Annual Report 2008-2009 and Bhabanipatna District Jail in Orissa. The main objective of these visits was to oversee the functioning of these prisons as well as study the human rights situation of the inmates there. ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND CULTURAL RIGHTS Right to Health 2.8 In order to address the shortage of doctors in rural areas, the views of the Commission with regard to one year of compulsory rural service for MBBS students was conveyed to the Sambasiva Rao Committee constituted by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India for examination. The Sambasiva Rao Committee in its report had suggested that instead of extending the internship of MBBS students for another year to facilitate rural posting, rural work up to one year should be made mandatory for candidates who want to pursue their post-graduation. For this purpose, the students will be appointed by their respective State Governments/Union Territories on contractual basis for a period of one year. In the meantime, the Government of India too has proposed to introduce one year of mandatory posting in rural areas for purposes of employment. Mental Health 2.9 The NHRC continued with its efforts of creating a better understanding and awareness about the rights of mentally-ill persons by organizing conferences and undertaking visits of mental health hospitals in the country. Issue of Silicosis 2.10 The issue of silicosis was given utmost attention during 2008-2009. The NHRC examined individual complaints related to the problem of silicosis and directed the Union Government and the States/Union Territories to furnish information related to the problem of silicosis and the steps taken by them for diagnosis and its treatment including compensation by industries/ factories/quarries/mines to the victims of silicosis. Human Rights Awareness and Facilitating Assessment of Enforcement of Human Rights Programme in Selected Districts of India 2.11 The NHRC selected 28 backward districts, one from each State, for spreading awareness among the people on human rights issues like food security, education, custodial justice, health, hygiene, sanitation, etc. For this purpose, it undertook field visits to schools, primary health centres, community health centres, hospitals, police stations, jails, ration shops functioning under the public distribution system, and various other departments located in the district for the empowerment of children, women, scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and other vulnerable sections of the society. Concurrently, it also organized a workshop on “Human Rights Awareness and Facilitating Assessment of Enforcement of Human Rights Programme at District Level Administration” with all the stakeholders in the identified districts that were visited. 15