E D I T O R I A L   P A G E

EDITORIALS

India’s FDI problem
IT is well known that China is doing far better than India in the area of economic growth. So, it is not surprising if China finds a much higher place (44) than India (119) on the latest FDI index released by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development. What is unbelievable is that even Pakistan (114) and Sri Lanka (103) have been given a better ranking than India. 

LTTE softens stand
THE face-to-face talks between the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and the Sri Lankan Government at Thailand’s naval base in Sattahip, the first in seven years, can be described as a good beginning in the direction of restoring peace in the strife-torn island. The announcement by Mr Anton Balasingham, the LTTE’s chief negotiator, at the historic press conference on Wednesday that the LTTE rebels were demanding only self-determination, and not full independence was perhaps the icing on the cake.

FRANKLY SPEAKING

MIDDLE

Make hay while the sun shines
V.N. Kakar
THERE was a famous minister in the Government of India who was terribly fond of culture. His clothes were cultured. His demeanour was cultured. The scent he used was cultured. The company he kept was cultured.

COMMENTARY

Say halt to American excesses
M. S. N. Menon
AMERICA is itching for a war again, and the world is too petrified to stop it. This is the Dead Sea fruit of destroying the only other super power in the world — Russia — which could have checked American excesses. This also speaks volumes about the hollow men who have ruled over the world in the last half a century and failed to take the world even one step forward.

TRENDS & POINTERS

Readers still thrill to The Joy of Sex
THE Joy of Sex, the world’s most beloved bible of intimacy after the ancient Indian treatise, the Kama Sutra, has hit its second wind. Thirty years after it first thrilled readers, the British manual is riding high again, with an updated fourth edition due out at the end of September.

• Americans live longer but get fatter

SPIRITUAL NUGGETS

EDITORIALS

India’s FDI problem

IT is well known that China is doing far better than India in the area of economic growth. So, it is not surprising if China finds a much higher place (44) than India (119) on the latest FDI index released by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development. What is unbelievable is that even Pakistan (114) and Sri Lanka (103) have been given a better ranking than India. But keeping in view the fact that India’s communist neighbour is soon going to emerge as the top economy of Asia, leaving behind Japan, we should try to learn as much as we can from its success story. There is a general belief that non-resident Chinese are the major source of foreign direct investment in the country of their origin. This is, no doubt, the reality. But it is also true that most of the multinational corporations deciding to invest their funds in Asia have China on top of their priority list. Why? The Chinese have perfected a system to ensure that anyone who visits their country with the idea of exploring investment opportunities is treated as a friend. Thus, he/she with funds gets the hospitality he deserves as a visitor. That person does not have to run around to translate his/her business idea into a reality. All the necessary work is done at a single place. Management gurus advocate a single-window clearance system to spur economic development because of its numerous advantages in this era of globalisation and privatisation. Besides speeding up the process of investment, it saves an entrepreneur from avoidable harassment at various levels. An investor helps the process of wealth generation. He has, therefore, every right to demand a special treatment. It is shameful that India has yet to create such a system at the national level. A new power project needs at least 100 clearances even today. There are states like Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh where the situation is improving fast. That is why they have been faring better in attracting FDI. But, on the whole, there is a lot to be done for having a single-window system.

There is another significant factor contributing to China emerging as the most preferred destination in Asia for FDI purposes. This relates to the economy of scale. China has a gigantic domestic market with a system of mass production. This reduces the cost of production considerably. That is why China is the first choice of multinationals for setting up a wholly export-oriented unit. India too offers an equally attractive environment. There is no dearth of technically qualified manpower available cheaper than in the West. But India has yet to evolve a system of bulk production at the scale prevalent in China. The third major inhibiting factor is India’s poor record in labour law reforms in view of the changed circumstances. Multinationals are terribly scared of labour problems. Indian laws are against a hire and fire attitude, a major anti-growth element in our system, as an investor sees it. A campaign should be launched to make job-seekers understand that they have to learn to live with the changing business norms. This will help redraft India’s labour laws to make them investor-friendly. The just released N. K. Singh Committee report on the FDI position has made certain significant suggestions like the enactment of a new foreign investment promotion law, and the empowerment of the Foreign Investment Promotion Board and the Foreign Investment Implementation Authority. What the committee, headed by a Planning Commission member, says deserves serious consideration.

LTTE softens stand

THE face-to-face talks between the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and the Sri Lankan Government at Thailand’s naval base in Sattahip, the first in seven years, can be described as a good beginning in the direction of restoring peace in the strife-torn island. The announcement by Mr Anton Balasingham, the LTTE’s chief negotiator, at the historic press conference on Wednesday that the LTTE rebels were demanding only self-determination, and not full independence was perhaps the icing on the cake. It came after the conclusion of the three-day-long negotiations under the Norwegian mediation. The Tamil Tigers’ open declaration that they will settle for autonomy rather than outright nationhood for resolving their struggle is bound to usher in a whiff of fresh air in the troubled island. This refreshing change was evident when the Sri Lankan Government’s chief negotiator as also Minister for Constitutional Affairs, Professor G.L.Peiris, welcomed Mr Balasingham’s statement and said that his government was “certainly pleased” about it and that the LTTE’s aspirations “can be fulfilled within one country if we set about it in the proper way”. Clearly, the manner in which both sides have been conducting themselves in the last few weeks suggests that there is growing realisation that cessation of hostilities and restoring peace at any cost are necessary for rebuilding Sri Lanka. More important, this sentiment also prevailed among the Sri Lankans. When the Thailand talks were on, they offered prayers in Hindu and Buddhist temples and sought divine blessings for better days. On the face of it, no one expected any big development in Sattahip. But the talks exceeded general expectations because both sides have agreed on a number of things — setting up a joint panel to deal with the exchange of prisoners; the return of the displaced persons to high security zones maintained by the Sri Lankan military; and a joint task force for humanitarian and reconstruction activities. In addition, both seemed to have prepared the ground for an interim administration in the North-East.

It would be interesting to see how these proposals will concretise in the coming weeks and achieve the intended purpose before both sides meet on October 31. According to the tentative schedule, the next round of talks will be held in Sattahip between October 31 and November 2. This will be followed by the third and the fourth round between December 2 and December 5, and January 6 and January 9, 2003. Now that an agreed agenda for the next three rounds of talks has been put in place, there should be no difficulty for both sides to find solutions to mutual problems. However, for this to happen, what is needed is the recognition of the political reality and equilibrium of all the forces in the LTTE-held areas and the North-East. Admittedly, while the recognition of the ethno-nationalism of the Tamil people is the quintessence of a political solution, the flow of economic resources and logistical and institutional support for their survival is highly essential. It is also said that Sri Lanka should recognise the LTTE’s interim regional pre-eminence and the latter should agree to share power within that region. The Tamil Tigers themselves cannot overlook the fact that they will have to recognise the co-existence of Muslim and Sinhala communities in the region.

FRANKLY SPEAKING

India, America and Pakistan
Mixed signals, new pointers from New York
HARI JAISINGH

IT will be worthwhile to work out a quick balance-sheet of the visit of Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee to New York. This was not a routine exercise in diplomacy. Nor was it just an annual pilgrimage to the UN General Assembly. All the same, the annual jamboree has acquired global importance for political visibility of world leaders. It also provides them an opportunity to communicate to the international community on critical issues.

The Indian Prime Minister not only used the UN forum to spell out his perspective on the problem of poverty and development but also to voice his concern on cross-border terrorism and the games Pakistan plays in Jammu and Kashmir. The dignified way in which Mr Vajpayee exposed General Musharraf's duplicity was quite impressive. This, in a way, was the Prime Minister's pro-active diplomacy!

Mr Vajpayee met a number of world leaders to strengthen India's diplomatic network. One area of critical importance to New Delhi is its rapport with Washington vis-a-vis Pakistan and other global players. In the first place, it needs to be reiterated that the USA is the singlemost important factor on the global chessboard. It sets the agenda for its wider goals and targets for its short-term as well as long-term objectives.

Second, terrorism continues to be a major concern of the US administration, though in recent weeks its focus has shifted from Afghanistan to Iraq's suspected nuclear weapons stockpile which it wants to destroy. One theory doing rounds in the corridors of the UN is that after his failure to nab Osama bin Laden and eliminate the dreaded outfit Al-Qaida, President Bush has shifted his attention to the "new devil" in President Saddam Hussein. The US establishment has made no bones about the fact that it wants to liquidate the Saddam regime and replace it by a government headed by a General Musharraf who should be "a puppet" in the crucial Gulf region and thereby help promote the super power's larger strategic and oil interests in the area and beyond. The American interest in Afghanistan and Central Asia should also be seen in this broad framework.

The USA by now would have struck at Iraq but for its inability to muster enough support from its allies in Europe and elsewhere except Great Britain. India has also conveyed its reservations on the USA adopting a confrontationist course.

The Prime Minister's Principal Secretary and National Security Adviser, Mr Brajesh Mishra, did some plain-speaking on the subject during his meetings with key American functionaries.

He clearly told them about vital Indian interests in the area both for oil flow and remittances of billions of dollars by the Indians working in the Gulf region. Besides, he reminded the American officials of this country's "friendly ties" with President Saddam's Iraq and conveyed India's reservations on any unilateral action. New Delhi is, of course, all for Baghdad's compliance with the UN resolutions, but it favours withdrawal of the sanctions which might prove counter-productive in the long run.

Mr Brajesh Mishra seems well focussed. "We know when and what to tell the Americans. We are very clear about our objectives and tell US policy-makers about our position on the most sensitive issues. This helps put Indo-US ties on a realistic footing," he told me in the course of an informal discussion during the A-I flight from Zurich to New Delhi. The Prime Minister was also candid while sharing his perspective on India's relations with America, especially in the context of Pakistan.

Three, India has of late been trying to detach Indo-US ties from the nagging Pakistan factor. "Our thrust is to build stronger bilateral economic and strategic relations on a long-term basis. We do not wish to be guided by Pakistan-related issues for the strengthening of bilateral bonds to mutual advantages", a key Indian diplomat told me. In fact, this very much reflects the Prime Minister's thinking.

"We do not want Indo-American ties to be tied down to Pakistan's belligerent postures and its games of intrigues and duplicity. We know how to deal with Islamabad's gameplans on our own", India's External Affairs Minister Yashwant Sinha states.

It needs to be acknowledged that Mr Yashwant Sinha is shaping well. His US contacts as Finance Minister are coming in handy in his new assignment. Along with Mr Brajesh Mishra, he was quite active in building bridges of understanding with various Foreign Ministers and mediapersons.

I had earlier some reservations about Mr Sinha in his new intricate task. But he is both articulate and specific in India's policy projections. For that matter, India's foreign policy objectives appeared well coordinated and properly focussed in New York. But then this cannot be a yearly effort. Indian diplomacy needs a new orientation in tune with the changing global complexities. While giving Pakistan a befitting reply whenever needed, it has to come out of its old Pakistan-centric obsessions and explore new areas of relationship and cooperation with various countries. What is needed is a proper focus and correct response keeping in view our national interests.

Where do we go from here? The most pressing problem that faces India is of how to tame Pakistan and put the bilateral relationship on a realistic and friendly footing. This is not an easy task in view of Islamabad's negative mindset. The Bush administration wants India and Pakistan to sort out their all outstanding problems, including Kashmir. However, the moot question is: how and within what framework?

Washington has been shifting its stance. It has toyed with various concepts and ideas from time to time. At one stage it is said to have favoured turning the Line of Control (LoC) into an international border with certain adjustments and "a soft border" for free movement of people and goods on both sides of the geographical divide. Even Dr Farooq Abdullah and some other Indian leaders have favoured this idea. Surprisingly, General Musharraf is also inclined to go along with this line of thinking. But then he suffers from some serious operational limitations, internally as well in the context of this country.

Besides his credibility gap with Indian leaders, one cannot be sure of his future. As it is, there have been as many as six attempts on his life. Still, the USA's policies and postures are broadly Musharraf-centric. It sees him as the best bet to complete the unfinished task against Osama bin Laden and Al-Qaida.

Some key American officials have reportedly told their Indian counterparts, "Well, it is in India's interest to learn to deal with General Musharraf. What if after him an Islamic fundamentalist comes to the centrestage of Pakistan's politics? In that situation, what options will India be left with?"

The Indian retort was: "How can we accept General Musharraf as a friend? He has been an active partner in the crimes of Osama bin Laden in Afghanistan and cross-border terrorism in Kashmir and beyond. He continues to play with fire and is actively involved in funding, training and deployment of terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir. Americans know this but prefer to look the other way for the sake of their short-term priorities and objectives in Afghanistan.”

The US establishment is apparently playing its own games. For Washington, General Musharraf right now is its Hero No. 1 to promote its strategic interests and hence this "special love" for him.

The Pakistani President is aware of this fact and he is exploiting the situation to his advantage—for his own survival as well as for achieving his larger goals vis-a-vis India.

Indeed, this poses a major challenge to the Prime Minister and his team. However, I find that the Indian leaders are quite confident of turning the tide in their favour in the long run. I feel reassured on this count after meeting the Prime Minister and some of his close policy strategists during the New York visit.

There are certainly gaps in policy pursuits and communications. What is, however, noteworthy is the increased awareness in official circles about the country's short-term and long-term objectives. They hope to manage General Musharraf's Pakistan and President Bush's recent tilt in Islamabad's favour.

"For us, the stress is on cementing long-term stronger India-USA relations on the basis of strategic, hi-tech, space and economic thrust to mutual advantage", Mr Brajesh Mishra told me.

There is growing American appreciation of India's economic and technical strength which should hold tremendous promise to US policy- makers. During his second term President Clinton fully understood India's potentials in these areas. That is why President Bush has also sought India's cooperation in distant education and other critical areas in Afghanistan. This is a significant development.

The pointers are surely mixed, but the power game in the region is wide open. Herein lies an opportunity to India's policy-makers and strategists. Right now, the USA seems to be in the grip of a war hysteria on Iraq. It wants every friendly power to toe its line. But Washington finds the diplomatic going tough as some of its close allies are unable to digest America's "Operation Iraq" recipe.

What is not being realised by the hardliners in the Pentagon and the White House is that the Bush administration has failed to achieve even half of its post-September 11, 2001, goals in Kabul.

Everything has become a mess in Afghanistan. The person Americans are banking on is a dubious character. The Pakistani dictator's track record is not straight. He is playing India against the USA as well as China.

On the home front, the General holds out the Islamic fundamentalist card before his American patrons to get some crumbs for his political survival. Indeed, everything is in a melting pot in the region and no one can be sure of the final outcome.

As far as India is concerned, its real test lies in Jammu and Kashmir. It can have its way provided we stop playing the Modi card and concentrate on building the country's economic and technical muscle for the good of all sections of secular India.

Modern India has to be nurtured as a land of equal opportunities for every citizen irrespective of his caste, religion or community background. Ultimately, the success of India's foreign policy will depend on its domestic policies and professional house-keeping.

MIDDLE

Make hay while the sun shines
V.N. Kakar

THERE was a famous minister in the Government of India who was terribly fond of culture. His clothes were cultured. His demeanour was cultured. The scent he used was cultured. The company he kept was cultured.

Once, after a hectic tour of foreign lands, along with several other members of his illustrious tribe from all over India, duly assisted by the people's most obedient servants called bureaucrats, he decided to have a bit of rest and relaxation at Kausani in Almora district of Uttaranchal from where you can get a glorious view of the magnificent Nandadevi range in the Himalayas early in the morning.

It must be said that the hon'ble minister deserved his holiday. He had roamed about all over the USA and Europe, along with his gang, closely studying how the roads over there were kept neat and clean. I was deputed to cover his sojourn in Kausani. The minister was staying in the Circuit House. I was in the Forest Rest House. Next to me in the same rest house was the Sub-Divisional Magistrate of the area. His duty was to maintain law and order, whatever that meant, around the minister's abode.

The minister stayed there for nearly a week. During that period, the SDM and I became a bit close to each other. One night, after dinner, I heard a lot of boisterous noise coming from the side of the district board rest house down below. A big black Buick car had steamed in. I thought something potentially dangerous had occurred and knocked at the door of the SDM's room. He came out and, rubbing his eyes, looked at the Buick and pulled me into his room.

His orderly prepared coffee for the two of us. As we were sipping it and as I asked him questions about the Buick and its passengers to satisfy my curiosity, the SDM said philosophically, "You know, there is nothing unusual about his tamasha. The Buick belongs to the overseer sahib. He comes here off and on along with his contractors and they have a gala night".

Overseer sahib! A minor clog in the government's machine! How could he afford to keep a Buick? The SDM enlightened me, "he is the brother of the wife of the Chief Minister's grandson and nobody can touch him. Construction of roads in the hills is 10 times costlier than in the planes. He constructs, through his contractors, roads on the plateau down below and shows them as having been constructed on the mountains. Besides, he gets a hefty commission from every contractor who works for him".

"Why don't you catch him?" being a bloody fool, I put that question to the SDM. "And lose my job?" he said instantaneously. "There are certain things over which you have to keep your eyes closed. So many before me have come and gone. None has been able to touch him."

I could not help recalling that incident as, holidaying at my daughter Renu's place in Shimla, I read all the colourful stories that have been appearing in the Press about a fellow called Ravi Sidhu, ex-chairman of the Punjab PSC, and the gentlemen on whom he had been daring enough to inflict unmerited greatness. That he came from my fraternity, journalism, is a matter of shame to me. But what were the masters he served doing? Why did everybody keep his eyes closed?

Perhaps another foreign jaunt by ministers and bureaucrats is called for this time, to discover how to prevent others from noticing what you wish them not to notice.

COMMENTARY

Say halt to American excesses
M. S. N. Menon

AMERICA is itching for a war again, and the world is too petrified to stop it. This is the Dead Sea fruit of destroying the only other super power in the world — Russia — which could have checked American excesses. This also speaks volumes about the hollow men who have ruled over the world in the last half a century and failed to take the world even one step forward. And what can we say of the mental imbeciles, the so-called liberals, who failed to see the dangers of a unipolar world? Even today they speak for a multipolar world, which, by its very nature, must be a deaf-mute, incapable of articulating its mind.

America is no doubt divided over the issue of war. Dick Cheyney, US Vice-President, and Donald Rumrfeld, Defence Secretary, are for war. Bush seems ready to go with them.

But have they the mandate? They have none. The US Congress wants Bush to gather more evidence against Saddam Hussein. Colin Powell, Secretary of State, and the chief of the CIA are for caution. They want Bush to carry America’s allies with him.

The case against Saddam Hussein is that he is in possession of mass murder weapons. Hence the call for a preemptive strike. But Powell says: let’s send the UN’s weapons inspectors back to Baghdad to verify the charge. He wants the evidence of Saddam’s threat to be clearly established before taking any action against him. But others are less patient. They want to strike now.

Bush himself is in two minds. He wants to give the UN a chance to pursue the soft line. But he is not willing to wait for more than weeks.

In the meantime, there is growing public opinion in America and the world against any precipitous action. For example, Alexander Haig, Brzezenski, Madeleine Albright and James Baker, all former secretaries of state, are opposed to unilateral action. Some of them want Bush to pursue his war against terrorism. They say terrorism is the real threat.

Bush is not lucky with his allies either. Even Tony Blair is not willing to give a carte blanche. About 71 per cent of the British people are opposed to war. The French President says that a preemptive strike will be “extraordinarily dangerous”. Russia, China, Japan and Germany agree.

As far as Arabs are concerned, not one country is ready to support Bush. That may be said about the entire Muslim world. Even General Musharraf, Bush’s friend, has refused to support.

India has already made it known that it has strong reservations against a military attack on Iraq, and on deposing Saddam. But India wants Iraq to comply with the UN resolutions on weapon inspection.

According to India, any attack on Iraq will destabilise the Middle East and Central Asia, and disrupt the global economy causing incalculable harm to the world. During the first Gulf war, India had to carry out the largest air lift of its workers from the Middle East, which cost it enormous amounts.

Economists say that a new war will raise the oil price to $ 70 a barrel, that is double the present rate. That can bring about an unprecedented recession. In the absence of very valid reasons for a war with Iraq, America has no justification to bring about this global calamity. And what is more, Iraq is not Afghanistan. A war can be protracted and devastating.

The first Gulf war was said to have cost $ 60 billion and 80 per cent of it was paid by Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Japan. So far, there is no indication that anyone is willing to pick up the bill.

Iraq has been resisting the return of the weapon inspectors. Its case is that they were in Iraq not to inspect weapons but to bring about a regime change. Perhaps. But Iraq had given cause for all these. Its eight-year war against Iran and its attack on Kuwait have brought upon it the ill-will of the world.

Be that as it may, the charge against Saddam has not been proved. Gary Milhollin of “Iraq Watch” (an NGO) says: “I’m stunned by the lack of evidence of fresh intelligence.”

But Bush is ready to buy support. And there are nations ready to sell their conscience. A US Congressional aide has this to say: “...this is a great time to step forward and get something you want from the USA.” Indeed so, for Pakistan has capitalised on this crisis as no other nation, although it is the chief patron of terrorism.

Bush has now given an ultimatum: he wants the UN to enforce its own resolution or drop the objection to the US action.

Iraq has been under seige for a decade. US and British planes enforce a no-flight zone of over 40 per cent of Iraq territory. And a maritme force prevents shipment of arms to Iraq. This has weakened Iraq considerably. One figure speaks it all: in 1998 Iraq’s per capita GDP was $ 3100. It fell to $ 250 by 2000. Vast numbers of children remain malnourished. And the education system has almost collapsed.

The USA makes much ado about the chemical weapons used by Iraq against Iran. But, then, it had the help of the USA and Britain in fabricating them.

There is thus no case for any unilateral action against Iraq, least of all for a preemptive strike. The world and America are against it. Then why are the American hawks so persistent? Because of global oil politics.

The USA dominated oil and gas supply throughout the 20th century. The Gulf was its main source. In 1999 the nine Gulf countries together produced 21.3 million barrels a day, that is 30 per cent of world production. Today, America has two worries — the defiance of Saddam Hussein and the growth of fundamentalism, terrorism and anti-Americanism. Saudi Arabia, the home of Bin Laden, is seething with hatred of America. America must reverse all these if it is to remain the decisive factor in oil politics.

Naturally, America is in search of new sources. Iraq, Central Asia and Mongolia — these are potentially rich, but new regions. Iraq, with 200 billion barrel reserves, is second only to Saudi Arabia. Its crude is superior, and being close to the earth’s surface and sea ports, cost of extraction and transportation is less. Which is why US oil companies are desperate to get entry into Iraq. But Iraq has turned away the oil companies of the USA, the UK, Italy, the Netherlands, Australia, Canada and Brazil. This has naturally angered the American oil lobby. They think that Saddam is in the way of their ambition.

Before the Gulf war, Iraq produced about 4.5 million barrels a day, that is as much as Saudi Arabia. It has fallen to about half that figure. Iraq has not been able to rehabilitate its oil industry because of the obstruction of the USA and the UK. As a result, oil production in the south of Iran, the most productive area, has suffered.

In the meantime, Iraq has discovered new oil fields in the western deserts. And it has leased out new fields to Russia, China, France and India. Is this why the American oil lobby wants to make a preemptive strike at Iraq and take control of Iraq?

Lowest life expectancy for Madhya Pradesh women

Bhopal
Men of Madhya Pradesh are more likely to spend their old age in loneliness without their spouses, if the statistical figures are any indication.

According to the annual report of Department of Women and Child Development 2001-2002, the disparities in life expectancy at birth among females was as low as that 55.2 in Madhya Pradesh compared to a high 75.9 in Kerala.

The national level expectancy at birth among women has been steadily improving over the years from 23.3 in 1901 to 61.8 in 1997 and has even surpassed that of the men since the 1980s.

While there has been slight improvement in statistics as compared to the previous tabulations, Madhya Pradesh continues to have the lowest female life expectancy at birth since 1992. The comparative figure for the 1992-96 period pegged at 54.7, which was also the lowest among the states.

The rural-urban difference is also the highest in Madhya Pradesh (8.6) and the lowest in Kerala (1.0). “The disparity in numbers can be directly attributable to poverty and poor status of the fairer sex in the state in terms of education and health” says an official spokesperson.

“The overall health and life span of a woman is directly related to the attention given to them during childhood”, the spokesperson said adding, “bereft of proper nutritional intake, the girl child grows into the woman with a host of health problems”.

Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR), the number of maternal deaths per 100000 live births, of the state, is also high at 498. The national figure is 407.

Lack of antenatal check-ups and poor medical facilities in the rural areas are largely responsible for the high MMR.

Mothers of Madhya Pradesh have antenatal benefits only in 10.4 per cent births, the report says. Another issue to be urgently addressed was the delivery care indicators of the state. Only 20.1 per cent of births were delivered in a medical institution while only 29.7 per cent of deliveries were assisted by a health professional, the report adds.

An important factor which could contribute to low female life expectancy at birth is the high level prevalence of child marriage in the state. UNI

TRENDS & POINTERS

Readers still thrill to The Joy of Sex

THE Joy of Sex, the world’s most beloved bible of intimacy after the ancient Indian treatise, the Kama Sutra, has hit its second wind. Thirty years after it first thrilled readers, the British manual is riding high again, with an updated fourth edition due out at the end of September.

The Joy broke ranks with the florid pornography sold in sex shops and frigid manuals on “marital” life for dutiful wives.

Once subtitled “a Cordon Blue Guide to Lovemaking” until the famous French culinary academy objected — The Joy divides chapters on sex into courses like a meal to be savoured. The book, which in revised form dubbed itself “a gourmet guide” for couples, spoke honestly and humorously about intercourse not as a duty or a crime, but as both pleasure and pastime.

The couples who twist and turn in helpful diagrams have changed with age. The man is no longer bushy-bearded. The woman has taken off her 1970s boots. But the new edition has remained faithful in its practical simplicity and unabashed openness to its British creator.

Alex Comfort, an eccentric man of many trades, was a doctor by training, a poet and writer by craft, a peace activist and anarchist who once shared a prison cell with the philosopher Bertrand Russell.

Comfort, who died in 2000 at 80, said he decided to write The Joy when one of his patients, a pregnant woman, confessed she was worried. AFP

Americans live longer but get fatter

The average life expectancy for Americans increased to nearly 77 years in 2000, but Americans continue to be overweight, according to a report by the Department of Health and Human Services. Preliminary figures showed the average man lived 74 years while woman lived to 80. A century earlier, the average man died at 48 and woman at 51.

But as Americans live longer, the majority of them either overeat or don’t exercise enough — or both. Three in five adults aged 20 to 74 were overweight in 2000, while one in four Americans were considered obese. Nearly 40 per cent didn’t exercise during leisure time, and the study found women tended to spend more time sitting than men.

The infant mortality rate in the USA continues to fall. In 2000, it was at 6.9 deaths per 1,000 births, down from 7.1 a year earlier.

Americans spent 1.3 trillion dollars on health care in 2000, or 13.2 per cent of GDP — far more than any other country, the study said. DPA

SPIRITUAL NUGGETS

A human body is associated with six stages of transformation: birth, growth, change, evolution, death and destruction.

Death accepts no excuse.

Tears do not move its heart.

Death gives advance notice of his arrival to take you — notice in the form of grey hair, falling teeth, failing vision, folding of the skin etc.

Death may call any moment.

Every moment, everyone is nearing death.

Death is not a deplorable event.

It is the journey’s end.

— From the discourses of Sathya Sai Baba

***

— The Bible