Indian Penal Code Sections 499 and 500 of the IPC

United Nations Special Rapporteur on freedom of expression, the Human

Rights Committee of the International Covenant on Civil and Political
Rights and other international bodies have called upon states to abolish criminal
defamation, recognising that it intimidates citizens and dissuades them from
exposing wrongdoing. Indian Penal Code Sections 499 and 500 of the IPC,
which deal with defamation and prescribe a maximum jail term of two years.
against democratic opinion. Criminal defamation has a pernicious effect on society:
for instance, the state uses it as a means to coerce the media and political
opponents into adopting self-censorship and unwarranted self-restraint; groups or
sections claiming to have been hurt or insulted, abuse the process by initiating
multiple proceedings in different places; and, more importantly, the protracted
process itself is a punishment.

Providing Affordable Housing and employment

opportunities through cheap loans face various hurdles in
their implementation.
Under the Pradhan Mantri Rozgar Yojana or PMRY a funding policy aimed at
creating small business opportunities for unemployed Indians . At present, the
government is battling a housing deficit of 18.78 million units and 95 per cent
of it is driven by LOW INCOME populations who live in and around the urban
centers. low-interest employment and housing subsidy loans-Integrated
Subsidy Housing for Urban Poor (ISHUP), which was aimed at providing a grant
of Rs.1.6 lakh to each slum dweller. Rs.1,100 crore, which was set to be funneled
phase-wise to 57 state banks that have pledged to fund affordable housing. banks
come up with excuses like you dont have a PERMANENT RESIDENCY proof, you
dont have any government employee as a guarantor and they simply reject it.
80 per cent of people in slums work in an unorganised market-they drive autorickshaws, run fast food and cigarette kiosks, sell fruit and vegetables on carts, and
work on private construction sites. Reserve Bank of India governor, simplified some
of them while delivering a lecture at the Institution of Rural Management Anand
(IRMA) in Gujarat.

farm subsidies and WTO

limits the policy space of the government
Doha Round-post-Bali work programme under the Doha Round. blaming India for the
deadlock in multilateral trade negotiations at the WTO is back. pressuring India to

take onerous commitments that were not even contemplated during the
negotiations
triple challenges for the government 1.securing Indias interests in the
multilateral trade negotiations; 2. explaining its negotiating position to its key trade
partners, and 3. fighting the perception battle in the media.
2013 Bali Ministerial Conference of the WTO, the post-Bali work programme is
required to build on the decisions taken at Bali on agriculture, development and
least-developed countries issues, as well as all other issues under the Doha
mandate that are central to concluding the Doha Round. It is also expected to
provide for a permanent solution to the problem of public stockholding for food
security purposes, an issue that was partially resolved at Bali through the so-called
peace clause. Director General of the World Trade Organization, Roberto Azevdo,
has repeatedly exhorted countries to focus on issues that are doable for all
members and not just for some. This has provided an escape route to the
developed countries to ward off demands for cuts in their farm subsidies. It is an
open secret that a lowering of ambition on farm subsidies is a thinly veiled attempt
at shielding the United States from taking commitments that might require it to
make changes to its recent Farm Act. Developments in Geneva suggest that the
developed countries are aggressively seeking onerous commitments from India and
China that are not part of the negotiating agenda on farm subsidies and were not
even contemplated during the entire course of the Doha Round. India has proved to
be a soft target in the past for papering over negotiating inaction by the
developed countries. The example of sectoral initiatives in tariffs is particularly
relevant. Pressuring developing countries, particularly India, to make concessions
that go beyond the negotiating mandate is a part of strategy effectively deployed
by the developed countries-the negotiating mandate is a part of strategy effectively
deployed by the developed countries. U.S. has successfully diverted attention from
its inability to cut cotton subsidies a crucial element in the negotiating template
and shifted the blame on India for a lack of progress in negotiations.
How India must respond-Agreeing to the commitments sought from it
would limit the policy space of the government in respect of certain
categories of farm subsidies. This could jeopardise the livelihood of millions of farm
households and further exacerbate the agrarian distress.
India is fully within its rights to resist pressures for commitments that are beyond
the agreed negotiating mandate. Indias response should have at least four
distinct dimensions. First, at the WTO, India should unequivocally resist requests
for concessions that are beyond the negotiating mandate. The government would
need to replicate the resolve and firmness shown by it last year during the impasse
on trade facilitation and food security issues. However, India could indicate its
willingness to show movement within the confines of the mandate, provided the
developed countries are willing to reciprocate by cutting their farm subsidies and

addressing issues of food security and farm livelihood. India should also actively
galvanize support from other developing countries for ensuring that the Doha Round
is not concluded without the developed countries making meaningful cuts in their
farm support. It should also seek simplification in the tariff structure of the European
Union, which is extremely complex and impedes farm exports of developing
countries.
Second, the Department of Commerce and the Ministry of External Affairs should
work closely to clearly articulate Indias negotiating approach to the capital-based
officials of its key trade partners. In the past, at crucial stages in the negotiations,
considerable misinformation was circulated and an impression created that India
was being rigid and difficult in the negotiations. India was also wrongly projected as
being isolated. This pattern could be repeated in the coming few weeks. This needs
to be forcefully countered. India should clearly bring out the unreasonable demands
being made on it and elucidate how the onus for slow progress in the negotiations
actually lies on the developed countries. Further, India should unequivocally convey
to the developed countries that it would not acquiesce to demands that go beyond
the negotiating modalities, while the developed countries fail to honour their side of
the negotiating mandate.
Third, the Department of Commerce should regularly brief the media about key
developments in the negotiations for ensuring that the battle of perception is not
lost. Otherwise, there is a risk that the governments perspective might get drowned
in the blitzkrieg by commentators sympathetic to the economic interests of the
developed countries.
Assuring the farmer
Fourth, the government should assure the stakeholders, particularly the farming
community, that it would not bend under unfair demands and pressures of the
developed countries. In the absence of such an assurance, the farmers may feel
apprehensive about continuity in government support schemes for agriculture.

Prime Minister Rozgar Yojana

To employ over million People by starting seven lakhs micro ventures by the jobless
educated youth. Prime Minister of the India announced on August 15, 1993. It aims
to take urban regions only in the year nineteen ninety three to ninety four & entire
country starting by ninety four to five. After 1994-95, the current self-employment
Scheme for the Educated Unemployed Youth (SEEUY) will be included in PMRY
Any jobless learned person residing in any region of the country whether rural or
urban satisfying the subsequent circumstances will be entitled for aid. Though,
during 1993-94, the proposal would be function in urban regions only

Contributions made by Indias premier science and

technology institutions to the welfare of Indian society
IISc and IIT like premier institutes in India failed to address the needs of the
society.
Drawing a comparison with the U.S.-based Massachusetts Institute of Technology
where at least 100 major inventions over the past half century have changed the
world the software mogul said institutions here fall short. The problems in the
country are immense from poverty to illiteracy, from polluted rivers to a
crumbling healthcare system and yet, students leave IISc. without having an
impactful work in research. IITs actually for training and producing engineers? Most
IIT-ians I know - and this is a fair number - are not pursuing engineering. They are
bankers, consultants, angel investors, senior level executives or even heads of nongovernmental organisations.

Islamic extremism
religious stimuli is also a reason impacting the rise of Islamic extremism across the
world
Sociological divisions such as tribes and castes often predate organised religionethnicity like tribals etc.ethnicity is often comparable to that of religion. For
instance, Boko Harams main catchment area is the Kanuri tribe in north-eastern
Nigeria, as well as the three neighbouring countries of Niger, Cameroon and Chad.
Boko Harams area of operations is predominantly Sunni Muslim
Political misgovernment
Islamic tumult can often be traced back to governance issues.The system has
usually lacked participation and is marked by maladministration, endemic
corruption and repression. Many of these countries have essentially been
dictatorships backed by either armed forces or a dominant tribe.
In the Maghreb countries of North Africa such as Algeria, Tunisia and Egypt, this
phenomenon came to be called Hogra or the impunity that the ruling class enjoyed,
and was deeply resented by the rest.
Power vacuum and outreach
Somalia after Siad Barre or Libya after Muammar Qaddafi, as well as Iraq and
Afghanistan after the U.S. withdrawal, was seen as an open invitation for motley
groups to fill the political void.Geopolitical outreach is perhaps easiest to
understand. A foreign sponsor uses Islam as a Trojan horse for expansionism.
Pakistans long-standing backing for the Mujahidin and the Taliban in Afghanistan is
an obvious example of this strategy.

It is, clear, therefore, that Islamic extremism is not monolithic. During the long
Cold War, the West often painted the Comintern in similar simplistic and
exaggerated terms, making various errors of judgement in the process. Islamic
extremism is a serious threat with an impact well beyond its direct theatre of
operations. However, ignoring the nuances of the various stimuli that fuel it would
only amount to repeating history, with similar outcomes.

National Skill Development Mission and the role of private

sector in skilling the unskilled
If China is known as world's manufacturing factory, India can be world's human
resource capital," Modi
65 per cent of India's population which is below the age of 35 years. Modi
said Indians should be ready to replace the diminishing workforce in other countries.
"We have to scientifically map the world's manpower requirement and prepare
accordingly," he added.
Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY), skill loan scheme and the
national policy for skill development and entrepreneurship 2015 on the World Youth
Skill Day. Under the skill loan scheme, youth can avail credit between Rs 5,000 and
Rs 150,000 to attend skill-related training programme. Modi stressed the need for
more ITI institutes in the country.
government estimates an incremental requirement of 110 million additional
skilled personnel across 24 sectors by 2022.
NIIT Limited committed to train 10 million young Indians across 16 sectors
over the next five years, Tata Housing announced that it would provide vocational
skill development training to 100,000 socio-economically backward youth across the
nation by 2024.
National Entrepreneurship Network (NEN) and Skills Development Network
(SDN), have had a significant impact on job creation and job fulfilment in India and
now the foundation is looking forward to scale-up its initiatives to help India create
and fill 25 million jobs, in the organised sector, by 2020. "Entrepreneurship and
skilling are the two magic keys to India's economic and job growth.

InMobi, a Bangalore based company, unveiled artificial

intelligence discovery platform to show relevant ads to the user, thereby, not
annoying users with irrelevant ads. Rivals Google and Facebook face challenge.

652 Drugs under price control -

National Pharmaceutical Pricing

Authority added 39 drugs-which have a market size of Rs.1,054cr. The medicines
are manufactured by Abbott Laboratories and GlaxoSmithKline plc and domestic
companies Lupin, Cadila Healthcare, Ipca and Sun Pharma.

Europe to finance Greece under Emergency Liquidity

Assistance (ELA)-900 million.
Greece gets Parliaments consent for bailout and austere measures.
Greek Financial Deal: 86billion total bailout from European Stability
Mechanism and IMF contribution to recapitalize banks, repay debts, interest
payments etc.,
-50billion Trust fund from privatizing assets- 25 billion to repay
recapitalization for banks
12.5billion to reduce debt to GDP
ratio
12.5billion for investment
-12billion Bridging Loan- To repay Central Banks debt by mid-august
-35 billion EU funding- for Growth and new Jobs.

Jamaat-e-Islami Party, Downs Syndrome, Myeloid

Leukemia-need stem cells to treat.
Doordarshan and Kisan Channel.
Govt. appointed panel on Net neutrality
The panel recommends that the core principles of Net Neutrality must be
adhered to.
Main proposals
Controversial plans such as AirTel Zero can be allowed with prior
permission fro TRAI, but not platforms such as Internet.org of
Facebook.
Content and application providers such as Facebook cannot be
permitted to act as gatekeepers and profit out of network
operations.
Over-the-top apps(e-commerce, YouTube and Radio Taxis) should be
actively encouraged as they enhance consumer welfare and
increase productivity.(remove impediments for their growth)

Apps offering domestic calling should be brought under the

regulatory framework prescribed for telecom operators.(to create a
level-playing field)
VoIP apps(Skype, Viber and Whatsapp) providing international
calling services, messaging should be exempted from licensing
requirements.

An expert group headed by NITI Aayog vice-chairman

Aravind Panagariya to classify caste data collected by
socio-economic and caste census.
Caste census conducted by Registrar General of India came out with 46 lakh
categories of caste,
sub-caste, different surnames in the caste and clan
names.

India-Myanmar discusses on signing an MoU on

movement of people across the land border.

To resolve border issues, India-Myanmar joint boundary working group

will meet and inspect the earth blockage site on Ti-Ho(Tizu) river on
the India-Myanmar border.
India committed to support the modernization of the Myanmar armedforces and in building a professional and capable Myanmar navy to
safeguard its maritime security.
Cooperation in the Energy sector, trade and commerce.

Manipurs Dilemma
Naga leader A.Z.Phizo: Nagaland cannot accept the Indian excess population
as our country is too small.
Northeastern states , including Manipur, outburst due to fear of losing
ancestral land to outsiders.
Manipur Regulation of Visitors, Tenant and Migrant Workers Bill,
2015 was withdrawn by the govt. after opposition from various sections in
the society-women, opposition parties and section of ruling party.
However, the opposition underscores for the imposition of Inner Line
Permit system(ILP), as in a few other northeastern states.
ILP regime
Introduced by British to protect tribal populations from encroachment
into their areas, but later to advance commercial interest.
Can India afford to introduce a quasi-visa to its citizens to enter one
state from another?

2001 census indicated the size of the migrant community was nearly as much
as that of the dominant ethnic Meiteis, so northeastern states want to curb
inward movement. But there has also been outward migration of the
indigenous people.
Industries: extract land from people, leasing-out of one sixth of total area of
Manipur oil exploration and drilling to international oil majors.
Though understandable the intentions of northeastern states hill valley divide in
the state and congestion in the state rather than huge in-migration of outsiders.
States should ensure that alien-investor-driven development does not disrobe its
people. After all, they would benefit from the growth generated out of its own
domestic resources.

RBI and Sri Lankas Central bank ink pact

Currency swap agreement for mutual assistance in tight liquidity conditions
or balance of payments and liquidity crises.
Under this agreement Sri Lanka can draw a maximum of $1.1 billion for a
period of upto 6months. The agreement is in addition to the existing
framework for currency swap arrangement for the SAARC members.
SAARC members can draw currency $100 million to $400 million with a total
limit of $2 billion from RBI financing facility.

Japan enacts security acts- China slams Japan

Japans post world war-II Constitution bars it from using force to resolve
conflicts except in cases of self-defense.
PM Abes govt. has pushed for a change that would revise the laws such that
Japans military would be able to mobilise under 3 conditions:
a. When Japan is attacked, or when a close ally is attacked,
and the result threatens Japans survival and poses a
clear danger to people.
b. When there is no other appropriate means available to
repel the attack and ensure Japans survival and protect
its people.
c. Use of force is restricted to a necessary minimum.
China sees Japans move as provocative.
Opponents say that the twin-legislaton could draw Tokyo into U.S led conflicts
around the globe, and could violate Article Nine of the countries pacifist postwar constitution.
Also, Japans military rise and wartime barbarities will once again come up.
Asias Pivot doctrine of U.S, led to deploy nearly 60 percent of its forces under
the Pacific Command, with China as focal point.

Human Rights situation improved- U.K. report

Since President Maithripala Sirisena took office, positive steps were taken to
address human rights and democracy concerns, including establishing new
institutions and undertaking legal reforms but it points out several challenges
remain-high militarization of tamil region.
Invitation were given to exiled journalists to return to Sri Lanka and lifting
travel bans on foreign nationals visiting north region.

Drug Price Control Order,2013 and NELM by NPPA and

issues of accessibility
The NPPAs decision to expand the number of drugs under price control by a
further 39 drugs has no doubt increased scope of price control but the
pharmaceutical industry feels the objective of increasing access to medicines
is not being adequately addressed.
The industry feels that the artificial price control had introduced
distortions in the industry.
With manufacturing on non-controlled drugs becoming more profitable,
smaller companies are exiting controlled products. Competition is being
eliminated leading to monopolies being created.
The introduction of DPCO 1995, which covered 74 bulk drugs and their
formulations saw several players exit and consequent discontinuation of the
making of half the products. This led to Indias production of a vital active
pharmaceutical Ingredient (API) like penicillin moving to China, India is
completely dependent on china for its supply.

Farmers suicides- sociological, economical and

agricultural reasons
Farmers who aspire to the lifestyle of salaried persons end up taking loans,
sometimes at 60-80% interest rates, become prey to loan sharks.
The mono-cropping had been the major cause for suicides, farmers had a
tendency to focus on a single crop if it had seen commercial success, when it
fails they face collapse.
Also, not getting assured returns after harvest from buyers who could not
pay, farmers find it difficult for survival. Like sugarcane, cotton, tobacco and
other crop factories are owned by politicians who often default on payments.

Indias battle against malnutrition

A nationwide survey called the RSOC conducted by the ministry of women and
child
development in 2013-14 in league with Unicef showed that the
proportion of underweight children in India was 29.4%, and that of stunted
children 38.7%. There seems to be some sign of progress in Indias battle
against malnutrition, although malnutrition rates remain high.

Most malnourished states of the country have witnessed the sharpest fall in
the proportion of underweight children. But when it comes to stunting (low
height for age), considered an indicator of chronic undernourishment. Little
evidence to suggest that state interventions, either in the form of broadbased programmes such as the public distribution system (PDS) for food
grains or targeted child nutrition programs such as the Integrated Child
Development Services (ICDS) , Mid-day Meals scheme played a major role in
fighting child malnutrition. A nationwide survey called the Rapid Survey on
Children (RSOC), conducted by the ministry of women and child development
in 2013-14 in league with Unicef, showed that the proportion of
underweight children in India was 29.4%, and that of stunted children
38.7%. National Family Health Survey (NFHS), had reported in 2005-06: the
ratio of underweight children at 42.5%, and the ratio of stunted children at
48%.

Most states in the North-East saw big improvements in rates of stunting,

albeit on a high base.

While poverty is not the only cause of malnutrition, it is an important

cause, not just because poor people may lack adequate food but also
because the poor often have less time and resources to care for their
children. The proportion of malnourished children among the lowest wealth
quintile is significantly higher than the proportion of malnourished children
among the highest wealth quintile. While there is a clear link between wealth
and nutrition at the household level, the link is much weaker when one looks
at countries or states. India, for instance, has higher malnutrition rates than
many poorer countries, such as those in Africa. Within India, some of Indias
richest states, such as Maharashtra and Gujarat, have higher proportions of
underweight children than some of Indias poorer states such as Assam and
Uttarakhand.
Key drivers of malnutrition
The absence of sanitation and low social status of women which leads to a
high proportion of low birth weight babies are key drivers of malnutrition

Soil Health Card scheme

Against a target of 84 lakh cards, only 34 lakh have been issued. Some of the
States such as Arunachal Pradesh, Goa, Gujarat, Haryana, Kerala, Mizoram,

Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand and West Bengal have not issued a single
card to farmers against the targets set for them for 2015-16.
The Soil Health Card is a printed report that will be given to farmers once
in three years for each of his/her land holding. It will contain crucial
information on macro nutrients in the soil, secondary nutrients, micro
nutrients, and physical parameters. The card will be accompanied by an
advisory on the corrective measures that a farmer should take to improved
soil health and obtain a better yield. Andhra Pradesh has taken the lead in
disbursement of the Soil Health Cards to farmers. Tamil Nadu and Punjab
exceeded targets for collection of soil samples during the kharif season. Soil
Health Card portal allows for registration for collection of soil samples along
with testing in approved labs. The important aspect of the portal is that it not
only gives an assessment to a farmer about use of major fertilizers but also
micro-nutrients which are missing in his field and which must be added for a
balanced soil. Information is given for different crops.
The system envisages building up a single national database on soil health
for future use in research and planning. A total of 2.53 crore samples will be
collected and tested to generate 14 crore Soil Health Cards to farmers once in
three years.
Fertilizer Quality Control System web gives information on the quality of
imported fertilizers at ports while States check the quality of indigenously
manufactured fertilizers.
India imports 25 to 30 per cent of its requirement of urea, 90 per cent
requirement of DAP (Di ammonium Phosphate) and 100 per cent MOP
(Muriate of Potash).
Participatory Guarantee System portal provides for online registration,
approval, documentation, record of inspection and Certification of organic
products produced by a farmer.

India, and the Talibans changing dynamics

India has been on the sidelines because of its limited relationship with the
Taliban. Though India has never recognized the Taliban, what often goes
unnoticed is that there was limited interaction even during the Kandahar
hijacking. An Indian delegation was allowed in without visas and the External
Affairs Minister entered into talks with representatives of a government it did
not recognise. The point person for all of this was Taliban foreign minister
Wakil Ahmed Muttawakil.
However, times are changing. The perception that talks with at least some of
the Talibani elements might bring an end to the imbroglio is gaining ground in
Afghanistan. This, coupled with the existence of several lines of thought in
Taliban, allows India to reconsider its position on Afghanistan.
Considering the social capital that India has built in Afghanistan, India might,
at an appropriate moment and in consultation with the Afghan government
and other stakeholders, consider opening a channel to factions associated

with Talibans Qatar office. Diplomacy is often about picking the lesser evil to
serve the national interest. Among those attending were representatives of
Pakistan, China and the U.S.

Next door Nepal: What Delhi must tell its guests

The four-party alliance that signed a deal on June 8 to bring in the
constitution at any cost at the earliest, may have missed the deadline, but is
determined to do all the formalities symbolically and deliver the statute soon.
Maoist chief Pushpa Kamal Dahal (Prachanda) arrived in New Delhi. India has
also invited leaders of the faction-ridden Nepali Congress and Communist
Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist Leninist (CPN-UML). Delhis role, from bringing
the insurgent Maoists to the mainstream to abolishing the monarchy, has
been visible. But where it is perceived to have failed, just like Nepals
political actors, is that the transition has taken too long, with Nepal headed
for greater chaos and political instability as other external forces are
emerging as key players almost on par with India. Indias traditional and
natural clout to its north has visibly diminished over the years. It also faces a
tough competitor in China on the crucial and contentious issues that Nepal
confronts today.
Nepals status as a Hindu state
The idea of secularism with the right to change ones religion has further
provoked the votaries of a Hindu Nepal. They are now demanding a
referendum to settle the matter. Modis initiative may work if he encourages
the Nepali side. But he also needs to tell them that they need to realise they
have failed both the Nepalese people and India, which had wished for peace
and prosperity in Nepal. He needs to tell them that a segregationist approach,
monopolised by the four parties, will not be enough to prepare a constitution
acceptable to all.

Are reservations futile?

Excessive and prolonged reservations have had unintended and possibly net
negative consequences. The history of reservations goes back at least to the
Hunter Education Commission of 1882; around 1901-02, reservation of seats
was introduced in several educational institutions around the country. In
1932, Britain as the colonial power cynically proposed a divisive communal
award. This award mandated separate electoral representation for Dalits and
for adherents of various religions. Mahatma Gandhi was strongly opposed to
segregation in representation but ultimately agreed to a compromise with Dr
Ambedkar. Independent India's constitutional provision for reservations of
electoral seats was meant to expire in 60 years, and should have been over

in 2010 - but has been extended till 2020. Reservations in employment in

government or the public sector, originally 15 per cent for SCs and 7.5 per
cent for STs, were intended to last for 10 years till 1960. These reservations in
jobs have repeatedly been extended, with the latest extension again till 2020.
Have reservations helped the poorest and those who live in remote parts of
rural India? The Socio-Economic and Caste Census (SECC), conducted
between 2011 and 2013 and released on July 3 indicates a fairly
bleak picture. Out of a total of 179 million households in the country,
the income of the highest earning member in 133 million
households, that is 74.5 per cent of the population, is less than Rs
5,000 per month. It is illogical, therefore, that a central government order
dated May 27, 2013, on "revision of income criteria to exclude socially
advanced persons/sections (creamy layer) from the purview of reservation for
OBCs" stipulates that the income ceiling of parents of children seeking to
qualify for the OBC quota is Rs 50,000 per month. It is also absurd that lowincome Muslim, Christian or other minority households are excluded from the
category of OBCs. Given the low income levels of an overwhelmingly
large proportion of Indian families, perhaps family income below Rs
25,000 per month should be the norm to be eligible for any form of
reservation not just for OBCs, but also SCs and STs. Further, all
reservations could be phased out by 2020.
Drawing an extremely tenuous parallel with current conditions in India, it is
pertinent to ask what have been the economic consequences of reservations.
Going further one could also question whether it is enough for us to claim
that we are professionals, academics, journalists, government officials and so
on, and it is somebody else's business to create a just, transparent and caring
India by participating in risky electoral politics. Clearly, the various forms of
hate crime and inequities that disadvantaged Indians face cannot be
corrected just by reservations. In episode after episode of violence or
corruption around the country there is an immediate demand for a CBI
investigation. Well, the irony is that on July 7 the Supreme Court has
suggested an investigation into the role of former CBI Director Ranjit Sinha in
the 2G and coal scam probes. Consequently, it would be useful if the
government were to ask an external consulting company such as McKinsey or
the World Bank to evaluate the manner and extent to which reservations
have helped the weaker sections.

Special packages to states fly in the face of cooperative

federalism
A string of development packages for Jammu and Kashmir, Bihar and West
Bengal being discussed by the BJP-led government at the Centre flies in the
face of cooperative federalism, a cause so passionately espoused by Prime

Minister Narendra Modi. There is little or no doubt these additional funds or

concessions are driven by political considerations. Such political packages
have a significant component of additional funding, which only serves to
distort further the existing mechanism of distributing resources. It has not
even been a year since the new government implemented the 14th Finance
Commission report that had recommended a higher, 42 per cent,
devolution of Central tax receipts to states. And it chose to do this in
one-go instead of phasing it out over a couple of years, which would have
perhaps given states some breathing time to upgrade their capacity to spend,
that is, plan and execute projects. States were overjoyed because higher
devolution means higher untied funds. But soon after they spent some money
on full-page advertisements lauding Modi, they realised the extra funds given
with one hand were taken away with the other. Many special packages in
the past, including to Bundelkhand, the Northeast, Odishas Koraput-BolangirKalahandi (KBK) region, West Bengal, Bihar and J&K, were suddenly
announced to suit politics, and then additional funds were sought from
Parliament through supplementary demands for grants. For instance, the Rs
8,750 crore special plan for West Bengal was announced on December 7,
2011, to placate Banerjee, who had just a week ago forced the UPA
government to withdraw its decision allowing 51 per cent FDI in multi-brand
retail. While some money may be used for development purposes, the lack
of strong monitoring of the implementation often results in poor delivery and
diversion of funds. Unfortunately, the Central government has also not
seriously thought of an institutional mechanism for a national discussion on
the need for special plans and of their post-award review. The Constitution
did envisage this need and provided for the setting up of an interstate council. But ironically, although established in 1990 and
mandated to meet thrice a year, it has met only twice in the last 10
years, and only 10 times since it was set up. It can be resuscitated so that
the government and any particular state can justify the need for a
development package based on urgency and principles of equity.

Identity crisis of CJI- impacts various satutes including

NJAC
The constitutional identity of CJI- is he the CJI of the institution Supreme Court
of India and a first among equals among supreme court judges, or Is he the
CJI of the Republic of India representing the entire judiciary of the country?
Oath of Office
Legal experts say the confusion lies in the fact that constitution does not
provide a separate oath for the CJI as in the case of the President under
article-60 or Vice-President in article-69.

All judges in the supreme court take a common oath prescribed in the
schedule 3 of the constitution-which begins as I , appointed CJ or Judge
of the supreme court of India.
A case in the supreme court challenges NJAC act that it violates basic
structure , as CJI is part of basic structure under art-124, the act relegated CJI
to one among the 6 members of the NJAC commission.

Paren Patrae- Political Authority has the right to defend

the rights of citizen if they are unable to protect
themselves.(Govt. could argue for victims in bomb blasts
etc.,)
Problems of single mothers-unwed mother to be the sole
legal guardian of her child
Supreme Courts recent ruling giving an unwed mother the sole legal
guardianship of her child without requiring the fathers permission has rightly
been described as a milestone judgment.
Hitherto the fathers involvement was legally necessary in any petition that
sought to have the mother as the sole legal guardian and it was this aspect
that a single mother had challenged first in a lower court, then in the Delhi
High Court and finally in the apex court in 2011. This is not the first time
that the higher courts have gone against the grain of patriarchal and
prejudiced perceptions and practices against women (though they
have been guilty of some regressive pronouncements too). The ruling also
has multilayered aspects that go beyond affirming the obvious rights of the
mother. How far these rulings will percolate and actually force changes in
bureaucratic requirements, and then in social views.
Most single mothers in India face harassment when applying for
documentation, an aspect that is crucial to daily life in this country starting
from birth certificates and school admissions, to applications for passports
and other such documents. Most of the agencies involved insist on the
fathers name being mentioned or an affidavit giving his permission. In this
present case (ABC vs State (NCT of Delhi)), the petitioner had wanted to
make her five-year-old son her nominee in her savings deposits and
insurance policies but was told that as a Christian she was governed by the
Guardians and Wards Act, 1890 and would require the fathers
approval before she was granted sole legal guardianship. Her
contention that the man had lived with her for barely two months and was
not even aware of the sons existence did not cut ice with the lower courts.
Supreme Court has said that the childs welfare (which is paramount)
would be best served by having the mother as the guardian and that
her own fundamental right to privacy would be violated if forced to

disclose particulars of the father. The ruling thus also takes into account
both the rights of illegitimate children and the unwed mothers
right to privacy.
The ruling on the rights of the unwed mother cited this case to point out that
where the child is in the exclusive care and custody of the mother, for
whatever reason, she can act as the natural guardian of the minor and all her
actions would be valid even during the lifetime of the father.
The ruling has given rise to misgivings that it would violate the
fathers right to know his child, a point made by the amicus curiae.
Long-term implications for the social norm that an ideal family unit
must consist of father, mother and the offspring. However, the Court
has held that the uninvolved parent is not precluded from approaching
the guardian court to quash, vary or modify its orders if the best interests of
the child so indicate.
If things are to change at the ground level, such rulings must receive not just
wide media publicity but must also be disseminated through informal and
popular means of communication.
right of every mother to be recognised as the legal guardian of her child in
her own right. Right of every mother to be recognised as the legal guardian of
her child in her own right.

Resource exploitation in Arctic region-Implications

Rising global temperature is melting Arctic sea ice, making a piece of the
planet accessible for the first time in living memory. On their way the
tourists would often encounter cargo liners on exploration missionseach
clearing the way for future routes to exploit the frozen pole. These cargo
liners herald the intense competition to grab the abundance of natural
resources that lie under the melting sea ice. Whether the tourist is from far
away India, China or Singapore, he or she will be able to gauge the future
economic and political impacts of the disappearing ice caps on his or her
respective economy. Recent scientific studies confirm that the Arctic is
warming twice as fast as the rest of the globe. The period between
2005 and 2010 was the warmest since record keeping began in 1840. In
September 2011, at the height of its summertime shrinkage, ice caps covered
4.33 million square kilometres of the Arctic Ocean. This, according to the US
National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC), was a 50 per cent drop from the
average sea ice cover between 1979 and 2000. Arctic is also getting thinner
and younger. Its thicker, older ice caps that have formed over several years
and were able to survive through the summer melt season are increasingly
being replaced with ice that accrues over the winter every year and then
melts away. This makes the Arctic more vulnerable to global warming. By the
reckoning of NSIDC, only five per cent of the Arctic ice caps were over
five years old last summer. In the early 1980s as much as 40 per cent of the
Arctic sea ice was over five years old. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate

Change (IPCC) in 2007 estimated that the Arctic will have an ice-free
summer by the end of this century. Arctics vast reservoirs of fossil fuel,
fish and minerals, including rare earth materials, are now accessible for
a longer period. But unlike Antarctica, which is protected from
exploitation by the Antarctic Treaty framed during the Cold War and is
not subject to territorial claims by any country. There is no legal regime
protecting the Arctic from industrialisation, especially at a time when
the world craves for more and more resources. The distinct possibility of icefree summer has prompted countries with Arctic coastline to scramble for
great chunks of the melting ocean. The scrambling pales the Gold Rush of the
19th century in its scope and degree. Of the eight Arctic nationsRussia,
Sweden, Norway, Iceland, Denmark (Greenland), Finland, Canada
and the USseveral have explored the Arctic waters and found over
400 oilfields with proven reserves of around 240 billion barrels of crude oil
and natural gas. This is about 10 per cent of the worlds known
hydrocarbon reserves. They have also discovered significant deposits
of various minerals on the seabed. New reserves will be available with
further melting of the polar sea ice. The US Geological Survey estimates
that the Arctic holds up to 20 per cent of the worlds unexplored
hydrocarbon reserves, with potential oil reserves of 90 billion
barrels, natural gas reserves of 47.3 trillion cubic metres and gas
condensate reserves of 44 billion barrels. Around 80 per cent of these new
discoveries are likely to be found offshore at an easy depth of 500
metres. As a bonus, the vanishing ice also opens up two new faster
shipping routes that sharply reduce the distance between Western
countries and Asia by connecting the Pacific and Atlantic oceans.

These are the Northwest Passage along the northern coast of North
America and the Northeast Passage along the Siberia coast.

Northwest Passage will reduce the distance from US Seattle port to

Rotterdam in the Netherlands by almost 25 per cent compared to the
current route via the Panama Canal.
Voyage from Rotterdam to Yokohama in Japan via the Northeast
Passage will be 40 per cent shorter than the traditional Suez Canal
route. Explorers had long sought these trans-Arctic passages as possible
trade routes. With fast-rising global temperatures, if, as some scientists
predict, these passages become navigable round the year in the coming
decades, they could redraw the global trading routes. Shipping
routes will shift from politically unstable regions like Western Asia
and piracy-infested routes like the South China Sea, the Malacca
Straits and the Gulf of Aden.
Till 2005, when definitive scientific predictions about the melting of Arctic sea
ice appeared, the Arctic nations were a coherent group. They mostly

focused on the environment and sustainable development of the

region, says Sakhuja. They are now vying to assert their dominance in
the Arctic using the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. The law
allows member states to exploit all natural resources within 370 km
off their coastline. They can, however, extend their jurisdiction up to
650 km by submitting geological evidence of the limits of their
continental shelves. Russia, US, Canada, Norway and Denmark
(Greenland) have submitted claims for extending their jurisdiction in the
Arctic territory.

Does India have rights over the Arctic?

It can be yes and no, depending on how one interprets a 92-year-old treaty.
On February 9, 1920, India signed an international treaty on the
Archipelago of Spitsbergen. The treaty, now called Svalbard Treaty,
defines the international and legal status of the Arctic archipelago off
Norway. It was signed by Norway, the Great Britain and its dominions,

and a few other countries. India was then part of the British Empire.
It is still a member of the British Commonwealth. The treaty gives all
its 40 signatories equal rights to engage in commercial activities on
the islands. Norway and Russia are utilising this right for coal
mining.
Technically, we have a right to explore resources in these islands, says
Shailesh Nayak, secretary of Ministry of Earth Sciences. Asserting its right,
India opened its Arctic research station, Himadri, in the Svalbard region
of Norway in 2008. In case of a future multilateral consensus on governance
of the Arctic, this treaty gives India a major stakeholder status. Our
experience in natural gas extraction projects in Sakhalin (sub-Arctic island in
Russia) prepares us to work in Arctic conditions. Indias technological
experience in ocean floor exploration for minerals and other resources may
also be helpful while working in the Arctic.
There are experts who argue that India should follow China in seeking a share
in the exploitation of Arctic resources. But this would be short-sighted, says
Shyam Saran, a senior fellow with the Centre for Policy Research, a think-tank
in Delhi. India lacks in financial and technological capabilities to match the
countries in the forefront of the current Arctic scramble. Besides, Saran points
out, such projects ignore the much greater damage, compared to any
possible benefits, that India may have to bear if the Arctic continues to be
ravaged by unchecked human greed.
Costly, both for industry and environment.
New alliances are also being forged to extend control over the newly
accessible Arctic region or gain access to its resources. Except Russia, all the
other Arctic nations are part of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO),
a security alliance. But that has not deterred them from charting out their
own strategies for the Arctic. In an unexpected strategic move, Norway and
Russia agreed to improve military relations and expand cooperation in their
Arctic territories.
Until two years ago, the countries were engaged in a four-decade-long
dispute over the Arctic boundary. Both have created special army units for
the Arctic in the past year. Russia built ice-class vessels designed to ferry
military hardware and sent extra brigades to its northernmost bases recently.
Norway plans to buy 48 F-35 fighter planes to bolster its Arctic defences.
the US, Canada and Denmark staged military manoeuvres in their Arctic
territories
Behind these high-voltage military displays, the countries are evolving new
strategies and changing national policies to govern and exploit the resources,
mainly energy reserves.
Oil is the lure
Russia, one-third of which lies within the Arctic Circle, has been the most
aggressive in establishing itself as the superpower of the emerging region.
Within a couple of months, he declared another policy, offering tax cuts on
hydrocarbons and minerals produced in the countrys Arctic territory. Now

there is a virtual stampede among oil majors to reach the Russian Arctic.
Rosneft has entered into two big-ticket agreements with Italys Eni and US
ExxonMobil.
Russias interests in the Arctic are economic, geographical, scientific and
environmental. The Russian Arctic is also a place where the geopolitical
interests of both Arctic and non-Arctic states interact owing to their
geographical positions. Though Scandinavian countries own smaller chunks of
the Arctic, they have plans in place on how to exploit the resources. Norway
has a 20-year plan to unlock the regions oil and gas reserves and deliver
them to foreign markets.
US has also indicated that it would auction the exploration blocks in the Arctic
by 2015. The Chukchi and Beaufort Seas off the coast of Alaska hold around
26 billion barrels of oil. Energy major Shell has obtained conditional approval
to drill exploratory wells in the region from 2013.
Non-Arctic nations in queue. The latest phase of the Arctic rush is being
played out in the Arctic Council, an intergovernmental forum formed by the
Arctic nations and representatives of the indigenous people of the pole like
the Eskimo.
The council discusses issues related to the environment, sustainable
development and scientific research in the Arctic, and does not deal with
matters related to military security. Six non-Arctic nationsthe UK, France,
Spain, Germany, Poland and the Netherlands sit in the council as observers.
More countries, including China, India, Brazil, Japan, South Korea, the EU and
several individual European states, are now seeking observer status in the
council. The status would not only keep them apprised of the fast-changing
geopolitics in the Arctic, it might help them gain access to the region in
future. However, India and China are emerging as the two strong candidates
to join the ranks of the observers.
Road to Arctics bounty is not without obstacles.
There are environmental concerns that call for restricting industrial activities,
challenge of building infrastructure in extreme weather conditions, which
may hinder exploration activities and affect the economic viability of projects.
Even the existing projects may face the heat. They are built on permafrost,
and in the event of its thawing the same infrastructure would have to be
rebuilt. The pristine Arctic nature has not been researched yet, and launching
any production in the Arctic offshore would kill the natural habitat
There are also fears of oil spill, which can seriously damage the ecology.
There is a wide technology gap. There is no equipment and infrastructure to
remove a massive oil spill in icy conditions, and there are no sanctions on
companies in case of an accident.
When permafrost melts, it releases carbon into the atmosphere.
there is approximately double the amount of carbon in the permafrost than
there is in the atmosphere today. Depleting snow cover also leads to low
reflection and higher absorption of sunlight. This will increase
atmospheric temperature of the Arctic and induce further melting.

The debate over whether to exploit the Arctic now revolves around two
perspectives. The Arctic nations want to reap the riches, while the non-Arctic
nations want the pole to be preserved as a global commons, such as
Antarctica or international sea. But so far there have been no substantial
global initiatives to decide how to govern the Arctic. This could be due to two
major reasons. One, the Arctic has hydrocarbons. Two, its geographical
location is unique.
Under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, all eight countries
bordering the Arctic have territorial claims over the ocean waters. Since
researchers have confirmed that the rising temperatures will open up a
treasure trove of natural resources in the Arctic, most Arctic nations have
submitted claims for extending their jurisdiction in the Arctic territory. Until
the convention finalises the claims in 2014, one cannot say how much of the
Arctic will come under the international law. A similar situation of many
contested claims existed for Antarctica before the Antarctic Treaty of 1961
came into force. But a provision in the treaty made the claims non-actionable
to avoid future conflicts.

World Bank Report titled- The State of Social Safety Net

2015- poverty doubled
The poverty is rising in urban areas at a rapid pace. 773 million people (which
constitutes 55 per cent of worlds poor population) are in acute need of
social safety coverage. Three quarters of the poorest people in
lower-middle countries, and more than one-third of the poorest people in
middle-income countries lack safety net coverage and remain at risk.
The report endorses the goal of universal access to social protection
which includes safety nets by 2030. The safety net programmes include cash
and in-kind transfers targeted to poor and vulnerable households,
with a goal of protecting families from the impact of economic shock, natural
disasters and other crises.
Highlight promising innovations and review important policy and
practical developments in this area.
According to report, all five biggest social safety net programmes are
in middle income countries, which include India, China, South Africa,
and Ethiopia which covers 566 million poor people. Indias job guarantee
programme, Mahatama Gandhi National Rural Guarantee Scheme, is
the worlds biggest social safety net programme. In low-income and
lower-middle-income countries, social safety nets cover only 25 per
cent of the extreme poor, compared to 64 per cent in upper-middleincome countries. In Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, where most
of the global poor live, social safety nets cover just one-tenth and
one-fifth of the poorest 20 per cent of the population, respectively.
Poverty in Urban-poverty is urbanising

Coverage of the poorest in urban areas, where an estimated 863

million people live in precarious settlements, also remains a challenge.
Poverty is urbanising at a rapid pace, says the report.
It also highlights that cash transfer schemes constitute 50 per cent of
the total social safety net programmes. Many countries are rapidly
catching up these schemes. In 1997, it was only two countries which adopted
conditional cash transfer scheme which now increased to 64 countries.
The report strongly argues that conditional cash transfers scheme is one
of the best way to reach out to targeted population. The report cites
example of conditional cash transfer programmes in Latin America,
such as Bolsa Familia in Brazil and Prospera in Mexico and morerecently established programmes in Asia, such as the Pantawid in the
Philippines.
The report also argues against unconditional cash transfers which are
not much effective in comparison to conditional cash transfer. It
further highlights the need to improve the efficiency of social safety net
programmes to timely reach out targeted population.

Declining Cattle Population in India-threat to indigenous

cattle
There has been a major change in the composition and mix of the cattle
population in India. The proportion of male cattle has declined sharply as
farmers do not fi nd it worthwhile to maintain bullocks to plough holdings that
are becoming smaller and smaller. The composition of the milch cattle
population too is changing. The proportion of the indigenous breed is falling
and that of the exotic/cross-bred is growing. There are differences between
states in the pattern of change, but those who seek protection of the cow and
a ban on cow slaughter seem to be unaware of what has been happening.
The data on cattle population cited in this article are taken from the 18th and
19th All India Livestock Census, 2007 and 2012, respectively. The data
on small farmer holdings are taken from the latest report on the agricultural
census. The information on smuggling of cattle to Bangladesh.
Earlier, during the five years 195660, the cattle population of India
increased at 2% a year; in Odisha the annual growth rate was 4.5% and in
Uttar Pradesh 2.7%. The growth rate was as high as that of the human
population. In the country there were 50 sacred bovines for every 100
humans. The situation threatened to get out of control. But over the
next half century there was fortunately a change. By 1992, there were
about 20 crore cattle, only 23 for every 100 humans. And during the 20
years since 1992 the total population of cows and progeny has
declined, from 20 crore to about 19 crore (by 6.69%). But this hides
the differential growth of the exotic/cross-bred cattle and the
indigenous type. The population of the exotic/cross-bred has been

growing steadily, from about 1.5 crore in 1992 to a little less than 4
crore in 2012, constituting 7% of the total cattle population in 1992
and 21% in 2012. Taking these out of the total cattle population, the
population of the indigenous cattle has declined from a little less
than 19 crore to a little over 15 crore (a decline of 20.15%) over the two
decades. This decline has been mainly due to the decline in the
population of indigenous male cattle. The total male cattle population
declined slightly, from 7.75 crore in 2003 to 7.67 crore in 2007, but
significantly to 6.19 crore by 2012. The number of the male indigenous
cattle, mainly bullocks, declined by 1.56 crore during these 10 years.
The reason is straight and simple-decline in size of landholdings
The average size of cultivated landholdings in India has significantly
declined over time. Today more than three-fourths of the cultivated
landholdings in the country are of less than 2 hectares in size and
more than half of this is of less than 1 hectare. (The average size of
holdings of the small farmers is 0.67 ha or 1.78 acres.) It has become very
difficult for most small farmers to maintain even one bullock, not to
speak of a pair. They tend to hire the bullocks and ploughs from
others for the main ploughing work or, increasingly, hire tractors,
small or large, for the purpose. The larger farmers use tractors
rather than keep bullocks. The bullocks are sold, ostensibly to
traders who sell them to butchers. These Hindu farmers know the destiny
of the cattle they sell, but cannot help it. Keeping them will mean both their
cattles starvation and their own in the end.
While the decline in the number of the male indigenous cattle has
already started, that of the cows is also on its way. During the five
years, 200712, the number of adult cows has not increased (there has
been, indeed, a very small decline for the first time).
Increased milk supply from exotic, cross bred cows-1/5 th of total
cattle population
The increased milk supply is being taken care of by the growing
number (and proportion) of the exotic/cross-bred cows (besides another
major milch animal, the buffalo) who now constitute more than a fifth of the
total cattle population of India. Gradually the number of the indigenous
cattle, both male and female, will decline. Indeed. the total population of
cattle will decline, since the exotic and the cross-bred, in combination with
the growing buffalo population, will meet the demand for more milk. And
bullocks will become very expensive to maintain, leading to a decline in
their numbers.
Regional Differences

Maharashtra: which recently banned slaughter of all types of cattle

Odisha: which had the highest growth rate of cattle population in the
country half a century ago and has for half a century a law banning slaughter
of any cattle; there has been an extensive export of cattle (illegally) from
Odisha, Bihar and West Bengal (as well as some other north and
even west Indian states) to Bangladesh. Bangladesh imports nearly
two-thirds of the cattle annually slaughtered in that country. Its
main export is leather, hides and skin as well as leather goods. There
is also some restriction on the manner of transport of cattle in
Odisha. Odishas cattle economy at present, therefore, appears to be an
example of what a more progressive cattle economy in another state can
become if the farmers are prevented by law from disposing of their
unproductive cattle.
situation in Gujarat was quite different from that of many other states
Gujarat: which has recorded the highest growth in the total number of
cattle, 25.2% (one of five states; the other four states being: Rajasthan
9.94%, Uttar Pradesh 3.57%, Chhattisgarh 3.41% and Assam 2.65%); This is a
major milk producing state and has traditionally a breed (Gir) that is
better milk yielding. But the important point to note is that while the
female cow population greatly increased, that of the male drastically
declined. If this had not been permitted, what would have happened?
Tamil Nadu: that has recorded the highest decline in the cattle population.
shows a pattern of change that all other states are likely to show, if not
hindered by ban laws. The introduction of exotic and cross-bred cattle
started in this state much earlier than elsewhere. By 2007 the exotic and
cross-bred cattle constituted nearly two-thirds (66%) of the total
cattle population of the state. By 2012 their share went up to 72%.
What was more important was that the population of all categories of
cattle recorded a decline: the cross-bred, both male and female,
declined from 1.12 crore to 88 lakh (by 21.2%). The decline was much
larger in the population of the indigenous, by 35.4%.
Dim Prospects for the Indigenous
indigenous milch cattle has little chance of survival and growth. Long
ago the Brazilian government imported Gir cows and bulls from
Gujarat and Ongole cattle from Andhra Pradesh. Over years, through
systematic selective breeding, they have developed an extremely high
milk yielding Gir species and a very high quality beef cattle of the
Ongole variety, which they are also exporting. Until now nothing had
been done to improve the stock of our indigenous cattle in India.
Very belatedly, an attempt has been started with a few breeds. But the
ban on slaughter of cattle threatens to sound the death knell of any such

endeavour. Both the indigenous and the cross-bred cattle will

ultimately perish.
The reason behind the demand for a ban on slaughter of the cow and
its progeny is well known. The problem faced by the sacred cattle in
India has been a matter of concern for a significant section of its
Hindu population. This was the reason why in the Constituent
Assembly a powerful group of members of Parliament, including of
course many Congressmen, insisted on a ban on slaughtering of
cows being put in the Constitution. The resistance to this was
equally powerful. A final settlement was to include a provision to the
effect in the Directive Principles, which are only indicative and not
obligatory, unlike the Fundamental Rights.
Sometime after independence, using this provision, a section of political
leadership as well as Hindu religious advocates began pressing for
promulgation of a law to this effect. The then Shankarachrya of the
Govardhan Math in Puri went on a fast (only during the day time?) in
November 1966 to press the demand. Today, after half a century, with a
government by a political party wedded to Hindutva in the centre and in
some of the states, there is a renewal of this demand. The extension of the
law to ban slaughter of cows to all its progeny and the ban on trade in and
stocking of beef by the new state government of Maharashtra is due to this
renewal. The reason behind this latest demand is the same as before: the
cow is sacred to the Hindus, who worship it as Mother and who use its
excreta, like urine and stools (gobar), besides of course milk, in all their
religious ceremonies. They believe that the cows body contains 33 crore
godheads mentioned in Hindu puranas.

Solar Energy
The failure of solar installations in India is not primarily due to poor
maintenance or lack of money, materials and skilled manpower as argued in
"Solar Energy for Rural Electricity in India: A Misplaced Emphasisreport
Solar is still not a visible product for the consumer. Rather than see the failure
of solar installations in terms of a rural-urban divide, the author could have
done well to locate his arguments in the context of the "new economy-old
economy" divide. It questions the relevance of promoting solar
photovoltaic (PV) systems for lighting in rural areas of India. It has also
been presented as a special case of the so-called ruralurban divide, and the
inequality hypothesis of a spatial kind.
RuralUrban Gap
The differences between rates of electrification and consumption in urban
and rural areas. It shows that, though electrification rates in urban and
rural areas show a converging trend, there is divergence in terms of
the monthly per capita consumption of electricity. It highlights the

ruralurban gap in electricity consumption, which has increased in the past

two-and-a-half decades. The renewable energy programme in India has a
long history in India. Following the energy crisis of the 1970s, the
Commission for Additional Sources of Energy (CASE) in the Department of
Science and Technology was set up in March 1981. CASE was responsible for
formulation of policies and their implementation, creation of programmes for
development of new and renewable energy and coordinating and intensifying
research and development in the sector. In 1982, a new department was
created in the then Ministry of Energythe Department of Non-conventional
Energy Sources (DNES). DNES incorporated CASE under its umbrella. A
decade later, in 1992, DNES became the Ministry of Non-conventional Energy
Sources (MNES). In October 2006, the ministry was rechristened as the
Ministry of New and Renewable Energy.
The more recent emphasis on solar PVs should be understood in the
context of the global warming agenda. It has a clear political
economy dimension, which should not be lost sight of. Therefore, it is
important that the right questions are asked. What is the purpose of
promoting solar in the Indian context? Should it be in the context of
some international requirements and norms? Or, should it be for the
benefit of the country as part of the objectives of social policy? Is
solar an agenda for enhancing incomes and employment
opportunities at the grass-roots level? If so, the issues raised by the
author become non-issues.
Complex Issues
The non-conventional energy agenda in India dates back to 1960, when the
scientific institutions of the country explored opportunities for alternative
sources of energy. Subsequently, the now well-known renewable energy
programme came to the fore with the setting up of a separate
ministry. However, despite decades of initiatives by the ministry,
Indias renewable energy programme did not make any major
impact. Therefore, the question one should ask first, is, why did the nonconventional energy programme not catch up?
On the supply chain angle, the key question relates to scalability. Until the
setting up of the Jawaharlal Nehru Renewable Energy Mission, the
question relating to local manufacture was not seriously examined. If
the policy on manufacture itself is ambivalent, the service points attached to
the value chain also tend to remain imperfect. A comparative analysis of the
experience of India and Bangladesh is likely to be instructive. An earlier study
by this author has shown that Bangladesh had a better system of rural
servicing of PV installations than India. This study has reported that the
renewable energy of Bangladesh had identified PV as a major source
of subsidiary employment for women in rural parts of the country.
This trust came as a corollary of the microfinance movement in the

country. The Jawaharlal Nehru Mission itself should grow as a part of a large
national agenda of energy security. In such a massive agenda, the
conventional programmes, as directed by the government, should play only
a catalytic role. The key role should come from private enterprises,
which, in turn, will capture the market signals clearly and will respond to
them instantaneously.

Egg War: Why Indias Vegetarian Elites are Accused of

Keeping Kids Hungry.- realities of diet in India are far more
complex than Westernised notions will grant.