What will be, will be

If we do not care for the future of the nation, if we waste time in Parliament, then what will happen? Future Indians will suffer, we would remain a nation caught in the vicious cycle of poverty. Our natural resources would be lost. The Indian mainland would become a desert, when all water from the water table would dry up. Conservation of natural resources is not in our mind. The Glaciers which melt and provide water to our rivers would have completely dried up.

If we are not dedicated workers and we continue wasting time, future will not be bright for the nation.We do not need any astrologer to tell us what will the future be like, we can see for ourselves.
Whether we like or not, world has changed and we have to change with it. If Internet has come into being and has given the whole world freedom to express, we cannot stop it. March of civilisation will go on, no matter what.

We must learn that we have to give people freedom to communicate. Let us communicate with our people and know their problems ourselves. Let us use the Internet to reach out to our people.

Whenever a 'right' is given, we try to find a way to curb it, so that people cannot enjoy freedom. Why are we so narrow minded?We must learn to "think big"

Over reach of police

Two girls were arrested by the Maharashtra police force for posting a comment on face book. It was preposterous.Police had shown their power to arrest when they felt it was right to do so.This arrest was not needed. When newspapers publicised this, there was immediate action taken--guidelines to the Information Technology Act of 2000 were made.Section 66-A of Information Technology Act phrased "offences". And now,no offences under this section can be registered by police officer below the rank of a Deputy Commissioner of Police in non-metro and rural areas, and rank of an Inspector General in urban areas.What is "offencive"or "malicious"? This is what is described as offencive:"grossly offencive in character or has a menacing character, or is sent to cause announce, insult, inconvenience, danger,obstruction, ill-will and enmity, hatred for criminal, intimidation" The offence is punishable up to three years' imprisonment and a fine;it is a bailable offence.
These guidelines are just a reaction or response to the outrage. What is needed is more clear definition of what is exactly "offencive" Each of the words mentioned above must be explained more deeply; they must be described better.Each kind of offence should be differentiated. We must make provision so that police cannot register a case easily without a proper court order; because anything can be interpreted as an offence. Law is left up to interpretation of vague terms which are undefined. If  punishment has to be given, it should be reduced to a fine only(not imprisonment).
Is it possible to police the vast Internet?Should the Internet be policed in a democracy like ours? We have the freedom to publish in the newspaper, so we must have the freedom on cyber space too. Are police trying to control people's freedom of expression. Are we becoming a police state?
Now the Supreme Court is going  to merely educate the police officers. But is that enough? The law must be changed, so that vague terms are not used.Civil liberties are being reduced by misleading words in this section of the Constitution.

Time is ticking away...

Of the sixteen days of the Winter session in Parliament, four are over and on one issue the session is being held up...FDI..FDI.FDI... There are 25 pending bills which need urgent need to be passed. If one issue is given so much time for one, when will they legislate on the others. The entire Monsoon session was spent on demands on answer to "Coal-block allocations" Our Parliamentarians need to be re-trained to be able to spend time more effectively in Parliament. Foreign Direct Investment has been raised to 50% lately, despite stiff opposition. Now that it has been executed, to repeal it would be complicated. It will again sent a message to international investors that it is "risky" to invest in India, as politicians will go on changing policies.
Whether we pass FDI or not, foreign firms are here. Indirectly, like "Wal-mart" has taken over the entire market legally before FDI was ever considered.It is under the guise of another Indian chain store. It invests its funds through the local name.Foreign firms know how to deal with the government's policies and how to get around them.
Many foreign firms operate through a base those countries with whom we do not tax. For instance Mauritius. They have an office in Mauritius and claim that they are from there. We have signed pact with Mauritius that we would not tax them, so that trade is encouraged. Foreign companies take advantage of this to evade taxes.We had not renewed many bilateral treaties, and they take advantage of that and evade taxes.In a changing world scenario, we must keep up.
As per report of ICAR in September 2012,Rupees  44143 crores post harvest losses of horticultural, agricultural and livestock produce has been calculated.So government allowed 100% FDI in cold storage, so that harvests could be saved.In saving post harvest loss, there is need for capital investment to create modern storage capacities. So Private Public Partnerships for infrastructure development schemes will be encouraged.But whether encouraged or not "chain stores" will expand their tentacles and take over our "food chain".They will take over all trades starting from the harvest chain and extending to other consumer items.
Specialists in economy have to put their minds together to find out the devious ways of the foreign markets. And parliamentarians need to take their advice before framing policies.Political games have marred our country's future.

Urban life of neo-migrants

By 2020, urban poor will be between 86.5 million to 113.7 million.In the year 2030, 41% of the population of India would have become urban. That is 575 millions will become India's urban citizens. Agriculture did not give any benefits to the farmer.They had to migrate to urban centres when they had sold off their lands,and now there was nothing more to sell. They have to make a living, so they move to towns which were unknown environments to them. The plight of the farmer is pathetic, 100,000 farmers have committed suicide from 1996 to 2003. Rural poverty migrates and becomes urban poverty.The farmers and their families try to make money by moving to cities to pay back debts.They work as unskilled labour force. Minimum daily wages for unskilled labour is 270 Rupees and for semi-skilled is 300 Rupees, but they are paid only 150 Rupees by the contractors. For this paltry sum, people move to the cities and dream to relinquish their debts. For earning this money they have to work for 10 to 12 hours, although the sum is for 8 hours working day only. These new migrants have most difficult lives when the city cannot accommodate them, but it wants to use them as its workforce.This is distress migration, raw reality of a unemployment in India.
Let us take the city of New Delhi which gets more than 250000 migrants every year. More than 50%, of the migrants live in slums. That is 1.8 million new migrants are living in conditions where there is a small space to sleep in, minimum water facilities, congested unhygienic dwellings and no electricity. To add to the problems of the poor, the slums were relocated to beautify the city, displacing the poor people.Upon dislocation,many loose their jobs; many find it difficult to travel to work when they have to spend long hours to go to work.Many children do not get a new school to go to.In November 2008, draft 'National Urban Poverty Reduction Strategy' was mad by the government. After planning, allocation was made for 74,148 flats; but only 96660 were actually constructed. On March 2011 only 87 flats were handed over to the urban poor. What happened to the rest of the money allocated?Rest of the flats?
When Common wealth games were held in Delhi in 2010, we hear about how much money was spent by government but money was usurped   by the men who were going to build big strong infrastructures.About 31,5000 crores on games alone. 90000 crores were spent on beautifying Delhi. That meant dislocating biggest slums located in main places.These slum dwellers had lost their jobs, lost their accommodations, how many many crores of their money was lost?It was not calculated.

In 2003, Supreme Court had made a rule that no new buildings will be made near the banks of river Yamuna at Delhi, as encroachments disturb the river's course. But government made ways to evade and bypass its own regulations, and Technology Park among others were built in the banks of Yamuna and the biggest temple complex was also built in its banks. So ecology and course of river does not matter when the government builds? Slums in the banks were bulldozed, and homes were demolished that does not matter?Poor people's plight makes no difference because they cannot express their views and they are not heard.......When we want to use them as our labour force, we make infrastructures by destroying their homes, we also destroy their lives to beautify our lives......we want better looking cities...Is it fair? Only 9% of the projects meant for Urban Renewal Mission were completed;other funds were diverted to different projects and did not benefit the poor.

Labour force that constructs India

Rights of the people remain in paper and are absent in reality. Construction workers from different remote parts of India migrate to the cities where they work very hard to make a living. The city with biggest migrant population is New Delhi;here construction activity goes on all year round. Those who have lost their livelihoods, those who are most impoverished migrate to Delhi to get a job as a construction worker. They suffer the most, they earn meagre sums--even minimum wages are not given to them as prescribed. They live at the construction site itself; they sleep along with the tools, sand and bricks all around them. They have bad health as the work they do is very hard, and they do not get the required rest or good food. The work is dangerous;their work is in an accident prone environment; and when injured,they do not get any medical attention. They are just pushed aside and another continues to work in their place.Death while at work is very common....Unless they are registered and their registration book is updated, they do not get any compensations.
Workers can get registered in the Board of construction workers to get some benefits. Many do not know this. Those who try to get registration, have to go through a long process which takes at least six months. And at most times, contractors do no hire those who are registered.Many many unregistered people are available, flow of migrants from rural areas is immense. Many times children (in teens) come to work, and they cannot be registered. Women come with their husbands and their wages are clubbed with their husband's wages. Women do the hardest work and they are paid the least. They carry bricks to top floors by steps on their heads; they mix cement, they carry cement, they break stones, they bring sand and so on. Men do the more mechanized work like working the vehicles in the construction site like operating the cement mixer and so on. Younger children are cared by older children, whole family is at the workplace. They had left their village with their family to make a living in the big glittering city, but they lead a gilt less life. Their life is so cheap that they are expendable. Many develop breathing related health problems, and many die due to prolonged illnesses associated with gruelling work. Many die in accidents in the construction site.
Labour force makes industrialisation of India possible.Pillars for the flyovers, roads, high rise apartments, hotels, offices are all built by the construction workers. Their role is most important in urban India, but their rights are the most neglected.Building Construction Worker Related laws Bill of 2012 was amended by the Cabinet. So was amended Building Construction Workers Act of 1996; this too got the Cabinet nod. Ten years ago Labour Department had made it mandatory for all construction workers to be registered in construction labours welfare Board and 14 different rights were given to them. Only 2007, five years later it started functioning.This plan or yojana remains in paper. The Board has 900 crores as its fund, only 35 crores were used for education of the labourer's children. Even Delhi Nirman Mahila Board was established to look after their needs. But the women are not given benefits of maternity leave, although by rule, they should get.No mobile dispensaries were available as prescribed. Union of the workers is not strong, so this affects its functioning.If workers are registered in the Board, they will get 5000 Rupees at marriage(women get 10,000 Rupees) In case of accident, the victim will get one lakh Rupees, and at death 50,000 Rupees. They can get a loan of 10000 Rupees for buying tools. For home building also they can have an interest free loan of one lakh. For people who just want to survive one more day, work a little long to earn one more day for their families, we must provide more than this.These modern high rise buildings, flyovers,and  metro pillars are living monuments to the work of these hardworking people...these are not just concrete and cement infrastructures, they are built with the blood and sweat of the hard working construction workers...we must honour them....and take efforts to make their life better; we may provide them with  mobile sheds to live in....we live in homes they had constructed, so we must think about them.

Environmental clearances made easy

Environment cannot be compromised in bringing in development(industrialisation).Things are going very wrong. Now National Investment Board(NIB) has the power to overrule ministries if there is a delay in making of large-scale projects. Ministry of Environment and Forests has the exclusive right to make clearances of all projects. Now NIB is overstepping and making this ministry power-less to prevent polluting projects.Prime Minister's office has given NIB power to over rule Environment Ministry for giving green clearances for mines. Tribal people live in the forests of India which are rich in minerals. With the making of these new regulations, the tribal communities will have no say when their lands would be snatched from them to create mines(to mine minerals) Their homes would be gone, their livelihoods would be lost.
This would weaken the nation, because now the tribal people would protest.That would delay projects.Investors want clearances quickly, and NIB wants to give it to them. And thereby giving away the rights of the people.There are no meaning for these words"inclusive growth", "sustainable growth" or "equitable growth".These words may only appear in speeches but in action they are having no meaning.Economic reforms come at a social cost and an environmental cost. Were these costs ever calculated? What land will we leave behind for the future generations. With water table contaminated by emissions from the mining projects we are jeopardising the health, safety and security of the people inhabiting there. If we finish off the resources now itself, then future generations will have none left. Mineral resources cannot be replenished and they are lost for ever.
Forest Conservation Act was enacted so that states asked centre for permission for clearance of forest land for mining activity.Government re-phrases and re-interprets "forest land" and our natural wealth is lost in defining "lands" Due to mining activity, fish stocks have declined making livelihoods of fishermen disappear.If this activity is development, we are creating poverty and not alleviating it, and this is opposite of development.From 1991 to 2004, minerals produced in India have increased by four fold, but there is reduction of jobs in mining. Mining industry is now automated, and miners have lost jobs.So there is more poverty in a mining town than ever before.
When locals are driven away from their lands, they may have to live deeper in the forests as a competition to the wildlife of India. So we cannot give away forest wealth, making people landless and forest creatures homeless.
Government also has given clearances improperly and had not consider the cost of health of the people.Favouring "bribe-giving industrialist" is very very common. Corporates are heard, but the common people are not heard. Their problems do not matter at all. This is unfair.We have to evolve a policy of human well-being of all and not just visualise immediate economic benefit. Even if economic reforms show growth, it wont be sustainable. Mining is not a sustainable activity.As policy makers, government has to do more research before "clearances" and consider the rights of the people of the land. People will be asking for their rights sooner or later.

Are we over populated?

Is India over populated country?Land only supports what it can hold. There are enough fields here which provide for our people. It was a concern for European countries that if population of India increases, it would become a communist country, and that it would threaten the free world. This view had started programs to target driven population control plans. Indian government visualises differently--population's health is important, and population control is automatically checked.Main reason for population growth is the fact that life expectancy of Indians has tremendously increased.In 1930's life expectancy was 22 years on average; now it is 65.Diseases like cholera or other contagious diseases have decreased.People  are educated enough to control family size.Two child family norm was popularised since 70's.
Health of the people is the true  concern of the government.Families which have access to heath care are small. All like smaller families which have better health. There is no 'target' centric programs of the government. Top 20% of population produces 80% of the wealth of the nation. Level of resource distribution among the population is skewed. And that is the primary concern of the government, how to set that right?
Marginal people at the lower levels suffer because of lack of education, because of lack of health, and because of unsanitary conditions in their home environments. Politics determines the condition of the people. Access to health services is reason for the disparities. Cost of health services and medicines is very very high. 80% of the health services are funded by private firms.Health is available for those who can afford it. This denies health benefits to the ordinary people. There are states like Tamil Nadu which provide free consultation and free medicine in all government hospitals which is open to all people. These states have given its people better health, and here the population has stabilised. When women gain greater control, in decisions made by them, the population health has increased. We have to fight patriarchal mindsets and give more decision making power to the women, then only health of the nation would become better. All these years, women were held responsible for the large number of children produced. That is not true they were controlled by men who had convenient excuse--blame it on the women. There are more challenges ahead. Government envisages that private companies could be entrusted with health services. But this will not work out. The private firms work on profit mode. They do not care for the health of the people. In Chhatisgarh state, thousands of women were operated upon to remove their wombs, when none of the operations were required; the health firm had to show results and it victimised the poor women. When there is food security, proper management can make our population healthy.Population studies cannot be done by isolating statistics(how many and when) We should see population stabilisation in view of child survival, in terms of maternal health, in view of maternal education, in visualising social status of women, in employment opportunities for all.And we must see how anti poverty measures have improved the lot of the poor.International Inter ministerial Conference on Population and Development took place on November 11, 2012; it had confirmed that population had stabilised, 

Trying to create a nation

It is 123rd birthday of Pandit Jawarharlal Nehru, first Prime Minster of free India. He had stressed that our country be a secular nation.Secularism is an ideal which we  tried to evolve in the building of the Indian nation. We were divided by various religious beliefs, we were ruled by ancient practises and we were constantly compartmentalising ourselves in narrow divisions of caste, race and faith. To unify India, we needed to secularise ourselves--to think beyond religion. We have kept the moral values which religion teaches us and we have discarded the negative Religion could not be deducted from our lives for religion is our way of life and defines our culture. Culture of the Indian nation binds us together. The unifying factor is culture which is a positive expression of religion.
Socialism which Nehru had advocated has not made much headway.Social justice and equality is still enigmatic, how to bring about greater equality?Our biggest setback is inequality---uneven distribution of wealth. We have the super rich and the super poor. And eliminating poverty is a war in which we are yet to conquer. Both rural poverty and urban poverty cannot be wished away overnight. We have schemes, like the Public Distribution Scheme( PDS card) and UIDAI card, MGNREGA, old age pension plan and so on. More important is the fact we must cut down expenditures by retiring the overpaid inefficient government officials who cause a big loss of our national treasury.Nehru would have never thought that Indian political class would become so corrupt as it has. Anyway we have other positive developments. We have an active media which teaches the public about the rights that they have. With increased computerisation, we can organise ourselves(egovernance initiatives) better and serve the people of India.Due to our strategic location, we are sought after by foreign allies who want to keep good relations in the neighbourhood. If we can implement projects more quickly, we can help countries like Myanmar in a more constructive manner. Our foreign policy could be shaped better, and we will be valued more. Countries like Bhutan and Mauritius value good relationship with us because we have made their government more effective. We have provided them with e-governance.If we do not help other developing countries, due to our slow pace of project implementation, we would not be liked. Other more dominant countries like China would take over centre-stage in this part of Asia. To be or not to be is up to us NOW

Lights light up our lives

Diwali or festival of lights was celebrated with joy and revelry. In few cities citizens refrained from using fire crackers as they are made by using exploitative child labor  Instead  people had floated lighted lanterns which lit up the sky. Our identity as people of India is clearly visible from space....glowing India...We could be seen from space as we celebrate the festival lighting up the outer walls of our homes. Gods will see  from heaven, and bless us with 'Aiswariyam'(prosperity)On Diwali,each hearth in each home is warm, while we make sweets for our children. Lights in our prayer rooms are lit by 'diyas' or oil lamps. We pray for prosperity of our homes for all times to come. Children are given fire crackers to burst and enjoy. Everyone in the family wear new clothes and welcome the Goddess Lakshmi in their homes.
While informal economy provides for the festivals with decorations for the homes, modern shops advertise big sales of cars, TVs, mobile phones and everything under the sun. Consumerism has boomed in a big way. People want to buy, buy and buy. Festivals are given a new meanings now----for example---on 'Dhanteras' day of Diwali metals are bought for the household, people  generally bought gold or silver, now it is cars and refrigerators or tablets and mobiles. Times have changed.Festivals got new expressions. All items which lighten up our lives, as we strive to buy.....happiness....

Ground water Model Bill

There is unsustainable use of ground water, we may exhaust all ground water before it can be replenished by rains.Groundwater is the main source by which we have freshwater in the mainland India. More development means deeper penetration of the soil to gain greater access to groundwater. The more powerful install deeper wells and try to use as much as possible. With the result we are very quickly using up this resource. In states like Assam, groundwater is completely restored or recharged by heavy rains, but in other states, we take out the water from the ground and finish it off; and rains are not enough to replenish the water table.From 1970, we have been making deeper and deeper wells for irrigation. 80% of all farming is done by irrigation from water brought up from the ground. We had provided the farmer with motorised pumps to use this resource freely,not knowing that this is an exhaustible resource. Even 80% of our drinking water is extracted from groundwater tables. In 2004, it was becoming clear that drinking water was becoming scarcer and that quality of ground water had become very poor too. We had hit the environmental limits. There was no legislating to regulate the use of ground water. If any control was done, it was landownership-based and not aquifer-wide.(water table based) It was not realised that surface water and the ground water was related --if you extract ground water, surface water will get reduced. For example water in springs/lakes/rivers will be reduced if we extract the ground water under them.Agricultural and industrial practises have to reduce ground water usage,so that water table can recharge itself. Water harvesting must be done. We must encourage making of rain water catchments. We must learn to recycle water and re-use this resource. When going into the issues of groundwater, we have to make sure all get groundwater to drink and not just the rich. The quality of water should be monitored, so that clean water is available for drinking. Livelihoods of many depends on water, irrigation is needed, but not beyond the limits of the land. Water intensive crops must be made only in those zones which are able to provide water for it. Ground water should be priced;there will be technical problems with this. Before making of an infrastructure or industry, environmental impact must be assessed(whether water is sufficient) Every year assessment must be made, so that we can make sure ground water is not exhausted. 'Gram Panchayats' have been entrusted with the conservation of aquifer's waters. Understanding of the groundwater water management cannot be easily taught to them.Model Bill for Conservation and Regulation of Ground Water 2011 makes an outline of 'what should be done', how will it be done, how fast can it be done, can we really preserve our waters? India's future depends on this......whether we become a desert nation or not....India will not become a desert...let us work for that by conserving water today.Let us plant more trees to attract rain.

Happy with results

When another democracy selects its leader, we compare and we try to see how we can improve our democracy. Debates were an essential part of presidential elections in the States(US) and we do not have that. We were watching closely, how the campaign strategy was unfolding. It was very much like ours. The people were closely watching the contestants; to choose the right person,they had only one criterion...one who would address correctly the issues facing the nation. It was a close contest. Second term for the President will be as difficult a the first. India is concerned with the relations we have with that democracy. And we have good relations. India is concerned about our citizens who have migrated to the US; they should be safe and should succeed.When living in a foreign country, our citizens who face several exigencies, but they are willing to take all risks.Indians love to migrate to the US seeking higher education and employment opportunities. They had become citizens there and had voted for the democratic President. The President recognizes contributions of the minority communities and encourages them. However engrossed we are with our national problems, we are happy to know that another democracy is doing well.

Caring for the Senior Citizens

Towards sunset, the Sun is very beautiful, just as an aging person gives us much knowledge at the sunset of his/her life.Indian culture and traditional society had given the elderly very high status, but these values have been eroded because of speedy Westernization.Our families have become nuclear, and joint families and extended families have disappeared.Elderly are no longer heads of joint families and their decisions are not considered by other members of the family. We are suddenly witnessing that they are in need of help in protection of their life and property, protection in terms of financial security, protection in terms of health care available; they need protection against ill-treatment, and they need to be productive members of our nation. They need care, support and emotional upliftment from all, so that they are balanced in their last stage of life.Ageing people(you, me and all will be ageing soon) have become weak and need care and protection so that they can lead a healthy, dignified and productive life.
Traditional social values have changed and have made the elderly vulnerable. We have to intervene and make laws for their protection.National Policy on Older persons was announced in 1999 by which state support for the elderly was given, The state made provisions for their financial and food security, for their health care, shelter, protection against abuse and exploitation, and training of social workers for their care and support. Special attention was given to elderly women and the need for expansion of social and community services for elderly was realized. We cannot separate them from the community they belong to, so we must support them in their community itself. They should not feel unprotected, ignored or marginalized  In their last days, months and years of their productive lives, they should feel they had dignity and they should leave this world in peace. Only then, human society would be truly human.
After the National Policy on Older persons was made in 1999, there has been big challenges as socioeconomic patterns have changed, demographic trends have changed and big technological transformations have helped in caring for the aged population.Maintenance of Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act was made in 2007.This makes maintenance of parents and senior citizens obligatory and can be tried by the Tribunals. This also empowers the elderly, they can revoke any transfer of property to relative when they are neglected. It has penal provisions for the abandonment of senior citizens. This act also provides for Old Age Homes for senior citizens.More pension benefits will be made for below poverty old persons, for widows(aged 18and above) and persons with disabilities in addtion to the elderly by rural development ministry.
To improve the quality of life of the elderly, all ministries offer help. Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has implemented Integrated Programme for the elderly by giving them shelter, food, medical care and making them productive and active while ageing.90% financial help is given to government organisations or Panchayati Raj institutions which make such provisions.And additional help is given to make old age Homes, day centers, mobile medicare Units, and for disabilities of elderly(physiotherapy or Alzheimer's)Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme has been implemented by Rural Development ministry, a minimum of Rs 2000 has been proposed as pension for all elderly.Ministry of Family welfare has implemented 'Health Care for the Elderly' program.Ministry of Finance has implemented a policy by which by which they get income tax benefits. Railway Ministry has made concessions in cost of tickets. Even Civil Aviation Ministry has given concessions in air tickets. In 2005, ministry of Home Affairs has ensured special protection to the elderly, in protecting their life and property.
As per 2001 census 7.5% of Indian Population is aged 60 and above.In 2026,the elderly would be 12.4% Demographic trend indicates, that aged will longer and longer. And a large population needs protection towards their end of their life...big task for the younger population. There is much to learn from these elderly people for they have seen big changes in their lifetimes.And they are willing to share their wisdom with all those who speak with them.We must learn good values and ideals.They are the real torch bearers for all future generations to come. One day when we become the elderly, we would like to treated well too.

What is going to happen?

Government is concerned with the problems of the rich and the poor are always ignored. There is awareness that government policies favour the aristocratic industrialists and are essentially “anti-people” But what can we do anything about it? We can wait till the elections which will come in two years to change the government by voting for the other party. But when the whole political class is incompetent in dealing with problems of the people and is so selfish that it grabs our national wealth, there is nothing much we can do.
There are innovators who offer solutions to meet needs of the people in sectors like health, education, water, food security and energy. But these are just eyewash. The real need of the people is economic betterment so that people can have better health, so that they can have a good education, so that they have enough food, so that they can afford electricity. And the economy is in the hands of the rich aristocrats who have made deals with the political class. Investors and rich entrepreneurs are encouraged and policies are made for them.Policies are made for the betterment of the rich class. But publicity is given as if the poor are being helped, but they are only exploited. Even the press writes what the rich want.
Social security schemes do not work. The health benefits offered by the government does not reach the people. The political class sees India like an outsider. Only the open poverty of the very very poor in the streets is visible to them. There is more poverty...which is hidden.. People are educated and unemployed, how can they support their families, how can they support themselves. How can they buy food, clothes or pay rent for a small room to stay? When whole populations are suffering like this, only the very very poor are given benefits by the "outsider" government.People are having an admirable culture and good educational qualifications; but they have an empty bank balance, this is true poverty...wasted minds...
Good schools and colleges are attended by only those who can afford high fees. Highly educated are the rich. But they do not care for the ordinary poor people.These so called educated cannot see the real problems of the people.Who knows what can be done for our country?Who cares?
So what is going to happen? Young people will create very big protests in the future. They will ask for their rights and ask for job opportunities which the government will not be able to offer. Then government will change and try meet the needs of the people. Till then it would be a rocky ride....life in India....

Culture and the human mind

Religion, its allied festivals and celebrations were invented to give identity to the people. Language, culture, religion are ways of life;they show the individual a how to live out his life in society. Politicians and religious leaders use the different aspects to divide and unite the individuals as per their ambitions. Can there be an individual who can think without the influence of culture, language and religion? What sort of identity will he/she have?
Modernism will bring in a new society of logical thinking people, may be culture may not reveal itself.We may not give religion any importance, we may ignore religious occasions, we may change considerably and we may not stick to specific religious groups. Can we really separate culture form our individual personalities? Culture has embedded itself in our minds and has become part of our personalities. We really cannot separate culture from our minds.
Today people in Northern parts of India are celebrating the festival of "Karva chauth" It renews the bond of husband and wife. Wives pray for long life of their husbands. These festivals show faith in relationships and  they reflect people's aspirations of making an ideal marriage. In India human relationships are celebrated and bonds renewed in religious celebrations. If modernism changes all this,then what is left of the human culture in India?
We must adhere to culture, but we must not be slave to it--to allow others to divide us on basis of culture. (Caste division divides us)We must be consciouses of what to take from culture and what we need not. We should be selective in what we celebrate. We love to celebrate the devotion which is part of marriage in India.

For empowering workers

While construction activity is ever growing, the actual persons carrying out the work are neglected. To make the lives of these people better, laws are going to be made. Our Cabinet approved Amendment to Building and other Construction Workers (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Act,1996 and Building and other Construction Workers' Welfare Cess Act,1996. To be made into law on the coming session,another new legislation was made to improve the lot of the workers. And that is Building and Construction Workers Related Laws Bill 2012.
Poor uneducated workers incessantly work in construction sites, they have no identity, no home and no place to rest. For meagre sum of money for every day expenditures of food, they do hard work. Sometimes thugs and thieves steal their wages, they have no homes and are helpless. To help them laws are being made. These amendments will greatly help in the process of registration of the construction workers. State Welfare Boards will keep their wages safely and give when they need. The provisions will allow the government to specify the cost of construction by fixed notifications and establish limits. Previously, construction worker was registered for work for ninety days only. After ninety days, new registration should be made, and the worker may not get hired again. He was working under fear that he would not get work after the ninety days. Now the worker will get extended benefits. Previously, after the age of sixty, workers were not allowed to work. Now that rule is gone, worker can work as long as he/she wants. Within thirty days cess collecting authorities have to deposit cess to the Welfare board. A committee should be constituted consisting of Labour Secretary, Finance secretary, Planning Secretary, and a Social Welfare Secretary till a board is formally constituted. These rules will make the life of the worker better.Even if these measures are taken, the fact remains that the construction worker sheds his sweat and severely strains his muscles to make buildings, bridges, roads and highways. Whenever we see these magnificent structures, we think of all the labour that went into it. Does he get to use these buildings, bridges? No, he goes on making new ones till his very end..............it is too distressing