New Delhi: Overcoming technical and commercial challenges, Urdu media in India is now trying to re-invent itself as big corporate houses enter the market. But the wider problem of lack of readership persists.

The advent of the digital technology has made it easier to print Urdu. Gone are the days when ‘qatibs’ (calligraphers) diligently traced out the script on to transparencies and then the letters were inverted before printing them on a lithographic machine. Now it is done through desktop composing and printing, just like with other languages.

Financial constraints are also easing.

According to Aziz Burney, group editor of the Roznama Rashtriya Sahara daily, big corporate houses are now keen on entering the market and are investing in the Urdu media – something which was unimaginable about a decade ago.

“There is a lot more job opportunities in the Urdu media today than what the position was in yesteryears,” Burney told IANS, painting a contrast to the times when the media was facing a lack of good content.

The Roznama Rashtriya Sahara publishes 16 editions from 10 places across the country and claims a readership of over three million. It also publishes the Aalmi Sahara, a weekly newsmagazine, and the Bazm-e-Sahara, a literary and culture monthly.

In a sign of the resurging popularity of the Urdu media, the Dainik Jagran group started Daily Inquilab newspaper with New Delhi, Lucknow, Allahabad, Gorakhpur and Varanasi editions. The United News Of India’s (UNI) Urdu service, which was launched in 1992 with six subscribers, now is said to have 84 subscribers in different parts of India.

According to the Registrar of Newspapers for India (RNI), Urdu stands third in terms of number of periodical publications after Hindi and English.

However, the biggest problem is of the declining number of people able to read Urdu. Munir Adil, editor of the Daily Salar in Bangalore, thinks the biggest problem that the Urdu media faces today is that of readership.

“The Urdu language is commonly used in Bollywood, but falling number of readership of Urdu newspapers is the biggest challenge,” Adil told IANS. “The elite class is obsessed with the English language.”

Others in the field seek a greater stress on content.

Noting that there has been “new colour, new life and new courage in Urdu journalism in India”, Adeel Akhtar, president of journalists union Journalism for Justice, told IANS: “The Urdu media needs to focus on investigative journalism and the trend of depending on news agencies should be changed now.”

The view is shared by Ehtesham Ahmed Khan, associate professor at the School of Mass Communication and Journalism in Maulana Azad National Urdu University at Hyderabad.

“The Urdu media needs to focus on its content because content is king,” he said.

Journalists however raise several problems with regard to working conditions. “There is no job security in the Urdu media, nor do we have a strong union backing us,” Mohammed Mubashiruddin Khurram of The Daily Siasat said.

And gathering news is not the sole preoccupation. “We have to gather news as well as advertisements for revenue,” Alamuallah Islahi of the Daily Sahafat newspaper told IANS.

According to Srinagar-based journalist Sareer Khalid, Urdu journalists need to be better trained.

Going one step ahead, Rehana Bastiwala of BBC Urdu said: “For a better Urdu media, the standard of Urdu schools should be improved”.

However, the situation in the electronic media is better. According to Rashtriya Sahara more than 90 million people speak Urdu in India, of whom 40 million are television viewers. There are at least five Urdu news channels, including Doordarshan Urdu, ETV Urdu, Aalmi Sahara and Munsif TV, apart from some others dedicated to religious content.

“The reach of Urdu news channels is massive. A person who knows Hindi can easily understand Urdu,” Burney said.

As far as radio services is concerned, BBC Urdu, which was started in 1940, has a big impact in India. Apart from BBC, Voice of America, Radio Deutsche Welle and All India Radio’s Urdu services are also popular in Urdu speaking belts.

(Abu Zafar can be contacted at abuzafar@journalist.com)

[Source: http://ummid.com/news/2011/July/04.07.2011/urdu_media_modernises.htm ]

BOKARO: The Bokaro Steel Limited (BSL) has decided to remove encroachment from 77 places in the township and evicted occupants from more than 100 illegally occupied quarters, but the company has not taken any initiative to snap electricity and water supply on its encroached compound.

On March 7, the Jharkhand high court had directed PSUs, including the BSL, to disconnect power and water supply to the illegal buildings.

However, repeated directions given by the administrative officials to the BSL management have fallen on deaf ears. On Friday, Chas SDO Sudhir Kumar Ranjan asked the BSL officials to cut electricity and water supply of a slum adjacent to the airport boundary in Sector-XII.

The BSL management has planned to conduct demolition drive in that area on Saturday. The administration has asked the BSL officials to cut the power in the area a few days ago but of no avail.

When asked, Ranjan said he had asked the BSL officials several times to snap the power and water supply in the encroached area, but the company disconnected the lines a few hours before the eviction drive.

Another official said snapping of power and water connections would help send a strong message to the squatters. “It will also save huge revenue loss suffered by the BSL against illegal connection of water and electricity.”

However, the CBI which is inquiring into the encroachment on company land has submitted a preliminary report to the high court saying about 163 dwellings and 2086.39 acres of the company were encroached.

BSL’s chief of communication Sanjay Tiwari said the squatters in different areas used to steal power and water from the main supply line. “Several times the BSL has removed the illegal connections, but the squatters restored them again. However, disconnecting electricity lines to the squatters is difficult as it affects other genuine residents because the main supply line in the buildings is the same,” he said.

[Source:http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-06-24/ranchi/29703184_1_bsl-management-water-supply-power-and-water]

An image of the Lucknow edition of the Urdu daily Inquilab

Jagran Prakashan launches the first edition of The Inquilab, a year after acquiring Mid-Day Multimedia, owner of the Urdu daily.

Jagran Prakashan (JPL) is launching the Urdu newspaper The Inquilab from Lucknow on May 27. JPL bought over Mid-Day Multimedia in May 2010, and The Inquilab was a part of the deal.

The Inquilab is targeted at the upmarket, affluent, Urdu-speaking population across a range of markets in the North. The daily is being positioned as a family newspaper, with content for everyone. There will be dedicated content space for women, kids and youth, apart from the regular national and international news, sports, city, business and entertainment.

Post this launch, the group has lined up more editions from other markets of UP, Delhi and Bihar.

The Inquilab will, on an average, be a 12-page newspaper on weekdays, and a 16-page newspaper on weekends. Additionally, there will be two supplements — one on Fridays, and the other on Sundays.

To promote the launch, the group has planned a series of launch campaigns supporting the new edition, both at the reader, as well as the industry levels.

Shahid Latif, the editor for The Inquilab, and who has been responsible for the makeover of the newspaper, has been at the helm of affairs since 2004. Under his overall guidance, the content planning has been done for all new editions.

Shakeel Shamsi is the editor for the North editions. He has 25 years of experience in Journalism, across media types. Shamsi has authored over 12 books, and is the recipient of the Bharatendu Award.

According to a company spokesperson, “There are many Urdu newspapers in the market, and it’s a fairly competitive space. However, our positioning of The Inquilab as a nationalistic paper will be the key differentiator. The Inquilab is India’s oldest and largest read Urdu newspaper, and these credentials give us an edge in the market. While the print runs for Urdu papers are small, the readership numbers are huge.”

For the record, with the launch of The Inquilab’s Lucknow edition, JPL now has 82 editions across four languages, covering 14 states.

[Source: http://www.afaqs.com/news/story.html?sid=30640_Urdu+daily+The+Inquilab+to+be+launched+from+Lucknow  ]

Jagran Prakashan Ltd launches its Urdu newspaper Inquilab from Lucknow on 27th May 2011 i.e today. Inquilab is India’s oldest and largest read Urdu newspaper. With this launch, JPL further strengthens its position as the largest read publication group of India.

The group is launching with the newspaper’s Lucknow Edition on 27th May. Post which there are editions lined up in Delhi, other markets of UP and Bihar.

Shahid Latif is the Editor for Inquilab and has been at the helm since 2004 and been responsible for the makeover of Inquilab. Under his overall guidance, the content planning has been done for all the new editions.

Shakeel Shamsi is the Editor for the North editions. He comes in with an experience of Journalism across media types of over 25 years. He has authored over 12 books and is the recipient of the Bharatendu Award.

It will be a 12 page newspaper on Weekdays and a 16 Page newspaper on Weekends. Additionally there will be 2 supplements – one on Friday and one on Sunday. It is targeted at the upmarket urdu reading population across markets in UP, Delhi and Bihar.

Inquilab is positioned as a complete family newspaper with content for everyone. There is dedicated content space for Women, Kids and Youth. In addition to National & International News, Sports, City, and Business, the paper will cover Entertainment as well. Inquilab will continue on its editorial path of “nationalistic journalism and will also raise community specific issues.” Inquilab is known for its responsible journalism and the new editions of Inquilab will continue to reflect this in their approach.

Apart from local retail and Government and classifieds, Inquilab will provide increased reach amongst relevant audiences to larger national advertisers.

The flagship brand, Dainik Jagran has been the largest read newspaper in India for the last 17 consecutive rounds of IRS. With the launch of Inquilab’s Lucknow edition, Jagran Prakashan Limited now has 82 Editions across 4 languages covering 14 states and a readership of 62 mn.

[Source : http://www.adgully.com/media/print/jagran-launches-urdu-newspaper-inquilab-in-lucknow.html ]

BOKARO: In a bid to curb illegal hostel business in company quarters in the township, the Bokaro Steel Limited (BSL) has tightened noose on the schools here.

The BSL has directed schools to ban students from staying on rent in outhouses constructed illegally in quarters. The step has been taken by the BSL to boost the anti-encroachment drive being conducted in the township on directives of the Jharkhand High Court.

BSL has provided land to almost all the schools in the township and hence the directive is being taken seriously by every school, said sources.

The city, which is fast growing as an education hub, draws a large number of outstation students every year from other districts of Bihar, West Bengal etc. With maximum schools bereft of any hostel facility, outsiders are forced to stay in rooms illegally constructed in BSL quarters.

The officials of the town and administration (T&A) department of BSL have found that majority of residents have illegally constructed rooms in allotted or leased quarters of BSL and given it on rent to the outsider for money.

However, BSL while conducting demolition drive recently razed down a few dozen unauthorized hostels in Sector-IV. It also served notices to many employees and lessees to remove such illegal deviations from their quarters. “We have also sought support from schools in this regard,” said a BSL official.

He added, “The increasing number of students in the private schools is one of the prime reasons leading to unauthorized encroachments in quarters in form of dwelling units and hostels. This has created imbalance in normal distribution of basic amenities like electricity and water.”

BSL in the letter served to private schools mentions indiscriminate increase in number of outstation students have forced them to stay in cramped and unhygienic conditions in unauthorized constructions made on the premises of BSL quarters.

BSL management will not allow misuse of the facility provided by the company. A senior official of education department said though the management has planned action against the occupants, the schools should also realize their responsibility towards maintenance of township, which was meant to provide accommodation to the plant employees only.

BSL has directed schools that no further new class or addition in the existing strength of the classes shall be made without permission of the management. Besides, the management has made it mandatory for schools to collect details and addresses related to proposed or existing accommodation from the outside students during their admissions in the current academic year.

If any fresh student, except ward of BSL employees, provides address of BSL quarters, the school should collect a hand written certified copy by the house occupants about the relation they have with the student and mention that the student is not staying on rent in their house premises, said sources.

[Source : http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-06-04/ranchi/29620455_1_bsl-management-bokaro-steel-limited-private-schools  ]

RANCHI: With over 7,500 auto rickshaws going off roads on Saturday owing to the strike called by auto associations against a new traffic rule, commuters had a harrowing time in the state capital.

Thousands of people, including daily commuters, were stranded in different parts of state capital, many of them seen looking for alternative modes of transport, as members of Jharkhand Diesel Auto Association marched to governor house, protesting against the new traffic rule of al-lowing only auto rickshaws with valid road permits to ply in the city.

Members shouted slogans against district administration and termed the decision of giving only 1,026 road permits to three wheelers on 20 routes as pure diktat, responsible for rendering them unemployed and causing in-convenience to commuters.

Many auto rickshaw drivers, however, turned the strike into an opportunity to make a quick buck, exploiting the commuters’ situation.

Rakhi Kumari, a state secretariat employee, seemed extremely annoyed about arbitrary fares being demanded by a few auto rickshaw drivers and decided not to go to her office at all, returning back home from old Circuit House chowk on Circular Road.

Commuters complained even auto rickshaws with road permits were charging double or triple the scheduled fare.

Sumit Mishra, who tried to board an auto rickshaw from New Market Chowk to Birsa Chowk, said the three wheeler drivers demanded Rs 20 instead of the actual fare of Rs 5 and he had little choice but to pay up. “This is pure blackmailing,” said Mishra.

Many others were seen walking to their destinations or boarding the congested city buses.

Many auto rickshaws without valid road permits also plied on various link roads. About 150 such auto rickshaws were seized by police under different police stations.

“Some of the auto rickshaw drivers even tried to disrupt the plying of city buses on Circular Road but were detained by Lalpur police and released in the evening,” said traffic DSP R N Singh.

[Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ranchi/Commuters-stranded-in-auto-strike/articleshow/8728521.cms ]

RANCHI: Overall pass percentage in secondary examinations in the state has been falling continuously since the past three years, even as students continue to score high marks in the tests. The Jharkhand Academic Council announced Class X results on Tuesday. Anjali Kumari of Indira Gandhi Balika High School in Hazaribag topped the merit list with 91% marks.

Only 69% of the total students appearing in the examination for the academic year 2011 managed to pass, in which the boys performed slightly better than girls, registering pass a percentage of 71 as against 67% of the girls. The decline in the examination conducted by Jharkhand academic council has been continuing since 2008, when a record pass percentage of 87% was achieved. In 2009, about 78% students were successful in the examination, while it came down to 74% in 2010. Though the number of students appearing for the school finals had been continuously rising since 2004, this year it came down to 3,54,626 against 4,02,019 students appearing in the exams last year.

Unwilling to admit a decline in the standard of education due to an acute shortage of teachers in the state, minister of HRD Baijnath Ram on the contrary credited Jharkhand Academic Council (JAC) for being strict and not allowing the use of unfair means to pass the exams by the students. “If the pass percentage has come down we can say with confidence that performance of students has improved, as is evident from the merit list in which a girl from Indira Gandhi Girls High School has secured 91% marks,” he said.

The JAC has been beset with a number of delays in conducting the secondary exam this year. A large number of teaching and non-teaching staff of government schools were engaged in the National Games in February and also in the census programme.

(Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ranchi/Class-X-exam-pass-percentage-on-wane/articleshow/8669454.cms )

Ranchi, May 18: Rural job scheme activist Niyamat Ansari was beaten to death by Maoists as a group of middlemen stood and watched, a report on the March 2 killing has pointed out, indicating once again that implementation of MGNREGS in Jharkhand leaves a lot to be desired.

Armed with the report, a committee constituted by Union rural development ministry today met chief minister Arjun Munda and his deputy Sudesh Mahto, requesting them to ensure corruption-free implementation of the job scheme and iterated the Centre’s pending demand for instituting a CBI probe into the killing of Ansari in Latehar and labourer Subal Mahto in Chas, Bokaro.

Handing over a letter to Munda, one of the key members of the committee, Aruna Roy — also member, National Advisory Council (NAC) — asked him to provide security for all activists working to free MGNREGS from the clutches of corrupt middlemen.

“It is not possible for the local police to conduct an inquiry into the murder of Niyamat. People want to know the truth in the case. Hence, the demand for a CBI probe,” Roy said.

The CBI probe demand is not new. In March, after the murders of Niyamat, an aide of noted economist Jean Drèze, who is also a part of the committee, and Subal, the Centre had requested the state to allow the investigating agency to conduct the probe.

But Jharkhand is yet to respond. State MGNREGS commissioner Ajoy Kumar Singh had admitted to The Telegraph last month that the proposal was pending with the state government.

Apart from Roy, the committee formed by the Centre comprises retired IAS Lalit Mathur, NAC joint secretary K. Raju and social activist Nikhil Dey. Today, Drèze, too, joined them while they were meeting the deputy chief minister.

The committee has sought compensation of Rs 10 lakh for Niyamat’s family and government jobs for his wife Nuresha Biwi and sister Sayeeda Biwi since the family has been left with no earning member.

Yesterday, the committee held a meeting with state rural development secretary R.S. Poddar, MGNREGS commissioner Singh and deputy commissioners of Latehar, Bokaro and Ranchi districts in the state capital.

Roy and the other activists also met NGOs and civil society groups.

Commissioned by the activists to get to the bottom of Niyamat’s killing, the report was prepared by former president of Palamau District Bar Association Nand Lal Singh and journalist Gokul Basant.

The two also looked into allegations, levelled by Maoists, that Niyamat and another activist were involved in illegal land deals and had collected money from villagers as donation.

But, they found these allegations to be untrue.

“Maoists had levelled charges that Niyamat and fellow activist Bhukhan Singh had collected Rs 13 lakh from villagers as chanda or donation. They also had accused Niyamat of attempting human — a boy — sacrifice. All these have been found baseless,” Nand Lal said.

Basant revealed that Maoists had called Niyamat for a jan adalat on July 7, 2010. He did not attend, though his wife and children did. “The adalat was convened by Maoists on the request of middlemen, who were involved in his killing,” he added.

[Source : http://www.telegraphindia.com/1110519/jsp/frontpage/story_14000789.jsp  ]

RANCHI: Government school teachers in Jharkhand would be soon relieved from non-teaching assignments, particularly the responsibility of implementing midday meal scheme and construction related work.

The decision was taken by human resource development minister Baijnath Ram after he attended the conference on preparation of future plan of Jharkhand’. He also asked government schools to start annual day functions in their schools and regular parent-teachers meeting along the lines of private schools to enhance communication.

Admitting that the curriculum being followed in schools has turned boring, as a result of which schools fail to retain students, Ram said soon a committee would be formed to review the history and geography curriculum so that local issues can be incorporated in the subjects.

“Unless students identify themselves with what they are learning, it becomes difficult for them to retain the study material,” he said.

Announcing to open model schools in all 320 blocks of the state, Ram also offered to start computer education in 1,068 government schools soon. He also acknowledged acute crisis of teachers in government schools and assured to fill up the vacancies within four months.

Groups of academicians and administrators came up with several suggestions in the conference too to spruce up education. Revamping B Ed and D Ed curriculum, more scopes for higher education in the state, mechanisms to evaluate standard of teachers and their selection, more opportunities for technical and vocational training, more medical colleges and polytechnic institutes in the state and more seats in existing ones, public-private partnership to upgrade education standards were a few ideas put forward.

[Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ranchi/Midday-meals-scrapped-from-teachers-menu/articleshow/8374864.cms ]