfare plan gathers steam

2010-05-18T20:18:00.000+05:30

By Tausif Alam
Pune: The number of students benefiting from the University of Punes (UoP) earn-and-learn scheme is anticipated to go up by at least eight to 10 per cent in the academic year 2010-11,according to the authorities at the varsitys student welfare board office.
Last year (2009-11 ),over 12,000 students from the UoP campus as well as the affiliated colleges and recognised institutes across
Pune,Ahmednagar and Nashik districts,had benefited from the scheme that ranks among the varsitys flagship welfare initiatives,said Sambhaji Pathare,director,students welfare board.This includes 1,000 beneficiaries on the varsity campus alone, he said.
There are close to 50 post-graduate departments and institutions on the UoP campus,besides 587 affiliated colleges and more than 300 recognised institutes across the university jurisdiction.The anticipated increase is mainly on account of the growing number of affiliated colleges and institutes as well as students in the university.The fresh enrolments for the scheme are to begin from June 15, said Pathare.
The scheme offers part-time jobs on-field as well as at offices on the university and the college campuses to students from low income families to help them sustain the cost of their academic pursuits.Pathare said,The remuneration given to students is Rs 20 per clock hour of work done for a three-hour on-field job or a four-hour office job every day. The concerned department or college management takes a call on the type of work to be offered to the earn-and-learn scheme beneficiary,he said.
Students have to either apply individually or get nominated through their colleges for the scheme and their plea is cleared by a varsity committee on the basis of factors like the annual income status of their families and whether they are securing benefits from any other source,like scholarships,etc.The UoP is the only state university in Maharashtra,which has been offering such a scheme with an annual budgetary allocation to the tune of Rs 5 crore (2010-11 ), said Pathare.

Now, education programmes on environmental matters Dipannita Das | TNN

2010-05-17T23:02:00.003+05:30

Pune City-based NGO Green Energy Foundation and Unesco will on June 5 jointly launch an education-cum-training programme called ‘Ecovarsity’ which will focus on environmental issues.
Sharmila Oswal, president, Green Energy Foundation, told TOI that the foundation will enter into tie-ups with reputed universities from the world for the programmes, which include three-day workshops,certificate training courses, distant-learning degree courses of..

the duration of six months to one year (to be handled by Unesco), vocational courses and research programmes, which are open to all.
The programme intends to focus on preserving nature and preventing environmental degradation and will cover topics like solid-, liquid- and zero-waste management, vermicomposting, energy management, carbon footprints,biodiversity, climate change, sewage treatment, green building, among others.
According to Oswal, the increasing recognition of the importance of education for achieving sustainable development was the motivation behind scheduling this educational programme. The courses will be practical, designed to enhance awareness and will work upwards from the grassroots level.
She said, “For the vocational courses, the foundation will have tie-ups with colleges and universities at home and abroad. At present, we are also in talks with the Swedish government for the certificate and degree courses.”
Chennai-based organisation ‘Exnora’ has been successfully conducting training programmes on environmental issues in Chennai and the same concept is now being taken up in Pune, said Oswal.
The programme faculty will have experts from Chennai, Bangalore and Delhi.
Among them are M B Nirmal, social activist from Chennai — who will deal with solid waste management; expert on energy efficiency U V Krishna Mohan Rao; green builder Chandrasekhar Hariharan — CEO Biodiversity Conservation India Limited (BCIL); Prof Odegaard Hallvard of the Norwegian University of Science and Technology — who is an expert on sewage treatment plants.
The training programmes will start in June end.
Those interested can call 26834100 or visitcontact@greenenergymissionorg’/ www.green energymission.org