UNHCR: Assisting refugees in INDIA

New Delhi, 6 December 2006

new delhi, december 7 (INFA): The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in India is supporting directly some 11,500 refugees, mostly from Afghanistan (9500) and Myanmar (1750). Most of them are living in and around New Delhi.

The UNHCR is actively working at different levels to catalyse action for refugees, asylum seekers and other displaced populations or stateless persons. This is important as these highly vulnerable groups risk being left out during preparation of proposals for funding and in preparation of national plans, despite commitments to universal access.

In India, the UN system, as well as the Socio Legal Information Centre (SLIC) partners with UNHCR in this exercise.

At the grassroots level, the Voluntary Health Association of Delhi, a UNHCR implementing partner has played a crucial role in linking those with HIV/AIDS with local facilities---the counseling/testing and treatment centres of Government hospitals, as well as the care and support programmes of NGOs/positive networks.

The UNHCR is now embarking on a leadership building exercise with the refugee communities. The focus will be on active action by refugee youth along with refugee health workers.

The expertise of Don Bosco, another UNHCR implementing partner with youth groups will be tapped for this purpose, with extensive training programmes. These will cover topics ranging from HIV/AIDS awareness creation, universal precautions on infections, stigma reduction, prevention of STI (sexually transmitted infection), harm reduction (drug/alcohol abuse), behaviour change communication, leadership building, prevention of sexual and gender-based violence caring and support for PLWHA etc.

These will be followed by street plays, sports days, poster competitions and other awareness creation measures. Culturally sensitive condom distribution systems and refugee support groups for the affected will also be established. ---INFA

ANDHRA GOVERNMENT POPULIST POLICIES

HYDERABAD,  December 7 (INFA):  Few economists will appreciate Andhra Chief Minister, Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy’s promise, the other day, not to impose fresh taxes or to raise bus fares and power tariff till the end of his Government’s term in 2009. 

Normally, any ruling party is reluctant to raise taxes or power tariff and bus fares.  But such populism costs the State exchequer dearly, putting a strain on State finances by pushing up budgetary deficits and public debt.

Andhra Pradesh, it will be recalled, has been witnessing this phenomenon since 1983 due to populist schemes and policies pursued by successive Governments. Telugu Desam Party founder N.T. Rama Rao had started it all by implementing the Rs.2 a kg. rice and subsidized saree and dhoti scheme for the poor and power supply for farm sector at concessional rats. These schemes became a drain on the State’s resources in the 1980s and resulted in substantial cuts in the plan outplays of the State.

Again, while NTR in the Opposition forced the Congress regime to impose a ban on arrack in the 1990s, he revived the Rs.2 a kg scheme and clamped total prohibition on liquor in 1994., causing terrible strain on the State exchequer.  NTR’s son-in-law and successor N. Chandrababu Naidu had no option but to raise the taxes, bus fares, power tariffs and subsidized rice price and partially lift prohibition to shore up State finances. ---INFA