Meeting with SHRC Secretaries and Nodal Officers of other States
The Commission held a meeting on March 4, 2008 in New Delhi with the Secretaries of the State Human Rights Commissions and Nodal officers of the States where no SHRCs have been set up. The Secretary General,NHRC, Shri A.K. Jain welcomed the participants and elaborated on NHRCs responsibilities. He stressed the need that NHRC and SHRCs should co-ordinate their efforts and action in order to spread human rights values. The Joint Secretary (P&A), NHRC, Smt Aruna Sharma made a presentation on the activities of the Commission. She asked the SHRCs to workout an arrangement with their respective State governments for functional and financial autonomy, which NHRC enjoys. Registrar (Law), Shri A. K. Garg talked about the Complaint Management System (CMS) of the Commission which helps to keep record of the cases and also keeps track of the progress made in the disposal of the cases. The PSA (NIC), Shri Shashi Kant Sharma gave a presentation on how the Complaint Management System(CMS) in NHRC has evolved and how it is managed. He also explained NHRC - SHRCs network developed in the Commission. The PSA(NIC) said that this system would help in keeping the entire data whether in NHRC or SHRCs, up-to date and would help in avoiding duplication in registration of cases.
The Secretary General, NHRC informed that the Planning Commission had sanctioned Rupees Ten Crores in 11th Five Year Plan with an annual allocation of Two Crores each year to NHRC to install Complaint Management System(CMS) in SHRCs. He said that the Commission was working out on a methodology for the same. Shri Jain requested the SHRCs to send their complete proposals for CMS package, indicating specific requirement within three months time.
The Joint Secretary (Training), Shri P.M.V. Siromony explained the training programmes of the Commission where the focus was on two areas - training of trainers and training at the grassroot level. He also highlighted that the Commission was emphasizing on specialized training in thrust areas specific to states, like bonded labour, child labour, rights of the SCs & STs and trafficking etc. He gave details of the training programme undertaken by the Commission and the number of trainees who were covered by these programmes. The Commission has solicited the support of SHRCs to take up training programmes in the States.
Regarding the internship programmes, the participants were informed that the Commission was not able to accommodate all the applications for summer and winter internship. It was suggested that the SHRCs could organize such internship programmes in their states. The Commission, further, requested the SHRCs to prepare and send the list of credible NGOs and resource persons working on human rights issues in their respective States so that NHRC could prepare a directory of such NGOs/resource persons whose assistance may be considered as and when required.
Representatives of different SHRCs highlighted some of the issues concerning their Commission. The issues ranged from inadequate staffing, budget, Members not being appointed to paucity of resource persons, non availability of training material etc.
The Secretary General assured that their suggestions would be looked into. He requested SHRCs to workout strategies for training and awareness on human rights and share the same with the Commission.
The Nodal officers from those States where States Commissions have not been set up also presented their views.
The meeting was attended by the representatives from SHRCs of Assam, Andhra Pradesh, Chattisgarh, Gujarat, Jammu & Kashmir, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Orissa, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and Nodal Officers from Tripura, Haryana, Sikkim, Bihar, Jharkhand, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Uttaranchal.
The Secretary General, NHRC informed that the Planning Commission had sanctioned Rupees Ten Crores in 11th Five Year Plan with an annual allocation of Two Crores each year to NHRC to install Complaint Management System(CMS) in SHRCs. He said that the Commission was working out on a methodology for the same. Shri Jain requested the SHRCs to send their complete proposals for CMS package, indicating specific requirement within three months time.
The Joint Secretary (Training), Shri P.M.V. Siromony explained the training programmes of the Commission where the focus was on two areas - training of trainers and training at the grassroot level. He also highlighted that the Commission was emphasizing on specialized training in thrust areas specific to states, like bonded labour, child labour, rights of the SCs & STs and trafficking etc. He gave details of the training programme undertaken by the Commission and the number of trainees who were covered by these programmes. The Commission has solicited the support of SHRCs to take up training programmes in the States.
Regarding the internship programmes, the participants were informed that the Commission was not able to accommodate all the applications for summer and winter internship. It was suggested that the SHRCs could organize such internship programmes in their states. The Commission, further, requested the SHRCs to prepare and send the list of credible NGOs and resource persons working on human rights issues in their respective States so that NHRC could prepare a directory of such NGOs/resource persons whose assistance may be considered as and when required.
Representatives of different SHRCs highlighted some of the issues concerning their Commission. The issues ranged from inadequate staffing, budget, Members not being appointed to paucity of resource persons, non availability of training material etc.
The Secretary General assured that their suggestions would be looked into. He requested SHRCs to workout strategies for training and awareness on human rights and share the same with the Commission.
The Nodal officers from those States where States Commissions have not been set up also presented their views.
The meeting was attended by the representatives from SHRCs of Assam, Andhra Pradesh, Chattisgarh, Gujarat, Jammu & Kashmir, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Orissa, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and Nodal Officers from Tripura, Haryana, Sikkim, Bihar, Jharkhand, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Uttaranchal.