ep 24 2014 : The Economic Times (Delhi)

Don't Nationalise the Food Economy





Allow private trade to play a bigger role

Food minister Ram Vilas Paswan says the government will raise the subsidised food grain entitlement per person to 7 kg from 5 kg a month. That would be a mistake. Relying on the public distribution system to achieve food security is tantamount to nationalisation of the food economy. It will only increase the government’s distorting dominance in the grain market, push up the subsidy bill and feed food inflation. Instead of being the largest and most inefficient hoarder of grain, the government should let private trade procure, store and distribute grain.The Food Corporation of India (FCI) should maintain only a minimum security buffer. This will entail keeping the minimum support price (MSP) separate from and below the procurement price. Paswan admits that it is a challenge to store grain and check leakages in transportation and distribution. Grains stored in the open rot, and excess stocks raise carrying costs of the FCI.
The government should revamp the FCI, shot through with corruption and inefficiency, to usher in a competitive market for grain. It will bring down leakages and lower grain prices. Also, the consumption subsidy should be transferred as cash to consumers. They can use the money to buy grain from competing outlets, including fair price shops, and competition will keep costs down. It will also help cut out inefficiencies of the FCI such as loader salaries of .
`1 lakh a month. However, there are fears cash transferred to the male in a household can be diverted for liquor.
Such fears are not entirely misplaced and, therefore, the government can transfer cash to women’s bank accounts. Their bank accounts should be linked to Aadhaar, or the unique identity number.
States such as Tamil Nadu offer cooked food to the poor as part of food security. It’s not a bad idea, given the economies of scale to be realised in storage and processing of food. However, food security is not only about distribution of food. The focus should be to raise farm output and enhance efficiency across the board. That means moving away from subsidy to investment in the farm sector.

Difference between Act & Rule

Key Difference:* An act is an official copy of a statute or regulation
that is initially presented in the form of a bill and after being verified
it is passed in the process of a legislature. An act is enforced in a legal
manner. In context to an act, rules define the guidelines that must be
followed for the successful implementation of the act. 
Both the words can often create confusion as they both are widely used in
context to laws. Therefore, it is important to understand the differences
between the two. 
An act can be described as a legal document or a statute that is passed by
a legislator. It passes through various stages of review and approval in
the Legislative Assembly. It contains certain regulations that are
identified as important for the society. It can be a product of a decision
or determination of a sovereign, a legislative council, or a court of
justice. Acts, if passed, are then turned into laws. Thus, it refers to a
document that is used to record a fact, something said or done. 
 
A bill is the draft of a legislative proposal, which passes through various
stages in order to become an act. It can be viewed as one of the sources of
law. The acts are used for the creation of new laws or changing an existing
law. The process of an act to become a law may vary from one country to the
other. 
On the other hand, rules are simple guidelines that are provided for the
smooth functioning of an organization and to maintain a healthy environment
among its people.Dictionary.
com
defines ‘rule’ as: 
- A principle or regulation governing conduct, action, procedure,
arrangement
- The customary or normal circumstance, occurrence, manner, practice,
quality, etc.
- To control or direct; exercise dominating power, authority, or
influence over; govern.
- To decide or declare judicially or authoritatively
- To make a formal decision or ruling, as on a point at law. 
 
Rules can be enforced at any level. For example, a teacher might form a
rule stating that every student in her class needs to show her homework
everyday. The rules of these types are not rigid and depends upon the
enforcing entity that how strict it is and what steps it has taken to
ensure the proper implementation of the rules. 
Therefore, we can say that acts are laws, but they are the ones that are
formed after passing from the legislator, whereas rule defines the
procedures of performing a task. The acts generally contain rules. For
example, The Environmental Management Act of Netherlands contains rules on
levies, contributions and compensation. Another example: under the
Securities Act of 1933 of U.S., according to rules 505 and 506 of
Regulation D, a company may sell its securities to the "accredited
investors." 
Thus, we can say that when we compare them in context to laws, then an act
is the law that is passed by a process of legislature. On the other hand,
rules are guidelines that are defined in the acts that must be followed for
the enforcement of the act. In general, a rule can be described as a guide
for conduct or an action.

IIT-Bombay begins Lectures in Bengali

The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Bombay has introduced computer program lectures in Bengali for first year B Tech students who are mainly from the interiors of West Bengal and lack English proficiency. After Hindi and Marathi, this is the third vernacular being used for special instruction, albeit informal, at the institute. The idea of Hindi and Marathi lectures was started a few years ago by professor D B Phatak of the Department of Computer Science and Engineering. Bengali was included in the informal initiative this year after professor Supratik Chakraborty of the same department offered to teach students in the language. Initially, 60-70 students from a batch of 570 signed up for the extra coaching in regional languages. “After a couple of sessions, more students are showing interest,” said Chakraborty. - See more at: http://digitallearning.eletsonline.com/2014/09/iit-bombay-begins-lectures-in-bengali/#sthash.XVyttQEs.dpuf

Google Launches Digital India Initiatives

Global search giant Google Inc has joined hands with Indian government to promote Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ambitious Digital India programme by launching a nationwide contest for developing a mobile application for the PM’s office.

“MyGov, the citizen engagement platform of the Government and Google are collaborating to launch a nationwide contest to develop a mobile app for the PM’s Office,” Google said in a statement.

Google said the mobile app will bring the PMO to every citizen and the contest will showcase how Indians can build a world class application.

Digital India programme is focused on increasing high-speed Internet connectivity across the country, introducing digital classrooms, building smart cities, providing online delivery of services through the integration of government departments, and introducing online visas.

Google will run a series of initiatives, which include collaboration with the government’s new citizen engagement platform, MyGov.nic.in.

Commenting on the joint initiative, RS Sharma Secretary, Department of Information Technology said, “The Digital India programme has been launched with the vision of transforming India into a digitally empowered society and knowledge economy. It can truly transform India and bring it on par with other developed countries.”

Google India Vice President and Managing Director Rajan Anandan said India is already home to the third largest number of Internet users globally with 245 million users as of June 2014 and is on track to become the second largest user market by 2015 and a 500 million-user market by 2016.

“Yet, there are more than a billion people who will need to be brought online for India to realise the vision of a digitally connected, knowledge economy. Prime Minister Modi’s Digital India programme will play a transformational role in achieving this,” Anandan added

To support the Prime Minister’s vision, Google will run a number of initiatives which also include programmes such as helping women get online, getting Indian SMEs online and showcasing India’s rich heritage and culture online which will further promote the digital empowerment of citizens.

Google is also engaged building a vibrant language ecosystem online and help the government transition into the increasingly ‘mobile’ India.

To encourage digital literacy and Internet safety, Google is also introducing curriculum for schools, officials and elected representatives.

Google is working with the Department of Information Technology and other state governments to develop these initiatives.

- See more at: http://digitallearning.eletsonline.com/2014/09/google-launches-digital-india-initiatives/#sthash.jMsMRjze.dpuf

UGC recommends blacklisting 7 Deemed Universities, 34 get clean chit 

The UGC committee set up to review 41 ‘C’ category deemed universities has recommended the disqualification of seven of them. The committee set up under UGC vice-chairman H Devraj has, however, given a clean chit to the remaining 37 deemed universities that were blacklisted by a government report in 2009.

The report of the committee was accepted by the UGC full commission at a meeting held in New Delhi on Monday. According to the report, only 7 of the entire list of deemed varsities originally blacklisted have been found inadequate on specified standards. Accordingly, the union Human Resource Development (HRD) ministry may serve them a show cause notice before denotification, the report recommended.

The names of the universities placed in the ‘C’ category, however, have not been disclosed and the report has also not been shown to UGC members. Vice-chairperson H Devaraj only read out the operative portion, leading to protest by one member who asked how the commission could claim that the report had been accepted when not all members had even seen it.

The committee was set up under the orders of the Supreme Court which had asked it to examine three earlier reports on deemed universities. The Tandon Committee in 2009 had categorised them into three and 41 were found unfit to continue as deemed universities.

The report will now be sent to the HRD ministry which is expected to submit it to the SC on September 30, 2014 when the issue comes up for hearing.

- See more at: http://digitallearning.eletsonline.com/2014/09/ugc-recommends-blacklisting-7-deemed-universities-34-get-clean-chit/#sthash.7aw42M5p.dpuf

SBI to offer credit cards with education loans

India’s largest bank, State Bank of India (SBI), is offering credit cards to students who avail of education loans with them. The move is to gauge the students’ cradit history and keep bad loans down.

SBI hopes that the credit card useage will give it a glimpse into the user’s spending habits, thus giving it a clue about the borrower’s spending habits. This, in turn, will help it identify potential bad loans.

SBI Chairperson Arundhati Bhattacharya said, “We were having a lot of non-performing assets (NPAs) in education loans. So, now we have created a credit card along with the education loans.”

The credit card has a credit limit of Rs 5,000, guaranteed by the parent.

“Now what happens is the child starts using the credit card. He learns to use the credit card and repay the loan. And also, through the credit card we remain connected with him,” said Bhattacharya.

She pointed out that earlier once the bank gave the education loan it was no longer in the scene and the student forgot all about the bank. “But if there is a credit card, there is a monthly bill, so we remain connected with that person,” said the SBI chief.

And even when the student-borrower completes his education and takes up a job, the bank hopes that he/she will continue to use the card. “So, we can continue to track him. And in the meanwhile, he is building up a credit history which will enable use to give credit once he goes into a job,” said Bhattacharya.

As at June-end 2014, SBI had an education loan portfolio of Rs 14,945 crore, up 7.21 per cent year-on-year.

- See more at: http://digitallearning.eletsonline.com/2014/09/sbi-to-offer-credit-cards-with-education-loans/#sthash.BPxPZ8D1.dpuf

Congratulations ISRO. You have made India proud yet again.

Space programs have always excited and intrigued mankind. The urge of finding life beyond earth has urged a tremendous sense of wonder among countries of the world. 

And among these countries, a country that is still considered developing, has been moving ahead in her scientific space voyage rapidly and steadily. Soon it is about to embark the magnanimous leap to the red planet. In less than 48 hours, India will add another feather to its cap with Mangalyaan reaching mars. 

Billion hearts are beating harder than the thrust of LAM engine which will place MOM (India's Mars Orbiter Mission) into the Martian orbit. Now, the pulse of the nation can be gauged by the tremendous support ISRO is getting on almost all social media sites. 

Like other space programs gave us velcro, pocket calculators, they also inspired the youth to take interest in science/technology and promote international cooperation among nations. The Indian Mars mission seems like something that lifts our spirits literally high. 

Congratulations ISRO. You have made India proud yet again.

It is an inspiring journey of a developing nation to catch up with a huge chunk of aeronautical  achievements on a bullock cart ridden MOM. (Mars Orbiter Mission)

What began in 1962 in a fishing hamlet near Tiruvananthapuram by two Indian visionaries was actually  to vivify INDIA’s space dream. Some of its operations were operated in a cowshed and some in a  Bishop’s office. There have been instances that the scientists have scouted the satellites to and fro the launching site on bicycles, bullock carts and trucks.

This was just a humble beginning but over the years, India achieved the capability of building its own launch vehicles, remote sensing, communication, defense and navigation satellites, launch interplanetary and lunar missions design and develop the closely guarded and cutting-edge cryogenic engine. Its first achievement was the launch of the Aryabhatta satellite using a Russian rocket. 

ISRO was also responsible for the first large scale launch of remote sensing satellites for television broadcasts. 

India now has the largest fleet of remote sensing satellites in the world.

With two Mars probes, one Indian and one American approaching mars with a difference of 48 hours, the fever of Mars odyssey has gripped the world; every news channel be it local newspaper or an online platform while trending Mars articles almost reached a research class. Credit goes to ISRO (Indian Space Research Organization) for their hard work and resourceful efforts in making their nation first Asian country to enter the Martian atmosphere in its first attempt! 

Here is an infographic on all the proud moments that ISRO gave India! 

Click here to enlarge.