Across Eastern Europe, memorials to those died fighting the Nazi’s are being dismantled and the far right rehabilitated.
Eg-Estonia, Latvia, Poland etc
Estonians who have worked in German SS divisions are described as fighters for Estonia’s independence and on the retirement record being added.
In Poland names of streets, Soviet memorials are being removed.
May be an added factor in the present stand off between Russia and NATO on the location of interceptors and radars in Poland..
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
DRDO-Look who’s talking:
Balasaheb Vikhe Patil haeded parliamentary standing committee on defence has noted that many of DRDO’s difficulties are caused by the changing of the QR (qualitative requirements ) by the services midstream ,and the long and extended trails by them.
For imported items ,a DRDO scientist noted that”the services are willing to dilute their QR if the supplier can bring down the price.Why cant they extend the same concessions to systems developed by our scientists”
Committee also noted that the indigenously developed systems are subjected to prolonged and exhaustive trials and evaluation
Most of the problems are with IAF.Navy has an excellent co opration with the DRDO.
Navy is very much satisfied with the capabilities of the DRDO.Sangraha,Varunastra,Mareech projects were completed successfully with no cost over run.
Not enough design engineers in DRDO ,and the rate of the attrition is also high.
For imported items ,a DRDO scientist noted that”the services are willing to dilute their QR if the supplier can bring down the price.Why cant they extend the same concessions to systems developed by our scientists”
Committee also noted that the indigenously developed systems are subjected to prolonged and exhaustive trials and evaluation
Most of the problems are with IAF.Navy has an excellent co opration with the DRDO.
Navy is very much satisfied with the capabilities of the DRDO.Sangraha,Varunastra,Mareech projects were completed successfully with no cost over run.
Not enough design engineers in DRDO ,and the rate of the attrition is also high.
Pollution,traffic could have cost Delhi the Asian games:
Evaluation committee of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) listed the 2 areas of concern in its report following its visit to Delhi to assess its readiness to host the games
The bidding committee had assured a separate lane to avoid traffic congestion
Also small counties may have ditched India during the secret ballot voting
New Delhi also banked on the fact that it is hosting the 2010 Commonwealth games and most of the infrastructure would be ready for the Asian games.
India hosted the 1951 and 1982 games.
The bidding committee had assured a separate lane to avoid traffic congestion
Also small counties may have ditched India during the secret ballot voting
New Delhi also banked on the fact that it is hosting the 2010 Commonwealth games and most of the infrastructure would be ready for the Asian games.
India hosted the 1951 and 1982 games.
Smuggling rampant on Tamil Nadu coast:
State is witnessing an influx of Sri Lankan –Tamil refugees and also smuggling.
Fuels, medicines, calipers, components for explosive manufacture are being smuggled from several “landing points” along Ramanathapuram coast.
Loads of ball bearings and aluminium ingots were found in raids.
LTTE in possession of high speed boats. Couriers and crew members are either fishermen or refugees already staying in southern districts.
Smuggling done for cash and liquor from Sri Lankan side.
Thousand of Indian boats entering sea and cross IMBL (International Maritime Boundary Line) freely across Palk Strait and Mannar.
LTTE is under pressure with depleting financial resources and increasing war excpenditures.India offers the only easy access to essential supplies.
Consignments being routed from AP, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu
Fuels, medicines, calipers, components for explosive manufacture are being smuggled from several “landing points” along Ramanathapuram coast.
Loads of ball bearings and aluminium ingots were found in raids.
LTTE in possession of high speed boats. Couriers and crew members are either fishermen or refugees already staying in southern districts.
Smuggling done for cash and liquor from Sri Lankan side.
Thousand of Indian boats entering sea and cross IMBL (International Maritime Boundary Line) freely across Palk Strait and Mannar.
LTTE is under pressure with depleting financial resources and increasing war excpenditures.India offers the only easy access to essential supplies.
Consignments being routed from AP, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu
Village service for doctors:
Govt to make it mandatory from 2008-09 for all new MBBS graduates to serve in a rural area for one year as a pre condition for being granted permanent registration is commendable.
The rural posting will underpin NRHM (promise made in CMP)
Today upto 40% of doctors posted in primary and community health centers fail to turn up
This will decrease quackery which is flourishing due to lack of enough number of doctors in rural areas
In contrast to urban presence of allopath , 60% of 5.5 lakh practitioners of traditional medicals systems are in rural areas
Lot of other challenges many rural health centers lack infrastructure, diagnostic tools, drugs etc.
A move to make it mandatory for doctors to attend periodic CME-continuing medical education is highly laudable.
Some 70% of India’s 4.5 lakh + doctors and 80% of 6 lakh hospitals are in the urban areas.
The rural posting will underpin NRHM (promise made in CMP)
Today upto 40% of doctors posted in primary and community health centers fail to turn up
This will decrease quackery which is flourishing due to lack of enough number of doctors in rural areas
In contrast to urban presence of allopath , 60% of 5.5 lakh practitioners of traditional medicals systems are in rural areas
Lot of other challenges many rural health centers lack infrastructure, diagnostic tools, drugs etc.
A move to make it mandatory for doctors to attend periodic CME-continuing medical education is highly laudable.
Some 70% of India’s 4.5 lakh + doctors and 80% of 6 lakh hospitals are in the urban areas.
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
Is Contract farming the answer to the current woes confronting the nation’s farmers ?
Amendment of agricultural produce marketing committee (APMC)act in 14 states allows farmers to sell their produce in the open markets.
ITC,Reliance,Pepsico involved.Pepsico started the trend with tomatoes in Punjab
Good prices for the farmers, all technical know-how, guaranteed buying, no middlemen involved.
Farmers need to give only the land, and the labour.
Contract farming has come at a time when farmers are suffering because of high fertilizer, insecticide and power costs.
It generally involves: a pre agreed price between the company and the farmer, alongwith measures of quality, quantity, acreage to be farmed, duration of the contract.
Cash crops, crops for food processing industry will replace staple food like rice and wheat, so we lose food security.
But income from exports to increase a lot.
70% of the population dependent on agriculture, it is not just a trade, it is a way of life.
Agriculture to agribusiness………………………and it is a form of capitalist penetration
Corporate will dictate, what crops to be grown which will result in loss of natural seeds.
Incidence of pre-determined prices being rejected on pretext of inferior quality of crops.
Corporate can integrate the supply chain by ensuring timely availability of quality and quantity of materials.
ITC,Reliance,Pepsico involved.Pepsico started the trend with tomatoes in Punjab
Good prices for the farmers, all technical know-how, guaranteed buying, no middlemen involved.
Farmers need to give only the land, and the labour.
Contract farming has come at a time when farmers are suffering because of high fertilizer, insecticide and power costs.
It generally involves: a pre agreed price between the company and the farmer, alongwith measures of quality, quantity, acreage to be farmed, duration of the contract.
Cash crops, crops for food processing industry will replace staple food like rice and wheat, so we lose food security.
But income from exports to increase a lot.
70% of the population dependent on agriculture, it is not just a trade, it is a way of life.
Agriculture to agribusiness………………………and it is a form of capitalist penetration
Corporate will dictate, what crops to be grown which will result in loss of natural seeds.
Incidence of pre-determined prices being rejected on pretext of inferior quality of crops.
Corporate can integrate the supply chain by ensuring timely availability of quality and quantity of materials.
SEZ :Lessons from China
China’s record economic growth fuelled by SEZ is often advocated as the reason for India to adopt this approach.
China’s SEZ policy driven only to achieve growth since 1980’s incurring huge resources and environmental costs.
It is home to 26 million poor, adding 10 million mouths to be fed each year. Even with this daunting target between 1996-2005 “development” caused diversion of more than 21% of arable lands to non-agricultural uses, highways, industries, and SEZ’s .20 million farmers were laid off agriculture due to land acquisition.
Protests against land acquisition and deprivation have become a common feature in rural China. Some 74,000 riots were reported in 2004.
SEZ like Shenzen which clocked 28% growth for 25 years has become a hotspot of crime, corruption, prostitution.
UNEP has designated Shenzen as a “global environmental hotspot” meaning a region had suffered rapid environmental destruction.
High input, high consumption are the mantras of development in China. Most of the companies violate emission rules. And China has officially admitted that pollution costs it 10% of GDP.
Income gap is widening.GINI coefficient –a measure of income destruction where 0 means perfect inequality and 1 means maximum inequality. For China it is 0.496,wherea for India it is 0.33.
In case of a country with a a sizeable domestic market, the choice lies with the producer to export or supply to domestic market.
Indian consumption is 68% GDP, Chinese consumption is only 35% GDP.
The good point are: New insurance policy for farmers, medical services,$ 1.5 billion dollars as subsidies ,More selling price for the crops.
So it is for India to decide whether to follow the “Chinese model”.
China’s SEZ policy driven only to achieve growth since 1980’s incurring huge resources and environmental costs.
It is home to 26 million poor, adding 10 million mouths to be fed each year. Even with this daunting target between 1996-2005 “development” caused diversion of more than 21% of arable lands to non-agricultural uses, highways, industries, and SEZ’s .20 million farmers were laid off agriculture due to land acquisition.
Protests against land acquisition and deprivation have become a common feature in rural China. Some 74,000 riots were reported in 2004.
SEZ like Shenzen which clocked 28% growth for 25 years has become a hotspot of crime, corruption, prostitution.
UNEP has designated Shenzen as a “global environmental hotspot” meaning a region had suffered rapid environmental destruction.
High input, high consumption are the mantras of development in China. Most of the companies violate emission rules. And China has officially admitted that pollution costs it 10% of GDP.
Income gap is widening.GINI coefficient –a measure of income destruction where 0 means perfect inequality and 1 means maximum inequality. For China it is 0.496,wherea for India it is 0.33.
In case of a country with a a sizeable domestic market, the choice lies with the producer to export or supply to domestic market.
Indian consumption is 68% GDP, Chinese consumption is only 35% GDP.
The good point are: New insurance policy for farmers, medical services,$ 1.5 billion dollars as subsidies ,More selling price for the crops.
So it is for India to decide whether to follow the “Chinese model”.
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