The previous governments have made the middle and upper classes believe that India
is almost a developed economy and a super power. There are people here who believe India is
the third or so
largest economy in the world! What is the ground reality?
About 50% Indians defecate in the open (626 million Indians do not have a toilet!) 25-30% of the entire population lives below poverty line. 300-360 million Indians live with around Rs20/- (about 30 cents) a day. They do not have a square meal a day, a dwelling, water-supply or sanitation. They sleep in ramshackle huts or on pavements or in slums or blighted areas. Another 30% live on the brink of the poverty line; the rural folks, the vast majority of the peasants are all emaciated without adequate nutrition, health care or sanitation. Infant and maternal mortality rates are very high. One out of two children suffers from malnutrition; they are sick or stunted. Women are the worst sufferers. Being a patriarchal society they are suppressed, they cannot select a career or decide their fate. Almost 50% of them are illiterate and two-thirds are confined to the four walls of the house producing children and working from early morning to late night. The urban women who land up in a job have to work double: at the office and at the house. Thus half of the Indian citizens do not partake in nation building. How can a country progress in this scenario?
largest economy in the world! What is the ground reality?
About 50% Indians defecate in the open (626 million Indians do not have a toilet!) 25-30% of the entire population lives below poverty line. 300-360 million Indians live with around Rs20/- (about 30 cents) a day. They do not have a square meal a day, a dwelling, water-supply or sanitation. They sleep in ramshackle huts or on pavements or in slums or blighted areas. Another 30% live on the brink of the poverty line; the rural folks, the vast majority of the peasants are all emaciated without adequate nutrition, health care or sanitation. Infant and maternal mortality rates are very high. One out of two children suffers from malnutrition; they are sick or stunted. Women are the worst sufferers. Being a patriarchal society they are suppressed, they cannot select a career or decide their fate. Almost 50% of them are illiterate and two-thirds are confined to the four walls of the house producing children and working from early morning to late night. The urban women who land up in a job have to work double: at the office and at the house. Thus half of the Indian citizens do not partake in nation building. How can a country progress in this scenario?
India houses more of the poorest of the world than any other
nation. India has more hungry stomachs than any other country. More children
are stunted or emaciated here than anywhere else. Still the priorities of the
central government had been elsewhere. Our defense spending had been one of the highest in
the world. Still we are nowhere near
the defense capability of China. A considerable percentage of the entire money
has gone to the pockets of the concerned politicians. Massive weapon buying had been initiated by the rulers seemingly for the kickbacks.
The funds earmarked for the poverty alleviation programs landed up in the pockets of the politicians and the public servants. The black money in foreign banks builds up every day. We have a huge bureaucracy which is corrupt to the core as they follow the Congress leaders. No wonder India is ranked as one of the most corrupt nations. Wrong priorities of the government are in itself suicidal!
When half the population waqs illiterate and below poverty line they were sending rockets to the moon to find whether water exists there! They exploded crude nuclear devices and spent billions on weapons which become useless in a short time as they were sourced wrongly for the kickbacks. No significant effort was done to contain population increase, or empower women. And the educated middle class was made to believe India is advanced, progressive and powerful!
The funds earmarked for the poverty alleviation programs landed up in the pockets of the politicians and the public servants. The black money in foreign banks builds up every day. We have a huge bureaucracy which is corrupt to the core as they follow the Congress leaders. No wonder India is ranked as one of the most corrupt nations. Wrong priorities of the government are in itself suicidal!
When half the population waqs illiterate and below poverty line they were sending rockets to the moon to find whether water exists there! They exploded crude nuclear devices and spent billions on weapons which become useless in a short time as they were sourced wrongly for the kickbacks. No significant effort was done to contain population increase, or empower women. And the educated middle class was made to believe India is advanced, progressive and powerful!
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