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President’s rule, at last! Outrage at Ludhiana |
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Green signal to Bt cotton
Join hands and move forward
Review policy on the aged China continues to pump up the military budget Chatterati
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President’s rule, at last! The Centre’s decision to clamp President’s rule on Goa is welcome. Clearly, there was a complete breakdown of the constitutional machinery in the state because of the partisan role of Governor S.C. Jamir, Pro tem Speaker Francisco Sardinha and the then Speaker Vishwas Satarkar. For several days, the Centre dithered in taking the step even though much damage had been inflicted on the Constitution and the system as a whole. The decision to impose President’s rule may, perhaps, be viewed as a damage-control exercise by the Centre as Goa and Jharkhand were getting too hot for it to handle because of the Governors’ dubious role in the two states. Nonetheless, Goa should have been placed under President’s rule much earlier. Ever since Mr Manohar Parikkar’s trust vote on February 2, Goa was witness to one constitutional monstrosity after another, perpetrated by different functionaries, all in the name of the Constitution. As the fate of the governments of both Mr Parikkar and Mr Pratapsinh Rane were precariously hanging by a thread, the partisan Speakers used disqualification of Opposition members — be it the Congress or the BJP — as a weapon to declare a majority and bail out the respective governments. Worse, Governor Jamir’s role was highly questionable in the sordid episode. His role in dismissing the Parikkar government, installing the Rane government and giving him a month’s time to prove his majority are wholly unjust. The Centre should now ensure that during President’s rule, Mr Jamir acts in an impartial manner without giving scope for political bluff. As the Assembly has been put under suspended animation, Mr Jamir will be the chief administrator of the state until the President’s rule is lifted. Thus, it is all the more important for him to rise above petty politics and act fairly in the interregnum. In view of the dubious role played by both Mr Satarkar and Mr Sardinha during the floor test on February 2 and March 4, the Speaker’s power of disqualification of a legislator needs to be clearly defined in the Anti-Defection Act. The Speaker should not be allowed to peremptorily disqualify members, especially when the House meets for a floor test. The High Court and the Supreme Court too should dispose of petitions against disqualification of legislators expeditiously in the interest of justice and fairplay and for leaving no scope for possible mischief. |
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Outrage at Ludhiana The mystery of a large number of grainy CDs and MMS clips doing the rounds that show Indian couples in compromising positions is unravelling itself thanks to a honeymooning groom who braved a murderous attack allegedly by employees of Park Plaza, a luxury Ludhiana hotel, to catch them red-handed while trying to surreptitiously film him and his newly wedded wife. The sheer effrontery of the scandal takes one’s breath away. One could have imagined such activities taking place in seedy joints but if even five-star hotels thus compromise the privacy of their guests, no place can be considered safe. Only the perpetrators of the heinous crime can tell how many unsuspecting couples they have thus wronged. But the way there has been a flood of secretly shot porn films in the market, it seems that the number may run into hundreds. The extent of the scandal may go even deeper than that. Some people may even have been blackmailed. It has become necessary to hold a thorough investigation not only in this particular hotel but in all such establishments all over the region. Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh has promised stern action in this case. We hope this resolve will stay firm even in the face of strong pulls and pressures which the guilty have reportedly started exerting and are likely to exert in the future. There are reasons to suspect that this is not the handiwork of lowly hotel employees alone who have been hauled up so far. Other influential persons may be involved in it and the trail may go deep and far. It is intriguing that even when the horrifying incident was reported, the hotel management did not swing into action. This approach indeed gives rise to suspicion. The hotel owners have denied any hand in the sordid saga. Even if they are in the clear as they claim to be, it was their duty to ensure that there was no such intrusion. Privacy of guests is as important as their comfort. The incident is a horrid slur on the name of the hotel and its proprietors. They cannot disown the moral responsibility for what has happened. |
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Green signal to Bt cotton After prolonged waffling, the Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC) has cleared six varieties of genetically modified cotton for cultivation in Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan. The decision, though belated, is welcome. Although India ranks third in the world in cotton production after China and the US, the yield is notoriously low and the crop is frequently destroyed by a pest called American bollworm. Bt cotton, which is grown in many parts of the globe, is unaffected by a bollworm attack. It has a gene from a bacterium species called Bacillus thuringiensis which paralyses the digestive tract of the bollworm. Growing it is a bit complicated process and requires expert guidance. Enterprising Punjab farmers are already growing it illegally by buying the seed from Gujarat where its cultivation is allowed. Some have suffered losses by purchasing spurious seed sold as Bt cotton. The GEAC, a regulatory body comprising scientists, environmentalists, government officials and representatives of seed companies, had cleared the cultivation of Bt cotton in select states. Worldwide genetically modified crops, particularly eatables, are a subject of a heated, but inconclusive debate. Their supporters claim biotech crops raise production and help overcome shortages, while critics point out that GM crops carry toxins and allergens. That the seed of Bt cotton is sold by a US multinational is also held out against it. Since cotton is not a foodstuff, harms from a genetically modified seed, if any, will be limited. But what is the logic in confining its cultivation to some parts of the country? Huge opportunities have opened up in the textile sector with Europe abolishing the quota system. The latest Union Budget provides incentives to the textiles sector for its massive employment generation potential. Textile mills, therefore, need more of quality cotton to cash in on emerging opportunities. Bt cotton cultivation, hopefully, will increase production to meet the growing needs of domestic mills. |
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An open foe may prove a curse. /But a pretended friend is worse.
— John Gay |
Join hands and move forward
THE preparation of the State Development Report of Punjab and subsequently that of Himachal Pradesh by the faculty of the Centre for Research in Rural and Industrial Development (CRRID), Chandigarh, as an assignment from the Planning Commission was a rich experience and a lot new sensitisation. The fact that came out was that the Indian states were working on the development agenda almost exclusively in their own framework and were oblivious of the gains that accrue from mutual coordination. Such a sensitisation led to an exploration of answers to several critical questions. Why is competition rather than cooperation the mantra of the mindset of state systems in India? If the states are in the nature of a joint family, how come they remain mostly in a mode of fierce rivalry? How to promote a culture of cooperation and which mechanism would be most effective for the purpose? All said and done, a culture of well-devised interaction among the states does not exist. The political as well as the administrative propensity are virtually absent. Across-the-state thinking on planning and development is lacking. Any initiative on the lines is viewed with suspicion and is defined as an encroachment upon the state autonomy. Quite often, there are conflicts embedded in the very process of their formation. The territorial dispute over Chandigarh and the conflict over the sharing of river waters between Punjab and Haryana illustrates this fact. Himachal Pradesh has a grouse over the sharing of power generated at the Bhakra and Pong dams. These issues assume critical dimensions when the political parties at the helm of affairs happen to be of different affiliation. What may be lacking in such cases is an enlightened leadership, with the necessary vision. To be fair, the process of cooperation is contingent upon the states involved. Any advocacy of this culture has to demonstrate the pre-eminence of its benefits over the costs involved. It has also to highlight the constraints which the states may be experiencing in their functioning in the absence of cooperation from their neighbours. In any case, the time has come when the states, especially those forming parts of a natural region, come together, identify the sectors which call for collaboration, and conduct a cost-benefit analysis of mutual co-action. An alternative paradigm is to replace the old one. A conviction has to take roots that the process of development can be accelerated and the cost of its implementation reduced if states cooperate rather than compete with each other in various spheres. The input of superior technology will be facilitated through the economies of scale accruing thereby. This will also prepare a ground for resolving inter-state disputes. Above all, it will cause a change of mind wherein cooperation is valued more than competition. How to go about all this? This basically requires an understanding of the existing situation and formulation of a desired strategy for the purpose. In the context of North-Western region, comprising Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and the Union Territory of Chandigarh, there is a growing realisation that a formalised synergy among them will not only help resolve any conflict of interests but also promote an integrated development. Here one is reminded of the observations of the State Reorganisation Commission that “these territories as carved out today form a natural area, with vital economic links within”. Integrity of the irrigation systems and power potential in the body structure of this region were also highlighted. A recommendation was made for forming a united Punjab to facilitate the process of planned development. The recommendation was, of course, not implemented but its relevance is sustained. By any reckoning, the North-Western region is one of the most developed parts of the country, economically and socially. The per capita income of its four constituents is higher than the national average and the percentage of population below the poverty line distinctly less. The unemployment rate is also consistently lower in their case and the per capita gross industrial output higher. In the social sphere, literacy rates are higher and infant mortality rates lower. Above all, per capita domestic electricity consumption is significantly higher than the national average in every case. Which are the critical sectors that call for priority in the context of desired cooperation among the states in the North-Western region? By their very location and disposition, these states form an ecological system. Himachal Pradesh is a macro-watershed for the entire North-West. Three major rivers — the Beas, the Ravi and the Chenab — originate here. The Satluj traverses through it for a long distance and the Yamuna defines its eastern boundary for a considerable stretch. The watersheds formed by these rivers transcend the territorial limits of the states and extend over Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh and beyond. Thus, the first area to look for joint action is the management of ecology. This calls for a comprehensive scheme covering the preservation of forests, the generation of hydropower, and the raising of water reservoirs in the upper reaches and their optimal utilisation in the lower ones. The entire region should be adopted as one ecological system and managed as such. Unified through a perennial drainage system, the states in the North-Western region can benefit no less by cooperating in the spheres of water and soil management, agricultural research and forestry, in particular. Following the principle of specialisation at the micro level and diversification at the macro-level, the states can conform their cropping patterns to the local physical condition and assist each other in processing and marketing the produce. As a corollary, this should also lead to an optimal utilisation of the scarce water resource by discouraging the cultivation of water-intensive crops in semi-arid areas. In contrast to the natural setting referred to above, the Chandigarh region calls for a cooperative effort on the part of all the constituent units. By virtue of its nodal position, administrative eminence and its role as a regional centre, the city needs an integrated plan for the region, which extends over Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh. The lack of a concerted effort at a collective level on the part of the governments concerned is leading to a lot of haphazard and unregulated development in the periphery of Chandigarh. Underlying such a scene is the vital role of road transport. The ribbon development along the roads converging on Chandigarh impedes an uninterrupted flow of traffic. In particular, the task of laying out bypasses is withheld for want of cooperation among the states. The Kalka-Parwanoo bypass, pertinent to Haryana and Himachal Pradesh and the Siswan-Baddi road link, relevant to Punjab and Himachal Pradesh, are just two cases among many to illustrate the point. Likewise, inter-state cooperation is one of the prerequisites for the effectuation of the proposed monorail serving Chandigarh, Panchkula and Mohali. For years, the wheels of development had to bear with an irritating pace for the lack of conception and completion of such projects. Tourism, in which the region holds a lucrative promise, is contingent upon the quality of infrastructure. A circuit connecting Kurukshetra, Amritsar and Dharamsala takes one on the religious pilgrimage linked to Hinduism, Sikhism and Buddhism. The states need exploring the areas where they can work in tandem with one another to reap the benefits emanating from tourism. A critical area, wherein the economy of the entire region is affected, is the taxation structure and the pricing of services such as electricity and water supply. These have a direct bearing on the location of industry and business houses and thereby their tax earnings and employment pool. The prevailing situation calls for an in-depth analysis for identifying the distortions that have crept in and recommending measures that the states concerned should take to their mutual benefit. The list of the potential sectors for inter-state coordination does not exhaust itself here. As a beginning point, there is a need to seek answers to some specific questions. The first one is to figure out the ways in which the departments such as transport, power and tourism in different states are already coordinating their activities with each other. Which projects are being implemented on an inter-state basis? Are there some existing memoranda of understanding ensuring a collaborative action? And if not, why? Secondly, it is important to identify the sectors in which such coordination will be more feasible. And rewarding. The testing point is the expected visible gains, on an equity basis, for all the partners. Finally, involved here is the nature of the sectors under consideration. Infrastructure is the anchor on which the states can cooperate the best; hence this becomes a priority. Ecology does not respect political boundaries; it has to be managed across the borders. Crime uses cross-boundary safety nets and, therefore, there is need to surround them by opening out. Tax rates come into conflict and distort state economies, so these should be harmonised. Then there are several geographical parameters of this inter-state context which call for a collaborative effort. The Shivalik hills are common to all the constituent units of the North-Western region. These demand a unified strategy for watershed development. In the same vein, management of the Ghaggar stream is best done if Himachal Pradesh, Haryana and Punjab work together to their mutual advantage. The Ranjit Sagar dam can be developed into a mega-recreation site if Punjab, Jammu and Kashmir, and Himachal Pradesh come forward by way of providing transport linkages. No less critical is to have a view of the industrialised clusters close to the inter-state borders and find out the ways in which they can go together in supplying the inputs and utilising the output for strengthening the backward and forward linkages of industry. A case for an international port at Chandigarh can be a common voice for all the states in the region. Under the emerging scenario of improving relations between India and Pakistan, the states in the North-Western region should gear themselves up collectively for reaping the benefits that may flow from such a development. The respective states have to assess what they can offer and receive through the liberalisation of mobility across the international border. Again a coordinated strategy on their part will yield the desired dividends. Perhaps, the most difficult task is to define the mechanism to operationalise coordination and promote collaboration. States being autonomous entities, cooperation will be more forthcoming if worked through an external agency. For example, the Planning Commission can give preference for funding to those projects which are designed on an inter-state basis. Though the picture in respect of the inter-state cooperation is hazy at the moment, it projects itself as not only an imperative but also a feasible idea. The success story of the European Union has an inspiring message: when sovereign countries can collaborate to their mutual advantage, why should the states within a country not move in the same direction? Another case is that of Malaysia selling raw water to Singapore and the latter return-trading it after the treatment. Cooperation at the subnational level holds a greater promise since the concerned states share a commonality of interests and have a similarity of objectives at the national level. There is a precedent too: analogous to the North-Eastern Council, there is every justification for having a North-Western Council. Chandigarh can be its natural headquarters. —
The writer is Senior Professor and Honorary Director, Population Research Centre, Centre for Research in Rural and Industrial Development, Chandigarh. |
Review policy on the aged
It was a reminder that old age issues need to be recognised all over the world. Five years later it is time for a review of the policy. There is no doubt that in India the 60-plus population will be a significant group, both in numbers and in resources, in this century. It is not understood why 60 continues to remain a cut-off point to determine older persons. This was done by the United Nations many years ago when the average life span was considerably less than what it is now. The life expectancy in India has nearly doubled in the last half-century, going up from 35 years to 65 years and continues to improve due to the elimination of numerous killer diseases and improvements in our medical and nutritional standards. A very pertinent observation in the National Policy on Older Persons is that persons above 60 can be divided into “young old” (60 to 69 years), old (70 to 79 years) and Very Old (80+) in India. In the next eight years, the demographic transition taking place in India is likely to emerge in the population statistics of 63 million “young old”, 26 million old and 11 million very old people. At a recent seminar organised by HelpAge India at the instance of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment to review the policy, the Minister, Ms Meira Kumar, stated that “we are not only seeing a significant change in the age profile of our nation but it is also impacting our
economic and social life”. While later years of life should be enjoyed, it is unfortunate that for a large majority who move on in years, it is a phase faced with threats of living in poverty. As many as 30 per cent of our older persons defined as those 60 or older are today below the poverty line. The seminar has come up with various suggestions for the welfare of older persons, but the benefits are not segregated according to the age groups. This will result in limited resources being spread over a very large number of beneficiaries. The young old (age 60 to 69) are the bulk of older persons, some 50 million today out of a total of 80 million. They need to be provided with opportunities to work and earn through income-generating schemes supervised by credible organisations. Their abilities and faculties need to be harnessed. HelpAge India is successfully implementing income-generating schemes like sheep farming for older persons displaced by the earthquake in Gujarat. The minister made this point strongly in her inaugural address at the seminar when she said that “we need to address the issue of work for those in good health who wish to continue to be employed. Many of them may need the income for their survival or to improve the quality of their lives. In government of course we have fixed the retirement age at 60 years and there is no scope for raising this as there is also need for jobs for the younger persons entering the workforce. However, society as a whole should not ignore the skills and knowledge of the senior citizens and give them an opportunity to work”. It is understanding of this “age heterogeneity”, which needs to be incorporated in our policy and planning for older persons. The sheer magnitude of numbers of the “young old” in our country who can be expected to be in reasonably good physical and mental health, capable of leading an active life and a force which is equivalent to, or even more than the population of many European countries, requires consideration of being a huge human resource for social and economic development. Giving them their due will not only allow the limited government resources for welfare of older persons to be used meaningfully and appropriately among the older age groups in need, that is, to some “old” and to many “very old”, who are likely to require extended care in every way. It also brings forth the ambiguity of defining the criteria of older persons at the age of 60 years. Who are the “old”? It is time for us to review the age demarcations as we move from a young society to an ageing population. Let us include in credit facility plans, income generating schemes, investment and saving provisions, the concerns of young 60 and above age groups, who have a desire for their right to quality life and not merge their interests with those “dependent” older persons in need for specialised services. Nor let us dilute the needs of the category of the “old”, who have a right to live a life of dignity. —
The writer is a former chairman of HelpAge India and also of HelpAge International.
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China continues to pump up the military budget In a move likely to spur further concern in foreign capitals, China announced on Friday that its military budget would grow 12.6 per cent this year, the latest in a string of double-digit increases. The $29.9 billion budget does not include the cost of new weapon purchases, research or other big-ticket items for China's secretive military, and many analysts believe the actual figure is significantly higher. Some say $60 billion to $80 billion is a more realistic figure. That would make China the world's second-biggest military spender, behind only the United States at $420.7 billion. Although China still has far to go to modernize an army traditionally built around “the sons of farmers and workers,” the announcement to the annual National People's Congress, which opens Saturday could push its neighbors to seek closer ties to Washington, D.C. And it could further strain trans-Atlantic ties as Europe mulls lifting a ban on weapons sales imposed after the 1989 Tiananmen crackdown. While China has offered little information on how the money will be spent, analysts said the figure shows China continues to spend aggressively in line with its growing wealth and influence. But it also seeks to avoid unduly alarming its neighbors by keeping the growth rate in line with past years. China has increased its military budget more than 10 percent each of the past 15 years, except for 2002 when the increase was 9.8 percent. Much of the budget goes for salaries, housing and related personnel costs for the 2.3 million-member People's Liberation Army. “The official budget is not a charade, it's just incomplete,” said Robert Karniol, Asia Pacific editor for Jane's Defense Weekly, a military publication. China denies that it wants to threaten its neighbors or the global security system and insists it is only trying to prevent Taiwan from declaring independence. Premier Wen Jiabao said in his annual policy address to the congress Saturday that a controversial anti-secession law is intended to spur peaceful reunification, not conflict. Taiwan separated from the mainland politically in 1949 but Beijing views the island as part of its territory and has vowed to use force, if necessary, to prevent formal separation. China is worried about a joint statement issued by Japan and the United States late last month listing concern over Taiwan as a ``common strategic objective,'' and is closely watching a proposed $15 billion sale of U.S. weapons to Taiwan. “China is only increasing its military strength because of Taiwan,” said Yan Xuetong, a foreign policy expert at Qinghua University in Beijing. “We need to do more to convince people that we're sharpening our teeth, but that the teeth won't bite you.” Those teeth are often well hidden. The Chinese military is one of the most secretive organizations in a secretive state. The People's Liberation Army has an unlisted number and no Web site. Taking pictures near a military base can result in years in jail. The last real peek outsiders got at Chinese hardware occurred during a 1999 parade that included cruise missiles and the intercontinental Dong-Feng 31 ballistic missile, which is capable of delivering a nuclear warhead to Alaska. Still, analysts said, China's obsession with military secrecy probably has at least as much to do with what the country does not have, as what it does. “If you're strong, you don't need to hide,” said Jing-dong Yuan, research director at the Monterey Institute of International Studies. “But when you're weak, you don't want to show all your cards.” In an era when advanced communications, changing threats and new technology are redefining warfare, China's military is slow, bulky, largely landlocked and low-tech. China's weak military-industrial complex is an Achilles heel. Because China's economy is built around light industry and limited innovation, it can't produce a lot of its own hardware. “This has consistently been their weak point,” added Yuan. China is starting to make progress in a limited number of areas, including the creation of a home-grown airborne warning and control system, or AWACS, using domestically produced radar mounted on a Russian-made aircraft. Washington blocked a planned AWACS purchase from Israel several years ago. Ni Lexiong, a military expert at the East China University of Science and Technology in Shanghai, said China also has made progress in the last six years on missile deployment, satellites and submarines. But huge gaps remain in its capabilities, and the U.S. and European weapons bans leave China with few procurement options. Even if Europe lifts its ban later this year, as some predict, most European states are party to other proliferation treaties that would likely prevent any rapid transfer of technology, analysts predict. As a result, China is forced to buy most of its weapons from Russia. But Russia, a traditional rival, tends to limit sales to off-the-shelf technology that isn't always what China needs. — LA Times-Washington Post |
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Chatterati A
string of dignitaries from abroad flew into the Capital last week. Of course, the limelight was stolen by Hillary Clinton. In a bright red trouser suit, she was warmly received by a beaming Sonia Gandhi at her residence. Pecks on the cheeks and a warm handshake along with a 45-minute chat. Lunch at Sharad Pawar's and tea at Jay Panda's. Sharad's was attended by UPA ministers and Jay's by young MPs. The former first lady went shopping to an elite shopping centre
"Santushti". Accompanied by 11 US security servicemen, Hillary just enjoyed the quiet ambience of
Santushti. Hey! she just went crazy over our fuschia quilted skirts and jackets. The silver ethnic jewellery floored her. She picked up some for her daughter, Chelsea's birthday. In her luggage also went shirts for Clinton. And how she impressed all ! Well, the Clintons are known for their fetish of Indian grub. Hillary spent nearly three hours literally hogging tandoori prawns, barra kabab and phirni at Bukhara and the Indian restaurant at the
Taj. She was accompanied everywhere by her Sardar pals, the Chatwals, from back home. Their new daughter-in-law to be, film actress Priya
Sachdeva, sure got more attention now than before. Hey! You know how strange we Indians can be. Falling over one another to click a picture. She just might be the next President. Then do you think she would remember you?
Spring time get-togethers
The last weekend was actually quite fun. With spring in now all Delhiwalas who are proud of their gardens hosted a lunch. Well, it began with
C.M. Shiela Dixit. A simple elegant affair with Ghulam Nabi,
Chidambaram, Montek Singh, Suresh Pachouri and a couple of media personalities. Nearly the same lot were there at Montek's house-warming three days later. A different set of bureaucrats like Secretary Uma
Pillai, Abid Husain, Moni Malhotra and Ashok Desai had a great chat at Deepak
Nayyar's, the Vice-Chancellor's exquisite garden. Now, what do you think the chatter was all about? The controversy of Tourism Minister Renuka Chowdhry and Uma
Pillai, of course. Well, it just shows how bureaucrats can be so united to create chaos for a minister if they want to. Also how difficult it can be for a politician to change a system. The rest was the election results.
Poll lesson for Congress
Our clown, Laloo, is a jittery man whereas in Haryana chief ministerial candidates were winning dime a dozen. In Jharkhand Shibu Soren literally had a son-stroke. The Congress strategy was formed by the old-war horses — Arjun Singh and Fotedar — who left the message: "Congress ka haath walking stick ke
saath"! In Delhi Nitish Kumar found himself home alone. Where was the Congress focused in all this, any sane man would want to know? Neither here nor there. Maybe, coalition compulsions. But Bihar's fractured verdict just shows how our public has changed. They are not going to be bullied. Yes! But then the Governors are so busy in
Goa, Jharkhand and Bihar. In fact, these results are a warning signal for the Congress. In one state they won but failed to make gains in Bihar, Jharkhand and also in Maharashtra. The Congress should realise that they have been winning till now because of the mistakes of their opponents. Even the backward caste ferment may be ready to crystallise in new forms. But, unfortunately, the Congress is not the benefactor. |
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The sustainer of all life is the One. — Guru Nanak The sky and the earth will pass away, the One alone will remain. — Guru Nanak Waste of time is the most extravagant and costly of all expenses. — Theophrastus Truth knows neither birth nor death; it has no beginning and no end. Welcome the truth. The truth is the immortal part of mind. — The Buddha  |
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The national policy on older persons, covering almost all the aspects which affect older persons, was announced in January 1999, the year declared by the United Nations as the “International year of Older Persons”.