Decreasing hunger, increasing health: Promoting awareness and accessibility to food and care

It is common knowledge that food grains rot and waste in government warehouses while millions of Indians starve or subsist on extremely little. This directly impacts their physical, mental and emotional health and very often their survival. Further, due to the rampant corruption in the public distribution system (PDS), the economically marginalized barely get their due from the 'fair' price shops. The integrated child development scheme (ICDS), anganwaadis, balwadis and government schools which are supposed to provide nourishment along with education, child and health care, are gradually heading the same way. Read more


Many non-governmental, not for profit institutions like the Ramakrishna Mission, Missionaries of Charity founded by Mother Teresa and organizations such as the Aashayein Foundation play a stellar role in reducing the number of the famished. Although some of these and others like the Belaku Trust also provide basic health care through free or low cost guidance, clinics, doctors and medicines they are not substitutes for the state. However, the latter is conveniently relinquishing its responsibility to them, although the non-profits simply cannot match the scale of the government.

While there are some non-governmental, not for profit institutions focussing on feeding, treating and guiding the poor, others like the Community Health Cell (CHC) go a step forward. A functional unit of the Society for Community Health Awareness, Research and Action (SOCHARA) the CHC conducts periodic advocacy and training programmes on the connection between food, health and overall well being. It also contributes to framing and critiquing policy and monitoring and reporting on implementation. The CHC has been actively involved in the initiatives of the Jana Arogya Andolana, Karnataka (JAAK), the state affiliate of the Jan Swasthya Abhiyan, a member of the global People's Health Movement (PHM) in India. With the conviction that the right to health is a human right, the JAAK, a forum of various NGO's, CBO's, groups and individuals working to strengthen the health sector in the state, initiated a movement in 2004 to “REVITALIZE PRIMARY HEALTH CARE IN KARNATAKA”. As part of this, the Andolana monitored the health systems in the districts, identified problems and gaps in them, brought it to the notice of the government and built pressure to ensure that the relevant departments took appropriate action to deal with the issues. In early 2008, the JAAK also drafted the Karnataka State Health Policy Brief, a short paper that conveyed urgent health policy concerns in the state and demanded courses of action to resolve them.

In addition to the above, the CHC has also been offering various training courses on public health, health and human rights, women's health empowerment and nutrition, life skills education et al in English and Kannada. These are open to graduates in medicine and allied disciplines, social science students as well as social and community health workers, activists, marginalized women and youth. The objective of these programmes is to create an awareness of the rights and entitlements of poor and socially excluded people specifically in rural and semi urban locations, with regard to food, water, community health and sanitation and the challenges in accessing these fundamental necessities.

Here is an extract from the reflections (obtained from the May 2010 CHLP newsletter on the SOCHARA website) of Malvika Thirukode, an intern with the 2009-2010 batch of CHC's Community Health and Learning Programme (CHLP). "Meeting with professionals and volunteers working with marginalised groups such as migrant workers, I realised their lack of identity. I also began to take notice of the sights and sounds of Bangalore city less heard and seen. Towards the last few weeks we worked towards raising awareness on the 'Right to Food' bill on Independence Day. Talking to the youth about the issue and interactions with activists were valuable insights into the shaping of movements, the importance of national policy and the role of people led groups in bringing to notice the need to look into issues in its totality.”

If Food Security and Health for All are to become a reality, any number of legislations, schemes and policies will not suffice. There must be concerted and relentless will and effort to ensure that these prerogatives reach those regularly denied them, whether in the remotest regions or the largest metropolises. After all, one may not live to eat but one must eat to live!

References: http://www.sochara.org 

Pushpa Achanta
(The author is a freelance writer, a Fellow of Citizen News Service (CNS) Writers' Bureau, and a community volunteer based in Bangalore, India)

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Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA) to complete 25 years of struggle

National Alliance of
People's Movements (NAPM)

National Alliance of People's Movements (NAPM) is organizing its Eighth Biennial Convention in the Narmada Valley, at Badwani, Madhya Pradesh, from 24-26 October 2010. Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA), which is entering in 25th year of struggle, and is one of the founding members of NAPM will be hosting the convention this time. The journey that started in 1992 and took the shape of NAPM in 1996 has today reached a critical stage. Read more

"We started when the processes of Liberalisation, Privatisation and Globalisation were beginning to take shape, Hindu Right was picking steam in the shadow of Babri Masjid demolition and  TINA – There is No Alternative, was propounded as the mantra for the time. Since then we have come a long way and have waged important struggles along with many other movements, voluntary organisations, federations and forums, sympathetic intellectuals, artists, students and others against WTO, World Bank, Enron, SEZs, big dams, rural and urban evictions and displacements, atrocities against women, adivasis, and Dalits and communalism" said Medha Patkar, national convenor of NAPM.

"In 2003 we undertook Desh Bachao Desh Banao (Save the Nation – Build the Nation), a nation-wide campaign, aimed at evolving a national movement, to bring the ideal of an alternative world into reality, as a collective peoples political force, seeking to challenge and transform the existing political system that promotes a development paradigm that is anti-poor and anti-development. In 2007, Sangharsh / Action process was launched involving many other alliances, forums and federations which was another step in the direction of achieving a better world" said Medha Patkar.

"A decade after we met in the Narmada Valley, we are meeting again at a time, which is the 'best of the times and worst of the times'. The process of neo-liberalism which started then has now started showing its true colours, Corporations, Public and Private both, are not only grabbing the resources but the political space and even power through market and related mechanism. The investors – national to multinational have "privatized" each and every dimension of our society, polity and economy. Transformation is today a much greater challenge to the imagination, because Global Warming and the Energy crisis are much more visible too" said Medha Patkar.

The State has become a mere mediator and given away the mask of welfare and benevolence, political class and a more articulate middle class has been completely sold to the ideology of market and neo-liberal models of economy and growth. "We are witness to increased informalisation of labour as a result, 96% of workers today are in the unorganised sectors of work and there is enormously rising polarisation between the rich and the poor and a steep rise in food prices, together with loss of food security and attack on agriculture" said Medha Patkar.

The political class rarely resolves the people’s issues but rather exploits those towards vote banking, more crudely now than ever. Public space, public interest, public domain and priorities are shrinking to the detriment of basic need fulfillment jeopardizing not only the present but also the future. However, we cannot also forget that there is this growing trend towards "war on terror", militarisation and violence unleashed by the State making non-violent mass struggles more difficult, but at the same time making them more relevant too.

These times are not that bleak either, our collective efforts have not only led to enactment of progressive legislations like Right to Information Act, Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, Forest Rights Act etc. but also created a situation where people on the ground have challenged every single attempt at grabbing of our land, water, forests, minerals etc. We are standing amidst the victory of people's movements at Singur, Nandigram, Niyamgiri, Sompeta, Karla, Chengara and many more such places of resistance.

The question of justice and equity have come to the fore like never before and the 'rights to and control over natural resources' become the focal point of contestation today amidst, people, state and corporations. NAPM is not the only alliance today and there is a large biradari (family) beyond our fold all engaged in struggles and reconstruction through alternatives, committed to challenge the corporatization and globalization in the face of corruption, criminal acts and callousness of both the State and the corporates. We have always strived to create spaces for dialogue and coordination between them and also provide adequate space to diversity of resistances and ideologies existing in the country.

On a more positive note it can also be considered our collective victory that today social activists and human rights activists have become threats to the State and to their corporate designs, so much so, that they are falsely framing them as 'Maoists' or 'Terrorists'. The bogey of communalism has seeped through the veins of society and governance in numerous ways and demands a different understanding and strategy to fight them.

The armed conflicts imposed upon us by the state and counter violence by non-state and private vigilante forces are also creating a situation which is threatening the lives and livelihood of the millions of those living at the margins of this development process. Together the forces of communalism,

corporatisation, and veiled casteism and patriarchy are not only threatening the framework of democratic society but has become an impediment to our collective efforts towards building a truly people's democracy unlike the existent bourgeois democracy.

The coming decade will see the fierce battles and struggles for asserting rights and control over land, water, forests, minerals and thereby making it more difficult to ensure justice to dalits, adivasis, women, minorities, workers, landless peasantry and others who are considered 'out-castes of the development'. We continue to defy the principle of 'eminent domain' of State and challenge its power even when it has merely become a negotiator for the corporations and appropriate military strength to protect their capitalist interest. Whether it is land acquisition, displacement or rehabilitation- most issues today are politicized and polarized yet there is an urgent need for movements and supporters to evolve consensus on development planning to ensure equity and justice, through peace and democracy…hence the alliance !

For more information about the 8th Biennial Convention of NAPM, write to: nba.badwani@gmail.com, 25yearsofnba@gmail.com

Medha Patkar

8th Biennial Convention of NAPM in Badwani (24-26 October)

National Alliance of
People's Movements (NAPM)

National Alliance of People's Movements (NAPM) is organizing its Eighth Biennial Convention in the Narmada Valley, at Badwani, Madhya Pradesh, from 24-26 October 2010. Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA), which is entering in 25th year of struggle, and is one of the founding members of NAPM will be hosting the convention this time. The journey that started in 1992 and took the shape of NAPM in 1996 has today reached a critical stage. Read more


"We started when the processes of Liberalisation, Privatisation and Globalisation were beginning to take shape, Hindu Right was picking steam in the shadow of Babri Masjid demolition and  TINA – There is No Alternative, was propounded as the mantra for the time. Since then we have come a long way and have waged important struggles along with many other movements, voluntary organisations, federations and forums, sympathetic intellectuals, artists, students and others against WTO, World Bank, Enron, SEZs, big dams, rural and urban evictions and displacements, atrocities against women, adivasis, and Dalits and communalism" said Medha Patkar, national convenor of NAPM.

"In 2003 we undertook Desh Bachao Desh Banao (Save the Nation – Build the Nation), a nation-wide campaign, aimed at evolving a national movement, to bring the ideal of an alternative world into reality, as a collective peoples political force, seeking to challenge and transform the existing political system that promotes a development paradigm that is anti-poor and anti-development. In 2007, Sangharsh / Action process was launched involving many other alliances, forums and federations which was another step in the direction of achieving a better world" said Medha Patkar.

"A decade after we met in the Narmada Valley, we are meeting again at a time, which is the 'best of the times and worst of the times'. The process of neo-liberalism which started then has now started showing its true colours, Corporations, Public and Private both, are not only grabbing the resources but the political space and even power through market and related mechanism. The investors – national to multinational have "privatized" each and every dimension of our society, polity and economy. Transformation is today a much greater challenge to the imagination, because Global Warming and the Energy crisis are much more visible too" said Medha Patkar.

The State has become a mere mediator and given away the mask of welfare and benevolence, political class and a more articulate middle class has been completely sold to the ideology of market and neo-liberal models of economy and growth. "We are witness to increased informalisation of labour as a result, 96% of workers today are in the unorganised sectors of work and there is enormously rising polarisation between the rich and the poor and a steep rise in food prices, together with loss of food security and attack on agriculture" said Medha Patkar.

The political class rarely resolves the people’s issues but rather exploits those towards vote banking, more crudely now than ever. Public space, public interest, public domain and priorities are shrinking to the detriment of basic need fulfillment jeopardizing not only the present but also the future. However, we cannot also forget that there is this growing trend towards "war on terror", militarisation and violence unleashed by the State making non-violent mass struggles more difficult, but at the same time making them more relevant too.

These times are not that bleak either, our collective efforts have not only led to enactment of progressive legislations like Right to Information Act, Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, Forest Rights Act etc. but also created a situation where people on the ground have challenged every single attempt at grabbing of our land, water, forests, minerals etc. We are standing amidst the victory of people's movements at Singur, Nandigram, Niyamgiri, Sompeta, Karla, Chengara and many more such places of resistance.

The question of justice and equity have come to the fore like never before and the 'rights to and control over natural resources' become the focal point of contestation today amidst, people, state and corporations. NAPM is not the only alliance today and there is a large biradari (family) beyond our fold all engaged in struggles and reconstruction through alternatives, committed to challenge the corporatization and globalization in the face of corruption, criminal acts and callousness of both the State and the corporates. We have always strived to create spaces for dialogue and coordination between them and also provide adequate space to diversity of resistances and ideologies existing in the country.

On a more positive note it can also be considered our collective victory that today social activists and human rights activists have become threats to the State and to their corporate designs, so much so, that they are falsely framing them as 'Maoists' or 'Terrorists'. The bogey of communalism has seeped through the veins of society and governance in numerous ways and demands a different understanding and strategy to fight them.

The armed conflicts imposed upon us by the state and counter violence by non-state and private vigilante forces are also creating a situation which is threatening the lives and livelihood of the millions of those living at the margins of this development process. Together the forces of communalism,
corporatisation, and veiled casteism and patriarchy are not only threatening the framework of democratic society but has become an impediment to our collective efforts towards building a truly people's democracy unlike the existent bourgeois democracy.

The coming decade will see the fierce battles and struggles for asserting rights and control over land, water, forests, minerals and thereby making it more difficult to ensure justice to dalits, adivasis, women, minorities, workers, landless peasantry and others who are considered 'out-castes of the development'. We continue to defy the principle of 'eminent domain' of State and challenge its power even when it has merely become a negotiator for the corporations and appropriate military strength to protect their capitalist interest. Whether it is land acquisition, displacement or rehabilitation- most issues today are politicized and polarized yet there is an urgent need for movements and supporters to evolve consensus on development planning to ensure equity and justice, through peace and democracy…hence the alliance !

For more information about the 8th Biennial Convention of NAPM, write to: nba.badwani@gmail.com, 25yearsofnba@gmail.com


Medha Patkar

Exclusive breastfeeding can save 22.3% infant deaths

1-7 August 2010: World Breastfeeding Week
Statistics state that 270,000 infants born in Uttar Pradesh (UP) die in the first month of their birth and every sixth malnutrition child lives in UP. "The grim situation of infant mortality and child malnutrition can be changed overnight if every pregnant woman in the state ensure that her newborn gets mother's milk in the first hour of birth," said Dr KP Kushwaha. A paediatrician and a great advocate of breastfeeding, Dr Kushwaha, Head of the Department of Paediatrics, BRD Medical College, Gorakhpur, was addressing media persons at the monthly Media for Children hosted jointly by Media Nest and UNICEF at the Uttar Pradesh Press Club on every second Saturday afternoon. Read more



Dr Kushwaha said that malnutrition will drastically bring down the GDP and will add to 50 per cent death of infants. He bemoaned the facts that social customs and psychological mindset prevents a mother from breastfeeding her child immediately after his birth.

"It is sad, but true that only 46.4 per cent of mother's do exclusive breastfeeding. The other 53.6 per cent do not even realize the great harm they are doing to their child, society and country," said Dr Kushwaha who has passionately pursued his mission to ensure a healthier society through mother’s following the baby friendly health initiative.

Through audio visual medium he explained the correct methods of breastfeeding. Dr Kushwaha said that though it is said repeatedly that breastfeeding is a natural instinct of all mothers the truth is that it is a technique that must be taught to a woman and for this trained counselors are essential.

Dr Kushwaha illustrated this information with the work he and his team have done in Lalitpur district of Uttar Pradesh. He said that the baby friendly health initiative (BFHI) in just one a half year of initiating this project in 600 villages the percentage of mothers who exclusively breastfed their child was raised from a mere 6.6 per cent to 50 per cent.

In the same way the percentage of mother's who initiated breastfeeding within an hour rose from 10.9 per cent in November 2006 to 72 per cent in April 2008.

Listing the USD 80,000 billion dollars infant food market as one of the main hurdles that confronts the practice of mother’s milk Dr Kushwaha said that there are laws against infant foods' availability and their open advertisements but the money involved is so huge that often these laws remain just on paper.
Speaking on the occasion Mr Augustine Veliath, communication specialist of UNICEF said that Dr Kushwaha is the rarest of rare doctor who has through his devotion to the cause helped save millions of children.

"His behavioral change in infant feeding pattern has received great response not just in India but also abroad. Dr Kushwaha is today an authority on the issue and his 'best practice experiments' are being used all over the world," said Mr Veliath.

In her vote of thanks, senior journalist and secretary general of Media Nest, Kulsum Talha, thanked Dr Kushwaha for raising awareness of the media persons on this issue, helping build their capacity, which is the motive of the programme.

The programme was conducted by senior journalist Durgesh Narain Shukla.

Kulsum Mustafa
(The author is a senior journalist and secretary of Media Nest) 


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Caregivers come with a cost

While community home based care is the preferred means of providing care for people living with HIV in many parts of Southern Africa, it comes with massive costs especially to caregivers in terms of time, effort and commitment, according to a study published recently in the Journal of the International AIDS Society. Read more

According to the study which focused on Botswana, providing caregivers with financial and material support is an urgently required public health imperative. The study revealed that providing caregivers of people living with HIV and AIDS with financial and material support will ensure that caregivers are not demoralized in rendering care services to their clients as well as attract more people into caregiving.

Though the Botswana government provides caregivers with financial support amounting to US15,26 this far lower than what caregivers spend to look after clients, says the study. Results from the study showed that the cost of providing care per client per month to caregivers was approximately US 184,17. Yet, in spite of this gigantic gap between what they obtain from government and what they expend, caregivers soldier to provide care to people living with HIV and AIDS, relying on their own meager resources.

“Providing incentives, such as mealie-meal and food baskets and loans for income-generating activities, and lending a sympathetic ear to their plight will help boost the morale of caregivers and attract others to caregiving,” states the report.

In Botswana, as in many southern African countries, community home based care (CHBC) has emerged as a critical vanguard in the provision of care to people living with HIV and AIDS but at a serious cost to the lives and livelihoods of caregivers, mainly poor and marginalized women and girls. The offloading of patients to the community in many parts of the region has been necessitated by public health systems facing a myriad of challenges, including limited financial and logistical support, ongoing brain drain, competing national priorities and diseases such as AIDS, TB and malaria.

“While CHBC may be seen as a cheap alternative mode of health care delivery, it is certainly not affordable for families and caregivers,” says the study. “It is important for government to consider how best costs of providing care can be shared between them and those who provide care.”

According to the study, the overall costs of increasing monthly allowances to caregivers and support provided for the families of clients would be quite low for the government of Botswana compared with the huge sum of money budgeted each year for healthcare and for HIV and AIDS.

Suffice to state, caregivers are largely invisible in the global AIDS infrastructure despite the fact that they are at the frontline of the response to the epidemic in many countries across the world. They have to make do with little to no resources, face poverty, and incur huge costs in the provision of care to clients. Often, they are also unable to adequately voice their needs, to seek redress against injustice and influence policies that ultimately will shape their lives.

The findings from the study in Botswana showed that caregivers are compelled to provide their clients with supplies, such as food and washing soap, transport them to hospitals or clinics to collect their drugs, and cover costs of caring for clients. According to the study, community home based care is not a cheap endeavour and the cost of caregiving has shifted from the government to families and caregivers, who now incur enormous expenditure in care giving activities.

There is no doubt that, in Botswana, as in many parts of sub Saharan Africa, an over-reliance on caregivers to support people living with HIV is not only unsustainable but also promotes poverty and inequality. For women and girls, the burden of caregiving constitutes an additional layer that promotes gender inequality.

In view of this, governments in the region need to put in place policy and legal frameworks as well as budgetary mechanisms that protect the lives and livelihoods of caregivers. International donors also need to seriously consider increasing the financial support targeted directly at caregivers.

Indeed, in Botswana, as in many parts of Southern Africa, the absence of financial incentives constitutes a serious drawback to the effectiveness of care programmes for people living with HIV and AIDS. It is critical for governments in the region to develop policy and legal frameworks as well as budgetary mechanisms that empower caregivers to properly cater for clients. International donors also need to seriously consider increasing the financial support targeted directly at making caregivers do their work better and not at the expense of their own lives.

Chief K Masimba Biriwasha
(The author, born in Zimbabwe, is a children's writer, poet, playwright, journalist, social activitist and publisher. He has extensively written on health, worked till recently with UNESCO in France and is presently in South Africa. His first published book, The Dream Of Stones, was awarded the Zimbabwe National Award for Outstanding Children's Book for 2004)

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Farmers facing shortage of DAP fertilizer stage demonstration

Farmers facing shortage of DAP fertilizer stage demonstration

Farmers all over the state of Uttar Pradesh (UP) are suffering from the crisis of diammonium phosphate (DAP) fertilizer shortage. It is wheat sowing time and most of the poor farmers have not received even a sack (50 kg) of DAP from the government fertilizer distribution centres. These farmers have been staging a demonstration since 17 November 2009 demanding DAP fertilizer, said Dr Sandeep Pandey, Ramon Magsaysay Awardee (2002) and member, National Presidium, Lok Rajniti Manch.

Last week sugarcane price issue was highlighted by political parties at the national level and they even forced the central government to backtrack.

"The issue of sugarcane price, no doubt quite important, concerns mostly big farmers. However, wheat is sown by all, including large number of poor and marginalized farmers. If the farmers will not get DAP we can expect a poor wheat crop and impending food shortage" said SR Darapuri, Vice President of People's Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) UP.

In addition the farmers are also facing a seed shortage. They are also harassed by the revenue department officials who charge money for using water from the canals without actually supplying them any water.

"On 25th November, 2009, the farmers who have not received any DAP so far will be organizing a protest at the Bharawan (Block) fertilizer distribution centre in Hardoi District in UP state. A dharna has been going on here since 17th November, 2009" informed Rambabu, social activist with National Alliance of People's Movements (NAPM) and Asha Parivar.

Farmers facing shortage of DAP fertilizer stage demonstration

Farmers facing shortage of DAP fertilizer stage demonstration

Farmers all over the state of Uttar Pradesh (UP) are suffering from the crisis of diammonium phosphate (DAP) fertilizer shortage. It is wheat sowing time and most of the poor farmers have not received even a sack (50 kg) of DAP from the government fertilizer distribution centres. These farmers have been staging a demonstration since 17 November 2009 demanding DAP fertilizer, said Dr Sandeep Pandey, Ramon Magsaysay Awardee (2002) and member, National Presidium, Lok Rajniti Manch.

Last week sugarcane price issue was highlighted by political parties at the national level and they even forced the central government to backtrack.

"The issue of sugarcane price, no doubt quite important, concerns mostly big farmers. However, wheat is sown by all, including large number of poor and marginalized farmers. If the farmers will not get DAP we can expect a poor wheat crop and impending food shortage" said SR Darapuri, Vice President of People's Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) UP.

In addition the farmers are also facing a seed shortage. They are also harassed by the revenue department officials who charge money for using water from the canals without actually supplying them any water.

"On 25th November, 2009, the farmers who have not received any DAP so far will be organizing a protest at the Bharawan (Block) fertilizer distribution centre in Hardoi District in UP state. A dharna has been going on here since 17th November, 2009" informed Rambabu, social activist with National Alliance of People's Movements (NAPM) and Asha Parivar.

Improved relationship between farmers and mill-owners can boost sugar output

Improved relationship between farmers and mill-owners can boost sugar output
Alka Pande

THE crisis of sugarcane in the north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, in the current season, has forced the sugar mills as well as the government authorities to contemplate on ways and measures for enhancing the production of sugarcane crop as well as sugar, in the state.

All stake holders including the farmers, sugar mill owners and the government are united on two major issues - improving the relationship between the farmers and the sugar mills besides timely announcement and payment of sugarcane price by government and sugar mills, respectively.

The discussions had been on for long in the state that the government should announce the State Advisory Price (SAP) before the sowing of the crop so that to encourage the farmers to take to sugarcane cultivation. However, the state – which is known to have the largest sugarcane growing area in India - has the tradition of announcing the SAP just before the crushing season.

"Now the government needs to review how this tradition can be changed," admits the Uttar Pradesh Cane Commissioner Sudhir M Bobde. Highlighting the need for correct pricing by the government and timely payment by the mills, Bobde also points out the need for the government to strike a balance between the sugarcane farmers and mills. He even mentions the shortcomings in the slip system being followed by the sugar mills for payment to farmers and also raises the issue of inappropriate weighing of the farmers’ produce by the sugar mills, besides unnecessary waiting caused to farmers, which reduces the sugar recovery from the sugarcane.

This was perhaps for the first time any government official raised such sensitive issues on a public platform. Bobde was speaking at a seminar "Sugar Tech 2009: Shorter Seasons in Sugar Industry – Opportunities & Challenges." The event was organised by the Confederation of Indian Industries (CII) UP State Council in association with National Sugar Institute, Kanpur and Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee. The seminar aimed at reviewing the substantial fall in the production of sugar in the state, besides assessing the challenges and opportunities in order to arrive at a meaningful solution to benefit the farmers, industry and the Government alike.

The Cane Commissioner was of the opinion that the government is required to make a long-term roadmap for sugar industry in the state as it is not sugar production alone which gets affected due to lack of proper policies, the industry also affects alcohol industry, which is a major revenue generation sector for the state government.

Bobde pointed out that increase of sugar price leads to a price hike for molasses that is used for making alcohol, which consequently increases the duty on alcohol and thereby reduces its price competency in the alcohol market of the country.

For records, the area for sugarcane has decreased by 16.48 percent in last one year and this year the availability of sugarcane is expected to be around 98 million tonnes of which 40 to 42 percent is feared to go to Khandsari and Jaggery units. The drawl for the sugar mills is estimated to be around 45 percent. The challenge before the government is to increase this drawl. Besides, the stake holders are also united on the issue of shrinking crushing season in the state. Crushing season – which used to be of 150 to 180 days – is now reduced to merely 90 – 120 days for two consecutive years.

On the occasion the government and the sugar mill owners raised their concern over sugarcane diversion to Khandsari and jaggery units. Director, National Sugar Institute, Government of India, SK Mitra advocated that the diversion of cane for jaggery and khandsari units should be discouraged. He said that recovery was another factor, which can increase the sugar production by at least 0.5% at all India level.

The Chief Secretary of Uttar Pradesh Atul Kumar Gupta who was also present at the seminar said that the installed capacity of sugar had though gone up this year, the production had gone down by nearly 11 percent. He cited various reasons for the same which included higher prices of competing crop, non-payment or delayed payment, litigation cases and better prices of ‘gur’ and ‘khandsari’. He advised that the mills should have a long-term relationship with the farmers whose interest was of primary importance, hence a loyalty bonus system or fixed cane price for two years could be introduced.

On the occasion, Jayant Krishna,the Vice Chairman of Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) UP State Council presented a UP Sugar Vision 2015, which was based on the day-long deliberations. The salient features of this Sugar Vision 2015 included --:

* Sugarcane farmers and sugar mills should pursue a long-term win-win partnership and operate on a platform of mutual trust by 2015.

* The farmers of Uttar Pradesh should adopt better seed varieties and farm practices while the sugar units should embrace technological innovations to ensure a 10-15 percent increase in recovery by 2015.

* All major producers should become integrated players with at least 10,000 tonnes of daily crushing units along with alcohol production and co-generation of electricity by 2015

* Uttar Pradesh should become a significant player in global sugar market by 2015.

* Uttar Pradesh should account for two-thirds of the national sugar production by 2015.

Alka Pande
(The author is a senior journalist)

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Improved relationship between farmers and mill-owners can boost sugar output

Improved relationship between farmers and mill-owners can boost sugar output
Alka Pande

THE crisis of sugarcane in the north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, in the current season, has forced the sugar mills as well as the government authorities to contemplate on ways and measures for enhancing the production of sugarcane crop as well as sugar, in the state.

All stake holders including the farmers, sugar mill owners and the government are united on two major issues - improving the relationship between the farmers and the sugar mills besides timely announcement and payment of sugarcane price by government and sugar mills, respectively.

The discussions had been on for long in the state that the government should announce the State Advisory Price (SAP) before the sowing of the crop so that to encourage the farmers to take to sugarcane cultivation. However, the state – which is known to have the largest sugarcane growing area in India - has the tradition of announcing the SAP just before the crushing season.

"Now the government needs to review how this tradition can be changed," admits the Uttar Pradesh Cane Commissioner Sudhir M Bobde. Highlighting the need for correct pricing by the government and timely payment by the mills, Bobde also points out the need for the government to strike a balance between the sugarcane farmers and mills. He even mentions the shortcomings in the slip system being followed by the sugar mills for payment to farmers and also raises the issue of inappropriate weighing of the farmers’ produce by the sugar mills, besides unnecessary waiting caused to farmers, which reduces the sugar recovery from the sugarcane.

This was perhaps for the first time any government official raised such sensitive issues on a public platform. Bobde was speaking at a seminar "Sugar Tech 2009: Shorter Seasons in Sugar Industry – Opportunities & Challenges." The event was organised by the Confederation of Indian Industries (CII) UP State Council in association with National Sugar Institute, Kanpur and Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee. The seminar aimed at reviewing the substantial fall in the production of sugar in the state, besides assessing the challenges and opportunities in order to arrive at a meaningful solution to benefit the farmers, industry and the Government alike.

The Cane Commissioner was of the opinion that the government is required to make a long-term roadmap for sugar industry in the state as it is not sugar production alone which gets affected due to lack of proper policies, the industry also affects alcohol industry, which is a major revenue generation sector for the state government.

Bobde pointed out that increase of sugar price leads to a price hike for molasses that is used for making alcohol, which consequently increases the duty on alcohol and thereby reduces its price competency in the alcohol market of the country.

For records, the area for sugarcane has decreased by 16.48 percent in last one year and this year the availability of sugarcane is expected to be around 98 million tonnes of which 40 to 42 percent is feared to go to Khandsari and Jaggery units. The drawl for the sugar mills is estimated to be around 45 percent. The challenge before the government is to increase this drawl. Besides, the stake holders are also united on the issue of shrinking crushing season in the state. Crushing season – which used to be of 150 to 180 days – is now reduced to merely 90 – 120 days for two consecutive years.

On the occasion the government and the sugar mill owners raised their concern over sugarcane diversion to Khandsari and jaggery units. Director, National Sugar Institute, Government of India, SK Mitra advocated that the diversion of cane for jaggery and khandsari units should be discouraged. He said that recovery was another factor, which can increase the sugar production by at least 0.5% at all India level.

The Chief Secretary of Uttar Pradesh Atul Kumar Gupta who was also present at the seminar said that the installed capacity of sugar had though gone up this year, the production had gone down by nearly 11 percent. He cited various reasons for the same which included higher prices of competing crop, non-payment or delayed payment, litigation cases and better prices of ‘gur’ and ‘khandsari’. He advised that the mills should have a long-term relationship with the farmers whose interest was of primary importance, hence a loyalty bonus system or fixed cane price for two years could be introduced.

On the occasion, Jayant Krishna,the Vice Chairman of Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) UP State Council presented a UP Sugar Vision 2015, which was based on the day-long deliberations. The salient features of this Sugar Vision 2015 included --:

* Sugarcane farmers and sugar mills should pursue a long-term win-win partnership and operate on a platform of mutual trust by 2015.

* The farmers of Uttar Pradesh should adopt better seed varieties and farm practices while the sugar units should embrace technological innovations to ensure a 10-15 percent increase in recovery by 2015.

* All major producers should become integrated players with at least 10,000 tonnes of daily crushing units along with alcohol production and co-generation of electricity by 2015

* Uttar Pradesh should become a significant player in global sugar market by 2015.

* Uttar Pradesh should account for two-thirds of the national sugar production by 2015.

Alka Pande
(The author is a senior journalist)

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Indian Government continues secret FTA negotiations

Indian Government continues secret FTA negotiations
5th round of negotiations with EFTA to take place on 22-23 September in Delhi

22 September 2009, Delhi: India is secretly negotiating more than 15 economic agreements with other countries or blocks of countries. Despite strong protests against the controversial signing of an agreement on trade in goods between the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) and India (also called ASEAN-India FTA) last August, the Government of India continues negotiating more FTAs, including with developed countries.

India is presently negotiating one such FTAs with a group of four European countries called the European Free Trade Association (EFTA). The EFTA comprises the countries of Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Lichtenstien. On 22nd and 23rd September 2009, the 5th round of negotiations for a FTA between India and EFTA is taking place in Delhi.

There is little public awareness on the content of the negotiations, despite these being underway since January 2008. Neither the Parliament nor State Governments have been informed of the contents or of the possible impacts of this FTA.

EFTA countries are highly specialised and their FTAs with other countries indicate the key sectors likely to be affected:

Finance: Because of the importance of the financial sector for its economy and intense corporate lobbying, Switzerland in particular pushes for the liberalisation of the financial and insurance sector. This would reduce India's flexibility to respond to financial crises, like the one we just experienced. Stiffer competition through further liberalisation of the banking sector will lead to smaller domestic banks being squeezed out of business. This is of significant concern as these banks give access to credit in rural areas.

Stronger Intellectual Property Protection: Members of EFTA, particularly Switzerland, echoing companies like Sandoz, Roche, Novartis have strong interests in far reaching Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) protection regulations, which includes data exclusivity and extended patent terms. Both of these go beyond India's commitments under the TRIPS Agreement and would delay the introduction of generic drugs. This would undermine India's public health policy and, since India is a major exporter of generic drugs, have a negative effect for people in need of these medicines around the world. Swiss biotech giants like Syngenta also have a vested interest in stronger IP protection over seeds and agrichemicals.

Fisheries: Both Norway and Iceland, with sizeable fishing industries, have interests in India's fish stock and liberalization of investments in this sector. This FTA would facilitate the entry of foreign fishing fleets into Indian waters with the same conditions as Indian fishing fleets. The Norwegian commercial fleet is the 6th largest in the world today, equipped with superior technology. This will mean that the Indian fishing community would have to compete with larger and more mechanized vessels for their livelihood.

The same would also apply for companies providing deep-sea petrol exploration, tourism, directly overstepping on the fishing community right to natural resources, by restricting their access to the seas. Conflicts with fishing communities have already taken place as a 10 km range around an exploring platform in Mumbai has been demarcated and is now inaccessible to fish workers. Norwegian companies specialized in superior technology and know-how in the area of deep-sea drilling and hydro-electric power plants, like Aker Kvaerner and NCC, are already operating in India and are interested in regulations facilitating their operations in the country.

Finally, the entry of highly organized retail chains facilitated by 'investments' provisions in the FTA would affect women fish sellers' capacity to access local markets, along with hawkers and small retailers.

Forum Against FTAs is a loose network of trade unions, people's movements, civil society organizations and academia working on issues related to agriculture, food security, livelihoods, fisheries, health, etc. The Forum is calling for greater transparency in FTA negotiations and for genuine public participation and consultation.

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Indian Government continues secret FTA negotiations

Indian Government continues secret FTA negotiations
5th round of negotiations with EFTA to take place on 22-23 September in Delhi

22 September 2009, Delhi: India is secretly negotiating more than 15 economic agreements with other countries or blocks of countries. Despite strong protests against the controversial signing of an agreement on trade in goods between the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) and India (also called ASEAN-India FTA) last August, the Government of India continues negotiating more FTAs, including with developed countries.

India is presently negotiating one such FTAs with a group of four European countries called the European Free Trade Association (EFTA). The EFTA comprises the countries of Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Lichtenstien. On 22nd and 23rd September 2009, the 5th round of negotiations for a FTA between India and EFTA is taking place in Delhi.

There is little public awareness on the content of the negotiations, despite these being underway since January 2008. Neither the Parliament nor State Governments have been informed of the contents or of the possible impacts of this FTA.

EFTA countries are highly specialised and their FTAs with other countries indicate the key sectors likely to be affected:

Finance: Because of the importance of the financial sector for its economy and intense corporate lobbying, Switzerland in particular pushes for the liberalisation of the financial and insurance sector. This would reduce India's flexibility to respond to financial crises, like the one we just experienced. Stiffer competition through further liberalisation of the banking sector will lead to smaller domestic banks being squeezed out of business. This is of significant concern as these banks give access to credit in rural areas.

Stronger Intellectual Property Protection: Members of EFTA, particularly Switzerland, echoing companies like Sandoz, Roche, Novartis have strong interests in far reaching Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) protection regulations, which includes data exclusivity and extended patent terms. Both of these go beyond India's commitments under the TRIPS Agreement and would delay the introduction of generic drugs. This would undermine India's public health policy and, since India is a major exporter of generic drugs, have a negative effect for people in need of these medicines around the world. Swiss biotech giants like Syngenta also have a vested interest in stronger IP protection over seeds and agrichemicals.

Fisheries: Both Norway and Iceland, with sizeable fishing industries, have interests in India's fish stock and liberalization of investments in this sector. This FTA would facilitate the entry of foreign fishing fleets into Indian waters with the same conditions as Indian fishing fleets. The Norwegian commercial fleet is the 6th largest in the world today, equipped with superior technology. This will mean that the Indian fishing community would have to compete with larger and more mechanized vessels for their livelihood.

The same would also apply for companies providing deep-sea petrol exploration, tourism, directly overstepping on the fishing community right to natural resources, by restricting their access to the seas. Conflicts with fishing communities have already taken place as a 10 km range around an exploring platform in Mumbai has been demarcated and is now inaccessible to fish workers. Norwegian companies specialized in superior technology and know-how in the area of deep-sea drilling and hydro-electric power plants, like Aker Kvaerner and NCC, are already operating in India and are interested in regulations facilitating their operations in the country.

Finally, the entry of highly organized retail chains facilitated by 'investments' provisions in the FTA would affect women fish sellers' capacity to access local markets, along with hawkers and small retailers.

Forum Against FTAs is a loose network of trade unions, people's movements, civil society organizations and academia working on issues related to agriculture, food security, livelihoods, fisheries, health, etc. The Forum is calling for greater transparency in FTA negotiations and for genuine public participation and consultation.

Published in:
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Reality Check for XIth Five-Year Plan: People evaluate women & child development schemes

Reality Check for XIth Five-Year Plan:
People evaluate women & child development schemes

People of Uttar Pradesh (UP) participated in the "mid-term appraisal" consultation geared to harness their perspectives on the eleventh five-year plan of the Government of India. The meeting "Listening to Voices from the field" was organized for the Planning Commission in the state capital of UP, with support from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM), in collaboration with the Voluntary Health Association of India (VHAI), Path and national Alliance of Women (NAWO).

The objective of the exercise was to obtain the community’s perspective and gauge the effectiveness of the various Women and Child Development schemes launched by the Central government of India. The participants discussed in-depth on the different schemes, their visibility, effectiveness, implementation and identified the road blocks for their optimal implementation.

The eleventh Five Year Plan aims on "inclusive growth." As a midterm appraisal of the plan is being scheduled this year, it is prudent to feed in the perceptions from the poor and the marginalized social groups regarding delivery of different schemes which are specifically targeted to improve their quality of life. In this context, it is critical to listen directly to intended beneficiaries of these schemes in the social sector with special reference to access and quality in delivery schemes.

"The community members are the ones to whom the benefits of the plans, programmes and the schemes should ultimately reach and thus it is important that their opinion is duly taken and passed on to the planners of schemes," said JP Sharma, Director, Uttar Pradesh Voluntary Health Association (UPVHA). He termed the meeting as one of the masses.

Referring to the meeting as a "reality check and recommendation attempt", Dr Manju Agarwal, one of the organizers of the event said that through such reality checks, the common citizens will get a chance to get their point of view on the subject across to the Planning Commission and an opportunity to inform the recommendations for the 12th Five Year Plan.

For this meeting in UP, the participants were divided in five groups based on their expertise. These groups were women, children, minority, HIV/AIDS and other diseases, and health. Each group, comprising about ten participants was given a reality check list. The discussion was divided in two parts- ground realities and recommendations. Each groups reported back to the plenary which led to the open house.

It is shocking to acknowledge the low levels of awareness about these Central government schemes in the masses. While the group representing the minority put this as a planned strategy to under serve the community, the other groups felt there were different reasons for purposely holding back information related to development schemes.

Intentionally there was no representation from the government at this meeting so that the draft recommendations remain unbiased and participants from the civil society feel comfortable to conduct an honest appraisal of these schemes. The final shape to the appraisal and recommendation document will be given at a forthcoming meeting in Chandigarh on 23-24 September 2009.

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Reality Check for XIth Five-Year Plan: People evaluate women & child development schemes

Reality Check for XIth Five-Year Plan:
People evaluate women & child development schemes

People of Uttar Pradesh (UP) participated in the "mid-term appraisal" consultation geared to harness their perspectives on the eleventh five-year plan of the Government of India. The meeting "Listening to Voices from the field" was organized for the Planning Commission in the state capital of UP, with support from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM), in collaboration with the Voluntary Health Association of India (VHAI), Path and national Alliance of Women (NAWO).

The objective of the exercise was to obtain the community’s perspective and gauge the effectiveness of the various Women and Child Development schemes launched by the Central government of India. The participants discussed in-depth on the different schemes, their visibility, effectiveness, implementation and identified the road blocks for their optimal implementation.

The eleventh Five Year Plan aims on "inclusive growth." As a midterm appraisal of the plan is being scheduled this year, it is prudent to feed in the perceptions from the poor and the marginalized social groups regarding delivery of different schemes which are specifically targeted to improve their quality of life. In this context, it is critical to listen directly to intended beneficiaries of these schemes in the social sector with special reference to access and quality in delivery schemes.

"The community members are the ones to whom the benefits of the plans, programmes and the schemes should ultimately reach and thus it is important that their opinion is duly taken and passed on to the planners of schemes," said JP Sharma, Director, Uttar Pradesh Voluntary Health Association (UPVHA). He termed the meeting as one of the masses.

Referring to the meeting as a "reality check and recommendation attempt", Dr Manju Agarwal, one of the organizers of the event said that through such reality checks, the common citizens will get a chance to get their point of view on the subject across to the Planning Commission and an opportunity to inform the recommendations for the 12th Five Year Plan.

For this meeting in UP, the participants were divided in five groups based on their expertise. These groups were women, children, minority, HIV/AIDS and other diseases, and health. Each group, comprising about ten participants was given a reality check list. The discussion was divided in two parts- ground realities and recommendations. Each groups reported back to the plenary which led to the open house.

It is shocking to acknowledge the low levels of awareness about these Central government schemes in the masses. While the group representing the minority put this as a planned strategy to under serve the community, the other groups felt there were different reasons for purposely holding back information related to development schemes.

Intentionally there was no representation from the government at this meeting so that the draft recommendations remain unbiased and participants from the civil society feel comfortable to conduct an honest appraisal of these schemes. The final shape to the appraisal and recommendation document will be given at a forthcoming meeting in Chandigarh on 23-24 September 2009.

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A long wait for Independence - special feature article on India's 62nd Independence day eve - 15 August 2009

A long wait for Independence
- special feature article on India's 62nd Independence day eve -
15 August 2009

Jajupur is a village in Sandila Tehsil, P.S. Atrauli, of Hardoi District of UP. 107 dalit landless families were allotted land pattas in 1976 by the Gram Sabha but till today the dalits have not been able to cultivate their fields. The reason is that a politically influential feudal family of the neighbouring village Majhgaon doesn’t give up its control on these lands which it exercises directly or indirectly. Ramchandra Singh’s brother Sri Ram Singh has been the Block Pramukh of Bharawan. They have a third brother Ramendra Singh. Cousin Nagendra Singh’s, who is an advocate too, wife is the Gram Pradhan of Jajupur even though they live in Majhgaon.

As soon as these land plots were allotted to the dalits the landlords planted trees on these pieces of lands so that they could lay a claim on them. They always give the excuse of these trees to assert their control over these lands. For some dalit families their ancestors might have taken some loan from the ancestors of landlords. The unpaid loans, fictitious or real, become an excuse for the landlords to continue holding on to their land.

Whenever a complaint is registered with the authorities, the revenue department officials begin the measurement of land plots afresh. The land is marked and handed over to the dalits every time. But either they are unable to sow or if they display the courage to sow they cannot harvest. The control of land goes back to the landlords. Under political pressure the revenue department officials lack the will to recommend registration of case under the ZALR Act against the encroachers or the police lacks the will to prevent landlords from encroaching after the lands have been handed over to the dalits following a due process.

Recently a dalit youth Rajesh cut two neem trees standing on his land to take care of the expenses required to treat his ailing 3 years old son. A case was registered against four dalits including Rajesh for illegal felling of green trees. Ramchandra Singh, Ramendra Singh and Sukhdeo Singh took away the driver and the helper on the tractor trolley which had come to take away the cut trees. Both these were also dalits. They were beaten at the house of Ramchandra Singh and then handed over to police. Policeman incharge of investigation in the case M.P. Singh created ruckus in the house of Rajesh when he couldn’t find him to arrest. He broke a cot and portion of the thatched roof. When it was enquired from the SDM whether felling trees was such a serious crime that the police would exercise undue pressure on the family of the accused the SDM responded that the police doesn’t register a case sometimes even on his complaint when whole orchards are cut. Finally Rajesh got relief only after he got bail from the court. But in the meanwhile his child had expired because of neglect of his situation.

A complaint was filed against Ramchandra Singh, Ramendra Singh and Sukhdeo Singh demanding registration of FIR under the Prevention of atrocities against S.C./S.T. Act and the ZALR Act. However, the landlord family is so powerful that it got action against its members stalled. It is amazing how the politically influential family escapes retribution even after violating serious laws and prompt and decisive action is taken by police against the dalits for felling trees on their own land. And all this is when there is supposed to be a dalit sympathetic government in power in UP and the DGP has issued clear cut instructions that FIR has to be registered against any encroacher on a land belonging to dalit allotted by the Gram Sabha.

About a couple of years back the revenue department had slapped a fine of more than Rs. 14 lakhs on Ramchandra Singh, Chandra Prakash Singh, Nageshwar Singh and others for encroaching upon land allotted to dalits by the Gram Sabha. Two people paid the fine but eleven others were able to obtain a stay order from the court.

Having lost all hope from the system the dalits have now decided that they’ll let the landlords cut all the trees which they claim were planted by them, even though technically the trees belong to the dalits as it is a Gram Sabha land and anybody else cannot lay a claim on it, and in return the landlords would allow them to till the land. The dalits don’t care that they are losing the trees so long as they finally get to become the owners of the land. The powerful landlords, interestingly want a guarantee from the dalits as well as the administration that no case will be registered against them for felling green trees, which is actually illegal.

All revenue department officials feel this is a good compromise practical solution. The dalits also feel that this is probably the best deal they’ll get because chances of them getting the land with the trees are remote given the prevailing circumstances. They are desperate to see after 35 long years the day when they can call the land which belongs to them their own. But this is a travesty of justice. This is a victory of brute muscle and money power and failure of Indian Constitution as well as Law and Order machinery. The police-administration have surrendered to the feudal elements and interests of dalits are not safe even in a dalit sympathetic government. The country may be independent for the past 62 years but these dalit families of Jajupur would not yet testify that they have had a chance to enjoy the fruits of freedom.

[Dr Sandeep Pandey is a Ramon Magsaysay Awardee (2002) for emergent leadership, member of National Presidium, People's Politics Front (PPF), heads the National Alliance of People's Movements (NAPM) and did his PhD from University of California, Berkeley, USA. He taught at Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur before devoting his life to strengthening people's movements in early 1990s. He can be contacted at: ashaashram@yahoo.com. Website: www.citizen-news.org]

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