CORRUPTION - A HINDERANCE TO INCLUSIVE GROWTH

THE laudable objective of inclusive growth set for the Eleventh Five Year Plan being currently implemented can be possibly achieved if the major obstacle in the distributive process is well identified and eradicated. It is a well recognised fact that the GDP growth rate in the post-globalised era has significantly enhanced due to the market transformation in terms of size and structure. But the growth dividends are concentrating in fewer hands and are not trickling down to the masses whose acute pains in terms of hunger and starvation can be better felt than quantified.
According to the recent observations of the UN, over 40 per cent Indians live on less than $1.25 (around Rs 60) per day and India now stands third in terms of proportions of extremely poor people in South Asia. The existence of one-third of the world’s hungry population in the second fastest growing nation seems to be highly paradoxical and makes our economic attainments suspect.
Evidently, growth in real terms is confined to a small proportion of the population and instead of flowing down, it is moving to foreign banks, where trillions of dollars are stacked with almost no hope of being brought back. It is a pointer to a poor and weak governing mechanism expressible in terms of inefficiency and ethical failures.
In 2005 former Chief Vigilance Commissioner N. Vittal pointed out that the root cause of poor governance lies in corruption. In fact, there is a reciprocal relationship between the two. In 2009 R. H. Tahilani, Chairman of Transparency International India, rightly observed that tremendous economic growth being witnessed in the country was not reaching the poor due to the single big reason of corruption. These views have been corroborated by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on different occasions while expressing his concern at corruption in government machinery being the main deterrent in transferring benefits of growth to the masses.
Corruption not only dilutes administrative efficiency but also results in the depletion of scarce national resources. The total loss to the public exchequer due to unethical practices in the form of corruption, scams and fraudulent allotments in 2010 was estimated to be Rs 4 lakh crore. Moreover, corruption in governance with its vertical and horizontal flows is multiplying and vitiating the total atmosphere within the country and destroying its external image. Transparency International’s 2010 survey ranked India at 87 among 178 nations and its Corruption Perception Index score has come down to 3.3 from 3.4 in 2009 and 3.5 in 2007.
Until and unless governance mechanism is freed from this malaise, the realisation of inclusive growth or poverty eradication would not seem to be feasible. UN General Secretary Kofi Annan observed in 2002 that good governance was the single most important factor in eradicating poverty and promoting development. Good policy has a meaning if it is effectively administered. With a weak administration the gains of even excellent policy are lost.
Good governance has two essential ingredients: efficiency and ethics. Efficiency without ethics may yield higher but exclusive growth. For making it participative governance needs to be fair and free from corruption. Unfortunately, a steep decline in our ethical standards with their origin in our governing mechanism is perceptible.
We have forgotten our rich heritage, which is certainly a source of honour and pride. In 1835 Lord Macaulay, while addressing the British Parliament, said: “I have travelled across the length and breadth of India and have not seen one person who is a beggar, who is a thief. Such wealth I have seen in this country, such high moral values, people of such calibre that I do not think we would ever conquer this country, unless we break the very backbone of this nation, which is her spiritual and cultural heritage”.
The downfall of our value system started during the British regime itself. This fact is evident from Winston Churchill’s statement that he made on the eve of Independence, “power will go in to the hands of … freebooters. All Indian leaders will be of low calibre and men of straw who will fight among themselves for power and will be lost in political squabbles”.
In 1947 after the attainment of Independence, the Prevention of Corruption Act was passed with a view to smoothening the task of rehabilitation and economic reconstruction. But despite powerful influence of the philosophical ideas of our great leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru and Vallabh Bhai Patel in the minds of the people, the country started coming speedily into the fold of corruption. According to the report of the Santham Committee submitted in 1964, the failure of integrity was not uncommon among the ministers and some of them had enriched themselves illegally. The country is viciously entrapped in the incessant ethical degradation and unfortunately is being considered one of the most corrupt countries of the world.
It is rightly observed by Vice President Hamid Ansari that the general thinking environment has become much polluted and honesty is considered incompatible with survival. In the Approach Paper of the Eleventh Five Year Plan (2007-12) it is clearly mentioned that “corruption is seen to be endemic in all spheres and this problem needs to be addressed immediately”.
There is no denying the fact that ethics in governance is an index of general ethical standards and practices prevailing in the country. There is a common saying that subjects follow the king (government) and if the king is sinful, then subjects will have no hesitation in committing sins. Here unethical practices in the private and public sectors as well as our daily dealings have become a routine. Everyday new scams and scandals, siphoning of funds from sanctioned projects and fictitious billing are destabilizing the economic system of the country. These do not allow growth benefits to be shared by the poor and marginalised sections of society whose status is no better than perishable goods purchased by the crafty leaders through their political managers at the time of elections.
The ambitious targets of high growth in quantitative terms are much needed and appreciable. But if the process of growth continues to be directed only towards top 300 millions and the others have to be simply consoled with catchy and innovative slogans that they have been listening since Independence, then the fault certainly lies with the mechanism of development.

Points to ponder Perpetual poverty in India despite an appreciable growth rate is due to a weak governing mechanism suffering from ethical failures India’s score on Transparency International’s corruption perception index, which was 3.5 in 2007, came down to3.3 in 2010. The total loss to the country’s public exchequer due to unethical practices in 2010 has been estimated to be Rs 4 lakh crore Scams, scandals, siphoning of public funds and fictitious billing have become routine affairs that hamper the trickle down of growth benefits to the poor. Need to set up Central Ethics Commission assisted by ethics committees in states and an Institute of Ethics to impart ethical training to those joining politics and administration. Fund allocations in Central and state budgets should be based on economic performance as well as the practice of ethical standards in the use of previous funds

It is abundantly clear that growth cannot be shared by all unless our top leadership sincerely and strictly observes certain ethical codes. High standards of honesty and service to the nation are to be set, followed and exhibited and not only to be vociferously pronounced with a view to misleading the hapless masses of the country who probably seem to have reconciled to the state of perpetual sufferings. In order to liberate our leaders from personal greed and long-term interest of their progeny towards whom they are solely committed, there is need for soul searching. This feeling must be rooted in the mind that others too have their share in the national wealth and they do have the right to live with grace and honour.
An autonomous body such as a Central Ethics Commission assisted by committees at the state level needs to be established to deal with the issue of unethical practices in governance so that the loss to the nation in terms of waste of resources and social discontent emerging from economic exclusion may be reduced as far as possible. It should be constantly involved in the ethical scrutiny of the policies at the stage of formulation and implementation. Simultaneously Institutes of Ethics at the central and state levels should be set up to impart training to those joining politics and administration. Central Ethics Commission, Institutes of Ethics and government organisations concerned must work in coordination.
If we genuinely want to lift those who are at the bottom of the pyramid then merely enhanced allocations of funds and motivated publicity are not enough. There is need to ensure that funds are not taken away by unscrupulous policy executors working at different levels. Towards this end, the setting up of a task force under the chairmanship of Nandan Nilkani of Unique Identification Authority of India for evaluating a method for direct transfer of subsidies to the targeted beneficiaries is highly commendable. It will certainly reduce the transaction cost in the distributive system. Bihar is committed to issuing UID numbers to the beneficiaries of various welfare schemes within three years. This is an appreciable step and must be followed by other states. The scale of corruption in governance can be significantly brought down if the product and service delivery mechanism is subjected to decentralisation.
During the execution of various development schemes and construction of infrastructure, potential beneficiaries should be involved for the sake of transparency and excellence. Even fund allocations among different regions in the Union Budget should be based on their respective integrity indices. There is need for a judicious review of the performance not only in terms of productivity but also ethical standards maintained in the utilisation of the funds sanctioned earlier. Some extra grant incentives can be linked with the time-bound and fair delivery of services to the public. For the realisation of the objective of sustainable inclusive growth, the sustainability of ethical values in governance is must

CANCER AND PUNJAB

Two members’ question on the number of cancer patients in Punjab and relief provided to them by the government had the state Assembly engrossed in a brief but meaningful debate on the subject, which prompted Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal to order a census of cancer patients and create a fund to be utilised for the treatment of the patients.
Interestingly, when the Chief Minister proposed that all members of the House, including ministers, should donate their one month salary for the special cancer fund, all legislators present in the House assented to it.
Ajit Inder Singh Mofar and Sukhpal Singh Khaira, both from the Congress, wanted to know from state Health Minister Laxmi Kanta Chawla a subdivision-wise break up of cancer patients and deaths due to this deadly disease in the state. They also wanted to know how many of these patients got complete treatment besides the total relief provided to them.
Chawla maintained that though there was no provision for the registration of cancer patients in the state, she had on her own asked the department to conduct a count of the total number of cancer patients and deaths caused due to it.
She said between 2001 and 2009, the total number of cancer patients detected in the rural areas numbered 23, 427, of which 16,730 died. At present, as many as 6,000 cancer patients were under treatment.
When Congress members insisted to know about the growing incidence in the Malwa belt, especially in the Mansa area to which Ajit Inder Singh Mofar belongs, and facilities being created there for the treatment of the poor cancer patients, Badal said doctors treating his wife abroad told him that cancer was one of the biggest killers in the US and as such blaming water or increasing toxicity of soil because of the use of peticides and fertilisers could not be the reason for the high incidence of cancer in the Malwa belt. Scientists were still trying to find the cause of cancer.
He agreed that the treatment of cancer was expensive. Setting up special diagnostic and treatment hospitals in Bathinda and Mohali besides creating a fund to provide fixed financial relief for the treatment of cancer patients were the immediate initiatives of his government, he said, adding that let there be a society that should govern these funds and disburse them in a free and fair manner to the needy patients.
He said though the Centre has asked for the registry of cancer patients through the PGI and a couple of government hospitals in the state, he had already ordered the Department of Health and Family Welfare to conduct a census of cancer patients in the state.
Khaira said deaths due to cancer in his constituency, Bholath, were high as every third or fourth person dying in the area was reported to be suffering from the disease. Both Khaira and Mofar wanted that big diagnostic and treatment centres were beyond the reach of the common man and as such, the state must take steps to ensure that they also get proper and timely treatment

Voicing concern about rising incidents of cancer in the entire southern region of Punjab during the Zero Hour, nominated member HK Dua requested Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad to take steps for setting up “a big cancer hospital” there so that patients do not have to travel all the way from Abohar to Bikaner for treatment.
Recounting the plight of patients who travel on the Train No. 339 every night from Abohar to Bikaner, the former Editor of The Tribune said the train had acquired the dubious distinction of “cancer train” because nearly 100 cancer patients travel by it from Punjab for diagnosis and treatment at the Acharya Tulsi Regional Cancer Treatment and Research Institute, Bikaner.
According to official figures, 2,875 cancer cases have been diagnosed in Bhatinda and 929 in Hoshiarpur.
Bhatinda showed a prevalence of 75 cases per lakh population whereas Hoshiarpur showed a prevalence of 46.47 per lakh population, the Health Minister told the Rajya Sabha yesterday after the issue was raised during the Question Hour. Apprising the House about a special programme under which Rs 100 crore would be spent for treatment of cancer patients in 100 districts, Azad also said that the government had released funds for development of Oncology wing in medical colleges in Faridkot, Amritsar and Patiala in Punjab to supplement the efforts to fight the disease.
“We have started a pilot project in 100 districts in which Rs 1 crore would be spent on chemotherapy in each district and it will cover a population of 15-20 crore,” Azad said, terming the effort a part of the recently-launched National Programme for Prevention and Control of Cancer, Diabetes, Cardiovascular Diseases and Stroke (NPCDCS).
The new programme envisages providing diagnostic services, basic surgery, chemotherapy and palliative care to cancer patients at 100 districts across 21 states during 2010-11 and 2011-12, Azad said, replying to the query on increased number of cancer patients in Bhatinda and Hoshiarpur districts.
The Health Minister said a high-level team comprising experts from the Indian Council of Medical Research and other reputed institutes had visited the region to look into the matter in September 2010 and recommended that a regional cancer centre be set up there along with a molecular genetics laboratory.
Some preliminary research has been carried out about the prevalence of widespread cancer in Southern Punjab, which is rich in agriculture, particularly, in growing cotton for the rest of the country. Research tends to suggest that pesticides and fertilizers that are being widely used and the consequent pollution of the water is leading to cancer in Southern Punjab.

PCS MAINS EXAM ........................?

NOW ITS QUITE CERTAIN THAT PCS MAINS EXAM WILL BE POSTPONED TILL JULY. AS HC HAS AGAIN POSTONED THE PROCEEDING OF THE CASE TILL JUNE 9.  IF VERDICT IS OUT ON JUNE 9  EVEN THEN IT WILL BE HERCULEAN TASK FOR PPSC TO CONDUCT EXAMS ON JUNE 24.  SO BEST OF LUCK FOR THE EXAMS IN LAST WEEK OF JULY.

Women Emancipation: A Feminist Perespective

Driving past a coffee place near my home yesterday I noticed a special invitation out for women customers, for International Women’s Day. At home, the newspaper had a full page advertisement with similar special offers on jewellery to mark the same day. And then, as I started to look around, I saw it everywhere – community centres celebrating the day with meetings on cookery or healthy eating for women, the Delhi government organizing large seminars on women, a newspaper hosting a ‘summit’ at a luxury hotel featuring women who had probably never held a women’s liberation banner in their hands… if you did not know better, you would think that somehow, International Women’s Day had finally got its due.
And yet, I wonder how many of the women who will attend high profile seminars, or cookery classes or special all-women sessions at the gym, actually know – or indeed care about - the history of this day. Or, how many of the companies that use the moment to market special products are even interested in the history they are drawing on. But today, a hundred years after this day began to be marked as being dedicated to women, it’s worth remembering that history, and reminding ourselves that many of the issues women raised then, are still alive today.
The early years of the twentieth century were years of considerable political activity across the world – including in India where women were active in the movement for liberation and had begun to set up a number of women’s organizations. But it was in the West that women’s day began to be first marked – after early demonstrations in the United States. One of the most significant of these was a 1908 demonstration in NewYork with over 15,000 women demanding voting rights, better pay and shorter working hours.
It wasn’t until two years later though, that at an international conference for working women in Copenhagen, Clara Zetkin, leader of the women’s office of the Social Democratic Party of Germany, mooted the idea of an international women’s day. She suggested that this should be an annual event, that women in different countries in the world should use this day to press for their demands. Her suggestion found widespread approval and the idea of International Women’s Day took root. Over time, the day would become one where women took stock, came together to celebrate, to lobby, to share their campaigns and politics. And in some countries it began to be marked as a holiday where women downed tools so to speak, and took the day off.
The day itself came to be fixed later – in the early years, it varied between February and March, and over time, the 8th of March began to be identified as the day for women the world over – kept alive as a political day, by activists and academics within women’s movements. Until, that is, it was taken over by the market.
In India, we’ve been celebrating International Women’s Day for many years. Marked by large rallies and marches in different towns and cities, over the years the day has taken on different aspects in different places. Many events – and they are not always celebratory – have become more local, with groups concentrating on issues that are particular to their areas. But also, in several places, seminars and discussions, festivals of film and theatre have replaced rallies, and discussions on the internet and in blogs have become an important arena for drawing attention to this day. Indeed everywhere women activists have ensured that the day, and its events, retain a political edge and do not lose their feminist moorings. This despite the fact that a day on which demands of various kinds were addressed by the State, has in some ways been taken over by the State to centrestage its ‘achievements’.
What’s most disturbing though is the way in which women’s day has turned into an opportunity to market different products. Today, the market uses this day to focus on those very things that feminists have long raised questions about – cosmetics, jewellery, decorative items for the home. All of these put together do little or nothing to help women win what they so desperately need, their full rights as citizens. Instead, they do everything to turn attention away from the real issues at stake.
So this women’s day, let’s mark the centenary of this important day not by going off to buy the next diamond necklace at a discount, but by remembering that a decade into the twenty first century, there still remains much to be done. There is no other country in the world where female fetuses are killed in the womb in such large numbers as India. None where the law punishes a woman if a complaint made by her against her husband, or in a case of sexual harassment, is judged to be false (and this can happen often in a country where the judiciary and police are so deeply anti-woman). None where rapists are routinely acquitted even if the rape is proved ‘because they have their whole lives before them’ – as if the woman’s life did not matter. None where the real face of poverty is still a woman: hungry, emaciated and worked to the bone, and yet resilient, strong and always ready for battle.
Today, international women’s day is on facebook, on twitter, there are websites dedicated to it, and soap and shampoo makers are furiously thinking up advertising campaigns that will draw on this day to sell their products. Perhaps it’s time for feminists to reclaim their day, to draw on its history, to remind themselves that even if much has been gained, there’s much still to do. It’s time to remind ourselves that we cannot afford to let up the pressure on the State and indeed on ourselves. It’s only when we see the results of this continued pressure, that the celebrations can begin. And one way of beginning them would be to do what our foremothers began with – to reassert the agenda of a social order where women are given their due in decision making!

Women Empowerment : A case study in context of Chandigarh

Chandigarh does not carry the baggage of tradition or history, it was tailor-cut to suit modern aspirations and has evolved differently from all other cities in the country. The city prides itself on its status as “one of the best cities to live in” with highest bank density, highest car ownership etc, despite the boom in migrant population over the last few years. The literacy rate in the city is at 81 per cent, yet the sex ratio stands at 777 females to 1000 males -the worst in the country. Why does this happen in a modern city?
In a city of pronounced prosperity and culture, are girls not treated at par with boys? The lack of logic behind this phenomenon will baffle sociologists. A city where girls and boys seem to be having fun, study, excel and work together, why is female foeticide so rampant? Sometimes, one feels that behind many of these big houses where status is measured in ‘kanals’ and the number of the sector one resides in, people are still living with mindsets of medieval male superiority such as:
n A girl does not carry forward the family name
n Her marriage can be a financial burden
n After marriage the family property will pass to her husband
n She can be a victim of dowry
n She is never safe from crimes against women
n Boy’s birth has higher social sanction
n The in-laws pressurize for pre-natal ultrasound scans etc
Are we truly educated and cultured? The irony is that many doctors/nurses are a party to this feudal mind-set despite higher education. If we believe in gender equality in our country, then statistically over 1 billion population of our country should have 528 million women, whereas we are at 496 million - where are the missing 32 million women? Some are never born and some die prematurely because they are not allowed to live, or, are not cared for to survive!
In our work with the Sarv Shiksha Abhiyan centers, medical check-ups are conducted on children from disadvantaged and economically underprivileged families in the age group of 6-14 years, and 80 per cent girls are found anaemic and malnourished. On the basis of this our recommendation for folic acid tablets has now been supplemented with the mid day meal being provided by the Administration. A study conducted on 3-6 year old children of 145 Anganwadis in the slum areas of Chandigarh revealed malnutrition rate of 60 per cent among girls was much more higher than the boys.
In a city of such developed infrastructure, is there a forum or platform for women to get together, network and form action groups to fight against the social ills against women? There are so many laws for prevention of crime against women but where is the awareness and the awakening, or the institutions which could spread this actively? A city becomes beautiful and cultured not by concrete and mortar or by organising musical soirees, but, by providing equal dignity to female gender. The city has a strong need for such a forum which corporates/NGOs could fulfill by providing legal and moral support to women especially those belonging to the economically weaker sections.
The working women in Chandigarh are aware and are much more empowered than her rural counterparts because they are financially independent. However, the urban woman of today finds herself stretched in different directions. From the clutches of dowry –which rested on the greed of the other, to the lure of the market, that brings greed and compromise to her own doorstep, seem to weaken her own stand. In the race for consumerism whether cosmetics, jewellery, garments or luxury goods, hyped on television and print media, many women of substance are losing their own identity. They seem to have lost the freedom of choice for the bonding of money and are being pulled into a typhoon of consumerism and greed. The confusion has resulted in an undue focus on personality and grooming at the cost of substance. Like Alice in Wonderland, many women seem to have lost their way in a market place.

Euthanasia

The Supreme Court’s rejection of the petition for mercy killing of Aruna Shanbaug, who has been in a “persistent vegetative state” for the past 37 years, comes as no surprise. There is no law to allow it. The surprise is that the apex court has permitted passive euthanasia under certain conditions supervised by a high court. The conditions require the high court to seek the opinion of three eminent doctors as well as listen to the government and close relatives of the terminally ill patient. Under passive euthanasia the life support system of a terminally ill patient is withdrawn, while under active euthanasia the patient is given a lethal injection by a doctor.
During the arguments Attorney General G.E Vahanvati had contended that the withdrawal of food to the victim “will be a cruel, inhuman and intolerant approach unknown and contrary to Indian laws”. Justices Markandey Katju and Gyan Sudha Misra weighed the possibility of misuse of euthanasia. Doctors and relatives could collude to grab the victim’s property. Hence, the involvement of a high court and the government. The court ruling may trigger a debate on the issue. Doctors here already practise euthanasia as often they discharge incurable patients to let them die at home and make space for other needy patients whose life could be saved. A law is yet to take note of such realties.
Euthanasia, also called assisted suicide, has been debated worldwide. Only a small number of countries permit it: Belgium, Holland, Luxembourg and Switzerland in Europe, Thailand in Asia and the two US states of Washington and Oregon. Australia and the UK have toyed with the idea but dropped it due to opposition from the beleivers. Pope John Paul II dubbed it “a crime that no human law can claim to legitimize”. However, support for mercy killing is growing, especially in Europe. Polls in the UK and France have shown up to 80 per cent support for a law to shorten life if illness is terminal and causes intolerable suffering.

India and France: Strategic Partners

A loyal and solid friendship unites France and India. The precious ties between our two countries, which we must maintain staunchly, were founded on a commonality of values based on an attachment shared by both our States to democracy, multilateralism and dialogue between civilisations, which requires a sustained policy of cultural exchanges.
The richness of this multi-faceted partnership is especially illustrated in the sector of sustainable development and transport.
This year, the joint efforts of both our States to render the G20 an efficient instrument of regulation and economic cooperation capable of rising to the challenges of the 21st century will be decisive. Monetary instability, economic imbalances, the volatility of the raw materials market, and developmental gaps with regard to infrastructure constitute the major challenges for the overhaul of the international economic system. Such was the purpose of the working visit, from December 4 to 7, 2010, of President Nicolas Sarkozy, who wished to respond to the invitation of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and conduct a series of intense discussions with him on bilateral, regional and international issues of common interest.
In this regard, I would like to stress on our common resolve to attain a thorough reform of the United Nations in order to make the Security Council more representative of the current international scene, France having also lent its support to India for obtaining the status of a permanent member of an expanded Security Council. Thus, our two States will be able to pursue dialogue and cooperation within multilateral bodies, be they on regional crises, terrorism, climate change, proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, or disarmament at the global level. This presidential visit was crowned by an Indo-French joint statement, dated December 6, 2010, which gives a fresh boost to the strategic partnership between our two States.
Further, this partnership approach covers challenges as essential as civil nuclear energy, counter-terrorism, and cooperation in the areas of security and defence as well as space. But France and India have also developed bilateral trade, be it for leased aircraft operation, satellite launch, recording biometric data, energy, all forms of transport or urban planning.
Our common ambition is illustrated at the institutional level with the implementation of joint working groups in charge of identifying good practices that will provide future economic cooperation with a solid foundation. But we must also offer all possible opportunities to help nurture a truly decentralised cooperation. In this regard, we must hail the first Indo-French seminars on decentralised cooperation, held in New Delhi from January 15 to 17, 2010, under the aegis of the Ministry of External and European Affairs and with the support of the French Ministry of Ecology, Sustainable Development, Transport and Housing, on the one hand, and the Indian Ministry of Urban Development, on the other, through their joint working group for urban development (founded in 2003). These seminars, which brought together 80 French representatives of self-governing bodies and an equal number of high-ranking local Indian officials, were a great success. New prospects of collaboration emerged on the themes of urban development and transport.
The next cooperation seminar between French and Indian states, regions and local self-governing bodies will be held in France in 2012. What a path we would run if we have the opportunity of welcoming a large Indian delegation on
this occasion!
I would, naturally, like to salute India’s economic vitality, which has witnessed a strong growth – an average of 6.5 per cent per annum between the fiscal years 1991 and 2010. Despite the global economic and financial crisis – which did not spare India – this country resisted well and posted a growth of 8.2 per cent in the fourth quarter.
This economic dynamism spurs a reflection on the crucial challenges of sustainable development, be it with regard to poverty alleviation, food security, or access to water. The fight against climate change is, obviously, a challenge of shared mobilisation between our two States. In this context, it is a pleasure to observe that the concept of sustainable mobility to which India subscribes will help develop types of transportation that reduce CO2 emissions, whether they concern public rail or eco-friendly modes of transport.
Further, India is undergoing a rapid urbanising process, a McKinsey report predicting a flow of 215 million new inhabitants towards Indian cities by 2025. India has been able to meet the challenge of accelerated urbanisation by launching an ambitious infrastructure programme. I believe that the French Development Agency (AFD) can be an important lever for financing these future expenses allied with the know-how and excellence of French companies established on Indian territory. Besides, France also possesses real expertise in innovative financial solutions, such as Public-Private Partnerships, which will constitute one of the highlights of this working visit – the first since that of the President of the French Republic.
Lastly, I believe that the Indo-French partnership is enriched by the development of economic and commercial exchanges, which must be further intensified. In this regard, I am pleased with the substantial investments made by French companies in India, be it the public service of water, construction material or rail transport, urban planning and housing.
This strategic partnership must be given a fresh boost so that the Indo-French friendship flourishes in all areas

J&K AND PEACE

The employment package offered by the Centre for Jammu and Kashmir is a welcome step to ensure that youngsters in the strife-torn Valley get engaged in productive activities. The package, aimed at creating at least one lakh jobs, is based on a comprehensive employment generation plan prepared by a group of experts headed by former RBI Governor C. Rangarajan. The Rangarajan panel was appointed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh along with four other groups on Kashmir in May 2006. The idea behind the job-generation plan obviously is that widespread unemployment is a major factor which has contributed to the loss of peace in the border state. Handling the issue of joblessness successfully can make it difficult for terrorist outfits to find new recruits to their destructive projects. Acute unemployment was one of the major factors that helped last summer’s turmoil to continue for four months following the killing of 17-year-old Tufail Ahmed allegedly in a firing incident involving the security forces. Those who indulged in stone throwing were mostly unemployed young men, who were paid by anti-national forces for what they did.
The Rangarajan panel has recommended not only the creation of jobs for the state’s youth, but also tapping of Jammu and Kashmir’s hydroelectric potential and transfer of the Dul Hasti power project to the state to enable it to minimise unemployment. These meaningful recommendations will require a massive infusion of funds, which must be arranged in the larger interest of the nation. It is necessary to increase economic activity in the state so that people have little interest in destructive programmes.
However, there are experts on Kashmir who believe that concentrating on the economic aspect of the Kashmir problem will help only to a limited extent. In their opinion, the political aspect also needs to be handled carefully and boldly. Separatists and mainstream parties have almost similar views on many issues like the withdrawal of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act, reduction of troops, allowing more trading activity between Jammu and Kashmir and the Pakistan-occupied areas of the state and promoting people-to-people contacts. That is all right. But no one can ignore the importance of increased economic activity for normalising the situation in the Valley.

CHILD MARRIAGE

THE practice of marrying girls off before they attain the legal age for marriage continues unabated, despite the growing outrage over child marriages in India. An indication of the fact that laws have failed to check marriages of minor girls comes with the latest UNICEF report. In a shocking disclosure, the report reveals that India has the eighth highest population of married adolescent girls in Asia and Africa. In fact, 30 per cent girls marry between the age of 15 and 18 years, and are thus deprived of their right to education and health. In Rajasthan, child marriages, often solemnised secretively, are widely prevalent.

While India boasts of demographic advantage in terms of its adolescent population, adolescents themselves continue to remain disadvantaged and often have to face sexual and physical exploitation. Early marriage also deprives them of the chance to blossom. As many minor girls become mothers, they are exposed to greater risks during pregnancy, and the risk of infant deaths too increases. While the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act 2006 has a provision for making the child marriage null and void, society and the law have to ensure that such marriages are not allowed in the first place. For, in a gender-biased society, nullification of a marriage will have its own repercussions detrimental to the fair sex.
While proposals like the compulsory registration of marriages and linking it with the issuance of ration cards and birth certificates can go a long way in curbing this social evil, institutions, especially panchayats, can play a positive role too, as sometimes they have done so in the past. If India has to reap dividends of its economic growth, it has to break the vicious cycle of poverty and undesirable social customs, which are deeply rooted in gender prejudices. For this both the law-enforcing agencies and society, including the NGOs, have to work in tandem. For the sake of both the present generation of young women and future children, marrying girls before they achieve adulthood must be prevented

CRUX OF BUDGET 2011

IT is a budget for the masses, not classes. It offers small giveaways here and there but takes care not to hurt anybody ahead of assembly elections. The 2010-11 Union Budget’s thrust is on the social sector in keeping with the UPA government’s goal of inclusive growth. It carries the stamp of Congress president Sonia Gandhi. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s reforms may have to wait. Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee is a pragmatic politician and he is best suited for building a consensus on controversial reforms like the goods and services tax (GST), diesel decontrol, labour law amendments, foreign investment in multi-brand retail, banking and PSU privatisation. The GST, when implemented, would have far-reaching consequences on the economy in terms of lowering taxes and raising revenue by curbing tax evasion and the spread of black money.
Benefits for classes are limited. The salaried class may be disappointed by a modest hike in the tax exemption limit but there is a major reason to cheer. Those having salary as the only income will not have to file returns any more. The Budget has reduced the age limit for senior citizens from 65 to 60 for being entitled to the tax exemption limit of Rs 2, 50,000, while for those above 80 a new tax exemption limit of Rs 5,00,000 has been created. Health check-ups in private hospitals will become more expensive. Domestic and foreign travel will cost more as also eating out in AC restaurants. This time the fair sex has got no special treatment. Those fond of branded clothes will feel the pinch. Aanganwari workers have a reason to rejoice as their pay has been justifiably doubled. Soldiers suffering 100 per cent disability in service will get Rs 9 lakh compensation on a par with security personnel fighting the Maoists.
In the clash between inflation and growth the Finance Minister has favoured the former, which is desirable both politically and morally since the fruits of growth are enjoyed by a small section. From March 2012 those living below the poverty line will start getting cash instead of subsidised fertilisers and fuel. Nandan Nilekani’s Adhaar scheme, when implemented, would make this possible. Sonia Gandhi’s favourite project, the National Food Security Bill, is on the table but Pranab Mukherjee has not given details of the fiscal impact of its implementation. Higher spending on education, health and infrastructure is welcome though it is still below the desirable levels.
To control inflation and achieve double-digit growth it has often been suggested that agriculture should be rejuvenated. The budget has increased credit flows to farmers by Rs 1lakh crore. Farmers who repay their loans in time will have to pay 3-4 per cent lower interest than the market rates. To step up production and productivity, the budget provides Rs 300 crore each for pulses, oilseeds, vegetables and nutri-cereals like millet and maize. Since 40 per cent of food items go waste in the absence of adequate storage and processing, the budget focusses on some such grey areas. Cold storage chains will get infrastructure status, which means cheaper credit. This may attract higher private investment and help eliminate bottlenecks in food supplies.
Industry had feared a rollback of tax benefits given in 2008 to help it cope with global slowdown. That has not happened. Instead the surcharge on domestic companies has been cut to 5 per cent from 7.5 per cent. The minimum alternate tax (MAT) has been slightly raised from 18 per cent to 18.5 per cent. The Sensex shot up after the budget but the gains were trimmed to 122 points by the close. Currently, business confidence is low as interest rates are hardening. The surge in global oil prices due to trouble in the Middle East has led to capital outflows. For foreign institutional investors (FIIs) a high fiscal deficit is also a matter of concern. The Finance Minister has sent a positive message by bringing down fiscal deficit to 5.1 per cent. FIIs, however, are skeptical about his claims of bringing fiscal deficit further down to 4.6 per cent and ensuring 9 per cent growth in a difficult year ahead. One positive is the government will resort to lower market borrowings and this will reduce pressure on money supply and subsequently on interest rates. High interest rates raise the cost of capital and hurt growth. All in all, given the constraints — political and global — it is hard to find much fault with the budget. Its goal of inclusive growth is right. The fiscal deficit may be under control but it is governance deficit which is becoming unmanageable. Elections are won not just by tall promises but by strong performance. Bihar has shown votes follow development.

Rural Unemployment- causes,consequences and cures

TODAY in terms of GDP growth, India seems to be doing better than most other countries and the government expects around 9 per cent growth in the next one year. But is this growth translating itself into rural jobs? Is it benefiting the common man? The story of “trickle down” did happen to a great extent in rural India and boosted rural incomes. Indeed, rural demand has boosted industrial demand in recent years, but there is a scarcity of jobs in the rural areas. And with 54 per cent of the population living in our villages, there is a huge pressure on land, creating an adverse land-man ratio, which means there is not enough work for young people in the farms.

lack of adequate work has created much restlessness among the youth in the villages who do not want to work in the fields and are lured by the news of the outside world through mobile phones, the satellite TV and Internet. Rural youth is aware of what is going on in the rest of India, especially the lavish lifestyles of people living in towns. It makes them want to migrate to towns and even undertake travel for hours in order to get paid jobs. The recent incident in which 18 disappointed young job-seekers died while travelling on the rooftop of a train, which was taking them back to their villages from the small town of Bareilly (Uttar Pradesh), is a glaring example of the kind of desperation the young people are facing. Even for menial jobs like cleaners, washermen, barbers and water-carriers in the Indo- Tibetan Border Police force, there were 100,000 applicants when there were only 416 jobs available. The remuneration was only Rs 5200 per month.This incident shows not only the desperation of the village youth to get jobs in towns but also their willingness to accept even the most menial jobs. Most of the applicants were semi-literate and school-dropouts, but they now consider themselves as literate and want jobs which would give them some wage-income and job security (that made public sector jobs like those in the Indo-Tibetan Border Police all the more alluring).

India will continue to have a youthful population of 500 million in the next 15 years as compared to other emerging economies. But this can turn the situation into a nightmare in which semi-skilled and semi-literate young population may not find a place in the job market as manufacturing and service sector jobs are growing very slowly.

There are also not enough food processing factories to employ the young people locally. The slowdown in manufacturing since December 2010 to 2.5 per cent is an indicator of the possible further slackness of industrial growth.

This is because all input prices have risen in the last few months. The rising oil prices will affect industry’s fuel cost. There have also been several hikes in the interest rates to combat inflation in the past one year which makes industrial expansion difficult to finance. Only with more factories in the rural areas can the unemployed youth coming out of the villages be absorbed in gainful employment. The situation is volatile today because food inflation has been running at a double-digit level for nearly two years and is enough to drive out people from rural areas to seek jobs in towns.

The unemployment rate is now around 10.1 per cent in the rural areas and 9.4 per cent across the nation, and this means that around 40 to 50 million youth are without jobs. Unless they are given proper training, and higher education, they will not be fit to join the service sector or the manufacturing sector. According to the Labour Bureau, most of the job growth in the manufacturing sector in the recent past has been slow and public sector jobs have not grown at all. Often to retain flexibility, companies have opted for high-tech which is also required to retain the competitive edge. Unless more labour-intensive industries are set up or labour-intensive processes are encouraged by government policy, the future will see very slow job expansion.

So, what will the young job-seekers in their twenties and thirties do when rural jobs are not available and what if they are turned down for the few openings as was seen in Bareilly recently? It will become a big problem in a few years unless they are engaged in studies and are given vocational training that will enable them to find jobs.

This task of educating and training the young entrants to the labour force cannot be left to the private sector alone and, therefore, the major task of the state governments would be to launch skill training programmes and ensure that all boys and girls finish at least their secondary education. It is perhaps not enough to have universal primary education as a goal because to implement it, there will have to be better schools with proper teaching facilities by teachers in classes so as to ensure that the dropout rate is low.

There is a big danger that the unemployed and disgruntled youth may join the Maoist movement or some other type of anti-social activity in the states that are poor and underdeveloped. To keep the youth gainfully employed in the villages, students should be encouraged to complete their education and training. There should be better implementation of Centrally-sponsored training programmes for rural youth, and for rural jobs labour-intensive factories in food processing could be set up. The youth can be trained to start their own small enterprises that can supply parts to factories in nearby towns. Making loans available from banks to youth for starting their business is also important.

Unless serious thought is given to the question of providing employment to the youth in the villages, widespread joblessness will remain like a bomb ticking away in our villages that may explode anytime.

Mid-day Scheme and Punjab

ONE of the most innovative schemes for schoolchildren has been the mid-day meal programme. The National Programme of Nutritional Support to Primary Education (NP-NSPE), as this scheme is now formally known as, had its origin in Tamil Nadu, but the Central Government adopted it and now the programme runs all over India. NP-NSPE has been successful in improving the nutritional status of children; encouraging poor children belonging to disadvantaged sections to attend school more regularly; and even in providing nutritional support to children of primary stage in drought-affected areas during summer vacations.

Schools in Punjab have been operating under various handicaps, including lack of teachers, insufficient infrastructure, absentee teachers, and now, this additional issue has come to light. Punjab receives food grains from the Centre under the National Nutritional Programme for the mid-day meal scheme. Less than required food grains have been allocated to government or aided schools because, according to some officials, they failed to provide the required data regarding students. On the other hand, school managements blame delay in disbursal of payments for the problem. No matter what the issue, it is the school students who are suffering. Immediate steps must be taken to sort out the issue and provide good nutritional food to them under the mid-day meal scheme. The success of the programme depends on its implementation, and it is here that various kinds of bureaucratic and practical hurdles rob schoolchildren of their right.
At a broader level, the mid-day mess is just another indication of low priority that education, especially school education, has in Punjab. Unfortunately, a vital sector like education receives short shrift at the hands of politicians, with disastrous results. The major share of responsibility of preparing young children to be productive citizens of our country falls on government schools. It is, indeed, a matter of concern that even this basic facility meant for the welfare of students does not reach them.

DRUG ABUSE- EFFECTS AND CURE

A WHO study has pointed to a sharp increase of infertility among Punjab’s males and attributed it to drug abuse, alcoholism and pesticides. Drug abuse is affecting not only the health of Punjab youth but also their chances of employment. The police and the armed forces used to attract well-built, tall youngsters from Punjab’s rural areas. Now, as media reports indicate, many fail to meet the minimum physical standards. During the recruitment of constables in Patiala last week there were 3,300 aspirants and more than half could not run even half the qualifying distance. Their height was not up to the required level.
Earlier, given the pathetic state of government educational institutions in the rural areas, youth lacked the basic skills needed for a job. Since educationally they could not compete with urban students, they were successful at least in jobs requiring physical strength. Now they all lag behind in health. Unemployment drives them to depression. This, in turn, forces them to take to drugs, which are easily available all over Punjab, thanks to a thriving nexus of politicians, policemen and drug peddlers. Media reports indicate that the number of drug addicts has risen sharply to 60-70 per cent of the population in the border districts of Amritsar, Gurdaspur and Ferozepur. The network is well known. Narcotics are available over the counter at chemist shops.
At least three steps are needed to tackle the drug menace. First, drug availability should be stopped by firm police action and political backing. Secondly, the government should spend more on sports and provide adequate facilities in every school and college instead of just holding big tournaments for NRIs. Punjabis are known for their excellence in games. Thirdly, awareness should be spread among rural youth about innovative agricultural practices and agri-businesses by providing cheaper credit and training. Poverty is a mother of various ills, including poor health. A healthy environment alone can produce healthy youth.

WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE TO REJUVENVATE ECONOMY OF PUNJAB?

the investment deficit worth several thousand crore suffered by the state because of its location along the Indo-Pak border and other reasons, economists say that available empirical evidence indicate that tabulated on the basis of investment and Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP), the state has lost an investment to the tune of Rs 9,497 crore per annum and Rs 25,000 crore per annum on the basis of the gap in the credit-deposit ratio since 1995-96 to 2008-09. It is a known fact that Punjab has the lowest investment-GSDP ratio among 14 major states in the country.
 monetary policy is not favourable to the state because of its low industrialisation. The state is facing serious deficiency in terms of national investment and foreign direct investment. Low credit-deposit ratio, lack of rail connectivity and high dependence on the road transport is among the issues, which have blocked the development of the state.
NEED IS TO HAVE A  special package to Punjab for 
the rejuvenation of research in agriculture sector,
up gradation of canal irrigation system,
recharging of sub-soil water,
rain harvesting,
 improvement in soil health,
crop insurance,
 integration of agri-production with industry for processing and value addition and improvement in ecosystem.
 Diversification in Punjab economy,
 development of rural non-farm sector, more rail connectivity,
 relieving of farmers from debt burden
and opening of Wagha and Hussainiwala border for trade with Pakistan and beyond are the other recommendations .

IMPORTANT EVENTS IN HISTORY OF PUNJAB

JAITO MORCHA, the name given to the Akali agitation for the restoration to his throne of Maharaja Ripudaman Singh ofNabha, a Sikh princely state in the Punjab. The Maharaja had strong pro-Akali sympathies and had overtly supported the Guru ka Bagh Morcha and donned a black turban as a mark of protest against the massacre of the reformists at Nankana Sahib. His contacts with the Indian nationalist leaders and involvement in popular causes had irked the Britishgovernment. On 9 July 1923, he was forced to abdicate in favour of his minor son, Partap Singh.


SIKH GURDWARAS ACT, 1925, legislation passed by thePunjab Legislative Council which marked the culmination of the struggle of the Sikh people from 1920-1925 to wrest control of their places of worship from the mab-ants or priests into whose hands they had passed during the eighteenth century when the Khalsa were driven from their homes to seek safety in remote hills and deserts. When they later established their sway in Punjab, the Sikhs rebuilt their shrines endowing them with large jagirs and estates.The management, however, remained with the priests, belonging mainly to the Udasi sect, who, after the advent of the British in 1849, began to consider the shrines and lands attached to them as their personal properties and to appropriating the income accruing from them to their private use. Some of them alienated or sold gurdwara properties at will.

PUNJABI SUBA MOVEMENT

PUNJABI SUBA MOVEMENT, a long drawn political agitation launched by the Sikhs demanding the creation of PunjabiSuba or Punjabi speaking state in the Punjab. At Independence it was commonly recognized that the Indian states then comprising the country did not have any rational or scientific basis. They were more the result of the exigencies of British conquest. To have some of these demographic imbalances corrected and inconvenient bulges expunged with a view to drawing up cleancut boundaries a commission was set up by Government of India in 1948.
READ MORE AT
http://www.thesikhencyclopedia.com/the-modern-history-of-sikhs-1947-present/punjabi-suba-movement/pdf.html

ANANDPUR SAHIB RESOLUTION

ANANDPUR SAHIB RESOLUTION, a frequently invoked document of modern Sikhism pronouncing its religious rule as well as its political goal. After having enjoyed power under chief ministers, Gurnam Singh and Parkash Singh Badal in the Punjab, newly demarcated in 1966, Sikhs as represented by their premier political party, the Shiromani Akali Dal, were able to capture only one seat at the elections to Indian Parliament (1971) from among the 13 which were Punjab`s portion. In the Punjab Assembly elections which took place in March 1972 their tally was a mere 24 seats out of a total of 117, and the Punjab Government passed into the hands of the Congress Party, with Giani Zail Singh (later, President ofIndia) as chief minister.


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http://www.thesikhencyclopedia.com/the-modern-history-of-sikhs-1947-present/anandpur-sahib-resolution/pdf.html

Increasing Attacks on Dalits - A sociological study based on Haryana

THE attack on the Dalits at Mirchpur (Hisar) and its repercussions require a deeper probe because these are a part of a larger socio-economic phenomenon.
These have to be first ascribed to the paradox of economic development and social regression that has emerged in Haryana during the past six decades due to continued emphasis on economic development and neglect of social development by successive political dispensations with the singular exception of the present government that had come to power in 2005. This has resulted in creating a cultural lag which, in turn, led to a social degeneration as reflected in the sporadic instances of conflict between the Jats and the Dalits at Mirchpur.
Secondly, they are the logical outcome of the impact of modernisation on the rural society of Haryana as a result of improved infrastructure, increased means of communication, growth of educational and technical institutions and the quantum jump in the number of telephones, mobiles, radios, transistors, TVs, VCDs and DVDs on the one hand and fabulous increase in the number of transport vehicles like scootys, scooters, motorcycles, jeeps and cars on the other. Consequently, while the educated Dalit youths have begun to question the authority of the traditional leadership from this peasant caste, the Jat youths have started to reassert their authority.
Thirdly, these should be seen as a result of the frustration among the jobless educated Jat youth. They do not perceive their unemployment as the cumulative effect of the diminishing number of government jobs due to liberalisation, privatisation and globalisation.
They also do not realise that it is the natural result of their non-employability on account of their lack of command in English, Information Technology and professional qualifications. They wrongly attribute it to reservation for the Scheduled Castes in government jobs. Their frustration finds expression in the clashes with vulnerable sections.
Fourthly, these trends may also be ascribed to the pauperisation of the peasantry in which the Jats constitute the largest group. This is attributed to the crises in agriculture due to large-scale creation of small and marginal landholdings due to rising population and breakdown of the joint family system. The problem has been aggravated owing to adverse terms of trade, untimely rains and drought.
As a result, farming has ceased to be a viable vocation. It has led to fears that sooner or later they will join the ranks of the landless agricultural and non-agricultural labourers from the Dalit community and shall lose their identity as zamindars or the land owners. This crisis of identity at times makes them to resort to aggression.
Finally, one should consider the neo-feudal and conservative culture of Haryana’s rural society. This has made a section of the Jats and other peasant castes difficult to tolerate the Dalits' attempts to have a share in the power structure of the state by taking advantage of the one-fifth quota given to them in the membership and chairpersonship of the Panchayati Raj institutions.
This leads us to the question: What can be done to check this menace? 
First, the liberal elements among the Haryanvi intellectuals, the media and progressive forces among the political parties should unitedly try to bring about a change in the mindset of the peasants and the Dalits.
Secondly, the government should sensitise the police force, democratise and decentralise the district administration to ensure an effective delivery of services for the development of the Scheduled Castes.
Thirdly, the focus of the Panchayati Raj institutions should be on preparing and implementing the plans of economic development and social justice as mandated under the 73rd Constitution Amendment Act (1992).
In fine, the Haryana government should take concrete steps to resolve the agrarian crises and create self-employment opportunities for the unemployed educated youth from the peasant castes. Let us hope that the government's recent steps in this direction will make a difference. These measures will have to be implemented effectively. Otherwise, the frustration and the identity crises among them will continue to reflect itself in the form of conflicts with Dalits and the agitations like the one at Jind.

CENSUS -2011- FACTS

Area : Area of India : 3,287,240 Sq km.*

Largest State Rajasthan 342,239 Sq km Smallest State Goa 3,702 Sq km Largest Union Territory Andaman & Nicobar Islands 8,249 Sq km Smallest Union Territory Lakshadweep 32 Sq km Largest District Kachchh (Gujarat) 45,652 Sq km Smallest District Mahe ( Pondicherry ) 9 Sq km * The area figure exclude 78,114 sq. km. under the illegal occupation of Pakistan, 5,180 sq. km. Illegally handed over by Pakistan to China and 37,555 sq.km. under the illegal occupation of China in Ladakh district. Administrative Divisions : No. of States 28 No. of Union Territories 7 No. of Districts 593 No. of Sub-districts 5,463 No. of CD Blocks 3,799 No. of Urban Agglomerations / Towns 4,378 No. of Urban Agglomerations 384 No. of Towns 5,161 No. of Inhabited Villages 593,731 No. of Uninhabited Villages 44,656 Population : Persons 1,028,737,436 Males 532,223,090 Females 496,514,346 Highest / Lowest Population :  State with Highest Population Uttar Pradesh 166,197,921  State with Lowest Population Sikkim 540,851  UT with Highest Population Delhi 13,850,507  UT with Lowest Population Lakshadweep 60,650  District with Highest Population Medinipur (West Bengal) 9,610,788   District with Lowest Population Yanam (Pondicherry) 31,394 Note: @ The total population and rural population include estimated population of 127,108 for Mao Maram, Paomata and Purul sub-divisions of Senapati district of Manipur. India’s population without the estimated population of these areas is 1,028,610,328 (532,156,772 males and 496,453,556 females) Note : - Includes estimated population of Paomata, Mao Maram and Purul Sub-division of Senapati district of Manipur. Institutional and Houseless Population   Percentage to   Persons Total Population (%) Houseless Population Total 1,943,766 1.00   Rural 1,165,167 0.85   Urban 778,599 1.39 Institutional Population Total 7,802,866 4.03   Rural 4,044,152 2.94   Urban 3,758,714 6.73 Population Density   Persons / Sq. Km   India 325 State with Highest Population Density West Bengal 903 State with Lowest Population Density Arunachal Pradesh 13 UT with Highest Population Density Delhi 9,340 UT with Lowest Population Density Andaman & Nicobar Islands 43 District with Highest Population Density North East (Delhi) 29,468 District with Lowest Population Density Lahul & Spiti (Himachal Pradesh) 2 Rural - Urban Distribution Population (%) Rural 742,490,639 72.2% Urban 286,119,689 27.8% State with highest proportion of Urban Population Goa   49.76 State with lowest proportion of Urban Population Himachal Pradesh   9.30 UT with highest proportion of Urban Population Delhi   93.18 UT with lowest proportion of Urban Population Dadra & Nagar Haveli   22.89 Sex ratio (females per thousand males)   India 933   Rural 946   Urban 900 State with Highest Female Sex Ratio Kerala 1,058 State with Lowest Female Sex Ratio Haryana 861 UT with Highest Female Sex Ratio Pondicherry 1,001 UT with Lowest Female Sex Ratio Daman & Diu 710 District with Highest Female Sex Ratio Mahe (Pondicherry) 1,147 District with Lowest Female Sex Ratio Daman (Daman & Diu) 591 Age Groups Persons Males Females 6 years and below 163,819,614 84,999,203 78,820,411 Proportion to total population (%) 15.9 16.0 15.9 7 to 14 years 199,791,198 104,488,119 95,303,079 Proportion to total population (%) 19.4 19.6 19.2 15 to 59 years 585,638,723 303,400,561 282,238,162 Proportion to total population (%) 56.9 57.0 56.9 60 years and above 76,622,321 37,768,327 38,853,994 Proportion to total population (%) 7.5 7.1 7.8 Age Not Stated 2,738,472 1,500,562 1,237,910 Proportion to total population (%) 0.3 0.3 0.3 Variation in population since 1901 Year Total Rural Urban 1901 238,396,327 212,544,454 25,851,873 1911 252,093,390 226,151,757 25,941,633 1921 251,321,213 223,235,043 28,086,170 1931 278,977,238 245,521,249 33,455,989 1941 318,660,580 274,507,283 44,153,297 1951 361,088,090 298,644,381 62,443,709 1961 439,234,771 360,298,168 78,936,603 1971 548,159,652 439,045,675 109,113,977 1981 683,329,097 523,866,550 159,462,547 1991 846,302,688 628,691,676 217,611,012 2001* 1,028,737,436 742,490,639 286,119,689 Note: * The total population and rural population include estimated population of 127,108 for Mao Maram, Paomata and Purul sub-divisions of Senapati district of Manipur. India’s population without the estimated population of these areas is 1,028,610,328 (532,156,772 males and 496,453,556 females) Number of Literates & Literacy Rate       Persons   Males   Females  Total No. of literates 560,687,797 336,533,716 224,154,081   Literacy rate 64.8% 75.3% 53.7%  Rural No. of literates   361,870,817  223,551,641 138,319,176   Literacy rate   58.7%  70.7%   46.1%  Urban No. of literates 198,816,980 112,982,075 85,834,905   Literacy rate 79.9% 86.3% 72.9%   Persons (%) Males (%) Females (%)  State with Highest Literacy Rate   Kerala (90.9)   Kerala (94.2)   Kerala (87.7)  State with Lowest Literacy Rate   Bihar (47.0)   Bihar (59.7)   Bihar (33.1)  UT with Highest Literacy Rate   Lakshadweep (86.7)   Lakshadweep (92.5)   Lakshadweep (80.5)  UT with Lowest Literacy Rate   Dadra & Nagar Haveli (57.6)   Dadra & Nagar Haveli (71.2)   Dadra & Nagar Haveli (40.2)  District with Highest Literacy Rate   Aizwal, Mizoram   (96.5)   Mahe, Pondicherry (97.6)   Aizwal, Mizoram  (96.26)  District with Lowest Literacy Rate   Dantewada Chhattisgarh (30.17)   Dantewada Chhattisgarh (39.75)   Shrawasti UP (7.7) Number of Districts by Sex-wise Literacy Rate :  Literacy Rate   Males   Females  Up to 25.00 % -- 18  25.01 % to 50.00 % 22 243  50.01% to 75.00 % 244 287  Above 75 % 327 45  Total : 593 593 Work Participation Rate : Total Workers Number Rate (%) Persons 402,234,724 39.1 Males 275,014,476 51.7 Females 127,220,248 25.6 Main Workers Persons 313,004,983 30.4 Males 240,147,813 45.1 Females 72,857,170 14.7 Marginal Workers Persons 89,229,741 8.7 Males 34,866,663 6.6 Females 54,363,078 11

Religious Composition			Population *	(%)
Hindus			827,578,868	80.5
Muslims			138,188,240	13.4
Christians			24,080,016	2.3
Sikhs			19,215,730	1.9
Buddhists			7,955,207	0.8
Jains			4,225,053	0.4
Other Religions & Persuasions			6,639,626	0.6
Religion not stated			727,588	0.1
Total *			1,028,610,328	100.0

Scheduled Castes & Scheduled Tribes Population:

Scheduled Castes & Scheduled Tribes Population Scheduled Castes : 166,635,700 16.2% Scheduled Tribes : 84,326,240 8.2% Scheduled Castes State with highest proportion of Scheduled Castes Punjab ( 28.9 %) State with lowest proportion of Scheduled Castes Mizoram ( 0.03 %) UT with highest proportion of Scheduled Castes Chandigarh (17.5%) UT with lowest proportion of Scheduled Castes D & N Haveli (1.9% ) District with highest proportion of Scheduled Castes Koch-Bihar (50.1%) District with lowest proportion of Scheduled Castes Lawngtlai Mizoram (0.01%) Scheduled Tribes State with highest proportion of Scheduled Tribes Mizoram ( 94.5 % ) State with lowest proportion of Scheduled Tribes Goa (0.04 %) UT with highest proportion of Scheduled Tribes Lakshadweep (94.5 %) UT with lowest proportion of Scheduled Tribes A & N Islands (8.3 %) District with highest proportion of Scheduled Tribes Sarchhip, Mizoram ( 98.1%) District with lowest proportion of Scheduled Tribes Hathras, Uttar Pradesh (0.01%)