Indian Holocaust My Father`s Life and Time: Veil off Indo-UK defence courtship

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TODAY - 30 November, 2009

Get ready for 'Paa'

Veil off Indo-UK defence courtship

SUJAN DUTTA

British minister Quentin Davies (top) and Pallam Raju

New Delhi, Nov. 29: India is considering a pact assuring the UK that bases of the Indian air force, army and navy will refuel British military aircraft and warships and facilitate the changeover of its troops and war material.

Minister of state for defence M.M. Pallam Raju told a visiting UK delegation last week that "an MoU on Host Nation Support (HNS) was under examination of an inter-ministerial committee".

This is the first time such a committee or proposal has been disclosed. India does not have such a pact with any country. Its agreement with Russia is the strongest military relationship that is officially endorsed.

But India assists friendly foreign countries in refuelling aircraft and ships on a case-by-case basis.

The proposed agreement with the UK that the government is now studying is broadly in consonance with the "Host Nation Support" schemes that the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (Nato) enters into with partner countries.

The US, for example, has an HNS agreement with Pakistan for aiding its war in Afghanistan. In 2004, President George W. Bush described Pakistan as a "major non-Nato ally", adding it to a list that included countries such as Israel, Japan, South Korea and Australia.

Nato defines HNS as civil and military assistance from a nation to foreign forces in its territory in peacetime, crises, emergencies or war.

Delhi is considering the HNS pact with the UK even as the cabinet committee on security is wary of signing a comparable logistics support agreement with the US though it has been vetted by the three armed forces headquarters.

The logistics pact with the US was opposed by the Left but even after the second UPA government of Manmohan Singh took over, there has scarcely been any forward movement on it. Defence sources say the pact will allow the Indian and US militaries to settle the costs of military exercises on a barter basis.

Despite the Left being vastly reduced in numbers now, the defence establishment under A.K. Antony is wary of pushing the pact through because it will prompt allegations of a pro-US tilt.

While the UK does not match up to the US as the only superpower in a unipolar world, an HNS agreement between London and New Delhi is bound to invite comparisons and the insinuation that India is at "Her Majesty's Service".

"HNS does not mean that the troops-sending nation (in this case the UK) will have access to all our facilities. It means that they will request as and when the situation arises and we will grant help as and when and where we can. Besides, it has to be mutual," a defence ministry official said.

The definition of "mutual" will necessarily be about agreed airports and ports and the timing for the support in India. Developed countries — most primary Nato members or Nato itself — enter into HNS agreements to cut down the costs of out-of-area military operations.

It is as yet difficult to conceive (since the end of World War II) of India engaged in military operations near the UK for which an HNS agreement can be used by New Delhi to its advantage. But the British have forces near the Indian subcontinent — in Afghanistan — and are keen to cut costs.

The defence delegation from the UK that met Pallam Raju on Friday and was told that the inter-ministerial committee was considering a memorandum of understanding on HNS was led by the minister for defence equipment and support, Quentin Davies.

Pallam Raju also told the delegation that India was ready to sign a "general security arrangement" with the UK.

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1091130/jsp/frontpage/story_11802137.jsp

CAT-hit figures soar

OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

New Delhi, Nov. 29: CAT organisers cancelled tests for around 2,000 candidates today after failing to rectify glitches that emerged yesterday, pushing up to 4,000 the number of aspirants who may have to reappear for the examination.

CAT — alternatively referred to by the IIMs as the common admission test or the common aptitude test — has shifted from pen and paper to a computerised format this year.

The organisers are still working out the dates on which the fresh tests will be held. The initial plan was to hold the retest within the original 10-day phase but with the number going up, it is not clear if the window will be sufficient or new dates will have to be found.

The glitches prevented the flow of questions and instructions through local servers on to the computer screens of several candidates on the first day on Saturday.

Prometric, the testing service provider, expressed regrets and blamed "viruses". "Exhaustive plans were developed and put in place well in advance of the start of the testing window. Unfortunately, the particular viruses and malware that attacked the test delivery system were not detected by the anti-virus software at the testing centres," the company said.

Sources in the IIMs and Prometric had put the estimated figure of students affected yesterday at 350. But the organisers today admitted that "nearly 2,000" aspirants could not take or complete the test "in a manner fair to the" candidate yesterday.

The organisers decided to cancel today's tests at 49 test rooms in 24 centres across 13 cities where some problems showed up yesterday. The affected cities include Calcutta, Bangalore, Mumbai, New Delhi and Bhubaneswar. In Calcutta, some candidates in three centres faced a recurrence of yesterday's problem.

"We decided against putting students at the risk of the trauma of coming to these centres and struggling with the test," a Prometric representative said. The representative could not guarantee that tests would run smoothly at all centres tomorrow.

Although the organisers placed a notice on the CAT website (www.catiim.in) specifying the centres had been cancelled today early in the morning, the candidates were not individually informed through messages or phone calls.

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1091130/jsp/frontpage/story_11802136.jsp

TOWARDS A HAPPIER STATE

- Many NGOs are helping Bihar bring in change

Commentarao - S.L. Rao

Non-governmental organizations are making a difference to the lives of poor and marginalized people in India. Most work in geographically limited areas. They are idealistic and want change, and hope to enter the lives of those they work with. Funding agencies and NGOs are enthused by any sign of change in the long-failed state of Bihar. A virulent and discriminatory caste system that deprives the lower castes even of government-funded entitlements is reinforced by a very corrupt bureaucracy, especially at the lower levels. Even the chief minister, Nitish Kumar, will admit that Bihar today is still far from being transformed. It is only beginning a long process of change.

The Aga Khan Foundation is an example of an NGO that, through its development network, is working on livelihood enhancement, health, sanitation and education. It has commenced a programme to approach these issues in a unified manner in Bihar.

A two-day intensive trip by road in Bihar to see a sample of its work took me to villages in and around Patna, Muzaffarpur and Samastipur. We met many Dalits, both Hindu and Muslim. They reported some improvement in law and order, and better roads. The bane of Bihar, as of the rest of India, but far worse, is the poor government delivery system. This is so with schools, health centres, immunization programmes, the mid-day meal and national rural employment guarantee schemes and a myriad others from the Central and state governments. Entitlements are denied mostly to those the schemes are most meant for, the lower-caste poor. This denial by low-level bureaucrats is combined with greater caste discrimination than anywhere else in today's India. A corrupt and incompetent bureaucracy combines with upper-caste mukhiyas in panchayats to deny entitlements to the largely illiterate and browbeaten poor. So NGOs have a major role to play in educating them on their entitlements and helping them access these.

The difference that small interventions by NGOs can make in the limited geography they work in, is striking. The transformation in lives, especially of mothers and children, made by solar lamps sponsored by The Energy and Resources Institute in the "to light a billion homes" project was immediate and heart-warming. The Aga Khan Foundation is also piloting a savings programme. Unlike the many self-financing schemes now driven by banks and non-banking finance institutions which have become high profit-makers, the foundation concentrates on the poorest, and is entirely community-driven. If it can be replicated over the state it has the potential to make a real impact and at a low cost per contact. It is the replication of such pilot programmes which are high cost per contact into mass programmes reaching many that is the real challenge and will indicate the programme's success. The other challenge is to sensitize lower socio-economic classes about their entitlements, and help get them.

The foundation's approach is towards a holistic development programme which covers livelihoods, education, health and savings. Both state and Central governments have ambitious programmes covering these over the whole state. The foundation, like other NGOs, must aim at learning and then teaching the lessons for the government to use in its large programmes. It is also well-placed to try new solutions that can then be offered to the government to implement on a much larger scale.

The focus for all NGOs must always and everywhere be on replicability and maximum impact. The innovations being piloted by the foundation are simple but effective. In agriculture, for example, a proven technique for paddy cultivation elsewhere in India uses 40 per cent less water. A simple polythene covered tent helps small farmers produce high quality tomatoes and exotic vegetables that can add significantly to income. Rural communities must be taught to use the cell phones that have entered the state. If the farmers work together, they can explore best prices in different markets and also arrange for a truck to come to the village to carry the produce. Farmers must be helped to work together to such mutual advantage.

These poor farmers meet regularly to discuss how the paddy programme and the tents are working. They could, at the same time, learn about their entitlements under various government schemes. Job cards under the NREGS are not issued. Even when they are issued, work is not given; full wages are not paid. To ensure that they get the full benefits, NGOs could train the poor in tackling government officials. Foundation workers could also support them in their meetings with some of these officials.

The innovative community savings groups consist entirely of women and are intended to provide funds in case of emergencies at much lower cost than if they went to the mahajan — moneylender — as they have done so far. The entire operation of recording, collecting, safeguarding the money, recovering dues, and so on, are handled by different women in the group, which is also responsible for ensuring that the loans are returned on time. The intention is not to expand these groups into the financing of investments but keep them confined to emergency loans, a need that strikes every poor family occasionally and for which the only recourse hitherto was the extortionate moneylender.

These women's groups can also be involved in other village activities. They could take responsibility for midday meals in schools and earn some money, handle the provisions of midday meals in schools, usually for their own children, and also be given training in local hygiene and sanitation programmes. Thus, the stealing by government officials can be reduced, food of improved quality be given to children, and teachers enabled to devote the time now devoted to cooking and serving to teaching.

The foundation has also set up learning centres, superior duplicates of the regular government schools. The children attend these after going to the government school. The Dalit and Muslim children in these centres were enthusiastic learners. The parents are unanimous that their children are at last learning. Better trained and dedicated teachers and novel techniques of teaching make these centres popular and effective. But a learning centre is a duplicate of the government school. Government schools must be made to improve on a mass scale. The learning centres can be the models for improving the quality of teaching and teachers in government schools. The focus must be to help improve the thousands of government schools and their teachers.

In a large madrasa at Pusa, the foundation has introduced computer training for girls. It gives them self-respect and introduces the new essential for success, computers. The girls are keen to earn using their new skills. But there are no jobs for them in the neighbourhood, they have little English, no bookkeeping or statistics, are taught only Word and Excel, and the whole state suffers frequent power outages. Nor can the girls afford their own computers. Perhaps locally marketable skills that can help the girls earn in their neighbourhood might have more value.

The outlook under the Nitish Kumar government is hopeful and optimistic. There is some improvement in law and order, transport and communications. But schooling, hygiene, health, including immunization services, remain far behind the rest of India. A very inefficient and corrupt bureaucracy at almost all levels of government must improve. The NGOs with access to the government at the higher levels can play a catalytic role in educating people on entitlements and assuring their delivery to the poor. Interventions in spheres where the government has the resources to cover the whole population must only be to improve government delivery and try out new ideas that can then be implemented more widely by government agencies. Hence NGOs must constantly consider impact and replicability. Only these can transform the wretched lives of the lowest socio-economic classes.

The author is former director- general, National Council for Applied Economic Research

Shower of uncertainty

The Indian monsoon is in trouble. It may change course abruptly — from heavy rains to long dry spells, reports P. Hari

Climate change news always seems grim. A week before a major climate change conference, it seems grimmer. The last month was full of news about melting glaciers, shrinking ice in the poles, increasing rate of carbon dioxide emissions, possibility of large-scale methane emissions and so on. Buried among these were a few bits that should have made people in India sit up and take notice. It said something that has been said before but in a different way: the Indian monsoon is in trouble.

A few weeks ago, scientists at the Potsdam Institute of Climate Impact Research in the Netherlands published the results of a study that said that the Indian monsoon could switch gears in no time, from a high-precipitation mode to long dry periods. The study comes a few months after another at Purdue University, the US, which said the South Asian monsoon will onset later and later, and cause long dry periods and suppression in certain parts of the country. Other studies in Indian institutions have also indicated that the monsoon will change, increasing in intensity in places where they cause floods now and weakening in places that are drought-prone. "The study has major implications for people in north India and Pakistan," says Moetasim Ashfaq, lead author of the Purdue study and a post doctoral researcher at Stanford University.

The impact on India is huge, although different studies tell different stories, and it is not all disaster. The Potsdam study is more disturbing because it talks about an abrupt transition. The Purdue study is also bad news for agriculture, but it is consistent with the observation that overall rainfall will increase over the subcontinent. But the increase may not be during the monsoon season, which means agriculture could be seriously affected. Variation in rainfall over the subcontinent is also bad news, because both floods and droughts will increase.

The Potsdam group observed that the Indian monsoon had gone through several abrupt transitions in the last 11,000 years, and decided to investigate these changes. As is known, the monsoon is fed by temperature differential between the land and the sea. Hot air rises above the land, and moist air from the sea moves in towards the land. But as the air drops this moisture over the land as rain, it also releases latent heat over the land. This causes a further temperature differential, which draws in more moist air, and the cycle intensifies. This self-amplification, vital to a good monsoon, is very vulnerable to external influences, the Potsdam researchers found.

A critical amount of sunlight is necessary for the monsoon to start. If this level falls below the threshold due to pollution, the monsoon may not start. But they also found that there are two states even when it starts, and the changing climate can push the monsoon from one state to the other.

For example, if the monsoon current weakens for any reason, the self-amplification can work the other way: a weak current has less moisture, and thus less latent heat is released, which means there is lesser temperature differential. Aerosol emissions could also reduce monsoon stability. "Oscillations between months with heavy rainfall and those with weak rainfall could strain people's ability to adapt," says Jacob Schewe, co-author of the study, in a release.

However, the effect of aerosols may not be significant. Says Krishna Kumar, a scientist at the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology Pune, "Though it may seem theoretically possible, the likelihood of such tipping through aerosols is remote. That's because the increasing levels of greenhouse gases compensate the cooling effects of aerosols over the region."

The Purdue study used different models and methods, and found something equally interesting. The major input for it was a model with a high resolution. Most models use general circulation models that take into account global patterns in circulation but not local details like topography. The Purdue model supposedly used models with the highest amount of detail so far. It showed an overall weakening of the monsoon and a delay of five to 15 days by the end of the century. This model predicts the past accurately, and so could be accurate for the future as well. "We need to investigate this further to understand some of the new observations," says Noah Diffenbaugh, assistant professor at the department of environmental earth system science, Stanford University.

India has had a weak monsoon this year, but many parts have had good rains after its withdrawal. This is consistent with the observation that overall rainfall will increase even as the monsoon weakens.

What does it mean for the Indian farmer? A change in the nature of agriculture, perhaps. The changing rainfall may do some good as well, by bringing rain during what is usually a dry period for India. Whatever it is, it is time to prepare to adapt.

Sun 29 Nov 2009

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The Amitabh-Abhishek starrer 'Paa', which is a strange story of a father-son relationship hits the screen this Friday. Meet Auro

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