As we enter the 62nd year of our Independence one question everyone must be asking is “Have we achieved a lot?” We are amongst the fastest growing economy in the world, our foreign reserves have never been so good and India is now recognized as the next super power of the world. However, we are still plagued by many problems that is rendering a brake to our growth. Unfurling the flag at the Red fort on the occasion of 61st Independence Day, Indian Prime Minister Mr. Manmohan Singh delivered Independence Day speech, which was not less than just reading out problems of India. The speech seems like the one that has been used over and over again by all the past prime ministers of India and had the similar highlights:
Mr Singh highlighted that Government need to generate more employment opportunities for all. But how? All the schemes provided by the Government generated less than 2% opportunities and considering the amount we have spent on those it isn’t worth. The key problem is the population Mr. Singh. And second problem is more than 50% of the graduates and post graduates people are UNEMPLOYABLE! We are still working on the old techniques of education, there are many unrecognized and unauthorized institutions running in the country who are giving false degrees and playing with the careers of the people. Regarding Population, recently Kerala adopted 2 Children per family policy, similar to that of China. Why can’t this be adopted across India? We do not have room for more than 2 children per family in India.
Further free education to all has been the slogan of all Prime Ministers since Independence but till now that has just a dream. What we have to understand that the development of RURAL INDIA is the what will bring India forward. We understand that many teachers and professors would not like to go to villages and train children. Why cannot we pay these teachers extra salary and bonuses so that they can be motivated to get bright students from village to come up and help with the development of their village, their town, their city and their country?
Coming back to Poverty - Well one of the reasons for poverty is lack of education and growing population. Subsidy, Reservations, Backward classes, OBC etc wont help remove the poverty, we need to very firm with our population policy and ensuring right distribution of national funds to the right people. In one incident, which I remember, the farmer was handed over a cheque of Rs 5 for relief purpose, which seemed nothing more than a joke. Definitely the chunk money were eaten away by the babus or the civil servants through whom the money was channelized. Farmers are uneducated and we should make efforts by providing them with latest technologies and information, which will help them to produce the right crop at the right time of the year. Drought and Flood should be minimized by implementing the policy of “Channelizing all rivers“.
Reservation - Why do we need that? Why cannot we make education system fair enough for everyone to afford and should be only on the basis of merit. Reservations sound good only in the Railway Platform and not in School, Colleges and Institutions. We should not differentiate between High Caste and Low Caste and should ensure fair opportunities for all.
Economic Growth – No doubt India has seen huge economic growth in past 5 years, especially last year when the GDP was 9%. However the growth’s benefit has not been distributed evenly and has been retarded by constant terror activities and fake currency distribution. And we all know who has been sponsoring the terror activities. Why cannot be take firm actions against our neighbors whose constant interference, terror plots and Anti-India Policy has not only hampered the growth but also claimed millions of innocent lives. Would China tolerated if Pakistan had sponsored their terror activities there? Enough of peace talks, timid warnings and resistance. If they can violate ceasefire thrice in a week (recent ceasefire violations – August 2008), can’t we reply them back so that they should think twice before violating again! Our politicians might say its “Easy said!” No, not easy said Sir. You and me are not standing on the Borders, it’s the soldiers. They risk their lives for us and what we tell them, exercise restraint. Anyways, in past 2-3 years, terror groups inside India have struck almost every major city and they did whenever they wanted. So much as been their courage that they can send emails and give prior warnings that they are striking and we cannot do anything. What is the solution for that? Let Police and Army do the work without any interference by the Politicians and Bureaucrats. We are sure the terror activities will reduce to 10% of what has been happening till now. Like we worship and glorify sportsmen and bollywood, we will also do for all those Police and Army Jawans who will stop and remove these activities.
Finally, on this day, we remember our forefathers who fought for us so that we can get a better life. What are we leaving behind for our future generations! I know all these are easy said, but somewhere we have to start. Someone has to come forward and bring with him/her a force that will start removing the problems that has plagued India for long. We have the will, courage and determination to do whatever asked for. Let’s take one step from today and ensure that we sincerely put an effort to remove the problems from India.
Jai Hind!
Nice thoughts vivz! Those are not small things, keeping the streets clean and conserving power are key problems as well. So lets pledge we will not throw any thing on streets. Even if we see someone throwing them, we can go ahead and pick them up (without any grudge) and throw them in dustbin so that the person who threw will thing twice before doing again.
Conserving power, be it office or hotel or your friend’s home, we should not think its not our power and we can let it go for waste. Switch off unwanted lights/fans/Acs and disallow power thefts.
A healthy country should have at least 35 per cent of forest land and due to deforestation the per cent has reduced to 25-26% only and reducing further. We should plant more trees and encourage afforestation and not convert this country into concrete jungle!
I hope many more people come forward with these small thoughts, which can be implemented easily.
Taking the conclusion of the above blog a step forward, I feel that till we the people do not rise above, and take steps in whatever possible way we can… and set a positive examples to our children… things would not change… It is very easy for me to pen down thoughts in this way… but having to set an example would be the real step forward in building our nation… Small small things can help a lot.. Teaching our younger generation to conserve power… to respect the value of the food we eat…. To help keep our roads clean(We throw chewing gum wrappers, chocolate wrappers etc just as and when we wish out of our car windows.. seeing this our children also do the same…), giving education to needy chilren. If we can think about such small small differences we can make.. it would go a long way…. Atleast I try to follow a few things to help my country be really Independant, Vibrant, Super power… Jai Hind!