We haven't learnt to resolve conflicts without violence

Humans have undertaken incredible exploration of the universe, defied gravity, blasted off on space odyssey overcoming gigantic obstacles, built the Great wall of China & Burj Khalifa. Admired Shakespeare, Leo Nardo Vinci, Gandhi, Marx, Camus & Dostoevsky. Are enlightened & enthralled by their insights and wisdom. Democracy, equity & justice are cherished ideals. Have gained the ability for mapping human genes. Internet has enabled instant communication across the globe. Have invented tools to delve into secrets of cosmic entities billions of light years away, significantly extended life span etc. etc. The list of human achievements is endless. B……………U…………………T We haven’t learnt to resolve conflicts between nations without wars, bombs, missiles, mass killings and devastation of nature. Violence, hatred, fear and suspicion linger between communities despite centuries of coexistence.

SAY NO TO WAR

Nothing positive can be achieved by wars. Wars unleash irreversible damage. Much of what is destroyed in just a few weeks of war will never be restored. Not talking about this war or that war. War as a concept needs to be opposed. A global peace movement like the one which gained strength after the World Wars is needed now. Otherwise, politicians mad with power, puffed up with inflated egos, equipped with tools capable of enormous destruction will obliterate human achievements of centuries. Can't the vast resources that are employed for destruction be used for combating the ill effects of climate change, preventing pandemics, eradicating poverty, making education and health care accessible to everyone ?

Ending malnutrition by 2030 - Is India on target?

Malnutrition is the most alarming and persistent health problem faced by the world today as per a recent report of the International Food Policy Research Institute. The frightening statistics of infant mortality and retardation raises serious questions about the development models pursued by governments across the globe.

Nearly half of all deaths of children under the age of five are attributable to malnutrition; 155 million children under the age of five are afflicted by stunting caused because they did not get adequate nutrition in the first 1,000 days of their lives (UNICEF). Apart from physical retardation, brain development is also severely affected. Attention and memory deficit, slowness in learning language and social skills and reduced problem-solving ability are likely consequences of malnutrition (WHO).

The retardation caused in the first two years of a child's life prevents the development of his full potential for the rest of his life and the process cannot be reversed by adequate food and nutrition later. Studies have found that pregnancy at too early an age and maternal anaemia results in increased health risks for the mother and the child.

As per the report placed by the UN before the Global Nutrition Summit 2017, half a billion women of reproductive age and four out of 10 pregnant women worldwide suffer from anaemia. Anaemia is estimated to contribute to 20% of maternal deaths, and increase in risk of stillbirth, premature delivery, low birth weight and neonatal mortality (death within 28 days of birth). Iodine deficiency in mothers may cause brain damage and physical retardation in the child.

Though lack of food is the most common cause, ignorance and improper food habits also play a role in malnutrition. As Nobel laureate Angus Deaton pointed out, consumption of carbohydrate-based diet with low protein and fat content is one of the reasons for malnutrition in India. Unhygienic sanitation can cause frequent incidence of diarrhoea and other infections which, too, may result in malnutrition.

India ranks 97 among 118 developing countries in the Global Hunger Index. About 39% of children under the age of five - about 20 million - suffer from chronic malnourishment and India has the highest number of stunted children (48.2 million) in the world (Save the Children Report, May 2017). If this is the case with the sixth largest economy in the world, it is obvious that we have been following a lopsided growth path for decades.

The success achieved in fighting malnutrition by countries like Malawi, Madagascar Guatemala and Bangladesh which are way behind us in economic development and the examples of states like Kerala, Goa, Tripura and Chattisgarh in our own country show that it is possible to accelerate the process of reducing malnutrition by persistent efforts.

The success of persistent efforts is seen at the national level also. Between 2005 and 2014, there was a 20% decline in malnutrition. The number of stunted children under the age of five has come down from 48% in 2005 to 38% in 2016. This reduction was possible mainly due to the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS). But instead of feeling elated at this success, we should be concerned that children in such large numbers are still undernourished.

The Lancet, one of the world's best known and widely read medical journals, has worked out a package of proven nutrition interventions which, if implemented earnestly, could eliminate malnutrition at an accelerated pace. The first intervention is to ensure improved nutrition to women during pre-conception, pregnancy and post-partum periods.

Secondly, exclusive breastfeeding should be encouraged for the first six months. This could save up to 1.3 million children each year worldwide, ensuring optimal growth and protection from infections. Spreading awareness about the importance of breastfeeding and countering the misleading propaganda of companies selling formula milk products is the need of the hour.

Increasing investment

As the lives and health of millions of children are at stake, investment on schemes for women and child welfare need to be hiked urgently and drastically. Instead, the Union government is on a reduction spree. The budget allocation for ICDS in 2016-17 was reduced by 9.6% from the allocation of 2015-16. Further, the allocation for Mid-Day Meal Scheme, which was 0.74% of the total Union Budget in 2014-15, was reduced to 0.49% for 2016-17.

Those who grudge government spending on welfare schemes, including on healthcare, terming it a relic of time-worn Socialist philosophy, are perhaps not aware that even in the United Kingdom, the citadel of Laissez-faire Capitalism, a fully public-funded National Health Service ensures that patients don't have to spend anything from their pocket.

The same is the case with other European countries. Even in Qatar, a here ­ditary monarchy which is yet to see the dawn of democracy, patients are assured of heavily subsidised but world-class healthcare provided by the Hamad Medical Corporation, the government-run, non-profit healthcare provider. In contrast
to this, India spends a paltry 1% of GDP on healthcare, well below the world average of 5.99%, as per the Economic Survey tabled in Parliament in January 2017.

Policymakers want to substitute government schemes with contributory insurance schemes. But as social activist Aruna Roy asked, when jobs and incomes are shrinking, how will the poor contribute to the insurance schemes?

India, along with 193 member countries of the UN, adopted Sustainable Development Goals in September 2015 and committed itself to end undernutrition by 2030. Health activists are sceptical about India meeting the deadline, going by the progress achieved so far. It is for all to see that the sense of urgency which is necessary to create a tangible impact is sadly lacking.

(the article was published in DECCAN HERALD on 15.12.2017

Labour laws- Reforms for the few

Labour laws- Reforms for the few

At a time when labour law reforms are being debated, it is important to remember that only 6-7% of the total workforce in the country, that is, workers employed in the formal sector — by the government, state-owned enterprises and private companies — come under the labour laws. The other 93-94% — the vast majority of the country’s nearly 500 million workforce — working in the informal or unorganised sector are outside the purview of these laws.

Landless agricultural labourers, construction workers, beedi workers, sanitary workers, coolies, workers in brick kilns and stone quarries, workers in garment, leather, agarbatti and transport industries, contract and casual labourers are the major constituents of the informal sector, apart from weavers, artisans, hand-cart operators, small traders, pavement vendors, etc.

These workers have no access to basic rights such as fixed working hours, minimum wages, provident fund, gratuity, ESI, paid leave, pension, medical, accident and life insurance coverage, job security, etc., enjoyed by workers in the organised sector.

Unorganised workers are the worst sufferers in unforeseen circumstances like natural calamities or economic crises. For instance, after demonetisation, thousands of workers returned to their native villages as jobs and earnings ceased abruptly and they had nothing to fall back on.

Wages in the informal sector are determined by market forces in the absence of proper regulation. As per data released recently by the National Sample Survey Office (NSSO), the average wage earned by a worker in the unorganised sector is just Rs 6,688 per month. Even the highest average wage of Rs 10,468, earned by unorganised workers in Kerala, cannot be considered a decent wage today and at the current inflation level.

Surveys covering the last two decades have shown that the wages of many categories of workers in the informal sector has not increased at all, and when inflation is taken into account it has decreased in many cases. This is unfair, as the unorganised sector contributes about 51% of the GDP, according to the National Commission for Enterprises in the Unorganised Sector (NCEUS).

As the unorganised workers are spread across a wide spectrum of occupations and as the temporary nature of work takes them from place to place, it is difficult for them to organise themselves and benefit from collective bargaining. Hence, their welfare can be ensured in the immediate future only by introducing universally applicable social security measures. The task is daunting, not only because of the magnitude and complexity of the problem but also because the data available on their living and working conditions is scanty and unreliable.

The National Labour Commission and NCEUS have repeatedly drawn attention to the arbitrary and unjust working conditions and lack of social security and have suggested remedial measures.

Over a period of time, schemes such as old-age pension, widow pension, and MGNREGA were introduced for the benefit of unorganised workers. Due to scanty allocations, delayed release of funds, inefficient delivery mechanism, improper targeting and lack of awareness about the existence of the schemes among workers, a large number of intended beneficiaries have not been able to benefit from them.

Some schemes were formulated without taking into account the nature of their employment and income. For instance, the much publicised Atal Pension Yojana is a contributory pension scheme under which the Government of India will add either 50% of the subscriber’s monthly contribution or Rs 1,000 for the first five years of the scheme, that is from 2015 to 2020. If a subscriber fails to pay the monthly subscription any time during the tenure of the scheme, the GOI contribution and the interest earned on it will be forfeited.

A contributory scheme with such penal provisions does not suit workers who do not have an assured job or income. As per the scheme, an 18-year-old worker contributing Rs 42 per month for 42 years will get a pension of Rs 1,000 beginning at age 60. Experts have calculated that the value of Rs 1,000 will be only Rs. 129 when the worker starts receiving the pension.

Initiatives for reform

As labour falls in the Concurrent List, 44 labour laws relating to wages, employment, industrial relations, social security, etc., have evolved over a period of time. The Centre and states went on legislating, without any coordination between them. The second National Commission on Labour, constituted 72 years after the first NCL, submitted its report in the year 2002, recommending amalgamation of these laws that overlap and override each other, leading to a lot of confusion. But successive governments have failed to implement the recommendations.

The NCEUS released the report “Social Security for Unorganised Workers” in 2006 with a 13-point Action Programme to ensure minimum conditions of work and social security. The Unorganised Workers Social Security Act was passed in 2008 and The National Social Security Board was constituted in 2009. But the board only has an advisory role and no powers to enforce the Act.

In April 2017, the Draft Labour Code on Social Security and Welfare was released, which seeks to introduce a universal social security scheme by way of a single labour code by merging all the existing labour laws. But the move, supposed to be a reform measure, has turned regressive for the workers as the draft code blocks democratic participation by keeping out the trade unions. The code will be governed by a ‘national council’ consisting of 21 members out of whom only three will be workers’ representatives. Even these three will be nominated by the government.

Formulating welfare schemes that are easy to access, doing away with procedural complexities, raising the awareness level of workers, allowing participation of trade unions, and support of media and public opinion are necessary for improving the lot of the unorganised workers.

(The article was published in DECCAN HERALD on Oct 14 2017)

The link between poverty and health

The Indian healthcare market is growing at an astounding pace of 22.9%. Its present worth is around $ 100 billion and is expected to grow to $ 280 billion by 2020. The Indian pharmaceutical industry is the third largest in the world and accounts for 20% of global exports in generic drugs.
India is a prominent centre of medical tourism with about 1.27 million patients from countries such as Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, China and even from developed countries such as Canada, the US and UK flocking the super-speciality hospitals in the country. But this impressive growth story does not mean anything to millions of Indians for whom even primary healthcare is neither accessible nor affordable.

According to a study published in September 2016 by “International Collaboration on the Global Burden of Disease,” India ranks 143 in the list of 188 countries on a range of health indicators.
Though successive governments introduced various schemes and spent hundreds of crores, ‘Health for All’ remains a distant dream. What is preventing the achievement of this much-cherished goal?
Addressing the 54th World Health Assembly in 2001, Kofi Annan, the then UN secretary general, said, “The biggest enemy of health in the developing world is poverty”. The policymakers would do well to remember this stark reality while trying to achieve the goal of Health for All. It is necessary to take a hard look not only within the health sector but beyond it.

According to “The People’s Health Movement”, a global network of grassroots health activists, civil society organisations and academic institutions which are relentlessly campaigning for Health For All, the main cause of poor health of millions across the world is poverty. Poverty is both a cause and a consequence of poor health.

Apart from an accessible and affordable public healthcare, proper living and working conditions, safe drinking water, adequate nutrition and hygienic sanitation are essential for good health.

But poverty and discriminatory customs and practices prevent millions in India from accessing these essential services and resources.

Another major consequence of poverty is malnutrition. Though our GDP has increased 50% since 1991, one-third of the world’s malnourished children live in India. Malnutrition affects the immune system, increases the incidence and severity of diseases and results in poorer cognitive function and learning ability in children. Though “Integrated Child Development Services” started in 1975 has succeeded in reducing malnutrition to some extent, much more needs to be done.

It is reported that almost 2,000 Indians die every day due to diarrhoeal diseases. Non-availability of safe drinking water and poor sanitation are the major issues. Most rural households have no latrines.

Emphasis on hygiene
Swachh Bharat mission of the present government is a big initiative and has raised high hopes for hygienic sanitation. It needs to be extended to more villages and slums and complaints like lack of provision for water, lack of proper arrangements for maintenance etc., should be addressed.

Poor people often live in overcrowded, ill-ventilated houses in unhygienic neighbourhoods, exposing them to indoor and outdoor air pollution. They either do not have or have limited access to safe water and sanitation. Infections and contagious diseases spread faster in such an environment.
A large number of poor work in hazardous occupations such as textiles, dyeing, foundry, chemical, mining, agarbatthi, leather and cracker industries where they are exposed to grave health risks.

Improving the staff strength, cleanliness and availability of medicines in Primary Health Centres and government hospitals, timely immunisation and vaccination, creating awareness about health and illness are necessary to ensure Health for All.

Expert studies have shown that the increase in life expectancy and general health in European countries in the late 19th and early 20th century have more to do with a raise in standard of living, clean water, better sanitation and nutrition than with the advances in medical science.

Eradication of poverty should be seen not merely as a welfare measure but also as a means for progress as healthier workers will contribute more to the economy.

Will be back with the dawn of wisdom

Greenery lost in darkness

Will return for sure with sunrise

Nature’s sheen lost in man’s greed

Will be back with the dawn of wisdom.

Poverty and academic outcomes - THE CRIPPLING EFFECT

Narayanan N Jan 23 , 2017

Family and social environment of children have a greater impact on their performance than the quality of teaching at school.
India has made appreciable progress in primary education in recent decades as for as enrolment of children in school is concerned. But drop-out rate and poor performance of children in government schools, where most of the poor students study, are problems evading solution.

Studies have shown that even after 4-5 years of schooling, children fail in simple tests of reading, addition and subtraction. Inadequate infrastructure, high student–teacher ratio and poor quality of teaching are the reasons traditionally attributed for this situation. While these reasons are valid enough, there is increasing realisation across the world that poverty is the major factor affecting educational outcomes especially at the primary stage.

It is now recognised in many countries that family and social environment of the children have a greater impact on the performance of children than the quality of teaching at school (Unicef). Children from poor families score significantly lower in vocabulary, communication skills, simple arithmetic and the ability to concentrate compared to children from higher income households.

The differences start showing up at the age of 3-4, even before the start of schooling and are found to last even in later years as shown by the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) which assessed reading, math and science scores of 15-year old children in 43 countries. The traditional misconception that underperformance is due to genetic or hereditary factors was challenged by child psychologists in the second half of the 20th century who came to the conclusion that intelligence is shaped more by the environment in which the children grow up.

A study by World Health Organisation has shown that maternal health during pregnancy and the quality of antenatal and postnatal care she receives are important factors affecting child’s physical and mental development. Lack of adequate nutrition for the pregnant mother can affect normal brain development of the child. Most women and children from poor families are deprived of medical care and nourishing food when it is most needed.

As a result, premature birth and low birth weight are more common among the poor which in turn leads to disabilities like attention and memory deficit (Commission on the Social Determinants of Health-Early Child Development of the WHO). As the development of brain occurs mainly during the early phase of life, nutritional deficiency at this stage has a lasting effect on the psychological and intellectual growth of the child.

Early years are crucial for the development of cognitive and social skills in children. Along with nutrition and medical care, nurturing relationships and inspiring role models also play a vital role in the early phase of a child’s life. But being over worked and over stressed, poor parents are unable to show warmth and sensitivity and tend to be harsh and high-handed with their children. The consequent emotional disturbance affects the child’s social adaptability and learning capability. Hence, poor parents need to be helped to learn parenting skills so that their frustrations are not passed on to the children.

Playing with toys, reading and listening to stories, reciting rhymes etc develop curiosity, imagination and a sense of exploration in children. But having been deprived of these joys in their childhood, the poor parents don’t realise its importance. Even the few who realise its value, find themselves helpless for want of money and time.

A number of countries have carried out extensive research for finding ways to mitigate the negative effects of poverty on child development and at least two worthwhile approaches have emerged out of this quest. One of these approaches adopted by countries like Mexico and Nicaragua is the Conditional Cash Transfer programme which is linked to immunisation, nutrition and school attendance. This approach has resulted in significant improvements in educational outcomes of poor children. Another approach which is found equally effective is the Early Childhood Intervention programme (ECIP) adopted in countries like Canada and USA.

Comprehensive development
Apart from improving the school performance of children, the implementation of ECIP has also contributed, over a period, to general prosperity according to researchers who monitored the project on a continual basis. The National Head Start Programme of USA is one of the earliest and most successful Early Childhood Intervention programmes. The NHSP aims at comprehensive development of preschool children (3-5 years) of poor parents.

The programme designed by paediatrician Dr Robert Cooke and professor of psychology Dr Edward Zigler prepares children for school while also focussing on involving parents in the education of children. It also focuses on prenatal and postnatal care of mother and nutritional needs and immunisation of children. The programme tries to develop cognitive and social skills in children by a combination of play and instruction.

In course of time, many countries adopted similar programmes although with some variations. But the focus everywhere was to provide support to children in the form of learning activities and training the parents to enhance their capacity for providing a care giving environment at home.

The International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement studied the Early Childhood Intervention Programmes of eight countries and published the findings in February 2016. Chile, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Italy, Poland, the Russian Federation and the United States participated in the programme and submitted data on their early childhood development programmes. The study of the data proves conclusively that well designed interventions can advance child development and education in the early years and a successful adult life later.

India needs to replicate such interventions much more vigorously as the severity of poverty here is more acute in the absence of comparable social security measures. While it is worthwhile to replicate interventions whose efficacy has already been proved elsewhere, it is necessary to adopt the interventions to suit the local conditions. First generation learners, whose parents and forefathers were denied education for economic, religious and cultural reasons, need special care and attention to ensure that they don’t lag behind others.

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The never-ending ordeal of migrant workers

Narayanan N Nov 22, 2016,

Every year, hundreds of young people from villages arrive in cities in search of jobs with hopes of freedom from poverty and indebtedness, leaving behind their families, friends and homes. Uneconomic land holdings, decline of cottage industries and handicraft, erratic monsoon, lack of irrigation facilities, degradation of the environment, lack of protection from natural calamities, increasing indebtedness etc are the main reasons for rural to urban migration.

A large majority of rural population are landless labourers. Agriculture provides them only seasonal work of six to seven months in a year. Even when they get work, wages are abysmally low. They have nothing to fall back upon when work is not available. Many of them including those with small land holdings are forced to borrow from money lenders as they find procedures of banks complex and daunting.

People from remote, backward villages and those belonging to socially and economically backward communities are the most affected by rural destitution. Migration to the city is an attempt to escape from poverty and in many a case from the tyranny of the unjust, oppressive and hierarchical caste system.

Most of the migrants retain their links with the village and return when seasonal work is available and again go back to the cities when there is no work in the village.
Earlier, migration of labourers was mainly to cities in their own home states. Now, with the spread of communication and information, they have begun to explore their fortunes beyond their own home states. Agents and contractors have sprung up who recruit workers in large groups to work in distant cities.

Large number of people from states like Bihar, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, which have the largest number of landless labourers are now working in Haryana, Punjab, Delhi, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Gujarat (UNESCO/ UNICEF, 2012b). Even Kerala which was traditionally known for outward migration is now attracting workers from Bengal, Odisha, Assam and Uttar Pradesh. Migrants now constitute 10% of the state’s population (Labour and Rehabilitation Department, Kerala).

The workers soon realise that the ordeal does not end with migration to the city. Even in the period of much flaunted high economic growth, the only sector which opened up noteworthy employment opportunities was the service sector. It has not made any difference to the 287 million illiterate adults of employable age in India (Global Monitoring Report-UNESCO 2014).

As the present model of development is not able to stimulate growth in manufacturing and agriculture sectors — which employ the illiterate, the unskilled and the semi-skilled — they have been left in the lurch. This kind of progress is best described as the engine steaming ahead leaving behind the coaches.

Construction sector is the only one which has absorbed such workers in significant numbers. Construction Workers Welfare Boards (CWWB) set up in all states levy 1% cess on the construction cost of buildings. The fund is meant to be used for providing financial assistance to the families of beneficiaries in case of accident, for old age pension, housing loans, payment of insurance premium, education of children, medical and maternity benefits etc.

Unregistered workers
As per the latest figures, the amount collected so far has grown into a huge corpus fund of Rs 27000 crore (Union Ministry of Labour) and this amount is lying idle. The rules for disbursement stipulate that only workers who register with the CWWB are eligible to claim the benefits under the scheme. Only 2.2 crore of the estimated 4.46 crore workers in the construction industry (Report of Lok Sabha’s Standing Committee on Labour 2013-14) are registered. Large number of applications are kept pending for long periods on flimsy technical reasons. The indifference of bureaucracy together with the ignorance of workers has resulted in the amount remaining unutilised.

Inter-state Migrant Workmen (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Act was passed in 1979 to regulate the working conditions of migrant workers. The important features of this Act are elimination of middlemen, listing the responsibilities of employers and contractors, ensuring wages equal to those of local employees, right to return home periodically without loss of wages, right to medical care and housing at the employment site.

But these stipulations are rarely implemented by the states as there is no mechanism to ensure monitoring and enforcement of them. Lack of organisational support to protect the interest of migrant workers is also a reason for this situation. Even in a state like Kerala with high level of awareness of workers’ rights, unions have failed to integrate migrant workers into the mainstream, the ostensible reason being language barrier.

Migrant workers live and work in degrading conditions. They are made to work more and paid less than local workers. They live in makeshift shelters where there is no provision of safe drinking water and hygienic sanitation. They are deprived of the benefits of welfare schemes like subsidised food grains and healthcare due to identity issues. As workers have to move from place to place in search of work, schooling of their children poses a big problem.

Though internal migrants now constitute 35% of the country’s population and contribute 10% to GDP (NSSO 2007-08), politicians have ignored them as they don’t have voting rights at their place of work. The issues are not insurmountable if politicians and the administration become proactive. For example, as Aadhar serves as an identity document across states, it can be used for introducing portability of ration cards and health cards.

Activists and NGOs have suggested setting up of help lines, dormitories, daycare centres to take care of children while women labourers are away at work, adequate number of public toilets, mobile schools etc to reduce the ordeal of migrant workers. These issues need to be addressed on a war-footing to ensure that migrant workers lead a life of dignity and not as second-class citizens in their own country.

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A decade after SC ruling, police reforms remain on paper

For the common man, police are the first point of contact with the law. His respect for law, therefore, depends to a large extent on his confidence in the police. But, unfortunately in India, the situation is such that people are afraid of going to the police even when it is necessary. Reports of police favouring those with money and political connections, and harassing the poor and the underprivileged drives them away.

Rude manners, refusal to register complaints and taking sides are the common complaints against the police. Cases of illegal detention, harassment of witnesses to protect the high and mighty, custodial torture, extracting confession under duress which later proves to be false etc, have tarnished the name of the police. Such instances also result in the real culprits escaping and innocent persons getting convicted.

A few honest officers who try to chart a new course are often forced to give up due to pressure from the top. Those who are harassed by their seniors and political bosses take it out on their subordinates and the latter vent their frustration on the public.

Many of these shortcomings of the police are a legacy of colonial rule. The Indian Police Act 1861 enacted by the British soon after the rebellion of 1857 to suppress the democratic aspirations of the people and to keep them under subjugation, govern police even today. The Police Act of 1861 was designed to be a tool of oppression.

Though times and circumstances have changed, police in India are yet to imbibe qualities suitable for a democratic society. Many in the police force believe that an authoritarian style of functioning and an intimidating personality trait is the sine qua non of police. Instead of being seen as a friend of the people and protector of law, police arouse fear in the people.

During Emergency (1975), the country witnessed large scale misuse of police by the ruling party to curtail dissent. The Janata Party government which came to power so-on after the distressing experience, constituted the National Police Commission (NPC) headed by Dharma Vira to reform the police. The NPC made a painstaking study to identify and understand the issues and suggested measures for bringing about changes in the organisation and role of the police.

It suggested measures to reduce political interference, to make police officers accountable and for changing the attitude of police towards the public. The NPC drafted the Model Police Act to replace the draconian Indian Police Act.

Policing being a state subject, it was for the state governments to implement the recommendations. But none of the state governments was prepared to usher in the changes as it would have deprived the political class of the control over the police.

Pained by this, two retired DGPs – Prakash Singh and N K Singh – filed a PIL in the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court set up the Ribeiro Committee to suggest measures for reforms and the committee submitted its report in 1999. Again, a second committee known as the Padmanabhaiah Committee was set up which submitted its report in 2000.

After this, the SC set up the Soli Sorabjee Committee to draft the new Model Police Bill to replace the colonial Police Act of 1861. But the state governments were not ready for the change. Finally, the Supreme Court, delivering its verdict in 2006, issued seven directives for immediate implementation. But the state governments were not willing to comply. The exasperated apex court had to set up a three-member committee in 2008 to monitor compliance of its directives.

But not much has changed till today. Most of the directives of the Supreme Court and recommendations of the committees remain unimplemented. Inclusion of the opposition leader and independent members in the panel for appointing and fixing the tenure of senior officers, stopping interference by politicians in the day-to-day functioning of the police, setting up of a Police Establishment to oversee postings and transfer, establishment of a Police Complaints Authority to enforce accountability, separation of law and order and investigation functions etc, remain a mirage.

Police hierarchy

The present structure and hierarchy of the police is not conducive to promoting efficiency. Constables constitute 80% of the police force. They are ill-paid and their work profile does not promote responsibility. Their job is simply obeying the orders of the superiors. There is no scope for job satisfaction and promotional opportunities are limited. According to a study by the Bureau of Police Research and Development, most of them work extended hours and often are not allowed weekly offs due to staff shortage.

It is no wonder they become rude and impatient. Lack of leisure and rest can drive anybody to the edge. Though there is a huge shortage of staff, a large number of policemen are posted for VIP security and many are posted as ‘orderlies’ to do domestic chores at the homes of senior officers.

Various studies have pointed out that the recruitment and training process leave much to be desired. Emphasis on physical fitness to the exclusion of other faculties is the bane of the constable recruitment process.

The recommendation of NPC on increasing the number of middle level cadres of ASI/SI/inspector with a corresponding reduction in the number of constables should be implemented. Apart from increasing promotional opportunities for the constables, it will result in more number of staff in responsible positions. On-job training at different levels should be provided which will include skill development, motivation, team building, basic human psychology, stress management and updating knowledge in legal and investigation methods.

The Supreme Court and the NPC have charted the course for reforming the police and transforming them. But the state governments are dilly-dallying. The consequence of non-compliance is there for all to see. There may be constraints. But there is also a way out if the politicians are willing. Will the politicians wake up?

The link for article in DECCAN HERALD : Click here

Need to look into status of under trials

More than 2.75 lakh undertrials are rotting in Indian prisons even though their guilt is yet to be proved.

The avowed purpose of a criminal justice system is to deliver efficient and speedy justice to the citizens of the country. It is ironical that this very system has been unjust to a large number of under trials in this country.

As per reports of the National Crime Record Bureau (NCRB), more than two thirds of those languishing in our prisons are under trials. More than 2.75 lakh under trials are rotting in Indian prisons even though their guilt is yet to be proved.

Shailesh Gandhi, former Chief Information Commissioner, says that India is amongst the worst 10 nations in the world in terms of number of undertrials languishing in jails. According to the NCRB data, the worst states in this regard are Goa, Jammu & Kashmir, Gujarat and Punjab with over 75% undertrials. On the other hand, Kerala and Tripura have only 35 and 32% undertrials respectively.

It is now universally accepted that a person should be deemed innocent until proved guilty. Hence, keeping people whose guilt is not proved in prison is a gross violation of human rights.

The purpose of keeping the undertrials in custody is to prevent them from being in a position of influencing and inducing witnesses. But ironically, the present bail system allows the rich and powerful who are capable of wielding such influence to remain outside but keeps the poor and helpless in prison as they are unable to pay the bail amount.

A classic example is that of actor Salman Khan. In spite of the fact that he has been convicted thrice (the chinkara case, the black bucks case and the hit and run case), and the combined sentence adds up to 11 years, he has been in jail only for six days. His case is not an exception but is representative of a common trend. All of us know of many such cases where those with the money and power have succeeded in avoiding imprisonment indefinitely.

While the poor languish in jail for years without even being convicted, those who can pay the bail amount and engage efficient and reputed lawyers, avoid the prison even after being convicted because the law provides for keeping the jail sentence suspended when the convict goes on appeal to the higher court. This leads one to the inference that our judicial system is outmoded and out of synchrony with the fundamental tenets of justice. It is biased against the poor.

Sometime ago, the Supreme Court itself had acknowledged that the “Law has become an instrument of injustice for the poor”.

Though pending cases have reached an unmanageable level, serious efforts to contain them are found lacking. The poor are made to suffer because of the incompetence of the system to dispose of cases expeditiously. The undertrial prisoner loses his means of livelihood, gets cut off from the family, his children are deprived of education and proper upbringing, and hence are likely to go astray. The whole family has to live with social stigma forever.

Habitual offenders

The injustice of keeping large number of undertrials in jail will be obvious when we realise that only a small percentage of them will be ultimately convicted. For example, the percentage of undertrials who were ultimately convicted in 2014 was only 45% (it was 40.2% in 2013 and 38.5% in 2012) according to the NCRB.

Many experts have suggested that instead of relying solely on payment of bail amount for granting bail, courts should consider factors like the nature of offence, past record, length of residence of accused in the community, his family ties and such other factors which would deter him from fleeing. Though undertrials are supposed to be in judicial custody, in practice they are lodged in the same prison as the convicts.

The Prison Reforms Committee set up under Justice A N Mulla in 1980 observed: “The undertrials cannot be put on the same footing as convicts.  The former are hauled up for suspected violation of law, yet they are innocent, till proved guilty. If they are allowed to mix up with hardened and habitual offenders, it would not be good for them and also for the society. Separate jails or barracks for undertrials are essential to contain ‘criminal contagion”.

The Mulla committee has also suggested releasing undertrials if they have already served half the period of imprisonment for which they are liable if the offence is proved. Various courts ruled later that when a person is in jail for a period longer than the sentence he is liable for the offence for which he is charged, then he should be released. But jail authorities lament that they do not have the infrastructure for proper data management and monitoring to implement such reform measures.

Separate institutions for undertrials, rehabilitation centres for those who are charged with petty offences, setting up of a bail fund to help those who are not able to mobilise the bail amount (as suggested by Amnesty International) are some measures which need to be considered urgently.

(My article published in DECCAN HERALD on 16.04.2016)

RTE: Good in intent but lacking in drive

Appreciation of the value of inclusiveness and integration must be a part of training course for teachers.

The Right to Education Act which came into force on April 1, 2010 assures the right of free and compulsory education to all children within the age group of 6-14. The Act stipulates that in all schools across India 25 per cent of admission at the induction stage should be of children from weaker sections. The child is not liable to pay any kind of fee and the government will reimburse the private schools the cost of educating the child.

To facilitate greater enrolm-ent and reduce the rate of drop out the Act assures admission in a school within 1 km distance of residence, no screening for admission, no denial of admission for lack of age proof, admission in age appropriate class for those who miss out the entry level, no detention in the same class and no discrimination of students admitted under RTE and facilities like separate toilets for girls and boys, play ground etc.

With a view to improve quality of education RTE Act stipulates norms for recognition of private schools.  The norms relate to student-teacher ratio, qualification, salary and training of teachers, formation of School Management Committee consisting of parents, teachers and local authority, restricting deployment of teachers for non-educational purposes etc.

The RTE Act has led to massive increase in enrolment and by January 2015 more than 96.7 per cent of children in the relevant age group were enrolled (Annual Status of Education Report, 2014). However, there are reports of violation of norms pertaining to admission, income certificates, qualification of tea-chers, collecting cost of books, uniform etc from parents etc.

The RTE Act has led to massive increase in enrolment and by January 2015 more than 96.7 per cent of children in the relevant age group were enrolled (Annual Status of Education Report, 2014). However, there are reports of violation of norms pertaining to admission, income certificates, qualification of tea-chers, collecting cost of books, uniform etc from parents etc.

Instances of discrimination like separate classes for RTE students, making them sit in the last row, expelling children whose parents questioned illegal collection of fee etc have been reported. The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights has sought reports from all state governments on such incidents.

Opponents of RTE argue that coping problems of children from poor families bring down the standard of the whole class.  Some parents complain that their children will learn bad habits from poor children. The National Independent Schools Alliance filed a writ petition in Delhi High Court alleging that hundreds of budget schools charging nominal fees were closed down and many more were served with notice for non-compliance.

They claim that RTE provisions are discriminatory as they are applicable only to private schools. They are aggrieved that even the meagre amount promised as reimbursement are not released by state governments. Between 2010 & 2014 there have been significant improvements in Government schools in student-teacher ratio (38.9 to 49.3 per cent), boys toilets (47.2 to 65.2 per cent), girls toilets (32.9 to 55.7 per cent) and marginal improvement in mid day meal (84.6 to 85.1 per cent), play ground and drinking water (72.7 to 75.6 per cent). But there has been a decline in the ability of children in reading and recognising numbers.

According to ASER only 41.7 per cent of Class 5 children in government schools were able to read Class 2 texts and only around 50 per cent of the Class-5 students were able to do a two digit subtraction. This decline is said to be mainly due to the “No detention” policy. The dropout rate is also alarming.

Vital role

The government’s role is vital in stepping up the momentum. Slogans like Education for All, Beti Bachao Beti Padao etc sound hallow, when seen against reduction for the year 2015-16 in allocation to Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (20 per cent), Mid-day Meal Scheme (30 per cent) and Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (28.7 per cent). Do high sounding slogans achieve results without being backed by sufficient resources?

Sufficient funding, recruitment of teachers to maintain healthy teacher-student ratio, better pre-service & on-service training, improving service conditions to attract and  retain talent, use of technology both for teacher training and student learning, appropriate regulatory frame work to ensure transparency and accountability etc are urgently needed to improve  quality and reach of education.

Prompt reimbursement by government, providing soft loans, increasing flow of  CSR funds, restricting admission under RTE  to BPL families, incentives for additional qualifications and rural service, creating awareness among poor parents about the importance of education, finding ways to reach children in remote areas and those of migrant labourers etc are also needed.

In the changed scenario, when teachers have to handle students from vastly different backgrounds, appreciation of the value of inclusiveness and integration need to be part of training course. The RTE will bring the life experience of a cross section of people into the class room. Hopefully, the minor frictions and discord seen at the beginning will prove to be a passing phase.

Over a period of time, intermingling of children from vastly different backgrounds will help break down mental barriers, remove prejudices and lead to greater social harmony. It will also lead to significant changes in social equations and herald a silent revolution which will rede-fine our politics, change the discourse on public policy and promote meaningful democracy.

- See more at: http://www.deccanherald.com/content/496911/rte-good-intent-drive-lacking.html

Health for all through public healthcare

My article published in Deccan Herald dated 3/6/2015.

NARAYANAN N, JUNE 03, 2015, DHNS

Health is wealth is not merely an oft-repeated maxim. Without health, a person cannot pursue his interests and goals with energy and enthusiasm. A study of the economic history of United Kingdom by Robert William Fogel shows that one of the major factors contributing to UK's progress was the steady improvement in the health of its people over the decades. 

Ailments prevent people from leading fruitful lives. Availability of proper healthcare can contribute to human well-being and quality of life. But healthcare is not getting the importance it deserves in India. As Noble laureate Amartya Sen says, 'Healthcare is one of the least discussed subjects in the country'.

India has emerged as an important location for medical tourism and patients from across the world come here for specialised treatment. But a common man in the country has no access even to primary healthcare. The choice before the poor is either to leave their ailments untreated or to resort to borrowing or selling whatever meagre property they have and become bankrupt. 

According to the Planning Commission, health problems push almost 39 million people into poverty every year. Although successive governments promised healthcare to all and set ambitious targets, the commitments were seldom honoured. Budget allocations are often cut apparently due to fiscal constraints. But more than the constraints, it is a case of lopsided priorities. 

Major issues affecting healthcare in India are inadequacy of hospital beds, non-availability of medicines and treatment at affordable costs, shortage of doctors and nurses, and low coverage of health insurance. If loss to the exchequer because of corruption and wasteful expenditures can be controlled, then it should not be difficult to tackle such issues.

India spends a meagre 4.1 per cent of its GDP on healthcare and is among the bottom 10 nations in public spending on healthcare of the world. As a result, private hospitals have become the primary source of healthcare for 70 per cent of households in urban areas and 63 per cent of households in rural areas (National Family Health Survey-3). 

While opting for treatment in private hospitals patients have to cope with many malpractices apart from bearing the high cost of treatment. Some hospitals resort to fraudulent measures like unnecessary referrals to specialists, unwarranted investigations, procedures, and even surgeries, inflating of bills etc. Though some doctors admit the prevalence of these practices on condition of anonymity, they dare not speak out as they are afraid of harassment from hospital management. 

Whistle Blowers Protection Act of 2011 provides some protection to those who expose corrupt practices in government offices and hospitals. But as private hospitals are not covered under this Act, individuals who expose malpractices get no protection from this regulation.

In spite of this sad state of affairs, people are forced to opt for treatment in private hospitals because of overcrowding, lack of cleanliness and shortage of medical staff and medicines in government hospitals.

Notable progress

No doubt, the country has made progress in some areas, including eradication of small pox and polio, reduction in infant and maternal mortality rate, malnutrition, malaria, tuberculosis, cholera and HIV. Life-expectancy has increased from 50 years at the time of independence to 66 years. Poor patients have benefitted from schemes like NRHM, RSBY and GSHIS. 

Draft National Health Policy 2015 says that, "Healthcare service delivery would be built on the bedrock of high quality comprehensive primary health care services that are made universally accessible, that are free and that are provided as close to where people live and work as is feasible. Regulatory framework needs reform to prevent private hospitals from exploiting patients."

These are no doubt laudable objectives. But unless sufficient and uninterrupted fund flow is ensured and strict monitoring on spending is done, it will be difficult to achieve the professed goals. Lessons must be learnt from the experience of the 12th Plan which handed over the healthcare system to private institutions instead of developing a robust public health system. 

If the goal of 'Health for All' is to be realised, the focus should be on preventive healthcare, immunisation, maternal health and improving staff strength and availability of medicines at PHCs. These can be achieved only if the public healthcare is given the pride of place in the healthcare system.

- See more at: http://m.deccanherald.com/content/481243/health-all-through-public-healthcare.html/#sthash.5a9I5zio.dpuf

Communal harmony - the way forward!

The communal tensions show no signs of abating. It is evident that fundamentalists among both Hindus and Muslims are bent upon perpetuating it.  The media has been quite irresponsible. They are interested only in sensationalising trivial incidents by blowing them up out of proportion.  And those who claim to be opposed to communalism are not making any serious attempt to change this sad state of affairs. The Congress, the left and other political parties who claim to be secular are not effective in fighting this down slide in our social life because their fight against communalism lacks credibility.

  

A Muslim friend with liberal views once expressed his anguish like this.   “Though I am a practicing Muslim, I am against Taliban, Al-Qaida, ISIS, gender discrimination   etc. But I am afraid of talking about such issues  because I fear of being  ostracised from the community and in an eventuality like that  I am not sure of any support from progressive and secular groups because they themselves are reluctant to openly talk about such issues. The only people who openly criticise the Muslim extremists are the Sangh Parivar and their associates who want to paint the whole Muslim community black by branding them as terrorists and fundamentalists. In a situation like this, how can liberal Muslims come out boldly to express their view point?” 

What he is saying is true. Among Hindus also the situation is the same. How many liberal Hindus are prepared to condemn honour killings, khap panchayats, attacks on churches and mosques and many other such misdeeds by men of their own community?

There is a dire need of people who can take a stand against negative and unfair acts irrespective of   who indulges in such acts.  Only when Liberal Muslims and Hindus give up their inhibitions and reluctance and exhibit the courage to condemn the misdeeds committed by persons of their own community, a credible opposition to communalism can be built up. 

The campaign of the left and secular parties against Hindu communalism is not able to draw support from right thinking people because of their stoic silence against obscurantist practices among Muslims and Christians. What credibility they can have when they remain silent about conversion by inducement and force, fatwa, terrorism, ISIS, Taliban, al-Qaida etc? 

Because of this attitude they are leaving the field open for the conservative right like the Sangh Parivar to mislead people by exaggerating and distorting facts.  It is high time they openly talk against unfairness and for reform wherever and whenever it is warranted. 

Likewise the moderates among Hindus should take the lead to fight and expose khap panchayats, honour killings, moral policing, attack against mosques and churches, harassment of ordinary people just because they are Muslims etc.

But countering, opposing and exposing negative tendencies on either side is not enough.   Some positive actions also need to be initiated to dispel misconceptions and remove mistrust among the communities. Moderates on either side should overcome their inhibitions and become vocal in espousing the positive side of their respective religions. After all, it has to be agreed that the original thrust of all the religions was preservation of order, peace and well being of all. Somewhere in the course of the journey through rough terrains of history, sometimes due to error of judgment and sometimes due to deliberate misinterpretations, the original concepts have been distorted. Whatever good was there in the original teachings need to be restored. Whatever is not suitable to the present should be discarded.  

It is agreed that there are differences in tradition, culture, rituals etc of different communities. But accepting diversity is our tradition. The majority of people in this country have no problem with that. The politicians try to divide us for electoral gains. The activities of the Hindutva brigade have not resulted in enhancing the prestige of Hinduism which is known for its accommodative spirit. On the contrary the proponents of Hindutva have gained politically by manipulating religious sentiments. Some persons while claiming to be protectors of religion have built commercial empires worth thousands of crores. They arouse communal passions to further their greed and loot. 

Likewise fatwa and terrorism have not helped the cause of Islam. It has only resulted in arousing the wrath of the world against all Muslim including the innocents. 

If you agree that these issues need to be discussed on a wider scale, please share it on Goggle + and Facebook. If you disagree with any of my contentions, please counter them with your own view point because dialogue and debate will help the cause of peace and communal harmony.

Yet another VIP goes berserk

Yet another VIP goes berserk.

Intolerant behavior is an attempt to assert one’s superiority without really deserving it.

Quite a few VIPs in this country are under the delusion that they are above the law. They think that the law of the land is applicable only to the common man. When anything goes against their wishes and interest, they will adopt any means including physical abuse of the helpless citizens.

In this particular case, a security guard was beaten up for doing his duty. Here the pertinent question is not whether the IPS officer was right in trying to enter the club without the entry sticker or the identity card. The more serious issue is his assumption that rules, regulations and the laws of the country are not applicable to him. It is the assumption that nobody should question him because he is a senior police officer.

It is this assumption which emboldens VIPs to violate the law and cross all limits of decency, whenever they come across any obstacle that punctures their super inflated ego. With every passing day, such behavior is becoming common among VIPs especially the politicians and the police.

Will the Commissioner of Police and the Home Minister take action? If not, the common man will have no other option than to conclude that they too approve of this culture of exclusive rights and privileges for the few.

Click here for the Bangalore Mirror report

JUDICIAL REFORM- THE NEED OF THE HOUR

The first requisite of civilization is that of justice.

SIGMUND FREUD

The failure of the State to halt the increasing crime and violence in the society seems to be, at least to some extent, due to its inability to evolve a mechanism which can ensure justice in a prompt and effective way. The overburdening of the judiciary and the consequent delay in the delivery of justice, is leading to a situation similar to anarchy. Though this realisation has been there for long, there is hardly any serious attempt to remedy the malady. Hence we feel sometimes, that the lethargy and inaction on the part of the concerned authorities is deliberate.

Unless those indulging in crime and violence are made to feel that the law will catch up with them surely and promptly, there will be no fear of the law.

Though it is true that lasting solution to crime and violence involves the larger issue of changes in the economic and political sphere, judicial reform is important because compared to other reforms it is easier to achieve in the immediate future. What is coming in the way of reform is the indifference of those who are supposed to initiate the process.

Remembering U R Ananthamurthy

The first time I saw U R Ananthamurthy  was when he addressed a meeting at Thirthahalli to protest against Emergency which was proclaimed just a couple of months before.  Many of my friends had become his admirers because of his unique contribution to Kannada literature. But I was more impressed by the iconoclast who refused to follow the outmoded feudal and brahminical traditions blindly.

That day he spoke about the imminent threat to democracy, freedom and creativity. The insightful speech left the audience, mostly young, disturbed and concerned about the future of the country. My second encounter with him was when the Kannada literary magazine Rujuwatu edited by him was launched. I had translated into Kannada Ashish Nandi's article, a comparative study of the personalities of Gandhi & Godse for the magazine. When I met him along with friends who were actively involved with  "Rujuwatu"  URA expressed his appreciation of the translation and said it was excellent.  When I read my translation a few days later, I realized that it could have been better. URA was not being too generous. But that was his way of encouraging youngsters and building confidence in them. That is why the legion of his admirers loved to call him "Meshtru".

Narayanan

Aam Admi Party at cross roads

Aam Admi Party at cross roads.

By prematurely entering electoral politics at State and National level,  Aam Admi Party  has led itself into a blind alley.  As the AAP’s declared aim is to change the system by empowering people at the grass root level, it should have begun at the Panchayat level. Perhaps, it was the party’s eagerness to demonstrate its conviction that it is possible to fight and win elections without money and  muscle power which made it to take this hasty decision . The success in the elections to the Delhi Assembly which defied all predictions lured it into an ambitious path. In the process, it committed some mistakes, which though of minor nature has affected its credibility to some extent. 

But AAP is not just another political party which can be forgotten as a flash in the pan. For the first time in many years, it has rekindled the hope that things can change in this country. It has shown that democracy is still a potent tool for bringing about change. It has also made people, especially young people, realise that democratic rights and duties go hand in hand. The phenomenal response to the activities of AAP is a testimony to this fact.

 As a result of a  few indiscretions of its leaders and strategic errors though minor (which are only to be expected in an organisation whose structure is still amorphous), the enormous good-will earned by   AAP has started evaporating.

Today the AAP is mostly known for its anti-corruption crusade. It is high time the AAP realises the limitations of staking its future on a single point programme. A plain reading of  AAP manifesto shows that AAP gives as much, if not more,  importance to  devolving power directly to the   people by making the functioning of Panchayat and Gram Sabha more effective and meaningful. I feel this is more important than exposing the  corrupt because corruption cannot be eradicated if it is tackled in isolation. No doubt, the affairs of the nation have reached such a stage that putting an end to the all pervading corruption has become the foremost priority for most of us. It is exactly for this reason that a fight against corruption elicits ready response. But unless the fight against corruption is accompanied with a plan of action to empower the common man, the results would not be decisive. 

The AAP does recognise this fact. That is the reason why the manifesto of AAP  places emphasis on assuring speedy and affordable justice to common man, police reforms to make the police force humane and accountable, judicial and electoral reforms, making quality  health care and education accessible to all, ecologically sustainable economic development, creation of jobs , empowering the vulnerable sections of people, reinvigorating the rural sector, a just & fair land acquisition policy, abolition of contract labour, regulations for ensuring fair working conditions for the unorganised sector, gender justice, ending of caste based discrimination, maintenance of  communal harmony etc. 

But so far the fledgling party could concentrate only on one issue. Of course, the enormity of the problem of corruption and the fact that removal of corruption from the polity, economy and above all from the minds,   is basic to the solution of other problems afflicting the society justifies this approach to some extent. 

Somewhere, somehow a beginning has to be made on tackling other issues which  the AAP itself has identified as important for  changing the system. I think the most opportune time for doing this is now. Freed from the daily grind of electioneering the leaders and workers of the party may now start deliberating on other important issues. 

So, the AAP has to start campaigning all over again at the gram sabha and Panchayat level  for transfer of power,  functions, funds and above all Planning to Panchayats and wards. Systemic change, if it is to be lasting and truly relevant to the needs of the people has to begin at  the bottom and travel upwards.

But that is not all. There is one problem that AAP  will find difficult to tackle. As of now, AAP is a cluster of assorted individuals and groups who sooner or later, will start pulling it in diverse directions. To build a cohesive party with coherent policies out of this assorted cluster will be a daunting task for a party like AAP which would like leadership and policies to emerge from the ground level. This is not so difficult for traditional parties which believe in hierarchical, centralised leadership. It is all the more easy for cadre based organisations like the  communist party and the RSS which believe more in indoctrinating its cadre rather than encouraging deliberations. 

It is not my case that it is impossible to formulate coherent policies from the grass root level which will ultimately evolve as a national policy. But it is a long drawn and arduous process. Nevertheless, it needs to be pursued as there is no other method which can be considered better than this.

 There is one more problem with decentralised decision making. In the initial stages deliberations and decisions at the village level will be dominated, if not dictated by vested interests like the local rich, landlords, caste organisations, khaps, musclemen, priests and  religious leaders. But the democratic process will be a great teacher. Soon enlightened self-interest and the opportunity for self-assertion will enable people to come out of the clutches of the vested interests. The power and influence enjoyed by informal groups and leaders will slowly be transferred to elected representatives (who are accountable and also replaceable), once the  latter gain the confidence of the people by their good work. 

Unlike leaders at the national and state level, it will be easier for people to monitor the functioning of their local representatives  and exercise some control over them because of physical proximity.

All this may sound like utopia. But  a study of the universally acclaimed Kerala model will reveal that the foremost factor responsible for Kerala topping the  social indices chart is due to the  true and meaningful devolution of powers to the Gram Sabhas and the Panchayats. At first the communist government took the unprecedented decision to transfer 35-40% of the State budget and Central funds to the Panchayats with unfettered freedom in planning and execution of  projects. Along with the transfer of funds, many functions were also entrusted to the village panchayats. (Some of the important functions performed by Panchayats in Kerala today are construction and maintenance of village roads, drains, wells, street lighting, providing drinking water, registration of births, deaths and marriages etc ). It should be added to the credit of the government that succeeded the LDF that they also continued the policy.

Now that the elections are over,  it is hoped that AAP will  start focussing on these vital issues (vital not only for the party but also for the nation)

Narayanan Menon

Yogendra's formula

Yogendra Yadav’s formula for Reservation -

While thanking friends who have commented in person or through Facebook and blog posts on my blog  Reservations- looking beyond Caste & Merit I would like to elaborate on some points for the sake of clarity.

The deprived need some support. No dispute about that. But the point is that backwardness of the caste is not the only factor that causes deprivation. What Yogendra Yadav and Satish Deshpande have tried to emphasise and I have endorsed is that support should be given not only to those who belong to the backward caste but also to those who are deprived because of factors other than caste. Persons hailing from backward regions are handicapped by lack of access to facilities which people in big cities and developed regions enjoy. So is the case of children of poor parents. It is a proven fact that malnutrition retards the ability to learn. Being a girl also has some disadvantages. Those who have studied in government schools which do not have necessary infrastructure are also at disadvantage when competing with those who are fortunate to have their education in elite schools. Along with caste, these debilitating factors also need to be taken into account if the intention is to compensate for the disability.

The suggested solution is a novel one. Allocating 80 points to merit (academic performance) in a scale of 100, the remaining 20 points are apportioned on the basis of weightage determined for each type of disadvantage. As these factors overlap in many cases, the person who suffers from most of these disabilities will get maximum weightage points. If this formula is properly implemented, a girl of very poor parents, from the most backward caste/community, who has studied in a government non-English medium school without necessary infrastructure, hailing from an under developed village from a backward region would be eligible for most weightage points. As such the need for exclusion of the creamy layer is also taken care of while providing succour to those who really need some social support to catch up with their peers.

The suggested solution is a novel one. Allocating 80 points to merit (academic performance) in a scale of 100, the remaining 20 points are apportioned on the basis of weightage determined for each type of disadvantage. As these factors overlap in many cases, the person who suffers from most of these disabilities will get maximum weightage points. If this formula is properly implemented, a girl of very poor parents, from the most backward caste/community, who has studied in a government non-English medium school without necessary infrastructure, hailing from an under developed village from a backward region would be eligible for most weightage points. As such the need for exclusion of the creamy layer is also taken care of while providing succour to those who really need some social support to catch up with their peers.

NARAYANAN MENON

Reservations - looking beyond caste and merit

Reservation issue has raised lot of controversy in the past. Now one of the prominent leaders of  Aam Admi Party Mr. Yogendra Yadav has stoked the coals once again by stating that AAP cannot ignore the  reservation issue.

Mr. Yogendra Yadav is a social scientist in his own right. In the year 2006 when Mandal II was hogging the lime light,  Mr. Yadav along with Mr. Satish Deshpande came out with a formula on how to give fair weightage to not only merit and caste/community,  but also other disabling factors like gender, poverty,  hailing from a backward region, type of schooling one had etc.

The formula was refreshingly new. But there were no takers for it in the political establishment because it could not serve the needs of vote bank politics. But now the question is will AAP show the guts to break from the past and adopt a fair and at the same time humane approach to the problem by adopting this formula in the place of a purely caste based reservation.

The following are the links to the two part article published in THE HINDU in May 2006. Now is the time to take a look at the formula and initiate a debate. 

http://www.hindu.com/2006/05/22/stories/2006052202261100.htm

http://www.hindu.com/2006/05/23/stories/2006052305841100.htm