Lack of order in maintaining law and order

 Whether we have democracy or not depends on the rights we have and on the kinds of law and order methods imposed on us. Police reforms are most needed in India today within police organizations. The politicians keep the police organization under themselves and control them completely. Politicians transfer those policemen who do not listen to them implicitly.
In 1962 the ‘Santhanam Committee’s recommendations’ were made. Then Thomas Committee also gave report: professionalism should be incorporated, there should be fixed tenure of two years, postings should be on merit only, establishing district level police organizations. Why arethey not adopted? Recruitment or selection method should change. Recruiting police cadres is central part of reforms. The best police cadres are needed, no mediocrity should be tolerated. The criterion used to select personnel is itself extremely inadequate. Anyone can apply and get in easily. Only highly qualified persons should be selected, and extensive interviews must test the value sets of the selected persons before they are given power as policemen and policewomen. Skill test, intelligence tests are given but not attitude tests.
While recruiting for high level posts, IPS (Indian Police Service),only those who want to give first preference to police must be selected for the police cadre. After selection, importance is given for intensive training. The Training Academy is tuned well to impart training. Motivation to serve in the police is important;recruits should genuinely want to serve the people. Reforms are needed in the management of the entire police organization. Corruption in the service has to be addressed. Professionalism is lacking. Experience in dealing with people and their problems will help in the police station inquiries. Only those with dedication can work with the police organization. Those policemen who are sycophants of superior officers or of politicians bring bad name to the police. Women should be at least 4% of the police force. There is urgent need to sensitize the police on issues affecting human rights.
Autonomy is needed both internal and functional. Investigation should be kept separate from maintenance of law and order. Urgent need to remove corruption is recognized. How to remove administrative delays? Hierarchy of the police organization defies decision making, it is arbitrary who will decide on presiding over which case first. The moving of cases (files) is cumbersome and time consuming and needs to be simplified. E-office or e-file and computerization will be helpful, this should be adopted fast. Regulation should not be controlled so much that no action can be taken. Pending cases must be cleared fast; the movement of the files should be speeded up. First, there is registration of complaint, this should be computerized, then the there is inquiry and making of the report. Initially an investigating officer makes the report when a case is registered; later when tracking it same investigating officer gives details for that report. Another officer’s second opinion is needed, and rules do not permit this.These lapses in the processes makes the police station a dysfunctional organization. Vigilance cases must be reduced, there are too many. Delays in investigation of corruption cases being probed, leads to burying of key evidences. Many directives on police reform are not implemented, because of the lag of mindsets. The police personnel want to usurp power; the mindset of police is that “we are the law” and “nobody can challenge us” Sometimes local “khap panchayat justice” is incorporated by lower level officers. This must change; justice and values as per medieval era will not prevail.The poor and the meek are often the victims of injustices carried on by the police force. 
Monitoring the misconduct in the police force is needed but not to the extent that no decision can be made. If an officer does not obey, he will lose his job or will get a transfer. So implicit obedience is demanded, even if it is not the correct course of action.Logic and decision making should be adhered to and not observance of authority and hierarchy.Re-training of personnel is most urgent.
If the state loses its grip over the police organizations,the agents(who maintain law and order),it will become aggressive and threaten the people(when given too much power).This would be a nightmare(which could turn into reality). Encounter killings have become too frequent.They should be taken seriously and investigated in a proper manner.Politicization of police force will be counter checked. Justice system, its methods and its personnel do not indicate a just society.Police brutality and all interrogation methods must change if we are truly a democracy.

Rule of the People

Industrial growth starts with land acquisition. And this is a vexed topic.People do not want to give up their land. Deciding on not acquiring land, government  has changed its mind ruining growth of industries. Initially Indian government promoted industrial growth and allocated Special Economic Zones(SEZ) and gave large areas of land. People of the local area had protested, and many SEZs had to shut down. New leaders emerged “fighting” for the cause of the locals(or for local vote banks) But many SEZs which had started immediately had started making their own infrastructure, and went on growing;  they had struck deals with the local community by diplomatic talks, and started working with them. Those SEZs which kept their financial position in good condition (without going into loss) and go on functioning well. Some tax incentives were offered by the state governments. States of Maharashtra and Gujarat have between them 80% of the SEZ projects, and they are doing well. Those in West Bengal have been completely wiped out, because of the change in political leadership in that state. The Nandi gram project was completely rolled back in West Bengal. 
Different Strategy.The different kinds of business partnerships and models can work out well. When there is 100% exemption for first five years and 50% exemption for next five years,it works out well also. Some states impose minimum tax, and thereby encourage industries. There is need for coordination between commerce ministry and the finance ministry in finalisation of policies of tax structure to encourage industrial development. Many times there is clash of policies, and the result is postponement of industrialisation. Often pressure groups rally around the topic of land acquisition--that arable agricultural land is diverted for the growth of non-agricultural industries.There is possibility of a canning and packaging industries or food preservation plants which would compliment agriculture. Protests against SEZ have arrested industrial growth. It was not anticipated that people would be so aware of the consequences and would react so quickly. No land acquisition is unquestioned. Government changes it land policies to please the protesting people and this goes against the industrialists. The idea of SEZ is itself not suited to India. When the basic site of an industrial plant is itself a cause for uncertainty, it scares the industrialists and this arrests industrial growth.If there is clash of political will and people’s will, it  results in the people winning.
Possible solutions Tax policy is being formulated so that we can give incentives for industries.New land polices are being evolved and are being invented, so that the people will approve also. Some states like Karnataka get best of both. People want industrial growth and government has found new way to allocate land. 'Land bank' is a novel way to provide for industry the basic land to begin projects with. In Karnataka,people are willing to adjust.Number of four wheeled vehicles that Bangalore city can support by its road ways is 7 lakhs but number of vehicles that ply its roads is 27 lakh.With industrial growth,the urban sites of Mysore and Bangalore have become twin cities. The paradox is that, when the road situation is bad, business people want to fly to Mysore and the infrastructure for that is lacking there too--there are only few flights,and the airports are inefficient.The sense of hopelessness would overcome any visitor in Bangalore. But local people are patient, considerate and peaceful in outlook. They tolerate with a two hour drive to work, sitting in their vehicle patiently, tolerating the sad sight of traffic jams every day;this shows that they are highly tolerant. Perhaps, it is this tolerance level that has fueled progress. IT hubs to grow well in Bangalore as tax concessions are made by the Karnataka government.Local people like new offices here;when they see businesses shifting here,they can sell their wares well, they can open shops, they can rent out their rooms etc Progress of the people is brought about by people’s will and  people friendly policies.Karnataka's people want growth,they are tolerant  and are patient enough to achieve it.

People of Indian origin

For many centuries batches of Indians had left India to seek a better fortune in foreign shores. Many had left as daily wage workers or as coolies in British plantations outside India. Many batches were traders who had settled down in the countries where they had been trading. For the last 35 years, educated professionals of India had migrated to foreign countries and had settled down in various countries which had adopted them.These transnational Indians have a deep sense of nostalgia, they miss their homelands.They have a deep urge to return to India.They are literally having Indian souls even if they have American or Canadian citizenships.In their hearts, they have a yearning to be part of India they had left behind.They had left their mother land out of necessity; out of seeking livelihoods.And once they had earned to their heart’s content, they had wanted to return. But India they had left had changed and they cannot adjust back to their 'old' home as they had wished. Many send their children back to India to study in boarding schools or in professional colleges. As long as their ageing parents live, they return to India frequently; after that they no longer have a hold in India. Some want to make a monument in their native village and want to return on vacations to India;they want to see the monument they had built—may be a gateway or a small temple. They have deep sense of loss—their long lost culture;the “feeling” of India is deeply embedded in their hearts.The feeling never leaves India’s her sons and daughters.They enjoy reading about India and thereby keep in touch with their culture.We care about them.Indian government's foreign affairs ministry cares for those  Indians who live all over the world. If they are having any problem, they can approach the Indian government for support. Internet has helped the people of Indian origin to keep in touch with their country; we are connected to our roots by joining social networks, by emailing to our relatives, by sharing photographs etc etc.We are thus a deeply rooted vibrant culture--living world-wide beyond the boundaries of India.

Old Age in India

The new way to view the problems of the people is by identifying the age groups--the plight of the elderly people or health of new-born children or needs of young adults and so on.We have a big ageing population.The elderly in India traditionally were respected, and did not have to worry about expenditures on food or health. But the modern generation of young persons no longer appreciate the wisdom of the elderly and do not care for the health and welfare of the elderly in the family. The hold of the joint family and traditional homesteads have dissolved;now individual nuclear homes with man, wife and children has emerged. Young capable persons opt to move away from the traditional families and enjoy the independence that modernity provides for them. The disadvantaged are the elderly who are left to fend for themselves, and had lost their hold over their grown up children. It is now that the state must intervene and provide for the elderly who have given a lifetime of hard-work for the betterment of the Indian society.We have to give pension for the elderly,so that they can meet the needs of food and medicine.Universal pension for all those above the age of 60 must be given as they have to live with dignity.If they apply, state government do give small pensions.Haryana gives 550 Rupees per month;Punjab gives 250 Rupees, Uttar Pardesh gives 100 Rupees, Madhya Pradesh gives 75 Rupees and Assam gives only 50 Rupees per month.These amounts are too small, by any standards.Many states do not give any pension for the elderly like Odisha, Arunachal Pradesh, Andra Pradesh and Bihar. The condition of the elderly is very bad. 75% of the old live in the rural areas, 48% of the elderly still work.60% of the elderly in India are very poor and illiterate.Most suffering are for old women, especially widowed or abandoned.Thinking of the future,we are concentrating on the today's young people.Demographic dividend--what are the future prospects of the young population, what are the future possibilities are our primary concerns. But the young also will  be growing old, and we will have bigger problems of providing for a bigger elderly population in the future.Unless we create awareness of the  pathetic elderly now, we will not be able to plan for the future population's needs.We must formulate a method to give a bigger pension for the elderly-- who have provided their entire lifetime by constantly working and in making today's India.They had brought up sons and daughters--the future population of India. Universal Pension of 2000 Rupees per month has been proposed and they will hopefully get this because the elderly are 10 crore voters.How we treat the people who had created  and nurtured us tells a lot about ourselves.

It is shocking--price hike of petrol

From midnight yesterday, the price of petrol,has increased by 7.50 Rupees per liter.This is because the price of petrol is hereby deregulated. But this is coming at a time when the cost of crude has decreased. For the first two weeks of May, it was $124/barrel and two days ago it was $91/barrel.There is the sign of a mismanaged economy.Earlier,government was giving some subsidy for the buyers. It would give money to the oil companies as compensation,so that they can give petrol at a lower price than it is available in the market.Government would delay the compensation, and the oil companies had made big loans to manage costs.Now government will not be giving any more subsidies, because it cannot go on paying compensations.We have deregulated petrol, and the oil companies will charge the rate corresponding to the world market.May be the lapsed losses will be made up by overcharging the consumers.The price hike has   increased the anger of the people.We have to travel to go to work, we have to pay more for it now.And our commodities arrive at our markets by vehicles fueled by petrol--prices of everyday things will increase.Many parties of the UPA have demanded a rollback. And they are thinking why was this done as soon as the Parliament's session was over? Now we cannot protest? There will be protests over this.Already high inflation, falling rate of the Rupee against the dollar have created a flaming rage among the people, now this is going to add fuel to the flame.
Diesel, kerosene and cooling gas(LPG) will continue to receive government subsidies.From now on, there will be diesel vehicles plying the roads of India. We are so dependent on imports of this precious resource from bedrocks, that it is driving us wild.We cannot go back to horse driven carts, modernity has come to stay. We will be paying for it dearly.

Bio-diversity Day

Plant diversities were our national assets--2000 best rice varieties have been lost.When we learnt about high-yielding rice varieties from foreign countries,we switched over to new varieties. And our old rice varieties were lost forever.By not keeping our old varieties alive, we are further loosing.The future incomes or the future cost(cost of revival) is an economic loss. The old varieties were more suitable to our soil and did not need supplementary fertilizer, and they were disease-resistant and pest-resistant.Many native rice species were congenial to diabetics.Genetic diversity would give bigger profits, so keeping our old varieties alive is very important. We do not have bio-diversity policy yet.With increased deforestation, many herbs have been lost forever.Same ecological conditions cannot be created now, only new ecological environments can be evolved.

Protection of native species of fauna is urgent too.Our national symbol is the Bengal Tiger(Panthers tigris-life span-18 years)There were 40000 tigers in the year1947, 1411 in the year 2008 and 1706 in the year 2011. It is an endangered species an in the verge of extinction.National Parks in which they live in do not have boundaries and many times they overlap with human settlements;many villagers had complained about tiger attacks.To protect the humans and provide a natural habitat for the tiger are the twin challenges that we are faced with constantly. Poaching and killing of the tiger by criminals has to be stopped.We have to protect the tigers in captivity for now; and at some future time, we must re-introduce them in the wild jungles of India.We cannot allow our national symbol become extinct.

Many species of birds have vanished. Increased deforestation, climatic changes and presence of chemicals in the environment are the chief causes. The loss of bird species means no natural pest control for the farmers as the birds eat away the locusts and beetles which destroyed the crops.Because of the reduction of birds, farmers are using more and more pesticides which leech into the water table.And with the water table contaminated with toxins, we have poisoned our own lands.So bird species are very very important.Yesterday,22 nd May, was World Bio-Diversity day.Bio-diversity day was observed by very few persons, as there is no awareness of its importance. Everyone here is worried about survival of the self and do not have time to think about the survival of neither fauna nor flora of India.But our survival is determined by these disease-resistant,pest-resistant plant varieties(which do not need pesticides)We must encourage the farmer to save some old varieties and give them to the seed bank or repository, so that we can further prevent future loss.Herbs occurring in rich bio-diversity zones must to saved by stricter deforestation measures.

Coalition politics

Since we did not have a single majority party, we had to unite some into an alliance and then there were the opposition parties. United Progressive Alliance(UPA) thus made sense. Coalition politics came into being.There was problem in making an ideology;whether be farmer centric/industrialist-centric.Now,no single party can be held responsible for policies adopted. UPA-2 was formed three years ago, and it will last for two more years,till we have fresh elections.Even regional parties(from  West Bengal and Tamil Nadu)were given a voice as they were part of the coalition(coalition needs support of regional parties for its own survival).Decisions on important bills have been shelved, FDI in multi retails, Land Acquisition Policy, Lokpal Bill etc.etc.This is stagnating nation's growth. Many urgent policies have been postponed like policy for allocation of coal blocks. Economic state is a result of the sum-total of all the policies made. Whether the policies work or not will be clear when our economic state improves.Till the last day when the Parliament was in session, elected persons were shouting “we need drinking water in Rajasthan. Please listen, this is urgent” But these will be heard in the next session(monsoon session)Right to Education Act (for children under 14) and Protection of children Against Sexual Offenses Bill(for children of 18 and under) were noteworthy. Marriage amendment Bill was important too. Food security bill was most needed. Foreign policy is now being shaped by many Ministers of the Parliament, not just the Minster for Foreign Affairs.Making Bills is one aspect of governance, and their implementation is another aspect which we have not yet explored. Eighty Bills were to be tabled. But time did not permit.Only 22 Bills got enough time.They were effective ones and they were all for the general well being of the people.If all the riders were given control over the driving a bus by providing with a steering wheel each,that bus is not going anywhere--with every one choosing a direction. All parties in the coalition choose to go towards the "national goal" by changing directions as per their individual thinking--where is the bus called India going?Positivism must prevail. The working has to be appreciated, and criticism should be avoided.For inventing new forms of government, coalitions is a good form of government. Just like the cricket teams(IPL), new combinations and re-combinations can give good results too.Coalition has worked well, as the overall agenda was-- the betterment of the people of India.

Land Bill postponed again

Land Acquisition Bill was postponed till the next session of the Parliament. But now there is standing committee  which will give its recommendations. No agricultural land would be acquired not just 'multi-crop' land. Land acquired for public purpose will not be used for private enterprise. We will have to see who acquires land for whom and how, before approving it. No acquisition for making profit. Infrastructure projects do make profit.At least 80% of the people of the area to be acquired should agree to sell.There will be a central law for resettlement and rehabilitation for those who are affected by giving up their land land acquisition.Compensation is compulsory, double the market value.Private companies can acquire land themselves directly from the farmers; and do not need the government to acquire for them.When the government acquired, the farmer had no choice, he had to sell, but now he has a choice to refuse. So Land Bill will be pro-farmer.Marginal farmers have different needs, and they need to sell their land as it is not giving them results. Multi-crop farmers have a highly  fertile land which cannot be given a fixed value--it is invaluable. Previously even multi-crop land could be acquired also if the need was there and there is no other alternative.Acquiring forest land from tribals will need new rules. Where land records are not available,in states like Maharashtra or Madhya Pradesh, new strategies have to be made.Here the land mafia takes over, it coerces the people into to leaving their lands.Small farmer gets the least price and feels powerless.The big farmer gets more than five times than the small farmer for the same kind of land. However we may empower the farmer and make him retain his land, the pressures to sell are greater.31%of our population is urban and it occupies 7% of the land in India.Urban population  keeps expanding and the pressure on the land gets greater and the acquisition of lands in the outskirts(of the farmers) is inevitable.How the land Bill is framed will reflect the respect we give to the poor Indian farmer.It is so far anti-poor and against the farmer and  it is pro-industrialist.

The "feeling" called India

What is India? The physical India--the longitude and latitude cannot describe India.The political country with cultural division of states would not describe India; any one can move to any state and adopt the local language and the Indian people cannot be divided into states.Nationalism is a felt by all, culture is the same all over India; the nation can be called cultural  India.We can only visualize India as a cultural union.

There are three Indias-- the urban India, the rural India and the tribal India. City life in urban India would be same as it would be anywhere else-Internet, good schools, health care, good water facilities, all consumer items available etc The rural India is trying to catch up, agriculture is being modernized but the inherent uncertainties make every day life very very difficult. The tribal people living in the forests of India very much want to be part of the civilization, but they  lack schools, lack electricity,lack drinking water,lack  homes;they do not know how to become part of larger India. All three Indias are sharing one culture--Hinduism--reverence for the holy river Ganges, the Hindu pantheon of gods, the holy epics of Mahabharata, Ramayana. Their devotion to their work and belief in the Gita is universal. The essence of India can be felt in the values which Indian people hold as sacred.Everywhere you go,in India, the people's feelings are the same; the ingredient called 'Indian culture" is same in all the kinds of foods and tastes we find in India. Various kinds of people here are trying to find their own identity in this vast nation that is India.   

Divorce laws made easy

Amendments have been made to divorce laws giving the women half of the share of the husband’s residential property even if the property was acquired before the marriage. But other movable or immovable property of the husband will be, arbitrarily, given; or it is up to the judge to decide on that. This big step—giving women property rights. Being patriarchal culture, Indian women do not have property rights in their parental home. Although law gives rights over inherited property of parents, culture does not allow women to hold parents’ property. And at their husband’s home, their sons take custody over father’s property and the women are denied rights here also. Since divorce is new to Indian culture, clear laws giving rights to half of husband’s property will empower the women. Just restricting to residential property is unfair, some immovable property should be given to the divorced women; but the law is not clear about this. It is up to the judge to decide on this. These divorce laws or Marriage Amendment Bill seek to end the Hindu Marriage Act 1955 and Special Marriage Act 1954. The couple are given six months to decide, if they want to decide against divorce, but if both agree, this six month ‘cooling period’ is also not needed. These are the ways, divorce is made easy legally. And this is detrimental to the strong ties of the family in the traditional Indian homes.The hold of culture, and strong sacred tie of the bond of marriage is diminished by quick divorces.Since the Indian society is changing fast, we cannot hold on to culture any more,neither now nor forever.The security that strong family bonds give to the individual comes  with the first bond--marriage.If marriage is dissolved easily, then the strong emotional bonds of the Indian family is weakened greatly. The individuals belonging to Indian culture benefited from the strong family ties, but that is changing now.Teaching the next generation and communicating our culture will become more difficult now. May be if the framers of the divorce laws were women, it would be different.Indian  women would not help make a legislation for an easy divorce because they still respect tradition greatly.

Freedom of Internet

The copyright Amendment Bill  of 2011 has been passed just now after a year of it was tabled. It is meant to deal with issues in the cyberspace. The digital world and the spaces it offers need newer regulations. It is like updating our laws--the Indian laws enacted in 1957  will be conforming with norms of today's Internet.World Intellectual Property Organization and its laws have been incorporated with our laws. There is'IT Act' to settle issues.Internet offers a platform for innovation.But governments everywhere fear it because it can overthrow established political systems run by overlords.It can overthrow religious or cultural ideologies.Internet has made the individuals powerful and sharing of knowledge has brought the world closer together.Any censorship would be self-censorship.By giving Internet, you have given the whole world a new kind of freedom.We know that any control of the Internet will restrict our freedom of speech. The Internet has enhanced our freedom of speech to higher level. If at all there are offensive contents, they will be brought down immediately, but constant filtering will not be done. Filtering all contents is not possible also.Increased use of ICT is changing the Intellectual Property Rights in India. Regulations are constantly made.There is a constant need to invigilate the on line contents. Service providers were entrusted with managing and monitoring content produced by user. Internet companies are registered outside India, and not subject to Indian laws.Any control on the Internet will mean infringing our fundamental right to freedom of speech and expression.Policing the Internet is not possible.Internet will strengthen our democracy but if controlled, it would threaten our democracy.Technology, in essence, has given us  new spaces to explore, learn, grow, communicate and make our government stronger.  There is prevalence of freedom to express world wide. And there is egalitarian values worldwide,we are constantly learning from that.There is a strong bond of humanity because of which Internet is being shared with us.Thank you for sharing the Internet with us.

Exclusive ills of exclusivity.

Idea of exclusivity comes when we want to keep some facilities to ourselves only.This was revealed just now when Delhi government had declared that all children will play in parks and playgrounds near their home, even if the playgrounds are inside private schools. There are private schools which occupy playground in their vicinity and declare it exclusively for themselves. Some schools(with high fees) develop their own playgrounds and do not allow children of other schools to play in their playgrounds. But since the government has declared that all parks and playgrounds are for all children, the schools had to open their gates for the ‘other children’ This was not liked by the school authorities and the advantaged classes. They are trying to invent new ‘by-laws’ to prevent the use of their school’s vicinity being used by neighborhood kids.This is how rules of exclusivity are developed--for exclusion of ‘lower-class’ children. By finding ways to keep common facilities to themselves they are trying to fence away the lesser class children. When they do not even let the kids play in exclusively maintained private schools, they certainly will not allow the less privileged kids to study there. However government had last month made it mandatory to admit 25%  of school admissions from disadvantaged section. This was cunningly dealt with when earlier  15% rule was made. The afternoon session was given to the less advantaged children, and all labs(Science labs) were kept locked. This was exclusivity taken to extremes. It is by legitimizing exclusivity that the hierarchical caste system was evolved. Today even after abolishing the caste system, we keep re-inventing its ills.We are still having hierarchical mindsets and are very far from having egalitarian mindsets. No coercive rules or laws by government can change mindsets.May be sometime in future we will evolve the idea of equality amongst all, till then ills of exclusivity will continue to plague Indian society.

When there is a bumper crop coming

Indian farmers have worked extra hard and have produced much more than ever anticipated, and this has resulted in big problems in storage and procurement of the food grains.The granaries are they already overflowing and now the bumper crop is due in June. We have to make space for that also now.Due to better seeds of high yielding variety, due to correct usage of fertilisers, and good weather, farmers have produced biggest harvest ever.Farmers should become rich because the cost of food has risen high. But the middlemen take the profit.Government compels them to sell at minimum support price.And farmer has difficulty in recovering the input costs.Now, the difficult problem is that of storage of the grains procured by minimum support price.Since all farmers went for productions of wheat and rice, there is over production.Moreover,production and distribution is not streamlined, so that storage stage can be avoided.Each district should have its own storehouse, but they do not, they give it to the state's FCI granaries. Export was not thought about by planners, they had never planned such a big harvest.There is fear of spoilage due to open storage. If properly treated, grains can be stored for five years.for example irradiation treatment can get rid of micro organisms.Government has planned for doubling the storage capacity in next five years. But the problem of storage is acute NOW.We can give away the grains free to avoid storage.Reviewing statistics of grains will not help now, if policies can be made immediately to distribute, it will help.FCI procures 100% of grains produced in the states of Punjab and Haryana, but it procures only 40% of produce from UP.Why should there be different policy for different states?States like Assam have started producing grains and have successfully made big harvests.In the state of Rajasthan, there are no sacks available for storing grains.We have to distribute the already full 750 lakh tonnes of food grain to make space for bumper crop which has already been harvested.12million tonne of the bumper harvest is being procured now.There is deficit in management and governance.FCI somehow evades responsibilities and Supreme Court's recommendation to double storehouses year ago was ignored.Making Private Public Partnerships to increase store houses will make an effective use of food resources produced.No time to make policies or plans, it is a bountiful harvest this year and more bumper crops will be coming within a month.It is showering grains--a time of plenty.Lets look for immediate actions to save grains which keep pouring in.

The Holy River Ganges and its tubulences

Saving Ganges is saving India—culturally speaking, Ganges is very close to the Indian soul and heart.It starts from Gangotri Glacier;it runs 2500 km and flows into the Bay of Bengal.The river personified as Goddess Ganges rises from the Himalayas and is sacred to all Hindus of India. It symbolically gives life to the people of India and hence is called “mother Ganges” Land and the river belongs to the people who believe in it.River Ganges is worshiped and revered, it is very important in the religious  life of all  Hindus. A special task force has been made to clean the holy river and restore it to its pristine state. The task force has promised to clean by the year 2020 entirely.1000 crores of Rupees was allocated by the government to clean the river, but nothing has been done yet.reports from the task force say that 40% of the pollution in the Ganges is due to sewage dumped in it. And the rest is due to industrial wastes, refineries, tanneries which use the river as a disposal system. 17 dams have been made and are giving hydro power,14 dams are under construction and 39 projects are being developed.Dams built at 'Rishikesh' might change the course of the river, which would not be agreeable to the Indian people.The fishing community which depends on the river's ecology will be affected first.They would have to find a new way of living, fish cannot go past dams. Barrage and storing the river in artificial lakes will affect the flow of the river. The white waters or the fresh oxygenated water as it makes its way down the steep mountains and rocky terrain infuses it with abundance of fish, but dams slow down the river and therefore fishes cannot live in it. Tunnels have been carved to channelize the rivers waters through canals, this will reduce the water in the river considerably. What will become of the Ganges if the water is reduced? There should be a Ganges to worship as the evening 'arti' or 'puja' is done on the town and villages through which the river passes.Hindus will not allow that to happen. There is going to be BIG COMPLAINTS FROM THE HINDUS if further plans reduce its waters.They might protest. We must declare all the areas though which Ganges passes through as ecological reserves.What will happen to future of the Ganges in tomorrow's India when development will be clashing with people's faith?i  

Compensation for farmers's lands

In the national capital region(Delhi), land of farmers were acquired by government.By Land Acquisition bill, lands of farmers were acquired by government for ‘industrial development’ but it was sold to builders who had built multi-storey apartments there and had sold them also.Farmers were not happy because big profits were made from their land; and went to court to demand compensation. This had happened on October 21, 2011.And 491 petitions against the land acquisition were filed by the affected farmers from 63 villages. Farmers’ plea was dismissed by court yesterday. Already construction has taken place here and land cannot be restored to agriculture now. In earlier ruling the court had granted a 10% increase in the payment for the land to the farmers on whose land plots have been developed. And since the ‘Grameen Panchayat Morcha’ had asked for more compensation as it is their ‘ancestral land’. They were given an additional compensation of 64%.But there is lot of land is classified as non-ancestral or ‘bought’ for which big compensation will not be given. High court had ruled like this because the builders could not give such high compensation. It is arbitrary, which is ancestral and which is not. Many farmers have only their family name which is inherited and cannot prove that it is their ancestral land. And those farmers who had bought the land should be compensated as well, as it was proved that it is their own land. They must have bought it after selling their ancestral land elsewhere. Such distinguishing categories are arbitrary and irrelevant. All should get compensation or none should get.Law should apply to all.Farmers had demanded that their land should be returned to them and that was done in three villages; as building  and construction work had not begun there . 

Needs of workers

Human aspect of urbanization is never looked upon.Migrant population in urban India does not get any space to live in, even while they are working. We want labor from them to build our infrastructures, but deny them basic living space. Millions of farmers are leaving agriculture and heading for cities yearly .One third of people below poverty line in Bihar are leaving for cities in search for jobs. When mining does not give permanent employment opportunities, they leave for cities. They are dislocated when the mine closes down. And are forced to move.40% of farmers all over India, want their children to leave agriculture and go for other means of livelihood. Of the rural youth, 80% want to leave agriculture for good. This shows the condition created by agricultural distress. When they arrive in a town, they are employed as the construction labor, or driver or domestic helper or washer man etc. Where do they live? They cannot afford to pay rent; and Municipality Department's service clears the footpath/platform dwellers to make the cities look clean. Their employer can give only wages, which can cover the minimum food expenses.  The real needs of the migrant is never considered as they do not vote. There is Rural Employment scheme (NREGA) for the rural poor, but for the urban poor, there is nothing.They have to work and earn their daily bread. They are the modern nomads--moving on to places where their earn their food. They are not allowed to pitch tents as they look shabby. May be mobile sheds can be provided for them, but who will pay for it? Not bricks and mortar but sacrifice of these poor people makes buildings and skyscrapers. The people on whose blood and sweat, infrastructures are built are not given their basic needs.
If we find ways to provide for only present laborers, we are only keeping in mind the past needs alone. We have to think about where will new towns likely come up in future and make plans for them before they come to work. 

CELEBRATING 60 YEARS OF PARLIAMENT

The first sitting of the Indian Parliament started exactly on May 13,1952.We the people of India have kept our democracy safe and functioning well for the last 60 years and we are constantly finding new ways of improving governance. In representing our people, the elected people bring out the problems of the masses,  we find solutions, resolve issues and make laws to make lives of the people of India better.Over the years, contact with the people has been strengthened, with television(live telecast of proceedings in Parliament), newspapers, and internet(we have 'Lok Sabha' website now) we are becoming a modern democracy.By watching TV, we know what exactly our elected representatives are doing. We can send emails to the Parliament too.More we learn of the problems of the various regions, more we become connected with the people.We have a multi-cultural,multi-ethnic multilingual population and newer problems arise out of living together. That,evenwith such big diverse backgrounds, we are able to make a representative government indicates that makers of our constitution have laid proper foundation for an effective democracy in India.New exigencies are met with new advances in technology and new ideas. We are a vast country, and by governing its vast territory, our democracy has grown stronger.What goes on in the Parliament is a reflection of our society.Long live India its people and their Parliament.

A short casual visit with big issues

When US secretary of state visits India, we must think on 'what brings her here' She said that she wants to meet another woman politician and share vision. But there are more deeper intentions.Connecting us with our neighbour Bangladesh is in our interest and not interest of US.  Even school kids had asked her directly" why US is interested in stopping India from getting petroleum from Iran".Our national interest is more important than foreign  policies of US. Beyond oil, we have other reasons to keep good relations with Iran, as a large part of workforce in the Mid-East is from India.By reducing oil imports from Iran, we are becoming too dependent on Saudi Arabia.In geopolitics of oil, when US would change plans and negotiate with Iran, we do not know. US might change its relationships with Pakistan and Afghanistan in a non so  distant future. How it would would link or de-link,its affiliations is unknown. So we must be neutral, all we have to do is live with growing China, by partnering with the US.  We discussed the implications of our Nuclear Liability Bill. And we know that previously, we were known for only poverty  and historical monuments, but now we are a very  powerful nationand we need to be treated with respect. She wants friendly ties with us, in prospect of what would benefit her country.May be next 'oil reserve' has been discovered at Bengal region, extending towards Bangladesh and Myanmar or even up to  South China sea; and this would be the main interest of the US.We had discussed how our people living in US were treated-- our  IT professionals must not be discouraged or their promotions in jobs be affected in any manner. India will have longer meetings for improving economic ties with the US next month. This was a 'test' visit.Strategic partnership with us will improve status of US in the world stage. After sessions of flashing of cameras, talk shows, interviews and bilateral talks with our leaders, she must be thinking,'Indians are smarter than I thought'; US leaders have to do more homework before coming on a small casual visit to India.

Greatest Poet-Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore

Gurdev Rabindranath Tagore was the finest poet, writer, music composer, artist, and the greatest literary giant.His 150^th birthday was celebrated. He was born in May 7, 1861 and he had lived till August 7, 1941.In the upper House of the Parliament, his poems were read out loud; and they still inspire all those who hear or read them. There is eternal magic in his words and he is timeless.His words have made him immortal.He wrote the’Gitanjali’ which means songs of offering. And he was given the Noble Prize in Literature for this in 1913. He wrote in volumes, several novels, stories, songs dance dramas, essays and so on. We sing his poem as our National Anthem. Even in Bangladesh, one of his poems is sung as their national anthem. His birthday is celebrated every year in India. Even in other countries like US (Urbana, Illinois), an annual festival is held when his literary works are remembered.In Bangladesh, a year long festival was celebrated commemorating his 150 th birthday. He had made an experimental school in an ashram in ‘Shanti niketan’ among groves of trees, garden and a library. It is a very peaceful place where nature brings solace to the mind. His novels and short stories bring out the pathos of ‘Zamindari’ society or the peasant culture of the previous century where the poor, landless simple people had suffered much hardships. Many of his stories have been televised and they show the status of the poor in contrast to the lifestyles of the rich landed aristocracy. His melodies bring peace to all those who listen to them, many have been adopted in popular songs(film songs) He lives on and on in his poems.He will live for ever and ever in us--as long as the Indian hearts beat.

How to control crimes

Criminal elements which cover over several states, pose a big problem which has not been faced before. National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC) was proposed to be made and it would come under IB (Intelligence Bureau). This did not go beyond proposal. The structure for such a big organization which had powers to search, seize, and arrest would need a new slot on the government’s huge bureaucracy. Already government has several organizational divisions which complicate the governance of the country. If such new organization was brought into being, where will it fit in? It would be answerable to whom? So far the police are kept under the government, and politicians have good control over police like the transfer and promotion of police officials. Police are not independent of the government and cannot carry on investigations by themselves. Big organizational issues would have to be deeply thought about before making such a super organization. With the might that technology has given, mobiles, internet, investigating methods, the police can become more powerful and cannot be controlled or monitored. They may even become independent and threaten others. Even politicians would come under its vigilance and scrutiny. If such dominating policing organization comes about, we will become a police state. And that would be anti-democracy. At a meeting held consisting of Chief Ministers of different states, all expressed that such organization cannot be made. There is a need to equip the police with latest technology and streamline investigating procedures. But making a new super organization may not be wise. We must realize the impracticality of such super policing.

Modernizing agriculture

India being an economy depended on agriculture; we need to focus on the problems of the farmer. Farming sector has several problems like, credit, insurance livelihood changes and volatility of harvests. Farmer needs banks which can give him credit so that he can invest on farming equipment. He needs insurance so that if he goes into losses, due to unforeseen exigencies like drought, flooding or pests he can recover from the economic loss. Farming while done independently is not viable, he needs to diversify—keep an industry in addition to farming. Productivity does not give enough remuneration to maintain him and his family’s growing needs. Along with agriculture, he needs to process agricultural waste which can be a side business. Even if agricultural income grows at 4%, it will take 25 years to grow to make him self-sufficient. His produce has lost value. He sells wheat at ten Rupees per Kg; and when consumer buys it, the cost of wheat is 25 Rupees per Kg. The middlemen take the profits, how can this be changed, by directly procuring from the farmer by making cooperatives, the farmer can get better price for his produce. Infrastructure for procurement (cooperatives) has to be made and the farmer should be a stakeholder in the cooperatives. Farmer should get the cost price plus 50%. The minimum support price benefits only 30% of farmers. Without water supply, farmers cannot produce as they are depended on rains. If rains do not come, they do not reap any harvest. Even after producing a good harvest, he goes into loss, as there is no infrastructure for storing; because cost of production has gone up, inputs like fertiliser, power for motors has to be provided for. Scientists at 'Krishi Vigyan Kendra' educate the farmer. Pesticide Bill is to be made for controlled use of fertiliser; fertilisers to be used must be determined by the nutrient condition of the soil. Soil must be constantly tested. Bio-technology is increasingly used to make better harvests, and farmer should benefit from this, transfer of technology to farming sector has to be made faster. Land Bill along with computerised land records will give the farmer rights over the land he tills. Good seed policy should provide farmer with best seeds. Loans for equipment like tractor should be provided to the farmer and payment for the loans should be timed by the harvests he gets. Fluctuations in the price of his produce affect the farmer. SMS to farmers, informing him of the position in the market will help him. We have to intervene in a big way to help the farmer overcome the agricultural crisis. Awareness at the ‘panchayat’ level is needed for greater development of rural India. Economy will grow strong by the hard work of the farmers. 'Socio-economic' condition of the country depends on the status of the farmer,we have got to improve his state. Those farmers who want to shift to other occupations should be given that option and others must group together to make cooperatives or big farms.

Buddha Purnima

Lord Buddha was born 480 BC at 'Lumbini' at Nepal . Today is 'Buddha Purnima' or the birthday of Lord Buddha,'Sakya' king who became the “Enlightened one” and taught humanity the cause for suffering. He was a prince who was always protected and was kept within the royal palace;he wanted to go out and he did.One day he had seen an old and wrinkled man, a sick and invalid man and a dead man.He saw suffering and wanted to know the cause of it. So he bid farewell to hid kingdom, his palace, his home leaving behind his queen and his son, to search for the truth. He donned the robes of an acetic and tried to get knowledge form gurus, but later wanted to discover the truth himself by meditating with deep concentration. On the full moon day in the month of 'Vaisaka', he had attained enlightenment.He had discovered the Eight fold path:consisting of wisdom(right vision&right intention),ethics(right speech&right action),mental discipline(right effort &concentration) and liberation('moksha' from  freedom from rebirth)He believed in the force of love and destruction of desire.His last words were,”impermanent are all created things;strive on with awareness”. In today's world of suffering, we sometimes ask ourselves when will all this suffering end? When will we have freedom from suffering?We have learned to meditate, when will we get salvation. In this unequal world and we are not able to see equality. We can understand the teachings of 'ahimsa' or non-violence but we see violence all around us. May be we need another Buddha to teach us how to live and how to visualize this mystic world.

Amending marriage by Marriage Bill of 2012

Marriage Bill of 2012 is an amendment to the previous bill on divorce, was discussed in Parliament today. It seeks to define "irretrievable"state-- when a marriage cannot be saved and will end in a divorce.Although divorce is held to be a deterrent and all efforts are made to save marriage, the divorce by "mutual consent" will get a very quick divorce.Six months of a cooling period could have given a second chance for the marriage to be saved.But now this will not be given as per this new Bill.The Indian wives never ask for a divorce and are traditional in outlook, and are trying to preserve the sanctity of the wedlock. But the changing lifestyles, and unsteady temperament of  men forces increased divorce rates.This Bill states if a husband had to live away from his wife(in the place where he works)for 3 years or more, this will give him a reason for a divorce.Previously made bill, Marriage Amendment Bill of 2010,  comprises of entirely divorce laws.People here are not yet prepared for divorces as sanctions in Indian society do not allow such latitudes.Indian laws and policies also were made to preserve marriage and not make easy dissolution possible.Indian culture preserves the social bond of marriage as sacred and keeps the social fabric from tearing; it is the social structure which keeps the cultural relationships to continue and become stronger over time. We need to preserve our culture and protect the strong bonds of the institution of marriage, for it is the basis of a family and all other social values follow from this.We cannot allow the court to define "irretrievable" states.This Bill was discussed and legislating on the bill has been postponed.Because once divorce is made easy(liberalized) then only alimony and custody are the technicalities  left and the strong bond of Indian marriage cannot be kept sacred any more.The relationship cannot be restored; what the law may dictate will prevail.We want to maintain this traditional  relationship;it is important to maintain this strong social institution which is the base of all other social institutions we have in Indian society.The basic structure of family, lineage,society and our culture will be lost forever by introducing easy divorce which this Bill would bring.We are like atoms attached with strong bonds;if the bonds are weakened, the atoms would scatter and the hold of culture would be gone,forever.

Law making taken to all

There are many needs for Indian society to advance socially and modernisation is urgently required.We need a crime free environment, good health care facilities, good educational institutions, access to professions, new values and modern lifestyles. We intend to change Indian society by making laws.Law against child marriage was made in 2006. Prohibition of Child Marriage Act of 2006 made it mandatory for age of groom to be 21 years and above, and age of bride would be 18 years or above. This applied to uneducated rural families which had child marriage as tradition. It was a law that was accepted. Now new laws have been made for “age of consent”. Now the legal age of consent would be 18 and not 16.New legislation for postponing age of marriage and gives child rights.There is increase crimes against children.There is constant overlapping of the spheres of individual freedom, family life and child upbringing. Culture takes a back seat now--roles allocated by culture will be defined by law.By making 18 and below as children,we have redefined the age of "childhood". And custody over children involved in such crimes rests with the law.Protection of Children Against Sexual Offenses Bill has been passed and along with it special courts have been made to deal with offenses.There are child friendly procedures for reporting recording of evidence, investigation and trial of offenses.Even attempt to commit an offense is made liable for punishment. Media is debarred from disclosing the identity of the child.Children will not be present in the court;they will be asked questions by video-conferencing facilities.In addition, counseling should be prescribed.The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights(NCPCR) and State Commission for Protection of Child Rights(SCPCR) are the authorities to monitor the implementation of this Act. There are many plus points.This law will try to give rights to domestic helpers/ children(girl workers) in homes, universities, hospitals, government organisations, factories etc. This legislation will reaffirm guidelines laid in the Supreme Court in the case of "Vishaka vs State of Rajasthan 1997" which recognizes harassment as a form of discrimination against women.

Worker's Day

May 1st is considered as Workers Day.In 1866, workers found that inhuman extraction of work by economically superior class meant complete exploitation. 8 hour working day was established in 1890, to limit the long hours. When workers protested, they were shot by police force and the blood stained shirts of workers were used as flags symbolically to further protest.Workers united and labor unions arose. This had happened in USA when industrialization came about.But it is still relevant today. Today people in impoverished countries like India are exploited to the human limits.They have no rights; and if they protest, they are deprived of their jobs.The ever widening gap between the rich and the working poor is unaddressed.Incomes of the poor is highly insufficient in today's economic state. Homes like thatched roof huts and slums are all they can afford. No streets or lights, insufficient water supply are common problems of the working poor. Cost of public transport being high is unaffordable as the working poor in urban areas are deprived people.In rural India, poor workers are exploited by overlords and they are indebted to money lenders. Land mafia strikes the weak people;innocent people are easily bullied by criminals.

Worker's compensation Act 1923 came into being.Employee's Insurance Fund had started in 1948 itself.In 1952, Employee's Provident Fund was started.But these are effective for regular employees only;those hired in private sector without regulations suffer from stress perpetuated by their employers.Minimum wages are not given, no rest is given and their complaints are not heard.

Unless government takes initiatives to curb exploitation, working people go on suffering in the hands of the industrialists.Workers are the real builders of human civilization. They should be treated well.They are the bottom of the pyramid, and if the bottom of the structure crumbles, the structure will collapse.