HEALTH

NGOs get training on AIDS control
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, March 29 — The needs of such targeted groups as truck drivers, commercial sex workers, migrant labourers, industrial workers and students were assessed on the second day of the workshop of NGOs on targeted interventions at Kisan Bhavan today. The training workshop has been organised by the Punjab State AIDS Control Society with technical support from the DFID (Department for International Development), British High Commission, New Delhi.

The thrust of this second phase of the AIDS control programme, launched by the Union government in December, 1999, is to target various high risk groups to bring about a behavioural change so that they adopt safe sexual practices.The needs assessment study will enable them to assess the variation in communication needs of different groups of different areas of the state.

The projects will be implemented by NGOs after getting a three-day training on the subject, which will be monitored and evaluated.

Dr G.S Chahal, Additional Project Director of the AIDS control society spoke on the basics of HIV/AIDS and its preventive aspects. He also stressed on the role NGOs can play in effectively implementing targeted interventions.

Schemes for disabled revised
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, March 29 — A scheme to provide financial assistance for the purchase of aids and appliances and another scholarship scheme for disabled persons of Chandigarh has been revised.

Those eligible should have 40 per cent or above disability, and should be resident of Chandigarh, with an income of Rs 500 per month — if married, total income of both husband and wife should not exceed Rs 750 per month — and if not earning, then income of his or her parents. In case of one child, the income should not exceed Rs 2500 per month. This is the condition for eligibility under ‘Pension to Disabled Persons Scheme’.

In the pre-revised scheme, there was condition of minimum age of 18 which has now been removed.

The disabled persons who are residing in Chandigarh and are in need of artificial aids, gadgets or tools and such aids and are recommended by qualified doctor of government hospitals, would be eligible to avail the benefit of ‘Financial assistance to disabled persons for purchase of aids and appliances’ scheme. If the disabled person’s income is up to Rs 5000 per month, the assistance would be to the extent of full cost of aid appliance. In case the family income is between Rs 5001 and Rs 8000 per month, the amount of assistance would be 50 per cent. However, maximum amount of assistance shall not exceed Rs 20,000 in any case.

In the pre-revised scheme, the income limit of up to Rs 600 per month was there which has now been revised in this scheme. The disabled students pursuing their studies from class IX onwards who are residents of Chandigarh and their family income is not more than Rs 5000 per month would be eligible to avail ‘scholarship scheme’ and they will get scholarship from Rs 150 to Rs 500 per month depending upon the class of study.

The department will also impart computer training to disabled boys and girls have studied up to matric and above. Those interested can send their biodata on a plain paper to the Director, Social Welfare, Additional Town Hall Building, Sector 17-C, Chandigarh.

SPORT

Rowing clinic for coaches in Calcutta
By Our Sports Reporter

CHANDIGARH, March 29 — A six-week clinic for rowing coaches, under the aegis of Sports Authority of India, Netaji Subhas National Institute of Sports, Patiala, will be organised from April 15 in Calcutta.

According to a communication to the Chandigarh Rowing Association from the Rowing Federation of India (RFI), the RFI has requested the International Rowing Federation to send an expert for conducting a few lectures on the latest trends in coaching.

A pair of Indian rowers have qualified for Sydney Olympics and a camp for 14 Indian rowers is in progress at Sukhna Lake. Six rowers will attend an advanced 120-days training in the USA in May.

Last week, during speed trials at the lake, Mr K.P. Singh Deo, RFI President, said the association would try to tap and groom the rowers at grassroots level through their respective associations and schools and universities would be told to adopt rowing.

Those interested to attend the clinic may contact Mr Kailash Nath, Secretary of the Chandigarh Rowing Association, by April 1.

Tennis tourney

The second edition of the Lake Cup Tennis Tournament will begin at Lake Club courts, Sector 6, here tomorrow.

The tournament, started two months back, had evinced good response from players and it was decided to hold it four to five times in a year. The senior tennis coach, Baldev Singh, said the UT Administration and the Director Sports, Mr M. Ramsekhar, supported the holding of the tournament regularly.