Improving viability of airlines should be top priority for government
Turbulent Flight
-The Times of India, February 22, 2012
Turbulent Flight
-The Times of India, February 22, 2012
22 Feb 2012
Former England football captain says footballers are overpaid
Times View - Pay reflects demand
Counter View - A sheer travesty
-The Times of India, February 21, 2012
Counter View - A sheer travesty
-The Times of India, February 21, 2012
Unshackling Our Thinkers
Government's attitude towards research funding must change for our researchers to compete globally
Unshackling Our Thinkers
-The Times of India, February 21, 2012
Unshackling Our Thinkers
-The Times of India, February 21, 2012
Anything goes
It takes ingenuity to specialise in botched jobs
Anything goes
-The Times of India, February 21, 2012
Anything goes
-The Times of India, February 21, 2012
Poll Vault
High voter turnouts may signal high popular aspiration
Poll Vault
-The Times of India, February 21, 2012
Poll Vault
-The Times of India, February 21, 2012
India's destiny not caste in stone
"Outside politics, there are other areas of life in which caste consciousness has been dying down."
Democracy was expected to efface the distinctions of caste, but its consequences have been very different from what was expected. There are areas of life, other than politics, in which the consciousness of caste has been dying down, though not very rapidly or dramatically. The Hindu : Opinion / Lead : India's destiny not caste in stone
There has been a steady erosion of the rules relating to commensality or inter-dining. Also, caste consciousness in matrimonial matters has been on the decline in recent decades. Rapid economic growth and the expansion of the middle class are accompanied by new opportunities for individual mobility which further loosens the association between caste and occupation.
If, in spite of all this, caste is maintaining or even strengthening its hold over the public consciousness, it is due to the adoption of universal adult franchise after independence, which altered the character and scope of the involvement of caste in the political process. The consciousness of caste is brought to the fore at the time of elections.
Unfortunately, the discussions on television create the illusion that caste is an unalterable feature of Indian society. It will be a pity if we allow what goes on in the media to reinforce the consciousness of caste and to persuade us that caste is India's destiny.
There has been a steady erosion of the rules relating to commensality or inter-dining. Also, caste consciousness in matrimonial matters has been on the decline in recent decades. Rapid economic growth and the expansion of the middle class are accompanied by new opportunities for individual mobility which further loosens the association between caste and occupation.
If, in spite of all this, caste is maintaining or even strengthening its hold over the public consciousness, it is due to the adoption of universal adult franchise after independence, which altered the character and scope of the involvement of caste in the political process. The consciousness of caste is brought to the fore at the time of elections.
Unfortunately, the discussions on television create the illusion that caste is an unalterable feature of Indian society. It will be a pity if we allow what goes on in the media to reinforce the consciousness of caste and to persuade us that caste is India's destiny.
Seeding a policy without the dirt on climate change
"ICAR says knowledge of climate change impact in India is 'fragmentary'"
There are no conclusive studies in India on the prospective impact of climate change on the agriculture sector including livestock and fisheries. The Hindu : Opinion / Op-Ed : Seeding a policy without the dirt on climate change Then, how can the government be tailoring its policies to mitigate the impact of climate change on agriculture.
The government is moving towards the 12th Plan with a strategy that has potential to affect the country's food security and make it dependent on imports in the long term.
The simple requirement of farmers on the ground is advanced and accurate information on weather. Coastal States seek policies to sustain productive and protective habitats such as mangroves, coral reefs, wetlands and fisheries. Hilly States want development of traditional forest land to indigenously manage natural resources. High-altitude States prefer integrated soil and watershed management in a farming system mode to sustain them through the year. But the government has done precious little towards this.
Rather than the top-down policy shifts that could jeopardise food security, there is pressing need for honest location-specific research in partnership with small and marginal farmers to assess over a period of time the impact of climate change.
Instead of being driven by international funding, such research should be driven by the needs of farmers.
The government is moving towards the 12th Plan with a strategy that has potential to affect the country's food security and make it dependent on imports in the long term.
The simple requirement of farmers on the ground is advanced and accurate information on weather. Coastal States seek policies to sustain productive and protective habitats such as mangroves, coral reefs, wetlands and fisheries. Hilly States want development of traditional forest land to indigenously manage natural resources. High-altitude States prefer integrated soil and watershed management in a farming system mode to sustain them through the year. But the government has done precious little towards this.
Rather than the top-down policy shifts that could jeopardise food security, there is pressing need for honest location-specific research in partnership with small and marginal farmers to assess over a period of time the impact of climate change.
Instead of being driven by international funding, such research should be driven by the needs of farmers.
For oil and peace, India must stand up in the two Sudans
"South Sudan's oil shutdown dealt a major blow to the overseas oil ambitions of India's leading national oil company ONGC Videsh Ltd. (OVL)"
Since South Sudan won its independence from Sudan last year, a dispute over oil is edging the former foes closer to reigniting one of Africa's longest and deadliest wars. The Hindu : Opinion / Op-Ed : For oil and peace, India must stand up in the two Sudans. OVL has invested over $2.5 billion, but South Sudan's shutdown of its oil production has dealt a major blow to the company's overseas oil ambitions. The crown jewel of OVL's international portfolio lies dormant, precariously straddled across an undemarcated border, as the two sides engage in political brinkmanship and the ugly face of war nears.
India was the first Asian country to open a consulate in South Sudan's capital Juba. Yet first-mover advantage is useless if India does not make an effort to exploit it. New Delhi has done little to protect its economic interests in Sudan and South Sudan, or foster peace between the two sides.
If India truly wants to make a unique mark, it must roll up its sleeves and lend a hand in ending Africa's longstanding conflicts.
Since South Sudan won its independence from Sudan last year, a dispute over oil is edging the former foes closer to reigniting one of Africa's longest and deadliest wars. The Hindu : Opinion / Op-Ed : For oil and peace, India must stand up in the two Sudans. OVL has invested over $2.5 billion, but South Sudan's shutdown of its oil production has dealt a major blow to the company's overseas oil ambitions. The crown jewel of OVL's international portfolio lies dormant, precariously straddled across an undemarcated border, as the two sides engage in political brinkmanship and the ugly face of war nears.
India was the first Asian country to open a consulate in South Sudan's capital Juba. Yet first-mover advantage is useless if India does not make an effort to exploit it. New Delhi has done little to protect its economic interests in Sudan and South Sudan, or foster peace between the two sides.
If India truly wants to make a unique mark, it must roll up its sleeves and lend a hand in ending Africa's longstanding conflicts.
21 Feb 2012
The Railways need funds
"The Kakodkar high-level railway safety review committee, which submitted its recommendations to Railway Minister, may not have said anything new or different from the past but it has chosen to tell the Railways how to mobilise the funds for a long overdue, massive safety upgrade programme over the next five years, with an estimate for Rs.1 lakh crore."
The Hindu : Opinion / Editorial : The Railways need funds: After Nitish Kumar brought the Railways back from the brink, and Lalu Prasad took all the credit for prudent financial management, Mamata Banerjee had virtually brought the Indian Railways to a situation of a financial collapse.
The Hindu : Opinion / Editorial : The Railways need funds: After Nitish Kumar brought the Railways back from the brink, and Lalu Prasad took all the credit for prudent financial management, Mamata Banerjee had virtually brought the Indian Railways to a situation of a financial collapse.
It is time the Planning Commission and Finance Ministry took a serious look at the state of the Railways. For if India's biggest employer is unwilling to take even small steps towards better managing its finances, there is no sense in it having a separate annual budget.
Maximum city, minimum will
"Mumbai needs planning, organisation and governance, not dug up roads, overflowing garbage and chaos. The Sena must seek pride in the running of a streamlined city and not just in the beautiful swimming pools or parks that it has built.
The Hindu : Opinion / Editorial : Maximum city, minimum will: The task before the corporation is enormous but not impossible. As one of the richest corporations in India, it has the funds. What it has lacked, alas, is the will."
The Hindu : Opinion / Editorial : Maximum city, minimum will: The task before the corporation is enormous but not impossible. As one of the richest corporations in India, it has the funds. What it has lacked, alas, is the will."
Still sprouting after 32,000 years
"Scientists have been able to grow ancient flowering plants from immature fruit tissues buried 38m under the North-eastern Siberian ice deposits about 32,000 years ago. The tissues were recovered from the burrow of a ground squirrel. The regenerated plants flowered and also produced seeds. These seeds were in turn able to grow into plants that were identical to the parent plants"
The Hindu : Opinion / Op-Ed : Still sprouting after 32,000 years: Another significant finding is that tissues remained viable and seeds germinated despite accumulating total gamma ray radiation of 0.07 kGy during the long period of burial.
The Hindu : Opinion / Op-Ed : Still sprouting after 32,000 years: Another significant finding is that tissues remained viable and seeds germinated despite accumulating total gamma ray radiation of 0.07 kGy during the long period of burial.
This natural cryopreservation of plant tissues over thousands of years demonstrates a role for permafrost as a depository for an ancient gene pool … a laboratory for the study of rates of microevolution.
Ecology Vs Development
There is an intense debate regarding the difficulties in maintenance of the ecological system along with development...
Yatin Pandya explains the bad attitude of developers towards ecology and how they are just playing to the gallery and not actually taking any steps towards ecological preservation...
Italian sailors have wronged
Recently, Kochi fisherman were killed by Italian sailors thinking they were pirates.
Somu CS, Head Of Dept., School Of Law, Christ University explains why the sailors are punishable under Indian Jurisdiction according to International Law...
The Italians, according to him are in big trouble if Indians exercise their authority properly...
Why is UP so backward?
One of the states that is extremely backward in terms if modernization and immense growth potential is the state of Uttar Pradesh.
Is it just because of lack of good politics...
No, the factors run deeper believes Parsa Venkateshwar Rao Jr.
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