Surrender of Self-pride

Surrender before the Supreme being is the most intelligent thing a human being should adopt and achieve. That is what is noticed in the Kaliyug’s ‘Vaikund’ namely the Lord Sri Venkateshwara’s temple in Tirumala in A.P. HumanBeing’s sacrifice on a personal level is to tonsure his head in the temple premises and pray to God by surrendering his ego and self-pride. It is reported that in the year 2010-11 as many as 1,01,06,293 persons offered their beautiful and tended hair to the Lord. The temple administration has provided necessary facilities for this purpose in a significant way. About 665 including 59 women hair-cutters are on the job. It is also reported that as much as 50% of the visitors to the His abode offer their hair with a vow taken in return for the blessings of the Lord. It is also a time-tested tradition and practice to offer tha hair to the Gods since 1830 B.C, as has been noted (Dinamani Wednesday, April 27, 2011).

Mangoes

India stands first in mango production in the world. According to the production in the year 2010, India produced 100.00 lakh tonnes whereas china in the second position produced only 43.50 lakh tonnes. Similarly within India Andhra Pradesh produced the maximum quantity of mangoes namely 36.20 lakh tonnes. The maximum exports from India go to United Arab Emirates. (Rs. 107 crore). The maximum foreign exchange comes from mango pulp (Rs. 620.83 crore) during the year 2011-2012. It is a good show but we need to have long-term plans for further and sustainable growth in the days to come. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

TN’S Power utility rated worst among four Southern States

The Times News network on Saturday, March 15 reports that Tamil Nadu has the worst performing power utility among the four southern states. The Tamil Nadu generation and distribution company (Tangedo) has been rated below average in both operations and financial performance among various power utilities in the country as per a credit rating exercise carried out on behalf of the union power ministry. While other three southern states have been graded B+, Tamil Nadu is a notch below at grade B. TANGEDCO has been rated below average in operations and financial performance. Look at the table below: State Grade Gujarat A + Maharashtra A West Bengal A Karnataka B+ Andhra Pradesh B + Kerala B+ Tamil Nadu B It is indeed a bad show. Tamil Nadu which boasts of good performance in several other fields its work in this sector is pathetic and both DMK and AIADMK have to share the blame for this. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Hail the Chief Minister!

The infanticide against the female gender was attempted and curbed by the Chief Minister Selvi. J. Jayalalitha, in the year 1992. Due to her effort under the caption ‘Cradle Children Scheme’ as many as 3,501 girl children and 695 male children were saved and protected. Under a different scheme called ‘Girl Child Protection Scheme’ in those families where the annual income was less than Rs 50,000/- and having only one girl child and one of the parents having undergone family planning before they attained 35 yrs, a sum of Rs.50, 000/- was kept as Fixed Deposit for such a child and the same amount was to be released with interest to the girl at the age of 18 yrs. Similarly the provision for those families having two girl children they were given Rs.25, 000/- each. Of late the girls getting married are also given 4 grams of gold and marriage allowances depending on their education and qualifications. No doubt girl children will sing in praise of the Chief Minister Selvi. J. Jajalalitha.

Poverty in Richest Country?

Is it the bane of human society or the inevitable law of nature that irrespective of what system man had improvised so far, the humanity is destined to live with irreversible income and intellect disparities for the ages to come? How does one comprehend otherwise that despite the golden mix of capitalism and democracy ruling the richest nation viz. the USA the government there can’t abolish poverty of its citizens in the last two centuries? It is indeed one of the inexplicable developments with the Census Bureau reporting that the percentage of Americans struggling below the poverty line in 2009 was the highest it has been in 15 years. The number of people living in poverty last year climbed to almost 43.6 million up from 39.8 million in 2008. The percentage of people living in poverty also increased to 14.3 per cent, the highest rate since 1994. Poverty in USA has been defined as pretax cash income below $ 22000 for a family of four. This is a development which one notices in spite of federal assistance like expanded unemployment benefits (helping three million families). An unexpected development but a welcome one from the stand point of joint family system in US society is the necessity of younger generations along with other members of nuclear families to shift to the homes of their parents to tide over the poverty situation for the present. The Census study found an 11.6 per cent increase in the number of such multifamily households over the last two years. Unemployment remains near 10 per cent and there are strong signs that the high poverty numbers have continued into 2010. Poverty had been concentrated among young adults without college education and their children. One indirect sign of continuing hardship is the rise in food stamp recipients, who now include one in seven adults and an even greater share of the nation’ children. By mid-2010 the number of recipients had reached 41.3 million, compared with 39 million at the beginning of the year. Food banks too report swelling demand. The poverty rate for non-Hispanic whites was 9.4 per cent, for blacks 25.8 percent, and for Hispanics 25.3 percent. The rate for Asians was unchanged at 12.5 percent. “This is the first time in memory that an entire decade has produced essentially no economic growth for the typical America household”, Mr. Lawrence Katz, an economist at Harvard. The poverty line is no doubt a flawed measure, experts agree. (The New York Times, Friday, September 17, 2010)

Economics of the Day

One good news; Day by day the demand for the covering (duplicate)jewellery in place of real gold and silver is picking up, thanks to spiralling prices of gold and silver in the open market. The craze for ornaments esp among the women folk of South india is well-known. This is a good way of satisfying their desire for the jewellery in the days to come.It is reported that the sales of such covering jewels have touched a figure of some Rs 8000 crore per annum and the trend is likely to register a growth of 20 to 30 per cent in the next two financial years. It is a good and interesting development. One Bad News: The industrial production in India during the month of August, 2013 has registered a growth of 0.6 per cent only. There must be a number of reasons for such a development.The governments will have to take a note of this and do the needful as early as possible. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++=

The rise of polygamy in our society of excess

In our affluent age the exotic indulgences such as maintaining a concubine are on the increase. Vinita Dawra Nangia has in her “Times life” article (Sunday, 21st April, 2013) reported that historically the world has frowned upon polyandry (one women with two or more men), while tolerating, if not outright encouraging by legalizing, polygamy (one man with multiple sexual partners) Interestingly, Michael Price from the Psychology Department of Brunel University, West London equates serial monogamists such as Donald Trump and Larry king, who divorce older wives and marry younger women, as polygamists too, since they also monopolize the reproductive years of a number of women. In that sense, all celebrities, cine stars, prominent sportsmen, powerful politicians and business tycoons with a series of women, can be termed polygamists as well!

Hail the Efforts of Chennai Corporation!

Atomic researchers take up fight against city mosquitoes: Chirstin Mathew Philip has (Times of India, Saturday March 2, 2013) reported that the corporation has tried it all- larvicides, gambusia fish and chemical fogging-to contain the mosquito menace. Now, it has gone to the Bhabha atomic research centre for help. A few BARC scientists were in the city recently to study mosquito breeding spots and come up with remedies, a corporation official said. The team visited Adyar and Chintadripet and collected larvae. The scientists said they would soon prepare an effective bio-pesticide for the corporation.

Need to speed up financial reforms

With the financial markets using advanced technologies moving at a rapid pace, the need for faster implementation of financial sector reforms is necessary, union finance minister P Chidambaram said here in Chennai on Monday. "In the finance ministry we believe the financial sector gets less than appropriate policy attention. The political discourse pays less than the deserved attention towards policy in the sector," he said. While five key reforms were introduced over the past six months, including the new Companies Act, the PFRDA Bill and one on commodities futures trading, Chidarnbaram said these were work in progress for many years. The financial sector operates in speed and dynamism, and generates new space, sometimes undefined areas, which provide opportunities for unregulated players in the market. "The existence of such players who operate in the twilight zone endanger the discipline of the markets leading to systemic instability. Invariably, such activities adversely impact a large number of consumers," Chidarnbaram said. Finance Minister's concerns are well placed. In the midst of unending political activities the economic and esp. financial policies take a back seat and consensus among national and regional political parties is a mere impossibilty. Indian democracy and its institutions are to grow much more to attain such a maturity and ensure perpetuity of policies in national interest in the long term. Ref : TIMES GLOBAL ( TOI, CHENNAI) Tuesday, OCT.1, 2013 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Land grabbing still unresolved

Despite the special police cells set up in each district by the present ADMK government sometime back the public in general is still unable to get judicious handling of the disputes between different parties through those cells. In fact they are forced to approach the courts as usual to direct the police to put up those cases after investigation as early as possible. The government had not only aroused the enthusiasm of the aggrieved parties to lodge their complaints with the special police cells. But unfortunately the officials attached to those cells (for example in Virudhunagar District) have lost heat and interest in such cases, may be due to some technical snags or flaw found in the government orders or the intervention of the High Court when a PIL has been filed on the legitimacy or efficiency of those set-ups and their approach. Such a development certainly indicates the good intention but a wrong and half-hearted approach to a sensitive subject by the present set-up in the State Secretariat. One has to be little serious in such matters even if political establishment applies pressure to deliver something in a hurry. What a colossal waste of money and time by the concerned in the process! +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

*lndia will be World's most populous nation by 2050 *

Paris: India will overtake China as the world's most populous country by 2050, according to a new French study which predicts the global population to surge to 9.7 billion people by the middle of the century. The report by the French Institute of Demographic Studies, predicts India will take the top spot with a staggering population of 1.6 billion to leave behind current world leader in population -- China, at the second place with 1.3 billion people. The overall world population is projected to rise to 9.7 billion in 2050 from the current level of 7.1 billion, the report said. Currently the world's most populous countries are China with 1.3 billion people; followed by India (1.2bn); US (316.2m); Indonesia (248.5m) and Brazil (195.5m). The study backs the population predictions by the UN and the World Bank. In June, a UN study predicted the global population to swell to 9.6 billion in 2050. "The world population has risen seven-fold over the last 200 years and is expected to reach 10 or 11 billion by the end of the 21st century," according to 'the report by Gilles Pison, researcher at the French institute. International community nor national governments concerned are serious about this issue. No national parties are willing to talk about this and suggest practical solutions unfortunately. God help these societies ultimately! +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

WORLD LOSING FAITH IN US POLICAL SYSTEM?

As shutdown enters day 3 questions arise on Mechanism where few lawmakers can halt Govt. Washington: President Obama and Congressional Republicans failed to break the political deadlock as the partial shutdown of the US government entered Day 3 on Thursday. There are now growing concerns not only about shutdown's economic impact on rest of the world should it extend for weeks as some are apprehensively projecting, but also about global faith in the American political system itself. The debate over the US government shutdown seems to have created fire-works on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram as fed-up Americans turn to social media to register their disgust with lawmakers. Some called Congress members "stupid," "immature" and Idiots" who need to "grow up." There were a few who cheered the Republicans stance. But most tweeters wonder why a compromise seemed so elusive. It is a sad commentary on a mature and vibrant democracy like USA +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Fearless? The World is Yours by M.N.Kundu (the Speaking Tree)

More often than not our fears dictate our actions and determine what we can achieve. Let us pretend we have nothing to fear. This is the secret. When there is burning desire to do something fear instantly disappears. Of course the end result is never in our hands. 

"There is a divinity that shapes our ends", wrote Shakespeare.

T.O.I dt Monday, September 23, 2013.

Water Scarcity

22 of India's 32 major and big cities like Kanpur, Meerut, Faridabad, Visakhapatnam, Madurai and Hyderabad where the water crisis is acute. 

Air is free but highly polluted in human settlements.

Water esp portable drinking water has not only become a scarce commodity but also pretty expensive    in urban centres now.

All governments and the citizens of the world have to focus on this major issue and come up with suitable  and satisfactory solutions.
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Child Brides

  There are 23 million child brides in India which account for 40 percent of child brides globally.

India is famous for ensuring large number of child brides (before 18 years).

More than 50% early marriages are reported from states like Bihar (64%), Jharkhand (60%), Rajasthan (58%), Andhra (56%), Bengal(53%), Madhya Pradesh (53%), Uttar Pradesh (52%) and Chhattisgarh (51%).

When and how do we tackle this social issue?

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Medicos form human chain to protest rural postings

Members of the Tamil Nadu Medical Students Association (TNMSA) on Thursday formed a human chain in front of the Madras Medical College and intensified their protests against the Centre's proposal for a one-year compulsory rural posting for MBBS graduates who want to opt for a post graduate degree.

The Government proposal is a wise and practical decision in view of doctor shortage in rural areas. Probably they lack spirit of social service like any other field in the country. But one should understand the way the young graduates in western countries have to enrol for military service for a year before taking up higher studies and get into a job. Our doctors are supposed to take a lesson from their practice and conduct themselves accordingly.

(TOI Friday, September 27, 2013)