The Book scam of Chhatisgarh

EDUCATION

Books meant to be distributed free of cost to students, found lying at scrap dealers and rot in store rooms.

Avdhesh Mallick / Raipur

To boost school education and reduce the drop out rate of students in schools, the state government has launched various schemes including free distribution of books in schools under Rajeev Gandhi Sarva Siksha Abhiyaan (RGSSA), a scheme funded by Central Government). To ensure that students will get their books on time and no shortage prevails, the state Government has also formed an autonomous body Chhattisgarh Text Book Corporation (CTBC) having funds of more than Rs crore per annum which supply books to schools on demand so that there is no misuse of public funds.

Ironically, even after this, a large number of books are dumped in the schools’ store rooms, scrap dealers shops and godowns of CTBC. Students living in remote and naxal affected area do not get books on time to continue their studies.

Recently books were lying at a class room of Naveen High School in Durg. These 50,000 books have become unusable and are meant for classes 1-8. These were supposed to be distributed in the schools of Durg free of cost. To lift the books and keep them in a safer place, the block education officer has written a letter to General Manager of CTBC and other officials.

The Block Education Officer also wrote to the District Education officer Durg complaining that excessive number of text books of educational session 2007, 2008, and 2009 had been supplied to their block office and are now rotting in a store room of Naveen School Durg.

The details given were book of class 3 part-1, part-2 sixty bundles, book of class four 20 bundles, books class five to eighth 20 bundles. Hundred bundles of text books are lying in that store room without any proper protection. Most of the books become obsolete and unusable. Despite the letter, nothing concrete came out.

In 2010, in the month of December, local media also highlighted the issue that text books costing lakhs of rupees have been sold to the scrap dealers. Subsequently, police raided the shop of Nanu Kabari in Durg and recovered two matadors full of books costing more than Rs 10 lakhs. After investigation it was found that the text books which were found in scrap, belongs to district Mahasamund, Durg, Raipur and sold to Nanu kabari at the cost of Rs 7.50/Kg.

Police also recovered a large consignment of books in Jagdalpur area from a scrap dealer. In the police interrogation it was revealed that books were sold to them by the education mafia. It has been revealed that this illegal trade is flourishing in Chhattisgarh for more than five years.

According to the government scheme, textbooks have to be given free of cost to school going students including girls and reserved category students. Hence the government has assigned CTBC for the work. Up to the eighth class text books got distributed in school on massive level. As per the rule, block wise demands of text books were put before the board of Chhatisgarh Rajya Madhyamik Siksha Mandal (CGMASIM) and after the approval of CGMASIM, the district project coordinator official of Rajiv Gandhi Siksha Mission, Sarva Siksha Abhiyaan (RGSMSSA) sends the requirement of books for printing, publication and distribution.

After getting clearance, CTBC orders printing of books against the demand. But district education officer, Durg put forwarded the demand of books for academic session 2007-08 for 466,125 students and later sent another amended and corrected demand of books for 466,734 students. The CGMASIM requested for cancellation of the previous order and to comply with the order last placed.

Instead of cancelling the earlier demand, CTBC asked for the printing of both the orders leading to publication of twice the number of books which were needed.

For one student, an average of eight books is required. The final request order was for 466,734 students i.e. 466734x8=37,33872 books but the books got published were (466734+466125)x8=74,62872. In this way 37,29000 number of excessive books had got published, leading to a huge outflow from the state exchequer.

The printer charges more than Rs 20 per book and the exchequer lost Rs3729000x20. Unfortunately while the state exchequer is losing crores of rupees every year in the name of book printing, poor students do not get them on time in remote and naxal affected villages.

When Sopan-Step team enquired the matter, the books lying in the Naveen School Durg were shifted to the CTBC Book Depot. But the questions remain un-answered. What about the real culprits, their negligence and loot and wastage of public money.

Former Chhattisgarh chief minister Ajit Jogi demanded a CBI inquiry to nab the real culprits. He said the central government has given Rs 1200 crore to the state government under SSA and for SSA state government has a budget of Rs 1768 crore but due to massive corruption, the outcome is not satisfactory. He alleged that the state government was protecting and giving shelter to corrupt officials and leaders.

School Education Minister Brijmohan Agarwal said, “I have received complaint and ordered for an enquiry. Police is investigating the matter and how such a number of books were found in scrap. Stern action should be taken against the culprits”.

While the onus of this wastage is on Subhash Mishra, General Manager of CTBC, he said no mistake has taken place from their side adding that “allegations of printing of excessive books and supply is false”.
avdhesh1mallick@gmail.com

Trivialisation of Planning process

COVER STORY

Social networking site is being used for feedback on the plan process. Will the elite decide what the poor in the country need?

Sopan Correspondent / New Delhi


There seems to be a deliberate attempt to trivialise the planning process of the country. Highflier Montek Singh Ahluwalia-led planning commission got itself registered on social networking website Facebook to enlist the opinion and ideas of people at large on the 12th plan period, stirring a debate whether this was necessary when planning for the poor was being done and poverty eradication remains the biggest challenge.

It seems, the plan panel is oblivious of its priorities and the nation’s desperate needs to ameliorate millions of people from the curse of poverty, who do not have access to computer, what to talk about internet. A soul searching is required as those who are on facebook do not look to the plan panel for solutions. However, there is a general perception that government’s planning should focus on poor and even UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and AICC general secretary Rahul Gandhi’s main focus remain around people, who are have-nots in India’s socio-economic strata.

While launching the Facebook page of the plan panel in January, Ahluwalia said, “We will make the detailed 12th Plan around this time next year. We are seeking public comments and decided to adopt a web-based approach.”

This has also been announced at the function that the Plan panel became the second government organisation after Census Commission to take to a social networking site, which will help get feedback on a regular basis. As of now, most of the government websites are static, where one can only post or mail comments but cannot get any response.

Asked if the website would help public fight corruption, Ahluwalia said, “I am expecting people to give their views on inflation and corruption. I find a lot of people have views on corruption. The issue of corruption becomes very relevant. We would like to see what they have to say.”

But still there was no talk of plan panel’s core competence – planning and monitoring of schemes and programmes implemented by central and state governments. At the planning level a web-based exercise may give the panel the opportunity to have opinion of people. But those, who would be forwarding their opinion, would not be of representative nature. If the elite suggest anti-poverty ideas and schemes, then why can’t experts sitting in the plan panel think of such ideas and formulate schemes themselves. Where is the involvement of the poor and have-nots for whom the plan process is in place?

Ironically only 100 netizens have liked the page so far. Some, however have commented. One said, “We will hear people rather than just suits.” Another said “at least people’s voice would be heard.” Ahluwalia’s take on the launch day was interesting as he said, “We can’t have people like Bill Gates in all our committees. But, he can be out there among million Indians and we don’t want to miss his suggestion.” But the moot question is that do we need to have Bill Gates to plan for our poor.

India has limited resources, so the country needs planning for effective use of scanty wealth and resources, while keeping in mind our own priorities. The priorities can not be suggested by people like Bill Gates, who may not have the experience of Indian realities.

If at all planning commission wants to engage people at large in the planning process, then it needs to physically reach out to the masses through elected representatives, who work with the people in their respective constituency. If they do not do so, then they should continue with what has been happening for last 63 years of Independent India. One of the lower level officials in the planning commission, once said, “In India the plan document was prepared only once in 1951 and since then every time same document was carried forward with 10 percent hike in allocation.” Continue with that Ahluwalia, there is nothing wrong in it, as sky will not fall on earth. Only the process involved in planning gets exposed.

Indifference towards development strategy

COVER STORY

The 12th Plan process has been set rolling. However, there is criminal indifference to the process as those at the helm have hardly shown any seriousness in the process


Shruti Kaul / New Delhi

Four years ago, the country was having a meeting of the national development council called to approve development programme for five years and all Chief Ministers, Union Ministers and senior Government officials from State and Centre were participating in the day long conference chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

It was a most satisfying day for all of them and late in the evening the Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission, Montek Singh Ahluwalia came out a proud man to have got the approval of the highest body in carrying on with the five year plan which was based on the ideology of the new group of enthusiastic economists headed by the Prime Minister himself.

After a good night sleep, they woke up to a big surprise which should have shattered their belief. Some of mainstream newspapers carried photographs of sleeping participants amongst them some chief ministers including the high profile chief minister of Delhi Sheila Dikshit - a simple three column photograph had shattered them all.

Since then the planners of the country have been trying to find out where they have gone wrong. Is it that planning is irrelevant for both state and central administrators? This is in spite of the fact that the country has been having good growth for last six years and it is being made as if world is looking towards India and China for ensuring a bright and happy future.

But why are these leaders of national stature so indifferent to a meeting which has to decide on development strategy of the country, bread and butter for every politician worth his name?

Reason is that for almost sixty years, the country has been indulging itself in the so called nationally important exercise of planning but the number of poor which was around 420 million in 1961 when the country had first reliable estimate of below poverty line persons and as per the latest estimates of poverty the number of poor according to Dr Medullar model is still more than 400 million.

The single comparison clears most of the mist around developmental efforts of the country. According to Dr Tendulkar recommendation, number of poor in rural India is 418 million while in urban India the number is 257 million. What this means is that the inclusiveness of the plan process has only benefited urban middle and rich class.

There is no effective attempt by the State to reduce the rich-poor gap between rural and urban India. No doubt the country has been spending more than 70 per cent of its expenditure on the welfare schemes targeted to benefit poor but nothing substantial has been done to give rural India a sustainable high growth economic model.

Counter argument is that a number of big ticket programmes like MNREGA, Rajiv Gandhi Rural Roads Programme and Indira Awas Yojana are being implemented with full force. But all these schemes are not targeted to give rural India a sustainable growth model. They are only aiming at survival. After all 100 days of employment at a rate of 100-125 a day in no way is a way forward to eradicating poverty, hunger and frustration.

After 60 years of independence and even after States’ dismal performance in eradicating poverty, there continues to be a firm political resistance to improving profitability of the major economic activity of more than 60 per cent of India population - farming. The government is keen to give subsidy to food grains, allow free power or fertilisers but does not allow creation of the environment which permits supply shortage so that prices could go to a level that make farming a respectable and profitable venture. The land mass available for farming has reduced considerably since independence and the number of people depending for survival on agriculture has at least grown by 20 million since then. There has to be a national policy to encourage shift of rural masses to urban so as to reduce pressure on agriculture but the country has been witnessing continuous demand for reverse migration. This sounds anything but sound economics.

The State has put every possible obstacle in the way of improving the profitability of the farming sector. It only wants to ensure that there is no shortage of food grains and thus assure that ruling party is not put in disadvantageous position. A simple glance at the price chart of food items for three decades will make it clear that not even inflation has been neutralized. Yes , it is true that more than 1,00,000, crore goes into food related subsidy but the entire subsidy is linked to political compulsion and has never been directed to improve well-being of the farmers.

The rise of naxalism is yet another glaring example of non-inclusive nature of development process. Why is it that no metro city or big township has been affected? It is primarily spread over to the areas which are normally outside the radar of the developing agencies and with the result people in these far-flung areas feel ignored and become ready client for anti-national elements.

It won’t be improper for the country to have a fresh look at the development strategy and bring out a model which ensures that benefits of development are passed equally to all sections of society and no one feels deprived. Moreover, those who have been ignored so far should get first right to such policies.

Poverty of ideas hurting India's planning process

COVER STORY

Poverty eradication remains on top of agenda even after 63 years of Independence


Sopan Correspondent / New Delhi

Planning Commission will have a formidable task to prepare the blue print for development for the five-year period ending March 2017 in view of the host of problems and challenges being faced by the country - some of its own making and others being forced on it on account of external factors.

The major issues that the Twelfth Plan (2012-17) will have to deal with include poverty alleviation, re-distribution of wealth, inflation, economic growth, agriculture sector, industrial production, infrastructure, corruption and governance deficit.

Although the challenges before the nation are many, the Commission under the deputy chairmanship of Montek Singh Ahluwalia, will have to ensure that all efforts are made to address the basic problem - poverty alleviation. It is nothing but a matter of deep concern and regret that even after more than half a century of independence four out of ten Indians are poor. India has more poor than those in whole of Africa.

The face of India cannot change unless appropriate policy initiatives are backed by sincere efforts to eradicate poverty. The Commission, this time again will be needing to focus on eradicating poverty, especially in rural areas where people have yet to taste the fruits of economic reforms initiated by the then Finance Minister and currently Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in 1991.

To achieve the broader objective of poverty alleviation, the Commission will have to not only ensure growth but also put in policies that encourage distribution of fruits of development among the neglected sections of society.

The starting point of the exercise will be to raise economic growth to about 10 per cent during the Twelfth Plan period. Prime Minister Singh, who is also the head of the Commission, had already indicated to the Plan panel to contemplate double-digit growth in the next plan.

The Commission had projected an annual growth rate of 9 per cent in the Eleventh Plan (2007-12). Although the initial years of the Plan recorded over nine per cent growth rate, the projections went hay wire following the global financial meltdown triggered by collapse of the America's iconic investment banker Lehman Brothers in September 2008.

The economic growth rate fell to 6.8 per cent in 2008-09 from over nine per cent in the preceding three years. To help the industry combat the impact of the global financial crisis, the government announced several stimulus packages, while the Reserve Bank relaxed the monetary policy.

The growth picked up to 8 per cent in 2009-10. To the comfort of the policy planners, economic recovery was faster than anticipated. The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is likely to record a growth rate of 8.6 per cent in the current financial year and 9 per cent during 2011-12, which will be the last year of the Eleventh Plan.

The unanticipated slowdown prompted the Planning Commission to scale down the annual growth target of Eleventh Plan to 8.1 per cent from 9 per cent. These figures, however, will have to be re-worked keeping in view the economic recovery towards the close of the Plan period.

In order to achieve this growth, the focus will have to be mainly on industry, agriculture, services and export sectors. Besides, special efforts would have to made to improve infrastructure to sustain high growth rate of 10 per cent in the medium to long term.

Singh had already indicated that investment target for infrastructure sector will be doubled to USD 1 trillion from USD 500 billion in the Eleventh Plan period. The funding for infrastructure sector, which will broadly include roads, power, airports, port etc, will come from government, private and foreign sources. The contribution of the private sector for development of infrastructure will increase as the government will be expected to earmark more funds towards social sector programmes like MGNREGA, Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, proposed food security law etc.

In infrastructure sector too the focus of development must be rural areas rather than building more fly-overs and metro trains in cities which are more developed. The rural focus is essential not only to root out poverty but also to fight the menace of inflation which has become a major economic problem impacting the lives of everyone. According to a World Bank report, released ahead of the G-20 meeting of the Finance Ministers and the Central Bank Governors at Paris in February, rising global commodity prices have pushed 44 million people into poverty. Inflation is the worst kind of tax which eats the purchasing power.

The food inflation crossed 20 per cent mark during the last financial year, while the headline inflation remained above 10 per cent. Towards the close of 2010, there have been some moderation in the food as well as headline inflation rates, but there is no room for complacency as the political crisis in the Middle-East and rising global commodity prices will impact the rate of price rise in the coming months.

Although the reasons for rising inflation are many, in the Indian context two are important – rising purchasing power and supply constraints. The government has no control over the global developments, but it can definitely put in place a strategy to minimize the impact of such developments on domestic economy.

The challenge before the Planning Commission is to suggest a credible and appropriate strategy to effectively deal with the menace of inflation and also check inflationary expectations. The focus of the strategy should obviously be to increase farm productivity. Allowing duty free import of essential goods and tightening of monetary policies will not provide any long-term solution to the problem of inflation.

At the same time, it needs to be emphasized that the scope for increasing farm productivity is enormous considering the fact that in India per acre output of foodgrain, vegetables and fruits is very low as compared to even developing nations. This can be done by increasing rural infrastructure and making available to farmers inputs like good seeds, fertilizers etc.

Besides, the government should ensure time availability of credit, crop insurance at reasonable cost, transport and marketing support facilities for the farm sector. In addition to the economic side, the Planning Commission will have to lay special focus on law and order problem and the governance deficit which has been adversely impacting the performance of the government schemes and programmes.

Focus on law and order is needed to deal with problem of naxalism and development of the backward regions of the country. However, both will have to go together to prevent the problem from deteriorating further. The other big problem that the Commission must deal with squarely is the governance deficit. The series of scams that have come to light during the past two years, suggest that there is something seriously wrong with the way the government is conducting its business. If things continue like this, people will lose faith in the government and its ability to deal with the problems of the country. It is essential that the problem is addressed without delay.

Corruption is not something that can be checked by policing alone. The Commission must find out the reasons for growing corruption, much of which can be attributed to the wrong and misplaced policies of the government. Although a group of minister under Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee was set up to suggest legislative and administrative measures to check corruption, the Planning Commission can contribute its might in fighting the menace by recommending changes in the policies that promote corrupt practices..

The tasks before the Commission, which has to prepare the blue print for development during 2012-17 are many and varied. The priority should be given to the rural sector to decisively fight poverty and combat the impact of global crisis, may it be rising commodity prices or slowdown of exports. These national objectives, however, will not be achieved unless sincere efforts are made to bridge governance deficit and check corruption.
sopanstep@gmail.com

खत्म होती चुनार चीनी मिट्टी की खुशबू

सुषमा सिंह / चुनार

वाराणसी से चालीस किलोमीटर दूर गंगा तट पर बसे चुनार में चीनी मिट्टी जैसे उद्योग 1948 से ही स्थापित हो चुके थे. वहां का एड़ी के आकार कुतुबुद्दीन ऐबक के समय का बना चुनार का किला भी इन्हीं शिल्पकारों द्वारा तैयार किया गया था जो गंगा किनारे की मिट्टी का उपयोग विभिन्न प्रकार की आकृतियां, खिलौने, प्लेट आदि बनाने में करते रहें. इनके कारीगरी की अलग पहचान इनकी चमकदार ग्लासी फिनिशिंग से हैं जो चावल उगाने वाले मैदानों के से बने अनोखे पावडर (कबिज) से आती है . चीनी मिट्टी के बने बर्तनों, खिलौनों आदि को बड़े पैमाने पर बढ़ावा देने के लिए 1952 में सरकार ने 'राजकीय चीनी पात्र प्राधिकरण' की स्थापना की जिसका मूल उद्देश यहां के लोगों को कान देने के साथ इस प्राचीन कला को विकसित करना भी था.

दुर्भाग्य ही है कि आज 1990 के खुले बाजार नीति के आने के बाद से चीनी मिट्टी अपनी पहचान खोटी जा रही है. इसकी जगह पर बाजार में दूसरी वस्तुओं से बने आकर्षक बर्तन, खिलौने सामने आने लगे हैं जो कम लागत में तैयार किये जाते हैं. चुनार कि बात करे तो वहां चार प्रकार से इन वस्तुओं को तैयार किया जाता है. चीनी मिट्टी, लाल मिट्टी, बोन चाइना और प्लास्टर आफ पेरिस. आज कि स्थिति का जायजा लेने पर पता चलता है कि सबसे ज्यादा लगभग 200 यूनिट प्लास्टर आफ पेरिस के, तीन यूनिट बोन चाइना के 8 -10 यूनिट चीनी मिट्टी और लाल मिट्टी के हैं. जो स्वतंत्र रूप से कार्यरत है. 50 यूनिट इन सभी को मिला कर केंद्र द्वारा चलाए जाते हैं. उसमें अगर चीनी मिट्टी कि बात करें तो केवल एक हीरालाल पाटरी बचा हुआ है , यहां भी प्लास्टर आफ पेरिस का काम ज्यादा होता है.

राजकीय चीनी मिट्टी पात्र विकास प्राधिकरण के अध्यक्ष एवं हीरालाल पाटरी के मालिक आनंद प्रसाद अग्रवाल से हुई बातचीत में उन्होंने बताया कि अब चीनी मिट्टी का काम बहुत ही खराब चल रहा है, उसकी स्थिति अच्छी नहीं है. उसे तैयार करने में खर्च ज्यादा आता है. 75 प्रतिशत माल खुर्जा से आता है और बिकता है चुनार के नाम पर. हमारे व्यापार के लिए किसी प्रकार की व्यवस्था नहीं है. मौसम के समय ग्राहक आते हैं और वहीं मोल भाव होता है. हमें किसी बाजार में नहीं जाना होता है. जबकि एक अन्य पाटरी के मालिक मुनोवर बताते हैं कि इसका निर्यात मध्य प्रदेश, उत्तर प्रदेश और बिहार तक सीमित है. पहले उनके यहां चीनी मिट्टी का काम होता था लेकिन अब प्लास्टर आफ पेरिस का होता है क्योंकि इसमें कम लागत में ज्यादा फायदा होता है और उन्हें कोई परेशानी भी नहीं है. यहां मजदूर बिहार से आते हैं. यहां पर काम करने वाले मजदूरों से हुई बातचीत में उनका कहना था कि यह उद्योग उनके रोजगार का साधन था, परिवार के सदस्यों द्वारा भी इसे चलाया जाता रहा. लेकिन अब इसका बाजार ठंडा पड़ गया है.

इसके विपरित विकास प्राधिकरण के आध्यक्ष एवं उपाध्यक्ष अखिल जोशी का कहना है कि उन्होंने इस कला को पुनः जीवित करने के प्रयास में सरकार को एक प्रोजेक्ट दिया है. डीजल भट्टी लगवाने के लिए इस प्रोजेक्ट में 60 लाख का बजट आ रहा है. योजना के तहत प्राधिकरण की अपनी जमीन होनी चाहिए. लेकिन जहां अभी काम होता है वह जमीन राज्य सरकार की है. इस वजह से चीनी मिट्टी यूनिट की साख राज्य एवं केंद्र सरकार के विवाद के बीच में तीन साल से अटकी हुई है. इस बीच बोन चाइना और प्लास्टर आफ पेरिस ने चीनी मिट्टी के काम को बुरी तरह डूबा कर रख दिया है. क्योंकि चुनार में यह काम कोयले के फर्नेस से होते हैं जबकि खुर्जा में डीजल फर्नेस है. कोयले की कीमत पिछले कुछ वर्षों में काफी बड़ी है, जिससे लगत बड़ जाती है. इनका कच्चा माल मध्य प्रदेश, बंगाल, बिकानेर से आता है.

चीनी मिट्टी के काम को फिर से जीवित करने की चाहत रखने वाले लोग लघु उद्योग संस्थान नैनी और वाराणसी के बीच ही फंसे पड़े हैं. न ही कोई उनकी मदद करता है उ ही उन्हें कोई उपाय नज़र आता है. एक समय था जब यहां की कारीगरी, उनके फिनिसिंग दूर-दराज तक भारत की अदभूत कला के रूप में अपना पर्चम लहराए हुए थे. आज उसी कला का गला घोंटा जा रहा है. कुछ समय पहले सरकार ने इससे संबंधित शोध करवाया था, जिसमें साड़ी बाते साफ थी. क्लस्टर योजना के तहत चुनार में ट्रेनिंग दी गई, एक्सपर्ट की मीटिंग भी हुई. सब कुछ के बावजूद इस विलुप्त होती कला को बचाने के लिए कोई सार्थक प्रयास नहीं किया जा रहा है. मूल जरुरत के अनुसार सबसे पहले इन्हें डीजल फर्नेस की आवश्यकता है, जो इन्हें उपलब्ध नहीं कराया जा रहा है. इनके लिए न कोई पुरस्कार प्रोत्साहन है उ कोई स्कीम. जिसके तहत यह उद्योग फिर से जीवित हो उठे. इस उद्योग में ज्यादा परेशानी कच्चे माल, फर्नेस, बाजार, उचित जानकारी का आभाव, आर्थिक कमी है. इसके लिए तकनीक को बढाने, अपने नेटवर्क को फैलाने, कुछ स्वं सेवी संस्थानों को आगे आने के साथ ही सरकार की तरफ से नियमों में कुछ ढिलों की जरूरत है.

LAADLI MEDIA AWARDS FOR GENDER SENSITIVITY 2010-11

ALL FRIENDS ARE CORDIALLY INVITED FOR THE LAADLI MEDIA AWARDS FOR GENDER SENSITIVITY.

TIME : 6.45 PM

DATE: MARCH 14

VENUE: CHINMAY MISSION AUDITORIUM,

LODHI ROAD, NEW DELHI

CHIEF GUEST: DR KIRAN BEDI

Sopan Step Editorial team

Task Force for Direct Transfer of Subsidies

A mechanism will be worked out for giving direct subsidies to check graft

Sopan Correspondent / New Delhi

With rampant corruption in the distributive mechanism, the government has constituted a Task Force to evolve a suitable mechanism for direct subsidies to individuals and families who are entitled to kerosene, LPG and fertiliser.

The Task Force, under the Chairmanship of Nandan Nilekani, Chairman, Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), would also evolve a model of direct transfer of subsidies on these items by re-engineering existing systems, processes and procedures. It would also undertake designing appropriate IT systems and aligning these with the issuance of UID numbers, and bringing about changes in the administration and supply chain management.

Apart from Nilekani as Chairman, the Task Force will also consist of Secretaries from Departments and Ministries like Expenditure, Financial Services, Chemicals & Fertilizers, Agriculture, Food & Public Distribution, Petroleum & Natural Gas and Rural Development. It would submit its Interim report within four months of its constitution.

The recommendations of the interim report would be implemented on a pilot basis by the Ministries concerned under the supervision of the Task Force in the following six months from the date of submission of the interim report. The final report would be submitted thereafter which would include the results of the implementation of the solution on the field.

The need for constitution of the task force arose as the Government of India provides kerosene at subsidised prices to BPL families under the Public Distribution System (PDS) and there is overwhelming evidence that this policy is resulting in waste, leakage, adulteration and inefficiency.

“Therefore, it is imperative that the system of delivering the subsidised Kerosene be reformed urgently,” an official added. The system of provision and delivery of subsidised LPG to intended beneficiaries needs to be similarly reformed.

As of today, fertiliser subsidy is available to all farmers. It is not possible to differentiate the segments for which the subsidy should be given in this sector. There is a need to evolve a suitable mechanism for direct subsidies to individuals who are entitled to them.

5 years on, time to revisit strategy on job scheme

NREGS

The flagship programme of the UPA is a success but the shortcomings needs to be addressed

Sangita Jha / New Delhi

The story goes that after the last Nawab of Oudh Nawab Asaf-ud-Daula shifted his capital from Faizabad to Lucknow in 1775, he undertook modernization of the town by building numerous monuments. The region was soon struck by a famine in 1784. It was thee that the Nawab decided to offer "food for work" to his people.

Under the directions and funding by the Nawab, work began on the "Bara Imambara". More than 22,000 people, which included poor and nobles, who too were hit hard by the famine, were employed. The Nawab found innovative ways to ensure that all were fed. In the day time when the poor worked most of the construction took place and in the night when the nobles worked part of what had been built was destroyed. This was apparently to ensure that no one remained unemployed and also that the edifice was not completed too soon.

The National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS), which took off five years ago, is also intended to ensure that the unemployed people in the rural India get work which result in creation of durable assets. The NREGS guarantees a minimum 100 days a year of employment.

However, after spending Rs 75,000 crores under NREGS, there appears to be concern among policy makers. This is not without any reason. The concern was summed up by none other than the UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi on the occasion of completion of five years of NREGS. "There are reports that its (NREGS) funds are being spent on other works. Reports of forged job cards, fake muster rolls, fake names of labourers have come to light. The existing mechanism has not been able to respond to these challenges," Gandhi remarked at the occasion.

Five years by any yardstick is quite a span of time to indulge in stock-taking exercise, that too after spending such a colossal amount of money. There is no denying the fact that there had been extraordinary benefits reaching out to beneficiaries. The impact of the NREGS had been so huge that some economic experts even blamed the money flowing in the rural India spiking demand thus leading to pressure on inflation and more so on food inflation.

The Rural Development ministry in an internal report has noted that less than five per cent of the total 68.6 lakh works taken so far to provide jobs in rural India has been completed in the current fiscal. To add more concerns to the Centre, the NREGS since its inception in 2006 has a track record of over 50 per cent of the works undertaken under the scheme having not been completed.

The low completion rate of the works undertaken under the NREGS is alarming also for the reason that the government report claims that around 880 crore man-days of employment have been generated under the scheme so far. Only 3.18 lakh works have been completed till December 2010, which comes to just about 4.6 per cent.

The Centre has called upon the state governments to go after the physical trail of the works done under the NREGS. Even the Comptroller Auditor General of India (CAG) has initiated the process of conducting audits of the funds spent under the NREGS.

In fact, the Centre laid down five broad principles to ensure strict compliance regarding completion of works under the NREGS. It asked states to set a time-frame for completion at the time of sanction and constitute a local vigilance and monitoring committee for each project. The Centre further asked the state governments to record reasons for delay of works in the monthly progress report. Also the priority has to be accorded to pending works before taking up new projects under the scheme. Lastly, the Centre called for the states to provide status of ongoing works with detailed justification and remedial measures to complete them while seeking labour budgets.

The Centre's direction is understandable, as the state governments have reportedly been taking up new projects every year despite low completion rate. Just to illustrate number of projects rose sharply ever since the scheme was extended to the entire country in 2008-09, when 27.75 lakh projects were being implemented. The quantum jump in the number of works is reflected in 68.6 lakh of them having been taken up in the current fiscal, which comes to a whopping 150 per cent jump.

Aware of the existence of lacunae in the implementation of the NREGS, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh called for technological interventions and focus at the local level in the execution of the scheme. However, the beneficiaries have every thing to cheer about even if the babus in the corridor of the power are burning their proverbial midnight lamp to tighten up the scheme. The poor in the rural India are well cushioned under the NREGS, as against Rs 100 per day wages originally approved, actual wages given are as high as Rs 181 in Nicobar. The wages are in the range of Rs 118 to Rs 138 per day in other states.

They beg to differ with Govt on ‘beautiful Delhi’

HAVE-NOTS

Before the Commonwealth Games, the beggars on streets had been forcibly removed, they are back, doing what they did – begging.

Amitabh Shukla / New Delhi

Before the 2010 Commonwealth Games in October, Delhi did it best to present an “international face”. The solution, it found was banishing the beggars from the streets and uprooting the slum dwellers, forcibly putting them in designated homes or putting them in trains headed to far flung areas of the country so that the foreigners do not see the underbelly of the city.

They are back now. And back with a vengeance. All streets are full of beggars so are the markets, traffic junctions and almost all religious places of the city. Not only the beggars, the people uprooted from slums too are trying to get back in their original place only to be shooed away. It is now clearly visible that instead of long term

measures and solutions, the authorities merely undertook the short term measures and the results are there for all to see all over the national Capital.

The act of democratic India in 2010 was similar to what communist China did before the start of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games when it undertook several draconian measures to present an “international face”.

The Delhi government started a major cleanup operation before the Games and the plan was to rid the streets of the city of stray dogs, slum dwellers, beggars and any stray animals that are found wandering the streets. This was considered “un Commonwealth type”. Existence of more than one lakh beggars alone in the city was a problem for the government but it (un)successfully managed to “hide” them from the players, officials and a few tourists who came to the city during the October 2010 Games.

Now questions are being asked as to why these actions are taken when there is a huge event about to take place. Shouldn’t poverty reduction and cleaning up the streets be an ongoing process? The beggars too are citizens of their country and also ask for a place under the sun like their more fortunate citizens hailing from demarcations like the lower, middle or the upper class.

Why wasn’t a war on poverty launched instead of removing the beggars. Why didn’t the government launch policies to help the poor in the run-up to the Games instead of trying its best to get rid of them. The amount which was gobbled by the corrupt officials in the Games could have easily funded the rehabilitation package for 1 lakh beggars which the city has.

After the fiasco of the Games and the scams associated with it, people are genuinely questioning the relevance of holding such events now. The stadiums and venues, built with tax payer’

s money are lying unused. Soon, the new coat of paint and plasters will peel off and there would hardly be any long term legacy left for the citizens to cherish.

The Commonwealth Games was not a joy for the poor of the city. They now have a simple prayer. “For God’s sake, do not organize any such event in Delhi”.

(March 8, 2011)

सोहागपुर: पांच साल में तीन मुखिया, फिर भी जनता दुखिया

फतेहाबाद से नाव पर सवार होकर नारायणी गंडक नदी पार कर जैसे ही मैं उस पार पंहुचा तो बीहड़ जंगल व सुनसान इलाका दिखाई पड़ा. दूर-दूर तक फैले सन्नाटे और ख़ामोशी के बीच दो लोग दिखाई पड़े. जब पूच्छा की मुझे चक्की सोहागपुर पंचायत जाना है तो उन्होंने उत्सुकत्ता भरी निगाहों से मुझे घूरते हुए मना किया कि वहां मत जाइए.बहुत खतरनाक जगह है. बराबर खून-खराबा होता रहता है. हम लोग बगल के गांव के है फिर भी नहीं जाते हैं, फिर भी नहीं जाते हैं. उनके लाख मना करने पर भी गांव पंहुचा. सबसे पहले मिला, एक छोटा सा टोला. दस बारह झोपड़ियो का. रूका और एक बुजुर्ग व्यक्ति से बाते शुरू की. घर में बुजुर्ग के अलावा उसकी पत्नी थी. उन्होंने खाट बिछाया और खाने की जिद्द करने लगें. कहा यहां दूर-दूर तक कोई दूकान नहीं मिलेगी, इसलिए खाना खा कर ही जाइए. बड़े आवभगत से खाना खिलाया तब बात शुरू की. उसने भी मना किया कि आगे वाले टोले में मत जाइए, वहां खतरा है.

हम यहां बात कर रहे हैं मुजफ्फरपुर जिले के पारू प्रखंड के चक्की सोहागपुर पंचायत कि. जहां पिछले एक दशक से खून कि होली खेली जा रही है. पांच साल में इस पंचायात ने तीन मुखिया देखा, लेकिन यहां कि निर्दोष व निरीह जनता को खून के अलावा कुछ भी नहीं मिला. अपनी भौगोलिक बनावट के कारण यहां के लोग आदिम युग में जीने के लिए मजबूर है. पूरब में नारायणी गंडक बहती है तो पश्चिम में छपरा जिले कि तरैया प्रखंड कि सीमा शुरू होती है. बीच में बीहड़ जंगल, सुनसान इलाका, सड़को का अभाव इनकी कठिनाई को बढ़ा देता हैं. नदी के कटाव के कारण यहां का जीवन अस्त-व्यस्त हो गया है. सरकारी रिकार्ड में भले ही ये मुजफ्फरपुर के निवासी है ल्य्किन इनका जीना मरना छपरा जिले के लोगों के साथ ही होता है. करीब 30-40 साल पहले नदी का कटाव इतनी तेजी से हुआ कि इनके घर नदी कि पेटी में समा गए. जो अमीर थे, वो जमीन खरीद कर भीठ पर मकान बना लिए. जो आर्थिक रूप से कमजोर थे, उन्हें जिले की मुख्य धारा से कट कर दियारा में बसना पड़ा.

पांच वार्ड वाले इस पंचयात में करीब चार हजार से अधिक वोटर है. पूरे पंचायात में इक्के-दुक्के मकान ही पक्के हैं. बाकि आबादी झोपडियोंमें ही अपनी जिंदगी की शाम गुजारते हैं. पंचायात में आज तक बिजली नहीं आई. एक पोल तक नहीं गाड़ा गया है. एक मात्र प्राथमिक विद्यालय है जो कई सालों से बंद पड़ा है. माओवादियों और दो गुटों में चली आ रही लम्बी खूनी लड़ाई के दर से शिक्षक पदाहने नहीं आते हैं. पूरे पंचायत में दर्जन भर लोग मेट्रिक पास होंगे. आगन बाड़ी केंद्र कागज़ पर तो है., पर कभी चला नहीं. कतार में खड़ीं सैकड़ो झोपडियां इंदिरा आवास योजना को अंगूठा दिखा रही है. पंचायत में बमुश्किल 10-12 इंदिरा आवास बने होंगे. वह भी पांच हजार का रिश्वत लेकर. नं. 1 की 60 से अधिक बसंत पार कर चुकी महापाती देवी, पासपति देवी, जगलाल साहनी आज भी विर्द्धावस्थ पेंसन की आस लगाए बैठी है.