MB Lal Book 7
82. Foreign companies in India
83. IT TO FEAR CANER ANYMOREIndia
Continues to Influence the World
86. Mahatma
sets record this year 16500 books on his
87. ALBERT EINSTEIN versus M.K. GANDHI
88. 65th GANDHI MARTYRS' DAY OBSERVEDIndia
90. From Bengal Famine to Right to Food
Foreign companies in India
The rewards of royalty
Despite what you might hear, some foreign firms in India are prospering
EVEN now, when India is desperate to attract capital to fund its big balance-of-payments gap, the red carpet it rolls out is a little dusty. A year after rules were eased to permit foreign “single-brand” retailers to operate in India, Sweden’s IKEA is still waiting for the go-ahead to sell Nordic comfort food and furniture. India’s cabinet has yet to make its mind up about the flat-packed sort, it seems.
The delay may become just another war story about foreign direct investment (FDI) in India. In the 1970s India chucked out IBM and Coca-Cola in a fit of nationalist pique. In the late 1990s the alchemists at Enron met their match in the subcontinent, losing billions on a power plant embroiled in a government spat. Recent acquisitions by foreigners, including those by Vodafone, a British mobile-telecoms firm, and Dai-ichi Sankyo, a Japanese drugs firm, have done poorly.
Yet just how representative are these horror tales? The stock of FDI in India is now quite big—some $220 billion, or 12% of GDP, according to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), the central bank. This includes everything from research centres in Bangalore to cement plants.
The balance-of-payments data suggest that the overall return on equity for foreign investors is probably below 10% and slumped in the year to March 2012. An alternative measure is a recent survey by the RBI of 745 firms with significant foreign shareholders. It is mildly more optimistic: the overall return on equity was 13% in the year to March 2011, it finds. Technology firms, carmakers and chemical-makers did well, transport and telecoms firms less so. Unlike FDI in China, which has been directed at building factories for export, investment into India is aimed at the domestic market—only 12% of the firms’ sales were foreign.
That in turn has presented a different set of problems. Some foreign firms had the foresight to convert minority stakes in good Indian firms into controlling ones. Suzuki took control of Maruti, India’s biggest car manufacturer by volume, in 2002. Others have failed. After a botched effort to take control almost two decades ago, British American Tobacco still owns only 31% of ITC, a fags-to-biscuits conglomerate that has grown so fast it is now a global player in its own right. Faced with no prospect of control, some foreigners have pulled out. Honda sold its stake in Hero, an Indian motorbike-maker, in 2010 and is now competing directly against it.That mediocre big picture belies some stunning successes, however. In particular India has a handful of high-profile firms that are listed while being controlled by foreign firms, such as Suzuki, Nestlé, Unilever and Siemens (see chart). These are well-established businesses with deep roots in India and high profitability. Foreign-controlled firms among the top 100 companies listed in India made a 24% return on equity in the year to March 2011—better than domestic firms’ returns. Their market value doubled over the five preceding years. Although the foreigners will never admit it, some of these operations have gone from backwaters within multinationals to vital sources of growth.
Those firms that have control of fast-growing subsidiaries have been keen to boost their stakes still further. Siemens raised its stake in its unit from 55% to 75% in 2011. But often the valuations of Indian subsidiaries are queasily high. Nestlé India is valued at 50 times its profits —more than double the ratio of its Swiss parent.
Faced with lower stakes than they would like, foreigners have found another, shabby, way, to extract more value from their Indian subsidiaries: charging them “royalty fees”. They argue that these reflect the brand and technology benefits of being part of a global group. On January 22nd Hindustan Unilever became the latest firm to do so—announcing that the fee paid to its foreign parent would rise from 1.4% to 3.15% of sales.
Livid minority investors howl that they are being short-changed, as indeed they are. Still, for India the trend towards higher royalty payments is a backhanded compliment. It shows that some foreign-run firms in India make tasty profits. That is why their parent companies want to guzzle more of them. As a signal about outsiders’ appetite for exposure to India, that may be rather important.
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T TO FEAR CANER ANYMORERAW POTATO JUICE CAN CURE CANCER OF ANY TYPE, CAN GET OVER LEVER SEROSIS/HYPATITISDIABATES, GASTRIC ULCER, DISEASES OF KIDNEY AND HEART, DIAHERREA, HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE, LUMBAGO,SORE SHOULDERS, SORE KNEES, PAIN IN LEGS, ECZEMA, SKIN BLEMISHES, HEALING WOUNDS ETC ETC.ITS ORIGINALLY ADVOCATED BY BUDDHIST MONK TOMIZAVA FROM JAPAN.ITS ALSO USED FOR PEPTIC ULCER OF LEVER SINCE LONG TIME IN GERMANY.Potato : its our daily vegetable, I am fond of potato since my childhood and even today.I am sure many of us here think the same way.But, cooked/fried potato has starch and sugar which contributes to obesity and add to gycemic index.The potato I am talking here is RAW POTATO.Raw potato is completely different than the cooked version.Raw potato has many useful ingredients like:Vitamine CCalciumMagnesiumPhosperousPotaciumDietary fiber in the skin of potatoFolateBeta CaroteneEating raw potato may sound weird, but its very useful and can be tried.We can eat raw potato, say grated and taken with other salad like tomato, cucumber etc.Yes coming to raw potato juice, which we can easily make in any juicer, can also be made in a mixer or can be handmade by squeezing grated potato.Juice should not be stored, but consumed immediately after extraction.100-200 ml should be taken twice daily one hour from food intake. Empty stomach preferred for better results.1-2 weeks are sufficient to see improvements.This raw potato juice can drink as it is or mixed with carrot, apple, tomato etc in juice form.Raw potato juice + honey + lime can also make a nice drink.As the raw potato juice does not have a very agreeable taste, mixing can help.Its preferred to use organic potatoes. Clean them, scrub them but don’t peel. Extract juice from potatoes with peel.Raw potato juice can cure, cancer from any part of the body.Even terminal cases have been corrected.Lever serosis / hardening of lever, hepatitis, lever cancer can be cured with raw potato juice.It can cure many other diseases as said above.Latest personal experiences :By using raw potato juice mixed with carrot juice :1. We have been able to cure my own sister 70 YRS, off cancer in overies.She was to be advised operation by the Dr. She is also diabatic. We intervened and suggested not to go for operation, though they continued chemo therapy.Now all medicines are stopped and Dr has certified that she has no cancer anymore. She continuing with the juice everyday twice.2. My nephew 52 YRS, had advanced lever syrosis, and advised lever transplant immediately to save his life.He was in a very bad state, could not eat anything, will vomit anything that is eaten, will loose his consciousness and temporary memory loss etc.We suggested him to go for the potato+ carrot juice which he is taking regularly since last 6 months.His latest sonography has shown the lever has improved and came back to its normal state and he is now keeping well.Other properties of potato :Raw potato, when peeled, we normally throw the peels.But if you preserve the peel and boil them in water and filter and drink this water, it helps cleaning your kidneys, lever etc.We have cured friends who were suffering with kidney pain after their kidney operation.Raw potato juice can also help those who have pain in their legs or knees etc.Now a days knee transplant has become very common and routine operation.But we have heard of cases where the operation has failed and patient had to undergo repeated operations.Raw potato is very good for cosmetics, for improving skin glow.It can be applied on any wound, etc with immediate healing.Raw potato juice is good for eczema, itching, etc. etc.YOGA : Shirsasana/Sarwangasana : For migrains, headaches, thyroid, etc etc.In todays world we have become intellectuals, in the real sense of the word.We work with our interlect, with our brain and we forgot to work with other parts of our body, like hands, legs etc.So the utility of brain is very high. Its constantly working and so naturally can get fatigued and vulnerable to any dangers like blood clots, paralysis, brain hamarrage, parkinsons, etc.So the brain is overused and without additional irrigation, can give way to blood clots, brain hamarage, paralysis, parkinsons, thyroid, etc.For all these issues we need to irrigate our brains with additional blood supply.This can be easily done by certain yogsans like shirsan, sarwangasan, halasan, etc.2-5 minutes of these yogasana will give the brain and the eyes, ears, etc enough extra blood circulation to keep them healthy.Heart bypass : bypass the bypass with pomegranate juiceFor all these issues, if we use good blood thinning substances, we can be more safe.Mainly, ginger, garlic, onion, phenugreek, etc.Pomgranate juice, taken regularly for one/two months, can help you remove the blockage of arteries and you can bypass the bypass.Eating peels of lemon, jeruk nipis, also strengthen the arteries and help you maintain health of your heart.You can eat them, by chopping into small pcs and sprinkling on salad etc, or as pickles.Or lemon peels can be dried, powdered and can be taken on daily basis with water.YOGA : Markatasana for slip disc-siaticaIf we do markatasan daily say for 5 minutes, problems like slip disc, lumbago, siatica, etc will not disturb us.
Mahatma Gandhi and Today’s Mass Movement
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Introduction:
One of the greatest men in the history of India is Mahatma Gandhi. The way he gave shape and character to India's freedom struggle is worthy of a standing ovation. He sacrificed his own life for the sake of his country. The respect that he earned for himself despite leading a simple lifestyle is much appreciable. Mahatma Gandhi played a pivotal role in the freedom struggle of India. His non violent ways and peaceful methods were the foundation for gaining independence from the British.
After Independence, in democratic India, people can either petition the government for redress of grievances or stand for elections themselves. Today in India, whether we want to start a car factory or simply get our car registered we have to pay a bribe to any of post persons. Bribery has become a syndicated business, in every government department as well as in the private sector - it has become part of the system. All of us have at some point of time paid bribes to get driver's licenses, passports, birth, marriage and death certificates, building approval, property deeds, gas connections, school entry, pensions and even medical treatment. Just as fuel is needed to start the engine of a car, in India, a bribe is the fuel to get work done. As Indians have become more affluent, some citizens are quite willing - and able - to pay bribes to get transactions done quickly. We're not scared of offering bribes and people don't hesitate before taking them. Some people don't want to wait. They pay 'speed money' to get things done fast. No wonder, global anti-graft body Transparency International ranks India 87th on its corruption perception index, which orders the cleanest countries first. One of the leading analyst and participant in social movements in India, Sanajay Sangvi, identified the major agendas of them as "Movements of landless, unorganised labour in rural and urban areas, adivasis, dalits, displaced people, peasants, urban poor, small entrepreneurs and unemployed youth took up the issues of livelihood, opportunities, dignity and development." Most well known movements in the country are Chipko movement, Save Silent Valley, Narmada Bachao Andolan, Koel Karo, Chhattisgarh Mukti Morcha, Jhola Aandolan . These movements largely distanced themselves from political parties, or tried to cut across the ideologies of the political parties. Yet many of them rooted themselves or drew from ideologies of the Mahatma Gandhi, various shades environmentalisms or gender politics, or socialism.
Aims & Objectives of Research:
Research Methodology :
For this research paper primary & secondary data is used. Gandhian mass movement information was collected from Gandhian literature. Present mass movement in India’s information is collected from secondary data. Descriptive & Analytic methods were used for such research paper.
Nature & Scope of Research:
In this research paper I only discussed on concept of mass movement. Before Independence Mahatma Gandhi used such mass movement activities to free India from British Rule. After Independent such type of Instrument were used by various person e.g. Jai Prakash Narayan, Anna Hazare, Baba Ramdev. We know that Anna Hazare, Baba Ramdev used this instrument against corruption.
Mahatma Gandhi and Mass Movement:
Satyagraha, The Rowlatt Act, Non-Cooperation Movement, Dandi March, Quit India Movement, Social Movements After Independence areStarted by Mahatma Gandhi for Independence of India as per the need of the society. He successfully organized mass movement on the following incidence & got aim of Independence of India. After arriving in India, Mahatma Gandhi successfully organized Satyagraha movements in various places.
The effects of Non Cooperation on the economic front were more dramatic-
Change the System:
We as individuals are as much responsible for corruption as those who perpetrate it. All Indians on an individual basis need to show strength of character on this issue. We just need to be firm in our own decision. We just have to pledge OURSELVES not to pay bribe to anyone, whatever situations may come. That will be a real movement. The real strength in this line of action is patience and wait and more patience. Secondly, we need a strong anti-corruption law. The anti-corruption law should be raised in a parliamentary and democratic way. The common man need to exercise their voting rights with utmost caution. Criminals, looters, thugs, cheaters, fraudsters, liars, scams, etc. should be voted out.
People have a right to live in a cleaner and less corrupt system. They tried getting the existing government to put in place effective anti-corruption measures by petitioning the government - which the government ignored. Government cannot be expected to solve every problem - but we expect each administration to take one or two tough problems and solve those. That is what these people are doing by focusing on a few important big issues for that country. Seems like the way to govern an upcoming nation. It’s great to see a thriving democracy take care of the problems it faces while staying free in a world where too often dictators and despots thrive in such situations. A large section of the people’s representatives and some of the regulators are so steeped in corruption that we urgently need a strong, independent, effective Lokpal that can investigate and punish speedily. The Jan Lokpal proposed by Team Anna Hazare meets these requirements. Corruption may not vanish, but at least it will become a very risky business.
Conclusion:
Lastly we can conclude that aim of Mahatma Gandhi of mass Movement was freedom of India. For achieving this good aim all Indian people should support him. So Mahatma Gandhi was successives in this mass movement programme. But present situation is very different. Various Political issues & different views of Indian people do not support to such type of mass movement which is necessary for cleaner and less corrupt system. It has been a great movement by the population, but I do have a concern here. The people got a chance to express their frustration towards the rulers of this nation. It is always easy to criticize and throw stones at others. All these people gathered on the street over the last few days show same commitment towards demonstrating good civil sense in their day to day life. If we all start becoming responsible citizens, the corruption will not have place in the society.
Today stress on the need to launch a mass movement for Good Governance on the lines of Self-Rule once launched before independence by freedom fighters. India attained self governance but not good governance. Mass movements can be a solution to solve many problems in the society. Just as Mahatma Gandhi led the freedom struggle, there is need to launch a mass movement for development of better Society and stronger nation.
References:
1. Gandhi, M. K. (1977) The Collected Works, Ahmedabad: Navajivan.
2. Gandhi, M. K. (1997) Hind Swaraj and other writings, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 3. India and the Contemporary World II 4. chapter 7 NCERT class 12 political science India after Independence |
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Timeless Appeal
A Simple Man from India Continues to Influence the World
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What is it about Gandhi that still fascinates the world? Sixty-three years after his death, books still pour out at regular intervals exploring his life and personality. People are supposed to be shocked by revelations about his life. But as always we find that there is nothing any one can expose about Gandhi which he has not already put down in writing with brutal honesty. In terms of frankness about private life, Mahatma Gandhi breached the outer limits of possibility. Yet if the President of the United States, Barack Obama, wants him as his dinner guest—hoping of course that that is not one of Gandhi's fast days or worse yet one of his silent days, then Gandhiji must have 21st century appeal. He was chosen as one of the three most influential persons by TIME magazine on its 20th century issue along with former President of the United States, Franklin D. Roosevelt, and physicist Albert Einstein. He must have something timeless in his appeal.
Of course what makes Gandhi perpetually relevant is his ability to make people fearless in the presence of superior force. Most importantly, he did this for men and women equally thus removing the very idea that bravery or fearlessness were intrinsically male endowments. He was the first major political leader to treat women equally as men. He was a pioneer of the Gender Revolution. In Tahrir Square or in Tunis, the people who defied the Army were Gandhi's students. We also saw for the first time women coming out with men practising the Gandhian methods of struggle. The greatest thing he did was to make people fearless against the forces of power and authority. He taught ordinary people not to fear armed adversaries. This lesson has been learnt in Tahrir Square and in Tunis; it is still being used in Bahrain and Yemen and even during the bloody confrontations in Syria. Gandhi armed the unarmed masses with courage. It does not matter whether the oppressed are larger in number than their oppressors or whether they are different people. The poor and oppressed are always many and their oppressors are always few. It was this lesson that Martin Luther King Jr. absorbed from his study of Gandhi's works and deeds. In this context, the African-Americans were a minority in the USA. Faced not so much with alien power but fellow Americans in whose presence the Black people felt deprived and alien, he used his Christian faith and Gandhian techniques of unarmed and peaceful struggle to shame those who wielded power and overstepped human limits. I well recall those summers in the early 1960s, while I was in America as a student on the East Coast and a recent graduate working on the West Coast, how patiently the civil rights marchers faced the highway patrols and the National Guard arraigned against them. It was when the adversary saw their wish to resist change they inflicted damage and often that damage was on their own neighbours and fellow citizens. This was what shamed them. Satyagraha—the insistence on truth—works by revealing to the oppressor the truth of his situation which is exposed by the non-resistance of the oppressed. It was this demonstration which so moved Lyndon B. Johnson, a Texas Senator, who became President after John Kennedy's death, that he had to give up his past prejudices and join hands with the Civil Rights Movement to bring justice to the Black people. If Barrack Obama is President of USA today it is because a Texas-born President was moved to say on national television, "we shall overcome". The anti-apartheid movement in South Africa was never fully non-violent but when the final settlement came it was Nelson Mandela's long reflections in Robben Island which brought him to the path of peaceful reconciliation for constructing post-apartheid South Africa. The armed struggle that the African National Congress (ANC) had waged had its own limits against a powerful white minority bolstered by the exigencies of the Cold War. But again when the end came, it was the world outside South Africa which joined in many forms of boycott and peaceful demonstrations against the South African regime—the peaceful force of the many round the world which turned the tide. By the 1980s, the Civil Rights Movement in America had resulted in a powerful, tough small presence of Black legislators which compelled the US Congress to initiate peaceful action against apartheid. Thus Mandela benefited from Gandhi via Martin Luther King Jr. and ANC's struggle became a global peaceful struggle against apartheid. That said, there are many other aspects of Gandhi's philosophy and lifestyle which has widespread appeal to particular groups of people. His wish to be frugal in his demands on the natural ecosystem, in his food and clothing and other aspects of daily life has attracted much admiration. He has become a hero for the Green Movement. There are those who are persuaded by his vegetarianism either for reasons of avoiding harm to animals or just for health reasons. Gandhi is a lifestyle statement for many today. A man born in the middle of the 19th century, at the height of the Victorian era, still has relevance a century-and-a-half later. The secret has to be his simple and transparent humanity. Gandhi is every person who has ever suffered and fought back, who has needed courage and found it within himself or herself. He is a man for all times.
Source: India Perspectives, October 2011
originally published in Bhavan Australia, August 2012.
* Lord Meghnad Desai, is Emeritus Professor of Economics at the London School of Economics.
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Courtesy: Hindustan Times, dt. 06.02.2013
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ALBERT EINSTEIN versus M.K. GANDHI
"The old man will not die". They said while they were returning back from Beijing. In those days the students were agitating in support of democratising the Chinese system.
When the tanks rolled down on the streets to suppress the student movement, he was there. During those days Beijing was like wobbling sea; heavy movement of army, unrest among youngsters, all sorts of rumours and what not! When i heard that the old man hadn't yet died, i thought the reference was about the ailing and elderly Chinese leader Syao Fing.
But i was wrong; the 'old man' was none other than the one who was described as 'Immortal' by well-known Marathi writer, Vijay Tendulkar. The 'Gandhi' that we are talking about was not the modern 'Gandhi' who gave slogans to take India to the 21st century, overnight. He was the other one, an old man, who lived among the people who had lagged behind and were still languishing in the 18th and 19th century. The old man lived like them, lived among them, to imbibe self confidence and dignity in the minds of toiling masses. How could the old man, who felt prey to the three bullets of a communal man reach China? How could the Chinese youth agitating for democracy identify with him? So much so that they started talking about his immortality?
When i was thinking about the relevance of 'Gandhi' in the modern context, in the context of finding solution to the complex problems facing in these tough times, i was reminded of an event of yesteryears.
I was a college student, and i was getting introduced to politics. Not the kind of politics in vogue these days, but the more truthful one, practised those days where discussion was on plans, policies and principles, where community welfare got precedence over fulfillment of individual's selfish motives.
One fine morning, during the late 1953, we heard that Acharya Kriplani was travelling by Frontier Mail from Delhi to Mumbai. Five-six of us bicycled our way to the station to catch his glimpse, hoping to hear a few words of wisdom from him.
The rail station was reverberating with slogans in honour of Acharya Kriplani. In response to that, Kriplaniji came out of the compartment, fuming, "What is all this commotion about? Why are you raising slogans for me, go raise slogans for Jawaharlal Nehru, go to the ministers, what will you get from me?"
Summoning all my courage, i said, "We have come to get a message from you..." Before i could place the matter properly, Kriplaniji shouted, “Do you want to hear from me? That old man died, trying to convey his message, did you listen to him? Did you follow his footsteps?"
Alas.......had we done that, India would have been different from what it is today!
In fifties a young Indian met Albert Einstein during his trip to USA. During the course of conversation, he said, "Mankind has to choose between you and Mahatma Gandhi".
Einstein was a bit surprised when he heard that, he was one amongst the supporters of Gandhiji, why did the young man place him as an alternative to Gandhi?
In response, the Indian said, you have given us an equation that lead to devising an atom bomb, Gandhi gave us a weapon to fight injustice, the weapon called civil disobedience - weapon called Satyagrah. Mankind has to choose, as to which road it wants to tread, the one with atom bomb or the one with peaceful Satyagrah.
Even today, the rivalry between Einstein and Gandhiji is unresolved.
Do you want to know who is that Indian who had juxtaposed Gandhiji and Einstein? He was none other than Manohar Lohia, well-known freedom fighter and revolutionary thinker.
When the tanks rolled down on the streets to suppress the student movement, he was there. During those days Beijing was like wobbling sea; heavy movement of army, unrest among youngsters, all sorts of rumours and what not! When i heard that the old man hadn't yet died, i thought the reference was about the ailing and elderly Chinese leader Syao Fing.
But i was wrong; the 'old man' was none other than the one who was described as 'Immortal' by well-known Marathi writer, Vijay Tendulkar. The 'Gandhi' that we are talking about was not the modern 'Gandhi' who gave slogans to take India to the 21st century, overnight. He was the other one, an old man, who lived among the people who had lagged behind and were still languishing in the 18th and 19th century. The old man lived like them, lived among them, to imbibe self confidence and dignity in the minds of toiling masses. How could the old man, who felt prey to the three bullets of a communal man reach China? How could the Chinese youth agitating for democracy identify with him? So much so that they started talking about his immortality?
When i was thinking about the relevance of 'Gandhi' in the modern context, in the context of finding solution to the complex problems facing in these tough times, i was reminded of an event of yesteryears.
I was a college student, and i was getting introduced to politics. Not the kind of politics in vogue these days, but the more truthful one, practised those days where discussion was on plans, policies and principles, where community welfare got precedence over fulfillment of individual's selfish motives.
One fine morning, during the late 1953, we heard that Acharya Kriplani was travelling by Frontier Mail from Delhi to Mumbai. Five-six of us bicycled our way to the station to catch his glimpse, hoping to hear a few words of wisdom from him.
The rail station was reverberating with slogans in honour of Acharya Kriplani. In response to that, Kriplaniji came out of the compartment, fuming, "What is all this commotion about? Why are you raising slogans for me, go raise slogans for Jawaharlal Nehru, go to the ministers, what will you get from me?"
Summoning all my courage, i said, "We have come to get a message from you..." Before i could place the matter properly, Kriplaniji shouted, “Do you want to hear from me? That old man died, trying to convey his message, did you listen to him? Did you follow his footsteps?"
Alas.......had we done that, India would have been different from what it is today!
In fifties a young Indian met Albert Einstein during his trip to USA. During the course of conversation, he said, "Mankind has to choose between you and Mahatma Gandhi".
Einstein was a bit surprised when he heard that, he was one amongst the supporters of Gandhiji, why did the young man place him as an alternative to Gandhi?
In response, the Indian said, you have given us an equation that lead to devising an atom bomb, Gandhi gave us a weapon to fight injustice, the weapon called civil disobedience - weapon called Satyagrah. Mankind has to choose, as to which road it wants to tread, the one with atom bomb or the one with peaceful Satyagrah.
Even today, the rivalry between Einstein and Gandhiji is unresolved.
Do you want to know who is that Indian who had juxtaposed Gandhiji and Einstein? He was none other than Manohar Lohia, well-known freedom fighter and revolutionary thinker.
Ganesh Mantri, Former editor of 'Dharmayug'
Translated from Gujarati by Dr. Alaka Sarma
Translated from Gujarati by Dr. Alaka Sarma
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65th GANDHI MARTYRS' DAY OBSERVED
853 students marched for Peace & Communal Harmony and took the pledge to work for Peace & National Integration
853 NSS students from 38 colleges of Mumbai & SNDT University along with the Gandhian activists, social workers, peace-loving citizens marched for Peace and Communal Harmony from Azad Maidan to Hutatma Chowk on 30th January. The Peace March was jointly organized by Bombay Sarvodaya Mandal and Gandhi Smarak Nidhi to commemorate 65th Death Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.
Volunteers wearing masks and carrying banners & placards with the slogans on Communal Harmony, "Hands not for hurting, but for help", "India is Unity of all religions." etc. were the main attractions of the peace rally.
The purpose of the rally was to inculcate the spirit of peace and communal harmony as Gandhi had visualized amongst people from different walks of life which is the need of the hour to lead our country towards progress. This is more relevant and necessary in today’s atmosphere where hatred, disharmony, violence and intolerance are spreading at an alarming rate and moral values are on a decline.
At Hutatma Chowk, an Oath was taken by 853 students with peace-loving citizens to oppose all forms of communalism, casteism, chauvinism; never to resort to violence and intolerance and to work for promoting harmony, goodwill and peace in the world.
Volunteers wearing masks and carrying banners & placards with the slogans on Communal Harmony, "Hands not for hurting, but for help", "India is Unity of all religions." etc. were the main attractions of the peace rally.
The purpose of the rally was to inculcate the spirit of peace and communal harmony as Gandhi had visualized amongst people from different walks of life which is the need of the hour to lead our country towards progress. This is more relevant and necessary in today’s atmosphere where hatred, disharmony, violence and intolerance are spreading at an alarming rate and moral values are on a decline.
At Hutatma Chowk, an Oath was taken by 853 students with peace-loving citizens to oppose all forms of communalism, casteism, chauvinism; never to resort to violence and intolerance and to work for promoting harmony, goodwill and peace in the world.
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853 students marched for peace and communal harmony to observe 65th Gandhi death anniversary
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853 students marched for peace and communal harmony to observe 65th Gandhi death anniversary
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NSS students took the pledge to work for peace & communal harmony
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Published: February 15, 2013 11:26
UN report rings alarm on water scarcity in India
APWater woes: A need for gender inclusion.
India should re-think its per capita water availability index to correct social and economic disparities in water usage, says a new UN report
India needs to formulate new indices to measure available water resources as the calculations per capita water availability do not include disparity in water allocation and access. This disparity is identified as a major determining factor for water access and use.
“The validity of the per capita water availability index needs to be re-thought in the light of social and economic disparities in water usage that exist. On the same grounds, putting forward the argument that increase in population leads to water scarcity needs rigorous debate,” a report ‘Water in India: Situation and Prospects’ brought out by UNICEF and Food and Agriculture Organisation has said.
Pointing out that a farmer’s need of water for basic livelihood support often gets mingled with wasteful water uses of high-end consumers, the report — a first of its kind by UNICEF — suggests developing new indices which are able to capture the underlying differences in water access.
India has about 16 per cent of the world’s population as compared to only 4 per cent of its water resources. With the present population of over 1,000 million, the per capita water availability is around 1.170 cu m/person/year. Severe water shortages have led to a growing number of conflicts between users in the agricultural and industrial sectors, as also the domestic sector. The lack of water availability and poor management practices have also manifested in poor sanitation facilities, one among the biggest environmental and social challenges India faces today.
Lack of access to safe drinking water and sanitation can be related to economic, political and social power imbalances, and discrimination against certain groups or communities.
The report further says it is imperative to initiate efforts for designing an appropriate industrial water use by this sector. Multiple uses of water and the traditional allocation priorities and quantities also need to be revisited. “The concept of scarcity and surpluses of water must look beyond State boundaries, as with a more disaggregated assessment, these comparisons will surely change.”
It points out that myopic approaches in attaining food security are risking agricultural sustainability by encouraging increased use of water. The water demand from agriculture is set to increase tremendously and will have to be met to ensure food security in a high consumption scenario. The concept of inter-State virtual water transfer also needs emphasis, according to the report, as the States with lower availability resources end up being the net exporters of virtual water to water surplus States. With the current rate of industrial expansion in the country, the water demand from this sector will also escalate in future.
On inter-relation between gender and water in India, the report says any analysis would be incomplete without taking this into consideration. In India, gender intersects with class and caste and produces layered social hierarchies that impinge on one’s access to, and control over, this precious resource. Gender and water issues remain at the level of rhetoric for the want of a broad based and shared understanding, without any support from the ground data on changing gender and social relations.
The issue of gender disaggregated data needs to be taken up as priority by the state for any progress to be made in mainstreaming gender in water resources management. Another major issue is about how to tackle gender mainstreaming at the organisational level. The bureaucratic set up that manages water also suffers from serious inadequacies with respect to gender mainstreaming. “Without addressing these issues, well-meaning gender inclusion efforts will not lead to logical and intended outcomes.”
Importantly, the report points out that water quality issues in India have reached an alarming proportion. Augmenting water supply to achieve millennium development goals (MDGs) will not suffice until its quality is ensured. There is no model in India that shows best ways to tackle the waste water generated through the industrial and domestic sectors. The economic implications of poor sanitation in urban India and its impact on water quality are profound. The agencies responsible for checking industrial pollution have failed, the report says while adding that pollution contributes to water scarcity by polluting freshwater resources.
The report attempts to provide a comprehensive analysis of the state of water resource development and management in India, based on secondary information. It maps the current challenges and suggests feasible alternatives amidst increasing water scarcity and disenfranchisement of resource bases for the poor and the marginalised. The issues consolidated using secondary data are backed by consultations with major stakeholders.
The focus is to evolve an environment where water is available for all in a sustainable manner – safe drinking water for basic needs, adequate water for agriculture, water for industry and for the ecosystem. Thus, it encompasses both a depiction of the state of freshwater resources and potential problems and progress towards identified goals, including workable solutions.
“The report becomes more important as the 12th Five-Year Plan will be implemented shortly,” Satya Priya, National Programme Coordinator (Land and Water), FAO-India, said.
February 13, 2013 00:54 IST
From Bengal Famine to Right to Food
While there is reason to be proud of the progress in the production of wheat, rice, cereals and millets, the use of farmland for non-farm purposes is a cause for concern
The year 2013 marks the 70th anniversary of the Bengal Famine which resulted in the death of an estimated 1.5 to 3 million children, women and men during 1942-43. A constellation of factors led to this mega-tragedy, such as the Japanese occupation of Burma, the damage to the aman (kharif) rice crop both due to tidal waves and a disease epidemic caused by the fungus Helminthosporium oryzae, panic purchase and hoarding by the rich, failure of governance, particularly in relation to the equitable distribution of the available food grains, disruption of communication due to World War II, and the indifference of the then U.K. government to the plight of the starving people of undivided Bengal.
Famines were frequent in colonial India and some estimates indicate that 30 to 40 million died out of starvation in Tamil Nadu, Bihar and Bengal during the later half of the 19th century. This led to the formulation of elaborate Famine Codes by the then colonial government, indicating the relief measures that should be put in place when crops fail.
The Bengal Famine attracted much attention both among the media and the public, since it occurred soon after Mahatma Gandhi’s “Quit India” call to the British in 1942. Agricultural stagnation and famines were regarded among the major adverse consequences of colonial rule. I wish to narrate the impact of the twin developments, namely, Bengal Famine on the one hand, and the “Quit India” movement on the other, on the minds of students like me. I was studying at the University College, Thiruvananthapuram, during 1940-44, when gruesome pictures of starving children, women and men on the streets of Kolkata and in other parts of Bengal appeared in The Hindu, the Statesman and other newspapers. The goal of my University education was to get into a medical college and equip myself to run a hospital in Kumbakonam left behind by my father, M.K. Sambasivan, who died at a young age in 1936.
Role models
Unlike today, when students have to search hard for role models, those of my time had many leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru and Subhash Chandra Bose whom we worshipped. A few of my college mates and I used to meet to discuss the role we could play when the British quit India. During my B.Sc biology course, I fell in love with the science of genetics. Therefore, in a meeting of students where the topic of discussion was our role in independent India, I announced that I had decided to shift my interest from medicine to agriculture, so that I could contribute to Gandhiji’s goal of making famine and hunger problems of the past. Though there was disappointment in my family that I would not be following my father’s footsteps and managing the hospital, it fully supported my decision to join the Coimbatore Agricultural College to do a B.Sc. degree in agriculture before proceeding for post-graduate studies in agricultural genetics and crop improvement.
Three factor
I am narrating this event in a crucial stage in my life only to point out the life-changing impact the Bengal Famine and Gandhiji’s vision of a hunger free India had on young minds. Looking back, I am glad I made this change and also that I am living today when a historic transition from the Bengal Famine to Right to Food with home grown food is taking place. On the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the Bengal Famine, Parliament is likely to pass the National Food Security Bill which will be the world’s largest social protection measure against hunger. How did this transition come about? I would like to pick up three factors which played a significant role in changing our agricultural destiny from the “ship to mouth” situation which prevailed during 1950-70, to the “right to food” commitment of 2013.
First, the Nehru era marked the development of the scientific infrastructure essential for improving farm productivity, such as major and minor irrigation projects, fertilizer factories, agricultural universities, farm extension services and marketing facilities. To get the benefit from the investment in these areas, an Intensive Agricultural District Programme (IADP) was started in 1960-61. By 1963-64, IADP covered 15 districts. Unfortunately, the impact of IADP on yield improvement was not up to expectation. My analysis showed that the package of practices missed one important ingredient, namely a genetic strain which can respond to the rest of the package, particularly irrigation water and fertilizer.
It is this missing ingredient that I helped to provide by undertaking a search for genes for non-lodging plant habit. This search led to our getting seeds of semi-dwarf wheat germplasm from Dr. Orville Vogel of the U.S. and Dr. Norman Borlaug of Mexico, and semi-dwarf rice strains from Taiwan and the International Rice Research Institute, the Philippines. The new plant architecture helped to convert nutrients and water more efficiently into grains. Consequently, they came to be referred to as high-yielding varieties. In 1962-63, it became clear that food self-sufficiency was an idea whose time had come. I prepared a plan early in 1963 titled “Five Years of Dwarf Wheats”, outlining a road map for achieving a substantial rise in production by 1968. An important component of this Plan was launching a large Lab to Land programme in the form of national demonstrations in the fields of small and marginal farmers. Agriculture is a risky profession and predictions are difficult. However, the strong public policy support extended by C. Subramaniam, supported by Prime Ministers Lal Bahadur Shastri and Indira Gandhi, led to the fulfilment of our expectation that 1968 would mark a new beginning in our agricultural history. Indira Gandhi released a special stamp titled “the Wheat Revolution” in July 1968 to mark this event.
The second transformational factor was procurement of food grains from farmers at a minimum support price fixed on the basis of the advice of the Agricultural Prices Commission. A small government programme titled “High Yielding Varieties Programme” became a mass movement owing to the enthusiasm generated among farm families both by the yield revolution and the opportunities for assured and remunerative marketing. Wheat production has continued to rise since 1968 and has now reached a level of 92 million tonnes. A third important factor was the synergy brought about among scientific know-how, political do-how and farmers’ toil, often referred to as the “green-revolution symphony”. While we can be legitimately proud of our progress in the production of wheat and rice and other cereals and millets leading to the commitment of government of over 60 million tonnes of foodgrains for implementing the provisions of the Food Security Bill, there is no time to relax since dark clouds are gathering on the horizon.
I would like to touch upon three threats to the future of food production and our sustained capacity to implement the provisions of the Food Security Bill. First, prime farmland is going out of agriculture for non-farm purposes such as real estate and biofuels. Globally, the impact of biofuels on food security has become an increasing concern. A High Level Panel of Experts on Food Security and Nutrition (HLPE) of the World Commission on Food Security (CFS), which I chair, will be submitting a report shortly on Biofuels and Food Security. In this report, we are pointing out that if 10 per cent of all transport fuels were to be achieved through biofuels in the world, this would absorb 26 per cent of all crop production and 85 per cent of the world’s fresh water resources. Therefore, it will be prudent for all countries to accord food security the pride of place in the national land use policy.
Adverse changes in temperature
The second threat comes from global warming and climate change. It is now clear that the mean temperature may rise by at least 2 degrees centigrade during the next few decades. Adverse changes in temperature, precipitation and sea level are all causes for concern. Both anticipatory research to checkmate the adverse consequences of climate change, and participatory research with farming families for developing adaptation and mitigation measures will be important. A third threat comes from the proposal to provide cash instead of grain to those needing protection against hunger. Such a shift may lead to a loss of interest in procurement and storage by public agencies like the Food Corporation of India. Most of our farm families have small holdings and have very little holding capacity. They want to sell as soon as their crop is harvested. If procurement goes down, there will be distress sales and production will go down. We should remember that the green revolution has been sustained only by assured and remunerative marketing opportunities. The Public Distribution System will suffer if procurement by public agencies goes down. National and global price volatility will increase, adding to the misery of the poor. The government, therefore, should always remain at the commanding height of the food security system.
On the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the Bengal Famine, we should derive strength from the fact that we have so far proved the prophets of doom wrong. At the same time, we need to redouble our efforts to help our farmers to produce more and more food and other commodities under conditions of diminishing per capita availability of arable land and irrigation water. This will be possible if the production techniques of the evergreen revolution approach are followed and farmers are assisted with appropriate public policies to keep agriculture an economically viable occupation. This is also essential to attract and retain youth in farming. If agriculture goes wrong, nothing else will have a chance to go right.
(M.S. Swaminathan is Agricultural Scientist and Member, Rajya Sabha)
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