Illiterate kids of India.

Illiteracy among poor kids, even after 4 years of Education in some Indian states is an alarming factor, according to  a Unesco Report. The case is not different in Kerala. The report says pace in achieving universal primary education, lower secondary education and youth literacy is woefully low in the country, especially for the disadvantaged. Poverty and poor living conditions are not alone the factors for illiteracy. There are more reasons.

We have illiterate politicians and leaders, so who is going to lay emphasis on literacy when our leaders are themselves illiterate is a big question.  If there is no minimum qualification criteria for those contesting elections there will be no improvement in the level of literacy in the country. Another reason for learning predicament is the teacher governance. The report says that there is absenteeism of teachers who are bound to teach students. So no teacher should be permitted to work in politics as teachers’ absence from school adversely affect the teaching-learning process. Not only that, many teaching staff members are not up to the mark. Many fail in the teacher eligibility tests.  If kids do not become literate in a specified time the teachers in charge of them should be held responsible. Separate norms should be fixed for it.

Indian politicians are more responsible for the illiteracy of children as they do not wish children to get educated.  If children are educated, politicians will lose their vote banks.  Tenth or twelfth passing with no serious board examination is also a reason for illiteracy.  No one learns properly and no one teaches properly. The reason for illiteracy among kids is thus evident.

K A Solaman

Who will India vote for?

Black Hole!

No to FDI by Kejriwal

The Arvind Kejriwal-led Delhi government decision to disallow foreign direct investment (FDI) in multi-brand retail, reversing the previous Sheila Dikshit regime's policy is a welcome step.  It is certain that FDI leads to loss of jobs to a very large extent and future exploitation of people by big business houses.  Most of the people in the lower and middle income group are living out of small time retail trade in vegetables, fruits, groceries, textiles, fish etc. No governmental agency helps them for their existence.

 Foreign Investment into the retail trade would wipe out  livelihood of these people. Hence Kejriwal should be congratulated for this people friendly decision.  The country should not stand for the growth of a few multinationals but cater  the needs of poor millions.

K A Solaman
The New Indian Express published on 29 Jan 2014

Needed CBI probe in TP case

CPM state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan is seen thrilled over TP  case verdict  and said the verdict had acquitted CPM leaders in the case. The allegation that CPM leaders conspired in the murder of T P Chandrashekaran has been busted with the freeing of Mohanan Master, according to him. Is Mohanan the only accused  Marxist leader in the case? The role of CPM has become clear as two in the convicted are district level CPM leaders. P K Kunhanandan, one of the convicted, is a Kannur district committee member.  

So, whatever be the top claim, evidently the murder was committedwith knowledge of the CPM leadership. A CBI probe is, therefore, needed to establish the conspiracy and the part played by CPM leaders in the TP murder.

K A Solaman

Poignant shock by Sunanda

Whether the controversy between Tharoor and his wife is true or not, this writer-politician has miserably failed in analyzing the human mind. Sunanda Pushker’s sudden demise is a matter of total upset for Tharoor for not maintaining the moral values needed for a minister and a gentle man. He himself went in despair and has put Congress party in trouble at the time of oncoming election to the Parliament. He was always busy in nonsense affairs using his position as minister ignoring the dignity of an Indian citizen. Married thrice and eyeing for the fourth one is not at all a decorous act.

Sunanda’s death may be the outcome of the huge despair originated form sheer negligence from Tharoor who cornered at the Pakistan columnist Mehr Tarar. Shashi Tharoor lacks the maturity of a responsible citizen. It is a shame for our nation to bear such ministers who are short of moral values and principles in personal life. India has a culture and heritage, which is deeply rooted in the transparency of married life. Tharoor has spoiled everything and with her sudden withdrawal from life Sunanda gave him a poignant shock.

K A Solaman

Gold rush

The women’s commission in Kerala is trying to limit the amount of gold given at weddings to no more than 80 grams. This step is taken to reduce the burden on families and help ease India’s trade deficit. In Indian weddings, gifts of gold, mostly jewellery, are common. The bride’s family gifts gold to the groom to ensure financial stability and this is seen as an auspicious gesture. It is part of the fabric of the Indian belief system. The chairperson of the KWC, K.C. Rosakutty, said that the demand for gold has given rise to a dangerous trend as parents “sell residential property to buy gold for marriages and go for rented houses”. Kerala now uses up to 400 grams of gold per wedding, which was about a tenth of India’s total demand in 2012. The commission has sought a meeting with the chief minister of Kerala, Oommen Chandy, to fix the upper limit at 80 grams. The proposal is unlikely to find many takers in political circles ahead of the general elections in May. It is likely to remain only on paper because the gold industry is a big money spinner for political parties during elections.

However, it would be good news for the finance minister, P. Chidambaram, if the proposal is accepted. Apart from raising gold import duties to a record 10 per cent last year, he has also been vocal about the need to end Indians’ fascination with the yellow metal. It is heartening to know that gold and silver imports have declined by almost 70 per cent in December 2013, after the government imposed restrictions on the import of gold to narrow the current account deficit. The KWC should also educate the people to check their fondness for gold.

K.A. Solaman,  Kerala

The Telegraph, Calcutta published on 14-1-14

Limit on gold at weddings

Finally the Kerala Women’s Commission has identified the crisis. It seeks to limit the amount of gold given at weddings to no more than 80 grams to reduce the burden on families and help ease India's trade deficit. The decision is unparalleled but I am not certain that the gold merchants in the state permit the political bosses to take a decision in this direction.

The money handed over to political parties by the gold merchants in the State is far beyond any reckon and hence the rulers would never take a decision harming the prospects of gold dealers. Or else ask the government to take action against obnoxious advertisements in TV channels by unscrupulous gold merchants. For instance, in a gold ad the ‘chatta’ cladded Boby Chemmannur plays football fouls with Argentinean player Diego Maradonna. His intention is not to sell only 80 grams. 

The gold merchants with their prime time ads have become a total nuisance to channel viewers especially the poor. If an ordinary man  so thinks to sell his belongings to find money for buying gold ornaments he cannot be blamed. So, there should be awareness campaigns against the tendency of groom’s parents seeking increasing amounts of gold at marriage. The propensity among parents to sell residential property to buy gold for marriages should also be checked.

The Kerala women’s fascination for gold is limitless and this can be proscribed only by societal interference. Meanwhile, the gold merchants should be restricted from their dishonest advertisement and subsequent bamboozle.

K A Solaman

Thought for the Day

Blessed are the hearts that can bend; they shall never be broken. — Albert Camus

Kerala fiscal squeeze.

The best finance minister of Kerala has turned into worst finance minister. There is not enough equipment in Mani’s kitty to save the State from financial crunge. The State is in the verge of financial blackout as its employees even denied salary before the X’mas, which is a phenomenon never seen in the history of Kerala.

The veteran finance minister doesn’t know how to mobilize fund in a systematic way. What he knows is a prayer in the Palayam church before the State Budget and installing more Kerala lotteries inviting more people for a state wide begging campaign. Can anyone say this unproductive, unscientific Kerala lottery is something more than public begging. Of course there are many people earn their livelihood by way of selling lottery but this is not the way for a democratic state to protect the unprivileged. Mani has an eye on pension benefits of employees also.

If the revenues have not increased as envisaged in the budget and the expenditure is far above estimates, it is due to the folly of the ministers of the state. Mani now asks to implement tax and non-tax augmenting measures that have already been approved. But before that Mani and other ministers should withdraw ministerial stay given to big defaulters. There are many corporate and abkaris as defaulters to state exchequer and it is the duty of the ministers to take immediate action to collect the dues.

Who knows it is not a ploy of finance minister to enhance to retirement age of state employees in the setting of fiscal squeeze and thereby to withhold the pension benefits of employees. The collection from staff unions in this direction has been made last year itself, it is told.

K A Solaman   
The New Indian Express published on 9-1-14

Playing with gas

Playing with fire is dangerous to little ones. Likewise, playing with gas is dangerous to UPA ones. The passing away of the Congress party in the next election depends solely on their foul play with LPG distribution. Hike in LPG prices sparked protests across political divide in Kerala and elsewhere and supply of cooking gas cylinders to domestic consumers disrupted in many parts. There is confusion regarding the price of LPG and Adhaar linking for getting subsidy.

The Kerala CM Oommen Chandy and Congress leader V M Sudheeran have expressed their resentment for giving free hand to oil companies to determine price of LPG and petroleum products. The oil companies running a parallel government in the country is not at all desirable. It will definitely harm the prospects of Congress party in the next election. The minister in charge of petroleum ministry Moily sticking on the present fixed number of cylinders is amusing.

 He could have stuck on to ‘single cylinder' to single person!

K A Solaman