Innholdsfortegnelse for September 27, 2021 i India Today

At the beginning of the Modi government’s first term, two catchphrases held out a lot of promise. They were ‘Minimum government, maximum governance’ and the ‘government has no business being in business’. This was music to my ears. For too long, the Indian state had been occupying the ‘commanding heights’ of the economy. Some were not even that commanding, such as hotels and airlines. Most of them were inefficient and a drain on the exchequer. Sadly, the Opposition jibe of ‘suit-boot ki sarkar’ in the first term put paid to those slogans, although the government did bring in much-needed reform like the Goods & Services Tax (GST) and the Insolvency & Bankruptcy Code (IBC). It was heartening to hear the prime minister declare on February 24 this year at an…

An ongoing clash in Rajasthan between BJP senior leader Kailash Chandra Meghwal, 87, and leader of opposition Gulab Chand Kataria has Jaipur political circles buzzing. In a recent letter to national party president J.P. Nadda, Meghwal accused Kataria of having cost the BJP votes with his gratuitous comments. Back in February, Kataria had sharply reacted to Meghwal questioning his leadership. Meghwal loyalists are watching this exchange with glee since Kataria at 76 is a year older than the party’s cut-off age to hold office and his retirement could mean a vacancy.…

It is one of the ironies of present-day India that while we are capable of sending a mission to the moon, of launching intercontinental ballistic missiles, developing a bullet train and enjoy the status of being a formidable IT power, we are still—seven decades after Independence—stuck with a police force with the same old colonial structure and a feudal mindset. It’s not that efforts have not been made in the past to modernise the police. Several commissions at the state and Central levels have made recommendations to restructure the police force. However, the state governments, which have jurisdiction over the ‘police’ and ‘law and order’, made only cosmetic changes and were averse to reforms that would insulate the police from political pressure and make it accountable to the people. The…

Q. What next after the success of Muzaffarnagar mahapanchayat? A. The farmer in every village of UP is troubled. After the mahapanchayat, he has realised his power. Now there will be a farmers’ movement in every village. Q. Are anti-BJP forces supporting farmers to serve their own political interests? A. The farmer is fighting his own battle. The BJP government can hold talks with Pakistan and China but not with the farmers of their country. If the government takes two steps back, the farmers too will back down half a step. Q. Jats seem to be the most visible in the agitation. Are other agricultural castes staying away? Also, is the movement more active in western UP? A. If Jats are in a majority in western UP, naturally, you will…

STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS WERE MEANT TO LEVERAGE INDIA’S POSITION AS AN ARMS BUYER INTO BRINGING TECHNOLOGY TO THE COUNTRY. HOWEVER, BUDGETARY SHORTFALLS AND BUREAUCRATIC HURDLES MEAN THE PROJECTS, COLLECTIVELY WORTH OVER RS 2.2 LAKH CRORE, ARE RUNNING YEARS BEHIND SCHEDULE SUBMARINES Project: 75 (I) Number: 6 conventional submarines Budget: Rs 60,000 crore Status: Navy floated RFPs (request for proposals) on July 20, 2021; is in the process of evaluating competition HELICOPTERS Project: Naval Utility Helicopters Number: 111 (95 assembled in India) Budget: Rs 21,000 crore Status: Adani defence, Bharat Forge Ltd, Mahindra Defence Systems, Tata Advanced Systems Ltd, Airbus Helicopters, Lockheed Martin & Russian helicopters have submitted proposals for this project. RFPs yet to be issued. Put on hold because HAL says it will field an NUH (naval utility helicopter). AIRCRAFT…

A FORTNIGHT AGO, FORESTERS IN RAJASTHAN’S Jhalana Reserve Forest (JRF) spotted leopardess Flora with two cubs. Though India’s leopard population has been rising over the past few years, this was especially cheering since the Rajasthan government had announced in October 2018 that Jhalana would become home to the country’s first leopard safari. With around 29 adults and 15 cubs, of which 12 were born this year, some say JRF now has the world’s highest density of leopards, though officials say this may be a premature claim. Nonetheless, the JRF has seen much interest from officials, tourists and wildlife experts. There are also plans to replicate its success in nearby areas, ultimately creating a corridor linking it with the nearby Sariska Tiger Reserve, about 100 km away. “JRF is emerging as a…

TOBA TEK SINGH by Saadat Hassan Manto Storytel Length: 19 minutes Few Partition stories are as iconic as ‘Toba Tek Singh’, but when heard in the voice of Anupam Kher, this story of Bishan Singh, an inmate sent from a Pakistani asylum to an Indian one, seems newly harrowing ME AND MA by Divya Dutta Penguin Random House (available on Audible & Google Play) Length: 3 hrs, 1 min Hearing the National Award-winner Divya Dutta read her memoir, one is first struck by her candour. She delves into her ups and downs and how through it all her mother remained a steady source of support. THE LAST GIRL TO FALL IN LOVE by Durjoy Datta Audible Length: 6 hrs and 42 mins Rasika Duggal and Prateik Babbar narrate the story…

For sharp analysis on topical issues by the editors of INDIA TODAY, log on to www.indiatoday.in/india-today-magazine-insight THE BIG STORY Why PM Modi and Amit Shah are silent on caste census by Anilesh S. Mahajan A wide section in the BJP favours a caste census but the party’s top leadership is weighing its options https://bit.ly/3hBRl5w GROUND REPORT Why a Catholic bishop’s remarks on ‘love and narcotics jihad’ worries Pinarayi Vijayan by Jeemon Jacob Joseph Kallarangattu’s comments have stirred the communal pot in Kerala, giving the BJP an opportunity https://bit.ly/3hxqkA8 FROM THE STATES: RAJASTHAN Why a viral sex video is the Rajasthan police’s new headache by Rohit Parihar A string of incidents of corruption and moral turpitude has the state police on the backfoot https://bit.ly/3CgD3PD SPOTLIGHT: HURRIYAT Why Masarat Alam is Kashmir’s…

FORD MOTOR CO. EXITED: 2021 EMPLOYEES: 4,000 CAPACITY: 240,000 units a year at Sanand (Gujarat) plant; up to 200,000 in Chennai WHY: Posted accumulated operating losses of over Rs 14,700 crore; demand for products low; JV with Mahindra didn’t take off HARLEY DAVIDSON EXITED: 2020 EMPLOYEES: 70 CAPACITY: 12,000 bikes a year at Bawal (Haryana) plant WHY: To focus, as part of its ‘Rewire’ strategy, on select markets, such as North America, Europe and some parts of Asia GENERAL MOTORS EXITED: 2017 EMPLOYEES: 5,000 CAPACITY: A total of 225,000 vehicles at the Halol (Gujarat) and Talegaon Dabhade (Maharashtra) plants WHY: Decision not to invest in non-profitable operations in a few regions, including India, Russia and western Europe…

When Prime Minister Narendra Modi assumed power in 2014, one of his big promises was to deliver “minimum government, maximum governance”. On these lines, his government was expected to cede control of some public assets to the private sector, either through outright sale or by bringing private sector firms into their operation/management to make them more productive. However, his government achieved little on this count in its first term, cornered as it was by the opposition’s “suit-boot ki sarkar” jibe. In its Union budget in February this year, the Modi government made high-decibel pronouncements in two areas involving the private sector—disinvestment and asset monetisation. The initial results of its disinvestment push have been mixed. The sale of Air India has received interest from a few private suitors, with the bidding…

MARK-TO-MARKET: In this system, the value is estimated based on recent market transactions of similar assets. For instance, to put a value on a stretch of highway, one might consider the per kilometre cost in transactions for other roadways. Other factors, such as the payment terms and the bids received, also play a role. CAPEX COST: Many assets require significant capital expenditure (capex) to improve output or profitability. In such cases, the size of the investment required becomes a reference point. The time period of this investment also plays a role, as do the contract terms, such as revenue-sharing, concession fees, premiums and others. BOOK VALUE: This method is used when data on comparable market transactions or estimated capital investments is not available. This valuation also considers the average investment…

MONSOON FURY Intense rain battered the Saurashtra region last week. A relief package must be announced pronto PENDING WORK Finance and revenue have been the most ineffective departments. Close to 600 files are pending in these departments DEMORALISED CADRE The BJP cadre are demoralised because of the bureaucratic hurdles in meeting and connecting with ex-CM Rupani UPSET PATIDARS The influential Patidar community is upset with the BJP after it sidestepped their demand for reservation VETERAN ANGST Bhupendra Patel was elevated bypassing several seniors in the party. The pressure will be on from day one…

ON INDIA’S 75TH INDEPENDENCE DAY, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that the government will, by 2024, supply rice fortified with nutrients through the Public Distribution System (PDS) and food schemes targeting women and children. As a forerunner, to combat chronic anaemia and undernutrition, the Union ministry of consumer affairs, food & public distribution will distribute fortified rice through the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) Scheme and the Mid Day Meal Scheme (MDMS) from 2021-22, with a focus on 112 aspirational districts (those with poor socio-economic indicators). For this year, the Centre has allocated 32.8 million tonnes of rice for PDS, MDMS and the ICDS Scheme, under the National Food Security Act, 2013. But providing all of it as fortified rice by 2024 appears to be a tall task. Rice fortification is…

When Sunil Gupta first realised that he could be gay (back in the early 1970s), “that thing did not even have a name.” The New Delhiborn Gupta was living in Montreal at the time. He recalls coming back home from college one day, determined to tell his father about his sexual orientation. “Here was a military man who sorted things out by showing people a stick,” says Gupta with a laugh. “I knew he wouldn’t understand and because he might have been uninformed, I had made a reading list of books on homosexuality. So, I told him and he suggested ‘therapy’. I had never heard the man use that word before.” His mother, a school teacher, however, “cried and cried”. Gupta, who has photo exhibitions currently underway in London and…

For decades, Chennai had few places where the whole family could eat a meal in cleanliness and peace. The few eateries that dotted the metropolis were largely “military hotels”, hole-in-the-wall places serving cheap non-veg to an all-male clientele. All that changed in the 1980s with the mushrooming of several clean, air-conditioned restaurants specialising in regional cuisine. But vegetarian eat-and-run places were still few. Vasantha Bhavan, Saravana Bhavan and other chains, each enjoying brief moments in the spotlight, have now carved out the market among themselves. Yet, few of them have earned as much commendation and condemnation as Saravana Bhavan, founded in 1981 by P. Rajagopal in K.K. Nagar, a developing corner of the metropolis. It soon spread across the city, serving fresh and affordable vegetarian fare. It would have been…

Q. First ‘Laung Gawacha’ with Avneet Khurmi, then ‘Jadi Buti’ with Major Lazer, and now Baaraat with Ritviz. Hasn’t your music always been collaborative? Collaborators have been a huge part of my journey. As a musician, I’m extremely inspired by people, experiences and places. I have been lucky to have worked with some incredible musicians. The only difference with Baaraat is that Ritviz and I have undertaken a longer journey together, since it’s an entire album. It has been a beautiful experience. Q. Your music has always been very easy to dance to. Did the pandemic make you feel you would have to revise your sound? I don’t think this was linked to the pandemic at all. I’m inspired by things that happen around me, as well as the phases…

Q. Horticulture is your economy’s mainstay. Were you able to sustain production despite the pandemic? What steps are you taking to improve the situation? A. At around Rs 4,500 crore, apple cultivation contributes significantly to our state’s economy and we did well last year despite the Covid restrictions. The challenge most orchard owners face is that once the apples reach the market, it creates a glut and prices crash. Apart from government agencies, we are working with the private sector to set up cold chain facilities and other infrastructure. We are expecting that these units will be commissioned next season onwards, and we will have the capacity to process the fruit as well. We are also assisting orchard owners to buy hailstorm safety nets by providing 80 per cent subsidy on…

ROADS ▶₹1,60,200 cr 26,700 km Asset length to be monetised 20% Asset length as a percentage of potential asset base AVIATION* ▶₹20,782 cr FY22: ₹3,600 cr Bhubaneswar, Varanasi, Amritsar, Trichy, Indore, Raipur FY23: ₹4,295 cr Calicut, Coimbatore, Nagpur, Patna, Madurai, Surat, Ranchi, Jodhpur FY24: ₹4,193 cr Chennai, Vijayawada Tirupati, Vadodara, Bhopal, Hubli FY25: ₹1,857 cr Imphal, Agartala, Udaipur, Dehradun, Rajahmundry RAILWAYS ▶₹1,52,496 cr Railway stations 400 (5.5% of stations) Passenger trains 90 (5% of total trains) Railway tracks 1 route of ~1,400 km (2% of network) Konkan railways 741 km Hill railways 4,244 km Goods sheds 265 (21% of all railway-owned goods sheds) MINING ▶₹28,747 cr 160 PROJECTS identified for monetisation 761 mineral blocks are expected to be auctioned between FY22 and FY25 TELECOM ▶₹35,100 cr Bharatnet Fibre ~2.86 lakh…

AUSTRALIA: In its 2014-15 budget, the Australian government announced an Infrastructure Growth Package, a 10-year plan to boost infrastructure investment. One key component was an Asset Recycling Initiative (ARI), aimed at encouraging states to recycle assets and utilise the proceeds for new infrastructure by encouraging private companies to fund and run public infrastructure. By 2018, 12 major public assets were rolled out under the ARI. Around AU$3 billion in incentive payments were paid to participating states and territories. This helped in unlocking over AU$17 billion in new infrastructure development across Australia. INDONESIA: In February 2020, Indonesia implemented its Limited Concession Rights scheme, a system for financing public infrastructure by using existing public assets. Under this, private firms will be invited to operate, maintain and expand existing public assets in return…

WHAT IS RICE FORTIFICATION? The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), which sets standards for food items in the country, defines fortification as “deliberately increasing the content of essential micronutrients in food to improve nutritional quality and provide public health benefits with minimal risk to health”. FSSAI guidelines state that a kilo of fortified rice shall contain: HOW IS RICE FORTIFIED? Broken rice grains are powdered and nutrients iron, Vitamin B12 and folate added to the flour. Ferric pyrophosphate and enhancing compounds, such as citric acid and trisodium citrate, are also added to improve iron absorption. The fortified mix is shaped into rice kernels using an extrusion process, and then mixed with normal rice in a 1:100 ratio. HOW MUCH DOES THE PROCESS COST? The Union government estimates…

Since leopard safaris began in the Jhalana Reserve Forest (the safaris were soft-launched in 2017), about 100,000 tourists have visited. Twelve electric vehicles and Gypsys take visitors on two-hour tours on one of three routes through the reserve. Deep Narayan Pandey, Rajasthan’s principal chief conservator of forests, says Jhalana is the best place in India to see leopards, the way Ranthambore is for tigers. The forest and its adjoining areas are believed to have a population of nearly 30 adult leopards. The success of these safaris has led officials to work on developing similar reserves in nearby areas, building a wildlife corridor from Jhalana to the Sariska Tiger Reserve, passing through Amagarh, Nahargarh and Ramgarh. The estimated cost for habitat-strengthening efforts is about Rs 50 crore, while mitigation measures are…

Two dramatic sequences—set 24 years apart—open the new Jayalalithaa biopic Thalaivi. One of these shows the young Jaya (Kangana Ranaut) performing in the florid mode of 1960s Tamil cinema—writhing under a waterfall, jiggling her hips—and a glimpse of her soon-to-be leading man, superstar ‘MJR’ (Arvind Swamy). But just before this comes a scene that is as theatrical in its way. It is set in the Tamil Nadu legislative assembly in 1989 and depicts Jaya—new to politics—being manhandled during a scuffle between opposing parties. Whereupon she compares herself to Draupadi, denouncing men who don’t know how to respect women, and promises revenge. To watch this opening is to be reminded that all successful politicians, even the relatively dignified ones, are performers: presenting a version of themselves for public consumption. And what…

Q What drew you to audiobooks? With online platforms like Storytel, listening to stories has become much more convenient than before when you had to buy cassettes… I have done radio plays since I was around 10. My first one, I remember, was the story of Krishna and I played him. It was commissioned by Amar Chitra Katha and made into a vinyl record—in those days, people would buy and play these records for their children. Q. Do you listen to audiobooks a lot? A lot. I start my day with an audiobook. On some days, when I go for a long walk for about three to four hours, I listen to one. When you can’t sit down in one place and read but you want your mind to be…