People And Their Problems

New Delhi, 20 July 2007

Destination Mountains

NEED TO PRESERVE LEGACY & SERENITY

By Dhurjati Mukherjee

Mountains, as the famous poet John Keats realised during his walking tour of Wordworthian Lake District, can make people feel big and big people small. The sublime can terrorise, chastise or humiliate but it can also elevate, aggrandize or transfigure. The call of the mountains is indeed fascinating. All round the year, barring a month or two, the mountains become a place of tourist attraction because of their favourable climate and the pollution-free atmosphere. Factors such as the panoramic scenic beauty of the valleys and ecology of these regions have always attracted people, both Indian and foreign, to visit the mountains.

In India, hill stations are popular tourist destinations. Whether it is the beautiful lakes of Srinagar or of Nainital, the royal elegance and idyllic retreat of Shimla, the imposing Kanchenjunga of Darjeeling or the high snow-clad mountains overlooking Manali – all present a distinct manifestation of grace and leisure as its hallmarks. Mention may also be made of Mussourie, Shillong, Mt. Abu, Ooty and, of course, Kedarnath-Badrinath. Their beauty and charm, the layers of time, the histories within history and the cohabitation of the banal and the sublime, the people and the peaks are indeed significant.

These places no doubt compare with the best tourist attractions anywhere in the world. A fact reiterated even by foreign tourists and travelers, who are increasingly coming to discover the hidden beauty of nature this country has to offer. Also the unity among diversity of the mountains in Himachal Pradesh, Kashmir, Uttaranchal or West Bengal as is evident from their distinct folk cultures could be an example for others to emulate.

In recent times, the hills have assumed great importance not because of tourism alone but for varied reasons. Environment has become a subject of great concern the world over and experts are involved in extensive research in its preservation. There is need to protect the hills along with forests, lakes and rivers in the mountainous terrains to maintain ecological balance. This aspect has caught the attention of respective State governments but more positive action needs to be taken.

Delving into history, the 18^th century India saw the growth of a new urban concept – the ‘hill station’. Initially built by the British rulers, these towns grew to become retreats from the heat and dust of the plains. But it was Shimla, the most significant of all hill stations which was made the ‘summer capital’ of British India in 1864, a status it retained up to Independence.

In 1822, the first European house called ‘Kennedy House’ was built in Shimla to become the residence of Charles Pratt Kennedy, newly-appointed Political Officer of the Hill States. In 1827, the station was visited by Lord Ahmerst, British Governor General of India. Realising the importance of the hills, the British took keen interest to develop these places. Shimla received focal attention and witnessed the fastest development of buildings. Even today some of the finest structures of the British colonial genre still stand over its seven hills.

Though the British chose Shimla as their summer capital, Darjeeling was a favourite tourist destination for them. They developed tea plantations on a large scale and built the necessary infrastructure. The British legacy, specially the tea plantations, is very much evident today in this district of West Bengal. Referred to as the “queen of hills”, Darjeeling offers tourists a view of the Kanchenjunga, highest peak visible from India.

Besides, Darjeeling tea is extremely popular in the West as a pure drink with medicinal properties and recent initiatives to promote tea tourism have gained momentum. Some tea gardens have been identified where tourists would be allowed to stay in the colonial bungalows of the tea garden managers.

Srinagar, considered the Switzerland of India, where till the 80s most Indian films were shot, is undoubtedly a place of great attraction. Gulmarg, Sonemarg and, of course, Pahalgam are again gradually becoming favoured tourist destinations thanks to the reduction in terrorist activities as a sequel to better Indo-Pak relations.

However, even as there is an all-out effort to promote eco-tourism, the increasing flow of tourists to these hills has started causing problems. Congestion, water shortage, power breakdowns and water pollution are common issues other than the serenity and peace of the area getting disturbed. There is a need now to popularize new hill stations and the State governments must start acting. Tamang or Bomdila in Arunachal Pradesh, Munnar in Tamil Nadu or Palampur or Keylong in Himachal Pradesh, to name only a few, need to be put on the tourist map. 

There is no denying the fact that the call of the mountains is irresistible. From the challenge of scaling a peak to a wish to climb even a modest spur, or for some to see a mountain is to climb it is there. Treks ranging from a day to a week are popular from some of the tourist destinations. Mention may be made of the famous Amarrnath yatra which goes via Pahalgam or regular treks undertaken from Darjeeling.

River rafting, ice skating and skiing are some of the popular sporting events which have further added an attraction to some hill stations. White water rafting facilities are available near Kullu, Rohtang Pass and Solang Nullah offer a variety of slopes for skiers, other than Gulmarg and Auli.   

In the coming years, ecotourism, adventure tourism, hill tourism, spiritual and religious tourism, all of which lie embedded in the hills and mountains is bound to become more popular in the country. However, efforts should be made so that these places are projected historically and aesthetically through a definite plan and programme.

The State governments need to formulate a policy for maintaining the sanctity and serenity of the hills to tackle tourist rush in peak season. Other than this, attempts should be made to revive folk culture, encourage and popularise folk artists to display their art through organizing festivals. Hill stations should have both tourism and preservation going hand in hand.--- INFA

(Copyright, India News & Feature Alliance)

People And Their Problems

New Delhi, 14 July 2007

India’s White Revolution

GIVING IT A NEW EDGE

By Radhakrishna Rao

Faced with increasing suicides by indebted and desperate farmers in various parts of  India, the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) has launched an ambitious Rs.10,000 million National Milk Scheme. To provide farmers with sustained income to tide over the difficult times marked by recurring droughts and occasional crop failure.

In fact, the white revolution in India became a reality after farmers’ cooperatives were floated by the Anand-based National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) in 1960s. Thanks to the vision and endeavours of V. Kurien, who as the head of the NDDB gave an impetus to the dairy revolution in the country, that was instrumental in transforming India into the numero uno milk producer in the world.

Today, NABARD will join hands with NDDB for implementing its milk plan in 326 districts spread across the country. Notwithstanding, the steady increase in milk production in the country, there is still a huge potential for boosting milk production as the per capita milk consumption of milk and dairy products is dismally poor compared to global standards. Moreover, dairy products offer a huge export potential

Together both NABARD and NDDB will support a range of activities at the field level with a focus on milk production, its handling, processing and marketing of dairy products in all the 326 selected districts of the country. With the demand for milk expected to touch around 172-million tonnes in 2021-22. Plainly, to meet this huge demand, milk production would need to be boosted by 4 per cent per year.

Meanwhile, a feeling is gaining ground that as there is a daily income in milk, wherever the farming community has taken to dairying as a secondary occupation, suicides have not been reported. Clearly, the NABARD sponsored milk scheme supported by NDDB seeks to increase milk productivity and optimize the cost of production by providing institutional credit to support quality breeding of the milch animals.

Today the daily per capita consumption of milk in the country is little over 250-ml as against 106-ml when “Operation Flood” was launched three decades ago. Also, the dairy industry has emerged as a single largest contributor to the Indian economy with as many as 80-million farming households involved in dairy related activities. With 12-million farmers spread over 176 districts of the country actively participating in the dairy cooperative movement initiated by NDDB, the future of the while revolution in India appears bright.

According to the Indian dairy industry analysts, India has the potential to become one of the leading players in the export of milk and milk products as the country has the geographical advantage of being located close to major milk deficient countries in Asia and Africa. Significantly, the major importers of milk and dairy products such as Bangladesh, China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand, Malayasia, Philippines, Japan and UAE are located close to India. Thus, this could help India tap the export potential to these countries.

Further, in a significant development, the Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF), based in Anand, is planning to roll out 10,000 Amul parlours across the country over the next three years. Today, Amul products stand out as a by- word for quality dairy products not only in India but in various parts of the world.

“The time has come for us to make direct contact with the consumers and to ensure that we are not exploited or squeezed out in the market by the big players,” said a GCMMF spokesman. Adding, “we will open 10,000 parlours by 2010.” More than 1,000 such parlours are already operational in various parts of the country.

Described as a billion dollar cooperative, GCMMF is quite bullish about its future prospects. “We have already joined the US$1-billion club and have set a target of US $2.5-billion by 2010” averred the spokesman of GCMMF. Today, Amul products are sold around the world. The USA, S.E. Asia and W. Asia are Amul’s major consumers.

Besides, export of various Amul products to markets like West Asia, USA and Europe has increased by 15 per cent over the last two years. The GCMMF is also exploring new, potential markets in the Asia–Pacific region which includes markets like Japan and Australia.

Amul’s long term marketing strategy is centred round the premise that the upwardly mobile cash-rich middle class consumers in India are increasingly becoming aware of the importance of health food and dairy products. All said and done, Amul’s real strength lies in the network of its 2.5 million milk farmers organized through 12,000 cooperative societies in the villages of Gujarat.

All the 13 district milk cooperatives in Gujarat use Amul as the brand name for the packaged milk and other dairy products. Interestingly, GCMMF first introduced butter in 1956, cheese in 1970, ice cream in 1996 and today boasts of a wide range of milk products including srikhand, curd, flavoured milk and butter milk.

Thus, the Anand-based prime milk cooperative which took off in 1946 with a view to end the exploitation of dairy farmers by the middlemen is today a major force in the Indian dairy industry. Currently, the GCMMF processes around 5-million litres of milk per day. Amul today is not just a brand. But “represents the entrepreneurial spirit of the Indian farmers and the national commitment of self reliance and development of human resources and values based on a sustainable development process” says Verghese Kurien, the architect of the white revolution in India.

Amul is now a leader in baby food, dairy whiteners, cheese and ice cream. It holds more than three-fourth of the market share in butter. In order to stay competitive it has made a massive investment on technology upgradation. By all counts, Amul is hopeful of boosting the milk production in arid areas of Gujarat. Its hopes are based on the greening of Gujarat by the Narmada water in the near future.

Milk production in India is now close to 100-million tones a year. Since mid-1990s, India has retained its position as the biggest milk producer in the world. Driven by the growing disposable income and changing lifestyle, the demand for dairy products in India is on the rise. Sources in GCMMF point out that changing lifestyle characterized by urbanization, dietary habits and impulse buying have heightened the demand for dairy products in most parts of the country.

Higher farmgate prices for raw milk are spurring dairy farmers to increase the milk production through the upgradation of the genetic stock of their milch animals. The creation of a country-wide milk grid through quick transportation and efficient storage, has also given a boost to the milk production in the country.

According to a study by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), the continuing expansion of the milk processing facilities in the private sector, the need to sustain fluid milk supplies during peak seasons and firm prices could lead to the increased milk yield in the country. In addition, the increased demand for value added dairy products and growing private sector investment in the dairy sector are conspiring to give an impetus to milk production in India. ----- INFA

(Copyright India News and Feature Alliance)

New Delhi, 30 June 2007 

Industrial Spectrum Of India

SMALL SCALE SECTOR VITAL FOR INDIA’S GROWTH

By T.D. Jagadesan

Small Scale Industries (SSI) sector has emerged as a vibrant and dynamic area of the Indian economy. Not only in terms of employment generation the entrepreneurial base it helps to create but also because nearly 40 per cent of the total industrial production and over 34 per cent of the national exports falls in this sector. Moreover, it constitutes an important means to tackle the problem of unemployment and can be used as an important tool to prevent concentration of economic power in the hands of a few individuals. By assisting the development of semi-urban and rural areas through the utilization of local skills, raw materials and resources.

The SSIs are industrial undertaking in which the investment in fixed assets (plant and machinery) whether on ownership basis, terms lease or hire purchase does not exceed Rs.one  crore. Over the past five decades, the Governments policies have been to protect the interests of the SSIs sector and facilitate its rapid development. The Government in pursuance of these policies has initiated various support measures from time to time which include the policy of reservation, revision of investment ceilings, modernization, technological upgradation, marketing assistance and fiscal incentives etc.

The small scale sector which owes its definition to the industries (Development and Regulation) Act, 1951, comprises a divergent spectrum of industries, ranging from micro and rural enterprises, using rudimentary technology to modern small scale industries employing sophisticated technology.  At present, the sector accounts for over 95 per cent of the industrial units in the country, 34.29 per cent of the national exports, 6.86 per cent of the GDP, generates employment to 193 lakhs people and produces 7,500 items. Also, 749 items are reserved for exclusive manufacture and about 358 items are earmarked for exclusive purchase from the SSIs. The constant support by the Government in terms of infrastructure, fiscal and monetary policies have helped this sector emerge as a dynamic sector.

In recognition of this role, the SSI sector has been assigned targets of 12 per cent annual growth in production and creation of 4.4 million additional employment opportunities in the Tenth Five Year plan even as the investment limit for it continues to be Rs.one crore. However, the Ministry of Small Scale Industries has brought out a specific list of hi-tech and export-oriented industries whose investment limit has been raised to Rs.5 crore to facilitate suitable technology upgradation and enable them to maintain a competitive edge in the global economy. The exemption from excise duty continues to be Rs.one crore.

Additionally, the Integrated Infrastructural Development (IID) scheme has been extended to cover the entire country with 50 per cent reservation for rural areas. The Small Industries Development Organization (SIDO), set up in 1954, functions as an apex body for sustained and organized growth of the SSIs. Sadly, due to competition with large scale producers, multi-nationals and paucity of financial resources, the SSIs do not get raw material of good quality and in some cases they do not get enough supplies even of the inferior quality of raw materials.

Also, the SSIs have to pay comparatively higher prices for raw materials, resulting in an increase in the cost of production, decrease in profit and their ability to complete with large scale industries. Worse, the old and obsolete methods of production, leads to technical inefficiency which in turn increases the cost of production and renders them unfit to compete with large industries and the MNC. Moreover, the marketing methods of the products are defective. There are no communication channels between the small scale producers and the ultimate consumers. In many cases, the producers do not know the domestic and international markets where their products are consumed and who purchases them. Lack of adequate statistical data is also posing a serious problem in the development and growth of the SSIs. Without reliable statistics regarding production cost, labour, wages prices and extent of market, it is quite impossible to assess their economic potentialities.

A majority of the SSIs need financial resources for modernization and expansion. However, due to low wages and poor working conditions of these units, skilled and trained human resources are not attracted towards them. They also do not have funds to invest on advertising their products. The access to adequate credit, technological obsolescence, infrastructural bottlenecks, marketing constraints and a plethora of rules and regulations are major problems infecting the SSIs.

In order to provide a favourable business environment for the growth and development of the SSI sector, the Government took many initiatives to give an impetus to the growth of the sector in 2004-05. These include the National Commission on Enterprises in the Unorganized Informal Sector set up in September 2004. Recommended measures for improvement in the productivity of these enterprises, generation of large scale employment opportunities, linkage to an institutional framework in areas like credit, raw material supply, infrastructure, technology upgradation, marketing facilities and skill development.

To facilitate technology upgradation and enhancing competitiveness, the investment limit (in plant machinery) was raised in October, 2004 from Rs. one crore to Rs.5 crore in respect of 7 items of sports goods, reserved for manufacture in the small scale sector.  The Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) fund of Rs.10,000 crore was operationalized by the SIDBI in April 2004. Wherein 80 per cent of it lending was at an interest rate of 2 per cent. The Reserve Bank on its part, enhanced the composite loan limit to Rs. 1 crore from Rs.50 lakh.

More, with a view to integrate small and medium enterprises facilitate growth and enhance competitiveness (including freeing the SSIs from “inspector raj”) a suitable legislation is being finalized. A new “promotional package for small enterprises” is being formulated. This would include measures to provide adequate credit, incentives for technology upgradation, infrastructural and marketing facilities etc.

In sum, the small scale sector occupies an important position in the industrial spectrum of the country. The Government needs to play a pivotal role and take strong action in solving the problems faced by this sector.  As it is the best sector for rural and semi-urban development, the Government must pay particular attention to its development so that it grows in a challenging environment of India.---INFA

 (Copyright, India News and Feature Alliance)

People And Their Problems

New Delhi, 23 June 2007

Human Trafficking

Poverty & Deprivation Main problems

By Dhurjati Mukherjee

Human trafficking has been a big problem in many parts of the world and specially in India and many other Asian countries. The UN Protocol Against Trafficking in Persons, in effect since December 2003 makes human trafficking a crime. The Protocol has been signed and ratified by more than 110 countries, yet the participating governments and their criminal justice systems have not effectively curbed the practice. Few criminals are convicted and most victims are not properly rehabilitated.

Trafficking in persons has mainly been for sexual exploitation or forced labour and, according to reports of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNDOC), 127 countries get exploited among 137 nations. Some 2.5 million people throughout the world are at any given time recruited, entrapped, transported and exploited---a process called human trafficking. The UN and other experts estimate the total market value of illicit human trafficking at $ 32 billion; about $ 10 billion is derived from the sale of individuals and the remainder representing the estimate profits from the activities or goods produced by the victims of this barbaric crime.

Apart from slavery is booming international trade and involves both the sexes. The most important aspect of human trafficking is of women and girls, 80 per cent of whom, as per UNDOC data, are forced into prostitution. The other reasons for women and children being trafficked are: labour in garment, carpet and other industries/factories/work sites; work in the entertainment industry, including bars, massage parlours etc; forced labour in construction sites; sex tourism; drug trafficking; organ trade; and domestic work.

Poverty, lack of opportunities and the desire for better existence have been the principal reasons for the increase in human trafficking and sexual exploitation in Third World countries. It is distressing to note that the trafficked victim is subject to the worst form of human rights abuses---physical violence, sexual abuse, confinement, denial of basic needs of health and nutrition, deprivation of earnings etc.

In India, the problem of trafficking has suddenly received much attention with even politicians being engaged in this work. However, trafficking has been a long-standing problem in this region, specially in countries like Nepal, Bangladesh Thailand and India. The spread of consumerism and western life styles in society along widening inequality among the urban and the rural sectors have accentuated the problem at least in the Asian countries.    

The problems in populous countries like India are well known which have a stagnant rural sector with all-round poverty and squalor very much manifest. Moreover the discrimination of the girl child has been another aspect of the problem. Apart from the desire to make the girl child work by the parents, the passion of girls (generally aged between 15 to 25 years) to live a better existence induces them to be trafficked. They generally enter the flesh trade or are used in hotels for entertaining clients, whether in India or abroad.

It is not that girls only from the poorer sections of society that become prone to abuse and sexual exploitation. It has been found that girls and women from the middle or even upper class in their quest to earn more become prone to human trafficking. In today’s world, prostitution has attained a new dimension whereby sharing a bed is not taboo. Thus well-off girls starting with such practise eventually become prone to trafficking.     

Meanwhile the Centre has come out with startling revelations on child abuse, mainly of girls, according to a national survey. More than 53 per cent of children have been found to be subjected to sexual abuse in ways that ranged from rape to kissing. Apart from this, 69 per cent of children faced physical abuse, in most cases (89 per cent) from parents or members of the family. These and many other things were revealed by the 13-state survey report Study on Child Abuse: India 2007 conducted by the Ministry of Women & Child Development in association with UNICEF, Save the Children and Prayas and released recently. This was incidentally the first-ever nation-wide survey on child abuse with a sample size of 12,447 children, including 5981 girls.

Delhi, by Andhra Pradesh, Bihar and Assam have been found to be the front-runners in child abuse cases. These states showed higher physical, sexual and emotional abuse of children. In 50 per cent of cases, the abusers were known to the child or were in a position of trust and responsibility and most children did not report the matter. Thus it can very well be assumed from the survey that the children were not safe even in their homes and remain victims of different forms of abuse.

The study also found that children in the 5 to 12 age group reported higher levels of abuse and boys were as much at risk as girls. The high abuse has been attributed to fathers looking at children as their property, the patriarchal set-up of society and poor parenting skills although no empirical research was conducted to gauge the exact reasons. But whether it is physical or sexual abuse, most children don’t report the assaults to anyone.

Another aspect of the problem of women is abuse and sexual violence. According to the National Family Health Survey –III, 37 per cent married women reported abuse though one can be very sure that another significant section do not report. The top offenders include Bihar 50 per cent, followed by Rajasthan 46.3 per cent, Madhya Pradesh 45.6 per cent, Manipur 43.0 per cent and UP 42.4 per cent. 

The question arises: how could girls be provided security? This can come about if there is thrust on education along with not just mid-day meal but a maintenance allowance every month, specially for those belonging to the economically weaker sections, to help them continue with their studies. The thrust on girls education has to be taken up with all sincerity and should reach all backward areas of the country.

The other aspect of tackling the problem is the spread of awareness among women and girls about their rights. Though this has been taken up by NGOs and CBOs, there is need for giving a boost to this campaign, including generating basic legal awareness among the opposite sex. It is indeed distressing to note that in spite of setting up national and stare level women’s commissions the problem of trafficking and sexual exploitation has remained unchecked.

More resources need to be allotted for the development of the female child and ensuring a dignified existence for her. Recent reports indicate how a million girls would be eliminated every year in the coming four years because efforts have been grossly inadequate in restraining the promotion of foetal sexing. Preference for a son has caused hatred for a daughter in India in recent years due to the widespread ‘legitimization’ of this form of violence against women.

The 11^th Plan, which talks about inclusion needs to give a fair deal to women, should take up various injustices committed against girls and women and deal with them through an iron hand and also simultaneously ensure their education and awareness in a target-oriented approach. The NGOs and CBOs should be provided with adequate funds so that they could make inroads into the rural and backward areas and tackle trafficking and sexual violence against the opposite sex while also pursuing that girls enter school in a big way.

The intervention strategies should focus on the following areas: prevention through raising public awareness, setting up neighbourhood watch committees for monitoring incidents of missing girls, ki dnapping/abduction and migration, networking for information sharing and quick response to crisis situations and providing opportunity for holistic development to children of women in prostitution so that they are not forced to follow their mothers; securing the rights of women and children; rescue and after-care; documentation and study; and promotion of a secure and protected environment for women and children.---INFA

 (Copyright, India News and Feature Alliance)