JSW Foundation, the social development arm of JSW Group, through its Ballari-based Jindal Sanjeevani Multi-Specialty Hospital has tied-up with six top Hospitals in Ballari district to provide in-patient healthcare facilities for Non-Covid-19 patients from the surrounding villages. This responsible move is aimed at ensuring continuity of medical care to regular and new patients of Jindal Sanjeevani Hospital following JSW Foundation’s pledge to convert Jindal Sanjeevani Hospital into Covid-19 Care Centre.
These tie-ups have been forged exclusively for the treatment of non-coronavirus patients covering community members residing in villages around the steel factory, JSW employees & their families as well as residents of JSW Townships. The list of hospitals under this tie-up includes:
1. B K S Murthy Hospital, Gandhi Nagar (For General Medicine & Surgery, Cardiology Pediatrics & Gynecology)
Jindal Sanjeevani Hospital will continue to operate its Causality & Dialysis sections while Outpatient services will be managed through the Health Centers located in all the four JSW Townships.
On a daily basis, Jindal Sanjeevani Hospital provides medical care to approximately 400 walk-in patients, approx. 70-75 in-patients and approx. 30 casualty or trauma patients. The current tie-up with these six hospitals, OPD services through four health centres in JSW Townships and casualty & trauma services at Jindal Sanjeevani is expected to benefit these patients.
This partnership arrangement with six local hospitals will last as long as Jindal Sanjeevani Hospital continues to serve as a COVID-19 Care Centre. A dedicated team has been appointed to ensure smooth admissions on priority for availing the inpatient care at these hospitals. This team will also assist in cashless hospitalization as well as Third Party Administration (TPA) related matters.
Disclaimer: This media release is auto-generated. The CSR Journal is not responsible for the content.
COVID-19 lockdown in India caused a major disruption in the schedule of school-going children of the country. With new norms to be followed, the schools across the country were shut down resulting in compromised education status of young students of India. Considering the uncertainty regarding the duration of COVID-19 lockdown or social distancing norms, many schools across the country started taking online classes of students. However, many students were left bereft of this because of inaccessibility to the internet or smartphones.
Digital penetration in India has been very successful. But it has not been enough to ensure that every citizen is able to avail the benefits of the digital world. This has left many students at a disadvantaged position than their peers.
Kerala has been pioneering in the education sector. Keralites have time and again asserted that education is a major priority for them. The state has often gone out of its way to ensure that all of its have access to education irrespective of costs or circumstances. The state could not accept that 2.42 lakh of its students will not have access to online classes as they did not have access to the internet or smartphones.
In order to ensure education for all its students, the entire state of Kerala started a mass movement that included collaboration among government, businesses, alumni associations, MLAs, MPs and local civic bodies. This unprecedented intervention has helped reduce the number of students without access to online classes to 1.20 lakh. However, this was not enough for the Keralites.
To make the accessibility of education more inclusive, in some villages, WhatsApp groups and alumni associations donated money to buy TVs or smartphones. Furthermore, many local businessmen provided TV sets as part of a “TV challenge’’ launched by the state’s Industries Department to enable digital learning for students. In addition to this, with approval from the government MLAs used their local development fund to buy TVs and laptops for students. And the state’s local self-governing bodies stepped in to complete the chain.
Almost all villages in Kerala have at least one common centre, be it an Anganwadi, a reading room or a sports club. The availability of these spaces made it easier for the education department to set up a classroom. Teachers of government and aided private schools were placed in charge at these centres.
For instance, Wayanad had the largest number of students without individual access to online classes. Therefore, common study centres were set up for 9,200 children in the district.
The state has resumed the classes for the next academic year and is being telecast on the educational channel IT@School Victers channel.
Because of dedicated hard work by the stakeholders, the state of Kerala has set a precedent by ensuring in the duration of two weeks, that online classes reach every school student in the state.
Federal Bank handed over houses rebuilt for the benefit of flood-affected villages of Batswad and Rajapurwadi in Kolhapur (Maharashtra) to beneficiaries today. The Bank has rebuilt 80 houses under its CSR project for these villages.
Formal handing over of garbage pick-up vans, water ATMs and solar power system was also done today. Dr. Rajendra Patil Yadravkar (Minister for State, Govt. of Maharashtra for Public Health, Medical Education, Textile, Food & Drugs Administration and Cultural Activity) presided over the meetings at both the villages.
In October 2019, Federal Bank had announced a comprehensive package for rebuilding of villages of Kolhapur. The Bank allocated an amount of ₹ 3.06 Crore towards this project. The Bank is funding for reconstruction of two school buildings in these villages. These schools are being furnished with benches, tables, computers, projectors etc. The Bank has also sponsored milch animals to people who lost their livelihood, and given away machinery for cottage industries. Other public amenities like fogging facilities, public toilet and first aid items have also been provided as part of the CSR of Federal Bank. It has planted 500 trees.
Disclaimer: This media release is auto-generated. The CSR Journal is not responsible for the content.
As Pride Month 2020 comes to a close, let’s turn our attention to trans-inclusion at corporate houses in India. All central government departments were recently asked to include ‘transgender’ as a separate category of gender for recruitment in civil services and other posts, according to an order by the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions.
The move is based on the provisions of the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, notified in December last year. ‘All ministries/departments of the government of India are requested to modify the relevant examination rules providing for inclusion of ‘Transgender’ as a separate category of gender, so as to make the said Rules in conformity with the provisions of The Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Bill, 2019,’ the Ministry said.
While the transgender community has been a topic of discussion, it still remains to be accepted into the workplace due to the lack of actionable policies and programmes across organisations. Deep-rooted stigma has unfairly marginalised the transgender community. Its members struggle to be included at every level of the society — right from homes to corporate offices. LGBT+ ally companies like Essar Group, Godrej, TCS and Lalit Hotels have trans-inclusive policies which are constantly updated to be more sensitive to the community.
Essar Group has taken baby steps towards transgender sensitisation at the workplace. Back in 2018, it associated itself with Tweet Foundation, a self-help group for transgender welfare. The Group ensures that festivals are celebrated inclusively within the organisation. In-house platforms are provided to showcase the entrepreneurial talent of transgender persons. Through another initiative, called ‘Sattar Minute’, employees proactively participate to support transgender training and development projects.
Sattar Minute is a blend of employee engagement and community outreach. It is a platform inviting employees to contribute towards community outreach either in an individual capacity or in association with the Essar Foundation, the CSR wing of the Essar Group. The organisation has a flagship transgender sensitisation umbrella programme, called the Rainbow Project.
Under this project, its partners with NGOs and SHGs to carry out activities for the welfare of the trans-community. It has partnered with Kineer Services India a self-help group for transgender people, to provide hands-on training on professional housekeeping services and a workshop on interview techniques and resume writing. This was followed by a job fair, where Essar collaborated with other organisations to provide scope of employment to the community members.
The Lalit Suri Hospitality Group stands out for trans-inclusion in the hospitality sector due to its commitment to the UN Business Standards of Conduct. All employees go through sensitization programmes on LGBT issues. Kitty Su, the nightclub, also hosts fashion shows and drag shows featuring those from the transgender community.
The Lalit has drafted a policy for hiring transgender employees. It includes basic processes such as all forms having the option of three genders, gender being a non-mandatory detail to fill, gender-neutral restrooms, and gender-neutral communication. They have also hired transgender employees and placed them in positions of visibility in their establishments.
कोरोना संक्रमण को लेकर पूरे देश में भय का माहौल बना हुआ है। ऐसे में लोग कोरोना से बचने के लिए अलग-अलग उपाय कर रहे हैं। लोग कई प्रकार के नुस्खे अपनाने के साथ-साथ शरीर की रोग प्रतिरोधक क्षमता को बढ़ाने के लिए पुरानी परंपराओं की ओर भी लौट रहे हैं। इसमें सबसे महत्वपूर्ण है योग। योग के नियमित अभ्यास से शरीर स्वस्थ तो रहता ही है साथ-साथ हमारी प्रतिरोधक क्षमता को मजबूत बनाने में काफी मददगार साबित होता है। योगासन से यह खांसी, जुखाम, वायरल बुखार, कमर दर्द, सांस लेने की तकलीफ आदि बीमारियां भी दूर भागती हैं। योग करने वाले व्यक्तियों में स्फूर्ति व ऊर्जा का संचार होने के साथ-साथ शरीर के नस नाड़ियों की शुद्धि भी होती है। साथ ही रोग से लड़ने की क्षमता भी मिलती है।
कोरोना काल में बढ़ी योग को लेकर जागरूकता
जहां अभी तक कोरोना की दवाई को लेकर सिर्फ रिसर्च ही जारी है, जहां वैक्सीन को लेकर अभी तक सिर्फ शोध ही चल रहा है वही भारत की पुरानी परंपरा दुनिया को कोरोना से लड़ने के लिए एक रास्ता दिखा रही है। कोरोना काल में आयुर्वेदिक औषधियों का इस्तेमाल कर लोग काढ़ा से अपना इम्युनिटी बूस्ट कर रहें है तो वहीं कोरोना के कारण लोगों में योग को लेकर जागरूकता भी बढ़ी है। अपने आप को स्वस्थ रखने के लिए लोग इन चीजों पर विशेष ध्यान दे रहे हैं।
21 जून को है विश्व योग दिवस
आज विश्व योग दिवस है। हर साल पुरी दुनिया 21 जून को विश्व योग दिवस मनाती है। लेकिन क्या आपको पता है कि योग को दुनियाभर में चर्चित भारत ने ही किया है। साल 2015 में ही विश्व योग दिवस की शुरूआत हो गई थी। भारत के प्रधानमंत्री नरेंद्र मोदी ने संयुक्त राष्ट्र को योग से 11 दिसंबर 2014 को अवगत कराया था। इसी समय विश्वभर में योग को पहचान दिलाने को लेकर भारत की तरफ से कवायद तेज कर दी गई थी। अंत में जाकर संयुक्त राष्ट्र के 193 देशों के सदस्यों ने योग दिवस मनाने को लेकर प्रस्ताव को मजूरी दे दी थी। आंकड़ों की बात करें तो साल 2015 में जब पहली बार विश्व योग दिवस मनाया गया उस दौरान लगभग 10 करोड़ लोगों ने दुनियाभर में योग किया था। साथ ही इसमें से लगभग 3 करोड़ लोगों ने अकेले अमेरिका में योगाभ्यास किया था।
कोरोना की वजह से लोग घरों में कर रहें है योग
कोरोना महामारी की छाया इस बार योग दिवस पर भी देखने को मिलेगी। कोरोना के कारण योग दिवस पर इस बार कोई बड़ा आयोजन नहीं हुआ और इसकी थीम रखी गई है ‘घर पर योग, परिवार के साथ योग’। आयुष मंत्रालय के मुताबिक इस वर्ष योग दिवस पर सामूहिक रूप से किसी स्थान पर योग करने के बजाय लोग अपने घरों में एक तय समय पर योग करेंगे।
इन योगाभ्यासों से कोरोना से लड़ा जा सकता है
दरअसल कोरोना का संक्रमण उन लोगों को जल्दी अपना शिकार बना सकता है, जिनकी इम्युन पावर बहुत कमजोर होती है। आमतौर पर होने वाले संक्रमण में भी अगर किसी व्यक्ति की इम्युनिटी कमजोर होती है, तो वह जल्दी बीमार हो जाता है। ऐसे में योग इम्युन पावर बढ़ाता है, तो आईये जान लेतें है कुछ आसन
कपालभाति एक प्रचलित प्राणायाम है। इस प्राणायाम को करने की प्रक्रिया में सांस लेते हैं और छोड़ते हैं। रोजाना करीब पांच मिनट तक इस प्रणायाम को करने से आपकी रोग प्रतिरोधक क्षमता मजबूत होगी और आप किसी भी प्रकार के संक्रमण से बचे रहेंगे।
कैसे करें –
सबसे पहले एक योग मैट बिछा लें।
अब इस पर बैठ जाएं।
सांस लीजिए और पेट पर जोर देते हुए तेजी से सांस को छोड़ें।
प्रतिरोधक क्षमता मजबूत करने के लिए इस प्राणायाम को आप रोज सुबह और शाम को पांच मिनट तक करें।
अनुलोम विलोम से भी मजबूत होती है इम्युनिटी
अनुलोम विलोम से आपको सामान्य रूप से होने वाली सर्दी खांसी और जुकाम तक नहीं होती है। दरअसल अनुलोम विलोम प्रणायाम को करने से श्वसन क्रिया बेहतर हो जाती है। इसके अलावा डॉक्टरी रिसर्च के मुताबिक यह भी बताया जा चुका है कि इससे आपके शरीर की इम्युनिटी काफी मजबूत होती है।
कैसे करें –
एक शांत वातावरण में योग मैट या किसी भी आसन पर बैठ जाएं।
अब अपने बाएं हाथ के अंगूठे से, बायीं नाक के छिद्र को बंद करके, दायीं नाक के छिद्र से सांस लें।
अब दायीं नाक के छिद्र को अपनी एक उंगली से बंद करें और बायीं नाक के छिद्र को खोलकर, इसके जरिए सांस छोड़ें।
दूसरी ओर से भी इस प्रक्रिया को दोहराएं।
कोरोना वायरस के संक्रमण से बचे रहने के लिए इस प्राणायाम को रोज सुबह करीब पांच मिनट तक करें।
भस्त्रिका प्राणायाम भी कोरोना को रखेगा दूर
भस्त्रिका प्राणायाम के जरिए भी आप कोरोना वायरस से संक्रमित होने से बचे रहेंगे। भस्त्रिका प्रणायाम को करने से शरीर की कोशिकाएं स्वस्थ बनी रहती हैं और श्वसन क्रिया से जुड़ी कोई भी बीमारी आपको नहीं होगी। साथ ही साथ आपकी इम्युनिटी भी मजबूत रहेगी। इसके कारण आप कोरोना वायरस के संक्रमण से बचे रहेंगे भी।
कैसे करें
सबसे पहले किसी योग मैट पर बैठ जाएं।
अब एक गहरी सांस लें।
अब पेट पर जोर देते हुए सांस छोड़ें।
इस प्रणायाम को करीब 3-5 मिनट तक करें।
आप इसे सुबह और शाम दोनों समय कर सकते हैं।
प्राणायाम को आप रोज सुबह खुद तो करें ही, साथ ही अपनी फैमिली को भी इसे करने के लिए कहें। इससे न केवल आप कोरोना के संक्रमण में आने से बचेंगे बल्कि भविष्य में भी आप कई बीमारियों से बचे रहेंगे।
युगों से चला आ रहा है योग की परंपरा, जिसे दुनिया ने अपनाया
भारत में योग को निरोगी रहने की करीब पांच हजार वर्ष पुरानी मानसिक, शारीरिक और आध्यात्मिक पद्धति के रूप में मान्यता प्राप्त है, जो भारतीयों की जीवनचर्या का अहम हिस्सा है। सही मायनों में योग भारत के पास प्रकृति प्रदत्त ऐसी अमूल्य धरोहर है, जिसका भारत सदियों से शारीरिक और मानसिक लाभ उठाता रहा है, लेकिन कालांतर में इस दुर्लभ धरोहर की अनदेखी का ही नतीजा है कि लोग तरह-तरह की बीमारियों के मकड़जाल में जकड़ते गए। वैसे तो स्वामी विवेकानंद ने भी अपने शिकागो सम्मेलन के भाषण में सम्पूर्ण विश्व को योग का संदेश दिया था लेकिन कुछ वर्षों पूर्व योग गुरु स्वामी रामदेव द्वारा योग विद्या को घर-घर तक पहुंचाने के बाद ही इसका व्यापक प्रचार-प्रसार संभव हो सका और आमजन योग की ओर आकर्षित होते गए। देखते ही देखते कई देशों में लोगों ने इसे अपनाना शुरू किया। आज की भागदौड़ भरी जीवनशैली में योग का महत्व कई गुना बढ़ गया है।
योग के गुणों को देखते हुए आईये विश्व योग दिवस के ख़ास मौके पर प्रण करें कि हर दिन कम से कम एक घंटा योग करेंगे और निरोगी रहेंगे।
The link between mental health and physical health is often misunderstood. They’re often thought of as separate entities, but the two go hand in hand. In fact, the World Health Organisation (WHO) defines health as a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being. According to Dr Michael Craig Miller, professor at Harvard Medical School, exercise and physical activity can be as effective in treating some depressive symptoms as therapy or medication.
Amid growing concerns about the global spread of COVID-19, which has exacerbated mental health concerns globally. According to WHO, over 90 million Indians, or 7.5 per cent of the country’s population of 1.3 billion, experience from some form of mental health concerns. India faces a significant gap between the prevalence of mental health issues among the population and the availability and effectiveness of mental health care in providing adequate treatment. This discrepancy results in structural stigma toward mental illness which in turn is one of the main reasons for the persistence of the treatment gap, whereas societal factors such as religion, education, and family structures play critical roles. Due to this and other reasons, many individuals dealing with mental health issues turn to alternative approaches like yoga. Research shows that doing exercise influences the release and uptake of feel-good chemicals such as endorphins and dopamine in the brain, helping you feel good in the short term. Low-intensity exercise sustained over time can promote the production of neurotrophic proteins. These proteins cause nerve cells to grow and form new connections and as a result can improve brain function, making you feel better in the long term.
Yoga means “to unite” in Sanskrit. Uniting mind, body and individual and collective being is the essence of this ancient practice. Yoga provides individuals with the opportunity to concentrate on their body and mind through their breath, which can help alleviate tension and stress. Stress creates cortisol and that builds up in our system, making it difficult to metabolise them. We can address this is by putting other chemicals in our body, a perfect chemical that can address them is endorphins, which generates with exercise. As an exercise, yoga is a natural way to increase endorphins and serotonin production. According to the Journal of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, recommend that serotonin production plays a role in the treatment of depression. Also, serotonin is believed to play a major role in happiness and can be generated with regular yoga practice.
In this fast pace life, we are being driven to distraction by our own increasingly sophisticated and seductively addictive technologies. We are being enslaved by our impulses to look outside of ourselves for affirmation that we’re OK, or that there’s something more interesting than now that we should be checking because maybe this moment’s not good enough.
“We’re actually imprisoned by what we’re unconscious of. Not a moment goes by in which we don’t like this rather than that or want this more than that suggest the American Professor, Jon Kabat-Zinn
Yoga incorporates several techniques for taming the monkey mind One is breathwork, each breath is tied inextricably to the present moment, you are not breathing in the past or the future, but only right now. And, Yoga is a physical exercise that involves different body poses, breathing techniques, and meditation. It may help with depression and symptoms, such as difficulty concentrating or loss of energy.
Yoga as a form of exercise focuses mainly on deep, controlled breathing. This allows to clear the mind and strengthen the body-mind connection. Additionally, breathing is one of many components of the autonomic nervous system (ANS), which also includes your heart rate, digestive system, and more. The vagus nerve runs from the brain all the way down through to the opening of the diaphragm to the gut, and its purpose is to send signals to adjust the parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous system that form the ANS. This positively impacts on heart rate, digestion, and general feelings of being calm and centred.
Yoga is also especially helpful because of its gentle, calming, and fluid nature. Each pose is flexible, so people of all levels can practice and can gradually build the practice.
Bharti Gitay is Psychologist & Outreach Associate at Mpower – The Centre, Mumbai. She is a compassionate Mental Health professional dedicated to providing effective and empathetic care. She is passionate about mindfulness practice with individuals and families to help live a meaningful and authentic life. She is a trained ACT therapist.
Views of the author are personal and do not necessarily represent the website’s views.
Mondelez India, the makers and bakers of some of India’s favourite snacking brands – Cadbury Dairy Milk, Cadbury Bournvita, Oreo, announced an additional relief contribution of over 70 tonnes of products to support relief workers and the migrant population. The company in total has donated over 140 tonnes of chocolates, biscuits and beverages to India FoodBanking Network (IFBN) across 20 cities. Of this, MFD brand Cadbury Bournvita will be directed to hospitals.
The company is also donating dry ration kits to support over 8600 families in communities around its factory locations in Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra.
Ophira Bhatia, Director – Corporate & Government Affairs, India, Mondelēz International, said, “We are proud that globally Mondelēz International has donated well over $20 million in cash and in-kind donations to advance Covid-19 pandemic relief efforts surpassing our $15 million global commitment. As a company that has had close to 75 years of commitment to India, we are providing our much-loved products – that are safe, easy to consume and tasty – to workers in the frontline who are striving to bring this pandemic under control, and migrant workers travelling back to their homes. We also continue to support the communities around our manufacturing locations with dry rations to tide them over these difficult times. It is heartening to see every part of our business – our colleagues, our brands also pitch in to support Covid-19 relief efforts.”
The employees of Mondelez India have also donated 110,000 meals to the poor and needy through the Akshaya Patra Foundation, through employee giving. Brands like Cadbury Dairy Milk continue to live their purpose by launching a limited-edition Cadbury Dairy Milk ‘Thank You’ bar, in recognition of the generous spirit of the country’s unsung heroes during these difficult times. The company has committed part proceeds from sales of these special chocolate bars towards health insurance policies of the daily wage earners, via a partnership with Nirmana, an NGO that works with the unorganised sector.
As part of this, here is the consolidated list of efforts undertaken by the company in India:
– Mondelez India donated 1,00,00 masks, 45 sanitizer cans of 5 litters and 3,000 sanitizer bottles of 50 ml across hospitals and police stations in Mumbai to support the Maharashtra state government in this fight against Covid-19.
– To provide aid at local factory locations of Induri, Sri City, Baddi & Malanpur, the company distributed about 1,800 relief kits – consisting of critical masks and sanitizers and some snack products like Chocolates, Biscuits and Tang.
– Donated 650 kgs Bourvita biscuits and 350 kgs Bournvita to St. Jude India Child Care Centres to help children undergoing cancer treatment
Disclaimer: This media release is auto-generated. The CSR Journal is not responsible for the content.
Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) has partnered with EdIndia Foundation, to bolster the capacity of its 8000 teachers spread across 850 odd schools across the district. As an initial scheme of the partnership, Thane Municipal Corporation and EdIndia Foundation hosted a 2-day Online Teacher Training, for 8000 teachers to help them adapt to the new technology-driven teaching model in the post-COVID19 scenario.
As the COVID-19 pandemic advances, with no sight of an immediate solution to stop the spread, there is uncertainty on when the schools will reopen. This not only disrupts the continuity of learning for the 250 million children in India but also endangers their psychosocial and mental wellbeing. TMC invited experts in the 2-day Online Teacher Training programme to sensitise teachers around concerns such as mental health and child protection. The online training which will be streamed live on Youtube and Pragyan app will also prepare teachers to adopt different technology tools and platforms in their transition to online schooling for continuity of learnings.
Acknowledging that teachers require support, Mr. Manish Joshi, Deputy Commissioner Thane Municipal Corporation, said “The pandemic has forced us into remote learning which has technical, pedagogical and instructional challenges. I am glad that we could forge a partnership with EdIndia. With their expertise, we can now strengthen teachers’ capacity on technology and better classroom delivery. The whole event is the brainchild of Mr. Rajesh Kankal Education officer of Thane Municipal corporation who felt that to conduct classes, keep students engaged and continue teaching in an effective way, a re-orientation on online pedagogies and tools is required”.
Sonakshi Agarwal, CEO of EdIndia Foundation, while appreciating the opportunity to aid this cause, said. “We are in a precarious situation due to the pandemic, and it is imperative that we all stakeholders come together, work side by side on all our children’s education, protection and well-being. The training will capacitate teachers to embrace technology, nurture child well-being and prepare for post-COVID-19 challenges and innovations”.
Disclaimer: This media release is auto-generated. The CSR Journal is not responsible for the content.
Upskilling CSR programme VMinclusion Taara aims to help women restart their careers after a break. It recently reached a new milestone of 6,000 registrations. The programme trains women in the latest digital transformation technologies which include Cloud Management & Automation, Data Center Virtualization, Networking and Digital Workplaces is now supported by more industry partners with the latest addition of NTT Ltd.
One of VMware’s leading partners in Asia Pacific and Japan, NTT Ltd. has come forward to support the programme in India, and create greater awareness for improving female representation for women in tech. The company will also consider evaluating talent coming from VMinclusion Taara programme to help more women return to work.
“India has one of the highest number of STEM graduates globally and yet the number of women dropping out of work is staggering. I am thrilled that industry leaders such as NTT Ltd. are coming forth to help us in supporting women,” said Duncan Hewett, senior vice president & GM, APJ, VMware.
“We believe that diversity in the technology sector is key to our success. We consider it our responsibility to encourage and ensure women who have had to leave the industry, are given every opportunity to return. We are delighted to be a part of the VMinclusion Taara journey, to help women build skills in the latest technology trends. VMinclusion Taara provides the training for free with flexible timelines,” said John Lombard, CEO, Asia Pacific at NTT Ltd.
The courses listed in this STEM programme are free of cost. Keeping in mind that the women participating in Taara may have other life commitments to attend to, all the training is delivered online. Any woman, who is a citizen of India and residing in the territorial jurisdiction of India can join the VMinclusion Taara programme to retrain in the latest digital transformation technologies and become a VMware certified professional. Some experience or education in the field of Information Technology (IT) is preferred. However, this is not a limiting criteria for a woman who wants to learn and build a new career in IT.
Several key organizations like State Bank of India, Bharti Airtel and Cognizant have supported this programme and will be open to considering women being certified on VMware’s digital transformation solutions for relevant openings within their organisations. Women who want to register for this programme can do so at VMinclusion Taara page.
Disclaimer: This media release is auto-generated. The CSR Journal is not responsible for the content.
United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) has said that Land Use Change, prepares the ground for zoonoses like Covid-19, and it should be reversed. Land Use Change reduces the physical distance between animals and humans, which increases the interaction and conflict between the two. These interactions often result in zoonoses like Covid-19.
What is Land Use Change?
Land Use Change is a process which transforms the natural landscape by direct land use by humans in the form of settlements, commercial and economic uses and forestry activities. This impacts the overall environment in terms of greenhouse gas emissions, land degradation and climate change.
Effects of Land Use Change on Environment and Ecology
Land Use change is a major factor in CO2 (carbon dioxide) atmospheric concentration, making it a contributor to global climate change. In fact, it represents almost 25% of total global emissions. According to the Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), over 70% of all-natural, ice-free land in the world is affected by human use. This could further rise to 90% by 2050.
Land degradation affects 3.2 billion people worldwide caused as a result of Land Use Change. Ecosystem services such as forest, agriculture, grassland tourism etc. worth $10.6 trillion are lost due to land degradation annually. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, by 2050, over 500-million-hectare area of new agricultural land will be needed to meet the global food demand.
Why do humans change the land?
Despite understanding the consequences, humans continue to change the land for the following reasons:
Population Growth – Fast growing population and the consequent high pressure on resources have an adverse effect on the existing natural resources of the land area. The increasing food insecurity has led the farmers to further encroach upon the forested areas for agriculture. Mangroves have been cleared to construct residential and commercial buildings in urban areas, to accommodate the influx of people from rural areas in search of work.
Image by Szabolcs Molnar from Pixabay Forest Resources – Continuous and exhaustive thinning of forestry resources for diverse uses, particularly for construction, firewood and agricultural tools led to the degradation of forest cultivated land. This causes habitat loss for animals living in these forests and increases the incidents of human-animal conflicts which more often than not end up causing casualties among the animals.
Reversing the Land use change
According to a report by IPCC on land use, increased food production, improved cropland management, livestock management, agroforestry, increased soil organic carbon content and reduced post-harvest losses would help in ecosystem conservation and land restoration. These management practices could deliver up to $1.4 trillion in increased crop production.
Additionally, in order to achieve Land Degradation Neutrality (Sustainable Development Goal target 15.3), additional commitments in the land-use sector, namely to restore and rehabilitate 12 million hectares of degraded land per year could help close the emissions gap by up to 25% in the year 2030. The restoration of these areas as part of building back better to avoid future zoonoses would bring other crucial benefits, particularly mitigating climate change.
The urgency to slow down and reverse Land Use Change cannot be overrated as land is a critical component of biodiversity. The Land Use Sector is critical to achieving the aim of the Paris Agreement to limit global warming to 2°C.
The only way to achieve it is through responsible land governance which is the key to provide an enabling environment for ecosystem restoration, biodiversity protection, land use-based adaptation and for improving the livelihoods of many small-scale farmers. It is important that the guidelines to prevent and reverse Land Use Change is accepted and adopted by not just the governments, but also corporate houses, to protect the world from future pandemics.