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?Rambler
Wooing Muslims
The UPA government is in full drive to appease Muslims by all means to attract them back towards Congress. For this, the Prime Minister has constituted a high-level committee to prepare a comprehensive report on the social, economic and educational backwardness of the Muslims in the country. The Chairperson of the committee is Justice Rajinder Sachar with other members included are Saiyid Hamid (Educationist), Dr. T.K. Oommen (Sociologist), M.A. Basith (Planner), Dr. Rakesh Basant (Economist), Dr. Akhtar Majeed (Academician) and Dr. Abu Saleh Shariff (Economist).
Race for Chief Secretary
With the present Chief Secretary of Tamil Nadu Ms. Laxmi Pranesh is going to retire this month the race for next Chief Secretary has started in the state. The grapevine has it that the final choice is going to be between the 1970 batch IAS officers?Home Secretary Pawan Raina and Finance Secretary Natrajan Narayan. Both are considered close and trusted fellows of Jayalalithaa. Another IAS officer Ms Jayanthi may be a dark horse of the race.
Jolt to NDTV
Rajdeep Sardesai'ssudden exit, for starting its own jouranlist-driven channel Broadcast News in collaboration with TV18, from New Delhi Television may not have created visible ripples in the organisation but it certainly has made a dent in channel'sreputation.
It can be judged from the fact that NDTV popular programme The Big Fight, which was anchored by Rajdeep is off-air. Not only this, NDTV has been forced to look for substitute stories to offset the kind of impact Rajdeep'sexit has had. And it would take a while for NDTV to come out of it although new arrangements have been made with Barkha Dutt becoming channel'snew managing editor in place of Rajdeep.
Rajdeep'snew channel is likely to become operational by September 2005 for which two floors have been bought at Videocon Towers at Jhandewalan to set up news studios and other infrastructural facilities.
Although there is no mass exodus of reporters, producers or anchors from NDTV with Rajdeep so far, the grapevine has it that it would happen in coming days, particularly with the Broadcast News going on air.
Exhibition on wheels
To show the progress made by the country in Science and Technology since Independence a rail exhibition named ?Vigyan Mail?Science Exhibition on Wheels? has begun its 72-day second phase journey from New Delhi. This exhibition will travel to 27 cities in 11 states across the country. The exhibition coordinated by Rashtriya Vigyan Evam Prodyogiki Sanchar Parishad would offer valuable opportunity to people, especially children and youth to understand the challenges and achievements in different sectors of science and technology.
The exhibits cover a wide range of issues such as environment, cost of development, using the energy inside an atom for generating energy and a host of other applications. Advances in genetic engineering are explained in simple language. Several computer monitors show interesting science-based programmes.
Computer games have also been devised to attract visitors and test their knowledge and aptitude in science. The exhibition is held in 12 coaches with many important departments and organisations participating in it. These include defence, space, atomic energy, information technology, telecommunication, environment & forests, agriculture, medicine, biotechnology, water resources, ocean development, non-conventional energy sources, meteorology survey, science communication and technology information.
