4 days Ago By Sentinel Digital Desk
The Assam government has officially started distributing new ration cards under the first phase of its public distribution system reforms. This initiative aims to streamline the process of providing essential commodities to eligible beneficiaries while ensuring transparency and accountability. In the first phase, thousands of families across the state will receive the updated ration cards, which are expected to replace outdated versions and address discrepancies in the existing system.
The new cards are designed to integrate with digital platforms, making it easier to track distribution and prevent pilferage. State authorities have emphasized that priority will be given to families under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) to ensure food security for economically vulnerable sections. Beneficiaries can collect the cards at designated distribution centers.
The initiative reflects the government’s commitment to modernizing the public distribution system and enhancing welfare measures for the people of Assam. Gauhati University The recent Boragaon gang rape incident and circulation of the footage on social media have raised many questions about whether Guwahati, the gateway to the Northeast, is safe for our daughters, sisters, and friends to step out. Juvenile crimes or delinquency have been increasing at an alarming rate in the state.
Current records prove that juveniles are involved in harsh crimes like murder, gang rape, robbery, snatching, and so on. Such criminal acts by children have shocked every conscious citizen. Children are just like flowers.
Parents, guardians, and society at large have a solemn duty to handle them with care. It is true that no one is criminal by birth. It is the circumstance that makes teens commit minor crimes first and serious crimes later.
Gradually poverty, drug abuse, an anti-social peer group, abusive parents, broken homes, and so on turn the same teenagers into a thorn in the flesh. The ironic fact that parents, teachers, and the whole socio-economic condition are held responsible for the tragic problem. This necessitates a greater awareness and a refined perspective on the meaning of life and one's own identity.
Meditation is a powerful weapon because our values are affected by the state and conditions of our mind, powers of understanding, morale muscle, sensitiveness, and motivation. Meditative is a most effective non-punitive approach to the solution of the problem at a micro level, as it empowers one to assess a situation dispassionately. Instead of acting out of habit, one is motivated to create a fresh solution or response to every problem.
We need to encourage our children to make meditation a way of life. It will act as a deterrent to check drug cycle among juveniles. The educational institutions need to arrange a meditation program for children for at least one hour before the start of formal teaching daily through well-trained yoga teachers.
How to overcome this situation is important, because it is now a national problem. All stakeholders, including parents, individuals, and teachers, have to come onto the same platform, as it is a shared responsibility for everyone to solve the issue of juvenile crimes to bring our children back on their correct path. Hiding their crime-prone behaviour would be more detrimental in the long run.
Guwahati. Drug abuse has become a growing global concern, threatening individuals, families, and communities across the globe. Various forms of abuse—from illicit drugs to misuse of prescription drugs—are devastating.
Not only can they cause addiction and lead to mental issues, but they can also lead to death. Multiple factors may have caused drug abuse: peer pressure, stress, trauma, poverty, and ignorance about the harms of drugs. Preventing drug abuse calls for comprehensive measures.
Central to such measures is education—both schools and communities taking it upon themselves to initiate awareness programs aimed at sensitizing individuals, especially the youth, to the dangers of drugs. There exist other such skills, such as decision-making and stress management, which can help young people resist peer pressure and cope with strains. Strong family ties also contribute to drug abuse prevention.
Having an open line of communication allows young children to seek help or discuss the issues they are facing, thus reducing the risk of drug use. Equally, the community should create such avenues where young kids can engage in constructive activities like sports, arts, or community service, instead of dwelling in abuse. Governments and law enforcement need to take serious measures against those who promote the sale and use of drugs and warrant the implemental facilities for the rehabilitation process.
Addicts are not bad people, just sick ones: society must appreciate that addiction should be treated like a health issue and provide counselling, therapy, and support in the recovery program. Preventing drug abuse is not a task to be done alone; it is a collective responsibility. By creating awareness, giving support, and tackling the core problems, we can develop a world free from the desolation of drug abuse.
([email protected]) Bloodshed was the rule in Chhattisgarh's Bastar not so long ago due to unabated and unrestrained Naxal activities. That, however, has changed for the better thanks to the unflinching Centre-State coordination.
This fact was exemplified in the "Bastar Olympics" at Jagdalpur, where a range of sports events took place over a month's time. Nearly 1.5 lakh people from seven districts of the division reportedly took part in the Olympics, which was also attended by former Naxals and those affected by their violence.
The broad aim of the games was to solidify the sense of unity and peace in the region that has witnessed phenomenal development over the years thanks to a proactive administration. Plenty of Naxals have given up arms and have joined mainstream society, and those sitting on the fence are likely to follow their former comrades. Rehabilitation of those who have shunned violence is critical in ensuring that others follow suit.
By all accounts, Chhattisgarh is a ‘model state’ with regard to Naxal rehabilitation; other states with a Naxal history can take a leaf out of it. Erstwhile Naxals have been helped by Chhattisgarh’s robust encompassment plan that is predominantly inclusive. ‘Karsai Ta Bastar, Barsaye Ta Bastar’ was the superb banner for the Olympics, which meant Bastar will progress by playing.
Besides, the natural beauty of Bastar has the potential to be showcased, and Home Minister Amit Shah rightly highlighted this point at the closing ceremony of the Bastar Olympics. ([email protected]) On December 17, 2024, the Indian political landscape witnessed a pivotal moment as the “One Nation One Election” (ONOE) bill was tabled in the Lok Sabha.
This reform seeks to synchronise national, state, and local elections, promising efficiency and cost savings, but its implementation brings both promise and peril. Advocates argued that ONOE could reduce the financial burden of frequent elections, which often cost the Indian taxpayers billions. Simultaneous elections would reduce the need for repeated campaigns and resource-heavy election cycles, allowing the government to focus more on governance.
In theory, this could also streamline political processes, improving the efficiency of the democratic system. However, critics, particularly regional parties, expressed concerns that ONOE might erode the federal nature of India’s democracy. Regional issues could be drowned out by national priorities, and smaller parties might lose their influence.
Moreover, organising elections on such a large scale raised logistical challenges, with the potential for electoral mismanagement. As the bill moves forward in Parliament, the debate will determine if ONOE can balance efficiency with India’s complex federal fabric. Its success hinges on careful, inclusive implementation.
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