Gujarat Touches 6.03 Crores..mark in Census 2011

On 31st March 2011, Finally on dot the Census provisional results are out for the nation. The Country has exceeded 1.20 billion population have 17 percent of world population (China 19.0 percent). Gujarat has added nearly 10 million people in last decade 2001-2011. It touches 6,03,83,628 persons including 3,14,82,282 males and 2,89,01,346 females having 4.99 percent of country's population. Though low on overall sex ratio, in spite of efforts of the governments, good news is that, there is improvement in juvenile sex ratio (0-6 years) during the period.

The literacy rates have improved to nearly 79.31 percent in Gujarat (74.04 in India) and 87.23 percent males and 70.73 females in state. This is significant improvement given the efforts of the state government on the enrollment of children during 2001-2011. Census 2011 shows further decline in sex ratio in state from 920 to 918 females per thousand females during the two census. Lets wait to check the district figure in terms of population growth and sex ratio.

For more on census results visit: http://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011-prov-results/prov_rep_tables.html

We wait longer...

These days on set of summer is tuning me towards philosophical questions, and folks we are somedays idlictic towards life. Generally, professionals hurry to finish tasks on hands to get lay hands on few more, this helps them in generating quite of aura and wealth of knowledge and money. Though quite short of being unemployable by current professional standards, I could decide to give myself a break from regular harakiri of professional assignments. I am more concentrating on the deep thoughts prevailing on the subjects concerning development and technologies. Hopelessly, while giving a try on the idle profession of urban planning to make ideal for some of young lads wishing to enter into the field. The quest for healthy discussion eludes me on the topics are thrown at various forum, people tend to finish fast and get away in doing there routine tasks. Is that so easy? Often feeling of disassociation with reality strikes when you try to stand apart from the queue. Who would'nt get hackled by such a situation, but gathering few more strengths..I have choosen to wait bit longer. May be that has annoyed many who knew me during last decade. Keeping hopes high and giving sincere try on the subjects concerning society is done but without a public bridge who can handle a chaos of profession. May be wanting to enter into a space similar to universe where matters attract or repell one another. Are these a way to oriented towards research? Lets wait bit longer...

Unholy Alliance for Libya and Oil

The bombing of allied forces on Libya sanctioned by the UN, where in the powerful nation rule the roost have become another failure of popular notion that World body calls for peace. The warnings unheard by Libya since internal trouble begun, results from fate of the nations needs to be decided by their people. There is bound to be forces align to one ruler or the other, the consistent support of the Western leaders to the Gaddafi has led to his defiant rule in North African nation. The people were showing mix support either on the fear or infaliable support to the ruling groups.

The nations in the west led by United States would not do any good in escalating war zones in the world troubled by natural disaster in Japan and disturbances in the Middle East. The nations joining the forces may exert immense pressure on the Libya to abstain from the path of Violence but would the forces would be able to capture the nation, which it could not do in Afghanistan or Iraq. The west needs to look for the confrontation on the fronts, either with Iran or Libya to opposite poles in geopolitics. When would they realize the futile exercise of human rights impositions? They allied forces wants to test their technologies, increase employment, and capture the world market by engaging in war and confrontation. This is basis of the direct competition from the developing nations like China, India, Brazil and others. It would be futile attempt to rein the regimes which are more dangerous in Central Africa, then attacking the North African nations. The rough states remains at the helm of affairs, and eating a huge pie of the UN aids, what needs to be done to condone and impose sanctions on such rulers rather then targeting the oil block for the humanitarian wars.

The Gujarat Investment Dilemma

The recent spat between the Gujarat state verses Central Government over the investment is indicator of political rivalary amongst the ruling parties. The state accuses central government for treating it as 'enemy territory', on question of Income tax queries. Now for the start it looks like a unecessary collusion of political interests rather than economic.

The high handedness of state administration to its opposition is known within the state, the protests, dharna and simple RTI applications in the state is regarded as 'anti Gujarat' and more often refuted, neglected and condemned by the state political bosses. The positional fight of power has made the prime minister redundant in the state, he has no standing in expressing his thought and similarly, the Chief Minister has no say in functioning of central departments. The extreme political interests have come on surface non recognition of the central government in state and partiality towards state in central government schemes and finances. Given the stalemate in the political class and below the belt attack of opposition on the ruling parties shows disrespect to the peoples choice and democratic values we in India are supposed to follow.

Given the center-state relations, the sourness would result in huge backlog on the development projects, the grievance redressal systems, including Judiciary and Press. The fallout of such a situation would be grave in terms of unitary characteristics of nation. The similar disjointment of relations with other states and centre on account of the political ruling class would polarise the country heavily on the front leading to increase discontents. What can be more done to resolve the crises?

Japan - Massive Earthquake

TOKYO: A powerful tsunami spawned by the largest earthquake in Japan's recorded history slammed the eastern coast Friday, sweeping away boats, cars, homes and people as widespread fires burned out of control. Tsunami warnings blanketed the entire Pacific, as far away as South America, Canada, Alaska and the entire US West Coast.

Authorities said at least 32 people were killed. The magnitude 8.9 offshore quake was followed by at least 19 aftershocks, most of them of more than magnitude 6.0. Dozens of cities and villages along a 1,300-mile (2,100-kilometer) stretch of coastline were shaken by violent tremors that reached as far away as Tokyo, hundreds of miles (kilometers) from the epicenter.

Growth v/s Development

Near obsession with the Economic Growth, the state has keen on pursuing the agenda and has forgotten the debates on the Human Development and Sustainable development. Growth would take care of Employment, Education and Health of citizens, thats the mantra we had been pursuing till the recent plan periods. Country has witnessed increasing dissatisfaction in the associated parameters which is related to development. Our annual ritual of the budget does not mention the development goals the world bodies have set out, and we being signatory of it continue to provide lip service.

One recent deliberations on the GDP verses Employment at a national seminar, speakers mostly agreed the lack of relationship between the two, since there is little hope for the organised sector to provide employment, the GDP growth to which they contributes remains non-distributive. Even though the rich demographic dividend which country enjoys by having larger share of youth, would fizzle away if proper actions are not taken. Planning for the given targets and centralization of the growth is leading to backlog on many fronts, we are not doing enough for the youth, women and children. More so, the dance of capital by the way of massive land acquisition has affected the informal economies (which provides employment to 94 percent of work force).

What happens at the state and district levels in development? This has remained elusive in absence of any field data, the information shared by the agencies are hardly verifiable in the actual context. The race for claiming the best acheivements is increasing and districts have been improving their social database rather, playing with data to get positive funding. The failure of programs or otherwise the machanisms have never been detterent in getting sweeping change. The business as usual attitude of planning agencies, force the people to question the validity of the state and in many respect might emerge as distinct social and political agenda for the future.

The distribution of wealth (if at it happens) remains a token sustainance by the state to the people by the way of providing employment guarentees for a limited period. This would never been possible for the urban areas, and thus discontent and corruption prevails in attainment of the social goals of individuals.

Regional backlogs and growth measurements are still not done in many parts of the country and way forward seems to be distributing cash to the hand of people, increasing the doles further in countryside. What makes governments to bypass the constitutional obligation? The right to life and dignity is compromised by system seems to be incapable in dealing with issues.

Development Suffers: Central and State conflicts

The planning machinery has become political scoring grounds for the leading parties in the country, since when we started listening to political agenda and started planning accordingly? Since earlier development policies were suggestives by various planning committiees, working groups, parliamentary commissions etc where voice of most of the sectors of economies are being listned and formulated in the plan documents. May be the institutional practices remain same. Why then states has to complain every year for differential judgements? Can a political party can be held solely responsible for any planning - funding decisions. To some extents its okay, but greater socio-economic decisions cannot be left totally on the political lineages but extensive analysis and public consultation. One decisions have been reached every stakeholder in government party to development should accept it. At present, the blame game between centre and states continues and people are made to believe differently in states.

Somewhere there is thin line is drawn clearly on our federal structure of country, no more states take in on their strides when investment is less in their regions then the competing states. More so if it belongs to different parties. After 60 years of democracy we still require central -state relations to be co-ordial to an extend to allow the room to one another. Its also true that, given the political situation in the country with multi-party democratic ruling, one regions or state suffers in development because of its political orientation. Why this feudal thought in great Indian democracy? The fight between the political ideologies should not become source of discontent in centre -state relations. There is fear this tendencies would tickle down to babudom, academicians, industries and people to take a distinct orientation from the centre or suppress the needs to state, in way to result in polarising the people by state.

There has to be mutual respect between head of states and head of nation, two cannot be on equal footing, and each to be respected individually. The current politics of hate has entered into functioning in all four tier of government, each trying to supress underneath and other below trying to force themselves. This social darwanism would lead to conflicts and loss of development strides country has taken. If require we may seriously implement the centre-state reforms suggested by various committees and commissions.