Premchand's 125th birthday celebrations

The magician of pen, Munshi Premchand's 125th birthday falls on 31st July this year. His writings are the mirror of contemporary literature as well as the society. Most of my readers might have read his one or more writings. I think on the net we too can celebrate his birthday. An initiative by me in Hindi blog.

Update: Today is 31st July, hence a birthday greeting card for Munshi Premchand.
Don't miss the birthday party there.

Economic reforms in India - the relevance

"India is the fourth largest economy in view of Purchasing Power Parity (PPP), according to world development report, published in September 2001.”
For many of us this piece of information is good to hear. But this is our remnants of the so called golden bird, India. From ages back, as early as 2500 BC, we had been the center of trade and commerce for the other civilizations. The minerals, cotton yarn, leather goods, gems and jewellery, agricultural products had been the export items. The lucrative resources available here attracted the British to do business hence swiftly rule over it. The industries and transport system got a input of foreign blend of knowledge and expertise. Later on after the economy got exploited completely but left over with the determination to revive the economy.

Obviously the challenges were there before our economists, where they choose out the import substitution after developing own production units and industries. This thing actually got the push when second five year plan based on model of Prof.P.C.Mahalnobis ( then Director of ISI Kolkata). The formation of the industrial infrastructure was supported with the proposal of the mixed economy based on socialist principles. The former got boost but not the later which gave rise to income disparity. In villages the high income group is also the lower percentage of the people. In towns the difference between the highest to lowest income is even much higher. By the year of 1970, we had almost all of the commercial establishments within the country. The materials needed to be quality conscious and world class. By the time the foreign capital started depleting fast. The need of the time was to liberalize the foreign capital investment into the production as well as service sector in India. Hence from 1991 the foreign investments were invited and the Indian economy was liberalized, this ultimately made India a competing economy in the Asia-pacific region. The industrial growth and world class products helped to contribute the 70% of the GDP from private sector.

To contrast, the factor of 70% population still involved in the agriculture related works, become the small part of contributor, which is around 26% in the GDP. Needless to add, there exists a sharp valley between the 1/3rd of the population, who live below the poverty line and the upper class who keep the large piece of cake.
Another contrast do appear where the manual labours who do routine jobs and also remain seasonally unemployed. Their daily earning is low and the highly skilled technical and managers' earnings are the world class salaries.

There is a saying in Hindi which should not be taken as levity.

उत्तम खेती, मध्यम बाण,
निषिद्घ चाकरी, भीख निदान।

(The agrarian work is the best, medium is business, being servant is forbidden and to beg is inexcusable.)

Neglecting the agrarian works is not good symptom of the economy. What ever business we do, that becomes related as well dependent on the resources available from the nature: Agricultural, Mining, Water force and Sun rays and so on..

India is said to be one of the prominent market in the Asian region. The market, to be exploited by MNCs. Hence business becomes the main point of attention. In the long run the purchasing power of the maximum of the people is not upto the mark.

The service sector, which is also called as the cheap labour available is India increasing the life standards of the individual labours but ultimately the next generation need something of own instead of the traditional service provider only.

Now to make these economic reforms make meaningful, along with revitalizing the lost golden economy, entrepreneur skills are needed to be encouraged to tap up the largest manpower pool, the cutting edge technical and managerial personals, the innovative brains and the vast natural resources. The biggest asset we have is the willingness to succeed with limited resources in the reviving economy which need to be explored.

Poverty alleviation and Employment generation

The scores of Indians are living in the slums. This part of the social strata is actually the cheap labour available in the Metros. Interestingly, this labour rate is higher than they earn at the agricultural activities at the villages. The two third of working population, dependent on the agricultural activities are crucial target of our poverty alleviation programs. This poverty ridden population is the base of unemployed population too. Now instead of joining poverty and unemployment together as gigantic problem, it must be seen the directly proportional to each other.

The first and foremost attention should be the growth of agriculture sector to raise the living standards of the farmers, to increase the rural economy and hence strengthen the domestic market of industrial and service sector products. Our industrial and service sector could not tap this large population.

The government is conscious for the poverty alleviation programs with the financial and administrative support. It's commitment towards these programs are shown in rural credit delivery system, minimum guaranteed employment scheme, and several other centrally funded (funding the larger part) and stately executed programs. The seven basic social services (1) safe drinking water ; (2) primary health services; (3) primary education; (4) public housing to the shelter less; (5) mid-day meals in the rural areas; (6) connectivity to the villages; and (7) public distribution scheme for the poor have been recognized by the government.

Now as the self governance i.e. Panchayati Raj and the Municipal bodies have been given constitutional status by the Parliament in 1992, the public bodies have started participating in the development works and schemes declared. These also have led to local employment scopes and local decision making to improve the life standard.

The objectives to lower the poverty level are well recognized schemes are well drawn, if transparency is made sufficient from the top level to bottom level, the massive capacity building efforts of self governance shall help the goal ultimately.

That's not government responsibility !

Most of the people in the public life credulously blame the government for the happenings around them. Their disavowal leads to a social strata which makes them subjects rather than the participants.The arrogant public's diatribe against the officers and the representative can be often heard.

A discerning visualization towards such confined thinking can be tracked back to the less participation in the oligarchy. The fatalism of the people as a subject of the ruler is transferred from past generation to the present one. Before attaining the independence, amidst the monarchy, the respective ministers and officers used to be the providers of conducive services to the fellow citizens. Of course in parallel that led to burgeoning red tap-ism too. And the people remain adherent to their tendency. This thing continued to the regime of the English rulers.

The government, as said to be a guilty of culpable neglect, can't be justified for long. Till today, after more than 55 years of independence the common people did not understood the meaning of active participation in the governing bodies. The lacking diffidence need to be revitalized. The levity in the decision making process of the pressure groups of the society requires revitalization. Instead of wild ramblings the actions of the common man need to be concentrated to improve and cooperate the governing bodies. When the collective effort of the people militate the unscrupulous happenings around, the constructive sapient citizens will live.

Hindi - English Divorce

Till now, I have been posting the same Hindi material at two places, first in this blog and another dedicated Hindi blog, प्रेमपीयूष . Now onwards my "Hindi men hee gitir-pit", i.e. my Hindi writings shall appear only at the later although the respective links will be given here too as I am doing now.

1. As soon as Anugunj-11 was announced I wrote my views and unlike last times, I was the second participant. Its reviewed here in the Akshargram.
2. My new poem चिट्ठाकार मंडली is published there.
3. To repeat, Nirantar has published my poem.

Manish ji, I am extremely happy that you will be able to read all of my post in Hindi blog.

और नज्म़ जिन्दा रह गये

जिन्दगी थी, मस्ती भी थी,
दौलत थी, इक गश्ती भी थी ।

इक जवानी थी, रुबाब भी था,
दिवानी थी, इक ख्वाब भी था ।

हँसती गलियों में नकाब भी था,
रंगीनियों का एक शबाब भी था ।

जुमेरात शायद वह आबाद भी था,
जुम्मे के रोज़ वह बरबाद भी था ।

उस शाम साक़ी भी साथ न था ,
दो नज्म़ ग़ज़लों का बस याद था ।

कविता की अर्थी

नून-तेल के दायरे से
निकली जब जिन्दगी ।

माल असबाब भरे पड़े थे
भविष्य के गोदामों में ।

महफिल की वाह वाही से
थके थे कान वहाँ पर ।

टकटकी लगा अब भी
चाँद को देख रहा था ।

कल की दिनचर्या बुनकर
आखिर जुलाहा सो गया ।

मस्जिद में बस नमाज पड़ी थी
इधर सपने में वह चीख पड़ा ।

देखा , कलमों के सेज
पर कविता की अर्थी थी ।

DTH connection - A viewer's view

Information era has given another gift as DTH (Direct To Home) to the common man. Few days ago me too got benefited with it. Among the two types of DTH, I have chosen the free for ever service rather than paid one. Earlier accustomed with a terrestrial antenna ( It was a prefect companion of our portable BW TV ) presently nearly 30 free to air channels are more than sufficient for us. Whenever I want to give rest to eyes, I switch on the digital radio on the same TV ( Now a flat CTV) become an excellent radio. Although I am not a perfect box sitter but would like to help those who want a user’s views on DTH.

Which one is better, the free dish or paid dish connection?

a) The dish is the same for both; the difference comes from the receiver. Those who can afford the paid channels ( some channels are really excellent) along with all FTA ( Free To Air) after buying prepaid monthly cash card (like your mobile card) with taxes, can prefer the paid DTH connection. Unlike us, those who are accustomed (addicted) with various soaps and serials shown through conventional cable network, the paid one can be the first preference.

b) The viewers like us who can get satisfied with FREE
News channels ( All DDs , Aaj Tak, Headlines today, BBC )
Entertainment ( Star UTSAV, DD Bharti, Smile TV, All DDs )
Spiritual channels ( Zee Zagran, Star UTSAV , Aastha to be added)
Sports ( DD sports)
Education ( DD Gyandarshan)
All regional DDs, Sun TV , etc..
13 digital radio channels for FREE for
If this menu is sufficient then sure go for a Free DTH.

What is the cost of free DTH installation?

The paid connection requires to pay Rs. 4000 for equipments and one year ( the period to make one addict ) free viewing of almost all channels. Later on monthly packages ranging from Rs. 150 to Rs 400 need to be bought to continue viewing.

The free DTH service require one time investment of around Rs. 2500.00 which includes Dish antenna, Set top Box, connecting cable and installation charges, free reception of FTA channels for life long. Comparing it with current cable subscription the amount is one years expense to the cable wallah ( Rs. 400 security money + Rs . 2040 ( Rs. 170 X 12 months ) =Rs. 2440 ). Leave the issue of signal problem.

The future of free DTH ?

Recent study on DTH viewers reveals that the free subscribers are much more than the paid viewers. Almost every month new channels are being added in FTA. More number of the cost conscious middle class shall make investment in it because of the low prices and less hassles. Naturally to get more viewers more channels shall be added at the current rate.

How safe are the free to air channels?

Free to air channels are absolutely safe “over the Indian sky” for family entertainment. It's a disciplined and controlled entertaintainment. It's far better than those cable wallah’s connections who are said to be showing the forbidden Russian channels in the late nights.

Trouble shooting?

First of all fix the dish (Its less than 1meter in diameter) such that it does not misses the exact aerial direction, half of your problem is solved. Slightly touching does not make any difference.
If some time you accidentally delete all the stored programs here is a precious trick. Set the TP value in set top box parameter using the remote to “12630” and give a auto search, all the channels will be searched and sorted for you. The TP value is median frequency of FTA channels over the Indian subcontinent.

How clear are the signals?

The picture is just like digital CD quality. The sound does not contain any noise. If your TV is digital, then that’s marriage with DTH is a “made for each other” example.

Any more questions are welcome!

Bloggers' translating efforts

Blogosphere have abundant novice writers like me who can appear as translator too. Unlike professional translators, I may have immaturity in translating the material of other language into English. The critiques start appearing but does that mean that I should stop doing so?

In our Indian subcontinent, we have a legacy of writings by the spiritual and literary marvels. In all the languages spoken at the sea shores of Kanyakumari to mighty Himalayas and from Gulf of Kuchh to the state of rising sun, we have a lot of excellent materials worth reading and capable of motivate our thinking. We have icons ranging from Thiruvalluvar to Bhanu Bhakta and Kabirdas to Najrul Islam. To our advantage, English can be used to translate all kinds of their creations, of course with limitations.

Many of us, with our precious time and painstaking efforts do such translations. The reason behind such efforts is to make the material more understandable for the broader range of readers. Now the appreciators are good to encourage us. On the other hand, there may be critiques too. In such cases, it's better to request them to come up with improved versions of translations.

In the same context let me reproduce a doha .

निन्दक नियरे राखिये, आँगन कुटीर छवाय,
बिन साबुन पानी बिना, निर्मल करे सुहाय ।

Translation:
Keep and take care of the critiques, if possible make a hut for them in front of your home. They shall clean and polish your personality without using any soap and water.

During our blogging efforts, such literary contributions, if translated, gives the satisfaction of work. Perfection needs consistency and relentless efforts. If started today, say after 20 years, we shall reach the maturity level, I do hope so. Currently we shall be satisfied with our efforts of understanding and reproducing the literary gems.

May the coming generations make a better structure on the foundation laid today.

Siliguri as Special Economic Zone

Siliguri, the gateway of North-East India can be a primary candidate for the Special Economic Zone in West Bengal. The coveted climate, which people long for, is because of the downtown of Hill station, Darjeeling.

Although it used to be the practicing ground of the credos of Leftist leaders. But as long as the Union commerce and industries minister is courtly with the state government in establishing the own labour rules, the possibilities are better. The SEZ Bill passed in lok sabha devoid of the clause which “ directing that any Act relating to trade unions, industrial and labour disputes, welfare of labour, including conditions of work , provident fund, employers’ liability, workman’s compensation, invalidity, old age pensions does not apply to SEZ”. The left government’s capitalist inclination to improve the FDI in the West Bengal is the positive symbol to keep the state economy on the even keel. If the leftist leaders discuss the labour laws in SEZ without the levity, the situations shall improve. On the reverse front, the pecuniary matters of company workers if better implemented with the interest of employees, it shall be semblance of the global work place as it’s implemented in China’s investment hubs.

Hindi Blogging - Recent News

1. World's first Hindi blogzine Nirantar's July issue is available.

2. Nirantar has published my poem- "Kaisi hai aankhiya re teri" in the same issue.

3. Nirantar's Samasya Purti is inviting entries. Last date is 20th July.
( If you want to participate in it, but presently unable to type in Hindi, do send "english mein type ki hui Hindi kavita" to me, I shall type that in Hindi and return back to you for entry).