Tag Archives: #yeswecan

Article: THE UNWIELDY SIZE OF NEWSPAPERS

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    When you calculate or plan the ‘capacity’ of a crowded place, in terms of a frolicking gentry in a building or a mall you normally take an area of nine square feet per person (3 x 3 feet). In Delhi Metro this painfully gets reduced to four square feet per person (2 x 2) or even less because of the huge crowd.

    In big cities and booming metros preference of real estate in terms of size has only reduced because of the size of the pocket, so much so in very expensive areas three bedrooms have become two and two have become one. Therefore, the in thing today is … single or a small-size or even a compact unit.

    In the auto industry also, sedans have become compact sedans and compact sedans have become hatchbacks. 350 CC bikes have reduced to 125 CC.

    But even with all the stinginess of shapes and sizes all around. The size of newspapers continue to remain as generous as ever and the thickness has only increased because of the boom in advertisements. 

    Now, let us for a moment run through the unwieldy size and spread of the newspaper. Take for example the size of Times of India which is 32.9 cm in width x 52.5 cm height = 13 x 21 inches respectively, which is around 210 square inches or 2.09 square feet and if you open the newspaper holding the two ends in your hands the width increases to 2.2 feet and the area to approximately 4 square feet.

    Today, India has a literacy level of 74%. Most homes subscribe to newspapers, be it in English, Hindi or any other local language. And with the rise in population the density of people living per square kilometre has also increased. Places have become overcrowded. Therefore, as a consequence people are unable to read newspapers in crowded places because of its unwieldy size, folds and pleats that are extremely inconvenient to spread, especially when the fan above you is swirling. This has led to:

  • Increase in number of subscriptions but reduction in actual reading, as most subscribers have only become ‘Head-Line’ viewers because they don’t get an opportunity to read their newspaper during the day in crowded locations to their hearts content, which is because of its onerous size and folds.
  • Most office goers would love to read newspapers in the morning while travelling to office to utilise their time effectively, in a public transport. But the unwieldy size doesn’t allow you that convenient privilege.
  • Once you are in office you are on the grind and newspaper is soon forgotten as—

SO WHAT SHOULD BE DONE

  • The size of the newspaper should be made more slim and precise so that one can open and read it in crowded niches, in metros and in other modes of public transport where even INTERNET doesn’t work, and so you can’t think of reading newspapers.
  • The correct design could be a ‘newspaper’ that could be opened and read with a single hand more like a book in crowded places.
  • One can think of compartmentalising the daily newspaper into various chapters that can be sold separately if the subscriber doesn’t want the full newspaper, for everyone doesn’t read everything in the newspaper, such as:
  • Only Headlines
  • Politics
  • Sports
  • Current affairs
  • Page 3
  • Movies and entertainment
  • Spiritual
  • Medical and Health
  • Corporate and Industry
  • Crime
  • International affairs
  • Education
  • Jobs
  • Children

    I understand the paper of the ‘newspaper’ is subsidised and the same can continue. Irrespective of the size and compartmentalised contents, as this is one of the widest and most effective ways towards a literate India. Even if GOI has to spend extra it should not mind and the citizens and the newspaper lobby should push for it.

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By Kamlesh Tripathi

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Account no: 680510110004635 (BANK OF INDIA)

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GLOOM BEHIND THE SMILE

ONE TO TANGO … RIA’S ODYSSEY

AADAB LUCKNOW … FOND MEMORIES

REFRACTIONS … FROM THE PRISM OF GOD

(CAN BE BOUGHT FROM ON LINE BOOK STORES OR WRITE TO US FOR COPIES)

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Advertisement

MESSY–#MAGGI 2 MINUTE #NOODLE

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By Kamlesh Tripathi

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MESSY–#MAGGI 2 MINUTE #NOODLE

What MNCs should know #MaggiRecalled

High lead content in Maggi. Has sent Nestle into a tizzy of a lifetime. Vigorous tests are on, in the food labs of India. Soon anyone’s bluff will be caught if not already. And, it is not only for Nestle. But a reminder for all MNCs. That gone are the days. When you could serve a sub-standard and obsolete product in India and get away. But now the equations have altered and tables have turned.

    Today the literacy levels in India are at 74%. Most Indians, when they walk into a store have already made up their minds. About what they are going to buy and why. Consumer laws too have firmed up, even when they may not be as pungent as the US.

    India over the years has become a very attractive and money spinning sub-continent market for any MNC. With its newly rich population and the population explosion. In some ways it fares even better than the markets of the US. In fact serving the Indian market is like clocking a revenue equivalent to serving half of Europe. When we milk the geographical advantages of India’s neighbours.

    The Indian population as per 2011 stands at around 1.21 billion. Out of which around 830 million is rural and 380 million is urban. As compared to the total US population of 319 million. So, even our urban population is higher. Than the total population of the US. Our urban distribution is at 69% and rural 31%. Quite favouring, a smooth flow of goods and services across the sub-continent.

    With a population of 1.25 billion. On an average every seventh person in the world is an Indian. This has extrapolating advantages when you sell in India. In terms of scaling up a brand, brand recall or even name recalls of niche segments in prominent SKUs. And a big chunk of Indian population, are expats and NRIs. To them what is sold at home is acceptable in foreign lands too, from day one. So, a MNC, even gets a ready export market should it want to manufacture in India. Where, labour and cost of infrastructure is way below the western world.

    Although India’s population is three times that of the US. Its land area is only 1/3rd of the US (India 3287590 square km—US 9857306 sq km). That makes India a much more compact market than the US. Where, distribution costs are much lesser. And, an even more gleaming factor would be the population density. That directly triggers footfalls, and consequentially sales. The average population density of India is 364/km as compared to the US which is 90/square miles—again a favourable tilt towards India.

    Summing up. In times to come. Such large markets in confined clusters. That will give high footfalls will be a rarity. Therefore Indian consumers and markets need to be treated with a lot more prestige and seriousness by MNCs. As days are not far, when operating headquarters of many MNCs will move closer to the bulk of their consumers. Where, only China and India will be their likely destinations.

    So, MNCs should move around with bags. That have single pockets, and not bags with too many pockets or hidden pockets for various countries. As transparency is the wholesome virtue in present times. And last but not the least. The golden goose is very much there. But the MNCs shouldn’t try to kill it for short term gains.

    And brand ambassadors of MNC products. Need to verify complete details, before they sign up for any product.

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#VVIPS: IF YOU COULD ONLY SPARE DAINTY FLOWERS- IN YOUR THANKLESS BOUQUETS

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    ‘Earth laughs in flowers’ – Ralph Waldo Emerson

    Each flower is the heart throb of the garden where it is grows, and so also the emblem of ‘earth’s laughter’—as Emerson puts it.

    But it is sad to see on TV these days. How people in droves, mindlessly present flower bouquets to VVIPs and Heads of States who mechanically pass it on to their personal security staff, standing next to them. And you get a disgusting feeling seeing these lovely flowers being insulted.

    Perhaps, callous VVIPS do not have the time and mind to visualise and feel about the labour pains ‘Mother Earth’ undertakes to deliver each flower. And the blood and sweat of the gardener in bringing about this exquisite beauty.

    Therefore, won’t it be wonderful to leave them in the garden alone, than to give them premature death in thankless bouquets. So I would plead to our PM Sri Narendra Modi to stop this culture of bouquets.

   And, for tokenism one could think of plastic or paper flowers. That too under—‘make in India’ scheme.

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Posted by Kamlesh Tripathi

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https://kamleshsujata.wordpress.com

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Shravan Charity Mission is an NGO that works for poor children suffering from life threatening diseases. Should you wish to donate for the cause the bank details are given below:

NAME OF ACCOUNT: SHRAVAN CHARITY MISSION

Account no: 680510110004635 (BANK OF INDIA)

IFSC code: BKID0006805

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Our publications

GLOOM BEHIND THE SMILE

ONE TO TANGO … RIA’S ODYSSEY

AADAB LUCKNOW … FOND MEMORIES

REFRACTIONS … FROM THE PRISM OF GOD

(CAN BE BOUGHT FROM ON LINE BOOK STORES OR WRITE TO US FOR COPIES)

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#DIGITAL #INDIA-INCLUDE CLASSIC ‘MOVIES’ IN SCHOOL-COLLEGE SYLLABUS

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… like ‘Mother India, Gandhi, Cromwell, to name a few; just like plays and dramas of Shakespeare

    It is said and believed that old books and movies take you back in times. It is also the true mirror of any country or civilization. Yesterday, on the occasion of mother’s day while I was remembering my Mom, and surfing channels. I came across the famous evergreen classic ‘Mother India’ being broadcasted in one of the channels. Although, I had seen the flick several times earlier. I was tempted to see it yet again, as my old time buddy Sajid Khan had worked in it as a child star.

    But this time when I was watching the movie. I was getting a very different feel. A feel as if I was not watching ‘Mother India.’ But watching the ‘Real India’ of 1957. It is the story of a poverty-stricken village woman Radha (Nargis) who in the absence of her husband, struggles to raise her sons and survive from the clutches of a cunning money lender Sukhi Lala amidst troubles. And, despite all the hardships. She creates a goddess like example. An example of an ideal Indian woman, and that too way back in 1957. The movie in many ways, gives you, a vivid picture of what our ancestors may have undergone, during those times and with what intensity.

    This brings me to the moot point that in the archives of Bollywood and other regional movie hubs like Kolkata and Chennai. There lies a huge treasure of cinema like ‘Mother India and Dosti.’ These can become the mirror of ‘Indian times.’ The Government must form a panel that can decide to include these great Indian classics in school and college syllabus, just like any other play or drama of Shakespeare.

    Today, we talk of digital India. Where, people don’t have time to read and where 65% of our burgeoning population is below the age of 35 years. Many surveys have revealed, the attention span especially of youngsters has gone down drastically, and people don’t prefer reading beyond five hundred words in one go. So, in such a paradigm we should select exclusive movies that can showcase India to the younger generation and even the outer world and include them in the school/college syllabus.

    Extending the point further. Historical and classic movies of Hollywood or any other country that can be useful for our migrating young population. Could also be thought of, as an extra curriculum in our professional and business schools. This will give our students that extra thrust of historically knowing a place where they intend to work.

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By Kamlesh Tripathi

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https://kamleshsujata.wordpress.com

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Shravan Charity Mission is an NGO that works for poor children suffering from life threatening diseases. Should you wish to donate for the cause the bank details are given below:

NAME OF ACCOUNT: SHRAVAN CHARITY MISSION

Account no: 680510110004635 (BANK OF INDIA)

IFSC code: BKID0006805

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Our publications

GLOOM BEHIND THE SMILE

(Archived in 7 prestigious libraries of the US, including, Harvard University and Library of Congress. It can also be accessed in MIT through Worldcat.org. Besides, it is also available for reading in Libraries and archives of Canada and Cancer Aid and Research Foundation Mumbai)  

ONE TO TANGO … RIA’S ODYSSEY

(Archived in Connemara Library, Chennai and Delhi Public Library, GOI, Ministry of Culture)

AADAB LUCKNOW … FOND MEMORIES

(Launched in Lucknow International Literary Festival 2014)

REFRACTIONS … FROM THE PRISM OF GOD

(Co-published by Cankids–Kidscan, a pan India NGO and Shravan Charity Mission, that works for Child cancer in India. The book is endorsed by Ms Preetha Reddy, MD Apollo Hospitals Group. Book was launched in Lucknow International Literary Festival 2016)

(CAN BE BOUGHT FROM ON LINE BOOK STORES OR WRITE TO US FOR COPIES)

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CUSTOMER APATHY BY #INDRAPRASTHA GAS LIMITED #IGL-Open letter to IGL

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Where are ‘acchey din?’

Mr Chairman/CMD whoever you are:  is this how IGL operates?

 

On 20th October I had made a payment through a cheque to IGL for pipeline gas connection and since then six months have passed and the connection has not been commissioned. Business Partner number is 7000083109

The IGL staff that is doing the work on the ground consists of some people who are most callous about customer care. On six occasions a particular person told me he will come for inspection, latest being yesterday when one of their officials Mr Saurabh said he will come but never came. And they do not even have the decency to call and say they couldn’t come, and will come on some other day. Perhaps being in government they feel they are above all.

This is when our Prime Minister is talking of ‘acchey din’ when such officials are letting him down.

Mr Chairman/CMD of Indraparstha Gas Ltd. please tell me whom to contact?

Regards

Kamlesh Tripathi

9971494795, 0120-2845009

CC- PMO /Ministry of Petroleum/ yeswecan PMO website, IGL website

SHOULDN’T #HONOURABLE #COURTS DIRECT DEFAULTING #BUILDERS & #DEVELOPERS TO #COMPENSATE AGGRIEVED #HOME-BUYERS AT 24% ANNUAL RATE OF INTEREST?

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SHOULDN’T #HONOURABLE #COURTS DIRECT DEFAULTING #BUILDERS & #DEVELOPERS TO #COMPENSATE AGGRIEVED #HOME-BUYERS AT 24% ANNUAL RATE OF INTEREST?

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Developers and Builders often cry foul when #Honourable #Courts tell them to refund amounts, and that too with interest @ 14% per annum for non-delivery of flats to a home-buyer. Refer the TOI column below wherein Supreme Court directs a reputed builder Supertech Ltd for such a refund. But have the builders ever thought of what the poor buyer undergoes having put in his life’s savings, to his misdeeds maybe not in this case, which often include illegal construction, overcharging, not refunding amounts even when mentioned in agreements and making the buyer run from pillar to post; in case the buyer doesn’t toe in line with the developer. And, at times his cronies even display muscle power, especially when you want to meet him or a senior person in his office to plead your case.

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SO WHAT CAN BE DONE TO MAKE DEVELOPERS MORE SENSITIVE TOWARDS BUYERS?

But before that let us analyse as to why the developer is so callous towards the buyer when it comes to resolution of disputes? One of the main reasons is because he makes much more than 14% return on the amount he has already received from the buyer.

In fact the honourable Supreme Court will be more accurate if the compensation awarded to the buyer is increased from 14% to 24% especially in cases where the builder needs to refund as per agreement and defaults, as this will instill a lot more seriousness in the developer fearing a business loss if he has to refund @ of 24% penal interest. Often after paying the booking amounts if the home-buyer wants to retract, when he discovers the reputation of the builder is not good or when he pays half the amount and realises the property is not being financed by banks and he cannot get a bank loan to fund, the builder in all humility should refund the amounts as per the agreement but doesn’t, and makes the buyer run from pillar to post and in such cases he rotates the amount at least once or may be 1.5 times a year and makes much more than 14% and that is the prime reason why he is so unfair with the buyers and doesn’t refund the amount forthwith; and so holds the amount by his teeth and doesn’t let it go till directed by the court of law. And for the court of law to direct it may take a couple of years and so each year he makes a profit on the amount. But imagine the same scenario with 24% penal interest where he starts making a loss. He would then willingly return the amount forthwith and thus number of complaints will reduce drastically and even builders will become more responsible both in letter and spirit towards a home-buyer.

Hapless home-buyer has, little or no support, from either the Government or any other agency including #CREDAI which again is a builder’s consortium and seldom helps the home-buyer.

And, therefore one can’t help but feel, media and the judiciary are the two biggest friends of a common man.

Supreme Court tells Supertech to refund flat owners

TNN | Jul 31, 2014, 12.06AM IST

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Wednesday asked Supertech to refund the principal amount along with 14% interest by October 30 to flat owners in the ?Emerald Court’ twin towers in Noida, which was sealed on May 5 when the SC stayed their demolition ordered by the Allahabad high court.

The builder said it would cast a huge liability as the interest on money paid five years ago for booking flats in the twin towers would exceed the principal amount. This means, if a person had booked a flat paying Rs 50 lakh, then he/she would get back nearly Rs 1 crore from the builder.

A bench of Chief Justice R M Lodha and Justices Kurian Joseph and R F Nariman asked Supertech to pay nearly 50 flat owners the principal amount by August 30 and the compound interest accrued at 14% per annum by October 30.

#KISHORE-KUMAR- NOT A RECIPIENT OF ANY “PADMA” AWARD EVEN AFTER 27 YEARS OF HIS DEATH

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Does it require something more than sterling- unquestioned-talent to earn these awards?

    It is already stinking. But before it starts rotting. The present government should correct, one of the biggest follies of the previous governments of not awarding any ‘Padma’ award to legendary, genius and ever green Kishore Kumar. One of the biggest all time singers of India- who died 27 years ago.

    He spent 41 years in the industry as an actor and a singer and that too par excellence. And all rolled into one as a producer, director, lyricist, music director and a scriptwriter. So, it is indeed intriguing to note why government after government failed to include him in the awardee list- not even a Padma Shri … which is so very pathetic.

    Kishore Kumar was a cynosure of every Indian, cutting across religion, mother- tongue, regions and states. And, I’m more than sure. Indians will be most eager to know as to why this son-of-the-soil has been denied the prestigious ‘Padma’ award. Especially, when we compare this iconic film personality with many others who have received ‘Padma’ awards much earlier in their careers. It gives you an eerie feeling loaded with bias.

    By not including him in the awardee list we have not only insulted Kishore Kumar but every Indian who has a song or two of Kishore on his lips. And may curse be upon all those, who with ulterior motives, kept omitting his name from the list of awardees year after year.

    But a ray of hope comes from Prime Minister Narendra Modi who is now busy correcting many wrongs of India, committed in the past and I am sure he will take up this wrong too.

    Kishore Kumar has sung 2,703 songs in 1188 Hindi films. He has also sung 156 Bengali and 8 Telugu songs. May Kishore Da rest in peace.

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By Kamlesh Tripathi

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                                                    https://kamleshsujata.wordpress.com

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Share if you like it

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Shravan Charity Mission is an NGO that works for poor children suffering from life threatening diseases. Should you wish to donate for the cause the bank details are given below:

NAME OF ACCOUNT: SHRAVAN CHARITY MISSION

Account no: 680510110004635 (BANK OF INDIA)

IFSC code: BKID0006805

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Our publications

GLOOM BEHIND THE SMILE

ONE TO TANGO … RIA’S ODYSSEY

AADAB LUCKNOW … FOND MEMORIES

REFRACTIONS … FROM THE PRISM OF GOD

(CAN BE BOUGHT FROM ON LINE BOOK STORES OR WRITE TO US FOR COPIES)

*****

 

 

Article: Providing gender friendly, low capital and operating cost, farm equipments to our Farm Labour for sustained livelihood and economic freedom.

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Letter for #PMO

  • Majority of the Indian farm labour is landless and almost 50% of them are females.
  • For most of them to make two ends meet, is a huge task. Especially women who are paid less basis their reduced output as compared to males; and so there is need to provide them with equipments and tools that can increase their output and thereby multiply Indian labour output in totality.
  • Most women labourers even have children who play around their work areas. With mechanization women will finish their work in a shorter duration of time and will have more time for their children.
  • A major portion of the farm labour, sustains under tough conditions, below poverty line budgets, and earn their living by doing routine farm operations such as land preparation, sowing, spraying, transplanting, weeding, harvesting etc. Most of these operations are done manually where GOI can make a fruitful intervention by providing cheap, economical yet effective farm equipments.

SUGGESTIONS

  • Since most farm operations cited above are hitherto performed manually we would like to suggest that these be done by mechanised farm equipments to increase output, make it gender friendly and decimate seasonality factor.
  • Indian agriculture census 2001 states, the operational land holding has increased from 129.22 million from 2005-06 to 138.35 million in 2011 showing an increase of 7.06%, but the average operated size of holding which was 1.23 ha in 2006-06 has declined to 1.15 ha in 2010-11 at an average all India level, which is below 3 acres. The small and marginal <2 ha operated area has gone up from 41.14% to 44.58% while both semi medium, medium and large holding have come down. And the average operated size of holding in < 2 ha class has gone up from 83.29% to 85.01%. This should ring alarm bells.
  • The above statistics presents a scary picture, both for the farmer and the farm labour.
  • This necessitates a paradigm shift in the way agriculture is done. First the concept of Indian farming, like a ‘nuclear’ family should shift to ‘nuclear’ farming, and the manual farm labour needs to be converted into mechanised farm labour where both male and female could do equal amount of work thereby raising the total Indian farm labour output.

HOW DO WE ACHIEVE COST EFFECTIVE, GENDER FRIENDLY, MECHANISED FARM LABOUR?

  • GOI can achieve the target of mechanised farm labour by introducing the new concept, compact, gender friendly, light weight, multi-purpose, self-propelled, new age- multi functional power weeders in the farm.
  • These multifunctional self propelled weeders can be operated by even females and can do several operations in the entire crop cycle such as tilling, levelling, seed drill operations, spraying of pesticides and weedicides, mechanised weeding, irrigation and water pump operations, harvesting such as potato digger, inter-cultivation and ridger operations.
  • It is also pocket friendly.
  • Mechanised weeder is environment friendly and also helps in the fight against cancer: Since manual weeding has become extremely expensive due to non-availability of farm labour, that has moved to greener pastures; farmers use excessive weedicides to kill weeds, which has spoilt the soil strata and ground water that is becoming prone to cancer. With mass utilization of mechanised weeders we can avoid usage of chemical weedicide thereby helping in fight against cancer.
  • Also we could promote and incentivise e-rickshaws for farm labour during off season

WAY FORWARD

  • GOI should incentivise purchase of such modern multi-purpose self propelled equipments through Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Rural Development and Ministry of women welfare.

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ARTICLE: THE HYPE OF #LITERACY AND DILEMMA OF #EMPLOYABILITY

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DEFINITION OF LITERACY

    Literacy, as defined in Census operations, is the ability to read and write with understanding in any language. A person who can merely read but cannot write is not classified as literate. Any formal education or minimum educational standard is not necessarily to be considered literate.

    (UNESCO) has drafted a definition of literacy which is, “the ability to identify, understand, interpret, create, communicate, compute and use printed and written materials associated with varying contexts. Literacy involves a continuum of learning in enabling individuals to achieve their goals, to develop their knowledge and potential, and to participate fully in their community and wider society.”

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    The National Literacy Mission defines literacy as “acquiring the skills of reading, writing and arithmetic and the ability to apply them to one’s day-to-day life. The achievement of functional literacy implies (i) self-reliance in 3 R’s-reading, writing and arithmetic, (ii) awareness of the causes of deprivation and the ability to move towards amelioration of their condition by participating in the process of development, (iii) acquiring skills to improve economic status and general well being, and (iv) imbibing values such as national integration, conservation of environment, women’s equality, observance of small family norms.”

    According to the latest report released on 31 March 2011 the literacy rate of India has increased to 74%. This means a decadal growth of around 10 %.

BUT CAN MERE LITERACY GUARANTEE EMPLOYMENT?

Is the moot point, as literacy only provides general ability to read, write and a sense of better awareness, but jobs, require deeper and varied skills that need to be created. In the recent Times Ascent edition of 27th November, I read; in the just concluded PAN-IIM World Management Conference held at IIM-KOZHIKODE our HRD Minister Smriti Zubin Irani harping on some appreciative facts about India as a routine lullaby.

    That India is one of the world’s largest democracies and according to some studies 57% of our population is under 30. Our average age is expected to be less than China and the US by 2050. This means more workers, or in other words, a demographic dividend. India has a large pool of workforce that is predominantly English-speaking. 4.4 million Graduates join the Indian job market annually, so there is no shortage of skilled workers in our country. So be it.

    But then do we have appropriate jobs for all as she has not spoken about those unpleasant figures of unemployment. ILO indicates sluggishness in the job market over the last two years where jobless rate could be around 3.8% this year which sounds optimistic. On a more historic note the unemployment rate has been hovering around 6-8 % on an average over the last decade or so. So, can one say, each time when literacy levels have gone up unemployment hasn’t come down?

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    This necessitates, we should take up skill building on fast track. Which horrifyingly comes up in India at a later stage of our educational system. And considering, the alarming school dropout rate of 40% with more girls facing the brunt, this should start at secondary school level.

CAUSE OF SYSTEMIC WORRY

    It is worrying to see, important ministers making isolated parroted statements in coveted milieus like IIMs and IITs, where even otherwise everything is hunky dory. And it goes without saying the stark reality continues to remain as it is and nothing much has changed on the ground. So the big question is how will the additional annual workforce of 4.4 million per annum be adjusted in the job market, and what is the road map for creating such jobs each year. Time has come when at least 74% of the literate Indians would want to know end-to-end on how these jobs would be created, before one brags about the English speaking workforce of 4.4 million and the young India. The central point therefore is the job-creators and the workforce creators of India need to meet on one platform to align, which is still missing.

    In any case most IIT and IIM graduates or post graduates won’t remain unemployed, rather would be gainfully employed. But what is more worrying is the lower end of the pyramid that will bear the brunt of unemployment.

    Considering the present unemployment rate. HRD minister would have done well by initiating a dialogue with those states and departments where huge vacancies are lying unfilled, especially teachers and police constables. The low hanging fruits. Which I guess is also the baby of HRD ministry. Needful to mention teacher appointments in some states have been subjected to scams, and appointments cancelled subsequently.

INDUSTRY INTERFACE

    One of the biggest sources of employment in any country, with India being no exception is through business and industries. Where, according to the World Bank we are still at an agonizing 142 in the ease of doing business out of 189 countries. And time taken for registration of a business is currently at 27 days that needs to be cut down to one day, as in Canada and New Zealand.

    Government intends to go online on approvals, for over 200 state and central permits by April next year which is laudable. Currently 81 state level clearances and another 133 at the central level are being put on line and out of these more than 50 relate to railway ministry, alone. But the big question remains; whether we can set up industries at a pace matching 4.4 million jobs a year, which will only increase by leaps and bounds. The answer as of now is no and that necessitates searching for other alternatives. And so; where is the MEA proposal (Ministry of External Affairs) if we were to export our workforce to various aging countries about which our Prime Minister talks so often? And which new countries have been identified where our young English speaking workforce can go and work safely with proper work permits and visas, in a safe manner. I guess, the two distinguished ladies Sushma Swaraj and Smriti Irani should meet on this agenda and at least identify the countries, and if for some reason it happens to be Germany, Smriti should not think of replacing German by Sanskrit.

THE ROUTE AHEAD

    For brand India, literacy to full employment will be a long and arduous walk, considering its size and scale. Where, premier institutions such as IIT and IIM should also brainstorm to show the way out. And we will have to figure out other avenues also, where I guess PM Narendra Modi’s team needs to come together on one platform.

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By Kamlesh Tripathi

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