Sports to be promoted through Panchayats

September, 2006: The Central Panchayati Raj Ministry is contemplating synergising the activities of Nehru Yuvak Kendra with Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) across the country for promoting sports and games. The initiative 'Panchayati Yuva Khel Abhiyan' aims to increase the Indian Medals tally in international sports events.

It is proposed that the PR Ministry in association with Ministry of Sports will launch this new initiative by networking PRIs with local units of the Nehru Yuvak Kendra Sangathan.

Besides encouraging traditional sports and games, the proposal suggests inclusion of those sports which call for high levels of skills and talent and modern events.

To spot and nurture talent the proposal has suggested that the Sports Authority of India (SAI) prepare a blueprint to provide coaches for this mission both for coaching and talent spotting at the village, block and district levels by organizing competitions.

The Union Minister for Sports and Panchayati Raj, Mani Shankar Aiyer said "It is estimated that if we succeed in identifying an average of 10 talented sports persons in each of our 6,000 blocks, in addition to the SAI's present plans of expanding its talent base at very little extra cost from 10,000 to 40,000 people, we would have a reservoir of one lakh talented sports persons".

According to the Sports Ministry figures out of 800 million youth population in the country 700 million have no or marginal access to sports facilities, out of which 450 million live in rural areas.

Government assessing National Rural Health Mission

September, 2006: The Union Health Ministry has tied up with Institute of Public Auditors of India (IPAI) to assess the progress of the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) launched in April 2005.

The Institute will carry out the survey in five states - Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar and Tamil Nadu.

While Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand are considered among the low performing states, Tamil Nadu has reportedly done well.

The Ministry has also commissioned the services of the UNFPA for evaluating the mission but its role will be confined to functioning of Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAS).

The UNFPA will particularly assess the guidelines for recruitment of ASHAs, quality of their training, the role of panchayati raj institutions, NGOs and SHGs in the mission.

The Health Ministry is also trying to identify local capacities to guage the success of NRHM by involving NGOs and CSOs in 35 states.

Demolition law: Certain provisions may be struck down

August, 2006: The Central governments manoeuvre of enforcing a year long moratorium on the demolition and sealing of unauthorised structures in Delhi may suffer a blow with the Supreme Court indicating that it will strike down certain provisions of the Delhi Laws (Special Provisions) Act, 2006. A bench of the apex court headed by the Chief Justice, said: "We are of the view that many serious questions of law are sought to be raised which require deeper consideration and elaborate submission. The court further observed that some interim directions had to be passed and granted ten days time to the union government to submit its argument on the question of granting a stay on the controversial Act, with the matter now listed for hearing on August 10.

The court reiterated that some order is required to curtail certain provision of this law even if the whole Act is not stayed. When the solicitor General submitted that the Act was passed by the Parliament to address various problems facing the capital, the court reprimanded him by observing: "why was it difficult for Parliament to address the problem for the last 20 years? Was it sleeping? The bench asked the Solicitor General to come out with proposal for a middle path."

Cantts to have Municipality status

August, 2006: The Rajya Sabha has passed the Cantonments Bill, 2003 which confers the status of deemed municipality on the cantonments and also makes provision for reservation of women, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in the Cantonment boards.

At present there are 62 cantonment all over India, the majority of which were set up before the country became independent. The oldest cantonment is at Barrackpore in West Bengal.

Clause 31 (d) of the Cantonments Bill provides for reservation of women, SC and ST in the Cantt Boards. The Cantt Board will be divided into wards and provisions for representation of marginalised groups (SC, ST and women) will be made in the enabling rules.

The defence minister replying to the debate on the Bill in the Rajya Sabha further observed that the new legislation would ensure "greater democratisation", improve finances and enable proper regulation, control and management of defence lands.

The new law revises the categories of Cantonments on the basis of population. Cantts with over 50,000 population will fall in first category, cantts with 10,000 to 50,000 population in second category, population of 2,500 to 10,000 will constitute category three and last category will have population of upto 2,500.