Open Forum

New Delhi, 27 March 2024

Politics Of Poverty

ARE POOR BETTER OFF?

By Dhurjati Mukherjee 

Lok Sabha elections announced, all political parties are gearing up to woo the electoral vote bank, specially the poor and reeling out promises and policies if brought to power. Social security measures are being spelt out, but none specifically talk of poverty eradication, though poverty analysis is an ongoing subject with poverty lines being drawn based on different stipulations by varied agencies from time to time. However, the fact remains that most of these analyses, particularly of governments, are somewhat theoretical propositions and are quite different from the ground reality. This is because the lack of involvement of civil society groups during the process of collection of data as also the trend to show lesser people are below the poverty line.   

Recall the somewhat irrational assessment by the chief of Niti Aayog stating that poverty stands at just 5 per cent in the country. This observation drew flak from different international organisations, not just Oxfam, though none thought it worthwhile to comment. Such an observation may not be surprising, because in reality the true conditions of the masses in the rural areas, specially the backward districts of the country, are best hidden. Moreso, as every government would seek to claim having improved their lot.   

Judging independently, while the political leadership makes tall claims, the agents of political parties are found torturing the impoverished and backward sections and grabbing their land though all this has not been adequately focussed in the media, only scattered reports of the neglect that the poor face. The ground situation doesn’t get the national attention as the information from grass-root leaders is kept in wraps and the gap between the rich and the poor is startling. 

The very recent survey released by the National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) is an indictor as its Household Consumption Expenditure Survey (HCSE) showed that the richest 5 per cent of urban Indian households spend nearly 10 times more than the poorest 5 per cent on food and other necessities such as children’s education, medical treatment, clothing and transport during 2022-23. In rural areas, the rich 5 per cent spend nearly eight times more than the poorest 5 per cent, whose daily expenditure is as low as Rs 46. 

Nine states, including West Bengal, Odisha, Jharkhand, Bihar and Assam, lagged behind the national average. In 2011-12, the average nationwide Monthly Per Capita Consumption Expenditure (MPCE) figures were Rs 1459 and Rs 2630 respectively for rural and urban areas. This is obvious due to the fact that the northern and eastern states lag behind those in western and southern part of India. Judged from all angles, education, health and basic facilities are grossly lacking in these states. 

It has been shown that rural monthly per capita consumption spending rose 164 per cent from Rs 1430 in 2011-12 to Rs 3773 in 2022-23 whereas in urban centres, it shot up 148 per cent from Rs 2630 to Rs 6459 during the same period. But during this 11-year period, there has been a perceptible increase in prices of food items and this, on modest terms, almost doubled while, in some cases, to be more accurate increased by around 80 per cent.  

Any analysis or report reveals the average, but this is somewhat misleading as this does not quite reflect the spending power of the bottom 25 per cent of the rural population. The inflationary conditions that have been manifest, both during and after the pandemic severely affected the rural poor. While incomes of at least 50 to 60 per cent becoming stagnant during the period comparisons have been made, there can be no reason to feel that the poor or the economically weaker sections are well off by any standards. Moreover, the very fact that the government decided to give free rations to 80 crore people for 5 years proves that this section needs support. 

Even for the rich, the survey showed that the top 5 per cent in rural areas spend Rs 10,551 per month but this appears a gross understatement. Similarly, the 5 per cent richest in urban areas are found to spend Rs 20,821. This finding, according to several economists, is not quite correct as such people, who own multiple cars and live in palatial bungalows and even go on foreign jaunts for shopping, the figures are more than double of what has been revealed in the survey. While accepting that surveys often grossly underestimate the spending of the rich, in this instant case, the inaccuracy seems quite blatant. 

Another interesting finding related to the investigation of the poverty scenario is India’s prevalence of so-called ‘zero-food’ children who have not eaten anything whatsoever over a 24-hour period, assessed through snapshot surveys, is comparable to the prevalence rates in the West African nations of Guinea, Benin, Liberia and Mali. A study that used data from the Union Health Ministry’s national family health survey for 2019-2021 estimated India’s prevalence of zero-food children at 19.3 per cent, the third highest after Guinea’s 21.8 per cent and Mali’s 20.5 per cent. The comparable figures are much lower in Bangladesh (5.6 per cent), Pakistan (9.2 per cent), Nigeria (8.8 per cent) and Ethiopia (14.8 per cent). 

The main question that has arisen is whether the Niti Aayog has measured poverty based on the government’s flagship programmes, ignoring the standard parameters adopted the world over. The government’s recent growth figures suggested the consumption growth was 4.4 per cent. If people are getting more money, why are they not buying basic stuff such as soap, hair oil, toothpaste, biscuit and so on? The fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) sector is not quite growing with the slow consumption demand in the rural areas.  

Finally, it needs to be reiterated that tackling poverty or upgrading incomes of the bottom layers of the population, specially in the rural and backward areas, calls for a different approach to development. First and foremost is the need for imposition of a ‘super tax’ of 2 per cent, or at least 1 per cent, on the net wealth of the 167 wealthiest families in 2022-23 which would yield 0.5 per cent or 0.25 per cent of national income in revenues and create valuable fiscal space to fight poverty related issues. 

Moreover, innumerable projects, most of which are geared for the metropolises and cities, must change, keeping in view not just the poverty and squalor of villagers but also the significant benefits in numbers if even 50 per cent of the projects are executed in rural areas. It is time that the political leadership adhere to the recommendations of economists and sociologists and give a new thrust to the rural sector. And while some good work has been done in recent years, much more needs to be desired. ---INFA 

(Copyright, India News & Feature Alliance)

Political Diary

New Delhi, 26 March 2024

Constitutional Morality

WHAT’S THE BIG DEAL?

By Poonam I Kaushish 

Circa July 2023: “Idealism is good in politics, but if you are kicked out, who cares!” asserted Maharashtra Dy Chief Minister Fadnavis, adding, “I can’t promise that I do ethical politics 100%.” 

Circa March 2024: “I will rule from jail....where does the Constitution say that a Chief Minister cannot rule from jail, ”  thundered Delhi Chief Minister Kejriwal and AAP Chief arrested  by Enforcement Directorate (ED) late Thursday after ignoring 9 summons for his role in irregularities and kickbacks in the now scrapped 2021 Delhi liquor policy. 

There is an unmissable irony in the anti-corruprtion crusader being hoist with corruption petard. Certainly, the merits of the case will be settled by courts and law will take its course but the big question is not whether Kejriwal resigns or not, neither is it about a convicted Tamil Nadu Minister’s whose sentence was stayed by Supreme Court being sworn-in as Minister, but all about ‘Constitutional morality’ and the influence this will have on the political narrative in the approaching elections and democratic values and ethos in coming years. 

Alongside, it raises disturbing questions about our democracy. That it does not strike any chord among our leaders who have reduced graft to a farcical political pantomime. There is no sense of outrage or shame. Can one compromise on corruption? Does politics force an indulgence on issues of governance and probity? Is this part of political dharma? 

Whereby politics has everything to do with acceptability, little with credibility and public life is all compromises, not principles dripping morality sermons but not practicing it. Today, it is finally official. Politics in India has nothing to do with morality, accountability and healthy conventions. Taint is the flavour of the new electoral political season. Wherein power and smear go saath-saath.  A sense of de ja vu overwhelms. 

In the past few months there have been numerous cases filed against and arrests of Opposition leaders by ED-CBI in Jharkhand, Telangana, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal. Namely, Jharkhand Chief Minister Soren and BRS leader Kavitha. 

Whereby, new definitions of Constitutional morality have become staple diet post-Nehru era when Ministers resigned owning moral responsibility even for a train accident. Proclaimed a Minister: “I cannot be held guilty for any subordinate’s mistake. Otherwise, we will have a spate of ministerial resignations landing on Prime Minister’s table every day”.  

Clearly Kejriwal-speak is reminiscent of RJD Chief Lalu Yadav. Charge-sheeted over chara ghotala 1997, the ex-Bihar Chief Minister and Union Railway Minister asserted, “Where does the Constitution say a Chief Minister duly elected by people should resign merely on being charge-sheeted by policemen? Who is CBI or Central Government to tell me to do so? I will rule from jail if imprisoned... Kaunsi naitikta aur bhrastaachar ki baat kar rahe hain. What has morality to do with politics?” But even he resigned and anointed wife Rabri as Chief Minister.

In our netagans ‘moral’ vocabulary politics has everything to do with acceptability, little with credibility and public life is all compromises, not principles dripping morality sermons but not practicing it. Wring your hands all you want, but that does not take away from the fact that morality, honesty and integrity are words non-existent in political vocabulary. 

A fine distinction is drawn between a “politically-motivated” charge and actual conviction. Such is the intoxicating nasha of power that all conveniently choose to shrug it off. Dismissed at best as an aberration and at worst a squeaky knee with which one can live with. 

More. If you are jaani dushman phir aap chor hai unfit to rule, leave alone provide good and honest governance? If jigar dost, toh surf’s safedi ki chamkan winners who can commit no sin, will go to any extent to prove (sic) their honesty. 

In this you-scratch-my-back-I’ll-scratch-yours culture, our polity in their collective conscience willingly abets. Taint, what are you talking about?  What’s the big deal about it? Feigning ignorance and playing dumb, blind and deaf about their corrupt misdemeanors. Remember, an honest man is one who hasn’t been caught!    

Whereby, every Party and its leaders have perfected the art of beguiling saddling us with opportunists and liars. Exposing the disdain with which our netagan holds democracy and voters. Thereby, exposing politics of the worst kind, cultivating low morality and high greed --- and need of the hour.

A power-play when personality-oriented malicious vilification seems to have became the hallmark of democracy. Sans shared ideology and mutual objectives. This pithily is aaj ki rajneeti.

Alas, so caught up in the verbose of one-upmanship are all that none stops to think and ponder implications of their actions. The tragedy? In this winner take-all-fight governance and people go for a toss. Satta batoan aur tamasha dekho! What matters is only the end game: Gaddi. 

Questionably, does the electorate want honest politicians and a clean Government? Are there no honest and capable netas? Doesn’t seem so as a "clean politician" sounds like an oxymoron, a breed that no longer exists. Most distressing is that it doesn’t strike any chord anywhere. 

Alas, in a chor-chor-mauser-bhai political milieu our leaders have left it to the “call of conscience” of individual leaders. Happily, all follow the principle of “politics of direct sale”. Appalling, none have time for the gasping and groaning aam aadmi who reels under the onslaught of spiralling prices and unemployment. 

Moreover, we demand moral responsibility only when we are short-changed. In this market model of democracy it is a misnomer to believe that netas are governed by ideology. Instead, there is a tendency to capture the imagination of the people by creating a spectacle alongside money which makes the clogged, polluted and corrupt political mare go around. 

Importantly, India is today at the moral crossroads. Gone are the days of Gandhi, Nehru and Patel. The moot point is: Will immorality and taint be allowed to become the bedrock of our Parliamentary democracy? Basically, is it good for democracy to have such people as Ministers? When those who are supposed to lead become saboteurs, it is time to call a spade a spade. 

At stake today is not only the functioning of the largest democracy but its moral agenda which is more substantive than partisan politics. Consequently, where we go from here would depend on how citizens use democratic levers available to them. 

In this immoral political desert and barren discourse, voters have to make tough calls. No longer can we merely shrug our shoulders and dismiss it as political kalyug. Thus, in this game of lies, deceit and deception, BJP, Congress and regional outfits reflect the emerging truth of today’s India. Power is all. Arguably, one can say this is what democracy is   about. 

The challenge lies in overhauling our system of governance. The ‘Conduct of Politics’ necessitates morality, values, reliability, integrity, credibility, conviction and courage. There should be no scope for any lingering doubt or suspicion that politics is the last refuge of a scoundrel. As nothing costs a nation more than cheap politicians! 

One can only recall Prof. Galbraith: “There is nothing wrong with Indian laws or with its political and judicial institutions. What ails India is the moral poverty”. Can a nation continue to be bereft of all sense of shame and morality --- and for how long? ---- INFA 

(Copyright India News & Feature Alliance)

Economic Highlights

New Delhi, 25 March 2024

Shady US Funds Mould Poll Bonds

OPEN GATES FOR MURKY DEALS

By Shivaji Sarkar 

Is it the MNC-linked corporate sector in a world of globalised economy that is dictating the course of political establishment in India or is it the other way round? This is the basic question that has cropped up in the follow-up to the Supreme Court verdict in the electoral bonds case.A handful of companies today hog the limelight for a reason no nation would feel proud of. Is it the beginning of a transnational corporation corporate war? 

It is roiling democracies from the US to India with equal elan. On March 22, two incidents rocked Delhi -- seizure of Congress funds for not filing an income-tax return, though political parties are not supposed to pay income tax, and the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for alleged involvement in a liquor scandal by the Enforcement Directorate in a midnight drama. 

Almost at the same time in New York, US Attorney General Letitia James indicated that she could be preparing to seize former President Donald Trump’s assets there, if he does not pay $ 464 million bond in financial fraud case. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office told Judge Juan Merchan that fewer than 270 of the 170,000 documents turned over to Trump’s lawyers pertain to the hush money case. 

What a similarity! In both these cases corporate money is involved and thousands of km away they function the same way. Are the two of the greatest democracies becoming the proverbial banana republics?Is it that globalisation links them together? 

For a mere Rs 16000-odd crore electoral donations, has the country been pawned! A few select group of companies, many with international links, have linkages with donations, deals and contracts worth billions and the people are the unknown victims debating the unsavoury practices. It calls for a deeper probe as deals influence decisions. 

About 10 political parties including the BSP and CPM, refused bond money. The CPM even is a party to the cases in courts filed primarily by Association for Democratic Republic (ADR). Janata Dal-U and Trinamool Congressalleged that certain amounts of bonds were dumped in their offices. There is a lottery king, who showers donations to DMK, which had passed a bill banning lottery but that could not turn into law as the governor refuses to sign it. There are strange ways of bonds travelling to centres of power in any State -- BJP Rs 11,500 crore; TMC Rs 3214;BRS Rs 2278 crore; DMK Rs 1230 crore and YSR Congress Rs 662 crore and Congress Rs 1356 crore. 

Besides, there’s less known development. On February 18, 2024, Jobanjot Singh Sandhu, one of the accused in the Rs 21000 crore Mundra port drugs haul case, escaped from police custody at Amritsar in Punjab. The value of one haul is greater than the total bonds sale.On January 9, 2024, Ecuador declares state of emergency after “extremely dangerous” druglord Jose Adolfo Macias, alias Fito, escapes from jail and unrest breaks out at several prisons. Are these incidents a pattern that democracies need to be wary of? 

Hyderabad based Megha Engineering gave Rs 584 crore to the BJP and its group company Western UP Power Transmission Company chipped Rs 80 crore, a total of Rs 664 crore. Ironically, the UP power consumers have lodged extortion complaints by manipulating bills. Sadly, these have gone unheard. Quick Supplyhaving reported links with a large groupcontributed Rs 410 crore and mining group Vedanta also made contributions. Vedanta, Western Power group and MKJ owning Keventer brand are also among the top Congress funders donating more than Rs 100 crore each. 

Despite lottery ban in Andhra Pradesh, the Future Gaming donate Rs 154 crore bonds to YSR Congress. Interestingly, the Telegu Desam Party got 55 percent of electoral bond earnings in January 2024. It received Rs 80 crore between April 2019 and September 2023. But from October 2023 to February this year, TDP received about Rs 130 crore bonds. Of this Rs 118 crore was received in January alone, just at the nick of elections. 

A loss-making Kolkata company, Avees, which shares office space with several other companies on Waterloo Street, bought Rs 112.5 crore bonds and parked with Congress Rs 53 crore and TMC Rs 45.5 crore.  It funds the BJP, BJD and AAP too. There are several names like LN Mittal of the Arcelor-Mittal group, Laxmidas Vallabhbhai Merchant, linked to a Gujarat company, Indigo’s Rahul Bhati, who fund different political parties. Is it pressure or lure? 

It is a diverse link. But all are pointers that the corporates are working in tandem with the political parties for mining their futureignoring the well-being of the people.A question nobody answers how so much of money is available in a poor country.Are they earning high by fleecing consumers? Corporate linkage is indicated by some studies in the US.Is not the electoral bond based on the US Supreme Court ruling? 

The corporate linkage has caused concern in the US since 2000. Corporate Money in Politics by Andrew Wilson, in the MITSloan’s Magazine writes, the Centre for Responsive Politics in its website Opensecrets.Org calculated that in 2010,large public action committees (PACs) - corporate funders, spent $63 million. By 2020, it rose to $2.1 billion. 

In 2010, the US Supreme Court undid century-old campaign funding restrictions and enabled corporations and other outside groups to “spend unlimited funds on elections”.  This results in more centralisation of power. The top one percent of donors now give 93 percent of the money, with a mere 100 persons providing 70 percent of it. 

The U.S. has, what is essentially legalized corruption that gives outsized influence to the wealthy and powerful. What in other countries is done in back rooms and with envelopes slipped under the table is aboveboard in the U.S, Wilson observes. “The point is that major corporations have been knee-deep in political influence for decades”. He asks the businesses to answer, “Are the politicians you support blocking progress on our biggest challenges, or are they helping us build a better world?” 

Just see the similarity in the pattern with India. Wilson names 24 top global companies who doled out $170 million to US legislators over the past four years.Should now Indians rethink globalisation and change their own political system? It is not expanding businesses but creating an alliance of the murky corporate finance that influences political and electoral decisions. Must not the country end all such misty fundings?---INFA 

(Copyright, India News & Feature Alliance)

Spotlight

New Delhi, 23 March 2024

Preparing For An AI World

THE ROLE OF EDUCATION

By Rajiv Gupta 

Scientific discoveries, technology, and innovation have tended to disrupt the way in which humans think and act. This is a truism from discoveries in astronomy and medicine to the invention of the wheel, automobiles, and computers among other major human creations. The 2016 Hollywood movie “Hidden Figures” described the lives of three black women computers who worked for NASA and who played an important role in the first American manned space flight piloted by John Glenn. 

It is difficult to imagine that, prior to the invention of the modern day computers, complex and lengthy calculations required for space travel were performed manually. Hence the three women were called human computers. We know that the introduction of electronic computers has totally changed the way in which we calculate anything, from household budgets, to store checkout totals and any complex scientific calculation. 

It is instructive to note that, about 50 years ago, students were not permitted the use of pocket calculators in exams. Today they are ubiquitous, embedded in devices such as mobile phones. Why this matters is because when a new technology, such as the electronic computer is introduced, human society takes time to absorb the technology in its day-to-day working. And just as technology affects human thought and behavior, our education system affects the direction of technology development and use. 

Therefore, as we await a more complete development of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and its impact in our lives, it would be useful to consider how our education system should help steer society to assimilate the technology meaningfully and to provide direction for its future growth. 

In order to fully appreciate the role of education in a world where AI will likely be as ubiquitous as the internet is today, three major components of education need to be considered; the design of the curriculum, the delivery of the content, and the assessment. Each of these three aspects merit consideration. 

The curriculum is a very crucial part of the education experience. If the curriculum does not resonate with the needs of the students and society, it will not matter how effectively it is taught. In the past, course content was to a large extent, focused on the delivery of facts, approaches, and methods of doing various activities. In most cases, facts become outdated, and approaches and methods evolve as societal needs change. What a good deal of curricula lack is helping students develop the ability to think and learn. This ability would mean that the role of the student changes from a passive recipient of information, to a collaborator, or participant in the learning process. Also, the role of the faculty changes from someone who is a storehouse of knowledge, to one who can draw out the best in each student. 

In addition, there would need to be greater emphasis on some of the soft skills, which do not receive much attention today. These soft skills include critical thinking skills, communication skills, and collaboration skills. Critical thinking is the ability to question, analyse, interpret and make a judgement about what we read and hear. Since access to facts will be simplified through AI, what people will need to develop is the ability to dissect and use the information. 

No matter how much the developers of AI claim, forming judgements about actions to be taken will remain a human endeavor at least for the foreseeable future. Communication skills are essential for people to get their point across. However, current leadership in education does not necessarilysee therole of education in developing these skills in students. This needs to change. As problems faced by people in various walks of life become more complex, it has become necessary to learn to collaborate with others. However, the focus in our education systems is on developing individual performance. This leaves a major gap in an essential skill that is required. 

The second area where education needs to focus on is the delivery of the material. Traditionally, the faculty person has been assumed to be the source of all information where the faculty delivers lectures, and learning by the students is a passive activity. In this model of education, students are not active participants, and tend to forget the content of the course shortly after a term is over. 

There is sufficient empirical evidence to suggest that if students participate in their learning, they will understand better and retain the material for longer. This will require that the role of the faculty change from the guru who knows everything, to one who engages the students and facilitates learning. Greater class participation, in the form of discussions, where alternative perspectives are encouraged and explored, helps students better understand the relevance and application of what is being discussed in class. 

One of the more recent innovations in classroom delivery format is the flipped mode of instruction. In this mode, the course content is covered before the live lecture takes place. This can be either via textbook readings, or via pre-taped lectures. The students are expected to read or watch the content prior to the class. The classroom is purely focused on discussion on the content. This allows for a richer understanding and deeper insight of the material. 

The third principal element of education is assessment. Certainly, there have been advances in assessment in the last few decades. The single assessment at the end of the term in the form of a final exam has been replaced by more periodic assessment via quizzes, assignments and projects. However, this needs to go much further. Assessment is still largely based on proficiency in the completion of specific tasks. This begs the question, “When a student finishes from a school or university with a certain grade, what does that grade indicate in terms of the ability of the student other than the completion of tasks which he/she was assigned?” There needs to be a better way of assessing the competencies of students which can be useful in the workplace. 

The late Dr. W. E. Deming, the quality and management guru, used to advocate the elimination of grades. At the very least he suggested that the goal of the teacher/faculty should be that all students get an ‘A.’ Such thinking flies in the face of the current practice where students are assigned grades based on a curve in order to differentiate one student from another. Empirical evidence does not suggest that grade differentiation among students is predictive of future career successes for the students. Grades and evaluation on a curve are deeply entrenched in our education system and will take visionary leadership to change. However, this will be necessary for the future students to develop and grow t meet new challenges. 

This article has looked at some aspects of the current education system that need to change to prepare the students for a future world which will be powered by AI. Since it takes time to bring about major changes in education, we need to start now.---INFA 

(Copyright, India News & Feature Alliance)