When we have policies trample on people's rights, and people go to courts seeking redress, what should the courts do, Prime Minister?
Dear Prime Minister,
I was delighted to learn that you said, while also “respectfully” ticking off the Supreme Court, that tackling food, rotting grain etc., — are all policy matters. You are absolutely right and it was time somebody said so. With that, you brought a whiff of honesty so lacking in the United Progressive Alliance's public blather. It is for your government, not the court, to decide what to do with the grain now rotting in millions of tons. If policy dictates that it go bad rather than let hungry people eat it, that's no business of the court. The “realm of policy formulation,” as you put it, is yours. It feels good to have the nation's leader accept — well, sort of, anyway — that growing hunger, falling nutrition, rotting grain, lack of storage space, all these arise from policy. (They were certainly not caused by any Supreme Court rulings I know of.)
A lesser man would have copped out, blaming it all on the opposition, the weather or the mysterious (but ultimately beneficial) workings of the Market. You don't do that. You clearly locate it in policy. And policies are far more deliberate, far less abstract than markets.
Storage space for foodgrains
It was, after all, a policy decision to spend almost nothing for years on building additional public storage space for foodgrain. Governments have the money to subsidise the building of new cities, malls and multiplexes across the country. By “incentivising” private builders and developers. But none for building storage space for the nation's foodgrain.
The ‘new' idea, instead, is to hire privately-owned space. Which does raise the question sir, of why your government decided, by policy, to de-hire a few million metric tons worth of hired space between 2004 and 2006. That was done on the paid-for advice of an expensive multinational consulting firm. Re-hiring space now will surely mean much higher rental costs, bringing cheer and joy to the hungry, starving rentiers. (Maybe even to the MNC which could now be paid for giving you the opposite of the advice it did the last time.)
More so, since your latest policies “incentivise” things further for the rentiers. Pranabda's budget speech (Point 49) hiked the guaranteed period of space hire from five to seven years. Actually, it's been upped to 10 years since then. (A word of caution from a well-wisher: the reports of that expensive MNC consulting firm have been the kiss of death for any government dumb enough to act on them. Ask Mr. Naidu in Andhra Pradesh.) There was always the option of building foodgrain storage space on government-owned land. As Chhattisgarh is now doing. It would cost much less in the long run and curb profiteering from our need to tackle hunger. These being policy matters, that's just a suggestion, not an order.
As your message makes clear to the Supreme Court, the rotting grain is none of their business. As the nation's most important Professor of Economics, I'm sure you have well-thought out policies on what to do with the grain, rotting or about-to-rot, in open spaces and bad godowns. I just wish someone of your erudition would explain these policies to an increasingly aggressive rat population which thinks it can do anything it likes with that grain and simply ignores the courts altogether. (Maybe we need to incentivise the rodents to lay off the grain.)
Meanwhile, a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson has all but admitted that the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government had paid the price on this very issue. A wipe-out at the 2004 polls. Amazing what a consensus there is on all these being policy matters. Even the Supreme Court seems to agree.
Nine years ago, Dr. Singh, the apex Court in the very same, ongoing Right to Food case, had this to say (August 20, 2001). “The anxiety of the Court is to see that the poor and the destitute and the weaker sections do not suffer from hunger and starvation. The prevention of the same is one of the prime responsibilities of the Government — whether Central or the State. How this is to be ensured would be a matter of policy which is best left to the government. All that the Court has to be satisfied ... is that the foodgrains ... should not be wasted ... or eaten by rats...What is important is that the food must reach the Hungry.”
The farmers who have been committing suicide in tens of thousands also agree with you totally, Prime Minister. They know it was policies, not the law courts, which drove them to take their lives. That's why several who left behind suicide notes addressed those to you, to the finance minister, or our own beloved Maharashtra chief minister (busy, even as we speak, Saving the Tiger in a TV studio). Ever read any of these letters, Dr. Singh? Has the government of Maharashtra, led by your own party, ever given you a single one of them? They speak of debt, credit, rising input costs and falling prices. Of governments that do not hear their cries. These are not even addressed to their families, but to you, Dr. Singh, and your colleagues. Yes, they understood the role of policy in their misery — and therefore addressed the authors of those policies in their notes.
Farmer distress
Ramakrishna Lonkar of Wardha put it simply in his suicide note after your historic visit to Vidarbha in 2006. He said: “After the Prime Minister's visit and announcements of a fresh crop loan, I thought I could live again.” But “I was shown no respect” at the bank, where nothing had changed. Ramachandra Raut of Washim was so keen to be taken seriously by his Prime Minister, that he not only addressed his suicide note to you, the President and your colleagues, he even recorded it on Rs. 100 non-judicial stamped paper. He was, by his lights, trying to make his protest ‘legal.' Rameshwar Kuchankar's suicide note in Yavatmal blamed the procurement price of cotton for the farmers' distress. Even those letters not addressed to you, speak of policies. Like Sahebrao Adhao's farewell note which paints a Dickensian portrait of usury in the Akola-Amravati belt.
All highlighted policy. And how right they were! Recent revelations (see TheHindu, August 13, 2010), show us that almost half the total “agricultural credit” in the state of Maharashtra in 2008 was disbursed not by rural banks, but by urban and metropolitan bank branches. Over 42 per cent of it in the financial farming-heartland of Mumbai alone. (Sure, the city has large-scale farming, but of a different kind — it cultivates contracts.) A handful of big corporations seem to hog much of this “agricultural credit.” No wonder Lonkar, Raut et al found it so hard to access credit. You can't have a ‘level playing field' (to borrow one of your favourite phrases) with billionaires.
While these are outflows of policy, the exclusive realm of your government, I confess to being a little flummoxed. The astounding price rise of several years is surely the well-foreseen outcome of government policies? This year, as you lectured world leaders in Toronto on inclusive growth, your government decontrolled petrol prices fully and diesel partially, while hiking kerosene prices, too.
When policies force hundreds of millions to cut their already meagre diets, can they be discussed? When they trample on people's rights, and people go to courts seeking redress, what do the latter do, Prime Minister? You are right that the Supreme Court should not make policy. But what do they do when confronted with the consequences of yours? Policies are made, as you know better than I, by people. In your case by many distinguished economists including those who have fought attempts to ban child labour. One who even wrote an article in The New York Times titled “The Poor Need Child Labour” (November 29, 1994). Where he admitted to having had a 13-year-old work in his home. (And who also favoured the decontrolling of fuel prices — to tackle the price rise, no less. And perhaps to help child labour, too?)
What too, does the Supreme Court do when the government's 2006 promise of a new Below Poverty Line (BPL) Survey to be completed before the start of the Eleventh Plan never materialises? What do they or anyone do when the government sets grain allocations to the states based on poverty estimates of year 2000 based on the 1991 Census. Twenty-year-old data which result in 70 million fewer people getting BPL/Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) grain than should be the case.
I humbly suggest that while the Supreme Court copes with those dilemmas, we reconsider your policies. I would also be most grateful if you could forward a copy of this letter to your Food and Agriculture Minister if you remember who he is and where he is.
Yours sincerely
P. Sainath
Keywords: foodgrain rotting, food security, food rights
Comments:
What a fine piece of sarcasm? And what an amount of in-depth study.Kudos to Sainath of this nation.
Simply brilliant. Beyond that, I am speechless.
As always,an excelent article.I hope our PM and food and agri. minister ever ,will listen to this.
Hats off Mr. Sainath for once again trying to wake up the government on issues relating to agriculture and food. You have argued, teased and taunted the government on these issues. But the government seems unmoved even after the Supreme Court directive. I hope the government doesn't use this opportunity to introduce foreign retail under the garb of modernising the supply chain in agriculture.
ouch! but good read.
Eye opening article. Wish PM could read it...or I suppose he is already aware of these facts.
Eloquently put. But then if someone does decide to show it to Dr. Sahib, what are the odds that he'd just read the title and smile?
Article is reflection of grim reality in which we live. Under the garb of 'Aam Adami' govt continues to subsidise rich through poor.Govt today is'of the elite,by the elite,for the elite' making mockery of democracy. Letter is not a caution but a warning to the present govt that 'We The People Of India' will not forget this brazen act of negligence and 2013 is not too far.
Very correctly said.
Judicial activism is because of legislative or executive non-performance.
Huge expenditure on CWG should take priority over food grain storage ?
Strike of doctors caused death of 17 patients at Rajasthan is also because of lack of proper policy to redress their grievances at early stage.
Well Said Sir.
I fully agree with every sentence of your most serious letter. Democracy is Govt of the Politicians ,By the Politicians ,and For the Politicians and their Sons.Democracy is a weak Institution.
Dear Sainath,
Among the many queries raised by you in the above column, one is most pertinent-On of the missing agricultural minister? If Mr. Pawar could deal with issue with the same vigor as he deals with the ICC, BCCI, IPL, MCA etc. we wouldn't be facing such issues
Prime Minister, your policy for food security along with the annointed in the Planning Commissions is succintly and correctly described by Saianth. The handling of rotting food grains, now turned rotten by our Minister of Agriculture, has the right touch of gravitas -- it is called ‘grave economic policy’. Of course, the SC should not interfere in such public policy.
Sincerely
Hats off to P.Sainath for this article.I am falling short of words to appreciate.use of simple language and yet sending a strong message.wish somebody act on this article
Personal honesty is not enough if one is not going to use that for the betterment of the poor and voiceless.
A well researched and thought-provoking column. Well done Mr. Sainath. Considering the "rich getting richer and poor getting poorer" phenomena, it's high time these politicians paid heed to the needy.
Way to go.It is so disappointing that even after having such an hounorable scholar at the helm of affairs, we see such denigration in policy matters that too for basic sustenance.
Very good article. Thanks to the author for highlighting the wrong policy decisions of the government. I hope that the Prime Minister and the officials read this article.If the government can create SEZs and offer Tax deduction to private and MNCs, why it can't construct a storage facilities for food grains is a well thought question. I am wondering why the government, Prime Minister and the officials are not able to understand the ground situation. Even the opposition which stalls parliament for MPs salary increase issue is not bothered about doing anything seriously other than issuing statements. Once again, hats off to the author.
Thanks to Mr.Sainath for exposing to the Nation as to whom the PM really listens to.
It is a huge betrayal to the highly competent and proven Patriots within India(like M.S.Swaminathan,etc) who are highly talented in the Agriculture and Food sector--these people must have been requested to lead or to atleast advise the Government in ways to fill the stomachs of millions of hungry Indians.Instead the PM is listening to dubious MNC agencies--this shows his inspiration when he criticized the
Supreme Court of India which was only requesting the Government to not to waste Food.
Pray he.. pays heed to your letter Mr.Sainath.. but alas he has been groomed and seasoned by his system to turn a deaf ear..n so will he to this one again!
I guess what Mr.Singh has to say on all this??
"An enquiry committee has been set ... The case is being looked into and the reports are awaited" ??
Dear Sainath,
Everybody was expecting your response. Article is brilliant and extra-ordinarily sarcastic.But don’t expect a reply from our PM.
Thanks Sainath for another bold article. The Government is increasingly abdicating its duty to the poor and not ashamed of its pro-corporate engagement.
3rd in a row P Sainath and this time its even powerful. It almost made my blood boil. Yes I agree with Mr. Singh completely. Education, nutrition, health and employment are in all ways directly and indirectly effected by government's so called "POLICY" which comes so much under your realm but what flummoxes (I'm borrowing your carefully chosen words Mr. Sainath) me like it did for Mr. Sainath is the paradox of your so called realm. When the entire process of policy making comes under your ambit which includes not just the inception and execution of policy but also monitor the performance of it which any of the governments right from 1947 had failed to do. If you ask me examples for non performance of your policies then I can given a torrent of details but I think you can take a closer look at the nation (which should be devoid of the tiny group of population who make the best of the "India's Shining Growth" which includes the India's most richest families employed in polity which includes even our dear agricultural minister.) which will reveal that the government had failed to bring changes in almost very domains that i should have and very well it could have. I would also like to remind you that it comes under your realm to make sure that the voters who voted for you does not starve to death.
Telling like it is. Thanks
Dear Sainath,
I salute you for being such a bold writer. You have done an excellent prognosis of the present government's so called 'Policy' and have blatantly exposed the rotten facts. I simply love the mercurial sarcasm you have brought out in this article. Hats off to you!!
Does Mr. Singh really read this? If Yes, will he act? If No, Whats the point? I know it is educating few people, but then to what avail. The few who get to read this article will not vote for UPA next time. But what next? BJP will come, suppose. And the same story repeats.
Well said Sainath.. We can't see everything through the eyes of Economy. We are humans. We should see through the Eyes of Human. With Humanity.
Fantastic piece Mr. Sainath. Very honest and candid!! We can only hope that some action would be taken at least now.
What a brilliant article!
Thanks for sharing buddy. It's really true, I like it
Thanks Sainath for the valuable article. Hope Mr. PM gets time to go through it, the other person who should be most concerned is busy with cricket. It is really tragic to hear that Mr. PM, instead of doing something on the food grain, is talking about policies which never have given any benefit to the poor. The entire country is facing problems with flood and drought, God knows what will happen after a few months, if we don't protect the food grain. How will you make sure the food security Mr. PM?
With such a brilliantly written letter, Mr. Sainath has done a great service in pulling out this issue when our country seemed to have ignored it, forgotten it...just as the way it does to many such troubling issues. A debate on whether the Supreme Court of India could take policy level decisions in situations of extreme distress and to conserve citizens rights is an essential one, that could set course for future amendments or corrections in the system.
However, as much as I like Mr. Sainath's firm arguments, it still ends up sounding more like an activist vs. economist debate!
In this very impassioned piece, Mr. Sainath successfully highlights gross negligence and wrong doings of the government, but perhaps the better part of the story was missed. The process of such corrections must indeed start from the government, and if today the Supreme Court is allowed to make decisions like these, it would set a bad example for the future. It could be due to the present enlightened bench that we have at the court,which took the decision but will we have such exemplary judges in the future too? Lots of thinking and planning lies ahead, in case we envision a greater role of the Supreme Court of India, like in this matter at hand.
However, I must appreciate and totally support the intense criticism that Mr. Sainath has put forth. These columns have been the places from where a lot of public debate has been started and fought over the years and I urge The Hindu to keep doings its bit.
Another thought provoking article for the nation, but alas! not for our Government and politicians. The nation wants a reply to this letter from Mr. Prime Minister.
There could not have been a more subtle condemnation of the UPA Government's stand on the Supreme Court's 'order'to distribute the foodgrains to the needy rather than allow it to rot.The question is whether this would open the eyes of the government.
One need not hold a doctorate in Economics to understand what is happening in this country on storage and distribution of food grains. Although Sainath has written several articles on the plight of our farmers this is the first time he has addressed to the Prime Minister, albeit with sarcasm. Even then it may not have any impact because it is always the 'policy' of the government, the Central or a State, not to read or act upon such articles.
Brilliantly written Mr. Sainath! The mood of this article truly resembles to the famous lines 'Has the Government gone mad?', by Bal Gangadhar Tilak. A country which produces a Nobel Laureate Amarty Sen who gives to the world a novel idea like 'Human Development Index' while on the other hand our honorable Prime Minister paradoxically keeps harping on the GDP growth numbers of our economy!!! Where is the 'reform with a Human Face', Mr. Prime Minister?
Brilliant . Hope the PM gets to read this.
Kudos to the brilliantly crafted masterpiece. Thanks for enlightening a common man about the current crisis. I hope the policy makers understand how important to resolve the basic problems than just cheering for the creamy layer economic growth. A thorough analysis of this stature needs to be appreciated and made aware world wide.
Thanks again...
A thought provoking article. Brilliant work Mr Sainath!!!
I am speechless. Polite, Controlled and Hard Hitting letter. Hope Mr. Prime Minister/PMO will respond to this. Recently I read a column by Mr. Shekar Gupta on indianexpress.com, that article and this one by Mr.Sainath shows where we are heading. Mr.Prime Minister should take control of his cabinet and policies before it is too late.
Very moving article. this article shows how much frustrated the reporter is after writing in a normal way the same matter, but nothing changed.
Best is the last line about Food and Agriculture minister "wherever he is!"
Excellent work Mr. Sainath. Especially for bringing to light the past ruling of the SC which the successive governments have 'wisely' chosen to sweep under the carpet.
The simple comment and no further suggestion is that the article asks the common man's questions to our beloved PM.
Hope the article will be read by Dr. Singh.
Mr Sainath writes with a purpose, and with courage. Even more, I admire The Hindu for publishing such merited pieces. In these days when media plays the second fiddle to the powerful, The Hindu is at its rightful job.
I wish the PM replied to this, at the least dream of such a gesture. We have a learned man in the PM, yet it has been mere incompetence delivered under the disguise of humble sincerity. Politics in a democracy is firstly about getting elected. Dr Singh appears to have come through the back door not on merits, yet sounds honest. The middle class has fallen to the career background and silly certifications from London schools that it started admiring unabatedly the very ordinary. From the meekly beginnings behind Mrs Gandhi, he has started unwanted lecturing on policy to the revered institutions. For Mr. Singh the deserving seem to be the rich and the vulgarly consuming opportunist class. The misery of the deprived has never touched the scholar who assumes that market economies provide equal opportunities to all. Sad that after six and half decades of independence Sainaths have to cry for help to failing farmers and sickly poor, over a third of this nation.
Dear Sainath,
Thanks for making my day. What a good read!
A great article indeed and after your series of articles on the food security if the government still sleeps then i dont know what it takes to wake-up and make government take some serios actions on issues so close to very existence of millions of poor in the country.
Wonderful to "READ"...But the problem that exists today is that most cabinet people incharge for incorporating "Policies" wont be able to read this excellent English(for that matter any article)article !!!
Real thought provoking. Hope Dr.Singh reads it this time. I wish the Govt has guts to answer this also.
...the article is no doubt.. good...in depth study and strong criticism has been done....thousands of crore have been spend on CWG...at that time our govt gets money...i dont from where but not at the time to fulfill the basic requirement of infrastructure to store the efforts of our farmers....govt will surely face it in 2013....and what about our so called agriculture minister....he is kind of a view''hum nhi sudhrenge''..like previosly it was sugarcane issue...and instead of tackling the issue at correct time he said to nation dat ''ppl would not die if they wont consume sugar''....i realy appreciate the step by THE HINDU....thats why its best among civil servants in INDIA...
Hats off to you for an excellent article. A fundamental problem with India's governance system is coalition outfits. These can never work because the entire system is based on corruption and criminalisation. Our poor PM could do nothing about rotting grain lest it obstructs the acts of the middlemen of the food and agriculture ministry. Remember the sugar price story? The PM seriously expected the poor people to buy sugar at Rs.50 a kilo because a feeble attempt made by him and his boss to check the rising price drew a stern warning from his concerned coalition partner regarding support to the UPA. The attitude of our netas is, "The people ask for grain? Let them eat parathas!"
Another Masterpiece from the Great Guru of Today’s journalism. More Agricultural credit being distributed in “Farming Heartland of MUMBAI”, this is really a worrisome situation. A Heart-rending account of official apathy.
I don't think I have read anything that has made me feel so optimistic about Indian Journalism and so pessimistic about the state of affairs in this country. Nevertheless, (and as usual) Sainath has killed it.
A really refreshing and thought-provoking read, Mr. Sainath. But, what use is it at the end of it all? You and I and all the others out here know for a fact that such jabs do not even scratch the hide of those that they are meant for.
If the self-proclaimed leaders of this country had any intention to do any good to anyone else other than their own selves or towards the betterment of the common man, such reminders would not have been necessary. When it is obvious that there is no such intention anywhere even in the distant horizon, what use is there in such letters?
I truly wish the fact was otherwise and that your letter gets the attention and acknowledgement that is justifiably due to it and you.
Personally, it is a wonderfully-crafted piece of writing. Kudos to you for the meticulous article. Do keep writing. It really gives food for our thoughts!
A spade, very well called a spade. Sarcasm mixed with caution. Well worded and well portrayed article.
Excellent article Sir. Just when the issue was set aside by the central government, you have reminded them in befitting manner. Kudos!
Very good article, every word of it needs to be read by the powers that be and the self-proclaimed champions of policy.
Does anyone spell out the policy on the aging food grains? They did not come free, the People of Indian Republic paid for them. A sensible trader will sell them for a price to make profit or cut losses. Letting stock rotten year after year or not knowing the inventory position and quality of every stock point can be construed as negligence of duty top down. Do we know if the food grains are really in stock? or the insects and animals a mere accounting excuse?
Sainath : I lay dumbfounded and shattered with the gory detailing of our system, painful and suffocating as it comes so stark and statistically detailed... I realise for the first time that that there is a hope .. If but all the sainath's of india and the inspired many like us would cohesively work upon building a force-de-resistance to any instance of loose governance. I salute u dear and promise u to post this on every single email Id I have in my inbox.
Would love to read more of your writings .... Pls advice on the same. Rgds
Very well written, as always.
PM Singh's comments and justifications are shocking and audacious as pointed out by Sainath. Does this government have a conscious at all? Voted into power on their Aam Admi Agenda they have been presented with oppertunities to make a difference in people's lives.
There shoulde be a remedy to the problems facing the country both chronic and acute in several areas that include Food & Agriculture, Health, Education, Elections,reservations, the Judiciary and so on. For the courts to have a say is a right derived by it from the constitution of the country. This nation cannot waste both material and moral aspects of life rendered very poor under the present set of circumstances. We need an awakening stirred by our collective conscience. We need to redefine our democracy and understand how it should work. We face a crisis of confidence in the political dispensation which has degenerated into a monster of sorts morphed out of recognition as was originally conceived and delivered by our constitution makers. Oh, what a fall !
Fantastic...... Relevant... concise... and True Fact.
This is a brillantly written article and I wish and pray that Dr Singh gets to read it. He has a lot to answer for. Thanks, Sainath. You are doing a great job of ' telling it, as it is'.
Exemplary. Such People should be nominated to Rajya Sabha by the President. It is said that those who criticise you are trying to help you see reason. I hope the Prime Minister hear this.
Excellent. It is a marvellously sharp barb. But then those who matter including the missing Minister of Agriculture are too thick-skinned to even so much as to wince. Sainath, we are grateful to you.
The Hindu should frame a 'large print' copy of this letter in grain salvaged from a rotting lot and hand it over to our economist Prime Minister. Whether the PM treats the letter as a petition from our starving populace or a gift from grateful rats is entirely his policy choice.
Mr. Sainath,
Thanks for the eye opening article, hope many like me read this, please do write such well researched articles during the election time also, but that may lead to hung parliament, nobody will vote as all parties are corrupt. My question is when we are so overly populated and we have many intellectuals in our country why the politicians holding key posts have number of additional posts like in the case of Mr. Sharad Pawar with ICC, BCCI etc, they should hold one post and do justice to that. When the whole country is pondering the issue the Agricultural minister seems less worried and more concerned about cricket only may be !! Jai Hind
Thanks Mr. Sainath you proved pen is always mightier than sword in all respects to the government.
George
Mr.Sainath, you should understand that we have a secular govt. it means that both the centre and state play a critical role. Merely creating a policy will not do anything. Yes, I surely agree with you on most of the points. But merely critising and biting a single man won't do the job nor it's apt in any sense. What Mr. Prime minister said for the SC, was fully apt. From my POV what would really do the job is proper selection of representatives in the assemblies by the common mass like us. and kindly limit your sarcasm in your articles it's as if a teacher is lashing out on small children.
When you are highly qualified only your brain works to its optimum and your heart goes into hybernation. If I am insensitive to other's sufferings what use of the so called education I get from school, colleges etc.? The President of India should be vested with more powers and all the three estates are to be made accountable to the president and the president accountable to the people.
Sir,
Writings like this is your legacy. Hats off!!
Yunus
I hope our PM reads this letter...
One reason why this country is in this mess because the guys(probably like the author of this article) who have good education, good intentions are not coming forward to contest in elections. Another reason is educated people choose to vote based on petty reasons like caste, religion or some petty street issues.
It is no use blaming Dr. Singh, because he can do good only up an extent. If he too quits feeling disgusted about the system, even the 10% good that is happening now, will not happen.
Educated fellows, embrace Loksatta & its agenda. It is the only solution to pull India out of this corruption & utter inefficiency mess.
Great article. Hope it is read by the policy-makers. We must ensure that Ministers do not hold any other offices (Like that of ICC, BCCI, CCI etc.) and more importantly, they have no business hopping from the studios of one news channel to another. If at all they want to talk to the public, why don't they choose the Government's DD channels. At least, it may drive some viewership to it.
The Minister/ Prime Minister's job is a full-time one and they should do it sincerely.
If govt can not build additional public storage space for foodgrains and let the produce go waste then better why not export it to poor nations and earn some foreign money?
Mr sainath i've read your book "why everybody loves a good drought",read articles written by you,watched your address to the parliamentarians in Doordarshan in the programme 'pillars of Democracy' where you so eloquently described the plight of farmers with astounding statistics -i even saw Rahul Gandhi listening to your speech- Well has none of these made a rethink in our State/central Govt's policy for the agrarian crisis? Has the Govt consulted you,have they implemented any of your suggestions?How many of the 150 poorest districts in india has been visited by our PM & Food& Agriculture minister?Jai Kisan!!!-What an irony
Best of Sainath. As usual, more than usual I would say. Supreme Court would be happy at least. Not read such a piece reminding the PM of a country what he needs to do in his own words. PM and his friends continue to say, malnutrition-its shame whether its formal 15th Aug speech or informal meetings with people. Babus keep on chanting, "PM says, its shame, we must tackle it." I have heard all this more than 100 times in past 7 years. Is there any shame left? If they are really ashamed they should rather leave this space and let people come and sort out. Try offering a corporate sector led solution, and you will see all of them jumping with joy.....PPPs....PPPs ..PPPs...let's sing a song. Some one very rightly wrote in TOI few days back, time has come for the HUNGER MARCH , let people walk to the food stores if policies dont get to them. Sainath call at the Orissa Right to food campaign to unlock the godowns seems to be working. Mr Sainath My Hat is Off to you Sir ! Continue this hard hitting fight and people will surely be benefitted by your leadership in this area.
an eye opener!
It is a common mentality at all levels so not surprised that even the PM's office is no different. There is a nice Hindi proverb "jaisa raja vaisa praja". They don't want to do their job and at the same time don't want anybody to raise even a single question against it, and simply escape the responsibility by saying it is not your business. Basically they want to say don't interfere with our poor standards of performance and deliberate negligence.
Excellent article.
Really a well written article, I hope at least a few people who could act against the food storage and securities will read this article.
Sainath, Great article!
Government, Policies framed by the government should be "For the people". It's very very sad that millions of people starve in a country where tonnes of food grains rot. Does the policy state that food can be allowed to rot but not for free distribution?!
Simply hats off....
Brilliant Article. I hope Dr Singh remembers that government is not just by and of the people but also for the people.
Dear Mr.Sainath, let me congratulate you for your courage in order to call a spade as spade. Always you lend your mighty voice to the hapeless victims of our own Govt. machinaries. Their innocence and silence have been abused by the various Govts. past and the present to say the least. I only recall the words of former president K.R.Narayanan: " Beware of the fury of the people".
God bless you. I only trust that sensible and sensitive officials pay heed to some of the pertinent observations you had made to feed the poor and the dying citizens of our free and independent nation.
Simply outstanding, We just hope your words reach,where it really belongs to.
Is the consultancy firm referred to is Mckinsy?
And Mr.Singh still wants more foreign capital. Mr. Sainath, do you have a take on this. I seem to be confused why we need more and more FDI. IS that the only way for India to become developed and grow at 9/10%? Please explain if you can.
In India where we all are brought up with the basic philosophy " do not waste food" it was pathetic to see such wastage!
Excellent points. Hope the PM reads The Hindu.
Just want that Dr.Singh read this article and make some subtle changes in his "policies"
Excellent Article! Hopefully the message also reaches masses through regional papers by printing the article of same essence if not same.
What a article..This article is perfect eye opener for our policy makers...Policies are for people not for the bureaucrats
Telling blow to the government on their worst food and agricultural policies. Mr. Singh may be honest, without corrupt and a great economist but he clearly doesn't see or understand the plight of farmers and the need of urgency to quickly take steps to address the issues. This govt is a total failure on this aspect. May be they are making way for Retail companies to get into agriculture and wipe out all the farmers from our country. Mr.Singh is total disaster in addressing the farmers issue given the fact he is at the helm of the government for such a long time in 2 tenures. Shame on you Mr. Prime Minister....
Mr. Sainath, thanks from my heart for your dedication on this aspect. You are the only one who is writing about these issues and bringing the situation to out attention. Kudos to your work..
No need to congratulate Mr. Sainath. He is best known for his highly analytical essays on similar issues.
It is extrmely disturbing to read that such persons in high office or totally unconcerned with the large number of suicide deaths in the country. Barathi said that if we can not provide food to even a single person, we should demilosh the world. In his land, we are making farmers who provide food for all the population, have to commit suicide due to poverty. And only these politicians are responsible for this state of affairs, due to their greed and avarice.
Dear Sainath
You have provided wonderful analysis of the issue. Would you send this article to the honorable Prime Minister with the request to seek his comments on the points you present in a perspective. I am sure he would set in motion the correctives. Seeking an impact of the opinion is as important as writing. Readers have expressed strong approval of what you wrote. It should not end at the writing and discussion level only.
Well done. Keep up.
Brilliant!
its really touching and bitter reality....
Many people are living under poverty and starving because of pathetic government policies and pathetic politicians who wants to fill their pockets with full of money. So sad that people who think they are highly qualified can't even use their common sense.
Kudos to you Mr. Sainath,
Though the farewell notes of the farmers did not reach our dear prime minister, I hope this message reaches our esteemed leaders.
awesome article...i wish Dr. Singh and his colleagues read this. Thanks Sainath for such a wonderful article.
Mr Sainath, the article is simply superb.
You have clearly pointed out that the country is in such a state that the court has to decide on policy maters. It is very sad that our politicians are too busy. They have time to discuss their salary issues in the parliament and to run IPL matches, but they don't have time to draft a policy on how to distribute the rotting food grains. The PM and the NPA as a whole should really feel ashamed of their laziness. They should be held responsible for all those poor farmers who lost their life because of poverty in Maharashtra, AP and other states. Pathetic to know that the government is ready to sacrifice thousands of crores by caping nuclear liability for US companies but not ready to feed its poor. PM its time to act. God bless India.
Mr. Sainath
thnx for pointing out the misdeeds of the govt..media today (except handful of people) is too busy to look beyond the obvious topics..tht really concerns our lives.......
To the policy makers, their existence, and not of the common man is important. Hence this insensitivity of the administrative ELITE.Thank God, Bapuji is already dead and gone. It may be our fate to die of hunger when the grain gets rotten.
Superb article Mr Sainath! No one listens to our beloved PM and it is more fruitful to target those whose words are "followed". Why should they escape the blame when they hold all the strings of power?
Thanks again for the briliant article/letter.
Articles such as this will give us insight into the issues that needs to be addressed on priority and are neglected by our leaders.
Good Work Sainath!!!
Good article after long long time...
Procurement to pamper farmers and allow food grains to rot because of inefficient storage system, maintain shortage in the market place, keep food inflation high- wonderful economics!!!!
Its a matter of attitude...beginning right from the child to what we are now as a generation....
Actually, this article is the voice of the common Indians. Our PM should not play the role of 'Nero'.
This sorry state of affairs wouldn't have existed in the first place, had all these suicide committing rural electorate not voted for the congress into power. I know it would be too much to expect the Indian voter to vote solely on candidate merit rather than family name or caste or religion (if at all they vote...instead of selling their votes for Rs.500) but even God doesnt help those who are foolish enough not help themselves.
wowwwwwwwwww Mr.Sainath........... ......well vented anger and I have the same on this policy makers...........
If Sainath thinks he can do a better job of governing India than Dr. Manmohan Singh, he should give it a try by contesting in the elections. Talk is cheap. Show us what you can do!
Once again the central government shows enmity to vegetation bounded with our tradition. The modern capitalist scholars of India mutual contact with multi-national I T corporates, also avoid agriculture. But, the developed countries like USA, BRITAIN and JAPAN took very positive notion to agriculture .
Well written article. Our supreme court bats for the wellbeing of the nation. Our PM said that "there will be difficulties in implementing the judgement". The only difficulty from policy stand point I as a layman see is that, if needy human beings are fed with these grains rodents may go hungry.
Very Excellent article. At least now Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his Policy makers introspect on the policy and make initiatives instead of frowing on courts and their jurisdiction.
Thank you very much Sainath for caring for the hungry and helpless people... Your articles comes with the bitterness of truth, which has almost disappeared in the media.
I have suggestion for making this article land on the door step of our learned PM. Why can't this letter be put up on an online petition portal and opened up for signatures. And be sent to PM's office? Any takers?
Excellent article. UPA government is sitting on policies that are detrimental to the public interest. But they chose to stick to NDA policies when they wanted to make the quick bug. Just to remind, Honourable Mr.Raja repeatedly says that the 2G spectrum issue was based on NDA policy. Then what prompted him not to apply the same policy on 3G spectrum. The honesty, integrity and super-knowledge of the Economist PM has seldom helped India to gain anything significantly in the last 6 years.
An excellent and well articulated article. If only the Govt and the BABUS can comprehend even part of it...
Very meaningful letter..I appreciated it..but what is important is to be mobilize people on mass level. The common people at the village level do not bother about what actually going out there at large level. He only thinks of hand to mouth. I hope this letter will surely wake up more number of people and govt. as well for bright future of India.
During the time of independence our leaders promised rivers of milk and honey. 6 decades later we are still struggling to disburse the available food grains in an effective manner. There seems to be a lot of confusion in terms of policy and the current lot of bueraucracy are equally confused. This is because nobody is sure whether policies on health and food security need to be completely under the control of the government. It effectively ties down the hands of some well meaning officials whose intentions may be right but are unable to do anything effective due to tremendous amount of confusion created by the policy makers. The case of food grain storage space is a classic case wherin excessive space was surrendered and now food goes waste due to paucity of space. No one is sure whether the government needs to build new godowns or to lease them. All this not only ends up with a lot of inaction and lives affected but also means a lot of scarcely available resources are being wasted without any tangible result.A similar confusion is now seen in the health sector especially in the states of Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu wherin the government has surrendered it's responsibility by providing insurance cover so that people can get themselves treated at the private hospitals. While this may be well appreciated in the short term, the flip sideis that it will slowly and surely lead to a complete abrogation of its duties in the health sector making the running of government hospitals redundant and unviable. As to what prevents the government from making such huge financial outlays to strengthen the current existing government hospitals is a question which has no takers. As noted in recent reports, this policy merely will present private hospitals to go in for unwanted procedures under questionable circumstances.
What we need are people who are ready to take difficult decisions to first undo the wrong done to us before trying to follow it up with something beneficial. Only then will the dreams of rivers with milk and honey be a reality. But as Mr. P.Sainath pointed it out.. "Is anybody listening ?"
We are a nation of talkers. There is no evident system that really works. Systems are so convoluted it is difficult to make any time bound development. Government management is so shoddy, it is quite possible any government since 1947 can be rated to have worked hardly 10% of their potential (if there was/is any). Unified command and focussed/time bound execution of policy decision should be above the preview of the so called 'democratic system'. All fair and good decisions need not go through the process of hopeless decision making bodies comprising of people of no dynamism or knowledge. Till a system of proper governance is evolved, India will remain a country of glib talkers.
To,
Sainath sir,
It really feels satisfactoy that people like you who so boldly criticise the Govenment for its wrong! I hope the govenment wakes up to this and a moral disaster is pevented. The needy should get its due! Now is the time we need to wake up and show to the government that we are awake and won't be mute to your wrongs!
Sir, we were all expecting a note like this, in response to the PMs outrageous statements. Thank you for putting up this letter which is a fitting reply. In Solidarity.. Asha
A very good article.
I think it should be an eye opener for the PM
Fantastic, I am dumbstruck beyond that !!!!
Dear Sir,
The letter well focuses the real time situation. It should be translated in published in all news papers of India to get wide reading and create public awareness in these issues, so that they can act well during next election. I request The Hindu to take a lead on this issue.
After reading P.Sainath's article on the GO Maharashtra's act no XL (1963) on the abolition of (the term) famine from the state, and his letter to the PM (I hope that gets delivered without mortality)I have become more optimist to challenge the age-old contention about the poor in our country who die chanting: When beggars die there are no comets seen.
So much pessimism. Alas! Reality is pessimistic.
A brilliant article indeed. Subtly sardonic and thought provoking. Its time the government actually did something useful .
Well writter Article..Mr. Sainath...
Great post...touching all the aspects of the issue.With right amount of sarcasm..With perfect end to the letter.
Dear Sainath sir....surely very well articulated.
Brilliant Indeed Sainath. Looking forward for more from you.
Millions of foriegn reserve is for what? thats for those who have all the infrastructure in place. For India its to build the country. This reminds of those money lenders who has millions and lives in a rented hut. huh wake up ministers
Brilliant piece of writing.I really wish this article is read by so called 'policymakers'.It is high time politicians wake up to the rude reality of India.
Simply Superb...great job done!
Everyone is talking only about Manmohan, Government, of course they were negligent in allowing food to rot. But, what about all of us?? we too must share some amount of blame for food crisis, right?
The major problem for food crisis, shortage of food grains is shortage of land, water to grow food crops due to rising population and diverting of farm lands. Lands are being diverted to commercial crops, industries which all of us are encouraging by buying the cash crops at high prices like coffe, tea, tobacco, sugar etc., rather than encouraging food crop growers..
If we can reduce our addiction to such 'not so necessary things' like coffee, tea, gutkha (for which areca is grown), tobacco, alcohol (for which some amount of sugarcane is grown) and even ITC cigarette factories,UB Alcohol factories, Manickchand Gutkha Factories and instead encourage food crops like paddy, wheat, millets to be grown on the same fields, we can definitely reduce the Food crisis and thus we can provide foods to millions of hungry..
Its not just some capitalists to be blamed we need to take the blame ourselves.. because, its we the middle, lower middle class who are buying the goods of capitalists and thus making poor to starve!!
Sainath's letter is sure to stir the conscience of any reader; I hope it stirs the collective conscience of our 'netas', especially that of our PM and Food & Agriculture minister. Are we to only keep reading and writing about how our poor continue to suffer the pangs of hunger? Is there any concrete plan of action that the government has thought of, to deal with this issue at a war footing without citing bureaucratic delays and poor logistics as reasons for not feeding our poor and yet allowing rats to eat our grains?
Sainath's articles are enriched not only by his thorough research, but also by his strong commitment to the cause of the poor and down trodden that comes out so alive in his writing. Kudos to the Hindu for having him as the Editor of Rural Affairs!
A good article and shows the working of the government. Scarcity and rising cost of food articles has brought down successive governments. We can only hope that Dr. Sahib takes prompt action. Otherwise the people have to pay with their lives (which they are already doing).
Every morning when I get my copy of the Hindu, the first thing I do is to look for Sainath's article. What a man you are Sainath, I have never idolized anyone in my life, but now I do. Keep going!
Prime-Minister argues that distribution of free food grains to the poor will distort the equations of market forces.
He hardly interacts with people of this country and when he speaks, he comes up with ideas like this. The country made a wrong choice 2 yrs back, I think too much is expected of him.
It's an eye opening article and surely a wake up call. Mr. Sharad Pawar could well be Minister for Cricket Affairs instead of Minister for agriculture as his focus seems to be more on ICC et al rather than storage of food grains.
Excellent Article Mr. Sainath. I just pray everytime after reading your article that you should be safe !!!
The frustration of Sainath seems to be totally justified with the Government acting dumb on all major issues be it Rotting Grains, Price rise, CWG Corruption, Kashmir violence, Naxal escalations - About the only thing that keeps them in power is the total disarray in the opposition BJP camp.
An article that must have touched every human being who must have attempted to read it....good one Sainath....
Brilliant...Simply Brilliant...Salute to Sainath for coming up with these time and again. Unfortunately, I don't have any hope for this to be addressed but the best responsible journalists like Sainath can do is to write on those without getting disheartened by the lack of action. Hats off once again
Mr Sainath really contributing to our country by addressing such important issue
Wonderful write-up by Sainath. By the way, the person who wrote in the NYT was Kaushik Basu.
Poignant points and an awesome style of writing.
If only we would have some answers to these.
Perhaps by declaring another 'yojana' in the name of (pick your choice):
Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru?
excellent article... now i really bother...are we really independent? Or the power of mis - utilization has just shifted from the Britishers to the Congress folks...
Brilliant piece by Sainath with great humility but striking power. The PM lives in his American shell. The article is a superb literary piece of sarcasm at the PM's much touted, claim to 'inclusive development with humane face!'
In order to maintain the high price for coffee beans, Brazil jettisoned huge quantities of the seeds into the sea ! For what purpose the centre is allowing rice to rot when millions are starving ? There are any number of examples like this. For one, road construction is lagging behind by thousands of kms not because labour, land or materials are not available but because there are no competent managers( read as political will ) to put these resources to good use.
Very well written article. Waiting for such response from the best paper in India. Maybe our govt(Dr Singh) will reply in his doings.
Our country's development lies in Sensex,Nifty indices but not on the number of people lifted from BPL of 1991 census to BPL of 2001 census. We are "becoming richer" indeed
Great Article !!
Can we start rallying around this....
Sainath, you seem to know the subject well... can you write up some ideas of what can be done...
Friends, please forward this article to friends...
Nothing against Dr. Singh, He is of course, a great man, but he is a Keynesian, not a humanitarian!!
As always, P.Sainath makes a strong case. Nation is thankful to few (actually, very few) professional journalists like you. There is no leadership in the government and in the congress party. They don't seem to have willingness to tackle difficult problems. They seem more interested in taking populist stands that will maintain the status quo and keep them secure.
This is something more than what can be meekly described as brilliant or intellectual or scholastic or erudite. This is an open letter to the head of the state--without any reservations for words/vehement emotions; without any formalities or pretensions. Sainath is transmitting the voice of the common man on the streets, fields and factories while the intellectuals are sleeping on their couches in the universities and bureaucratic establishments. He is out in action, as ever; without any confusions or moral dilemma or intellectual justifications for being idle !! Kudos to you Sainath, as always; you are the very few of your kind, left in this world !
Excellent article. Do we really need such a democracy? I'm sorry but I'm losing faith in Indian democracy and constitution.
As always brilliant Mr Sainath. A caution: No amount of words and such letters will deter Dr Manmohan Singh in pursuing such policy which he embraced a decade ago.
This is what our PM needs to read...
Our country mostly depends on agriculture. If our farmers survive, our country will survive. Our politicians concentrate only on earning money. They do not see the problems faced by our poor rural farmers. I know our prime minister is talented person, but apart from this they can't take a fast decision on foodgrain. Sainath sir writes very good article.
Dr. Singh and his colleagues'policy realms are too much constricted to those that reflect immediate concerns of the western hemisphere. So it is natural that nuclear deal takes priority to price rise or poverty alleviation. India would be a highly secured nation of paupers. Thanks Dr. Singh
very thought provoking article.. only hope that the establishment of the UPA govt reads this particularly
Dr Manmohan Singh.. the erudite economist
Mr Rahul Gandhi.. who always is keen on spending time with the tribals..
Ms Sonia Gandhi.. the ever venerated boss of congress who is the architect of the aam aadhmi scheme
and of course Sharad Pawar if he has time to read this
Brilliant letter. suggest everyone take a print-out and post it to the prime minister.
Hats off to Mr Sainath. We need such an honest and brilliant writers like him to wake up the Government from the slumber. If Dr Singh, the so called brilliant economist has any shame left on him should resign forthwith. His economics right from the Narasimha Rao days has only helped the rich and poor middle class is joining our unfortunate poor brethrens for meeting their day to day needs. This Government's policy helps only corrupt and criminal people. One such policy we recently saw was in commuting the death sentence to life term by our President. Long Live Indian Democracy
Here it Goes, BANGING the Central Govt. policies and philosophies.
Very fine and detailed article Mr. Sainath. This is my first reading of your articles; quite effective indeed.
Hope the planning commission and state and central govts. and also the opposition parties read and understand the situation.
hats off to the editor!!!!!!!!!!!!
What a brilliant piece of rhetoric. It is like reading poetry. Congratulations Mr Sainath.
The Indian parliament seems both rich with criminals as well as billionaires, as 300 of its 543 members are billionaires while 180 are millionaires. Further, 150 MPs have criminal charges against them (Tuesday, May 19, 2009; geo world). It is obvious that poor souls like Lonkar Rout et al can't have a ‘level playing field'. The playing fields are CWG and while the fields of rural poor are “bad pitches”.
The food and agriculture minister is too pitched being the president of the ICC and spot fixing scandals are more important and incentivised than feeding 1 billion fieldsmen.
Mr. Prime Minister is a great and an immensely learned man and I have tremendous regard for him, however, when he talks of inclusive growth it includes only the growth of rich getting richer. And who is bothered about the poor.
It is indeed time that we reconsider our policies.
My god. He is great and he is more than a whistle blower.
Great Job Sainath. I hope people make this article popular by sharing this with everyone in any way they can(blogs, facebook etc.), and hope that in some way it reaches Mr. Singh.
As the Court rightly said "waste of even a single food grain is a crime".
This is exactly every Indian would accept but due to party affiliations may not say publicly. But all the 120 crore population of this country know what is happening but helpless. Even our PM too.
His hands are tied ,we are a helpless democracy,as rightly said,a democracy for the Politician. By the Polititian, For the politician and thier children.Only corrupt can survive in this democracy.Kudo's to P.Sainath.
thanks with lots of credits to ur knowledge and wisdome . hope for some of good changes as suggested by you.
I am sure that whenever one reads something like this, there is a lump rolling up and down the gut. Nothing more can be added to such an epistle which says everything in brevity and erudition. Sainath is a combination of fantastic social scientist and a great scribe.
After Swift, there is Sainath! I can feel the anguish through the hard-hitting satire. I can understand the government's policy, after all, it is dictated by pragmatic capitalism and economics. There are too many people around, and it is time they realized that the poor, according to the government, are so much chaff. They cannot expect to be subsidized by the rich. It is their duty to subsidize the rich, who, as we all know, are the only people contributing to the nation's exchequer and development (the excise duty on the matchbox the poor use is too meagre, because they do not light a cooking fire too frequently). Unfortunately for India, we have been lead by people who believe that you can erect a shell of development on a foundation of starvation and deprivation. Children growing up with inadequate brain development due to lack of nutrition are not a cause of concern - the ethos in India has always tended towards an Eloi-Morlock dichotomy - as long as our children are well-fed and educated. God help us when the dispossessed wake up!
I pray our learned Prime Minister Saheb reads this once. Great work Sainath !!
Great article, the PM also mentioned that the way out of poverty is take people out of agriculture, not sure of what we will eat after that maybe computer chips and Nano cars.
Brilliant article Sainath. I loved each and every sentence. As always, you have portrayed the grim reality in our country. I really wish the Prime Minister's office would respond, in some manner or the other. Equally powerful was your speech in Chennai yesterday.
You are simply superb.
Thanks a lot Mr.Sainath for making this issue flame. But I seriously feel that although this master piece has generated tremendous reaction and support, it will have no effect. Mr.Sainath I seriously feel a mass struggle should be organised so that the government feels the pinch and respond quickly. This article has enlightened only The Hindu readers(mostly who have better means of living)and not actually the people who are grieved. Proletariat is with you Mr.Sainath.
Kudos to the writer.
Mr. PM,
This article reflects the true picture of the Starving India, which wants some share of your Priorities/policies/Time.
The difference between Mr. Sainath & the Prime Minister is that Mr. Sainath is an ordinary man & his heart bleeds for the poor...but PMs will remain as PMs. Keep on doing the good work Mr.Sainath...we are applauding, silently...it is people like you who give us hope to live for others...
ANNAM PARABRAHMASWAROOPAM," says our Indian philosophy. This means that food is equal to God as told by our great ancient sayers. But we, their descendents, are we giving the same amount of respect to this age-old God? Frankly, most of us do not. Result: Millions of our fellowbeings are dying in hunger when millions of tons of food is being thrown away, wasted, discarded, whatever; for no good reason most of the times. "Don't waste food; Give it to others."
Are we heading for the next French reveloution
Thanks a lot for the article. A real eye-opener.
Even as the media is crying hoarse about the rotting food grains, I find Mr Pawar remarkably silent. Cricket taking all his time and attention?
As always a brilliant article from P.Sainath who at the moment seems to be acting as real voice of the poor and the farmers, apart from taking on his own business (media) once in a while for amazing practices like paid news. We are indeed lucky to have him remind us the real pain and suffering and make us think at least for few minutes before we move on watching our portfolios or IPL scores.
It is somewhat disappointing to see that a very few comments tried to look at the underlying root cause for 'bad governance' 'corruption'. I firmly believe that the root cause is lack of leadership, specifically in political space. The best and brightest of this country do not go anywhere near politics, and we continue to elect (those of us that actually vote) scoundrels and self centered business interests as our Ministers and MPs; just how do we expect policy to be implemented by these folks in the right spirit?
The need of the hour is for the best and brightest to get into active politics, influence elections, force parties to put up candidates that actually care about public service, encourage new generation parties such as LOKSATTA (disclaimer: I'm a member).
We had an amazing galaxy of great leaders that no other country in the world is blessed with during Independence struggle. Let us now again encourage and support a new generation of self-less leaders, committed to India, committed to getting the millions out of poverty.
Talk is Cheap, Show me Action!
Sir, you are doing great job that nation need because of your effort suicidal belt came into limelight.PM and Maharastra's CM had to announce packages for 6 district of vidarbha but as I am belong to same district i know original situation that packages have done nothing. It become another ground for corruption and farmer suicide has not stopped.
What I feel that Mr. P Sainath has tried with his articulative and soft skill to inform where Dr.Singh has committed the fault.
As an individual and Indian, my opinion is that approach of the Supreme Court is right. In fact, it is the government which must accpet its failure. Inactivity of the government cannot be seen by anyone as a silent spectator. Here it is the Supreme Court- the watchdog of people's right and constitutional rule.
So the government should realize its reponsibility and it must self introspect before it teaches the Supreme Court regarding its duty and restraint.
Very thought provoking article .hope that the policy making politicians get to read this...
Congrulations to the author and the publisher-Mr.P.Sainath and The Hindu.The article carries enormous energy to force even a dormant mind.
Speak well of good governance,nothing and if supreme court too is barred from reminding the Government about its own policy, then who else? Sainath is not a one man democracy but the voice of one billion-starving not only for food but an active Government too.
A brilliant article again.
I would like to request 'The Hindu' to start a national news channel (in English and Hindi) which can call a spade a spade unlike the current national media channels. I believe you have the right people to do it.
We as a nation would want the media to highlight the policy successes/failures of the govt. regarding the poor and down trodden, the international affairs, the Indian economy etc . Current national news channels are not serving that purpose.
This is awesome! But Govt will not listen. Because if Govt looks after the rural, the poor, the agriculture side of our country, the money making machines will be out of business.
And thank god he did not get started on our current agriculture minister. This would have been a 10000 words letter then !
A fantastic choice of words, though, its for sure to fall in deaf (y)ears!! Commendable skills Mr.Sainath.
Some talked of 2013 not so beyond. Yet wonder if there would be a day, when we get a choice to select and elect between a 'good clean party' committed to INDIA, THE GREAT NATION(not an individual, as it has been proven useless to have a leader clean without any teeth of conviction to indict followers) and 'corrupt party'(with due respects, all of them existing today across this Great Soil, have oversubscribed to the eligibiliy criteria). Unfortunately, a very limited choice is destined to us (at the moment) and ironically its between thieves who swindle, loot 90% to as 'good' as 50% of government wealth( play politics and fooling hapless people ranging from Kashmir to Kanyakumari). Unfortunate that we have come to the stage of accepting those who swindle 50% as very good and better. I think all the previous Chief Election Commissioners must be made first answerabl and accountable for this hapless state of affairs. Nominees for Presidentship and CEC shoud have no party bearing and must again be chosen independently. Barring 1 gentlemen, I am sure none of us can remember of any noteworthy contribution by any CEC's till date.Even that gentlemen could not do beyond as again, its going to be a clean sweek for all corrupt guys and hence they would not let things happen the way intended by the gentlement.
Well, its not the politicians alone, but every single person must realise their basic duty to the Nation. The sad truth -at every opporunity, most of us, loot public wealth for private gains, misusing even the most limited amount of power we hold in our respective arena, thereby, blatantly voilating Law (whether pronounced or atleast 'our own Conscience/Dharma/righeousness') Little right do we have to talk of politicians who hold substantial power then. Its an utter systemic failure , responsibility for which should be shouldered by persons, right from Judiciary to Policy makers to executors and most importantly, last but not the least, every Citizen of this GREAT NATION. True Freedom fighters and greats like MS Swaminathan who have been the torch bearers in the subject of relevance, have been gifted by our Policy makers, politicians through the state of affairs to spend their remainling yearsin this destined world 'lamenting'. Alas!
The issues raised by Mr Sainath should prick the conscience of any right thinking 'policy' functionary. The issues raised on farmers' distress and problems of agriculture credit, especially in Maharashtra are apt.
His reference to Pallavi Chavan's article in The Hindu of 13 th August 2010 is also relevant.
Excellent Article. Govt should treat this as voice of the people of India. Wasting Food grains in any form is totally unacceptable. Those who are responsible for this heavy wastage should not be spared. This not only creates an embracing situation for the Govt but also creates a bad impression on the rulers among the people. Atleast from now on, a futuristic approach needs to be taken AND STRICTLY FOLLOWED on such sensitive matters.
How can we expect wonders when the system is aligned for profit and returns? Developed nations advocate for market economy in third world because they see profit here. Why we allow these types of educated puppets to rule us? Is it because as a nation we do not know what our priorities are? From where we need to change?
I agree with each and every point made in this article. Everything written in this article is a fact and its high time government takes an action now. this article is an eye opener for each one reading this. This in-depth article is a must read for all the citizens of the country.
Policy making is the utmost responsibility of the government. Government must also ensure that policy is implemented efficiently and benefit reaches the intended beneficiary. If growth is inclusive, then only a state can be called a 'Welfare State'. But in India, the real beneficiary very seldom gets the entitlement and that to mere subsistence levels.
The SC ruling on food grains rotting in godowns exposes inadequate policy implementation in terms of food grain storage. On one hand, farmers are increasingly committing suicide for not adequate returns on their produce and on the other hand, grains are left to rot. It is the responsibility of the government to ensure proper storage, transportation and distribution of grains. The BPL families, who are the intended beneficiaries of PDS and other government flagship programmes, are the biggest sufferers in this scenario. Rotting of grains increases the price of food grains making the life of the majority difficult.
The ruling provides excellent opportunity to the government to make adequate arrangements for food grain storage. The government should not consult private companies, either in seeking advice on enhancing storage facilities or in creation of infrastructure for the same, as it will increase the cost which has to be borne either by the government or the consumer. It should itself raise infrastructure and implement scientific methods for storage and maintaining nutrition level of food grains.
For tackling farmer suicide, it should promote growing of those crops other than wheat and paddy, which bring good returns. Growing of pulses, millets, jute etc will not only prosper farmers but also bring the prices of these down, benefitting the entire lot.
Can't we, the people, do anything apart from sharing our views? Can we do something to make our opinion count?
The Prime Minister's statement that the Supreme Court should not interfere in the rotting food grains issue is insensitive and irresponsible. His reputation for integrity would take a beating with such views. After all, integrity includes the need to keep the Nation's interests above one's economic and political philosophies.
Dear Sainath, it consoles us that there are still people like you who talk reason..and stands for our poor folks..
Dear P Sainath
Congrats for Courage in Journalism.
Your article is MIRROR OF TRUTH which never lies.
POLITICIANS (RULING OR OPPOSITION OR INDEPENDENTS )
THEIR HEART BEATS FOR GRAB WEALTH BEFORE NEXT ELECTIONS THROUGH POLICIES/DECISIONS AGAINST INTEREST OF AAM AADMI
It is right time for people of Independent/Republic India of over six decades to realize Administrative/Political/Judicial TERRORISM&CORRUPTION.
I am sure MEDIA ( PRINT / TV ) can play a vital role.
Citizen Journalism/Reporter in MEDIA may help.
What about Idea of PERFORMANCE REPORT CARD of elected representatives MPs/MLAs/Nagar Sevaks through Media ???
You have excellently presented it in a very touching fashion. I hope your voice will be heard and the concerned authorities will take necessary actions to help the poor and needy Indian citizens. Hats off to you Sainath for your wonderful article.
Talk about priorities! Tens of thousands of crores (in corrupt contracts) for the CWG and so much noise about the "national shame" caused by pathetic infrastructure, etc. I suppose millions of tonnes of wheat rotting is a "national pride" too?
Words fail to express the anguish of the swelling populations of the disinherited, the oppressed, the victims of the economic policies of our famous economist-Prime Minister. No, no, I have no hope that he will ever listen to such conscience-rousing criticism as that of Sainath's. It will have no more effect on our plocy makers than flogging the dead horse, given the track record of this Prime Minister who is selling the country to the multinationals and asserts without the slightest pang of conscience that all other factors, such as, environment, ecology, will not stand in the way of "Development."
I wonder whether the British Raj, in their 150 years of colonial rule, ever did such monstrous injustice to our people as our own native Netas have been doing for the last 60 years--tearing counrty apart and plunging the millions into abject poverty, misery and helplessness !
Brilliant piece !
but was this pitiless poking required..." to your Food and Agriculture Minister if you remember who he is and where he is. "
Touching article. But we all need to understand that slowly and steadily we have made this country incorrigible. We need to think and work what practically needs to be done. May be drastic changes are needed in the state wise system we have, divisions based on all sorts of things and craving for money beyond what generations need. Government has to take the lead and Citizens have to support in all honesty and contribute practically. Otherwise we appreciate such articles and continue doing what we do the next day. If we really care, we need to bring in a positive revolution with concrete steps. For example we have the 5 year plans. Each year can be dedicated to a particular problem and all out efforts should be made across the nook and corner of the country to improve that area, be it Food, clean water, electricity, sanitation, health facilities. where one year is not sufficient it could be extended to another year. This does not mean development in that area would be stopped thereafter. But the whole of the attention and effort would have created some inroads into a problem area to be attacked further in the future. This would also create a great awareness and pave the way for all people to contribute meaningfully. One more required thing to achieve this would be shut down all states and make India one across geographical boundaries and language boundaries.
Sainath..You are doing an excellent job of speaking up !( Which many of us are not doing)
All Politicians are equally bad but on this specific issue Dr Manmohan, Sonia and Rahul Ghandhi ( Future PM!!!) hats off to make us all a proud Indian.. Keep up the Good work and let us bring Olympics to India!
Whenever any issue,economic or political, is raised, it is customary for us to contrast and connect the issue with aam admi aka farmers' plight. There are words,words, and the issue turns polemical with eluding solutions,and emotional outbursts. Our Constitution has vested the citizen with "rights" and the over-burdened Courts, with enforcement of these rights,sometimes stray into domains of Legislature/Executive. And this is one such case.
Will there be more careful policy formulations to reach the citizen?
The middle-class may be anasthetized into believing that the issue has been brought into the notice of the Media. And that a solution is possible. I hope not.
I might sound very pessimistic, but this letter of P Sainath will get the same treatment from government as those of the suicide notes (though some were legalized!) addressed to our leaders. It can get very high rating on "shame implication index". But such kind of indices are no more taken seriously. Only people who are sensitive enough to experience the feeling of shame and consider accountability seriously can be impacted by such letters. Though I am somewhat inclined to believe that Mr. Singh is sensitive enough, he is heading and is part of the system that is very very insensitive and this is why I feel that it will be very difficult for Mr. Singh to take these letters seriously. He is just a single mortal being. He can't change the system and make it sensitive overnight single-handedly or by using his both hands either! He has my sympathies, irrespective of whether he could feel them or not... like in the case of the suicide notes addressed to him, irrespective of whether he could feel them or not.
An excellent piece from P Sainath. Trust it will wake up the conscience of the Government and specifically the Prime Minister who is bent on harping the old theme," Industrialization will solve all problems"!
I will not be surprised, if one of these days,Mr.Sainath is arrested as a matter of 'POLICY".
Excellent presentation and I am speechless. Read as many number of times as possible. Wish everyone knows about the article.
Masterpiece of sarcasm Mr.Sainath..the true face of Maharashtra revealed..kindly opine UPA d same way about kashmir issue..
we have spent millions for CWG facilities. What ridiculous thoughts prevent them from investing on food-grains storage space? Once we had imported all these grains; that could be repeated again if rulers could not read the writings on the wall.
Hats off to Mr Sainath. Where the prices of Tomato cannot be stabilised how can any one expect bigger issues to be tackled .Any how we should be happy that Mr Obama regularly applauds how great Mr Singh is.
What a great article Mr. Sainath .To be honest,I wish if you could read it in front of our Parliament,including cabinet, PM and UPA Chairperson.
Dear Sainath
One point you could have added was how the Agriculture Ministry which is headed by a person who along with his family owns shares worth 0.5% in India's biggest IMFL manufacturer has made it legal now to Brew Alcohol from "2nd Grade" grains. Now that these grains have "Rotted" they can be safely given to the Liquor manufacturer to make Alcohol. Its only Incidental that this King of good times had invested in a big way into brewerys which can convert "2nd Grade" grains to Booze.
SO WHAT IF THEY CANNOT HAVE A SQUARE MEAL LET THEM DRINK THEMSELVES SILLY
How right you are, Mr. Singh, what a thought-provoking article with sarcasm all along from P. Sainath. Regrettably, we have only one Sainath to talk about Indian Rural Life. I sincerely wish, if the deaf and dump Indian decision makers somehow read this article. It should be a wake-up call for the government and policy makers. Our prime minister has already proved how unpopular his policies in issues like Nuclear Liabilities Bill 2010, Decontrol Petrol Prices etc. He was totally ineffective towards the murky, filthy, and fully corrupt CWG organizers.
Hi Mr. Sainath, Thank you for your article. Become PA to PM and do the constructive things by ordinances not the laws or supreme court. We are in Canada, but feel bad when we hear about India's bad news...
Kudos to Mr. Sainath. But how can one forget Rs.75000 + Crores the great Economist P.M did for Farmers, which invariably made the policy to ensure it ultimately land on whose lap? If at all any thing left out to feel & prove to, at least now to the people of India, Dr. Singh must come with an White paper giving list and address of those who got benefited by this mega waiver in public domain, handover to Supreme Court for verification and facilitate so called useless 'Common Man" give the next election verdict. If he is or his so called socialist party (secular) leaders , "family", are prepared to use the trump card again which they use very conveniently often to gain to make "Policies" , then with same senses they must come out in open instead all the time shifting the focus to Opposition or in a least way pull down the Main Center Pillar of Governance (Supreme Court... el at all the "Common Man"?).
Brilliant article... Hats Off to you!!!!
On one hand, criticised the government's food policies and on the other hand, its a food for thought article to common man.
Dear Mr. Sainath,
Congratulations and grateful to Mr. Sainath for his excellent letter and the Hindu who published it boldly. Through this letter, you have done an excellent service on behalf of the majority. What next? I feel that the HINDU must develop an online forum of concerned citizens for good governance and then this letter converted as an online petition (in English, Hindi, and Tamil, if possible) to the Prime Minister for signature by all concerned citizens--as many as possible--may be a million signature to begin with. That is the only way way we the citizens can make our voice heard by the government. Is it doable? Can the Hindu take a lead to develop this online "Forum for Concerned Citizens for Good Governance"?
An eyeopening article, Thanks to Mr.Sainath, I am unable to understand Mr.Manmohansingh these days, He had made some statements which is completely insensitive to the common man's problems, One is this issue, he made an statement rotting of millions of food grains is an policy issue of the Govt not for Supreme court, on the other day he had made an another statement that even though protecting the environment is important the development of Industries is more important that. Both these statements have far reaching consequences. I think we are moving away more from inclusive growth, the growth that all these peoples speaks only about exclusive growth. It's highly hard to digest that the nation which cannot give free food to its people is spending 70,000 crores of rupees in CWG, now the reports are appearing that to get the CWG, India had paid the bribe, This is highly regrettable, according to Mr.Manmohansingh this is is an policy decision. All these things make me sad, and I hope that will be the same for the rest of the people also. Thanks to Mr.Sainath for his well structured article.
Hi Sainath, I haven't read your books or watched your programs in doordarshan. This is the first time i read your articles. I believe we need to have a strong state governments to implement the policies enacted by the central government. Merely creating policies is not enough. The state governments across india have to be stronger and have visionary leaders. Central government is just a policy creator and facilitator for the state government to implement the policies. Judiciary is a independent body which can give their opinions when it comes to the government policies.
Dinesh
Sainath garu,
Nailed it again! The more I read your articles the more humble I become. As Sachin Tendulkar is for Cricket-P Sainath is for Journalism.
It is surprising why even our well educated and highly intellectual leaders do not understand the basic needs of us humans- FOOD SHELTER and CLOTHING. Provide these basics then see wonders. I wonder why our honorable prime minister threatened to resign for the passage of nuclear bill cannot do the same for helping the poor?
superb writing, well founded claims. now is there any way we can get the PM to actually read it?
I am amazed even a person like Mr Sainath, would prefer to score some cheap bownie points rather than sugesting a alternative, a workable alternative as to how to manage the existing stock so that they do not rot and are distributed to the needy. The stock that rots is the bottom most sack. Now how do we manage this? Bringing MNC and others will not put food in the plates of poor. But if someone can bring a solution, as to how to manage the stock, so that the oldest stock can be retrieved, the nation will benefit. I personaly expect Mr. Sainath to do better; like he said in his book, everyone loves a good drought. He is loving this one.
I heartily congraglate Mr. P. Sainath Sir for his intensive research and letter to the Prime Minister.
But one thing I request him to keep in mind. When our nations Home Minstry refused to pay off the expenses for our Former President Scientist Mr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam for his overseas travel, will this government and minsters (including PM) consider the appeal made by you?
If considered I will be very happy and whole heartered believe that INDIA will surely develop.
I'M NOT DISCOURAGING GENTLEMEN BUT IT IS A FACT. WE ALL ARE WAITING PATIENTLY FOR A GOLDEN ERA.
KRSNA only knows when that day is going to come.
RADHE KRSNA
Sir, as always with ur articles which stir the conscience n puts administration to action esp the honest part of it.
If u please, then consider revising the 3rd from last and the last paragraphs (yours = your government's policies; if u remember who/whr he is)
It is a fine piece of satire, and as all other well-written satyres, it has a very positive message. Will our rulers ever bother it or even read it? How many crores our government spends on common wealth games? And it does not have money to distribute foodgrains to the poor farmers and people below poverty line. If the people commit suicide, that is not a matter of concern for the government; because the goverment is much more interested in its policies. It is unpardonable offence if the Supreme Court orders that poor should get grains which the government has stored for the rats.
Its really a nice article and shows up the "real" issues of the society.It would have been even better if there was few good suggestions to our PM rather than pointing the lack of good policies
Respected Sir,
Liked this piece a lot
Regards,
Please come up with a lot more
Hard hitting in its own way.
Just hope it manages to find the spot.
Need CEO like Nandan N (UID) to effectively handle FCI , to avoid food wastage in food straved country.
Policy issues like the ones hinted at by Dr. Manmohan are actually a pointer as to how our very own policy makers show their helpless at making the policies work which are the very product of their own monstrous greedy and highly diplomatic minds.. Its a shame that the ones making the policies blame the policies for their own incapacities to make the otherwise "claimed to be" meticulously crafted policies. Its like "policies of the makers, for the makers and by the maker" Thanks to the Responsive Judges and the Vigilant Journalists like Mr. Sainath that the "policy matters" are brought to the fore.
Dear Sirs,
I am a retired-in October 1994- general Manager of the Hindustan Photo Films Ooty;my son, Dwarakanath, had done BE in Agriculture from the Agri University; some time in 1992, we presented an article to the Hindu as well as Indian Industries management association, Delhi on preservation of agricultural commodities; the wastages running into lakhs of crores of rupees; for reasons unknown to me,at that time,nobody cared to take to this seriously or publish our paper;
even now, while Mother Earth is giving us good grains, vegetables and fruits, they are uncared for,allowed to rot and then distributed as ration commodities at nominal price, only to help politicians to stay in power!
Will you be able to connect me to any big shot or consortium, to take up this and some other topics, which are good to and needed by the nation?
Whoever said people are not interested in develpment journalism. With journalists like Sainath a true sense of awareness towards the 'real' issues will surely be created.The volume of response that this article has drawm is evidence for this.
Do any of our politicians ever read these content, are they educated and net sawvy, are we not wasting our bandwidth and expressing ourselves and consoling ourselves that by writing these comments we are better.
Mr.Sainath's articles brings tears to my eyes. It is because of the way he highlights the problems. This article is no exception