Daily Excelsior... Editorial

EDITORIAL

Downtown clash

On expected lines

Housing and slum redevelopment

By R R Roy

Bangladesh towards
fundamentalism

By Arup De

Micro finance and rural India

By K R Sudhaman

Khadi and Village Industries conceived a small project in the 90's a small village in Salem, Tamil Nadu to make hand-made soaps using neem, an abundantly available waste product. Literally waste was converted into wealth in the village with the setting up of the neem soap factory that provided direct employment to 2,500 persons and indirect employment to additional 2,500 women who pluck the neem nuts for making oil for the soap manufacturing. The result: a small investment of Rs four lakh in the 80s resulting in a turnover of 86 lakhs then and livelihood to 5,000 families. This . . ......more

EDITORIAL

Downtown clash

Downtown normally means the business centre or lower part of a city. In different regions of the country and the world the mere use of expression is enough to identify an area. In our State it is popular only in the context of the Summer Capital. It has been excessively employed during the militancy and has come to stay. It conjures up the image of a crowded Srinagar virtually a labyrinth of buzzing lanes and bylanes far away from the posh Residency Road. Streets are not so narrow these days as they were in the past. These are cleaner and wider --- a positive fall-out of a violent activity. Politically it has always been a hyperactive territory. The main campuses of the Kashmir University and the Regional Engineering College have made their own significant contributions in this behalf. Much of bustle in the past had centred around the Mirwaiz and Sheikh families. The Mirwaiz dynasty continues to draw on the historic Jama Masjid for delivering its political and religious message. On the other hand, Sheikh Abdullah had converted the Hazratbal shrine into a formidable platform to interact with the local people. Their respective followers called "bakra" (goat) and "sher" (lion) have often figured in clashes. Their differences remain but have taken a back seat after the onset of violence. The Mirwaiz has identified itself with secessionist forces that have patronised the cult of terror. This is not without irony. For, the previous occupant of the seat, Mirwaiz Farooq, was one of the first victims of these aggressive elements. Not very long ago Moulvi Mushtaq, another senior member of the family, was killed while he was offering namaz. The present Mirwaiz namely Umar Farooq is fortunately being very careful. He has not shifted the camp but has facilitated a change in its direction for the sake of peace and harmony. The Sheikh's National Conference has kept away from terrorism (its current reconciliatory noises about Hizbul Mujahideen are more tactical) and paid a heavy price for its courage of conviction. No party has lost such large number of workers as the NC has done. Quite a few of them have been liquidated by terror outfits. Some have deserted the party thinking discretion to be better part of the valour. That does not mean that the NC has entirely lost its support in the vicinity.

A third dimension has been added now with the Jammu-Kashmir Liberation Front (Yasin Malik) opening its office in the area. Mr Malik has done it with pomp and show. Clearly he wants to send a political message. He aims to make a perceptible dent in the Mirwaiz's stronghold. Otherwise there was no need for him to have taken this step. There is not much distance between Maisuma Bazar where he lives and Bohrikadal where he has set up the new office (incidentally both the areas have a tradition of being anti-establishment). Not surprisingly, therefore, there has been resistance by the Mirwaiz's supporters leading to a clash between them and Mr Malik's group. However, it seems that the Mirwaiz has little to worry. His base is identifiable and has remained in tact so far. Of all political formations in the Valley especially his Awami Action Committee is the only one that has not suffered any erosion. The JKLF in sharp contrast is divided and sub-divided. Mr Malik is its most prominent face but he can't be oblivious of the reality. His recent loss is that of a long-time associate who was an active student leader even before he had entered the public life.

Nevertheless the clash underlines that consensus is terribly missing on the home turf. It verges on almost mutual intolerance. Mr Malik's latest move has nearly coincided with veteran Syed Ali Shah's categorical rejection of the slogan of independence. One can argue that these are ideological differences and should be seen from that viewpoint. What can't be denied, however, that when mixed with individual egos and prejudices these assume an altogether different connotation. They show a divide which is wide and deep. Nobody, therefore, can predict with an air of finality that there will not be a repeat of Bohrikadal. Greater chances are that another fracas can take place anytime anywhere ---- downtown, uptown or on this side of the Pir Panjal. Just a few days ago there was one in the posh Rajbagh between two groups that ironically by and large swore by the same belief.

On expected lines

The Government's decision to not include forest and grazing land in its regularisation drive is on the expected lines. Every effort should instead be made to evict unlawful occupants from these areas. Green patches are highly precious. Their vandalism can't be allowed in any circumstances. There are tough laws to protect forests and environment and undoing them would have been counter-productive. Contrary to the initial impression that the Government will ruthlessly strike against land mafias it has taken a rather sympathetic view of encroachments of the State land. It has issued an ordinance to legalise what has been an unauthorised activity. For the purpose it has constituted committees to determine and secure the market value. On the face of it there is nothing unusual about these moves. Invariably the governments elsewhere too have resorted to such via media in the name of practical considerations. They do so in order to avoid displacement of large sections of people. The end result, however, is that land mafias and encroachers have the last laugh. They have a vicarious satisfaction of their mistakes being set right by others without their coming in the line of fire in any way. Illegal occupation of land is best stopped right in the beginning. This is easier said than done in view of the high level of corruption in our society. It is a major issue across the country with land turning out to be costlier than gold. The Government must tone up the concerned anti-encroachment machinery even as it strives to get its due from the previous intrusions over the State property. It must ensure that there is proper calculation of the market value. An exercise in this direction should not be motivated by the feeling that something is better than nothing.

The Government has done well to work out a system of incentives and penalties for the people as well as officials. This should enable it to complete the job at the earliest. At the same time it should take suitable timely measures so that its leniency is not misread by unscrupulous land grabbers always longing to make a fast buck.

Housing and slum redevelopment

By R R Roy

As the problem of housing continues to be acute in the country, the Centre’s United Progressive Alliance Government is determined to address the problem in an effective manner. The scheduled Asia-Pacific Ministers’ conference on ‘A Vision for Sustainable Urbanisation in Asia-Pacific Region’ from December 13 to 16 would prove a milestone in ameliorating the woes of the millions of poor, living in ghettos or slums across the country. Union Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation Ministry in collaboration with UN Habitat is organising the conference.

The Ministry’s move assume significance, as the national common minimum programme of the UPA Government is committed to a comprehensive urban renewal and ensure that the poor have access to affordable houses in the urban areas. For this, the entire existing mechanism needs to be re-looked and the future strategy redesign in such a manner that the alarming problem of housing gets effectively addressed.

Shortage of Houses

As per an estimate, there will be 24 million houses shortage in urban areas at the beginning of 11th Plan. Delivering the inaugural address at the national conference on Housing and Human Settlements in Hyderabad recently, Union Minister of State for Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation Kumari Selja said that 97 per cent of the shortage of housing was in the low income group and economically weaker sections of the society.

As many as 20 states, namely, West Bengal, Meghalaya, Assam, Tripura, Bihar, Maharashtra, Pondicherry, Rajasthan, Kerala, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Arunachal Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh, attended the conference. In all, about 100 delegates participated the event that focussed on the progress made by the states and union territories on the central schemes and programmes pertaining to housing and related activities.

The Centre has adopted a comprehensive approach to urban renewal with an emphasis on social housing for the urban poor. The government has been working on a revised National Urban Housing and Habitat Policy 2006. The new policy proposes to promote foreign direct investment in integrated townships, real estate, and public-private partnerships, where 10-15 per cent of the land is earmarked for providing 20-25 per cent dwelling units for the economically weaker sections and low income group segments.

Asia-Pacific Meet

As the urbanisation is one of the greatest phenomena having taken place in the latter half of 20th century, the pace of current development in India shows that the rate of urbanization will be much higher in the coming decades. With growing urbanization, there is immense pressure on existing civic amenities. Lack of housing and civic facilities have led to the creation of slums and squatter settlements. The slum dwellers live in unhygienic conditions and lack access to drinking water, housing, sanitation, health and education facilities.

Sustainable Urbanisation

The sustainable urbanisation of the cities across India is a great task ahead. It is a matter of marathon deliberations with the experts from across the world and their effective implementation through galvanizing the government action and political commitment to improve the lives of slum dwellers.

In the context of sustainable urban development, Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation Ministry’s steps to provide and promote a more supportive environment to street vendors for earning their livelihood are of great importance. Similarly, the National Policy on Urban Street Vendors is being made more effective and implementable in consultation with all the stakeholders including representatives of the State Governments, Vendor Associations and other Experts. A Model Act on Urban Street Vending is also being finalized to facilitate and regulate street hawking activities. Municipalities should play a more proactive role in formulating and implementing schemes that meet the requirements of street vendors.

Urban Renewal Mission

The Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM), the flagship programme of the Government focuses on developing an integrated approach to the basic services for the urban poor, including provision of security of tenure, housing, water and sanitation and convergence of schemes of health, education and social security.

The millennium development goals (MDGs) set up by the UN General Assembly are big challenges which can be achieved only through active participation of all stakeholders including State Governments, Urban Local Bodies, citizen groups, NGOs and private sector. Improving the living condition of slum dwellers, one of the important targets of MDGs has to be achieved through a comprehensive planning for slum development and its implementation with dedication and commitment.

Launching JNNURM on December 3, 2005, Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh had urged Ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation to work to ensure that basic services are indeed provided to the urban poor. "As we build infrastructure we must

Based on the recommendations of the working Group on Urban Water Supply & Sanitation constituted by Planning Commission, funds to the tune of Rs. 28240 crore would be required for achieving population coverage of 100 per cent with drinking water supply facilities. To supplement the efforts of the state governments, a centrally sponsored accelerated urban water supply programme (AUWSP) was launched in 1993-94 to provide central assistance to states.

Need for Co-operatives

It would be in the fitness of things if the slum people are get wedded to the co-operative societies. Recently at a function in New Delhi, Ms Selja emphasized to organize the slum dwellers into co-operatives for empowering and facilitating them in getting housing and related amenities. She said that the co-operative was the ideal approach to mobilize the organizational and managerial skills and petty savings of slum dwellers to meet the needs for their own shelter and to live in improved human settlement.

A multi-purpose co-operative of slum dwellers which can be owned, organized and managed by them appears to be an appropriate vehicle to deliver shelter facilities and also cater to enterprises at household level, education and training for skill improvement, delivery of health and hygiene services, leading onto improvement in the slum settlement.

Tenure to slum dwellers for their co-operatives could be given by the State Governments either in situ or through relocation. The Government has urged financial institutions and banks to give concessional finance to co-operatives of slum dwellers through a mechanism of cross subsidy and indicated that the Government may subsidise the cost of such housing construction to some extent through Valmiki Ambedkar Awas Yojna. (PIB Features)

Bangladesh towards fundamentalism

By Arup De

The polls in Bangladesh have been deferred as sectarian violence between moderates and Islamic fundamentalists erupted in different parts of the country. The ruling Bangladesh National Party (BNP) supported by extremist groups and the Awami League workers clashed leading to mayhem and killings, and the election commission headed by the chief justice ruled out that in the vitiated atmosphere elections can't be conducted peacefully. The four-party coalition, headed by BNP of Begum Khaleda Zia, includes three Muslim extremist groups who passionately support Islamic fundamentalism and even associate themselves with dreaded organisations like Al Qaeda. Bangladesh is in fact emerging as South East Asia's terror hub, and India is much concerned about Islamisation of its neighbour. Liberal political though that envisaged Bangladesh as a moderate and secular State lies buried under a heap of fanaticism that witnessed fundamentalists capture power in the 2001 elections.

In the past few years, Bangladesh has undergone such fierce metamorphosis that global security experts feel it is on way to becoming much like Afghanistan was in the hands of Taliban. No less a person then Sheikh Hasina, leader of the main opposition party Awami League, has called it Talibanisation of Bangladeshi society.

India, the immediate neighbour, cannot remain a mute spectator as it will have to bear the brunt of terrorism in Bangladesh like none else. Already surrounded by hostile neighbours, an unfriendly Dhaka has come as a big headache for New Delhi. India, which liberated Bangladesh from Pakistan in 1971, believes there are 200 terror camps in Bangladesh, most of them primarily targeted against it.

Efforts to modernise Bangladesh suffered a major setback on the afternoon of 21 August 2006, when Prime Minister Khaleda Zia announced that the highest degree awarded by the orthodox Qawami madrassa would be equated with a master's degree. The ramifications of her announcement are so far-reaching that many think it will forever change the intellectual superstructure of Bangladesh society. In fact, to throw off the yoke of the West, the Pakistani psyche of mixing Islam with everything, and to get closer to the people of Bengal, the Awami Muslim League in the mid-1950s courageously dropped its middle name to become the Awami League. Against the repressive march of the West, Pakistani rulers, acting in the name of Islam and Bangalee culture and society, thrived. And then finally Bangladesh was born on a pillar of secularism, where religious fundamentalism was kept out of politics by constitutional guarantee.

In 1975 coup the Awami League was expelled by a military dictatorship. That was also when the secular fundamentals of Bangladesh started getting knocked around. For the military rulers, it was necessary to use religion to get cheap popularity and other political dividends. Religion-based political parties such as Jamaat-e-Islami and Nezam-e-Islami that had previously been banned because of their anti-Bangladesh activities during the liberation war were suddenly allowed to operate again.

In 1977, a martial law proclamation deleted the secular spirit of the constitution and inserted a phrase that a fundamental state principle is "absolute trust and faith in the Almightily Allah". The phrase "Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim" (in the name of Allah, the Beneficent, and the Merciful) was inserted before the preamble of the constitution. Another clause was added saying that the government should "preserve and strengthen fraternal relations among Muslim countries based on Islamic solidarity". The changes were later legitimised through the Fifth Amendment in 1979. Another coup happened; another military dictatorship came in 1982. General Ershad, in his fervent wish to get cheap popularity and woo the fundamentalist political parties (and also to bash Awami League), made the eighth amendment to the constitution in 1988, recognising Islam as the state religion. And all this happened as if Bangladeshis were less Muslims before the fifth and eighth amendments or as if the mere insertions of the phrases made Bangladeshis more passionate devotees.

In a last-ditch attempt to cling to power, this dictator did not even blink when he incited a riot in which Hindus were attacked, and their houses and temples torched and looted. When democracy finally returned in 1990, it was thought that use of religion for political gain would end. But it did not. The BNP immediately formed an unofficial electoral alliance with Jamaat and religion was dragged to election campaigns in the form of slogans like "If you vote for the scale [the election symbol of Jamaat], Allah will be happy". Finally, the BNP formed the government with Jamaat's support. But then Jamaat broke ties with the BNP on the point of condemning an Israeli attack on a mosque in Hebron. Awami League, still regarded by many as a secular party, threw off its veil and jumped at the opportunity. It formed another unwritten alliance with Jamaat and drummed up a movement against the ruling BNP. Of course, it was election time again the hungers for power made the Awami League forget the constitution the party had written in 1972. Sheikh Hasina also learnt the trick fast, and she appeared on a campaign poster wearing headgear. She won the race this time.

Election time came again and the body politic took another beating as the BNP formed a four-party alliance with Jamaat and another fundamentalist party, Islami Oikya Jote (IOJ). The formation of the "Islamic" axis yielded dividends again and the alliance came to power with an overwhelming majority. This opened the door for Jamaat, for the first time ever, to enter into the government. From that point a part of the state mechanism was under the control of the religious forces.

The distressing thing is that all this "Islamisation" was not carried out in the interest of glorifying Islam as a great religion, but in the name of populism and bagging votes in elections. In a few years' time, these Qawami students, whose curriculum is not under government control and of dubious quality due to alack of a modern syllabus, will sit for civil service examinations and qualify in greater numbers than the general students because of higher marks obtained in Arabic and Islamic studies. They will get into the police and armed force. It is anybody's guess about the quality and direction of their policy decisions once they are in policymaking positions. While many societies march ahead, Bangladesh appears destined to suffer in the name of promoting Islamic fundamentalism. INAV

Micro finance and rural India

By K R Sudhaman

There could be any number of examples how small loans can help poor families to come out of poverty by providing livelihood. The founder of Grameen Bank in Bangladesh Mohammed Yunus, who recently won the Nobel Peace Prize, has done pioneering work in micro-credit which helped greatly in reducing malnutrition and poverty in Bangladesh. Doling out money provides only one time relief to overcome poverty. But lending money for setting up something on their own provides a long-lasting solution to deal with poverty by ensuring livelihood to poor people.

This is precisely what the Grameen bank has done in Bangladesh. Grameen Danone Foods Limited, a joint venture was launched in Dhaka to manufacture. Yogurt to address critical social problem of malnutrition through community participation. The essence of model is community focus-purchase from, produce in, sell to, employ from and improve lives of the local community. And with the surplus generated by profits, then go to another community and do the same thing all over again. Under the project, the milk for the yogurt is purchased locally everyday.

Grameen will be providing micro-credit to help increase local ownership of cows and milk production. The yogurt will be sweetened with date molasses produced locally. The production unit has been designed to be small enough to cater to demand within a radius of 30 kms. The plant is powered by solar energy and bio-gas and has provision for harvesting rain water. The product will be sold-door-door by Grameen ladies. And the cups will be made not from plastic but from biodegradable corn starch. As CEO of the joint venture Zinedine Zidane says there are no feasibility studies, now what-if analyses. Just a vision and the determination that enabled to fulfill something which is considered an impossible dream, says Zidane adding the project has been implemented at a very low cost.

Mahatma Gandhi's dream of self-reliance can been fulfilled through micro-finance through which cottage industries could be provide necessary impetus to remove the rural-urban divide in the country at minimal cost. Lately in India micro-finance programmes have become one of the more promising ways to use scarce development funds to achieve the objectives of poverty alleviation. Certain micro-finance programmes have gained prominence in the development field and beyond.

The basic idea of micro-finance is simple; if poor people are provided access to financial services, including credit, they may very well be able to start or expand a micro-enterprise that will allow them to break out of poverty. The features of this seemingly simple proposition are quite attractive to potential target group members, Government policy makers and development practitoners. There is also virtually no corruption in micro-finance.

The access to credit and the opportunity to begin or to expand a micro enterprise may be empowering to the poor, especially in comparison to other development initiatives, which often treat these specific target group members as recipients. In India, a variety of micro-finance schemes exist and various approaches have been practiced by both Government and non Government organisations. Credit has always been viewed as missing input and micro-credits helps in a big way in dealing with this critical problem. Leading national financial institutions like the Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI), the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) and the Rashtriya Mahila Kosh (RMK) have played a significant role in making micro-credit a real movement. The organisations that implement this programme range from very small to moderately big organisations including PRADAN, ICECD, MYRADA and SEWA. There are over 450 organisations in the country involved in micro-finance activities in 11 states. The most successful micro-credit institution is the Grameen Bank of Bangladesh.

As of March 2006, there were as many as 2.2 million self-help groups which have received loans worth Rs 11,400 crore. Recently Reserve Bank came out with revised draft guidelines on priority sector lending, which included micro-credit. Private sector banks too are doing their part in encouraging micro-credit. ICICI alone has lent Rs 2,350 crore for micro-credit which included loans against jewellery. Though micro-credit is aimed to serve a social purpose of reducing poverty, it is fast taking the fancy of Indian banks as a tool to make money. Interest rates charged for these small loans are as high as 18-19 per cent as against 9.75 per cent for home loan. The default rate among micro-credit customers, mostly women, is low as a result of which banks see it as a new profit stream rather than as measure to fulfill a social obligation. The potential for micro-credit is vast. In fact the number of mobile phones in the country is more than the number of borrowers from the banking system. If only banks tap this area of priority lending, it would not only do good for the banking sector but also for the social uplift of the country.- PTI Feature