Development -India

Human Development is the Best Contraceptive—Why India Does Not Need a Two-Child Norm https://www.thinkglobalhealth.org/article/human-development-best-contraceptive-why-india-does-not-need-two-child-norm

The decline in decadal growth rate during the last two census exercises (2001 and 2011) was 4.7 percentage points for Muslims as opposed to 3.1 percent for Hindus during the same period. 

a few Indian states which implemented a two child policy, with incentives or disincentives, have failed to bring down the fertility rates to the desired level. A 2005 study looking at the states of Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Haryana, Odisha and Rajasthan by Nirmala Buch found that implementation of such a policy led to a rise in sex-selective and unsafe abortions; men divorced their wives to run for local body elections, and families gave up children for adoption to avoid disqualification in local elections.

 

Fertility and family planning in Uttar Pradesh, India: major progress and persistent gaps https://reproductive-health-journal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12978-019-0790-x Uttar Pradesh (UP) is the most populous state in India with historically high levels of fertility rates than the national average. Though fertility levels in UP declined considerably in recent decades, the current level is well above the government’s target of 2.1.

Within UP, district fertility ranged from 1.6 to 4.4, with higher fertility concentrated in districts with low female schooling, predominantly located in north-central UP. Fertility declines were largest in districts with high fertility in the late nineties (B = 7.33, p < .001).

 

How Modi government’s flagship missions have irreparably damaged urban governance frameworks and put people at the periphery

https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/india-smart-city-mission-7383242 

Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs).. on a PPP model... corporatise the process of setting up a smart city and cut through the political clutter. But they ended up bypassing the democratic process.

Second, while there has been a stress on capturing data and meticulous follow up on the implementation of schemes, there seems to be a complete lack of transparency in sharing information and relevant details of the proposals, projects and so on

Thirdly, with respect to the financial support required by ULBs, these schemes come with riders and a “reform” agenda that incentivise ULB’s to focus more on competition, rating them on scheme implementation points, leading to local governments executing them under pressure to get additional resources.

Fourth point on the capacities and roles of local agencies. After over 25 years, ULBs remain ill-equipped to govern in most urban areas. Most of the functions remain under the control of the state governments 

Fifth, the push for this new “urban space at a rapid pace with the increasing use of technology” (‘The New Urban’ by Hardeep S Puri, IE, June 25) is leading to a different kind of concern — of not being participative and democratic.

As ideas for the future, the schemes lacked an understanding of significant issues of sustainability, disasters, and resilience building. The biggest challenge facing Indian cities is not of “smart” development, but the need for a “sustainable development”, where ecological concerns are addressed, where pollution is controlled, and resources used efficiently.

Rafale: France appoints judge to probe ‘corruption’ in deal https://www.telegraphindia.com/world/judge-appointed-in-france-to-investigate-corruption-in-rafale-fighter-aircraft-deal/cid/1821138 The latest decision to appoint a judge reverses an earlier decision by the country’s anti-corruption agency AFA not to refer the matter to prosecution authorities even after an audit of Dassault’s accounts of 2017 revealed it had spent 508,925 euros under the heading “gifts to clients”...The news of the probe in France coincided with another French expose that claimed Rafale maker Dassault’s partnership with a company in Anil Ambani’s Reliance group predated Modi’s announcement of the fighter jet deal by a mere 15 days.

Rahul, who flagged corruption in Rafale deal, stands vindicated: Congress  https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/rahul-who-flagged-corruption-in-rafale-deal-stands-vindicated-congress/article35118023.ece , July 03, 2021 The Congress party renewed the call for a probe by a Joint Parliamentary Committee 

Rahul used as ‘pawn’ by rival firms, attacks on govt on Rafale deal to ‘weaken India’: BJP https://theprint.in/politics/rahul-used-as-pawn-by-rival-firms-attacks-on-govt-on-rafael-deal-to-weaken-india-bjp/689485/?fbclid=IwAR3XZtR-6S0hr5L_ISfX92UWJq_7Gw0bQuZapxPr1GxWGUJU57NlNEyWeXY  BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra also played down the appointment of a judge in France to lead a judicial investigation into the alleged corruption and favouritism in the Rs 59,000 crore deal, saying the development was outcome of a complaint by an NGO and should not be seen as a matter of corruption...“The way Rahul Gandhi is behaving, it will not be an exaggeration to say that he is being used as a pawn by competing companies. He has been lying right from the beginning on the issue. Probably, he is acting as an agent or some member of Gandhi family has been for a competing company,” Patra alleged. 

Sohrab Ahmed Munshi: Bofors deal investigation was to strengthen India then?

Bala Subramanian: competing company was Hindustan Aeronautics Limited and you people gave the deal to bankrupt Anil.

John Dsouza: The rival firm is HAL, and the many scientists, engineers and workers at the company, because they lost the chance to make over 126 jets as part of the contract that was superceeded by buying 36 "fully fitted" off the shelf. In another matter, we are being told that Bharat Biotech has followed procedure .. by dealing through their own Singapore company, to elbow out another public funded organisations ICMR of its 5%!!

What Is Rafale Deal Controversy? All You Need To Know https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/what-is-rafale-deal-controversy-all-you-need-to-know-1810706  In January 2016, India confirmed order of 36 Rafale jets in defence deal with France and under this deal, Dassault and its main partners - engine-maker Safran and electronic systems-maker Thales - will share some technology with DRDO (Defence Research and Development Organisation) and some private sector companies and HAL under the offsets clause.  in September 2016, India signed an inter-governmental agreement with France, dubbed as "Rafale deal", in which India will pay about Rs 58,000 crore or 7.8 billion Euros for 36 off-the-shelf Dassault Rafale twin-engine fighters.  Additionally, an accompanying offset clause was sealed through which France will invest 30 per cent of the 7.8 billion Euros in India's military aeronautics-related research programmes and 20 per cent into local production of Rafale components.  Soon after the deal was declared, the Congress accused the ruling BJP of non-transparency in the multi-billion dollar deal and called it "one of the biggest failures" of the 'Make-in-India' programme.

 

PM- deal in Sept 2016 for 36 fully fitted jets for 7.8 billion Euros

Egypt Deal  in May 2021 for 30    ?       jets for 3.75 billion Euro in (https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/france-sell-30-rafale-fighter-jets-egypt-investigative-website-2021-05-03/)

 

प्रधानमंत्री और रक्षामंत्री रफाल मामले में खामोश क्यों? Rafale ScamI Narendra Modi I Abhisar Sharma
 Jul 5, 202 https://youtu.be/0B1aOtNFGBU?t=47  Eric Tappier on 25th March..  deal with HAL for partnering manufacture.  26th March: wire reports

 

Shri Rahul Gandhi on Rafale Scam https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQUdr4n3psc Jul 6, 2021

As France Probes Rafale Deal, India May Be Pressed to Provide Documents Says Mediapart Reporter https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x8bqhVh3ABk  Mitali Mukherjee spoke with Yann Philippin of Mediapart, an independent French online investigative journal that has been unearthing disturbing details on the Rafale deal and pushing for an investigation into the agreement. In this interview, Philippin details the course investigations will take and questionable details emerging of how a deal between Dassault and the Anil Ambani group was signed even before any official announcement.

'Rafale Papers’: the explosive documents in France-India jets deal https://www.mediapart.fr/en/journal/international/080421/rafale-papers-explosive-documents-france-india-jets-deal 
APRIL 8, 2021 BY YANN PHILIPPIN
In this final report in a three-part investigation into the controversial sale by France to India of 36 Rafale fighter aircraft, Mediapart reveals, with hitherto unpublished documents, how an influential Indian business intermediary was secretly paid millions of euros by Rafale manufacturer Dassault Aviation and French defence electronics firm Thales. They succeeded in removing anti-corruption clauses from the fighter contract which was subsequently signed by then French defence minister, now foreign minister, Jean-Yves Le Drian. Yann Philippin reports.

 

‘Expose’ by Mediapart and the French ‘investigation’ into Rafale deal: A ready reckoner on why it’s a sham The suspicion is not of corruption, but unethical journalism of the 'N Ram kind' by Mediapart. https://www.opindia.com/2021/07/expose-mediapart-france-investigation-rafale-deal-ready-reckoner-sham/ 6 July, 2021

Is the Enforcement Directorate being misled as to the role of Sushen Gupta, the secretive defense agent of both AgustaWestland and Dassault? https://cobrapost.com/blog/enforcement-directorate-eliberately%20/1375 Gupta emerges not only as the kingpin of the murky chopper deal but also as the deal-maker in the Dassault Aviation’s fighter aircraft deal, owing to which the BJP government at the centre has found itself caught in the eye of the storm which refuses to die. These documents also indicate his association with Gautam Khaitan, who is alleged by the ED to be involved in clandestine defense deals. These documents also show his association with a slew of companies, IDS Technologies, Aeromatrix, Interdev and Interstellar Technologies of Mauritius, through which, it is alleged by CBI and ED, proceeds of the crime have been routed.

BBC report on the Modi rule 2014 promised 5 trillion dollar economic.. https://youtube/embed//0O7hF_MHcEM?t=157=end? govt economic record was lacklustre since 2014. Covid pandemic has now battered the under par economy.. promised 5 trillion dollar economic is a pipe dream. Gorwth had gone down to a little over 3 %, due to the hasty implementation of GST, demonetisation, and periodic lockdown, Infrastructure build up has been the bright spot - 36 km of highway per day, setting solar and wind energy capacity of 100 GW, and pand india supply of cooking gas, electricity.. adn piped water to houses under progress, building of toilets, Manufacturing sector- stagnant, India economy: Seven years of Modi in seven charts By Nikhil Inamdar and Aparna Alluri BBC News, Delhi 22 June2021 https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-57437944 Growth is sluggish Joblessness is on the rise India is not making or exporting enough (make in India) Infrastructure building is a rare bright spot More people have joined the formal economy (jan Dhan acounts) Healthcare spending is dismal Too many still work in farming experts say piecemeal reforms will achieve little - the government instead needs to spend to make farming more affordable and profitable, economist Professor R Ramakumar said."Demonetisation destroyed the supply chains, some irreparably, and GST led to a rise in input prices in 2017. The government has also done very little to alleviate the pain of 2020 [Covid lockdowns]," the solution partly lies outside farming: "Agriculture will do well when other sectors are able to absorb the surplus labour."