Indra's Drishtikona (Viewpoint)

Indra's Drishtikona (Viewpoint) http://drishtikona.com My online journal with thoughts, opinions, comments and more.. Thu, 29 Jul 2010 12:04:57 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.1.2 Indra's Drishtikona (Viewpoint) http://drishtikona.com/images/favicon.gif http://drishtikona.com en CWG: Who gets benefited? http://drishtikona.com/archives/government_policyadministration/002783.php http://drishtikona.com/archives/government_policyadministration/002783.php#comments Mon, 26 Jul 2010 13:17:29 +0000 Indra http://drishtikona.com/archives/government_policyadministration/002783.php CWG. It may be wrong. But a question haunts me. How many new contractors or middle men would have become crorepatis in this construction/preparation process of the CWG for few days in New Delhi? I got this question after reading a strange news report from Bihar: 'In Bihar, women give birth to 5 children in 2 months'. And it is not only Bihar, perhaps everywhere in India, most of the persons in government jobs of responsibility goes to sleep planning about how and how much can he extort next day. Otherwise how could the chief of Medical Council of India or AICTE or even a departmental head of a government hospital enmasses so much money? Common persons rather voters have digested corruption as an accepted priviledge of the position of a person? Prime Minister as his duty talks about the ills of corruption, but hardly does anything significantly effective to eliminate it even when it comes so visibly in media. Let us consider the case of PDS for the poor. It started with Rajiv Gandhi, but in all these years nothing much has changed. Now everyone is pinning hope on Nandan Nilakani to solve the problem with his ADHAAR. Will the bureaucracy allow him to get that really going? Infamous Modi of Gujarat talks of corruption in MGREGA I don't know why he can't get rid of it at least in his own state. How far Modi's own ministers and officers are clean? One can just feel bad about it. It seems Indians will have to live with it for many more years perhaps till 'mahapralaya'. But I still have another question. Should inaction not be considered as corruption? How can a prime minister or food minister justify continuing to be in his office if day in and day out every Indian keeps on seeing thousands of tons of wheat rotting in open in a poor and hungry country as India on every news channel? But this is Incredible India. Everything is possible. It's just disgusting. However, we still have some hopes and we all can read about the thirty five great but quiet revolutionaries. ]]> CWG. It may be wrong. But a question haunts me. How many new contractors or middle men would have become crorepatis in this construction/preparation process of the CWG for few days in New Delhi? I got this question after reading a strange news report from Bihar: 'In Bihar, women give birth to 5 children in 2 months'. And it is not only Bihar, perhaps everywhere in India, most of the persons in government jobs of responsibility goes to sleep planning about how and how much can he extort next day. Otherwise how could the chief of Medical Council of India or AICTE or even a departmental head of a government hospital enmasses so much money? Common persons rather voters have digested corruption as an accepted priviledge of the position of a person? Prime Minister as his duty talks about the ills of corruption, but hardly does anything significantly effective to eliminate it even when it comes so visibly in media. Let us consider the case of PDS for the poor. It started with Rajiv Gandhi, but in all these years nothing much has changed. Now everyone is pinning hope on Nandan Nilakani to solve the problem with his ADHAAR. Will the bureaucracy allow him to get that really going? Infamous Modi of Gujarat talks of corruption in MGREGA I don't know why he can't get rid of it at least in his own state. How far Modi's own ministers and officers are clean? One can just feel bad about it. It seems Indians will have to live with it for many more years perhaps till 'mahapralaya'. But I still have another question. Should inaction not be considered as corruption? How can a prime minister or food minister justify continuing to be in his office if day in and day out every Indian keeps on seeing thousands of tons of wheat rotting in open in a poor and hungry country as India on every news channel? But this is Incredible India. Everything is possible. It's just disgusting. However, we still have some hopes and we all can read about the thirty five great but quiet revolutionaries. ]]> http://drishtikona.com/archives/government_policyadministration/002783.php/feed/ My Dilemma: Forward and Backward Castes http://drishtikona.com/archives/indian_politics/002773.php http://drishtikona.com/archives/indian_politics/002773.php#comments Tue, 06 Jul 2010 00:12:33 +0000 Indra http://drishtikona.com/archives/indian_politics/002773.php I don’t understand if the bill will not trouble the landowners of other castes who are pretty big in numbers. So why didn’t the organizers call the representatives of landholders of all castes to participate? Is it not unfortunate while the country is on fire in most of its corner, be it Kashmir, Manipur or Chattisgarh, some very senior cabinet ministers in New Delhi are debating and as I opine wasting their precious time on the issue of having a census on caste basis or not? It is unfortunate but nothing can be done. I know many sections of the society are still very backward, and the reason for the same is only the lack of education. The leadership of the region over the last six decades has failed to understand the importance of education. Unfortunately, the so-called leaders of schedule castes or so called other backward class never understood nor attempted to bring about the revolution through education. Many a times, I and perhaps many hold a view that these leaders believed in the advantage in keeping the communities ignorant without education to keep their dominance in politics. But my focus here is different. Let me emphasize that there is no difference between in other backward classes (OBC) and so called forward classes in the region, if one looks in depth in their quality of living, affluence level and even culture and values. I firmed up this view during my last visit to my village, when I happen to move around doing some research. Around my village that is predominantly of forward class, there are villages in which some are dominated by the forward class but in many, the people of other backward classes (OBC) are dominant. The dominance relates to the land holding of the village. In each of the village, the major landholding is with the families of different castes, and not necessarily forward classes. Let someone take an unbiased study of the living standard and style of the families. There is hardly much difference between those of the forward and OBC caste. Rather in many cases, on average OBC families may today be better off because of the traditional social taboos of restricting oneself to only the profession of the ancestors. However, the families with no land holding, irrespective of castes but particularly dalits and mahadalits, need preferential treatment. Even the families of OBC and forward castes need government support as the financial conditions of a large number of them are miserable. With the abolition of the zamindari back in 1950s and breaking up of joint families in almost all castes and communities, the land holding on average is hardly between 2 to 5 acres. It is really difficult to make good living with that amount of land, particularly where the farming is totally dependent on the timely rain and monsoon. Perpetuating the reservation or adding some more may be a political solution, but certainly not the best solution to bring about equity in society and improving the relationships between various classes and categories. Instead of waiving off the loans, the government must work extensively on irrigation projects small and big conserving all the water and its use and for ensured rural electrification for every household who can afford for improving employability through individual entrepreneurships. Every child must be ensured the traditional or job oriented (skill building) education to have employability. The overall cost to the nation because of the dismal healthcare infrastructure is huge. The government and the private sector must pour huge investment. Many families even today spend everything in its possession to save life from deceases and remain in perpetual poverty. But the most important is that all the actions must generate and improve the fellowship and brotherhood among the all people, and nothing should be done that is divisive, for example caste census. Let few regional leaders not make mess of this great nation. ]]> I don’t understand if the bill will not trouble the landowners of other castes who are pretty big in numbers. So why didn’t the organizers call the representatives of landholders of all castes to participate? Is it not unfortunate while the country is on fire in most of its corner, be it Kashmir, Manipur or Chattisgarh, some very senior cabinet ministers in New Delhi are debating and as I opine wasting their precious time on the issue of having a census on caste basis or not? It is unfortunate but nothing can be done. I know many sections of the society are still very backward, and the reason for the same is only the lack of education. The leadership of the region over the last six decades has failed to understand the importance of education. Unfortunately, the so-called leaders of schedule castes or so called other backward class never understood nor attempted to bring about the revolution through education. Many a times, I and perhaps many hold a view that these leaders believed in the advantage in keeping the communities ignorant without education to keep their dominance in politics. But my focus here is different. Let me emphasize that there is no difference between in other backward classes (OBC) and so called forward classes in the region, if one looks in depth in their quality of living, affluence level and even culture and values. I firmed up this view during my last visit to my village, when I happen to move around doing some research. Around my village that is predominantly of forward class, there are villages in which some are dominated by the forward class but in many, the people of other backward classes (OBC) are dominant. The dominance relates to the land holding of the village. In each of the village, the major landholding is with the families of different castes, and not necessarily forward classes. Let someone take an unbiased study of the living standard and style of the families. There is hardly much difference between those of the forward and OBC caste. Rather in many cases, on average OBC families may today be better off because of the traditional social taboos of restricting oneself to only the profession of the ancestors. However, the families with no land holding, irrespective of castes but particularly dalits and mahadalits, need preferential treatment. Even the families of OBC and forward castes need government support as the financial conditions of a large number of them are miserable. With the abolition of the zamindari back in 1950s and breaking up of joint families in almost all castes and communities, the land holding on average is hardly between 2 to 5 acres. It is really difficult to make good living with that amount of land, particularly where the farming is totally dependent on the timely rain and monsoon. Perpetuating the reservation or adding some more may be a political solution, but certainly not the best solution to bring about equity in society and improving the relationships between various classes and categories. Instead of waiving off the loans, the government must work extensively on irrigation projects small and big conserving all the water and its use and for ensured rural electrification for every household who can afford for improving employability through individual entrepreneurships. Every child must be ensured the traditional or job oriented (skill building) education to have employability. The overall cost to the nation because of the dismal healthcare infrastructure is huge. The government and the private sector must pour huge investment. Many families even today spend everything in its possession to save life from deceases and remain in perpetual poverty. But the most important is that all the actions must generate and improve the fellowship and brotherhood among the all people, and nothing should be done that is divisive, for example caste census. Let few regional leaders not make mess of this great nation. ]]> http://drishtikona.com/archives/indian_politics/002773.php/feed/ Budget 2010:Kautilya Remembered, But Not Kosi http://drishtikona.com/archives/government_policyadministration/002687.php http://drishtikona.com/archives/government_policyadministration/002687.php#comments Tue, 02 Mar 2010 00:27:30 +0000 Indra http://drishtikona.com/archives/government_policyadministration/002687.php Kautilya still remains favourite with the Finance ministers. Pranab also did that: “Thus, a wise collector general shall conduct the work of revenue collection... In a manner that production and consumption should not be injuriously affected... Financial prosperity depends on public prosperity, abundance of harvest and prosperity of commerce, among other things.” Unfortunate, none of the finance minister or for that matter the prime ministers have seriously thought about overcoming the misery of the people of Bihar. Everyone in India has heard of Kosi causing devastation with its flood every year without any forewarning for centuries. The problem and its solutions were known in pre-independence era. It’s known even after independence. Very recently in a conclave of scientists, the former president again detailed it. However, the problem keeps on skipping the attention of the bureaucrats and administrators of the country. It can only be a shame as well as a conspiracy to keep the region in stark poverty and misery for perpetuity. Pranab Babu remembered his home district and home district:

I am happy to inform the Honourable Members that schemes on bank protection works along river Bhagirathi and river Ganga-Padma in parts of Murshidabad and Nadia district of West Bengal have been included in the Centrally Sponsored Flood Management Programme. I also propose to provide budgetary support for drainage scheme of Kaliaghai-Kapaleswari Baghai basin in the district of Purba and Paschim Midnapore, and Master Plan of Kandi sub-division in Murshidabad, West Bengal.

However, Pranab again forgot the need to do something about Kosi menace. It’s unfortunate that Kosi problem is not getting consideration as a national challenge to the capability of engineering talent of the country. It has been happening only because Bihar could not produce a political or a social leader tall enough to attract the attention of those who matter. Nitish also has failed like all others till date. And unfortunately the people of Bihar are either too good or too ignorant that they don’t rise for a massive protest against the injustices done to them for decades, that shakes the country and those who have been responsible for its neglect. ]]> http://drishtikona.com/archives/government_policyadministration/002687.php/feed/ Tamil Nadu Tourism: Some Suggestions http://drishtikona.com/archives/government_policyadministration/002609.php http://drishtikona.com/archives/government_policyadministration/002609.php#comments Mon, 07 Dec 2009 12:52:23 +0000 Indra http://drishtikona.com/archives/government_policyadministration/002609.php Facilities of Internet: Though some Tamil Tourism Hotels such as one at Mamallapuram or Thanjavur were having Internet facilities, on enquiry it was found as not working. In this era and when some or the other member of every family of the tour group remain on-line, the Internet is essential to keep in touch and for sharing ideas and experiences. Why can’t a developed state such Tamil Nadu and its tourism department provide this essential communication facility for social networking in its hotels? It can always outsource the facility to a private party if it can’t maintain it on its own. Franchise restaurants: Some Tamil Nadu Hotel doesn’t have restaurants of its own. The worst experience was that at Tiruchirapalli. Tamil Nadu Tourism must have approved franchised restaurants or hotels on the way that must provide clean safe food for breakfast, lunch and tea and ensure to maintain clean toilets and washrooms for gents and ladies. It must cater at least snacks such as dosa, idli, upma, aloo paratha, and sandwitches of good quality at all time. How hotels worth any name can’t provide sandwiches in any place that the guide took us in the tour? Tamil Nadu Tourism must plan and specify the name of these hotels or restaurants in the tour plan provided. It should never leave it to sweet will of the guide who can be unscrupulous to dictate and decide the restaurant. Alternatively, the Tamil Tourism must provide packed breakfast and lunch instead of using roadside hotels that may cause food poisoning as it happened with me. And Tamil Nadu government must create restrooms on the routes of its tour plans. Language Training: Tamil Tourism must initiate a language training programme for all its employees as well as those working in restaurants. They must be conversant with both English and Hindi. It will go a long way in improving the national integrity. But the main intention is to make the client tourists feel at home and convenience. In some places, it was really difficult to carry on. One feels miserable in his own country. Even the accompanying guide must be trained one with good knowledge of the places and its history. Transportation: Tamil Nadu Tourism would have used its own Volvo coaches for the tour. For a journey above 3-4 hours at stretches the commonly used buses tire the passengers badly. Naturally, it’s more so for elderly persons, particularly when the tour is of more that 3-4 days period. 10 days period was too long. It was highly undesirable for Tamil Tourism to use a private company bus that had not paid its taxes and that caused the passengers to get stranded for hours. Tamil Nadu Tourism would have checked all its documents well in time. Further, we had to change to Volvo coach while going from Kanchipuram to Tirupathi, as the bus had not paid Andhra Pradesh tax. Tour Design: This tour must have an additional rest day at Kodaikanal dropping Tirchy all together. Sightseeing such as Bryant’s Park and the poorly maintained Lake was unnecessary and waste of time. Even Tirupathi could have been made optional. Finally, I wish Tamil Tourism would have arranged an evening with typical cultural programme with South Indian dance and music to make the tour enchanting in real sense. ]]> Facilities of Internet: Though some Tamil Tourism Hotels such as one at Mamallapuram or Thanjavur were having Internet facilities, on enquiry it was found as not working. In this era and when some or the other member of every family of the tour group remain on-line, the Internet is essential to keep in touch and for sharing ideas and experiences. Why can’t a developed state such Tamil Nadu and its tourism department provide this essential communication facility for social networking in its hotels? It can always outsource the facility to a private party if it can’t maintain it on its own. Franchise restaurants: Some Tamil Nadu Hotel doesn’t have restaurants of its own. The worst experience was that at Tiruchirapalli. Tamil Nadu Tourism must have approved franchised restaurants or hotels on the way that must provide clean safe food for breakfast, lunch and tea and ensure to maintain clean toilets and washrooms for gents and ladies. It must cater at least snacks such as dosa, idli, upma, aloo paratha, and sandwitches of good quality at all time. How hotels worth any name can’t provide sandwiches in any place that the guide took us in the tour? Tamil Nadu Tourism must plan and specify the name of these hotels or restaurants in the tour plan provided. It should never leave it to sweet will of the guide who can be unscrupulous to dictate and decide the restaurant. Alternatively, the Tamil Tourism must provide packed breakfast and lunch instead of using roadside hotels that may cause food poisoning as it happened with me. And Tamil Nadu government must create restrooms on the routes of its tour plans. Language Training: Tamil Tourism must initiate a language training programme for all its employees as well as those working in restaurants. They must be conversant with both English and Hindi. It will go a long way in improving the national integrity. But the main intention is to make the client tourists feel at home and convenience. In some places, it was really difficult to carry on. One feels miserable in his own country. Even the accompanying guide must be trained one with good knowledge of the places and its history. Transportation: Tamil Nadu Tourism would have used its own Volvo coaches for the tour. For a journey above 3-4 hours at stretches the commonly used buses tire the passengers badly. Naturally, it’s more so for elderly persons, particularly when the tour is of more that 3-4 days period. 10 days period was too long. It was highly undesirable for Tamil Tourism to use a private company bus that had not paid its taxes and that caused the passengers to get stranded for hours. Tamil Nadu Tourism would have checked all its documents well in time. Further, we had to change to Volvo coach while going from Kanchipuram to Tirupathi, as the bus had not paid Andhra Pradesh tax. Tour Design: This tour must have an additional rest day at Kodaikanal dropping Tirchy all together. Sightseeing such as Bryant’s Park and the poorly maintained Lake was unnecessary and waste of time. Even Tirupathi could have been made optional. Finally, I wish Tamil Tourism would have arranged an evening with typical cultural programme with South Indian dance and music to make the tour enchanting in real sense. ]]> http://drishtikona.com/archives/government_policyadministration/002609.php/feed/ Traumatic Tirupathi http://drishtikona.com/archives/government_policyadministration/002607.php http://drishtikona.com/archives/government_policyadministration/002607.php#comments Sat, 05 Dec 2009 14:14:41 +0000 Indra http://drishtikona.com/archives/government_policyadministration/002607.php Tirupathi visit. However, I am 100% convinced that no religion or trust has any right to create a situation that becomes traumatic to person/s visiting a religious place with total faith and dedication in deity to get some solace. No religious ritual necessity allows any authority to create a situation when a person may feel suffocated in a waiting queue and still can't come out. I was week, sick and felt like leaving the place and come out but there was no way out and no one from the authority to help there. Trauma of Thirumala darshan is a typical Indian case of mismanagement, even though it is a government managed temple with a senior IAS heading it. Marketing of its power to fulfill the wishes has been excellent and the temple is known world over for its wealth and its gold. Donations of celebrities and rich men keep on hitting the headlines of media. Its annual Hundi collection must be the highest that makes it the richest temple in India. Right on the first day, the guide of Tamil Nadu Tourism collected Rs 200 more per person from this group of Delhi. According to him, the Devasthanam has increased its entrance fee from Rs 100 to Rs 300 after we booked, and it's for a special darshan avoiding the crowd that comes in for free. The whole temple appears to be permanently barricaded. All the railings and enclosures for the visitors are now of well finished brass material. Anyone can see the way gold has been used or misused (as the quality of workmanship is hardly of a good standard) to make it cover it. I wonder the whole attention of the authority is on making more money from the visitors. For example, Yamuna wanted 6 extra ladoos. I had to pay Rs 450. One can hardly appreciate the architecture and sculptures in the temple with these barricades covering the main areas for crowd management. One can hardly pray, confess, bow or see or touch even the door step of the sanctum sanctorum. Most of the great Indian temples are under-designed to handle such a huge crowd that visits these days. Perhaps India over years have mastering the science of under-designing its facilities, be it its new multi lane highways or flyovers, railways stations or ports. Fear of terrorists has been the reason for banning photography that makes every tourist morose. I don't know how golden temple of Amritsar manages it and why can't others follow it. Perhaps the Hindu shrines don't get the right support from the community as Sikh shrines do. Can the authority of the Thirumala shrine allow or invite some real reputed crowd management consultants to study and come out with the solution? Right investment in some facilities with modern technology (against gold covering) in and around the temple, such as sky walks, may make the visitors enjoy the beauty and grandeur of the shrine and the visit more memorable. Can some students of IIMs and IITs or any other institutes instead of joining political parties, be it BJP, Congress or any other, take up the study of stupendous crowd management problems at many shrines that we visited in Tamil Nadu trip? If Thirumala was the worst, Rameshwaram, and Meenakshi also need a close look. All these Indian heritages require better attention and upkeepment. At least Thirumala shrine has so much money and cash that it can be developed on the basis and concept of swarga (Heaven). Is someone listening? Will the Hindus priests and pandas or the politicians with eyes on the riches of the shrines allow anything better to come? And how many Hindus will go against them or support the move? Let me tell them that the conditions at Thirumala will only make the younger Hindus that are creating the new image of India keep them distancing from the religion and these shrines. I know the trauma of a visitor at Thirumala will continue. I shall not like to hear any news of any serious stampede and casualties at Thirumala. My trauma at Thirumala reached its peak with the loss of my camera that had all what I collected for my acquaintances. It happened while transferring from the Andhra Pradesh state bus to Volvo coach of Tamil Nadu Tourism. It was entirely my fault. I wish Balaji can get my camera back, and I promise I shall return again to Thirupati. ]]> Tirupathi visit. However, I am 100% convinced that no religion or trust has any right to create a situation that becomes traumatic to person/s visiting a religious place with total faith and dedication in deity to get some solace. No religious ritual necessity allows any authority to create a situation when a person may feel suffocated in a waiting queue and still can't come out. I was week, sick and felt like leaving the place and come out but there was no way out and no one from the authority to help there. Trauma of Thirumala darshan is a typical Indian case of mismanagement, even though it is a government managed temple with a senior IAS heading it. Marketing of its power to fulfill the wishes has been excellent and the temple is known world over for its wealth and its gold. Donations of celebrities and rich men keep on hitting the headlines of media. Its annual Hundi collection must be the highest that makes it the richest temple in India. Right on the first day, the guide of Tamil Nadu Tourism collected Rs 200 more per person from this group of Delhi. According to him, the Devasthanam has increased its entrance fee from Rs 100 to Rs 300 after we booked, and it's for a special darshan avoiding the crowd that comes in for free. The whole temple appears to be permanently barricaded. All the railings and enclosures for the visitors are now of well finished brass material. Anyone can see the way gold has been used or misused (as the quality of workmanship is hardly of a good standard) to make it cover it. I wonder the whole attention of the authority is on making more money from the visitors. For example, Yamuna wanted 6 extra ladoos. I had to pay Rs 450. One can hardly appreciate the architecture and sculptures in the temple with these barricades covering the main areas for crowd management. One can hardly pray, confess, bow or see or touch even the door step of the sanctum sanctorum. Most of the great Indian temples are under-designed to handle such a huge crowd that visits these days. Perhaps India over years have mastering the science of under-designing its facilities, be it its new multi lane highways or flyovers, railways stations or ports. Fear of terrorists has been the reason for banning photography that makes every tourist morose. I don't know how golden temple of Amritsar manages it and why can't others follow it. Perhaps the Hindu shrines don't get the right support from the community as Sikh shrines do. Can the authority of the Thirumala shrine allow or invite some real reputed crowd management consultants to study and come out with the solution? Right investment in some facilities with modern technology (against gold covering) in and around the temple, such as sky walks, may make the visitors enjoy the beauty and grandeur of the shrine and the visit more memorable. Can some students of IIMs and IITs or any other institutes instead of joining political parties, be it BJP, Congress or any other, take up the study of stupendous crowd management problems at many shrines that we visited in Tamil Nadu trip? If Thirumala was the worst, Rameshwaram, and Meenakshi also need a close look. All these Indian heritages require better attention and upkeepment. At least Thirumala shrine has so much money and cash that it can be developed on the basis and concept of swarga (Heaven). Is someone listening? Will the Hindus priests and pandas or the politicians with eyes on the riches of the shrines allow anything better to come? And how many Hindus will go against them or support the move? Let me tell them that the conditions at Thirumala will only make the younger Hindus that are creating the new image of India keep them distancing from the religion and these shrines. I know the trauma of a visitor at Thirumala will continue. I shall not like to hear any news of any serious stampede and casualties at Thirumala. My trauma at Thirumala reached its peak with the loss of my camera that had all what I collected for my acquaintances. It happened while transferring from the Andhra Pradesh state bus to Volvo coach of Tamil Nadu Tourism. It was entirely my fault. I wish Balaji can get my camera back, and I promise I shall return again to Thirupati. ]]> http://drishtikona.com/archives/government_policyadministration/002607.php/feed/ Mobile Phone: Liberator for Rural India http://drishtikona.com/archives/rural_development/002603.php http://drishtikona.com/archives/rural_development/002603.php#comments Thu, 19 Nov 2009 10:45:57 +0000 Indra http://drishtikona.com/archives/rural_development/002603.php Google, all have some sweet desire to lead the technologies. Those with i-phone may be enjoying watching movies, or listening the choicest songs, and now using it also as pocket library good enough to serve the individual taste. And most of the functions are available on affordable phones with nominal prices for services. However, here I am trying to dream cell phone as the universal gadget for every Indian poor or rich in rural India that may one day bring the desired prosperity and may help in alleviating the poverty. India reached the 500 million population of cell phones one year before the time targeted and is adding 10-15 million or more cell phones every month and most of it in rural areas. Telecom companies are busy raising towers to cover the remotest part of the country. According to Manoj Kohli, chief executive of India's biggest mobile phone group Bharti Airtel, India could have more than one billion mobile phone users by 2015, with the bulk of that growth in rural areas. As claimed, these small cheap gadgets will bring knowledge and through it the prosperity in many ways. The necessity of these gadgets has forced the telecom companies and many innovators to make it possible and affordable for Indian conditions. For example, the villages without electricity that were hesitant to buy it have got over the problem of charging with innovation of a solar lamp that can now charge the cell phones. According to a recent study, adding an extra ten mobile phones per 100 people in a typical developing country boosts growth in GDP per person by 0.8 percentage points. Should it not make Manmohan Singh and UPA-2 happier that too without any effort from their side? Many service providers are showing up to participate in the business. For example, Reuters Market Lite, a text-based service has now 125,000 users, mostly farmers who pay 200 rupees ($4.20) for a three-month subscription, which provides them with local weather and price information four or five times a day. And the farmers pay as their profits have gone up as a result. Tata Consultancy Services offers a service called mKrishi that allows farmers to send queries and receive personalized advice. ITC through e-Chopal and a tie-up with Nokia is also aiming for useful two way communication with farmers and experts. Nokia launched its own information service, Nokia Life Tools, this year. In addition to education and entertainment, it provides agricultural information, such as prices, weather data and farming tips that can be called up from special menus on some Nokia handsets. The basic service costs 30 rupees a month. Another company Handygo has tied up with Airtel and may even rope in Tata indicom and Idea to provide an array of services to farmers covering weather, seed prices, fertilizer doses and best irrigation management practices and that too in 17 different local languages all on basic mobile sets. And it will not only address the needs of farmers but provide services to around 200 million rural youths too. Mobile phones will be a learning device that will give them knowledge and information, teach them new things, even functional English and management. As reported very truly, 'in the grand scheme of telecoms history, mobile phones have made a bigger difference to the lives of more people, more quickly, than any previous technology. They have spread the fastest and proved the easiest and cheapest to adopt. It is now clear that the long process of connecting everyone on Earth to a global telecommunications network, which began with the invention of the telegraph in 1791, is on the verge of being completed. Mobile phones will have done more than anything else to advance the democratization of telecoms, and all the advantages that come with it.' ]]> Google, all have some sweet desire to lead the technologies. Those with i-phone may be enjoying watching movies, or listening the choicest songs, and now using it also as pocket library good enough to serve the individual taste. And most of the functions are available on affordable phones with nominal prices for services. However, here I am trying to dream cell phone as the universal gadget for every Indian poor or rich in rural India that may one day bring the desired prosperity and may help in alleviating the poverty. India reached the 500 million population of cell phones one year before the time targeted and is adding 10-15 million or more cell phones every month and most of it in rural areas. Telecom companies are busy raising towers to cover the remotest part of the country. According to Manoj Kohli, chief executive of India's biggest mobile phone group Bharti Airtel, India could have more than one billion mobile phone users by 2015, with the bulk of that growth in rural areas. As claimed, these small cheap gadgets will bring knowledge and through it the prosperity in many ways. The necessity of these gadgets has forced the telecom companies and many innovators to make it possible and affordable for Indian conditions. For example, the villages without electricity that were hesitant to buy it have got over the problem of charging with innovation of a solar lamp that can now charge the cell phones. According to a recent study, adding an extra ten mobile phones per 100 people in a typical developing country boosts growth in GDP per person by 0.8 percentage points. Should it not make Manmohan Singh and UPA-2 happier that too without any effort from their side? Many service providers are showing up to participate in the business. For example, Reuters Market Lite, a text-based service has now 125,000 users, mostly farmers who pay 200 rupees ($4.20) for a three-month subscription, which provides them with local weather and price information four or five times a day. And the farmers pay as their profits have gone up as a result. Tata Consultancy Services offers a service called mKrishi that allows farmers to send queries and receive personalized advice. ITC through e-Chopal and a tie-up with Nokia is also aiming for useful two way communication with farmers and experts. Nokia launched its own information service, Nokia Life Tools, this year. In addition to education and entertainment, it provides agricultural information, such as prices, weather data and farming tips that can be called up from special menus on some Nokia handsets. The basic service costs 30 rupees a month. Another company Handygo has tied up with Airtel and may even rope in Tata indicom and Idea to provide an array of services to farmers covering weather, seed prices, fertilizer doses and best irrigation management practices and that too in 17 different local languages all on basic mobile sets. And it will not only address the needs of farmers but provide services to around 200 million rural youths too. Mobile phones will be a learning device that will give them knowledge and information, teach them new things, even functional English and management. As reported very truly, 'in the grand scheme of telecoms history, mobile phones have made a bigger difference to the lives of more people, more quickly, than any previous technology. They have spread the fastest and proved the easiest and cheapest to adopt. It is now clear that the long process of connecting everyone on Earth to a global telecommunications network, which began with the invention of the telegraph in 1791, is on the verge of being completed. Mobile phones will have done more than anything else to advance the democratization of telecoms, and all the advantages that come with it.' ]]> http://drishtikona.com/archives/rural_development/002603.php/feed/ India- China’s Envy http://drishtikona.com/archives/indias_infrastructure/002593.php http://drishtikona.com/archives/indias_infrastructure/002593.php#comments Mon, 09 Nov 2009 00:05:39 +0000 Indra http://drishtikona.com/archives/indias_infrastructure/002593.php "Chinese are big smugglers... suppliers of small arms. I am sure that the Maoists also get them." -G K Pillai, home secretary. Any reference to China annoys me since 1962. China went a little too far and that was not expected from it when both the countries were in rebuilding mode. By being good to each other, both would have gained. The decision of China to invade India in 1962 was terrible. For all those like me who did face the humiliation, it is difficult to forget its unpredictability and get into 'support and friendship' mode. The relation can only be formal one. China is basically envy of India today for many reasons. Any media reports putting India along with China or above it trouble China. Here are some: India is the home to 422 recognized think tanks. According to a study by the Think Tanks and Civil Societies Program at the University of Pennsylvania, India is second only to the US, which is home to over 2,000 such institutions that research and analyze important public issues. China would have been envy of these think tanks in India. The Legatum Prosperity Index ranks 104 countries (covering 90 per cent of the world's population), based on a definition of prosperity that combines economic growth together with measures of happiness and quality of life. Though China outperforms India on several economic indicators, India's overall ranking, according to the Legatum Prosperity Index, is superior. India performs superior in the critical non-economic factors such as personal freedom which encompasses freedom of speech and religion, national tolerance for immigrants and ethnic and racial minorities. India also ranks highly on measures of social capital, reflected in the percentage of citizens who volunteer, give to charity, help strangers, and who feel they can rely on family and friends. In this area, India ranks fifth in the world, ahead of the United States, the United Kingdom and Finland.

(Blue line is for China and the green for India)

In overall ranking in the Legatum Prosperity Index 2009, India is at 45, while China is placed at 75: Why India beats China. Is it not something for China to be envy of India? Some more worrying reports are troubling China. According to one report, India currently has the lead over China in terms of foreign OEMs' wholly-owned R&D activities. India for many years has been - and currently still is - cheaper than China for R&D in terms of wages and operational costs. Further, according to one recent report, 'India's exports of minicars and hatchbacks gained 44% between January and July to 201,138. Total exports of cars, including vans, sport-utility vehicles and trucks, rose 18% to 229,809. In contrast, China's exports slumped 60% to 164,800 between January and July, according to government data.' India must and can develop fast, if it focus on its strengths, be it pharma or IT, auto or R&D and try to get into manufacturing in big way both for domestic consumptions and exports as many OEMs are on look out for a second source because of the trouble due to making China the sole vendor. With India's indigenous capability in areas such as space, atomic energy, and missiles, India can be significant player in high tech manufacturing too. India must go for it. India with its strength and prosperity can make China go for sustainable good relationship. ]]> "Chinese are big smugglers... suppliers of small arms. I am sure that the Maoists also get them." -G K Pillai, home secretary. Any reference to China annoys me since 1962. China went a little too far and that was not expected from it when both the countries were in rebuilding mode. By being good to each other, both would have gained. The decision of China to invade India in 1962 was terrible. For all those like me who did face the humiliation, it is difficult to forget its unpredictability and get into 'support and friendship' mode. The relation can only be formal one. China is basically envy of India today for many reasons. Any media reports putting India along with China or above it trouble China. Here are some: India is the home to 422 recognized think tanks. According to a study by the Think Tanks and Civil Societies Program at the University of Pennsylvania, India is second only to the US, which is home to over 2,000 such institutions that research and analyze important public issues. China would have been envy of these think tanks in India. The Legatum Prosperity Index ranks 104 countries (covering 90 per cent of the world's population), based on a definition of prosperity that combines economic growth together with measures of happiness and quality of life. Though China outperforms India on several economic indicators, India's overall ranking, according to the Legatum Prosperity Index, is superior. India performs superior in the critical non-economic factors such as personal freedom which encompasses freedom of speech and religion, national tolerance for immigrants and ethnic and racial minorities. India also ranks highly on measures of social capital, reflected in the percentage of citizens who volunteer, give to charity, help strangers, and who feel they can rely on family and friends. In this area, India ranks fifth in the world, ahead of the United States, the United Kingdom and Finland.

(Blue line is for China and the green for India)