Today is the 65th anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi’s Punya Tithi.There are few facts how we inspired By Life of Gandhi jee

"The greatest genius is the most indebted person" These words of Emerson, The American thinker are very true for M. GANDHI. Inspirations both mould and give direction to life.

Sources of Inspiration could be personal and impersonal. As for personal as well as impersonal sources of Inspiration, M. Gandhi himself has said! "Three moderns have left a deep impress on my life and captivated me. Raychandbhai by his living contact; Tolstoy by his book, "The Kingdom of God is within you"; and Ruskin by his "Unto This Last". Besides these three personalities, Gopal Krishna Gokhale and the Gita and the Bible were life long sources of inspiration for Gandhi. 

The first lesson one could imbibe from M K Gandhi’s life is to resolve to do away with platitudes. Language, communication, and discussion have become a complex labyrinth of context, nuances and sophistication, dependant on who is articulating. Today, very few take cognisance of the wise words that directed leaders, managers and public officials earlier: “What is right and not who is right.” For, a society based on truth and non violence, affirms a living belief in God.

Second, Gandhiji gave great importance to belief in the right values. He was a plain speaking person without artifice; he never minced his words.  Sarvodaya or universal uplift, trusteeship and principled leadership – these three made up his tripartite vision for taking India forward. He was not interested in statues in his name or highways and parks named after him. 

Gandhiji hoped that the ideals of his vision would be like the tiny spring that gushes forth from the Gangotri glacier high up in the Himalayas and which flows down to the level plains as the mighty Ganga, nurturing, serving and also sharing in the lives of the people. Gandhiji believed in a decent standard of life for all unlike the concept of standard of living which is a material quotient. Standard of life suggests an integrated flowering of spiritual, cultural and material values so that an individual is not afflicted by the seven deadly sins: wealth without work, pleasure without conscience, knowledge without character, commerce (business) without morality (ethics), science without humanity, religion without sacrifice and politics without principle

 

Third, Ganhihi’s attitude to life was that everyone ought to share and care. The following story illustrates Gandhiji’s concept of sharing without ownership: In the cool climes of a rural village, dawn was about to break as the twenty men were moving between the flower beds in the nursery. They were carefully plucking the bloom buds without bruising the flowering miracle that was nesting within. The long stems were laid in rows in long cardboard boxes ready for travel to the metropolis in a few hours.

 

                Festive lights burned bright on store fronts and Leela was anxiously organising the engagement party of her daughter and her childhood sweetheart. The couple had waited years to settle down and Leela wanted the evening to be a perfect setting for their betrothal. Flowers were in profusion with their heady fragrances. The evening was a success and Leela was generously complemented on all the arrangements. Laden with the flower arrangement she returned home. Next morning she made a list of persons and requested her friend to help her distribute the flowers to an elderly aunt, a school mate, neighbours and to her own staff.

 

                The flowers glowed in radiance in the soft lights of each new home, they had travelled over eight hundred kilometres, been seen by over a thousand persons witnessed a happy occasion, graced an ordinary home. All this mattered little to any of the roses, lilies or orchids. They would gently fade and drop, their presence a lingering memory of all that is wholesome, good and true. Whom does one thank for the flowers, who are the owners? 

 

                Trusteeship, serving people, sacrificing for them and thus contributing to the standard of life was advocated by Gandhiji who would say: “A person cannot do right in one department whilst attempting to do wrong in another department. Life is one indivisible whole.” 

Kilkari Bihar Bal Bhavan has decided to lend a new meaning to the lives of the elderly that would help tackle their loneliness and keep them engaged with KILKARI.

Kilkari is an effort to restore creativity among children through awareness, plays, paintings, dance, songs, sports and other extracurricular activities. We strive to make children do what they are good at. We provide pleasant and creative environment to children. As a social venture "Kilkari" promotes and catalyses extracurricular activities, creates the process to embrace children into mainstream in a sustained manner, facilitate them to emerge as a productive asset and set foundation for nation building.

Bihar Bal Bhawan "Kilkari" was formed in July 2008, under society registration act 1860 by "Human Resource Development Department" Govt. of Bihar. Sri Anjani Kumar Singh is the first Chairperson and Ms. Jyoti Parihar is the first Director of Kilkari Bihar Bal Bhawan.

Break the loneliness of elderly people:-

Officials of Kilkari, a unit of the state education department that imparts vocational training to deprived children, said the idea was to take benefit of the experiences of retired people through voluntary services from them. According to the plan, the elderly would share their skills and experiences with the children of Kilkari.

Jyoti Parihar, director, Kilkari Bihar Bal Bhavan, said: “Thirteen aged people, including those who retired from the post of chief engineers and teachers, have evinced interest in the programme and responded to a newspaper advertisement we published. We are happy about that. We tried the idea because it would help children utilise their experience. One cannot deny that the senior citizens’ experience would help children increase their productivity. The elderly have seen more ups and downs in life. So they can share their experiences as well knowledge.”

Asked what motivates retired people to give voluntary services, R.B. Upadhyay, a former principal of PN Anglo Sanskrit High School who retired in 1999, said: “I used to spend most of my time with children before my retirement because of my job. I just loved that. Being with children gives you a different kind of happiness which you cannot match with any other thing.”

Hiresh Kumar Sinha, a retired chief engineer of Prasar Bharti, said: “I want to utilise my leisure time in a meaningful way. That is why I have offered my services for the children at Kilkari. My wife, Geeta, has also applied for the same programme.”

She added: “Elderly people can handle children in a better way than anyone else because of their experience. We have raised our children. So, we know how to handle children. We know what can bring smiles on their faces and what can disturb them.”

The Bhavan would hold a meeting on February 8 to decide on the final volunteers.

Samvardhan is “Economic growth and poverty reduction significantly accelerated in Bihar

Samvardhan is a six-year partnership programme (2010-2016) between the Government of Bihar and the United Kingdom’s Department for International Development (DFID, UK). The Government of Bihar has initiated the urban reforms programme to enable holistic development of urban areas, that continue to present myriad development challenges including the lack of basic urban services, issues in local governance and high incidence of urban poverty.

In spite of an increasing awareness among local functionaries for improved urban services, a number of institutional and management aspects impede urban economic growth and quality of life. The felt need to strengthen institutional and technical capacities of the State for urban development, guides the design of the Samvardhan.

The goal of Samvardhan is “Economic growth and poverty reduction significantly accelerated in Bihar by 2016.” The programme aims to significantly enhance the ability of identified ULBs to provide urban services and attract private investment in the state. It is based on the premise that effective urban centres play a significant role in economic growth and poverty reduction by providing the nuclei for greater economic activity and services.

The programme will cover 28 urban centres that are expected to become hubs for economic activities and thereby benefit the wider state. The outcome of this programme will directly improve the quality of services received by 6.36 million urban citizens, of which 2.83 million are urban poor.

The programme also expects to benefit a large number of people from nearby rural areas with a strong economic linkage to these towns. Areas of programme focus are as follows:

• Urban Governance and Planning :
  Strengthen urban policy, institutions and governance
• Municipal Finance and Procurement :
  Enhance capabilities of ULBs to mobilize resources and to manage them more effectively
• Municipal Infrastructure :
  Plan, implement and manage city-level infrastructure and services
• Local Economic Development :
  Increase municipal capacity to attract private investment in urban areas for inclusive growth
• Social Development, Poverty and Livelihoods :
  Facilitate development of poor communities through sustainable mechanisms for empowerment and livelihoods

Programme Background

Sustainable and substantive development represents the increasing pace of positive change in the state of Bihar. As per a recent report, the state economy registered an annual growth rate of 11.35% over a five-year period from 2004-05 to 2008-09.

Growth that is demonstrable across a number of indicators - the construction of nearly 2,500 km of roads in 2008-09 compared to 415 km in 2005-06; increase of tele-density in the state from 5.34% in 2006 to 22.18% in 2009 and inflow of 3.46 lakh tourists in 2008 compared to 61,000 in 2003.

Though, these and other indicators stand testimony to the commitment of the State to accelerate development, the historical position suggests the need for continued large scale reforms.

As the third most populous state in India, Bihar has more than 40% of its population living below-the-poverty line. The state has one of the lowest values of the Human Development Index with a low per capita income and Gross Domestic Product. The magnitude and complexity of issues is amplified due to the cumulative impact of inadequate state response over the past few decades.

With less than 10% of state’s population residing in urban areas, Bihar is ranked among the least urbanized states in India. Urban centers present myriad development challenges including the lack of basic urban services, issues in local governance and high incidence of urban poverty. A recent study by the National Sample Survey Organisation reports a lower decrease in poverty ratios in urban Bihar in comparison to rural areas.

Urban development is critical for Bihar to achieve and sustain overall development goals. The current status of urbanization, presents a significant opportunity to develop urban centres as engines of economic growth for a pivotal role in the overall development of the state.

Samvardhan aims to initiate and accelerate urban reforms to address challenges for urban development and contribute significantly to the continuum of sustainable development in Bihar.

Goal:       “Economic growth and poverty reduction significantly accelerated in Bihar by 2016.”

Purpose: “Identified ULBs’ ability to provide urban services and attract private investment significantly enhanced.”

Thematic Area

• URBAN GOVERNANCE AND PLANNING
• MUNICIPAL FINANCE AND PROCUREMENT
• MUNICIPAL INFRASTRUCTURE
• LOCAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
• SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT, POVERTY ALLEVIATION AND LIVELIHOODS

The Support Program for Urban Reforms in Bihar (SPUR) is based on the premise that effective urban centers play a significant role in economic growth and poverty reduction by providing the nuclei for greater economic activity and services that can contribute to pro-poor development. SPUR’s goal is “economic growth and poverty reduction significantly accelerated in Bihar by 2016”. Its purpose is “identified ULBs ability to provide urban services and attract private investment significantly enhanced”.

SPUR will cover 28 urban centres; directly improve the quality of services received by 6.36 million urban citizens, of whom 2.83 million are poor. SPUR will also benefit large numbers of people from nearby rural areas who depend on these cities. SPUR will promote state level institutions and improve financial and managerial capacities, as well as accountability, of Urban Local Bodies (ULBs).

Interventions under SPUR are designed across five mutually reinforcing outputs: (i) Effective policies and stronger institutions to promote and manage urban development in place; (ii) State and ULBs mobilize significantly increased resources for urban development and manage them more effectively; (iii) Identified ULBs plan, implement and manage urban infrastructure and services more effectively; (iv) Increased municipal capacity to attract private investment in urban areas; (v) Empowered poor communities and socially excluded groups access increased urban resources and livelihood opportunities.

Shekhar Suman

IT and e-Governance Coordinator at DFID- SPUR

Patna Area, India

Government Relations 

Source : Samvardhan

Civil And Mechanical Engineering Courses Back in Demand in Engineering Colleges

     

The most common query among all engineering aspirants is about the “best engineering branch".  Although all engineering branches are equally good. What matters is your interest and aptitude for that branch.Both the courses are in demand and most importantly, girls fill up one-third of the seats.

Core branches in engineering such as civil and mechanical are believed to be the oldest branches in engineering study and are considered to be evergreen branches. Though in the mid 1980s the demand for civil engineering students saw a slump, it has regained its importance and is today considered to be one of the most sought after branches.

 Civil engineering

As a student you will study Fluid Mechanics, Soil Mechanics, Design of Structures, and Structural Mechanics and water recourse engineering.  And then as a civil engineer you will be building  roads, buildings bridges, dams, canals, sea ports, power plants and airports! This sector is looking up these days mainly due to the numerous infrastructure projects that are in the pipeline for India. It is a challenging profile but immensely satisfying as well. Also, with the reen way of living gaining popluarity across the world, the role of a civil engineer often overlaps with that of an environment enginner as he needs to plan his projects in an environment-friendly manner.

In general, a fresh civil engineer can make Rs 20,000 to Rs 30,000 a month. Someone with 15-20 years’ experience can earn Rs 75,000 to Rs 1 lakh a month. In the government sector, for example, the CPWD director general earns Rs 80,000 a month.You would get to work in companies like Larsen & Toubro Ltd., Indian Railways, Engineers India Ltd., DRDO, ISRO, SERC, PWD, DLF etc.

Best institutes (apart for the IITs(16) and NITs) include, DTU, BITS-Pilani, Birla Institute of Technology, Mesra. For B.Tech in Environmental Engineering, Department of Environmental Science and Engineering of Indian School of Mines, Dhanbad is a very good option.

The demand saw a slump because of the low investment in the infrastructure sector, as the focus shifted towards the service sector, especially IT and ITES. Now the investments are back and the demand for civil engineers is expected to be on the rise till 2030.

“At present every fresh graduate has at least three offers from the core sectors. A couple of years back when engineering colleges were springing up at every nook and corner, the colleges were setting up shop with only a few branches such as computer science, IT and EEE. Now most of the colleges are trying to develop the civil engineering branch. This trend proves that the branch is once again looking up,” says K. Rambabu, professor at Andhra University College of Engineering.

 The four-year B.Tech or BE course focuses on various topics such as land survey, planning and design. When it comes to design, a student is taught to design any civil structure such as dams, buildings and bridges. 

The newest addition to the course is the subject of rehabilitation and renovation of old structures. “A majority of the civil structures be it a dam or a bridge was either constructed during the British rule or immediately after Independence, during the first or second five-year plan period. They are old and they need to be rehabilitated and renovated. This subject was incorporated to train the students to tackle this issue,”.

In the fourth year there are many electives such as national disaster management, coastal and harbour engineering or fluid mechanics and hydro engineering, structural engineering, transportation, remote sensing and GIS and environmental engineering,genetic engineering or public health engineering.

The job prospect civil engineers is varied and not restricted to any one area. They can fit in any one of the government offices such as irrigation, Road and Building and CPWD. They can find placements in both private and PSUs and infrastructure and construction companies. “They can also find placements in IT sector as civil engineers are basically strong in logic,” says the professor from Andhra University.

Mechanical Engineering:

Another evergreen field, there will always be opportunities here, despite varying market trends. It is one of the oldest branches of engineering and therefore one of the broadest. As a mechanical engineer you will get to design, analysis, manufacture and maintain anything that moves!

Entry-level salaries range from about Rs 1.3 lakh to Rs 3.15 lakh per annum. Pay hikes depend on your performance and any additional skills you acquire.

Recruiters include ISRO, DRDO, Indian Railway, ABB, TATA Motors, General Motors, Fiat, Reliance Industries, Reliance Power Ltd, Ashoka Leyland, Mahindra & Mahindra etc.Best institutes (apart for the IITs and NITs) include ISM (Indian School of Mines) University, Dhanbad, Delhi Technological University (DTU), BITS Pilani.

Mechanical engineering graduates can find placements in almost every sector, right from construction sector to steel industry and from automobile to software. Earlier there was only one branch and subsequently sub-branches such as marine engineering, industrial engineering and metallurgical engineering were formulated to suit the growth of knowledge and the industry demands.

“During the four years of study, the basic focus is on subjects such as thermal engineering, machine design, industrial engineering and production engineering,” says T. Subrahmanyam, former Head of the Department of Mechanical Engineering in Andhra University College of Engineering.

Mechanical engineering graduates can also find placements in IT sector because of their strong hold over subjects such as mathematics and physics. “Software is all about logic, and students who are strong in mathematics and physics are considered to be good in logic. A few basic programmes like C language are embedded in the curriculum, by doing few programming courses such as Java and .Net they can easily fit in the software sector,” says Professor Subrahmanyam.

Both the courses are in demand and most importantly, unlike in the earlier days, girls fill up one-third of the seats. Both civil and mechanical engineering are no longer considered to be a taboo area for the girls. 

source:The Hindu

The birth of Indian Republic and the installation of its first BIHARI President Dr. Rajendra Prasad were announced by a salute of 31 guns shortly after 10-30 a.m.

         

Dr. Rajendra Prasad giving speech on
the first Republic Day of India

It was on 26 January, 1950 that the constitution of India came into force and India became a Sovereign Democratic Republic. It was on the same day that Dr. Rajendra Prasad took oath as the first President of India. Read here the first speech delivered by Dr. Rajendra Prasad as the President of India on 26th January, 1950.

Unforgettable scenes of enthusiasm and rejoicing marked the beginning of a new era in Indian History when the Republic of India was born with the swearing in of Dr. Rajendra Prasad as the as the first President.

At the most solemn ceremony, held in the brilliantly lit and high domes of Durbar Hall at Government House, India was declared a Sovereign Democratic Republic exactly at eighteen minutes past ten on the morning of Thursday, January 26, 1950. Six minutes later, Dr. Rajendra Prasad sworn in as the President.

The simple and yet grand ceremony of the Durbar Hall, the excitement of hundreds of thousands of people lining the five-mile route through which the President drove in state and the spectacularly colourful parade at Irwin Stadium, where the President hoisted the Union Flag and took the salute, will remain in the peoples' memory for long.

The swearing-in ceremony at Government House and the accompanying functions were very impressive. The retiring Governor-General, Mr. C. Rajagopalachari, read out the proclamation of the Republic of "India, that is, Bharat".

"Whereas the people of India, having into a Sovereign Democratic Republic, adopted, enacted and gave to themselves on the twenty-sixth day of November, 1949, in their Constituent Assembly the Constitution of India;

"And whereas it has been declared by the said Constitution that India, that is, Bharat, shall be a Union of States comprising within the Union the territories which were hitherto the Governor's provinces, the Indian States and the Chief Commissioners' provinces;

"And whereas this, the twenty sixth day of January 1950, has been fixed for the commencement of the said Constitution;

"Now, therefore, it is hereby proclaimed that on the from this, the twenty sixth day of January, 1950, India, that is Bharat, shall be a Sovereign Democratic Republic, and the Union and its component units, the States, shall exercise all powers and functions of government and administration in accordance with the provisions of the said Constitution."

First president of India, Dr. Rajendra Prasad has his name written as the pioneers of Indian republic and he is the one who drafted India’s first constitution. Apart from all, among all 12 Presidents till today, Dr. Rajendra Prasad was the only one who has been elected twice as the President of India. Being the key campaigner of Gandhi’s Independence Movement, his dedicated life for India’s progress has always sounded in his speech. The ever first Indian Republic day speech by Dr. Rajendra Prasad first addressed the crowd in Hindi and then in English. He said, 

हमारे गणराज्य का उद्देश्य है इसके नागरिकों के लिए न्याय, स्वतंत्रता और समता प्राप्त करना तथा इस विशाल देश की सीमाओं में निवास करने वाले लोगों में भ्रातृ-भाव बढ़ाना, जो विभिन्न धर्मों को मानते हैं, अनेक भाषाएँ बोलते हैं और अपने विभिन्न रीति-रिवाजों का पालन करते हैं। हम सभी देशों के साथ मित्रता करके रहना चाहते हैं। हमारे भावी कार्यक्रमों में रोग, गरीबी और अज्ञान का उन्मूलन शामिल है।

हम उन सभी विस्थापित लोगों को फिर से बसाने तथा उन्हें फिर से स्थिरता देने के लिए चिंतित हैं, जिन्होंने बड़ी मुसीबतें सही हैं और हानियाँ उठाई हैं और जो अभी भी मुसीबत में हैं। जो लोग किसी प्रकार के अधिकारों से वंचित हैं, उन्हें विशेष सहायता मिलनी चाहिए।

इस लक्ष्य को प्राप्त करने के लिए यह आवश्यक है कि हम उस स्वतंत्रता को सुरक्षित रखें, जो आज हमें प्राप्त है लेकिन राजनीतिक स्वतंत्रता के समान ही आर्थिक और सामाजिक स्वतंत्रता भी समय की माँग है। वर्तमान हमसे अतीत की अपेक्षा भी अधिक निष्ठा और बलिदान माँग रहा है।

मैं आशा और प्रार्थना करता हूँ कि हमें जो अवसर मिला है, हम उसका उपयोग करने में समर्थ हो सकेंगे। हमें अपनी सारी भौतिक और शारीरिक शक्तियाँ अपनी जनता की सेवा में लगा देनी चाहिए। मैं यह भी आशा करता हूँ कि इस शुभ और आनंदमय दिवस के आगमन पर खुशियाँ मनाती हुई जनता अपनी जिम्मेदारी का अनुभव करेगी और अपने आपको फिर उस लक्ष्य की पूर्ति के लिए समर्पित कर देगी, जिसके लिए राष्ट्रपिता जिए, काम करते रहे और मर गए।’

"Today for the first time in our long and chequered history we find the whole of this vast land from Kashmir in the north to Cape Comorin in the South, from Kathiawad and Cutch in the west Coconada and Kamrup in the east, brought together under the jurisdiction of one Constitution and one Union which takes over the responsibility for the welfare of more than 320 million men and women that inhabit it. Its administration will now be carried on by its people and for its people. This country has great natural resources, and now has come to it the great opportunity to make its vast population happy and prosperous and to make it own contribution to the establishment of peace in the world."

The state drive started exactly at 2-30 p.m. The thirty-five year old coach specially renovated for the occasion bearing the new emblem of Asoka's capital and drawn by six sturdy Australian horses carried the President and drove out of Government House at a slow trot, escorted by the President's bodyguard.
All along the route the President was welcomed by shouts of "Jai". Thousands of people had assembled and had occupied the streets, roofs, tree tops and all available vantage points along the route right from Government House to the Irwin Stadium.

The President responded to the greetings of the people with folded hands. The drive ended exactly at 3-45 p.m. at Irwin Stadium where three thousand Officers and men of the three Armed Services of India and the Police with massed bands had taken positions for the Ceremonial Parade. Here 15,000 people watched one of the most magnificent military parades in India's recent history.

Standing in an Army jeep and accompanied, Brig. J.S. Dhillon, the President inspected the Parade and went round the main stands, later taking the Salute at the march past.

Consisting of the units of the Navy, Infantry and Cavalry Regiments, Services Contingents, the Air Force, a Boys' units of the Punjab Regiment and the Police, the Parade combined colour with precision, which the appreciative crowd acknowledge with repeated cheers. Seven massed bands, representing the Navy, the Army, the Air Force and the Police, provided music, the quality of which fitted with the general excellent pattern of the entire ceremony.

Among the most impressive items in the programme was the firing of "feu-de-joie", combined with the National Anthem, while at a little distance guns boomed a salute of the President.

Millions of people participated in the celebrations on this historic occasion all over India and the proclamation of Indian Republic was read out in all the States of the Indian Union.

Indians overseas did not lag behind in expressing their enthusiasm on this memorable occasion; wherever in the world there was a group of Indians, they celebrated the occasion in a befitting manner.
Messages of goodwill were received from the heads of States of almost all the countries of the world.











source:This article first appeared in Fauji Akhbar (now renamed Sainik Samachar) February 4, 1950.

Kabir Festival in Bodhgaya under Project Jeevika which Organised by Banglanatak.com

Gaya, Jan. 25: Kailashpati Mishra’s चोर बैठा है तोरे नगरिया मे,दरवाजा मत खोल “Chor baitha hai tori nagariya mein, darwaaza mat khol” left the audience spellbound at Kabir Festival in Bodhgaya today. Another folk song,जब से मिल गैलए गुरूजी हमार, बहार आयल जिंदगी में  “jab se mil gailey guru ji hamaar, bahaar aaiyl jindagi mein”, by the Gaya-based singer marked the Sufi festival’s inauguration at Maya Sarovar. Around 100 Nirgun singers — those who talk about formless God — from Gaya, Saharsa, Madhepura, Khagaria, Muzaffarpur besides Nadia in Bengal and Jaisalmer in Rajasthan are participating in the festival. Bihar Rural Livelihoods Promotion Society (supported by the World Bank) under project Jeevika of the state government has undertaken an initiative in developing culture as livelihood. Grassroots rural enterprises have been formed with 1,200 folk artistes in nine districts as the project aims at creating sustainable livelihood opportunities for the people with creativityThe project manager of NGO Banglanatak dot com, which organised Kabir Festival, Siddhanjan Ray Chaudhuri, said such livelihood programmes involving folk artistes have been going on in several states for the past eight years. Besides Kailashpati and Bachaspati Mishra and their group of Gaya, Shyam Sunder Yadav-Triveni Yadav-Surinder Yadav of Saharsa, Navin Kumar Surdas-Shankar Kumar and group of Madhepura and Baba Balgiri Maharaj-Sant Sridharma Ram and group of Jaisalmer performed today. Vikash Chanchal-Govind Vyas of Gaya, Yadunandan Ram-Siyaram Goswami of Khagaria, Ramakant Vyas-Misrilal Vyas of Muzaffarpur besides Arjun Khayapa-Arman Fakir and group of Nadia in Bengal will perform at the festival tomorrow. Gaya district project manager of Jeevika, Arunava, said the project had seen quite a progress with artistes from rural Bihar performing across India. source :Telegraph

FIVE significance to celebrate the Republic Day will be observed on Saturday,26 January 2013.

Bihar to Showcase Sikki craft at Republic Day in Delhi.

 In honour of the date on which the Constitution of India came into force, after the discarding the Government of India Act, 1935,we will celebrate Republic Day this Saturday. 

India celebrates its Republic Day in colourful and exciting ways. To mark Republic Day in a memorable and significant way, 

On Republic Day, martyrs and heroes who showed courage and bravery for country's sake without bothering their own lives is also remembered and conferred prestigious and significant awards including Kirti Chakra and Ashok Chakra are conferred on the event by the President. Since 1950, for Republic Day celebrations India has been inviting guests of high dignitaries of another country as the state guest of honour. 

Not only in New Delhi, but other states also celebrate Republic Day with great enthusiasm and in numerous innovative ways. The Republic Day 2013 will be observed on Saturday (26 January) and the public offices and schools will remain closed to celebrate the significance of the day.  

-It has been sixty-three years since that day in the year 1950 when, 308 members of the Assembly signed two hand-written copies of the document (one in Hindi and the other in English) on the 24th of January1950. Two days later the document was put into force. So, here is why we think you should be enthusiastic about RED LETTER DAY. 

3 Bihar boys:

Like always, there is going to be a parade held for the President and Prime Minister, but this time besides inviting a chief guest, to give them company, three boys from Bihar are going to watch the celebrations from the Prime Minister's box. The three boys Kumar Abhishek, Prince Amit and Mubbashir Hasan were toppers in their board exams and hence they have been awarded the privilege, which is a great way to celebrate the youth of this nation.

Martyrs' memorial:

In Mumbai, on Republic Day, we will get to see the inauguration of a Martyrs' Memorial also known is Hindi as a Shaheed Smarak in Vile Parle. On Republic Day, a seven foot sculpture of a lion cast in bronze, made by Omprakash Shirgaonkar will be unveiled. In this way the Maharashtra government will try to throw light on the efforts of our martyrs who laid their life for our country. 

From Alert in Assam to Alert Assam:

Assam, the state less spoken about in the media, has been busy preparing for their own Republic Day celebrations; however, recently there was a scare of Ulfa hardliners planning to carry out subversive activities in small towns. Fortunately, since bravery more than anything is the theme of Republic Day; security forces have strengthened surveillance and CCTVs have been installed at important locations. So, the celebrations will go on. 

100 years of Indian Cinema:

Film buffs and aspiring filmmakers in general, you guys would welcome this news with open arms. In this Republic Day parade on Rajpath, a montage celebrating 100 years of Indian cinema will be displayed. A silver boat, symbolizing the silver screen, which has the names of regional and Hindi movies engraved on it. 

Good Food:

Good food and Indian celebrations go hand in hand. So, make sure you ask whoever is able to cook a good dish at home, to prepare some good Sarson Ka Saag and Pulao. If you are living away from home and are only able enough to make two-minute noodles, there is always the option of logging on Google to get the recipe.

The patriotic fervor of the people is witnessed not only in the programmes and activities but also in the inspirational Republic Day SMS and Republic Day messages. On this day people send warm wishes about Republic Day to their dear ones that lend a festive ambiance to the historic occasion. Short and lovely text messages are also a wonderful way to spread the importance of the Republic Day. 

The festivity of Republic Day concludes officially with the intriguing Beating Retreat ceremony on the evening of 29th January. This enthralling ceremony is performed by the military, the Indian Air Force, India Navy and India Army in the Raisina Hills, New Delhi, in front of the President of India as the Chief Guest.  

Bihar farmers better than scientists: Nobel laureate Joseph E Stiglitz said.

Nobel laureate Joseph E Stiglitz is impressed by the organic farming practices in Bihar's Nalanda district, terming its practitioners "better than scientists" and calling for their experiences to be researched so that these can be replicated elsewhere. "Indian farmers are better than scientists," Stiglitz said here after visiting organic farmers in Nalanda, the home district of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.

Joseph Eugene Stiglitz, (born February 9, 1943) is an American economist and a professor at Columbia University. He is a recipient of the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences (2001) and the John Bates Clark Medal (1979). He is a former senior vice president and chief economist of the World Bank, and is a former member, and Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers. He is known for his critical view of the management of globalization, free-market economists (whom he calls "free market fundamentalists"), and some international institutions like the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank.

"It was amazing to see their success in organic farming. Agriculture scientists from across the world should visit their farm land to learn and be inspired by them," said Stiglitz, a professor of economics at the prestigious Columbia University and here to deliver the Asian Development Research Foundation Lecture 2013.

"There is a need to take the experiences of these farmers seriously and go for research to give a scientific approach to adopt it outside," he added. According to Chanchal Kumar, a senior government official who accompanied Stiglitz, the economist minutely inquired about the techniques. He said that Stiglitz also told farmers that the increasing trend of organic farming is good for the health too.

 Bihar is turning its attention to popularising and promoting organic farming in the state to usher in a new "Green Revolution" in agriculture. The Nitish Kumar government has already decided to promote organic farming in at least one village of the state's 37 districts. It launched an "organic farming promotion programme" over a year ago, intended to develop organic grams (organic villages).

A sum of Rs 255 crore (nearly 50 million USD) has been sanctioned for development of organic farming, said an official of the agriculture department. The new techniques however did not have many takers in the beginning. "Initially the farmers were reluctant to adopt organic farming despite the state government providing free seeds, fertiliser and experts to guide them. But now more farmers have expressed interest in adopting the method of farming," said a district official in Nalanda.

Last year, a young farmer of Darveshpura village in Nalanda set what is claimed to be a world record in potato production through organic farming. Earlier, farmers of the same village created a world record by producing 224 quintals of paddy per hectare. Nitish Kumar has repeatedly said that he wants to have one or two agriculture products from the state on the plate of every Indian in the coming years.

"Several steps, including promotion of modern techniques of farming, organic farming and use of improved seeds, have been taken in the last two-three years, but it is still a long way to go in developing the agriculture sector," said the agriculture department official.

Agriculture is the backbone of Bihar's economy, employing 81 per cent of workforce and generating nearly 42 per cent of the state's domestic product, according to the state government.






source:PTI

Why 26th January became our Republic day ?

             

Present constitution of India started Developments from the Regulating Act of 1773.This Journey of Development continued till 26th November 1949.The Indian Administrative structure is largely a legacy of the British rule.The History of the Constitutional development in India for the first time made the Provision for the post Governor -General in India.Since then a number of constitutional experiment were introduce aiming at steaming the Indian Administration.However,the year 1858 serves as watershed when the Indian Administration came under the direct rule of the British Crown and the centralization of the administration was at its pinnacle.Thus the period of British constitutional devlopment Experiment in india can be divided into two phase :-

a) Constitutional Experiments during the rule of the East India Company(1773-1857}

b) Constitutional Experiments under the British Crown(1857-1947)


No political campaign in history has ever succeeded without symbolism. India's freedom movement was no exception. Its careful adoption of many potent symbols helped unite a large, diverse land to fight for freedom in singular fashion. January 26 was one such symbolic choice, a selection made to recall a distinct moment in the long march to Indian independence.

This date was chosen as it was the anniversary of Purna Swaraj Day, which was held on January 26, 1930.Because of that India's constitution came into effect on Republic Day, January 26, 1950.That choice of date was made at the 1930 Lahore session of the Indian National Congress, where the Tricolour as we know it was raised for the first time. It was decided there that January 26 would from then on be marked by all freedom fighters as 'Purna Swaraj Day', a call for complete self-rule. This was an Independence Day before the actual event.

The Constituent assembly took 2 Years,11 months,18 days to frame the Constitution.
It spent 6.4 crore Rupees in the preparation. 
The Constitution had got ready on 26th. November 1949.

August 15 was not a matter of choice given to the Congress, as events hurtled to make the British transfer power to Nehru's provisional government on that day in 1947. India gained freedom to become a dominion then, still formally owing some allegiance to the British Crown — it's why coinage and stamps of that period still retain a bust of George VI.

A constituent assembly was formed soon after to rectify that, and a drafting committee was given the responsibility of coming up with a Constitution. It did that job admirably by the middle of 1949, and the assembly approved a new constitution on November 25. It was signed by all members on January 24, 1950 and came into effect two days later, as Rajendra Prasad took office as President of the new 'Republic of India'. Almost by design, it appeared, January 26 had returned to the national consciousness, always to be celebrated as Republic Day.

The constitution gave India's citizens the power to govern themselves by choosing their own government. Dr Rajendra Prasad took oath as India's first president at the Durbar Hall in the Government House, followed by a residential drive along a route to the Irwin Stadium, where he unfurled India's national flag. Ever since the historic day, January 26 is celebrated with festivities and patriotic fervor across India.

Many people throughout India celebrate the nation's Republic Day, which is a gazetted holiday on January 26 each year. It is a day to remember when India's constitution came into force on January 26, 1950, completing the country's transition toward becoming an independent republic. 

The Constitution of India came into force on 26 January 1950. Since then, the day is celebrated as Republic Day. However, before 1950, 26 January was called Independence Day. Since 26 January 1930, it was the day on which thousands of people, in villages, in mohallas, in towns, in small and big groups would take the independence pledge, committing themselves to the complete independence of India from British rule. It was only fitting that the new republic should come into being on that day, marking from its very inception the continuity between the struggle for independence and the adoption of the Constitution that made India a Republic.

What is a Constitution?

A constitution is a set of rules by which the people of a country are governed. It says how the government should work and what its powers and duties are. And it guarantees or, promises the people important rights like justice and freedom. It also tells people what their rights are and what they can and cannot do. The constitution is higher than all other laws in the country. All laws passed by a country have to be in line with its constitution.

           

The Indian Constitution

The Constitution of India came into force on 26 January 1950. It is the longest written constitution in the world. It has so far been amended, or changed, 94 times.

The Preamble to the Constitution says that it is from the people of India that the constitution gets it authority. It also states that the aim of the Constitution is to ensure justice, Freedom and equality for the citizens of India and the unity of nation.

The Fundamental Rights, which are a part of the Constitution, guarantee "civil liberties" to the people of India; that is, citizen have the right to freedom of speech and expression, to equality before the law and against discrimination based on religion, race, caste, or gender. They have the right to practise their own religion. All communities have the right to preserve and use their own language and script. Most importantly, All citizens have the right to move a court of a law in case any of the fundamental rights have been denied to them.