MUMBAI, Aug 15 (UNI) : Maharashtra chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh today called for the support of the bureaucracy and the police to assist the Democractic Front governments endeavour to ensure that the youth in the state are fully geared up to face the challenges of the 21st century.
Addressing a gathering of top bureaucrats, police, prominent personalities from all walks of life at the state secretariat here in South Mumbai after hoisting the national tricolour on the occasion of 53rd Independence day, Mr Deshmukh said that his eight party coalition government had to maintain a difficult balance between fulfilling the aspirations of the people and the crunch in the state exchequer.
In the last ten months, my government has sincerely tried to overcome these difficulties and has succeeded in winning the trust and confidence of the people specially the poor and the downtrodden, the chief minister said.
The chief minister said that he had taken several important decisions during his tenure like enacting the right to information bill for ensuring transperancy in governance, making English language compulsory in all schools from standard one, mandatory inclusion of computer education in school curriculum.
These steps would ensure that the youth of Maharashtra is fully prepared to meet the challenges of the 21st century.
I call upon the bureaucracy and the police force, which is known in the country for its uprightness, discipline and administrative skills, to help me in realising this, he said.
Later, the chief minister accompanied by his wife Mrs Vaishali Deshmukh garlanded the portrait of the legendary warrior Chhatrapati Shivaji on the ground floor of the Mantralaya.
Deputy chief minister Chhagan Bhujbal, protocol minister Ashok Chavan, speaker of Legislative Assembly Arun Gujarathi, deputy speaker Pramod Shende, deputy chairman of Legislative Council Vasant Davkhare, chief secretary Arun Bongirwar and top bureaucrats in the state government, Director General of Police Subhash Malhotra, Mumbai Police Commissioner M N Singh and the top brass of Maharashtra and Mumbai police, navy and air force chiefs in the western command, mayor Hareshwar Patil, Mumbai Sheriff A F Pinto, veteran Marathi actor Ramesh Deo, Dean of Bombay hospital and former Sheriff of Mumbai Dr B K Goyal were among those present at the flag hoisting ceremony.
Tight security was maintained in the metropolis and in the rest of the state, in view of intelligence reports about Pakistans ISI supported militant group threats.
A red alert was sounded in the entire country.
The city police were on special duty at different points in the city.
Apart from this, the state reserve police was called in to maintain law and order.
229 HIV cases detected in HP till June DHARAMSALA, Aug 15 (UNI) : As many as 229 HIV positive cases in the age group of 15-49 were detected in Himachal Pradesh till June this year and the ratio of women to men among them stood at 3:1, according to state health officials.
The first ever HIV positive case in the state was detected in Hamirpur district in 1992 and now the district has the maximum number of HIV positive cases (70).
Followed by 35 cases in Kangra, the Kangra district nodal officer for AIDS control programme, Dr Vyom Bhardwaj said yesterday.
He said the state AIDS control society through its district nodal officers was carrying out different phases of the AIDS control programme including awareness and sentinel surveillance and inter-personal communication.
Family health awareness programmes were organised before blood samples were collected for HIV tests at the Indira Gandhi medical college, Shimla, the only centre in the state to carry out such tests.
He disclosed that under the AIDS Control programme as many as 6500 Sexually Transmitted Disease (STD) patients had been treated in Kangra district alone and majority of them were females.
He said that through the treatment of STD patients, assessment for detection of HIV patients became easy for the officials involved in AIDS control programme.
Interestingly, no case of HIV virus had so far been detected and reported from Lahaul-Spiti and Kinnaur tribal districts of the state.
Shahnaz puts vanishing cream on IPO plans , eyes consolidation, expansion NEW DELHI, Aug 15 (UNI) : Indias beauty ambassador Shahnaz Husain has dropped plans to launch an initial public offering for her herbal venture-Shahnaz herbals-and would now concentrate on consolidating and expanding the business both in India and abroad.
The company has also decided against divesting a part of its equity in favour of any independent partner and is planning to set up more franchise salons, besides ayurvedic health resorts within India, group spokesperson Malavika Srivastava said.
Ms Shahnaz Husain had earlier announced that the group is planning to float an IPO by the end of this year.
The details and modalities of the venture were under discussion and were expected to be announced by this month-end.
However, the company, after deliberations has decided against the float.
While a lot of companies have offered to help go public or collaborate, it has now been confirmed that the group will not go public for now, Ms Srivastava said.
The groups success, she said, had generated a lot of enquiries for collaborations and joint ventures.
We intend to focus on consolidation and expansion first, with regard to the franchiese salons, outlets and shops.
Therefore, at the moment, the group intends to focus attention on improving productivity, tight quality control and meeting the demand of the new ventures.
A joint decision has been taken by the group to put aside the public issue, she added.
Meanwhile, Ms Nelofar Currimbhoy, Shahnazs daughter and president of Shahnaz Hussain group of companies had earlier said that the group is also planning to undertake E-commerce activities and sell prescriptions and herbal products on the net.
In addition, she is floating a new consumer-friendly website-Askshahnaz.Com.
Shahnaz is the latest celebrity to corporatise their entities.
Prior to this, Ajay Devgan and Kajol had also announced a Rs 2.5 crore float for Devgan Entertainment and Software Limited at par.
In addition, Subhash Ghai and Dheeraj Kumar have also announced IPOs for their respective companies-Mukta Arts and Creative Eye.
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