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GK IRMA 2009

AGRICULTURE AND FOOD MANAGEMENT IN INDIA

The performance of the agricultural sectorinfluences the growth of the Indian economy.Agriculture (including allied activities)accounted for 17.8 per cent of the GrossDomestic Product (GDP-at constant prices) in2007-08, as compared to 21.7 per cent in2003-04.

Notwithstanding the fact that the share of thissector in GDP has been declining over theyears, its role remains critical as it accounts

for about 52 per cent of the employment inthe country. Apart from being the provider offood and fodder, its importance also stemsfrom the raw materials that it provides toindustry. The prosperity of the rural economyis also closely linked to agriculture and alliedactivities. The rural sector (includingagriculture) is being increasingly seen as apotential source of domestic demand; arecognition, that is shaping the marketing

strategies of entrepreneurs wishing to widenthe demand for goods and services.

In terms of composition, out of the totalshare of 17.8 per cent in GDP in 2007-08for the agriculture and allied activitiessector, agriculture alone accounted for16.3 per cent of GDP, followed by fishingat 0.8 per cent and forestry and loggingat 0.7 per cent of GDP.

Area, Production and YieldGrowth in the production of agricultural cropsdepends on acreage and yield. Limitations inthe expansion of agricultural land suggestthat increase in gross cropped area can comefrom multiple cropping. In view of this, themain source of long-term output growth isimprovement in yield.

Compound growth rates of index of areaunder rice showed a negative growth of (-)

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0.1 per cent per annum during 2001-08,compared to the 1990s. Area under ricecultivation has remained more or lessstagnant in the recent years while growth inyield has shown an increase.

Area under wheat, that was around 25 millionhectares in 2002-03, increased to 26.4 millionhectares in 2005-06 and further to 28 millionhectares in 2007-08. The coverage underirrigation has been about 87 to 89 per cent ofarea for wheat. The compound growth ratesof indices of area, production and yield ofwheat during 1991-2000 and 2001-08 show aperceptible decline.

Cotton occupies an important place amongthe cash crops in India. Cotton is grown innine major States namely, Punjab, Haryana,North Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra,Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Karnatakaand Tamil Nadu. Area under cotton increasedfrom 7.60 million hectares in 2003-04 to 9.43million hectares in 2007-08. The yield ofcotton went up from 307 kgs per hectare in

2003-04 to 466 kgs per hectare in 2007-08.The compound growth in index of yield hasshown an increase from (-) 0.4 per centduring the 1990s to 15.8 per cent during2001-08. However, the growth in index ofarea moderated, but remained positive. Thecombined effect on index of production wasan increase in growth from 2.3 per centduring the 1990s to 17.5 per cent during2001-08.

During 2008-09 the area sown at all-Indialevel under kharif was 2.3 per cent less thanthe area sown in 2007-08 of 1,039.23 lakhhectares. As on March 27, 2009, area sownunder all rabi crops taken together has beenreported to be higher at 638.33 lakh hectares,as compared to 619.68 lakh hectares in thecorresponding period of 2007-08.

Agricultural InputsImprovement in yield, which is a key to long-

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term growth, depends on a host of factorsthat include technology, use of quality seeds,fertilizers and pesticides and micro-nutrients,and, not the least, irrigation. Each of theseplays a role in determining the yield level andin turn the augmentation in the level ofproduction.

The first decisive step that a farmer takesrelates to sowing. The availability of qualityseeds (among other factors) makes a criticaldifference to output growth. In India, morethan four-fifths of the farmers rely on farm-saved seeds, leading to a low seedreplacement rate.

The Indian Seed Programme includes theparticipation of Central and Stategovernments, the Indian Council ofAgricultural Research (ICAR), Stateagricultural universities and the cooperativesand private players. There are 15 State seedcorporations besides two national levelcorporations, viz. the National SeedsCorporation and the State Farms Corporation

of India. Indian seeds programme recognizesthree kinds of seed generation, viz. breeder,foundation and certified seeds. Production ofbreeder and foundation seeds during 2008-09is anticipated at 1.00 lakh quintals and 9.69lakh quintals, respectively, and thedistribution of certified/quality seeds at about190.0 lakh quintals.

The Ministry of Agriculture is implementing a

Central sector scheme, Development andStrengthening of Infrastructure Facilities forProduction and Distribution of Quality Seeds,on all-India basis since 2005-06. The schemeis aimed at making available quality seeds ofvarious crops to the farmers at affordableprice, and in time, so as to enhance seedreplacement rate, boost seed production inprivate sector and help the public sector seedcompanies to contribute in enhancing seed

production.

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A major thrust under the scheme is onimproving quality of farm-saved seedsthrough Seed Village Programme,underwhich more than 25,000 seed villages havebeen organized during 2008-09 across thecountry. Certified/quality seed production hasincreased from 194.31 lakh quintals during200607 to 250.35 lakh quintals during 2008-09.

The seed component of the Prime MinistersRelief Package for distressed farmers isbeing implemented in 31 suicide-affecteddistricts in four States of Maharashtra, AndhraPradesh, Karnataka and Kerala. Under the

scheme, certified seeds are supplied at 50 percent of the seed cost to the farmers in suchaffected districts. During the year 2008-09,an amount of Rs. 445.81 crore was releasedunder the PMs Relief Package.

The Protection of Plant Varieties andFarmers Rights (PPV&FR) Authority wasestablished in November 2005. The Authorityhas the mandate to implement provisions of

the PPV&FR Act, 2001. Fourteen crops,namely, rice, bread wheat, maize, sorghum,pearl millet, chickpea, pigeon pea, greengram, black gram, lentil, field pea, kidneybean, cotton and jute were notified for thepurpose of registration under the Act. TheAuthority has plans to extend its coverage toforestry, aromatic agriculture and foodmanagement and medicinal plants.

In response to the changes that have takenplace in the seed sector, the existing SeedsAct, 1966 is proposed to be replaced by asuitable legislation to, inter alia, (i) create afacilitative climate for growth of the seedindustry so as to enhance seed replacementrates, boost the export of seeds andencourage import of useful germplasm, createa conducive atmosphere for application offrontier sciences in varietal development and

for enhanced investment in related R&D.

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IrrigationThe government of India has taken upirrigation potential creation through publicfunding and assisting farmers to createpotential on their own farms. Substantialirrigation potential has been created throughmajor and medium irrigation schemes. Thetotal irrigation potential in the countryhas increased from 81.1 million hectaresin 1991-92 to 102.08 million hectares upto the end of the Tenth Five Year Plan(2006-07). Of the total potential created,however, only 87.2 million hectares is actuallyutilized. The Working Group on WaterResources for the Eleventh Five Year Plan

(2007-12) has proposed creation of irrigationpotential of 16 million hectares (9 millionhectares from MMI sector and 7 millionhectares from MI sector) during the EleventhFive Year Plan period.

The Central government has also initiated theAccelerated Irrigation BenefitProgramme (AIBP) from 1996-97 forextending assistance for the completion of

irrigation schemes remaining incomplete.Under the programme the project approvedby the Planning Commission are eligible forassistance. In 2008-09, Rs. 2,791 crore wasreleased to AIBP for major and mediumirrigation schemes up to December 2008.

FertilizersChemical fertilizers have played a significantrole in the development of the agricultural

sector. The per hectare consumption offertilizers in nutrient terms stood at 117.07 kgin 2007-08. However, recent trends inagricultural productivity show a decline inmarginal productivity of soil in relation to theapplication of fertilizers and in some caseshas also become negative. Some of theevident factors contributing to the decline inmarginal productivity are: skewed NPKapplication ratio in the country, comparatively

higher application of straight fertilizers likeurea, DAP and MOP as against the complex

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fertilizers (NPKs) which are considered to beergonomically better and more balancedfertilizer products. Lack of application ofproper nutrients based on soil analysis hasalso contributed to slowdown in growth ofproductivity.

The domestic production of urea in theyear 2008-09 was 199.22 lakh tonnes, ascompared to 187.27 lakh tonnes in 2002-03,whereas that of DAP declined in 2008-09 to29.33 lakh tonnes, after reaching a peak of52.36 lakh tonnes in 2002-03, mainlybecause of shift from DAP production tocomplex fertilizer production.

Availability of raw material/intermediates hasalso been a major bottleneck towardsincrease in production. There is no domesticproduction of MOP and its requirement is metfully by import.

The government has taken various policyinitiatives for the fertilizer sector. These coverpricing policy for indigenous urea, new

investments in urea sector, nutrient-basedpricing, production and availability of fortifiedand coated fertilizers, uniform freight subsidyon all fertilizers under the fertilizer subsidyregime, concession scheme for decontrolledphosphatic and potassic fertilizers, inclusionof Mono Ammonium Phosphate (MAP), TriSuper Phosphate (TSP) and AmmoniumSulphate (AS) in the concession scheme,revised scheme for concession for Single

Super Phosphate (SSP) based on inputs costand a uniform all-India maximum retail priceof Rs. 3,400 per tonne for SSP, policy forconversion of FO/LSHS urea units to naturalgas.

National Food Security MissionThe National Food Security Mission(NFSM) is being implemented in 312identified districts of 17 States of the

country. The NFSM-Rice is beingimplemented in 136 districts of 14 States i.e.

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Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh,Gujarat, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala,Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Orissa, TamilNadu, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal. Theinterventions covered under NFSM-Riceinclude demonstrations on improvedpractices; system of rice intensification;promotion of hybrid rice-production anddistribution; distribution of HYV seeds; seedmini-kits; micro-nutrients; liming;conoweeders; zero till seed drills; multi-cropplanters; seed drills; rotavators, diesel pumpsets, power weeders, knap sack sprayers;plant protection chemicals and bio-pesticides;farmers field schools; local initiatives; award

for best performing districts; mass mediacampaign; international exposures fortechnical knowledge enrichment and projectmanagement team. NFSM-Wheat is beingimplemented in 141 districts of 9 StateBihar, Gujarat, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh,Maharashtra, Punjab, Rajasthan, UttarPradesh and West Bengal.

The Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana

Under the Scheme of RKVY, the followingindicative broad activities have been identifiedfor focused attentionIntegrated Developmentof Food Crops, including coarse cereals, minormillets and pulses; agriculture mechanization;soil health and productivity; development ofrain-fed farming systems; integrated pestmanagement; market infrastructure;horticulture; animal husbandry, dairying andfisheries; Concept to completion projects that

have definite timelines; support to institutionsthat promote agriculture and horticulture,etc.; organic and bio-fertilizers; andinnovative schemes. During 2007-08, anoutlay of Rs. 1,500 crore was approved ofwhich an amount of Rs. 1,246.89 crore,including Rs. 48 crore at Rs. 10 lakh perdistrict for preparation of District AgriculturePlan (DAP), was released to the States. Forthe year 2008-09, an outlay of Rs. 2,891.70

crore has been provided at revised estimate(RE) stage and an amount of Rs. 2,886.80

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crore has been released to the eligible Statesas on March 31, 2009.

Information AvailabilityTimely availability of reliable information onagricultural output is of great significance forplanning and policy making. The existingsystem of agricultural statistics, in spite ofestablished procedures and wide coverage,has inherent limitations in the matter ofproviding an objective assessment of crops atthe pre-harvesting stages, with the desiredspatial details which are essential to identifyproblem areas and the nature of requiredinterventions in terms of spatial, temporal

and qualitative inferences. Capabilities of theexisting system of crop forecasts and cropestimation can be enhanced with theintroduction of technological advancementsand the adoption of emerging methodologies.In turn, an efficient and sound informationmechanism can assist considerably in themanagement of concerns in areas such asfood security, price stability, internationaltrade, etc. Remote Sensing (RS),

Information and CommunicationTechnology (ICT) and GeographicInformation System (GIS) can be usedtowards this end. Schemes/projects likeForecasting Agricultural Output usingSpace, Agro-meteorology and Land-basedObservations (FASAL) and Extended RangeForecasting System (ERFS) have beeninitiated to establish a more scientific andreliable basis for forecasting.

In 1987, the Department of Agriculture andCooperation (DAC) sponsored a project calledCrop Acreage and Production Estimates(CAPE)with the objective of developingmethodologies using the RS techniques forcrop area and production forecasting. Theproject was implemented through the SpaceApplications Centre (SAC), Ahmedabad andprovided a platform for development and

standardization of basic procedures, modelsand software packages for crop area and

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production forecasting, using remote sensingand weather data. The concept of FASALseeks to strengthen the current capabilities ofearly and in-season crop estimationcapabilities from econometric and weather-based techniques with remote sensingapplications.

Keeping in view the expertise needed, someof the functions under the scheme have beenoutsourced. For example, forecasting of areaand production of major crops using RemoteSensing technology is being handled by SAC,and forecast of production based oneconometric modelling is being done by the

Institute of Economic Growth (IEG), NewDelhi. The activities relating to forecast ofproduction based on crop growth and yieldmodelling by making use of the agro-metdata has been assigned to the IndiaMeteorological Department (IMD). All otherfunctions, including coordination with variousgroups are being performed by the NationalCrop Forecasting Centre (NCFC) in theMinistry of Agriculture. Experimental forecasts

based on econometric models and forecastbased on RS technology for specific cropshave commenced.

Agriculture InsuranceThe frequency and severity of droughts,floods and cyclones and rising temperatures,agro-climatic variations and erratic rainfallaccentuates uncertainty and risk in theagricultural sector leading to huge losses in

agricultural production and the livestockpopulation in India.

The National Insurance Scheme (NAIS) forcrops has been implemented from rabi 1999-2000 season. Under the scheme and until rabi2007-08, an area of 184 million hectares ofabout 1,155 lakh farmers have been coveredand a sum of Rs. 1,21,606 crore insured.Claims to the tune of about Rs. 11,607 crore

have been reported against premium incomeof about Rs. 3,626 crore, benefitting 302 lakh

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families.

Under the Weather Based Crop InsuranceScheme (WBCIS) being implemented by theAgriculture Insurance Company of India Ltd.(AIC), 10 States have been covered on pilotbasis during the kharif 2008 season. About1.4 lakh farmers with 1.87 lakh hectares ofcropped area were insured for a sum of Rs.309 crore generating a premium of Rs. 31.5crore (including subsidy, farmers share ofpremium is Rs. 11.82 crore). This pilot isbeing continued in rabi 2008-09. In additionto AIC, private insurers like ICICI-LOMBARD General Insurance Company

and IFFCO-TOKIO General InsuranceCompany have also been included forimplementation of the scheme inselected areas.

National Policy for Farmers, 2007Major policy provisions of the National Policyfor Farmers, 2007, include provisions forasset reforms, water use efficiency, use oftechnology, inputs and services like soil

health: good quality seeds, disease freeplanting material, support services forwomen, credit, insurance etc. Provisions havealso been made for National Agricultural Bio-security System, setting up of farm schools inthe fields of outstanding farmers to promotefarmer to farmer learning and to strengthenextension services and expanding foodsecurity basket to include nutritious crops likebajra, jowar, ragiand millets, which are

mostly grown in dry land areas. Acomprehensive National Social SecurityScheme for the farmers for ensuringlivelihood security, by taking care ofinsurance needs on account of illness, oldage, is included.

Food ManagementFood management in India has three basicobjectives viz. procurement of food-grains

from farmers at remunerative prices,distribution of food-grains to the consumers

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particularly the vulnerable sections of thesociety at affordable prices and maintenanceof food buffers for food security and pricestability. The instruments for foodmanagement are the Minimum Support Price(MSP) and Central Issue Price (CIP). Thefocus is on incentivizing farmers by ensuringfair value for their produce through theMinimum Support Price mechanism,distribution of food-grains at subsidized ratesto 6.52 crore BPL families, covering allhouseholds at the risk of hunger underAntyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY), establishinggrain banks in chronically food-scarce areasand strengthening the Public Distribution

System (PDS). The nodal agency whichundertakes procurement, distribution andstorage of food-grains is the Food Corporationof India (FCI). Procurement at MSP is open-ended, while distribution is governed by thescale of allocation and its off-take by thebeneficiaries.

Challenges and OutlookThe agriculture sector faces challenges on

various fronts. On the supply side, the yield ofmost crops has not improved significantly andin some cases fluctuated downwards. Thescope for increase in the net sown area islimited and farm size has been shrinking. Inthe case of certain crops like sugarcane,extreme variability in the acreage andproduction over the years has been a matterof concern. On the other hand, in the case ofpulses, production has just not kept pace with

the requirement leading to a rise in pricesgiven that its availability in the internationalmarkets is limited.

Therefore, there is clearly a need for arenewed focus on improving productivity, andat the same time, to step up the growth ofallied activities and non-farm activities thatcan help improve value addition. The currentfocus on developing rural infrastructure,

particularly rural roads, needs to bemaintained as it would go a long way in

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providing connectivity that is essential formovement of agricultural produce. Theirrigation sector requires a renewed thrust,both in terms of investment as also modernmanagement. There is considerable scope fordevelopment of micro-irrigation systems andwatersheds and in the use of a participatoryapproach for achieving the same.

There is also a need to narrow the gapbetween producer prices and consumer pricesthrough proper marketing support. Thedevelopment of marketing infrastructure andstorage and warehousing and cold chains andspot markets that are driven by modern

technology will go a long way in addressingthis need.

As per the Report of the Committee onFinancial Inclusion (January 2008), more than73 per cent of farmer households have noaccess to formal sources of credit. Innovativeinstitutional mechanisms that provide creditand financial products (including insuranceproducts) specifically designed to meet the

needs of the farm sector, keeping their risk-bearing ability in view, is the need of thehour.

The rural economy needs to be viewed ascomprising of a continuum of interrelatedeconomic activities. Farming needs to bedovetailed with viable off-farm and non-farmactivities. Farmers need to be facilitated totake up value addition such as processing of

agricultural produce, horticulture, pisciculture,poultry, and development of non-farm ruralenterprises.

On the distribution side, there is need toensure that benefits accrue to the targetedpopulation. A mission approach for promotionof smart cards and its cross reference withration cards and voter ID cards would helpbetter targeting, lesser leakages and easier

administration.

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An area that requires focused attention is theissue of sustainability of agriculture with dueemphasis on environmental concerns. Soilerosion, water logging, reduction in ground-water table and the decline in the surfaceirrigation are the problems faced byagriculture. The consequences of climatechange on Indian agriculture also need to befactored in the strategy for the developmentof this sector.

National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA)What is NREGA?v NREGA is designed as a safety net to reduce migration byrural poor households in the lean period through A hundred

days of guaranteed unskilled manual labour provided whendemanded at minimum wage on works focused on waterconservation, land development & drought proofing.v Notification of the National Rural Employment GuaranteeAct came in September 2005. It was launched onFebruary 2, 2006.v NREGA is the flagship programme of the UPA Governmentthat directly touches lives of the poor and promotesinclusive growth.v The Act aims at enhancing livelihood security ofhouseholds in rural areas of the country by providing at

least one hundred days of guaranteed wage employmentin a financial year to every household whose adultmembers volunteer to do unskilled manual work.v The ongoing programmes of Sampoorn Grameen RozgarYojna & National Food for Work Programme were subsumedwithin this programme in the 200 of the most backwarddistricts of the country, in which it was introduced in phase1.In phase2it was introduced in 130 additional districts.The scheme was extended to 274 rural districts from April1, 2008 in phase3.v NREGA is the first ever law internationally, that guaranteeswage employment at an unprecedented scale. Dr. JeanDrze, a Belgian born economist, at the Delhi School ofEconomics, has been a major influence on this project.What are Objectives of NREGA?Augmenting wage employment. Strengthening naturalresource management through works that address causesof chronic poverty like drought, deforestation and soilerosion and so encourage sustainable development.

Strengthening grassroots processes of democracy Infusingtransparency and accountability in governance.

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Strengthening decentralization and deepening processesof democracy by giving a pivotal role to the Panchayati RajInstitutions in planning, monitoring and implementation.What are the Unique Features of NREGA?Time bound employment guarantee and wage payment

within 15 days. Incentivedisincentivestructure to theState Governments for providing employment as 90per cent of the cost for employment provided is borneby the Centre or payment of unemployment allowanceat their own cost and emphasis on labour intensiveworks prohibiting the use of contractors andmachinery. The Act mandates 33 percent participationfor women.How NREGA is implemented?The following imageshows the key processes in the implementation of NREGA.Cost sharing: Central Government 3/4th, State Government1/4th Adult members of rural households submit their name,age and address with photo to the Gram Panchayat.v The Gram panchayat registers households after makingenquiry and issues a job card. The job card contains thedetails of adult member enrolled and his /her photo.v Registered person can submit an application for work inwriting (for at least fourteen days of continuous work)either to panchayat or to Programme Officer.v The panchayat/programme officer will accept the valid

application and issue dated receipt of application, letterproviding work will be sent to the applicant and alsodisplayed at panchayat office.v The employment will be provided within a radius of 5 km: ifit is above 5 km extra wage will be paid.v If employment under the scheme is not provided withinfifteen days of receipt of the application dailyunemployment allowance will be paid to the applicant.NREGA & Union Budget 200910:v During 200809,NREGA provided employment

opportunities for more than 4.47 crore households asagainst 3.39 crorehouseholds covered in 200708.v Govt. is committed to providing a real wage of Rs.100 aday as an entitlement under the NREGA.v To increase the productivity of assets and resources underNREGA, convergence with other schemes relating toagriculture, forests, water resources, land resources andrural roads is being initiated. In the first stage, a total of115 pilot districts have been selected for such

convergence.v Govt of India has proposed an allocation of Rs.39,100 crore

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for the year 200910for NREGA which marks an increase of144% over 200809Budget Estimates.How Monitoring & Evaluation is done in NREGA?

. The Ministry has set up a comprehensive monitoringsystem. For effective monitoring of the projects 100%verification of the works at the Block level, 10% at theDistrict level and 2%at the State level inspections need to be ensured.. In order to optimize the multiplier effects of NREGA, theMinistry has set up a Task Force to look at the possibilityof convergence of programmes like National HorticultureMission, Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana, Bharat Nirman, andWatershed Development with NREGA.. These convergence efforts will add value to NREGA,works and aid in creating durable efforts and also enableplanned and coordinated public investments in ruralareas.Critical Issues of NREGA, how they are addressed?Issues Related to Job Cards:To ensure that rural familieslikely to seek unskilled manual labour are identified &verify against reasonably reliable local data base so thatnondomiciled contractors workers are not used on NREGAworks. What is done for this problem? Job card verificationis done on the spot against an existing data base and

reducing the time lag between application and issue of jobcards to eliminate the possibility of rent seeking, andcreating greater transparency etc. Besides ensuring thatJob Cards are issued prior to employment demand andwork allocation rather than being issued on work siteswhich could subvert the aims of NREGA.Issues related to Applications: To ascertain choices andperceptions of households regarding lean seasonemployment to ensure exercise of the right to employmentwithin the time specified of fifteen days to ensure thatworks are started where and when there is demand for

labour, not demand for works the process of issuing adated acknowledgement for the application foremployment needs to be scrupulously observed.In its absence, the guarantee cannot be exercised in itstrue spirit.Issues Related to Selection of Works: Selection of worksby gram sabha in villages and display after approval ofshelf of projects, to ensure public choice, transparency andaccountability and prevent material intensive, contractorbased works and concocted works records.

Issues related to Execution of Works: At least half theworks should be run by gram panchayats. Maintenance of

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muster roll by executing agency numberedmuster rollswhich only show job card holders must be found at eachworktoprevent contractor led works.

Issues related to measurement of work done: Regularmeasurement of work done according to a schedule ofrural rate sensitive Supervision of Works by qualifiedtechnical personnel on time. Reading out muster rolls onwork site during regular measurement toprevent bogusrecords and payment of wages below prescribed levels.Issues related to Payments: Payment of wages throughbanks and post offices toclose avenues for use ofcontractors, short payment and corruption.Audit: Provision of adequate quality of work site facilities forwomen and men labourers Creation and maintenance ofdurable assets adequate audit and evaluation mechanismswidespread institution of social audit and use of findings.Some Points:

Rozgar Jagrookta Puruskar award has been introduced torecognize outstanding Contributions by Civil societyOrganizations at State, District, Block and Gram Panchayatlevels to generate awareness about provisions andentitlements and ensuring compliance with implementing

processes.. The government has engaged professional institutions likeIIMs, IITs and agricultural universities to assess theimplementation of NREGA across the country.Criticism of NREGA:Here are some points raised regarding theimplementation and success of NREGA in various newspapers and magazines:In last 3 years on average only50% of the households that registered under thescheme actually got employment.. There is a wide variation of performance across states. In

terms of the percentage of registered householdsprovided work, Maharashtra has averaged an abysmal13% over the three years while Rajasthan at the otherend of the spectrum has averaged 73%.. The rural poverty line, which is now in the region of Rs400 per capita per day, means that an average householdthat is below the poverty line (BPL) will have an income ofsomething in the range of Rs 24,000 per annum or less,assuming a fivememberhousehold. In other words, if a

BPL family were to get the full promised benefit of NREGAthey could earn the equivalent of more than 40% of their

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annual income from this one scheme alone. That shouldbe enough to see why NREGA should not be seen as justanother of the plethora of poverty alleviation schemesthat India has had since Independence.. If this scheme is implemented the right way, there will be

no need for MP and MLAs funds. Look at the figures: At Rs2 crore per 543 MP, the allocation comes to Rs 1086 crore(most times this remains underutilized). In his budget,finance minister Pranab Mukherjee has increased theNREGA allocation by 144% and it's now Rs 39,100 crore.. The Planning Commission has sought the Reserve Bank ofIndias intervention in streamlining the mechanism ofpaying wages under the NREGA. In a letter to the centralbank, the Commission said that the RBI should givedirections to banks to ensure that payments to thebeneficiaries of the NREGA are made only through banks orpostoffices.The Commission has pointed out thatdisbursing funds under the NREGA, which has an annualallocation of Rs30,000 crore, needs to be strengthened toensure that no leakages happen as the canvas of theprogramme is bound to expand in the near future.. Despite the political and economic importance NREGA hasgenerated, there is lack of studies on the working of publicemployment programmes.

1. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam was elected as(a) 13th President of India(b) 12th President of India(c) 11th President of India(d) 10th President of India.

2. Who among the following administers the oath of the office to Chief Justice of SupremeCourt(a) Constitutional Bench of Supreme Court(b) Preceding Chief Justice of Supreme Court(c) President of India

(d) President with two sitting judges of Supreme Court.

3. The first-ever conviction of death sentence under section 3, sub-section (2) of thePrevention of Terrorism Act, 2002 (POTA) and under section 302 of IPC were awarded foroffence of(a) attack on Parliament of India(b) terrorists attack in State of Gujarat(c) terrorists attack in State of Assam(d) terrorists attack on Assembly of Jammu and Kashmir.

4. East Timor gains independence in 2002 from(a) Indonesia

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(b) Brazil(c) Nyzeria(d) Malaysia.

5. World Earth Summit was held in September 2002 at

(a) Johannesburg(b) London(c) New York(d) Hague.

6. The second most popular song of the world as voted in a poll by BBC world service is:(a) Vande Mataram(b) Irish Republican anthem(c) John Lenvovis Imagine(d) Queens Bohemian Rhapsody.

7. Dhirubhai Ambani was the founder of:(a) Reliance Industries(b) Tata Industries(c) Birla Group of Industries(d) Mafatlal Group of Industries.

8. Mr. Narendra Modi led BJP secured 126 seats in(a) 182 member Assembly in Gujarat(b) 172 member Assembly in Gujarat(c) 192 member Assembly in Gujarat(d) 162 member Assembly in Gujarat.

9. NDC in relation to 10th Five Year plan 2002-2007 abbreviates for(a) National Defence Council(b) National Development Council(c) National Drugs Commission(d) National Dis-investment Commission.

10. Lt. Gen. N.C. Vij took over as(a) Chief of Navy(b) Chief of Air Force

(c) Chief of Army(d) Chief of both Army and Navy.

11. European Union Emerges as the Largest Market of the World on 13th December 2002because:(a) ten new countries joined(b) twenty new countries joined(c) fifteen new countries joined(d) twelve new countries joined.

12. The Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) which proved the Stock Market Scam was

headed by Mr. Prakash Mani Tripathi. The report was(a) constituted in April 2001 presented in December 2002

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(b) constituted in April 2002 presented in December 2002(c) constituted in August 2002 presented in December 2002(d) constituted in October 2002 presented in December 2002.

13. First human clone was born on

(a) 26th December 2002(b) 27th November 2002(c) 22nd November 2002(d) 21st December 2002.

14. The present Solicitor General of India(a) Mr. Soli J. Sorabjee(b) Mr. Kirit N. Raval(c) Mr. Jana Krishnamurthi(d) Mr. G.B. Pattnaik.

15. Justice V.N. Khare who became the 33rd Chief Justice of Supreme Court succeeded(a) Justice G.B. Pattnaik(b) Justice B.N. Kirpal(c) Justice S.P. Barucha(d) Justice J.S. Verma.

Answers1 (b)2 (c)3 (a)4 (a)5 (a)6 (a)7 (a)8 (a)9 (b)10 (c)11 (a)12 (a)13 (a)14 (b)

15( a)

GK Questions - IRMA

1. What is project Swashakti?Ans: Swashakti is a project for rural womens development and empowerment.

2. What is the meaning of the Blue Box term related with WTO?Ans: In WTO terminology, subsidies in general are identified by boxes.Any support that would normally be in the amber box, is placed in the blue box

3. Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan was associated withAns: Total Revolution

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4. What is project Gyandoot?Ans: The goal of this project is to establish community-owned, technologically innovativeand sustainable information kiosks in a poverty-stricken, tribal dominated rural area.

5. What do you understand Bhoomi?

Ans: This was the name of the project meant for the computerization of land records ofKarnataka.

6. What is the aim of the Public Distribution System (PDS)?Ans: Ensuring availability of food grains to the public at affordable prices as well as forenhancing the food security for the poor.

7. Co-operative movement in which sector of the Indian Economy has been highlysuccessful?Ans: Milk production

8. Inflationary Pressure on the Economy meansAns: It means inflation is high in the economy.

9. What will be the effect of introduction of Kullahars, Khadi and Sampark Kranti Expressetc. on the rural economy?Ans: It will promote the rural domestic industries thereby increasing the employmentgeneration in the rural sector and hence leading to the growth of the Indian economy ingeneral.

10. What is the contribution of the agriculture sector in the GDP of the Indian Economy?

Ans: 10: 21%

11. What is rain fed farming?Ans: Rainfed farming, is defined as growing crops under conditions of natural rainfall.

12. Inflation is measured in terms ofAns: Wholesale Price Index (WPI)

13. What are the uses of the interlinking of the rivers?Ans: 13: It addressed the twin problems of monsoon floods and water scarcity.

14. What is National Bamboo Mission?Ans: The National Mission has been structured to address critical areas of bamboodevelopment covering - research, development, post-harvest management, productdevelopment and marketing by adopting a mission mode approach.

15. What is the chemical used for the cloud seeding?Ans: Silver Iodide

16. What is the name of the first Genetically Modified crop that was given permission to begrown in India?Ans: Bt Cotton

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17. The National Commission of Women was constituted inAns: 1992

18. What is micro finance?Ans: Small loans that help poor people to start or expand their small businesses.

19. What is NPA?Ans: NPA is defined as Non Performing Assets

20. What is the purpose of launching the Indira Awas Yojana?Ans: The project was started to help construction of dwelling units for members of ScheduledCastes and also Non-Scheduled Castes rural poor living below the poverty line.

Test your GK - 2

1. PIN code started in India in the year.

a. 1962b. 1964c. 1968d. 1972

2. You would associate the establishment of the Banaras Hindu University (BHU) with.a. Subramaniam Bharti

b. Pt. Madan Mohan Malviyac. Jawaharlal Nehru

d. Gobind Vallabh Pant

3. Who presides the Lok Sabha?a. Prime Minister

b. Presidentc. Vice Presidentd. Speaker

4. Who discovered Aspirin?a. Alexander Fleming

b. Felix Hoffmann

c. Robert Kochd. Joseph Lister

5. Which of the following is NOT one of the sacred texts of Buddhism called Tripitakas?a. Suttapitaka

b. Vinayapitakac. Dharmapitakad. Gyanapitaka

6. Which of the following Indian states has the lowest sex ratio {number of females perthousand males}?a. West Bengal

b. Haryana

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c. Punjabd. Uttar Pradesh

7. Which of the following is the oldest printed book of the world?a. The Gutenberg Bible

b. Hiraka Sutrac. Les Hommes de bonne Volanted. Old King Cole

8. This personality was the first Indian to receive the Magsaysay Award in the year 1958. Canyou name him from the given options?a. CD Deshmukh

b. Mother Teresac. Acharya Binoba Bhaved. Jaya Prakash Narayan

9. Who is known as the father of Geometry?a. Pythagoras

b. Euclidc. Eulerd. None of these

10. Rovers cup is associated with a. Hockey

b. Footballc. Cricketd. Golf

11. This Indian state is the least densely populated state. Name it from the given options.a. Sikkim

b. Arunachal Pradeshc. Assamd. Manipur

12. What is the approximate age of the earth?a. 3.8 billion years

b. 4.2 billion years

c. 4.6 billion yearsd. 4.8 billion years

13. Which Indian state was the first one to implement the Panchayati Raj in the whole state?a. Uttar Pradesh

b. Biharc. Rajasthand. Gujarat

14. This personality is NOT the winner of Nobel Prize.a. Kofi Annanb

b. Mother Teresac

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c. VS Naipauld. Richard Nixon

15. The largest state of India (in terms of area) isa. Uttar Pradesh

b. Rajasthanc. Madhya Pradeshd. Maharashtra

16. The line of equator does no pass througha. Kenya

b. Somaliac. Ugandad. Egypt

17. National Institute of Oceanography is based in

a. Mumbaib. Chennaic. Panajid. Kochi

18. Poverty and Un-British Rule in India is a famous work of a. Dada Bhai Naoroji

b. Mahatma Gandhic. AO Humed. BG Tilak

19. The first ancient Olympic games took place in the yeara. 476 BC

b. 576 BCc. 676 BCd. 776 BC

20. When one crosses the International Date Line from west to east, then the date is said to beset back bya. one hour

b. twelve hours

c. one dayd. None of these

21. Equinoxes occur whena. the days are longer than the nights

b. the nights are longer than the daysc. the nights and days are equal in lengthd. the difference between the length of nights and days is the highest

22. Which of the following is NOT a permanent member of United Nations SecurityCouncil?

a. Russiab. China

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c. Franced. Germany

23. You would associate the theory of Laissez Faire with a. JK Galbraith

b. JM Keynesc. Adam Smithd. David Ricardo

24. Wealth of Nations is authored by.a. Adam Smith

b. JK Galbraithc. JM Keynesd. None of these

25. This personality is considered, as the political guru of Mahatma Gandhi. Can you identify

him from the given options?a. Bal Gangadhar Tilak

b. Gopal Krishna Gokhalec. Dadabhai Naorojid. Mahadev Gobind Ranande

ANSWERS:

1. d. 19722. b. Pt. Madan Mohan Malviya3. d. Speaker4. b. Felix Hoffman5. d. Gyanapitaka6. b. Haryana7. b. Hiraka Sutra8. c. Acharya Binoba Bhave9. b. Euclid10. b. Football11. b. Arunachal Pradesh12. c. 4.6 billion years13. c. Rajasthan

14. d. Richard Nixon15. b. Rajasthan16. d. Egypt17. c. Panaji18. a. Dada Bhai Naoroji19. d. 776 BC20. c. one day21. c. the nights and days are equal in length22. d. Germany23. c. Adam Smith24. a. Adam Smith

25. b. Gopal Krishna Gokhale

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GO RURAL: THE NEW MANTRA

As per the latest estimates of the Central Statistical Organisation (CSO), the growthrate of the

Indian economy during 2008-09 is expected to be around 7.1 per cent, as againstthe earlier expectations of 8 per cent. Not only this, it has now been estimated thatIndias growth rate during the financial year ending March 2010 would moderatefurther to 5.5 per cent, which would be lowest during the past several years.

As direct fallout of the ongoing global recession, rapidly increasing unemploymentrate has been a major cause of concern. In USA, the unemployment rate has goneup to 8.7 per cent and the same in Japan has also been the highest in the recenttimes. China has reported 20 million job losses. In India this figure is officiallyestimated to be about 5 lakh during the quarter ending December 2008. Loss of jobsin the unorganized sector due to reduced economic activity is going to be muchhigher and beyond estimation.

International Labour Organisation (ILO) maintains that the employment rate in Indiaand other South Asian nations may by lower than the world average, due to theirlesser exposure to the Ameri-can economy and the financial markets. Further,relatively larger rural base in India is a positive and strong factor in combating the illeffects of global recession. It is perhaps for the first time after the onset of theprocess of reforms that the Indian government has realized the importance of the

ruraleconomy to tide over the difficult econo-mic situation.

Rural Orientation

Indian economy is peculiar to the extent that it has a lot more rural orientation thanmost economies of the world. Majority of the countries in the world are dependent ontheir industrial centres and rapidly growing cities for maintaining their growth rate. InIndia, though industries and the services sectors are centred around the industrialand urban areas, yet over 60 per cent of the work force is directly or indirectly

dependent on the primary sector. This sector contributes about one fourth of the totalGDP and offers tremendous potential for growth in the near future. Being a lowincome segment, this also does not get influenced easily by extraordinary econo-micsituations.

As per the views of the Rural Marketing Association of India, there has been noimpact of economic slowdown on the rural economy of India. A nation-wide studycarried out in the rural markets of the country found out that the rural markets in thecountry actually offer an opportunity to the marketers to come out of current

economic crisis.

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Main reasons for such immunity are stated to be higher percentage of totalexpenditure on food items and the fact that majority of the population is involved inself-employment occupations, having no fear of loss of jobs. The telecom sector has

witnessed a rapid growth in the villages and small towns. The total telecomsubscriber base for India grew from 70.83 million in the first quarter of 2008 to 90.98million in the second quarter. Out of this growth 71 per cent rise in this sector camefrom the rural India, while the urban areas accounted for the remaining 29 per centgrowth.

The study also brings out that more than 72 million Kisan Credit Cards are in use inthe rural areas of the country, which number almost matches the number of CreditCards under use in the urban areas. During 2008, larger part of growth of FastMoving Consumer Goods (FMCG) came from rural and sub-urban markets.

Majority of the people in the rural areas do not invest in stock markets and park theirsavings in low risk portfolios like post office/bank savings or fixed deposits. Thegovernment of India was quick to realize this and immediately after the recessionbegan to show its impact began to direct its economic policies towards the ruralsector. Fortunately for the country, at the critical juncture when the great recessionknocked at the doors of Indian economy, several government sponsoredprogrammes involving huge public expenditure in the rural areas were already beingimplemented.

The Interim Budget for the year 2009-10, presented by Mr Pranab Mukherjee onFebruary 16, 2009, also had its focus on the rural eco-nomy. Under the NREGSduring the year 2008-09, about 3.51 crore rural households were benefited,generating 138.76 crore mandays. For the year 2009-10, a massive allocation of Rs30,100 crore has been made for the said scheme. In other words, this huge sumwould be distributed as wages to the rural households during the said year.

Another gigantic rural development programme is Bharat Nirman, which aims athuge public expenditure in the rural infrastructure. It has six components, includingrural roads, rural telecommunication, irrigation, drinking water supply, rural housingand rural electrification. As per the Finance Minister, the allocation to this programmewas increased by 261 per cent during the period between 2005-09. A provision of Rs40,900 crore has been kept in the interim budget, 2009 for this programme.

In addition to stiff doses of funds proposed through the above two flagshipprogrammes, the Finance Minister also made significant allocations to various other

programmes and schemes having rural focus. A sum of Rs 13,100 crore has beenallocated for Sarv Siksha Abhiyan, most of which is to be spent in the rural areas.

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Mid-day meal programme, which is also termed as the largest school feedingprogramme of the world, has been allocated a sum of Rs 8,000 crore. To furthersupplement the efforts of nutrition to the rural students, another provision of Rs 6,705crore has been made under the Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS),under which the pre-school children and the lactating mothers are provided nutrition

and healthcare underAnganwaris.

Another important scheme with rural focus is Rajiv Gandhi Rural Drinking WaterMission, which aims at providing drinking water supply to the villages not covered bytap water supply. A sum of Rs 7,400 crore has been provided for this scheme for thefinancial year 2009-10. Rural sanitation is also an ongoing programme for which Rs1,200 crore provision has been kept. NRHM, which is a healthcare programme forthe rural areas, has been provided with a hefty provision of Rs 12,070 crore.

It is apparent from the above that the direction of the Interim Budget 2009-10 hasbeen towards the rural areas.

Whether it is the growth of FMCG or consumer durables, or the telecommunicationgrowth, rural areas of the country hold the key for future development. Enormousamounts of funds being pumped into the rural economy by the government wouldgreatly supplement the natural growth of these areas. The trickle down effect, thoughdelayed, has begun to actually show. If the trend continues, the so-called digital

divide may start experiencing imminent and rapid bridging.

Rural markets in the country have arrived in a big way. The hereto ignored ruralareas have now revealed their true potential. The policy makers have realized thatas soon as the cities and the industrial centres start becoming saturated with growthpotential, it is the rural market of the country which holds the key for future. Even atthe pre-sent times of crisis, it is the rural economy and its hidden capabilities thatmay ultimately bail the eco-nomy out. It is for sure that the rural emphasis in theIndias economic policy is going to stay for quite some time in future.

The rural areas had remained, by and large, neglected after independence. But now,with improved focus on rural wage employment, rural infrastructure, rural healthcare,telecommunications, irrigation, rural housing, drinking water supply, nutrition andrural electrification in a big way by the government, the purchasing power of thepeople in these areas is on the rise and, if the current trends continue, the day is notfar when the history of rapid growth of the economy for the next two decades wouldbe scripted by the smart growth of rural economy in the country.

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Key issues

This years GK section of the IRMA paper had the heading Issues of Social Concern.Questions were mainly asked from Indian agriculture, Indian economy, variousschemes of social development etc. This section was quite difficult to solve with manyof the questions being based on comprehensive understanding of the economic andsocial development. Some of the questions that came in GK (based on memory) wereas follows:

1. Which of the following countries is NOT a member of BRIC?2. What is the misconception due to which farmers use more of chemical fertilizers intheir fields?3. Nari Adalats are run by which of the following states in India?4. The name of the scheme that deals with woman empowerment (Swa Shakti)5. The topmost milk producing country of the world? (India)6. What is the social indicator of a prosperous village?7. The name of the scheme that dealt with the development of children (ICDS)8. 5 schemes were given and the health schemes out of the abbreviated options hadto be identified.9. The full form of SEZ was asked. ( Special Economic Zone)10. Focus Africa is the part of which policy of India?11. Mohammed Yunus is associated with which bank? (Grameen Bank)12. The outcomes of Pratham Study.13. The total area as per GOI that falls under the Special Economic Zones.14. Pragati Farmers is the name of the club that operates in which state of India?15. The two most populous countries of the world? (India and China)16. The duration of the present National Population Policy (2000 to 2010)17. Which type of connectivity is involved in PURA scheme? (Social, Physical,Electronic)?18. Agriculture subsidies are given on what commodities?19. What is Quality Employment?

REFORMS IN GOVERNANCE AND POVERTY ALLEVIATION

Governance is the exercise of economic, political and administrative authority tomanage a countrys affairs at all levels. It consists of the whole set of processes,mechanisms and institutions through which the citizens express their interests,exercise their rights, meet their obligations and sink their differences. No amount ofdevelopmental effort can bring in improvements in the quality of life of the citizenswithout improving the governance standards. Conversely, if the power of the State ismisused the poorer sections of the society are most likely to suffer. Poorgovernance, thus, perpetuates poverty and severely hinders the efforts to reduce it.It is understood all over the world that strengthening of governance is an essentialprecondition to improve the lives of the poor.

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Initial years after independence were marked by the euphoria of emancipation fromthe foreign rulers. The entire politico-economic system was in the process ofwitnessing a host of changes, based on the experience gained. Various newstatutes were brought in and the Constitution was also amended several times asper the changing and felt needs of the society, notwithstanding the political angles

and desired populism by the ruling political parties.

Successive governments also strived to ensure upliftment of the poor and thedowntrodden. While several schemes and programmes were framed for thebetterment of the socially and educationally weaker sections, the women and thechildren, the government also introduced several schemes aimed at alleviation ofpoverty, as it was clearly understood that the country may not be able to achievethe goal of rapid develop- ment unless the poorer sections of the society alsoexperienced increase in their incomes and became part of the mainstream

bandwagon of economic development.

It has been experienced by the country over the past six decades that despitebillions of rupees pumped in the rural sector since independence, through variousschemes and programmes, the desired outcomes have not been achieved. Thenumber of people below poverty line has declined but at a very slow pace and theresults have not been commensurate with the quantum of funds invested by thegovernment. Even from social point of view, it has been proved through manystudies that there have been significant leakages in the expenditure made for thewelfare of the weaker sections of society.

All this is strong pointer to the fact that the governance in the country needsimprovement to achieve an improved delivery system. Over the last few decades,successive Five-Year Plans have tried to introduce certain reforms through theirbroad-based objectives. Democratic decentralisation achieved through thestrengthened Panchayati Raj System and the resultant social empowerment hasbeen one major initiative in this direction.

The focus of other initiatives has been on transparency, peoples participation, civilservice reforms, rationalisation of government schemes, improving access to formaljustice, improvements in land administration and introduction of informationtechnology as a key to good governance. Enactment of the Right to Information Acthas been a major breakthrough in bringing transparency in the governmentfunctioning and empowerment of the citizens of the country. Several economicreforms have also been taken up in the recent years.

Though the policy makers may be taking a lot of credit for all these actions, yet the

above governance initiatives are not sufficient and a lot more remains to be done.Maintenance of law and order of the desired level remains a pipe dream in many

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States. The general perception is that the law and order machinery is generallyinefficient, tardy and unresponsive. Corruption is rampant, undermining economicgrowth, distorting competition, and disproportionately hurting the poor andmarginalised citizens. Crimina-lisation of politics continues unchecked, with moneyand muscle power playing a major role in elections. In general, there is high degree

of volatility in the society on account of unfulfilled expectations and poor servicedelivery.

Future Goals

Any attempt towards reforms in governance in the future must focus on two thingsthe fulfilment of human potential and rapid economic growth. The broad objective ofrealising human potential includes the prevention of human sufferings, ensuringhuman dignity, providing access to justice and making available equal opportunity toall so that every citizen becomes a fulfilled and productive human being. Rapid

economic growth, on the other hand, would result in realising the countrys realpotential and provide India with an opportunity to play rightful role in the world toprotect the interests of the people of the country, while ensuring that the peopleliving below poverty line also get their due share in the growing prosperity of thecountry.

The role of the State in basic services needs to be clearly defined and emphasized.Ensuring access to speedy and efficient justice, protecting rights of the citizens,enforcing rule of law and maintaining public order are all inseparable and form the

basic foundation of a civilised society, as well as that of the democracy. Thedeficiencies in this vital area need to be plugged through judicial and police reforms,better participation of citizens in governance.

Based on the past experience and best practices, we need to redesign our deliverymechanisms in the education sector in an innovative manner and deploy thenations finest talent to man these sectors. Inadequate and poor quality of schooleducation is the bane of Indian society today. Except in case of some betterinstitutions of higher and technical/professional education, higher education too isnot very successful in promoting excellence and producing quality service providers,

dynamic leaders, result-oriented managers and long-term wealth creators.

Urban management involves much more than resource allocation for infrastructureand poses formidable challenges of governance, considering high rate ofurbanisation and future projections for the same in the country. Management ofpower distribution through active involvement of people in a consumer-friendly wayis more of a governance issue than a tariff problem.

Social security is a relatively new and emerging area of State activity to which theadministrative system must respond with sensitivity. This would directly improve the

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lives of the poor. The recent enforcement of the employment guarantee law in theentire country and the efforts in the pipeline to provide a measure of social securityto the unorganised sector workers can address the special challenges posed insocial security, particularly for the economically weaker sections. But a lot more isrequired to be done.

In any system, the quality of public servants is critical in determining the outcomesof governance inputs. We have well-established procedures for initial recruitment ofcivil servants in India. But there is a growing concern that our administration ingeneral has become unresponsive, rigidand inward-looking. While the bureaucracy responds to crisis situations withefficacy, complacency results in failure to deal with normal situations, which isevident in most cases. The complex challenges of modern administration in criticalsectors like police administration, justice delivery, education, healthcare,

transportation, land management, infrastructure, skill promotion, employmentgeneration and urban management need special attention. These areas impact thelives of all sections of the society, particularly the lives of the poorer sections.

There are no two views that the governance has been a weak link in our quest forrapid development with equity. The country has an impressive governance structureand several important successes to credit. But we need to consolidate the gainsalready made and venture into the virgin but vital areas of reforms in governance.

Current affairs

ABBREVIATIONSIFRS: International Financial Reporting Standards.AERA: Airport Economic Regulatory Authority

AWARDS

Magsaysay Awards, 2009The Board of Trustees of the Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation (RMAF)has selected six individuals from Burma, China, India, the Philippines, andThailand to receive Asias premier prize. The Awardees are:

Krisana Kraisintu, from Thailand. She is being recognized for herplacing pharmaceutical rigor at the service of patients, through heruntiring and fearless dedication to producing much-needed generic drugsin Thailand and elsewhere in the developing world.

Deep Joshi, from India. He is being recognized for his vision andleadership in bringing professionalism to the NGO movement in India, by

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effectively combining head and heart in the transformative developmentof rural communities.

Yu Xiaogang, from China. He is being recognized for his fusing theknowledge and tools of social science with a deep sense of social justice,

in assisting dam-affected communities in China to shape the developmentprojects that impact their natural environment and their lives.

Antonio Oposa, Jr., from the Philippines. He is being recognized for hispath-breaking and passionate crusade to engage Filipinos in acts ofenlightened citizenship that maximize the power of law to protect andnurture the environment for themselves, their children, and generationsstill to come.

Ma Jun, from China. He is being recognized for his harnessing the

technology and power of information to address China's water crisis, andmobilizing pragmatic, multi-sectoral, and collaborative efforts to ensuresustainable benefits for China's environment and society.

Ka Hsaw Wa, from Burma. He is being recognized for his dauntlesslypursuing non violent yet effective channels of redress, exposure, andeducation for the defence of human rights, the environment, anddemocracy in Burma.

The RMAF confers the award annually for those in Asia, who have

achieved excellence in six categories, viz government service; publicservice; community leadership; journalism, literature and creativecommunication, arts; peace and international understanding; andemergent leadership. Actually, there were only the first five categories inthe beginning and only from 2000 the category of emergent leadershipwas added using a grant received from the Ford Foundation.

Ashok Chakra, 2009Major Mohit Sharma, who laid down his life fighting militants infiltratingfrom Pakistan into J&K in March 2009, has been awarded with Ashok

Chakra, the highest peacetime gallantry award of the country, along withMajor D. Sreeram Kumar.

Major Sharma of Ghaziabad belonged to the Elite 1 Para special forces ofthe Army. He was deputed to Rashtriya Rifles in Kashmir. He along withfour others was killed while fighting terrorists in the Hafruda forest ofKupwara district. This was one of the biggest attempts to infiltrate bymilitants even before the snow in the high mountain passes had melted.The militants were heavily armed and it led to a fierce gun-battle. Fourterrorists were killed, two of them by Major Sharma despite being fatally

injured.

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Major D. Sreeram Kumar of Artillery regiment is presently serving inAssam Rifles. He was awarded in recognition of his service in theOperation Hifazat in Manipur. He eliminated 12 and apprehended 23terrorists and recovered 12 weapons. He has also created a vibrantintelligence network.

Kirti Chakra, 2009Major Amit Oscar Fernandes ofMaratha Light Infantry, Major DeepakTewari ofElectronic and Mechanical Engineers, Naik Rishikesh Gurjar ofRajput Regimenthave been awarded Kirti Chakra for exceptional gallantryshown during anti-insurgency operations in J&K, along with paratrooperShabir Ahmad Malik of1 Para Regiment, who laid down his life in gun-battle in Kupwara.

Jnanpith Award, 42nd

Eminent Sanskrit poet Satya Vrat Shastri has been presented theprestigious 42nd Jnanpith Award. The award was conferred to him by thePrincess of Thailand, Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, for his outstandingcontribution to the enrichment of Indian literature. He is the firstSanskrit poet to be conferred the award since its inception.

The award recognises Dr. Shastri for introducing a number of new genresin Sanskrit writing such as autobiography, diary and collections of lettersin verse. His magnum opus, The Ramayana: A Linguistic Study, is thefirst ever linguistic appraisal of the Valmiki Ramayana and also of any

existing Sanskrit work.

Stockholm Water Prize, 2009Indian sanitation expert Bindeshwar Pathak has been awarded the Prize,the most prestigious award for outstanding achievement in water-relatedactivities. The founder ofSulabh Sanitation Movement in India, Pathak isknown around the world for his wide-ranging work in the sanitation field.He has worked to improve public health, has advanced social progress,and has improved human rights in his home nation and other countries.

The Stockholm Water Prize, which was first presented in 1991, includes a$150,000 award and a crystal sculpture. It honours individuals,institutions or organisations whose work contributes broadly to theconservation and protection of water resources and improves the healthof the planet's inhabitants and ecosystems.

The Economic Times Awards for Corporate ExcellenceBusiness Leader of the Year: Anand Mahindra, Vice-Chairman and MD,Mahindra Group of Companies.

Businesswoman of the Year: Vinita Bali, MD, Britannia Industries.

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Entrepreneur of the Year: G.V.K. Reddy, Chariman, GVK Group.

Emerging Company of the Year: Idea Cellular.

Global Indian of the Year: Ram Charan, Management Guru and Thinker.

Corporate Citizen of the Year: The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI).

Company of the Year: Hero Honda.

Business Reformer of the Year: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.

Policy Change Agent of the Year: Jean Dreze, Instrumental inconceptualising NREGS.

Lifetime Achievement Award: Keshub Mahindra, Chairman, Mahindra &Mahindra.

BOOKSJinnahIndia, Partition, IndependenceWritten by former Union Minister Jaswant Singh, the book looks into thehistory of Indias partition and mentions that Jinnah was a great man buthe had been demonised in India. And that Nehru and Sardar Patel wereequally responsible for Indias partition. Mr Jaswant Singh was expelledfrom BJP for showering praises on Jinnah in his book.

CYBER SPACEAddicted to networking? Beware of KoobfaceIf you have been getting tempting messages with video links in youraccounts in social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter, Myspace,Bebo, Friendsterand Hi5, beware. Any attempt to download the promisedvideo will make you another victim ofKoobface, a worm that could stealcritical and personal information from your computer. The India ComputerEmergency Response Team has warned that Koobface, a play on thename of social networking site Facebook, comes with an enticing tagline

and spreads by spamming the contacts of the victim on networking sites.

With more than 3 million members ofFacebookin India alone, Koobfacespotential for wreaking havoc on the countrys computer systems isimmensea fact that has prompted the government to issue the warningalert.

Typically, Koobface victims get a message from one of their contactsinviting them to click on a video link. The link leads you to a sitemimicking the video-sharing site, Youtube. Once there, you are asked

whether you want to download a software needed to watch the video. Ifyou click yes, the worm gets activated. It not only disrupts your internet

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experience by sending your searches on engines like Google elsewhereand returning garbled replies, it also steals data that may have been leftin your computers memory.

If you have already been Koobfacedthe only way to protect your machine

is to delete all files and registry keys that have been added by the worm.

DEFENCEBhishmaFirst Indian built T-90 tankThe first batch of Indias indigenously built state-of-the-art T-90 mainbattle tanks, named Bhishma, with features like protection from nuclearattack, were handed over to the army on August 24, 2009 at a function inAvadi, Tamil Nadu. The tanks are being manufactured at the HeavyVehicles Factory (HVF).

HVF plans to produce 100 tanks per year. Indian army has already around700 of these frontline tanks in service and contract has been signed forpurchase of another 400 off the shelf.

The tanks have features like capability to fire guided missile, in additionto the conventional ammunition, using the same main gun barrel andguided weapon system and ballistic computer facilities to ensure accuratefiring of both conventional ammunition and guided missiles.

It is equipped with 125 mm smooth bore gun, 12.7 mm anti-aircraft

machine gun and 7.62 mm co-axial Machine gun supported with highaccuracy sighting systems, and automatic loader for higher firing rate.The induction of the tanks is an important milestone for the Indian armyand a step towards attaining self-sufficiency in its preparedness.

EXPEDITIONLady Army officers scale Siachen peakA team comprising only lady officers of the Indian Army scaled theSiachen glacier on August 15, 2009, making it the first ladies team tohave reached the highest battlefield in the world. Located in north-eastern

J&K, Saichen glacier is totally snow- bound throughout the year and isone of the treacherous stretches of land with deep crevices and steepwalls of ice.

The lady officers, led by Major Meghna Aktadikar, are from the corps ofengineers. The expedition comprised the following officers: Major NehaBhatnagar, Major Pradiya Kulkarni, Major Meghna R, Capt Shalini Datta,Capt Pushpa Kumari, Capt RP Parashar, Lt Namrata Rathore, Lt GirijaMohalkar, Lt Vijay Laxmi Thakur, Lt Garima Pal and Lt Neelam Rathore.

PERSONSJoshi, Deep

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Sixty- three-year-old social activist Deep Joshi has been decorated withthe 2009 Ramon Magsaysay Award, known as Asias Nobel Prize. He hasbeen recognised for his vision and leadership in bringing professionalismin the NGO movement in India.

He has been working to transform the lives of over a lakh familiescovering as many as 3,000 villages, many of them in Naxalite-affectedareas. His activities aree spread over the Naxalite-affected belt ofJharkhand, Bankura and Purulia regions of West Bengal and the Maoist-dominated Chhattisgarh and Orissa.

Joshi founded in 1983 the Professional Assistance for Development Action(PRADAN), an NGO, along with one Vijay Mahajan. The NGO recruiteduniversity-educated youth from campuses across the country andgroomed them for grass-root work through a rigorous year-long

apprenticeship which combined formal training and guided practice in thefield.

Living and working directly with Indias poorest communities, PRADANstaff empowered village groups with technical, project implementation,and networking skills that increased both their income-generatingcapabilities and their actual family earnings.

A Masters in engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology(MIT) and a Masters in Management from the Sloan School, MIT, Joshi

worked with the Systems Research Institute, the Ford Foundation and hasnearly 30 years of experience in the field of rural development andlivelihood promotion. He also advises the government on povertyalleviation strategies.

Hatoyama, YukioHe has been elected as the Prime Minister of Japan. He is a fourth-generation politician and grandson of a former Prime Minister and belongsto a rich family that founded tyre giant Bridgestone.

He has a doctorate in engineering from Stanford University in the US andis married to a former musical actress who has also published severalcook books.

He was elected to the lower house for the first time in 1986 on a LDPticket. In 1993 he walked away from LDP and floated New Party Sakigake,which ousted LDP in elections later that year. The pro-reform coalition,however, fell after eight months over a funding scandal. In 1996-99, hehelped found the Democratic Party of Japan and became its leader. In 200he stepped down as DPJ leader over criticism of his plan for a merger with

some opposition groups. In 2009 he again tookover the helm of DPJ andled it to victory.

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Mr Hatoyama wants to improve peoples lives through increased welfarespending. He is known less for economic policies than for his stance onsecurity and diplomacy. He has advocated revising the pacifistconstitution to acknowledge Japans right to defend itself and maintain a

military for that purpose.

PLACESBerlinThe World Athletics championship, 2009 was held in Berlin, Germany.

Mangala Oil fieldsThe Mangala oil fields of Cairn India in Barmer, Rajasthan wereinaugurated by Prime minister Manmohan Singh on August 29, 2009. Thefields will help India curtail its oil import bill, which is to the tune of $20

billion, to a large extent. Mangalas peak production of 1.25 lakh barrelsper day (bpd) will be reached in the first half of 2010. Along with twoother fieldsBhagyam and Aishwaryathe aggregate peak production ofCairn India will be 1.75 lakh bpd, which is 20 per cent of Indias domesticproduction. The three fields are expected to save the country $1.5 billionannually as import bill over the next 10 years. It would also earn thegovernment $30 billion through taxes, royalties and profit petroleum.

PROJECTSIndia to set-up third base at Antarctica

Twenty-five years after it established Dakshin Gangotri, the firstpermanent research station in the South Polar Region, India is all set tobuild the third such centre in Antarctica to take up cutting-edge researchin various fields. The new station, tentatively named Bharti, is scheduledto be operational by 2012, making India a member of an elite group ofnine nations that have multiple stations in the region. Argentina,Australia, Chile, China, France, Russia, the UK and US have multiplestations in Antarctica.

Dakshin Gangotri, set up in 1984, was buried in ice and had to be

abandoned in 1990, a year after India set up Maitri, the second station.The National Centre for Antarctic & Ocean Research (NCAOR), Goa, willset up the new station on Larsmann Hill, 3,000 km from SchirmacherOasis, where Maitristands. While Maitri was more than 100 km from theAntarctic Sea, Bharti will be on a promontory by the sea.

Bharti, like Maitri, will also conduct research on seismic activity, climatechange and medicine. The station will be a compact structure of 30x50metres, accommodating 25 scientists. While living in Antarctica, wheretemperatures range from -89 degrees Celsius in winter to -25 degrees

Celsius in summer, can be tough, constructing a permanent structure is ahuge challenge.

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Experiments in extreme cold climates, as in the polar region, havecontributed immensely to scientific developments. India was admitted tothe Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR), an internationalbody that coordinates scientific activities in the region, on October 1,

1984. India holds the vice-chairmans post in the panel.

Bhuvan: Indian version of Google EarthOn August 12, 2009, ISRO took a leap into satellite imagery ofgeographical regions with the launch ofBhuvan, a mapping applicationwebsite like Google Earth. The day marked the 90th birth anniversary ofthe father of Indian space programme Vikram Sarabhai.

Hyderabad-based National Remote Sensing Agency (NRSA), a part ofISRO, had a lead role in designing and developing Bhuvan. NRSA

scientists developed the content using data provided by Indian satelliteslike Resourcesat-1.

Bhuvan, which in Sanskrit means the earth, also focus on rural andthematic applications like wasteland mapping and terrain profile. Itcontains weather details like humidity levels. The new portal shows datawhich has been approved by the government of India. Viewers can zoominto Bhuvanmaps up to 10 metres compared to Google Earths 200metres and Wikemapias 50 metres. The website can be accessed onwww.bhuvan.nrsc.gov.in.

SPACE RESEARCHCabinet nod to GSAT-10 satelliteThe government today gave its clearance for the development of acommunications satellite that would have a GPS-based navigation system.The approval came at the meeting of the Cabinet chaired by PrimeMinister Manmohan Singh. The design and development of GSAT-10spacecraft would cost Rs 735 crore with a foreign exchange component ofRs 634 crore, the government said. The 3.3-tonne satellite, one of theheavier spacecrafts to be developed by space agency ISRO, will replace

INSAT 2E and INSAT 3B, an official release said.

The GSAT-10 satellite will have 12 high power Ku-band transponders, 12C-band and 12 extended C-band India coverage transponders that wouldcreate additional capacity for direct-to-home like operations.

Design of next phase of moon mission finalisedIndia has completed the design ofChandrayaan-2, its next mission to themoonthis time in collaboration with Russiathat would have a Landerand Rover which can collect samples of the lunar soil and analyse them

and send back the data.

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The Chandrayaan-2 mission would have an orbital flight vehicle,constituting an Orbital Craft (OC) and a Lunar Craft (LC), which wouldcarry a soft landing system up to Lunar Transfer Trajectory (LTT).

The target location for the Lander-rover would be identified using data

from instruments ofChandrayaan-1.While ISRO will be developing theorbiter, it will be Russia's job to make the Lander and Rover. Additionalscientific payloads would be acquired from international scientificcommunity.

ISRO-NAS jointly look for water on moonFive minutes before midnight on August 20, Indias Moon mission,Chandrayaan-1 crossed an important milestone when it teamed up withNASAs Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter in search of water ice.

Both the spacecraft moved simultaneously picking up data. It was a briefflight leading to an exchange of information and there was a combinedanalysis of both the data. Both the spacecraft flew at a velocity of about1.6km per second and surveyed an area on the Moons north pole whichis 18 km across.

The historic combined flight was tracked by ISROs deep space network atByalalu, Bangalore and NASAs deep space network and Applied PhysicsLaboratory in Maryland, US.

Both spacecraft were equipped with radar instrumentsMini-Sar(Synthetic Aperture Radar) on Chandrayaan-1 and Mini-Rf on LRO. Thetwo instruments targeted the same spot on the Moon from differentangles, with Chandrayaan-1s radar transmitting a signal which wasreflected off interior of Erlanger Crater. This was picked up by LRO.

Chandrayan-1 mission abortedThe abrupt end of the moon mission Chandrayaan-Ion August 29, 2009,has temporarily buried Indias dream of bettering China in the field ofmoon exploration. While the Indian mission was called off 10 months after

it was launched and 14 months before its scheduled termination, theChinese mission Change 1 (launched on October 24, 2007), after havingcompleted its original tenure of one year, was given a four monthsextension and was finally terminated on March 1, 2009.

Importantly, Japan, the other Asian space faring nation, has also donewell in the field of moon exploration. Kaguya, the Japanese probelaunched on September 14, 2007, successfully orbited the moon for 20months before it was made to crash on the lunar surface on June 10,2009.

Chandrayaan-Iwas launched on October 22, 2008. It had to be called off

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due to snapping of radio link.

SUMMITWorld Tiger SummitIndia will host World Tiger Summit in 2010 where wildlife experts from

various countries are expected to congregate to deliberate onconservation of diminishing striped cats in the wild. "Rajasthan will behosting the World Tiger Summit at Ranthambore in October or November.

About 200 experts from across the countries are to participate in thesummit, including those from the world renowned organisation, GlobalTiger Initiative.

With over 44 royal big cats, Ranthambore Tiger Reserve will beshowcased as a role model to delegates attending the summit being held

for the first time in the country which is home to around 1,400endangered species.

CURRENT GENERAL KNOWLEDGE: JULY 2009

ABBREVIATIONSDMO: Debt Management Office.GST: Goods and Services Tax.NUIAI: National Unique Identification Authority of India.

AWARDSIndira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament and Development,2008Bill Gates, founder of Microsoft, has become the first business leader inthe world to receive the coveted award.

Mahatma Gandhi International Award for Peace andReconciliation, 2008The pro-democracy Myanmar leader and Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyihas been felicitated with Mahatma Gandhi International Award for Peace

and Reconciliation. The award was bestowed by the South African-basedMahatma Gandhi Foundation. Burmese PM-in-exile Thien Win received theaward on her behalf. The award was being given on July 20 because itrepresenteds the 20th anniversary of Suu Kyis house arrest by themilitary junta in her country.

Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award, 2009M.C. Marykom. Inspired by Dingko Singhs gold medal feat in the 1998Bangkok Asiad, the Manipuri girl took up boxing a decade back and hasntlooked back. She took up the sport to support her family, but soon she

emerged as one of the most feared boxers in the ring. Her best came inthe world championships, where she has won four gold.

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Vijender Singh. The boxer from Kaluwas in Haryana struggled to makeends meet in his early days. His talent got recognition after he starteddoing well in the junior nationals and subsequently was sent abroad fortraining and competition programmes. Kept the entire nation glued to the

TV set during his bouts in the Beijing Olympics. Unlucky to have missedthe final, the tall and handsome boxer did enough to create a record bybecoming the first Indian to win an Olympic boxing medal.

Sushil Kumar. The Delhi wrestler has battled the odds since childhood,but kept on working hard to excel. Things began to change after hebagged the world cadet gold in 1998 and he followed it up with anothergold in the Asian junior championship. Though he was successful at thehighest level, the Beijing medal made him a household name.

Arjuna Award, 2009Mangal Singh Champia (Archery), Sinimole Paulose (Athletics), SainaNehwal (Badminton), L. Sarita Devi (Boxing), Tania Sachdev (Chess),Gautam Gambhir (Cricket), Ignace Tirkey (Hockey), Surinder Kaur(Hockey), Pankaj Navanath Shirsat (Kabaddi), Satish Joshi (Rowing),Ronjan Sodhi (Shooting), Poulomi Ghatak (Table Tennis), Yogeshwar Dutt(Wrestling), Girdhari Lal Yadav (Yachting), Parul Parmar (Badminton,disabled).

Dhyan Chand Award, 2009

Ishar S Deol (Athletics), Satbir Singh Dahya (Wrestling).

Dronacharya Award, 2009P. Gopichand (Badminton), Jaydev Bisht (Boxing), S. Baldev Singh(Hockey), Satpal (Wrestling).

Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puraskar, 2009Community Sports Identification and Nurturing of Budding Young Talent:TATA Steel Ltd.

Financial Support for Sports Excellence, 2009: TATA Steel Ltd.

Employment of Sportspersons and sports welfare measures, 2009:Railways Sports Promotion Board.

BOOKSFuture of CricketThe Rise of Twenty20, TheWritten by John Buchanan, the former coach of the Australian nationalteam and the Knight Riders IPL squad the book takes swipes at SunilGavaskar, Yuvraj Singh, Harbhajan Singh, Kevin Pietersen, Shoaib

Akhtar, Vijay Mallya and Mark Ramprakash. The book deals with IPL andT20. Yet, attention remained focused on its criticism of some of crickets

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biggest stars.

DEFENCENuclear Submarine INSArihantis launchedMrs Gursharan Kaur, wife of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, launched

the first indigenously built nuclear submarine INSArihantand sent it outto water on July 26, 2009. The 110-metre-long submarine is expected togenerate a wave of strategic signals as India entered the exclusive clubof nations that have the capability to build nuclear submarines.

The 5,500 tonne vessel, with a range of 750 km, will become operationalwithin two years after sea trials. With this, India has become the onlycountry in the Indian Ocean region to have nuclear submarine.

Two more indigenous nuclear submarines are under construction and are

slated to be inducted by 2015. The three will cost about Rs 30,000 crore.Another nuclear submarine, the Akula class Nerpa, is to arrive on 10-year lease from Russia in December 2009. So far, only USA, Russia,France, UK and China have nuclear-submarine capabilities. India operateda nuclear submarine on lease from Russia between 1988 and 1991.

It took more than 25 years for it to come into existence since thesubmarine was planned. In between, India faced sanctions and was evendenied technology but it carried on. The actual project commenced inJanuary 1998 when the first steel was cut at a secret ceremony. The

project was code-named the advanced technology vessel and thegovernment had been denying its existence altogether.

The submarine has a diameter of 11 meters and displacement of 6,000tonnes. It has the latest sensors, anti-ship missiles besides strategic(nuclear-tipped) missiles. INSArihantcan fire missiles from under the seaand can lurk in ocean depths of half a km and more. It is powered by an85-MW capacity nuclear reactor and can acquire surface speeds of 22 to28 kmph and submerged speed up to 44 kmph. It will be carrying a crewof 95 and will be armed with torpedoes and missiles, including 12 ballistic

missiles.

The K-15 nuclear missile, Shaurya, that can fire some 700 km, hasalready been tested by the DRDO using a canister to mimic an under-sealaunch. With this, India will complete its nuclear triad. India already hasland-based and air-borne nuclear capabilities.

Unlike diesel-electric powered submarines that have to surface every 48hours or so to breathe, a nuclear- powered submarine can remainsubmerged for longer periods, enabling it to hide. The vessel is critical for

India's nuclear doctrine that calls for high survivability against surpriseattacks and for rapid punitive response. A nuclear submarine can be

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counter in case an enemy launched a crippling strike on land-based or air-based nuclear weapons.

PEOPLEHangal, GangubaiLegendary Hindustani vocalist, she died on July 21, 2009. She was 97.Gangubai, who enthralled millions with her deep understanding ofHindustani music and her powerful androgynous voice, lived a full life. Hercareer spanned over seven decades. She loved life and remained humbledespite her unparalleled achievements. Her early life was tough. Shebattled hunger and caste and gender prejudices. Though this battlecontinued for most part of her life, she found a reason to always smile.

Born in 1913 in Dharwar (Karnataka) in a family of Gangamats(boatmen), Gangubai, like her mother Amlabai and grandmother

Kamlabai, was naturally drawn to singing since childhood. Womenbelonging to the caste were supposed to entertain upper caste people bysinging.

Gangubais late husband Gururao Kaulgi and her father Nadgir were bothBrahmins. But, neither Gangubai nor her mother assumed their husbandsname or lived with them. In adherence to the matrilineal tradition, herchildren also call themselves Hangal.

Gangubai, who belonged to the Kirana Gharana, first sang in front of a

large audience in the Congress session held in Belgaum in 1924.

In her long life as a classical singer, Gangubai went on