[Reader-list] Highlights of PM’s Independence Day speech - 198

[A.K. Malik]

Hi Rakesh,
             The only positive point in the current PM is his personal honesty and sincereness. This is what ,in my opinion got Congress more votes.
Sometimes the Chair makes you do things, which you would not have done otherwise.
Regards,

(A.K.MALIK)


--- On Sun, 8/16/09, Rakesh Iyer <rakesh.rnbdj at gmail.com> wrote:

> From: Rakesh Iyer <rakesh.rnbdj at gmail.com>
> Subject: Re: [Reader-list] Highlights of PM’s Independence Day speech - 198
> To: "Rajendra Bhat Uppinangadi" <rajen786uppinangady at gmail.com>
> Cc: "Sarai Reader-list" <reader-list at sarai.net>, "Jeebesh" <jeebesh at sarai.net>
> Date: Sunday, August 16, 2009, 4:44 PM
> Hi (to all)
> 
> I have some very basic questions regarding the PM's speech,
> because there
> seem to be interesting connections between what he said and
> what his govt
> has done (or ministers of his govt have done):
> 
> 1) Firstly, the PM has warned hoarders and black marketers.
> Probably he
> forgot that since the past 3 years, food prices have been
> increasing as like
> never before. I read somewhere that 2004-2009 was the
> period of highest
> increase in food prices in history of independent India,
> considering 2004 as
> the base index to measure this increase.(Even assuming this
> is not true) If
> the PM knows that it's the hoarders who are the problem,
> shouldn't he also
> mention steps in and outside the Parliament, taken to stop
> hoarding and
> black-marketing.? (Of course, some economists attribute
> high prices to high
> MSP's of food crops in India, and some to the
> non-procurement of pulses and
> oilseeds by the FCI, thereby leaving it in private hands).
> 
> Instead, all this while we have heard the ministers of the
> govt say that the
> prices will reduce with increase in supply or vice versa.
> But only now has
> Sharad Pawar acknowledged that the increase in prices has a
> connection other
> than that of good monsoon and drought. Will he try to find
> this connection?
> This is also critical considering the importance of the
> Right to Food scheme
> as well, which the UPA has announced in the Budget.
> 
> 2) The govt keeps on talking about growth in agriculture.
> But except for
> increases in the allocations to agricultural sector in the
> Budget, the govt
> has done virtually nothing. Again, I remember having read
> multiple no. of
> times, including from that famous scientist, Mr.
> Swaminathan, that we need
> to invest in research in agriculture; just giving rural
> credit at 4-5% is
> not going to help, even if the reach of the public sector
> banks were to be
> ensured for the rural populace (to save them from the
> money-lender's wrath).
> 
> What is the govt thinking of therefore, by just increasing
> allocations this
> way? The strangest part is that the varieties which were
> indigenous to India
> are now being patented by multinational companies and
> therefore our own
> farmers, can't use varieties which were used since several
> generations (talk
> of loss of our heritage, comes to my mind here). And these
> varieties were
> patented due to their high productivity and better
> resistance to pests.
> 
> 3) The govt was actually asked to ensure universalization
> of ICDS
> (Integrated Child Development Scheme) by 2008, but it has
> shifted that goal
> to 2012. If the govt has so much amount to spend on defence
> and corporate
> subsidies, couldn't it have spent adequate amounts of money
> on ICDS and
> other schemes which are much beneficial for the poor.
> (Recently, I read that
> at least 50% of the population must be given BPL cards.*
> And I correct one
> more information which I used to give repeatedly on this
> forum. 80% of
> people in India don't spend more than Rs. 20 a day, as used
> to my earlier
> statement that 80% of people in India don't earn more than
> Rs. 20 a day. I
> apologize for the same.*)
> 
> 4) The govt. has proposed to make cities slum free. Does
> the govt know that
> in slums like Dharavi, people in slums engage in activities
> which ensure
> they are categorized as self-employment? And by that I just
> don't mean those
> who repair cycles or those who repair electronics. That
> also includes some
> self-entrepreneurs who actually make commodities using
> their own labor and
> that of their families. There are many who get employment
> locally in the
> slums this way.
> 
> If the houses were to be constructed, then where would
> these people be able
> to carry out their occupations? Already, there is no
> extension of the NREGA
> into the urban areas (probably due to fear of the
> corporates). And when the
> houses are built, they would have no place to actually
> carry out their
> occupational work. This would result in encroachment of
> footpaths and other
> public spaces, in due course of time, and further urban
> mismanagement. All
> this just to serve the purpose of real-estate sector giants
> who will build
> the houses with the govt paying for them. (and thereby also
> relieve land in
> the process for further construction purposes)
> 
> Does the govt have an alternative plan to provide suitable
> markets for these
> people who will lose their livelihood this way? Or have the
> ministers in the
> govt sold themselves to the giants for money?
> 
> 5) The PM says what others have said repeatedly, that
> participation in
> Assembly and Lok sabha elections indicates the support of
> the Indian state
> in the minds of people of J & K. But voting percentage
> being higher need not
> necessarily mean support of the Indian state, but could
> simply mean support
> of democracy as a method to rule, as also conducting
> elections. Also, there
> have been reports in the local media in that state of how
> candidates were
> given money to participate in elections and ensure a better
> voting
> percentage for elections. Has the PM even heard about them?
> And what about
> removing AFSPA? Or is that just separatist talk, and has
> nothing to do with
> democratic rights of the people?
> 
> 6) The govt. talks about improving accountability under
> NREGA. But from what
> I know, the NREGA asks for a 'Grievance Redressal
> Authority' to be built up
> at State and National levels to ensure that complaints are
> taken care of. It
> is absent in almost all states of India. Why couldn't the
> govt implement an
> act which it had itself taken an initiative to get passed
> in Parliament, in
> its totality, is something I can't fathom.
> 
> And recently, the govt has taken the initiative to ensure
> that works for
> small and marginal farmers' lands will be done under NREGA,
> without having
> discussed it either with those organizations who were
> fighting for the
> introduction of such an act for many years, nor with the
> people who work in
> these jobs in some measure (like some organizations). This
> when such
> organizations have been fighting tooth and nail against it,
> stating that
> such a recommendation would lead to non-transparency of
> working of NREGA.
> 
> The govt may also like to answer about the Telecom Scam,
> the Rice Scam, the
> criticism by CAG of the 'Admiral Gorshkov' deal, the high
> costs involved in
> the 'Arihant', the malnutrition rates of India, the
> criticism of the Indian
> Railways by the CAG for its various initiatives, the
> working of the Surface
> & Transport Ministry under the previous UPA govt, the
> high MSP's (and their
> effect on food prices) and of course, the deadly duo of
> inflation and
> terrorism.
> 
> Regards
> 
> Rakesh
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