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State Level Consultation – Panna

State level workshop on Children and Mining was conducted at Panna, Madhya Pradesh. The meeting was presided over by the Chairperson and Secretary General of mm&P. The Chairperson introduced the theme of the workshop and why children’s rights should not be neglected especially in the mining areas.

A short documentary film “Falling through the cracks – Children and Mining” was screened and followed by a detailed session on the plight of children in mining areas by the Secretary General of mm&P. Participatory approach was followed in sensitizing the people on violation of child rights in the context of Children in mining areas.

There was a session on the Child Labour Prohibition and Regulation Act and Child Labour in connection with mining. There were discussions on the situation of children in mining areas as it has three aspects to it. Firstly, children (Child Labour) engaged in a hazardous industry. Secondly, those children who are not working in the mines but are living there and thirdly parents of the children who work in the mines. In all these aspects, the rights of the child get undermined. There were discussions on the situation of children in the mining areas and consequences on their education like becoming dropouts, consequences on their health due to air and water pollution, malnutrition issues etc. According to the sources, almost 50% of children across states are malnourished, malnourishment is widespread and acute in mining areas. Panna (Madhya Pradesh) is the state where malnutrition among children is the highest out of all the mining areas.

An important issue that was discussed was regarding the problems & people affected with Silicosis, deaths due to Silicosis. Safety issues of the mine workers, Panna Tiger Reserve Area – Displacement, Migrant Labours and Women’s Health were other issues discussed in the Consultation.

Vig To Probe J’suguda Illegal Deposit Of DMF Fund

Vigilance will probe into allegations of favouring a private bank by the then Project Director of DRDA cum Chief Executive Officer of DMFT, Jharsuguda violating norms in regard to deposit of huge sum of fund of District Mineral Foundation Trust (DMFT) in the district.

It is learnt that more than Rs 69 crore was deposited in the bank account without knowledge of the then district Collector Paramesaran B. After the mater became public, the Vigilance has directed for probe into the matter.

Sources said an amount of Rs 69,73,98,000 of DMFT was deposited in a private bank till May. As per circular of State Finance Department, State grant can be deposited only in 11 notified nationalized banks, two regional banks and one private bank. But violating all norms, the money was deposited in an un-notified private bank under savings account carrying less interest rate resulting in loss to the State exchequer to a tune of more than Rs 20 lakh per month. Read more

Courtesy: the pioneer

Apex court transfers FIMI plea on DMF to itself

In a matter related to the levy of additional royalty under the amended Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957, the Supreme Court on Tuesday stayed proceedings before various high courts on the issue. It also transferred to itself a petition filed by the Federation of Indian Mineral Industries (FIMI) challenging the central government notification asking the miners to contribute to the District Mineral Foundation (DMF).

A bench headed by justice Dipak Misra said that the interested parties can approach it after transfer of the case from the Delhi High Court.

The Union mines ministry had come out with a notification in September 2015 asking the miners to pay their contribution to the DMF with retrospective effect from January 12, 2015, when the new MMDR Act was enforced. Read more

Courtesy: Financial Express

States can join Ujjwala Yojana but with riders: Oil Ministry

The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas is open to let the State government schemes become part of the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana. But, with a caveat that the State schemes will be subsumed under the Ujjwala brand.

Already, Chhattisgarh has decided to be part of the scheme which would mean Ujjwala beneficiaries can get LPG connections at only Rs.200.

“If they (state governments) can join the scheme, then I don’t have an issue. However, Ujjwala will remain the branding. It will be open for all but the Ujjwala brand will not be diluted,” Dharmendra Pradhan, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Petroleum and Natural Gas told BusinessLine.

Under Ujjwala, the Centre has decided to bear Rs.1,600 out of the total cost of Rs.3,200 for LPG connections. This scheme is only for the women members of below poverty line families. Read more

Courtesy: Business Line

Can India benefit from a human rights framework for business?

On 26 June 2014, the government made a commitment at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), when it voted in favour of a resolution to establish an open-ended inter-governmental working group to negotiate a legally binding international treaty to impose human rights obligations on transnational corporations (TNCs) and other business enterprises.

Even as the second anniversary of the date approaches, India is yet to put in place a human rights framework for businesses at home. Read more

Courtesy: live mint

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