Burden on state under RTE expected to increase
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, July 12
In the coming years, the burden of providing free education to students belonging to economically weaker sections of society and those belonging to disadvantaged groups under the Right to Education is expected to go up to Rs 80 crore annually. The Uttarakhand government has been imploring the Central Government to increase the Central assistance, so that the state’s burden is reduced.

It is four years since the Uttarakhand department of school education began implementing the provisions of RTE and every year the number of students is increasing due to which the state is finding the financial assistance provided by the state inadequate.

In Uttarakhand, the total number of students covered under Right to Education in 2013-2014 was 20,491, in 2012-2013, 17,246 and in 2011-2012, 15,104. The highest number of students covered under the Right to Education (RTE) is in Dehradun, followed by Haridwar and Udham Singh Nagar.

While during the current academic session so far around 10,568 students in the state have sought admission under Right to Education.

Further , according to the provisions of the RTE Act, all private schools are supposed to reserve 25 per cent seats at their entry- level classes for children from economically weaker sections (EWS) of society. The schools are entitled to receive reimbursements from the education department for providing free education to these children. “The state reimburses those private schools providing free education to students under the 25 per cent reservation. There is a cap on fee structure with maximum limit of Rs 1383 per child per month for all classes. But private schools continue to hike fees and certain schools have crossed the limit which will be very difficult to bear,” said a senior official in the department of school education.

Education matters

• In Uttarakhand, the total number of students covered under Right to Education in 2013-2014 was 20,491, in 2012-2013, 17,246 and in 2011-2012, 15,104
• The highest number of students covered under the Right to Education (RTE) is in Dehradun, followed by Haridwar and Udham Singh Nagar.
  

Exhibition on Koran a treat for visitors
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, July 12
Giving an insight into the world of the holy Koran, the ongoing two-day exhibition titled “Tasmia holy Koran library” being held at Tasmia Academy is nothing less than an enriching experience for those visiting it.

Being organised in the holy month of Ramzan, the exhibition has come as a treat for the Muslims in the state capital. Housing hundreds of copies of the holy Koran along with ‘Surahs’ and ‘Aayats’ written on various artifacts, the oldest one is 750 years old. However, it is a 330-year-old copy handwritten by Mughal Emporer Aurangzeb that is the main attraction at the exhibition. The approximate three-inch wide roll of paper also carries the stamp of its writer in the end.

Some of the holy scriptures are written by ink prepared by crushing the precious stones and gold. Giving the details of the exhibition, Dr. S. Farooq said that the exhibition also houses the first coloured Koran that was printed in India in the year 1908. It has a scheme of seven colours and was printed with the permission of the then King of Afghanistan Ameer Saheb Bahadur in Ludhiana.

The exhibition also houses translations of the Koran in various languages, including Russian, Turkish, Chinese, German, Gurmukhi, Hindi and English. A copy written in Braille is also on display along with these translations.

“We have copies of the Koran weighing from 2 gm to 1,200 kg. Most of the things on display have been gifted by family members, relatives and friends over the past few years. The copies on display range from the ancient manuscripts to the digital format,” said Dr S Farooq.

Muslim community prays for peace

Mussoorie: Muslim devotees congregated to offer the second Friday prayers of Ramadaan month in various mosques, in and around Mussoorie on Friday.

The devotees prayed for peace and prosperity for the town and the country on the occasion. Prayers were also held for speedy recovery of Chief Minister Harish Rawat who was recuperating from the accident injury at AIIMS in New Delhi.

At Kulri Mosque Imam Mohd. Azam blessed the devotees and offered prayers seeking peace for all citizens of the town.

A Roza Iftari (fast opening) programme was also organised at Landour Bazaar by Muslim community in the evening where fruits etc were served to members of the community on fast.

Thousands take holy dip in Ganga on Guru Poornima
Tribune News Service

Haridwar, July 12
On the occasion of Guru Poornima, thousands took a holy dip in Ganga, with devotees worshipping their religious-spiritual gurus. From the wee hours, people thronged Ganga ghats, particularly sanctum sanctorum of Brahma Kund, Har-Ki-Pauri, performing holy Ganga bath.

Jagad Guru Hans Vedacharya delivered religious discourse at Jagan Nath Dham ashram on Guru Poornima while Swami Akhandanand ji Maharaj addressed devotees at Siddhi Vinayak Tateshwar Mandir.

Brahmaleen Swami Geetanand was paid tributes at Geeta Mandir temple on border of Haridwar-Dehradun at Neel Dhara by temple saints and followers. At Hari Milap Bhawan and other temples, muths and ashrams, disciples and devotees performed Guru worship.

At Akhil Bharatiya Shantikunj, Guru Poornima was celebrated with gaiety and fervour. Shantikunj devotees remembered Shantikunj founder Pt Shri Ram Sharma Acharya at the main auditorium.

Addressing the devotees, Shantikunj ideologue Shail Jiji said Pt Shri Ram Sharma Acharya always motivated his disciples to follow righteous path, honesty, simplicity, spirituality, truth, pure thoughts and acts.

“A Guru like Pt Shri Ram is rare to be found as he guided his followers from darkness to light, providing them salvation and motivating them to the fore,” said Shail Jiji.

Chancellor of Dev Sanskriti University Dr Pranav Pandya said a religious-spiritual guru like Pt Shri Ram Sharma takes birth to pave way for transformation of the society and guides it towards love, harmony and sensitivity, working for uplift of the poor and downtrodden.

Gayatri Parivar, Shantikunj announced three mega programmes. Shantikunj will earmark a single village in each of the districts of all 29 states of the country to carry out spiritual-social works. Nirmal Ganga Jan Abhiyan will be carried out for cleansing and purification of the Ganga by 10 lakh volunteers. It is planned that for 12 years, 2014 to 2026, a special environment conservation drive would be undertaken by Shantikunj volunteers.

Panchang yearly calendar was released in different languages by Dr Pandya and Shail Jiji. Prior to this, rituals and rites were performed under guidance of Dr Gayatri Kishore Trivedi and Jitendra Mishra.

Today, more than 2,400 devotees were given Gayantri Mantra deeksha with distribution of thousand-odd saplings of fruits and medicinal trees to the devotees.

CM seeks support of MPs on green bonus, rail projects
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, July 12
Chief Minister Harish Rawat has called upon all MPs from the state to forcefully put forward the concerns of the state like green bonus and railway projects during the Budget discussion in Parliament.

Speaking to mediapersons here yesterday, Congress Uttarakhand Media In charge Surendra Kumar said Chief Minister Harish Rawat had written a letter to all MPs from the state to mount pressure on the Central Government to develop the rail projects and services as well as press for approval of Rs 2000 crore for green bonus.

In his letter to MPs Bhagat Singh Koshiyari, Maj Gen BC Khanduri (retd), Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank, Mala Raja Laxmi Shah, Ajay Tamta, Tarun Vijay and Mahendra Singh Mahra, the CM has requested them to work as a team for development of the state irrespective of parties they belong. He added that the present Budget has totally ignored the welfare of the state.

The chief minister reminded that on June 24, 2014, he had written a letter to the prime minister as well as the railway minister to give priority to rail projects and other development projects in the state but no heed has been paid to it. He said many important rail projects like Tanakpur-Bageshwar rail line, Doiwala-Ranikhet rail line, the Roorkee-Deoband rail line are lying in the lurch. There has also been no mention of the green bonus status demanded by Uttarakhand.

Surendra Kumar said the Union Budget has also totally ignored Uttarakhand. He said the setting up of Himalayan studies centre keeps no meaning as already over a dozen of Central institutions are working on Himalayas. He said it would have been better had the Budget made provision to provide more funds to these institutions.

He said the Budget has no proposal to check migration from hills, which was the most formidable challenge being faced by the state.

Touch Wood School, Joseph’s Academy excel in debate
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, July 12
Touch Wood School grabbed the top spot while Saint Joseph’s Academy settled for the second position in the first round of Frank Anthony Inter School Debate being conducted at the Convent of Jesus and Mary School (CJM) here yesterday. The two teams would now proceed to contest the state-level competition slated for August. Samarth from Touch Wood school was adjudged the best speaker, his topic being “Modern Living Has Led To Present Environmental Crises”.

The team from Touch Wood School comprised Samarth and Raghav Bahuguna. The SJA team comprised Nirbhay Raisaly and Shashwat Badhoni. The judges for the competition were author Mona Verma, principal of North Point School Surinder Rautela and Nadira Ahmed, a former senior teacher at SJA.

Meanwhile, in another set of first round fixtures at the Doon Cambridge School, Nandish Jagwani of St George’s School was awarded the Best Speaker certificate. Tejasvi Singh of Convent of Jesus and Mary School was declared the first runner-up. The best team certificate went to St George’s School.

The 12 schools that participated in the competition were St George’s School, Mussoorie International School, Convent of Jesus and Mary School, Summer Valley School, Vincent Hill Boys School, Shangri-la Girls School, Sherwood College, Raja Ram Mohan Roy Academy, Unison World School, Indian Public School, Cambrian Hall and Doon Presidency School.

Mussoorie residents, students see red as bus service halted
Tribune News Service

Mussoorie, July 12
Residents and schoolchildren are unhappy at the abrupt stalling of the only bus service being regulated by the Municipal Council in the hill town of Mussoorie once again.

The service, that was started during the stint of the previous board under OP Uniyal, had become a lifeline for commuters from Jharipani to Happy valley, especially school-going children, for whom, the service turned out to be a great help during the rainy season.

The placard placed on the bus mentioned that the bus is to undergo a fitness test, therefore it has been temporarily stalled. Municipal Council Executive Officer Azhar Ali said the bus service had been terminated on directions of the Transport Department as the road tax had not been paid on the due date. He further said employees from the Municipal Council would be sent to the transport office to submit the due amount and only then will the bus service be restarted.

“This is the second time in a year that the bus service has been stalled temporarily due to the Municipal Council’s apathy,” said residents.

MC Ward members also flayed the decision and asked the authorities to resume the bus service without further delay.