Diageo plans to empower 27,000 women in India

Diageo, the world's largest spirits maker, aims to empower two million women, including 27,000 in India, under its five-year socio-economic programme in Asia Pacific region.

"Plan W aims to reach women of all socio-economic profiles through training and skills development to empower two million women in 17 countries in Asia-Pacific over five years," the company has announced.

The plan has supported 15,000 women in Asia Pacific after it was launched last year.

Diageo announced two initiatives on Friday. The "Women in hospitality and tourism in Asia" conference, which aims to provide a platform for engagement and sharing of best practices for an audience committed to the cause of women's empowerment through learning. It would be held on March 7, 2014 in Singapore to celebrate International Women Day.

The second initiative would be the "Women's empowerment (WE) journalism awards", which aims to recognise and honour outstanding achievements in the reporting on women's issues across Asia Pacific, said Diageo, which has taken Hilton Hotel as a partner in the programmes.

"To date, we have launched 32 initiatives, in 12 markets, working with 17 partners and created a positive ripple effect that has reached 75,000 beneficiaries of these women," said Diageo's president for the Asia Pacific, Gilbert Ghostine.

In India, Diageo is working with the British Council Young Women Social Entrepreneurship Development programme, which was launched in September this year.

The training program aims to build skills and capacity of 20 master trainers to train others, starting from Delhi.

Diageo's second programme is Udygoni - a pilot project to build capacity NGOs to support women to develop micro-enterprises. It aims to build capacity of 7 NGOs in Delhi, to help women develop micro-enterprises by sharing business skills and training on starting and growing micro-enterprises.

Diageo's third programme is Samarthanam Trust, which aims to up-scale an existing all-women call centre in Bangalore, to improve productivity and reach by training beneficiaries on technical skills and providing career counselling and placement support.

The first batch of 316 women has completed training. Most of these women are visually impaired or have physical disabilities. Enrolment for the second batch is in progress. The six month programme, which began in September, aims to train 1,050 women.

Diageo's partner in Udyogini and Samarthanam is Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) India.

More: http://profit.ndtv.com/news/corporates/article-diageo-plans-to-empower-27-000-women-in-india-373648

Farmers' suicide: HC seeks reply from banks, govt

In the matter of suicides by farmers of Bundelkhand region in UP, theAllahabad high court has asked banks and other financial authorities to inform it about the steps taken to give relief to the farmers in pursuance of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) guidelines.

Fixing January 6 for further hearing, a division bench comprising Chief Justice Dhananjaya Yeshwant Chandrachud and Justice Dilip Gupta asked the State Bank of India, Allahabad Bank and the Central and state governments to file their respective replies (counter affidavit) in the matter within four weeks.

The court also asked whether any scheme to provide relief to the farmers has been prepared or not in pursuance of guidelines of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) issued in July 2010 and on July 1, 2013.

The plight of farmers of Bundelkhand region came to limelight through various newspaper reports. In astonishing revelations, some newspaper reports published that the farmers in Bundelkhand region are committing suicide on failure of payment of bank loan. This region had been worst affected due to frequent draught and economic backwardness.

Earlier, at one stage, the court had taken suo moto cognizance of the plight of farmers of Bundelkhand region of UP. Taking a serious note of the plight of farmers, the court had also stayed the recovery of loan from farmers in the area by its earlier order dated July 13, 2011.

More: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/allahabad/Farmers-suicide-HC-seeks-reply-from-banks-govt/articleshow/26614445.cms

PM has betrayed the people: Hazare

Social crusader Anna Hazare on Thursday accused Prime Minister Manmohan Singh of telling lies and betraying him as well as the people of the country by giving false promises regarding passing of the Lokpal bill, bringing all government officials under the Lokpal ambit, citizens' charter and setting up a Lokayukta in each state.

"I never imagined that for the sake of power you will speak a lie," Hazare said in a letter sent to Singh on Thursday. The letter stated that he would go on an indefinite fast at the Yadavbaba temple in Ralegan Siddhi from December 10.

Hazare recalled several promises made by the Prime Minister after he started an indefinite fast at Ramlila ground in New Delhi in 2011 and the subsequent letters reiterating the government's commitment to passing the Lokpal bill. However, matters have not progressed in the last two years, he rued. He said that whenever he raised the Lokpal issue, the Prime Minister gave him false assurances.

"Today, I feel that you made false promises to betray me and the people of India, as you just wanted to silence me and the people who participated in the Janlokpal movement. I always considered you a noble man and had a very good image. Many times I have publicly said that Prime Minister is a good man, but I never imagined that for the sake of power you will ever speak a lie," Hazare said in his letter. Had I known that Singh was betraying the people of the country I would never have ended the fast, he added.

Referring to the letters, Singh sent him on August 23 and August 27, 2011, Hazare said: "Now I assume that you won't remember what you had written in letters dated August 23 and 27. You must have forgotten them, therefore I am sending copies of your letters so that you can recall it. After reading them you will definitely feel that you have made a mistake. The lust for power is such that it makes one unconscious," Hazare said, adding, "From your office, I received many letters written by V Narayanasamy. Every time, he praised you and gave me assurances on your behalf. I am also attaching copy of one such letter dated 3/09/2013."

Hazare said he was worried about the future of the country if Singh's government includes people who bluntly lie. He pointed that the country will never prosper if it was ruled by liars. "I am surprised to see how come so many liars have come together in your government who level false allegations against me also," he said.

Hazare said Singh was doing injustice to the people by not bringing the Lokpal bill and this has forced him to go on an indefinite fast a day prior to the beginning of the winter session in Parliament. Hazare said the venue has been changed from Ramlila ground to Yadavbaba temple at Ralegan Siddhi due to health reasons.

'Verbal violence'

Anna Hazare acknowledged in his letter that he has committed 'verbal violence'. "In my life I have always followed the principle of non-violence and never committed any violence. But in this letter, I have made verbal violence. I know it but the government is responsible. Any such verbal violence which is for the benefit of society is not a sin," Hazare said in the letter.

More: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/pune/PM-has-betrayed-the-people-Hazare/articleshow/26544516.cms

Prof. K.V.Thomas expresses concern over delay in sugarcane harvesting, crushing

K.V.Thomas, Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution has made a strong appeal to farmers and millers to initiate negotiations and to cooperate with the States to start crushing of sugarcane. He has said that the central Government is ready to consider all possible steps to help the sugarcane farmers and sugarcane Industry. A Ministerial group setup by the Government will look into the problems being faced by the sugar Industry and will soon submit its report.

Full text of the Food Ministers’ appeal is as follows:-

“Sugar production in the country has exceeded the domestic consumption requirement for the 3rd year in a row. The situation is expected to remain same in the current sugar season i.e. 2013-14. Due to global and domestic surplus, prices of sugar in the international market have been bearish dampening the prospects of sugar export from the country. This has created a situation of surplus in the domestic market and low sugar prices leading to a situation of differing perceptions of sugarcane cultivators and the sugar millers on pricing of sugarcane. As a result of the standoff, the cultivators/farmers of sugarcane are waiting to harvest and market the sugarcane crop.

An all-party delegation from Maharashtra led by Chief Minister of the State called on the Prime Minister on November 26, 2013 to discuss the issues related to the sugar industry, particularly, cooperative sugar industry, Maharashtra.

Prime Minister has constituted an Informal Group under the Chairmanship of Minister of Agriculture & Food Processing Industries including Finance Minister, Minister of Civil Aviation, Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas, and Minister of State for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution to look into the problems being faced by the Sugar industry and finalize their recommendations as early as possible.

The Central government is willing to consider all possible the steps its to help the sugarcane farmers and the sugar industry. Delay in sugar cane harvesting and crushing by the mills affects both of them as these operations are already delayed. I, therefore, appeal to all the cane farmers to cooperate with the respective State Governments and start supplying sugarcane to the sugar mills”.

More: http://nvonews.com/2013/11/29/prof-k-v-thomas-expresses-concern-over-delay-in-sugarcane-harvesting-crushing/

Rural India shows signs of revival, wider outlook glum

Pandurang Ghorpade has the weather to thank as he hands out celebratory sweets to neighbours eager for a ride on his prized new possession, a gleaming red tractor bought in anticipation of a bumper harvest. "Unlike last year, there wasn't any shortage of water this year," Ghorpade said. "My earnings are likely to rise from sugar cane and ginger crops that have grown vigorously." Also Read: Rural economy flavour of season; check out stocks to bet on The best monsoon in six years means similar scenes to the one in Shirdhon southeast of Mumbai are being played out across much of rural India, home to two-thirds of the 1.2 billion population. It also means sales of tractors and motorbikes are surging, raising hopes this pick up in activity will spread and feed a wider revival in an economy that has slumped to its worst growth in a decade. 

But the benefits may be fleeting because rural growth alone will not be enough to pull India's economy out of the doldrums longer term. The countryside produces only a third of India's gross domestic product and in the urban areas that drive growth, business in showrooms and shopping malls is still shrinking. "As we sit in mid-November, we have not seen signs to suggest that there is a significant increase in output," Tushar Poddar, chief India economist at Goldman Sachs, said in a conference call last week. The economy is battling to recover from a significant slump. Growth slid in the fiscal year to March 2013 to just 5 percent, the lowest pace since 2002/03, as a stalled reform agenda prompted investors to flee. A vulnerable current account swelled to a record deficit, knocking the rupee to a record low. 

Since then, rural demand and other encouraging signs - a revival in exports and a narrowing of the current account deficit - have given India's policymakers reason to think the worst of the two-year slump may be over. Tractor sales in India rose nearly 29 percent in October from a year earlier, reaching a record high of 94,227 units. Sales of motorbikes, bought when farmers graduate from bicycles, jumped 18 percent in the same month. Consumer goods companies like Hindustan Unilever and natural health care firm Dabur are trying to boost rural sales. Helped by the boon, Dabur's net profit jumped by 23 percent in the September quarter from a year earlier. "We are seeing demand from rural India outpacing the urban markets," Dabur said in its earnings release late last month. 

For graphic on consumer demand, click http://link.reuters.com/byj94v Finance Minister P Chidambaram also sees the rural rebound and exports revival as encouraging, suggesting they would help the economy recover in the second half of the fiscal year ending on March 31. But by the government's own estimates, expansion for the full fiscal year could be as low as the 5 percent recorded last year, a far cry from the 8-9 percent growth rates the government of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has aspired to in recent years. Some economists, such as Poddar, argue even 5 percent may be ambitious. High inflation is impinging on urban demand and businesses are holding back investment until they can see the shape of a new Indian government due to be elected by May 2014. 

The central bank under new governor Raghuram Rajan has already raised its policy interest rates twice to counter inflation, adding to borrowing costs. The competing pressures on the economy are expected to be reflected in a report on Friday on India's GDP for July to September. Although annual growth is seen rising to 4.6 percent, a little better than the previous quarter, the data will likely show the economy is not firing in all areas. That is familiar to India's largest utility vehicle maker Mahindra and Mahindra . While the company's tractor sales jumped 21 percent as the monsoon rains fell between July and September, sales of passenger vehicles including SUVs, mostly bought in the cities, slumped 25 percent. BRIGHT SPOTS Exports have gained sharply from the competitive boost from India's weak currency, which is now above its record low but still near historically weak levels. 

Overseas sales generate nearly a quarter of GDP and merchandise exports have been posting double-digit growth since July, the best run in nearly two years. Textiles, in particular, have made the most of a weak rupee. Exports from the sector have grown an annual 12 percent this year compared with a 9 percent fall last year. Most garment exporters are either running at full capacity or have outsourced manufacturing jobs to meet rising overseas demand. But the good times have so far not encouraged other industries to make the kinds of investment in adding production capacity that would help kickstart wider economic growth - partly because domestic demand remains depressed. India's iron and steel industry, for example, is relying on its idle capacity to sustain double-digit growth in overseas sales that it recorded between April and September. Seshagiri Rao, joint managing director of JSW Steel , blamed subdued domestic demand from major steel consuming industries such as real estate, infrastructure and autos.

 "This will have to come back again only then we will see steel consumption growth in India," he said. Weak investment lies at the heart of India's economic malaise. Capital investments crawled at a decade-low of 1.7 percent last fiscal year. Goldman Sachs expects investment growth to slow further to 1.2 percent this fiscal year, dragging down overall economic growth to 4.3 percent. To lift the sagging investment rate, the government has expedited clearances for big ticket infrastructure projects. But the impact on the ground has yet to be felt. "Do I see a significant improvement in (investment) activity over the next three to four months? I would say we have not seen evidence to suggest that," Poddar said.

Read more at: http://www.moneycontrol.com/news/economy/rural-india-shows-signseconomic-revivalwider-outlook-glum_998406.html?utm_source=ref_article

‘56 women killed in 2013 for giving birth to girls’

“A country where mothers are killed for giving birth to baby girls can’t be called an ethical society,” Rehman said at the symposium, titled ‘Youth emerging as a force for positive change’, meant to mark the International Day to Eliminate Violence Against Women. The event was arranged by the All Pakistan Women’s Association (APWA).

From January 2012 to September 2013, there were also 90 acid attacks on women, 72 cases of burning caused by other means, 491 cases of domestic violence, 344 cases of gang rape and 835 cases of violence, he said. “Young girls are being raped in Pakistan and all we do is shout rather that do anything practical,” he said.

Rehman said that giving girls and boys equal access to education and introducing a uniform education system for the rich and the poor would bring about positive changes in Pakistan. “It has taken us 62 years to say that education is a basic right,” he said.

Supreme Court Advocate Shamsa Ali said a third of seats in local government should be reserved for women. This would make local bodies a nursery for young female politicians, she said.

She added that there should be a zero tolerance policy towards violence against women. She said that Pakistan had ratified the UN Convention for the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, but had not fully implemented it.

MPA Hina Pervez Butt, who was one of the chief guests, said that the Punjab Assembly would soon pass the Punjab Protection of Family Members from Violence Bill. “The bill is a welcome indication of the Government of Punjab’s commitment to supporting women in distress and to addressing issues of violence,” she said.

Butt said that the PML N leadership had encouraged young people like her to come forward and work for the betterment of society.

Minister for Population and Family Welfare Begum Zakia Shahnawaz said that the high population growth rate was also one of the causes of violence against women.

APWA Chairwoman Ruhi Sayid said that the association had taken many initiatives to help victims of violence.

More: http://tribune.com.pk/story/636971/56-women-killed-in-2013-for-giving-birth-to-girls/

Separate law against honour killings sought

A UNFPA study on gender laws has recommended a separate law against honour killings to ensure that khap panchayats and families victimizing couples are brought to book. The move has been supported by Planning Commission member Sayeeda Hameed who said it should be made an election issue.

The UNFPA report — 'Laws and Son Preference in India: A Reality Check' — has evaluated gender laws to find that legislations meant to protect women may be doing the opposite. Authored by senior advocate Kirti Singh, the report also recommended a new anti-discrimination legal framework to guide laws and policies for women and girls.


The study found that some legal provisions were not just inadequate in checking son preference, but also promoted the practice and ended up being discriminatory for women, such as the Goa law on polygamy that permits second marriage for the husband where there is no son from the first marriage. The study strongly recommended removing such blatantly discriminatory provisions.

"A deeply entrenched preference for sons exists for various reasons including that a son inherits property, whereas a daughter is perceived as more of a burden due to factors such as dowry — a practice that continues to prevail despite being illegal. Laws and their implementation are the backbone of social change. They hold the potential to change mindsets and stem generations of gender discrimination,'' Frederika Meijer, UNFPA representative for India and Bhutan, said.

Advocating a strong law against honour killings, author Kirti Singh said, "Violent, abusive, barbaric acts occur even before killing. There is no law to address this. It is urgently required."

Agreeing to this, Hameed said, "This should be made an election issue. There has to be a separate law to address honour killings."

More: http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-11-15/india/44113026_1_honour-killings-separate-law-strong-law

Aamir Khan gets award for Satyamev Jayate

Bollywood superstar Aamir Khan has been selected for a US award for his television show 'Satyamev Jayate' along with eminent American director Kathryn Bigelow and the International Center on Nonviolent Conflict (ICNC). They will be honoured at the inaugural awards dinner by the America Abroad Media (AAM) in Washington DC on October 28.

Read more: http://tamil.oneindia.in/movies/heroes/aamir-khan-be-honoured-his-show-satyamev-jayate-183797.html