ISSUES AND CONCERNS ಸಮಸ್ಯೆಗಳ ಮೇಲೆ ಕ್ಷಕಿರಣ

INCLUSIVE GROWTH IN INDIA: WHY STILL A MIRAGE? INTRODUCTION India as on date saves and invests over 35 percent of its GDP. Though this rate helped the growth process keep humming, the naked truth is that the net – poverty, malnutrition, hunger, lack of healthcare and education continues to afflict 70 percent of the population, mocking at the socialist – cum – welfarist philosophy oriented policies of various governments since 1947. This is inspite of the fact that since the dawn of the 21st century, India aspires to become a great power at par with China? India sent even a mission to moon; accomplished an improved but still below global – standard infrastructure; braved the global recession and even has achieved a respectable GDP growth rate of 7.5 to 8.5; there are more than 500m cellular phones; is among the top 10 automobile markets in the world; being the champion of IT and Outsourcing business globally. Yet, India which is rich otherwise continues to be poor with 40 percent of its...

Anti-corruption bursts put top cop in netas’ bad books Embattled Deputy Chief Minister Chhagan Bhujbal has knocked on the doors of home minister R R Patil to get high-profile anti-corruption sleuth Harish Baijal’s wings clipped. Ever since Baijal took over the reins of the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) in Nashik,the hometown of not only Bhujbal, but his MP nephew Sameer and legislator son Pankaj, he has rocked the township. In less than a year, Baijal has successfully trapped a record number of 99 officials, belonging to the home, public health, revenue and public works departments, the latter portfolio being held by Bhujbal. Baijal did not stop here. He said a series of meetings with leading social workers and anti-corruption crusaders to encourage complaints against erring officials. Baijal’s efforts had a positive impact; as a result, now aggrieved employees are approaching Baijal directly. Simultaneously, the entire city is witnessing larger-than-life portraits and hoardings display...

Maya - waste collector, on climate change Maya Khodave is a rag picker in Nashik. Presently, she is in Tianjin, China, asserting the role of rag pickers in maintaining the world environment. "Our work is dirty and hard, but it has real benefits for the larger society as recycling reduces greenhouse gas emissions and saves resources. Governments should recognise our work and cooperate with our efforts to improve our working conditions and increase recycling," Maya a leader of Kagad Kach Patra Kashtakari Panchayat, a union of waste pickers, told the international audience at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Exuding confidence Maya, who has studied up to Std V, enlightened the audience of the environmental balance that the work of waste pickers achieve. At the United Nations negotiations on climate change, leaders of waste pickers’ organisations denounced waste-to-energy technologies and demanded recognition and financial support for their cont...

Fatwa against "Islamic unclean" pets in Iran TEHRAN: Iranian authorities have banned all advertisements for pets, pet food and other pet products. The decision by Iran’s Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance comes after a fatwa was issued by powerful cleric Grand Ayatollah Nasser Makarem Shirazi, ‘The Telegraph’ reports. Citing Islamic tradition, the fatwa said dogs are unclean. In June this year, Ayatollah Shirazi declared dogs unclean, saying that dog owners were "blindly imitating the West" and that their devotion to the animals would result in "evil outcomes". "Many people in the West love their dogs more than their wives and children," he said. British women world’s ugliest tourists LONDON: British women have been named the world’s ugliest tourists, ‘rude’ in behaviour and ‘ending up drunk in the gutter’. Women from the country are known across the world for their bad behaviour, poor dress sense and drinking habits when on holiday, the Da...

The Empire of Lies: The Truth About China in the Twenty-First Century Dr. M. V. Kamath In past months there has been so much said about the ‘progress’ made by China in many fields of activity that the point is made that it has already reached Super Powerhood, like it or not. Judging from media reports that flood our newspapers and journals, China’s status is unchallengeable. Are reports on China’s progress so much hype that must be taken with more than the proverbial pinch of salt? Has China grown into a Super Power with its credentials unchallenged and unchallengeable? There have been, in the past, many books on the country’s progress, no doubt accurate in their assessment, but many sceptics have often been wondering what the truth is, about China. Is it a case of the half-full glass feted and the half-empty space conveniently forgotten? Truth has many faces. Guy Sorman has sought to reveal the real picture of China as it is- and it is not a pleasant one. Sorman is a Frenchman who has...

Friends This month signifies the completion of a milestone in the evolution of our efforts started in November 2000. Yes, we shall be completing 10 years of extremely satisfying journey in the world of print media. We have planned a Souvenir to mark the decennial. Navigating thru’ the uncharted waters of 4th estate had its own feelings of exhilaration and disappointment. But looking back over the shoulder the labyrinth that we traversed, certainly has left us with a sense of ‘déjà vu’. Of course hurdles have been many and have been of varying kinds, mainly of participative readership. Our support base has not radically picked up. Although it has crossed four figures, it is a long way to reach the five figure mark. For a ten year old periodical, it is pretty low. Of course many of our readers, who are receiving complimentary copy somehow do not realise that if they like to receive it and read it, they should as well subscribe to it. We have such souls aplenty. Of course, there are some ...

KASHMIR - A Question of Answers Mr.M. Veerappa Moili, the present Union Law Minister, in a moment of ‘introspective enlightenment’ wrote as follows “The congress leadership right from 1947, has always surrendered its ego and shunned narrow political opportunism in providing stable governments in Jammu & Kashmir. This objective approach and display of sagacity are absolutely in tune with the legacy of the Congress party right from the days of Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi and Rajeev Gandhi. Sonia Gandhi has to be commended for her enlightened and statesmanly approach, inspired by national spirit, in lending her support to heralding a vision of Kashmir.” This was way back in 2002 Nov. Writing in the Deccan Herald (DH) of 27th Nov.2002, “Beyond Democracy’s Moment of Glory – Keeping Promises in Kashmir” Mr. Moili, as a diehard loyalist Congressman, remembered not to include Mr Lal Bahadur Shastri, the cleanest and financially the poorest Prime Minister, in his no holds barred prais...