CHANDIGARH: The Haryana government has imposed a complete ban on the use of polythene bags made of virgin or recycled plastic with a thickness of less than 40 microns and size less than 12 x 18 inches in the state.

“No person would manufacture, stock, distribute, sell or use carry bags made of virgin or recycled plastic of thickness less than 40 microns and size less than 12 x 18 inches,” Ajay Singh Yadav, state forest minister told reporters here Wednesday.

Earlier, thickness and size of banned plastic carry bags was less than 30 microns and less than 8 x 12 inches, respectively.

“Besides, a complete ban has been also imposed on the use of all types of plastic articles such as carry bags, plates, cups, spoons, forks and straw in public parks, wildlife sanctuaries, national parks and at those places which have historical, religious and ecological significance,” Yadav stated.

Yadav said a penalty of Rs.25,000 to Rs.50,000 could be imposed on the manufacturing unit for its first offence, and its licence could be cancelled in addition to confiscating the machinery on repeated violations.

Similarly, Rs.2,500 to Rs.5,000 fine will be imposed on the retailer, vendor and other establishments found violating these directions for the first time and if found violating again, their trade licence would be cancelled.

“If an individual is found littering public places with plastic bags, then he could be fined ranging from Rs.250 to Rs.500 per offence,” stated Yadav.

Haryana state pollution control board would be the prescribed authority for the enforcement of these directions in the state.

From TOI

Delhi, Jaipur, and Agra… http://picasaweb.google.com/thefifthchamber

I’ve already taken 300+ photos in Nepal… it’s that good, but of course my little point-and-shoot does not do this beautiful country justice.  And don’t worry… I’ll narrow them down a bit before posting.    I’ve been mostly in Pokhara so far, but I return to Kathmandu tomorrow for some sightseeing. 

By the way, I’m always looking for locals to hang out with in these places I’m visiting, or friends who can meet up with me along the way.  So if you know of anyone or you have some vacation time to burn, drop me a line.  I’ll be keeping the “travel dates” page updated as my plans are dreamt up, changed, and finalized.

The CBI today sought maximum punishment of two years for disgraced former Haryana DGP SPS Rathore in the Ruchika molestation case before a court which adjourned the hearing on the plea till February 8.

Additional District and Sessions Judge R S Attri also issued notice to 68-year-old Rathore on CBI’s submission and on a revision petition by complainant Madhu Parkash with the same plea, Ruchika family’s counsel Pankaj Bhardwaj said.

Challenging the six-month sentence awarded to Rathore for molesting 14-year-old Ruchika in 1990, three years after which she committed suicide, the CBI had yesterday filed the appeal before the court.

On December 21, the court of CBI magistrate J S Sidhu had convicted Rathore and sentenced him to six months’ rigorous imprisonment along with a fine of Rs 10,000, which had raised a public outrage as the former IPS officer had been let off with a lighter sentence.

Both CBI and Bhardwaj have sought maximum punishment of two years for Rathore under section 354 of IPC (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty).

The CBI, in its appeal, alleged that Rathore was a protector of the law but instead he molested the victim, increasing the gravity of the offence.

Bhardwaj in his revision petition said Rathore had intentions of molesting the victim and, thus, had even gone to her house and later molested her.

CBI submitted that molestation of Ruchika was not an act on the spur of the moment but was pre-planned. It also accused Rathore of unleashing a reign of terror on witnesses.

A local court on January 13 had granted bail to Rathore, while admitting his appeal and fixed it for final arguments on February eight.

The CBI, which had earlier said it would move the court for enhancement of Rathore’s sentence, moved the appeal yesterday along with the trial court judgement and a detailed time sheet about the progress of the trial proceedings from August 21, 1998, when the case was marked to the CBI till December 21 last year when the verdict was delivered.

Madhu Parkash, the main complainant in this case, is mother of Ruchika’s friend Aradhana, the sole eye-witness.

When it comes to arts & crafts, India has always captured the world’s imagination. We owe our global reputation to our rich heritage – one that´s lived on in our villages for centuries.India has many cultural events that set the stage for traditional artists to showcase their creations. The most vibrant of them all is the Surajkund Handicrafts Mela.The Surajkund Mela was orgaised to promote the culture and traditions of Haryana. The first Mela was put together by the Haryana Government in 1981. Artisans from all over the state came together for the first time ever. Ideas were exchanged, and a thriving art culture was born. Year after year, people took notice and the Mela spread its wings further. Today, it is one of the biggest art events in India. Skilled artisans now converge, not just from around India, but neighbouring countries as well.

Surajkund becomes alive with the rhythm and beats of folk dances and riot of colors. Rajasthan- The magic of vibrant Rajasthan is the theme state  for this year Mela.Surajkund is the annual fair that showcases the finest handlooms, handicrafts, authentic fragrances & flavours of rich Indian cuisines. As winter turns briefly into spring, a caravan of 400 National and State awardee craftpersons from every corner of India wind their way to Surajkund. This year craftpersons from SAARC Nations are participating in the Surajkund Crafts Mela. At Surajkund Mela, the artisans’ delicate hands create the most beautiful pieces which have fascinated many through ages !24th Surajkund Crafts Mela offers a lot of Fun, Frolic,Entertainment and exclusive shopping. In the rural ambience, 400 craftperson will display and Demonstrate their finest crafts work that is set to capture your hearts. The authentic fragrances & flavours of rich Indian cuisines will kindle your taste buds. Tap your feet with the beats of enthralling folk dancers from the various parts of the country.

Welcome to Surajkund Mela 2010
The Surajkund Fair is going to be held from 1st to 15th February 2010. Artisans, craftsmen and performers will be arriving at this cultural hotspot to showcase their talents. Whether it´s from across the country or beyond. Step in to find a wealth of exquisite handicraft items including paintings, jewelry, showpieces, upholstery, furniture and more.  You´ll also find mehendi design artists, musicians, dancers, painters, weavers, sculptures, craftsmen from all around. The idea is to exhibit the splendid variety of Indian culture.

Craft exhibitions

Chikri woodcraft of Kashmir

Lace and crochet items of Goa

Banjara and Bunni embroidery of Gujarat

Sandalwood and rosewood carving handicrafts of South India

Kantha work of West Bengal and North–East India

Chikan work of Lucknow
The Surajkund Food Festival
No Indian celebration is complete without Indian spices. Savour traditional recipes from all over the country, on a platter!While you shop, soak in the aroma of delicious cuisines being prepared at the many stalls. Savour delicacies from around the country.

A fair to cherish and remember…..

HIGHLIGHTS

1. The Craftspersons from all over India, SAARC and other neighbouring countries would be selling the best of Handlooms and Handicrafts items.

2. The State of Rajasthan is the Theme State of the Mela Rajasthan known for its Fort Places, Textiles,Handicrafts,Cuisines and Fairand Festivals. Replica of Choki-Dhani can be seen at Haveli in Mela Ground.

3. Tajikistan,Egypt and Thailand are the three Partner Countries. They will bring their craftsmen,cultural teams and cuisines.

4. Best of Cultural programmes organized jointly by Ministry of Culture,ICCR,New Delhi, Theme State Rajasthan and Cultural Affairs Department, Haryana & Haryana Kala Parishad.

5. Exporters meet and Buyers meet to be held at Surajkund Design Galleries with assistance of the DC Handlooms and DC Handicrafts.

6. Food Court with variety of Indian, Thau & Egyptain Food.

7. Amusement Zone with playful rides and swings.

8. Folk Dances by Schools/Colleges at Chaupal daily from 11 a.m. onwards

9. Participate in special games and in competitions like Rangoli (2nd Feb.), Face painting(3rd Feb.), Essay Writing (4th Feb.) , Mehandi (5th Feb.) drawing (9th feb.), kite Flying for adults (10th Feb.) and Photography for amateurs only(11th Feb.)

The process of education is considered so important in our society that no parents, who can afford it, can imagine having their children go uneducated. It has become such an integral part of our lives that for most people, completing the process of education appears to be a matter of habit. Others, who have so far remained outside this process, are now being covered by the literacy programmes of the government and various non-governmental organizations. Extending the privilege to everybody in the country seems to be a top priority for various governments representing political thought of different shades. Those outside the education system see it as a desirable thing and are quite eager to take advantage of the opportunity offered to them. But, why exactly is education so indispensable?

The need for such an examination arises because everything does not seem to be going alright with the education system. The ground reality is that in most of the schools and colleges of India, students, teachers and administrators are apathetic towards the process of education, fraudulent ways are beings adopted to complete the process and a large number of educated youth find themselves without jobs. It is quite anomalous that when the people, government and those involved in implementing it, consider the education to be a desirable thing, they choose to ignore the real state of affairs on ground. Policy makers, politicians, social activists and education experts are seen taking idealist positions when talking about education, most of the time. Do they really want to continue and expand the existing education system in its present form? Besides the degeneration of the process, education as an activity seems to be going on without any direction.

The purpose of education

More precisely, the perceived goal of education to make the individual and the society ‘better’ in some qualitative sense, seems to missing in its current form. In our rush to get everybody educated, we do not consider it important to ask ourselves why do we need education?

An idealist notion about the necessity of education has been taken for granted. If fact this notion has been so strongly developed that we are taught to overlook the shortcomings in the implementation of this activity. Both independent groups, who have chosen to work in the field of education, and expert committees have only suggested ways of improving the effectiveness of present education system without addressing themselves to the more basic issues of the purpose of the entire activity. Such people often choose to ignore the disturbing trends, mentioned above, associated with the education system.

Most of the people will refuse to link the malaise in the system to the basic nature of the system itself, considering it to be a disorder which could be taken care of by implementing a proper machinery. Such assumptions need to be questioned. In this article we will present an analysis of the present education system, which will raise questions at such basic levels. When so much resources and the prime time of our children and youth are being given over to the education system, we as a society need to find out the achievement of this system in real terms. However, in this evaluation one must be prepared to dispense with the assumption that the modern education system, or some close variant of it, is absolutely indispensable, for on close examination this kind of education system itself appears to be at fault. The present article will restrict itself to being a critique of the modern education system and will highlight its inadequacies. The solution in the form of a new concept of education derived from a newly established philosophy, Sah Astitwawad Darshan, of Nagaraj Sharma of Amarkantak, will be the subject of a future article. The concept of education based on this philosophy offers the possibility of establishment of a just human order.

Let us first take a look at why people perceive education to be a desirable thing. When several groups of people in Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh were asked as to why they felt the need of education, the answers fell in broadly three categories. The most common answer was that education makes people progressive in some sense and is necessary for the advancement of a civilized society. Next, people thought that it imparts knowledge. Lastly, very few people admitted, and that too quite hesitatingly, that it provides employment opportunities. It is interesting that educated people in formal conversation find it improper to voice the most popularly held view among the people that education opens up more job opportunities. It is probably a sign of their being ‘civilized’, which is quoted as the most important reason for getting educated. We will take up the issues of what people mean when they say that education makes one civilized or imparts knowledge, later.

Education and Job Opportunities

First we will look at the notion of education opening up job opportunities. It turns out that when parents send their children to school they are essentially seeking a ’secure future’ for them, which basically means that their children upon getting educated would become eligible for salaried jobs. Even if they do not realize it, the societal norm which compels them to have their children go to school is guided by the same motivation. In fact, this pressure is so great that no parent can even think of doing otherwise. Considering that modern education system incurs some expenditure on the part of parents, it can easily be identified as a middle and upward class activity. The roots of our education system are in the Imperial days, where it was essentially meant to produce a class of people who would assist the British in running the administration of this country.

Even today the education system continues to serve the same function.

It produces a salaried middle class which acts as an appendage to the ruling class and helps keep a primarily coercive administrative system in place. Since the nature of such jobs is essentially of clerical type and there is almost no scope to exercise an individual’s creativity. Most people, even those possessing highest of academic qualifications, cannot derive satisfaction out of their jobs. To compensate for their unproductive nature of jobs they have to be paid higher wages than can be earned otherwise. This creates an economic gap between the salaried class and the class of people who depend on their hard labour and often engaged in production activities which sustain the economy. It is primarily this high salary level accompanied by the associated proximity to ruling classes which becomes the motivating factor for any parents taking a decision to get their children educated.

Since the education system is also designed to produce merely a ‘clerical’ class, upon the completion of their education programmes the youth seek fixed salary and low risk secure jobs. The top priority is often government jobs because there is remote possibility of getting thrown out of them, in addition to other financial and material benefits offered by them. However, the number of such salaried jobs is limited. In fact the number of salaried jobs which are primarily of clerical nature cannot exceed a certain limit because a large segment of the population would be needed outside it, in the primary and secondary sectors of economy, which incidentally also happen to be the source of income for governments from where salaries are generated. Hence, there is a practical restraint on the number of people who can be ‘benefitted’ by the present education system.

To present the idea of education in its current form as a desirable thing and involving large masses of people in it through literacy programmes, thereby making them aspirants in a limited (salaried) job market, is an irresponsible behaviour. Even though it could be argued that economic liberalization programmes are creating more job opportunities, the number of people receiving education and going without a job is growing at a faster rate. Experience of working in the Ballia district shows that a large number of youth actually fail to make it to the job system. The education system with its urban and elitist bias puts the students from rural and semi-rural background in a disadvantaged position to begin with. Since it is basically a job-oriented education system where people are prepared for subordinate roles, the process of training need not maintain very high standards of excellence. In fact, the general quality of education in this country is very mediocre and at a number of places the whole exercise has been reduced to a farce.

Since what is needed to demonstrate when applying for a job is the certificate and not actual competence, people have devised ways of completing the process of obtaining the certificates without actually putting in the hard work to go through the entire exercise involved in the process of education. The students, parents, teachers, other staff and education department administrators, for example, have evolved a system in Ballia district where almost all the students clear their high school and intermediate examinations, conducted by the U.P. Board, by mass- scale malpractices. This method suits everybody as the administrators and teachers get financially benefitted, students pass their examinations and parents do not mind spending an extra sum to see their children obtain the certificates without wasting too much of their time. This system enjoys full political patronage and has over aperiod of roughly two decades obtained social acceptability. So much so that anybody not resorting to cheating in the examinations would be considered an anomaly.

Since examinations can now be passed without a rigorous program of studies, the entire process of classroom teaching has been short circuited. The teachers are content drawing their salaries. As the number of people possessing certificates, diplomas and degrees has gone up, so has the competition for jobs and the number of unemployed. Since the education system prepares a job mentality in people, a person is called unemployed if he/she is not in a salaried job.

The concept of employment after education leaves out a host of other activities which are absolutely necessary for the running of our economy. A lot of people who fall in the category of unemployed, if they had not gone through the education system, they would probably be engaged in some fruitful production activity. It is a well known fact that our education system creates a mind-set which makes people move away from the basic production processes in the economy. In this sense the problem of ‘unemployment’ has been merely a creation of our education system. In fact, the education system can be blamed for ruining the best years of our youth, whether unsuccessful or successful in getting a job.

In this light, demands of groups such as AISA, of education and employment for everybody, where by education they mean only the present form of education and by employment they mean the commonly held view of salaried jobs, are meaningless. They are again guided by the same idealist notion that education is a desirable thing for everybody, completely ignoring the ground realities. Considering that majority of our people live in villages, townships and small cities, they are deprived of the fruits of modern education system and a majority of educated youth in this country actually go without a job.

Contrary to the popular opinion that education opens up more job opportunities, it rewards only a minuscule percentage of the population, mostly coming from socio-economically privileged groups. It is only the dream of getting these small number of high salaried coveted jobs that has sustained the view that education opens up more job opportunities. If we consider the hard reality, education system today makes many more people jobless than it is able to provide jobs to. In fact, the process of education is so lop-sided and strangulating that it saps the person of all his/her imagination and enthusiasm making him/her unfit for any other work. The state of unemployment in Ballia is such that people holding even Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees are forced to take up teaching jobs in privately run primary and middle level schools for a meagre Rs. 200 to Rs. 300 per month. Even a daily wage worker, involved in manual work can earn two or three times more. This crippling effect can only lead to frustration among the people who are unfortunate enough not to secure a job. The government and political parties only make the situation worse by creating an illusion that they can create more jobs. They only fuel the rat race of people going through the education system and then contending for jobs.

If we are to channelize the energy of our youth for constructive activity in society then we work to dispel the notion that education opens up more job opportunities. The sooner we agree to examine the myth that the present education system is a desirable thing, the better it would be for our society. A completely new form of education system with a different purpose altogether, has to be worked out for creating a healthy society. However, this will not be the subject of present article. Here, it is merely sufficient to mention that various efforts which have been carried out to make the modern education system more effective have failed to create an impact. These efforts either in the form of individual experts, independent self-motivated innovative groups or expert committees have not questioned the basis of the process of education. Most of them have concerned themselves with techniques and strategies rather than taking up the issue at a philosophical level.

For example, the vocational training programmes, including the ITIs, failed to motivate the youth to give up their salaried job mind set, because they were designed to merely supplement the modern education system. Such has been the fate of all innovative efforts. When they were incorporated in the education system, their role was limited to only a marginal one. Another example is the S.U.P.W., which was introduced in the C.B.S.E. syllabus. Kishore Bharati in Hoshangabad, working with the objective of inculcating scientific temper through education, was successful in getting books designed by it introduced in the state curriculum but was unsuccessful in qualitatively influencing either the process of education or lives of people in general.

So long as the primary function of our education system continues to be serving the interests of the ruling class, no change can be expected to be brought about by it. Fortunately we are forced to re- examine our education system because, firstly, it is failing to provide jobs to everybody, and, secondly, to the people it has provided jobs, it is failing to provide satisfaction. In any case, the myth that education opens up more job opportunities needs to be dispensed with.

Does education make individuals progressive?

let us come to the aspect of education which makes an individual progressive in some sense. The state always projects education as necessary for the progress of society when pushing its literacy programmes. People are made to believe through the state run media that education has the potential for providing solutions to a number of society’s problems. There is so much brainwashing done that lot of educated people grow up with the illusion that they are more civilized in some sense that the illiterate people. It is not very difficult to detect the condescending attitude that the educated people develop towards the less educated or uneducated people.

However, when several groups of people, including school teachers and college students from Delhi, Kanpur and Ballia were questioned on exactly how they were advanced compared to people who did not get a chance to go to school, people were at a loss to come up with convincing answers. Because of education they had acquired the skills of reading and writing, but other people in the society possessed some other skills which were in no way less valuable. In fact, skills like farming, cloth making and house building, more basic to our living, the educated people were completely unfamiliar with. What is a part of living for most of the people in the country and where they spend a major part of their time is reduced in the form of mere commodities which the educated people learn to buy in the market in exchange for money earned as part of their salaries. This is probably a basic difference between the educated and uneducated people. However, whether this is a sign of progress has become a debatable issue now.

The educated people would readily agree that inspite of enjoying more material comforts they do not think that they have become any more happy than the uneducated people. Also, education does not make any person a better human being. The educated people are not any more sensitive or sympathetic towards other human beings. Neither are they any more honest or responsible. Education does not free a person of superstition or blind belief in hypothetical concepts of super natural powers. An educated person is seen to be as much of a fatalist as an uneducated one. People possessing highest degrees in sciences are seen to behave in highly irrational and inexplicable ways. A document published when the Kishore Bharati experiment was wound up, points out that scientific rational way of thinking evaporates when economic and political interests of the people come in their way. Hence upon an honest evaluation it turns out that qualitatively there is not much of a difference between the educated and the uneducated people.

Most of the people with whom it was discussed agreed with this conclusion. Then, in what way they thought they were more civilized left them thinking.

People agree that material advancement is not the only aspect of progress. In fact, it is the less important part of it. Most of the people were of the opinion that practice of human values, improvement on human relationships and a just order in society constituted real progress and those are the things they actually meant when using the notion of ‘civilized’ society. Unfortunately we have not moved ahead in that direction, and although the idea of education was conceived precisely for this purpose, we have so far not been able to develop the form of education, necessary to fulfil this objective. The modern education system is simply not designed to serve this purpose. All it does is only legitimizes material growth in the name of development. Modern science as an ideology, which has chosen to confine itself to only the study of matter, having gotten the support of the ruling classes, has exercised its hegemony through the modern education system to promote a material-centered thinking. This is reflected in the personal aspirations of a modern educated man as well as the development programmes of any modern state. However, that this is only a lop-sided view is reflected in the concerns of the people. Thus, the popular belief that education represents some kind of progress does not stand a deeper inquiry.

Misinterpreted Notion

Finally, we will take up the most profound and also the most misinterpreted notion of education as a means to seek ‘knowledge’. The tradition of learning has always been associated with seeking of knowledge. However, what constitutes knowledge is highly debatable because before the advent of modern education system in this country knowledge was viewed only in mystical terms. Only a selected few with some special qualifications were eligible to acquire it. However, as the State patronage shifted from religion to science and a new education system was in place, more people were allowed access to the new ‘knowledge’. Science was more successful than religion in penetrating different societies around the world and making itself more universally acceptable in the curricula of the education systems of the schools of the world. But it was soon discovered that it still remained pretty much in the hands of few experts. The ’spirit of enquiry’, necessary for seeking ‘knowledge’, was in the domain of only those privileged few. Moreover, the direction of research was determined often by the state, which was funding the activity. The state had readily adopted the activity of science because it offered the possibility of vastly improved defence capabilities. Because of liberal state sponsorships, defence continues to occupy the interests of a majority of the scientists on earth today. In this light even the spirit of enquiry enjoyed by a few is restrained and the knowledge sought is with a very limited purpose. This explains why our programme of development is proceeding with an associated component of destruction.

Coming back to the education system in the era of science, what was designed for the majority of the people were skills and capsules of information necessary to sustain the efforts of the state. The science education in schools and colleges is no less dogmatic than the teachings of religion. What you can do in the name of science is clearly spelled out by the authorities, allowing no freedom for change even in enquiry. It obviously does not conform to the notion of science offering openness of thought and is certainly far removed from the concept of knowledge. It must be recognized very well that modern education system is not a programme of knowledge seeking even though it does maintain an illusion of that in the name of science. It basically consists of development of certain skills, like reading, writing, articulation, mathematics or giving out certain information through sciences and social sciences. It is a programme limited in terms of the content of curriculum and number of years required to complete it and can be completed by being successful in a definite type of examination.

The examinations, for which the skill of writing is necessary, can be passed by reproducing certain information or at the most by manipulation of this information. A person who is the product of modern education system and has completed most advanced of its programmes does not feel contended or knowledgeable enough to be able to provide answers to all queries relating to his/her specialization and certainly not comfortable answering the basic questions about life and existence in the realm of philosophy even though the education system may have honoured them with Doctor of Philosophy degrees. This is yet another proof of modern education system not being a knowledge seeking exercise. In fact, there appears to be a lot of confusion among people on what exactly is the nature of knowledge and the ways of going about acquiring it.

Most people are seen to use the term knowledge as a synonym for skills or information. Some people make it appear as something mystical, beyond the reach of ordinary people, and consider that knowledge or Truth can be obtained only through very specialized processes. However, such people are themselves not clear about the nature of knowledge or the way of obtaining it, as they have not experienced it themselves. Neither do they seem to have met anybody who has obtained knowledge. Hence, there is a lot of mystery about the mystical way. Like the first two popular beliefs about education, even the belief that education imparts some kind of knowledge appears to be a myth. While both the traditional and modern schools of thought use the term quite frequently, there appears to be no consensus or even clarity on its meaning. The Sah-Astitwawad Darshan has developed the concept of knowledge as a complete understanding of oneself and one’s environment in relation to it, and furthermore, evolving a programme of living at the four stages of the self, the family, the society and nature, so that there is complete harmony among all the stages. The task of education is described as making people familiar with this entire concept. Under such a system the objective of education is determined as the realization of a just human order. This human centered thought identifies the two types of needs of human beings – material and human values – and offers a programme for the satisfaction of both. Education helps the human beings understanding these processes better and hence is more meaningful for life. This concept will be presented in detail in a separate article.
Unemployment means that while the people are willing to work, they have no work to do. The most important reasons of India’s poverty and backwardness are her problem of unemployment.

It is pity to see a long queue of young persons, who have devoted ten to sixteen precious years of their lives to their studies standing before the employment exchange office. They are unemployed and longing to get a petty job to earn their bread. Is it not shocking and surprising that the years they spent in getting education proved just a sheer waste of time and made them idle gossiper, hater of physical labor and slave of comforts.

We will not find carpenters, shoemakers, tailors or even barbers in this queue of employment searchers. This clearly shows the failure of modern educational system and insolvency of our policy makers. So if we really want to solve the unemployment problem, the educational system must be made job oriented. Now our country does not need only clerks, she is in need of persons who can serve her by their physical and mental skill. There is urgent need of revolutionizing the whole educational system so that it can cope with the new demands of our free country.

Unemployment means that while the people are willing to work, they have no work to do. The most important reasons of India’s poverty and backwardness are her problem of unemployment. The advancement in modern technology has invented such machines, robots and computers which can perform the work of thousands of persons alone. These machines need only one o two operators and thus they snatch bread from the hands of thousands of persons. So this type of technical advancement has also increased the problem of unemployment. Our government should adopt the automation in such a wise way that can solve this problem.

Government should give due importance to small scale industries, cottage industries, ad labor intensive industries. These industries must be given financial aid, raw material and sales facilities by the government. Unemployed persons should be encouraged to get training concerning these industries.

The increasing population growth is also one of the factories which are contributing to unemployment problem.

The development of the country can no create so many job opportunities as are required we must try to decrease population growth by propagating family planning program. The peasants, workers and other classes of the masses that are uneducated should be motivated to adopt family planning methods. The villages should be made self sufficient in their economy o that growing population can get employment. This can be done by setting up agro-industries in rural areas.

Conclusion

The purpose of the present article was only to point out the frailties of the modern education system and to show how some of the popularly held views about this system are merely myths, which are exposed on a closer examination. The education system is not serving any fruitful purpose in the society, except for keeping a handful of people in jobs and making education as business. A larger objective of creating a healthy society, where all the needs of all human beings can be satisfied easily, is simply not on its agenda. The education system fails to provide intellectual satisfaction and hence a viable programme of living where mutually beneficial relationships can be established with other human beings, groups of people and with nature, which is necessary for the growth of society. As a result of the all round failure of our education system a need has been established for new thinking in this direction. at the end of the day our education must be holistic approach system not just for the sake of education for everyone.
Gyandotcom

Last month January 11,2010 HRD Minister Says:-
There is going to be a paradigm shift in the field of higher education in the country in 2010 with the government creating an enabling environment for bringing industry, academia and government on one platform to give a decisive push to educational reforms for creating a knowledge society to make India globally competitive, Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal said at a book release function at ORF campus on Monday, January 11, 2010.

Releasing the book Engineering Education in India written by Prof. Rangan Banerjee and Vinayak P Mule of Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Bombay, Mr. Sibal said that India needs to think differently about its education system and universities should be allowed far greater freedom than they have now. The Minister said that there was an urgent need to create stakes for the faculty and researchers in the system so that the research community feels motivated to create knowledge.

It was high time to recognize that Indian universities are extremely dependent on colleges and institutes for revenues as state governments are in no position to adequately fund the universities, Mr. Sibal said. He added that there is a need for innovative reforms to restructure India’s engineering education.

Asking the Indian industry and business community to come forward to invest in the field of education, the Minister said that majority of the US universities such as Yale, Harvard and Stanford were set up by businesses and philanthropists.

The Minister acknowledged that there is a significant lack of information in the education sector, particularly on enrollment and graduation figures. He lamented that India only produced 8000 PhDs a year as compared to China’s 50,000.

At the same time, to increase the number of engineering masters and doctoral graduates, more quality universities will have to be set-up. Such wide-spread reforms can only be achieved through public-private partnership (PPP), he said.

Speaking about the publication, ORF Trustee Ambassador Abid Hussain commended the authors for conducting field research to generate data much needed in informing India’s education policy.

Earlier, ORF Trustee Lalit Bhasin welcomed the Minister saying that wide ranging initiatives are being launched in the Ministry of Human Resource Development under the leadership of Mr. Sibal.

As India competes globally in a variety of industries such as software, chemicals, and engineering equipments, it has the potential to emerge as a global technology leader. Indeed, engineering is a coveted and highly prestigious degree in India. Yet, industry leaders constantly complain about the lack of quality engineers for their industry, and there is significant unemployment amongst graduating engineers.

Sponsored by the Observer Research Foundation, Engineering Education in India combines primary research and analysis to understand the key dynamics of India’s engineering education system and provides timely policy recommendations.

The book reveals that in 2006, India awarded about 230,000 engineering degrees, 20,000 engineering masters degrees and only about 1000 engineering PhDs. India’s doctoral degrees are less than 1% of graduate engineering degrees, compared to 10% in the UK, 9% in the USA and 8% in Germany. Mr. Sibal said that this gap must be bridged if India is to move forward. He reiterated that to sustain economic growth, India must invest in the manufacturing sector to make it internationally competitive as well as create more jobs. However, the key to achieving these goals lies in investing in a more research-oriented education that stresses innovation.

The Minister, earlier, thanked the authors for their momentous and thought-provoking book, and said that the perspective provided by their work will be put to use by the government and to partner with foundations and businesses to take the nation forward.

Moving the vote of thanks, ORF Distinguished Fellow Sunjoy Joshi said the Foundation would continue to undertake research in the field of education and make policy recommendations.

Geetanjali Gayatri, Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 28. After months of dithering on issuing a formal notification despite repeated commitments and announcements, Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda today conceded to popular sentiment and declared that Punjabi was now the second language in the state.

Making the announcement at a meet-the-press programme at the Chandigarh Press Club, Hooda said a notification to this effect had been issued and Punjabi would get all “benefits” which come dove-tailed with being the second language.

He added that with this notification, any legislator could now ask any question in Punjabi in the Assembly and correspondence with the state government, too, could be in Punjabi. Hooda said his government’s endeavour would be to further popularise the use of the language.

It may be recalled that recently, during a visit of a two-member team of the Minorities Commission to Haryana, the Chief Minister had assured the members of expediting the notification and declaring Punjabi as the second language. The issue had been hanging fire since the last term of the Congress government when various Sikh bodies and organisations had raised the demand and had been assured of favourable action. Declaring Punjabi as the second language was also a part of the Congress manifesto.

The Chief Minister, usually known to conceal more than he reveals, today minced no words even on ticklish issues, asserting for Haryana’s rightful share in everything from Chandigarh to a separate High Court.

Maintaining that he stood by his demand for a separate High Court for Haryana, he emphasised, “We not only want a separate High Court, we want it in Chandigarh,” he said.

Asked if there was any practical solution to the long-standing disputes between Punjab and Haryana, including that of Chandigarh which is raked up occasionally resulting in statement-slinging match between the two states, Hooda said, “Of course there’s a practical solution. Let us have Chandigarh. What can be more practical than this.”

If Punjab and Haryana can differ on solutions for disputes between them, they can shake hands when the need arises. Hooda said he and Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal had, in a written communication to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, focused on the loss suffered by both states as a result of incentives given to other neighbouring states to promote industry.

“Of course, we have suffered due to the incentives. There has been dislocation of industries from the two states. We have urged the Prime Minister to either refrain from extending such incentives or give similar incentives to Punjab and Haryana for our backward areas. We have the Mewat area which could certainly do with some help,” he stated.

He reiterated his commitment to fulfilling the aspirations of the Sikhs on a separate gurdwara parbandhak committee in Haryana.

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2010/20100129/main5.htm

Taking a break from my posts on China, I am summarising a fantastic article by Mr. Nick Robinson (Yale Law School South Asia Teaching and Research Fellow and a visiting fellow at the Centre for Policy Research, New Delhi) which appeared recently in Frontline magazine.  The article argues that the Supreme Court is not as populist as it is made out to be, and access to it is actually getting more and more difficult by the day.  It also provides hard statistics on how the Supreme Court is accessible mostly to those with money and resources.

Assertion One:  Efforts to make the SC more accessible to the poor and people living in distant parts of the country have failed.

This can be seen by studying what percentage of cases are admitted to the SC on appeal from various High Courts.  ”While on an average, nationally, there was about a 2.5 per cent chance in 2008 that a case will be appealed from a High Court to the Supreme Court, in States close to Delhi, such as Punjab, Haryana and Uttarakhand, the appeal rates were more than double this. In Delhi itself the appeal rate was 10 per cent…”.  In Tamil Nadu, the rate was around 1%.

Assertion Two:  Access to the SC is very costly, and affects what types of cases the SC hears.

“In 2007, almost 40 per cent of the Supreme Court’s regular hearing decisions were on cases relating to tax, labour or service issues. These matters, along with arbitration cases, were also amongst the most likely to be admitted by the court for regular hearing.”

The number of Writ petitions (where people directly approach the SC to protect their fundamental rights) was a mere 2% of matters listed for Admission (The SC allots specific days, usually Mondays and Fridays to decide which matters will be heard in detail by it.  Lawyers present arguments to justify why the Court must hear the matter in detail, and not throw it out).  Out of this 2%, guess how many were admitted.  According to Mr. Robinson, none!!

Compared to this, in the 1970s, cases about fundamental rights were about 10% of all cases admitted in the SC.

Assertion Three:   The SC has ruled increasingly against the disadvantaged.

The author points to research made by an economist and a legal scholar that of cases relating to fundamental rights and public interest litigation heard over the past 30 years finds the SC has ruled increasingly against the socially disadvantaged. During the same period, more privileged litigants have become more successful in such cases.

Assertion Four:  Constitutional benches, where significant matters of constitutional law are heard, now make up fewer than 1 per cent of the court’s regular hearing decisions.

Assertion Five:  The media may have over-emphasized the problem of backlogs in the SC and other courts, and ignored other problems.

A court’s ability to clear pending cases does not say anything about the quality of those judgements.  It also does not show whether the court should have agreed to hear the matters in the first place.

The article then goes on to talk about much-needed reforms in the judiciary, including those proposed by the judiciary and the law Ministry.  The article is important, if only because it gives some hard data on problems people working directly, or affected by such problems can relate to, but never state with much authority.

It’s no secret: Indians don’t need a reason to celebrate. Whether it is taking a holy dip in the Ganges or dancing in the Himalayas, we simply love to let our hair down. And the fact that we have so many cultures and religions co-existing makes India an even merrier place to live in.Below is the lists out some of the best-known festivals and fairs that are to be held through 2010 in India.

JANUARY
The Kumbh Mela (Haridwar, Uttarakhand)
January 14 to April 28
Perhaps the largest religious (or otherwise) gathering in the world, the Kumbh Mela is a festival that is most revered of all festivities in India. Sages and pilgrims from across the country gather at Haridwar and take a holy dip in the Ganges to wash away their sins. The Mela consists of many ’snans’ or holy dips, the first of which happened on January 14 and the fair is currently underway.Even as it is one of the most pious of all the festivals, the concept of the Kumbh Mela has become something of a joke in pop culture thanks to Bollywood movie characters who often refer to it (with tongues firmly in their cheek) as the place where they lost their sibling.

Republic Day (New Delhi)
January 26
A colourful, military parade and floats from each state move down Rajpath, New Delhi, and daredevil fly past, attended by the President and prime minister marks the celebration of India’s statehood every year on January 26. Officially, the festivity ends on January 29, with the Beating of the Retreat.

Art, culture and desert festival

Jaipur Literary Festival (Jaipur, Rajasthan)
January 21-January 25
It’s where the best-known minds of contemporary literature meet and debate. Sure you may argue that the debates don’t lead anywhere but hey imagine bumping into Salman Rushdie over lunch or VS Naipaul over tea! Not such a bad way to start the year, is it?

Hampi Festival (Hampi, Karnataka)
January 27-January 29
Built on the banks of the river Tungabhadra, Hampi was the capital city of the Vijayanagar Empire and is listed as one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites.The festival of Hampi with dance, music, fireworks and processions hopes to recreate the splendour of city against its ruins. Usually the festival is held in November but this year is the 500th anniversary of the coronation of the much-revered king of the Vijaynagar Empire, Krishna Devaraya (1509 to 1529), and hence the January festivities.

Desert Festival (Jaisalmer)
January 28-January 30
Colourful bazaars, camel races, traditional puppet shows, fire dance and folk music and dance programmes, the desert definitely doesn’t get more interesting in India than this.Some of the highlights of this competition include turban tying contests, the sound and light show and folk artists performing against the sand dunes in Sam.

FEBRUARY: Surajkund Mela, Khajuraho fest and more
Surajkund Crafts Mela (Haryana)
February 1-February 15
The popular mela or fair is a platform for folk artistes and artisans from across the country to display their talent. A shopper’s paradise, the Surajkund Crafts Mela has a state for a theme each year. This year will be Rajasthan’s turn. With the growing the number of states in India, the mela sure won’t run out of states to feature.

Khajuraho Dance Festival (Khajuraho, Madhya Pradesh)
1 February – February 7
Home to India’s most erotic sculptures, the Khajuraho temple grounds play host to an exhilarating Festival of Dances each year.The festival is hosted by the Madhya Pradesh State Tourism Development Corporation and showcases the most prominent exponents of various Indian classical dances.

Mahashivratri (Across India)
February 12, 2010
It is supposed to be the night Lord Shiva danced his frenzied tandava or celestial dance of destruction. On this day Shiva temples across the country are crowded as devotees flock for the blessings of the deity. If you’re in Mumbai and are adventurous enough you could try and visit the Babulnath Temple in South Mumbai. The Mahakaleswar Temple at Ujjain also sees a special celebration as does Mandi in Himachal Pradesh.

A carnival and cultural festival
Goa Carnival (Panaji, Goa)
February 13-February 16
It’s officially the last day of festivity and celebrations before Lent. The Goa Carnival is held in Panaji, the capital of Goa. Fancy dress balls, floats, parades and a frenetic round of dancing, drinking and feasting mark the celebrations as highlight of the festivities ‘King Momo’ the officially appointed festival ruler parades through the city streets.

Taj Mahotsav (Agra, Uttar Pradesh)
February 18-February 27
The festival is organised at Shilpigram, which is close to the Taj Mahal. It’s where some 400-odd artisans display their art. Taj Mahotsav also has a lot of cultural festivities where performers from across the country display their folk and classical art forms. With the Taj Mahal as the backdrop, surely nothing could be better, could it?

MARCH: Welcoming spring
Holi (Across India)
March 1
Holi the festival of colours is celebrated across the India with a few variations here and there. But if there is a place to be in India during Holi it is the village of Barsana near Mathura in Uttar Pradesh.Barsana hosts something called the Lath mar Holi where women beat up men with sticks. Of course the men protect themselves with shields. But it’s a sight to watch sari-clad women having the time of their lives in this rather amusing ritual. After all no one’s going to sue you if you miss a stroke.

Nauchandi Mela (Meerut, Uttar Pradesh)
A classic example of religious tolerance is the Nauchandi Mela, a festival that is held near the Hindu Nauchandi temple and the Muslim shrine of Bala Mian.Legend has it that the month-long fair that starts soon after Holi, first started as a one-day trade fair for cattle traders back in 1627. Since then it has been each year growing in stature except in 1858 when the city saw the revolt against the East India Company.

Gudi Padwa (All over Maharashtra)
March 16
The New Year’s Day in the Marathi calendar, Gudi Padwa is supposed to mark the beginning of spring. Maharashtrians consider this day as one of the three and a half most auspicious days when every moment is favourable to start a new activity.It is celebrated throughout Maharashtra with families decorating a stick with a bright coloured cloth and a pot turned upside down resting on the top of the stick. The traditional Gudi Padwa meal is shrikand (a sweet dish made of yogurt) and puri.

Royal splendour
Gangaur Festival (Rajasthan)
March 18 to March 19
Celebrated in the honour of the goddess of abundance, the Gangaur festival is when young girls pray for a spouse of their choice. The festivities include a procession being taken to the closest water body with the women carrying images of the goddess on their heads.The places to be (and to see pretty Indian girls dressed in their traditional best) include Bikaner, Jodhpur, Nathdwara and Jaisalmer. And just in case you’re wondering what happens to these girls when they get married, well they simply pray for their husbands!

Elephant Festival (Jaipur)
March 24
Should pretty much tell you what it is and where, shouldn’t it? Processions of elephants decorated and groomed before a stunned audience displaying the splendour of the royal state of Rajasthan. Not to be missed also are the elephant polo matches and the elephant races.

APRIL: Celebrating new beginnings
Easter (Across India)
April 4
Although Easter is celebrated all over the country, Goa is considered to be one of the most popular Easter holiday destinations in India. Expect lots of celebrations in this former Portuguese colony with song, dance and carnivals.

Baisakhi (Punjab)
April 14
It is a festival that marks the solar new year and the sowing of the new crop for most communities in India. The date varies from state to state. Baishakhi falls on April 14 in Punjab and is the Punjabi New Year and the start of the harvest of wheat in the state. The traditional Punjabi dance, Bhangra that is performed on this day all over Punjab is the harvest dance of the state.

Nobo Borsho / Boishakh (West Bengal)
April 14
Nobo Borsho or the New Year is the beginning of the New Year for Bengalis. The month that follows is called Boishakh, an auspicious time for marriages.It is also perhaps the best time to visit Kolkata because there are tons of fairs being held in and around the city. Of these, the most popular is the Bangla Sangit Mela a music festival that is conducted by the state government.The thing to do is to get yourself invited to a wedding. That shouldn’t be much of a hassle since we Indians are so warm to begin with. Or else you could simply gatecrash into one of them.

Vishu (Kerala)
April 14
This is supposed to mark the first day of the Malayalam year and is also the harvest festival of Kerala. North Kerala traditionally has seen more fireworks and celebrations than the rest of the state. However it’s always great to be in a place of festivities in any part of the world, isn’t it?

Bohag or Rangoli Bihu (Assam)
Mid-April
This festival marks the new year, beginning of Spring and is also an agricultural festival of Assam. Cattle is worshipped and festivities include paying homage to elders and having meals consisting of Chira, curds and sweets.Bohag Bihu is one of the three Bihus that celebrate the three seasons — spring, summer and winter.

Chitra Festival (Madurai Temple, Tamil Nadu)
From April 14
Chitra Festival at the Madurai Temple commences on April 14. A showy festival that lasts for nearly a fortnight, it begins on the Tamil New Year. Chitra celebrates the marriage of Meenakshi to Shiv and brims with pomp. Festivities include a spate of dramas depicting Meenakshi’s life history.On the eighth day a procession of elephants and chariots transport the nuptial pair through the town streets and to the banks of the Vagai River to meet Meenakshi’s brother Lord Kallalagar (an avatar of Vishnu) who is transported there from his hilltop abode at Algarkovil, outside Madurai. This ceremonious meeting — the logistics of which are mind-boggling — has more than its usual quotient of Indian-style pandemonium.

MAY: Festival of flowers
Sikkim Flower Festival (Sikkim)
Held near White Hall, the governor’s residence in Gangtok, the flower show displays some of Sikkim’s famous orchids, gladioli, roses, alpine plants, ferns, rhododendrons etc. A food festival, river rafting and Yak safaris are other attractions at the festival.

Moatsu Mong (Nagaland)
First week of May
North-East India Tours is arguably the most untouched part of the country. Rituals of the seven sister states are unknown to most Indians.Moatsu Mong provides a great opportunity to give you a glimpse into an aspect of the culture — that of Nagaland. The Sping festival usually falls in May and goes on for over six days. Folk dances, songs, tribal chants and indigenous games are all part of this festival — a must-see for all city-bred folks who think their city limits are the end of the world.

Ooty Summer Festival (Ooty, Tamil Nadu)
May
Pretty much like most other summer festivals, the Ooty version has the regular cultural programmes that include fashion shows, flower arrangement exhibitions, boat races and the works. Visit the Botanical Gardens for the spectacular flower show.
Critics of the hill station will probably tell you that the place is getting to be crazily crowded. But hey, tell us a city that isn’t!

Buddha Purnima (Bodh Gaya, Bihar)
May 27
Bodha Gaya is the place where Buddha attained Nirvana. It is a prominent Buddhist tourist spot and is the most sacred of the four Buddhist pilgrimage sites in the country — the other three include Sarnath (Uttar Pradesh), Sanchi (Madhya Pradesh) and Ajanta (Maharashtra).

JUNE: Celebrating the Ganga
Badrinath-Kedar Festival
This is an important music festival. The location of the festival in the snowy Himalayan towns of Badrinath and Kedarnath makes the event quite memorable.

Ganga Dusshera (Varanasi and Haridwar)
June 11
Glenn Beck might’ve called Ganga a disease. Sure the river’s been polluted quite a bit but the Ganges will always remain India’s most favourite river. Celebrating it’s descent and presence on earth, folks in Varanasi, Haridwar, Prayag, Rishikesh etc celebrate the Ganga Dusshera along the river’s banks. For ten days there are celebrations, pujas and aartis performed as a mark of respect for the holy river. How’s that for a disease, Beck?

Shimla Summer Festival (Shimla, Himachal Pradesh)
Early June
A time for celebrations and cheer in what used to be the summer capital of India during the days of the Raj. The Shimla festival has something to offer for everyone. Popular singers and local artistes rub shoulders here and fashion shows, flower display and film festivals are organised for entertainment.

Sindhu Darshan Festival (Leh-Ladakh, Jammu)
Early June
The festival celebrates one of the world’s longest rivers — the Sindhu. Expect some breathtaking cultural festivities that aim to promote peace, harmony and are a celebration of the country called India. As a symbolic gesture performing troupes from across the country carry waters from the other rivers in pots and immerse them in the Sindhu.

Hemis Festival, (Ladakh, Jammu & Kashmir)
June 20
Held in the Hemis Monastery in Ladakh, the Festival is celebrated to commemorate the birth anniversary of Guru Padmasambhava, founder of Tibetan Buddhism. Expect dances, plays and music from drums, cymbals and long horns. For the compulsive shoppers there some exquisite handicraft from the region for sale.

JULY: Puri’s Chariot Festival and more
Mango Festival (New Delhi)
It’s a dream come true most kids (and many adults too). With over 500 varieties of mangoes on display New Delhi is a paradise for mango lovers. Expect some lip-smacking competitions and some killer mango products at this festival that is held in the capital in July every year since 1987 and is jointly organised by the Delhi Tourism and Transportation Development Corporation, the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority, the National Horticultural Board and the NDMC.

Splash 2010 (Wayanad, Kerala)
First week of July
The Wayanad Tourism Organisation or WTO as they like to call themselves organise a carnival in the Wayanad district of Kerala to promote the area as a tourist destination around the time when the heavens open up.Apart from the usual song-n-dance festivities by local artistes, you could also try out their adventure sports that include ‘mud football’, a marathon, a slow cycle race and tons of other fun stuff.

Jagannath Yatra (Puri, Orissa)
July 13 onwards
This is the famous chariot festival of Puri, Orissa. A procession of chariots bearing the presiding deities of the main temple — Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra are pulled by hordes of devotees to their ’summer cottage’ the Gundicha temple, one mile away over a period of 24 hours.The word juggernaut in the English language gets its meaning from this festival. Music, elephants, royalty, plenty of colour and organised anarchy are a sideshow to this unmissable event which is repeated nine days later when the Jagannath family returns home from their vacation.Legend has it that the journey of the Jagannath trio symbolises or mimics Krishna’s journey — Jagannath is an avatar or reincarnation of Vishnu, as is Krishna — from Gokul to Mathura to kill his wickedly powerful uncle, King Kans. Areas of Bengal and Bihar also celebrate their own home grown version of the festival.

AUGUST: The battle of the snakeboats and more
Teej (Jaipur, Rajasthan)
August 12-August 13
One of the many colourful festivals of Rajasthan, Teej is celebrated in honour of the reunion of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati after a penance of a hundred years. On this day, women dress up and pray for their husband’s health and longevity. It also celebrates the rains, which are always welcome in this dry state.The markets of Jaipur are where you should be heading on this day, to buy clothes and sweets specially made for the occasion as also to witness the processions across the city.

Independence Day (Delhi)
August 15
The day when India awoke to ‘life and freedom’ in 1947 is celebrated throughout the nation with flag-hoisting ceremonies being held all over. On this day the Prime Minister addresses the nation through a televised speech from the ramparts of the Red Fort in Delhi.

Onam and Nehru Trophy Boat Race (Alleppey, Kerala)
August 14 August 23
Onam is the harvest festival of Kerala that celebrates the homecoming of the legendary King Mahabali. Celebrated over 10 days the festivities include folk dance performances, elephant procession and snake boat race.The Nehru Trophy Boat Race on the Punnamda Lake, near Alappuzha, held on the second Saturday of August every year, is the most competitive and popular of the boat races. On the day of this fiercely-fought boat race, the tranquil lake front is transformed into a sea of humanity with an estimated 200,000 people, many of them tourists, who come to watch the event. For the people of each village in Kuttanad, a victory at this race for their village boat is something to be celebrated for months to come.

Parsi New Year (Mumbai)
August 19
Although the Parsi New Year is celebrated in various pockets across the country, it is mainly in Mumbai that you can truly experience the celebrations since a good part of the community has made the city their home.On this day Parsis visit the Fire Temple to offer prayers, which is followed by bhonu or lunch. Traditionally, families also go to watch a Gujarati play in the evening that is put up only for this one day. Usually farcical comedies with tonnes of innuendos the plays are surprisingly watched by almost the entire family.Entry to Fire Temples in India is restricted only to Parsis though you could watch the play if you really want to be part of the celebrations or simply head to a Parsi eatery in South Mumbai.

Raksha Bandhan
August 24
This is the day when a sister ties a decorated thread on the wrist of her brother who promises to protect her in return. A fairly private ceremony, celebrated in homes rather than in public, it provides a good excuse for all cousins and their parents to get together.

SEPTEMBER: Holy month of fasting and feasting
Janmashtami (Across India)
September 2
Janmashtami is celebrated across the country to mark the birth of Lord Krishna. While in the cities of Mathura and Vrindavan see some enchanting performances of the Ras Leela or the Dance of Divine Love, Maharashtra celebrates it by breaking the dahi handi or the earthen pot filled with curd and butter. The pot is tied several feet above the ground and young boys (sometimes girls too) form a human pyramid and reach up to it to claim the prize money.

Id-ul-Fitr or Ramzan (Across India)
August 11 to September 9
The holy month of Ramzan is the ninth month in the Islamic calendar. It is when the followers of Islam refrain from eating or drinking anything from dawn till sunset. After the sun goes down though, the festivities begin with some lip smacking delicacies being made at traditional Islamic eateries. The most delicious food, however, is served on the streets lining the local mosques and shrines like Chandni Chowk-Jama Masjid area in Delhi and Mohammed Ali road in Mumbai.

Ladakh Festival (Leh Ladakh)
September 1-15
Various performing troupes from across Ladakh come together for an annual performance and celebrations. The procession passes through the Leh market and finishes at the polo ground. What follows are 15 days of festivities, mask dances and archery and polo competitions.

Ganpati Bappa Morya!
Ganesh Chaturthi (Across Maharashtra)
September 11
Celebrated in honour of Lord Ganesha, the festival gained importance during India’s freedom struggle when the Bal Gangadhar Tilak used it as a cover for rebels’ meeting. The festival, which begins with the bringing of clay images of the deity ends with the immersion on the tenth day. However certain households and public Ganesha idols are immersed on the second, fifth and the seventh days too. Pune and Mumbai are considered to be the hubs of this festival and you can expect a lot of traffic jams during this period.

Tarnetar Mela (Tarnetar near Rajkot, Gujarat)
September 11 to September 13
It might be a quiet hamlet for most part of the year. But come September and Tarnetar in Gujarat turns busy as a beehive. The mela is held in honour of Lord Shiva at the Trineteshwar Mahadev temple.
According to the Mahabharat, Arjuna performed the Matsyavedha (an archery feat) during Draupadi’s swayamvara at this temple. Ever since, Tarnetar has been known for its swayamvara, where a girl has the right to choose her life partner. This tradition continues in the Bharwad community. Folk music and dances, a large number of stalls selling local handicrafts, magic shows, joy rides and camel rides are the other attractions at the fair.

OCTOBER: Urs, Commonwealth Games and Durga Puja
Urs Ajmer Sharif (Ajmer, Rajasthan)
October 1-October 6
Celebrated in honour of the Sufi saint, Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti, the Ajmer Sharif shrine sees a lot of celebrations where devotees of different faiths come here from far and wide to pay their respects and listen to divine quwwalis and sufi songs sans the techno beats in the night. Shoppers keep an eye open for local woven and block printed fabrics!

Gandhi Jayanti (Across India)
October 2
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was born on October 2 in Porbunder, Gujarat on this day. Gandhi Jayanti is celebrated with commemorative events in the memory of the Father of the Nation.

Commonwealth Games (New Delhi)
October 3 to October 14
The 19th Commonwealth Games will be held in the nation’s capital and will be the largest multi-sport event to be held in the country. The ceremony will take place at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium.

Durga Puja (West Bengal and parts of Bihar)
October 8-October 16
In Bengal and parts of Bihar, the nine days leading upto Dasshera are devoted to the worship of Durga, an avatar of Parvati, Shiva’s consort. The festival rejoices her victory over the buffalo-headed demon, Mahishasura, after a nine-day battle.Every street corner or tiny village puts up its own clay image of Durga riding a tiger. It is the most important festival of Bengal with much feasting and merriment. The beautiful pandals put up in every neighbourhood of Kolkata are famous. The festival reaches its high point in Kolkata on the tenth day when the images are taken to the Hooghly River for immersion.

The festival of nine nights!
Navratri (Gujarat and Mumbai)
October 8-October 16
In Gujarat and among Gujaratis in Mumbai, this is the festival of nights.It is celebrated during the nine days preceding Dasshera and is the occasion for folk dances or dandiya raas or garba dances.There are many variations of these dances, and today many are done in accompaniment to Hindi film music and laser images. Navratri honours the goddess of strength, Amba among other goddesses. This festival is celebrated in south India, as well, with puja and fasting and night vigil. It lasts for nine days during which pujas devoted to the goddesses of strength, wealth and knowledge are conducted.

Dusshera (Across India, especially Delhi and Mysore)
October 17
Vijay Dashmi or the 10th day of Dusshera is a day of rejoicing the victory of good over evil, when Rama, hero of the mythological epic Ramayana, defeated and killed the demon king Ravana with the aid of the monkey king, Hanuman. It is celebrated by burning paper and wood statues of Ravan. Don’t miss the Ram Leela performances — plays depicting the life of Rama, in Delhi and Varanasi.The Mysore Dusshera is held in the Mysore Palace Grounds. Musicians perform on the grounds and the palace is thrown open to the public. A special fireworks extravaganza, also the highlight of the evening, follows.
At the one-week Kullu Dusshera fair, celebrations include a rath yatra and folk music and dance performances.

Bharat Milap (Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh)
October/November
It is supposed to be the day when Lord Rama was reunited with his brother Bharata after 14 years of exile in the Hindu epic Ramayana.The festivities attract a lot of devotees from all over India with the star attraction being the local maharaja participating in full costume riding an elephant!

NOVEMBER: Festival of lights and more
Dhanteras
November 3
In North India, two days before Diwali, it is obligatory to buy gold. Bazaars everywhere are crammed with exotic jewellery even as the prices of gold hit an all-time high.

Diwali
November 5
Diwali or Deepavali signifies deepa or lights and avali or row and hence a ‘row of lights’.It is an extravagant and lavish pageant of lights and firecrackers, worth fitting into a travel itinerary, especially if one is in Rajasthan, Delhi or Gujarat. Every home is lit up with oil lamps, in the manner that Ayodhya was lit up for the return of Lord Ram.Lakshmi puja (worship of goddess of wealth and consort of Lord Vishnu), feasting, gambling and decorating the home with rangoli, is the order of the day.In South India Diwali is a celebration of the death of demon Narakasura by Lord Krishna. Mythological demon-king Narakasura had managed to wangle out of Brahma and Shiva because of the boons he received and had grown powerfully evil. The devas or the gods requested Lord Krishna to annihilate him, which he did at Dwarka.

New Year
November 7
For the business community in northern and western India, the Hindu new year starts the day after Diwali. A special puja is performed in offices across the country and financial records begin anew on this day.

Bhaiduj
November 7
It is another festival for brothers and sisters marked by exchange of sweets and gifts.

Maha Kanda Shasti Utsavam (Across Tamil Nadu)
This festival is celebrated in the six temples or abodes of Lord Murugan — Tiruchendur (temple near Thirunelveli), Thirupparankunram (temple near Madurai), Palani hill temple (Dindigal district), Swami Malai (near Kumbakonam), Thiruthanigai (near Chennai) and Pazhamudhir Solai (near Madurai). Lengthy bouts of bursting fire-crackers, feasting, dances make this one of the largest festivals in this southern state.

Chhat Puja (Across Bihar)
November 11
This holiday is one of the biggest in the state of Bihar, and is a festival for married women. It entails worship of the sun and is also called Surya Puja. Women gather before dawn and wade waist deep in rivers across Bihar, with sweets, grain, fruit and puja paraphernalia like incense and holy water, to fete the sun. The process is repeated again in the evening. Over the years, the Chhat festivities have extended to pockets of the country, which have strong Bihari population such as Mumbai.

A cultural extravaganza!
Pushkar Camel Fair (Pushkar, Rajasthan)
November 13 to November 21
Held in Rajasthan, Pushkar is India’s most famous camel fair and coincides with Kartik Purnima or a special full moon. Thousands congregate for this colourful mela, traders and tourists alike. It is an occasion for much singing and dancing, folk style. Camel races, handicraft bazaars, fireworks are the order of the day. Special tent facilities are provided for tourists.

Children’s Day
November 14
The birth anniversary of Jawaharlal Nehru and India’s first prime minister is celebrated across the country’s schools because of his love for children. In New Delhi, there is a special fair for children at the India Gate and programmes are organised at the Dolls Museum, Bal Bhavan and at Teen Murti Bhavan, Nehru’s home.

Garhwal Festival (Uttarkashi, Uttarakhand)
Mid-November
It is a cultural affair that toasts the culture of the Garhwal hill people, held at Uttarkashi. Celebrate with these simple people living in the lap of the Himalayas as they sing and dance their blues away.

Lucknow Festival (Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh)
Late November
A fortnight of cultural events, food festivals and handicraft bazaars that highlight the splendour of Lucknow, this festival is organised by Uttar Pradesh Tourism. Also witness and participate in traditional village games, kite flying, cock-fighting matches through the fortnight.

Ganga Mahotsav, Guru Nanak Jayanti and more
Ganga Mahotsav (Benaras, Uttar Pradesh)
November 17-November 21
This is a time for festivity along the banks of the Ganga in Banaras or Varanasi, the city said to be ‘perched on the edge of time’. While it continues to be an auspicious festival, the Ganga Mahotsav is a great symbol of cultural melting pot with people from various classes, castes, religions and nationalities come together to worship the Ganges.The high point of the festival are the evenings when earthen lamps on lotus leaves are set afloat on the river.

Guru Nanak Jayanti
November 21
This is the biggest day for the Sikh community in India. On this day saint Guru Nanak was born. The festival is celebrated by taking out processions and prayer readings from the sacred granth or holy book. Amritsar is a special place to be on this day.

Sikkimese New Year (Sikkim)
Late November-Early December
Celebrating end of the harvest season, the Sikkimese New Year or Losoong begins each year in the tenth month of the Tibetan calendar. Religious festivities, exuberant celebrations and dances with people dressed as gods are part of the celebrations.
Places to be in Sikkim during this time of the year include the monasteries at Tsuklakhang Palace, Phodong and Rumtek Monastery.

Sonepur Mela (Sonepur, Bihar)
November
This is the world’s largest cattle fair. Sonepur, a town located at the confluence of the Gandak and Ganga rivers in Bihar comes alive during this festival, which is timed to coincide with Kartik Purnima or a special full moon. Thousands — pilgrims, traders and tourists — converge for the trade of cattle and grain and to witness the drama, music, contests, shows and to shop.Mythology has it that Sonepur was the historical location of a war between the king of the jungle and the king of the waters — the elephant and the crocodile. Elephants too are still traded at the fair. For the devout and the non-materialistic, bathing on Kartik Purnima in the river and puja at Hariharnath temple is routine.

Cultural fest at Qutub Minar…
Chandrabhaga Fair (Jhalawar, Rajasthan)
Late November
This fair is a special event in the town of Jhalawar in Rajasthan. Celebrations involve bathing by the devout at full moon or Kartika Purnima in the Chandrabhaga River and puja at the many beautiful ancient temples that line the river.

Guru Tegh Bahadur’s Martyrdom Day (Amritsar, Punjab)
November 24
On this day in 1675, Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb killed the Sikh leader in Chandni Chowk after he refused to convert to Islam. A religious procession is taken out in Amritsar, the city of Golden Temple along with the Guru Granth Sahib (the holy scripture of the Sikhs) in a golden palanquin.

Annual Winter Sports (Kufri, Himachal Pradesh)
November
Despite its largely tropical climate, India has much to offer thanks to its geographical diversity. Head to Kufri in Himachal Pradesh this November to get a taste of winter adventure sports in India. Kufri, which is quite close to Shimla, has a wide range of slopes for beginners, intermediate and advanced skiers.

Qutab festival (Delhi)
November/December
The three-day Qutab Festival is organised by Delhi Tourism in order to ‘preserve and present the rich tradition of Indian music, contemporary as well as classical’. Some of the best names from the Indian dance and music fraternity gather here to perform with the Qutub Minar as the backdrop.

DECEMBER: Dancing and feasting
Konark Festival (Konark, Orissa)
December 1-December 5
This is the place to be if you’re a fan of Indian performing arts. Artistes from across the world practicing Odissi, Bharatnatyam, Kuchipudi, Kathak and a host of other classical and folk dances perform at the Sun Temple at Konark each year. This year happens to be the 25th anniversary of the festival. So you can sure expect some fireworks.

Hanukkah (Cochin, Kerala)
December 1-December 9
India’s meagre population of Jews celebrates this festival of lights, which commemorates the purification of the Temple in 165 BC. The tiny declining locality of Jew Town in Cochin, Kerala has perhaps the most atmospheric celebrations of this feast in India.

Feast of St Francis Xavier (Old Goa)
December 3
The feast commemorates the death of St. Francis Xavier, patron saint of Goa. According to legend, after he died the body of this Spanish Jesuit missionary was brought back to India and was found as fresh as the day he was buried. It was then kept in a silver casket in the Basilica of Bom Jesus Church in Old Goa. The feast attracts thousands of Christians across the country and the otherwise quiet old town springs to life.

Camels on ramp, Xmas and New Year celebrations
Bikaner Festival (Bikaner, Rajasthan)
Late December/Early January
A stunning procession of camels walks past the imposing Junagarh Fort. This is followed by camel races and various other competitions involving the ship of the desert. The town also houses the Karni Mata Temple where holy rats are worshipped and on the outskirts is a camel breeding farm. The dates of the festival vary each year. So even though the last festival was held on December 30 and 31, the next one will be held sometime in January 2011.

Kagyat Dance Festival
This is a Sikkimese festival where the major players are the monks who perform dances. Each dance is a skit from Buddhist mythology accompanied by ritual chanting and music. On this day evil spirits are exorcised by burning effigies made from wood, flour or paper.

Christmas
December 25
Churches are decked and nativity scenes are set up at street corners in some cities. While Midnight Mass services are rare because of court orders, Goa, Kerala, Chennai and parts Mumbai and Kolkata as well as the Christian areas of Meghalaya, Mizoram and Nagaland are places where major festivity takes place.

New Year’s Eve
December 31
The big cities of India celebrate New Year’s Eve with verve. The Gateway of India in Mumbai, Park Street in Kolkata, and many parts of Goa are the scene of much merriment.

Tribune News Service & PTI, New Delhi, January 18

A thick blanket of fog covered parts of Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh for the second consecutive day today even as minimum temperatures soared by three degrees Celsius at some places.

Rail, road and air traffic in the region was affected due to zero visibility. Kingfisher, Go Air, Air India and Jet Airways flights from Chandigarh airport remained affected while several trains passing through the region ran very late.

Poor visibility because of dense fog affected plying of vehicles on the national and state highways.

In the national capital, cold wave maintained its grip though the minimum temperature rose marginally to settle at 8.2°C. The minimum temperature was 7.7°C yesterday.

Met office said the maximum at 14.3°C was seven degrees below normal. The city experienced shallow fog in the morning but it did not affect flights.

Scores of rail passengers bore the brunt of the foggy weather as more than 50 trains were cancelled across north India.

 What’s worse is that the weatherman has predicted more fog and intense cold conditions in the region in next two days.

Amritsar remained the coldest in the plains at 0.4°Celsius, four notches below normal. Further dip in temperature was expected in parts of Punjab and Haryana because of the northerly, northwesterly winds over Indo-Gangetic plains, a Met official said.

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2010/20100119/main3.htm

Ishwar singh Kundu (right) clearing the doubts of a farmer about his herbal formulation.

CONVINCING A farmer to use a new innovation for his crops is quite a daunting task.

One cannot blame him for his suspicious nature which he claims, acts as a protective shield for his livelihood.

“Even if an expert speaks one whole day to the farmer, he cannot convince him. But if a farmer from another place, or region interacts and speaks then almost the entire village gets convinced,” says Prof Anil Gupta, Vice Chairman, National Innovation Foundation, (NIF), Ahmedabad, (phone: 079-26753338).

Cold shouldered

Take the case of a farmer Mr. Ishwar Singh Kundu, who developed his own herbal formulation (Kamaal- 505) for crops only to be ignored and cold shouldered by his ilk until he decided to use it in his 2 acres and invite farmers to come and see the positive results themselves.

“Many times I used to leave my samples with the farmers for them to test it on their crops and after some months,

Disappointed

“I used to get disappointed because farmers did not use his product and kept his sample aside for months.

It pained him to see his product lying unused in a corner of the field.

“The very mention of the word ‘herbal’ used to irritate some farmers. I tried to explain the merits of herbal formulations on the plant and the ill effects of inorganic pesticides and fertilizers,” says Mr. Ishwar. Somehow he managed to convince some farmers and as a result sold a few thousand rupees worth of his herbal formulation. “The herbal formulation produced good results in the Kurukshetra region, a rice belt,” he says.

When initially he started developing his formulation, he tested it by spraying it on his vegetable farm.

Later he started experimenting, changed the formulation, and tried it on paddy by mixing it with the fertilizer and spreading on the ground.

Excellent results

“This technique gave excellent results,” he says.

Slowly he started reducing the fertilizer quantity mixed along with the pesticide. When given to farmers for testing, the product received a good feedback. Apart from giving good results on rice it also showed promising effects on maize and jowar crops. Mr. Ishwar is now testing it on aloe vera crops in Punjab.

“In the initial stages people used to show me a portion of their field which did not yield properly and attribute it to his formulation.”

Trying to fool

His own village farmers did not trust him and say that he boiled some leaves in water and trying to fool them.

But when farmers from other villages started using his formulation, his village people also slowly started showing interest in his work.

Giving details on how his herbal pesticide is manufactured, he says:

“I started experimenting with neem (Azadirachta indica). First, I boiled the neem leaves in water and sprayed the solution on the crops. I proceeded further as I got encouraging results. In the second phase I mixed neem oil with the solution and got even better results.”

Further development

He developed his technique further using neem leaves, neem oil, jaggery along with a couple of other herbs.

All these herbs are mixed with cow’s urine in a vessel. After fifteen days the solution is filtered and used. For more effectiveness neem leaf decoction can also be added to it.

He used a litre of herbal solution diluted in 100 litres of water and sprayed on paddy crops and obtained good results.

Good feedback

Feedback from the users indicates that it is helpful in controlling several pests, insects and termites. It acts as a pesticide, insecticide and growth promoter.

Animals also do not eat this crop because the presence of the solution on the leaves makes it taste bitter.

“The product is a good hit in the local market and is fetching steady income for the innovator. “Queries are also being received from other states also,” says Prof. Gupta.

A patent for this formulation has been filed by NIF which supports him under the Micro Venture Innovation Fund (MVIF) of NIF-SIDBI.

For more information readers can contact Mr. Ishwar singh Kundu, Krishico Herbolic Laboratories (Regd.), Village Kailram, District Kaithal, ,Haryana, email: kisan.kamaal@gmail.com, Phone: 09255544241.

PDM College of Engineering
Approved by AICTE, Ministry of HRD, Govt. of India &
DTE, Govt. of Haryana and affiliated to Maharshi Dayanand University, Rohtak

Invites applications for

Professors / Asst. Professors / Lecturers in the disciplines of Computer Science & Engg., Information Technology, Mechanical Engg., Electronics & Communication Engg., Bio-Medical Engg. Instrumentation & Control Engg., Applied Sciences

, Management & MCA

Lab Technicians / Instructors in the disciplines of Computer Science & Engg., Information Technology, Mechanical Engg., Electronics & Communication Engg., Bio-Medical Engg., Instrumentation & Control Engg., Applied Sciences

System Engineer/ System Programmer / Web Designer / Junior Engineer (Horticulture) / Graphic Designer / Stenographer / Receptionist

Qualifications & Pay scale as per AICTE / UGC/Haryana Govt. Norms. Higher start possible for outstanding candidates. Retired persons of proven academic record are also eligible. The pay package for other positions will commensurate with qualifications and experience. Applications should reach this Institution within 10 days from the date of publication of this advertisement.

Transport facilities are available for Delhi, Rohtak, Sonipat, Gurgaon

Recretary

PDM Education Institutions
Bahadurgarh – 124 507 Haryana
Phone Nos.: 01276-221761, 221748. Fax: 01276-221714

Website: www.pdmce.com

I am quoting from front page head lines, Indian Express dated 14.1.10:

1) Lt. General got officers to serve builder’s agenda

Builder got project in Bhutan when Lt. Gen was commmanding the unit.

2) Haryana police’s crowded hall of shame. Top IPS officers have been jailed for involvement in murder, smuggling, fake encounters.

3) Man who used RTI (Right to Information Act) as weapon is hacked to death near Pune, Satish Shetty who was waging a lone battle against the land mafia in Mval are of Pune district, was hacked to death early in the morning.

Yesterday it was reported that a minister going to speak in an election rally refused to pay toll dues of Rs. 13. When the staff insisted that he is not exempt s he was going in a private car, the driver cum gunman threatened them and filed FIR when they walked out in protest.

The Chief Justice wants Judges to be exempted from RTI. Your Honour, what have you to hide.

Auditor General comments about Tamilnadu Government, for diverting funds earmarked for infrastructure development, for distributing TV sets etc.

Black Money is the only life line that keeps India’s heart beating, because it sustains economicc growth.

I read this great article in Economic Times about Malayali women and how they could soon be getting “bride money” instead of giving dowry. How can this happen you may wonder, but this was an article  in the Economic Times, so money has to play a part right? And so it does…

Kerala women to men ratio has always been amazing when you compare to the rest of India. It is 1058 women to every 1000 men in our little state and I did the Whoop Whoop for women power after reading this! This figure is in stark contrast to other states that grapple with the effects of female infanticide and abortions. It’s all finally catching up in states like Haryana, Punjab and Rajasthan and they are now turning to Kerala women for brides.

Women of Kerala have lots of great traits, they are educated, good with languages and are known for their adaptability. Payyanur in North Kerala has married away quite a few of its daughters to far off Punjab and Haryana and the ladies have reported that they are very happy with their husbands and the in-laws.

But, now there are more grooms on the horizon according to the ET article from far-off China no less! In the next 10 years, 24 million Chinese would find it difficult to find a bride all thanks to gender specific abortions there.

From Chinese fishing nets to Communism, common grounds aplenty in this Kerala-China marriage situation. And if hefty sums for brides come calling the adaptable Malayali is sure to think of the economics of it all and at the same time make sure his daughter is married off well. You see finally it is all the economics and fewer local men available! Interesting, right?

Hello Friends here we come up with the Latest Agri Commodities updates from various parts of the country.

.

Rice Procurement Tops 16 Million Tonne

.

Rice Procurement Tops 16 Million Tonne :

.

Rice procurement by Food Corporation of India (FCI) and state agencies for 2009-10 crop marketing year has surpassed 16 million tonne and was estimated at 16.3 million tonne as on Tuesday.

.

This year, as usual Punjab and Haryana have contributed bulk of the total procurement with around 9.25 million tonne and 1.80 million tonne to the central pool.

.

The procurement in other key rice growing states such as Chhattisgarh (1.43 million tonne), Andhra Pradesh (1.10 million tonne) and Uttar Pradesh (1.53 million tonne) have also picked up pace in the last few weeks.

.

.

In Other major Commodities Updates, we have news about coffee exports globally dipping 7.8% and the retail prices of Jaggery getting costlier.

.

Global coffee exports dip 7.8% in Oct-Nov:

.

Coffee exports globally have fallen 7.8 per cent to 13.4 million bags (1 bag= 60 kg) in the first two months of the 2009-10 crop year.

.

In India, exports have risen over 20 per cent to 516,000 bags in the same period, the International Coffee Organisation (ICO) has said.

The coffee year runs from October to September.

.

Global coffee export figures remained bleak due to a sharp fall in shipments from Brazil, the world’s largest coffee producer.

.

During the October-November period, overseas sale of coffee bean from Brazil dipped 11.11 per cent to 5.34 million bags from 6.01 million bags in the corresponding period last year.

.

.

Jaggery to get costlier on festive demand:

.

Retail prices of jaggery, one of the key ingredients used by south Indians in their Pongal/Sankranthi celebrations is set to become costlier and are likely to touch Rs 40-44 per kg as against Rs 37-38 per kg at present.

.

Jaggery prices in the key southern states of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka have already gone up between 4% and 12% during the last one month.

.

.

Note : For More Latest Industry, Stock Market and Economy News and Updates, please Click Here

Haryana Public Service Commission Panchkula
Bays no 1-10, Block-B, Sector-4, Panchkula

Haryana public service commission invites applications from eligible candidates for a competitive examination for recruitment to the posts of Assistant Engineer (Civil) class-II in Public Health Engineering Department, Haryana

Category wise break up of posts is as under

General – 17, SC of Haryana – 05, Backward class of Haryana – 03, Ex-servicemen of Haryana – 01, Physically handicapped person (ortho) of Haryana – 01, Total – 27

View details

Wordcloud created at wordle.net from names of major crops and states

Who finds and collects the numbers – the enormous diverse sets of numbers – that help describe India’s agriculture? How these are found and used is an absorbing story. In their most encapsulated form, they are given to us as micro-tables by the Ministry of Agriculture in weekly briefings in New Delhi. Depending on the time of the year, these ar titled “rabi sowing progressing well” or “kharif sowing progressing well” (that didn’t happen in 2009, with the failed monsoon, but these habits are hard to break).

Our agri-bureaucracy is large and deep. It’s big enough to rival other countries’ entire administrations. Who in all that byzantine maze is responsible for keeping track of the dozens of foodgrain crops, dozens of commercial crops, the land use in 35 states and union territories, the vast network of departments, research institutes, agricultural extension offices, state agricultural universities, livestock, fisheries, boards and finally the tens of thousands of farmers’ cooperatives?

Here’s a short attempt at describing this universe. The Ministry of Agriculture consists of three departments: Department of Agriculture and Cooperation; Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries; and Department of Agricultural Research and Education. Each department has its own statistical organisation and system, and I have my doubts about whether they exchange data and methods on subjects that matter.

There’s an Agriculture Census Division which is responsible for organising the quinquennial agricultural census and input surveys in the country in collaboration with the State Agricultural Census units. There are two main statistical activities of the Division: the Agriculture Census and the Input Survey. The Agriculture Census collects quantitative information about the structure of agriculture in India. So far, seven Agriculture Censuses from 1970-71 and six Input Surveys since 1976-77 have been completed.

Ploughing a field in Satara district, Maharashtra

The Directorate of Economics and Statistics (DES) is responsible for “collection, collation, dissemination and publication of statistical data on diverse facets of agriculture and allied sectors, required for planning and policy formulation by the Government”. The Agricultural Statistics Division maintains state-wise estimates of area, production and yield of 44 principal crops (27 major and 17 minor) under the two broad seasons of kharif and rabi. The estimates are updated annually in February or March after the release of final estimates of area, production and yield of the preceding agricultural year. This Division also estimates and measures demand and supply projections of foodgrains, oilseeds and other commercial crops. Agricultural wages constitute a major item towards cost of production. Data on agricultural wages in 17 states is collected by DES every month, the wage data relate to the agricultural year (July to June).

Then there is a ‘Timely Reporting Scheme’ which assesses the area sown under principal crops on the basis of what it calls “complete enumeration of 20% villages selected randomly”, which in country with 600,000 villages is a lot. This scheme is put to work in 16 land record states – Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Jharkhand and Chattisgarh – and 2 Union Territories – Delhi and Puducherry.

The Cost Study Division implements the “Comprehensive Scheme for Studying the Cost of Cultivation of Principal Crops in India”. This division compiles cost data on principal agricultural crops grown in India: barley, gram, jute, lentils, peas, rapeseed and mustard, safflower, sugarcane, wheat, arhar (tur), bajra, coconut, cotton, groundnut, jowar, maize, moong, nigerseed, onion, paddy, potato, ragi, sesamum, soyabean, sunflower, tapioca, urad and tobacco. This division supplies cost estimates to the all-important Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP) which then makes “suitable recommendations” on the Minimum Support Prices of 24 agricultural commodities, which it is then the responsibility of the state governments to ensure that each state’s farmers are paid (at least) those prices for the major crops they bring to the procurement yards.

Finally, there’s the Prices and Markets Division, which collects data on wholesale prices, retail prices, farm harvest prices and market arrivals of selected agricultural commodities from all over India. The bulk of the daily and weekly commercial data is gathered by this division and the scale and scope is staggering: weekly wholesale prices of 154 agricultural commodities are collected from around 600 selected markets and centres; weekly retail prices of 45 food items and monthly retail prices of 43 non-food items from 87 selected markets and centres covering 32 states and union territories. The prices are collected every Friday. It also collects annual farm harvest prices for 26 principal crops from all major states and union territories.

That, in a nutshell, is the story of the numbers that (we hope) help describe India’s agriculture.