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Socio-economic census paints a grim picture of rural India

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rural India

New Delhi: The Socio Economic and Caste Census (SECC) 2011 has painted a grim picture of rural India, indicating that one out of three families living in villages is landless and depends on manual labour for livelihood.

The SECC 2011, also the first paperless census conducted on hand-held electronic devices by the government, said 23.52 per cent rural families have no literate adult above 25 years, suggesting a poor state of education among rural masses.

The census, carried out in 640 districts under the aegis of the Rural Development Ministry, was released jointly by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and Rural Development Minister Chaudhary Birendra Singh here.

According to the census, there are a total number of 24.39 crore households in the country, of which 17.91 crore live in villages. Of these, 10.69 crore households are considered as deprived.

The deprivation data reveal that 5.37 crore (29.97 per cent) households in rural areas are “landless deriving a major part of their income from manual labour”. As many as 2.37 crore (13.25 per cent) families in villages live in houses of one room with ‘kaccha’ walls and roof.

It further said 21.53 per cent, or 3.86 crore, families living in villages belong to SC/ST categories.

Releasing the census, Jaitley said, “It’s after seven-eight decades that we have this document after 1932 of the caste census… It’s going to be very important document for all policy makers both at central and state governments… this document will help us target groups for support in terms of policy planning.”

The data, Singh said, “addresses the multi-dimensionality of poverty and provides a unique opportunity for a convergent, evidence based planning with a Gram Panchayat as unit”.

Singh added a caveat, saying though the name of the census suggests caste, it does not include castes.

“The name of the report indicates (caste), but caste is not reflected in our data … still the name is Socio Economic and Caste Census,” he said.

“We are now on the cusp of a huge development shift that will move the numbers of poverty to the names of the village that needs government intervention. The idea is to deal with all aspects of the family simultaneously,” Singh said.

The census further said just 4.6 per cent of all rural households in the country pay income tax.

As for sources of income, 9.16 crore households (51.14 per cent) depend on manual casual labour followed by cultivation (30.10 per cent).

It further said 2.5 crore (14.01 per cent) rural families are dependent on income from other sources which include government service, private sector and PSUs.

Besides, 4.08 lakh households fall back on ragpicking while 6.68 lakh depend on begging and charity alms.

“It’s also a document which contains various details with regard to the specifics of regions, communities, caste groups, economic groups and give us an opportunity to measure the progress which households in India have made.

“Who are the ones who have qualitatively moved up in terms of quality of life and who are the ones in terms of geographical regions, social groupings which in future planning need to be targeted,” Jaitley said.

“The data is an opportunity to make evidence-based selection, prioritisation and targeting of beneficiaries in different programmes,” Singh added.

The Rural Development Ministry has taken a decision to use the SECC data in all its programmes.

“SECC data would have meaningful use in housing for all, education and skills thrust, MGNREGA, the National Food Security Act, interventions for differently-abled, interventions for women-led households, and targeting of households/individual entitlements on evidence of deprivation, etc,” he said.

It paves the way for a Mission Antyodaya to work simultaneously in addressing the poverty of households through a Gram Panchayat Poverty Reduction Plan, he added.

The basic idea, the Minister said, is to implement a convergent, integrated poverty reduction plan, with Gram Panchayats and deprived households as a priority.

(PTI)

SC gives Karnataka eight more weeks for Bengaluru civic polls

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Supreme Court

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday gave the Karnataka government and the State Election Commission eight more weeks to hold the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagar Palika (BBMP) polls, declining the state’s plea for more time for delimitation of wards on the basis of 2011 Census.

A bench of Chief Justice H.L. Dattu, Justice Arun Mishra and Justice Amitava Roy said it may give more time for the conduct of the election but would not change a word from its May 5 order.

The court’s assertion came as a battery of lawyers representing the Karnataka government and other parties sought modification of the May 5 order directing the State Election Commission to complete the election process within three months by August 5.

The government requested postponement of the polls to help complete the delimitation exercise.

The eight weeks allowed on Friday are in addition to the three months the apex court gave by the May 5 order, which recorded the Karnataka government’s submission that it had “no objection if the election for the BBMP is held”.

The parties opposing the Karnataka government plea for postponement of the polls recalled the submission it made during the earlier hearing.

(Agencies)

Sand mafia chops off woman’s hand in Bengaluru

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Sand mafia chops off woman hand

Bengaluru: In a gruesome incident, three members of a sand mafia chopped off the hand of a housewife after they allegedly mistook her for the wife of their rival at Herohalli, Tavarekere, on the outskirts of the city.

The victim, Mangala Gowri (38), is now undergoing treatment at a private hospital. Though the police have surgically joined her severed left hand, which was chopped off, the victim needs to wait for a week to ascertain whether she can regain movement.

The incident has shocked the IT Capital of the nation because the rowdies dared to barge into the house of the victim and slashed her family members with swords.

Around 8 p.m. on Thursday, three persons involved in sand mining barged into a house, and on spotting Mrs Gowri, attacked her. While the men were in search of Nanje Gowda, who runs a sand-mining business, they mistook Mangala – who owns the house – as his wife and chopped her left hand, said Tavarekere Police.

The assailants — Krishna of Kunigal, Sandeep of Bhattarahalli and Kumar, who run a sand-transportation business — had an argument with Nanje Gowda over a consignment which wasn’t delivered on Wednesday.

The three had earlier on Thursday come to threaten Nanje Gowda, who lives in a rented house. However, they met the house owner Raghavendra who asked them to go away.

Later in the evening, armed with knives and machetes, they entered the house where they spotted Ms. Gowri who was oblivious to the threats, said the police.

Taverekere police registered a case of attempt to murder and a search is on to find the accused.

(Agencies)

‘Girl could’ve been saved if taken to hospital with Hema Malini,’ relatives say

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Sonam

Jaipur: Relatives of the four-year-old girl, killed in a car crash with Hema Malini’s Mercedes, have alleged that the child was lying at the accident spot for nearly 20 minutes and could have been saved had she been taken to the hospital along with the BJP MP.

“Hema Malini was taken to a hospital in Dausa by a doctor immediately after the incident. He then took her to Fortis hospital while Sonam was lying at the spot for 15-20 minutes. Nobody asked about her,” alleged Shirish Gupta, uncle of Sonam who succumbed to her injuries on way to hospital in Dausa last night.

“Had she (Sonam) been taken to the hospital along with Hema Malini, she would have been saved,” Gupta said.

Sonam’s father Hanuman Mahajan, his wife Shikha (35), Somil and Seema were shifted to the SMS hospital here.

Mahajan has filed a complaint with the Kotwali police station in Dausa against Ramesh Chand Thakur, who was driving Hema’s car when it met with the accident in Dausa, 60 km from here.

Thakur was arrested at Kotwali Thana in Dausa. Gupta said Sonam and others were taken to hospital by police.

The 66-year-old actress-turned politician underwent a surgery for her wounds at Fortis hospital here and was doing fine, doctors attending to her said. She was also treated for a minor fracture on her nose.

(PTI)

#SelfieWithDaughter: Shruti Seth Pens Moving Open Letter to Modi

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Shruti Seth

by Shruti Seth

A little note to India,

I write this to an entire nation because no one individual can be held responsible for bringing about change in the mindset of a billion odd people. Change can only happen if there is awareness at an individual level.

On the morning of June 28, I made the grave mistake of expressing my views on an initiative called #SelfieWithDaughter which had been blessed by our PM. Most people found it to be a sweet gesture and a means to create awareness about female infanticide. I, sadly, didn’t find the idea very palatable. Keep in mind that I have an 11-month daughter of my own. But I expect more from the man who’s supposed to usher in a new era of change, not just tenuous surface-level initiatives.

I then made a graver mistake of posting this opinion on Twitter. So not only did I dare to think, I also dared to place my thoughts in the public domain.

And then, at the risk of sounding overly-Shakespearean, the floodgates of hell opened. I was subjected to a tsunami of hate tweets. 48 hours of non stop trolling. The tweets were targeted at me, my family, my ‘Muslim’ husband, my eleven-month-old daughter and, of course, my non-existent, dwindling, no-good career as an actor.

I had made an unsavoury comment about our Prime Minister by calling him – *gasp* – #SelfieObsessed and asking him to choose reform over gimmickry. Was I wrong? Was I too harsh? Apparently, for those who support him and the ruling government, unquestioningly so. I, as a member of the tax-paying electorate of India, did not have the right to comment on his policy. I had dared to challenge his authority. I had abused the highest office of the country (which is the President, by the way).

And so I deserved to be punished. And punished In a manner commensurate with the vitriol that the anonymity & access of Twitter so easily provide.

Men and women alike said the most vile things about me, stripping me of all my dignity as someone’s daughter, wife and mother and most importantly a woman. Men who were busy hash-tagging their selfies with their daughters one minute called me slanderous names the next. Asked me if I knew who my real father was. Questioned if I had been sexually abused as a child and hence was opposed to the idea of a selfie with my father. And these are the relatively polite ones. Well done, gentlemen. Your daughters must be so proud.

Women, who are meant to empower each other, asked me if I was a prostitute and if I was planning on doing the same with my daughter. Whether I was trying to gain some fame and resurrect my failed career by using the prime minister’s name. I shudder to think of the deep respect your sons will have for the opposite sex.

So here’s the thing. What is the point of taking selfies with your girls when you’re also responsible for creating the most toxic environment for them to grow up in? How will taking a photograph nullify the misogyny and patriarchy that is so deeply entrenched in our society? Why bother to increase the number of girls being born when you choose to treat them with such indignity and disrespect?

All those who trolled me incessantly for forty eight hours, did you for once stop and think that I, too, am someone’s daughter? Did you ever ask yourselves how you’d feel if it were your daughter at the receiving end of all that hate? I’m guessing the answer is a big, resounding “No”. Because, you know, you were too busy pouting for the camera and getting ‘likes’ and ‘RT’s to your #SelfieWithDaughter. As for our esteemed PM, I have this to say to him:

Dear Sir,

If you truly wish to empower women, I urge you to condemn this kind of hatred being spread in your name.

Regretfully, I deleted my initial tweet because of the backlash. But I stand by what I said and I’ll reiterate it here: “Selfies don’t bring about change, reform does. So please try and be bigger than a photograph. Come on!”

And as for my initial reservation about the initiative being nothing more than eyewash, I am deeply saddened to see that, in the end, I was proved right.

(The article first appeared here.)

France rejects asylum request from WikiLeaks’ Assange

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President’s office says WikiLeaks founder did not face “immediate danger”, in response to Assange’s request for asylum.

Julian Assange faces allegations by two women of rape and sexual assault, which he denies [AP]

Julian Assange faces allegations by two women of rape and sexual assault, which he denies [AP]

by Al Jazeera

The French government has rejected an asylum request from WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, saying he did not face “immediate danger”.

In a letter to the French President, Assange described himself as a “journalist pursued and threatened with death by the United States’ authorities as a result of my professional activities”.

He asked in the letter, published on Friday in Le Monde newspaper, to be granted asylum by France.

Hours later, the office of President Francois Hollande responded in a statement that read: “France cannot act on his request”.

“The situation of Mr Assange does not present an immediate danger. Furthermore, he is subject to a European arrest warrant,” Hollande’s office said.

Assange, who turned 44 on Friday, has spent over three years holed up in Ecuador’s embassy in London to avoid extradition to Sweden, where he faces allegations by two women, one of rape and one of sexual assault, which he denies.

The former computer hacker fears extradition to Sweden could lead to him being transferred to the US to face trial over WikiLeaks’ publication of classified US military and diplomatic documents.

Egypt’s Brotherhood says member tortured to death

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Muslim Brotherhood says authorities asked family of leading member to collect bruised body weeks after disappearance.

Suez Muslim Brotherhood leader Tarek Khalil was tortured before he was killed, according to his family [@Ikhwanweb]

Suez Muslim Brotherhood leader Tarek Khalil was tortured before he was killed, according to his family [@Ikhwanweb]

by Al Jazeera

Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood says another of its members has been killed by security forces two weeks after the man went missing, the movement has told Al Jazeera.

The group on Friday said Egyptian soldiers kidnapped two men, a businessman Tarek Khalil, who was in charge of the Brotherhood’s Development Committee, and another man, Mohamed Saad Alioua, on June 17.

Muslim Brotherhood members said Egyptian authorities asked Khalil’s family to collect his body from a mortuary on Friday. Family members said Khalil’s body showed marks of torture.

The group did not have information on what has happened to Alioua.

Calls for ‘revolt’

On Thursday the Brotherhood warned of “serious repercussions” and called on its supporters to “rise in revolt” after Egyptian police killed 13 leading members of the group.

Egyptian police raided an apartment in the Cairo suburb of 6th of October on Wednesday and killed the men, including a former member of parliament, Nasser al-Hafy, security sources and a member of the outlawed group said. 

The Brotherhood members were reportedly meeting to discuss sponsoring the families of detainees when the police stormed the building. The victims’ families said the men were unarmed and had been taken into custody earlier in the day but were released after giving fingerprints.

Egypt’s interior ministry, however, said the men were fugitive leaders who were plotting attacks – something the group denies – and said the group included two men who had previously been sentenced to death.

In a statement, the ministry said that investigators found weapons, 43,000 Egyptian pounds ($5,300), documents and memory cards and that the group was plotting attacks on the army, police, judiciary, and media.

Pro-Muslim Brotherhood Mekameleen TV said the leaders were detained inside a home and “killed in cold blood without any investigation or charges”.

In a statement following the deaths, the group described the killings as “a significant development with serious repercussions” and said it held “the criminal [Egyptian President] Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and his gang fully responsible for these crimes and their consequences”.

“Rise in revolt to defend your homeland, your lives and your children,” the statement said, adding: “This murderer is now executing the largest and most horrid massacre against this homeland. Oust the heinous murderer. Destroy the castles of injustice and tyranny. Reclaim Egypt once again.”

The group said the incident “pushes the situation onto a very dangerous curve and makes the entire scene highly volatile”.

Boko Haram kills scores praying in Nigeria mosques

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At least 140 people killed in Boko Haram attacks on three towns in country’s northeastern Borno State.

A witness said gunmen killed men and young boys in the mosques and then proceeded to burn the corpses [Reuters]

A witness said gunmen killed men and young boys in the mosques and then proceeded to burn the corpses [Reuters]

by Al Jazeera

Boko Haram gunmen have killed more than 140 people in three separate attacks on mosques and villages in Nigeria’s northeast Borno State.

A government official said that several mosques were attacked in the town of Kukawa on Wednesday night, with at least 97 men, women and children among the victims.

Two other villages were also attacked, with women and children again among the dead.

On Thursday, a suicide attacker also blew up a military checkpoint near Maiduguri, killing at least four people.

Al Jazeera’s Yvonne Ndege, reporting from Abuja, said Boko Haram had embarked on a “really bloody 72 hours in Borno State”, and the worst of the attacks had taken place in Kukawa, 180km northeast of Maiduguri, the biggest city in northeast Nigeria.

Officials said the people of Kukawa were in several mosques, praying ahead of breaking their daylong fast, when the fighters attacked.

“We are being told that Boko Haram fighters arrived in seven cars and on nine motorcycles in the town before embarking on their attack, and that over 1,000 Nigerian soldiers were in Kanwa, about 11km away but didn’t come to the rescue,” our correspondent said.

Officials in Kukawa said some fighters then broke into people’s homes, killing women and children as they prepared the evening meal.

“Some witnesses have described awful scenes,” our correspondent said.

“A witness called Kolo said they killed men and young boys in the mosques and then proceeded to burn the corpses they had killed. They then indiscriminately attacked women and children who were at home.”

News of Wednesday night’s gruesome incident only came to light on Thursday, our correspondent said.

The Kukawa attack came a day after the group attacked the village of Mussaram 35km away and killed another 48 men and boys.

On Tuesday night, Boko Haram invaded Mussaram, ordered men and women to separate and then opened fire on the men and boys, witnesses said.

“A total of 48 males died on the spot while 17 others escaped with serious injuries,” said Maidugu Bida, a local vigilante group commander.

The spate of attacks follow a directive from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) group for fighters to increase attacks during Ramadan.

Boko Haram this year became ISIL’s West African franchise.

The Nigerian group, whose birthplace is Maiduguri, often defiles mosques where it believes imams espouse too moderate a form of Islam.

Kiwis trounce Indian eves to take 2-1 lead

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Mithali Raj

Bengaluru: Half centuries by openers Suzie Bates and Rachel Priest and their 125-run opening partnership carried New Zealand to a comfortable six-wicket win over India for a 2-1 lead in their five-match women’s One-Day International (ODI) series here on Friday.

Skipper Bates (59, 87b, 7×4) and Priest 64 (101b, 7×4, 1×6), after surviving a few close calls early in their respective knocks, waded through the Indian attack to set up the victory as the Kiwis overhauled the home team’s total of 182 for nine.

India put up a seemingly challenging total as skipper Mithali Raj (30), Veda Krishnamurthy (61, 85b, 6×4) who batted with confidence and panache, and Deepti Sharma (22) held the innings together.

Krishnamurthy and Sharma were involved in a 71-run stand for the fifth wicket before the Kiwis checked the progress, although a small cameo by Niranjana Nanjappa (12 off seven balls) took India past the 180-run mark.

However, the target proved grossly inadequate as Bates and Priest made light of the Indian bowling with their century-strong opening partnership to effectively seal the issue. Although the hosts grabbed a couple of quick wickets, the Kiwis were not to be denied.

New Zealand, thus, staged a fine comeback after losing the series opener to win the next two games for a 2-1 advantage. The fourth match is scheduled for Monday and the series will conclude on Wednesday before the teams play three T20 games.

Brief scores:

India 182 for 9 in 50 overs (Mithali Raj 30, Veda Krishnamurthy 61, Deepti Sharma 22, Sophie Devine 3 for 30) lost to New Zealand 186 for 4 in 45.4 overs (Suzie Bates 59, Rachel Priest 62, Amy Satterhwaite 22).

(IANS)

Lokayukta corruption row: Opposition mounts pressure for CBI probe

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Bhaskar-Rao

Belagavi: Keeping up pressure for removal of Lokaykuta Bhaskar Rao and a CBI probe into alleged bribery scandal in the anti-graft body, Opposition BJP and JDS members today staged a walkout from the Legislative Council, accusing the government of shielding the corrupt.

As the House proceedings began, BJP and JDS sought to move an adjournment motion on the scandal that has rocked the Lokayukta office and demanded removal of Rao, alleging his son was involved in corruption amounting to crores of rupees.

In their joint notice for adjournment motion, both parties said several social organisations, legal fraternity and its associations had expressed their dismay against the “corrupt” Lokayukta which was weakening the very institution and he should be removed.

As BJP leader K S Eshwarappa began speaking, he was interrupted frequently by the ruling Congress members which enraged his party members who staged a walkout, followed by their counterparts in JDS also.

Minister and Leader of the House S R Patil told reporters it is very unfortunate that BJP and JD(S) members walked out only because some from the ruling bench interrupted them.

“The government has no intention of protecting anyone. But government has no power for removal of Lokayukta as per the Lokayukta Act 1984,” he said.

Later, Eshwarappa told reporters that the government should seek opinion from legal experts on the charges levelled against Lokayukta.

A situation had arisen where all officers are scared of Lokayukta due to threat from his son, Eshwarappa said. The was protecting a corrupt Lokayukta, he alleged.

JDS senior member Basavarj Horatti wanted to know as to why government is protecting the Lokayukta.

An FIR was filed yesterday against the Lokayukta’s son in connection with the alleged scandal on the basis of a complaint that an executive engineer was asked to pay Rs 1 crore bribe to avoid a raid.

Rao, a former High Court Chief Justice, has rejected allegations that his son was involved in the scandal and said he would resign if the charge was proved correct.

The case has been handed over to a Special Investigation team by the government on the request by the Lokayukta.

(PTI)

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