Thursday, September 9, 2010

WOMEN AND CHILD WELFARE SCHEMES

  • Compulsory Registration of Marriages / Prevention of Child Marriages through Child Marriage Prohibition Act, 2006, A.P., Compulsory Registration of Marriage Act, 2002 and 2003 Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961.
  • Implementation of Domestic Violence Act, 2005.
1. SWAYAM SIDHA
  • In the year 1996 the GOI sanctioned the scheme the Indira Mahila Yojana (IMY) to implement in 14 blocks of Chittoor and Mahabubnagar Districts of A.P.
  • Subsequently the IMY scheme has been renamed as IWEP (Integrate Women Empowerment Programme) i.e., Swayamsidha, and the Scheme is extended up to 2001-07 March, in 38 Blocks.
  • The main objective of the Programme is to create confidence and awareness among members of SHGs regarding Women’s status, Health, Nutrition, Education, Sanitation & Hygiene, Legal rights Economic upliftment and other Social Economic and political issues.
No of Projects : 38
No of Groups formed : 3874
No of Villages Covered : 2454
No of Group Members : 53598
Noof Groups started Savings : 3874
Amount of savings : Rs. 3,28,56,058
No of Groups Started Inter Loaning : 2818
Amount of Inter Loaning : Rs. 3,13,18,132
No of Groups availing Bank Loans : 1722
Amount of Bank linkages : Rs. 5,21,35,628
  • 3874 Groups are involved in IGA activities. An amount of Rs. 334.60 Lakhs @ Rs.10, 000/- for each Group for 3346 groups as revolving fund is sanctioned.
  • The following activities have been taken up with an amount of Rs.338.76 Lakhs at State Level and Block Level during 2005-06.
  • Developed IEC and Training Modules.
  • Conducted Trainings on conflict Management Communication skills, Capacity Building, Training and Financial Management and Register Maintenance.
  • Bankers Sensitization and workshops and meetings with Line departments.
  • Conducted Regional Level Workshops for CDPOs and Supervisors.
  • Conducted Convergence Trainings and ED Programmes
  • Started Community Oriented Innovation Intervention Scheme with the share of 60:40 GOI and State Governments.
  • The Works on Community Assets creation is under process i.e construction of Community Halls cum Productivity Centres, C.C Roads, Drainages, Bus shelters, Retaining walls & Bore wells with the State Share of Rs. 87.60 Lakhs for 188 works.
  • Tie-up initiated with KVIC State Boards. Preparation of project proposals through RICS (Rural Industries Consultancy Services) and KGMV (Khadi Gramodyoga Maha Vidyalay) Hyderabad is under process.
The State Level Mela was conducted from 8th march 2006 to 11th march 2006 at Hyderabad. In the State Level Mela the Hon’ble Minister of Andhra Pradesh for Women Dev. & Child Welfare has inaugurated the Mela on 8th March-2006, followed by the visit of prominent people and officials of various Departments. The Hon’ble Minister visited all the 55 Exhibition Stalls, and had spared 2 Hours.

2. LACTATING MOTHERS THROUGH ICDS
  1. Supplementary Nutrition to pregnant and lactating mothers.
  2. Immunization to Women.
  3. Health check-up to Women.
  4. Referral services to Women.
  5. Nutrition and Health Education to mothers and Adolescent Girls.
3. INSTITUTIONAL SERVICES FOR DESTITUTES, WIDOWS, DESERTED WIVES etc THROUGH:
  1. State Homes
  2. SwadharHomes/RescueHomes

Swadhar is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme for women in difficult circumstances including the victims of trafficking. There are 34 Swadhar Homes across the State, out of which 31 are run by the Non Governmental Organizations. One Home at Kukatpally which is run by the State Government exclusively for the rescued victims of trafficking with 200 beds capacity. Under this Scheme shelter, food, clothing, counseling, skill development training programme besides rehabilitation are provided to the women.

4. TRAINING PROGRAMMES THROUGH:
  1. State Homes
  2. Swadhar Homes/Rescue Homes
  3. Mahila Pranganams in each of the 23 districts

5. SUPPORT FOR PERSUING HIGHER EDUCATION THROUGH :
  1. Full Reimbursments of fees/Scholarships for SC's/ST's/BC's/Minority/Disabled/Econamically poor with anual income of RS 1 lakh and below
  2. 70% reservation for Orphans/Destitutes/ in diploma courses at Durgabhai Deshmuk Women's Technical Training Institute at Yousafguda - Hyderabad
6. NATIONAL PROGRAMME FOR ADOLESCENT GIRLS (NPAG)

This is a Nutrition Programme for Adolescent Girls (NPAG) – A pilot Project is initiated by the planning commission to provide free food grains to under nourished adolescent girls in 51 identified districts in the country. The Project is being implemented in 2 backward districts i.e., Adilabad and Mahaboobnagar.
The scheme is launched.

    • To reduce anemia in Adolescent Girls.
    • To improve nutritional and health status in Adolescent Girls.
    • To improve body weight in adolescent girls.
  • Under the scheme subsidized food grains i.e., 6 Kgs per month is being provided at free of cost through public distribution system to undernourished adolescent girls whose weight is below 35 Kgs. Selection of beneficiaries is done basing on their weight and regular monitoring on quarterly basis.

Under Nutrition Programme for Adolescent girls, the beneficiaries covered during 2009-10 are 3,71,000. Out of these 60,102 are SCs and 25,970 are STs.
The following steps have been taken to reduce malnutrition.

  • Providing nutritious food supplements to all the children below 6 years, pregnant and lactating women.
  • Vitamin premix is added in the Modified Therapeutic food and in instant food Premixes to the extent of 50% of the recommended Dietary allowance to reduce Micronutrient Malnutrition.
  • Monthly Magazines are being supplied to all Anganwadi Centers on topics covering Nutrition, Health & other issues.
  • Iodized Salt is being used in Local Food Model where the hot cooked food is supplied to reduce the iodine deficiency disorders. The department has organized workshops from regional level to grass root level to improve the consumption of Iodized Salt. The importance of Iodine intake and its impact on deficiency has been well sensitized in the community to reduce Iodine deficiency.
  • Through IEC, AWWs are exposed to Nutrition and Health issues.
  • Personal Hygiene practice is being promoted at the AWCs.
  • Promotion of Kitchen – Gardening to improve intake of vitamin A and Iron inputs of foods.
  • Nutrition and Health education classes also being conducted at AWCs.

Promoting the IYCF feeding practices to improve the Nutritional Status and to reduce the infant deaths.

  • Awareness on importance of Health & Nutrition for reducing the Malnutrition level are being regularly conducted by Anganwadi Training Centers & Middle Level Training Centers.
  • Infant & Young Child Feeding Practice is built into the Curriculum of ICDS regular job course & Refresher course Trainings.
  • Infant & Young Child Feeding Counseling specialists training programme was conducted for 118 MLTC, AWTC instructors & Departmental Officials. In turn they are conducting 3 days training programme for front line workers.
  • Promotion of Infant & Young Child Feeding Practices through special events like World Breast Feeding Week, Nutrition Week Celebrations at State Level, District Level & Project Level are also conducted regularly.
  • Mother Support Groups – A Forum to improve proper infant and child feeding practices at home. Sensitization of family members individually on the importance of infant and young child feeding practices (IYCF) mainly on breast milk within one hour, exclusive breast feeding for 6 months and appropriate complementary feeding after 6 months while continuing breast feeding for 2 years and beyond are emphasized.

Special Campaign to bring awareness on Health and Nutrition

  • Through campaign mode awareness is created among mothers and elders on importance of care during Pregnancy / New Born Care.
  • Promotion of institutional deliveries and feeding practices.
  • Conducting Samoohika Sreemanthalu, Anna Prasanas and counsel the mothers on importance of feeding practices etc are taken up.
  • The House visits are prioritized by AWWs / Supervisors during the most critical periods of the life cycle such as, Pregnant Care, New Born Care etc., and Counseling is done to bring behavioral changes, especially on feeding practices among mothers and elders.

Conducting of Nutrition Health days in Cooperation with Health Department
The Village Health Days are Conducted to identify and enroll the left outs / drop outs, among Children and also to bring transparency and accountability on the services of the Department, and also on SNP, bringing awareness among community to demand for the services of the Dept. This platform is also used to discuss on the difference Government schemes, encouraging Participation of CBOs / MMS during NHDs to increase accountability, and demand for services.

7. KISHORE SHAKTI YOJANA

The Scheme is intended to provide awareness to Adolescent girls on Trafficking, Child Marriage Act and on topics of social, Health and Economic issues. The training is imparted in vocational skills which suit the Adolescent Girls to get their lively hood.

  1. Eleven to Eighteen years Adolescent girls are covered under Kishore Shakti Yojana to train them on relevant Social issues through peer group interaction and change agents.
  2. 17,760 Balika Mandals are formed in the state with target group covering 11 Anganwadi Centers in a project every year.
  3. Every Balika Mandal has three change agents who are trained as master trainers.
  4. Vocational training which are placement oriented are started this year covering nearly 18,000 girls in computers, lace making, embroidery, beautician etc., through Jana Shikshana Samstha and Vocation Education Department.
8. RELIEF FUND FOR VICTIMS OF CRIME

To rescue & rehabilitate Financial Assistance up to 1.00 Lakh is provided for the following:-

  1. To rescue and rehabilitate Women under trafficking / Kidnap / rape / dowry death etc., for which financial assistance is being provided.
  2. To create awareness on to prevent crimes against women.
  3. To enable the victims to seek justice in the Court to Law.
  4. To provide justice to the victim women and to protect the constitutional rights provided to women and children.
  5. For repatriation of victims rescued from places of trafficking to their homes / transit home / rescue home, expenditure towards travel, clothing and other immediate necessities, urgent medical care, food and accommodation expenses etc.

9. DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ACT 2005

The Government of India has enacted an act called protection of women from Domestic Violence Act – 2005 w.e.f., 26.10.2006. To implement this act the Government have appointed 104 Protection Officers (23 Project Directors of the Dept., 81 RDOs) and 72 service providers are appointed to extend help to aggrieved women under PW DV Act – 2005. The provision of Rs.50,00,000/- is provided for office assistance to appoint supporting staff i.e., 46 Counselors, 23 DEOs, 46 Messengers (deputed from Police Dept.,) to the Protection Officers and one Junior Asst & one DEO at Directorate for effective implementation of the Act. The total number of DIRs filed so far is 4,430 under the Act, the total number of Interim orders in 473 and Final Orders issued in 836 respectively as on 31.10.2009.

10. ANTI TRAFFICKING MEASURES

  • A comprehensive policy for combating trafficking of women and children for commercial sexual exploitation was issued vide G.O.Ms.No.1, Dt.03.01.2003. Orders provide for establishing Regional Networks, formation of Community Vigilant groups etc.
  • Two Regional Net Works covering Ananthapur, Kadapa and Chittoor & Guntur and Prakasam are in operation with intensive approach, with the help of UNICEF.
  • In the year 2009-2010 so far 48 Victims of Commercial Sexual Exploitation and Trafficking (VOCSETS) were given relief of Rs.10,000/- each.
  • A total of 475 trafficking victims are given shelter in 32 Swadhar Homes.



  • Integrated Child Development Services(ICDS)
  • The Department has universalized the ICDS Programme in the entire State with 385 ICDS Projects and the following services are rendered through the Anganwadi Centers.

    a)

    Supplementary Nutrition Programme.

    b)

    Pre-School Education to Children.

    c)

    Immunization

    The services are provided with active co-ordination with the community and line Departments concerned.

    d)

    Health Checkups

    e)

    Referral Services

    f)

    Health & Nutrition Education to Children, Women and Adolescent Girls.

Mandate, Goals and Policy frame work

  • To reduce Malnutrition in 0-6 year Children.
  • Reduction of Children with low Birth Weight.
  • To reduce Infant Mortality Rate.
  • To reduce Maternal Mortality Rate.
  • To educate Mothers about Nutrition & Health.
  • To reduce anemia, Vitamin A deficiency and Iodine deficiency among the Children below 6 years and Mothers.
  • To improve the Feeding Practices.
  • To achieve the above goals Supplementary Nutrition Programme is provided to the Children 0-6 years, Pregnant and Lactating Mothers.

The coverage of beneficiaries, during the previous years are as follows:-

Year

Projects

No. of AWCs

Beneficiaries

Women

Children

Total

2007-2008

385

73,944

61,87,882

77,42,986

1,39,30,868

2008-2009

385

73,944

1,16,90,063

59,72,851

1,76,62,914

2009-2010

385

73,944

1,17,02,400

60,70,620

1,77,73,020

Out of the total 73,944 Main AWCs 61,880 are in Rural Areas, 7,021 are in Urban Area and 5,043 are in Tribal Areas. In addition 7,621 Mini AWCs are also in operation all over the State.

SUPPLEMENTARY NUTRITION PROGRAMME (SNP):-

Nutrition is the most important service rendered under ICDS. Broadly three varieties of Supplementary Food is being provided to the beneficiaries (76 Beneficiaries per Anganwadi Center) in 385 ICDS Projects in the State.

Sl.No.

Types of Food

Projects

AWCs

Beneficiaries

1.

Ready To Eat (RTE) Food

223

42,202

32,07,352

2.

Local Food Model (LFM)

159

31,073

23,61,548

3.

Community Managed SNP (Local Food)

3

669

50,844

Total

385

73,944

56,19,744

Under SNP component, coverage of beneficiary’s category wise, age wise is as follows:-
0-3 years Children - 22,92,264
3-6 years Children - 21,44,376
Pregnant & Lactating - 11,83,104
-------------
Total:- 56,19,744
-------------

a) Cost:-

Government of India have revised the cost norms relating to implementation of SNP under ICDS scheme and communicated the revised rates. Government of A.P. vide G.O.Rt.No.176, WD CW & DW (ICDS) Dept., Dt.09.06.2009 have accorded permission to incur the expenditure on SNP under ICDS Scheme as per GOI revised norms and the rates have been increased as follows:-

  • Rs.4/- per Child per day.
  • Rs.5/- per Adult per day.
  • Rs.6/- per Malnourished Children.

Three Types Food Models are given to the Children 6 Months to 6 years and Pregnant & Lactating Women.

1) Ready to Eat Food (RTE)
a) RTE / Modern Therapeutic Food supplied by A.P. Foods.
b) Three types of Hot Cooked Food Premixes, supplied by A.P. Foods,
1. Halwa Mix.
2. Kichidi Mix.
3. Upma Mix.

2) Local Food Model:- Ration is supplied by the Project Directors through District Purchase Committee.
i) Hot Pongal
ii) Broken Wheat Kichidi.

Hot Cooked Food is supplied through Anganwadi Centers for the Children age group of 3-6 years.

3) CMSNP:- Supplied Jowar Mix by Mothers Groups.
Take Home Ration is being given for 6M – 3Ys, Pregnant & Lactating Women once in 15 days. Hot cooked food is being given to 3-6 years Children at AWCs.

b) Ration Size:-

Increased Ration Size as per revised cost norms.
For Children 6 Months to 6 Years - 90 gms.
For Pregnant & Lactating Mothers - 140 gms.
For malnourished Children - 140 gms.

As per Government of India norms, the nutritive values i.e., Calories and Proteins is as follows:-

Sl.
No.

Beneficiaries

Calories
(Cal)

Protein

a.

Children 0-3 Years

500

12-15

b.

Children 3-6 Years

500

12-15

c.

Severely malnourished Children

800

20-25

d.

Pregnant & Lactating

600

18-20


c) Policy Initiatives:-

To encourage community participation and also to decentralize the supply of SNP in ICDS Projects, the CMSNP is being implemented in 4 ICDS Projects. The Mothers Committee is entrusted with the preparing and supplying the food to the Anganwadi Centers. There are 17 groups consisting of 10 members participating in 4 ICDS Projects covering 669 AWCs. Each group supplies the food to 30 to 50 Anganwadi Centers.

A Non-Government organization by name Rastriya Seva Samithi in Thirupathi, Chittoor District is providing service under Integrated Child Development Scheme. Supplementary Nutrition Programme is also being operated by this organization in Thirupathi Rural Project.

In two pilot Projects in the Districts of Visakhapatnam and Karimnagar, the Mothers Committees in these Districts are involved in the activities of supply chain distribution, stock maintenance of stock register accounts, and need based management. In Bheemili Project of Visakhapatnam, Mothers Committee is involved, in supplying material from Project Center to all the AWCs of the Project, at Stage-II supply. They procure the provisions from PDS and open market. A need based management strategy has been developed and it gave lot of confidence to the community. They are now aware of supply chain, maintenance of accounts and Registers, transactions through banks, stock monitoring and effective and efficient use of commodities.

CHILD ADOPTION

Adoption undoubtedly offers an important avenue for the care and protection of an abandoned, destitute or neglected child in a family setting and provides an atmosphere of happiness, love and understanding for the realization of his / her talents and potentials. It carries with it all the emotional, physical and material security necessary for the proper development of the child and also serves as the most reliable means of preventing situations associated with the abuse, exploitation and social maladjustment of abandoned, destitute and neglected children. The main purpose of adoption is to provide family to the destitute and neglected children. .

The Supreme Court of India has formulated certain guidelines in respect of in-country as well as inter-country adoption. As a part of the guidelines the Government of India has constituted Central Adoption Resource Agency (CARA) at all India level on 03-07-1990, which is the nodal body of the ministry of Women Development & Child Welfare Department GOI to deal with all adoptive matters. The CARA issues guidelines from time to time to the States for both in-country and inter-country adoptions. It also acts as clearing house of information in regard to children available for in country and inter-country adoptions to monitor regulate and develop programmes for rehabilitation of children through adoption.

ADOPTION COORDINATING AGENCY (ACA)

  1. There is a Central Agency i.e. Voluntary Co-ordinating Agency (VCA) now it is renamed as ADOPTION COORDINATING AGENCY (ACA) in the state under the control of Women Development and Child Welfare Department to promote Indian adoption and for generating awareness on adoption.
  2. In ACA registers will be maintained for all prospective adoptive parents and available children for adoption.
  3. It coordinates with other ACAs across the country.
  4. Where Indian placement is not materialized clearance certificate is issued for Inter country adoption.
  5. Inter Country Adoption VCA receives grant in aid from CARA towards salaries of the staff and maintenance.

SHISHUGRAHA:-

Central Adoption resources Agency (CARA) has sanctioned 10 units of Shishugruhas for Andhra Pradesh State along with budget during the year 2003-04, vide Reference No.22-14/01/CM (AC), Dt.05.08.03, to be located in 10 drought prone districts. Such as Ranga Reddy, Nalgonda, Warangal, Adilabad, Kurnool, Ananthapur, Visakhapatnam, Krishna, Prakasham and Khammam Districts. After completion of regular process of adoptions the children of Sishugreh are being placed for adoption.

Sl.No.

Name of the
District

Name of the Shishugruhas working under control of Project Director

Email Ids

Phone Numbers

1

Ongole

Project Director, Ongole

Bplingam_vemuluri@yahoo.co.in (or) eshwaralingam@yahoo.com

08592 -235304

2

Kurnool

Project Director, Kurnool

pdkurnool@rediffmail.com

08518 -277721

3

Nalgonda

Project Director, Nalgonda

Venugopalrao.parimi@gmail.com

08682 -245983

4

Warangal

Project Director, Warangal

Sekhar_adelly@yahoo.co.in

0870 -2550359

5

Visakhapatnam

Project Director, Visakhapatnam

pdvizag@yahoo.co.in

0891-2706156 / 2503893

6

Vijayawada

Project Director, Vijayawada

dzvk_2005@yahoo.com

08922 -277985

7

Adilabad

Project Director, Adilabad

08732 -236630

8

Anantapur

Project Director, Anantapur

afrindm2005@yahoo.com

08554 -232337

9

Ranga Reddy

Project Director, Ranga Reddy

Pd_dwcdarrd@rediffmail.com

040 -23240023

10

Khammam

Project Director Khammam

Pd_kmm@yahoo.in

08742 -255857


PROCEDURE FOR IN-COUNTRY ADOPTION

  • Prospective adoptive parent(s) should submit their application in prescribed format along with necessary documents for adoption in triplicate to the local Sisugrahas / Project Director DW & CDA of concern District / The State Adoption Cell Office of Directorate WD&CW Department Hyderabad
  • A home study report of the prospective adoptive parents will be prepared by the social worker of the Agency / Department.
  • The application of PAPs will be placed in seniority list. The application will be processed according to the seniority, categories wise i.e. Male/Female and the age group of children (below one year/ 1-3 year/ above 3 year) being maintained separately.
  • After the CWC declares the child as abandoned then the child will be matched to the PAPs as per their eligibility on the above category when their turn comes in the seniority.
  • The Prospective adoptive parents will be allowed to take the child for medical tests.
  • Once a successful matching has been done, the child was placed under foster care to Prospective adoptive parents by executing a bond on Rs.10/- bond paper in favour of Director WD&CW Department.
  • The Prospective adoptive parents they will file a petition with in 45 days of foster care in the family Court / City Civil Court JJ Board for obtaining the necessary order under the relevant ACT. The children can be legally placed with the parents(s) under HAMA / GAWA / JJ-Act 2000.
  • The Adoption will be registered after legalization of adoption.
  • The form I will be submitted to MCH concerned Municipalities in the District for issue of Date of Birth certificate after registration.

Follow up visits:-

  • It should be followed by regular follow – up visits and post adoption counseling by the social worker till the child is adjusted in the new environment for a period of two years.

Waiting Period:-

PAP’s who applied for

Waiting Period

Gender

Age Group

Female

Below 1 year

1 year 6 Months

Female

1-3 years

1 year 6 Months

Female

Above 3 Years

10 Months

Male

Below 1 year

3 years

Male

1-3 years

3 years

Male

Above 3 Years

2 & 1/2 years

Status of Adoption Files being processed

MALE

  1. Below 1 yr – July’ 2007
  2. 1-3 yrs – March’ 2007

FEMALE

  1. Below 1 yr – Dec’ 2008
  2. 1-3 yrs – Oct’ 2008
  3. Above 3 yrs – August’ 2009
  4. Above 3 yrs – May’ 2008

Criteria for Prospective Adoptive Parents including single Parents:-

  • Prospective Adoptive Parents having a composite age of 90 years and less and where neither parent has crossed 45 years can be considered for adoption of Infant children.
  • In case of Special needs children with medical problems, the age limit of adoptive parent(s) may be relaxed by concerned State Government.
  • Single person who has in the age of 30-45 years and who fulfill the other criteria can also adopt and the age difference between the single parent and the child should be 21 years.
  • The prospective parent(s) should have a regular source of income with a minimum average monthly income of at least Rs.5000/- per month.
  • The child crossed 6 years consent of the child should be taken before adoption.

Inter Country adoptions:

  1. CARA, New Delhi have issued the Recognition Certificate for dealing Inter Country adoption cases of Indian Children and handling the related matters on adoption to the Director, it is valid for the period from 04-07-2008 to 03-07-2011.
  2. It is submitted that from 2008 to 2010 till now 32 applications were received from parents residing abroad.
  3. 9 Applications were received for Special Need Children. The Applications are under process.
  4. For the Inter Country Adoptions the service charge is $3500. It is fixed as per the CARA guidelines.
  5. 7 applications were sent to CARA for the purpose of NOC.
  6. 7 NOCs received from CARA, New Delhi.
  7. 7 applications legalization of Adoption is Completed.
  8. In Inter Country Adoptions Preference is being given to AP Origin NRIs. For totally Foreigners providing only special need children due to huge pendancy of applications for in country.
  9. one application legalization of Adoption is completed and Processing is going on for Passport and VISA.
  10. one application submitted to CARA for the purpose of NOC for Special Need Child.
  11. FCRA certificate is not at received from the Ministry of Home affairs.
  12. 7 more PAPs are awaiting for the matching of the Children.
  13. 7 Special need children are matched with PAPs, Inter Country Adoption is under Process.
  14. For further Guidelines for In Country & Inter Country please visit the CARA Website www.adoptionindia.nic.in

STATUS OF ADOPTIONS:

Year

Number of adoptions given

2007

167

2008

194

2009

236 (5 Children Given for Inter Country Adoption

2010
(Up to May 2010)

92 (2 Child Given for Inter Country Adoption)


STATUS REPORT OF IN-COUNTRY & INTER COUNTRY ADOPTIONS
FOR THE YEARS
2000 - 2010, May

YEAR

IN-COUNTRY

INTER COUNTRY

TOTAL

2000

116

17

133

2001

77

12

89

2002

148

5

153

2003

92

1

93

2004

97

2

99

2005

93

0

93

2006

104

0

104

2007

167

0

167

2008

193

1

194

2009

231

5

236

2010

90

2

92

GRAND TOTAL

1408

45

1453


BALIKA MANDALS
A “Balika Mandal” is formed with 25-30 Adolescent Girls in the age group of 11-18 years in a village both with school dropouts and school going girls.
  • Since year 2000, 63 projects are covered @ 11 AWCs per Project per year sanctioned.
  • During 2005-06, all 376 projects are covered @ 11 AWCs per project.
  • 11,340 numbers of Balika Mandals are formed with 3.40 Lakh Adolescent Girls, so far.
  • The girls are attached to local AWC and given awareness on social issues like Child marriages, Child trafficking and hygiene, health, nutrition. Skill Development training in Home-based activities are provided.
  • IFA tablets are being provided to 4,89,360 Adolescent Girl in 16,312 AWCs covered in Indiramma villages.
  • Peer group Education, Orientation trainings and Age at marriage, Registration of marriages, HIV / AIDS, Anti-trafficking, Iron Deficiency Disorders, Feeding Practices etc., is given.
GIRL CHILD PROTECTION SCHEME

The GCPS scheme was launched on 8th March, 2005 which is a novel and first of its kind in the Country with the main objective of giving protection to girl child. G.O.Ms.No.33, Women Development Child Welfare & Disabled Welfare (JJ.A1) Department, Dt.18.12.2009 has been issued with following aims.

Objectives of the Scheme: -

  • Promote enrollment and retention of the girl child in school and to ensure her education at least up to intermediate level.
  • Encourage girls to get married only after the age of 18 years.
  • Encourage parents to adopt family planning norms with two girl children.
  • Protect the rights of the girl child and provide social and financial empowerment to girl child.
  • Eliminate negative cultural attitudes and practices against girls.
  • Strengthen the role of the family in improving the status of the girl child.
  • Extend a special dispensation to orphans / destitutes and differently abled girls.

for more details on GCPS visit GCPS Website

EDUCATION IN CHILDREN HOMES

The department is running 81 Children Homes in the state which are meant for girl orphans / semi orphans / Children of disabled parents and ex-servicemen. Children in the age group of 6-10 years and in special cases upto 12 years are admitted. Children are provided boarding / shelter / clothing / medical care till 10th class or 18 years of age which ever is earlier. For overall improvements of Children knowledge certain innovative schemes like computer training / sports yoga / special coaching for 6th to 10th Classes / bulbuls and guides / training in creative arts are introduced.

INSTITUTIONAL SERVICES FOR ORPHANS/DESTITUTES THROUGH:
  1. Children Homes
  2. Collegiate Homes
TRAINING PROGRAMMES THROUGH:
  1. Mahila Pranganams in each of the 23 districts
SUPPORT FOR PERSUING HIGHER EDUCATION THROUGH :
  1. Full Reimbursments of fees/Scholarships for SC's/ST's/BC's/Minority/Disabled/Econamically poor with anual income of RS 1 lakh and below
  2. 70% reservation for Orphans/Destitutes/ in diploma courses at Durgabhai Deshmuk Women's Technical Training Institute at Yousafguda - Hyderabad

Monday, September 6, 2010

APPSC GROUP-1 PRELIMINARY EXAM (05-09-2010) SOLVED PAPER

FOR APPSC GROUP-1 PRELIMINARY EXAM (05-09-2010) SOLVED PAPER CLICK HERE

APPSC GROUP-1 EXAM (05-09-2010) CURRENT AFFAIRS QUESTIONS ANALYSIS


Q. Recently the manuscripts of which one of the following has been included in the UNESCO’s Memory of world Register?


1) Mahabharata
2) Ramayana

3) Rigveda

4) Abhidhamma Pitaka

Answer: (3)

Analysis:

Memory of the World:
Documentary heritage reflects the diversity of languages, peoples and cultures. It is the mirror of the world and its memory. But this memory is fragile. Every day, irreplaceable parts of this memory disappear for ever.
UNESCO has launched the Memory of the World Programme to guard against collective amnesia calling upon the preservation of the valuable archive holdings and library collections all over the world ensuring their wide dissemination.

Archives of the Dutch East India Company:
Documentary heritage submitted by Netherlands and recommended for inclusion in the Memory of the World Register in 2003.
Year of submission: 2003
Year of inscription: 2003

Country: Netherlands India Indonesia South Afric
a Sri Lanka
The Dutch East India Company (VOC, Verenigde Oostindisc
he Compagnie), founded in 1602 and liquidated in 1795, was the largest and most impressive of the early modern European trading companies operating in Asia. About twenty-five million pages of VOC records have survived in repositories in Jakarta, Colombo, Chennai, Cape Town, and The Hague. The VOC archives make up the most complete and extensive source on early modern world history anywhere with data relevant to the history of hundreds of Asia’s and Africa’s former local political and trade regions.

Rigveda:Documentary heritage submitted by India and recommended for inclusion in the Memory of the World Register in 2007.Year of submission: 2007
Year of inscription: 2007
Country: India
The Vedas are generally known as the scriptures of the Hindu community. However, being among the first literary documents in the history of humankind, they transcend far beyond their identity as scriptures. The Rigveda, the oldest among the four Vedas, is the fountain source of the so-called Aryan culture in all its manifestations that spread beyond
the Indian subcontinent to large parts of South and South East Asia, as well as parts of Central Asia. This valuable treasure of the ancient world has been preserved in the form of manuscripts in India, and handed down over centuries from generation to generation.

Saiva Manuscript in Pondicherry:
Documentary heritage submitted by India and recomm
ended for inclusion in the Memory of the World Register in 2005.
Year of submission: 2005
Year of inscription: 2005
Country: India
Within a collection of 11 000 manuscripts that concern mainly the religion and worship of the Hindu God Siva, is included the largest collection in the world of
manuscripts of texts of the S'aiva Siddha-nta. In the 10th century CE, this religious tradition, a major current of Hinduism, was spread right across the Indian subcontinent and beyond, as far as Cambodia in the East. It long represented the mainstream of Tantric doctrine and worship and appears to have influenced every Indian theistic tradition. Its surviving texts, the majority of them unpublished, range from the 6th century CE to the colonial period. This unique collection thus furnishes much of the dwindling evidence remaining today for scholars to reconstruct a chapter in the religious annals of humanity. The collection is presently housed in the French institutions of research in Pondicherry. We have now framed a collaborative Indo-French project with the Indian government’s National Mission for Manuscripts. Our ultimate objective: to put the whole S'aiva collection online and so make it available to scholars throughout the world.

The I.A.S. Tamil Medical Manuscript Collection:
Documentary heritage submitted by India and recommended for inclusion in the Memory of the World Register in 1997.
Year of submission: 1997
Year of inscription: 1997
Country: IndiaMostly Tamil Medical Manuscripts preserved at the Institute of Asian Studies reflect the ancient system of medicine, practised by yogis. This system explains the methods of obtaining medicines from herbs, herbal roots, leaves, flowers, barks, fruits etc. The proportions of the ingredients as well as the specific processes are explained in detail.


Q. Global Campaign ‘350’ was observed as an International Day for Climate Action on:

1) 25th October, 2009

2) 30th October, 2009

3) 14th October, 2009

4) 24th October, 2009


Answer: (4)
Analysis:

350.org is an international environmental organization, headed by author Bill McKibben, with the goal of building a global grassroots movement to raise awareness of man-made climate change, to confront climate change denial, and to cut emissions of one of the greenhouse gases, carbon dioxide, in order to slow the rate of global warming, the cause of current climate change. 350.org takes its name from the research of NASA scientist James E. Hansen, who posited in a 2007 paper that 350 parts-per-million (ppm) of CO2 in the atmosphere is a safe upper limit to avoid a climate tipping point. The current record level is 392.04 ppm of CO2, an almost 40-percent increase from the pre-industrial revolution level of 278 ppm. In 1988 the Earth's atmosphere surpassed the 350 ppm mark, while global CO2 emissions per capita rose. The group reports that they organised the world's "most widespread day of political action" on Saturday October 24, 2009, reporting 5,245 actions in 181 countries.

Q. The Indian girl, who got a rare honour to address world leaders at the United Nations Summit on Climate Change was:
1) Anjana Sharma

2) Yugratna Srivastava

3) Soumya Bhattacharjee
4) Pratiksha Chakravarthy

Answer: (2)

Analysis:

Yugratna Srivastav, a 13-year-old girl from Lucknow has addressed the United Nations Climate Change Summit in New York. Yugratna's speech was cheered on by world leaders including UN General Secretary Ban Ki-Moon. Yugratna became sensitised to environmental protection in Grade 6 in St. Francis School in Shamli, India. It was there that she joined "Tarumitra" (Friends of Trees).

The non-governmental organization works hard to stop the felling of trees and forests, builds roadside gardens and cleans up garbage dumps, among other activities. In 2008 Yugratna participated in the Tunza youth conference in Norway organised by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and became a member of the Junior Board. Tunza is the UNEP magazine for youth.
She is the first Indian child to ever get elected to the Junior Board and was invited again to participate in this year's Tunza conference in Seoul. When she is not in school, she is talking about climate change and environmental protection around India and abroad.

"For my generation in India, climate change means global warming, scarcity of food and drinking water and an outbreak of accentuated epidemics," she added. Her increasing environmental activism has brought her to the attention of UNEP and now to the world leading to her addressing the UN Summit in New York.


Q. Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of India is:
1) S.H. Kapadia

2) A.R. Dave

3) D.S.R. Varma

4) K.G. Balakrishnan
Answer: (1)

Analysis:

Hon'ble Mr. Justice S.H. Kapadia Born on 29th September 1947 . Enrolled as an Advocate on 10th September 1974 . Practiced in the Bombay High Court, both on the Original Side and Appellate Side in Suits, Letters Patent Appeals, Writs, matters under Negotiable Instruments Act, Detention Matters, matters under Bombay Rent Act, matters under Bombay Municipal Corporation Act including trials concerning fixation of rate able value, matters under Maharashtra Land Revenue Code including trials concerning valuation of properties for the purposes of fixation of NA assessments, challenge to the validity of notifications fixing Standard Rent, appeared in AOs, First Appeals under the BMC Act, Second Appeals as also in Land Acquisition References under the Land Acquisition Act as also in matters under Bombay Land Requisition and Acquisition Act. This is apart from the practice in Industrial Law and Services Matters. Appeared as a counsel for the Department in Income-Tax matters. Appeared as a counsel for BMC in matters concerning rate able value and Octroi. Appeared as a counsel for Bharat Petroleum Corporation and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation in High Court and Supreme Court in connection with service matters including disputes concerning framing of Pension Rules. Also appeared for the Management and Unions in matters under Industrial Disputes Act, 1947 and ULP Act, 1972.
Appointed as an Additional Judge of the Bombay High Court on 8th October 1991 . Appointed as a Permanent Judge of the Bombay High Court on 23rd March 1993 . Appointed as a Judge of the Special Court (Trial of Offences Relating to Transaction in Securities) Act, 1992 on 15th October 1999 . During the above period, decided important matters under PIL pertaining to CRZ, financial matters under RBI and Banking Regulation Act; matters concerning the Constitutional validity of the 74th Amendment Act of 1992 dealing with Municipalities; matters under the Smugglers and Foreign Exchange Manipulators (Forfeiture of Property) Act, 1976; matters concerning Mergers and Acquisitions; matters under Payment of Bonus Act; matters under Industrial Disputes Act. In addition to the above, dealt with matters under the Income Tax Act concerning Valuation of closing stocks, Accounting treatment to be given to Modvat Credit Convergence of Tax Accounting with Commercial Accounting, etc.
As a Judge presiding over the Special Court has dealt with Civil and Criminal matters including matters concerning corroborative value to be given to the Report submitted by RBI and JPC vis-à-vis Evidence Act. As a Judge of the Special Court , has also dealt with Accounts and Finances of Banks and Financial Institutions as also accounts of the Share and Stock Brokers as also matters under Contempt o Courts Act where the Notified Parties had diverted their assets. As a Judge of the Special Court has framed Investment Schemes, Schemes dealing with Valuation and Disposal of Shares of Notified Parties as also Distributions of asset of the Notified Parties under the Act and declaring dividends to the Creditors of the Notified Parties.
Appointed as Chief Justice of the Uttaranchal High Court on 5.8.2003.
Elevated to the Bench of the Supreme Court of India on 18.12.2003.
Has keen interest in Economics, Public Finance, Theoretical Physics and Hindu and Buddhist Philosophies.
Appointed as the Chief Justice of India in the forenoon of 12.05.2010.
Due to retire on 29.09.2012 (F.N.)

Q. India launched the Census, 2011 on:
1) 1st January, 2010
2) 1st February, 2010

3) 1st March, 2010

4) 1st April, 2010


Answer: (4)


Analysis:

India on 01 April 2010 launched “Census 2011,'' the biggest-ever census attempted in the history of mankind enumerating the country's 1.2 billion population and classifying usual residents according to their gender, religion, occupation and education.

The massive exercise, to be spread over next 11 months, will mark a milestone as the first-ever National Population Register (NPR) will also be prepared in which all persons aged over 15 years will be photographed and fingerprinted to create a biometric national database. With this India will probably become the first democratic nation in the world which would have got its population fingerprinted in a year from now.

As the first citizen of the country, President Pratibha Devisingh Patil was the first person to be listed in the decennial exercise. She appealed to her compatriots to follow her example “for the good of the nation.''

“My appeal to all brothers and sisters of the country is to wholeheartedly take part in the gigantic national tasks of Census and preparation of the first ever National Population Register. It is important for the nation as well as you,'' she said after a delegation of the Census officials visited Rashtrapati Bhavan and took down her information.

The delegation included Registrar General and Census Commissioner C. Chandramouli and Deputy Director General, National Population Register, S.K. Chakraborty. Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram, who was also present, said: “An exercise of this kind has not been attempted anywhere else in the world. This exercise must succeed and will succeed. We will leave no stone unturned to visit every village, every habitation in the country.''

The 15th National Census exercise, since 1872, will see over 25 lakh officials capturing the socio-economic-cultural profile of its citizens. It will cost around Rs. 2,209 crore while the expenditure on NPR will be Rs. 3,539.24 crore. The exercise will also consume more than 11 million tonnes of paper. The Vice-President M. Hamid Ansari was the next one to be listed by the Census officials. Mr. Ansari said the decennial census operation was a remarkable exercise and the first ever NPR was a “unique initiative.'' During the massive exercise, the enumerators for the first time will collect information like ownership of mobile phones, computers, internet, having treated or untreated drinking water facility and usage of banking services. They will also seek additional information for the creation of NPR. The government has already said that no information will be collected on castes as no caste-based census has ever been conducted in independent India.
Mr. Chandramouli said the first phase, called the House listing and Housing Census, will be conducted between this April and July.

The second phase, called the Population Enumeration phase, will be conducted simultaneously all over the country from February 9 to 28, 2011, and the entire exercise would be completed by March 5, 2011. All 640 districts, 5,767 tehsils, 7,742 towns and more than six lakh villages will be covered.


Q. The General Elections in Great Britain were held on:
1) 5th May, 2010
2) 6th May, 2010

3) 7th May, 2010
4) 8th May, 2010


Answer: (2)


Analysis:



The United Kingdom general election of 2010 was held on Thursday 6 May 2010 to elect members to the House of Commons. The election took place in 650 constituencies[note 1] across the United Kingdom under the first-past-the-post system. None of the parties achieved the 326 seats needed for an overall majority. The Conservative Party, led by David Cameron, won the largest number of votes and seats but still fell twenty seats short. This resulted in a hung parliament where no party was able to command a majority in the House of Commons. This was only the second general election since World War II to return a hung parliament, the first being the February 1974 election. However unlike in 1974, this time a hung parliament had been widely expected and therefore the country was better prepared for the constitutional process that would follow such a result.[2] The coalition government that was subsequently formed was the first coalition in UK history to eventuate directly from an election outcome.

Coalition talks began immediately between the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats and lasted for five days. There was an aborted attempt to put together a Labour/Liberal Democrat coalition (although other smaller parties would have been required to make up the ten seats they lacked for a majority). To facilitate this Gordon Brown announced on the evening of Monday 10 May that he would resign as Labour Party leader. On Tuesday 11 May, Brown announced his resignation[3] as Prime Minister, marking the end of 13 years of Labour government.[3] This was accepted by Queen Elizabeth II, who then invited David Cameron to form a government and become Prime Minister. Just after midnight on 12 May, the Liberal Democrats emerged from a meeting of their Parliamentary party and Federal Executive to announce that the coalition deal had been "approved overwhelmingly", sealing a stable coalition government of Conservatives and Liberal Democrats.

None of the three main party leaders had previously led a general election campaign, a situation which had not occurred since the 1979 election. During the campaign, the three main party leaders engaged in a series of televised debates, the first such debates in a British general election campaign. The Liberal Democrats achieved a breakthrough in opinion polls after the first debate in which their leader Nick Clegg was widely seen as the strongest performer. However, on polling day their share of the vote increased by only 1% over the previous general election, and they suffered a net loss of five seats. Still, this was the Liberal Democrats' largest popular vote since the party's creation, and they found themselves in a pivotal role in the formation of the new government.

The share of votes for parties other than Labour or the Conservatives was 35% and was the largest since the 1918 general election. In terms of votes it was the most "three-cornered" election since 1923, and in terms of seats since 1929. The Green Party of England and Wales won its first ever seat in the Commons, and the Alliance Party of Northern Ireland gained its first representation since 1974.


Q. Millennium’s longest Annular Solar eclipse occured on:
1) 15th January, 2010
2) 16th January, 2010

3) 17th January, 2010
4) 18th January, 2010


Answer: (1)


Analysis:

January 15, 2010 an annular solar eclipse occurred when the Moon passes between Earth and the Sun, thereby totally or partially obscuring Earth's view of the Sun. An annular solar eclipse occurs when the Moon's apparent diameter is smaller than the Sun, causing the sun to look like an annulus (ring), blocking most of the Sun's light.

This is the longest annular solar eclipse of the millennium, and the longest until December 23, 2043, with a maximum length of 11 mins and 7.8 seconds. (The solar eclipse of January 4, 1992 was longer, at 11 minutes, 41 seconds, occurring in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.)

It was visible as a partial eclipse in much of Africa, Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Asia. It was seen as annular within a narrow stretch of 300 km (190 mi) width across Central Africa, Maldives, South Kerala (India), South Tamil Nadu (India), North Sri Lanka, parts of Burma and parts of China.


Q. Agni-I ballistic missile which was test fired in March, 2010 has a range of:
1) 300 Km

2) 500 Km

3) 700 Km

4) 900 Km


Answer: (3)


Analysis:


India 2010 March 28th successfully test-fired its indigenously developed, nuclear-capable, short range ballistic missile (SRBM) Agni-1 from the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Wheeler Island, about 100 km from here off the Orissa coast. Blasted off from a rail mobile launcher, the surface-to-surface, single-stage missile, powered by solid propellants, roared into the sky trailing behind a column of orange and white thick smoke.

User of the missile, the strategic force command of the Indian Army, executed the entire launch operation with the necessary logistic support being provided by the Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO) at the integrated test range (ITR).Weighing 12 tonnes, the 15 metre tall Agni-1, which can carry payloads weighing up to one tonne, has already been inducted into the Indian Army.
The Agni-1 has a range of upto 700 kms."The command chain has been validated. This is a major step in the preparedness of the Army in using this weapon system.


Q. The winner of the Gold Medal at the Second World Sand Sculpture Championship is : 1) Sudarshan Pattnail
2) Someswar Pathak

3) Goutham Prasad

4) Harishchandra Mukharjee


Answer: (1)


Analysis:

Indian sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik won Gold medal at 2nd Moscow World Sand Sculpture championship 2010. Internationally acclaimed Indian sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik from Orissa won Gold medal for People's Choice prize at 2nd Moscow World sand sculpture championship 2010, Russia. The artists from Island won the 'Jury Choice', and 'Sculptor Choice' prize in this championship.

Pattnaik created a sand sculpture of Raj Kapoor the legend actor of Indian cinema. The name of the sculpture is “RAJ KAPOOR, THE ICON OF INDO-RUSIAN FRIENDSHIP”. this was very much appreciated by Russian people. in this championship. The theme of the sculpture is World cinema (famous movies from famous directors with famous actors).

On Wednesday In a grand prize distribution ceremony director of this event Mr. Pavel zadanyuk presented the medal to Sudarsan and Mr.Sanjay vedi deputy director of jawaharlal nehuru cultural centre Moscow was also present there.

The sand sculpture championship started from 28th April to 5th May at Russia capital Moscow. Including India eleven countries like America, Russia, England, Italy, Island, Czech Republic, Bulgeria, Ukraine, Spain etc. around the World .

Last year pattnaik also got the museum prize in this championship he achieved many International awards by representing India in many countries on World platform . He always sends massages to the public by creating awareness campaign through sand art. Pattnaik also running a sand art school at Puri Beach in Orissa.

Q. The Nobel prize in Literature for 2009 is awarded to:
1) Olivers Williamson

2) Herta Mueller

3) Elinor Ostrom

4) Thomas Steitz


Answer: (2)


Analysis:


Herta Müller (born 17 August 1953) is a Romanian-born German Nobel Prize-winning novelist, poet and essayist noted for her works depicting the effects of violence, cruelty and terror, usually in the setting of Communist Romania under the repressive Nicolae Ceaus,escu regime which she experienced herself. Many of her works are told from the viewpoint of the German minority in Romania and are also a depiction of the modern history of the Germans in the Banat, and more broadly, Transylvania. Her much acclaimed 2009 novel Everything I Possess I Carry With Me portrays the deportation of Romania's German minority to Stalinist Soviet Gulags during the Soviet occupation of Romania for use as German forced labor.

Müller has been an internationally well-known author since the early 1990s, and her works have been translated into more than 20 languages.She has received over 20 awards, including the 1994 Kleist Prize, the 1995 Aristeion Prize, the 1998 International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award and the 2009 Franz Werfel Human Rights Award. On 8 October 2009 it was announced that she had been awarded the 2009 Nobel Prize in Literature.



Q. The winner of the Spelling Bee Prize 2010 in washington held on 4th June 2010 is:
1) Sameer Mishra
2) Kavya Shivashankar

3) Anamika Veeramani

4) Shantanu Srivastav


Answer: (3)


Analysis:


A North Royalton 14-year-old Anamika Veeramani was the Spelling Bee 2010 winner. An Indian-American youth who's parent will be proud of her achievement at her young age and recently aired live by ABC to inspired student minds watching the national show. According to report, she bring home cash of about $2,500 prize along with a scholarship grant amount of $5,000 which will be given by Sigma Phi Epsilon Educational Foundation.

Aside from the above mentioned prize of Spelling Bee 2010, Anamika Veeramani also granted by Encyclopedia Britannica package which totally worth an about $3,500 and Merriam-Webster complete reference dictionary award. How lucky is Anamika, right? Try to imagine this great success achieved by a young brilliant mind, we hope many students from different level will be inspired by her story starting from now.

The youngest among all contestants was 8-year-old Vanya Shivashankar, the sister of the last year’s spelling bee winner Kavya Shivashinkar.

The 83rd Scripps National Spelling Bee was held from June 2, 2010, to June 4, 2010 at Grand Hyatt Hotel in Washington, D.C.


Q. The total eclipse of the 21st Century occured on:
1) 20th July, 2009
2) 21th July, 2009

3) 22th July, 2009

4) 23th July, 2009


Answer: (3)

Analysis:


A total solar eclipse occurred on July 22, 2009. A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between Earth and the Sun, thereby totally or partially obscuring Earth's view of the Sun. A total solar eclipse occurs when the Moon's apparent diameter is larger than the Sun, blocking all direct sunlight, turning day into darkness. Totality occurs in a narrow path across the surface of the Earth, while a partial solar eclipse will be visible over a region thousands of kilometers wide.

It was the longest total solar eclipse during the 21st century, not to be surpassed until 13 June 2132. It lasted a maximum of 6 minutes and 39 seconds off the coast of Southeast Asia, causing tourist interest in eastern China, Japan, India, Nepal and Bangladesh.
Visibility

A partial eclipse was seen within the broad path of the Moon's penumbra, including most of Southeast Asia (all of India and China) and north-eastern Oceania.

The total eclipse was visible from a narrow corridor through northern Maldives, northern Pakistan, northern India, eastern Nepal, northern Bangladesh, Bhutan, northern Philippines, the northern tip of Myanmar, central China and the Pacific Ocean, including the Ryukyu Islands, Marshall Islands and Kiribati.

Totality was visible in many large cities, including Surat, Vadodara, Bhopal, Varanasi, Patna, Gaya, Dinajpur, Siliguri, Guwahati, Tawang in India and Chengdu, Nanchong, Chongqing, Yichang, Jingzhou, Wuhan, Huanggang, Hefei, Hangzhou, Wuxi, Huzhou, Suzhou, Jiaxing, Ningbo, Shanghai, Chapai Nawabganj as well as over the Three Gorges Dam in China. However, in Shanghai, the largest city in the eclipse's path, the view was obscured by heavy clouds. According to NASA, the Japanese island Kitaio Jima was predicted to have the best viewing conditions featuring both longer viewing time (being the closest point of land to the point of greatest eclipse) and lower cloud cover statistics than all of continental Asia.