Is Molestation at Public places becoming a Daily Routine?

Discuss.
Introduction: Crime against women are increasing at an alarming rate in India. News of
molestation, rape, kidnap, sexual harassment are frequent now a days. Once in every 8 minutes a
molestation case is registered which exposes the vulnerability of women. In addition to the
emotional and mental stress, the girl is to cope up with social stress also, which, instead of
punishing the culprits attributes the behaviour or attire of the girl as responsible and crushes her
moral confidence. Although it may sound ridiculous but sometimes the girl has to hear that the
incident was simply a pure coincidence. Be it a bus or train, cinema hall or park, school or
college, day or night women of all age group are now victims of this daily humiliating gruesome
incidents. Recently two sisters fall prey to molesters in broad daylight on a public bus in Haryana
which went viral in media.
Magnitude: Molestation is annoying a person with an intent to injure. But in our society females
are subjected to male dominance from time immemorial. So molestation has become
synonymous to insulting and outraging the modesty of women in our society. Even a 6yr old girl
is not safe in her school today. Molestation victims from 6 to 60 establishes the rampant nature of
this cruelty. Hardly a day passes when a newspaper or television does not report such incidents.
Data from National Crime Records depicts very gloom picture:
Crime

No. of registered cases in No. of registered cases in

2012
2013

Assault on woman with intent to outrage 45351

modesty

70739

Insult to modesty of women

12589

9173

These are only the registered cases and given our social structure we can only imagine the actual
number of cases.
Recently an advertisement of a shower company created uproar by showing that bathing using
their products helps to minimise the emotional stress inflicted due to molestation. Molestation
has become so common that women feel lucky when a day passes without being subjected to this
atrocity.Even walking in broad daylight is not safe anymore. Recently uploaded Video of 10
hours of simply walking by a woman in New York and Delhi in Youtube depicts the magnitude
of this disturbing menace which is crippling the entire society. Safety and security of women
have been rendered a joke. Criminal acts against molestation exists in the Indian penal code like
section 354 and 509 which treats the offences as punishable .But police inaction and casual
approach of people towards the crimes have rendered the acts toothless.

Molesters: The miscreants are not from a particular age group or region or cast. Every male who
does not have proper education, lacks respect for women and decency treats women as
commodities. They derive satisfaction in treating the women as unequal and causing them
hardship. A 10year old boy found to be passing lewd comments and making obscene gestures is
not uncommon today. Bollywood movies depicting molestation as a brave act are to blame a lot
for this attitude. Relaxed and unconcerned public also allow the molester to continue his act.
Way forward: Molestation is against the fundamental right of a women because she is subjected
to gender discrimination and inequality. Our fundamental duties entrust us to respect women and
detest these deplorable crimes.But somehow we have deviated from the path and women had to
bear the burnt. In the wake of protecting a girl's right it is high time to address this
issue.Although education has been made a fundamental right but proper and valued education are
lacking which the government and administration need to take care of. Also the offenders should
not be allowed to go scot free. The laws should be strengthened. Non-bailable charges on
molestation should be enacted. Civil society has to be vigilant. When a girl is subjected to any
humiliation in a public place it is the public who have to come to the rescue of the sufferer.
Nonchalant approach has to be shunned away. Security provisions in public places has to be
tightened to book the rookies. Women had been silent long enough. Now they are fighting back
and are showing courage to report the incident which is encouraging. Women must be vocal to
curb this nuisance. Swachh Bharat campaign will remove the dirt from our physical world but
the need of the hour is also a campaign to clean up our mind. With proper media coverage,
family support and a vigilant civil society the growing problem of molestation has to be curbed.

Professional League Tournaments for budding players, boon

or curse.
On examining the title certain things can be made vivid .Professional leagues have gained
momentum in the recent times that almost every popular sport is forming leagues and gaining the
media attention. Popular celebrities being the owners of such franchise and the sponsors whose
commercial interest is well satisfied through the popularity.
The events that lead to these changes in the sports community was the poor performance of the
Indian men's cricket team in the 2007 world cup. Hence "Indian Cricket League" was formed by
cricketing legends to identify a fresh talent to the game. But this initiative, before serving its
purpose of creation was suppressed by a commercial banner "Indian Premier League" which
opened a cross road.
In a nation like India where cricket is an anthem Professional league for other sports like Indian
Badminton League, Indian Soccer League, Hockey India League, and Indian Tennis Premier
League are platforms indicating that a change has occurred in its perception and the
corresponding players will be mentored for their accomplishments. Having said that, these
leagues can be seen as a boon because these have increased the awareness of the game to the
nook and corner of the nation. Indigenous games like kabbadi is getting importance and it can be
an aspiration for many youngsters that apart from job opportunities the sport might give them an
identity in international sporting community for playing a game that they loved.
The other path of the professional league is rather crooked than smooth .The franchise which
hold the teams were much aligned to the individual interest and it is at their mercy that the
players can play in their team .Due to the issue of sponsors teams like Kerala Tuskers and Pune
Warriors have to move out, but again the future of the players contracted by them falls at the
mercy of other franchise.
Forms of corruption like betting, match fixing and Cases of molestation has always been in the
columns when the leagues commence their new season's .It will prove to be a curse to the game
if the player gets entangled in it and vice versa. Any individual in the country has to work hard
for achieving the place, in such a scenario how he\she can lose their credibility to corrupt
practices. The light shone by such practices through the leagues is deceiving and proves to be a
fatal curse on budding players
Little is remembered about the national game of the country and a league was formed only much
after cricket had its own. This it can be a curse to the budding players who aspire to represent
their national game.
Due to the commercialization of the league celebrity players are sought to promote the individual
interest of the sponsors, budding talents are given a chance and not an opportunity to shine.

International players are found in extent in these leagues but indigenous talents have gone in
shadow. This can be told a curse to the community.
Suppose the formation of league for cricket can be a light at the end of a tunnel but there are
many pits in it where the other leagues have to be careful to protect their players and the league
itself.
Conflict of interest is familiar term as many legends of the gentleman's game are caught for
promoting their personal interests through the game. These incidents always remind that nation's
premier institution has to be regulated.
As the popular saying goes "Too many cooks spoil the broth "Too many leagues can spoil the
sportsmanship unless until they continue to promote the lone purpose off their formation
"nurturing fresh talents". When institutions like planning commission are questioned for their
validity these leagues can also be brought under legislation to ensure the skills are nurtured for
the nation's cause rather than private individuals.

To Keep Ganga Clean the puja's should not be performed on

the bank of the river, do you agree? - Discuss
Pandit Jawaharalal Nehru, the first prime minister of India once quoted India as "melting pot", a
land that promises "unity in diversity". On examining the above we find it to be true. India being
declared as a secular country is a land filled with people of different religion, culture and
heritage. In a modern perspective, different culture brings about different ideology. A mind set
deep rooted in the masses following it. A culture "inherited" and not "learnt". A behaviour so
idealistic, that it sometimes takes toll on an unseen scale. In this case its our very own River
Ganga.
The Ganga; a river that stretches thousands of kilometres over the entire northern hemisphere of
the geographical India, a river that shelters various life forms is now a victim of the sole brutality
of our human race. No matter how much we consider ourselves evolved in terms of technology,
we fail miserably to understand nature in its true form. As a result the entire ecological system is
out of balance. So the question- to keep Ganga clean the puja's should not be performed on the
bank of the river, do I agree? Yes I do. Not just me, any responsible citizen would agree on the
same. River Ganga is the largest river in india with numerous tributaries. Ganga originates in the
Himalayas and spreads across the mainland, making every land it touches fertile, and rests in the
Bay of Bengal. Since Ganga is a water body, it finds itself as a major source of irrigation,
supporting large percentage of Indian agriculture. Its also a major source of fishery and adds to
the economic spectrum of our country. Dams are built in order to serve as partial-reservoir to
avoid the wrath of floods. Also is the only river mentioned time and again in every major Hindu
script. So its of vedic importance too.
Early Vedic Legends always mentioned about how holy Ganga always was from time
immemorial. People generally believe that if they bathe in the sacred river, they are bound to get
salvation in afterlife or may be they will end up in heaven directly after ones death, washed away
of all their sins. Their souls are cleansed and the "atma" becomes pure is the solid notion
embedded. Every Hindu, once, in their entire lifetime wishes to take a holy dip in the river.
Varanasi and Patna are among the many cities that host the 'kumbha-mela' and various other
pujas stretching over days. Thousands of people locals and tourists gather to witness the
spectacular view of these pujas. They take part by offering prayers and wishing goodwill to the
river. The most important aspect is the aftermath. The lasting ecological effects of these pujas .
where do these pujas and rituals leave our river?
A normal survey conducted by the ecologists in their reports mentioned devastating effects to the
water body. The amounts of organic wastes such as flowers, bangles, leaves, mud plates with
oils, carbon wicks, were in such huge amounts that their decomposition would take a long time.
Also people would build funeral pyres along the banks. The whole process is such that, a person

dies, soon after ones death the body is prepared for final rights by decorating it with flowers,
colours etc, then prayers are chanted through pujas and rituals and the body is set ablaze and
burnt. Even before the body is completely burnt ,its dumped into the river along with the pyre.
Another problem lures its sanctity when the adjacent placed industries treats the river like a
disposal ground. Tons of chemical wastes, non-biodegradable materials, reactant elements are
directly let into the river without treating it. In some other parts the cities sewage is also let into
it. The local people also use the river for recreational purposes. Washing clothes, bathing,
cleaning cattle etc is a common site along the river bed. All the above happens everyday. And it
never stops. Everyday the river is one side treated as divine, whereas its merely become a dump
yard for organic and inorganic effluents.
Various programmes are undertaken by the government from many decades. If some projects
cost millions the others would cost billions. Yet hardly Ganga manages to strike her name out
from the polluted list. Its such a pity! World bank sanctions billion rupees towards cleaning of
Ganga. Money goes unaccounted for and also Ganga is left where it used to be. PIL(public
interests litigations) filed against industries, and actions taken against them are all long forgotten.
Something must be done at least to save what is left of the river. Because it serves multiple
services its even regarded as a national river. Many NGOs have been put up breeding turtles to
atleast clean up the organic wastes to certain extant.
River Ganga or "the great Ganges" known to be a vital source to various aspects is indeed on a
verge of failing. Failing for its existence. Soon the river may just give up. Already aquatic life is
dying. People and animals consuming its water are prone to diseases like large scale cholera, skin
infections and fatal being death. Before its too late to undo the wrongs ,local masses need to be
educated. Awareness should be on the widespread. Propaganda should spread widely to protect
the river otherwise most of north India will be crippled without its major river.
Philosophers and thinkers say civilization changes on the brink of precipice. It makes us realise
who we are. Here it is, our big chance to save the Ganges by changing ourselves. A mind-set that
needs to be uprooted. The void filled with new morale.

Bringing back Black Money to India will increase the Indian

Revenue, but should the names be revealed?
The Narendra Modi Government's efforts to crack down black money abroad will have a
significant boost in the Indian economy. The Swiss Government have already extended necessary
support to the SIT on black money and is willing to work with NDA Government in power.
Infact, the names of some Indian individuals and entities have already come under the scanner of
the Swiss authorities during an ongoing exercise to identify real beneficiary owners of funds held
in various banks operating in Switzerland, a senior Swiss Government official has said. These
efforts by the Swiss Government will help the Indian Government to a great extent to weed out
corruption. In one of the latest report the Swiss banks have revealed that India has more money
stashed in Swiss banks than the combined other countries. According to a 'White Paper on Black
Money in India' report, published in May 2012, the Swiss National Bank estimates that the total
amount of deposits in all Swiss banks, at the end of 2010, by citizens of India were Rs 9295
crore or $2.1 billion. The Swiss Ministry of External Affairs has confirmed these figures upon
request for information by the Indian Ministry of External Affairs. However, media reports say
that the total amount of money parked in Swiss Banks is around Rs 1400 crore. Rs 9295 crore
deposited in all Swiss bank by Indians at the end of 2010, the black money or the unaccounted
illegal money may generate from activities like, illegal trade, smuggling, trafficking, terrorism,
counterfeit currency, corruption, arms trafficking, etc. Apart from these activities, illegal money
is also a part of dishonest industrialists, corrupt bureaucrat, scandalous politicians. The black
money is one of the major reason for foreign debt in India leading to high fiscal deficit. If the
unaccounted money is brought back, the entire foreign debt can be repaid in 24 hours. The
Government's revenue is severely affected to running of a parallel economy in the country. Tax
evasion deeply affects Government's revenue and if some reports are to be believed, the amount
of unaccounted money in India equals to 40 per cent of the GDP (gross domestic product). The
running of parallel economy in the country have also encouraged corruption which is deeplyrooted in Indian society. The NDA-Government's recent move to seek details from Swiss banks
will be one of one landmark step in eradicating corruption. Many hawala transactions operating
in the country also contribute to circulation of black money. The real per capita income of the
people and the national income of the country are shown as low due to these unaccounted
transactions. If all the black money circulating in the economy is flowed back into the national
economy of the country, there will a substantial rise in the real incomes of the people and the
national income of the country. The illegal money circulations also create inflationary pressure as

Government raises tax rate due to its expenses in order to balance the budget. Terrorism, drug
trafficking has been a menace for the Indian Government and the money used for such illegal
activities have also effected the Government's revenue. The Special Investigation Team (SIT) on
black money has sought details of all major cases of tax evasion and criminal financial fraud
being probed by various investigative agencies which are mandated to keep a check on
circulation of unaccounted wealth. According to PTI report, the SIT has recently asked for the
data in order to understand the trends and magnitude of the menace of black
money and generation of illegal Funds in the country, which is done through a variety of ways
like evasion of Taxes and duties, flouting of foreign exchange laws, creation of disproportionate
assets,
creation of 'benami' properties within the country and outside and laundering of wealth obtained
through illegal and corrupt means. Though we have certain institutions to check black money
like CBDT( Central Board of Direct Taxes), ED (Enforcement Directorate), Financial
Intelligence Unit, CBEC(Central Board of Excise and Custom), Central Economic Intelligence
Bureau(CEIB), we still lack proper legislation to check anti-national and illegal activities which
contribute to accounted wealth. Hawala system is one such thing through which money can be
easily siphoned away to different places without any inquiry. The Indian election process is one
of the major contributor to
black money with crores of wealth generated for campaigning for the candidates in the Lok
sabha and Assembly elections. A study by the Mumbai-based Centre for Monitoring Indian
Economics (CMIE) found in 2006 that each parliamentary poll generates between $10.19 billion
and $11.33 billion of black money. The Election Commission has also addressed these concerns
in the recently concluded Lok Sabha election. After last UPA Government failed to bring back
illegal money stashed abroad, the people have lot of expectations from the new NDA
Government in power to check black money which is severely affecting our GDP and overall
Indian economy. The Narendra Modi Government who
is already facing severe challenges of high inflation, low growth and high fiscal deficit will have
to strategically plan to bring back unaccounted wealth over a period of time. The Special
Investigation
Team (SIT) constituted by Indian Government have promised action if any illegality found. The
Government should aim to have transparent economic management system, which can only help
to root out the evil of black money and corruption from our society. Even though it may take a
period of time to eradicate circulation of illegal money but no doubt the Government's initiative
is welcomed.

India's Mission to Mars - Will it lead to a heightened

scientific temper of Indians.?
Since the beginning of mankind , the celestial objects in the sky had always been a matter of
curiosity for the people. Development in the field of astronomy began since 4th century BC with
views of astronomers regarding solar systems coming up . But the modern development in the
area have initiated only since 15th century with great contribution from Copernicus, Kepler,
Galileo, Newton and many other renowned scientists. Each such development had increased the
enthusiasm and scientific temper across the world.
Initially the reach to space was not viewed as a development for social benefit , but to answer the
curiosity . But with time the benefits of space communication was realised .The rich potential of
using satellites for communication , remote sensing, education, defence purpose and navigation
systems (GPS) has revived the interest of many.
The forerunners of Indian space mission realised this soon after independence and the efforts of
developing a robust Indian space mission began with the initiative efforts of Vikram Sarabhai by
establishing TERLS. In 1962, the Indian National Committee for Space Research (INCOSPAR)
was established .INCOSPAR was later on converted into ISRO ,which is headquartered at
Bangalore .
Last 50 years of Indian Space Mission have seen a lot of development ranging from first satellite
lauch to development of launch vehicles PSLV and GSLV and Chandrayaan mission .Success of
each such mission gave impetus to research and development in this field . The Mars Orbiter
Mission of India was the next step to establish India's technical competency in deep space
communication .MOM executed at the cost of around $73 million, much lower than $670 million
spent by NASA's in sending its MAVEN to Mars. With the success of this mission India has
entered in the elite club of countries like US, EU and Russia. But the entire world is still
contemplating over how India managed to send its satellite to mars with such meagre resource,
when the whole failed to do so in the first attempt . This very question has a lot to prove about
India's strength and potential. This achievement obviously has an impact on the morale of Indian
researchers, by giving them a feel that they are second to none in the world . With the successful

entry of Mars Orbiter into mars orbit , scientific temper of people across India has reached a new
level.
Today everyone have started to give a thinking to space technology . I talked to my brother
regarding the MOM recently , and his question was how to get into this sector . With many
people having little knowledge about space and astronomy and also lack of awareness and
guidance available ,the sector sees a meagre population interested in it . The proudness of being
world's first country to send its satellite into Mars orbit in its maiden attempt has raised the
interest and curiosity of Indian population in space research.
There is a much debate going on for space awareness in schools, so as to arouse the interest of
school going students in space sector. The present time is considered to be opportune for this
purpose.
Until recently when India had a number of failures in testing its space mission, there was much
debate going on for not wasting precious resource of the country in space technology , when we
have problems of poverty and unemployment existing in our country. But the successful efforts
of ISRO in launching different satellites for communication ,remote sensing , defence and
education purpose has given answer to all the questions raised against itself . India is no longer
dependent on foreign nations for above purposes .ISRO has also started exporting its satellite
launch service to nations like Canada, France, Germany, which helps it to generate revenue and
at the same time develop experience. This achievement of ISRO is one of the best in show casing
our capability to become self reliant in the significant sectors of economy (like defence,
electronics) where we are dependent on foreign nations . Obviously the success of MOM will
give a much needed inspiration and confidence to defence and electronics industry for
indigenising itself .
Lakhs of Indian students in countries like US , UK , Australia etc for higher studies shows the
increased interest of Indian students in high end research. The success of MOM at this time will
obviously give the confidence to government for investing in higher education and research in
India. The success has truely demonstrated the ability of Indian researches to reach heights, if
provided with proper facilities.
With this success lot of research is expected in all sectors of our economy with proper support
from the government ,so that in the years to come ,we could become the most advanced nation in
the world and prove our real worth and capability to the world.

The future of the Internet?

"Two- thirds of world's Internet users are from developing world. Globally, there are 4 billion
people not yet using the Internet and more than 90 % of them are from the developing world",
says the 2014 ICT facts and figures of International Telecommunications Union. Though
plausibly contradicting, the figures with Indian position are only positively astonishing. With a
population of 5,000,000 users in the year 2000, India has crossed over 195,248,950 internet users
by the end of 2013. Now, India is world's third largest internet user after the U.S and China.
Today, internet is an equitable necessary facility to all of its users available on reasonable rates
and ratios. Thus the future of Internet in India, though secured or not, is but only showing
tempting corroboration.
"Access" is the keyword of Internet usage, which is what with its users have found utility for.
Internet in India has opened easy access routes to vital service platforms including education,
commerce and information technology. However, to induce development of the nation, the
transactions via internet has to be suitably regulated with law. The rates of fraud, offences and
crime within internet activities are also alarming in India. Cyber law awareness as well is a
concern of lesser interest for internet users in India. Unlike in the conventional modes of data
communication & transaction, potential threats are more probable through internet. Most of the
existing safeguards under the current legal framework lack professional touch of expertise.
Electronic Commerce, Social networking and Data communication are three current hotspots of
internet utility in India. Electronic Commerce has brought speedy and cheaper services for a
consumer. The Information Technology Act, 2000 is the first and foremost Cyber law of India.
But the implications of Indian cyber laws over online transactions are lesser known to Indian
consumers. They are unaware as to how their rights are protected through these cyber laws. Like
the Consumer Protection Act, 1986, the law governing online transactions are also a must
education for a 'consumer' of online services. With such state of affairs, the status and legal
prospects for E-Commerce transactions in India is now swaying into uncertainty.

Social networking is a parallel plot for internet utility to E-Commerce in India. A report on social
media in India by the internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) and Indian Market
Research Bureau (IMRB) indicates that the number of social media users in urban India reached
62 million by December 2012. This rising internet corroboration is now easily possible with the
affordability of smart phones. True, technological advancement is the foremost factor which
sustains a developed nation. However, the channelization of internet utility is not utterly
productive in India due to technological enslavement. This requires change in attitude of the
users.
The legal regulation of Internet activities in India should be a concern of priority for the
Government. The I.T Act, 2000 is known for its lack of foundation as a beneficial piece of
legislation. Though it defines many concepts in one spine, modeled from the UNCTITRAL
Model Law on Electronic Commerce Transactions, it only pays little effort to encourage an
environment to make laws regulating E-Commerce or internet activities to be transparent and
effective. The Indian Contract Act, 1872, Indian Penal Code, 1860, The Consumer Protection
Act, 1986, Law on Intellectual property and taxation etc has to be read alone for a
comprehensive regulation of internet activities which makes the regulatory aspects scattered over
pieces of legislation. In its current form, the IT Act is almost inadequate to perform as a
comprehensive Cyber law of India. It is in the better interest of India that there be efforts to
fashion the IT Act into a substantive Cyber law and thereby leveling itself to its global
counterparts.
The difficulty to trace evidences and proving the genuineness of the same in courts has been a
hindrance to lower the cyber crime rates in India. The expertise in operating hardware and
software systems is also lacking in regulatory sectors. To overcome the hindrances, the need of
the hour would be a collective action from all of the stake holders so as to cut out an effective
techno-legal framework governing the productive internet activities.

Scrapping of the Planning Commission- Discuss

With the development of Constitution there were several constitutional bodies which established.
Constitutional body is one whose functions are mentioned in the Constitution, for any change in
their functionalities Constitutional amendment is required with special majority Eg, Finance
Commission. Such bodies are integral part of our Constitution.
Apart from these Constitutional bodies, a need was raised to make some non-constitutional
bodies, which can be easily modified as time and situation demands. One such body is Planning
Commission, under the chairmanship of Prime Minister. Planning commission was established in
1950 with the aim of mirroring the strategies and development ideas of government, for raising
the living standard of citizens in various aspects.
Relevance of Planning Commission
Planning Commission works in three stages: first drafting of plans, then implementation of those
plans, and the last one is to evaluate and analyze the impact of those plans. Till now 11 five year
plans have been executed with various goals. This is the time for 12th FYP (2012-2017). The aim
of 12th FYP is faster, more inclusive and sustainable growth. Five year plan provides time bound
execution of government policies, which makes it more productive. The importance of FYP can
be judged from historical evidences. It is being implemented since 1950, and no government has
ever dared to think of policy formulations without this commission. This has become an integral
part of Government functionaries.
Old wine in new bottle
The drafting approach for 12th FYP (2012-2017) is more or less plagiarized from its previous
versions. Its aim is faster, more inclusive and sustainable growth. The growth in the areas of
health, education, life expectancy, morality rate, employment, industrial development,
environmental issues etc. are parameters of faster, more inclusive and sustainable growth. These
areas have already played a significant role in previous FYPs. Government has given these

parameters, a place in previous plans. Hence the draft of 12th FYP can be considered as gist of
previous 11 five year plans in a new structure. The five year plans draft should also include new
areas as well, for eg corruption, female security, male security against false claims etc. It's a high
time for need of a new wine instead of old wine in new bottle.
Only thing Constant is, Change
Planning has its relevance at present scenario also, but not in the way as it was practiced many
years ago. It requires more critical thinking and strong analyses which can meet present
demands. Fifty years ago planning was necessary not only to achieve distributional objectives
but also to achieve a high rate of growth. That was the time of making foundation of our
existence. Indian planning follows socialistic economy approach. It's a high time for planning in
various new areas which people are demanding for. We should start thinking in new prospects
instead of following previous ones blind-folded. Change is continuum everywhere and at all
times. It is required whenever old system is not able to fulfill requirement as per expectations.
If not, Planning Commission, then what?
Now the question arises, if planning commission is scrapped then what will be the process of
planning and under which organization? It is being recognized that the new institution will be set
up on public-private partnerships (PPP model). The resources will be utilized optimally, state
governments will be directed and it will be a sort of organization that will make our federal
system stronger than ever.
Nutshell
It is evident that, for proper functioning of any governance, adequate planning is mandatory.
Planning is the first step of good governance. It is an ongoing process. India is a multicultural,
multi-ethical and multi-religious country. Experts believe that India needs an institution that can
define the strategies and provide a clear cut image of the country. Government must lay down a
strategy and formulate a path to tackle the fundamental problems of the country instead of
making five years plans.
Whether it is the Planning Commission or any other institution, objective should be to develop
India. It should be free from political interference. Instead of scrapping it, more professionals
and experts can be added and the Planning Commission must be freed from any political
influence.

Water Crisis and the Monsoon Factor in

India, Discuss the necessary measures.
India is largely a tropical country, with nearly two-thirds of its population eking out its meagre living
on agriculture. Agriculture's contribution in our economy is 13.9 per cent. Therefore one can infer
that our agriculture is a problem-silencer and problem-adder, the former because where the
employment is hidden by disguised employment and the latter because large amount of our workforce goes waste because of the dismal productivity. Discounting all these negativities, the fact of the
matter remains that ours is predominantly an agricultural economy. Farming community in India
derives its life-blood from the monsoon-dependent agriculture. People work hard, put in consistent
efforts but at the end of the day, the returns remain uncertain, and no less elusive. The primary
reason for the uncertainty is our uneven and uncertain water resources. Where large swathes of
land remain dry for large parts of the year, some months give farmers a big worry by floods and their
regular unseemliness.
Water-crisis in our country is an ever-pervading reality. Many a people die, directly and indirectly,
because of water deficiency, water depletion and water sufficiency but having become poison. With
increasing subsistence and use of water, it is no rocket-science to understand that a substantial
number of our north-Indian perennial rivers have either become dead, near-dead or heavily polluted.
The example of a dead river in recent times is Hindon river (Zero BOD) in western Uttar Pradesh,
Yamuna of Delhi is a near-dead river and our mighty Ganga, despite its large carrying capacity, is a
heavily-polluted river. The pollution of rivers has only made our worst fears come true and has
shattered our lives in general and of farmers in particular. The impact of pollution and subsequent
water crisis in Ganga on North-India can be measured from the sentence, "What is brain for human
machine, Ganga is for Northern plains. When brain is dead, the patient is brain-dead."

Water crisis in India is also deeply entrenched because of our mindless and historical over-reliance
on Monsoon, which comes at its own will and goes at its own, sometimes clicks and sometimes
strikes, sometimes earlier and sometimes delayed. Though, it is veritably true that Monsoon has
been the historical cornerstone of our agriculture but the absence, resulting out of reluctance of
subsequent regimes, of any concrete game plan to mitigate the effects of the gaps and inadequacies
in the monsoons has made Monsoon our weak point. Though there have been in place certain
measures like Rashtriya Kisan Vikas Yojana and other subsidies in place to help the farmers but the
zilch progress on setting the structure of the agriculture is the real grave problem. Present
government's scheme Rashtriya Krishi Sinchaaye Yojana for irrigation to agriculture is a step in the
right direction. Similarly "per drop more crop" is a positive step to ensure effective utilization of water.
Sprinkler irrigation on a country-wide scale can also help.
Since water-crisis has a direct impact on us all in general and poor agriculturists in particular, it is
imperative to keep the interests of the Indian farmers, largely having small landholdings, in mind, on
the forefront. There is a project named National River Linking Project (NRLP), a pet project of the
previous NDA government, which is being looked into a-new. From how it has been designed, one
can say that it may provide some kind of succour to the regions which experience a deficient rainfall
and no-temporary water crisis like Bundelkhand of UP and adjoining region of MP (where Sesame,
Arhar, Soyabean etc are grown), Vidharbha of Maharashtra (Where Cotton and Sugarcane are
Grown), arid and semi-arid regions of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh like Tumkur, Bellary, Anantpur
etc. It can be that our water unevenness gets somewhat solved by the project but the constraints
raised by different environmental and policy groups are a barrier yet in thinking of the project as a
panacea to every water-related problem that our country is confronted with.
Water-crisis is nowhere to go at least for the foreseeable future but it is within the realms of
possibility to strive and then usher in the energy to moderate its effects. Judicious use of the
resource, effective cycling and recycling of the used water and innovation in the water-delivery
systems for agriculture have the potential to make our water-woes much less painful, if not fully
painless.

Agricultural Techniques in India and the

condition of farmers, Comment.
INDIA has been known to be an Agrarian country since centuries. Her great physiography, climate,
latitude, etc. has led to the production of great varieties of food consumed.
Since ancient times, man has been practising agriculture and also other activities like the animal
husbandry, poultry, etc. but the difference here is that he carried out 'Shifting Cultivation' until when
the time came in that he learned to grow crops using different techniques on one same land only.
This is how stability came into their life.
Agriculture has also been one of the major reasons for the British, French, Dutch, and Portuguese to
come and settle down in India for years. But today the scenario has changed. Globalisation has
brought in some positive and also some negative change within society and the activities. On one
hand, the scope of agriculture has widened, while on other-its contribution to India's total national
income has come down.
Historically over 80% land is suitable for raising crops but over 15% out of it has been laid waste by
poor management practices. The frequent climatic changes taking place has caused damage and a
great loss to the farmers wherein committing suicide is found to be the best solution to this problem
for them. On the other side, some have found in new techniques and new varieties of crops as well.
Due to growing population there is more need for food and due to urbanization there is more
demand for land so producing more in less available and cultivable land is a great challenge.
Nowadays, Organic Farming, Vertical Farming, Multicrop Farming, Greenhouse Farming, Polytunnel
or Polyhouse Farming, Terrace Farming, etc. are practised on a large scale.

Organic farming is an agricultural form that relies on Crop Rotation, Green Manure, Compost,
Biological Pest Control and also Mechanical Cultivation. This helps to maintain soil quality and also
limits use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides. The growth of market for organic products since
1990, has led to the demand for organic farming.
Multi crop farming helps farmers to avail money from different types of crops and it also helps to
enhance the fertility of the soil. This almost gives farmers an opportunity for continuous income.
While green house farming not being a that very new concept, has been used in nurseries,
floriculture industry, etc. These farms help controlled and favourable environment for the crops to
grow in all seasons and also reduces consumption of irrigation water. Low- cost, medium- cost and
hi-tech green house are the different types of greenhouses found.
The Polyhouse or Polytunnel farming meaning cultivating crops under protected conditions has
advantages and also disadvantages. Whereas terrace farming is mostly carried out in city area. India
has thus been since years the largest producers of various agricultural products like Fresh Fruits,
Jute, Cotton, Rice, Wheat, Groundnuts, Tea, Coffee, etc. etc.
The major problems of farmers have been large families that is the land is fragmented into small
portions among the family members which reduces its productivity power and also less quantity gets
produced. Seeds, excess use of fertilizers and pesticides, lack of irrigation method i.e less
availability of proper water, lack of skills and mechanism, etc has also been reasons affecting
farming and the farmers. There are also few economic related problems like inadequate transport,
inadequate storage, scarcity of capital, agricultural marketing and much more.
The general stores selling every type of product are taking in all customers of the vendors selling
their produce in general markets. This can also be considered as a reason for less price to
agricultural produce sold in markets as compared to the price in malls or general stores.
For this scenario to be changed the farmers in India need to adopt new techniques, the government
needs to give a good price for the farmers produce. There's a need for giving employment to people
in an organised sector and also implementing properly the various policies planned and designed for
the betterment of farmers. The farmers should be given opportunity to contribute in the planning for
the policies for them as a person who has actual experience in this field can bring out better
solutions than the one who has just seen it.

Land Acquisition Bill: Discuss the Pros

and Cons.
Land acquisition is the first and foremost activity for any development. To achieve the GDP growth
rate in double digit, manufacturing, urbanization (Sustainable Smart Cities) and infrastructure
development is must. According to the World Bank group, in ease of doing business India ranks 142.
To make the process easy for Domestic as well as Foreign Investor, Modi Government is doing their
best. Land Acquisition is one of the hurdles to start any project in India.
In 2013, UPA Govt repealed the century old draconian Land Acquisition Act 1894 with " The Right to
Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013
". It made processes to acquire land so tough that it was neither fruitful to land owners nor to
Investors. So, Pro-development NDA Government has issued an ordinance in 2014 as both houses
were not in session. Now Govt has put Land Acquisition Bill 2015 in parliament for approval.
Pros of the Bill:
1. As Social Impact Assessment has been removed for 5 sectors, acquisition time will be less.
Project could be established early and it will lead to early growth.
2. Cost of the Project could also be reduced as for SIA a lot of amount has to be spent.
3. The Bill has included 13 more acts of Land acquisition for which there was no fixed criteria to
give compensation to the Land owners. Now, people will get proper compensation for their
Land.

4. The bill has taken the acquisition of land for private hospitals and private educational
institutions within its ambit. So, land owners will get proper compensation if their land will be
acquired.
5. The LARR Act, 2013 states that the Land Acquisition Act, 1894 will continue to apply in
certain cases, where an award has been made under the 1894 Act. However, if such an
award was made five years or more before the enactment of the LARR Act, 2013, and the
physical possession of land has not been taken or compensation has not been paid, the
LARR Act, 2013 will apply.
The Bill states that in calculating this time period, any period during which the proceedings of
acquisition were held up: (i) due to a stay order of a court, or (ii) a period specified in the
award of a Tribunal for taking possession, or (iii) any period where possession has been
taken but the compensation is lying deposited in a court or any account, will not be counted.
So, bill has removed the retrospective application. This is the good signal to the Investors.
6.
Cons of the Bill:
1. The bill has expanded the sectors where assessment and consent will not be required. For 5
sectors, consent clause has been removed. So the government or private individuals /
companies will no longer need mandatory 80% consent for land acquisition if it is acquired
for national security, defence, rural infrastructure including electrification, industrial corridors
& housing for poor and 70% consent for Public Private Partnership (PPP) projects where the
central government owns the land. Heart of the LARR'2013 Act was the time bound Social
Impact Assessment. By this, feasibility of the project was to be established. Since SIA clause
has been removed now. Project may get delayed after acquiring the land if affected people
are not willing to give their land. Govt will not be able to know social and economic impact of
the project.
2. The Bill has exempted the projects from the restrictions on the acquisition of irrigated multicropped land imposed by the LARR'2013. In near future all countries will face food security
problems owing to Global warming. So, proper use of the land is must.
3. As the bill states that the unutilised land will need to be returned to the Land owners after 5
years or any period specified at the time of setting up of the project against the 5 years
period specified in the LARR'2013. Private entities after acquiring the Land may specify
arbitrary period to return the unutilised land. Taking the current scenario we can see, much of
the acquired land is left unutilised. So, by giving this flexibility to Investors, land utilisation will
depend on their good will.

To make the dream "Make in India" come true of our Honourable Prime minister Sh.
Narendra Modi, some rationale changes in the LARR, 2013 are indeed. Hampering of the project by
agitation and protests after acquiring the Land gives bad image of India with respect to ease of doing
business, than delay in the project owing to SIA before acquiring the Land. With SIA, owners will
know the effects of the project. If it will be beneficial for them, they will give their land willingly. And if
not, without their assent, they may create agitation. So, it's better to assess the socioeconomic
impact prior to acquiring the Land.