Various schemes are empowering families in Jharkhand and gradually improving their lives.
The success of a democracy can be mapped by whether those sections of society which are poor and deprived and have suffered from neglect and exploitation for centuries, have been given justice and equal opportunities by the society. After independence, the governments of almost all the states along with the Centre have made efforts in this direction. The Welfare Department of Jharkhand government is giving free assistance to the poor families, so that they can stand on their feet and become self-reliant. Dr. Lewis Marandi, welfare minister, Jharkhand, says, “The government has linked the tribal families to this scheme whose homes do not have any earning member due to which they are facing a troubled life.” The welfare department has identified 2,000 such families where the woman is the head of the family in two districts of Chaibasa and Dumka and have no one to else to support them. In order to raise their living standards and provide them with a respectable life, these families are being given material according to their needs.The Jharkhand government is determined to provide a fresh start to the lives of the poor tribals, through an organisation called Bandhan Kangar.
Santhal (Adivasi tribe) women work hard to raise two square meals for their family. In such a situation, this scheme has started increasing self-reliance now among the poorest of poor families. With the aim of making this scheme a collective success, these women have now formed their own groups and are now self-employed.
Women’s groups are supporting their families by doing small businesses, including goat rearing, piggery, poultry and more. For the smooth running of this scheme, a budget provision of Rs 2.35 crores has been made by the Department of Welfare, Government of Jharkhand. Under this scheme a goal of two years has been set for making such ultra-poor families economically stable.
Women’s groups meet each week, where government assistance is provided according to their needs. On behalf of the organisation, women groups are taught how to save money from their profits as well as the benefits of self-employment. Along with this, those who do good work for the organisation also receive encouragement.
Paku Tudu of Haripur Panchayat of Dumka district is supporting her family by running a grocery store. Dozens of women, including Parvati Mohali of Vijaypura, Putul Mohali, Chandravati Devi of Bedia, Prasima Mandradi of Gidhani Pahadi, Pramila Mandradi of Siddhartha village and Fulunai Hembram of Saruwa said that they earn approximately Rs 4,000 per month through self-employment.
Team leader of the Mosalia Block, Sanjeev Pal said that other women of the village also get motivated when they see the ones who are successful. He said that through this self-employment, many women, including Surajmuni Murmu of Manradihah, Khurja of Murshidabad of Jharkhand, Josha Hansda of Haroraidih, Sarita Tudu of Katahlia, and many women have improved their lives. Women from several villages including Haripur, Saruwa, Bandarjori, Kaharabil, Ranidinda, Gadi, Koraiya, Rampur, Berebank, Ghasipur, Dalahi, Sampadhar, Suggapahadi, Amagachhi, Belialozore of Dumka district took advantage of this scheme and learned how to earn their living through self-employment. The goal of eliminating poverty among extremely marginalised families is being implemented by the government.
The government’s plan is not limited to making women self-reliant but also to sending the children of these poor families to schools. Special attention is also given to the health of these women. Efforts are also being made in the direction of their capacity building with the economic advancement of the women’s group. This scheme is working as a ‘Sanjivani Booti’ (magical herb) for the families of these poor tribal ladies. It is not only that the women are becoming self-reliant, but a positive change can be seen even in the villages.
Women have now stopped borrowing money from the money lenders for their purchases. In the field of sustainable development, this scheme is proving to be a meaningful and historical step.
Writer: Shailendra Sinha
Courtesy: The Pioneer
A consequence of deteriorating work culture, the Amritsar tragedy is the perfect example of the deficit between people, the bureaucracy, and their representatives. It’s a big wake up call for the establishment as well.
This year the Dussehra festivities were abruptly transformed into a nation-wide gloom that engulfed everyone. The Amritsar train tragedy exposed the erosion of empathetic connect between the ruler and the ruled; between the people and their masters; the politicians and the common man. What followed in statements issued after the tragedy, by way of denial of any responsibility or accountability by the establishment and the powerful, exposed once again the nexus between politicians and the bureaucracy. Scores of families lost their sole breadwinner.
Most of those killed and injured belonged to Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. They were daily wage earners who had left their homes and hearth to get job. Probably the greater travesty of the situation was reflected in the general remark that came from practically every informed citizen: “Rest assured no one would be held responsible for Amritsar tragedy.” It is an outcome of conviction arising from innumerable instances of the past. Everyone knows that human lives in this case, too, were lost only because someone was not performing his/her duty.
Take an unrelated circumstance. Human lives are regularly lost in the manual cleaning of the sewage tanks. Has anybody ever heard of a Chief Minister visiting the residence of these unfortunate people and offer an ex-gratia grant or a Government job to at least a member of the family? Do families of such persons ever get justice?
The political class runs fast to places wherever they can get political advantage — be it communal or caste-oriented — without any hesitation and make grandiose offers of ex-gratia amounts. Every elected politician, as also those waiting to grab power, proclaim that their sole objective is just to serve the poor, weak and minorities.
The present class of politicians have their own interpretation of democracy that cuts across the boundaries of party politics. For them, it is the key that opens the gate to the seat of power. There can be no better professional pursuit than becoming an ‘elected representative of the people’.
If you have power, flout it, encash it, use it for the welfare of the family. You decide your privileges and perks, and forget about the sufferings of the people. This is nothing unexpected. Great visionary Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi had the intuition to predict how things would happen after Independence. In a letter Gandhi ji wrote in 1922, he predicted how and why our people will not get happiness even if Swaraj comes to them. He identified four factors that would deny this much sought after happiness: Defects in elections, injustice, burden of administration and treachery of the rich.
These four aforementioned impediments are a stark reality before the common man today. These do not impact the privileged, powerful and resourceful. After Amritsar, the elected representatives made full-throated accusations on each other. For them, the tragedy was just one more occasion to pin down their adversaries. They projected, once again, their much-honed skill in transforming even the most inhuman tragedy into an occasion that could bring political mileage to them and their party.
Just recall the point-blank shooting of a young man in Lucknow by a policeman, and what followed after that. Fellow policemen turned up on duty ‘under protest’ wearing black armbands in solidarity with the culprit. They even began collecting funds for the cold-blooded murder. This indicates the extent to which injustice can be inflicted upon by the system of governance.
Who is not aware how the rich and resourceful flout all rules and regulations applicable under the prison manual? Those of the ilk of Vijay Mallya want special prison cell for them, one that is equipped with all facilities they are accustomed to. It is not uncommon to read an oft-repeated statement, “I have full faith in the judicial system of India.” It invariably comes from offenders, corrupt politicians, and the mafia who claim to have tamed the politician-bureaucrat combine.
Whenever confronted by the law in cases of misdeeds, scandals or disproportionate assets, they unashamedly declare it as vindictive action. From Vijay Mallya, Nirav Modi, Mehul Choksi to Karti Chidambaram to Robert Vadra to Bhupinder Singh Hooda — the list is never-ending.
Everyone claims to be a victim of vendetta unleashed by the Government. In all such cases, it is the poor man’s contribution to the national kitty that is swindled. And this always requires a nexus that extends from the top to the last man in the processing line. Those involved are invariably smart, alert, educated and knowledgeable persons. They are convinced that the long arm of the law will not reach them, and even if it does, they have the connections and contacts to twist it.
All that has happened so far in the 2G spectrum case indicates it all. People know what happened, who did it, who provided protection to them. And finally, exceptions apart, they go scot-free. People’s trust in the systemic efficiency is shockingly low and restoration will require Herculean efforts.
Efforts, however, must be made, and that too early. The Amritsar tragedy also highlights how citizens rarely bother to discharge their own civic duty even towards themselves and their near and dear ones. Who is unaware that to watch the Ramlila, sitting over the railway tracks, is dangerous and is a breach of law? Take for instance, sanitation or river pollution where people’s’ cooperation is always scant.
When Article 51-A, listing the fundamental duties, were incorporated in the Constitution of India, very genuine queries were afloat: Why did the Constitution makers, who were so elaborate about human rights — Part III is devoted completely to Fundamental Rights — did not include a similar elaboration of fundamental duties as well?
The learned men and women who framed the Constitution, were not only freedom fighters but also great visionaries who had devoted themselves to the cause of the nation. To them, basic and inherent values of promotion of social and religious harmony, respect for other religions, esteem for the family and elders and preservation of India’s rich inclusive culture and heritage, were being practiced by one and all.
The initiation for the same was an essential part of the traditional upbringing of every child in the country. Duties were the most prominent and integral part of life in India. The moment a child was born, his/her duties were already specified for the entire life. He/she was born indebted to his/her parents and family, to the nature and gods, and most significantly, to the givers of knowledge — scholars and teachers. May be, the makers of the Constitution had presumed that they should best be left to the family and society.
However, lately, it was felt that a considerable amount of effort was required to make everyone duty conscious in times when family traditions and bonds are under severe influence of ‘change’ all around. Consequently, fundamental duties were brought in the Constitution.
In spite of the renewed emphasis on duties inserted in the Constitution, the system has remained focused mainly on rights, at the cost of duties and accountability. The consequences are before us. If those from the district administration, who were responsible for the bandobast, were indeed seriously committed to their duties, the tragedy could have been avoided.
Further, if the assembled people had followed the simple logic that railway lines were no place to watch Ramlila, they could have stopped their family and themselves from such fatal indiscretion. We must as well recall the way out given by Gandhiji in the very letter mentioned before: “But there is hope, if education spreads throughout the country. From that people would develop from their childhood qualities of pure conduct, God fearing, love. Swaraj would give us happiness only when we attain success in this task. Otherwise India would become the abode of grave injustice and tyranny of the rulers.”
The situation, as it stands now, is far more complex. Education has expanded but the erosion of traditional values is being witnessed everywhere. The way out is to thoroughly re-examine the process of growing up in schools and institutions of higher learning. Simultaneously, the systems of teacher preparation, and also in-service orientation of Government functionaries need serious revamp.
(The writer is the Indian Representative on the Executive Board of UNESCO)
Writer: JS Rajput
Courtesy: The Pioneer
Recently, the Central Information Commission (CIC) has raised an issue with the implementation of MPLADS scheme. The ball is now in Parliament’s court to decide what to do next.
The Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS), which was launched a quarter of a century ago, has been mired in controversy for long years because of allegations of corruption and nepotism and gross violation of the scheme’s guidelines by MPs. But a new issue — lack of transparency — is now at hand following a couple of orders of the Central Information Commission pertaining to non-availability of information on projects which have been supposedly implemented.
MPLADS provides MPs five crore rupees per annum to identify and fund development projects in their constituencies, as per the guidelines drawn up by Parliament. But the scheme has been controversial since its inception because of violation of the norms by many parliamentarians. However, having committed itself to the idea, the Government is obliged to earmark close to Rs 4,000 crore per annum for this scheme. These funds are sent to District Collectors, who, in turn, have to ensure implementation of projects identified by MPs in their constituencies.
Lack of transparency and accountability in the execution of this scheme has come in for adverse comment from a variety of institutions, including the National Commission to Review the Working of the Constitution (NCRWC), the Second Administrative Reforms Commission and the Comptroller and Auditor-General General of India. Now, the Central Information Commission has some harsh things to say about it. However, despite the severe indictment of this scheme from various quarters, there has been no visible effort by Parliament to stop the misuse of funds and to remove the anomalies. However, one is bound to hear shrill protests from MPs if ever it is suggested that the scheme be scrapped.
This issue has been dealt with extensively in recent orders passed by Prof Madabhushanam Sridhar Acharyulu, Central Information Commissioner in Vishnu Dev Bhandari vs PIO M/o Statistics & Program Implementation and in Ram Gopal Dixit vs PIO in the same Ministry.
Referring to the procedure prescribed in this scheme, the Information Commissioner has said it is the reverse of what usually transpires in the Government. In all other schemes, a work has to be proposed, its viability has to be assessed and eventually, funds have to be allocated and released. But, in MPLADS, it works the other way. Here, the funds are first allocated, after which the works are recommended and the district administration has to implement it, if it is viable. Hence, the need for securing these funds is even greater.
The Commission said Parliament is known for enforcing strict financial discipline. Not a single rupee can be spent without prior sanction, but MPLADS, which was launched in 1993, operates differently. Projects are recommended without studying their viability. It is a massive scheme that is totally discretionary based and “prone to high corruption”.
The Commission has expressed major concern over the way this scheme is implemented. It says that it is difficult to prevent corruption in a scheme which has such massive funding and yet is so non-transparent and is “totally dependent upon individual discretion with questionable privileges coupled with immunity of MPs”.
In the order in Vishnu Dev Bhandari’s case, Prof Sridhar Acharyalu has recommended that the Speaker of the Lok Sabha and the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha provide the necessary legal framework for implementation of MPLADS. He has suggested that MPs be subjected to “specific duties and compulsory transparency obligations” and that they be also subjected to liabilities for dereliction of duties and breach of rules. They must be prohibited from spending MPLADS funds for private work of MPs; recommending allocation of funds to ineligible agencies; diversion of funds to private trusts; recommending works that benefit MPs or their relatives; and breaching any of the norms laid down under the scheme. The legal framework should also deal with the problem of assets created with MPLADS funds later becoming untraceable. This has become necessary because there is no law governing MPLADS spending. There are guidelines and there is sufficient evidence to show that these guidelines are often observed in the breach. Also, MPs are not penalised for misusing MPLADS.
The Commission has further recommended that MPs must be obligated to provide the fullest information on the applications they received for allocation of these funds, the works recommended, details of beneficiaries etc. They must also be duty-bound to inform their voters about this spending. Further, the political parties to which MPs belong must have an obligation to post all these details on their websites so that the people are informed.
Another issue that the Commission has touched upon is the non-utilisation of funds by MPs. The 16th Lok Sabha was constituted in May, 2014. It was reported that the Government had released Rs 1,757 crore towards this scheme in the first year up to May 2015, of which just Rs 281 crore constituting just 16 percent was spent. As much as Rs 1,487 crore had gone unspent and not a single rupee was spent in 278 (51 per cent) of the 543 Lok Sabha constituencies in the country. As many as 223 MPs did not recommend any expenditure.
As stated earlier, MPLADS has come in for a lot of flak in the past. Although the Supreme Court has held that the scheme is constitutionally valid, the NCRWC was of the view that the scheme be discontinued because it went against the principle of demarcation of responsibilities between the Executive and the Legislature. It also felt that MPs should not tread into the area of local Government institutions. The Second Administrative Reforms Commission also strongly recommended that MPLADS be scrapped because it eroded the notion of separation of powers. It said MPs choosing projects for execution amounted to intrusion into the powers of the Executive.
The CAG too has come down heavily on the scheme and listed its various drawbacks when it made a detailed analysis of this scheme on two occasions. It spoke of wastage of public funds, execution of inadmissible works and a host of other problems. Therefore, the CAG said in view of the persistent poor administration of the scheme, wastage of funds, inadmissible expenditure and frauds, the government must re-evaluate the need, manner and modality of resource transfer under the scheme.
It is now for the presiding officers of the two Houses of Parliament to take a call. Now can a scheme involving MPs be non-transparent? The Central Information Commission’s observations need to be taken note of.
Writer: A. Surya Prakash
Courtesy: The Pioneer
India’s opposition parties are demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi over allegations of corruption in a multi-billion dollar fighter jet deal. Rahul Gandhi, the leader of the main opposition Congress party, has alleged that Mr Modi “favoured” an Indian company that is part of the French deal. Mr Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has denied the allegation, saying the government signed the deal to meet the Indian Air Force’s combat requirements and had no role in choosing the French manufacturer’s local partner. The issue has caused a political storm in India, and much of the debate in TV news shows has revolved around it in the past few days.
Hollande drops a ‘bombshell’
India, the world’s second-largest defence importer in 2017, signed a government-to-government deal with France in 2016 to buy 36 Rafale warplanes manufactured by Dassault Aviation.With this deal, Delhi is hoping to modernise its Soviet-era air force fleet. The Rafale is a multi-role aircraft capable of carrying out long-range missions, including conducting highly accurate sea and ground attacks.
The first Rafales are expected to be delivered by 2019 and India is set to have all 36 jets within six years. Mr Modi announced the deal in Paris along with then French President François Hollande. The Indian government said it had negotiated the “best deal” to strengthen its air combat capabilities. Almost two years later, the leaders seem to have different views on what they once described as an important deal.
Mr Hollande sparked political controversy in India last week by telling French news website Mediapart that Mr Modi’s government had pressured Dassault to partner with India’s Reliance Defence to meet its “offset policy”.
The “offset” clause in Delhi’s defence procurement rules says that foreign firms need to invest at least 30% of a deal’s worth back in India. It was introduced in India’s Defence Procurement Procedure in 2008 to boost domestic manufacturing. As part of the 2016 Rafale deal, Dassault agreed to invest 50% of the estimated $8.7bn (£6.6bn) contract in India to manufacture some components of the jet with billionaire Anil Ambani’s Reliance Defence.
The deal – from start to finish
2001: India decides to buy 126 fighter jets to strengthen its air force
2007: Tenders are issued
2008: Companies such as America’s Boeing, Russia’s United Aircraft Corporation, Sweden’s Saab and France’s Dassault put in bids
2012: Dassault, which submitted the lowest bid, is shortlisted
2014: The deal is put on hold as the BJP’s Narendra Modi becomes PM
2015: During his visit to France, Mr Modi announces India’s decision to buy 36 “ready to fly” Rafale jets Mr Hollande told Mediapart that his government didn’t have a say in the matter. “It was the Indian government who proposed this [Reliance] service group, and Dassault who negotiated with Ambani. We did not have a choice, we took the interlocutor who was given to us,” he said.
‘Crony capitalism’
The Congress party has accused Mr Modi of practising crony capitalism by helping Anil Ambani’s firm. “The PM personally negotiated and changed the Rafale deal behind closed doors… The PM has betrayed India. He has dishonoured the blood of our soldiers,” Mr Gandhi tweeted. He has demanded that the government order an inquiry into the deal. But ministers have rejected the allegation, saying Dassault was free to pick any competent Indian manufacturer. The French firm has also supported the Indian government’s claim.
“This [the selection of Reliance] is Dassault Aviation’s choice. This partnership has led to the creation of the Dassault Reliance Aerospace Ltd (DRAL) joint-venture in February 2017,” it said. Mr Ambani has always denied any wrongdoing in the deal. He has previously said that the joint venture was agreed directly between his firm and Dassault, and that the government was not involved. The French government seems to have taken a cautious approach. Its statement does not directly contradict Mr Hollande, but emphasises that it did not have a role in Dassault’s decisions. “The French government is in no manner involved in the choice of Indian industrial partners who have been, are being, or will be selected by French companies,” it said.
Depleting strength
The Congress party has also accused Mr Modi of compromising national security and destroying state-run defence manufacturing firms. It’s a reality that India is facing a severe shortage of fighter jets. It would need 42 squadrons in the scenario of a two-front war with China and Pakistan. But its squadron strength has depleted to 31 – largely owing to ageing Russian aircraft. But this realisation is not new. The BJP government in 2000 decided to buy new fighter jets. Its successor Congress continued the process and issued tenders in 2008 to buy 126 jets. Dassault was finalised as a supplier in 2012, and the state-run Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) was selected as partner to produce 108 jets in India.
But the two partners couldn’t agree on terms and conditions, and the deal stalled. When Mr Modi swept to power in 2014, he made the procurement of the jets one of his priorities. But instead of taking the deal forward, he surprised many by ordering 36 jets as part of a new deal in which HAL was not included. The Indian government says it decided to buy the 36 jets in “fly-away” condition to quickly address the problem of the air force’s depleting strength.
But it’s not clear where India will procure the remaining aircraft it needs in the long term. In April, the air force announced it would be seeking bids for around 110 more fighter jets.
Election bugle
The Congress party has also accused Mr Modi of paying more than what its government had negotiated in 2012 on a per aircraft basis. But there are no details available about how much the government has agreed to pay Dassault. Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman earlier said that she would disclose cost details to prove Congress wrong. But she later said the government would not do so because the information was classified.
The absence of such details has given more political ammunition to the Congress party ahead of next year’s general elections. While senior ministers have come out to defend the BJP leader, Mr Modi’s silence on the matter has helped the opposition’s case. The BJP said the government needed to fight a “perception battle” with opposition parties. But until Mr Modi speaks, it’s going to be a tough task because people want answers from the man they elected to lead India.
(A report from the international press on Rafale story: Courtesy BBC World)
Read More – October Edition of Opinion Express Magazine
Being a great example of women who never lose their heart after giving up their dreams, Asma Bibi Sadaf Zareen says that everyone has the potential to gain success.
Sometimes it is important to dream big. It can be more exciting than just possessing bookish knowledge in order to do some work and be successful in life. Often, people remain confined to the four walls of their house because they feel that they cannot do anything in life and people will mock them. This tendency is mostly seen in women. Women, especially in the rural areas, are victims of this mentality. And this mentality is because of the social environment, where due to lack of education, women are considered to be objects of sexual pleasure and reproduction. This is a major reason for women not even dreaming of moving forward. Education is very important for women and our society is not very successful in providing education to women.
Education is an important factor for the advancement of any society. On one side, it explains the difference between good and wrong, on the other, it arouses curiosity in the mind. History has many examples, in which educated women have played an important role in preparing social structures with enthusiasm. But despite knowing the achievements of women over the years, the present stratum of society makes fun of them and their achievements instead of idolizing them. Nevertheless, there are many women like Asma Bibi who, despite being uneducated, have been able to make their own distinct identity in society. Asma, who lives in a small village in Rohtas district of Bihar, is totally uneducated. She cannot read or write even a single alphabet in any language, but through her own initiative, she has not only created an identity for herself in the but also become an example of women’s empowerment.
The parents of 50-year-old Asma, living in Akbarpur village, located at Dehri in Rohtas district, were illiterate. Being illiterate themselves, they kept their daughter away from acquiring any form of education. Asma was married at an early age and she had six children one after another. Her husband started spending all the household earnings on liquor and also used to beat Asma when she would refuse to give him money. Somehow life was carrying on despite all the problems when suddenly one day her eldest son went missing. Her husband also went away to the city in search of a job and never returned home. Even in this difficult situation, Asma did not give up hope. She kept on trying to find her son. After losing both husband and son, she took up the responsibility of improving the condition of her home and raising her remaining five children. She started doing sweeping and swabbing in houses and with that money she started buying women’s makeup items and other women’s accessories from the city and selling it in the village. Even though she could not read the name of the station, Asma used to go to Ferozabad to buy items at cheap rates. At the same time, she started traveling further and further in the hope of finding her son.
Asma was very keen to learn how to read, whether it was in Hindi, English or Urdu. People used to make fun of her when she said the words wrong, but Asma never got angry or discouraged. She felt the sense of a lack of education in her life and the difficulties she faced because of being uneducated. This was the reason that she was determined to give her children a good education. Along with managing the expenses of the house, she started raising money for her children’s education. She enrolled her three daughters in school and sent her two sons to a large Madrassa (Institute for Islamic Studies) in Aurangabad to receive religious education. Despite being uneducated, she used to run everywhere and get admission forms and new updates about the schools and colleges. She would even ensure she found out about scholarships and other government schemes to be able to provide her children with the best education.
Asma, without any support from anyone, has changed her own living conditions but also that of her children’s. This she did through her courage, hard work and enthusiasm. The circumstances in which they live today have changed completely from what it was earlier. She made sure that her daughters completed their graduation. She was able to get her daughters married into good families because they were well educated. Eight years later, finally, her missing son has also returned home, to help him earn a living. Asma has taken a loan from people to send him to Saudi Arabia to work there. The younger son is a Hafeez (one who recites the Holy Quran by heart). Her desire to read is still very much alive even today and that is why she is completing her incomplete dream by learning to read the Quran. She learnt Urdu from her son.
Asma today has become an example for those women who give up their dreams and lose heart by throwing their desires of becoming someone great or of achieving knowledge. Thinking of themselves to be weak, they allow people to exploit them, both physically as well as mentally. The importance of education and the right of women in society is not understood. However, with changing times this mentality of society is gradually changing. But there is still not much of a change in the situation in the rural areas. In such a case, the positive success story of Asma Bibi will definitely prove to be a morale booster to many women and will help them realise their unfulfilled dreams.
(Charkha Features)
Writer: Sadaf Zareen
Courtesy: The Pioneer
This World Food Day, the two-day Agri-Startup and Entrepreneurship Conclave held in the capital discussed India’s progress so far towards removing hunger from the country as well as government’s various initiatives to incentivise the agriculture sector.
The Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Radha Mohan Singh, believes that efforts of many farmers and the techniques developed by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) have contributed to an increase in agricultural production and food security to remove the suffering from hunger and ensure food security and a nutritious diet for all. Zero hunger could save the lives of 301 million people a year and can help build a safer, more prosperous world for everyone. He was speaking at the the two-day Agri Startup and Entrepreneurship Conclave on the occasion of the World Food Day celebrated at the NASC Complex, Pusa in New Delhi with a theme—‘Our actions are our future-A zero hunger world by 2030 is possible’.
The minister said, “The purpose of celebrating this day is to demonstrate our global commitment to achieve the goal of creating ‘Zero Hunger World’ by 2030. The government aims to transform India’s agricultural sector to contribute to the achievements of the global environmental objectives and has launched a new project in association with FAO, India office—‘Green Agriculture: Transforming Indian agriculture for global environmental benefits and the conservation of critical biodiversity and forest landscapes.”
According to the fourth advance estimate, the food grain production is estimated at 284.83 million tonnes in 2017-18, an increase of over 20 million tonnes as compared to 2013-14. The horticulture crops, which contribute significantly to the nutritional security, have witnessed a record production this year at 307 million tonnes. The minister pointed out that India occupies the top spot in the horticulture production. In the year 2015-16, the production of pulses was 16.25 million tonnes, which increased to 25.23 million tones in the year 2017-18, which is about 9 million tonnes higher as compared to the production achieved in the year 2013-14.
The role of high quality crop variety, seeds and technology has been significant in increasing production. Singh added that 795 crop varieties were released for production during 2014-18 as compared to 448 crop varieties during 2010-14. The demand and production of breeder seeds during 2013-14 was 8,479 tonnes and 8,927 tonnes respectively which rose to 10,405 tonnes and 12,265 tonnes in 2016-17.
Addressing the agricultural entrepreneurs present at the conclave, Singh informed that the government started the startup program to create an atmosphere for the agriculture startups to provide appropriate support to set up the enterprises. In this context, the Skill India Scheme was launched by the government on a large scale. He explained that there is a tremendous potential for startups in the field of seeds and plant production, food processing and post-mortgage management, veterinary, farm machinery, poultry, fish production, biological products, bioplasty and so on.
According to statistics, there is a requirement of 22 lakh skilled youth in the agricultural sector and to meet this demand, training and skill development is being conducted in various employment areas with the help of the agriculture department, ICAR and the Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs). “Though a record of food grain production has been established in the country, the government is working very fast on the value chain. The recently launched Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana aims to create world-class food processing infrastructure. This is expected to leverage investment of five billion USD, benefit two million farmers and generate more than half a million jobs over the next two years.”
To attract the youth of the country towards agriculture, a project called ‘Arya’ is being run through the KVKs and the Farmer Fest program is also playing a leading role in this direction.
Singh also explained that through the mega food farms the government plans to link agro-processing clusters with key production centres. This will offer immense value proposition in crops such as potato, pineapple, oranges and apples. The farmer groups are being encouraged to set up units in these parks, thereby reducing wastage and transportation costs, and creating new jobs.
On digitalisation in the domain of agriculture, the minister commented, “We plan to link our villages through broadband connectivity, within a clear timeframe. We are digitalising land records and providing various services to the people on mobile platforms. These steps are building momentum towards real-time transfer of information, knowledge and skills to farmers. The e-NAM, our national agriculture e-market, is connecting our agricultural markets nationwide, thereby giving our farmers the benefit of competitive pricing, and freedom of choice.”
Writer: Team Viva
Courtesy: The Pioneer
With Telangana going to Assembly elections end of this year, the perception is that Chandrasekhar Rao’s TRS will become triumphant. But then a strong Opposition can turn the tide in its favour.
Telangana, the country’s youngest State, will face elections on December 7 for the second time since its birth in 2014. Chief Minister Chandrashekar Rao took a big risk by advancing the Telangana Assembly polls by eight months. It was also his bravado to announce the list of 105 candidates on the same day even before the Election Commission of India announced the polling dates. But the question is: Will he succeed in his gamble?
Though it was the Congress Government at the Centre then that agreed for a bifurcation of the State in 2014, the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) came to power, riding on the Telangana wave. Contrary to its expectations, the Congress was wiped off from both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.
As there is no wave this time, the polls are a fight for survival for the Opposition, including the Congress. The Telugu Desam Party (TDP), the Congress, Communist Party of India and the Telangana Jana Samithi have formed a Mahakutami (grand alliance) against the TRS. M Kodandaram of the Telangana Joint Action Committee, who has fallen out with KCR, heads the Telangana Jana Samiti (TJS). Interestingly, the Congress and the TDP, one-time arch-rivals, have come together gasping for political survival. It is not clear how their chemistry will work. The TRS did not expect this development but is taking the alliance seriously.
In 2014, the TRS won 63 out of the 119 seats while the splintered Opposition was mauled. The Congress and the TDP won 21 and 15 seats respectively. Rao has systematically decimated the Opposition and strengthened his party by poaching on the TDP (13) and the Congress (12) as also other parties. The Congress and the TDP strategists hope that the former will get a big chunk of upper caste Reddy, SC/ST and minority votes and the TDP can get a substantial number of its core OBC votes.
Rao is now facing new challenges. He has built a personality cult around himself. He has made his son KT Rama Rao as his number two in his Cabinet, his nephew Harish Rao as a Minister and daughter Kavitha as an MP. The Opposition is trying to make his style of authoritarian functioning, dynastic rule and his secret understanding with the BJP as election issues besides jobs and non-deliverance of promises. The TRS is now ready to bail out the BJP in case it misses the 272-mark in the next Lok Sabha polls. KCR is also hobnobbing with leaders like West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, attempting to form a federal front.
Why did Rao go for this gamble? Astrologers rule KCR on practically everything. Before taking the decision, KCR got at least 10 surveys done and is confident that his party would get at least 100 seats while realists put it at 70 or 80 seats. He believes that the surprise element will go in his favour.
Rao wants the polls to be a KCR versus the rest and not a Modi versus KCR. He is confident of winning as neither the Congress nor the BJP or the TDP has local leaders of his stature. If he wins, he proposes to install his son Rama Rao in the Chief Minister’s post and move to national politics. KCR has big dreams of becoming the next Prime Minister.
On the plus side, the KCR Government has already announced many welfare schemes, including Rythu Bheema and Rythu Bandhu schemes for the farmers. He has also taken up various projects such as Kaleshwaram project, Mission Kakatiya, Haritha Haram and Mission Bhagiratha. The manifesto will come up with more poll promises. Besides, Telangana is also one of the top rankers in the ease of doing business rankings. It registered an increase in gross domestic product growth and industrial development. It is way ahead of other States in the per person consumption of power, progress in the service sector and IT exports.
However, it is not all hunky dory for KCR as he has not delivered on the two-bedroom house scheme, transformed the State into Golden Telangana, filled up 1.50 lakh vacancies or provides jobs to those killed in the Telangana agitation. From a surplus State, it has now become a revenue deficit State.
Traditionally, the Congress had the backing of dominant Reddys and Scheduled Castes while the TDP had a substantial number of its core OBC votes. The Congress is seen as a Reddy party while the TRS a Velama party. Muslims and Dalit voters are key to the polls. The State, a part of the erstwhile Nizam territory, has around 12 per cent Muslim population. The AIMIM, a one-time ally of the Congress, has moved closer to the TRS and both have decided to go for friendly contests where they have no conflict of interest.
Most surveys predict a clear win for the TRS. As of now, the prediction is that it is advantage TRS, although fight by a united Opposition can dent its votes. But the lack of a Telangana wave is a big minus. A win or lose ultimately depends upon Opposition unity, youth support, anti-incumbency and communicative skills of the players.
Writer: Kalyani Shankar
Courtesy: The Pioneer
As a denominational place of worship, Sabarimala is governed by certain rules and regulations according to the nature of the deity worshipped. The ruling of the apex court should have mirrored this age-old fact.
Its inclusive character notwithstanding, Sabarimala has several characteristics consistent with a denominational temple and should have been spared the humiliation that is currently agitating Ayyappa swami devotees across the country. In hundreds of Ayyappa temples, devotees are welcomed without distinction of gender, jati or even creed. At Sabarimala, Ayyappa, born from the union of Shiva and Vishnu as Mohini, takes the form of Naishtika Brahmachari (perennial celibate) and performs eternal tapas (meditation); hence women devotees of reproductive age (10 to 50 years) desist from disturbing him.
Hindu dharma celebrates divinity in its complex diversity. The same deity has different traits and is worshiped differently according to naama (name), rupa (form) and svarupa (essence). During the Navratras, Devi is worshiped in nine forms. At four major temples in Kerala, Ayyappa takes the form of a ‘kumar’ (teenager) at Sabarimala; a ‘balak’ (child) at Kulathupuzha; a grihastha (family man) with wives at Achankovil; and a ‘tapasvi’ (ascetic) in Aryankavu; these denote the four stages of human life.
Sabarimala is essentially a denominational temple within the Ayyappa panth (stream); it has special rules and regulations appropriate to the deity in that rupa and svarupa. These rules have been practiced without demur from time immemorial and correspond to settled usage and custom. Violation, as in 2006 when an actress in the prohibited age group entered the temple, defiles the sanctity of the temple according to the Agamas, and requires purification.
The denominational nature of the temple is established by the rigorous 41-day vrat (penance) that Ayyappa Himself prescribed when he directed a king to build the temple at the spot where his arrow landed after vanquishing a demon. This includes total abstinence, celibacy, and other forms of asceticism. A person starting tapas takes blessings from his parents, elders and Guru and dons a tulsi or rudraksha maala. The aim is to purify mind and body and establish the Oneness of all beings. On the pilgrimage, each devotee is addressed as ‘Swami’ as he has become pure. Justice DY Chandrachud’s view that, “To suggest that women cannot undertake the 41-day vratham is to stereotype them”, mocks at the sanctity of custom. That this has caused religious hurt can be seen from the thousands of women pouring out on the streets of Kerala cities to protest the verdict.
Only those who conclude the vrat and carry the Irumudi kettu on their heads can cross the Srichakra and ascend the final 18 steps to the sannidhanam (sanctum), to the presence of Ayyappa. Irumudi is a twin bundle with offerings for the deity on one side, and the pilgrim’s humble necessities on the other. Other devotees worship through a side entrance. The 18 steps represent the stages of knowledge and consciousness, to supreme bliss at the feet of Ayyappa swami. The vrat and Irumudi distinguish Sabarimala as a religious denomination or section thereof which, under Article 26, has the right to manage its own affairs in matters of religion.
It is surprising why the Supreme Court refused to accept the balaka god as a minor and a juristic entity, a settled principle in Hindu Law. In the Ram Janmabhoomi case, Ramlalla (infant Rama) is a minor and juristic entity entitled to the protection of the law and to be represented by a ‘best friend’. Hindu Gods own wealth and property because they are juristic entities. In 1988, recognising this principal, a London judge returned the Chola Nataraja of Pattur to India, ruling that so long as even one stone belonging to a temple built by a Chola chieftain remains in situ, the temple continues to exist in the eye of law and has the right to own property. Sabarimala is a living temple adhering to distinct agamas; it is incorrect to designate temples as ‘public spaces’ and deny the deity’s constitutional rights.
We may ask if it is wise to destroy the sanctity of Sabarimala to satisfy the iconoclastic urges (disguised as a quest for equality) of litigants whose locus standi is suspect? The principal activists behind the Indian Young Lawyers Association & Ors Versus The State of Kerala & Ors. [Writ Petition (C) No. 373 of 2006] have admitted that they were inspired by the furore over actress Jayamala’s unlawful entry into the temple.
The erstwhile royal family of Pandalam, where Ayyappa grew up, and People for Dharma are seeking a review of the verdict, on grounds that it “has the effect of Abrahamising the core of the Hindu faith, namely diversity, and altering its identity”. The organisation laments that the court failed to enquire if the traditional practice “is essential to the identity of the Sabarimala Ayyappa Temple”. Instead, it asked if it is essential to Hindu religion, when the Sanatana Dharma has no Book or Canon with uniform beliefs and practices.
The Sabarimala restrictions have been distorted as derogatory towards women in their fertile years. Different temples run according to distinct agamas. The menstrual cycle of Assam’s Devi Kamakhya is celebrated in the Ambubachi festival; Rajo, symbolising the menstruation of Mother Earth, is a major event in Odisha. The Mahadeo temple in Chengannur celebrates women’s fertility, and transgenders have divine status in Kottankulangara.
Only Justice Indu Malhotra, the sole dissenting voice, sifted the evidence clinically and observed that the restriction on women of a certain age group was not based on misogyny or menstrual impurity, but on the celibate nature of Ayyappa swami; “what constitutes an essential religious practice is for the religious community to decide”. She questioned the locus standi of non-believers approaching the Court and claiming the right to enter the Temple, even as there was no aggrieved petitioner from Kerala. Justice Malhotra warned that in a plural and diverse country, judges must be careful before labelling a practice as discriminatory on the basis of personal morality: “issues which are matters of deep religious faith and sentiment must not ordinarily be interfered with by courts.” In fact, Courts should not interfere unless a practice is “pernicious, oppressive, or a social evil”.
The apex Court’s equation of Sabarimala customs with untouchability as defined in Article 17 of the Constitution, which refers to birth-based discrimination against some castes was unfortunate. The Kerala Government’s decision to pass The Travancore-Cochin Hindu Religious Institutions (Amendment) Act, 2018 to allow appointment of non-Hindus to the Travancore Devaswom Board was the last straw.
Writer: Sandhya Jain
Courtesy: The Pioneer
Yes, the 377 has been sorted, but there’s still more to the LGBTQ+ community than just homosexuality.
Rights, for centuries has been nothing more than an empty word for the LGBTQ+ community. They have been denied basic rights like Right to Dignity, Personal Liberty, Health, Education, and even the Freedom of Expression. The Keshav Suri Foundation which aims to work towards the upliftment of the marginalised LGBTQ+ community, is a step in that direction.
While the Supreme Court’s historic verdict might have decriminalised homosexuality and paved the way for same-sex couples to legally cohabit and conduct their personal affairs without fear of persecution but it did not automatically translate into a seamless transition to equality for the lesbian gay bisexual transgender queer (LBGTQ) community. For while it has opened the doors for several changes to be introduced to marriage, medical, adoption and inheritance laws for same-sex couples but legal experts says that even though the judgement was historic, same-sex couples still have an uphill task ahead of them. The verdict is indicative of consequential revolutionary changes, but these don’t follow automatically. The government now needs to act on this and frame laws to allow same-sex marriages or adoption by LBGTQ couples.
Advocate Neeha Nagpal, who is a practicing lawyer at the Supreme Court for over 10 years, says, “Although the onus is on the government to formulate legislation permitting LGBTQ couples to marry, adopt and inherit their spouse’s property, this verdict lays down the legal basis for the formulation of such legislation. At the same time, individuals who face discrimination because of their sexual orientation can now count on the Judiciary.”
The fact that we can be proud of the country today, is because of the Supreme Court’s verdict which has finally put an end to all the worthless conversations. Now is the time to have a conversation about how to move forward, become more inclusive and equal because one thing is to change the law and the other is to change what’s in people’s mind.
Advocate Saurabh Kripal says, “Once this judgement stands the test of time and people accept the homosexual relationships, I think it’ll become a new normal and once it becomes normal then we can ask for something a bit more abnormal which will then again become a normal. Don’t push the pace of change because everyone knows slow and steady always wins the race. I think there’s a inherent human desire to push as much they possibly can but remember we must distinguish between the political space and the judicial space. We need to give time in order to get what we desire.”
“I strongly feel employment and medical are the major issue which we have to fight for. If your partner falls ill and you aren’t married you might not be able to take a combined medical policy. For this you need to have a positive action which will happen but will take time. Nevertheless you need extra rights to bring everyone up, equal and in power. The only solution is to go back to court, and I think the court is ready to face it. The court has laid down the judgement which is a very broad in framework. Now it will think beyond 377,” adds he.
Keshav Suri, executive director of The Lalit Suri Hospitality Group, who launched the foundation is excited about the endeavour and he says, “We are glad that Section 377 has been read down. However, we have merely scratched the surface. Building on the success of the It Gets Better campaign, the Keshav Suri Foundation will illustrate how it can get improve in the Indian context. The foundation aims to provide employable skills to the community and sensitise organisations on incorporating more diverse and inclusive practices. The idea at the foundation is to give individual attention to all members. Each story is different and every person has baggage. Counsellors will evaluate each individual, basis of their story. They will then be helped to achieve a skill set best suited to their personality in order to earn a livelihood and lead a life of dignity. Role models from the LGBTQ+ community will also interact with members. This is being planned to help lift the self-esteem and morale of all. These efforts are all centred around one goal — usher the community into mainstream society by putting an end of discrimination.”
The motto of the foundation is to embrace, empower, and mainstream the community. It is building a discrimination free platform, enabling community members to share their stories and stigmas – physical, emotional or mental.
Alex Mathew, better known as Maya the drag queen who outed himself as a gay man in October 2014 says, “Things got better after I met Keshav Suri, who has changed my life completely. Because of him, I’m now currently working as a PR and marketing executive at The Lalit Ashok Bangalore.
Laxmi Narayan Tripathi, a transgender rights activist, faced many difficulties and challenges in life. But things improved for her when she had the guts to say ‘NO’ to the abusive behaviour of people towards her and when she found her husband in Anjali Gopalan. Laxmi says, “Anjali has taught me to speak my mind. I was like an animal in a cage where trans community member said, ‘Oh she’s divine’ but normal people treated me like a piece of waste. The day I got to know the reason of their hatred towards me, people loved me so much that they hated me. It got better when I was exposed to this different world (LGBTQ community). When there were was a controversy about me being a bad woman, I said good girls go to heaven whereas bad girls go everywhere. I have the power to go everywhere.”
Satyashri Sharmila who hails from Ramanathapuram district in Tamil Nadu is India’s first transgender woman to enroll as a lawyer in the TN bar council. She says that, “Change is the only constant and it begins from home. The family must start accepting their child for who they are. When you have support from your parents and your family you can fight all the battles. I’m so glad that Keshav has his mother by his side all the time supporting him and he’s so blessed to have a mother like her. If I had someone like her, trust me, my journey would have been so much easier. Family is the first frontier.”
In response, Jyotsna Suri, chairperson and managing director of Bharat Hotels Limited and mother of Keshav says, “Its the primary point. Unless parents don’t support their children, we are not going to make a change. It’s not the politicians, not even the judiciary, it is we the people of India who have to make that difference. Judiciary has done it’s part by decriminalising. We have to begin from home.”
Writer: Ayushi Sharma
Source: The Pioneer
Luv Kush Ramlila is one of the oldest Ramlila committees, and each year it gets a number of celebrities to make it the talk of the town.
If the Delhi durbar is about power play, then its Ramlilas are about a world without politics and the ideal rajya that is an aspiration at best. But there are real world takeaways too. Like actor Shahbaz Khan, who plays the role of Ravana and has perfected the stotras and shlokas of Shiva for his character, a perfect embodiment of eclecticism.
Luv Kush Ramlila, one of the oldest Ram Lila committees, is also the one which is most talked about thanks to the array of celebrities it manages to get each year and the technology blitzkrieg that it unleashes. Says organiser Arjun Kumar, “There are 40 film stars who will be playing different roles including Shahbaz Khan who plays the role of Ravan. What is interesting to note is that he has learnt the shlokas for a year now, quite a scholarly act in itself. Raza Murad plays the role of Surabhi. Then there is Bindu Dara Singh who is playing Hanuman.”
But there is more in the arsenal of Luv Kush Ram Lila committee. For they have brought not just film celebrities but those from the political arena as well. So one would be able to catch Dr Harshvardhan playing Janak and Vijay Sampla, Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment, as Shiv’s father. Vijendra Gupta, the BJP MLA from Rohini, Alka Lamba, the Chandni Chowk MLA from AAP, Jagdish Mukhi, Governor of Assam and an MLA from Bihar too will be playing characters. The total crew comprises 600 artists.
“We are getting 20 artists who would be creating sets like Bahubali. So there will be scenes like Ram and Ravan engaging in battle mid-air or Hanuman flying. We will be engaging stunt artists,” he says.
Adding to the razzmatazz of the event and lending an element of authenticity to the proceedings are the dresses. This time around, the committed has got Babu Bhai from Mumbai on board for the first time. “He makes dresses and even crafts shoes that are authentic and like that of a sanyasi,” says Arjun.
If that’s not enough, people do not have to be physically present to be able to enjoy the Ram Lila. It can be watched live on the phone or TV by logging onto their website. “Several cable operators have taken the URL and they too will be telecasting it live on their private channels. There are 15 theatres in Bihar and UP, which will have a special show of the Ram Lila in the evening. It can be seen all over the world through multiple channels,” says he.
Since security too is an important aspect of the entire proceedings, the committee has got the services of a private security agency and hired Black Cat commandos. “There are also 800 local children called the Swayamsewak karykarta which are divided into 40 groups of 20 each to look after the security. The Delhi Police is helping us.
The CCTV footage will be monitored by both — our people and DP.” Arrangements will be made to seat 25,000 people while 15,000 can watch it standing. “We expect about a lakh people watch it everyday as the audience keeps coming in and walking out.
The Shri Ram Dharmik Leela Committee, Tri Nagar is not as old but it does have its own charm. Organiser Anil Garg, says, “We will not be using sets that generate a carbon footprint post-show. Rather we have LEDs where the backdrop keeps changing. So during the forest scene, the display changes to a forest on the screen. We have increased the stage size from 100 to 130 feet.” They feature 65-70 artists but all of them know the entire Ramayana by heart and do not need any prompting.
Garg organises another Ramlila in Pitampura called Sampurna Ramayana where the entire epic is performed within three-and-a-half hours. Performed over six days to get the maximum traction, what makes it special is that the language is easy. The title song is sung by Udit Narayan and the music has been composed by Chandra Kamal, son of Raj Kamal, who had done the music for BR Chopra’s Mahabharata.
Writer: Pioneer
Courtesy: The Pioneer
Along with changing the prospects for millions of people with disabilities across the globe, the Jaipur Foot is also improving connectivity among people and helping India project its soft power.
Kupwara and Uri, two bordering towns along the Line of Control in the State of Jammu & Kashmir, have one of the highest densities of landmines in the world. Local residents often become unknowing victims of landmine explosions as these hilly pastures are traditional grazing grounds for their livestock. When Fatah Mohammed, a resident of Kupwara, went to graze his sheep, he accidentally stepped on an old landmine and lost one of his legs. Since then, Mohammed’s life and livelihood has come to a standstill. Unable to take care of his flock, his source of income slowly dried up, forcing him and his family to live a hand-to-mouth existence. But last month, his life took a new turn, thanks to the Jaipur Foot. Now, he can not only walk with his new prosthetic leg, but can also bow down to offer his prayers.
Mohammed is not the only one who has been able to get back on his feet. Last month, the Jaipur Foot transformed the lives of about 300 people who lost their limbs in such accidents. Four percent of Kupwara’s population of 8.7 lakh suffers from some disability. This is far higher than the national average (2.21 per cent). Landmine accidents near the Line of Control are a major cause of disability among the people living in Kupwara. India and Pakistan are among the 32 countries which have not signed the international Mine Ban Treaty.
Now free fitment of prosthetic legs is bringing back the spring in their lives, thanks to collaboration between the Pir Panjal Brigade of the Army, the Bhagwan Mahaveer Viklang Sahayata Samiti, makers of the Jaipur Foot, and its partner, the Spark Minda Foundation.
It all began in 2017, when the Pir Panjal Brigade saw the plight of residents of remote Sahora and Hathlanga villages along the Line of Control, who had lost their legs in landmine explosions or firing by Pakistan. Having heard about the Jaipur Foot’s life changing abilities, the Brigade flew down seven such people to Delhi for fitments.
Since then, there has been no looking back for these men. They are able to walk, run, climb, squat, sit cross-legged and perform daily activities with ease with the water-proof prosthetic leg.
Developed in 1968, the Jaipur Foot has changed million so lives so far. During its 50-year journey, it has touched the lives of over 1.7 million people in 34 countries. It was first crafted after three eminent orthopaedic surgeons at the SMS Medical College hospital, Jaipur, realised that the artificial foot available from America and Germany was unsuitable for Indians. Led by Dr PK Sethi, director and professor of rehabilitation, SMS Medical College and colleagues Dr SC Kasliwal and Dr MP Udawat, the first prototype was developed by master craftsman Ram Chandra.
About 58 fitments had been done when DR Mehta, then an IAS officer working with the Rajasthan Government, was admitted to the same hospital with a badly broken leg. During his prolonged stay in the hospital, he observed that most of the patients belonged to economically underprivileged communities. So, although he didn’t need a prosthetic leg, Mehta decided to do something to make the Jaipur Foot affordable.
The Bhagwan Mahaveer Viklang Sahayata Samiti (BMVSS) was formed in 1975 to enable the poorest of the poor stand up on their feet again. According to Mehta, the decision to centre their healthcare model on compassion led them to fit the Jaipur Foot free of cost. This would help them reach out to all disabled, irrespective of their caste, age, religion or gender. Beginning from one centre, BMVSS now has 22 branches across India and normally holds about 50 fitment camps in a year in different districts and remote areas of the country. It provides more than 16,000 prosthetic fitments every year and has helped 1.7 million people with physical disabilities in India get back their lives.
The first Jaipur Foot was a wood and vulcanised rubber structure. It has since then undergone several improvements, though the basic design remains the same. The latest version of the Jaipur Foot comprises an artificial leg (supporting the foot) made out of high-density polyethylene pipe with a plastic knee joint. This artificial limb is fitted to the amputee’s leg, thus facilitating a near-normal life. A patient who comes in the morning can walk out on his own two feet by evening.
Having seen the change among the seven men, who had lost their limbs after they had been fitted by the Jaipur Foot in 2017, the Pir Panjal Brigade requested BMVSS and its partner Spark Minda Foundation (SMF) to help them reach out this time to a larger number of people with disabilities, both men and women.
So, in September this year, under the Army’s Sadbhavana mission, the SMF organised an eight-day BMVSS camp in the State’s Baramulla district to enable needy residents from the border villages to come for fitments.
During this camp, the nine- member BMVSS technical team, comprising prosthetists and technicians, set up their workshop within the camp premises and made the Jaipur Foot with the help of Plaster of Paris and equipment, like grinders, cutters, vacuum suction machines, pipes and ovens. This helps fit the amputee within hours of being measured and reduces the waiting time.
Although the prosthetic legs are given free by BMVSS, its costs are met by its associate, SMF, the CSR arm of the Ashok Minda group. Under this partnership, BMVSS has received an annual funding of Rs 60 lakh since 2016.
Since this was the first time that such a free camp was held in Jammu & Kashmir, it enabled people from Hathlanga, Gagar Hill, Paro, Charunda, Uri, Tangdhar, Kupwada, Bandipura, Tithwal, Handwara, Pattan, Gulmarg and many other remote villages of border areas to register.
A husband and wife, who had both lost their limbs in a landmine explosion, were among the first to register. This couple travelled over 150 kilometres from their village Sahoora, situated along the Line of Control, to the camp when they realised that there was a chance they could walk again.
They didn’t want to lose this opportunity since the lack of financial resources and remoteness of their village had stymied efforts to seek help. Thanks to the Jaipur Foot, their dream to walk again came true.
In fact, the camp received such an overwhelming response that the number of fitments had to be increased from 250 to 274. This is also perhaps because BMVSS-SMF camps provide a comprehensive end-to-end support in limb fitment. So, depending on the nature and degree of the disability, it also provides caliper fitments, walkers, elbow crutches, sticks, etc.
With the creation of the Jaipur Knee, a prosthetic knee joint developed in collaboration between a team of Stanford University students and BMVSS, there is now hope for those needing knee replacements. The Stanford-Jaipur Knee, as it is popularly known, is locally manufactured in India and has been hailed as one of the top 50 best inventions by Time Magazine.
One of the most remarkable achievements in the Jaipur Foot’s 50-year journey is it’s connect to people across the world. It has emerged as a symbol of Indian humanitarian assistance in Africa, Asia and Latin America. War ravaged Afghanistan has the world’s largest number of amputees because of landmines and the 1,000 prosthetic limbs it received from India has cemented bilateral relations.
The Government has deepened diplomatic ties by holding training camps for technicians from Asian, African and Latin American countries under its Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) programme at the BMVSS headquarters in Jaipur.
Not only has it earned India goodwill, globally, but it has also become a case study in South-South cooperation. Earlier this year in May, an exhibition on the Jaipur Foot was organised at the United Nations headquarters in New York by the Indian mission to highlight its contribution in giving people with disabilities a second chance at life.
Even back home, the Jaipur Foot is helping build bridges between the Armed Forces and the people of Jammu & Kashmir, one happy step at a time.
(The writer is a senior journalist)
Writer: Swapna Majumdar
Courtesy: The Pioneer
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