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Round The States
New Delhi, 9 July 2016
National Food
Security Act
STATES REDUCE
HUNGER
By Insaf
What the Centre proposes, the States dispose. This rings
true vis-à-vis the National Food
Security Act enacted three years ago which guarantees cheaper foodgrains to
two-thirds of the population. Notwithstanding, the landmark law needs to enroll
813 million or 67 per cent of the country’s population which must include 75
per cent rural Indians and 50 per cent urban residents. Till date, a majority
of 33 States and Union
Territories have rolled
out the Act while States such as Nagaland are expected to implement it soon.
According to a recent study six of India’s poorest States — Bihar, Chhattisgarh,
Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha and West Bengal
— performed variedly. Both Odisha and Madhya Pradesh adopted the Chhattisgarh
model by putting in a robust food-distribution network wherein each household
has a ration card and is able to secure their foodgrain entitlements at the
correct price. A big surprise was that States facing election in the last one
year were quicker to complete food-delivery reforms, like Bihar and West Bengal which took the lead in giving universal
access to subsidised grains. Underscoring, political incentives went a long way
in combating hunger as India
improved its hunger score to 29 last year from an astonishing 38.5 in 2005,
according to the Global Hunger Index. Three cheers to all States!
* * * *
Gujarat Shocker
Prime Minister Modi’s much touted Beti Bachao Beti Padhao has come a cropper in his home State.
Shockingly, Gujarat ranks 20th among 21 States
in championing the girl child’s education, notwithstanding the State
Government’s tall claims about its “Kanya
Kelavani” and “Shala Praveshotsav”
school enrolment drive. As the Sample Registration System-Baseline Survey 2014
reveals the State with 73.4 per cent girls in schools is just a notch above
Rajasthan, 72.1 per cent. Worse, over 26.6 per cent teenage girls between 15-17
years have either dropped out before reaching IX or X level or never been
to school. More scandalous, even in backward States girls have performed better
than Gujarat. In Chhattisgarh 90.1 per
cent girls between 15-17 years attend school; in Assam it is 84.8 per cent with
Jharkhand close on its heels at 84.1 per cent; in Madhya Pradesh 79.2 per cent;
UP 79.4 per cent; Odisha 75.3 per cent and Bihar 74.4 per cent. Ironically, the
State in headed by a woman Chief Minister Anandiben Patel. Any explanation for
this woeful situation?
* * * *
No Nonsense Karnataka
Another bombshell comes from Karnataka which is the fourth
highest in divorce after Kerala, Maharashtra
and Madhya Pradesh. This was the startling finding of the State’s family
courts wherein 16,690 married couples parted ways during 2014. Primarily, as
women are no longer willing to take nonsense and make unfair adjustments. The
other reasons range from complete breakdown of compatibility, adultery,
impotency or one partner being a homosexual. This is not all. At the beginning
of last year over 23,285 petitions were pending in courts, with a lawyer
representing about 25 divorce cases a day. Consequently, judges are unable to
spend more than six minutes on a case! If this spells bad news, worse even
second marriages are breaking down. The only rainbow in this dismal situation
is that the Bengaluru mediation centre which dealt with 27,611 cases of marital
disputes was able to settle 20,307 between 2007-15 resulting in 114 happy
reunions last year and another 104 in the last six months. What gives?
* * * *
All Not Well In BJP
Assam
Barely have celebrations ended on BJP netting its first
North Eastern State Assam a month ago that Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal
had to face the ignominy of his effigies being burnt not only in his
constituency Majuli but also across the State over VAT hike on essential items like
medicines, milk, edible oil etc along-with raising LPG, petrol and diesel
prices. Predictably, the Opposition Congress, CPM and ASSU gleefully
wondered if this was the Hindutva’s ‘poriborton’
for achche din and promises galore to control price rise. The Chief
Minister needs to watch out.
* * * *
RSP Threatens To
Leave Left Front
All is not well with the Left Brigade in West
Bengal with one of its ally RSP seeing ‘red’ over big brother
CPM’s new-found affinity for foe-turned-friend Congress. More. It has
threatened to quit the Left Front if the Marxist Party continues to cozy up
with the Congress. Further, the 10-Party Front, which was in power in West
Bengal between 1977- 2011 feels the main cause of the Leftists defeat against bete noire Trinimool’s Mamata Banerjee
in the recent Assembly polls was due to the CPM forging an alliance with the
Congress. The Left Front netted a mere 32 seats down from 62 in 2011. With the
FB and CPI too joining the RSP chorus and making plain that CPM should quit the
Front, it remains to be seen if big brother will heed its partners?
* * * *
Andhra In Gunnies Book of Records
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandra Babu Naidu has every
reason to feel pleased as punch. He has made it to the Gunnies Book of Records
with the historic Krishna-Godavari river linking project. Moreover, it was
completed in less than a year, a record 320 days. Under this project 354 cusecs,
30 per cent of the promised 80 tmcft of the Godavari
water are being given to the Krishna Delta through the Prakasam barrage under
the Pattiseema Lift Irrigation Project. Next on the anvil is to link the Penna
and the Krishna. For former Prime Minister
Vajpayee it is a dream comes true as he set the ball rolling during the NDA’s
Government’s first tenure 1999-2004. Coincidentally, Naidu too was part of this
Government. The TDP has shown the way. Will others follow suit? ---INFA
(Copyright,
India News and Feature Alliance)
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