Category: Kharcha paani

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‘Is this sex product Jain?’

That’s right. Indians are asking for some truly bizarre sex products and experimenting with the sexual experience like never before.
by The Editors | editor@themetrognome.in

Indians are buying intimate products online, and the things they’re asking for sometimes border on the bizarre.

According to a report recently published by an Indian personal products website,ThatsPersonal.com, when it comes to buying sex products online, Indians are anything but shy. However, most women were seen to register purchases in their partners’ names, to maintain their privacy.

SexSaid Samir Saraiya, CEO, ThatsPersonal.com, “We recently conducted a comprehensive quantitative survey on the buying behaviour for intimate products in India, after analysing our sales and website traffic for 18 months. This quirky and fun research is our way of giving society a good laugh. Talking about sex has been a taboo for quite some time in our country, however, people have shed their inhibitions and pre-conceived notions and are ready to explore and experiment.” He added that the site routinely gets some extremely unusual requests and queries about sexual wellness products. “There are queries about certain products being Jain or non-Jain. Then there are questions on how to ‘do it’ for the first time. However, we decided to respect our customers’ privacy and published only the figures for aggregate sales and traffic.”

According to their research, Western India clearly leads the way in buying pleasure products, as the region accounts for 36 per cent of their total sales vis-a-vis only 7 per cent from the Eastern part of the country. North India lags slightly behind at 21 per cent, whereas the South market comprises a large chunk of their market share accounting for 31 per cent of total sales. The research also threw some light on smaller cities, which provide a substantially higher basket value. Surprisingly, a Tier 2 city like Baroda was found to have the maximum women buyers.

Also, age-wise segregation showed that the age groups of 25 to 34 years were the most active buyers. Men were found to be higher spenders and surfers than women.

Lubes and condoms lead the sales, thus emphasising the safe sex message and India’s growing awareness about protected sex. Although the condom remains the most bought and trusted product, Indian men now want to experimenting with other fun stuff like handcuffs, edible lingerie, adult card games (very popular at bachelorette parties), edible body paint and the likes.

As per the research:

– Hyderabad men love to get their hands on handcuffs.

– Gujaratis buy a lot of fun, adult games

– Kerala buys more of latex free condoms.

– South Indian women are maximum buyers of delay gel.

– North Indian men buy a lot of edible lingerie.

(Pictures courtesy www.national-awareness-days.com, www.womendailymagazine.com)

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Maharashtra’s done well for its people: UNICEF

However, as per the State of the World’s Children Report, State needs to redouble efforts to prevent crimes against women.
by The Editors | editor@themetrognome.in

This year happens to be the 25th anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of Child.  The Convention on the Rights of the Child was adopted by the United Nations’ General Assembly on November 20, 1989 and came into force on September 2, 1990. As per the UNICEF’s report ‘State of the World’s Children’ released in Mumbai last week, Maharashtra State has done well on the fronts of the handwash campaign for school children, as also reaching its Millenium Development Goals (MDG) for Under-5 years mortality and Maternal Mortality Rate.

The report was launched by the State Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao at Raj Bhavan in Mumbai. On the occasion, the Governor called upon UNICEF, Maharashtra to reach out to the State’s poor children through its various programmes and to serve as a bridge between the Government of Maharashtra and the people.

Expressing concern over the killing of girl child and the practice of sex-determination, the Governor called for counselling of doctors who were conducting sex-determination tests. Complimenting the UNICEF Maharashtra for making significant gains in Health, Nutrition, Education and Child Protection in Maharashtra, the Governor lauded its efforts in implementing the handwash campaign for school children in rural areas of Maharashtra. The Governor called for making the campaign broad-based by including students who are outside the school system.

Said Rajeshwari Chandrashekhar, Chief of Field Office, UNICEF Maharashtra, “Maharashtra reached the MDG for Maternal Mortality Rate in 2010 (87) which is lower than the national average of 178. Further, Maharashtra has reached the MDG for Under-5 Mortality in 2009 (28), which is lower than national average (52).”

Some of the highlights of the UNICEF State of the World’s Children Report for Maharashtra:

  • State reached MDG for drinking water in 2003.
  • 30 per cent of open defecation-free villages in India are in Maharashtra
  • Increase in literacy rate from 77 per cent to 83 per cent between 2001 and 2011: rate higher than the national average
  • Performance of students in both language and Math significantly above the national average
  • Three-fold jump in the number of RTE compliant schools (from 7,355 schools in 2013 to 23,148 in 2013)
  • Child marriage decline from 31 per cent to 12 per cent (from 1998 to 2013)

 (Picture courtesy Raj Bhavan, Mumbai and www.unicef.org)

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Tata Group to sponsor education of 1 crore children

The State Government of Maharashtra has also pledged its partnership and support for the project aimed at teaching job skills.
by The Editors | editor@themetrognome.in

As far as new initiatives go, this one’s a sure hit.

Today, December 3, 2014, Cyrus Mistry, Chairman of Tata Group met with Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and discussed the company’s proposal to sponsor the education of 1 crore children in the State. The Tata Group is soon launching its ambitious education plan aimed at providing scholarships and job-oriented learning to Maharashtra’s children.

The duo met to discuss the scope of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives by companies, and Mistry is said to have appraised the CM about his company’s plans, as also asking the Government to provide support for the same. On his part, the CM is learnt to have shown an interest in the State Government partnering with the Tata Group for the project.

This project is envisioned to include children studying in the primary grades as well. “The idea is to provide skills training, so that children are better equipped to face the job market,” Mistry said during the meeting.

As per a July 2014 report in The Times of India, the Tata Group spent Rs 1,000 crore on CSR initiatives in 2013-14. This was the highest CSR spend by any Indian company. A larger amount of the CSR spend went into skill development, health and education. The Group seems to be extending its plans for the education sector this year as well.

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‘Free housing’ will not benefit Mumbai: Study

Praja Foundation’s White Paper on Mumbai’s housing situation reveals a multitude of slums, homeless people and a complete lack of planning.
by The Editors | editor@themetrognome.in

In the recently held Assembly elections in Maharashtra, all the political parties acknowledged that one of the main problems that Mumbai faces is ‘Housing’. Governments in the past, including the current Government, have all come to power promising the citizens of Mumbai solutions to this problem.

The Special Township Policy, Cluster Redevelopment and Slum Rehabilitation Scheme, among others, are all projects which the Government has put forward; but unfortunately, these have not delivered much for the citizens of Mumbai – 52 lakh Mumbaikars still stay in slums!

Releasing its first White Paper on ‘Status of Affordable Housing in Mumbai’, Nitai Mehta, Managing Trustee, Praja Foundation said, “Praja through its ‘Praja Dialogue’ project has been engaging the citizens, the elected representatives and the Government on issues that concern the citizens of Mumbai. Education, health, crime, civic issues and working of the elected representatives are the topics on which we engage with them. This year we are adding ‘Affordable Housing’ to this list.”

Affordable housing is one of the most important issues faced by Mumbai and Mumbaikars, and it is also the most complex and challenging problem of this city.

What the study finds

As per the Praja White Paper:

– 11.36 lakh households stay in slums in Mumbai, out of a total of 28 lakh households

– 15,274 homeless households

– 57 per cent households live in one room

– 8 per cent households do not even have one room, but share a room with others

– Only 203,624 units of public housing were created between the year 1995-2014

– Average cost of a 269 sq. ft. house (at minimum ready reckoner rate) is 12 times the median annual income of Mumbaikars, whereas the norm is that it should be less than four times the annual income.

Milind Mhaske, Project Director, Praja Foundation added, “The political-social-industry discourse to solve the problem of housing revolves around two extremes: one, provide free or hugely subsidised houses and second, increase FSI (Floor Space Index) thus increasing supply and rationalising costs. Since 1995 about 203,624 lakh affordable houses have been added to the stock, whereas we need atleast 11.57 lakhs houses as of today. This estimate does not even take into account the future requirements. Clearly, ‘free’ housing schemes are not providing the remedy.”

Explaining why increasing FSI (Floor Space Index), i.e. building more dwellings on the existing land is a very flawed and lop-sided solution, well known town planner and one of the earliest proponents of ‘Navi Mumbai’, Shirish Patel says, “Proponents of higher FSI in Mumbai are not taking into account aspects of density, crowding and its impact on quality of life. Increasing FSI and building more dwellings translates into need for more amenities such as road space, open spaces, educational institutions, health care facilities, work spaces and so on; and this calls for more land. Thus, if more land is provided you end up again diluting the FSI or if not provided, then you end up cramping more people in the same space without any concern for infrastructure and amenities.”

(Pictures courtesy Praja Foundation and upload.wikimedia.org)

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Doctors will become teachers for World Diabetes Day

The Indian Diabetic Foundation (IDF) launches nationwide campaign to curb the spread of early onset of diabetes among school children.
by The Editors | editor@themetrognome.in

In probably the largest initiative of its kind, aimed at creating awareness on childhood obesity and diabetes, The Indian Diabetic Federation (IDF) in collaboration with Fortis Raheja Hospital has initiated a nationwide campaign to curb the spread of early development of diabetes among school children.In its initial phase, the campaign would cover city-based schools with diabetologists and nutritionists delivering guest lecture’s in schools on health benefits associated with the intake of healthy breakfast.

Diabetes in Indian childrenThe launch of this nationwide campaign will happen today, November 14, which is World Diabetes Day and is also observed as Children’s Day in India.

“The focus is on motivating children to consume a healthy breakfast. When awareness is inculcated in children, it easily reaches their parents. When children start advising adults on the harmful effects of fast food accumulation, it can easily bring about a solution. Our effort is to create awareness among the students and teachers about the value of nutrition and healthy food, the difference between junk and poisonous food and inculcating the values of consuming homemade food,” said Dr Anil Bhoraskar, Diabetologist, Fortis Raheja Hospital and the Chair Elect of South East Asia – Indian Diabetic Federation.

Dr Bhoraskar added, “Through the series of lectures, we strongly recommend that people should avoid sugar and fats in their daily intake, as it contains high Omega 6 and Omega 3 fatty acids. If people do not take proper breakfast in the morning, they tend to munch more of fatty foods, which are high on salts and detrimental to the body. The disease normally seen in adults because of obesity is now being seen with an increasing frequency in children, particularly Type 2 Diabetes. Today, more number of children below 12 years are susceptible to type 2 Diabetes and the complications worsen post the age of 20 years.”

The IDF hopes that the programme will sensitise children and parents about the serious problem of childhood obesity caused due to the intake of unhealthy breakfast. In an effort to educate parents about feeding their children with healthy breakfast, IDF has decided to distribute booklets on nutrition and its positive effects on their child’s health.

(Pictures courtesy www.niticentral.com, www.thehealthsite.com. Images are used for representational purpose only)

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Trends

Mumbai walks more than Delhi

Mumbaikars reveal feelings of calmness, better self esteem and improved physical and emotional health due to walking, says a survey.
by The Editors | editor@themetrognome.in

Walking regularly helps people restore their work life balance, makes them calmer, happier and more positive towards life, reveals Max Bupa Walk for Health Survey 2014, a first of its kind study of nearly 1000 walkers in Delhi and Mumbai.

According to the survey, 83 per cent walkers in Delhi and Mumbai experience positive lifestyle changes post walking. 43 per cent walkers in Mumbai and 47 per cent walkers in Delhi feel they have become calmer after taking up walking, while 26 per cent in Mumbai say that their work life balance has improved post walking, as they have started leaving office on time,to walk.

WalkingThe survey reveals that more Mumbaikars also feel that their sleeping habits have improved as a result of walking, and many have experienced an improvement in their self-esteem and confidence. Interestingly, 70 per cent patients suffering from serious heart, respiratory, obesity and bone or joint-related ailments also experienced improvement in their physical, mental and emotional health after walking.

The Max Bupa Walk for Health initiative aims to encourage people to integrate walking into their daily schedule. Buoyed by the participation of more than 40,000 people in the two editions of Max Bupa Walk for Health 2012 and 2013, the third edition of Max Bupa Walk for Health is scheduled for November 9 this year in Delhi and Mumbai.

A significant number of regular walkers say that that they have started avoiding junk food (60 per cent), started waking up early (51 per cent) and have become more inclined towards a healthier lifestyle than before. 1 out of every 3 regular walkers in Mumbai prefer walking over driving short distances. The incidence of walking instead of driving shorterdistancesis also high among cardio (47 per cent) and obese patients (35 per cent).53 per cent patients who walk regularly experienced decrease in stress and 41 per cent said it helped improve their blood pressure levels. Weight loss is also one of the positive after-effects of walking, visible within six months in most patients. On an average, patients reported losing more than four kg through regular walking. Cardio and obesity patients reported an average weight loss of six kg and five kg respectively.

Manasije Mishra, Chief Executive Officer, Max Bupa said, “The findings of the survey reinforce the numerous physical and psychological benefits of walking, including better health, positive lifestyle changes, improvement in eating and sleeping patterns, among many others. It has emerged from the survey that walking is a super pill, prescribed by 96 per cent doctors to people across age groups, including patients suffering from chronic ailments like heart diseases, obesity and asthma.”

Pointing at city wise walking trends, the survey revealed that while Delhi walks more on weekends, Mumbai walks the same distance on weekdays and weekends. However, Mumbai walks longer (45 minutes) than Delhi (34 minutes) at one go.

“The survey shows that companionship makes walking more enjoyable and presence of a companion is a motivator for people across age groups to walk regularly. Over 50 per cent people in Mumbai prefer to walk with their families,”added Anika Agarwal, Head-Marketing, MaxBupa.

Interestingly, the survey also revealed how technology motivates different age groupsand genders to walk more. People in the older age group are more disciplined and focused while walking, however those in the middle and younger age groups like to multitask, engage on social networking sites or apps while walking. Respondents said they listen to music, check emails or talk on the phone as they walk.

(Pictures courtesy arunshanbhag.com, caveviews.blogs.com. Images used for representational purpose only)

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