"Reflections" - Doctor Bruno's Blog

Should D.Pharm Course be stopped

2011-12-04T13:37:00.001+05:30

https://www.facebook.com/spine.brain.surgeon/posts/10150437992979828

50 years ago, the medicines had to be made at the Pharmacy

The Mixtures had to be "mixed" or "compound" have to be added

Hence the name "mixture" for many drugs and the term "compounder" as doctors assistant in many localities

Further, there was a long list of

LININMENTS
OINTMENTS
PASTES

etc
etc

The pharmacist, who had to PREPARE THE DRUG, had to be very careful

Adding 5gm of a substance when 5 mg has to be added would be fatal

Hence Pharmacy was a specialist discipline and

A Pharamcist was needed for each and every medical shop

That was the time such regulations were made

Only in that backdrop, it was made that a Pharmacy needs a Pharmacist

--

Today

All drugs are marketed in blister packs
There is no manufacturing taking place in the pharmacy. The drugs are made at the factories. Dose is determined in the factory. Quality Control is determined in the factories

Pharmacist just gives the tablet strip, syrup bottle, or ointment tube
There is no need for a specialist here

The job is as simple as the one done by someone at a supermarket

It is high time, Courses like B.Pharm, D.Pharm etc are stopped

--

Medicine has been evolving

Disciplines like Grief counselling, Nutrition, Diet, Transplant Co ordinator etc are coming up

If you can see the other disciplines, courses like Radio Operator are no more taught

In medicine too, We have to similarly stop out dated courses like D.Pharm

Expecting comments on this

Received from Mail - Queen Writes to USA Citizens

2011-11-12T07:40:00.002+05:30

Fiction : Email from the Queen - an important announcement regarding the U.S.A.

To the citizens of the United States of America from Her Sovereign Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

In light of your immediate failure to financially manage yourselves and also in recent years your tendency to elect incompetent Presidents of the USA and therefore not able to govern yourselves, we hereby give notice of the revocation of your independence, effective immediately. (You should look up 'revocation' in the Oxford English Dictionary.) Her Sovereign Majesty Queen Elizabeth II will resume monarchical duties over all states, commonwealths, and territories (except Kansas, which she does not fancy).

Your new Prime Minister, David Cameron, will appoint a Governor for America without the need for further elections. Congress and the Senate will be disbanded. A questionnaire may be circulated sometime next year to determine whether any of you noticed. To aid in the transition to a British Crown dependency, the following rules are introduced with immediate effect:

1. The letter 'U' will be reinstated in words such as 'colour,' 'favour,' 'labour' and 'neighbour.' Likewise, you will learn to spell 'doughnut' without skipping half the letters, and the suffix '-ize' will be replaced by the suffix '-ise.' Generally, you will be expected to raise your vocabulary to acceptable levels (look up 'vocabulary').
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2. Using the same twenty-seven words interspersed with filler noises such as ''like' and 'you know' is an unacceptable and inefficient form of communication. There is no such thing as U.S. English. We will let Microsoft know on your behalf. The Microsoft spell-checker will be adjusted to take into account the reinstated letter 'u'' and the elimination of '-ize.'
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3. July 4th will no longer be celebrated as a holiday.
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4. You will learn to resolve personal issues without using guns, lawyers, or therapists. The fact that you need so many lawyers and therapists shows that you're not quite ready to be independent. Guns should only be used for shooting grouse. If you can't sort things out without suing someone or speaking to a therapist, then you're not ready to shoot grouse.
----------------------
5. Therefore, you will no longer be allowed to own or carry anything more dangerous than a vegetable peeler. Although a permit will be required if you wish to carry a vegetable peeler in public.
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6. All intersections will be replaced with roundabouts, and you will start driving on the left side with immediate effect. At the same time, you will go metric with immediate effect and without the benefit of conversion tables. Both roundabouts and metrication will help you understand the British sense of humour.
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7. The former USA will adopt UK prices on petrol (which you have been calling gasoline) of roughly $10/US gallon. Get used to it.
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8. You will learn to make real chips. Those things you call French fries are not real chips, and those things you insist on calling potato chips are properly called crisps. Real chips are thick cut, fried in animal fat, and dressed not with catsup but with vinegar.
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9. The cold, tasteless stuff you insist on calling beer is not actually beer at all. Henceforth, only proper British Bitter will be referred to as beer, and European brews of known and accepted provenance will be referred to as Lager. New Zealand beer is also acceptable, as New Zealand is pound for pound the greatest sporting nation on earth and it can only be due to the beer. They are also part of the British Commonwealth - see what it did for them. American brands will be referred to as Near-Frozen Gnat's Urine, so that all can be sold without risk of further confusion.
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10. Hollywood will be required occasionally to cast English actors as good guys. Hollywood will also be required to cast English actors to play English characters. Watching Andie Macdowell attempt English dialogue in Four Weddings and a Funeral was an experience akin to having one's ears removed with a cheese grater.
---------------------
11. You will cease playing American football. There are only two kinds of proper football; one you call soccer, and rugby (dominated by the New Zealanders). Those of you brave enough will, in time, be allowed to play rugby (which has some similarities to American football, but does not involve stopping for a rest every twenty seconds or wearing full kevlar body armour like a bunch of nancies).
---------------------
12. Further, you will stop playing baseball. It is not reasonable to host an event called the World Series for a game which is not played outside of America. Since only 2.1% of you are aware there is a world beyond your borders, your error is understandable. You will learn cricket, and we will let you face the Australians (World dominators) first to take the sting out of their deliveries.
--------------------
13. You must tell us who killed JFK. It's been driving us mad.
-----------------
14. An internal revenue agent (i.e. tax collector) from Her Majesty's Government will be with you shortly to ensure the acquisition of all monies due (backdated to 1776).
---------------
15. Daily Tea Time begins promptly at 4 p.m. with proper cups, with saucers, and never mugs, with high quality biscuits (cookies) and cakes; plus strawberries (with cream) when in season.

God Save the Queen!

PS: Only share this with friends who have a good sense of humour (NOT humor)!

PPS: With a spot of luck, she might also decide to recolonise Africa!

Received as E-mail

MOSES AND THE RED SEA

2011-02-13T19:14:00.000+05:30

Nine-year-old Joey was asked by his mother
what he had learned in Sunday School.

'Well, Mom, our teacher told us how God sent Moses
behind enemy lines on a rescue mission to lead the
Israelites out of Egypt . When he got to the Red Sea ,
he had his army build a pontoon bridge and all the people
walked across safely. Then he radioed headquarters for
reinforcements. They sent bombers to blow up the bridge and
all the Israelites were saved.'

'Now, Joey, is that really what your teacher taught you?'
his Mother asked.

'Well, no, Mom.. But, if I told it the way the teacher did,
you'd never believe it'

About those who label Non Fiction as Downloaded Books

2011-01-11T16:35:00.000+05:30

With reference to http://idlyvadai.blogspot.com/2011/01/blog-post_8292.html

Non fiction books have to be based on facts. Need not be based only on internet. But one cannot write imaginary things

Our people are yet to come to reality that there is a genre called non fiction

For most of the people here, writer means, write poetry or short story or novel.

They cannot understand the pain behind researching for a book while writing non fiction

Added to this, is their own inability to write non fiction. So they just get jealous at non fiction writing

For Long, Tamil Books meant Poetry / Short Stories / Novels and Cooking / Self Do / Motivation Books

The Entire Genre of non fiction - issue based / person based biographies / event based books / Countries was virtually absent.

We have to give credit to 1. Kizhakku 2. Vikatan 3. Kumudam 4. Nakheeran for changing this trend and bringing change

Five Finger Prayer

2010-12-03T20:20:00.001+05:30

This is so neat. I had never heard this before. This is beautiful - and it is surely worth making the 5 finger prayer a part of our lives.

1.Your thumbis nearest you. So begin your prayers by praying for those closest to you. They are the easiest to remember. To pray for our loved ones is, as C. S. Lewis once said, a "sweet duty."

2. Thenext fingeris the pointing finger. Pray for those who teach, instruct and heal. This includes teachers, doctors, and ministers. They need support and wisdom in pointing others in the right direction. Keep them in your prayers..

3. Thenext fingeris the tallest finger. It reminds us of our leaders. Pray for the president no matter how you voted, leaders in business and industry, and administrators. These people shape our nation and guide public opinion. They need God's guidance.

4. Thefourth fingeris our ring finger. Surprising to many is the fact that this is our weakest finger, as any piano teacher will testify. It should remind us to pray for those who are weak, in trouble or in pain. They need your prayers day and night. You cannot pray too much for them.

5.. And lastly comes ourlittle finger- the smallest finger of all which is where we should place ourselves in relation to God and others. As the Bible says, "The least shall be the greatest among you." Your pinkie should remind you to pray for yourself. By the time you have prayed for the other four groups, your own needs will be put into proper perspective and you will be able to pray for yourself more effectively.

If you decide to send this to a friend, you might brighten someone's day! Pass this on to someone special.... I did.

What good does reading the BIBLE do?

2010-11-28T09:22:00.002+05:30

An old Farmer lived on a farm in the mountains with his young grandson. Each morning Grandpa was up early sitting at the kitchen table reading his BIBLE. His grandson wanted to be just like him and tried to imitate him in every way he could.
One day the grandson asked, "Grandpa! I try to read the BIBLE just like you but I don't understand it, and what I do understand I forget as soon as I close the book. Whatgood does reading the BIBLE do?"
The Grandfather quietly turned from putting coal in the stove and replied, "Take this coal basket down to the river and bring me back a basket of water."
The boy did as he was told, but all the water leaked out before he got back to the house. The grandfather laughed and said, "You'll have to move a little faster next time," and sent him back to the river with the basket to try again. This time the boy ran faster, but again the basket was empty before he returned home. Out of breath, he told his grandfather that it was impossible to carry water in a basket, and he went to get a bucket instead.
The old man said, "I don't want a bucket of water; I want a basket of water. You're just not trying hard enough," and he went out the door to watch the boy try again.
At this point, the boy knew it was impossible, but he wanted to show his grandfather that even if he ran as fast as he could, the water would leak out before he got back to the house.
The boy again dipped the basket into river and ran hard, but when he reached his grandfather the basket was again empty. Out of breath, he said, "See Grandpa, it's useless!"
"So you think it is useless?" The old man said, "Look at the basket." The boy looked at the basket and for the first time realized that the basket was different. It had been transformed from a dirty old coal basket and was now clean, inside and out.
"Son, that's what happens when you read the BIBLE. You might not understand or remember everything, but when you read it, you will be changed, inside and out. That is the work of Jesus in our lives."

Word of God cleanses our hearts and makes us holy- Ephesians 5:25-27 Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her ²⁶ to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the Word, ²⁷ and to present her to Himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.

Word of God renews our mind and helps us to know the will of God in our lives-Romans 12:2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Word of God changes our attitude to put on the new self- Ephesians 4:23-24 to be made new in the attitude of your minds; ²⁴ and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

JESUS FOLDED THE NAPKIN

2010-11-23T07:47:00.000+05:30

<< John 20:7 >>

New International Version (©1984)
as well as the burial cloth that had been around Jesus' head. The cloth was folded up by itself, separate from the linen.New Living Translation (©2007)
while the cloth that had covered Jesus' head was folded up and lying apart from the other wrappings.
English Standard Version (©2001)
and the face cloth, which had been on Jesus’ head, not lying with the linen cloths but folded up in a place by itself.
New American Standard Bible (©1995)
and the face-cloth which had been on His head, not lying with the linen wrappings, but rolled up in a place by itself.
International Standard Version (©2008)
and that the handkerchief that had been on Jesus' head was not lying with the linen cloths but was rolled up in a separate place.
GOD'S WORD® Translation (©1995)
He also saw the cloth that had been on Jesus' head. It wasn't lying with the strips of linen but was rolled up separately.
King James Bible
And the napkin, that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself.
American King James Version
And the napkin, that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself.
American Standard Version
and the napkin, that was upon his head, not lying with the linen cloths, but rolled up in a place by itself.
Bible in Basic English
And the cloth, which had been round his head, not with the linen bands but rolled up in a place by itself.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And the napkin that had been about his head, not lying with the linen cloths, but apart, wrapped up into one place.
Darby Bible Translation
and the handkerchief which was upon his head, not lying with the linen cloths, but folded up in a distinct place by itself.
English Revised Version
and the napkin, that was upon his head, not lying with the linen cloths, but rolled up in a place by itself.
Webster's Bible Translation
And the napkin that was about his head, not lying with the linen cloths, but wrapped together in a place by itself.
Weymouth New Testament
and the towel, which had been placed over the face of Jesus, not lying with the cloths, but folded up and put by itself.
World English Bible
and the cloth that had been on his head, not lying with the linen cloths, but rolled up in a place by itself.
Young's Literal Translation
and the napkin that was upon his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but apart, having been folded up, in one place;

Why did Jesus fold the linen burial cloth after His resurrection

The Gospel of John (20:7) tells us that the napkin, which was placed over the face of Jesus, was not just thrown aside like the grave clothes.

The Bible takes an entire verse to tell us that the napkin was neatly folded, and was placed at the head of that stony coffin.

Early Sunday morning, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and found that the stone had been rolled away from the entrance.

She ran and found Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved. She said, 'They have taken the Lord's body out of the tomb, and I don't know where they have put him!'

Peter and the other disciple ran to the tomb to see. The other disciple out ran Peter and got there first. He stopped and looked in and saw the linen cloth lying there, but he didn't go in.

Then Simon Peter arrived and went inside. He also noticed the linen wrappings lying there, while the cloth that had covered Jesus' head was folded up and lying to the side.

Was that important? Absolutely!
Is it really significant? Yes!

In order to understand the significance of the folded napkin, you have to understand a little bit about Hebrew tradition of that day.

The folded napkin had to do with the Master and Servant, and every
Jewish boy knew this tradition.

When the servant set the dinner table for the master, he made sure that it was exactly the way the master wanted it.

The table was furnished perfectly, and then the servant would wait, just out of sight, until the master had finished eating, and the servant would not dare touch that table, until the master was finished.

Now if the master were done eating, he would rise from the table, wipe his fingers, his mouth, and clean his beard, and would wad up that napkin and toss it onto the table.

The servant would then know to clear the table. For in those days, the wadded napkin meant, "I'm finished."

But if the master got up from the table, and folded his napkin, and laid it beside his plate, the servant would not dare touch the table, because...

The folded napkin meant

"I'm coming back."

10 percent Royalty ?? Are publishers "cheating" the authors

2010-11-17T17:38:00.002+05:30

Of late there have been quite a lot of discussions regarding royalty in Literary World. Few of those are given below

Charu http://www.charuonline.com/newarticls/velithirai.html
Jeyamohan http://www.jeyamohan.in/?p=5683
Gnani http://idlyvadai.blogspot.com/2009/12/blog-post_4548.html
Writer Para http://www.writerpara.com/paper/?p=930
Badri http://thoughtsintamil.blogspot.com/2009/12/etc-1.html and http://thoughtsintamil.blogspot.com/2009/12/etc-2.html

As someone who has been in this field for over a decade, I would like to share my views

A Book, from the time of conception in the authors mind to the readers hand, goes through an intricate, complicated process.

To understand this, let us assume that I am writing a book on the uses of microscope. Let us also assume that this book is of 250 pages (A5 size) and a publisher publishes 1000 copies of this book with a MRP of Rs 1000

So 1000 x Rs 100 = Rs 1,00,000

Now comes the tricky issue

Who are all getting a share of this 1,00,000 Rupees

Author gets Rs 10,000
To print 1000 copies of 100 page A5 size book will cost approximately Rs 30,000 (Typesetting, Proofreading, Covers, Binding)

For Typesetting you need a Computer, Printer, Papers, Ink, Software (Have you ever cared to enquire the cost of Adobe Page Maker and Corel Draw)
Printing Ink
Papers
Cost of Printing Color Pages / Covers
Laminating the Cover

Rs 10,000 To pack this and send this to various places

Packing includes covers , cloths, transit charges

Most Publishers sell the books at 30% discount (Some sell at 40 % discount) to the distributor
So A Publisher spends Rs 50000 on these books and sells this for Rs 70000 to the distributor
These 1000 Books are then for Rs 80000 to the retailer by the distributor at 20 % discount

Distributor has warehouse expenses, labour, transit charges to bear

The Retailer sells this at a discount of 10 % for Rs 90000

Retailer has shop rent, electricity, wages to bear

The end consumer gets Rs 10000 (in form of 10 % discount for 1000 books)

So, for a book where MRP is Rs 100, the Rs 100 is distributed as per the following

10 Author
30 Typesetting, Paper, Printing
10 Package and Transport
20 Margin for Publisher
10 Margin for Retailer
10 Margin for Shops
10 Consumer discount

Now we represent the above values in a figure

I should now caution you that the above 10-30-10-20-10-10-10 may not be exactly the same for all kinds of books. It varies from book to book, but the variation may not be too high or too low

Now, let us the the same figure again

Voila

What do you see

And

What do you observe

And

What do you infer

(seeing is not same as observing and observing is not the same as inferring)

For every book that is published with a MRP of Rs 100, the author gets Rs 10 and the publisher Rs 20 only

This is reality

Every one who gets angry at the royalty of 10 % fail to see the other factors involved in book publishing

It is not that the Publisher gives 10 % and keeps 90 % himself

Now you might have a doubt

Leave alone the 70 percent. Of the 30 %, why can't the publisher give 15 % to the author and have 15 % for himself

Now look at this again carefully.

The publisher takes responsible for typesetting, designing and printing the book. He invests his money. And he cannot get the money back in one day

It may take years before that amount reaches him from the retailer to the distributor

Sometimes, it may not come at all !! (if the book fails to sell :( )

So it is quite logical that at least 10 % have to be kept aside for investment/loan-interest and of the 20 percent, each get 10 per cent each

So the publisher actually gets only 10 %

That is why, throughout the world, from America to Africa. author royalty of 10 % is standardised, whether it is a book regarding Java Programming or Java Coffee making

Of course, there might be some exceptions like Michael Craighton or Shobha De, but the rule is 10 % only

Are you having any of the following questions

Can an author himself publish the book
Will he get more profit or more trouble, if he publishes himself
How to earn more with the books
Some publishers demand money from me for publishing my books. What is this ??
What is print on demand

Stay tuned

We will see this one by one

Any other questions / clarifications / suggestions, please enter in the comment below or SMS 98421 11725

Anger and Love and distance between hearts

2010-11-15T22:50:00.002+05:30

This one is a lovely mail and you should read it….. A good one too……..I am sure you will like it.

A saint asked his disciples, 'Why do we shout in anger? Why do people shout at each other when they are upset?'

Disciples thought for a while, one of them said, 'Because we lose our calm, we shout for that.'

'But, why to shout when the other person is just next to you?' asked the saint. 'Isn't it possible to speak to him or her with a soft voice? Why do you shout at a person when you're angry?'
Disciples gave some other answers but none satisfied the saint.

Finally he explained,'When two people are angry at each other, their hearts distance a lot.. To cover that distance they must shout to be able to hear each other. The angrier they are, the stronger they will have to shout to hear each other through that great distance.'
Then the saint asked, 'What happens when two people fall in love? They don't shout at each other but talk softly, why? Because their hearts are very close. The distance between them is very small...'
The saint continued, 'When they love each other even more, what happens? They do not speak, only whisper and they get even closer to each other in their love. Finally they even need not whisper, they only look at each other and that's all. That is how close two people are when they love each other.'

MORAL: When you argue do not let your hearts get distant, do not say words that distance each other

The evil you do, remains with you: The good you do, comes back to you!

2010-11-12T08:56:00.002+05:30

A woman baked
bread for members of her family and an extra one for a hungry passerby. She
kept the extra bread on the Window-sill, for whosoever would take it away.
Everyday, a hunch-back came and took away the bread. Instead of expressing
gratitude, he muttered the following words as he went his way: "The evil
you do remains with you: The good you do, comes back to you!" This went
on, day after day. Everyday, the hunch-back came, picked up the bread and
uttered the words: "The evil you do, remains with you: The good you do,
comes back to you!"
The woman felt irritated. "Not a word of
gratitude," she said to herself... "Everyday this hunch-back utters
this jingle! What does he mean? "One day, out of desperation, she
decided to do away with him.
"I shall get rid of this hunch-back,"
she said. And what did she do? She added poison to the bread she prepared for
him! As she was about to keep it on the window sill, her hands trembled.
"What is this I am doing?" she said.
Immediately she threw the
bread into the fire, prepared another one and kept it on the window- sill. As
usual, the hunch-back came, picked up the bread and muttered the words:
"The evil you do, remains with you: The good you do, comes back to
you!" The hunch-back proceeded on his way, blissfully unaware of the war
raging in the mind of the woman.
Everyday, as the woman placed the bread on
the window-sill, she offered a prayer for her son who had gone to a distant
place to seek his fortune. For many months, she had no news of him.. She
prayed for his safe return.
That evening, there was a knock on the door. As
she opened it, she was surprised to find her son standing in the doorway. He
had grown thin and lean. His garments were tattered and torn. He was hungry,
starved and weak.
As he saw his mother, he said, "Mom, it's a miracle
I'm here. While I was but a mile away, I was so hungry that I collapsed. I
would have died, but just then an old hunch-back passed by. I begged of him
for a small part of his food, and he was kind enough to give me whole bread.

"As he gave it to me, he said, "This is what I eat everyday: today,
I shall give it to you, for your need is greater than mine!" "As
the mother heard those words, her face turned pale and red. She leaned
against the door for support. She remembered the poisoned bread that she had
made that morning. Had she not burnt it in the fire, it would have been eaten
by her own son, and he would have lost his life!
It was then that she
realized the significance of the words: "The evil you do remains with
you: The good you do, comes back to you!" Do good and; Don't ever stop
doing good, even if it’s not appreciated at that time.

India’s first automated transport system in offing

2010-09-25T00:45:00.002+05:30

Public transport system in Punjab will never be the same with the introduction of eco-friendly and carbon positive vehicles — pods. To be launched in Amritsar in January 2011, the elevated personal rapid system will be computer-controlled and battery-operated.

Once the rapid system becomes operation, Amritsar will become the second city in the world after London to have it.

The Rs 325 crore projects, to be undertaken under public-private-partnership mode (PPP), will be executed by the Punjab Infrastructure Development Board (PIDB).

“A proposal to develop clean urban transport system submitted by Fairwood India and ATS Company of the United Kingdom was approved recently,” PIDB Managing Director Sukhbir Singh Sandhu said.

The project is expected to be complete by March 2012. The public rapid system will provide round-the-clock transport facility, with empty cars waiting offline at stations for passengers. Ticketing will be automated and journeys uninterrupted.

“The new transport system will be developed in a phased manner with first phase covering the most congested areas, including the Golden Temple and Jallianwala Bagh. Average journey will be of eight minutes. There will be a central control room with 100 per cent power back up,” Sandhu informed.

The new rapid transport system will ease the traffic on the already chaotic roads. There are around 50,000 tourists visiting Amritsar every year. Therefore, they will get world-class transportation facilities.

While the system is energy saving and completely pollution and noise free, it has a capacity to accommodate burgeoning population of commuters,” the PIDB Managing Director added.

India accords legal backup to UID project

2010-09-25T00:44:00.005+05:30

The Union Cabinet on Friday approved a Bill to accord legal backup to the project providing unique identification numbers for the residents of the country.

The Bill titled the National Identification Authority of India Bill, 2010 was approved by the cabinet in its meeting here chaired by Prime Minister Monmohan Singh, an official release said.

The cabinet also decided to give the go-ahead to the introduction of the Bill in Parliament in its upcoming Winter Session, reports IANS.

"The Bill seeks to constitute a statutory authority to be called the National Identification Authority of India (NIAI) and lay down its powers and functions, besides the framework for issuing unique identity (UID) numbers to be known as Aadhaar numbers," the statement said.

The law will empower the NIAI to issue Aadhaar numbers to individuals residing in India, besides certain other classes of individuals, the manner of their authentication and other related and incidental matters, the statement said.

The project will involve an expenditure of Rs.3,023.01 crore which includes a sum to fund the various components of the project by March 2011 and recurring establishment costs for the entire project phase of five years ending March 2014.

"The UID project is primarily aimed at ensuring inclusive growth by providing a form of identity to those who do not have any identity," the statement said, adding that it seeks to provide Aadhaar numbers to the marginalised sections of society and thus would strengthen equity.

Apart from providing identity, the Aadhaar number will enable better delivery of services and effective governance, the statement said.

Hi-tech weather forecasting system launched

2010-09-25T00:44:00.002+05:30

India on Thursday launched an integrated forecasting and communication system for making accurate meteorological predictions that will place the country at par with the best technologies available anywhere in the world.

The Rs 10 billion system has been set up under the guidance of Meteo France International, which works with Met France for weather predictions, reports IANS.

"It is an important day for the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) as the system will bring India in the forefront of weather forecasting," Science and Technology Minister Prithviraj Chavan said.

Explaining the working of the system, Chavan said, "The data from various observatories, sensors, Doppler radars and automatic weather stations will be collected. These will be run in various computer models and weather experts will come out with forecasts."

The system will provide weather predictions of location-specific areas in a customised manner.

"Sitting here in Delhi we can pick up data from any radar spread across the country and make weather forecasts for any part of the country," IMD Director General AK Tyagi said.

Tyagi said the hi-tech system will be a value addition for the aviation sector, agro-met services, disaster management and other services provided by IMD.

Now Railways Opt for Unique Identity : Indian Railways to use 5-digit numbering system for trains

2010-09-23T23:24:00.000+05:30

The Indian Railways will switch over to a five-digit numbering system for passenger trains from the present four-digit one from December, the Railway Ministry said on Thursday.

It said the new system has become necessary as the four digit numbering system can be used to enumerate a maximum of 9,999 trains, while the Indian Railways runs more than 10,000 trains every day, the Ministry in a statement said.

The new numbering system would be more scientific, logical, uniform and computer-friendly, it added, reports IANS.

The need to use a new numbering system has also arisen to integrate the passenger and suburban train services in various information systems and software applications.

While switching over to the new numbering system, the names of various trains will remain unchanged.

To make the transition smooth, digit one will be prefixed to the exiting 4-digit numbers of all the regular express, mail and superfast trains, which have a mail or express character during any part of their journeys.

Such trains with their numbers starting with digit one will include all Durontos, Yuva Trains, Rajdhani Express, Shatabdi Express, Jan Shatabdi Express, Garibrath Express and Sampark Kranti Express.

On the other hand, the number of special trains run by the Railways to clear holidays or festival rush, would start with digit zero with its remaining four digit numbers styled as the numbers of equivalent mail or express trains, running between the two destinations.

This numbering scheme shall also apply to special trains run on full tariff rates (FTR) basis, the Ministry said.

It added that the passenger trains and the suburban trains are also proposed to be renumbered and brought under this new five-digit system. Separate notifications on such changes will be issued by the respective zonal railways.

The new system will go a long way in monitoring the movement of trains more effectively on all-India basis and in facilitating dissemination and management of train information more scientifically benefiting the public, it said.

This major initiative will also create a unique "train number" which will be a national level identity for each train and will cover all the passenger trains, the Ministry said.

How to stay awake in seminars...

2010-09-22T17:50:00.000+05:30

How to stay awake in seminars...

Do you keep falling asleep in round-tables and seminars?
What about those long and boring conferences?

Here's a way to change all of that.

1. Before (or during) your next meeting, seminar, or conference call, prepare yourself by drawing a square. I find that 5" x 5" is a good size. Divide the card into columns - five across and five down. That will give you 25 one-inch blocks.

2. Write one of the following words/phrases in each block:

* synergy

* strategic fit

* core competencies

* best practice

* bottom line

* revisit

* expeditious

* to tell you the truth (or "the truth is")

* 24/7

* out of the loop

* benchmark

* value-added

* proactive

* win-win

* think outside the box

* fast track

* result-driven

* empower (or empowerment)

* knowledge base

* at the end of the day

* touch base

* mindset

* client focus(ed)

* paradigm shift

* game plan

* leverage

Like this:

synergy	strategic fit	core competencies	best practice	bottom line
revisit	expeditious	to tell you the truth (or "the truth is")	24/7	out of the loop
benchmark	value-added	proactive	win-win	think outside the box
fast track	result-driven	empower (or empowerment)	knowledge base	at the end of the day
touch base	mindset	client focus(ed)	paradigm shift	game plan

3. Check off the appropriate block when you hear one of those words/phrases.

4. When you get five blocks horizontally, vertically, or diagonally, stand up and shout "BULLSHIT!"

Testimonials from satisfied "Bullshit Bingo" players:

"I had been in the meeting for only five minutes when I won." - Adam, Atlanta

"My attention span at meetings has improved dramatically." - David, Florida

"What a gas! Meetings will never be the same for me after my first win." - Dan, New York City

"The atmosphere was tense in the last process meeting as 14 of us waited for the fifth box." - Ben, Denver

"The speaker was stunned as eight of us screamed 'BULLSHIT!' for the third time in two hours." - Paul, Cleveland

Priest and Vodka

2010-04-03T09:53:00.001+05:30

A new priest at his first mass was so nervous he could hardly speak. After mass he asked the monsignor how he had done. The monsignor replied, "When I am worried about getting nervous on the pulpit, I put a glass of vodka next to the water glass. If I start to get nervous, I take a sip."
So the next Sunday he took the monsignor's advice. At the beginning of the sermon, he got nervous and took a drink. He proceeded to talk up a storm. Upon return to his office after mass, he found the following note on his door:

1. Sip the Vodka, don't gulp.
2. There are 10 commandments, not 12.
3. There are 12 disciples, not 10.
4. Jesus was consecrated, not constipated.
5. Jacob wagered his donkey, he did not bet his ass.
6. We do not refer to Jesus Christ as the late J.C.
7. The Father, Son, and Holy Ghost are not referred to as Daddy, Junior, and the Spook.
8. David slew Goliath, he did not kick the shit out of him.
9. When David was hit by a rock and knocked off his donkey, don't say he was stoned off his ass.
10.We do not refer to the cross as the Big T!
11.When Jesus broke the bread at the Last Supper he said, "Take this and eat it, for it is my body", he did not say, "Eat me."
12.The Virgin Mary is not referred to as the, "Mary with the Cherry".
13.The recommended grace before a meal is not: "Rub-A-dub-dub, thanks for the grub, yeah God". and finally...
14.Next Sunday there will be a taffy-pulling contest at St.Peter's, not a peter-pulling contest at St. Taffy's.

HANDBOOK FOR 2010

2010-02-25T19:48:00.000+05:30

Health:
1. Drink plenty of water.
2. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a beggar.
3. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured in plants...
4. Live with the 3 E's -- Energy, Enthusiasm and Empathy.
5. Make time to pray.
6. Play more games.
7. Read more books than you did in 2009.
8. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day.
9. Sleep for 7 hours.
10. Take a 10-30 minutes walk daily. And while you walk, smile.

Personality:
11. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
12 Don't have negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.
13. Don't over do. Keep your limits.
14. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
15. Don't waste your precious energy on gossip.
16. Dream more while you are awake..
17. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
18. Forget issues of the past. Don't remind your partner with His/her mistakes of the past. That will ruin your present happiness.
19. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone. Don't hate others.
20. Make peace with your past so it won't spoil the present.
21. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.
22. Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn. Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away like algebra class but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.
23. Smile and laugh more.
24. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree....

Society:
25. Call your family often.
26. Each day give something good to others.
27. Forgive everyone for everything.
28. Spend time w/ people over the age of 70 & under the age of 6.
29.. Try to make at least three people smile each day.
30. What other people think of you is none of your business.
31. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.

Life:
32. Do the right thing!
33. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
34. GOD heals everything.
35. However good or bad a situation is, it will change..
36. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up..
37. The best is yet to come.
38. When you awake alive in the morning, thank GOD for it.
39. Your Inner most is always happy. So, be happy.

A Memo From The Young:

2010-01-29T19:48:00.000+05:30

Don't spoil me. I know quite well that I ought not to have all I ask for, I'm only testing you.

Don't be afraid to be firm with me. I prefer it, it makes me feel secure.

Don't let me form bad habits. I have to rely on you to detect them in a early stage.

Don't make me feel smaller than I am. It only makes me behave stupidly "big"

Don't correct me in front of people, if you can help it. I`ll take much more notice if you talk quietly with me in private.

Don't make me feel that my mistakes are sins. It upsets my sense of values.

Don't protect me from consequences. I need to learn the painful way sometimes.

Don't be too upset when I say "I hate you". Sometimes it isn't you I hate but your power over me.

Don`t take too much notice of my ailments. Sometimes they get me attention I don't need.

Don`t nag. If you do, I shall have to protect myself by being deaf.

Don`t forget that I cannot explain myself as well as I should like. That's why I am not always accurate.

Don`t put me off when I ask questions. If you do you'll find that I stop asking and seek my information elsewhere.

Don`t be inconsistent. That completely confuses me and makes me lose faith in you.

Don`t tell me my fears are silly. They are terribly real and you can do much to reassure me if you try to understand.

Don`t ever suggest that you are perfect or infallible. It gives me too great a shock when I discover that your neither.

Don`t ever think that it is beneath your dignity to apologize to me. An honest apology makes me surprisingly warm towards you.

Don`t forget I love experimenting. I couldn't get along without it, so please put up with it.

Don`t forget how quickly I am growing up. It must be difficult for you to keep pace with me, but please try to.

Don`t forget that I don't thrive without lots of love and understanding, but I don't need to tell you that do I?

PILOTS AND THEIR MECHANICS

2010-01-25T08:22:00.000+05:30

PILOTS AND THEIR MECHANICS

Remember it takes a college degree to fly a plane, but only a high school diploma and then some, to repair one. After every flight, UPS pilots fill out a form, called a 'gripe sheet,' which tells mechanics about problems with the aircraft. The mechanics correct the problems document their repairs on the form, and then pilots review the gripe sheets before the next flight.

Never let it be said that ground crews, albeit they may lack a formal higher education, has ever lacked a sense of humor. Here are some actual maintenance complaints submitted by UPS ' pilots (marked with a P) and the solutions recorded (marked with an S) by maintenance engineers.

By the way, UPS is the **only** major airline that has never, had an accident.

P: Left inside main tire almost needs replacement.
S: Almost replaced left inside main tire.
*
P: Test flight OK, except auto-land very rough.
S: Probably because auto-land is not installed on this aircraft.
*
P: Something loose in cockpit
S: Something tightened in cockpit
*
P: Dead bugs on windshield.
S: Live bugs on back-order.
*
P: Autopilot in altitude-hold mode has a 200 ft. per min. descent.
S: Cannot reproduce problem on ground.
*
P: Evidence of leak on right main landing gear.
S: Evidence removed.
*
P: DME volume unbelievably loud.
S: DME volume set to more believable level.
*
P: Friction locks, cause throttle levers to stick.
S: That's what friction locks are for.
*
P: IFF inoperative in OFF mode.
S: IFF _IS_ inoperative in OFF mode.
*
P: Suspected crack in windshield.
S: Suspect you're right.
*
P: Number 3 engine missing.
S: Engine found on right wing after brief search.
*
P: Aircraft acting funny
S: Aircraft warned to straighten up, fly right and be serious.
*
P: Target radar hums.
S: Reprogrammed target radar with lyrics.
*
P: Mouse in cockpit.
S: Cat installed.

And the best one for last
*
P: Noise coming from under instrument panel. Sounds like midget pounding on something with a hammer
S: Took hammer away from midget.

Butterfly's lesson

2010-01-02T01:12:00.000+05:30

”One day, a small opening appeared in a cocoon; a man sat and watched for the butterfly for several hours as it struggled to force its body through that little hole.

Then, it seems to stop making any progress.
It appeared as if it had gotten as far as it could and it could not go any further.

So the man decided to help the butterfly: he took a pair of scissors and opened the cocoon.

The butterfly then emerged easily.

But it had a withered body, it was tiny and shriveled wings.

The man continued to watch because he expected that, at any moment, the wings would open, enlarge and expand, to be able to support the butterfly’s body, and become firm.

Neither happened!

In fact, the butterfly spent the rest of its life crawling around with a withered body and shriveled wings. It never was able to fly.

What the man, in his kindness and his goodwill did not understand was that the restricting cocoon and the struggle required for the butterfly to get through the tiny opening, were God’s way of forcing fluid from the body of the butterfly into its wings, so that it would be ready for flight once it achieved its freedom from the cocoon.

Sometimes, struggles are exactly what we need in our life.
If God allowed us to go through our life without any obstacles, it would cripple us. We would not be as strong as we could have been. Never been able to fly.

I asked for Strength...

and God gave me difficulties to make me strong.
I asked for Wisdom...

and God gave me problems to solve.

I asked for prosperity...

and God gave me a brain and brawn to work.

I asked for Courage…..

and God gave me obstacles to overcome.

I asked for Love...

and God gave me troubled people to help.

I asked for Favors...

And God gave me Opportunities.

“I received nothing I wanted...

But I received everything I needed."

Live life without fear, confront all obstacles and know that you can overcome them.

WHAT IS A GRANDPARENT?

2009-12-29T18:52:00.000+05:30

(Taken from papers written by a class of 8-year-olds) You'll love it:

Grandparents are a lady and a man who have no little children of their own. They like other people's.

A grandfather is a man, & a grandmother is a lady!

Grandparents don't have to do anything except be there when we come to see them. They are so old they shouldn't play hard or run. It is good if they drive us to the shops and give us money.

When they take us for walks, they slow down past things like pretty leaves and caterpillars.

They show us and talk to us about the colors of the flowers and also why we shouldn't step on 'cracks.'

They don't say, 'Hurry up.'

Usually grandmothers are fat but not too fat to tie your shoes.

They wear glasses and funny underwear.

They can take their teeth and gums out.

Grandparents don't have to be smart.

They have to answer questions like 'Why isn't God married?' and 'How come dogs chase cats?'

When they read to us, they don't skip. They don't mind if we ask for the same story over again.

Everybody should try to have a grandmother, espe cially if you don't have television because they are the only grownups who like to spend time with us.

They know we should have snack time before bed time, and they say prayers with us and kiss us even when we've acted bad.

A 6-YEAR-OLD WAS ASKED WHERE HIS GRANDMA LIVED. ''OH,'' HE SAID, ''SHE LIVES AT THE AIRPORT, AND WHEN WE WANT HER, WE JUST GO GET HER. THEN WHEN WE'RE DONE HAVING HER VISIT, WE TAKE HER BACK TO THE AIRPORT.''

GRANDPA IS THE SMARTEST MAN ON EARTH! HE TEACHES ME GOOD THINGS, BUT I DON'T GET TO SEE HIM ENOUGH TO GET AS SMART AS HIM!

It's funny when they bend over; you hear gas leaks, and they blame their dog.

Send this to other grandparents, almost grandparents, or heck, send it to everyone. It will make their day.

Frog and Golf

2009-12-24T23:48:00.001+05:30

The Frog and Golf

THIS IS HILARIOUS...! DO NOT SAVE - PASS ON

A man takes the day off work and decides to go out golfing.

He is on the second hole when he notices a frog sitting next to the green.
He thinks nothing of it and is about to shoot when he hears,
Ribbit 9 Iron.'
The man looks around and doesn't see anyone.
Again, he hears, 'Ribbit 9 Iron.'
He looks at the frog and decides to prove the frog wrong, puts the club away, and grabs a 9 iron.
Boom!
He hits it 10 inches from the cup.
He is shocked.
He says to the frog,
'Wow that's amazing.
You must be a lucky frog, eh?
The frog replies,
'Ribbit Lucky frog.'
The man decides to take the frog with him to the next hole.
'What do you think frog?'
The man asks.
'Ribbit 3 wood.'
The guy takes out a 3 wood and,
Boom! Hole in one..
The man is befuddled and doesn't know what to say.
By the end of the day, the man golfed the best game of golf in his life and asks the frog,
'OK where to next?'
The frog replies,
'Ribbit Las Vegas .
' They go to Las Vegas and the guy says,
'OK frog, now What?'
The frog says, 'Ribbit Roulette.'
Upon approaching the roulette table, The man asks,
'What do you think I should bet?'
The frog replies,
'Ribbit $3000, black 6.'
Now, this is a million-to-one shot to win, but after the golf game the man figures what the heck.
Boom!
Tons of cash come sliding back across the table
The man takes his winnings and buys the best room in the Hotel.
He sits the frog down and says, 'Frog, I don't know how to repay you.
You've won me all this money and I am forever grateful.'
The frog replies, 'Ribbit KissMe.'
He figures why not, Since after all the frog did for Him,
He deserves it.
With a kiss, the frog turns into a gorgeous 15-year-old girl.
'And that, your honor, is how the girl ended up in my room.
So help me God
Or my name is not William Jefferson Clinton.'
The origination of this letter is unknown, but it brings
Good luck to everyone who passes it on.
The one who breaks the Chain will have bad luck.
Do Not keep this.
Do not send money.
Just forward it to five of your Friends to whom you wish good luck.
You will see that something good Happens to you four MINUTES from now if the chain is not broken.

Right to payment of maternity benefits

2009-12-24T21:42:00.000+05:30

From http://blogs.siliconindia.com/immortaltouch/2clCAGYB44648679

Right to payment of maternity benefits

4[(1) Subject to the provisions of this Act, every woman shall be entitled to, and her employer shall be liable for, the payment of maternity benefit at the rate of the average daily wage for the period of her actual absence, that is to say, the period immediately preceding the day of her delivery, the actual day of her delivery and any period immediately following that day.]
Explanation: For the purpose of this sub-section, the average daily wage means the average of the woman's wages payable to her for the days on which she has worked during the period of three calendar months immediately preceding the date from which she absents herself on account of maternity, 12[the minimum rate of wage fixed or revised under the Minimum Wages Act, 1948 (11 of 1948) or ten rupees, whichever is the highest].

(2) No woman shall be entitled to maternity benefit unless she has actually worked in an establishment of the employer from whom she claims maternity benefit, for a period of not less than 13[eighty days] in the twelve months immediately preceding the date of her expected delivery:

PROVIDED that the qualifying period of 13[eighty days] aforesaid shall not apply to a woman who has immigrated into the State of Assam and was pregnant at the time of the immigration.

Explanation : For the purpose of calculating under this sub-section the days on which a woman has actually worked in the establishment, 14[the days for which she has been laid off or was on holidays declared under any law for the time being in force to be holidays with wages] during the period of twelve months immediately preceding the date of her expected delivery shall be taken into account.

15[(3) The maximum period for which any woman shall be entitled to maternity benefit shall be twelve weeks of which not more than six weeks shall precede the date of her expected delivery:]

PROVIDED that where a woman dies during this period, the maternity benefit shall be payable only for the days up to and including the day of her death:

15[PROVIDED FURTHER that where a woman, having been delivered of a child, dies during her delivery or during the period immediately following the date of her delivery for which she is entitled for the maternity benefit, leaving behind in either case the child, the employer shall be liable for the maternity benefit for that entire period but if the child also dies during the said period, then, for the days up to and including the date of the death of the child.]

16[5A. Continuance of payment of maternity benefit in certain cases

Every woman entitled to the payment of maternity benefit under this Act shall, notwithstanding the application of the Employees' State Insurance Act, 1948 (34 of 1948), to the factory or other establishment in which she is employed, continue to be so entitled until she becomes qualified to claim maternity benefit under section 50 of that Act.]

15[5B. Payment of maternity benefit in certain cases

Every woman-

(a) who is employed in a factory or other establishment to which the provisions of the Employees' State Insurance Act, 1948 (34 of 1948), apply;

(b) whose wages (excluding remuneration for over-time work) for a month exceed the amount specified in sub-clause (b) of clause (9) of section 2 of that Act; and

(c) who fulfils the conditions specified in sub-section (2) of section 5,

shall be entitled to the payment of maternity benefit under this Act.]

Notice of claim for maternity benefit and payment thereof

(1) Any woman employed in an establishment and entitled to maternity benefit under the provisions of this Act may give notice in writing in such form as may be prescribed, to her employer, stating that her maternity benefit and any other amount to which she may be entitled under this Act may be paid to her or to such person as she may nominate in the notice and that she will not work in any establishment during the period for which she receives maternity benefit.

(2) In the case of a woman who is pregnant, such notice shall state the date from which she will be absent from work, not being a date earlier than six weeks from the date of her expected delivery.

(3) Any woman who has not given the notice when she was pregnant may give such notice as soon as possible after the delivery.

4[(4) On receipt of the notice, the employer shall permit such woman to absent herself from the establishment during the period for which she receives the maternity benefit.]

(5) The amount of maternity benefit for the period preceding the date of her expected delivery shall be paid in advance by the employer to the woman on production of such proof as may be prescribed that the woman is pregnant, and the amount due for the subsequent period shall be paid by the employer to the woman within forty-eight hours of production of such proof as may be prescribed that the woman has been delivered of a child.

(6) The failure to give notice under this section shall not disentitle a woman to maternity benefit or any other amount under this Act if she is otherwise entitled to such benefit or amount and in any such case an Inspector may either of his own motion or on an application made to him by the woman, order the payment of such benefit or amount within such period as may be specified in the order.

Average Indian spends just Rs 440 on food a month

2009-12-20T12:33:00.000+05:30

New Delhi: An Indian spends just Rs 440 or less than US $10 per month on food, says a government survey released here on Friday.

An Indian living in rural areas, however, spends even less—only Rs 363, while his urban counterpart Rs 517 per month, an official report here said on Friday.

"Average monthly per capita consumer expenditure was Rs 695 in rural India and Rs 1,312 in urban India," the National Sample Survey Organisation's (NSSO) report 'Household Consumer Expenditure in India-2006-07' said.

The findings of the NSSO, an agency of the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, showed monthly per capita expenditure in rural India on food going up to Rs 363 in 2006-07 from Rs 333 in 2005-06, reports IANS.

In urban areas, an individual was found to be spending Rs 517 a month on food during the period under reference against Rs 468 in 2005-06.

"The increase in expenditure is negligible, with monthly per capita consumer expenditure going up to Rs 695 from Rs 625 in 2005-06, out of which only Rs 363 is spent on food," Rajesh Jaiswal, an associate fellow at the policy think tank National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER), said.

"It is an alarming situation, which will lead to severe malnutrition, and will subsequently weaken human resources. The government must reorient its policies," Jaiswal said.

According to the National Family Health Survey-2005-06, India's 70 per cent children aged six to 59 months are anaemic, which is primarily linked to poor nutrition.

The NSSO data showed a rural Indian spending just Rs 12 per month on fruit, while his urban counterpart Rs 28. The monthly expenditure on cereals and cereal substitutes by a rural and urban Indian stands, respectively, at Rs 115 and Rs 119.

"It is a dismal scenario," said Jaiswal, whose area of research at NCAER is health and education.

NSSO survey results relate to July 2006 to June 2007, and findings are based on a randomly drawn sample, 63,729 households spread over 5,573 villages and 7,698 urban blocks countrywide.

Key findings of NSSO survey

Around 50.3 per cent of the Indian rural population's monthly per capita consumer expenditure (MPCE) is less than Rs 580.
About 50 per cent urban households' monthly per capita consumer expenditure is less than Rs 990.
Average quantity of cereals consumed per person per month in 2006-07 was 1,170 grams in rural areas and 960 grams in urban areas.
Per capita consumption of rice was 6,560 grams and 4,800 grams in rural and urban areas respectively, and the respective consumption of wheat was 3,970 grams and 4,430 grams per person per month.
About 22 per cent rural households lived in katcha (without concrete) structures, while 29 per cent lived in semi-pucca (permanent) structures.
In rural India, 75 per cent households depended on firewood and chips as major cooking fuel. Only nine per cent used liquefied petroleum gas.
About 56 per cent rural households used electricity for lighting while 42 per cent used kerosene.
Only 7.2 per cent rural males aged 15 or more got employments in public works in the last 365 days, and 3.5 per cent females.

Jharkhand primitive tribes on death trail, 20 die

2009-12-19T12:33:00.000+05:30

Ranchi: Deaths of atleast 20 primitive tribals in Jharkhand during last one month has triggered a controversy with the state government attributing the deaths due to food poisoning while social workers say malnutrition caused the deaths.

Eight members of Birhor tribe and nine of Baiga in Hindiyakala village of Chatra district alone have died early this month, officials said.

Two members of the Birhor tribe died in Koderma district in the last one week while one death has been reported from Dumka district.

"In Hindiyakala, the Birhor tribals died due to hunger. They were not getting food grain from the public distribution system (PDS) for a long time," an advisor to a panel appointed by the Supreme Court to supervise the food security schemes in the state, Balram said.

"The claim of government officials that the tribals died due to food poisoning is a white lie," Balram said.

The Jharkhand government last week constituted a three-member committee headed by Welfare Secretary UK Sangama to assess the situation in the three districts and probe the cause of the deaths.

"We will submit our report to the Chief Secretary on Friday," Sangama said.

Jharkhand has 30 tribes, of which nine have been declared as primitive tribes. Their population is just 0.80 per cent of the states' 26.90 million population. The state government runs 10 schemes for them, among others, to provide jobs to youth who complete their schooling, food and housing but despite this, the population of the primitive tribes is declining and hunger deaths are reported, officials admit.

"We plan the programmes and ensure funds, but the schemes have to be implemented by the district administration," Sangama said.

"We will ensure free foodgrain for the primitive tribes. All necessary steps will be taken to prevent malnutrition among them," Jharkhand Chief Minister Shibu Soren said.