Reviving Agriculture





It needs a boost in the form of public investment in irrigation and access to technology

PM Modi devoted an entire episode of his Mann ki Baat radio talk show to rural issues. He was sympathetic to the plight of farmers buffeted by adverse weather conditions and promised to craft supportive policies. He needs to design them immediately as Indian agricultural sector has entered a challenging phase and the thrust of government policies needs to be oriented towards enhancing investment in irrigation infrastructure. This, in turn, has to be supplemented by smarter outreach to introduce better technology.These measures are essential to build a robust farm sector.Three overarching themes defined Indian agriculture over the last decade. Agricultural markets remained fragmented even as attempts were made to integrate markets for goods and services. Individual farmers increased investment in irrigation and labour saving devices.
Simultaneously, they also increased cropping intensity. Investments paid off as the 2007-12 period was a productive one for agriculture. However, from a national standpoint, government did not do enough to complement private investment in agriculture, particularly in irrigation. The economies of scale that come out of public investment in irrigation serve to both boost production and partially mitigate the investment risks of farmers.
Instead of public investment, policy was oriented towards enhancing spending in subsidies riding on inefficient delivery mechanisms, which left farmers vulnerable to calamities.
Constitutional design gives state governments a primary role in agriculture, which puts them at the heart of reforms. NDA government hopes to integrate India's agricultural market, which is carved up into 2,477 markets under the ambit of different Agricultural Produce Market Committees (APMCs). Earlier attempts at reducing the monopoly rights APMCs have on first sale of commodities have been disappointing.Political will is needed on the part of both NDA and state governments to dismantle this entrenched monopoly and make it compete with other players such as big retailers. Integrating fragmented agricultural markets gives farmers a better deal and also helps urban consumers who suffer frequent price spikes on account of local shortages.
Eventually, better infrastructure and technology diffusion are key to improving agricultural production. NDA needs to lead the way by reorienting its spending priorities and helping states with their outreach.India's farm yields need to improve and an irrational fear of genetic engineering hampers farmers. They too should have the option to dip into the benefits of technological progress. Modi needs to get cracking.

Debate over UGC courses

The University Grants Commission issued a notification to universities and institutions to refrain from offering programmes, including engineering courses through open and distance learning mode.

According to the notification, no university/institution or deemed to be university/institution should offer diploma, bachelor’s or master’s level programme in engineering and technology, other than MBA and MCA, till the finalisation of UGC (Open and Distance Learning) Regulations 2014. Any violation could invite action.

The UGC has included programmes such as BE/B Tech, diploma, undergraduate and postgraduate courses in architecture; town planning; pharmacy; hotel management and catering technology; applied arts and crafts; and PG Diploma in management.

If an institution has the approval of the joint committee of the erstwhile Distance Education Council and the UGC and the recognition status is notified on the All India Council for Technical Education website, it can offer MBA and MCA programmes.

Anna University offers M Sc in Free and Open Source Software and M Sc Information Technology. SN Geetha, Distance Education Director says the institution admits students only in Chennai and not even in its constituent colleges. “We conduct M Sc in Computer Science as we have a full-fledged lab. The answer papers are evaluated by the University’s Controller of Examination,” she says.

State government universities abide by the norms by and large, but some institutions subvert the rules in innovative ways, says C. Pichaandy, vice-president of Association of University Teachers. Pointing out that Bharathiar University offers a course in Catering Science as opposed to Catering Technology, he says that the university has set up centres abroad, which is beyond its jurisdiction, and has also appointed an official agent.

C Subramanian, associate professor in Department of Political Science, Distance Education, Annamalai University, however, argues that universities should be allowed to run such programmes. With around 170 study centres across the country, the university set the trend before even the IGNOU and the Distance Education Council were established.

“If the Commission makes an adverse decision regarding study centres, it will affect the employees of our university. We have given a representation to the UGC vice-chairman H. Devaraj regarding this. We are almost a government university now and follow the norms. The government is inviting foreign universities to run programmes, but does not allow State and Central universities to offer such programmes,” he regrets.

Politics and religious ideology should not intrude into science'

Science is about investigation based on facts and experiments", says Dr. Venki Ramakrishnan, President Elect of the Royal Society

“There is no room for political, personal or religious ideologies in science,” Dr. Venki Ramakrishnan, President Elect of the Royal Society, told The Hindu.“Science is about investigation based on facts and experiments. Above all, it should be a meritocracy, and that is very important to foster good science in India."

Articulating some of his concerns about the future of science in India, the Nobel Laureate said that that above all science needs stable funding and scientists need to be properly remunerated. “They are choosing a life of scholarship which involves a lot of hard work, and it is only right that you reward these very bright people with at least a decent and stable life,” he said.

“I heard that some nonsense was spouted at the Indian Science Congress by people who are ideologically driven,” he said. “What was astonishing to me is that the Indian science establishment did not speak out instantly and strongly about it. That needs to happen. I don’t have a problem with any government, including the current one. However, governments and scientists in India need to ensure that politics and religious ideology do not intrude into science. They belong to separate spheres and if they are not kept separate, it is science in India and the country as a whole that will suffer.”

Dr. Ramakrishnan identified the National Centre of Biological Science in Bangalore, the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, and IISER, Pune, as “positive examples” of how science is being done in India today. He had special words of praise for the NCBS for its high standards of science and encouragement of young scientists, attributing these features to the leadership traditions set by its visionary Founder Director and eminent scientist, Obaid Siddiqui. This continued under K. VijayRaghavan (who subsequently left to become Director of Department of Bio-technology), and by the present Director, Satyajit Mayor. The IISc, he added, “also has a long democratic tradition of doing science.”

Dr. Ramakrishnan called upon scientists and governments to consult with each other over how best to establish priority areas in science and spending levels, but then leave it to scientific experts on how to implement these decisions without further interference.

Keywords: Royal Society President, Venki Ramakrishnan, science and religion, Nobel Laureate, India-born scientist

Dalit rights conference opens in Washington

The first Global Conference on Defending Dalit Rights kicks off with a spirited discussion steps away from Capitol Hill and a plan to march to the White House over the weekend.

Even as the Dalit community continues to face oppression in parts of India, a major conference aimed at defending Dalit rights worldwide kicked off in the U.S. capital this week, which included a spirited discussion steps away from Capitol Hill and a plan to march to the White House over the weekend and set up a human chain of solidarity and dignity there.

The same week that the first Global Conference on Defending Dalit Rights took place, a key resolution was introduced into the U.S. House of Representatives “Condemning Dalit untouchability, the practice of birth-descent discrimination against Dalit people, which is widely practiced in India, Nepal, the Asian diaspora, and other South Asian nations, and calling on these countries to recognise the human rights of the Dalit people and end all forms of untouchability within their borders.”

The resolution, H.Res.158, noted that discrimination against the Dalits existed for more than 2,000 years in India and included educational discrimination, economic disenfranchisement, discrimination in medical care, and increased vulnerability to poverty, hunger, violence, rape, and humiliation.

Lawmakers including resolution sponsor Democratic Congresswoman Eleanor Norton cited reports of rights group Human Rights Watch and other surveys which argued that Dalits were among the poorest of the poor, living on less than $1.25 per day, that most of India’s bonded labourers were Dalits, and a large proportion of India’s Dalit children were undernourished, severely underweight, and faced relatively higher rates of child mortality.

The global conference being held in Washington is organised around five themes: international mechanisms and the obligation to end discrimination, violence, and inequality; best practices and challenges: empowering Dalit civil society; legislative approaches to ending caste, work, and descent-based discrimination; universal measurement and advocacy framework including the caste freedom index; and gender equality and the power of Dalit women.

After discussions around these themes during Thursday and Friday attendees will march to the White House for the human chain on Saturday morning, following which a press conference will be held at the site.

Keywords: First Global Conference on Defending Dalit Rights, Dalit rights conference, H.Res.158, U.S. House resolution against Dalit untouchability

Vedanta - A Kinder World

JANINA GOMES





When cars pile up in a traffic jam and tempers run high, two autorickshaws coming from different directions practically touch each other. Each wants to claim right of way and neither wants to budge.Heated arguments soon lead to blows. What would happen if both would be prepared to let the other go first? That would immediately defuse the situation and help ease the jam, instead of obstructing traffic for even longer periods.
Today's world is characterised by a loss of simple civilities. Think, how can I be kind to those I meet today? If each of us would begin in our little sphere, what a difference it would make! There would so much less stress all around and life would flow more smoothly .
This would, however, demand from us much more patience. When everybody is in a hurry , it's a sure recipe for frayed tempers, even violence.
Strangely , politeness is seen as a form of weakness. Actually, it takes great strength to continue to be polite when others treat us with contempt.Many virtues that the modern world considers passé are actually signs of moral strength.
So, don't blow it. Be patient and steady . Life has a way of rewarding those who are kind and who treat others kindly .Sometimes, it is the `weak' who show us the way . They are more caring of each other and better equipped to face life.
If only we all shared, the world would be a kinder place.

Startups Gain Steam in North East

Vasumita Adarsh

Pune:





The likes of Tamul Plates, YCube, ElRhino are joining mainstream trend

Elrhino, a firm that makes luxury handmade paper products out of elephant and rhino poop, and Tamul Plates, which makes biodegradable disposable arecanut leaf plates, are among a rising number of startups increasingly attracting venture capitalists' attention to the north-eastern region. Omnivore-Capital has backed Guwahati-based pork-packaging company Arohan Foods, while the Indian Angel Network is scouting for deals in the region by taking up a mentorship and nurturing role in Kolkata, North East and surrounding areas.“Three years back, there were hardly any startup entrepreneurs to meet there. Now, when I go to Kolkata, I meet a number of new entrepreneurs from the region,“ said Padmaja Ruparel, president at Indian Angel Network (IAN). She said the northeastern region is still nascent and will take time to catch up with other start-up pockets in the country . “We are, however, looking at investing in start-ups in the region this year,“ she added.
Some notable startups in the region include Manipur-based online East Asia fashion retailer Y Cube Fashion and Assam silk and North-East fabrics manufacturer and exporter Fabric Plus.

Learn In India





Education mess will ruin India's potential, it's time to loosen political and bureaucratic chokehold

The ministry of human resources and ddevelopment seems to be climbing down from its high horse on foreign-language teaching after the row over German as well as its face-off with IIT Bombay chairman Anil Kakokdar, who has withdrawn his resignation following `disagreement' over selection of an IIT director. Yet, these climbdowns only serve to illustrate the structural mess that India's higher education management is in. The ham-handed rollback of four year undergraduate courses in Delhi University and the subsequent showcause notice to its vice chancellor Dinesh Singh is another case in point.While India's global competitors have moved to greater autonomy and institutional freedom in education ­ it's taken for granted that this is a prerequisite for improving education standards ­ India's universities remains hostage to political and bureaucratic whims. In countries such as the US, the UK and Australia, the state's role is limited to setting broad standards and providing funds while institutions are free to manage themselves. But in India, the government's insistence on micro-managing education fits the pattern of the socialist-era mai-baap sarkar rather than the brave new liberalised economy of today.
The result is that despite historically strong intellectual traditions and growing Indian economic power, not one Indian university could make it to the top 100 in world reputation rankings recently released by Times Higher Education. In elementary education too, that only an estimated 48% of class V children can read a Class II-level text is an indictment of Indian education.
At a time when Narendra Modi government is focussing on a manufacturing push to the economy with its `Make in India' slogan, the drag in education is a major constraint. China became the factory of the world by taking over global manufacturing. But with technological changes reducing workers on the factory floor, the ability to produce skilled talent is now crucial. In a country with the world's largest proportion of young people, economists have long talked about the demographic dividend. But if our universities don't match up to the best and a significant proportion of Indians remain functionally un-educated, this dividend will turn into a demographic disaster. `Learn in India' is not only as important as `Make in India', it is essential for the success of the latter. It is time to shift mindsets, liberalise higher education and encourage institutional autonomy and creativity to keep pace with a rapidly changing world.