tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-39282633517993610942024-02-19T20:37:49.134+05:30Abusaleh Shariff, Ph. DPassion for Truth and Evidence that Matter to PeopleAbusalehhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00150857162132740494noreply@blogger.comBlogger113125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3928263351799361094.post-49747897525349356122019-12-21T22:14:00.003+05:302019-12-21T22:27:01.908+05:30Dangerous Links between Census and NRIC in India<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b><span style="background: white; color: #833c0b; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Dangerous Links between Census of India
20201 data collection and NRIC:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><b>Abusaleh Shariff</b><a href="file:///C:/Users/saleh/OneDrive/Desktop/NPR-NRC-Related/Census%20of%20India/Shariff'sOPED-Census&NRIC-v.1.docx#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 107%;"><b>[1]</b></span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">US-India Policy Institute, Washington D. C<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: black; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">12<sup>th</sup> December 2019<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b>Email ashariff@usindiapolicy.org for videos.</b></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: black; line-height: 150%;">Every
ten years, the second year at the turn of the decade, India undertakes population
count known as Census. The first synchronous census was held in 1881
and the 16<sup>th</sup> population count will be conducted during February and
reference date March 1<sup>st</sup>, 2021. Besides population count the 15<sup>th</sup>
census (2011) collected, for the first time after 1931 data on </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Socio_Economic_and_Caste_Census_2011#Caste_census_published_in_July_2015"><span style="background: white; color: black; line-height: 150%; text-decoration: none;">Socio-Economic and Caste Status</span></a><span style="background: white; color: black; line-height: 150%;">. This data was never
analyzed because the self-reported castes and sub-castes were too many and
difficult to aggregate into meaningful categories. The 2021 census (16<sup>th</sup>
enumeration) therefore will be based on a list of pre-determined SCs, STs
and </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Other_Backward_Class" title="Other Backward Class"><span style="background: white; color: black; line-height: 150%; text-decoration: none;">OBCs</span></a><span style="background: white; color: black; line-height: 150%;"> categorization notified
by each state. </span><span style="background: white; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: black; line-height: 150%;">Census
in India is conducted in two phases - ‘house listing’ and population
enumeration. The 15<sup>th</sup> census house listing (2011 Census) for the
first time collected additional data that was needed to prepare the National
Population Register (NPR) which was used to generate a 12-digit unique
identification number to all usual (registered) residents issued by the </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aadhaar" title="Aadhaar"><span style="background: white; color: black; line-height: 150%; text-decoration: none;">Unique Identification Authority of India</span></a><span style="background: white; color: black; line-height: 150%;"> (UIDAI). This
number is popularly known as AADHAAR<a href="file:///C:/Users/saleh/OneDrive/Desktop/NPR-NRC-Related/Census%20of%20India/Shariff'sOPED-Census&NRIC-v.1.docx#_ftn2" name="_ftnref2" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn2;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[2]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a>. Biometric
information was also collected during this phase.</span><span style="background: white; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: black; line-height: 150%;">The
house listing phase of the 16<sup>th</sup> Indian census is scheduled between
April and September 2020. Data for updating the NPR and biometric will again be
collected from all usual residents. It is important to mention that such data and
the biometric are essential for modern day developmental and welfare planning
of the nation. </span><span style="background: white; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: black; line-height: 150%;">There
is new effort by the government of India to prepare ‘national register of
Indian citizens (NRIC), a mandate anchored on the </span><span style="line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-font-kerning: 12.0pt;">Citizenship Act 1955 and the Citizenship (Registration
of Citizens and issue of National Identity Cards) Rules, 2003. This bill is now
passed both in Indian Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, creating such a register for
the whole nation of 1.4 billion people is a tall order. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-font-kerning: 12.0pt;">After reviewing relevant Acts, Rules
and Directives, it is found that the agency which is empowered to prepare NRIC
is the Registrar General and Census Commissioner (RGCC) whose primary
responsibility is to conduct census and undertake registrations of births,
deaths and marriages. Whether this agency has all the wherewithal to determine
‘citizenship’ of an individual is questionable. Yet the Citizenship
(Registration of Citizens and issue of National Identity Cards) Rules, 2003 has
assigned the responsibility for preparing the NRIC to the RGCC.</span><span style="background: white; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: black; line-height: 150%;">The Registrar
General of Census is also the Registrar General of Births and Deaths (Act 1969),
Registrar General for NPR and Registrar General of Citizen Registration (para 2
(m) of the Citizenship Rules-2003). It is clear from the review of acts and
rules that the ‘house listing’, population count and NPR will be the primary
data base which will be used to prepare NRIC. One needs to investigate the
legality of multiple agency data utilization; and what legal provisions allow data
collected through census to be used for the purposes of NPR and NRIC.</span><span style="background: white; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-font-kerning: 12.0pt;">Further, the NRIC is likely to get
support from a surrogate - </span><span style="background: white; color: black; line-height: 150%;">Indian Citizenship Amendment Bill-2016. Although
this bill was lapsed on 3<sup>rd</sup> June 2019; the current government got it
re-introduced in the Lok Sabha on December 9, 2019 and will also be introduced
in Rajya Sabha soon. This amendment if passed in the parliament, refugees from
minority communities namely Hindu, Jain, Buddhist, Sikh. Parsi or Christian
coming from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan will be eligible for Indian
citizenship, excluding people from the Muslim community. </span><span style="line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-font-kerning: 12.0pt;">It would be most appropriate that this bill included
all south Asian nations including Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Myanmar and
Maldives. The corollary, however, of this seemingly noble amendment is that
only the Muslims living in India but excluded from the NRIC list are
susceptible to legal arrest, impounding and extradition. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">The local government officials belonging to <i>the census of
India, the election commission and district bureaucracy</i> prepare the
so-called list of ‘India citizens. Such list is approved by state level
authorities, gazetted and published as ‘national register of citizens’ for that
state. It then becomes the responsibility of the individuals to check for
listing of their own names and names of family members. Should they find their
names are missing they can either accept the status as not Indian citizens or
approach the ‘foreigner’s tribunals to <span style="background: white; color: black;">challenge their exclusion. Although the
decision of these tribunals is final, yet one can reach out to the hierarchical
system of courts of law the ultimate steps to seek justice and secure right as
the Indian citizen. As is already a common knowledge from Assam Experience that
this process is not only cumbersome, but also complicated, costly, time
consuming and not foolproof.</span><span style="background: white;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: black; line-height: 150%;">This
author’s observation, that the Muslim community of India is under stress from
the official and often irresponsible discourses of extending NRIC to the whole
nation. Secondly the citizenship amendment bill, is highly discriminatory, if
passed can be misused in a manner that majority of the poor, rural, illiterate
and low-income Muslim households will be under the risk of exclusion from the
NRIC list. Murmuring that Muslims should boycott the NRIC has begun. However, this
author suggests that the people of India can seek the following safeguards at
the time of data sharing to the government agencies and functionaries. </span><span style="background: white; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">The house listing will
be undertaken during March to September 2020. The census takers will visit each
house/household. The respondents often the household head should seek a ‘clearly
written statement of purpose and promise’ that the data collected during ‘house
listing’ and for NPR, and subsequently at the time of enumeration will be used only
for the purpose of Census Counts, Data Aggregation and Policy Analysis. Ideally
this statement must be signed by the President of India. It is a generic
promise like the one Reserve Bank of India governor does on the printed bank
currency notes.</span><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">That the Census
officials issue an acknowledgment to the fact that personal data was collected after
serving the written promise and that the data will not be shared or used for
any other purpose. This acknowledgment should record time, date and place of
data extraction.</span><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">That a printed copy of
all the data collected is issued to the individual for her own data file and
future use. This data can also be made available through an online system of
data retrieval by the individual.</span><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Since the overall foreign-born
residents in India according to earlier censuses are minuscule<a href="file:///C:/Users/saleh/OneDrive/Desktop/NPR-NRC-Related/Census%20of%20India/Shariff'sOPED-Census&NRIC-v.1.docx#_ftn3" name="_ftnref3" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn3;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[3]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a>,
it does not make sense that every Indian resident is made to prove her
citizenship through an unmanageable and expensive process which is for example
adopted in Assam last year. The government must change the methodology to
identify hot-spots and living areas where illegal residents most likely
live.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is instructive to state that
similar effort in the USA to incorporate a question asking the citizenship in
the Census was shot down by the Supreme Court of the USA.</span><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">----</span><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="file:///C:/Users/saleh/OneDrive/Desktop/NPR-NRC-Related/Census%20of%20India/Shariff'sOPED-Census&NRIC-v.1.docx#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 107%;">[1]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a> Views expressed in this
article are personal. Contact email: <a href="mailto:ashariff@usindiapolicy.org">ashariff@usindiapolicy.org</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="file:///C:/Users/saleh/OneDrive/Desktop/NPR-NRC-Related/Census%20of%20India/Shariff'sOPED-Census&NRIC-v.1.docx#_ftnref2" name="_ftn2" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn2;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 107%;">[2]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a> It is not clear however
whether the NPR data was satisfactorily and correctly used to generate AADHAAR
IDs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="file:///C:/Users/saleh/OneDrive/Desktop/NPR-NRC-Related/Census%20of%20India/Shariff'sOPED-Census&NRIC-v.1.docx#_ftnref3" name="_ftn3" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn3;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 107%;">[3]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a> The USIPI is currently
processing data on residents born out of India as documented from the Census of
India 2011; and results can be shared as per requirement of the policy
initiatives and for academic purposes.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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Abusalehhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00150857162132740494noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3928263351799361094.post-58410847665789296182019-12-21T21:40:00.000+05:302019-12-21T21:51:47.970+05:30Feasibility of National Register of Indian Citizens (NRIC)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<span style="color: red;">‘<span style="font-size: large;">National Register of Indian Citizens’ (NRIC) – </span></span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">Does the Assam Experience help Mainland States? </span><br />
<br />
Abusaleh Shariff (ashariff@usindiapolicy.org)<br />
Chief Scholar at the US–India Policy Institute, Washington DC;<br />
and Centre for Research and Debates in Development Policy, New Delhi and Bengaluru.<br />
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<br /></div>
<b>Read and Download Full Article <span style="color: blue;"> <a href="https://drive.google.com/open?id=1aHy6xVRinNjoY-_Td1VDBJYE06oNoYBW">Click Here</a></span></b><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: blue;"><br /></span>
The preparation of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in the state of Assam is now a reality. The procedures conduct of preparation of a register and the due process utilized in the state of Assam is a precursor to similar exercise in other states to cover the whole nation. Ideally all democratic nations should hold a register of citizens especially those whose national economies are built through sustained and organized immigration policies. However, Indian economy which is growing mostly based on domestic demand and indigenous resource exploitation has no record of major immigration excepting those crossing border due to socio-political reasons.<br />
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This paper articulates possible execution of the design and manufacture of the ‘National Register of Indian Citizens’ (NRIC) by the ruling party coalition - a preview of things to come. It is utmost important that people at large ensure reconciling key documents with respect to the names, date of birth and other vital information so that a consolidated evidence is presented should such opportunity is warranted. This paper argues that the national and state government must amend the complicated and exclusionary methodology used in Assam to prepare NRIC across the nation. The NRIC exercise will cost the nation an amount which is even higher than current level of defense budget and the cost to the nation is estimated to be two percent of GDP.<br />
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<br /></div>
<br />
<b>Read and Download Full Article <span style="color: blue;"> <a href="https://drive.google.com/open?id=1aHy6xVRinNjoY-_Td1VDBJYE06oNoYBW">Click Here</a></span></b></div>
Abusalehhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00150857162132740494noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3928263351799361094.post-17899146258606502252019-12-21T21:26:00.002+05:302019-12-21T21:26:33.984+05:30English Language Augments Lifetime Income in India<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">Strange
as it Seems - Knowledge and fluency of <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">English
augments lifetime income and reduces inequity in India<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Abusaleh Shariff
and Asrar Alam<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">In
India, the knowledge and fluency of English language generates better incomes
over the lifetime. Empirical research of a recent all India household survey
suggests that knowledge and fluency of English language is a most ‘secular income
augmenting and inequality reducing’ factor in the nation. It benefits all types
of Socio-Religious communities (SRCs) of India. Note that the fluency in
English provides an opportunity to earn within a narrow band of income for all
communities. Surprising enough, English language has a huge role to play to
augment and effect income equity in India.<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Demographic Dividends can be reaped
mostly through access to better quality higher-level education and proper
implementation of a well-conceived pan-Indian education policy framework. Since,
education sector development is the responsibility of state governments, there
is a wide diversity in medium of instruction policy; such as choice of early
education in mother tongue, regional languages and Hindi as the national language.
This situation is the result of India’s diversity, multiple languages and
dialects, and the very foundation for the formulation of the States was based
on languages. There is no country on this planet which has such a large
diversity of languages and associated literature and culture leading to unique social
value systems. Yet English, considered a foreign language is the most sought-after
medium of instruction without which youth cannot make it to the higher levels
of learning and associated higher levels of earnings. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">It may not entirely be the legacy of
the British Raj that in contemporary India imparting literacy and education in
English has become a mechanism to overcome serious socially differentiated (motivated)
economic differentials; and that contemporary globalizing economic system is
anchored in this language. Today’s internet revolution, supported by
technological innovation, is largely anchored upon the English language. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">To capture the prevalence and impact
of the English language, the authors estimate income earning differentials
associated with the ‘knowledge’ and ‘fluency’ according to SRCs. A rare data from
a national level sample survey of the NCAER is the source of estimates in this
article.</span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">‘English language ability’</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"> is measured in
two categories - ‘little’ and ‘fluent’.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Over
all, only 4.8 per cent of individuals in India are fluent and another 20 per
cent know English a little. The High caste Hindus (HcHs)’ are twice the level
of average fluency and they constitute 43 per cent of all those who are fluent
in English while their share in population is around 20 percent. Communities
with low levels of fluency are the SCs/STs and the Muslims.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">English and augmented Income: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">As indicated
earlier, highest annual income per capita is earned by fluent English with Rs. 62,306
(2011-12 prices) compared to little knowledge with Rs. 31763 and with no English
knowledge with a meager 19214.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thus,
earning amounts to a 40 per cent jump in income with little English and another
50 per cent when the fluency is achieved. Compared to no knowledge of English
the fluency increases incomes by 69 percent. The virtuous side of this income
growth is the fact the knowledge and fluency of English affects uniformly at
similar scale within each of the SRCs considered in the analysis. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">It
has become clear that the knowledge and fluency of English is one the most
dominant discriminatory factor in India in terms of the ability to earn higher
incomes. Yet such discriminatory incomes get compounded when distinctions are
made about its impact according to SRCs.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> At any level of English education, ‘all
others-(HcHs)’ category earns considerably more than any other category. For
example, the OBCs earn 36 percent less compared to this group even when English
is not a factor. When the fluency of English is introduced an additional 25 per
cent income increase for the ‘all others-HcHs); that is a total of 74 per cent
increase in income.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">These relationships for the SCs/STs are of similar levels and scale which
suggest that it is only the ‘all others-HCH’ who gain substantially from the
relative advantage of English language. First, they are the one who have better
access to English education and on top of that they also have better access to
English-favored labour market in India. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Interestingly for the SC/STs and Muslims, the income growth from ‘none’
to ‘little’ and ‘little’ to ‘fluent’ is a secular increase suggesting the fact
that providing English education among these communities will bring
considerable income growth which will even help them to come out of poverty.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">The dominant finding of this research is
that English language has emerged as the most secular factor that benefits all youth
irrespective of SRCs. Surprising enough, English language has a huge role to
play to both augment and effect income equity in India.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Quality English Educational
Infrastructure:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">
Let us consider these findings in the backdrop of a statement made by the
current Vice President of India Mr. Venkaiah Naidu on the Hindi Divas-2018 - “<span style="background: white; color: #212121;">the English language is a ‘disease’ left
behind by the British”, stressing that Hindi was the symbol of ‘socio-political
and linguistic unity’ in India. It is unfortunate that national as well
political leadership of the nation shows hatred and callousness against English
language, whereas English is also a constitutionally recognized language of governance
and business. Further, while English has always been a well-respected and most
sought-after medium of instruction in South India; the trend is catching up in
the north Indian states in the recent years. The absence of government support
in promotion of English at elementary and high schools has resulted in
proliferation of unscrupulous English language educational institution all over
India. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="background: white; color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">A fresh understanding of the role of English
language in India is urgently needed and only through this process will the
Indian youth be able to reap the demographic dividends on which the economic
growth of the nation is so dependent on. In this context it is useful to
mention creation of quality school infrastructure with an emphasis on English
in the states of Telangana and Karnataka. Telangana has built 204 residential
schools during 2016-17 for imparting quality education to the Minorites.
Similarly, there are </span><span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">64 Morarji Desai Residential Schools, 4
Minority Model Residential School, 9 Pre-University residential colleges and 5
Muslim residential Schools are in operation in the state of Karnataka. Other
states especially Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Bengal, Maharashtra, Gujarat can
emulate creating similar modern educational institutions which will generate
higher income and bring equity amongst the youth of India.</span><span style="background: white; color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">-------<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Shariff is with the US-India Policy Institute,
Washington D. C and Alam works at the National Council of Applied Economic
Research, New Delhi.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br /></div>
Abusalehhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00150857162132740494noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3928263351799361094.post-38665897600584808102016-11-26T18:30:00.000+05:302016-11-26T18:30:06.817+05:30Why Demonetisation Will Not Eliminate Black Money or Corruption / published in 'thewire.in'<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
http://thewire.in/80319/demonetisation-will-not-eliminate-black-money-or-corruption/</div>
Abusalehhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00150857162132740494noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3928263351799361094.post-38592612411646101262016-11-26T18:24:00.000+05:302016-12-07T03:00:04.623+05:30Ringside View of an Economist at Washington D. C -2016<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "garamond" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Mr. Trump Triumphs; against all odds and
against own expectation; a spectacular win indeed! With traces of racial
undertones and hordes rural white-supremacists voting in vengeance to eight
years of the so called ‘black rule’ of America. Mrs. Clinton is a victim of
anti-incumbency -third straight Democratic rule in Washington D.C. The vote has
been a close, although Mrs. Clinton has counted more of the poplar votes, the US
electoral process has a unique arithmetic specific to each state which gave the
coveted the winning total of 270 electoral votes to Mr. Trump. Over all Mr.
Trump shifted the electorate to political right and towards the right side of
American map. In real political terms this nation is split in the middle the Rural
(dominantly Republican) versus the Urban (dominantly Democrat) divide. The
urban concentration across the US are characteristically unique due to
pluralistic, multi-ethnic and multicultural concentrations in city centers and
working spaces.</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "garamond" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br />
<span style="background: white;">There are racial undertones of white supremacy;
will this fade away or consolidate during Mr. Trumps presidency is yet to be
seen.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "garamond" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">The major difference between the two candidates
beginning the primaries through national election canvassing was ‘predictability’.
The case of Mrs. Clinton was most predictable often branded as the third-term
of Mr. Obama; whereas almost no one including the media and political pundits could
understand what Mr. Trump was talking about; excepting the fact that he clearly
knew who was his electorate - rural, predominantly white, relatively more men
and less educated.</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "garamond" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"> A quick c<span style="background: white;">ompare -Mrs. Clinton a long time political activists, politician and know
the tone and tenor of Washington DC for over 30 years of her professional life;
where as Mr. Trump had never been to this place, excepting last about a year
when he rehabilitated the old post office headquarters in to Trump-luxury hotel.
<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "garamond" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Now that a political novice Mr. Trump is
the President elect, what can one expect his government, policies and
governance looks like. At the moment his ‘Idea of America’ is rhetorical and
policies at best opaque. Issues are complex and the answers lie in his desire,
ability and competence to control and maneuver the established democratic,
economic and social ‘institutions’ of America. Note that there has never been a
President placed as powerful, given that both the Senet and House are now in
control of the Republicans. Will Mr. Trump be positively guided by both these
houses or will he try to subvert and at odds with these legislative institutions
is yet to be seen.</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "garamond" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"> At the moment predictability
quotient on this count is low.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "garamond" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">A contrast is in order - in India Mr. Modi did won his office
in a somewhat similar style yet the additive arithmetic in <i>Rajya Sabha</i> is in opposition due to lack of numbers. Mr. Trump on
the other hand has the advantage of having both houses on the same side as his
own. Yet these legislative institutions may become functional in opposing radical
and reckless initiatives should Mr. Trump decides to unexplored and uncharted
spaces on his own. The separation of power between the executive, legislature
and judiciary in the USA is strong and easy to comprehend than in India.<span style="background: white;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br />
<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "garamond" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">For Mr. Trump, his decision to jump into the
race is akin to taking large bets in the expanse of Trump Taj Mahal Casino at
Atlantic Ocean (closed since a couple of months). This bet he took and won just
like it; does not even know what has he won - a fortune called America, a
nation in the forefront since the second world war and an economic power house hosting
almost one-fourths of the global market and GDP.</span> <span style="background: white;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "garamond" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Trump jumped in the political bandwagon as if on a bet after exhausting
all poker machines at Taj Trump and then has hit a jackpot! All the way during
his life he has learned to take risk and overcome it often with the
manipulation of laws and utilizing fiscal incentives through insolvencies. Now,
will he know as to do what with the booty - the whole of United States, will it
be on the betting table? As this Presidency sets in and days go by pertinent
questions will be - who is the President Trump? Will his presidency take off at
all? (there are protest all over the USA and some are violent). There is also tendency </span>among<span style="font-size: 12pt;"> the winners of the jack-pots to lose almost at the same it was won. A
windfall found and lost at the same time.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "garamond" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">
Predictability of the un-predictable - how will the </span></span><i style="color: #222222; font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Trumpism</i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "garamond" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> deal with issues of immediate concern, for example, </span></span><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "garamond" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">entitlement reforms relating
to government administered funds; </span><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "garamond" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">federal
minimum wage policy or differentiated state minimum wages and so on. If deportation
of illegal migrants is hastened the real wage rates will blot to unsustainable
levels affecting small business and enhancing unemployment rate. Is it possible
to achieve a balancing point; building a wall may not be economical in the
complex interaction of labor demand, supply and wage rates. Reducing direct
taxes specially to favor large business may also impact precarious fiscal
balance while the public debt is almost equal to the level of the GDP, about
$18 trillion. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "garamond" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">The policy watch points and economic
emphasis seems to be on restoring crippling infrastructure, followed internal
security, trade and environment. major watch points. There will be symbolic
pressures for domestic capital to return, for example, the Ford’s Mexico
investment; but that will be a kind of end to it; because international capital
flows are determined by a very rules of money that <i>Trumpism</i> may still not mature enough to know. Today the US
international investments bring in huge profits back home and also create jobs
for Americans abroad.</span> <span style="background: white;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "garamond" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Will the coal pits begin to spew carbon, looks like
the competition between coal and shale extracted gas will continue? But the real issue will be revolving around
harnessing the Sun that is now mired with state level political corruption. It
would be in the interest of the Presidency and the nation that he calls on talent
from all across the board irrespective of party leaning. The policies during
2017-2020 will be as good as Mr. Trumps </span>advisers<span style="font-size: 12pt;"> and cabinet selects.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "garamond" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Someone who pass over twice on
Constitution Av at the back side of the White House and Pennsylvania Av from in
front of the Trump Hotel, to this author, it is clear that Mr. Trump will face
serious issues of ‘Conflict of Interest’ with the Presidency and his business
interests with potential to destabilize his position in office. Now that the
democratic President Mr. Obama and even the failed competitor Mrs. Clinton has offered
unconditional support to Mr. Trump; he has to think wise. There are thousands
on the street affirming ‘not my president’. This has never happened in the USA
before, protest against President Elect. And this will not be the only type of
resistance in during the next four years of Trump Presidency. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
Abusalehhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00150857162132740494noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3928263351799361094.post-29485848406991240182015-11-16T06:27:00.001+05:302015-11-16T06:28:11.199+05:30Population Imbalance Dangerous to Economic Growth and Social Cohesion:<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 120%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-family: "garamond" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 120%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Demographic Transition:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-line-height-alt: 1.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "garamond" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Records of demographic transitions across the globe have shown almost irreversible trends leading towards low fertility, low mortality and high living expectancy regimes. Last about two thirds of century, especially period after the Second World War has seen revolutionary trends in population growth, stabilization and falling fertility. Most of the countries in Europe, Japan, USA, Australia and Canada have been recording lower than replacement fertility, low levels of mortality and high life expectancy. It takes at least two child births in the life of a married couple, or 2.1 births per woman to sustain the human population. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-line-height-alt: 1.5pt; tab-stops: 106.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "garamond" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-line-height-alt: 1.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "garamond" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">China and India have been two large economies that experienced unprecedented high levels of fertility during the mid-period of 20<sup>th</sup> century. Yet t</span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: "garamond" , serif; font-size: 14pt;">he data below suggests that China achieved a lower than replacement fertility by 1995 itself although its had much higher fertility than India’s in 1970 (see below). In India the ‘total fertility rate’ is still far too high at 2.5; thereby the projections suggest that by the year 2030 India’s population will cross that of China to occupy the top spot of the most populous country in the world. Now that one child policy is relaxed in to two-child policy in China it is expected that the population stabilization can occur somewhat earlier and by 2030 it is expect to have a population of 1.45 billions.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: "garamond" , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoTableGrid" style="border-collapse: collapse; border: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184;"><tbody>
<tr style="height: 23.15pt; mso-yfti-firstrow: yes; mso-yfti-irow: 0;"><td colspan="5" style="border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; height: 23.15pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 455.6pt;" valign="top" width="607"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-line-height-alt: 1.5pt; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="background: white; font-family: "garamond" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Population in Millions of China and India over years<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="background: white; font-family: "garamond" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Year<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="background: white; font-family: "garamond" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">1950<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="background: white; font-family: "garamond" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">1990<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="background: white; font-family: "garamond" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">2010<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="background: white; font-family: "garamond" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">2030<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="background: white; font-family: "garamond" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">(projected)<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="background: white; font-family: "garamond" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">China<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="background: white; font-family: "garamond" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">544<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="background: white; font-family: "garamond" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">1135<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="background: white; font-family: "garamond" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">1338<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="background: white; font-family: "garamond" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">1390<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="background: white; font-family: "garamond" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">(1450)<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="background: white; font-family: "garamond" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">(with 2 child policy)<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="background: white; font-family: "garamond" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">India<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="background: white; font-family: "garamond" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">376<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="background: white; font-family: "garamond" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">869<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
</td><td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 24.25pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 58.5pt;" valign="top" width="78"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-line-height-alt: 1.5pt; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="background: white; font-family: "garamond" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">1206<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="background: white; font-family: "garamond" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">1400<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "garamond" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Multiple Sources and Projections<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr style="height: 21.8pt; mso-yfti-firstrow: yes; mso-yfti-irow: 0;"><td colspan="5" style="border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; height: 21.8pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 455.7pt;" valign="top" width="608"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-line-height-alt: 1.5pt; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: "garamond" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Average number of births per woman over the years<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "garamond" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Years<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "garamond" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">China<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "garamond" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Years<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
</td><td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 21.8pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 63.0pt;" valign="top" width="84"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-line-height-alt: 1.5pt; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: "garamond" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">India<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
</td><td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 21.8pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 198.3pt;" valign="top" width="264"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-line-height-alt: 1.5pt;">
<b><span style="font-family: "garamond" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Remarks<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<tr style="height: 123.25pt; mso-yfti-irow: 2; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes;"><td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; height: 123.25pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 56.75pt;" valign="top" width="76"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-line-height-alt: 1.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "garamond" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">1970<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-line-height-alt: 1.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "garamond" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">1979<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-line-height-alt: 1.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "garamond" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">1995<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-line-height-alt: 1.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "garamond" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">2004<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-line-height-alt: 1.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "garamond" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">2011<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td><td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 123.25pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 65.65pt;" valign="top" width="88"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-line-height-alt: 1.5pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "garamond" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">5.9<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-line-height-alt: 1.5pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "garamond" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">2.9<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-line-height-alt: 1.5pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "garamond" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">1.7<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-line-height-alt: 1.5pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "garamond" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">1.7<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-line-height-alt: 1.5pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "garamond" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">--<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "garamond" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">1974-80<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "garamond" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">1984-90<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-line-height-alt: 1.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "garamond" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">1996-98<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "garamond" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">2005-6<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "garamond" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">2011<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "garamond" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">4.6<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "garamond" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">4.1<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "garamond" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">3.3<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "garamond" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">2.9<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "garamond" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">2.5<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "garamond" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">China –‘late, long, few’ policy<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "garamond" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">China- One Child Family (urban) Rural exceptions <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "garamond" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">China-Urban 1.3 | Rural <2 o:p=""><!--2--></2></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "garamond" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Multiple Sources<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "garamond" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">China’s One Child Policy:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "garamond" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">China has withdrawn its </span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: "garamond" , serif; font-size: 14pt;">controversial one-child policy due to the realization of imminent prospects of an ageing society and a growing shortfall in the workforce. According to UN estimates, nearly 440 million people in China would be over 60 by 2050, signaling a sharp decline in the labor pool. Recently the working population between the ages 15-59 slid by 3.71 million in one year alone.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "garamond" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Three strong implications of the population imbalance are : (a) labour shortages; (b) lower sex ratios affecting women’s status and increasing family stress; and (c) increase in the r</span><span style="font-family: "garamond" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; letter-spacing: .6pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">atio of old-age dependency.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "garamond" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The rapid decrease in the birth rate, combined with an improving life expectancy, has led to an increasing proportion of elderly people and an increase in the ratio between elderly parents and adult children. In the absence of old-age pensions, approximately 70 per cent of the elderly are financially dependent on their offspring. In China, this problem has been labelled the "4:2:1" phenomenon, meaning that a couple (two) are responsible for the care of one child and four parents. The government has eased access to government pensions and has launched schemes to encourage saving for private pensions in an attempt to reduce the burden of the 4:2:1 phenomenon. In addition, urban couples who are themselves both only children are now allowed to have more than one child. Yet the recent policy liberalization allows only for two children!<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "garamond" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The sex ratio (male: female live births) is 1.03 to 1.07 in industrialized countries. In China, this ratio has increased from 1.06 in 1979, to 1.11 in 1988 and 1.17 in 2001, with even higher ratios in rural areas. In rural areas, the sex ratio is 1.05 for the first birth and rises steeply subsequently. In urban areas, the sex ratio is 1.13 for the first birth and peaks at 1.30 for the second birth showing that some urban Chinese make the choice to perform sex selection with the first pregnancy, since they are allowed only one child. In rural areas, most couples were permitted to have a second child, especially if the first is female. So if the second (or subsequent) child is female, the pregnancy often ‘disappears’, allowing the couple to have another child in an attempt to have a son.</span><span style="font-family: "garamond" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "garamond" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">China and India:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "garamond" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">China and India are experiencing rapid economic growth. Both have huge poor as well as rural agrarian populations. Neither country provides an effective social security net for the elderly. Both realized that population control is essential to increasing per capita GDP. In both societies there is a strong cultural preference for sons. Both are facing declining sex ratios through use of sex selective abortions.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "garamond" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Labor needs for an economy growing fast are immense. In today’s world when life expectancy is growing to higher levels, there has to be fare balance between the able bodied labor with the aging people on the one hand and the children and adolescents on the other. A well-educated and skilled labor force is the necessity of a nation which is experiencing fast pace of development such as India and also China. But as one can see below India has still been experiencing high fertility and huge child and youth population compared with China. Note that China has relatively far too lower proportion of child population upto the age of 20 years and also has huge older population above the age of 50 years. Thus a lower proportion of able bodied middle aged has to take the brunt of meeting the essential needs of both the young and the old. At this juncture it is difficult to say which of the two age distributions are virtuous; the seemingly better age structure in India can be curse if the huge population created additional pressure on resources and public services. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "garamond" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">However, not far from now, just two generations ago, both India and China were poor and population growth was phenomenal caused by decline in diseases of the masses such cholera, plague, smallpox, polio as well as almost no deaths caused by famines. There has also been a slow but certain reduction in infant mortality which has caused the life expectancy to reach about 65 years even in India.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "garamond" , serif; font-size: 14pt;">http://www.prb.org/Publications/Articles/2012/brazil-russia-india-china.aspx</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "garamond" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Just as the less coercive Chinese ‘late, long and few’ policy was slowly but steadily reducing fertility, similarly an Indian policy of a mix of incentives and dis-incentives, such as family ration for the female child attending school; monitory incentives for girl child enrolled in higher school grades may impact fertility decline in the long run.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "garamond" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The importance of population size of India has specially significance to the economics in the west including the USA. Given below replacement level fertility in most of Europe and high dependence on migrant labor in the USA; it is extremely essential that English speaking skill labor is available for the world to draw upon. While China could use its labor force during the past four decades of high economic growth rates; its future growth is dependent upon the sustained supply of youth and skilled workers. In spite of fast pace of technological innovations and applications to labor saving manufacturing and services; there are a certain minimum amount of labor demand which is difficult to be domestically sources in the European economics. Thus the so-called curse of high population and high fertility in India seems to be turned to be a virtue but not for the Indians – but for the western world.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Abusalehhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00150857162132740494noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3928263351799361094.post-78293782575626009872015-05-19T18:49:00.002+05:302015-06-29T05:05:09.986+05:30India’s Pink Gold: an Ocean of Nutrition and Protein<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif;"><b>Meddling
with the well established Bovine Economy will be a drag on India’s Development </b></span><span style="background: white; color: #262626; font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #252525; font-family: "Garamond","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">READ FULL ARTICLE PUBLISHED IN 'THEWIRE.IN' - USE THE LINK BELOW.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #252525; font-family: "Garamond","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">http://thewire.in/2015/06/22/why-india-must-not-disrupt-its-balanced-bovine-economy-with-a-ban-on-beef/?utm_source=Email_Beef_Ban_News_Update_23Jun15&utm_campaign=BeefBan-News-Update&utm_medium=email</span><br />
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Abusalehhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00150857162132740494noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3928263351799361094.post-6871631705278135182015-05-07T21:35:00.003+05:302015-05-07T21:35:42.769+05:30Hindu Rate of Growth! BJP’s Social Ideology a drag on Economic Development?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">India’s efforts to race in the league of the
economically developed and politically matured countries of the world look
somewhat premature. There is a lot of hype mostly emerging from relatively
higher levels of growth rates during the last decade and half; as this happened
due to low absolute levels to begin with. It is the large population count, a
basic multiplier that leads to grand GDP estimates, real opulence that could
generate sustained demand, promote economic activity and spiral up further
growth is limited. At best the consumer-heroes of India are the middle and
lower middle class who must engage the market to meet their basic needs such as
food, energy, transportation, education, health and technological essentials.
While affordability and appropriate technology is still the issue, the
relatively higher inflation is leading unexpected race to achieve affordable
living. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">A considerable social and ideological baggage has
sprung-up since the BJP assumed power which potentially can pull down and derail
the economic growth and social development prospects of India. Note that India
has come a long way overcoming the drag of the socialistic ideology, since
about 1985 the GDP grew to increasingly higher levels continuing until now.
Although the recent global downturn has only marginally depressed India’s GDP
growth, it will be the only large economy in the globe expected to register a
relatively high growth of around 6-7 percent during 2016 and 2017. Such a
higher rate of growth if sustained for a decade and more, can then enable India
register a place in the ‘new league of nations’ that will propel global
economic development during the best part of 21<sup>st</sup> century.
</span><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">Now let us ponder over the conditions that are
necessary for India to register a sustained higher growth rate during the
immediate to medium term. Firstly, India’s natural advantage of harvesting and
exploiting vast natural resources will yield higher growth only when it has
access to investible funds and appropriate (green) technology. Both these
inputs are available to India from abroad through the process of foreign direct
(FDI) and foreign institutional (FII) investments. Secondly, the relative
advantage of having a youthful population which will continue for at least
another two to three decades can sustain only when they are educated and
skilled appropriately; which in tandem with increasing investments get
worthwhile rates of return through enhanced productivity in essential sectors
of the economy such as manufacturing, services and agriculture.</span><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"> </span><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">Lastly but not the least, India must exhibit
social cohesion and societal peace in the manner that it becomes the preferred
destination for foreign investors and technological flows assisting the economy
to progress through improved financial efficiency and reduced cost of
production.</span><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"> </span><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">The structure of modern
labour supply in India is uniquely lopsided favouring the high castes who are
socially and economically better-off, keeping away large proportions of
Scheduled Castes and Tribes, the Muslims and selected ‘other backward classes’ </span><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"> </span><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">from the modern labour market. This scenario
needs to be calibrated towards socially inclusive labor market, which amounts to
no less than a paradigm shift.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Recent interferences by the ultra right-wing groups
who fantasise India to be a Hindu state often identify themselves as a form of
social-civil society have thrown off-gear the policy frameworks, legal and
civic institutions regulating economic and social domains of millions of
citizens. They are able to effect policy reversals in selected states and even
at the centre, such as withdrawal of quota-reservations to Muslims (a case in
Maharashtra), banning the culling and consumption of livestock and so on. Even
many compelling legal cases with respect to police excesses and motivated
political threats are being withdrawn. There are changes and revisions being
made in school curriculums promoting right wing Hindutva ideology. The
scientific temper among the students and the population at large is being
challenged in a manner that unsubstantiated beliefs are used as citations and
theories to the dismay of modern thinkers, practitioners of reason and science.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Establishing links between religion and levels of
GDP across the nation is taboo. It is instructive, however, to learn that,
unlike the Christians, the Muslims and the Buddhists who constitute much of the
population of the globe and spread around a large number of countries across
the continents; the Hindu religion is confined within shores of India from
three sides and the imposing Himalayas in its north. Note also that over 95% of the Hindus live in
India and only small numbers in Nepal, Bangladesh and Pakistan; all these
countries have registered low levels of per capita GDP of less-than USD 1500,
India being on the top. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Over 61 per cent of the Buddhists on the other hand
domicile in countries which have high levels of GDP including Japan, South
Korea and China. Incidentally it is a
matter of historical fact that Buddhism emerged in the Indian sub-continent yet
it did not survive on these lands to the extent that only about two percent of
India’s population is Buddhists. Similarly, practically all Christians with the
exception of Congo and Ethiopia (about 124 million out of 1.5 billion) live in
countries with very high levels of GDP, such as the USA, most of European
nations, Brazil, Mexico and Russia. Even
over 55% of the Muslims live in countries which have relatively higher per
capita GDP although the most numerous of the Muslims live in India, Pakistan
and Bangladesh with meagre GDP. This simple association between religion and
GDP summarizes the broad parameters of religiosity and culture and its
influence on the economy and Hindu-radical groups need be better informed about
this association. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">On another plain, it took a President of another
country - the USA to preach lessons on diversity, tolerance and creation of equal
opportunity during his visit to New Delhi in January 2015. Mr. Obama even
invoked Mahatma Gandhi, the icon of religious tolerance during the ‘</span><span style="background: white; color: #252525; font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">63nd annual </span><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">national prayer breakfast’ speech in Washington D.
C, to point out that ‘looking at what is happening in India even Gandhi would
have ashamed’. Politically though, at
the moment in India, the presence of minorities especially the Muslims are of
no significance excepting as a historical fact. They often are of entertainment
value for the general masses and not welcome co-patriots. However, the Muslims constitute the backbone
for a number of traditional manufacturing; the structure and growth of modern
industry especially in the areas of textiles, construction, leather, garments,
gems and jewellery and iron and steel and have been based on the artisanal
skills they carry to this day. A recent estimate undertaken by this author
suggests the Muslim labour force contributes relatively higher value added
compared to all other socio-religious categories at all levels of education
excepting the topmost which is affected by labour market and employment
distortions caused by quota system.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">The state governments in India wield a substantial
independent power in many areas of governance especially those affecting the
basic needs and human development. The public police are implemented mostly
through state bureaucracy the solutions for the social and also many economic
issues have to be found at the local level. It is in this context that India
and its states need to establish institutional arrangements to ‘equal
opportunity a cherish goal and institutional mechanism to be found and
executed. Prudent economic and social policies both at the national and state
levels can yield higher economic growth lets India falls again in the trap of
the so called ‘Hindu (Low) Rate of Growth’.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
Abusalehhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00150857162132740494noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3928263351799361094.post-47021020576102433862015-01-28T09:57:00.000+05:302015-01-28T09:57:07.185+05:30 Pathways to link Communities with Governance at the Grassroots in India <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">National Planning takes effect
and yield fruits at the grassroots. It is essential therefore to make
assessment of the efficiency of the government programs at the lower level of administration.
Factual and evidence based research will enable effective policy engagements
with the district and state level political and bureaucratic institutions for
corrective measures as well as making new demands that are needed for the
communities and local stake holders. </span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Public
policy approaches to development are generally limited to levels of India and States.
Given the vast geographic expanse and high population concentrations across
India a meaningful development strategy that address acute poverty,
malnutrition, illiteracy, ill-health must occur at the level of the districts.
Further, hitherto development policy decisions were made using a combination of
district level per capita averages and a small set of indicators such as average
rainfall and agricultural productivity; little information on the quality of
life and human development were available. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">In the recent past, however, dependable data on a number of
qualitative aspects of human lives have become available at the level of the
district. Such data can be extracted from the decadal Census (most recent
2011), the annual national sample surveys (large sample size surveys are done
at about five years interval) and d</span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">istrict
level household surveys</span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">. </span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">The ‘US-India
Policy Institute’, Washington D. C and ‘Centre for Research and Debates in
Development Policy’, New Delhi have extracted a number of socio-economic and
human development indicators from such multiple, nationally representative
sample surveys, for all districts of India. They are reviewed to assess and
compute the ‘levels of development’ and ‘equity of access’ to development for
each district. The composite index consists of four dimensions - economic,
enabling material-well being assets, education and health. The final results in
the form of maps are scheduled to be released at New Delhi in January 2015, in
the form of a composite development index and four indices highlighting components
described above.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Continuing this district level
analysis, in the second-stage the development indices are computed to each of
the major socio-religious communities (SRCs) for each district of the state and
all districts of India. The differentials according to SRCs are presented
in graphic format. This analysis is resonant of the Sachar Committee Report
which was completed in 2006; current analysis can be termed as mini-Sachar
report for each district of India. In this context there is scope to elaborate
analysis of data on </span><span lang="EN-IN" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #222222; font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;">employment,
financial allocations and measurable outcomes disaggregated by SRCs so as to
operationalise policies for improving diversity in public programs. The
district level mapping and analysis for operationalising diversity in public
and private space cannot be over emphasised.</span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Generally the district-level reviews
use service statistics drawn from district records which often are dated and
qualitatively poor. The strength of the current research lies in the type and
source of data as well as methodologies used in analysis. Information are
extracted from unit (household) level records from well respected surveys, therefore
estimates are robust and academically sound. These estimates provide the
academics, watchful communities, civil society and people at large
opportunities to find out the pathways to engage the district level bureaucrats
and governance. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">The most important issues
confronting the communities at the district level are two: a) to begin with financial
allocations are inadequate; yet huge proportions of the development funds
earmarked for annual expenditures on essential programs such as mass primary/elementary
education, women and child development services, public healthcare and
employment guarantee scheme are never appropriated and spent. b) The inequity
at the level of the district is a serious issue; there are many versions to it
such as based on occupations, education levels and also social identities
expressed in terms of religious and caste affiliation. The last dimension which
important at local level in distribution of welfare benefits; they have become
contentious at national-political level leading to promotion of discrimination
at the grassroots.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">The following is a short list of
selected districts at about one hundredth interval. North Delhi is ranked 1
with an index of 0.69. Ideally first rank holder could have taken a value of
1.00 but even the first district has huge scope to develop for example in
health parameters which has only a value of 0.51 although the enabling index is
0.91. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoNormalTable" style="border-collapse: collapse; margin-left: 4.7pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184; width: 581px;">
<tbody>
<tr style="height: 13.75pt; mso-yfti-firstrow: yes; mso-yfti-irow: 0;">
<td nowrap="" style="border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; height: 13.75pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 142.25pt;" valign="bottom" width="190">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;">Rank |Dist | State<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-left: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; height: 13.75pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 67.4pt;" valign="bottom" width="90">
<div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: right;">
<b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;">Economic<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-left: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; height: 13.75pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 68.25pt;" valign="bottom" width="91">
<div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: right;">
<b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;">Education<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-left: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; height: 13.75pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 61.7pt;" valign="bottom" width="82">
<div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: right;">
<b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;">Enabling<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-left: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; height: 13.75pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 48.8pt;" valign="bottom" width="65">
<div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: right;">
<b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;">Health<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-left: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; height: 13.75pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 47.45pt;" valign="bottom" width="63">
<div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: right;">
<b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;">Devpt. Index<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 13.75pt; mso-yfti-irow: 1;">
<td nowrap="" style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; height: 13.75pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 142.25pt;" valign="bottom" width="190">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;">1
- North Delhi (DL)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 13.75pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 67.4pt;" valign="bottom" width="90">
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;">0.68<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 13.75pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 68.25pt;" valign="bottom" width="91">
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;">0.66<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 13.75pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 61.7pt;" valign="bottom" width="82">
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;">0.91<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 13.75pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 48.8pt;" valign="bottom" width="65">
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;">0.51<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 13.75pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 47.45pt;" valign="bottom" width="63">
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;">0.69<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 13.75pt; mso-yfti-irow: 2;">
<td nowrap="" style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; height: 13.75pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 142.25pt;" valign="bottom" width="190">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;">100 - Shimla (HP)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 13.75pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 67.4pt;" valign="bottom" width="90">
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;">0.47<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 13.75pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 68.25pt;" valign="bottom" width="91">
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;">0.54<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 13.75pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 61.7pt;" valign="bottom" width="82">
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;">0.52<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 13.75pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 48.8pt;" valign="bottom" width="65">
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;">0.45<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 13.75pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 47.45pt;" valign="bottom" width="63">
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;">0.50<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 13.75pt; mso-yfti-irow: 3;">
<td nowrap="" style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; height: 13.75pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 142.25pt;" valign="bottom" width="190">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;">200 - Uttarkashi (UT)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 13.75pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 67.4pt;" valign="bottom" width="90">
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;">0.33<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 13.75pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 68.25pt;" valign="bottom" width="91">
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;">0.52<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 13.75pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 61.7pt;" valign="bottom" width="82">
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;">0.58<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 13.75pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 48.8pt;" valign="bottom" width="65">
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;">0.36<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 13.75pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 47.45pt;" valign="bottom" width="63">
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;">0.45<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 13.75pt; mso-yfti-irow: 4;">
<td nowrap="" style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; height: 13.75pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 142.25pt;" valign="bottom" width="190">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;">301 - Saharanpur (UP)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 13.75pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 67.4pt;" valign="bottom" width="90">
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;">0.35<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 13.75pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 68.25pt;" valign="bottom" width="91">
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;">0.41<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 13.75pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 61.7pt;" valign="bottom" width="82">
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;">0.45<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 13.75pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 48.8pt;" valign="bottom" width="65">
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;">0.40<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 13.75pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 47.45pt;" valign="bottom" width="63">
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;">0.40<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 13.75pt; mso-yfti-irow: 5;">
<td nowrap="" style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; height: 13.75pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 142.25pt;" valign="bottom" width="190">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;">308 - Varanasi (UP)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 13.75pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 67.4pt;" valign="bottom" width="90">
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;">0.36<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 13.75pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 68.25pt;" valign="bottom" width="91">
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;">0.43<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 13.75pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 61.7pt;" valign="bottom" width="82">
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;">0.47<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 13.75pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 48.8pt;" valign="bottom" width="65">
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;">0.35<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 13.75pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 47.45pt;" valign="bottom" width="63">
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;">0.40<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 13.75pt; mso-yfti-irow: 6;">
<td nowrap="" style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; height: 13.75pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 142.25pt;" valign="bottom" width="190">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;">400 - Osmanabad (MH)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 13.75pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 67.4pt;" valign="bottom" width="90">
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;">0.33<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 13.75pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 68.25pt;" valign="bottom" width="91">
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;">0.41<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 13.75pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 61.7pt;" valign="bottom" width="82">
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;">0.40<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 13.75pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 48.8pt;" valign="bottom" width="65">
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;">0.36<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 13.75pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 47.45pt;" valign="bottom" width="63">
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;">0.37<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 13.75pt; mso-yfti-irow: 7;">
<td nowrap="" style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; height: 13.75pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 142.25pt;" valign="bottom" width="190">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;">500 - Chandauli (UP)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 13.75pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 67.4pt;" valign="bottom" width="90">
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;">0.34<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 13.75pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 68.25pt;" valign="bottom" width="91">
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;">0.43<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 13.75pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 61.7pt;" valign="bottom" width="82">
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;">0.25<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 13.75pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 48.8pt;" valign="bottom" width="65">
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;">0.22<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 13.75pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 47.45pt;" valign="bottom" width="63">
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;">0.31<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 13.75pt; mso-yfti-irow: 8; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes;">
<td nowrap="" style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; height: 13.75pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 142.25pt;" valign="bottom" width="190">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;">599 - Araria (BI)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 13.75pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 67.4pt;" valign="bottom" width="90">
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;">0.27<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 13.75pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 68.25pt;" valign="bottom" width="91">
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;">0.19<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 13.75pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 61.7pt;" valign="bottom" width="82">
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;">0.06<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 13.75pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 48.8pt;" valign="bottom" width="65">
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;">0.12<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 13.75pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 47.45pt;" valign="bottom" width="63">
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;">0.16<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">However, the contrast is
comparing the first ranker and the last. Araira in Bihar has recorded a
development index of only 0.16 compare this with North Delhi which has a value
of 0.69. Note that Araira has no enabling economic environment which can push
development any time near future unless critical policy strategy and
investments are made soon. It is this kind of analysis both within the state
and across the state which gives comprehensive information for upliftment of
communities living in clearly identified districts of India. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">It is in this context that the
district level development and development index provide ‘essential empirical evidence
that makes a case for setting up of National and State-level Equal Opportunity
Commissions (EOCs)’. The state level aggregated district-reports will help the
state government in many respects. Besides enabling assessing and monitoring
the levels of development and equity, the indices will make it easy for the state
government to articulate the need to establish 'State Level Equal Opportunity
Commission'. Such EOCs can independently deal with differentiation in access to
public services at the grassroots level, thereby enabling the elected
government and associated institutions to focus their time and energy to the
development of the state. The EOC as an
independent institution will facilitate communities and local stakeholders -
civil society and private investors, to interact with each other as well as
with the government bureaucracy to thrash out contentious issues and strengthen
welfare policies. Further establishing State-EOCs will severe as examples
for setting up a national EOC as well. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<br />
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">To articulate these relationships
better it is essential that development practitioners, government officials,
political leaders and civil society groups come together to discuss and debate
strategies to address district level development and diversity of development. Such
data will also give a comprehensive visual picture of the development of the
nation in a comparative perspective promoting strong sense of nationalism and
patriotism. </span><span lang="EN-IN" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #222222; font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;">DDDIx makes a good
case for district level monitoring of development strategy considering the
aspects of equity and social justice.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
Abusalehhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00150857162132740494noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3928263351799361094.post-18136868876299248092015-01-05T19:38:00.000+05:302015-01-05T19:38:05.398+05:30Will the ‘Ordinance-2014’ passage to the Insurance Laws (Amendment) Bill-2008 yield Business?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 12pt;">The federal NDA government, based on a cabinet
decision passed an Ordinance clearing the Insurance Laws (Amendment) Bill (ILAB)
with an enhanced FDI share of 49% heralding the beginning of second and third
generation reforms India. This bill originally drafted by the UPA in 2008 and
cabinet approved with 49 % FDI in 2011 itself; yet UPA could not get its passage through the
bi-cameral chambers of Indian Parliament. The bill was also opposed vehemently
by Communist leaning parties, the BJP and NDA partners.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 12pt;">The Politics of Insurance Bill<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Passing
Ordinances strategically is not new; the UPA got the ‘food security bill’ through
this process in 2012. The <span style="background: white;">NDA’s current move of
strategically getting ILAB through Ordinance announces a pro-business and
pro-FDI stance; while UPA and other opposition parties made the normal passage
difficult due to political logjam.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 12pt;">The NDA could not place this bill for a vote and
process in the Rajya Sabha because of a lack of ‘quid-pro-quo’ that is common during
political engagements. The opposition was united in blocking the passage of
Insurance bill because the Prime Minster during the recent weeks did not
recognize the hotly contentious issue of religious conversions which is hurting
the very foundation of the Constitution and secular ethos of India. Whether
such a quid-pro-quo and role reversal is fair in political decision-making is a
moot point; but what was real was the inability of the passage of a landmark
and path breaking piece of legislation. For Mr</span><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 12pt;">. Modi, it
was essential that a positive investment friendly gesture was made before the
visit of President Obama to New Delhi in late January 2015.</span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-line-height-alt: 1.3pt;">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">The Modi government, a day after Rajya Sabha went to recess, passed an
‘Ordinance’ to bring to life the ILAB. The Ordinance is a temporary arrangement
as contained in article-123 of the constitution. </span><i><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“If at any time, except
when both Houses of Parliament are in session, the President is satisfied
that circumstances exist which render it necessary for him to take
immediate action, he may promulgate such Ordinance as the circumstances
appear to him to require</span></i><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">". </span><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">The Ordinance thus promulgated carries
the same force and effect as an Act of Parliament. However, the Ordinance has
to be laid before both House of Parliament and it will cease to operate at the expiration of six
weeks from the reassemble of Parliament. Once the ordinance is laid in
Parliament, the government introduces a Bill addressing the same issue. This
Bill is supposed to highlight the reasons that necessitated the issue of the
Ordinance. Thereafter, the Bill follows the regular law making process.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Will
the </span><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 12pt;">ILAB pass through the
regular law making processes? The Finance
Minister of India Sri. Arun Jetli stated that “the country cannot wait even if
one of the Houses of Parliament waits indefinitely" (Economic Times 24<sup>th</sup>
December 2015). T</span><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 12pt;">his is a statement of power and statesmanship, yet it generated strong
sense of uncertainty. There is an indication that the Modi government will be
ready should that becomes essential to summon a ‘joint parliamentary session’
to press for the passage of the ILAB along with a few other bills. </span><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The BJP
along with its NDA partners is placed well with assured support of 49.7 per
cent of the MPs. It would not be difficult to win over the support of 3-4 more MPs
from other parties to get the bill passed during the joint session. There could
be a possibility, however, of opposition to this bill from within the NDA and
also many from within the BJP itself. That is a real and serious danger in
summoning the joint parliamentary session to pass the ILAB. Note also that so
far in the history of Independent India only </span><span style="background: white; font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">three<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_(law)" title="Bill (law)"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">bills</span></a><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> namely, the Dowry Prohibition Act - 1961, the
Banking Commission Repeal Bill - 1978 and the Prevention of Terrorism Act -
2002 have in passed at the joint sessions. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="apple-converted-space"><b><span style="background: white; font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">The Economics of Insurance Bill:<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
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<span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">The
insurance sector could become an assured source of capital for development projects
that have long gestation such as building road and rail networks, irrigation
projects and so on. In the industrialized economies practically all workers maintain
documented payment and savings plans including insurance schemes, but insurance
penetration is merger in India.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 12pt;"> The penetration of both life and non-life
insurance is low. The latter has many components such as crop insurance, health
insurance, insuring small and micro-businesses and so on. Data base on the
current status of insurance is also week, although Insurance Regulatory and
Development Authority maintain rudimentary information and not in public
domain. The total insurance sector business was about $64.5 billion during
2011, covering just</span></span><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 12pt;"> about 10 percent (200 million insured persons)
of total workforce mostly employed in government and organised private sectors.
According to Indian Brand Equity Foundation, the government claims that 25
million farmers (out 120 million) are insured, but this amounts to only 4.5% of
the total non-life insurance market. Further only 124 million policies were in
operation under the health insurance in 2013.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 12pt;">The ILAB-2008 with enhanced share of
upto 49 percent for the international investors will attract higher FDI and
FIIs. This would also facilitate the re-insurance companies located in the UK
and other European nations. The ILAB will also attract attention of new
investors especially from the USA. The bill will provide a formidable competition
to the hitherto monopolistic government controlled companies and will force
them to reform. A direct result of this bill would be fresh investments in
health insurance; the consumers will be exposed to a range of innovative products
and services hitherto not know to them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Although there is still uncertainty
whether theILB-2008 will be passed by Rajya Sabha during the budget session in
early 2015; what is important is to appreciate NDA government for bringing this
Ordinance. Will this policy reform generate international investments is
difficult to answer since most of the international investors have already
announced their desire to wait until the Bill is passed through the regular
parliamentary procedures. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Abusalehhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00150857162132740494noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3928263351799361094.post-37031659755373860832015-01-03T23:42:00.003+05:302015-01-03T23:42:28.452+05:30What Should Mr. Obama know before taking a Republic Day Salute at New Delhi on January 26th 2015?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><b>The
global outreach heralding the ‘might and right’ of India</b> by Prime Minister Mr.
Narendra Modi seems to have halted momentarily, although the grand finale event
is Mr. Barak Obama’s salute at the Delhi Republic Day celebrations of 26<sup>th</sup> January, 2015. In the scheme of power equations USA still holds
the prime position in India. Although
symbolic this is a welcome event and a lot of behind-the-scene operations are heating
up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The US-India
bilateral activities have increased - not only that the executive-jets are
shuttling but also that the first and business class tickets are getting filled
up fast. Those gearing up are the bureaucrats and the business house
representatives to kick-up the bilateral trade, business and investments many folds.
There is meek state level focus, a new and cut-to-size Andhra Pradesh making
all the noise while the Bengaluru-Scare still continues, remember Mr. Obama
shunned a visit as it was cited as the city that snatched the American jobs
through the migration of back-office and IT enabled employment. West Bengal is
in the news for wrong reasons as the investment climate especially with respect
to property rights have not settled in that state. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
following essay has two distinct focuses – firstly the economic/trade related
issues relevant for the President Obama’s visit and the other social policy
perspectives which are essential background for defining the quality of
democracy and rule of law within India. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Economic/Trade Related<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Under a continued diversification and strategic
alignment policy of the previous government – remember the ‘nuclear deal-123’,
the USA hopes to build a massive market for its defence equipments to India.
Although ongoing crossover helicopter deals between ‘India and US’ and ‘Pakistan
and Russia’ are indications of winds of change; there are other impediments to
overcome. India’s current inventory is dominantly Russian while Pakistan’s is dominantly
American; a good example is the fighter jet brands they both own. US will
continue to face difficulty in pushing its defence inventory so long as it
continues to supply same or similar inventory to Pakistan. After all no country
would like to face a possibility that enemy country reuses the war-booty against
itself. Further, India’s longstanding policy
that mega defence deals always comes with technology transfers continues; the
French multi-role fighter jets and Israel’s </span><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 12pt;">air-defence and anti-tank guided<span class="apple-converted-space"> missiles systems deals are the most recent examples.
</span></span><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Although previous technological transfer deals
have yielded little for India, for example the British-Jaguar and French-Mirages
etc, yet the policy is expected to continue in future. </span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 12pt;">T</span></span><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 12pt;">he US has so far shown little interest in such riders. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Another caveat; it is difficult for India to
entirely come out of the erstwhile, now defunct ‘non-aligned’ policy even when
US intends to support India’s stake of permanent member at the UN- <i>Security Council</i>. It is also in India’s
interest that a ‘<i>triple-bhai’</i> or ‘three-brothers’-
policy of ‘India-USA-China’ is pursued, given new geo-political scenario and a
rising Eastern Star namely China. After
all China is the biggest business and investment partner of the USA as well (imported
about $440 billion worth from China during 2013, compare this to only $42
billion from India. India imported about $50 billion worth from China in 2013).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">There are
issues with respect to intellectual property rights (IPRs) especially in
pharmaceuticals that is another contentious issues between the US and India. To
be realistic, this issue is not likely to be settled any time soon. A
compromise on IPRs can only be reached with a comprehensive understanding of
the health care market in India. This sector has been the worst and most abused
in India; one cannot expect a breakthrough especially when the international
negotiations are geared towards pricing and cost of medicines with little or no
concern to morbidity and sickness profile and affordability issues.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Agriculture
is in the domain of tripartite negotiations - the world trade organization
being the intermediary. A recent announcement by foreign minister that
India-favourable agreement has been worked out is not convincing. There are 90 million
farming and another 28 million agricultural labor households in India. The
average farm-holding is less than one hectare, most with meagre cultivable
lands barely yielding food sufficient for survival. Given this state of
agriculture, prudent policy has to ensure safety and sustenance of farming
households across India. The US-India partnership in agriculture must therefore
focus on mechanism to mitigate rampant and high incidence of malnutrition amongst
the children and reproductive aged women. Investments in food processing,
packaging and trade in food products will benefit both the businesses and
people within India. Technological breakthrough of ‘no till farming’ as well as
policy agreements to improve agricultural productivity through the use of
genetically modified process are niche areas the need of the hour.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The Principles of Social Engagement:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
President’s visit to India has multiple dimensions to it. It is not entirely
business, defence, money and national pride. There are a number of other issues
to be confronted during such occasions. Right now, US is reeling under the
accusations of police excesses and indiscriminate killings of black men and men
across many states. As a champion of human rights, Mr. Obama comes out in
public expressing grief and anguish and even pledging federal policy response
to contain such events. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">On the
other hand while Mr. Modi carries a baggage of extreme human rights violations
of the past; he seems to procrastinate when a prompt policy protection is
needed to protect millions of minorities especially the Muslims and Christians
of India. In India one do not come across engagement of the PM on situations and
events which are crudest form of human rights violations - undertaken by a set
of well organized groups against other groups of people who are historically
identified as the minority religions of India. The fringe groups often receive tactical
support from the police and security agencies on the one hand and political
system itself on the other. Such events occur so very frequently and often in
proximity to the watchful Delhi administration – the nations capital. A number
of communal riot like situation have happened right in Delhi and immediate
surroundings and the PM is quite as if nothing is happening. Or is it a way to
communicate the characteristics of the newly elected NDA government policy that
such events will continue to happen in times to come.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">No one can
accurately gauge the limits of tolerance and perseverance of the minority communities
especially the Muslims and Christens of India. It would be in the interest of
India and also the larger world - the US and neighbouring countries that the
NDA regime over come the historical baggage of misunderstood history and shun
the proxy-cultural revolution that is being unleashed. Note that similar
cultural revolutions in Russia and more recently in China have not shown
positive and people friendly impacts.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Mr. Modi’s
expression of solidarity with Pakistan is gesture to be appreciated; but this
does not compensate for the pain, agony and psychological submission of over
200 million strong minorities of India. Two main processes through which the
subjugation of minorities who have their ideological origins from out of India
namely the Muslims and Christians are: a) The extreme rightwing groups such as
the BHP, Bhajrang Dal and many others initiate hate crimes such as abuse,
physical threat including denying residential spaces and more recently
inter-mixing of youth through the concept of ‘love jihad’ and so on; which get
tactical support from the Hindu cultural bodies such as the RSS. At the political level the BJP the ruling
party and its associates in the NDA besides providing tactical support to the
right wing extremism, they also initiate rudimentary policy changes which can
at best be described as mixing politics with religion in such as way that the
religious minorities gets marginalized and over a period excludes them from
many mainstream public programs including public education system. b) While
such complex group specific strategies take effect often situation turns
violent including extra judicial executions of members of minority communities.
The local police and the security apparatus either ignores completely or
extends nominal support in a manner not to displease and often support the
cause of the extreme right-wingers as well the cultural hegemony of the RSS not
to speak of the ruling class. The behaviour of the police only differs
marginally when the political party orientation or the government changes at
the national level and when the rulings parties differ at the national and
state level administration. One of the largest fallout of such a partial and
partisan behaviour of the policy has been illegal arrests of a large number of
Muslim youth all over the country who are languishing in police stations,
remand homes, judicial confinements and prisons with no bails and even rudimentary
enquiries. Practically all those overnight arrests termed as ‘protective
detentions’ are innocent men who are incapable of arranging huge funds needed
to get bails and judicial redress. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br />
<span style="background: white;">The most recent contentious issue has been the
one of religious conversions. While both the Muslim and Christian faiths have
been based on the principle of conversions, there are technical reasons as to
why it is difficult for someone to become a Hindu as there is no such thing as
a Hindu unless one also chooses a caste. Should the Hindu conversions happen,
choice must be given to for example to either become a Brahmin or a Dalit with
appropriate legal certifications and documentation. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">However, a number of socially contentious issues
must be left to the people at large to discuss debate and articulate
appropriate legally supported solutions. In doing so the government of the day
and especially the police and security system must be non-partisan and out of
the picture. A durable institutional solution to such problems is to establish
an independent ‘equal opportunity commission’ at the national as well at the
state levels across India. The EOC would release the elected government and its
large policy and security apparatus the trouble of dealing with situations
which can be effectively handled by the EOC itself. Note that two of the highly
matured and respected democracies of the world – the USA and the UK have
established these institutions and with fair amount of successes. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">This
is an opportunity when Mr. Modi can turn a leaf in history book of Independent
India to begin a new chapter in which he delegates the power to build cohesive,
diverse and peaceful society. </span><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The minorities are not
seeking handouts; all they wish is equal access to education, employment,
housing, healthcare, development finance and entrepreneurial opportunities.</span><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Institutional
facilitation by establishing the national level Equal Opportunity Commission
and a series of EOCs at the State levels is the need of the hour. </span></div>
Abusalehhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00150857162132740494noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3928263351799361094.post-4978908730644575942014-09-05T20:33:00.001+05:302014-09-05T20:33:04.548+05:30Why Japan and not the USA?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif;"><b>Is it prudent<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="1481708277997446_14812ef259eb36b8__GoBac"></a> for India to be
more FDI dependent on Japan than on the US?</b></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif;"><b>Abusaleh Shariff and Amir Ullah Khan</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif;">The comparisons are unfair. One country
is led by a nationalist Prime Minister who has been a steadfast friend and a
source of personal inspiration. The other country is led by a President who has
been adversarial and a reluctant ally. Abeeconomics and Modinomics are
remarkably similar. Japan has been investing in infrastructure and
manufacturing both sectors dear to the Prime Minister’s heart. And most
importantly, while the US President might be wary of China, he is overtly
friendly to India’s mighty neighbour. Japan on the other hand makes no bones
about its animosity towards a country India competes with on all fronts,
including on serious border disputes. No wonder PM Modi is off to
Japan on his first trip outside the subcontinent for bilateral discussions, and
is also now spending an extra day beyond the three originally scheduled.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif;">On top of the agenda will be
manufacturing. Modi has advised Indian Industry to
promote brand ‘(made in) India’ across the globe by producing and
exporting quality products. However the impact of this high level
budge can be lacklustre. Quality of the goods and services of day-to-day
use, for example, has improved reluctantly and slowly over the years, upon
the opening up of the economy during mid 1980s and decisively after 1991.
Yet R & Dexpenditure is poor and often considered wasteful
due to weak association with immediate cash flow. The level of competition in
manufacturing sector is meek and has not matured yet. The Indian
industry and manufacturing must improve design, durability and safety besides
being visibly pleasing and environmentally friendly, to define ‘Brand
India’.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif;">The rules of free trade and
openness are supreme in the interplay of international
investments,and India has to set its priorities correct, lest those trapped
in poverty suffer. So far the dominant FDI destinations are in the
services sector and real estate; which must be redirected to massive
infrastructure creation, power generation, oil and gas extraction,
refining, health care including pharmaceuticals and food production and
processing. Indian industry therefore will have to focus its attention on
these core areas, with the aim of developing quality products that are
innovative, efficient and differentiated. The new business models needs scaling
up and reaching out to sectors that will define growth in the future.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif;">Why do we however sense
some procrastination on part of the Indian Industry? There are
two sides to this - the demand and the
supply. Exposure to the ‘goodies of the new world technology’ is new
and consumer has limited knowledge of consumer choice and rights. On the supply
side in spite of assured returns of over 30 per cent per annum, the
Indian industry is not motivated enough to improve product quality.
The answers to such anomalies lies in the structure of industry defined in
terms of manufacturing methods, technology and market segmentation. The
root cause of inertia in Indian industry can be traced to constraints to
funding needed for technological up-gradation and increasing the size of firm
itself given the expanded domestic demand. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif;">Such constraints are reflected in
cost of developmental capital which is far high compared to international
standards. There is a growing need for investable funds in
almost all spheres of manufacturing and services sectors. Need for capital
investment is in all areas of infrastructure (road, rail,
port, rivers etc), power generation, oil and gas, refining, food production and
processing and many more. Banks are unwilling to
lend especially to stalled projects. In other words the FDI and
FII needs are immense. What is in India’s interest is assured
source of investment funds serviced at a competitive or mutually
agreed upon long-term rates.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif;">It is in this context that Japan
becomes relevant as the source of cheap investment capital for India’s
infrastructural and industrial development. Japan is considered
a source of long-term and low-cost
finances. ‘Japan International
Cooperation Agency (JICA)’ has 60 % stake in creating
Delhi metro-network one of the largest in the world and most
recent. About $2.7 billion with rates less than 2 % and 22 % of this loan
has been on no interest payment at all as per the DMRC annual report
2011-12. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif;">The cumulative total FDI stock
has been $ 326.5 billion averaging between 8 to 9 billion
dollars per annum during recent years. However the most interesting analysis is
regarding the source countries – the UK accounts for 10 %, Japan 8 %
and USA 6%. But the irony is that36 % of FDI comes from one
country which is hardly known for its status as a global investor–
Mauritius. This followed by 12 % from Singapore and 3% of FDI coming
from Cyprus makes the quality of funding suspect. Such opaque
dealings especially at the international level appear to push India into
an uncertain world of development funding. It is in this
context that efforts must be made to strike transparent deals directly with
major economies of the world such as the USA and Japan.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif;">A word of caution is important here.
Firstly, FDIs are not just funds from a foreign nation to India.
The virtuous FDI comes with technology, production and inventory
managements and exports. Japan as a source of FDI
appears good as a source of funds but not as a
destination of exports. This may be one of the reasons why major Japanese
investments are in infrastructural development as these do not have
export components. The USA is the largest consumer market in the world
with a 30% share. It will be in its long term interest that India strategically
enhances its engagement with USA that not
only provides cheap capital and ultra-modern technology but
also is the largest consumer markets in the world.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif;">Secondly, there are two real
constraints - Japan is facing an uncertain economic future and a
depressed consumer market; and on the other hand, the US is
reluctant to invest in India. It is imperative that India identifies factors
for US procrastination and overcomes them. One caveat though is to find
how much of American investment is routed through Mauritius, Singapore
and Cyprus. Why does this happen? What is the role of NRI investments
from US and Europe in this puzzle? The European Union
should also be on India’s priority list, though it is still
in recession. There is a dire need for reverse
FDI from India especially into Africa that shows a
palpable increase in average incomes with a growing size
of the consumer market. India must quickly make
its presence felt in this continent and not lag behind
China and USA.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</div>
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<br /></div>
</div>
Abusalehhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00150857162132740494noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3928263351799361094.post-1759260035778146262014-09-03T06:47:00.000+05:302014-09-03T06:47:00.783+05:30How Pro-poor is BJP government?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "Garamond","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">The BJP fought the 16<sup>th</sup> general elections on
‘development agenda’, so it claims yet it was obvious that communalism and
anti-Muslim rhetoric was the flipside to the landslide. The electoral slogans postured the
middleclass who were craving for more and faster development as if it can be
reaped from standing rice fields.
Development has to happen first before its benefits are realised, and it
is a tough and long process. However,
while the urban middleclass was enamoured with BJP’s overtures, the catalytic
was the communal undertones expressed in cryptic double meaning statements,
body language including colour codes, surrogate sibling overtures (of VHP,
Bhajrangdal and other ilks), and engineered communal riots. </span><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif";">Sociological and applied economic
analysis have supported a trend that religious assertion and glorification of
social identity increases as the income levels increase. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif";">The UPA was
seen by this influential electorate as more pro-poor and pro-minority. It is another essay as to why the Indian
middleclass postures are anti-poor and anti-minority. Suffice to stress that
the newly elected government cannot take such a stand not only due to the
compulsions of constitutional guarantees but also demands of the development
strategy itself. Given the history of
deep and extensive poverty incidence in India, the BJP government must follow
and improve the well laid out policies of poverty alleviation, religious and
social inclusion.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif";">BJP’s good luck
was the segmented voting behaviour in India. BJP won 280 or 51% of MPs with
only 31% of popular votes. In many respects this is the fallacy of India’s
democratic system. Although now that BJP is at the helm of power along with
ultra-fringe parties such as the Shiva Sena; it cannot absolve itself from
addressing the issue of poverty and inclusiveness head on.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif";">The electoral victory
speeches, the annual budget presentation and the customary Independence Day
speech of the Prime Minister all taken together do highlight the vision of the
BJP government with respect to poverty and inclusion. The importance of having toilets
near homes cannot be overemphasised, yet culturally its usage is easy said than
done. Similarly providing bank accounts to all in rural and urban area is a
noble idea to effect inclusiveness, but such accounts are intended to
distribute funds not accumulate savings and turn it in to investments. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif";">However, so far
there is a lack of emphasis on provisioning of quality and affordable health
care to the masses, improving quality of elementary education. Extending
educational infrastructure to minority (Muslim) concentrated areas is
absolutely essential to achieve the dream of universal literacy. Given the
dominance of agriculture, aspects of land reforms and property rights are not
even mentioned let alone make it a priority which is essential to augment
investments in agricultural and improve productivity. There has to be clear emphasis on mechanism
to improve the MG-NREGA and implementation of the Food Security Act requires
greater government attention than the development rhetoric. Often the deep excluded geographic areas are
even excluded in the review and evaluation exercises - most of the government
initiated and controlled studies do not meet the methodological standards of
the modern evaluation and assessments.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; mso-background-themecolor: background1;">
<span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; mso-background-themecolor: background1;">
<span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif";">Shooting down the planning commission and
replacing it with a committee of economist will centralize the power in to
bureaucracy and it a signal towards non-participation of state in nation
building. The Planning Commission was amenable to interacting with domestic researchers
and ideas carried forward from multi-lateral institutions. The <i>Bhagwatis and Panagariays</i> of this world I
am afraid are too trigger happy to shoot down the equity polices of India. It
is time that the new government must review immediately the progress in the
millennium development goals, human development and poverty alleviation.
Further such review and assessment must be undertaken at the level of the
district and states.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_GoBack"></a><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif";">It
is therefore, essential that the BJP government understand unique and intricate
relationship between poverty alleviation, inclusiveness and development and ensure
that the future social and economic transformation must happen through the
process of education and cultural change. In this context two noteworthy
situations that inevitably evolve needs to be highlighted. Sectoral (economic)
imbalances favouring the modern technology and large manufacturing will receive
a much needed boost. Yet what will happen is that millions of workforce trapped
in low productive sectors such as farming, traditional artisanship, small
business and manual labour would face an extraordinary risk, should the new
government ignore their plight in its immediate policy formulation. Secondly,
the fiscal pressure and also some ideological difference may promote frugality
of social services and social subsidies. This will be an immediate threat to
millions of the vulnerable and deprived communities who will face increase in hunger,
deepening of poverty amongst selected social groups and geographic areas as
well as continued health vulnerabilities. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif";">As a long term
strategy the BJP government must initiate immediate actions to ensure inclusive
decision making at the local levels namely the <i>panchayats</i> and town-municipalities with nominations of the excluded
groups such as the minorities. Envisioning an ‘equal opportunity policy’ and establishing
an independent ‘Equal Opportunity Commission’ will go a long way in
dispassionately addressing the issue of exclusion in India. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif";"><br /></span></div>
</div>
Abusalehhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00150857162132740494noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3928263351799361094.post-39504347253856972652014-06-11T02:56:00.000+05:302014-06-11T02:56:30.101+05:30Indian Elections and Social Transformation<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Recently concluded general elections
practically made the two major parties polarized so much to the extent that the
BJP has casted itself in Hindutva in an iron mould; whereas the Indian National
congress party literally was made a party of the Muslims. While this type of
polarization at the level of the religion is not only detrimental to democracy
but also the development of the nation. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The political leadership should have no role in
promoting or even supporting a religious identity. It must be made clear that
religion as is manifest in rituals and place of worship must be set aside from
the high ideals that come out of the grand Indian ethos and culture. It is a
fact that all citizens irrespective of the religious affiliation are part of Indian
culture and ethos and it is not feasible and also not warranted to
differentiate between them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Muslim mind set, however, still in the realm of
protecting themselves and their identity. Their vision that Indian is a
democracy and that their presence and democratic participation must herald a
comfortable and respectable aura to others is not yet fully articulated and
understood. It is hard to find a
political leader at any level of governance, especially at the national scene
who could present the positive side of the Muslim community and their
contribution to the nation building during the recent past. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Many believe that the ten years of UPA rule
failed in promoting and sustaining economic development of the nation. While
India was until recently at the incipient stage of ‘development threshold’ and
that it has been crossed over only recently; the exogenous external factors
have impacted India’s economic development during 5-6 years. Yet it is a feat
of a sort that India could maintain a 6-7 per cent annual growth average during
the difficult period of global recovery.
What is relevant, however, is as to how such a growth has impacted the
psyche of the electorate. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Sociological and applied economic analysis has
supported a trend that religious assertion and glorification of social identity
increases as the income levels increase. This is neither good nor bad in
itself. Households with money to spare do perform religious rituals as well
self-assert themselves in the local environment. The cumulative effect of such social
and economic interaction is a concoction for social segregation and competitive
religious assertion. Yet a country as diverse and as large as India has to deal
with this situation with great care so as to ensure a peaceful coexistence of
people professing varied religions and multiple social classes as expressed in the
Indian caste system. It is also hypothesised that this intricate relationship
between household income and social assertion will change for better as
economic transformation continues and sustains itself for a longer period of
time. The relationship can be described as an inverted U shaped curve – that is
the religious assertion which increases as income increase and reaches a peak
and then declines before normalizing itself at a certain lower level.
Essentially continued economic development will be the driving force for
secularization of communities since not only will the competition for resources
are subdued but also that the labour market gets harmonized based on the
transformations of the skill sets that will evolve over time and some of them
could become essential and therefore subject to no competition. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The unfortunate situation however is when
politically and electorally the voters are charged in directions which polarize
communities and then supported by the new found income growth the dominant view
not only prevails but also damages the ethos of the Indian culture and society. Let us recollect that it is the modern
education, and associate technological and scientific skill sets which led to
modernization and secularization of the developed world as we know today.
During this process of transformation the religion got separated out from civic
and public life and governance became independent of the religious influences. On the other hand, it appears that in India,
the electoral democracy in fact is pushing communities in the direction of religious
confrontation and the mechanism of education and scientific temper can wield only
limited impact thus leading to a situation of chaos and annihilation. This
situation can snowball in geometric proportion at various lower levels of
governance and electoral process such as the elections of the States,
panchayats and municipalities, community participation in program
implementation and civil society formations.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">It is therefore, the responsibility of the new
government to understand this unique and intricate relationship and ensure that
the future social and economic transformation must happen through the process
of education and cultural change. In this context two noteworthy situations that
inevitably evolve needs to be highlighted. Sectoral (economic) imbalances
favouring the modern technology-based and large manufacturing will receive a
much needed boost. Yet what may happen is that millions of workforce trapped in
low productive sectors such as farming, traditional artisanship, small business
and manual labour would face an extraordinary risk, should the new government
ignore their plight in its immediate policy formulation. Secondly, the fiscal
pressure and also some ideological difference may promote frugality of social
services and social subsidies. This will be an immediate threat to millions of
the vulnerable and deprived communities who will face increase in hunger,
deepening of poverty amongst selected social groups and geographic areas as
well as continued health vulnerabilities. After all the so called Gujarat model
of development could not deal with such issues to the satisfaction of the
electorate either.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
Abusalehhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00150857162132740494noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3928263351799361094.post-30118445395368957532014-04-27T04:40:00.000+05:302014-04-27T04:40:10.878+05:30 Policy Diplomacy: A Brush with Popular Political Leaders in India<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: -7.1pt;">
<b><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #000099; font-family: "Garamond","serif";">Policy Diplomacy: A Brush
with Popular Political Leaders in India<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: -7.1pt; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #000099; font-family: "Garamond","serif";">The Policy research
framework steer academics to some rare circumstances and which can be described
as opportunities. Besides being able to engage the policy makers in formal
situations such as scheduled public lectures, inaugural and valedictory
address, panel discussions and even book releases; a few experts such as this
author do get to meet the top policy makers and select constitutional heads to
meet in private. It is not uncommon to find that the academics and policy
analysts get caught in the complex political push and pulls and that is risk
they bear to hold their ground firm so to speak. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: -7.1pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #000099; font-family: "Garamond","serif";">‘PM ne chai pe bulaya
hai’, match this rhythmically with a popular song among the teenage girls
‘daddy ne chai pe bulaya hai’ – a <i>daavatnama</i>.
Six in the evening of the publication of an OPED – (attached), this author was
high on ‘tea’ with the UPA-PM at 7 Racecourse Road. Gripping conversation with
a person of convection, ideologically inclusive, highly motivated, visionary
and appreciative of what he read in the morning Times of India on October 10, 2004.
This date is the origin of now popular Sachar Committee. Most important practical
message of ‘<i>this tea-party’</i> was that
Muslim community must find-a-spot of their own in the local socio-political and
economic space through mainstream involvement while government acts as a
facilitator. There were many more
occasions since then to meet the PM in private, exchange views and policy
approaches to favor development of Muslims in India.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #000099; font-family: "Garamond","serif";">This reputation also
attracted the attention of the President and current Vice President of the
Indian National Congress; had the privilege of privately meeting, briefing and making
presentations on the issues of human development, poverty alleviation and
inclusive development paradigm for India. Commendations must be made as to
immense desire to know, understand and articulate policy responses to ensure
physical security to India minorities especially the Muslims and Christians. An
evidence can be found in organizing a draft a ‘targeted violence and bill’ by
the ‘national advisory council’ (</span><span lang="EN-US"><a href="http://nac.nic.in/pdf/pctvb.pdf"><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif";">http://nac.nic.in/pdf/pctvb.pdf</span></a></span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #000099; font-family: "Garamond","serif";"> & </span><span lang="EN-US"><a href="http://nac.nic.in/pdf/explanatory_note.pdf"><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif";">http://nac.nic.in/pdf/explanatory_note.pdf</span></a></span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #000099; font-family: "Garamond","serif";">); and the
author was on their advisory committee to deliberate, debate and articulate a
policy framework during 2009-2011. For an
opposing view of this bill read: </span><span lang="EN-US"><a href="https://sites.google.com/site/rammadhav/communal-violence-bill"><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif";">https://sites.google.com/site/rammadhav/communal-violence-bill</span></a></span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #000099; font-family: "Garamond","serif";">. What is
appreciated about these leaders is there strong desire to know, understand and
take reasonable actions on policy advice. However, often such actions face
failure due to larger socio-political opposition as well as deficit in ‘the
number game’ that the Indian Parliament has become to be characteristic; almost
as if in the United State of America – the razor thin margins. Note that the Indian
Prime Minster does not a right to veto as is the case of the President of
United States.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #000099; font-family: "Garamond","serif";">It was in 1999 that the
author published a landmark monograph through the Oxford University Press. The
relative positions in human development were brought to the knowledge of the
people at large according to the socio-religious communities; with data at the
level of India and all major state. The human
development profile of the Muslims for the first time in the history of India
was compared with other religious and social groups and the finding were
debated more at the level of the media.
The government was not enthusiastic but it did not hamper or tried to
stop the publication of the book itself; although the research itself was
conducted on behalf of the National Planning Commission. It was during this period, the then NDA-PM
would argue with the author that communities will develop only when women were
educated and empowered. A bachelor PM believer in gender equality, although
this position was divergent with the party and associated ideologies which he
represented. It appears often individual beliefs and philosophical undertones
matter in policy formulations, as is evident from both the above citations of
the authors experience with the Prime Ministers. This NDA-PM indeed inaugurated
many conferences including an international on Gender and Poverty which was
organized by the author in 2004. During this period, on many occasions this
author was invited for private by many cabinet ministers (including human
resources ministry, home ministry, finance ministry), and the National Security
Council of India. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #000099; font-family: "Garamond","serif";">It was early 2013 that the
author delivered a lecture at Ahmedabad to a select group of Muslim business
men organized by institutions promoting entrepreneurship, backward and forward
market linkages: </span><span lang="EN-US"><a href="http://www.clusterpulse.org/"><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif";">http://www.clusterpulse.org/</span></a></span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #000099; font-family: "Garamond","serif";"> & <a href="http://www.globalnetworkindia.com/">http://www.globalnetworkindia.com/</a>.
This was also the time when a meeting was organized with the Chancellor of the
‘Gujarat Vidya Peeth’ an university established by Mahatma Gandhi himself at
Ahmedabad. The author is familiar with Gujarat as he worked at Ahmedabad
between 1988-1994. It was during this
visit and a result of the media coverage, a special request came - ‘CM ne chai pe bulaya hai’. As professional and policy expert especially
in the context of Sachar Committee, it was a responsibility to positively
respond and exchange ideas and advise the constitutionally backed-elected
representative of a state. It was in
this meeting a discussion happened as to why the Muslim community would value
education relatively less than other communities. There was no easy answer to
this query; it is too complex – such as serious demand and supply issues, quality,
type and language of education are too prominent and they are not easy to
address especially in fast changing political ideologies at the grassroots
level. An important dimension of social life that was agreed in this meeting, to
be important was the need for participation of communities including the
Muslims in the local panchayats and municipalities. This advise was appreciated
and in the context of soon to be conducted panchayat elections in Gujarat.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #000099; font-family: "Garamond","serif";">The privately invited
meeting with the current Chief Minister of Karnataka yielded a highly positive
bureaucratic response; so was the case with the two erstwhile Chief Ministers
of Andhra Pradesh who made commitments to increase annual budgets favoring the
Muslims in grand public meetings organize at the Jubilee Hall. These
commitments were indeed found to be put in action subsequently about which the
communities in Hyderabad and other areas in the undivided Andhra Pradesh
appreciated. The Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka political systems are favorable
to the cause of Muslims and they are amply heralded through a number of policy
actions including Acts of the State Assemblies.
The Chief Minister of Maharashtra for example expressed a special
mention to send him my policy papers for closer scrutiny and assimilation.
There have also been occasions when a State Chief Minister was at logger head
abusing and accusing this author in public such as during television
interviews, and that was before the last state elections in West Bengal
although there is evidence to the fact a 10 % quota reservations was announced
by him on an earlier occasion soon after a mass-public lecture of this author
on the streets of Kolkata. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #000099; font-family: "Garamond","serif";"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #000099; font-family: "Garamond","serif";">Not the least, the brush
with the most recent (Ex) Chief Minister of Delhi has been more on par as
members of International Committees on finding alternative solutions to
Indian’s high incidence of poverty and low levels of human development. The National Planning Commission organized
and United National Development Program supported committees on assessing impact
of ‘direct cash transfers’ in India.
Often such events are debating-tables, including rhetorical and high
emotions but then the data and analysis becomes handy to ensure unsubstantiated
views are suppressed. It was on such occasions that author received concurrence
support of this Ex CM of Delhi endorsing this author’s point-of-view and
evidence. Such support structures are essential in policy circles and policy
debates that do take place in a formal – structured environment.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #000099; font-family: "Garamond","serif";">--------------------------------------<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #000099; font-family: "Garamond","serif";"> March 12, 2014<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: -7.1pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #000099; font-family: "Garamond","serif";"> Dr. Abusaleh Shariff,
Ph.D<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #000099; font-family: "Garamond","serif";"> Executive Director,
US-India Policy Institute, Washington D. C.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
Abusalehhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00150857162132740494noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3928263351799361094.post-9674728043413591462014-04-27T04:24:00.000+05:302014-04-27T04:24:06.513+05:30Altruism, Philanthropy and Development:<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 18pt;"><b>Altruism, Philanthropy and Development: <o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 18pt;"><b>Data
needs for enhancing the poverty impact<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Abusaleh Shariff, Ph. D<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Executive Director
and Chief Scholar,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">US-India Policy
Institute, 110 Maryland Av NE, Suite 508, Washington DC, 20002.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Key Note
Presentation at the Opening Session of the <b><u>Global
Donor’s Forum – 2014:</u> ‘Celebrating
Philanthropy in Emerging Economies’</b>; held at Gaylord National Resorts and
Convention Centre, Washington D. C. <u><o:p></o:p></u></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">April 14, 2014<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">Altruism with a purpose to
build communities through production of<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_good" title="Public good"><span style="background: white; color: windowtext; font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">public goods</span></a><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">
</span><span style="background: white; font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">is a philanthropic idea leading to national development.
</span><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Philanthropic spending puts additional pressure on the government to do
the right thing. Philanthropy therefore must focus attention issues and sectors
that matter to alleviate poverty and improve human security. Philanthropy must
undertake successful pilots which are often not undertaken by the government
systems; thus help in building expectations form the electorate.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">Altruism – a virtue and a
traditional value and Generosity is an obligation. Altruism with a purpose to
build communities through production of<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_good" title="Public good"><span style="background: white; color: windowtext; font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">public goods</span></a><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">
</span><span style="background: white; font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">is a philanthropic idea leading to
development. While altruism may limit or
favour kin or close community, philanthropy goes beyond borders and recognizes
local problems around the world. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;">Philanthropy aims for lasting
change as opposed to Charity which focuses on immediate relief, although there
is certain degree of overlap. </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;">Philanthropic investments in social
infrastructure promoting education such as through public libraries, computer
education, legal education; health such as through maintaining water bodies, preventive
care; diversity and human rights.</span></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">Wealth Creation in new<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hi-tech" title="Hi-tech"><span style="background: white; color: windowtext; font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">hi-tech</span></a><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;"> </span></span><span style="background: white; font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">sectors
is promoting new types of mega-philanthropy at earlier ages, creating large
foundations. Yet major share of philanthropic funding may come from modestly
rich people for example, a recent study has found that about 4.2 per cent of
annual income is given in philanthropic donations amongst those with annual income
of over $100,000/year. Better still; those with annual income of less than
$100,000/year contribute much higher share of their income.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #660066; font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">‘Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens
can change the world. In fact it is the only thing that has…’ Margaret Mead</span></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;">Virtuous Coalition for Poverty Reduction</span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;">Government</span></i></b><span class="apple-converted-space"><b><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;">:</span></b></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;"> P</span></span><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;">rovisioning of public good, safety, security & human welfare</span><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;">Business</span></i></b><span class="apple-converted-space"><b><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;">:</span></b></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;"> I</span></span><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;">nvestments for private good, focusing on material prosperity<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;">Philanthropy</span></i></b><b><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;">:</span></b><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;"> Private Initiatives for public good with a focus on quality of life</span></div>
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<b><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 20pt;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Case Study –
Modern India:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Philanthropy is not
new to India:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Garamond; mso-fareast-font-family: Garamond;">a.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Corporate
philanthropy: The Tatas vs The Birla is most discussed. Over 100 year
journey. They are differentiated through the approach ‘Neighbourhood Development’
Vs. Construction of Mega Temples. Can we call it White Vs. Black Philanthropy? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">The
mechanism of moving around large amounts often unaccounted for through
religious (temple) trusts and religious endowments are most prevalent.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: -18pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Garamond; mso-fareast-font-family: Garamond;">b.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">In India, giving to
the poor in general Vs. giving to poor kith and Kin<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: -18pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Garamond; mso-fareast-font-family: Garamond;">c.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">The left hand should
not know what the right hand gives – principle often generates humility but
precludes evaluation and measurement of development impact.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Garamond; mso-fareast-font-family: Garamond;">d.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">In the modern
context the legal bottlenecks galore. The Foreign Contributions Regulation Act (FCNRA)
emerged out of a fear against conversions, especially the rich missionary
tempting the poor Adivasis kind of arguments.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Garamond; mso-fareast-font-family: Garamond;">e.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">New age philanthropy:
Azim Premji’s focus on education; Rohini
and Nandan focus on sanitation. Such philanthropies are amenable for measurements
and evaluation and therefore transparent and generate durable impact.</span><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"> In India, in the health sector for example, philanthropic funding is
less than 1 per cent of the total government spend. Other sectors attract
little and there is lack of information and data. </span><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Philanthropic spending puts additional pressure in
the government to do the right thing. Philanthropy must focussed attention to
the right issues and sectors, undertake successful pilots which are often not
undertaken by the government systems; and help in building expectations form
the electorate. The most recent examples are the way philanthropic funding
forced government to recognize the existence of HIV AIDS and enhance allocations for its
containment. Another example is the contribution of philanthropic donates in
eradication of Polio from the face of this earth.</span><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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funding must therefore build successful pilots which can be scaled-up and replicated.</span><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;">Data Needs for Evidence Based Policy Making:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Decentralized Approach will lead to better targeting,
coverage and efficiency</span></b><b><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br />
</span></b><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 12pt;">
National</span><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br />
<span style="background: white;"> State</span><br />
<span style="background: white;"> District</span><br />
<span style="background: white;"> Community groups</span><br />
<span style="background: white;"> Sample household</span><br />
<span style="background: white;"> Civil society institutions</span><br />
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<b><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Ideology: promote economic value generation while being</span></b><b><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br />
</span></b><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 12pt;"> Pro
poor</span><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br />
<span style="background: white;"> Pro business</span><br />
<span style="background: white;"> Pro self-employed</span><br />
<span style="background: white;"> Pro-child</span><br />
<span style="background: white;"> Pro-woman</span><br />
<br />
<b><span style="background: white;">Understanding
Demography & Geography of markets.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span><br />
</b><span style="background: white;"> Market segmentation; local,
exclusive</span><br />
<span style="background: white;"> Global - all encompassing</span><br />
<span style="background: white;"> Modern methods, tools – IT enabled<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>online, advertisement based and
futuristic and youth <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 12pt;"> oriented<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br />
<b><span style="background: white;">Organize
occupation based production systems.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span><br />
</b><span style="background: white;">Networking disparate entities to achieve a
common goal useful to all - is one way to establish inroads to modern
markets. Can bargain investments, infrastructure, credit and assured returns
to marketable goods and services.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span><br />
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<b><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Turning donations</span></b><b><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br />
</span></b><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 12pt;">- in to jobs</span><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br />
<span style="background: white;">- in to networking &<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span><br />
<span style="background: white;"> organization</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">- in to enrolment & education</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">- woman & child health</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">- into economic opportunity</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">- into Smiles ;)-</span><br />
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<b><span style="background: white;">Collection
of Information<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span><br />
</b><span style="background: white;"> * Data, records, talk to<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>people, case studies</span><br />
<span style="background: white;"> * Newspaper reports<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Opinion making - debates, discussion groups<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Policy Influence - review, lay out future
directions, negotiate policy directions</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Review Budgets on time and even before budget
presentations. Address the issue of 'where is the money'. Be a Watch Dog :
consistent monitoring of policy performance. Galvanize community to be
watchful.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span><br />
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Abusalehhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00150857162132740494noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3928263351799361094.post-71134151691538083552013-07-26T16:23:00.000+05:302013-07-26T16:23:22.936+05:30How Socially Inclusive is the Union Budget 2013-14<b>This article is jointly written with Jawed A. Khan of Centre for Budget and Governance Accountability (CBGA), New Delhi</b>
Immediately after the Independence, India committed to serve the disadvantaged sections through a development planning process. The policy-driven benefits envisaged earmarking funds and physical benefits in the Union and State Budgets. Backed by the Constitutional provisions, the Planning Commission during the 1970s formulated the Scheduled Caste Sub Plan (SCSP) and the Tribal Sub Plan (TSP) with the objective to channel Plan funds for these communities in accordance with their share in population which for all-India was 16% and 8% respectively (2001 Census). Other strategic designs and affirmative action policies to enhance the developmental impact to benefit the SCs and STs were also devised. This approach was a departure from the past when the government benefits flowing down to marginalized communities was only ‘incidental’
Twenty Seven ministries and departments earmarked Plan funds through exclusive budget heads (budget code 789 for SCSP, and budget code 796 for TSP) which were also identified in the ‘detailed demand for grants (DDGs). Area-oriented outlays to benefit SC/ST- dominated hamlets were also incorporated into the DDGs. All the allocation mechanisms were mandated to be non-divertible and non-lapsable by law. The union budget statements-21 and 21A accounts for total expenditures along with budgeted and revised estimates in favor of the SC and ST schemes managed by each department. The respective allocations in the union budget 2013-14 accounted for 9.7% and 5.8 % of total Plan funds.
As a follow-up to the Sachar Report, first time in the 11th Plan, the Union government explicitly committed to address deprivation, inequality and exclusion of the Muslims and other minorities within the stated ‘faster and inclusive growth’ model. Since 2006-07 program focus was placed on ‘education and economic empowerment, access to public services, strengthening of minority institutions and area development programme’. Two exclusive Plan strategies favouring religious minorities were - the PM's new 15 point programme (15PP), and the Multi-Sectoral Development Programme (MSDP). The 15PP envisaged earmarking 15% of total allocations and achieving the physical targets under select flagship programmes for development of minorities. There were two other commitments; one by the ‘department of personal and training’ with a promise to ensure 15 % share in public employment; and ‘department of financial services’ with targets to disburse 15 % of the annual ‘priority sector lending’ (PSL) to favour minorities.
The 15PP operational since the eighties were never seriously implemented and reviewed; yet the revamped 15PP in 2006 intended to focus the vital concerns of (a) education, (b) employment and skill development, (c) living conditions, and (d) security among minorities. The mechanism was by incorporating major concerns within the ambit of select flagship schemes. Currently, eleven Union ministries/departments claimed to be involved in implementing the 15PP, including Ministries of Rural Development, Urban Development, Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation, Labour and Employment, Minority Affairs, Home, Finance, Women and Child Development, School Education and Literacy, Personal and Training. Selected schemes are Indira AwasYojana (IAY), Ajivika, National Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP), Urban Infrastructure and Governance (UIG), Urban Infrastructure Development Scheme for Small and Medium Towns (UIDSSMT), Integrated Housing Slum Development Programme (IHSDP), Basic Services for Urban Poor (BSUP), SwarnaJayanti Gram (KGBV), Priority Sector Lending to Minorities, Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS), SwarozgarYojana (SJSRY), Industrial Training Institutes(ITIs), SarvaShiksha Abhiyan (SSA), Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya, and Madrassa Modernisation Programme.
The Centre for Budget and Governance Accountability (CBGA), an independent think tank, estimated that around 6 % of the 11th Plan allocations were accounted for the minorities and 70 % of allocation was spent through Jawaharlal Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM). Yet a review of the extent of inclusion of Muslims in JNNURM, found no flows at the state and district levels. Thus such allocations made under this mission are notional; and actual expenditure and beneficiary data on minorities are not available. Further, the share of schemes and programs directly benefiting the minorities such as the MSDP, scholarship schemes, IAY, SGSY, ITIs and SJSRY have been allocated meager shares of the total outlays.
Minorities’ involvement in the budgetary processes is a stated objective of 12th plan. Yet no separate budget statements or schemes for minorities are found in the mainstream ministries/departments; nor have ‘major and minor accounting heads’ been created to channel funds meant for minorities in the DDGs system. There is no mechanism to capture allocation for minorities by mainstream ministries at time of budget presentation except by the Ministry of Minority Affairs (MMA). The ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) provides details of allocation only on Madrasa Modernization Program. Even allocations for minorities under the ‘SSA’ are not made available by the MHRD.
Only 0.23 % of total Union Budget 2013-14 has been earmarked for minorities, whereas they constitute about 19 % of population of the country (Census 2001). During 2012-13, the national level flow of PSL to minorities was reported to be 1, 71,960 crore, which was more than 15% of the total PSL. Yet there is a no mechanism for providing information on beneficiaries and purpose of lending. Similarly, percentage share of minorities in total government recruitment is accounted to be 11.5 % in 2010-11, again unsubstantiated – a non-transparent disclosure. Both these data are not further disaggregated by the minority identities, and therefore not possible to know as to whether the representation of Muslims in the PSL and recruitment has improved over time. Sachar report highlighted huge gap of representation of Muslims in government and public sector employment and also very low credit flow. It is therefore essential that the government make the recruitment and PSA data public and with proper definitions and accounting system for a fair public audit.
The ‘People’s Budget Initiatives’, a civil society budget group requested the Ministry of Finance twice to bring out a budget statement on programs and schemes on the line of the SCSP and TSP; but for no avail. Whatever expenditure with respect to benefits/entitlements for minorities/Muslims which is reported now is based on retrospective calculations, often superficial, could be labeled as <i>guestimates</i> undertaken without planning and need identification. Additionally, Ministry of Minority Affairs itself remained unconvinced that the data reported by several ministries on 15PP are reliable.
The minority oriented policy initiatives will not yield results and show measurable impact unless there is a commitment on the part of the Union Government expressed in the form of ‘separate budget statements’ on minority related programs; as is now a common practice in case of women, children, SCs and STs and environment (for expenditure reporting). Such a reporting should also reflect through a ‘dedicated heads of accounts’ meant for minorities/Muslims in the DDGs for mainstream ministries. The funds meant for minorities need to be made non-divertible and non-lapsable as well.Abusalehhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00150857162132740494noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3928263351799361094.post-18522018014721923792012-12-30T00:21:00.000+05:302012-12-30T00:21:07.983+05:30Multi-Brand FDI! Should we celebrate?
The world is cautious after a recovery, albeit meek, from the global gloom of economic meltdown of 2008-9 and its reappearance during 2011-12 rivaling only the depression of the 1930’s. Some recovery has occurred by resilient growth in China and India and large bailout and economic restructuring packages offered by the US and European economies. While China has pushed down Japan to take second place next only to the US, India has also found a place in the top ten or trillion dollar economies and poised to take 5th position much before 2030.
India indeed has come a long way to create a niche for itself in the global economic space. The world foresee a demographic advantage that India can harness, given young age structure and a fast and consistent pace of income growth in GDP which is propelling shifts in consumption classes generating huge domestic demand for practically all types of modern goods and services. The markets for such products in the west are close to saturation and at the most meager. The investors world over, look into India as the power house to manufacture and export goods and services through cost effective contracts. There is also an expectation that India during the next 20-30 years will continue to provide trained manpower to the firms and business in the western world due to its relatively higher fertility levels and larger young age population.
Recently, the National Government in India has made it easy for the international corporates to invest in multi-brand retail. The policy has secured assent of the parliament, yet still remains controversial and many taking opposing positions and agitating. One of the main concerns is that FDI will push small traders out of business and hurt domestic markets, therefore the policy is exclusionary. Given traditional division of labor, specified communities are involved in unorganized small business and trade, therefore, the policy is also accused to be discriminatory.
Structural Issues:
To understand the inclusive development strategy, especially mainstreaming of the excluded and marginalized, one must understand the development frame of India in the modern context. The paradigm of economic and social development in India has evolved from out of the socialistic pattern, to the one, of openness and private-public partnership. This transformation is an ideological reversal took shape since mid-1980s and more specifically from 1991, and thereafter Indian economy has seen formidable levels of growth, nearing 10% annual, which is nothing but magical.
Ideologically socialistic performance of the government soon after the Independence ensured that private corporate and other vested interest could not appropriate national resources such that the masses could have been adversely affected. Although the trigger happy economic evangelists did abuse the older economic system, what should be recognized at the time of the Independence, fresh with the influence of Gandhian thought and preaching, there could not have been any other choice to socialistic thought, which promoted a sense of equality although the private ownership was suppressed.
Government’s control over resources did accord a sense of safety and that they are not overexploited or looted. The Nehurivian concerns therefore during the first few decades after Independence appear not only relevant but necessary. At a philosophical plain such a social and economic ideological frame provided an illusionary feeling of inclusiveness, and the minorities and marginalized believed that newly formulated democratic structure would protects their social identity and economic interests. The safeguards and special provisions enshrined in the Indian Constitution added further to a psychological equilibrium that the excluded such the SCs/STs and minorities intended to achieve soon after the trauma and turbulence that preceded and succeeded the Independence. During this phase of governance and development, marginalized groups had little knowledge as to the relative position they occupied in the complex web of diversity amongst the population which was explicit in terms of the caste, ethnicity and religion in India.
During the early period after the Independence, the overall governance and bureaucratic structure was heavily represented by highly educated upper caste Hindus and the welfare schemes and poverty alleviation programs were in the league of pilot projects or at the most in the genre of relief programs. It is now a recorded history, however, that socialistic pattern of economic policy did not facilitate fast pace of economic growth rather it was characteristic of rigid state control and bureaucratic overbearing.
A reminiscence, of the process of development in India during the eighties, invokes a considerable amount of satisfaction that India indeed has gone through a transformation from the highhanded license raj to opening up towards promoting private initiatives to exploit resources, in a way at the right time, although such a change was forced upon due to the technocratic and purely fiscal prudence. The recognition and promotion of the private initiative in development as a policy response to fast growth has been commendable.
The current state of mixed economy with a clear bent over to the privatization of resources and sectors of the economy is a game changing process. It is, therefore, timely and essential to find out what kind of inclusive space has been carried forward or what new opportunities have become available to the marginalized and those in the periphery of the social and economic domain in the present ‘new-deal Indian economic policies?
It is necessary to ponder upon as whether lopsided development and growth can occur; should the government continue to absolve the role of the ‘trustee’ of the national and natural resources, while the private sector engulfed with the forces of free economy and competition (often export lead) penetrates to such economic domains that were thus far insulated from exploitation, mostly due to lack of demand and also due to lack of investments which governments could not bring. Therefore, the economic processes which are private but in principle endorsed by the public systems, also claim to be ‘inclusive’ can damage the very fabric of nationhood and nation building. The economy and markets must therefore operate and indeed promote the concepts of nationhood and national integration, while making profits by exploiting local natural and human resources and adding value to the GDP.
The caste system and religious discrimination are dominant of the causes for communities with specified identities to be poor and continue to remain poor even after 65 years of the Independence and democratically guided governance. In a pluralistic and diverse society that India is, it is important, therefore, to find out as to how different groups of people such as those identified based on caste, ethnic origin (tribes), religion, occupation, place of residence (rural- urban), remote, hilly and forested areas and so on are able to overcome deprivation. Important also is to know as what role the social system and culture has either to promote or inhibit communities overcome inequality and what proactive initiatives are needed from the government systems. Another issue which has relevance to equity emanates from regional differentials. Thus the communities which are excluded from the mainstream are found concentrated in states and regions which are less developed. There is a sort of double whammy faced by deprived groups and further the depth of deprivation and exploitation emerges from other factors such as occupational and work related exploitation, child labor and gender bias.
Therefore to understand mechanism to address deprivations amongst the SCs/ STs and Muslims it is essential to lay bare all such dimensions which are a type of whirlpool or a sort of trap from which those affected have to be rescued and rehabilitated not only on the basis of empathy but with the aim of empowering whole communities so that they make their rightful claim of equal citizens of India. The social backwardness has the inbuilt disadvantage inhibiting access to equal opportunities. Socially backward groups face problems in access to natural resources as well as the resources created by the public at large. Since the senior positions of administration are dominated by the upper caste, those in the lower levels of the caste ladder have serious educational and skill-set dis-advantage. It is important note, that equity, equality, inclusion and mainstreaming is possible only when there is a pie to share and that the size of the pie keeps on increasing to meet the growing demand.
Demographic Dividends:
Notwithstanding the above narrated background of the Indian societal and economic spheres, it would now be appropriate to ponder over the role of international ‘foreign direct investment’ (FDI) in multi-brand retail in India. Key question is as how such investment will affect the lives and livelihood of the marginalized.
India is an expanding consumer market, bound to expand for many more decades during the 21st century. The hallmark of the Indian growth story is an extraordinary increase in domestic demand, the demand created by millions of consumers making billions of small purchases per annum, however, small or trivial the purchases are, they adds up huge amounts and quantities. Such demand creates huge supply constraints. India is facing a kind of puzzle, where even a small increase in income pushes up demand of practically all sorts and types of goods and services one can imagine. While this happens, if there is no concomitant increase is supply of the good and services, the economy can enter into a trap of price inflationary spiral which India has never experienced so far. Remember the 1980 Latin America where inflation reached 50% or more per annum.
The key to sustaining growth in a fast growing economy, therefore, is increasing investments across the board – infrastructure, agriculture, industry, trade, including retail and so on. Financial investments are also needed for technological up-gradation which is essential to increase the efficiency of investments for mass production of quality goods and services at costs which are affordable. Remember the mobile revolution of the last about one half decade. This is the result of a prudent mix of investment and state of the art technology. Today, it is far cheaper and affordable to use mobile phone services in India, than for example, in the USA and Europe. The IT enabled technological revolutions in India was made possible by FDI and associated technology.
Multi-brand International FDI:
One of the major causes for low income growth amongst the Indian poor is because over 85 of the labor force is unorganized and self-employed in highly divers sectors of the economy. Such a labor force can be helped only when there are consistent efforts on the part of the governments to provide organized production, supply and marketing opportunities across the country. India already has a number of domestic organized retail chains and shops. Why and how then, an international company harms our markets and trade - can someone explain?
In the following is a series of benefits which will emerge from organized retail irrespective of whether such trade is funded by domestic Indian rupees or international dollars and yens.
1. Game changer - promotes transparent consumer marketing practices.
2. Helps small producers, entrepreneurs and even farmers to organize and integrate into lager organized market system.
3. Bulk purchase helps small traders and retailers higher profits.
4. Eliminate irresponsible and exploitative middle man – who is neither a producer not a trader just a middle man, largely responsible for jacking up prices.
5. Create organized sector jobs.
6. Good and better paid front desk and floor level jobs.
7. Better quality jobs at the level of the sourcing of products.
8. Outsourcing of products and sub-contracting will create a new type of employment.
9. Help create an entirely new set of skill development.
10. Reduce transaction costs in product and goods trade.
11. Improve product quality and standards.
12. Promotes consistency in quality.
13. Certainty in availability of required goods both to the small trader and individual consumer.
14. Pre-measured package improves accuracy in weights and measures.
15. Increase the shelf-life of many products, much of it through the use of climate control technology.
16. Reduction in wastage at the place of sourcing and during transportation.
17. Reduces at home wastage due to better selection and sorting of products and goods.
18. Reduce the unit cost of practically all goods, products and services.
19. Promotes ‘return back’ policy, at the moment unknown in India.
20. Promote easy payment and advance purchase systems in trading.
21. State-of-the-art technology will become common in India.
22. Shopping becomes an experience for the whole family, promote happy family.
23. Increases consumer satisfaction.
24. Improves consumer information.
25. Reduces unnecessary and unhealthy road side advertisements.
Note that this is not the end of the list. Unless India adopts global standards and adapts the global business and marketing strategies, there is a danger of losing out from a race in which it is already in. Indian economy is now vibrant enough such that both the modern and traditional economic schemes not only co-exists but thrive. The government however, must put in place a relief and rehabilitation program for those who would get adversely affected due to multi-brand modern markets. Another policy option is to provide financial incentives for businesses who promote sourcing local products, conceptualize new lines of products and services to meet the local tastes and preferences and enhance local employment.
The demographic dividends are expected out of labor supply potential that India has over other emerging economics of the world. However, it is also important to note that India’s population will also generates domestic demand in such a way that a substantial labor and skill pool is required to sustain domestic markets thus thrusting a considerable pressure on the global demand for labor either through fewer leaving India for other greener pastures; or though increase in exports of manufactured goods and services.
The structure of global competitive economy is such that India was the seventh largest in terms of volume of output at the time of its Independence; but in spite of the apparent high growth trajectory it is nowhere closer to that ranking presently. However, at the beginning of the 21st century the world is taking India seriously, mostly due to the imminent demographic advantage that this country is demonstrating to the world. India has many puzzles and dualisms: for example the debates over ‘India’ versus ‘Bharat’ or the urban rural divide; the unorganized versus organized workforce; continuance of abject poverty and hunger when the growth rates are best in the world; and issues revolving around social and income poverty.
Abusalehhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00150857162132740494noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3928263351799361094.post-61176260323421215522012-07-15T17:37:00.001+05:302012-07-15T17:37:54.438+05:30Forthcoming Event<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Regional Dynamics, Economic Growth and Welfare
Two day conference scheduled on 15th and 16th September 2012, Mt. Abu, Rajasthan
Center for Research and Debates in Development Policy (CRDDP) and the US-India Policy Institute, Washington DC are jointly organizing a conference on “Regional Dynamics, Economic Growth and Welfare in India during the First Decade of 21st Century” at Mt Abu, Rajasthan, India on 15th and 16th September, 2012.
Recent Indian Economic Growth story (notwithstanding more recent economic troubles) can be understood only if one disentangle the diversity of its economy in terms of sectoral growth and competitive environment within which India’s large states perform in terms of economic production, distribution, trade and welfare programs. The emphasis of this conference will be to highlight inter-state issues from Utter Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal with relatively progressive states of Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Gujarat. It would be ideal if pairs of states are compared such as ‘Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra’, ‘Bihar and Gujarat’ and so on.
There will be two main sessions in this conference:
Session I, will have one invited paper – ‘Inter-State and Inter-Regional Markets and Poverty Profiles’; and four contributed paper presentations.
Session II, will focus on ‘Economic and Social development in Bihar and Gujarat: Role of social movements and economic philosophy in a comparative perspective’. There will be one invited and four contributed papers in this session as well.
Expert participants will be invited to make scheduled interventions during the sessions and there will be ample time to discuss and debate all the presentations and emerging issues. Those interested can send a 300 word summary/abstract containing the focus of the paper, hypothesis, data and methods and expected findings by 27th July 2012 and register with Mr. B. L. Joshi at bljoshicrddp@ymail.com. Accepted participants will be provided with local hospitality at Mt. Abu, Rajasthan India.Abusalehhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00150857162132740494noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3928263351799361094.post-15031930464014037662012-06-29T00:35:00.000+05:302012-06-29T00:35:20.573+05:30NATIONAL SECURITY FROM HALF WAY ACROSS THE WORLD!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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NATIONAL SECURITY FROM HALF WAY ACROSS THE WORLD!
India has come of age in the realm of global economic and political architecture, notwithstanding a $10 billion contribution announced by Dr. Manmohan Singh at Mexico on June 20, 2012 so as to avert impending crisis in Greece and ease in Spain. However, India is a sort of an ‘adolescent’, coming out of innocent childhood, begun to face turbulence - of the global sweeps encompassing trade, political alignments, financial flow and technological interface. The US is strongly promoting a strategic alliance with India, after Pakistan failed to sustain strategic support due to unreliable power and political equations. The world at large is challenged due to newly developing ideologies winning power in hitherto stable Egypt and in a destabilizing Pakistan.
Being a founder member of (now non-existent) non-aligned movement - leading role played by Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru – a philosophical and conceptual baggage still influence the Indian thinking, and what it considers international fair-paly. The proverbial ‘Eve’s Apple’ could not be resisted by ‘Adam’ resulted in a descent to earth to procreate and prosper. However, for many it was a sin (against heaven’s signboard ‘no plucking and eating of apples’), that both were sent packing. Is India ready to ‘bite’ the ‘apple pie’ – the readymade, packed, branded and franchised technologically brilliant machines of mass destruction. Will it be considered a sin! Or is it an opportunity?
Often India is considered, by south-Asian neighbors, a local bully and neighborhood urchin. Neighborhood relationships have a vast canvas – outright enemy, a muscular arm twister, does not allow neighbors to crossover imaginary ‘laxman rekha’ (line) in geo-political and economic domains and so on. However, due to sheer size and unique location – the world at large considers India as a favorable location to pin the ‘democracy-lamp-post’ so to speak. No, there is no country in the world to rival India – a large democracy while still being a relatively poor society and economy.
While India cherish being a lighthouse-of-democracy, can this be done by becoming South Asian warehouse to the technologically loaded arsenal, which would certainly scare the neighbors if not antagonize them. Further, in spite of a couple of wars with China and more recent ‘border-game-play’ between the two, media hype notwithstanding; what ‘a smile or two’ can achieve in restraining the Asian Giants (an elephant and a dragon); I am sure, cannot be achieved through ‘armored muscle flexing’. Indeed the ‘smiles’ are being caused by growing trade and business and it will be in the interest of the world that this process is not compromised.
The greatest strength of India lies beneath its population – youthful, progressively educating (albeit slowly) and skilling itself with knowledge that is needed to meet challenges of the 21st century. Expect a day not too long from now, when even China will be willing (the process has begun) to welcome Indian skilled manpower to work in the formidable industrial base that has been put in place since over 50 years of China’s economic reforms. Why should then India be a partner in ‘strategic defense trade’ initiative of the US?. Note also that the other ‘neighbor-enemy-country’ has access to same or similar technology and for the same source. It will be sensible for India to negotiate technology trade agreements with the US, which facilitate the larger, both local and global, technological innovation as well as mass production of goods and services, including certain types of dual use technologies. India has the potential to become a local production and training center for South Asia and beyond.
To understand the need for India’s security, need to know, who the enemy is? Is there an enemy at all! In the global context India is the most obvious oft-written name next to China. Is this not an indication of a newly evolving route to civilized partnership? Or does this indicate armament deterrent or strive to show the other, the door outside the evolving global coalitions.
Within the immediate proximity, are our disputes and disagreements with the neighbors, dominantly Pakistan, so severe that India has to arm itself by aligning with an eclipsing super power? Are they not other avenues to address these issues and recently there is a realization that ‘a smile or two at each other’ is promoting billions of dollars of cross-border trade; and savings through limiting arms pileup to feel secure. Certainly, therefore, the south Asian geo-political scenarios do not encourage India to engage in unusually large defense buildup.
Given India’s expanse, geographic, linguistic, religious and socio-cultural diversity is there a threat to national security from within, that it requires India to bite the ‘apple pie’? The real threat to India is from, illiteracy, disease, poverty and lack of civility, rather civic infrastructure which is essential for a democracy to mature. Further, radicalism of religious thoughts that have evolved from within, namely Hindu assertion, through both covert and overt design of (indigenous and unique) political ideology that religion can be mixed with democracy at the level of governance! On another scale, the evolution of a radical Islamic ideology that is concocting not far from the western borders of northern side of India, and an ideology that is erupted due to the shortsighted political maneuvering by the west in the past.
It is necessary, therefore, to continue and scale up interacting with the United States to strengthen the global economy. Partially this can be done by liberalizing the domestic market not only because the global business benefit, but also that the Indian citizens deserves the best that the world has to offer. India nevertheless has to be cautious that in doing so it does not export the jobs and import inflation and conspicuous consumption. Further, Indian reforms have to devolve and take the states in confidence and also enable the local governments, city corporations and private sector to take independent business decisions as opposed to the unilateral and ‘fit-for-all-sizes’ kind of economic and developmental policy of the national government.
On the security side, India is right within its limits to modernize its military and security system which is quiet normal for a country of the size of India. It has to also be alert and combat ready should such eventuality is thrust upon this nation. It is prudent therefore that India sources it ware and technology from multiple sources and diversify. Note that budgetary allocations to the defense services have remained unchanged in proportionate terms but due to phenomenal growth in government fiancés lately, the absolute size indeed has increased. I only wish that India feel secure enough so that a considerable amount of such finances are directed towards improving human development and reduce poverty.Abusalehhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00150857162132740494noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3928263351799361094.post-8360036308215443252012-02-14T08:47:00.002+05:302012-02-14T08:49:23.524+05:30Business Line 14th February 2012<span style="font-weight:bold;">Unaddressed Issues in Education</span><br /><br />http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/opinion/article2889567.ece<span style="font-weight:bold;"></span>Abusalehhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00150857162132740494noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3928263351799361094.post-68697488847445110362012-01-30T13:53:00.002+05:302012-01-30T13:57:05.648+05:30A Recent Interview on Status of Muslims<span style="font-weight:bold;">http://www.islamonline.net/eng/article/1304971030788</span>Abusalehhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00150857162132740494noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3928263351799361094.post-13175721974564123672012-01-28T14:57:00.000+05:302012-01-28T14:58:33.796+05:30Miserable State of India’s EducationIndia is today seen as one of the leading economics in the world and counted among the top 5th. The competition is open to occupy the first and second spot by China and India respectively in about 30-40 years. Is this a true and real picture of India while a large portion of our citizens languish under the stress of poverty, deprivation even lack of food and high malnutrition. On a similar count India still has one of the largest illiterate population both in terms of absolute size and in proportionate terms. How and why India should heralds such a puzzling scenario. What is at the root of this puzzle is hope. It is the connect between what we are today and what we can be tomorrow which bridge this gap and explain the disconnect. This article takes the issue of literacy and education as an example and discusses as to what it takes for India to ensure creditable presence in the ‘league of top end nations’ marshaling achievements in the areas of ‘development, democracy and diversity’.<br />Accomplishments since Independence in 1947 in terms of literacy, spread of institutions, participation and equalization of educational opportunities have been quite significant. There has been phenomenal increase in the number of educational institutions, faculties, in teachers and students. The number of teachers has gone up five-fold and the number of schools three fold. Literacy rate has nearly trebled. The decennial census, 1991, saw India across the 50 per cent mark, and by 2011 the literacy level has reach 74.5%. This is not a mean achievement for India - needs to cherish this feat because literacy has more than tripled while its population also tripled during the same period. <br />Yet the rural-urban disparities in literacy have remained large, although there is a marginal decline in gender disparity only lately. As a thumb rule there has been around 20%ge point deficit in rural literacy and female literacy respectively. It is also no time to feel good and procrastinate since the level of learning and competence of those considered literate is lot to be desired. Further to understand future progress in literacy and education one needs to analyze the process indicator such as the ‘enrollment’ and quality of education.<br />PRATHAM a well know civil society organization since last seven years undertakes ‘annual assessment of education’ and brings out a report identified as ASER. The seventh such report with reference year 2011 provides a conflicting scenario – that practically all children 5-14 years are enrolled in the schooling system, over one quarter of them attend private schooling but a substantial proportion of children in government schools have very low levels of learning in terms of language, comprehension and numeracy. While there is something to cheer about in terms of enrollment efforts, with the private sector doing its bit, there are serious problems in the process, impact and outcome of education sector in India. The quality of schools and schooling is of poor quality in government system, although the government appointed teachers are well educated compared with the purely private schools. The private schools excepting in Kerala (actually government aided schools in Kerala) can also be of suspicious quality, as most do not meet the RTE standards and tend to appoint poorly trained and poorly paid teachers. Thus overall the situation is like – one has ‘sowed all her land with seeds, but at the end of the season there is no crop to reap’. This report itself has indicated that what is measured as enrollment does not reflect school attendance which has remained very poor and in states such as Bihar, UP and West Bengal there is a sharp decline in school continuation. Another disturbing factor is an increase in multi-grade class rooms which could be a factor for children shifting away from government to private schools in most of the states.<br />ASER dichotomize the schooling identities into government and private; although it refers to un-aided schools which can be considered private schools, what is disputable is to consider aided-schools as private, since while community groups manage the primary and elementary school most of the expenditures including teachers’ salaries are met by state budgetary mechanism. Overall, however, the private primary and elementary schools appear to produce relatively better levels of literacy compared with the government schools, although if other factors are controlled for this advantage may disappear. Further, the fact that private tutoring would sustain levels of learning somewhat has been enunciated through this research although generally it is only complimentary to the quality of schooling itself. The worrying fact is that that compared to previous years the learning levels in government school system has declined while the private school have maintained its own quality of education.<br />ASER-2011should be appreciated for a rare analytical measurement of learning ability and change over the last seven years for with the annual series of data are available. Generally one finds that the percentage of children who can read class 1 level of matter increase as the current grade increase which is but expected. However, the disturbing fact is this percentage in many higher grades has remained low since for example in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka in fact there is sharp decline at grade 3 in Jharkhand, Odhisha, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and even in Haryana. Many factors can impact this which can be identified as sampling as well as non-sampling errors. The fact recent survey was undertaken about the time census of India 2011 was in operation could impact school education due to absence of teachers from school. Similarly, often the basic literacy programs are implemented in various formats, for example there can be special campaigns when quality of learning can increase al beit temporarily and so on. Analysis on learning abilities in arithmetic has also been evaluated and the scenario is much worse than the one enunciated in case of reading alone.<br />While ASER’s effort is commendable in exposing the state of literacy in the rural parts of India, I would have wished if a few crucial factors which impact school continuation rates were to be explored further. There is this debate as to what is the impact of mid-day meals on continuation, similarly provision of drinking water and toilets are expected to help improve girls schooling. High cost of education is considered an impediment to schooling, yet one finds large increase in private schooling in India. How can this trend be explained, and in this context it should be stated that during the last 2-3 years there is an emphasis pre- and post-matric scholarships, what is its impact. While it is true that there is a slow increase in literacy, enrollment and continuation rate in India, which is important to note is due to inefficient and asymmetric program implementation, the literacy, enrollment and continuation deficits are likely to be concentered amongst specified population groups or socio-religious groups. It would have been highly timely if information on language of instruction was also analyzed especially with respect to learning ability of English. It is essential that this dimension in the dynamics of literacy and education can also be a separate chapter in ASER at least as a supplementary report of 2011, and certainly as an integral part of its report in 2012.Abusalehhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00150857162132740494noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3928263351799361094.post-18141481972337223122012-01-25T15:44:00.001+05:302012-01-25T15:48:11.318+05:30Email Reply to New York Time Query on the Current Controversy<span style="font-weight:bold;">1. In your opinion, was the action of the protesters and the threat of violence un-Islamic?</span><br /><br />Any act of violence is not permitted by the Indian Laws. The current issue must be dealt with accordingly. I am not an Islamic scholar, but so far as my understanding goes Islam does not promote violence. The issue was made political mostly by media, it is the media which is fanning the current controversy possibly under the influence of political patronage. Further even the Jaipur – Literature Festival platform was misused by media yesterday by organizing a special session on ‘salman rushdie’. salman rushdie has visited number of occasions earlier, but none of those occasions was the information put in media in advance. All reporting was done after he had left India. Why is this different this time – media and political patronage?<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">2. Have you read The Satanic Verses? What is the most offensive aspect of the book, according to you?</span><br /><br />Yes, this is not the best of writings which I appreciated. The government of India did it good to ban it in India. India is made of people with strong religious beliefs and one has to be sensitive to such religious beliefs; in fact one needs to cherish the diversity of India and be sensitive. Freedom of expression should not be used to promote hate writing and pornography in India.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">3. Do you think the government handled Salman Rushdie's visit appropriately? </span><br /><br />Government response must be in the larger interest of millions of it citizens and their legitimate requirements have to be met. It is also essential to keep peace and orderly behavior across India. The promoters of freedom of speech, English speaking elite are far too few and they live in their own ivory towers and often far removed from the practicality of human lives across the rural and urban parts of India. They can create their own ideological castles and live in their own cocoons. Understanding socio-cultural life styles of Indian is a serious matter. <br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">4. Is the view held by Salim Engineer representative of the view of the mainstream Muslim society?</span><br /><br />No single individual can represent the view of millions of Indian citizens. I do not know who this person is. But what matters is the sensitivities and religious sentiments must be respected, but not promoted. The religious believes do change as we educate our citizens.Abusalehhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00150857162132740494noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3928263351799361094.post-68806837586295289152012-01-25T15:40:00.003+05:302012-01-25T15:44:08.765+05:30DEC 11 - JAN 12 Engagements13 January 2012 <br />Prime Time Debate – ‘The Big Fight’ - Row over Minority qutoa: Vote bank politics or something that is overdue.’ The NDTV-New Delhi Studio: http://www.ndtv.com/video/player/the-big-fight/row-over-minority-quota-vote-bank-politics-or-something-thats-overdue/221120<br /><br />10th January 2012 <br />Prime Time 10pm Live Debate on ‘Minority Reservations-will they be<br />adequate to improve the conditions of Muslims in India’, CNN-IBN National TV, New Delhi Studio: http://ibnlive.in.com/#hp_player2<br /><br />6-9th January 2012 <br />‘Gender Empowerment and Indexing: Measurements and Policy’,<br />Inaugural address at an international conference on ‘Gender Empowerment and Development’ organized by the Institute of Objective Studies and held at Town Hall, Calicut, Kerala State.<br /><br />2nd January, 2011<br />'Role of Civil Society in providing affordable quality education in rural and semi-urban areas of Karnataka’, Key note address at the Annual Function of the Al Falah Education Institutions, Magadi, Karnataka State.<br /><br />27-29th December 2011<br />How Inclusive are India’s Inclusive Policies? A review of post Sachar initiatives’, presented at 94th Annual Conference of The Indian Economic Association, Organized by Bharati Vidyapeeth, Pune-411 030.<br /><br />17th December 2011 <br />‘Financial Services and Economic Empowerment : New Opportunities’ presented at an international conference on Participatory Banking for All - A Business Proposition, organized by Two Circles.Net, Hotel Taj, Café Parade, Mumbai.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"></span>Abusalehhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00150857162132740494noreply@blogger.com0