Monday 29 April 2013

JAMMU AND KASHMIR CONFLICT: WHY INDIA AND PAKISTAN FAILED TO RESOLVE THE ISSUE ?



Now enough is enough ! The Jammu and Kashmir issue has been hanging fire for over 67 years. Both India and Pakistan are claiming the territory of the J&K. Over half a dozen war between India and Pakistan have been fought, entailing huge expenditures to both the countries. Indo-Pak borders always remain tense. People of the Jammu and Kashmir have been marginalised in the process of resolution of the conflict. They always remain in agonising moments. No sincere efforts have been  initiated to resolve the conflict. Both India and Pakistan seem to have reconciled to keep their domination in retaining their respective "portions"-Jammu and Kashmir and Azad Kashmir. Terror activities in the Jammu and Kashmir have become focal points of conflict for both the India \and Pakistan.

Much water have flown under Sutlej since the ruler of Kashmir Maharaja Hari Singh was forced to Kashmir's accession to India. But the million dollar question still arises why and how  Maharaja Hari Singh acceded the Kashmir to India in 1947 ? Historical facts have different opinions. One of them is that the Maharaja temporarily acceded to India on October 22, 1947 because Pakhtoon tribal population from Pakistan raided Kashmir. And the Maharaja sought help from  India and acceded to India "temporarily". Another version was that the  Maharaja never wanted Kashmir to  accede with India or Pakistan, but after independence of the Indian sub-continent, wished an "independent and sovereign Jammu and Kashmir" It is also said that tallest leader Sheikh Mohhammad Abdullah's liking for acceding the Kashmir to India, rather, forced Maharaja for request of military help from India from the clutches of Pakhtoon raiders. New Delhi always legitimised the accession by projecting such theory.

A recent book-KASHMIR: THE UNWRITTEN HISTORY- by the Australian politico-strategic analyst, author and academician Christopher Snedden has added one more of many  books on this ticklish issue! But Sneeden's book appears a different one because the book gives vivid descriptions of the causes of division of Kashmir in 1947 and throws light on the solution of the problem! In the opinion of Snnedden; three important factors that instigating the division of the state that ultimately were responsible for the present status of Jammu and Kashmir ( FRIONTLINE FORNIGHTLY REVIEW OF THE BOOK). Many political scientists feel that Pakistan was  responsible for pushing the tribal people to annex Kashmir. But Snedden  highlights the three major actions including the Muslim uprising in Poonch in western Jammu, serious inter-religious violence throughout the Jammu region and the creation of 'Azad Kashmir' government on October 24, 1947, which the author believes was the final blow to the unity of the state.

While speaking to tales of woes of Jammu and Kashmir people, the book has called the residents of the state "J&K-ites". Therefore, "let the people decide" is the peg of his proposal to resolve the dispute, although he adds a caveat that the "biggest challenge will be forcing India and Pakistan to agree on the process." According to the Frontline review of the book; Snedden also blames the disunity, as they constituted 77 percent of the princely domain. Snedden has also disclosed that the Mahraja was quite unpopular with the "muslim  subjects" and his armed forces had lost control of the large parts of the state. "Had Muslims been united, it would have been difficult for the Maharaja to take a such decision.

Snedden also suggests that the people of the state were desperate to decide their fate. He cites two further actions to strengthen this argument. "In late October-November, Kashmiris formed a people's militia to defend themselves against the invading Pukhtoons which intended, after looting, raping ad pillaging Kashmiris to capture Jammu and Kashmir for Pakistan and in early November pro-Pakistan Gilgitis rebelled to sought to join Pakistan." Such action was enough hint for determining the region's international status that time.

The author is also of the opinion that people of the Jammu and Kashmir are the main stake-holders in the unresolved  Kashmir dispute. Such factors, in the opinion of the author, suggest the need for people of the state in confidence to resolve the dispute. One another important aspect in the book is about "Azad Kashmir". He is of the opinion that "Azad Kashmir" has virtually become an" integral part" of Pakistan and is completely dependent on Islamabad. Thus the book emphasises a greater role of the people of Jammu and Kashmir (on both sides) and calls them the 'third party' in the dispute since India and Pakistan have failed to resolve the conflict.. The author argues that the people of  Jammu and Kashmir are at the centre of dispute in every way and they need to be taken on board and not marginalised.


Saturday 27 April 2013

BEUTIFUL MOUNT EVEREST FIRST CONQUERED FROM AIR IN APRIL 4 1933 !

The times has changed. Now it is easier for men-kind to go at as much height in sky like journey on Moon, Mars etc. But there was time even the best quality of aeroplanes could achieve as much as height as it could. But here is adventurous story of April 04, 1933 from the  Achieves of The Guardian when the world's highest mountain has surrendered to aeroplanes, circling 100 feet above the summit. Before I put the essay of the Guardian as written and reported, I must mention some of the backgrounds of beautiful Himalaya mountain range including  the MOUNT EVEREST in Asia.

In SANSKRIT language and literature, HIMALAYA has been called-HIMA (snow) + ALAYA (dwelling). means 'dwelling of snow' . This HIMALAYA, with some of the highest peaks including the height of the MOUNT EVEREST, in Asia is the youngest, highest and the longest mountain range in the world. It criss-crises five countries of the PLANET-Bhutan, Nepal,, India, China and Pakistan. Significantly, the Himalayan mountain range  is youngest mountain range in the globe because rick are yet to be formed. Still there are lot of sand and soils mounds in the mountain range. Because of large scale of forest denunciation , recurring threats of floods have made life miserable in parts of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh in India . Soil and sands are flowing during flood period from various rivers, originating from Nepal, mainly because of large -scale forest  cuttings of trees in forest range , specially in Nepal areas. It spreads plans of the Indian sub-continent from Tibetan plateau. The range runs west-north ward to the east-south east., about 24 km long. Not only that Himalaya mountain rage incorporates 100 mountains exceeding 7200 meters or over 23600 ft. height.  Several places in the Himalaya mountain range have religious significances in Hinduism, Islam, Jainism, Sikhism and Buddhism. In Hinduism, the Himalaya has been personified as the GOD-HEMANT, the god of snow, who is mentioned in the Hindu mythological books and  scriptures like GEETA. HEMAN, the god of snow, was father of GANGA and  SARSWATI , the most pious and well-known rivers in India !

NO doubt many mountaineers have succeeded in conquering Himalaya's MOUNT EVEREST, in the last 25 to 30 years, the journey of HIMALAYA including mount-Everest by the Houston Everest Expedition on April 03, 1933 was wonderful historically as reported in the issue of the Guardian- "From Archive , 4 April 1933: EVEREST conquered from the air." The story of The Guardian, apart from mentioning many significant aspects of the conquering of Himalaya's Everest, has pin-pointed one of the oldest airbases -PURNIA in BIhar and FORBESGANJ in BIHAR for meticulating planning and taking off the related planes to conquer the MOUNT EVEREST. The mission was "full of thrills  and passive dangers". Lord Clydesdale, Colonel Blacker and the Flight Lieutenant Mcintyre had been team members of the Westland planes expedition .The Guardian has also referred the  wonderful and experienced role Indian meteorological officer of Purnea S N Gupta, whose information and advice about  weather on April 03, 1933 had been of great value.

Just I a reproducing below The Guardian report about Everest Conquering :-

From the archive, 4 April 1933: Everest conquered from the air
The world's highest mountain has surrendered to aeroplanes circling 100 feet above its summit

Mount everest and lhotse
Mount Everest. Photograph: Image Source/Corbis
"Mount Everest has been flown over." The laconic message, received last night, announces that the Houston Everest expedition has met with complete success and that the world's highest mountain has surrendered to the all-conquering aeroplane.
Lord Clydesdale, Colonel Blacker, and Flight Lieutenant McIntyre set off early yesterday in the Westland planes on what was intended to be a trial flight. But the wind conditions turned out to be so favourable that they went on to Everest, circled the summit at a hundred feet above it, and were safely back again at Purnea soon after eleven. It is a splendid achievement, and hearty congratulations must go out to the airmen and to all who have made it possible. It is a splendid achievement - not for any material gains, any additions to aeronautical knowledge that it brings, for it brings few or none, but simply because it was one of the few last great spectacular flights in aviation which remained to be done.
No one would attempt to compare these three brief hours of adventure, full of thrills and passive dangers, with the long months of arduous physical toil which those must endure who attempt to conquer Everest by land, in the old way of the mountaineer. But to assert man's mastery of the air by flying over the roof of the world must make its strong appeal to everyone's imagination, none the less. What strange account will the adventurers have brought back of Everest and its great south face as no living eye has seen it? What strange photographs and film record may they have obtained - obtained for the rest of us to share - of the unknown Himalayas, looked at from a height higher than bird has ever gone?
everest plane One of the two aeroplanes which have flown over Everest, photographed at Karachi. The summit of Everest was flown over to-day by both machines of the Houston Everest Expedition. The following official report has been drawn up by Squadron Leader Lord Clydesdale:
"This morning (April 3) the Indian meteorological officer at Purnea, Mr. S. N. Gupta, whose information and advice has been of very great value to the expedition, reported from balloon observations that the wind, which previously had been unsuitable, had dropped to a velocity of 57 m.p.h. at 33,000 feet which altitude we had decided would be the most suitable working height for a photographic survey. Our two machines took off at 8 25 from Lalbalu Aerodrome in still air. The Houston-Westland plane contained Colonel Blacker and myself, and the Westland-Wallace, piloted by Flight Lieutenant McIntyre, with Mr. S. R. Bonnett, who is the aerial photographer, as observer.
"Our direct route to the summit meant flying on track 342 degrees. This necessitated changing the compass course at intervals more to the west on account of increased wind velocity with height according to our weather report. We had relied on overcoming to some extent the difficulty of accurate compass navigation caused by this frequent change of wind speed by the good landmarks near and along our track.
"A heavy dust haze rising to a considerable height almost completely obscured the ground from Forbesganj to the higher mountain ranges. This made aerial survey work impossible. We climbed slowly at low engine revolutions to a height of 10,000 feet. By this height the crews of both machines had tested their respective electrical heating sets, and McIntyre and I signalled to each other that everything was satisfactory. After 30 minutes' flying we passed over Forbesganj, our forward emergency landing ground forty miles from Purnea, and at a height of 19,000 feet Everest first became visible above the haze."
Click here for the full report.
everest map

Tuesday 23 April 2013

INDIA SQUANDERING TO GALVANISE YOUTHS !

 
INDIA is squandering , one of the best opportunity, to galvanise its youths for nation building and emerging one of the best global power because of indifferent approaches of successive union governments and state governments towards health, education, employment etc India is expected to witness one of the best youth power in the cosmos by 2040 !. The average age of Indian population will be 29 years by the end of the decade. By comparing other developed and  developing power, such scenario in China and United States of America will be youths under age of average  37 years,  Japan- 48 years and western European countries-45 years. According to a report of the International Monetary Fund (IMF); India's youth power has the potentiality to produce additional two percent per capita GDP growth each year for the next two decades. Reacting to a detailed report, headlined, " Has India lost the 21st Century? " in TEHELKA, the Editor of the OUTLOOK INDIA UTTAM SENGUPTA, comments on the FACEBOOK , " Political discourse and debate in the Parliament and on TV channels focus on the subjects ? What need to be done ? Political bloodletting and campaigns of oneupmanship do not address bread and butter issues. Time people demand answers from all political parties, not just the government."

But what is exactly happening in India? Indian youths are being misguided due to lack of proper education, human approaches etc. Large number of youths are being misguided in recent years and they are being trained and being utilised by non-ideological forces , mainly for extortion in the name of Naxal activities and other social activities. Their 'non-ideological mentors' pay them a small share of what they extort from businessmen and industrialists. Such practises have become attractive for unemployed youths in naxal-infested villages  and crime-prone areas of the country. Another instances are unemployed and directionless youths, indulging in crimes besides, we see, million of angry youths and women taking to streets for some reasons or others to vent their frustration as Indian's growth story is gradually slipping away. They have their right perceptions that they have been let down by the government. In this game of venting their anger and frustration, they are again being misguided by many organisations , particularly political parties-whether they may be Swami Ramdev or Anna Hazare or anybody-they are not being trained to change the society and its system  through ballot papers but by arson, loots and invasion on sheets of power like, Parliament !Bubbling youth power and its emerging trend in India must be utilised for the reconstruction and development of the country right from the days of being them in their mothers' womb to their health and education.

Ravi Venkatesan , former chairman of the Microsoft India ,who has written a book  " Conquering the Chaos:Win in India, Win Everywhere" to be published in mid-June in the United States by Harvard Business Review Press, has said in a recent interview  to India Ink , "  India is important  not just because it is a big market. India is important because it is litmus test for the companies' success in emerging market. Most emerging markets look like India-they have uncertainty, corruption, poor infrastructures and chaos. It could be Brazil, Indonesia or Nigeria. But few have the same potential, so India is  in many ways a lead case for emerging markets. Right now, multinational companies or corporations have two choices. They can either not grow, or they can embrace the chaos of emerging markets. Europe is not going to sort itself out anytime soon-they need to learn to deal with these situations. If you think you can escape chaos, you are sadly mistaken."

But the ground realities of India are multi-dimensional. India and its young men  are" growing mass of largely undernourished, undereducated, unemployable, who aspire for a better life but do not have means to get their because they are not qualified for job market and even if they are, jobs do not exist," says Tehelka essay. India's present workforce (the  15-64 age group) comprises 430 million people. Of them, only a few have received formal vocational training. Our organised sector, home to the jobs connected to aspiration, money and  India's growth story, employs only 30 million people. This leaves 400 million people in the unorganised sector, feeding for themselves. Over 60 percent of our work force is engaged in agriculture, which contributes only 18 percent of GDP, indicative of the widespread disguised unemployment and low productivity.

As I have earlier said problem story of Indian people start in mothers' womb ! Forty percent of children in India are malnourished. Forty-three percent in the age group of 12-23 months receive full immunisation, forty-eight percent are underweight. Fifty percent of all deaths under age of five are related to malnutrition. Forty-five percent children are stunted. Seventy percent of children under age five are anaemic. Thirty percent of adults have chronic nutrition deficiency. Fifty -five percent women are anaemic. (Source: Cry Foundation).  While detailing the impact of all these things, the World Bank (WB) has said the effect of undernourishment during first eight years after birth can be devastating and enduring. Its impact the individual health as well as the ability to learn, communicate, think analytically, socialise effectively and adapt a new environment and people. While more than half the deaths before the age of five are caused by malnutrition, for those who do survive past five and find their way into schools, shouldering the hopes of their parents, life does not get much better and the system sets them up for failure."

Thee are many strange things in India despite the tall claims of the successive union and state governments. According to the recent Annual Status of Education Report (ASER); 60 percent of the children in Class fifth cannot read at a Class second level and 75 percent cannot complete simple division sums. The government claims success on " Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan" by 96 enrolment in primary education, there is in fact an eighty percent dropout by Class twelve. Thus 27 million children who annually enrol in primary schools across the country, only 5.4 million make it to Class twelve. Shockingly, the quality of education is worse throughout the country. There are seldom quality teachers.

Ninety percent gross enrolment ratio in primary education with 27 million children entering primary education; two-one ratio of primary  schools to senior primary schools; forty percent the dropout rates by class eight; eighty percent dropout rate by class twelve, 15 percent in college; fifty percent of children in rural India will go to private schools, i.e pay for education by 2020; main reasons of female dropouts is lack of toilets and seventy-five percent, proportion of all children enrolled in class fifth who could not do simple divisions (Sourse:- ASER).. India needs a huge number of teachers, numbering over 6.3 million to cater the need of children in the 6-14 age group. Not only that there are need of  brightest teachers from brightest five percent to ten percent of graduates like Singapore and Finland !

More over,  another burning problem in India is employment. India needs to create  20 million jobs yearly. In the next 20 years, India will add 480 million people to labour market. India's formal sector comprises only 30 million jobs, which is only seven percent of total labour forces of 430 million. In the meantime, based on the figures provided in the Annual Survey of Industry report of 2010-11, there were 1,61,458 factories operating in the manufacturing sector, which employed around 12.3 million people and had a total investment capital of about 22 lakh crore.. There is urgent need to create 20 million  jobs a year. If emerging economy of India do not take concerns of these factors, social unrest is bound to loom large over the country !

Saturday 13 April 2013

Pakistan Elections: IS IT 'DEMOCRACY' OR 'RELIGIOCRACY' ?


It is commonly said that democracy is the best form of government ! This form of government has peoples' participation and ultimately power remains in the hand of people. But least said is better about this democratic form of government in various nations of the planet ! One such glaring example is forthcoming elections, scheduled on May 10, in Pakistan. In the name of democracy, Pakistan ,an Islamic country where Islam orthodox only prevails. People of the world are startled to find that under democratic system in Pakistan, politicians of that country are being tested on whether they are pious enough to face the elections. Only 'devout' Muslims' politicians are eligible to contest the elections, Judges from the lower courts, who are overseeing the elections, quizzed them on whether they could recite particular Koranic verses from memory or knew how to perform various Islamic rituals.

 Interestingly one candidate was asked to pledge that from now on he would 'pray five times' And if participant-contestants are found lacking all these things, they are out rightly debarred from the contesting elections ! The judges are drawing on vaguely worded clauses in Pakistan's Constitution that insist all members of the Parliament must be 'devout Muslims' it may be mentioned that clauses were imposed by General Mohammad Zia-ul- Haq, a former military ruler and religious hard-liner, as part of his sweeping "Islamization" programme during 1980s. In the past, election officials turned blind eye to the exacting religious standards set out by clauses. As many observers have quipped over the years, the stipulated demands that lawmakers be "sagacious" 'nonprofligate' observe all mandatory religious duties and abstain from 'major sins' would likely to lead an empty Parliament.

More over, the judges, conducting the Pakistan elections, won applause for standing up to lying politicians. But  some question the wisdom of the move. "It is illegal, but there is a political context  to it" says Ai Dayan Hasan, Director of the Pakistan Human Right Watch. A recent report in The Times World has said ,"when it comes to Pakistan's elections, many derive comfort from the fact that the religious right never wins more than 10 percent of the vote. But the political parties that neatly evade both laws imposed by Zia and Musharraf are from religious right. After being chastened at the last elections, they are back on the ascendants. When it came to degree requirement for contesting elections, as imposed by Musharraf, they madrasas education was mostly deemed equivalent to an advanced degree. And ,of course,they breezed through the piety tests." In 2002, Musharraf imposed a condition that all parliamentarian should be graduates.

The scrutiny process, critics say. could end up tilting the electoral field. " They are using a controversial overboard law imposed on the constitution by a dictator for precisely the purpose of arbitrary political screening". says Hasan and adds ," rather than allowing the voters to decided who's fit to sit in Parliament, the judges are arrogating that right to themselves. This is a form of pre-poll rigging against those who do not meet approval of these authorities on extremely flimsy grounds."

A leading lawyer Babar Sattar says, " it is impossible to decided who is and who is not a good Muslim-the language of Article-62 of the Pakistan Constitution, referring to the relevant clauses in the Constitution is not just enforceable. Are we saying someone who does not pray five times a day cannot be a member of Parliament "? The wording is so misty as to be open to widely divergent interpretations. Part of problem is that judges can read into these words their own anxieties."

Many  of the members of lower judiciary, who are scrutinising the candidates have inherited their religious views from the austere readings offered in standard Pakistani textbooks, says Raja, another lawyer.The attitudes on display also appear to reflect a growing  sense of religiosity in Pakistan and disenchantment with the political class. A report issued this week by N British Council found that 38 percent of young voters between the age of 18 to 29 think Sharia law is the best political system of Pakistan. Nearly a third said they would like military rule. And a paltry 29 percent said they wanted a continuation of democracy.

However,  one factor that along with failing to persuade the youth of the merits of democracy, the politicians have also been unsuccessful in rolling back Zia's legacy. "These provisions should not be in the Constitution, the Parliament has clearly failed to take them out", says Sattar. Despite passing three constitutional amendments, the parliamentarians left the  Islamic  provisions untouched. Some ascribe the reluctance to fear of a religious backlash. In 2011, two major politicians were killed after speaking out against the country's notorious blasphemy laws.

Strangely, a well-known politician and long-standing newspaper columnist has even been disqualified to contest elections by Scrutiny judge because judges frowned him on a reference to alcohols in one of his weekly articles.. No doubt alcohol is banned in Pakistan, though bootleggers discreetly do a brisk trade.. Intense scrutiny being enforced for the first time in Pakistan. Much of it is focused on ethics and civil law. Recently for  military ruler Pavez Mushrraf's nomination were rejected because judges said he subverted the Constitution when he mounted the 1999 coup that overthrow a civilian government. Strangely , nominations of many politicians have been rejected on the ground of variety of offences including defaulting in bank loans and failing to pay water bills.

However, right  advocates and legal experts say judges are also reaching past questions of financial probity to arbitrarily decide who is a pious Muslim to sit in next Pakistan's Parliament.


Wednesday 10 April 2013

Indian Government Enriching Rich At The Cost of Poor !


The way UPA government,led by Dr Manmohan Singh, is moving to reach the'mirage' of the so called development of India, the time is not so far off when entire economy of the country will be drained out and controlled by the capitalist classes ! Instead of bailing out the country from poverty, malnutrition, lack of education etc, the Indian government is building about 100 capitalists, corporates, political classes, industrialists and rich persons  in the category of super rich by  writing off government dues with them in respect of income -tax, duties on gold and diamonds , excise duty, custom duty etc since 2005-06 to 2012-13. The Forbes, the Oracle of Indian Business Journalism,, which prepares a list each year of billionaires the world over, has named 55 Indians figure on the list (up from 48 last year) in 2013 with an average wealth worth around Rs 190.8 billion. Eminent journalist  P Sainath in a recent  essay in The  Hindu, under headline "The Feeding frenzy of kleptocracy", says, "Since 2005-06, taxes, duties for the corporate world and rich have been written off at the rate of Rs seven million a minute average. Duties waived on gold and diamonds in the last 36 months equal the 2G scam amount."

More over , India ranks five in the world of billionaires on the Forbes List. the rank of the country in 2013 , the ranking of India with regards United Nations Human Index (NHI) remains at 136 out of 186 nations. Over 78 population, specially in rural areas hardly get even one meal a day. The India government seems more serious in waiving spree to rich people instead of strengthening and implementing welfare  measures for poverty-ridden people of the country.Many country in Latin America and the Caribbeans except one Haiti are ahead of us.

 In 2005-06, the India government has waived corporate income-tax to the tune of Rs 34618 crore, in 2006-07 Rs 50075 crore, in 2007-08 Rs 62199 crore, 2008-09- Rs 66901 crore, 2009-10-Rs 72881 crore, 2010-11 Rs 57912 crore, 2011-12-Rs 61765 crore, 2012-13-Rs 68008 crore ( Total- Rs 474359 crore). Excise Duty waiving has also similar tale ! Right from 2005-06 to 2012-13, the total amount of waiving in respect of excise duty comes to Rs 1121122 crore. Year-wise break-up is 2005-06-Rs 66760 crore. 2006-07- Rs 75475 crore, 2007-08- Rs 87468 crore, 2008-09-Rs 128293 crore, 2009-10-Rs 16121 crore, 2010-11- Rs 192227, 2011-12-Rs 195590 crore and 2012-13- Rs 206188. In respect of custom duty waiving since  2005-06 to 2012-13, the total amount come to Rs 1515688 crore. In 2005-06, such amount was Rs 127730 crore; 2006-07- Rs 137107crore, 2007-08-Rs 153593 crore, 2008-09-Rs 225752, 2009-10- Rs 207949 crore, 2010-11-Rs 172740, 2011-12-Rs 232852 crore, and 2012-13-Rs 253967. Thus in eight financial years, the India government has waived Rs 3111169 crore in the name of so called encouragement for investments.

Before I further write about foregoing revenue in respect of gold, diamonds and jewellery from 2005-06 to 2012-13 as well as  per capita availability of cereals and pulses daily in grams in different periods,. I must mention that the budget of the current financial year" has almost nothing worthwhile for say, health or education where there is a  decline compared to allocation last year (in proportion to GDP). Ditto for rural development. And micro-rise in for food that will quickly be taken care of by prices." Sadly even the sub-Saharan standards would be an improvement. India ranks 65th in the 79 hungriest  nations in the Global Hunger Index (GHI). The GHI score of India for 2012 was worse than it was 15 years earlier in 1996.

Here it must be noted the per capita net availability of cereals and pulses daily in grams. On and average, it is declining in every five years period of 'reforms' without exception. Significantly in the 20 years preceding the reforms -1972-1991-it rose every five year period without exception. Averagely from 1972-76, the availability of cereals was 383.9 grams, pulses -43.8 grams oer capital net availability. Like wise from 1977 to 1981, the  availability was 407.5 grams cereals and pulse 40.4 grams, another average availability  from 1982-86 was 420.2 cereals and 40.6 pulses and average such figure for 1987-91 was 440.7 cereals and 39.6 pulses. After reform years of 1992-96, the average per capita availability was 439.3 cereals and 35.6 pulses, average 1997-2001-these were 423.7 cereals and 33.6 grams pulses, another average for 2002-06 was 419.6 grams cereals and 32.9 grams cereals and last average of 2007 onwards 4068 grams of cereals and 37.8 grams of pulses on and average. Now anybody can imagine the plight of availability of per capita cereals and pulses per person, which have declined during economic liberalisation years !

India government is paying full attention for benefits to capitalists and rich persons. Have anybody heard any middle class salaried persons or others' liability  in respect of income-tax and duties have been waived ? But the government of India is on spree of revenue forgoing on gold, diamonds and jewellery from 2005-06 to 2012-13.. Total sum of Rs 314457 crore have been waived during the these period on gold, diamonds and jewellery. Such figures are:- 2005-06-Rs 16935 crore; 2006-07-Rs 25672  crore, 2007-08- Rs 25586 crore; 2008-09-Rs 27649 crore, 2009-2010 Rs 49164; 2011-12-Rs 65975; 2012-13-Rs 61035 crore.

In this  manner, the flagship welfare programmes  like MGRGM, Indira Awas, child and women welfare, education, health, subsidised food to poor   are suffering in India due to lack adequate funds. But on the other hand , the government is helping with open heart the tax-payers money for the advantage of capitalists, corporates, rich persons in the country. P Sainath says, " one of the biggest write-offs in this year's budget is the custom duty on gold, diamonds and jewellery-Rs 61035 crore. That is no more that what has been written off on crude oil and mineral oils, or even on machinery. The waiver on gold and diamonds in the just 36 months is Rs 1.76 trillion (or what we lost in the 2G scam). It is not as if we have not been generous with them in other secrets, though. The latest write-offs in corporate income-tax is even higher at Rs 68,006 crore. The total revenue foregone this year Rs five.28 trillion as others pointed out, is greater than fiscal deficit Such write offs since 2005-06 is Rs 31.11 trillion. It also means we are writing off taxes and duties for corporate mob and rich at the rate of over Rs seven million every single minute on average."

Sources: The Hundu achieves,, Successive union budgets, Statement of revenue receipts; Economic Survey of 2012-13 and Economic Survey of 2010-11 and various other websites.