IN OUR DECADENT SOCIETY, INDIA HAS MANY SHAMES!

Among our countrymen , particularly writer, political classes, intellectuals, intelligentsia, academic, it has become a common refrain to refer about many prevalent " shames" in India! When we live in a decadent society where all systems have failed, there are bound to be many " shames" in the country. In the present day India, successive political classes and fanatics have subverted the Constitution, laws, rules etc for their enlightened self-interest. Political classes of all hues except a few, have mainly one aim-that is to remain in power or grab power solely to earn as much money  by anyhow. In the process, they are bending the instrumentality of the Indian Constitution. And we have become a part of decadent society and bearing the burnt of ills being perpetuated by political classes and their cohorts-bureaucrats! Thus, India after over 60 years of its existence, has been manufacturing only "shames" everywhere. Apart from many "shames" including  corruption, inequality, poverty, illiteracy, lack of health facilities, power brokering, criminalisation of politic etc one of the great shames is "untouchable,and manual scavenging", still prevalent in every parts of the "Bharat Mahan or India shining".

We have failed to eradicate the "manual scavenging". This has further intensified the "practise of untouchability" , right from south to north and east to west in our country of over 120 crore population. Particularly in rural India, conservatism and feudal mindset  persists. Persons of lower caste are not allowed to sit on chair before feudal people as well as these lower caste people are not allowed to share, ponds, wells, tube wells, temples with people, belonging to upper caste. These practises and being exercised well before the eyes of government and so called messiah of poor and down-trodden, violating the Constitutional provisions  are prevalent in India, adding more and more "shames" to India . And we, as part of decadent society are tolerating injustices after injustices and inequalities after inequalities  towards lower caste 'silently and shamelessly'!

It is strange that merely because of birth in lower caste family, they clean sewers, septic tanks, open drains, flowing with excreta in the house-holds, streets and railway lines and platforms. To substantiate these lapses, one will invariably find that even in the government records-for these works persons of lower caste are appointed and in their service roll, they are described "mehtars"!

More over, after 43 years after its prohibition in the Constitution , a law was passed by the Indian Parliament in 1993, prohibiting such practices. Strangely , this law remained on the statue book without any effective control of such evil practices. Even today lakhs of men and women manually engaged themselves in this barbaric rituals of disposing human excreta, entering the manholes and nullahs for cleaning drains flowing with dirty waters mixed with excreta.These paractices ruin the health , dignity and honour of lakhs of lower caste people. Despite so many assurances and promises of successive Presidents and prime ministers, the union government  continues to move in dark to  free  the country from manual scavenging.  Thus this nation has failed in its duty as per constitutional provisions for providing a life of dignity to lakhs of citizens.

 In 2010, the Safai Karmchari Andolan (SKA) had filed a petition in the Supreme court, highlighting their miseries and had informed the court that as many as 252 districts of the country are in the grip of such 'shameless" work. The case is still pending in the Supreme Court where it has been reported that 7,94,390 dry latrines across the country where human excreta is cleaned by humans. Of these 73 percent is in the rural areas and 27 percent in urban localities. In another 13,14,652 toilets , human excreta is flushed into open drains. And here again to clean these channels fall on scavengers, employed by the union government and state governments.

A few years back on the directives of the Supreme Court, the union ministry of social justices and empowerment had constituted a task forces to indentify the prevalence of  manual scavenging. After some discussions, the union finance ministry allotted  Rs 35 crore to identify scavengers across the country. But nothing moved and the union government dropped the idea, initiated for the first time in the country for identifying the manual scavengers.Many men also clean sewers, septic tanks, open drains into which excreta flows.People trapped by their birth in this vocation are shunned and despised.It clearly infers that government failed miserably in announcing comprehensive time-bound action plan to get rid this country from its "shameful casteist legacy". We must remember the spirit of final words of Dr B R Ambedkar in the context of liberation of manual scavenging. Dr Ambedkar had said,...... ours  is a battle not for wealth or for power. It is battle for freedom. It is battle of reclamation of human personality."

In the last 40 years, some thing tangible has been done by Sulabha International, pioneered by Dr Bindeshwar Pathak. to eradicate manual scavenging  Dr Pathak worked hard in Bihar and other parts of the country to eradicate manual scavenging by developing a new technology of soil-based pit. Pathak's technology clicked not only in different parts of India but in under-developed and developing countries of the South-East Asia. Now his International has become a corporate in this venture.I exactly remember the feudal mind-sets of Bihar and how Dr Pathak, a Gandhian strived hard and dedicated his life to the mission. I remember at one occasion, a few Orthodox Bihar people had laughed at the idea of Dr Pathak and called him " Paikhana-Pathak" . But this discouragement did not deter Dr Pathak and he carried his mission successfully throughout the globe!

Now the Union government has\ also awoke from deep slumber following the snubbing of the Supreme Court.! The struggle of Safai Karmchari Andolan has compelled the union government to bring an effective bill to strengthen 1993 law on this score.The 1993 law had outlawed the practice. But the law was bundle of toothless  provisions. Some thing good in the preamble o f the new  proposed law," it is necessary to correct the historical injustice and indignity suffered by the manual scavengers and to rehabilitate them to a life of dignity." The provision in the 1993 law had  defined "a manual scavengers as a person engaged in or employed for manually carrying human excreta.". But the proposed 12012 law has proposed more effective parameters and had elaborated, "a person engaged or employed......for manually cleaning, carrying, disposing of or otherwise handling in any manner, human excreta in an insanitary latrine or in open drain or pit into which the human excreta from the insanitary latrines is disposed of or on a railway track.....". The expanded definition in the proposed Bill has  completely undergone by previous proviso that a person, who cleans" excreta with the help of such devices and using such protective gear, as the central government may notify in this behalf, shall not be deemed to be manual scavengers.".

Not only that  a prominent columnist Harsh Mander , has said, "the proposed bill of 2012 strictly prohibits construction of dry latrines and employment of manual scavengers as also the hazardous cleaning of a sewer or a septic tank. But the cleaning railway tracks has not been included and hazardous cleaning is defined not by employers requiring workers to manually clean sewers or septic tanks but requiring them to do so without protective gear. Our objection is manual cleaning of sewers and septic tanks is not just of compromising worker safety---which is no doubt important---- but of human indignity, which would continue even if such manual cleaning is done with protective gear . And it is unconscionable to let the railways off the hook."

It must be noted that liberation from such condemned pratices must come from the invention, discovering as well as use  modern technology. The Application of modern technologies, which are globally  available, will make the occupation humane, dignified and safe and also ensure that human beings do not have direct contact with excreta. Both railways and local bodies could procure such technologies for the purpose!. But the both union and state government appear helpless for spending huge amount to  implement renovating ideas  because human beings are available in abundance to perform this work cheaply. This is manly because that lower caste people are propelled by their birth in most disadvantaged castes and lack of other livelihood options. This appears to be the real shame for the country and its rulers, who have failed to provide proper employment to weaker sections of society by providing them proper education and medicare! The proposed bill must ensure adequate provisions to punish the officials, who fail to implement the measures including for not identifying, reporting and ending manual scavenging, as well as demolishing dry latrines, rehabilitating manual scavengers and other unjust and unlawful social practices.

This is what shamelessly shameless India and we Indians!

LACK OF LAND REFORMS, BANE OF POVERTY AND HUNGER IN INDIA!

What has gone wrong in our system? None has care about prevailing poverty and  hunger as well as wide-scale disparity In the Bharatvarsh, that is called India and Hindustan! Now it has become fashion to speak about corruption in our decadent society's system. Hardly, political leaders of all hues and the  representatives of the   so called civil society and Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) speak about sorry state of affairs among rural poor and adivasis , agriculture, education, health etc. Of course corruption is one of the main reasons in derailing welfare and development measures also, but voices of deprived lots, constituting over 78 percent population, are big deal. Corruption can be tackled by streamlining the rotten system under existing laws under the Constitution but hunger and poverty, lack of education, health could be faced with determination by launching welfare measures! Vision among the political leadership is lacking to face the alarming situation in the country. Are we moving towards worse scenario in the country where there will be no takers of peoples' voices ?

Neo-liberal economic policy in the last over 20 years, I strongly feel,  is aggravating the situation. It is surprising that in India, there are no land records. Land reforms are hanging fire. Lands are accumulated in the hands of 10 to 15 percent population. Old feudal order is continuing! Many Acts and Laws for land reforms by almost all successive state governments and union governments were framed in over last 60 years but poor and landless increased by over 85 percent. Over 80 percent population are homeless and landless. What ever lands remained under their control specially in tribal belt are being acquired forcibly for setting industries by corporates and multi-nationals. In plain areas, also similar situation is prevailing! Apart from other states in India, Bihar is an example of bitter feudal and communal massacres in the country only because of wide disparity between rich and poor and ' no land and home  to poor' although the Jawahar Lal Nehru government at the centre had made drastic amendment in the Constitution to abolish 'zamindari system' in the country. The then chief Minister of Bihar Dr S K Sinha was all opposed to abolition of 'zamindari system' and land reforms along with many chief ministers of the country, the dynamics of the then Bihar's Revenue Minister Krishna Ballabha  Sahay  impressed Pundit Nehru to go whole hog for land reforms in the entire country and in the process visionary Pundit Nehru had prepared road maps for equitable distribution of lands and houses to poor in the country!  An amendment was carried out in the Right to Property under the Constitution and Zamindari system was abolished. But the time passed and nothing tangible were made for land reforms in the country!

In between, some thing tangible was made by the then Revenue Minister of Bihar K B Sahay on land reform fronts. Thousands of acres of land were taken away from land-owing classes and to little aspect lands were given to the landless and homeless. After some years, the land problem further aggravated in Bihar. The so called 'surplus lands' were given to the Bhoodan Bhumi Jagya Committee, led by Vinoda Bhave for distribution among landless and homeless. From there situation, worsened. Lands were distributed to them but sadly taken back forcibly by influential land-owing classes from poor people! Since than, massacres after massacres are being taking places between poor and feudal land-owing classes in Bihar. Naxal movements came to the fore because of atrocity of feudal land-owing classes towards poor and dalits in the successive years..( Please see my blog topic-Bihar is Known for Bitter Feudal-Communal Massacres in India, detailing deaths, killings and destruction's ). However, a ray of hope came out when the present chief minister Nitish Kumar came to power and announced distribution of lands to poor on the basis of the report of the Bandopadhaya committe, which Kumar had constituted just after assuming power about eight years back. Moreover, on the influences of his alliance partner-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and vested interests among feudal land-owing classes as well as many other political compulsions, Nitish Kumar retracted from his promises. And the situation remained where these were during successive rules in Bihar. On the other hand, huge lands are accumulated in the hands of a few thousands land-owners, neo-rich-political classes and intermediary castes people in Bihar. The same Nitish government had forcibly deported the President of Ekata Parishad P V Rajagopala from the state when during his year-long Jansamwad yara highlighting issues relating to land reforms, particularly the plight of the landless. Rajagopal was described a Maoists by Nitish government a few months back when he had visited Nawada district a few months back!

But land reforms had taken some roots earlier in Uttar Pradesh during the regime of the chief minister Hemvati Nandan Bahuguna and later during the left front government of the West Bengal led by Jyoti Basu. Some tangible reforms are even today are witnessed and landless have at least land for constructing home and some lands for farming under share cropping pattern in West Bengal. But the situation in other states are not encouraging. Feudal Andhra Pradesh has also failed to take any initiatives for land reforms. Worse position prevails in tribal belts including Odisha, Chhatishgarh, Jharkhand , Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat , Maharashtra and also many eastern states where tribal population are being forcibly evicted from their land, forest rights , water in the name locating industries by multinationals and corporates as well as neo-rich political classes.

Sadly, the law to acquire lands during British Raj is still under vogue. Many local restrictions in Adivasi belt about forest rights under various Laws  under the Constitution are being violated by the government to acquire lands of tribals.During the year-long yatra and jansatyagrah by Rajagopala has found that government's policies have accentuated the plunder of agriculture and forest lands for corporate interests. The Yatra had begun from Kanyakumari on October 2 in 2011 and journeyed across the country and finally culminated into a foot march of over 50000 people in Gwalior on October 2, 2012. At least after several rounds of talks between Union Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh and the representatives of Ekata Parishad led by its president P V Rajgopala signed an agreement at Agra during the period, which envisaged that the government will fulfil the promises to complete the land reform process. But a sense of caution among the senior activists was also witnessed taking into account the past experiences of  similar negotiations. Five years ago, the Ekata Parishad had organised similar agitation with thousand of landless. At that time also , the government had taken notice of the agitation. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh  had himself initiated deliberations and had announced the formation of National Land Reforms Council, led by prime minister himself and consisting of chief ministers, sociologists and actvistists.. But that body is yet to see the light of the day.

However, a ray of hope has arisen from the present agreement. The agreement stipulates that the ministry of rural development will initiate talks with all state government immediately and put out a draft of the policy for public debate and discussions in the next four to six months. Thereafter the draft will be finalised. The agreement has mainly stressed the need of statutory backing of the provisions of agricultural land to the landless poor in the backward district and home stead rights to the landless and shelter less poor in rural areas across the country. At least ten cents of land homestead lands to every poor, landless and shelter less rural households. It also focused effective and time-bound implementation of various laws enacted by the legislatures aimed at protecting the land rights of dalits, adivasis and other weaker and marginalised sections of society. Fast track courts to speed up of disposal of the cases pending in revenue and judicial courts.. Legal  aid must be provided to socially deprived persons. The rural development ministry will coordinate with ministries of tribal affairs and panchayati raj to ensure effective implementation of the Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996 (PESA), which will empower gram sabhas to function more effectively in the implementation of the Act. It must be noted that the ministry of tribal affairs put a comprehensive guidelines for the implementation of  revised rules and directives for the effective implementations of forest right and the states will be actively supporting them.. There must be advisories to the state governments to undertake thorough survey of forest and revenue boundaries in order to resolve disputes. Gram panchayats and  gram sabhas will be fully involved in the survey and settlement process as well as updating of records governing common property resources.

Land reform is a big problem. Effective implementation of the land reform is the need of hour-otherwise the country, which is still dominated by poor , landless, and homeless, who may rise in revolt along with Maoists and Naxal elements, sympathising them.!

 

AMAZING STROY OF GROWTH RATE IN INDIA AND HUNGER AND POVERTY RISING !

It is amazing! India has lagged behind in GLOBAL HUNGER INDEX (GHI) notwithstanding its story of substantial rise in growth rate. A latest study by three organisations-the International Food Policy Research Institute, Concern World-wide, and Wealthungerhilfe---have revealed that the progress in reducing the proportion of hungry people in the world has been tragically slow. The study has highlighted that in as many as 20 countries, particularly in India, the levels of hunger are extremely  alarming. (Please refer my topic- Hunger Looming Large over Globe- on my blog-www.kksingh1.blogspot.com on June 19,2012, referring global food crisis).

In the context of India, hunger and poverty have taken alarming proportion in between 2007 to 20012 amid the much-hyped story of dramatic increase in the growth rate in India. Since than over 155 million people have been fighting back to wall because of hunger and poverty rampantly in India in the wake of neo-liberalised economic policy. Exactly, after 1996 disparity between economic development and progress in the fight against hunger have widened and India is slipping towards bottom -line gradually, the report says and adds China lowered the level of hunger and under -nutrition through a strong commitment to poverty reduction, nutrition and health intervention and improved access to safe water.. In the case of India all these measures seem to be a distant dream!.

The report-"2012 Global Hunger Index", mainly highlights on -"The Challenge of hunger, ensuring sustainable food security under land water,  and energy stresses". Simultaneously, the report also points out the identification of of the main challenges of an impending global food security-drought, scramble to invest in farm-land around the world, shifts in energy prices, and also shocks in energy supplies. Apart from that there are many worrying facts like persistent poverty, the current consumption pattern of industrialised countries, and profligate consumption by the elites in the developing countries. As per reports, there are three dimensions of hunger: undernourishment, child underweight and child mortality.

Sadly , India has taken backward trends among the countries like neighbouring Sri Lanka, Pakistan and China in the South-East Asia even-after strong economic growth.. More over, India as per the parameter on a 100-point scale (the lower the GHI values, the better ranking country), is ranked 22.9 in GHI whereas its land-locked neighbours-Nepal is better by having 20.3 and , Pakistan-19.7. However, the Bangla Desh is on 24.0 in GHI ranking despite the facts that the country has broad-based social progress, vibrant non-governmental organisations and public transfer programmes that has reduced child under-nutrition. As regards, Sri Lanka, the country in the South East Asia has tremendously achieved high rate of literacy and life expectancy through welfare-oriented policies, investment on public health care and education system and commitment for gender equality.

India has many hicuups! Bad governance are prevailing throughout the country.. Although public  transfer programmes are being explored in India,, there are apprehensions and misgivings about their efficacy and the reach to the grass-root level..The report has mentioned a study to say that poor design, low coverage and insufficient monitoring are the main challenges to reducing under-nutrition levels in India, which is as incomplete way of approaching the problem. One more factor is responsible for poverty and hunger in India-that is higher food prices. Food prices are increasing in recent past: it rose by 40 percent in 2007 and further  2008, resulting into hunger and poverty everywhere in India! Even the sub-Saharan Africa has done better progress in many points on this score in comparison to India. Over 43.5 percent children are underweight in India whereas only 23 percent children in Sub-Saharan Africa. were found in that category.. If we compare the GHI of ten countries with India, there are vast gaps of poverty and hunger in India. The report has mentioned the countries like Azerbaijan-5.0, China-5.3, Malaysia- -5.2, Paraguay-5.3, Trinidad and Tongo--5.4, Mauritius-5.7, B Salvador-5.8, Kyrgyz Republic-5.8 and South Africa-6.9 in global hunger index parameter..

The report has also underlined that food security is mainly linked with developments in water and energy and scarcity of land, particularly the scarcity of farm land because of short-sighted policies. Huge foreign  investments in developing countries are wiping out land rights of residents, specially in forest areas in India..It is fact that high-instances of hunger and poverty are found in the countries  where the rights on land and energy, and water have been curbed by the respective governments. Here also India tops the list as our union government and almost all state governments have indiscriminately allowed foreign investments in different parts of the country specially in Jharkhand, Odisha, Chhatishgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka,Gujarat  etc. Following such measures, lands and water are being deprived from villagers and tribal in India. And more and more hunger and poverty are pushing the people to live without adequate foods..

THe Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO)  has also admitted food deprivation to the people, resulting into undernourishment. As per FAO, 1800 calories a day-the minimum that most people require to live a healthy and protective life.The case of India is considered more serious on poverty and hunger fronts notwithstanding the entire globe is expected to land in serious food crisis because of various reasons like  comparatively low and less stress on agriculture fronts.

SOURCES:International Food Policy Research Institute, Concern Worldwide, Wealthungerhilife, FOOD AND AGRICULture Organisation, The Frontline, Websites of Various affected countries and Human Index parameters of different organisations of the World and India..

REFLECTION OF ECONOMIC DOWN_TURN IN EUROPE AND AMERICA VIS-A-VIS ECONOMIC CRISIS IN INDIA AND CHINA!

The recent economic down-fall in the two most emerging economy in Asia-India and China- appears the result of rescuing America and European countries  as well as Japan-"the old World" from economic turmoil! The implication-Brazil, Russia-India-China (BRICs), coined by veteran economist Jim O'Neill of Goldman Sachs symbolises the rise of once poor countries (emerging markets) into "economic power houses". It may not be out of place to mention here that Europe, America and Japan must have thought that economic turmoil will prop up the global demand for industrial goods and commodities (oil, foodstuff, metals). During the 2007-2009 economic down-turn in the developed countries like America, European countries, the economy of some BRIC countries,particularly China adopted large stimulus programmes and others just grew rapidly. The economy  of China in 2010 expanded by 10.4 percent, India 10.1 percent and Brazil's 7.5 percent. But in the fast changing economic scenario in the world, the situation seems different and economy of these countries have started declining. In 2012, the economy of China is expected to grow by 7.8 percent, India 4.9 percent and Brazil 1.5 percent. These are the latest projection of the International Monetary Fund (IMF). While the IMF predicts a little bit improvement in 2013, noted economists forecast further decline!

The Recent World Economic Outlook (WEO) of the IMF, titled "coping with High debt and sluggish growth", has dwelt with analysing examples from the past to compare if there are lessons for today.. Results are quite interesting. During the heyday of the "Washington consensus" the World Bank, the IMF and other economic agencies of the imperialist order dispatched economic teams to every countries that was desperate for money.Hankering was the same:privatisation, welfare state squeezing, union bashing and so on.. Dark-suited guys of the respective teams seemed in  convincing that urgent need of globalisation and liberalising economy. Entire world order- from Africa to South America, from Eastern Europe to Central Asia, the same policies were propounded! Globalisation celebrated its triumph: poverty, malnutrition and curable diseases were celebrated too.The IMF begins by remembering that" public debt in advanced countries has climbed to ts highest level since World War-two".Debts are growing, previously because of world wars now since 1980s debt has been growing apace without a major war and even during strong periods of growth. Debts have become permanent cancer that affects senile capitalism. The IMF has shown its helplessness and has given no explanation for this plague.The WEO has simply said, " the episode.................-during the 1980s and 1990s ave their genesis in the breakdown of the Bretton Woods System, when government policy struggled with social issues and the transition to current economic systems". This is hardly an explanation. Bretton Woods collapsed. In the last 40 years , so many countries are in transition. The solution to reduce public debt: "The largest debt reduction followed the world wars, usually as a result of hyperinflation". The IMF must understand that the problem is that restoring to hyperinflation is like using a flame-thrower to eliminate dust from a house. Such solution will destroy many other things in the process, even possibly the house itself. Moreover, the grip of finance capital on the world economy is much stronger than in the 1940s.

As part of the "sorry we have no clue approach" of the IMF' today, the document explains that debt and economic growth have no direct links:sluggish growth is bad for public finances, of course but generally speaking growth rates appear to be unrelated to debt level.. The problem, however, is to explain why since 1980s public debt is growing everywhere. That is the key issue that  bourgeois strategists do not want to address. Capitalism as a whole is less and less productive. Debts are the  result of this simple facts, very well known to classical economists like Smith and Ricardo and thoroughly explained by Marx. Capitalism is doomed to drown in debt. There are many examples like Korean war to help American economy,, Japan in 1997, Italy in 1992, etc. Strangely IMF always harps on structural reform, that is about market without unions, rules, and other obstacles to exploitation. Such situation appears crisis of regime.. Lenin has rightly said that one of the condition for a revolution is the crisis of the regime!

Taking into account all these facts, the economy of India and China notwithstanding America would celebrate China's and India's growth rate in 2012; the US economy will grow by   two percent. But this proportionate misleading comparison because China and India still benefit from "catch up economy". These two countries are poor and expand rapidly by raising workers' skill and adopting technologies and management practises pioneered else were. Describing BRIIC advances, Ruchir Sharma of Morgam Stanley has said these are economic bubbles; sooner or later, reality picks them! In his book "Brakout Nations: Pursuit of the Next Economic Miracles" Shrama does this for BRIC bubble and write" The perception that the growth game had suddenly become easy----------that everyone could be winner--------is built on the unique results of the last decades when virtually all entering markets did grow together. Story of growth rate are  same for China and Brazil.With regards to India, the country faces comparable problems. Some reflects the hangover from recent booms. India has highest inflation rates in the globe.Economist  Arvind Subramaniam of the Petreson Institute has said, " The budget deficit is around 10 percent (of the economy). Investors confidence has slumped. To spur growth the government is trimming subsidies and has liberalised foreign investment in retailing , airlines, broadcasting and power generation.

In the meantime, the RBI has predicted that India's growth rate expected to drop to 5.7 percent. Current inflation rate of huge proportion is likely to increase from 7.3 percent to 7.7 percent and under present circumstances , the inflation may be inching further  in India. The IMF and ADB have also put the growth rate in the range of 5.6 percent to 6.7 percent.

 More over ,, India continues to be toughest place for doing business even as the country has improved regulator processes for starting enterprises and trading across borders, according to World Bank and IFC.In terms of doing business, India is ranked 132nd among 182 countries. Singapore is at the top position, followed by Hong Knong SAR, China at second place, and New Zealand at third spot.. Other top ten nations are US(Fourth), Denkmark (fifth), the UK (seventh) Norway 9sixth), Korea (8th), Georgia (9th) and Australia (tenth). Surprisingly , India is the lowest among BRIC nations-Barazil (130th), Russia (112nd) China (91th ) and  Taiwan-China (16th). Interestingly, India is also below the rank of neighbouring Pakistan (107th) and Nepal (108th)! The report, namely doing business 2013 smarter regulation for small and medium-sized enterprises, has said that the local entrepreneurs in developing countries are finding it easier to do business than at any time in the last ten years.The ease of doing business in the developing world reflects, the significant progress that has been made in improving business regulatory practises world-wide" the report added and said "India focused mostly on simplifying and reducing cost of regulatory processes in such areas as starting business, paying taxes and trading across borders." The ranking is based on various factors-- starting a business, dealing with construction permits, getting electricity, registering property, getting credit, protecting investors, paying taxes, trading across borders, enforcing contracts and resolving insolvency." Thus in my opinion, the Indian economy is grappling with sluggish growth amid European debt turmoil and high inflationary pressure. Such thing has also been reflected in the report of the World Bank and its group entity International Finance Corporation (IFC) on doing business.

Every where, the global economy is weak or weakening. Against this dismal backdrop, it was tempting to think that resilient BRICs would act as a shock absorber. They will buy more European and American exports; they send more tourists to Dismay World and Eiffel Tower. This would provide the world more time to make adjustments. Just to opposite occurred. The weakness of advanced economies transmitted itself, through export markets, to the BRICs. The World economy is truly interconnected. What was hoped happen was wishful thinking! But In India's GDP story is strange in the last several years with the opening of liberalised economy. Rich have become richer and poor more and more poorer. Human index on health , education, malnutrition, hunger etc are increasing by leaps and bound and wealth is being accumulated in few hands!

SOURCES: World Bank, IMF, IFC,India's Finance ministry, China government, Economy of Marx and Lenin achieves, Washington Post websites as well as books on World economy.

SCAR OF SINO- INDIAN WAR!

Although the scars of the wounds of the humiliating blow from Sino-Indian full-fledged war fifty years ago are yet to healed up, our countrymen are still to know the exact causes of such war in Asian continent! I, personally , still remember the horrible situation throughout the country when the troops of both India and China were fighting pitched battle. At that point of time, I was a student of honours graduation degree and was living in a student lodge! The administration had issued strict directive to put off light during night hour and if lighted the windows of the rooms must be covered with black clothes so that light could not be sighted from outside. All these precautionary measures had been taken to avoid air attacks during nights. In the process, there were huge runs for donations to the government for strenghtening the defence needs by general people. My reminiscences goes that the then Maharaja of Darbhanga and his trust had alone donated nine mounds of gold to the government of India to recover and manage the battle at the front in the extreme parts of out  northern border.

Both China and India were close allies under the stewardship of Pndit Jawahar Lal Nehru from India and Chou-in-Lai and Mao-Tse-Tung of China in the Asia.. Apart from historical ties between both the countries, people of both China and India were enthusiastic to respect each other. There were popular slogans- like "  Hindi-Chini Bhai-Bhai". But some provocations from the both the sides resulted into beginning of full-bloom war between China and India from October 20, 1962. The war continued  for over one month, inflicting heavy damage to Indian troops and grabbing of huge Indian territory. At last China unilaterally declared ceasefire and Peking in a statement said ,"Beginning from November 21, 1962 (midnight) Chinese Frontier Guards will withdraw to position 20 km (12.5 miles) behind the line of actual control which existed between China and India on November 7, 1959." Battle cry of Chinese troops was so swift  and  sudden that Indian government were found in helplessness situation.Fear stalks countrymen!

As authentic stories go, it became imperative for China to launch attack on India. Thousands had been killed by Red Army in China. There were sharp differences of opinions between Mao and Chou. Poverty   had gripped China beyond imaginations. And last but not the least, to express their anger towards India for giving shelter to Dalsai Lama, who raised  the bogey of Tibet for its independence although Tibet had become part and parcels of China in accordance with the UN Resolution! All these factors compelled China , perhaps, to attack India. Situation became so frightened during war that nobody knew when the Chinese forces will stop as they were facing very little resistance from unprepared Indian Army. At that time N J Nanporia, who was editor of the Statesman had told Pundit Nehriu" Chinese would offer a ceasefire unilaterally, citing reasons " Chinese has attacked to punish India not to occupy it". Much drama and hype were created just on the eve of China declaring unilateral ceasefire. None of the senior government functionaries including Pundit Nehru were aware of cease fire declaration by China!

Subsequently, the then Defence Minister V K Krishna Menon resigned owing moral responsibility. Later. Menon had said openly about the sketchy story of such sudden attack by China, " My story must die with me because I would have to lay the blame on Nehru, and I do not want to do so because my loyalty to him."  Many senior army officials head rolled .Sadly Pundit Nehru had to face hostile anger for debacle during China and he continued to smart under the criticism by his key cabinet ministers on China policy and opposition leaders  till his death. Alas , visionary Pundit  Nehru could not live long and died under the shadow of back-stabbing by Chinese leaders, whom Jawahar considered true friends of India!

Notwithstanding both India and China are leaping forward economically and harping on cooperation to each other, there are many constraints between friendly ties of both the countries. Apart from legal trade between China and India getting boost, unauthorised and illegal entry of goods, specially electronics, have flooded Indian markets through Nepal, jeopardising the developing economy of India. Main hurdles have centred on the status of Tibet and sheltering of  over one lakh  Tibetians in India as refugees  under the leadership of Dalai Lama! Dalai Lama slipped to India along with huge number of Tibetans with huge movable property!They have their full-fledged Tibet government in exile in Dharmshala in Himachal Pradesh of India! A long shadow has casts over Tibet and Tibetan staying here. Such situation is proving a million dollar question over the India and China relation! They live here as sheltered people-this generosity, as India clarifies very often, was out of respect for Dalai Lama and his spiritual eminence.

According to a recent Report in the Time Magazine; many in China ,however, deem this as meddling in the internal affairs.As early as in May 1959, Mao Zedong, a top Chinese leader, in his"The Revolution in Tibet and Nehru's Policy" had accused Nehru of encouraging Tibetan rebels. And as recent as last year, Chinese Foreign ministry spokesperson Hong Lei had said China opposes "any country that provided a platform to the Dalai Lama" whom they consider a separatist. Last year, China also cancelled border talks with India in protest over a speech by Dalai Lama in new Delhi. That may be a rote, predictable picture at this point but it speaks of an intractable problem dogging ties between the two Asian  giants. "The issue of Tibet is a core issue between India and China" Lobsang Sangay, the prime minister of Tibet government in-exile told Time. "we want India to have productive relations with all its neighbours including China."

Now the question  of significance for both the countries marking October 20, 2012, 50th anniversary on China-India border war of 1962. Sadly month-long war between India and China , which the Chinese had given crushing blow to India, because of defence unpreparedness by India. Chinese 's fight witnessed its soldiers attacking across disputed McMahon line, a boundary through Himalayan terrain, earmarked in 1914 by the British Colonial authorities and Tibetan officials. The Beijing refuses to recognise this earmarking of the border. The main motive of China appears that it desires to secure hold over Tibet played a significant role in its decision to raid into India. The Chinese had unilaterally declared ceasefire on November 21, 1962 and withdrew from much of the land it conquered save the strategic barren territory appended to Kashmir known as Akasai Chin.

Despite all these hicuups, the relation between China and India has achieved significant economic changes between these two countries. In 2005, China and India pacted to agree to a strategic and cooperative partnership between Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and India's Prime minister Manmohan Singh. Again in last July both the countries led by Chinese vice-premier Li Keqiang and prime minister of India Manmohan Singh proclaimed that Indo-China relations would prove most significant and important mile-stone in bilateral relationship  in the 21st century. Dr Manmohan Singh said in 2009 , " India and China are not in competition-there is enough economic space between us both."

The Times report says ; but where does Tibet fit into picture? China's annoyance at India sheltering the Dalai Lama has surfaced regularly and India has often made concessions to the trade partner's sensitivities. In 2009, Beijing raised a stink when Dala Lama wanted to visit Tawang, a historic monastery town in Arunachal Pradesh-a state the Chinese still claim as " southern Tibet'. While New Delhi did not stop him, it restricted coverage of events by not allowing foreign journalists to accompany him to the country's remote north-east,. In 2011, the Chinese consulate in Kolkata sent a written protest when the governor of West Bengal met Dalai Lama while he was in city on a speaking tour, ruffling feathers in India. "They have no business doing that publicly", Sangay says referring to written protest. " That is interference in India's sovereignty and internal matters."

On the other hand Beijing  disagrees and said , " Dalai is terrorist with a separatist agenda. I do not think that China's protest against the Delhi's movements for Tibet independence in India is interference in India's internal matters, but just the  opposite that if India allows Dalai to engage separatists activities in India is interference in  China's internal affairs, the so called autonomy of Tibet (that) the Dalai Lama claims to be seeking is actually the independence of Tibet, which is definitely forbidden," Wang Dehua, Director of the Sanghai-based South Asia Research Centre at Tongji University said..

According to Uday Bhasskar former director of the Delhi-based Think Tank of the Institute of for Defence Studies and Analysis; India never used the Tibet card-in a fragile geo-political neighbourhood, New Delhi better knows than to use its small leverage in a contest it cannot win.

Despite recent visit of  from high profile Chinese dignitaries including President Hu Jinto and defence minister General Liang Guanglie, the issue of Tibet continues to be a point of discord. Chinese still fears that India will leverage the might of more that one lakh Tibetan exiles on its soil and fuel tension in Tibet. Uday Bhaskar said " Tibet issue is is one of the China's historical fears."

But there are certain  trends of animosity (in China) towards India. Mohan Guruswamy of the Observer Research foundation says, " " And we have to live with just the way they have to live with our growing friendship with other countries and the Tibet issue. But 1962 will never happen."

In totality,India's debacle in the Indo -China  war of 1962 still continues to be mystery! Cause and reasons of Indo-China war of 1962, enquired by the two army officers- Lt. Gen Henderson Brooks and Lt.neral Pre Bhagat, is still gathering dust with union government eevenafter 50 years of war. The government kept  the report under  wraps. The government got way under cover of "public interest". Strangely no where in the world has the army been able to deprive the public on facts on such an important in India's history for such a long period under the cover of secrecy. When the Central Information commission did not allow to make the report public, the eminent journalist Mr Kuldip Nayyar, has filed an appeal before the the Delhi High court  for directing the government to make the report public in their interest even after long gap of time. But the case is hanging fire in the court!

Worse and humiliating defeat of India in the hand of China  in 1962 will continue to haunt the Indians and coming generations in years to come!

WHY THIS HATE CAMPAIGN AGAINST MUSLIMS OF THE WORLD?

Recent uprising and protests among Muslims of the globe is justified in the wake of the release of the hate video, "INNOCENCE OF MUSLIMS". Such protests have virtually  engulfed the West Asia and North Africa and the entire muslims community in India and the globe. More than 20 countries including Tunisia, Yemen, Egypt,, Iraq, Algeria, Yemen,, Jordan, Morocco have recently witnessed street fight and protest, killing many of the Muslims while trying to enter US and other Western embasies to protest blasphesy of Islam. India also did not remain untouched from such protests by Muslims throughout the country. Many of such countries, which had recorded serious protest over the issues, are close to imperialist  and authoritarian  America ! Sadly, such hienous crimes against Muslims and their religion are not new in at least Africa and Latin Amnerica as well as some countries of the Arab world where articles, cartoons etc have appeared lampooning the  Islam and the Prophet. There appears virtual war cry against Muslims in the world including in India when we go through the records of the Indian government towards treatment  to Muslims in the name of being terrorists! I had written a comprehensive story on July 17, 2012  on my blog www.kksingh1.blogspot.com under headline, " MUSLIMS IN THE GLOBE VIS-A-VIS IN INDIA", depicting atrocity on Muslims in the pretext of being them terrorists  in the world.. Are the Muslims of the world not human beings; do not have they cultural and literary history  as well as do not they  make the world , place for peace and prosperity?

The President of UNITED STATES OF AMERICA (USA) Barack Obama, has , sadly no words of remorse over these ugly happennings including killings under his  open eyes because of US drone missiles  attacks in Muslim -dominated countries. Obama had, in his speech in the United Natation General assembly had said, " US protect the right of all people to express their views that  we profoundly disagree with.". Obama cotninued to delivering threats to Muslim countries, particularly Iran. About recent violences, Obama used the language of his predecessors George W Bush, who had initially started smear campaign against Muslims of the world! Tension between US administation and Muslim countries appear to be escalating in view of insult to Islam and the Prophet. Fear and hatred towards Muslims, who are one of the largest population in the world! The US is creating Islamophobia in the Indian sub-contoinent, which is directly influencing  the Indian government to victimise innocent Muslim youths.

Least said is better about successive Indian  governments in recent years about treatment towards Muslims, the Islam and their religious places in India. It all started from 1980s when a fanatic mob led by the senior BJP leader and the party's prime ministerial aspirant Mr Lal Krishna Advani demolishing the Babari Masjid in Ayodhaya. In india Muslims are fear-ridden because of the continued neglect of Muslims towards their  poor socio-economic status. The Sachar committee, appointed by the Union government of India,  has  pointed out the reasons of backwardness among minority community and had suggested many measures to uplift them.

Moreover , in India, a strange  development is taking place. Muslims are framed in criminal cases because of their alleged involvement in terror activities!Many  Civil Society organisations have complied facts about their innocences in the terror activities.. Intrestingly , it has been fond in most of the cases that Muslims, framed in terror and sedition charges are released after living behind bars for months together because of non-substatiation of charges against them. A fortnightly Front Line in its recent article," STRAINING TO BE HEARD" has written, " At a time when Muslims across the world have been taken aback by the hate-inducing depiction of the Prophet MUhammad in the derisively tilted film, "INNOCENCE OF MUSLIMS", such fabricated cases point to a larger trend of anti-Islamic propganda, perpetuated particularly by the United States and its allies." In India context the Frontline article has further said," The community's socio-political environment is marked by its own insecurity and the Indian state's indifference to such fabricated cases."

To substantiate the evil design of India governmet under the patronage of U S Administration towards Muslims of India, just I am pointing out the few glaring instances of concocted anf fabricated cases against Muslims and mainly their youths in terror activities related cases. While protesting anger against film, hoodwinking and lampooning Islam and the Prophet, the agitationist-Muslims have aptly incdicating the American influences on  Indian government's policy. Such indication amply cleras that India is sadly deviating from its non-alingmenment policy and in blatant manner following the footsteps of imperialist America in its foreign policy.

While poining out many fabricated cases against Muslims, a New Delhi based, the Centre for Policy Analysis, which conducted public hearings, has submitted instances of many fabricated cases , involving a number of Muslims in terror-related cases.The centre, in a statement, has said, " there is rising concern across the country about the large-scale arrests and harassments of Muslim youths by the security forces of the state. Young men are being picked up without explaination, taken into custody, beaten and tortured and eventually thrown into jail awaiting trial for years to end. Several have died in custody., the latest case being  a Darbhanga based Qateel Siddiqui who died in mysterious circumstances in the Yerwada jail in Pune. He was arrested last November and killed in a high-security prison for a case in which his complicity had still not been established. There has been silence about the disappearance of  another Darbhanga-based engineer FasihMahmood, picked up from in Saudi Arabia. Except for denying any knowledge of his whereabouts, there has been no response from United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government about efforts to trace an Indian citizen whose family is now running from pillar to post in search of justice. Urdu journalist Syed Kazami remains in jail on charges of terrorism, with the police still to file charge-sheetd against him." The Supreme Court, hearing the pleas of Fasih's family shown its helplessness in rescuing Fashih!

Another recent report of a civil society group, Jamia Teachers Solidarity Association (JTSA) has also revealed that  accused Muslim youths in 16 cases, in which the government police had been arrested and charged Muslim youths terrorism, sedition  and treason have been acquited by the court. THe report of the JTSA is titled as "framed, damned, acquited:Dossiers of a very special cell has come on the eve of the fourth anniversary of the Batla House incident, which has been described many persons as fake encounter." The JTSA had also released two such reports in the past on "Encounter at Batla House:Unanswered questions (2009) and the case that was never: The SIMI trial of Jaipur (2012). In both the reports, the JTSA says the Delhi police and the Intellignence Bureau had connived to frame  innocent youths.

In a series of third report, JTSA says, "When human right activists or families of those arrested in the charges of terrorism, allege foul play on part of the investigating agencies, the usual response is this: Surely, there must have been some involvement or elese why should the police arrest him, and not me?" The evidences that the report, presents show clearly that the acquitals were not simply for want of evidence ( a common reason cited by the polce when it loses the case). What judgement after judgement comments on is the manner in which the so called evidence provided by the police and the prosecution was tampered with and fabricated, how story afer as presented by the prosecution was unrealiable, incredulous and appeared as concocted." The JTSA, in the process of making its report public, has described  manoeuvring by the special cell for spreading Islamophobia following 9\11 world. The JTSA futher comments, " To those who say that there is no smoke without fire........the reason behind the police-----the special case in this case, but this could be true for any othe inverstigating agency as well- framing innocents can be many; to settle scores, to teach a lesson, to buy favours, to dispose of petty informes past their usefulness to help out colleagues in other parts of the country." The JTSA has also disclosed that in most of the terror related cases between 1992 to 2012, a large number of accused persons from amongst the Muslim youths had been acquitted and these facts had been revealed through right to information petitions!

Over enthuasiatic police and intelligence officials concot these cases against Muslims for terrorism with sole purpose to please their successive political bosses as well as for getting gallantary awards. Apart from this, the present judicial suystem in India had also many hicuups. Judges feel helplessly helpless. Huge time is taken by the police to file chargesheets against the accused persons in all these cases , resulting into victimisation and liguishing in jail of the Muslim youths in the country.

Now, the way hatred is being created in  India against Muslims in the name of terrorism , obviously to please US government by the UPA government led by Dr Manmohan Singh will rebound in destroying the secular fabrics of the country. Not only that there is million dollar question about deviating from our much-cherished non-alingment policy! Just US wants to create its hegemony on the Indian subcontinent when the India is growing economically. The US needs us not we need US! Surprisingly, why UPA government is suspicious about Iran, Cuba, and other South-East Asia countries, which have been India's age-old friends in pleasure and pain? The America  believes in imperialism and is in search of market in Asia and Africa to sell their junk goods and is showing us lolly pops!
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Sources: Various websites including union Home ministry, New Delhi-based Centre for Policy Analysis, Jamia Teachers' Solidarity Association, The Hindu, The Frontline and some websites of Muslims countries as well as US president and US administration website, UNITed Nations website:

ILLITERACY IN INDIA VIS--VIS CANADA TOP MOST EDUCATED COUNTRY IN THE WORLD1

India is the most uneducated country in the world! Its literacy rate is 74.04 percent. Kerala is the most literate state in the country with 96 percent of that state are literate while the Bihar , which was once place of ancient learning and education, has lowest rate of literacy with 63.8 percent people are literate. In over 1.20 cores population in India, hardly two to three percent population has college or university degrees in the country.

 While the nations of the globe are spending more that 25 percent to 35 percent on education in their respective countries, the successive governments of the union and the states in India hardly earmark three to four percent budget on the education! Much-publicized fund for literacy programme are going down to the drains with rampant corruptions at every level and illiteracy is increasing year to year what to speak of college and university education to the students.

Sadly in India the most important components-education, health and food are practically not subsidized while subsidies are given on with open heart on kerosene, diesel, LPG and petrol, which mainly concern the upper strata of the country. It is a fact that entire world countries understand that poor must be subsidized but not in the manner, the Indian people are subsidized on diesel, petrol, LPG and kerosene oil. Instead of subsidy on kerosene to poor in India, the Indian government must subsidies, the poor should be given solar lantern to light up their houses and help the poor children educate themselves in evening hour by providing electricity charge at important points in the rural areas! Paradoxically, the two important political parties in the country-the Congress and the BJP are undergoing a geographical shrink because of their wrong policy to run the affairs of the country and regional parties are taking definite shapes and there appears to be upsurge to run the affairs of the country by adopting proper policy to educate people and other upliftment measures to wipe out regional imbalances and poverty  in the country.

Now I must place some instances about the world nations, which are doing tremendously well for educating their respective countrymen. Despite ongoing financial crisis throughout the globe, p[particularly Europe and America, the investment of adequate money  for college education  is still worth investment. Developed countries are most educated countries and there are chains of high learning centers.

Based on a study conducted by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and displayed on 24\7 Wall St., the 10 countries are with the highest population of college educated adult residents. Topping the chart of most educated country in the world is Canada- the only nation in the world where more than half of residents can proudly hang college degrees on their walls.  In 2010, 51 percent of the population have completed a tertiary education, which takes into account both under-graduate and graduate degrees. Canada also commanded the top spot in the last study in 2000 but even still has shown serious improvements. A decade ago, only 40 percent of the nation's population had a college degree-thus Canada is most educated country in the world!

Surging the number two most educated spot was  the Israel, which neared the Canada by five percent increase, the Japan, the US, the New Zealand, the  South Korea, the UK, the Finland, the Australia, the Ireland. All ranked more than 40 percent citizens having a higher education degree. College graduation rates continued to surge despite world during recession. The percentage of adults with the equivalent of a college degree rose by more than 30 percent in 2010.. IN  U S , more than 40 percent, which is the highest in the world, population have college and university degree! However, the improvement in higher education is higher to achieve in developed countries. Most developed economic courtiers have most educated population.

OECD-education at a glance-2012 report calculated the proportions of residents with a college or college equivalent degree in the group's 34 member-nations and other major economies; based on the report 24\7 Wall St. identified the ten percent with the highest population of adult with a college degree. The majority of countries that stand the most on education have the most educated population.

In an interview with 24\7 Wall St. OECD chief media officer Matthias Rumpf explained that educational findings appear to have  a strong relationship to how many residents pursue higher education, private spending on educational institutes relative to public expenditure is much larger in the countries with the highest rates of college equivalent education-OECD says further average private spending is 16 percent. In the US, 28 percent of funding comes from private sources.

But in the case of India, what to speak about college and university degrees, even literacy is worse aspect. Children, who start education at infant level, hardly reach primary level and if they reach, do not complete middle education! Question of secondary does not arise in most of the cases. College and university education are far cry for them because of acute poverty in India! Apart from  that, government spending on education is lowest in the world in India. Over 30 years back, most of the college and schools were managed by private persons and teaching were high class-But the day union and state governmements nationalized the colleges and schools, teaching had gone to the drains. None of the union and state governments are paying adequate attention on education! But now with leliberalisation in economic policy, some very good educational institutions have come up and those institutions are providing learning of excellence!

Today in rural India, one has to walk for two to three miles for even primary, middle and secondary education. There are no networks of schools. Besides acute shortage of teachers , appointment of semi-literate teachers have made the situation beyond imagination in India's rural and ur, some NGOs are working good work in rural areas for imparting education to rural folks!. Students-teacher-school ratio in India are awfully low.