TALE OF TWO INDIAS
When finance minister Chidambaram presented the budget, he was proud to declare GDP growth of more than 8% and projected that it will rise to 10% next year. India has completed its " Golden Quadrilateral ", a multi-lane highway that links New Delhi to the north, Calcutta in the east, Chennai in the south and Mumbai in the west.The collective wealth of of india's 311 billionaires jumped 71% last year.
But for india's rural and urban poor, the difference between them and the wealthy only got wider and deeper. Last year india slipped from 124 out of 177 countries to 127, according to United Nationd Human Index. Life expectancy is 7 years less than China, and 11 less than Sri Lanka.
It is an irony, that in the past, farm suicides in Vidharba crossed 400 in one week. The sensex crossed 11000 mark and Lakme Fashion Week issues 500 passes to the media. All happened in the same week. A powerful disconnect. There are millions of farmers in Orissa, Bihar, Jharkhand, Chattisgarh and many more states, where average income is considerably below, the national poverty line of $ 650 a year.
The govt. is less interested in helping the poor, as it is increasing military spending and building a" Blue Water " Navy. India has purchased Jaguar bombers and is negotiating purchase of 66 Hawker Fighter bombers for $ 1.43 billion. The price of a single Hawk could supply a lifetime of clean drinking water to 1.5 million people.
In india, growth has been restricted to relative narrow band of industries, like high-tech. In the countryside where 75% population lives, living conditions have worsened. According to UN Development report, inequality in india, has grown faster in the last 15 years, than in the lasr 50 years. The jobs available are mostly to the literate people and the well schooled. In rural areas, more than 55% people are illiterate. It is shocking to learn as per independent report, that per person food availability today, is lower than, the famous bengal famine of 1942-43.
It is very common for rural family members to eat alternate days. The result is more than 48% of indian children are underweight.
Urban slum dwellers fare little better. " In village we demolish their lives and in the city their homes ". In the same week, their are fashion shows, and the stock market does well, almost 5000 urban shanties are torn down in Mumbai.
Are we doing something for the poor ? I ask these politicians in the govt. All these poverty eradication programmes are a sham. Means to make money for politicians and bureacrats, on the death bed of the poor.
But for india's rural and urban poor, the difference between them and the wealthy only got wider and deeper. Last year india slipped from 124 out of 177 countries to 127, according to United Nationd Human Index. Life expectancy is 7 years less than China, and 11 less than Sri Lanka.
It is an irony, that in the past, farm suicides in Vidharba crossed 400 in one week. The sensex crossed 11000 mark and Lakme Fashion Week issues 500 passes to the media. All happened in the same week. A powerful disconnect. There are millions of farmers in Orissa, Bihar, Jharkhand, Chattisgarh and many more states, where average income is considerably below, the national poverty line of $ 650 a year.
The govt. is less interested in helping the poor, as it is increasing military spending and building a" Blue Water " Navy. India has purchased Jaguar bombers and is negotiating purchase of 66 Hawker Fighter bombers for $ 1.43 billion. The price of a single Hawk could supply a lifetime of clean drinking water to 1.5 million people.
In india, growth has been restricted to relative narrow band of industries, like high-tech. In the countryside where 75% population lives, living conditions have worsened. According to UN Development report, inequality in india, has grown faster in the last 15 years, than in the lasr 50 years. The jobs available are mostly to the literate people and the well schooled. In rural areas, more than 55% people are illiterate. It is shocking to learn as per independent report, that per person food availability today, is lower than, the famous bengal famine of 1942-43.
It is very common for rural family members to eat alternate days. The result is more than 48% of indian children are underweight.
Urban slum dwellers fare little better. " In village we demolish their lives and in the city their homes ". In the same week, their are fashion shows, and the stock market does well, almost 5000 urban shanties are torn down in Mumbai.
Are we doing something for the poor ? I ask these politicians in the govt. All these poverty eradication programmes are a sham. Means to make money for politicians and bureacrats, on the death bed of the poor.
posted by vaneet kundra at
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
2 Comments:
yeah, i dont know why the politicians ignoring the main problem of our country that is POVERTY... everyone is busy filling their pockets & not bothered about the poor & downtrodden.. its a shame
it is very sad the people of our country and politicians have shown stark contrast between the persons having same skills have been given different types of honors, it should have been the other way around.but at the same time we are proud of them, India should produce more people like inspector sharma and bindras.
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home