[Reader-list] my view on cellular silent day on 30/01/09 by Ranjan Kamath

[bipin]

Dear Taha,



I don’t know which data you are talking for and not mentioned particular reference. The things you are mentioning is very general applicable to whole India. In the 60 years of Independence, the things improving at very slow rate. Today poverty is 25 % below poverty line which was about 75 % at the time independence. It took 50/55 years for reduction of 50% poverty and major reduction took place after 1991 only when reform started. You can’t expect miracle in 5/6 years. 

 

Govt. job is to create opportunity by way of developing infrastructure in the field of Power, Road, Port, Airport which helps in the overall development. This key development was ignored since independence for about 50 years. During Narsimharao rule he took bold step by bringing Mr. Manmohansingh as Finance Minister, a non-politician and started free economy which was necessary to develop competitiveness in the Indian industries. At that time (1992-93) my friends/business ally telling that by cut in import duty Indian industries will die. But, I told them that nothing will happen and with this step Indian industries will grow very well and within 10/12 years Indian industries were capable to buy foreign industries. Rajiv Gandhi has also done good job in the communication field and brought computer age.

 

At this stage also, infrastructure development was not upto the mark, which was started in big scale by Atalji in the field of Road, Power, Airports. Many were arguing why wasting in road to run luxury cars. I replied that 85% roads are used by trucks for transportation and with the improved quality of road transportation becomes chip and ultimately benefited to people only. This infrastructure of Road development running in the fast pace were slowed down drastically when UPA came to power because of communists and Laluji. This infrastructural development should have been started after 5/10 years of independence and in that case India would have been super power by now.

 

But sorry to say that Congress was after vote bank politics only (Particularly from the Indira Gandhi rule. Corruption has also started heavily during her rule) and there policies were decided keeping in the mind of minority vote bank. So, to counter this minority vote bank BJP started vowing major vote bank of Hindu and vicious circle starts. 




Nuclear agreement with US was intiated by NDA govt. only and I doubt even congress would have thought in this line to do such agreement again minor vote bank politics. However, it was initiated once one has to go on that direction and if Manmohansingh (non-politician, non-congress originally) was not there as PM, it would have not been done. BJP was opposing for some clause of it included on the pressure of US. This agreement was necessary because our nuclear plant producing power was not working without fuel like uranium and to run this plant we require the fuel.



So, since 5 years Mr. Modi has concentrated fully in the govt. efficiency, minimize corruption in the govt. dept. and development of infrastructure. No govt. can go to home by home and ask whether you have roti to eat or not. Govt. job is to provide infrastructure in efficient manner which is necessary for overall development.

 

In India we talk about the lack of cleanliness of roads and public places. I do not blame any govt. for this, un-disciplined public is responsible for it. To bring discipline, I think we should make compulsory NCC subject in the college. It was there earlier, but Indira has removed it. Today, if anyone talk to bring NCC back, National anthem/prayer like vandemataram, Surya-namaskar for exercise purpose (its best exercise) or any such type, but the so called pseudo-secularist come in the media to oppose it with the argument that you are forcing Hinduism. They are not real secular, but worry for their vote bank. These are all steps bring discipline and nationality (not Hinduism). 

 

I remember when Atalji became PM, I wrote one letter to him with suggestions like: The reservation policy benefit can be given to those family having family planning (2 children) or at the most 3 children. I got just one line answer: Thanks. Good suggestion, we think over it. I gave this suggestions to one my friend in the congress also, but he told that no one like to lose back-word class votes by applying this, though its good suggestion. Vote bank politics is biggest hindrance in India to grow healthily.

 

No time now today. I welcome your suggestion.



Bipin Trivedi



  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Taha Mehmood 
  To: Rakesh Iyer 
  Cc: bipin ; sarai-list 
  Sent: Saturday, January 31, 2009 11:14 PM
  Subject: Re: [Reader-list] my view on cellular silent day on 30/01/09 by Ranjan Kamath


  Dear Bipin

  Thank you for sharing a counter petition which argues in favor of Narender Modi. 

  It appears that you have followed Mr. Modi's administration rather closely over the last many years. If that is so then could please explain to me the existence of a view that half of the population of Gujarat is suffering from malnutrition, anemia and low body mass index.

  You shall have my respect Sir!! if while replying if you could kindly let go of all the well rehearsed arguments in favor of Modi or RSS or BJP, or resorting to wrongs of others to justify Mr. Modis actions because two wrongs do not make a right. However taking a cue from your petition, I want to state that even as an administrator Mr. Modi is grossly inefficient. 

  What matters to me is this- Mr. Modi was given a responsibility, a constitutional responsibility, to take care of his people. If we follow the data given by the FCI and other government bodies then it appears that he has failed badly in providing basic, fundamental amenities like do waqt ki roti, to the very 5 crore Gujarati, in whose name he garnered votes. 

  Hence I do not understand that while he could not even manage five crore Gujaratis in the last seven years, how could he manage 100 crore Indians even for an hour. 

  Warm regards 

  Taha 


http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/half-of-vibrant-gujarat-goes-to-sleep-empty-stomach/401073/
Half of Vibrant Gujarat goes to sleep empty stomachGaurav SharmaPosted: Dec 21, 2008 at 0355 hrs ISTAhmedabad Despite tall claims on paper, cases of malnutrition,anaemia, low body mass index abound in state
"It is with the core value of the Right to Food that the Gujaratgovernment's Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Department setsits mandate," this is the government's claim. But, according to
various reports, the state's Public Distribution System (PDS) is in ashambles.On paper, much hyped schemes like the Anand Smart Card Project,Roaming Ration Card, Food Fortification, Grahak Bhandar Yojana, Food
Helpline and others may appear to be in place. Despite this, almosthalf of Gujarat's six crore population is hungry.For its part, the state government has issued nearly 89.58 lakh AbovePoverty Line (APL) cards and 35.51 lakh Below Poverty Line (BPL)
cards. In the latter category, about 8.10 lakh cards fall under theAntyodaya Anna Yojna (AAY), which caters to the poorest of the poor.So, in all, nearly 1.33 crore ration cards have been issued in thestate to ensure the availability of wheat, rice, sugar and kerosene to
the poorer sections of society at highly subsidised rates.This means that ideally, the system should work like this— the FoodCorporation of India (FCI) issues the PDS quota to Gujarat at asubsidised rate, which in turn further subsidises it for BPL and AAY
cardholders. APL citizens get no subsidy and have to pay the marketprice of their share of PDS. The food goes from the nationalwarehouses to the state warehouses where it is checked, fortified andthen distributed to Fair Price Shops (FPS). Ration cardholders then
pick up their quota from there.But, as the state government itself has admitted, the PDS in Gujarathave come to be known for hoarding, profiteering, poor quality,adulteration, overpricing and under weighing. The FCI allots less than
the required PDS quota to Gujarat and the government doesn't evenbother about it. It keeps itself busy converting more and more BPLcards to APL, apparently to showcase its efforts at improving thehunger situation in the state, at least on paper.
Also, bogus cards are made at will and the PDS quota is diverted tothe open market using these. This happens at both the levels of theCivil Supplies Department and the Fair Price Shops. With absolutely nochecks on the FPS, these functions as autonomous bodies and are the
major source of resource diversions. Such is the situation now thatnumerous public hearings, suo motto cognizance by the Gujarat HighCourt and various RTI applications have failed to bring about anychange.
Gujarat's Minister for Food and Civil Supplies Narattam Patel couldnot be contacted for comments.Alarmingly hungry* According to International Food Policy Research Institute's 2008Global Hunger Index, Gujarat is ranked 69th along with Haiti, the
nation infamous for food riots. The state is placed in the 'alarming'category.* The M S Swaminathan Research Foundation has identified urban Gujaratas 'moderately food secure' while rural Gujarat remains 'severely
insecure.'* The National Family Health Survey III (NFHS-III) conveys that 42.4per cent of children in Gujarat are suffering from stunted growth dueto malnutrition. Also, about 47.4 per cent of children are underweight
in the state.* NFHS-III also points out that more than half of Gujarat's populationis Anaemic, with a percentage as high as 80.1 for children aged 6-35months.* NFHS-III further states that nearly one-third of adults in Gujarat
have their Body Mass Index (BMI) below the normal, 32.3 per cent forwomen and 28.2 per cent for men.System in a shambles but the government is in denialSC overruled* The Supreme Court had ordered on November 28, 2001 and January 10,
2008 to provide 35 kg food grains — 19 kg wheat flour and 16 kg rice —to the poorest of the poor under the Antyodaya Scheme. But the Gujaratgovernment in its resolution dated March 24, 2008 decided to provide16 kg rice and 16.7 kg wheat fortified flour
* The government deducts 2.3 kg from the entitlement of 19 kg andpasses it on to the flour mills as the cost of fortification. So,flour mills get the benefit of 24,647 tons of wheat annually at thecost of poorest of the poor
Poor distribution systemPublic hearings in 2008 against injustices abounding in the PDS* 900 people attend a hearing organised by the Lok Adhikar Manch(supported by Action Aid) on April 30 at Anjar, Kutch.
* 1,300 people attend a hearing organised by Lok Adhikar Manch on July2 at Khavda in Kutch* 1,150 people attend a hearing organised by Sarthi (supported byAction Aid) on November 21 at PanchmahalsCommon grievances recorded
* Large scale diversion of PDS food grains* Irregular identification and distribution of ration cards* False and fake entries on ration cards* Fair Price Shops (FPS) open for less than two weeks in a month
against the stipulated 24 daysSorry state of affairs* The National Council for Applied Economic Research (NCAER), NewDelhi, finds in a survey that nearly 11, 53,000 ghost/fake BPL cardshave been issued in Gujarat
* An ORG-Marg report commissioned by the Centre reveals that inGujarat, about 41 per cent of rice slotted for the poor is beingdiverted* According to the state government, the Centre allots food grainsonly for 21.20 lakh families as against the 35.51 lakh BPL families, a
gap for nearly 14.31 lakh families. Still, the Ministry of ConsumerAffairs, Food and Public Distribution confirms in reply to an RTIapplication that 'No representation is received from any MP, MLA, CMor Minister regarding the supply of food grains to Gujarat since the
last one year.'* An analysis report dated December 26, 2007 of the Public HealthLaboratory, Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation, confirms live insects,high quantity of chaff in 18 samples of fortified wheat flour supplied
by FPS at various districts in Rajkot, Panchmahals, Dahod, Dwarka andJamnagar. It is deemed unfit for human consumption.* The FCI admits in a reply to an application filed under the Right toInformation Act that nearly 73,814 tons of food grains have been
damaged in Gujarat and Maharashtra over the past decade