Round The
States
New Delhi, 12 January 2012
Punjab Power Struggle
INTRA-FAMILY FEUDS TAKEOVER
By
Insaf
The power struggle in Punjab is getting intriguing and more exciting. Dynastic
feuds seem to have overtaken the battle for dynastic rule in the State. The
clamour for party tickets in the Assembly elections month-end is splitting the
political families wide open. The ruling Shiromani Akali Dal and the Opposition
Congress are busy accommodating each other’s sulking relatives. The latest
entrant in the ‘family soap opera’is Malvinder Singh, younger brother of
Congress chief and scion of the Patiala
royal family Capt Amarinder Singh. Malvinder joined Chief Minister Parkash
Singh Badal’s Shiromani Akali Dal fold after his seat was sacrificed to
Amarinder’s son Raninder Singh. Earlier, Badal’s nephew and former Finance
Minister Manpreet Singh Badal had quit SAD and floated his own People’s Party
of Punjab. Apparently, he was upset over uncle
Badal preferring to pass on the mantle to son Sukhbir Singh Badal. Manpreet,
however, too has received a jolt with cousin Jagbir Singh Brar, who too had
quit the SAD and joined his PPP, moving over to the Congress. While there are
more such breakups and some others cannot be ruled out, one thing is certain--
elections in Punjab are changing with inter-party
rivalry taking a backseat as of now.
* * * *
States Malnourished Kids
Six States have made heads hang in
shame. Shockingly, nearly 61 million or 42 per cent of children below five
years are malnourished and stunted, as per a report Hunger and Malnutrition, released
on Tuesday last. Of the 112 focus districts surveyed, the ‘Bimaru’ States of
Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and
Rajasthan other than Jharkhand and Odisha perform the worst on child nutrition.
The prevalence of malnutrition is higher among children from low-income
families, particularly from Muslim or SC/ST households. While the States need
to get their act together, the report has in fact put a big question mark on
some much-touted schemes of the Centre. Clearly, three programmes-- the Mid-day
Meal Scheme, Integrated Child Development Scheme and Sarva Siksha Abhiyan,
specifically designed to reach out to the underprivileged kids leave much to be
desired. Importantly, malnutrition should not be seen merely as a health issue.
It is much more serious as the nation’s future lies in the health of this
generation.
* * * *
Andaman Islands Outrage
“Human Safaris” in Andaman &
Nicobar Islands have sent shock waves across the country. On Tuesday last, a
video clip on the site of London-based Observer
newspaper showed half-naked Jawara tribal women being made to dance for food
before tourists! Worse, the report alleged the involvement of a policeman.
While the Union Tribal Minister V Kishore Chandra Deo described the footage as
“obnoxious and disgusting”, the Union Home Ministry has ordered an inquiry. The
Union Territory administration has been asked
to verify when the footage was taken and by whom. Though the latter in its
preliminary report states the video clip is “old”, the moot point is can it
negate the incident. Additionally, the question to be asked is how ‘human
safari’ was allowed within the reserve forests when there is a Supreme Court
order asking the administration to implement the Jarawa buffer zone
notification. Surely, this inhuman act must not get embroiled in “old or new
video” controversy. Accountability has to be fixed and action against the
guilty is a must.
* * * *
Kashmir
Groping In Dark
Kashmir woes never seem to end. This time around the
street protests are against lack of power supply, at a time when its freezing
cold with temperatures below sub zero. The people are literally shivering,
helpless and groping in the dark, as heavy snowfall has damaged towers and
high-voltage lines supplying electricity to the Valley. Instead of the usual
800MW, the State has some 70MW to dispense! Sadly, much of the power supplied
to the Valley comes from outside, as the State does not have many power projects,
barring Lower Jhelum and Uri. Worse, the Electricity Board has a record of the
worst transmission and distribution loss ratio, with theft and unpaid bills
stalling efforts to modernise infrastructure or buy more power from the
northern grid. A helpless Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has had to requistion
the IAF to help restore power supply. This apart, he has sought to quell
tempers by issuing orders that no concessions be made to VIP areas with the
meagre supply available. Guess, a prayer to the weather God would too help, as
its been the most bitter winter in two decades.
* * * *
Tripura’s Promising Start
It’s been a promising start to the
New Year for Tripura, one of the neglected North Eastern States. On Wednesday
last, it hosted the first foreign Prime Minister—Bangladesh’s Shiekh Hasina on its
soil. Though her visit was to receive the first ever honorary D Litt from the Tripura University, industry and business captains
are hopeful that it would give a big fillip to bilateral trade. While Dhaka has
agreed to provide access to the Chittagong
Port for transportation of
goods to and fro through both road and rail, talks also revolved around development
of road communication and other infrastructure along with land custom stations
at the international border. Fingers are now crossed that transit through Bangladesh
would become a reality and make Tripura, which was the unofficial war
headquarters of the Bangladesh liberation war of 71, a gateway to the North
East.
* * * *
Bangalore’s Bus Day
Metropolitan cities can learn a
lesson or two on improving traffic management from Bangalore. The capital of Karnataka has shown
the way to popularize public transport and cope up with the ever increasing
numbers of vehicles congesting roads. The Bangalore Metropolitan Transport
Corporation has introduced “Bus Day” on every fourth of the month on a dozen of
crucial corridors and increased the frequency of the buses. It has received a
welcome response, with people avoiding using cars or two-wheelers on these
stretches. Well, not only has the BMTC ensured better facilities, better
infrastructure and a comfortable bus ride, but its overall vision has also helped
it rake in Rs 50 crore profit and bag the Best State Transport Undertaking award
in the profit-making category amongst all State Transport Undertakings. Will
other States please head in the same direction? ---INFA
(Copyright, India
News and Feature Alliance)
|