15th August meant a holiday till I was about 5 years old.
15th August meant India’s Independence Day + a holiday till I was in school.
15th august meant India’s Independence Day + a holiday + no extra class + no Communiqué work till this year.
Now when I sit and write this assignment, not surprisingly, I have to think A LOT. Of course when you get certain freedoms, you don’t think about what freedom actually means. It’s only when they are curbed and your are dependent on someone for even the basic decisions, you can actually write PM speeches on what freedom means in true sense of the term!
Yes of course Independence Day has more to it other than being a day I dedicate to my kite flying hobby. Thanks to this assignment, I would have never realized that you don’t appreciate freedom and Independence Day by watching Mother India, Bhagat Singh and Rang de Basanti back to back. Freedom now certainly means much more than singing AR Rehman’s Vande Matram.
Honestly, the concept of Independence Day has been limited to 15th August only. Media too emphasizes on it near or on the day only. We hardly think about it in our hectic lives. I hardly think about the freedom struggle unless reading a piece from history!
Freedom and independence for me is the option of having a decision making power, freedom to express my opinions freely, moving freely without getting frantic calls from near and dear ones, financial independence.
But then, isn’t the country first? In my opinion, India is truly independent only:
1. When a Saumayata dies and Sheila Dikshit says, “Who killed my brave daughter; dare to come out in open?”
2. When there chaunkidaar, who has a B. Tech degree, doesn’t have to beg for food every second day.
3. When the youth will not have to commit suicide because of being unemployed.
4. When a BigBazaar store manager says, “Ma’am of course you can carry vegetables and milk in paper bags.”
5. When the court hangs people like Kasab on 29th Nov itself.
Sunday, August 30, 2009
India tops the poverty charts
With reference to the article, http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/NEWS/India/India-tops-world-hunger-chart/articleshow/4197047.cms
60 years post independence, numerous poverty elimination programmes, countless employment opportunities and another countless methods to ensure bare minimum for the needy, yet the headline, “India tops world hunger chart.”
It’s more than disheartening to read the article. Though the inflation has reduced considerable, we are yet to witness a considerable drop in the prices of the essential commodities. In fact, these have been at an all time high making it all the more difficult for a common man to survive on an average salary.
The article points, More than 27% of the world's undernourished population lives in India while 43% of children (under 5 years) in the country are underweight. It’s extremely disheartening to see that the youth of the nation is the one who can’t manage to get two square meals a day!
60 years post independence, numerous poverty elimination programmes, countless employment opportunities and another countless methods to ensure bare minimum for the needy, yet the headline, “India tops world hunger chart.”
It’s more than disheartening to read the article. Though the inflation has reduced considerable, we are yet to witness a considerable drop in the prices of the essential commodities. In fact, these have been at an all time high making it all the more difficult for a common man to survive on an average salary.
The article points, More than 27% of the world's undernourished population lives in India while 43% of children (under 5 years) in the country are underweight. It’s extremely disheartening to see that the youth of the nation is the one who can’t manage to get two square meals a day!
New begining!
With reference to the article: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/news/india/Domestic-violence-victims-get-HC-relief/articleshow/4904626.cms
Something contrary to what we read and hear daily. Out of the numerous domestic violence cases filed almost every day, at least one gets justice. Though the figures aren’t too pleasing yet this can be a beginning, I feel.
The order filed by the Bombay High Court says that a court hearing a domestic violence case need not wait for a report filed by the protection officer before awarding interim compensation. This is a positive step taken by the authorities that shall help the women for sure and empower them to a certain extent.
This move from the Bombay HC will ensure that the unnecessary and intentional delays are dealt with. Also the changes made in the bill regarding the compensation to be paid will empower to women to fight for their cause and rights.
Something contrary to what we read and hear daily. Out of the numerous domestic violence cases filed almost every day, at least one gets justice. Though the figures aren’t too pleasing yet this can be a beginning, I feel.
The order filed by the Bombay High Court says that a court hearing a domestic violence case need not wait for a report filed by the protection officer before awarding interim compensation. This is a positive step taken by the authorities that shall help the women for sure and empower them to a certain extent.
This move from the Bombay HC will ensure that the unnecessary and intentional delays are dealt with. Also the changes made in the bill regarding the compensation to be paid will empower to women to fight for their cause and rights.
Family Planning
With reference to the article: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/NEWS/Sunday-TOI/Special-Report/How-Indias-family-planners-lost-the-plot/articleshow/4794280.cms
It’s neither unexpected nor exaggerated. India will take over China's population by 2045, claims the latest report from the UN.
Surprising is the fact that our policy makers and freedom struggle idols considered ‘population growth’ as a boon.
Now, the population, earlier being considered as a boon is one of the major facts responsible for the fact that in a technologically advanced India, one fourth of the population still survives for less than a dollar a day!
India witnessed a rapid increase in birth rates with no effective family planning awareness or measures being adopted. This trend was more wide spread in the rural India which accounts for 70 per cent of the country’s population.
No denial of the fact that India’s population control measures have been huge failures, either due to lack of implementation of awareness.
However, now is the time to realize and make others aware of the fact that the growing population is one major factor directly responsible for the poverty and unemployment cycle.
The initial measures introduced included forced sterilization however, there is an urgent need to impart knowledge and create awareness about the safe techniques. Education and awareness for all is an essential factor which could decide the fate of these family planning measures.
It’s neither unexpected nor exaggerated. India will take over China's population by 2045, claims the latest report from the UN.
Surprising is the fact that our policy makers and freedom struggle idols considered ‘population growth’ as a boon.
Now, the population, earlier being considered as a boon is one of the major facts responsible for the fact that in a technologically advanced India, one fourth of the population still survives for less than a dollar a day!
India witnessed a rapid increase in birth rates with no effective family planning awareness or measures being adopted. This trend was more wide spread in the rural India which accounts for 70 per cent of the country’s population.
No denial of the fact that India’s population control measures have been huge failures, either due to lack of implementation of awareness.
However, now is the time to realize and make others aware of the fact that the growing population is one major factor directly responsible for the poverty and unemployment cycle.
The initial measures introduced included forced sterilization however, there is an urgent need to impart knowledge and create awareness about the safe techniques. Education and awareness for all is an essential factor which could decide the fate of these family planning measures.
Agricultural extension
With reference to the article: http://www.indianexpress.com/news/change-of-crop/502475/
For years I have been reading one same line, “India’s agriculture is heavily dependent on monsoons.” This makes me wonder, what about other places with faces extreme climates? What about those who get nothing like a month long monsoonal rains? And if those can exist, why can’t India too adopt their techniques to meet the production levels and not remain totally dependent on rain-gods!
The arrival of monsoon is now delayed every year and it is this reason why farmers have made an inevitable shift to resort to new techniques to avoid, or at least reduce the damage caused due to late, low or even no rains at all.
Rajkumari, the protagonist here, shows an exemplary courage to take a step forward and get into the technicalities. She made all efforts to ensure that she brings awareness about the latest technologies which can help her land grow a variety rather than only Cannibis and that too consistently. Her effort to use the land and grow a variety of crops also brought in huge revenue profits for the farmer and people of her village. She also inspired many others to grow other crops which had better yields and returns.
Being from a rural place where women are not expected to move out of the home, she met experts at Krishi Vikas Kendras and took farming tips from them.
The lady deserves a pat on the back for leading from the front and bringing in also innovative ideas like using a certain portion of land for fruits and the rest for wheat and rice.
Now I’m sure there will be a change.
For years I have been reading one same line, “India’s agriculture is heavily dependent on monsoons.” This makes me wonder, what about other places with faces extreme climates? What about those who get nothing like a month long monsoonal rains? And if those can exist, why can’t India too adopt their techniques to meet the production levels and not remain totally dependent on rain-gods!
The arrival of monsoon is now delayed every year and it is this reason why farmers have made an inevitable shift to resort to new techniques to avoid, or at least reduce the damage caused due to late, low or even no rains at all.
Rajkumari, the protagonist here, shows an exemplary courage to take a step forward and get into the technicalities. She made all efforts to ensure that she brings awareness about the latest technologies which can help her land grow a variety rather than only Cannibis and that too consistently. Her effort to use the land and grow a variety of crops also brought in huge revenue profits for the farmer and people of her village. She also inspired many others to grow other crops which had better yields and returns.
Being from a rural place where women are not expected to move out of the home, she met experts at Krishi Vikas Kendras and took farming tips from them.
The lady deserves a pat on the back for leading from the front and bringing in also innovative ideas like using a certain portion of land for fruits and the rest for wheat and rice.
Now I’m sure there will be a change.
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