EDITORIAL
Why Demchok
Why Demchok in Leh
district will be a better alternative route for the
Kailash-Mansarovar pilgrimage than any other in the
Himalayas and across it? There are three strong arguments
in its favour. First, Leh is the only place to have a
major airport in the area bordering China. Secondly, it
is linked with two national highways via Kargil in the
State and Manali in the adjoining Himachal Pradesh.
Thirdly, it has fairly good tourism infrastructure and
trained guides to facilitate the yatra. Another
proposed route is through Shipki La in Himachal Pradesh.
Its disadvantage is that it is exposed to heavy rain and
landslides during summers. For some unclear reasons,
however, the Union Government has recommended both for
China to agree on one of them. For its part China is
reluctant to accept either. Its contention is that there
will be difficulty in operating these routes. It would
involve "travel over longer distances on its side
through difficult terrain, with poor road conditions and
lack of proper infrastructure for accommodation and
communication." This is a strange argument. For,
China is likely to face similar problems in other regions
too. It will do well to settle for Demchok. Given its
will to achieve it is unlikely to brook any hindrance in
creating matching facilities at its end. The issue
assumes much significance at this juncture. It has been
raised during the recent visit of Chinese President Hu
Jintao to India. Both the countries have agreed to
explore the possibility of having a second route. Indeed,
the religious aspect deserves consideration. There is at
the same time yearning for enhanced trade ties. The
people of Ladakh have been pressing for the opening of
the Demchok route. Only recently Mr Thupstan Chhewang, MP
and President of the Ladakh Union Territory Front (LUTF),
has voiced the demand in a memorandum to Prime Minister
Manmohan Singh.
Both Central and State
governments are sympathetically inclined but it seems
that the Chinese wall is coming in the way. What is being
looked forward to is something like Nathula Pass in
Sikkim and much more. It is true that the
Kailash-Mansarovar trip holds tremendous spiritual and
emotional value. But the number of pilgrims is limited.
They totalled 592 this year, 529 in 2005 and 537 in 2004.
Presently they take the arduous trek through Uttaranchal.
The Union Government pays Rs 3250 for each pilgrim to the
Kumaon Mandal Vikas Nigam to make logistic arrangements.
This is in addition to other facilities, including free
medical assistance, security and escort cover till the
Lipulekh pass --- the last point in that part of the
country --- and communication links with China besides a
satellite phone to the Union Government-appointed liaison
officer of each batch of pilgrims.
It is believed that a
comparable exercise via Demchok will be less complicated.
Moreover, it will boost border trade at a larger scale
than even Nathula. The reopening of Nathula has resulted
in a business of Rs 12 lakhs from July to September 30
this year. By no yardstick can it be perceived as a major
breakthrough. Arguably it is just the beginning. One can
look forward to brighter days ahead. Why should Demchok
be denied an identical chance? Any day it is a more
convenient location and, hence, a profitable proposition.
Role of CBI
The Central Bureau of
Investigation's refusal to take over probe in the murder
of a cement tycoon and four others at his residence in
this city has brought focus on the exact role of the
premier investigation agency of the country. One will
find that the CBI is perfectly justified in saying no.
Its argument that "the case is not of national or
international importance" is not without merit.
Although a shocking and sensational matter these killings
are something whose mystery needs to be resolved by the
State police. It poses a challenge to the local law and
order machinery and it can't wish away its
responsibility. In retrospect it appears that the State
Cabinet had hurried to take the decision to approach the
CBI whose negative response most likely has the
concurrence of the Union Ministry of Personnel of which
it is an important limb. The CBI is described as "an
elite force playing a major role in preservation of
values in public life and in ensuring the health of the
national economy". Of course, it is also the nodal
police agency in the country to coordinate investigations
on behalf of Interpol Member countries. On the home turf
it normally handles "cases of corruption and fraud
committed by public servants of Central government
departments, public sector undertakings and financial
institutions; economic crimes, including bank and
financial frauds, import-export and foreign exchange
violations, large-scale smuggling of narcotics, antiques,
cultural property and smuggling of other contraband
items; and special crimes such as cases of terrorism,
bomb blasts, sensational homicides, kidnapping for ransom
and crimes committed by the mafia/the underworld."
So far as crimes in states are concerned the CBI has
clearly stated that law and order is a State subject and
the basic responsibility lies with the concerned state
government. It has left no ambiguity in its stance that
"due to limited resources" it would not be able
to investigate all crimes. It may probe: "Cases
which are essentially against Central Government
employees or concerning affairs of the Central
Government; cases in which the financial interests of the
Central Government are involved; cases relating to the
breaches of Central laws with the enforcement of which
the Government of India is mainly concerned; big cases of
fraud, cheating, embezzlement and the like relating to
companies in which large funds are involved and similar
other cases when committed by organised gangs or
professional criminals having ramifications in several
states; and, cases having inter-state and international
ramifications and involving several official agencies
where, from all angles, it is considered necessary that a
single investigating agency should be in charge of the
investigation."
In the ongoing session of
Parliament the Union Government has not categorically
replied a written query whether the CBI is overloaded
with a large number of cases meant for investigation.
However, it has said that the CBI has the following
number of cases under investigation/enquiry during the
past three years: 1435 (2003), 1354 (2004) and 1402
(2005). Only five cases have been pending for more than 6
years. It has achieved the following conviction rate:
68.4 per cent (in 2003), 66.3 per cent (2004) and 65.6
per cent (2005). Does this leave any confusion about why
the CBI has said what it has done about probing the Jammu
murders?
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Tough
problems need tough solutions
By
Joginder Singh
An assassinated
celebrity, sometimes enjoys more
renown, than a well known living
figure. The same can be said
about late US President John F
Kennedy, who was assassinated on
22nd November, 1963. Independent
India was just 16 plus- Indian
Police. Kennedy had captured the
imagination of the youth, in our
country, through print media, as
there was no television in India.
The assassination of Kennedy left
a deep impact on the country and
India's grief was articulately
and comprehensively expressed, by
our then Prime Late Jawahar Lal
Nehru.
Those were the days,
when there was no American tilt
towards Pakistan. Indeed,
according to a report America,
had agreed to come to the aid of
India, after Chinese attack in
October, 1962. The United States
set up Warren Commission, which
concluded that Oswald was the
lone assassin and he was killed
by a ‘single bullet. Some
doubts persisted as to whether
this was a correct conclusion.
US Senate ordered a
fresh inquiry into the
assassination of JFK and others.
It gave its report in 1979.
The investigation
was set up as direct result of
the assassinations of two other
major political figures: the
civil rights leader, Dr Martin
Luther King and JFK's brother
Robert Kennedy, in 1968. It
looked into the evidence, which
had been overlooked by Warren
Commission. The House Select
Committee on Assassinations
(HSCA) completed its
investigation in 1979. It finally
came to the conclusion that Lee
Harvey Oswald fired three shots
at JFK, one of which killed him.
It concluded that JFK was
assassinated as a result of a
conspiracy. Even USA despite,
vast sources at its disposal, has
not been able to find convincing
answers to some of the
assassinations.
In most cases
assassins are caught sooner or
later, On February 28, 1986, Olof
Palme, Swedish Prime Minister,
was gunned down on a Stockholm
street near his home, when he was
returning from a cinema, with his
wife. A man in an overcoat
approached from behind, drew a
revolver and shot the premier in
his back. The identity of the
culprit and cause of
assassination still remains a
mystery.
The Irish Republican
Army blew up the Grand Hotel in
Brighton in 1984 in an attempt to
kill Prime Minister Margaret
Thatcher and most of her Cabinet
colleagues, who were staying
there. Thatcher escaped. Former
Viceroy of India Lord Louis
Mountbatten, did not escape
assassination in 1979. Red
Brigade anarchists cold-bloodedly
killed Aldo Moro, the Italian
Prime Minister, in May, 1978. In
Congo, Patrice Lumumba the
radical nationalist leader,
elected Prime Minister just
before Congo's independence from
Belgium, was killed on January
17, 1961.
Egypt's President
Sadat was assassinated in October
1981.
The most stunning
assassination, which shaped the
history of the world, was the
shooting of Archduke Francis
Ferdinand and his wife at
Sarajevo in 1914 by a Serbian
student, Gavrilo Princip. This
was indisputably the immediate
cause of the First World War.
Some guns for hire,
like Abu Nidal had been working
with the Israelis. Nidal himself
admitted penetration of his
organisation by Mossad, and both
have used each other for
eliminating Palestinian elements
hostile to Israel. A fairly large
number of countries have had
their share of assassination of
their leaders.
The following US
Presidents were assassinated in
office.
Abraham
Lincoln-Lincoln was shot in the
head while watching a play on
April 14, 1865. His assassin,
John Wilkes Booth escaped and was
later shot and killed. Linclon
died on April 15, 1865.
James
Garfield-Charles J Guiteau, a
mentally disturbed Government
office seeker, shot Garfield on
July 2, 1881. The president died
on September 19th due to blood
poisoning. Guiteau was convicted
of murder and hanged on June 30,
1882.
William McKinley-
McKinley was shot two times by
anarchist Leon Czologosz while
the president was visiting the
Pan-American Exhibit in New York
city on September 6, 1901. He
died on September 14, 1901. The
assassin was convicted of the
murder and electrocuted on
October 29, 1901.
John F Kennedy- On
November 22, 1963, John F Kennedy
was mortally wounded while riding
in a motorcade in Dallas, Texas.
The following
Assassination Attempts have been
made on US Presidents.
Theodore Roosevelt-
An assassination attempt was
actually not made on Roosevelt's
life while he was in the office
of President. Instead, it
occurred after he had left office
and decided to run for another
term against William Howard Taft.
While campaigning on October 14,
1912, he was shot in the chest by
John Schrank, a mentally
disturbed New York saloonkeeper.
Harry Truman- On
November 1, 1950, two Puerto
Rican nationals attempted to kill
President Truman to bring
attention to the case for Puerto
Rican independence.
Ronald Reagan- On
March 30, 1981, Reagan was shot
in the lung by John Hinckley.
India has had its
own share of assassinations of
high profile leaders, including
Mahatma Gandhi, Indira Gandhi and
Rajiv Gandhi, Lalit Narayan
Misra, late Chief Ministers of
Punjab, Pratap Singh Kairon and
Beant Singh.
The interim
Government of former Prime
Minister Chandra Shekhar
appointed two commissions of
inquiry. The first one, headed by
Justice J S Verma and mandated to
inquire the administrative lapses
that led to the assassination,
castigated the Tamil Nadu police
for being asleep to the threat.
But it was the
commission of inquiry headed by
Justice Milap Chand Jain, which
was responsible for establishing
the sequence of events that led
to the assassination of Rajiv
Gandhi, as to why he was killed.
Bangladesh, Nepal,
Sri-Lanka and Afghanistan, have
had their lions' share of
assassinations of their leaders
and other important dignitaries.
There is no one size
fits all situations in the
matters of assassinations around
the globe.
Assassinations,
attacks, and near-attacks, almost
without exception, are neither
impulsive nor spontaneous acts.
The notion of attacking a public
official or public figure does
not leap into the mind of a
person attending a meeting or a
rally. Assassination plans are
developed over weeks and months,
even years.
The money spent on
the security of the VVIP's is not
a waste, as some people feel. The
highest deserve the highest
security and protection, so that
they can do their job, to the
best of their abilities. In the
present scenario, terrorism poses
the greatest threat to the
security of the rulers.No price
is too big for ensuring the
security of the elected leaders
of the country. No assassin,
whether the attack of our
Parliament or killers of the
Prime Ministers and other leaders
deserve any mercy, for murder is
unique in that it abolishes the
party it injures, so the society
should not take the place of the
victim and on his behalf demand
atonement or grant forgiveness;
it is the one crime in which
society has a direct interest.
(Joginder Singh
is a former director CBI)
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ATMA
- A ray of hope for
farmers
By:
Dr.M.P.Gupta
All
the Commissions,
Committees and Study
teams which were
constituted from time to
time to review the
Agriculture Extension
System in our country
have invariably spoken
about lack of focus on
farmers' problems,
non-involvement of
farmers in planning
programs rather
imposition of programs
from top. In a democratic
country like ours, any
program/ project which is
enforced and does not aim
at reaching people
through education in
order to secure their
participation and
involvement, cannot
finally succeed and can
hardly expected to
produce the desired
results. In this
direction, the best way
of reaching the people to
convince is through their
Mind/ Soul called 'ATMA'
(Agriculture Technology
Management Agency) with a
focus to intimately
involve them in planning
& accomplishing the
rural/ argil. development
programs and without
their involvement through
'robust extension
system', no Govt. efforts
can bring about rural
welfare and can help to
check growing poverty in
the country.
The
author has critically
examined the traditional
& present extension
systems in his book
titled "Extension
Strategies for
Agricultural
Development" and
underlined the major
inadequacies/ weaknesses
which include:
Diversified
Extension Systems.
Transfer
of Technology Systems
mostly remained
restricted to
dissemination of
agricultural technology.
Research
and extension systems in
vogue are largely
top-downin nature.
Extension
systems are target
-oriented and lacked
emphasis to bring about
changes in attitude of
the people.
Extension
system in operation is
inadequate to tackle the
problems concerning
optimum land utilization
in general.
Lack
of farmers' focus and
feedback in present T.T
Systems.
Extension
system is not adequately
supported by delivery of
agril. inputs, credit,
etc.
Lacked
research backing for
rural extension work.
Concept
of ATMA
Agriculture
Technology Management
Agency (ATMA): It is an
innovative extension
mechanism for improved
participation and
accountability of all the
stakeholders involved in
agricultural activities
for sustainable
agricultural development.
Its aim is 'Farmers'
Prosperity'. It is worth
mentioning that ATMA-
extension model has been
recently introduced in 8
Districts of J&K
State encompassing Doda,
Jammu & Rajouri in
Jammu province, while
Kupwara, Budgam,
Anantnag, Leh &
Kargil in Kashmir
province in phase second,
with the following
objectives:
Objectives
Increase
agriculture production,
productivity and income
of farmers through
intensification &
diversification of
agricultural production;
private sector
participation in
agril.development
process; technology
dissemination through
farmers' groups;
Extension supported of
agricultural inputs &
services, credit, etc;
Research and extension
linkages;
Sustain
growth with equity.
In
order to achieve these
objectives, innovative
approach has been adopted
in ATMA - model which
seems to be free from all
the defects/ shortcomings
of earlier/existing
agriculture extension
system. The unique
features of ATMA approach
are highlighted as:
Innovative
Approach
Demand
- driven Farmer-based
action plans Public &
Private partnership for
extension services
Development of village
level institutions like
farmers associations,
farmers' interest groups
or commodity interest
groups Creation of rural
infrastructure and
marketing Decentralized
decision making,
bottom-up planning
Integrated farming system
approach Market-led
extension Preparation of
State Extension Work Plan
(SEWP)
Major
steps are:
Preparation
of Block Action Plans
(BAPs) by Block
Technology Teams (BTTs)
Vetting of Block Action
Plans by Farm Advisory
Committees (FACs)
Consolidation of BAPs by
ATMA Governing Board at
District level
Consolidation of District
Plans at State level by
State Agriculture
Management &
Extension Training
Institute (SAMETI) and
State Nodal Officer
Approval
of SEWP by Inter-
Departmental Working
Group (IDWG).
The
farmers in general used
to make complaints
invariably in every forum
regarding non- matching
of technology and
agricultural inputs in
terms of quantity,
quality and timely supply
which has been well taken
care under ATMA program
where in dissemination of
agricultural technology
has the support of inputs
delivery system and
infrastructure. This
aspect is ensured by ATMA
Management Committee as
well as Governing Board
whose Chairman is Deputy
Commissioner at District
level to provide guidance
as well as review the
progress and functioning
of ATMA While
participating in
Governing Body Meeting of
Kupwara District held on
November 15, 2006, Ashia
Begum, lady farmer,
expressed that ATMA
scheme has inspired her
to formulate
"Vegetable growers'
group" of 15-20
women in the village who
under the guidance of
Block Technology Team
will grow marketable
vegetables especially
off-season & sell
through their
co-operative society.
Another woman farmer,
Rubina Nazir, village
Sholipora in District
Budgam hopes to venture
in the realm of value
added products of fruits
& vegetables through
capacity building program
under ATMA in order to
improve nutritional
status in the family
besides selling the
products in the market to
earn money.
Similarly,
Haji Habib Lone,
progressive farmer,
village Pazalpora,
Bijbhera in District
Anantnag stated in an
interview that through
AES team of ATMA, he
learnt about rice variety
Jhelum,K-448 having yield
potential of 62-65
qtl./hac. excels over
other varieties and he
would adopt in his fields
to boost rice production.
Besides,
Abdul Rashid Khan, an
orchardist, village
Dandi, Bhadewah in
District Doda, told that
he has grown Pomegranate
"Ganesh
variety" in his
orchard but fruits
generally get spoiled due
to some scar ( black
spot) mark. He learnt
about the attack of Anar
butter fly on Pomegranate
& its control measure
from ATMA people. It is
worth mentioning that
under ATMA, extension
service is market -led,
meaning thereby that
farmers are educated and
promoted to produce such
agricultural commodities
which have domestic/
international market.
In
nut shell, extension
approach under ATMA is
innovative; farmer's
centric; and stresses on
sustained growth. With
the implementation of
this scheme, the role
& responsibilities of
all the key stakeholders
including Agriculture and
line Departments have
increased for transfer of
technology and its
adoption by way of
demonstration, training,
exposure visits, etc.
which will go a long way
to fulfill the
inspirations &
expectations of farmers
and may lead to
"Comprehensive and
integrated
revolution" covering
agriculture,
horticulture, livestock,
etc. to usher all-round
prosperity in the State.
(*The
author is Ex-Director
Extension Education,
SKUAST-Jammu)
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Sachar
recommendation
By: A. K.
Sen Gupta
The report of the
High Level Committee on the
social, economic and educational
status of the Muslim community of
India, chaired by Justice
Rajindar Sachar, has been tabled
in the Parliament. According to
reports, the Sachar Committee has
found that the Muslim community
is lagging behind other religious
groups of India in most
development indicators. The
community is relatively poor,
more illiterate, has lower access
to education, lower
representation in public and
private sector jobs, and lower
availability of bank credit for
self-employment. In urban areas,
the community mostly lives in
slums characterized by poor
municipal infrastructure.
"In fact, by and large,
Muslims rank somewhat above
SCs/STs but below Hindu OBC.s,
other minorities and Hindu
general (mostly upper) castes in
all indicators considered",
the Report states. However, there
is considerable variation in the
condition of the Muslim community
across states and regions.
Addressing
Backwardness
The Committee has
stressed the need for formulation
of appropriate programmes to
address the educational and
economic backwardness of the
community. The Committee has made
wide-ranging suggestions
including the creation of an
Equal Opportunity Commission,
modeled on the U.K. Race
Relations Act, 1976, to look into
the grievances of religious
minorities.
The Sachar Committee
Report is expected to be widely
discussed and debated upon by the
honourable representatives of the
people. The database provided by
the Report may help the
Government to prepare a roadmap
for its implementation. While the
new roadmap is expected to take
shape in the coming days, it may
be worthwhile to take stocks of
current government programmes,
including proposed programmes,
which have addressed these
issues.
While the Sachar
Committee has now provided a
clearer database regarding the
status of Muslims in various
spheres of society, the policy
makers in the government has
acted upon the data available
from earlier studies. For
example, the 2001 Census shows
that whereas the all India
literacy rate is 65.6%, the all
India Muslim literacy rate is
59.1%. Major States which have
Muslim literacy rates below State
literacy rates are Bihar, Uttar
Pradesh, Delhi, Assam, West
Bengal and Punjab. The
differentials are highest in West
Bengal, Assam and Delhi. However,
several States particularly,
Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat,
Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh,
Karnataka and Tamil Nadu have
Muslim literacy rates higher than
the State literacy rate.
Facilities for
Minority Girls
Taking note of the
fact that a large number of
children, especially girls, are
found studying in Madrasas the
State have been advised that, an
EGS centre or an AIE intervention
may be started at such Madarsas
by the local body concerned,
whereby free textbooks and an
additional teacher if required
can be provided. 4867
maktabs/madarsas have been taken
up under EGS/AIE.
Free textbooks are
provided to all minority girls
from classes I-VIII. Urdu
textbooks are provided for Urdu
medium schools and for Urdu as a
subject. Based on the 1981
Census, 93 districts (now 99) in
16 states have been identified
for focused attention. The major
focus is on the states of Bihar,
West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh and
Assam. Out of the 1180 Kasturba
Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas (KGBV),
210 schools have been sanctioned
in minority blocks, 1430 minority
girls have already been enrolled
in KGBVs till 31.3.06.
From 2006 onwards,
the category Minority (Muslim) is
being included in the reporting
of enrolment from each school in
the country under the DISE
database of SSA. Similarly, each
state could collect habitation
wise information on out of school
children for which the Muslim
Community is being included as a
separate category.
In a recent proposal
submitted to the Planning
Commission, the Ministry of Human
Resources Development extends
such facilities in the sphere of
secondary education. It has
proposed starting 1,500 new
Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya (JNV)
with an emphasis on
Muslim-dominated districts. It
also wants these residential JNVs
to teach Urdu along with other
conventional courses.
Sachar
Committee’s recommendations
in the sphere of education
include a special focus on free
and compulsory education;
institutionalizing the process of
evaluating school textbooks so
that they better reflect
community-specific sensitivities;
setting up quality government
schools, especially for girls in
areas of Muslim concentration;
and providing priming education
in Urdu in areas where the
language is widely in use. The
Government measures outlined
above, show that the country is
already moving in the direction
pointed out by the Sachar
Committee.
15-Point
Programme
The Prime Minister
has also unfolded a comprehensive
15-point programme for the
welfare and empowerment of
minorities, recasting a similar
programme announced in 1983 by
the then Prime Minister Shrimati
Indira Gandhi. The new plan wants
to help the minorities by –
· Enhancing
opportunities for education.
· Ensuring
equitable share in economic
activities and employment.
· Improving the
conditions of living of
minorities.
· Prevention and
control of communal disharmony
and violence.
The target groups
include the eligible sections
among the minorities notified
under National Commission for
Minorities Act, 1992, viz:
Muslims, Christians, Sikhs,
Buddhists and Parsis.
West Bengal
Example
The 15-point welfare
plan for minorities have already
elicited response from States
with substantial minority
population. For example, West
Bengal has announced that it
would spend 15% of the funds
provided in the financial plans
of 8 departments on schemes and
projects meant for minorities.
The departments include
Panchayats, Urban Development,
Municipal Affairs, Women and
Child Development, School and
Technical Education, Disaster
Management and Finance. To
monitor this programme, a
State-level Committee has been
constituted. The Committee,
chaired by Minority Development
Minister, has 18 Principal
Secretaries of Departments as
Members. Reputed Non-Governmental
Organisations, engaged in social
welfare, are also represented in
the monitoring committee.
Inclusive Society
The new 15-point
programme and interventions of
concerned Ministries like Human
Resource Development can now be
further chiselled and their
implementation improved in the
light of the Sachar Committee
Report. As pointed out by the
Prime Minister when the Sachar
Report was presented to him
‘that this would be in
accordance with the Government
commitment to achieve growth with
equity, to strengthen our
pluralistic ethos and build an
inclusive society.’(PIB
Features)
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