MONTH THAT WAS

1,736 NGOs: No foreign funds

New Delhi: As many as 1,736 NGOs, including Ramakrishna Mission Ashrama, Mata Amritnandmayi Math and Church of South India Diocese of Madras, will no longer be able to receive foreign funds as they have failed to renew their FCRA registration.

The registration of the 1,736 NGOs under Foreign Contribution Regulation Act expired after these organisations failed to submit required documents for renewal of their license by November 8. The NGOs will no longer be able to receive any foreign funds henceforth, a Home Ministry official said.

However, if anyone of them approaches the government with the necessary documents, such application will be considered case-to-case basis, the official said. 

Earlier, the Home Ministry had closed the application for FCRA license renewal in 1,736 cases due to “non-submission of documents or deficient documents or other statutory shortcoming within the stipulated time” of June 30. The NGOs were given time till November 8 for submission of non-complete applications.

In addition, the Centre also denied renewal of FCRA registration to 25 NGOs after they were allegedly found to be involved in anti-national activities. The 25 NGOs’ operations in the country are “contrary” to the provisions of the Foreign Contribution Regulations Act (FCRA) and allegedly anti-national, an official said.

A total of 16,491 applications were received by the Home Ministry for renewal of FCRA registration and out of which 14,730 were granted renewal.

Postal dept sees opportunity in cash rush

Mumbai: The Postal Department seized the opportunity of people thronging to exchange the demonetised currency notes. They began to promote its savings and investment schemes on November 11.

Officials of Maharashtra and Goa circle of the Department of Post have made necessary arrangements to make announcements about the savings and investment schemes to the people, who are coming to exchange the notes.

“The people coming to exchange the currency notes are our potential customers. We want them to invest their money in our different lucrative schemes that we have launched over a period of time,” said Harish Chandra Agrawal, the Chief Post Master General of Maharashtra and Goa circle.

Highlighting the schemes, he said, “People can invest in monthly income scheme (MIS), Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana, time deposit schemes, Public Provident Fund (PPF) and other saving schemes which are giving best returns as compared to other forms of investments.”

“In addition to these, people can also invest their money in recurring deposit (RD) Scheme, Kisan Vikas Patra (KVP), Senior Citizen Saving Scheme, Post Office Savings Bank (POSB),which give good returns,” Agrawal added.

Maharashtra and Goa circle has a network of 61 head post offices, 2,154 sub-post offices and 10,644 Gramin Dak Sewa.

Talking about the people rushing to exchange the notes, another senior officer from the circle said there was no need to panic as they still have at least 50 days left to get the notes changed.

“We are doing every bit to serve the people who want to exchange the notes. It may take some time for the newly-printed notes to reach our various post offices, but we are hopeful that the process would get streamlined very soon,” the official said.

Demonetization impact : Maoist caught 

Ranchi: A man was arrested for trying to deposit Rs 25 lakh cash belonging to a Maoist guerilla in a bank, police said .

Nand Kishore, a petrol pump owner from Bero situated on the outskirts of Ranchi, was arrested. He was carrying the money to deposit it in a bank.

Police intercepted Kishore while he was on his way to the bank. During interrogation, he admitted that the money belonged to banned Maoist organisation People’s Liberation Front of India’s (PLFI) supremo Dinesh Gope. Kishore was to deposit the money in his account in the name of petrol and diesel sale.

After Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes were demonetised on November 8, Maoist guerrillas have been using their contacts to deposit the money.

“We are keeping watch on such transactions. Our networks have been activated to keep close watch on such transactions,” Jharkhand police spokesperson M.S. Bhatia told.

Dentist’s deadly slip

London- In a freak accident, a 29-year-old woman in the UK had to undergo an emergency surgery after a dentist accidentally dropped a 3-cm long pin file into her mouth during root canal treatment following which she started to choke.

Vanessa Snary, a former help desk manager in Bristol, England was under anaesthetic to numb her gums so she did not feel it into her mouth while in the dentist’s chair. She quickly started to choke as the sharp tool slipped down her throat.

Snary said dentist Ester Torrejimeno did not dial 999 and insisted on driving her to hospital.

No junk food in campuses

New Delhi: University Grants Commission (UGC) has asked all central varsities to take steps to ban the availability of junk food on their campuses.

In a letter to all Vice Chancellors, UGC secretary Jaspal S Sandhu said that the HRD ministry has desired to issue instructions against availability and sale of junk food in Higher Educational Institutions. “Banning junk food in colleges would set new standards for healthy food and make the students live better, and learn better and also reduce the obesity levels in young learners, thus preventing life style diseases which have a direct link with excessive weight,” the senior UGC official said in his communiqué.

He said that all central varsities should implement measures to sensitise the students on ill effects of junk food. The UGC letter added that universities can serve as important data sources on student’s health. Information on markers like body mass index (BMI)/percentage of body weight, waist hip ratio, etc can help in creating awareness among students towards their health, the UGC letter said.

It added that orientation programmes for faculty and staff be conducted on health issues. Wellness clusters should be created under the Students Welfare Department where counseling should be done regarding proper nutrition, proper exercise and healthy habits.

These wellness clusters can also provide psychological support to the students to prevent and reduce the incidence of obesity in young students, the letter said. “You are, therefore, requested that you may take necessary actions on the above points in your esteemed university and also circulate the instructions to all the colleges affiliated to your university,” the UGC letter said. There are around 40 central varsities which have hundreds of colleges affiliated to them.

Commissioner tries to clean up- NMMC

Mumbai: A day after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) lost 17 seats in Panvel APMC elections, commissioner of Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) Tukaram Mundhe, who has the backing of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnvis, struck yet again. Mundhe suspended two Shiv Sena corporators --Shivram Patil, member of the NMMC standing committee, and his wife Anita, a sitting corporator.

Mundhe had received complaints about their involvement in illegal constructions, after which he had ordered an inquiry. “After getting evidence of their involvement, Mundhe suspended the couple,” said Ankush Chavan, additional civic chief, NMMC. 

Recently, after Mundhe had undertaken a drive to weed out corruption from NMMC, the Sena corporators led a morcha against him. They called for his removal and also passed a No-Confidence motion against Mundhe. Sena had received immense support from the Nationalist Congress Party, which also has won a seat in APMC polls.

The Sena and BJP councilors had welcomed Mundhe’s appointment as NMMC commissioner, because at that time the rumour was he was brought in to clean up the corruption and illegal construction of NCP legislator Ganesh Naik.

Mundhe had received several complaints from general public of the various illegal constructions undertaken by politicians of all parties. Mundhe thereafter went on a clean-up drive, which received support from the citizens, but upset all the councilors and politicians of Navi Mumbai area. 

Shivram Patil in his defense has accused Mudhe of being biased.

Cash Seized but Minister admits

Mumbai: In report that could embarrass the BJP, a senior BJP cabinet minister in Maharashtra admitted to hoarding Rs 91,50,000 in demonetised currency notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000.

“I had kept thinking it would come in handy during my regular business transactions. But suddenly on November 8, these notes were demonetised. I am ready to face any consequences in this regard,” Minister for Cooperatives Subhash Deshmukh told a private news channel.

The stashed cash in the old currency was seized from a private vehicle owned by Deshmukh-controlled NGO, Lok Mangal Group of Solapur, shocking people at large.

Confirming the seizure, Osmanabad Collector Prashant Narnaware told the media that the money was detected during a routine check of vehicles by a district election flying squad near Umarga town.

The vehicle was impounded and the seized cash promptly deposited in the local district treasury pending investigation.

Om Creations gives life to less fortunate creations of God

Mumbai: Bulti Das is 24. Her Mother works as a domestic help, her father is a cook, and her younger brother takes up jobs that emerge around festivals, like making clay lamps and Ganpati idols.

Ms. Das has recently got a job. She starts her work around 9.00 a.m., when she takes a bus to King George Memorial Infirmary in Mahalaxmi where many non-government organizations have offices and workshops. There, she spends her day making table lamps, wind-chimes paintings, colourful cups bowls, ceramic candle-holders, gift bags and many other things. But Ms. Das lives with Down Syndrome (DS), and is also hearing-and-speech-impaired. The syndrome is a result of a genetic anomaly which can result in mild to moderate intellectual disability. People with the distinct dysmorphic facial features, and may have other birth defects including heart-defects and digestive abnormalities. There is no cure, but there are treatments which can temper the severity of its effects.

No wonder, then, that Ms. Das’ mother is proud and happy. Ms. Das’ job is with Om creations Trust (OCT). She is one of the 57 women who work there. All of them live with DS.

OCT is a social enterprise that aims to “provide employment and a life of dignity to mentally challenged and differently-abled women.” It aims to help them integrate into society’s mainstream, earn an income to sustain themselves.