Graft graft go away…

Corruption in the country is as common as anything one could imagine. But there is a ray of light. The civil society is on an effective march against the menace

Amitabh Shukla / New Delhi

Anna Hazare and his movement against corruption has caught the imagination of the nation. Never before had the civil society forced the government to act so decisively against graft and in favour of a Jan Lokpal Bill which threatens to eat into the vitals of corruption and make the country rid of the menace once and for all.

Not surprisingly, after Anna launched the movement from Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, the government was in a “moral pressure” and forced to act decisively against top corporate honchos, involved in the 2G scam, Suresh Kalmadi, who is seen by many as the man responsible for the loot of public exchequer in the run-up to the Commonwealth Games and even the prominent functionaries of the UPA allies like the DMK by getting its members charge sheeted.

Many see the swift action as a direct fallout of Anna’s movement and the zero tolerance which the people have now developed towards corruption – a cancer which has thwarted the development of the country for decades.

The anti-corruption movement has been criticized, even lampooned and trivialized by the vested interests. We feel that some of the personalities associated with the movement against corruption could have indulged in some aberrations and should not be spared if found guilty of any wrong doing. However, we should never lose sight of the bigger picture – the drafting of the Jan Lok Pal Bill. Personalities are not important the issues are and corruption is definitely such an issue.

Attempts have been made to derail the bill by the political class and a section of the media by following a policy of selective amnesia. We clearly believe that this is a diversionary tactics to deflect from the issue of corruption. The critics of Anna and those against the Bill can make their “learned assessments” after the draft Bill comes in the public domain, discussed in Parliament and then passed. We do not believe in anarchist theories which do not give solutions but merely pose questions, one after the other. Let the doubting Thomases eat a humble pie on this question.

The attempts to discredited and underestimate the genuine anger of growing sections of the public against widespread corruption at various levels of the political leadership and bureaucracy is a knee jerk reaction to the popularity of Anna, a Gandhian of immense stature. The mud-slinging went to comic extent to sow the seeds of confusion amongst the people. But ultimately, the political leadership of the country saw the futility of bringing in CDs, land deals, character assassination, funding of NGOs into the larger picture of the fight against corruption.

Soon after starting, the movement threatened to spread far and wide across the country and attracted the support of growing sections of the youth, which had till now shown little interest in the campaign against corruption. The participation of the youth, though not comparable to the JP movement of the 70s, forced the government to accede to the demands of framing a Jan Lokpal Bill.

The demand for the creation of a position like the Jan Lokpal has been there since 1969 and ironically, none of the governments in power since then took it seriously, including the Janata Party government in 1977 and the Janata Dal government in 1989, both of which made corruption a national issue, mobilized the youth of the country and won elections on this count.

In the last two years, people of the country have seen what shape and form corruption has taken place - a monster out to gobble everything in sight. A series of scandals relating to the loot of public funds, or the twisting of rules to benefit high and mighty, broke in the country late last year. These included the Commonwealth Games, 2G spectrum allocation, Adarsh society scam in Mumbai, a series of corruption cases against ministers in Karnataka etc. These are mere indicator and the tip of iceberg of how widespread corrupt practices are, in the states and at the Centre.

This is the reason why people are now asking questions relating to discretionary powers enjoyed by ministers and senior officials, and the creation of a Lokpal, or ombudsman, at the Centre. When there is no hope for the citizens, Anna emerges as the beacon at this point of time, catching the imagination and the thought process of the country.

Some want the Prime Minister kept out of the purview of the Lokpal. But the question which we ask is whether this is acceptable in a democratic system? Why does the office of the PM needs to be shielded from vexatious and motivated quarters? Similarly when there have been insinuations against the judges of the High Court and the Supreme Court, wouldn’t it be prudent to bring them too under the Lok Pal. After all how many judges of the country have been impeached since Independence for their acts of commission and omission? None. Is there anyone in the country who can stand up and say with confidence that all the Judges are honest to the hilt? If not, then bring them also under the purview of the Bill.

Even though the main target of attack on corruption and the Lokpal Bill has been the ruling UPA, all political parties are aware that they are under attack as very few have shown the will to fight against the menace in the states where they are in power or at the Centre when they were in office at some point of time. Anna’s movement has clearly shown that they can no longer afford to ignore the mood of the nation. If they do so, it will only be at the cost of their own political fortunes.

Along with the Lokpal Bill, more measures are needed to weed out corruption and usher in development. If money, which goes into the pockets of politicians, bureaucrats, corporate houses etc due to corruption and then finds its way in the Swiss banks, benami deals, hawala trade and is routed back to the country through questionable means is stopped, a lot of money would remain available to remove curses like poverty, illiteracy, hunger, malnutrition and other maladies which affect our society.

Besides, grant of genuine autonomy to the CBI and the CVC would be a move in right direction along with the creation of a similar and effective institution at the state level. Both these institutions have been suffering at the hands of whoever is in power. Genuine autonomy would shield these institutions and help in the fight against under the table deals.

There could also be a case of state funding for elections to root out the malady. A separate debate should begin on state funding, holding elections only once in five years and removing the aberrations which have crept in the electoral system over the years. The resent Assembly election in some of the states indicated how ill-gotten money is used indiscriminately to influence the voters.

But above all, there has to be an institutional mechanism in the country to fight graft. A national consensus has to be built around such a mechanism and we are sure when the Parliament takes up the Jan Lokpal Bill for discussion and passing and the draft Bill comes in the public domain, such a consensus would emerge.

ashukla.mail@gmail.com

Laadli Media Awards presented

NGO Population First, working on health and population issues, presented “Laadli media awards for gender sensitivity 2010-11 (Northern Region)” to media persons who have significantly contributed on the subject in Delhi.

The awards have been instituted to promote gender sensitivity in the media and encourage media persons to write their views and opinions on issues like the girl child, women and related issues. The effort has been supported by UNFPA and Sopan-Step is a collaborating agency on the issue.

S.V. Sista, Excutive trustee of Population First said that objective of award is to felicitate, acknowledge, recognize and encourage media, journalist and professional to keep working on gender issues and to draw the attention of the public to their positive efforts. It also acts as platform for socially responsible media. A.L.Sharda, Programme Director of population First, talked about women empowerment and how an article in media changes mindset.

Nobuko Horibe, Director UNFPA- Asia pacific and noted activist on gender issues Ranjana Kumari also spoke on the occasion. Chief guest Kiran Bedi, who is also a Magsaysay awardee, highlighted the contemporary concerns on gender issues.

In Hindi print media, awards were given to Mirnal Vallari (Jansatta), Bhoomika Kalam and Rajendra Gaharwar (People’s Samachar Bhopal), Swati Sharma (Nai Dunia), Neeta Sisodia (Dainik Bhaskar) and Rafi Mohammad Shaikh (DB star) In English print media awards were given to Himanshi Dhawan (The Times of India), Teena Thackar (Indian express) Sukhabir Siwach (Freelance), Jasneet Bindra (Indian Express) Tripti Nath (Women’s Feature Service), Aastha , Kunal Majumdar and Shantanu Guha Ray (Tehelka).

Other awards were given to Shagufta Wani (Chattan) for Urdu and Sandeep Kaur Bhullar (Rozana) for Punjabi. For Radio services in Hindi 94.3 my FM bagged the award along with Mansi Oberoi (Big FM) and Aditi Roy (All India Radio). Awards were also given for television and web journalism.

India's literacy level increases

Sopan Correspondent / New Delhi

India's literacy level has increased by 9.21% in the past 10 years to reach 74.04%, according to provisional data of the 2011 census released in New Delhi late last month.

According to the data, literates constitute 74% of the total population aged seven and above and illiterates form 26%. The literacy rate went up from 64.83% in 2001 to 74.04% in 2011 showing an increase of 9.21%.

Interestingly, females literacy level saw a significant jump as compared to males between 2001-2011. While female literacy in 2001 stood at 53.67%, it has gone up to 65.46% in 2011. The male literacy in comparison rose from 75.26 to 82.14%.

Kerala with 93.91% continues to occupy the top position among states in the field of literacy while Mizoram's Serchhip (98.76%) and Aizawl (98.50%) recorded highest literacy rates among districts.

Lakshadweep followed Kerala with a literacy level of 92.28%, while Bihar remained at the bottom of the ladder with a literacy rate of 63.82% followed by Arunachal Pradesh at 66.95%.

Ten states and UTs viz. Kerala, Lakshadweep, Mizoram, Tripura, Goa, Daman and Diu, Puducherry, Chandigarh, NCT of Delhi and Andaman and Nicobar Islands achieved literacy rate of above 85%, the target set by the Planning Commission to be achieved by 2011-12.

The gap of 21.59 percentage points recorded between male and female literacy rates in 2001 census has reduced to 16.68 percentage points in 2011. Planning Commission has set up target of reducing this gap to 10 percentage points by 2011-12.

The other highlights of the Census 2011 (Provisional figures):

* The population of India has increased by more than 181 million during the decade 2001-2011.

*2001-2011 is the first decade (with the exception of 1911-1921) which has actually added lesser population compared to the previous decade.

*Uttar Pradesh (199.5 million) is the most populous State in the country followed by Maharashtra with 112 million.

*The proportion of Child Population in the age group of 0-6 years to total population is 13.1 percent while the corresponding figure in 2001 was 15.9 percent. The decline has been to the extent of 2.8 points.

*Overall sex ratio at the national level has increased by 7 points to reach 940 at Census 2011 as against 933 in Census 2001.

Development for whom?

Nuclear power plants leave a trail of long term impact. There is need to balance development


Sankar Ray / Kolkata


India’s most well-known agricultural scientist M S Swaminathan has written a letter to Environment minister Jairam Ramesh suggesting growth of mangroves and similar species as ‘bio-shields’ along the coast adjoining the atomic energy installations to protect the nuclear reactors from the fury of tsunamis of the kind that hit Japan last month.

A Rajya Sabha member, Swaminathan is not against the risky alteration of land use pattern in coastal areas for setting up nuclear power plants. This was not unexpected from one, who in the interests of agri-business of MNCs, vigorously promoted green revolution which destroyed fertility of at least 600,000 acres of land that became saline and unfit for farming through excessive and inappropriate use of fertilizers and pesticides. This also polluted waterways, poisoned agricultural workers, and killed beneficial insects and other wildlife. Such irrigation practices naturally led to salt build-up and consequential abandonment of some of the best farming lands.

All the new nuclear power plants are in coastal or fertile areas – some seismic too, like Jaitapur in Maharashtra and Swaminathan’s limitations are obvious. It can’t be that he is not aware of the fallout and the movement of radio-nuclides through marine and terrestrial environments . Ultimately they enter the food chain and the human body.

“The toxicity of contaminants and radioactivity fallout represent significant health risks. Acute exposures are further complicated when followed by chronic exposure, as such assaults have a cumulative and synergistic effect on health and well-being. Chronic exposure to fallout does more than increase the risk of developing cancers, it threatens the immune system, can exacerbate pre-existing conditions, affects fertility, increases rates of birth defects, and can retard physical and mental development, among other things. And we know the effects of such exposures can last for generations”, wrote eminent American environmental sociologist Barbara Rose Johnston wrote immediately after the nuclear catastrophe, triggered by the tsunami in Sendai region of Japan in the second week of March.

Take Haripur in the coastal tracts of south Bengal. It’s a self-reliant micro-society where poverty is unknown. “The main reason for setting up nuclear power plants in coastal regions is the proximity to water source. Such areas will experience a deleterious hydro-geological imbalance. There is no point in setting up nuclear power plants in developing countries like India when the West undergoes extensive decommissioning of them and abandonment of plans for future programme of addition of new capacities in nuclear power generation”, said Prof Sujay Basu, ex- director of School of Energy Studies, Jadavpur University –in fact, the SES’s founder director.

Almost in a symbiotic way, Warren Buffett, one of the biggest plutocrats the world over has asked India’s super-wealthy people at a dinner in New Delhi to be philanthropic and give away their wealth to the poor. However, his flagship company Berkshire Hathaway (BH) bought shares in the South Korean MNC and steel giant POSCO in 2006, following the signing of Memorandum of Understanding between POSCO and the Government of Orissa in 2005.

BH’s holding is about 5 per cent of total share capital in POSCO and is the single largest share-holder of POSCO outside Korea. The hypocrisy lies precisely there, as the livelihood of over 50,000 villagers of Dhinkia, Patna, Gobindpur in 4000 acres of Jagatsinghpur district is threatened POSCO’s the Rs 52,000 crore steel plant project - 12 Million Tons Per Annum (MTPA) integrated steel plant, plus a captive port adjacently at Erasma Block.

“How can Buffett claim to care for the poor, if his investments lead to the creation of that poverty in the first place” questions Professor Sirisha Naidu, a US-based economist. Buffet isn’t concerned about the agony that awaits betel leaf cultivators who earn annually Rs. 40,000 per decimal of land (100 decimals = 1 acre) on an average and POSCO offers a paltry, one-time compensation of Rs. 11,500 per decimal – less than a hundredth of the compensation.

All this is directly or indirectly an exhibition of development of (human) underdevelopment. Under attack are the sub-alterns, mostly displaced persons from villages.

Workers fail to get their dues under MGNREGS in Chhattisgarh

The MGNREGS scheme has many flaws, a whistleblower finds out only to be harassed


Avdhesh Mallick / Sarguja


Prakash Gupta of village Bilsapur, Block Batauli District Surguja in Chhattisgarh complained that labourers who worked for the construction of road under Mahatma Gandhi Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MNREGS) have been paid less than the provision of Rs 100 per day. An enquiry by the administration followed.

Subsequently, after the formal complaint, the village-sarpanch alleged that the special police station of Batuli was harassing Gupta and his father and were also abused. As a result the whistle blower, who should have been hailed, is now facing threats of being arrested by police.

One and half months ago labourers of Bilaspur got their payment which is less than the stipulated amount under the law. Gupta saw the plight of the labourers and interviewed some of them and uploaded it on the net. In the interview, the affected workers said that they were paid at the rate of Rs 70 per day whereas the provision is for Rs 100 per day.

A labourer Basant Lal said that he worked for 42 days but instead of getting Rs 4200 but he was paid only Rs 2400. He said that after getting the payment when he reached his home, Binod Lakda, the Munshi came to his house and took away Rs 1100 as commission, saying that he had maintained the attendance and a share had to be given to him from the earnings. Similar was the complaint of another worker Suruj Mohan who worked for 15 days and got only Rs 1050, instead of Rs 1500.

Gupta said in year 2009-10 government had sanctioned Rs 4 lakh 42 thousand for the construction of road and mud works under MNREGS. In 2011 payment of workers was made. The department had sanctioned Rs 1.80 lakh and when the payment has made Rs. 38,500 of the workers remained unpaid.

When Gupta raised the issue, administration sent an enquiry committee to their village panchayat for further inspection and verification of the complaint on March 8. The inspection committee, headed by Assistant Project Officer AR Bhagat conducted the inquiry. Statement of 42 people were recorded in the presence of more than 150 villagers. During the enquiry many of the workers who suffered loss claimed that they were paid at the rate of Rs 70 per day which is less than what the law provides. The report is yet to be made public, said Gupta.

One of the member of inspection committee sub-engineer Amarnath Roy said that no wrong has been committed by the department. He said after inspecting the muster-roll and doing evaluation, they sent the money to the post-office. He said some irregularities were found on the muster-roll entry at the Panchayat level and there could be the involvement of Gram Sarpanch and the village secretary which is being verified. Sub-engineer Satyawrat was suspended after allegations of irregularities were found in the work, said Roy.

After the official inspection, the Gram Sarpanch has sent a note to the Special Police Station Batuli and also sent a copy to Ambikapur Police station claiming that the allegations are false.

“Although the Superintendent of Police had assured me that no action will be taken against me and my father until the enquiry is complete, I have apprehensions that I will be targeted because I have risen the matter and those with vested interests was not only powerful but also rich”, said Gupta.

Livelihood revolution with flower cultivation

INITIATIVE

Sibananda Dash / Cuttack

Ordinary people inspired by the ideal to promote and demonstrate financially sustainable, ecologically compatible and small scale agribusiness models to farmers and motivated and supported by Industrialist brothers have led to a livelihood revolution with flower cultivation in Orissa.

Soumendra Behera, engaged in footwear business, partnered with his brother Saptendra and founded the Company Bhoomi to look for greener pastures in agribusiness. This idea of floriculture was conceived when the elder Behera brothers – Rabindra, Suvendra and Sailendra – the joint founders of RSB Transmissions, were scouting for novel activities that would be combination of business and corporate social responsibility and thus lead to a sustainable model.

The Behera brothers wanted to build a small yet modern agribusiness activity and demonstrate it to others to replicate the same and usher in a revolution in the horticulture and floriculture sectors in Orissa. Bhoomi, thus conceived, signifies return to nature and caring for our plant: Earth.
Blessed by socially conscious parents and encouraged by brothers, Soumendra and Saptendra took the risk of venturing into this novel business of floriculture – the first of its kind in Orissa. Neither of them had any professional agricultural qualification or experience, but the prospect of immense satisfaction of succeeding in a novel area and demonstrating it to the others, prodded them on.

In a 2.5 acre piece of land at Tangi, Cuttack they set up greenhouses for floriculture. Horticulture and vegetable farming was added to have product diversity and reduce the risks of dependence on a single product. They erected five greenhouses – three for roses and two for gerbera flowers. Drip irrigation technique ensured maximum use of the limited water available.

Soumendra beams with happiness as he says that in a short span of one and half years Bhoomi has done remarkably well and established itself as a viable business initiative. The entire harvest of gerberas and roses are easily sold in Bhubaneswar and Cuttack but remains far short of demands of the twin city. Bhoomi’s gerbera flowers are now preferred over the ones from Bangalore, which are reputed for their outstanding quality. It also grows fruits and vegetables like musk melon, cauliflower, bottle gourd etc. Musk melon is being sent to Kolkata and Ranchi.

Bhoomi is now planning to expand and set up more greenhouses and add more varieties of flowers, fruits and vegetables to its basket of products. The company is very confident that very soon they would also be exporting their flowers, fruits and vegetables. Soumendra is upbeat that commercial floriculture is a niche business segment and Government of India has identified it as a sunrise industry and has accorded it 100 per cent export oriented status.

It has emerged as a hi-tech activity as it takes place under controlled climate conditions inside greenhouse. The new seed policy makes it feasible to import planting material of international varieties. In addition, the export demand is also quite high. This industry being in its infancy in India, the opportunities are abundant. In Orissa this industry is yet to take off and there are opportunities for many more players to enter into this type of farming in different parts of the state and match the level of achievement of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra.

Bhoomi is more than eager to share the knowledge and experience that it has acquired with others who would be interested in venturing into such a floriculture and horticulture initiative. The Behera brothers are also immensely happy that their idea of combining a viable business with their commitment to CSR has indeed worked out to be as conceived by them. They have indeed seeded a flowery revolution in Orissa.

The myth of Orissa being unsuitable for floriculture owing to its climate has been shattered once for all by Bhoomi. The colourful and pretty gerbera and rose flowers are no longer the monopoly of only Bangalore and Pune, blessed with their salubrious climate. Orissa has now firmly planted itself in the floriculture map of India.

Direct cash subsidy: Mirage in making!

SUBSIDY

Divergent views have been expressed with many questioning the very efficacy of the proposed system in the country…


Sopan Correspondent/ New Delhi


The government’s decision to move towards direct transfer of cash subsidy for kerosene, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and fertiliser has sparked a debate in the country about its efficacy notwithstanding the present system of delivering the goods and services at subsidized rates to poor which has largely failed to give the desired results.

A cross section of experts holds divergent views on the issue, as some consider it a major attempt to improve delivery and circumvent corruption but others have serious reservations. Beyond that there are also questions about whether a full-proof system can be put in place in a country like India.
Actually a serious debate began with Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee’s announcement during his budget speech that the government would provide a direct cash subsidy on kerosene and fertilisers to the poor from March 2012.

“To ensure greater cost efficiency and better delivery for both kerosene and fertilizer, the government will move toward direct transfer of cash subsidy for people below poverty line (BPL) in a phased manner,” Mukherjee said during his presentation of the Budget 2011-12.

A task force headed by the former top Infosys man, Nandan Nilekani, is working out the modalities for the proposed system of direct transfer of subsidy for kerosene, LPG and fertilisers, he informed, adding that the interim report of this task force was expected by June 2011.

At present, the government provides kerosene at subsidised rates to families living below the poverty line through the Public Distribution System (PDS). Furthermore, LPG is provided at a subsidised rate to all the households. As regards fertilisers, the government provides subsidy to companies so that farm inputs, which include urea and imported fertilisers, can be provided to farmers at cheaper rates.

Doubting the efficacy of the proposed system, development economist and National Advisory Council (NAC) member AK Shiva Kumar, though conceded that there is serious problem in the present system through which subsidy has not been reaching to those who deserve it or require it the most. “So, on the face of it the government’s plan for direct cash transfer appears to be a perfect solution to come of the rot. We have examples the world over, particularly in Latin America. But there the pattern is different. There the cash transfer is not a substitute of kind transfer.” The system is just supplementary, he added.

“If we adopt the system of direct cash transfer, it will not solve the problem of supply-side constraints. In our society we also need to worry about the power structure within the family. Who gets the money is an issue that needs to be looked into. There cannot be one general view on the matter. Cash transfers might work in some instances, such as in maternity benefits, and not in others,” Shiva Kumar said.

By raising the issue of power structure in the family, Dr Shiva Kumar actually intended to point out a different issue, which has a lot of social ramification. AS per the plan the government intends to transfer cash in the name of woman in the family. Through this the intention is to ensure that money is spent in the welfare of the family, as fairer sex in the family is generally considered to be most sensitive towards other members of the family. But there are arguments that this might lead to violence in the family. “If we leave the choice to individual family to buy whatever they want by transferring cash, it may lead to different kind of social ailment, which will create rather more poignant problem in the society,” said an expert.

Secondly, the experts argue that the main problem in the present system lies in the faulty PDS mechanism. “Do you think that the government would be able to dismantle the PDS shops? No, because subsidy can be calculated only the basis of a constant base price fixed by the government and that can be possible only through government shops,” many of the experts argue.

They say that in open market prices fluctuate with every drop of hat and if the poor are left to buy from the open market, the whole concept of providing cushion to them will go for a toss.

Therefore, even if direct cash subsidy is doled out to the targeted poor, PDS will continue to exist and the government would still look for policy intervention to weed out leakage, pilferage and black-marketing, as prices would certainly vary between APL price and open market. Poor may remain poor and their suffering would perpetuate eternally.

Blurb: In open market prices fluctuate with every drop of hat and if the poor are left to buy from the open market, the whole concept of providing cushion to them will go for a toss.

Tigers increase, turf decreases

WILDLIFE

Census of the big cats show a marked increase even though their land area is shrinking


Sopan Correspondent / New Delhi


There is both good and bad news on the Tiger front. While the number of tigers has increased in the country, the area in which they inhabit has decreased. The All India Tiger census, released late last month, has projected 1706 tigers in the wild which is an increase of 295 from the last such exercise of counting the big cats.

The Western Ghats, constituting Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka has the single largest concentration of tigers in the world but the occupancy of the big cats has gone down in northern Andhra Pradesh and central India, Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh said at the release of the Tiger Estimate, 2010. The minister also pointed out that there is a decrease in the tiger occupancy area, which means the tiger corridors are under severe threat.

The estimate which shows an increase in adult tiger numbers to 1,636 (1706 including Sunderbans), up from the previous estimate of 1,411 tigers in 2006, says the number of tigers in Western Ghats is an estimated 534.

Maharashtra and Nagarjuna Sagar Tiger Reserve in Andhra Pradesh, which comes under the Central Indian Landscape Complex and Eastern Ghats Landscape Complex, has done well in conserving tigers. However, the tiger occupancy in northern Andhra Pradesh and Central India, which is also part of this landscape complex, has gone down. Though population of big cats in Orissa remains stable, Rajasthan has gone in for praise for its conservation practices.

Out of the total estimated tiger population, 353 comes from Shivalik-Gangetic Plain Landscape Complex, which constitutes Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.

North East Hills and Brahmaputra Flood Plains, which has Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram and northern West Bengal in its belt, has only an estimated 148 tigers which has been described as worrisome.

With the release of the figures, it is understood that most of India’s reproducing tiger population is now concentrated in 10 per cent of all tiger habitat that holds 90 per cent of all tigers. These areas need to be ecologically monitored annually using intensive camera trapping to check any further damage to the ecosystem in which the majority of the tigers live, experts point out.

The estimation was carried out by the Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun along with partners in government, tiger experts and private parties concerned.

While the Nilgiris have the single largest population of the tiger in the world, Sunderban has the highest tiger density in the world. Close to 30 per cent of the estimated tiger population is outside the 39 reserves and the government so far does not have a strategy or plan to protect the big cats in these areas.

The process of counting the ferocious animal is a tough task involving tracking of tiger signs such as pug marks and scratch marks, using hi-tech cameras, DNA analysis and satellite telemetry. The whole estimation process was conducted in three phases over one year between December 2009 and December 2010 and it involved more than 4.7 lakh forest officials, wildlife activists and volunteers. Officials have described the process as “best-in-class” scientific process.

The tiger estimation project included collection of field data at beat-level in which 45,000sq km forest area of the country, including 39 designated tiger reserves, was divided in 29,772 beats or primary patrolling units with 4,76,000 forest personnel involved in the data collection in phase one.

“Besides trained forest officials, a number of wildlife activists and volunteers have also helped in the estimation exercise. In every beat, the officials had to walk at least 15 to 20 km a day to collect tiger habitation signs such as pug marks, scratch marks, their prey signs to assess the presence of the big cats, said YB Jhala, senior wildlife biologist at the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) in Dehra Dun.

According to the ministry, the officials walked a total distance of 6,25,000 km for data collection. This was followed by analysing tiger habitat status by using satellite data, installation of hi-tech cameras at strategic points for information about the presence of the wild cats.

Bihar surges ahead in health while UP lags behind

State shows improvement in a short period


Sopan Correspondent / Patna


Both Bihar and Uttar Pradesh suffered from myriad problems in the health sector for decades, plagued by issues ranging from high infant mortality rate, low immunization and poor reach of the state health care mechanism in the rural areas. However, Bihar has now surged ahead on several health parameters while UP has lagged behind.

Recently Bihar impressed the World Bank with its parameters in health and general development indices which resulted in an aid worth several hundred crores for development of the state. The state came out with schemes like appointment of doctors on contract in the rural areas and ending the practice of absentee doctors which had been going on for a long time.

Ironically, this is not the case of UP which has lagged behind Bihar even though it was ahead of the state in health parameters a few years ago.

Figures from the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) are pointers to the surge of Bihar in the health sector. Number of institutional deliveries - the chief tool to curb infant, neonatal and maternal mortality rates - in Bihar stood at 2.37 lakh in 2005. Five years since, a five-fold increase has been recorded in the state with the help of several schemes to promote institutional delivery. In UP, however, the progress hasn't been much and is a cause for concern now for the health workers and experts in the field. Compared to the figure of 19.22 lakh in 2005, number of women delivering babies in recognised health care centres didn't even double by 2010.

Routine immunisation is another example of poor health infrastructure in UP. As of now, four out of five children in UP aren't fully immunized. In Bihar, the ratio of children is much better than its neighbour. Figures show that Bihar's rate of immunisation stood at merely 10% during the first National Family Health Survey which grew to 33% in NFHS-3. In UP, 19.8% were fully immunised during the time of NFHS-1 while the figure rose to 23% in NFHS-3.

In a new initiative, the Bihar government has chalked out a new agenda to streamline the health sector across the state in which the priorities include opening up of super-speciality hospital of every major disease, upgradation of primary health centres to 30-bed community health centres, setting up nine modern trauma centres, provision of treatment and medicines under ayush stream in every hospital, making functional all health centres 24x7 and bringing down infant mortality rate (IMR) and maternal mortality rate (MMR) rate below the national average.

Compared to 2008 figure, IMR in Bihar has come down to 52 percent from the previous 56 percent, which is just two percentage above the national average of 50 percent.

Similarly, efforts are on to bring at par the reproduction rate which, at present, stands at 3.9 compared to the national average of 2.7.

Every health centre at block level has been made functional 24x7 so that they can be upgraded to 30-bed community health centres. Similarly, additional primary health centres (APHCs) too are being upgraded and those which have got their own building and have doctors available, would be made functional 24x7.

Doctors shun rural responsibility

HEALTH

A new approach is needed to provided quality healthcare in the rural areas

Sangita Jha / New Delhi

Rural to Urban India is more often a one way street. Not only for thesake of employment but even for medical needs. Rural India appears tobe lagging behind when it comes to access to quality primaryhealth care.

A disturbing trend which is fast taking deep roots is in the approachof the governments – both Central and state - to give more attention tothe tertiary health sector. A number of super-speciality hospitals arecoming up in big cities. For the government the catch word is thePublic-Private-Partnership (PPP). There should be no complaint againstthe super-speciality hospitals but it becomes a matter of concern whenthe primary health finds itself completely off the radar.

To make the matter worse, doctors often develop cold feet when itcomes to serve in the rural areas. The matter gets further compoundedwhen the medical students make beeline to get into the MD course aftertheir MBBS. Everyone wants to be a specialist. This is not without anyreason as fat money is in the super speciality hospital.

Senior consultant with Sir Ganga Ram Hospital in New Delhi R. S. Tonkrues the fact that the medical students just want to do the MD. "Noone is just satisfied with the MBBS degree. I keep telling the juniordoctors if they all work in big cities for big hospitals what willhappen to the patients in the rural areas. But no one is ready tolisten to," Tonk says, regretting the medical system which is evolving.

Even the government data candidly admits the underlying problem in the rural areas which are getting neglected in health care. Government data reveal that rural India is short of over 16,000 doctors, including 12,000specialists. As many as 12,263 specialists are needed in communityhealth centres (CHCs) and 3,789 doctors in primary health centres(PHCs). These data belong to the Union health ministry.

The government data explains why the preventive aspect of health care is not being addressed in the manner it deserves. It alsoshows why top medical institutions like the All India Institute ofMedical Sciences (AIIMS) are crowded by patients from far-flung rural areas with their medical ailment in the advanced stages.

Tonk, who in his own capacity has brought together a team ofdoctors from Delhi to reach out medical services to the rural areas ofHaryana and Western UP, believes that timely medical intervention inthe villages could well take care of the problem of overcrowding inthe premier medical institutions in the metro cities.

The health ministry data show that the shortage of doctors isparticularly acute in villages of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh.Health experts are of the opinion that the doctors are not being givenenough incentives to work in the rural areas. As per the officialfigure 1,087 specialists and 614 doctors are needed in Madhya Pradeshand 1,442 specialists and 1,689 doctors in Uttar Pradesh.

The other states that face an acute shortage of trained medicalpractitioners in PHCs are - Assam (500 doctors), Orissa (413), Bihar(211), Gujarat (65) and Punjab (45). Each PHC is targeted to cover apopulation of approximately 25,000. The PHCs act as referral centresfor Community Health Centres (CHCs), which are 30-bed hospitals at thedistrict level.

Though under the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM), the healthministry is trying to augment the human resource crunch, the doctorsare reluctant to serve in the rural hinterland due to a host ofreasons. The ministry is giving thrust on better accommodation formedical professionals in the rural areas after this having beenreported as one of the key reason for lack of interest on the part of medical professionals.

Health experts are of the opinion that mere remuneration is not enoughto attract doctors in the rural areas. Some even opine that there should be acompulsory five years stint for doctors to work in the rural areas. Itappears that the road leading to better health facilities in the ruralIndia has obstacles all the way.

The silver lining, however, is the huge corpus of funds at thedisposal of those who wish to take health care in the rural areas, asa number of corporate bodies are coming forward as part of thecorporate responsibility obligation. As has been the experience ofsome of the senior doctors who have been mobilising doctors to spendtime in the rural areas, the opportunity is aplenty, which cansupplement the government efforts.

Corporate India concerned on corruption

Is there a silver line at the end of the tunnel? Indian corporates believe corruption is the biggest stumbling block in development.

Sopan Correspondent / New Delhi

With India aiming for a 9% GDP growth, the rising level of bribery and corruption cases have cast a dark cloud on the growth story and threatening to derail it.

KPMG Forensics conducted an extensive survey among leading Indian corporates to an insight into the challenges faced by them due to corruption, the report of which was released last month.

The findings of the survey are an aye-opener. 68% of survey respondents believe that India can achieve more than projected 9 per cent GDP growth if corruption is controlled, 51% respondents fear that rising corruption will make India less attractive for foreign investment. A whopping 90% felt that corruption negatively impacts the performance of stock markets, 99% felt that the biggest impact of corruption on business was its tendency to skew the level playing field while 68% believe that in many cases corruption is induced by the private sector.

Interestingly a majority of the respondents felt that there was no silver lining and corruption level in India will remain at the same level irrespective of the legislations

Deepankar Sanwalka, Head, Risk & Compliance Group, KPMG India said, “We realized that there was an uneasy sentiment among the corporates in India about the recent developments. Through this survey we have tried to find the concerns, apprehensions and the challenges faced by different sectors and have also laid stress on various steps that have to be taken immediately to restore confidence in the Indian economy. This survey is crucial as the global business fraternity is closely watching what is happening in India.”

The survey reveals how the Indian corporate sector is battling corruption and at the same time looking for ways to play a greater role in improving the system to ensure a thriving business environment in India.

“To make this survey a comprehensive one, we have ensured that all major industries are covered. All the participating corporates were keen to be part of this survey and express their concerns about the state of affairs, which they believe has major implications for the business environment in one of the fastest growing economies in the world” said Rohit Mahajan, Executive Director, Forensic Services, KPMG-India.

The respondents to the survey believed that a solid, foolproof mechanism should be put in place by the government to check and arrest the rising cases of corruption and bribery. Strict enforcement of existing provisions under law, for both the taker and giver, is believed to be need of the hour to prevent further erosion of trust and credibility of India’s economic success. The industry appeared poised to actively participate by willing to support a legislation, which will deal with the bribe-giver with equal strictness as that with the bribe-taker.

The corporate sector has also demanded a structured and effective whistle blowing mechanism to report potential bribery or corruption issues; thereby, ensuring more scams come under the public purview, while assuring complete security to the whistleblower. There is also a realization of the importance of implementing new steps within the organization to tackle and prevent promotion of bribery and corruption. Industry bodies have also been advised to take the lead in standing up against bribery and corruption in their respective sectors to ensure a corruption free environment. India Inc strongly believes that its efforts along with the steps taken by the Government of India can go a long way in diminishing corruption.

India Against Corruption initiative

In the backdrop of corruption becoming a national issue in the wake of a series of scams and involvement of high and mighty, a group of Civil Society activists led by Anna Hazare belonging to “India Against Corruption” initiative, met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on March 7.

The group argued that the country expected meaningful reforms to tackle the menace of corruption in public life. The Prime Minister told the group that “I appreciate and share your concerns on corruption”. India Against Corruption representatives presented the PM a draft of their proposal on Lokpal.

The group accepted the PM’s suggestion that a sub-committee of the Group of Ministers could interact and discuss the draft with the civil society activists. The “India Against Corruption” delegation consisted of Anna Hazare, Shanti Bhushan, Prashant Bhushan, Kiran Bedi, Arvind Kejriwal, Swami Agnivesh, Archbishop Vincent, Kuldip Chikara (Bharat Swabhimaan Nyasa), Darshak Hathi (Art of Living) and P.V. Rajagopal of Ekta Parishad.

Subsequently, the PM constituted a nine-member group of ministers (GoM) to recommend an effective anti-graft mechanism and to discuss the Lokpal bill with civil society activists led by Anna Hazare. Defence minister AK Antony, HRD minister Kapil Sibal, Law minister M Veerappa Moily and minister of state for Personnel V Narayanswami will be the members of this committee.

Though the activists have rejected the latest draft of the Lokpal bill, terming it a cosmetic legislation, the government is hopeful of reaching a consensus. A panel of the government, which has received information from 50 of the 64 Central ministries and departments on the discretionary powers of ministers, has decided to convert their powers into “bonafide duties” of ministers.

It will lay down guidelines on how the ministers will use these powers, which is their discretion for the distribution of sops to individuals and organisations.

Corruption: A never ending malaise

ISSUE

Will the country ever get rid of corruption? The issue has now become the prime concern of the common man

Shitanshu Shekhar Shukla / New Delhi

Constitution of nine-member group of ministers (GoM) by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to recommend an effective anti-graft mechanism and discuss the Lokpal bill with activist Anna Hazare has not stopped the social activist from expressing his apprehensions over passage of the bill in the desired form.

"Prime Minister Manmohan Singh may be an honest person but is remote-controlled which might make it difficult to pass the Lokpal Bill," Hazare said adding that there was a vast difference between the draft of the Lokpal Bill prepared by him and the one by the government.

Even as the GoM was meeting in New Delhi to form a sub panel of four ministers (Defence Minister AK Antony, HRD Minister Kapil Sibal, Law Minister MV Moily and Minister of state for personnel V Narayanswami) to start discussions in last week of March, Hazare was tearing into the UPA government.

"When I discussed the issue with the prime minister, he refused to accept all the proposals I had suggested. I then urged him to make some changes from both the sides. The government alone should not formulate the Lokpal Bill and it should be autonomous like court. It is only in such a case that the government would not be able to interfere it its functioning. Organisations like CBI and central vigilance commission should also be covered under Lokpal Bill," he said.

Anna Hazare was alluding to his recent meeting with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh over Lokpal Bill. He was carrying with him the disconcerting voices of the common men perturbed over the season of scams. Hazare came out much disappointed to hear the ‘honest’ Prime Minister say no to including within the probing ambit of the bill almost every executive including the Prime Minister himself.

The season of scams included alleged theft of billions by officials behind last year’s Commonwealth games in Delhi; $40 billion in revenues lost from the crooked sale of 2G telecoms licences; and over $40 billion stolen in Uttar Pradesh alone from schemes subsidising food and fuel for the poor.

Dismayed over rise of corruption-related petitions by more than 50%, the apex court recently blurted out “what the hell is going on,”. The Supreme Court’s anger reflects growing cynicism among the hapless populace. Appointment of a tainted bureaucrat as anti-corruption chief had already raised eyebrows among the liberal forces.

Eventually, he was forced out. But the people had seen Manmohan defend the tainted bureaucrat to his fault. And when it came to share the accountability, Manmohan found in Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan a willing scapegoat. Graft is hardly new in India. But there seems to be more of it for everyone than ever before. India is getting richer fast. The faster the economy grows, the more chances arise and the more mind-boggling is graft.

Foreign businessmen, who have slashed investment over the past year, rank graft as their biggest headache behind appalling infrastructure. Till recently, corruption evoked little more than shrug of shoulders. Threshold of tolerance had gone up. After all, corruption does not seem to be stopping India from growing. Now, it has served to break the unspoken truce between the opposition and the ruling regime. Because everyone prospered from spate of scams. Impending assembly elections in West Bengal, Assam, Tamil Nadu and Kerala may reflect, if at all, a sense of unease among the citizens over corruption taking roots.

Inspite of usual political noise against corruption, the voters are generally swayed over by cash, caste and communal creeds. The BJP appears to have won a few brownie points though a general election is not due until 2014. By boycotting parliament, it closed most of the winter session, until it won the inquiry into graft that it had demanded. It had a ripple effect and the press, the courts and street protesters picked up the campaign. The opposition may be hoping to make the 2 G scam another Bofors which cost the congress win in 1989.

Alive to the threat, Singh and his (and Congress’s) boss, Sonia Gandhi, want people to believe that the nation will soon see sweeping reforms (some suggest the reforms could radically change the policy making process) across the board. These may include state funding for political parties, the removal of discretionary powers abused by politicians and civil servants, and the ratification of a UN corruption convention.

There is no cause to believe such statements. Because most are forgotten as soon as they are spoken. But if they want, there are many books from which to take a leaf out of. Bihar is a recent entry to the list of states changing for better. They might do well to look no farther than this state where elected officials and civil servants must now publish a list of all their private assets or fear suspension. It was, is and, to a great extent, will continue to be a flourishing industry.

Nature of the state is the root cause of corruption. “Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely,” goes the adage. But more and more people are joining the civil movement against the graft. They are coming to the view that corruption raises costs not just to Indians, but also to the foreigners whose capital India needs. Thanks in part to the recent spate of scandals, India’s stockmarket was the worst-performing outside the Muslim world over the past year. According to Hazare, around 60 lakh persons, mostly youngsters, have supported the agitation and shown interest in the movement.

Participation of the youth in the fight against corruption has created optimism. "The Prime Minister asked for a time limit on the Lokpal Bill and we decided to wait till April 4. If concrete steps are not taken by then, a country-wide agitation would be launched from April 5," he said. It will also help if the agitation brings to senses those at the helm before treasury is thrown open for ambitious development projects.

Some mechanisms must be instituted to check the graft before the next five year plan commences next year. Because about $1 trillion is expected to be spent on roads, railways, ports and so on, with billions more on re-equipping the armed forces and welfare. As ever land, water and minerals will be much scarcer commodities. This all makes for a monsoon of bribes. Besides RTI, web is helping.

There are Websites, led by ipaidabribe.com, to reveal the cost of graft by publicising the details of bribe demanded. Some states have even the bids for state contracts being run online so that anti-corruption bodies may keep tab on them. The central government’s scheme to implement a universal, computerised ID would allow welfare payments to be paid into individuals’ bank accounts, eliminating space for state workers. shitanshushukla@hotmail.com

बनारस की गलियों में बनती साड़ियां

&सुषमा सिंह

मुगल काल से ही विख्यात] असली सोने और चांदी के तारों से बनी बनारसी साड़ियां] आज नए अंदाज के साथ सबकी पहुंच में हैं।

बनारस की गलियों से गुजरते हुए हम यह सोच भी नहीं सकते की यही कहीं एक छोटे से दरवाजे से घूसते ही हमें वह जगह मिल जाएगी जहां उन बनारसी साड़ियों पर काम होता है जो मुगल काल में ही विख्यात हो चुकी थी] जिसकी पूरी दुनिया में अलग पहचान है। मदनपुरा] ललापुरा] बजरड़ीहा लोहता जैसे क्षेत्रों में साड़ियों के बनाने का काम होता है। मशीन तो एक ही होते हैं बस फर्क सूत का होता है। बनारसी साड़ी के अलग धागे होते हैं जिन्हें पूर्व काल में चाइना से और अब बंगलुर से मगाया जाता है। इन साड़ियों को मशीनों से नहीं हाथों से तराशा जाता है।

बनारसी साड़ियों को कई ढ़ग से तैयार किया जाता है। जैसे जंगला] तनचोइ] वासकत] टीसू] बुटीदार आदि और इनमें चार प्रकार के वस्तुओं का प्रयोग करते हैं। शुद्ध सिल्क] ओरगेंजा या जरी सिल्क] जियोरगेते और शातिर। विभिन्न प्रकार के बेल] बुटी] बुटा और लताओं की डिजाइनें बनाई जाती है। साथ ही सोने और चांदी के तारों से मोतियों की बुनावट करते हैं। यह बात अलग है कि पहले यह तार असली होते थे जिसके कारण इन्हें गरीब नहीं खरीद पाते थे अब यह सभी के पहुंच में है क्योंकि अब साधारण तारों का इस्तेमाल किया जाता है।

जामदानी बनारसी साड़ियों में कई तरह के फूलों की बुटियां सूती धागों पर बनती है तो जामवार साड़ी की डिजाइन कश्मीरी सॉल से प्रेरित है जिसमें सोने] चांदी और सिल्क के धागों का प्रयोग होता है। एक अन्य प्रकार बुटिक साड़ियों का है] जो बेलों की आकृतियों से सजाई जाती है। ये डिजाइन ग्राफ पेपर पर तैयार की जाती है और साड़ी पर उतारे जाने से पहले इसका पंच कार्ड बनाया जाता है। एक डिजाइन तैयार करने और बनाने से पहले लगभग 100 बार पंच कार्ड बन जाते हैं। ताकि बुनकर सही रंग और पैटर्न समझ सके। ये आकृति विभिन्न प्रकार के तारों पर बनती हैं। बच्चे की उम्र 10 साल के होते ही पीढ़ी दर पीढ़ी यह कला उन्हें सीखा दी जाती है।

एक साड़ी को तैयार करने में लगभग 5600 धागों की तारे] जो 45 इंच चौड़ी हो और 24 से 26 मीटर लंबी हो लगती है। 3 लोग 15 दिनों तक काम करते है। डिजाइन के अनुसार समय ज्यादा या कम लगता है। यहां ज्यादातर मजदूर गोरखपुर और आजमगढ़ से आते हैं। अकेले लोहता क्षेत्र में 2500 साड़ी बनाने के लूम चलते हैं। बनारसी साड़ियों की कीमत की बात करें तो शुरूआत 1500 से और अंत ५०]000 तक भी है। औसत दाम 3 से 15 हजार है। सभी वस्तुओं की तरह इनके बिकने का भी एक खास मौसम होता है त्यौहारों पर। अप्रैल से जुलाई तक काम ठंडा रहता है।

जुलाई 2007 में ही बनारसी साड़ी को जीआई टैग मिल गया था इसके बावजूद भी जिस प्रकार से हो हल्ला मचा उस रफ्तार से काम नहीं हुआ। इस पर आजादी के पहले से स्थापित फराह साड़ी के मालिक अब्दुल से हुई बातचीत में उन्होंने बताया कि वैसे तो हम दक्षिण भारत] गुजरात] बाम्बे आदि जगहों पर माल भेजते हैंA चेन्नई की एक पार्टी के माध्यम से श्रीलंका और सिंगापुर भी माल जाता है लेकिन अभी इसका व्यापार और बढ़ाने की जरूरत है। उनके अनुसार उन्हें इस व्यपार में कभी कोई परेशानी नहीं हुई। वहीं मदनपुरा साड़ी डिलर एसोसिएसन के अध्यक्ष उमादू रहमान है इसमें लगभग 50 लोगों की सदस्यता है लेकिन सोचने वाली बात यह है कि आज तक इनके लिए कोई ऑफिस ही नहीं है जिसके इन्तजाम का प्रयास जारी है। पहले यह काम हो जाए उसके बाद ही इस व्यापार का कुछ और बेड़ा पार हो पाएगा। दूसरी तरफ बुनकर जमाल ने बताया कि दक्षिण वाले अगर इन साड़ियों को खरीदना बंद कर दे तो इसकी खपत बहुत कम हो जाएगी। हम एक सप्ताह में एक साड़ी तैयार कर पाते हैं। जिसकी मजदूरी ७&8 सौ ही मिलती है। तानी का काम करने में दो दिन लगता है। जिसकी मजदूरी नहीं दी जाती है। औसतन उन्हें 100 रुपये मिल जाते हैं । कहीं&कहीं तो 65 रुपये तक भी देते हैं। इस काम में हजारों की तादाद में मजदूर लगे हुए हैं।

सिर्फ इनका ही नहीं हर जगह मार मजदूरी पर ही पड़ती है जबकि यह जग जाहिर है कि इनके बिना काम नहीं हो सकता। सबसे ज्यादा मेहनत यही करते हैं। देखना यह है कि इनकी दशा कब ठीक होगी।

शाहपुर में शिक्षा का दीप मेनन

& स्वतंत्र मिश्र

दलित और पिछड़ों के बच्चों में वैज्ञानिक चेतना की नींव रखने में जुटे कृष्ण मेनन बड़ी ईमानदारी के साथ अपने काम में लगे हुए हैं। बिहार में जहां शिक्षा की स्थिति बहुत अच्छी नहीं हैA वहां उनका प्रयास कुछ परिवारों में शिक्षा की रोशनी जला रहा है।

ज्ञान&विज्ञान प्रसार न्यास की स्थापना मेनन ने अपने 17 साथी न्यासियों के साथ मिलकर 30 नवंबर 2002 में की। इस न्यास के तहत पटना से दक्षिण 8 किलोमीटर की दूरी पर शाहपुर गांव में नर्सरी से लेकर पांचवीं तक के बच्चों के लिए स्कूल 19 जनवरी 2003 से ही चलाया जा रहा है। इस स्कूल में आस&पास के गांव के लगभग 125 बच्चे पढ़ते हैं। इन बच्चों से हर महीने ३०&40 रुपये की फीस ली जाती है। आर्यभट्ट ज्ञान&विज्ञान विद्यालय एवं संस्कृति केन्द्र के बच्चों के लिए फी चुकाना कोई अनिवार्य नहीं है। यहां यूनिर्फाम भी बच्चों के इच्छा और उनके अभिभावकों के भरोसे ही छोड़ दिया गया है। यहां चार शिक्षक हैं। शिक्षक की योग्यता कम से कम स्नातक है। स्कूल के शुरू होने से लेकर पिछले कई सालों तक फंड के अभाव में कई बार बंद करने तक की नौबत आ गई थी। ऐसे मुसीबत के क्षणों में न्यासियों ने कई बार अपनी पूरी तनख्वाह या अपनी बचत में से निकाल कर स्कूल और न्यास को डूबने से बचाया है। अब स्कूल के पास कॉरप्स फंड एक लाख रुपये हैं। 5 कंप्यूटर] कई खेलों के साजो&सामान हैं। यहां के पुस्तकालय में छात्रों और शिक्षकों के काम की 1000 से भी ज्यादा किताबें हैं। बहुत शानदार एजुकेशन किट और बच्चों के मनोविज्ञान] सामाजिक चेतना और विज्ञान पर आधारित बहुत सारी फिल्मों की सीडी ओर डीवीडी भी हैं। हाल ही में न्यास ने एक बहुत अच्छा फिल्म प्रोजेक्टर भी खरीदा है। संस्थापक मेनन की योजना इससे बहुत आगे निकलने की है। वह अब स्कूल को दो पालियों में चलाना चाहते हैं। लेकिन सवाल उठता है कि उसके लिए फंड की व्यस्था कैसे हो पाएगीA इस सवाल के जवाब में वे कहते हैं कि हम लोगों ने पिछले आठ सालों के दौरान किसी सरकारी या गैर सरकारी संस्थानों से पैसे नहीं लिए है। लेकिन हमारी योलना के लिए कॉरप्स फंड के तौर पर 5 लाख रुपये की जरूरत होगी। इसके लिए हम दिल्ली के नगर निगम के स्कूलों में जाएंगें। प्रोजेक्टर पर फिल्म दिखाएंगें और उनसे मदद की अपील करेंगे। मुझे उम्मीद है कि हमारे मिशन को लोग समझेंगे और उसे पूरा करने में भरपूर सहयोग देते रहे हैं और देते रहेंगे।

न्यास ने पिछले दो सालों से साल में चार मेमोरियल व्याख्यान का आयोजन करना शुरू कर दिया है। ये चारों व्याख्यान वैज्ञानिक व दार्शनिक जेसी बोस] राहुल] डीडी कौशाम्बी और रामानुजम के नाम पर कराए जाते हैं। मेनन का कहना है कि इन व्याख्यान माला के माध्यम से देश के बहुत सारे बुद्धिजीवी समुदाय के लोगों का जुड़ना हो रहा है। न्यास को भरोसा है कि बुद्धिजीवी देश में कायम अंधेरगर्दी को कम करने के लिए इस तर्कसम्मत काम को जरूर आगे बढ़ाना चाहेंगे।

ब्‍लॉगिंग पर अंकुश, सरकार रहे निरंकुश

- अविनाश वाचस्‍पति

कहने छापने की मिली इंटरनेटीय आजादी से जन्‍मी ब्‍लॉगिंग और इससे आगे हिन्‍दी ब्‍लॉगिंग मन माफिक तरीके से विकास कर रही थी कि अचानक ब्‍लॉगिंग विधा का विकास यानी इसका सहज रूप से बिना लाग लपेट के सच सच कहना सरकार के नुमाइंदों को रास नहीं आया। फिर इसी ब्‍लॉगिंग के चलते, फायदे जो हुए सो हुए परंतु इससे देशों में क्रांति भी आई, सत्‍ता भी पलटी तो सत्‍तानशीनों में सुगबुगाहट शुरू हो गई। ऊपर से जो सुगबुगाहट दिखलाई दे रही थी। दरअसल वो भीतर से जापान का विनाशकारी भूकंप था। उससे बचाव के लिए सरकार ने ब्‍लॉगिंग पर अंकुश कसने की ख्‍वाहिश जाहिर कर दी। कहा तो यह गया है कि इसे सबसे सलाह करके बनाया गया है और इसमें अभी परिवर्तन किए जाने हैं। लेकिन इस बहानेबाजी से सरकार की मंशा प्रकट नहीं होगी, इस मुगालते में जी रहे हैं सरकार के नुमाइंदे।

दरअसल, यह कहना कि एक बिल्‍ली खिसियाए बिना ही खंबे को नोचने लग गई है, तो गलत न होगा। अब कौन बिल्‍ली है और कहां पर खंबा है, इसे साफ शब्‍दों में कहता हूं। जी हां, ब्‍लॉगिंग की दुनिया में यही होने जा रहा है। ब्‍लॉगिंग की यह दुनिया भारतीय है। जहां पर संपूर्ण लोकतंत्र और अभिव्‍यक्ति की स्‍वतंत्रता की दुहाई देते न सरकार थकती है और न सरकार के नुमाइंदे, पर भीतर ही भीतर पूरी तरह खौफजदा हैं। ऐसा भी नहीं है कि होली से ठीक पहले इसकी भनक लगी है तो इसे मक्‍खी की भनभन मानें।

सरकार बिना बीमारी के सिर्फ अंदेशे के बूते ही चिकित्‍सा करने को तैयार हो गई है। पोस्‍टों और टिप्‍पणियों में हम चाहे कितना ही शोर मचा लें, आपस में एक दूसरे के सिर फोड़ डालें, बिना किसी बात के एक दूसरे की टांगे खींचने या गला भींचने पर उतारू हो जायें। जरूरत न पड़ने पर भी टांग तोड़ डालने पर तैयार हो जाएं और शब्‍दों में घमासान ऐसा मचा दें कि विश्‍वयुद्ध का सा आभास होने लगे। तेरी टिप्‍पणियां मेरी पोस्‍ट मिलकर खूब गजब ढाएंगी, पर रेल पटरियों पर जाकर कब्‍जा करना जाटों के बस का ही है।

जहां जनता के नुमाइंदे सरकार से जन-कल्‍याण के लिए राशि लेकर उस पैसे का सदुपयोग वोटर को खरीदने में कर सकते हैं। सरकार की बेबसी पीएम भी स्‍वीकार चुके हैं। स्‍वीकारने का तरीका और माहौल दूसरा था। पर सब जगह मौसम होलियाना नहीं है। मालूम नहीं सरकार की आंखें चौंधिया रही हैं या बुद्धि भ्रष्‍ट हो गई है अथवा सरकार में बैठे दुष्‍टों को पता नहीं कि क्‍यों वे रुष्‍ट हैं जो ब्‍लॉगरों को कष्‍ट बांटने पर उतारूं हैं।

यकीन मानिए, ब्‍लॉगिंग पर अंकुश का शिकंजा असलियत बनने की तैयारी में है। ब्‍लॉगिंग मीडिया पांचवां खंबा है, इससे किसी को एतराज नहीं है और सरकार ने इस पर प्रतिबंध लगाने की बात करके इसके मजबूत खंबत्‍व को स्‍वीकारा ही है और वो बिल्‍ली की उस भूमिका में आ गई है जिसमें बिल्‍ली को लगता है कि उसके नाखून जरूर ही इस खंबे को ढहाने में सफल हो जायेंगे। जब बिल्‍ली सफल हो सकती तो दूसरे जानवर जैसे रंगा सियार, धूर्त लोमड़ी, काना बंदर और गिलहरी-चींटी के पर निकलते भी जरूर दिखलाई देंगे।

सरकार ने इंडियन ब्‍लॉगर्स कंट्रोल एक्‍ट के जरिए गैर व्‍यावहारिक लोगों द्वारा जो बदलाव सुझाए हैं, वे दूषित मानसिकता को दर्शाते हैं। जरूरत है कि इसमें ब्‍लॉगों से प्रतिनिधित्‍व लिया जाये लेकिन कुछ भी कर लिया जाये, अब भविष्‍य में इसके दुर्दिन आते दिखलाई दे रहे हैं। लगाम लगाने से जिस प्रकार कार्य करने का जोखिम बढ़ता है, इसी प्रकार उत्‍साह में भी बढ़ोतरी होती है। उसे करने वाले विशेष सुविधाओं और गौर करने के हकदार बन जाते हैं। जैसे सब जानते हैं कि आतंक फैलाना जुर्म है फिर भी आतंकी मिलते हैं, उन पर खूब फोकस किया जाता है। इसलिए प्रतिबंध लगाने से ब्‍लॉगरों की वो शिकायत तो दूर हो ही जायेगी कि उन्‍हें फोकस में नहीं रखा जा रहा है। वैसे यह भी विचाराधीन है कि सरकार कुछ नामचीन ब्‍लॉगरों को संसद की सदस्‍यता या ऐसा ही कोई प्रलोभन देने वाली है ताकि वे सरकार के प्रतिबंधों का विरोध न करें और इस कार्य में सहयोगी की भूमिका निभायें।

फिर आप देखिए, अगर लाल बत्‍ती क्रास करना मना है या सिगरेट पीना मना है तो जो आनंद कानून तोड़ने में मिलता है वो आनंद सामान्‍य ब्‍लॉगिंग में नहीं मिल सकता है। आनंद चाहिये तो कानून तोड़ना ही होगा। प्रतिबंध लगाने के बाद सिखाने वालों की डिमांड बढ़ सकती है। किसी क्षेत्र में विकास के लिए काले धन की संभावनाएं उपयोगी खाद बनती हैं। फिल्‍मों को ही लीजिए, क्रिकेट में देखिए – उन दिनों की कल्‍पना कीजिए जब पोस्‍ट या टिप्‍पणी पर सट्टा लगाया जाया करेगा तो ब्‍लॉगिंग एक नहीं दो नंबर का धंधा बन जाएगी और वो खूब चल निकलेगा, और किसी के रोके नहीं रूकेगा। मतलब दो नंबर का जुड़ाव इस पांचवें खंबे के साथ विकास के लिए निहायत ही जरूरी है।

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सुभाष गाताडे

मिल्टन फ्रीडमन का नाम नवक्लासिकीय अर्थशास्त्र के अग्रणियों में शुमार किया जाता है। अर्थव्यस्था में बाजार शक्तियों को खुली छूट देने की जिन नीतियों का इन दिनों बोलबाला है, उसके ‘जनकों’ में वह शुमार किए जाते हैं। पूंजीपतियों के इस लाडले विचारक के तमाम कदमों से हम असहमत हो सकते हैं, मगर एक मामले में उनकी साफगोई की दाद देनी पड़ेगी। अपने एक लम्बे आलेख में उन्होंने कार्पोट सामाजिक जिम्मेदारी के हिमायतियों का बहुत मजाक उड़ाया है, जो अरबों-खरबों कमाने वाली कंपनियों को अगाह करते रहते हैं कि उन्हें मुनाफे का हिस्सा अपने सामाजिक दायित्वों को निभाने के लिए देने चाहिए। वह साफ कहते हैं कि पूंजीपतियों की सामाजिक जिम्मेदारी है अधिकाधिक मुनाफा कमाना।

ऐसा नहीं होगा कि देश दुनिया की अर्थव्यवस्थाओं के नियंता बने कार्पोरेट मालिकान, जो अपने इस पथ प्रदर्शक के विचारों को सर आंखों पर लिए घूमते रहते हैं, वह उनके इस चर्चित आलेख से नावाकिफ होंगे। स्पष्ट है कि उनका यह मौन बेहद सूचक है, जो बताता है कि इस तारीके को अपनाने में उन्हें लाभ ही लाभ दिख रहा है। यह अकारण नहीं कि इन दिनों कार्पोरेट सामाजिक जिम्मेदारी की धूम है, जिसके लिए तमाम बड़े घराने अत्यधिक सक्रिय दिखते हैं। अमेरिका के अग्रणी पूंजीपति वारेन बुफेट और बिल गेट्स की भारत यात्रा के इस मौके पर उद्योगपतियों के अलग घरानों की तरफ से इस सिलसिले में किए जा रहे कदमों को रेखांकित किया जा रहा है। इनमें सबसे ताजा समाचार है जीएमआर ग्रुप की तरफ से दी गई 1,500 करोड़ रुपये से अधिक की धनराशि का।

बताया गया कि एनर्जी, इन्फ्रास्त्रचर , हाइवे, एअरपोर्ट के निर्माण में तेजी से आगे बढ़े इस ग्रुप के संस्थापक जीएमराव द्वारा अपने निजी आय से प्रस्तुत धनराशि का प्रबन्धन किया गया है। प्रस्तुत धनराशि जीएमआर वरालक्ष्मी फाउण्डेशन जो जीएमआर ग्रुप की ही कार्पोरेट सोशल रिस्पॉन्सिबिलिटी शाखा है, उसे दी जाएगी और समूह जिन इलाकों में सक्रिय है उसके इर्दगिर्द के समुदायों के जीवन की गुणवत्ता को सुधारने की कोशिश करना। यह फाउण्डेशन सेक्सन 25 अर्थात् नॉट फॉर प्राफिट कंपनी है, जिसका स्वतंत्र स्टाफ है, जिसका संचालन जीएमआर ग्रुप के चेयरमैन के हाथों में ही है। यह फाउण्डेशन शिक्षा, स्वास्थ्य, आरोग्य, स्वच्छता, सशक्तिकरण, जीवनयापन एवं समुदाय विकास के क्षेत्रों में सक्रिय है।

निश्चित ही अपने ही समुह की ‘कार्पोरेट सामाजिक जिम्मेदारी’ शाखा के तौर पर सेक्सन 25 के अन्तर्गत अलग कंपनी पंजीकृत कराने वालों में जीएमआर ग्रुप अलग नहीं कहा जा सकता। मालूम हो कि बिल गेट्स और उनकी पत्नी मेलिण्डा ने ‘गिल एण्ड मेलण्डा गेट्स फाउण्डेशन’ बनाया है और चैरिटी के लिए ली जाने वाली धनराशि इसी फाउण्डेशन के कामों में लगाते हैं, वहीं हाल अधिकतर पूंजीपतियों का है। बिल गेट्स के साथ भारत यात्रा पर आए वारन बुफेट को देखे तो - जो दुनिया के अग्रणी व्यक्तिगत पूंजीपतियों में से हैं - उन्होंने भी अपनी धनराशि या तो बुफेट फाउण्डेशन में लगाई है या उसका अधिकतर हिस्सा बिल एण्ड मेलिण्डा फाउण्डेशन के लिए दिया है। बड़े-बड़े पूंजीपति घराने इसी नीति के तहत चलते हैं। चैरिटी के नाम पर दिया जाने वाला पैसा अपने ही फाउण्डेशन में लगा देते हैं, जो उन इलाकों में सक्रिय रहता है जहां पर कंपनी अपनी इकाई खोल रही है या जहां पर उसकी उपस्थिति से स्थानीय आबादी पर नकारात्मक असर अधिक पड़ने की संभावना रहती है। ‘वाकिंग विथ काम्रेडस’ शीर्षक अपने चर्चित लेख में अरूंधति रॉय ने छतीसगढ़ की अकूत खनिज संपदा एवं प्राकृतिक संसाधनों पर नियंत्रण के लिए बेताब बड़ी-बड़ी कंपनियों की कार्पोरेट सोशल रिस्पॉन्सिबिलिटी नीतियों की चर्चा करते हुए बताया था कि किस तरह स्थानीय आबादी के जीवन में तबाही के नए मंजर रचने वाली कंपनियों ने वहां अदद स्कूल खोले हैं या कहीं क्लिनिक चलाती है।

अगर हम इस शब्द का इतिहास देखे तो वह बहुत पुराना नहीं हैं। साठ के दशक के उतर्रर्ध और सत्तर के दशक के शुरू में, जब कई सारी बहुदेशीय कंपनियां वजूद में आई, तभी यह शब्द आम इस्तेमाल में आया। इस विचार के हिमायती कहते हैं कि एक दूरगामी परिप्रेक्ष्य से काम करने पर कार्पेरेशन अधिक मुनाफा कमाते हैं, जबकि आलोचकों के मुताबिक सीएसआर उद्योगों के आर्थिक भूमिका से ध्यान बांटता है। यह भी कहा जाता है कि यह महज एक शिगूफा है या ताकतवर बहुदेशीय कंपनियों की निगरानी के लिए सरकारों की भूमिका को अप्रत्यक्ष तरीके से हथिया लेना है।

यूं तो कार्पोरेट सोशल रिस्पॉन्सिबिलिटी पर अमल करने के तरीके अस्तित्व में है, एक तरीका है वंचित समुदायों में सक्रिय स्थानीय संगठनों को वित्तीय सहायता प्रदान करना, दूसरा तरीका है इस रणनीति को कंपनी की बिजनेस रणनीति का ही अविभाज्य अंग बनाना, तीसरा तरीका है साझे मुल्य का निर्माण अर्थात् ‘ क्रेअटिंग शेअर्ड वैल्यू’। वैसे जो एप्रोच/तरीका अब अधिकाधिक स्वीकृत हो चला है वह है समुदाय आधारित विकास का तरीका। इसके अंतर्गत कंपनियां स्थानीय समुदायों के साथ उनकी बेहतरी के लिए खुद काम करती है, जिसमें स्कूल चलाना, व्यस्कों को कुशल बनाने के लिए केन्द्र चलाना, समुदायों के साथ व्यापार का नेटवर्क बनाने की कोशिश करना, एडस/एचआईवी के लिए शिक्षा कार्यक्रम चलाना आदि।

अगर कंपनियों को देखे तो उन्हें इसमें कई फायदे नजर आते हैं। एक फायदा नए कर्मचारियों को भर्ती करने या उन्हें कंपनी के साथ जोड़े रखने में दिखता है। एक साधारण कर्मचारी के लिए वह कंपनी ज्यादा अधिक जुड़ने लायक लग सकती है कि जहां पर इस जिम्मेदारी के तहत काम हो रहा हो। भरे बाजार में जहां कई प्रतिद्वंदी मौजूद है, वहां कंपनियां अपने लिए अनोखी पहचान भी तलाशने की कोशिश करती है, सीएसआर की रणनीति कंपनी की छाप छोड़ने के लिए काफी मुफीद रहती है।

कंपनियों द्वारा अपनाई जानेवाली यह रणनीति किस तरह उनके अपारदर्शी कामों पर परदा डाले रखती है या किस तरह बुनियादी प्रश्नों से जनता का ध्यान बांटती है, यह आसानी से देखा जा सकता है। उदाहरण के लिए एनडीटीवी की तरफ से विगत कुछ सालों से गांव में सोलर लैन्टर्न बांटने की योजना चल रही है। प्रचार कार्यक्रम में वह अपने दर्शकों का भी इस काम में सहयोग जुटाते हैं, जहां वह उन्हें बताते हैं कि अगर अपना सहयोग दे तो वह गांव का अंधेरा दूर कर सकते हैं। स्पष्ट है कि तमाम दर्शकों अपना आर्थिक सहायेग देते हैं। चंद गांव सोलर लैन्टर्न बांटने से यह बात दबी रह जाती है कि ग्रामीण इलाके अंधेरे में इसलिए है क्योंकि देश में बिजली का वितरण बेहद असमान है जो मुख्यतः शहरों या बड़े उद्योगों पर अधिक फोकस करता है।

हमारे अपने वक्त में सत्यम कंपनी रामालिंगा राजू द्वारा किया गया करोड़ो रुपये का गबन एक चर्चित मामला रहा है। सत्यम जैसी नामी कंपनी ने अपने खातों में हेरा फेरी की बात कर के साधारण निवेशकों के करोड़ो रुपये गबन कर लिए थे। सत्यत के मालिकानों को इस बात की चिंता नहीं थी कि उनके 53,000 मुलाजिम भले ही कल सड़क पर खदेड़ दिए जाए, लेकिन उनकी अपनी तिजोरी पर कैंची न लगे। उसी वक्त यह सवाल उठा था कि क्या रामालिंगा राजू जैसा एक अकेला शख्स इतने बड़े काण्ड को अंजाम दे सकता है, ताकि बाकी निदेशकों एवं कंपनी के संचालको को इस काम की हवा भी न लगे? कंपनियों की आडिट फर्मों को पता भी न चलें, निच्शित ही नहीं।

वैसे सत्यम की वेब साइट पर लम्बे समय तक कंपनी की उपलब्धी के तौर पर पश्चिमी जगत की तमाम कंपनियों या समूहों द्वारा मिले पुरस्कारों की सूची पेश की गई थी, जिसमें उसे कार्पोरेट सोशल रिस्पॉन्सिबिलिटी निभाने के लिए भी तमाम पुरस्कार मिलने का जिक्र था। रामालिंगा राजू की गिरफ्तारी के बाद भी उसे फक्र से यूं पेश किया जा रहा था गोया लोग इस बात के लिए माफ कर दे कि इतना अच्छा काम यदि किया है तो कुछ गलत काम की छुट मिल जाए।

कार्पोरेट सोशल रिस्पॉन्सिबिलिटी के हिमायतियों को पहले यह पूछा जाना चाहिए कि वह जवाबदेह तो बने, अपने कारोबार में पारदर्शी बनें। सभी जानते हैं कि बड़ी बड़ी कंपनियों जीरो टैक्स कंपनी या होती हैं अर्थात् सरकार के तमाम फायदे हासिल करने के बावजूद वह एक रुपये सरकारों का कर के तौर पर अदा नहीं करती। इस काम को कंपनी के बलेंसशीट को मैनेज करके अंजाम दिया जाता है, जिसे तैयार करने के लिए बड़ी बड़ी चार्टर्ड अकाउन्टेंट फर्मे लगी रहती है।

अगर जीरो टैक्स देनेवाली ऐसी कोई कंपनी चंद स्कूल किसी आदिवासी इलाके में चला दे तो क्या फर्क पड़ता है? पी साईनाथ के एक चर्चित आलेख के मुताबिक गेटस, बुफेट एण्ड द आर्ट ऑफ गिविंग, द हिन्दू, मार्च 12, 2011 देष के इन बिलियनपतियों की आय में अगर हम 10 फीसदी मुनाफे की बाम करें जो अपने आप में बहुत कम है तो वह राशि देश की जनता की स्वास्थ्य, उच्च शिक्षा, ग्रामीण रोजगार योजना और हैण्डलूम बजट को सालों साल पूरा करती रह सकती है।

Government proposes corporate houses’ dispose

SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

Will CSR go for a toss as the government dithers on making it mandatory for the industrial houses to set aside 2 per cent of earnings for social causes

Amitabh Shukla / New Delhi

The proposal of the government to corporate houses that they earmark at least two per cent of their earnings for Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has few takers amongst the captains of industry in the country.

Wipro Chairman Azim Premji, who has himself earmarked a substantial chunk of his personal wealth for charity, has come out strongly against the idea of formulating laws on mandatory spending by industry on CSR.

“I don't think you generate CSR by putting statutory requirements. I think there is enough social consciousness among the larger companies to drive it on the basis of what they consider their responsibility,” he said at a joint press conference in the Capital with philanthropists Bill Gates, Melinda Gates and Warren Buffett.

Premji was responding to a question on the government’s plan to make it mandatory for corporates to spend 2% of their average income of three years as part of the proposed Companies Bill. “My concern is that you get legislation...and a lot of abuse takes place from that legislation in terms of what you define as CSR and what you define as branding. I would be against it,” he added. The IT Czar, however, said that the government is welcome to issue such a proposal “as a guideline rather than as a mandate or rather than as legislation”.

Corporate houses have been opposing the proposed move to fix a threshold for CSR spending in the form of a mandatory legislation. Minister for Corporate Affairs Murli Deora had earlier said the government is willing to have a discussion on the matter with industry triggering comments by the industrial houses and prominent industrialists.

However, Buffett, who also addressed the press conference refused to comment on the issue. “I know nothing about this tax matter,” said Buffett, the multi-billionaire American philanthropist who is in the country to mobilize opinion and impress upon the industrialists to donate their earnings for charity.

Sources indicated that the government is unlikely to make it mandatory for the companies to spend on CSR. The new Companies Bill, which is on the Board for a while, is likely to make a mention asking companies to spend upto 2% of their net profits on CSR but may not make it legally binding. Interestingly, the Parliamentary Standing Committee, headed by former Finance Minister Yashwant Sinha, with which the Bill has been lying, wants CSR spending and philanthropic activity to be legally binding. The committee argued that companies which have a net worth of Rs 500 crore or more, or turnover of Rs 1,000 crore should set aside 2% of their average net profits for the last three financial years for CSR.

Several rounds of discussions have already been held with the corporate houses, industry associations and industrialists to find a way out. Industry bodies had earlier said that spending on CSR is critical but making it mandatory for firms may not result in best practices. They point out that several companies are already doing it and there was no need to bring in legislation for this purpose. Those against the legislation insist that making it a law would be tantamount to a new control and going back to the licence raj.

Ironically, the stand of the industrial houses comes at a time when the civil society groups have found that a large number of corporate houses do not spend anything on society from which they earn their mega millions. While some large houses indeed spend more than 2 percent on CSR, there are others who consider this spending an exercise in futility and want social entrepreneurship to create lasting wealth instead of earmarking an amount for specific work.

Even as the debate on CSR spending raged on American Warren Buffet who is traveling the world over to promote a culture of giving, arrived in India and asked the industrialists to come forward for charity.

The Berkshire Hathaway chairman and Microsoft’s Bill Gates, the two who who have routinely topped global rich lists for years, have been making efforts to encourage other billionaires to give to social causes.

Called “The Giving Pledge”, more than $125 billion from mostly American billionaires, have been pledged so far. Both Buffet and Gates themselves have pledged most of their own wealth to the Gates foundation. At a press conference later Thursday evening, the Gates and Buffett answered questions about the work of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and their mission to promote giving.

Buffett said he was enthused by the response he received from Indian entrepreneurs. “There was exceptional participation and candour. We certainly experienced great enthusiasm. What form it will take will be seen in days to come,” he added.

Those whom Buffett met in India included top industrialists from groups like the Tatas, Piramals, GMR, Godrej, Britannia Industries, Monnet Ispat and Energy, HSBC, HDFC, Bajaj Auto, Max India, Dabur amongst others. Except the GMR, no group has so far come out openly on pledging their wealth for social causes.

“There was a tremendous give-and-take in the session. It is clear that there is some great thing going on about philanthropy,” Gates said. He spoke of the country's history of philanthropy and its tradition in the country.

Asked whether any of the 70 rich people had pledged their wealth for good reasons, Buffett, said the experience was enthusiastic but a follow-up remained to be seen. “The U.S. receives 2 per cent of its Gross Domestic Product from philanthropy and we hope it would increase in the coming years. India will also see an increase in the number of givers. The people in the room were enthusiastic,” he added.

“We heard many people having made a lot of money in India and willing to give it back to society but were still looking for a way to do so,” Melinda Gates, co-founder of the Foundation said.

Azim Premji, founder of Azim Premji Foundation, said he was completely committed to supporting the larger ambition of catalysing social change to build a better society. ashukla.mail@gmail.com

रोशनी की भेंट चढ़ा बढ़ैयाखेड़ा

प्रशांत कुमार दुबे

यहां पर आज भी बिजली नहीं है, लोग इस बात से आस बांध रहे हैं कि खंभे तो आ गये हैं। पिछले 25 वर्षों में दूसरों को बिजली देने के कारण डूबे इन गांवों में आज भी अंधेरा है। यहां पर आजीविका का कोई साधन नहीं है, लोग पलायन पर जा रहे हैं। यदि मजदूरी पर जाना भी है तो लोगों को 20 रुपये पहले अपने खर्च करने पड़ते है, महिलाओं के पास तो पिछले 25 वर्षों से घर के काम के अलावा कोई काम ही नहीं हैं और यही कारण है कि यहां के नवयुवकों ने यहां से बाहर निकलने के लिए कलेक्टर को पत्र लिखा है। लोग इतने हताश है कि रछूछ कहते हैं कि सरकार ने हमें डूबा तो दिया है, अब बस एक परमाणु बम और छोड़ दे तो हमारी यहीं समाधि बन जाए। जरा सोचिए कि यह गांव तो डूबा ही इसलिए कि बांध बन जाए और उससे बिजली बने, सभी को रोशनी मिले। लेकिन दूसरे गांव तो इससे रोशन हो गए यह गांव आज भी रोशनी का इंतजार कर रहा है।

मध्यप्रदेश के जबलपुर जिले का बढ़ैयाखेड़ा गांव इसलिए विषिष्ट है क्योंकि इसके तीन ओर से रानी अवंती बरगी बांध का पानी भरा है और एक ओर है जंगल। यानी यह एक टापू है। एक ऐसा टापू जिससे जीवन की न्यूनतम आवश्यकता की पूर्ति के लिए भी कम से कम 10 किलोमीटर जाना होगा और वह भी नाव से। कोई सड़क नहीं है। पानी जो भरा है वहां पर। अगर किसी को दिल का दौरा भी पड़ जाए और यदि उसे जीना है तो उसे अपने दिल को कम से कम तीन घंटे तो धड़काना ही होगा, तब कहीं जाकर उसे बरगीनगर में न्यूनतम स्वास्थ्य सुविधा नसीब हो पाएगी और वो भी तत्काल किश्ती मिलने पर। सुसाइटी राशन दुकान से राशन लाना है तो भी किश्ती और हाट बाजार करना है तो भी किश्ती। यानी किश्ती के सहारे चल रहा है जीवन इनका। कहीं भी जाओ एक तरफ का 10 रुपया।

साहब, इंदिरा गांधी के कहने पर बसे थे जहां पर! तब आप ही बताओ देश का प्रधानमंत्री आपसे कहे कि उंची जगह पर बस जाओ, तो बताओ कि आप मानते कि नहीं। हमने हां में जवाब दिया जो उन्होंने कहा कि हमने भी तो यही किया। उनकी बात मान ली तो आज यहां पड़े हैं। इंदिरा जी बरगीनगर आई थी और उन्होंने खुद आम सभा में कहा था। श्रीमती गांधी ने यह भी कहा था कि सभी परिवारों को पांच-पांच ऐकड़ जमीन और एक-एक जन को नौकरी भी देंगे। अब वो तो गई ऊपरे और उनकी फोटो लटकी है, अब समझ में नहीं आए कि कौन से सवाल करें? का उनसे, का उनकी फोटो से? सरकार भी सरकार है, वोट लेवे की दान बारी तो भैया, दादा करती है और बाद में सब भूल जाते हैं। फिर थोड़ा रूक कर कहते है पंजा और फूल, सबई तो गए भूल। यह व्यथा है जबलपुर जिले की मगरधा पंचायत के बढ़ैयाखेड़ा गांव के माहू ढ़ीमर की, जो अपने आप को इस गांव का कोटवार मानते हैं।

दशरू/मिठ्ठू आदिवासी कहते हैं पहले अपनी खेती थी तो ठाठ से रहते थे। क्या नहीं था हमारे पास। मेरी 10 एकड़ जमीन थी, मकान था, महुए के 15 पेड़, आम के 2 पेड़, सागौन के 5 पेड़, 18 मवेषी थे। दो फसल लेते थे। जुवार, बाजरा, मक्का, तिली, कोदो, कुटकी, धान, सावा, उड़द, मूंग, रहर, अलसी, गेहूं, चना, सरसों, बटरा और सब्जी भाजी जैसी कई चीजें। नमक और गुड के अलावा कभी कुछ नहीं लिया बाजार से हमने। तेल तक अपना पिरवा लेते थे हम। अब इससे बड़ा दुर्भाग्य क्या होगा कि षिवरात्रि को पर भोले को चढ़ने वाली गेहूं की बाली भी दूसरे गांव से लाते हैं। पहले चना महुआ का तो भोजन था साहब। पर आज तो सुसाइटी से 20 किलो. लात है और आधो-दूधो (आधे पेट) खात है। उसमें भी आने-जाने के किश्ती से 20 रुपये लगते हैं और कहीं उस दिन दुकान नहीं खुली तो राम-राम।

इस गांव में चिट्ठी नहीं आती तो संदेश भिजाना हो तो क्या करें? नोकिया है न! हां, इस गांव में मोबाइल है। लेकिन जब इस गांव में बिजली नहीं तो फिर मोबाइल कैसे काम करेगा? मोबाइल को चार्ज कराने लोग जीरो टंकी जाते हैं, यानी 10 किलोमीटर दूर। एक बार की फुल चार्जिग का 10 रुपया। यहां पर नवयुवक चार्ज करा लाते हैं और सहेज कर रखते हैं एक सप्ताह के लिए। यह एक आपातकालीन व्यवस्था ही है संदेशे की।

ज्ञात हो कि रानी अंवती बाई परियोजना अंतर्गत नर्मदा नदी पर बने सबसे पहले विशाल बांध बरगी से मंडला, सिवनी एवं जबलपुर जिले के 162 गांव प्रभावित हुए हैं और जिनमें से 82 गांव पूर्णतः डूबे हुए हैं। सरकारी आकड़ो के मुताबिक लगभग 7000 विस्थापित परिवार हैं, इनमें से 43 प्रतिशत आदिवासी, 12 प्रतिशत दलित, 38 प्रतिशत पिछड़ी जाति एवं 7 प्रतिशत अन्य हैं। जबकि बरगी बांध विस्थापित एवं प्रभावित संघ की माने तो 10 से 12 हजार परिवार विस्थापित हैं। दशरू का बढ़ैयाखेड़ा भी जबलपुर जिले का पूर्ण डूब का गांव है। सरकारी आकड़ो के अनुसार इस गांव में 25 परिवार हैं परन्तु अब यहां पर 42 परिवार हैं।

माहू बताते हैं कि हमारे गांव का खेती की जमीन का रकबा 1600 एकड़ का था और अब तो चारों तरफ मैया ही मैया है यानी पानी ही पानी है। हमारे जंगल कहां गए? पानी की ओर इशारा करते हैं और कहते हैं कि यही नीचे ही है। हम तो वो दवाई भी भूल ही गए जो जंगल से मिलती थी। अपना इलाज खुद करना जानते हैं। पहले नीचे पांचवीं तक स्कूल था। हम 1986 में यहां आए और उसके बाद 10 साल यहां कोई स्कूल नहीं था। 1997 से यहां पर स्कूल बना, लेकिन इस 10 साल में तो हमारी ऐ पीढ़ी का भविष्य दांव पर लग गया? आंगनवाड़ी भी बहुत बाद में बनी वह भी न के बराबर ही है। कभी खुलती है तो कभी नहीं। आवागमन के साधन के आभाव में जननी सुरक्षा योजना का लाभ मिलने का प्रश्न गैर वाजिब ही था लेकिन लोगों से पूछा तो उन्होंने बताया कि हमारे यहां सभी प्रसव घरों में ही होते हैं और दाई के न होने के कारण स्थानीय महिलाएं ही कराती है। ऐसे में राष्ट्रीय मातृत्व सहायता योजना का नाम आता है तो इससे लाभ लेने का प्रतिशत भी शुन्य ही है।

सरकारी रिपोर्ट की माने तो विस्थापन के बाद से परिवारों का मुख्य व्यवसाय कृषि के स्थान पर मजदूरी रह गया है। कृषि, बांस के सामान, किराना, लुहारगिरी जैसे व्यवसायों में गिरावट आई है। जबकि मजदूरी, मत्स्याखेट, सब्जी भाजी, पषुपालन आदि में लोग संलग्न है। मजदूरी में अप्रत्याषित रूप से बढ़ोत्तरी हुई है। इसका असर इस गांव में भी देखने को मिलता है। इस गांव के 80 प्रतिशत लोग पलायन कर गए हैं। कोई जबलपुर में निर्माण मजदूरी कर रहा है तो कोई नरसिंहपुर में खेती की मजूरी करने गया है। इस गांव के नवयुवक अभी बाणसागर, खुडिया डेम में मछली मारने गए हैं। तीन से चार महीने मारेंगे। इस गांव में क्यों नहीं मारते है मछली? तो रछछू बरउआ बीच में ही बात काटते हुए कहते हैं कि यहां रहेंगे तो भूखे मर जाएंगे। एक तो मछली कम है दूसरा ठेकेदार रेट भी नहीं दे रहा है। 18 रुपया किलो बिकता है जबकि शहर में यह 10 गुना ज्यादा बिकती है। यानी हमें तो छैहर (मछली के ऊपर का छिलका) तक के पैसे नहीं मिल रहे हैं। जब की मेहनत पुरी हमारी।

इसी गांव के सुनील की उम्र 35 हो रही है लेकिन उसकी शादी नहीं हो रही है। लड़की वाले कहते हैं कि हम अपनी लड़की को यहां मरने के लिए क्यों छोड़े? और फिर हमारे पास है ही क्या? एक-दो साल और कोशिश कर लेते हैं , हो गया तो ठीक।

सरकार की तरफ से कोई परिवाहन की व्यवस्था नहीं की गई क्या? या सरकार से आप लोगों ने मांग नहीं की क्या? इस पर वो कहते हैं कि हमें तो अलग-अलग लोगों ने लूटा। पिछली साल कलेक्टर हरिरंजनराव आए थे और उन्होंने कहा था कि तीन किश्ती लाई जाएगी। फिर सभी हंसते हुए कहते है कि समिति तो बन गई थी पर राव साहब ही चले गए और आज तक नहीं आई किश्ती। यदि हम कलेक्टर की बातों में आ जाते और हमारे गांव की किश्ती नहीं हो तो हम तो यही मर जाते।

पूरे देश में रोजगार गांरटी की चर्चाएं जोरों पर है। इस गांव में भी लोगों के जॉब कार्ड तो है लेकिन यहां पर पिछले तीन सालों से कोरे पड़े वे व्यवस्था को और ‘काम के अधिकार’ को चिढ़ा रहे हैं। जब उनसे रोगायो की बात कही गई तो वो कहते हैं कि हां कार्ड तो है लेकिन चूंकि उन्हें काम नहीं मिला है, इसलिए वे पक्का नहीं कह सकते हैं कि यही जॉब कार्ड है। वे षिवराज सिंह की फोटो वाले तीन कार्ड भी लाते हैं। लेकिन अफसोस कार्ड तो सारे हैं पर सभी कोरे के कोरे। काम न मिलने की वजह यह है कि वैसे तो यह आबाद गांव है लेकिन सरकारी रिकार्ड में यह विरान गांव है। शोभेलाल कहते हैं कि हमें यह नहीं पता है कि पहले का राजस्व गांव बढ़ैयाखेड़ा, अभी फारेस्ट का है या इलीगेसन (इरीगेसन)  का है। इसी दुविधा के कारण आज भी लोगों के हाथ खाली हैं।