Whispers Forum

Is farming not an industry? Does it not “produce” food grains? Does it not produce fruits, vegetables, milk, eggs, animals for meat? Does it not produce flowers, honey, fodder, herbs, wood, resins, rubber and everything classified by economists or developers of commerce & industry as “raw material”? Does it not require “investment” in plant & machinery like tractors, tyres, motor pumps, crushers and a host of other cultivation and harvesting machinery? Is the farmer an uneducated person or highly qualified degree holder B.Sc. in Agriculture, Veterinary Science or horticulture? When investment in farming is high, working capital needs huge, risks astronomical, a 24x7 job without a day of rest till harvesting and market economy traditionally not in favour, is s/he not entitled to get remunerative price for her/his produce? Between industrial goods and farm goods, which one is life threatening and which one life sustaining? Why should the farmer be penalized when the elements or the markets go against her/him? When an industry fails, the enterprise goes “bankrupt”. But when a farming enterprise fails, the farmer commits suicide or is committed to jail for loan default. Isn’t something horribly wrong with the whole economics of farming? Where is the question of farm produce getting wasted? Application of technology will prove that nothing goes waste if properly processed. It is only because of high investments required for processing the agricultural produce (to dehydrate, process, pack, store and send to the market in an organized fashion) that the farmer shies away and realizes something less than even the input cost. That is undoubtedly bad economics. Farming is highly remunerative to the high and mighty, such as politicians, bureaucrats and businesspersons, who save income tax on it. Most influential people- politicians, bureaucrats, businessmen, criminals and film stars have Farm Houses in cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Mysuru, Lucknow, Patna, Ranchi, Jaipur, Bhopal etc. Only the farmer is without a farm or a house, since it has all gone into mortgage for getting farm inputs! Novel, innovative, creative ideas are needed to make farming the first choice of properly trained youth. Farming needs to get back its top position in economic activity. In India, it is said “uttam kheti, madhyam vyapaar, nimn chakari” meaning farming best, business next best and job next to it only. Industrialization has upended this order, with all its gains and losses. Big industrial enterprises, however, own hectares of farm land, which they have developed for farming, horticulture & floriculture in addition to their industrial activity. They grow “organic” foods and the poor farmer over-uses chemical fertilizers. India has to think anew! The concept of MSP for the farm sector should be replaced by sharing the input cost plus minimum wages for the farmer “to farm” so that the country is always self-sufficient in food production and there is no National Food Shortage Disaster. Why should somebody do the onerous job of farming unless there is good monetary motivation to do so? Why would he not opt for the comfort of a factory or office job? If farming makes him rich why thrust poverty on him? It is very unfair to include every economic activity under the definition of “industry” to provide it soft loans for long duration and re-structuring facility and clever ways to make NPA of it whereas harshest laws are promulgated for the farmer. What better illustration of this harshness be given than the language used in the Land Revenue Act, which are extended to trade & Business for recovery of taxes as “arrears of land revenue”? Revenue dues can be recovered from the farmer by confiscation of land or other assets and punishment includes jail term too. Farm sector gives the highest revenue in direct and indirect form and provides highest employment at comparatively lower per unit cost but continues to be treated roughly as was the case under the Mughal Rule and British Rule. This sector deserves to be treated as a cooperative venture between the state and the individual farmer. It will initiate a change that would impact the whole world and its economy. The FAO will follow such a farm Model. This will be the Indian Farm Model, as it was the Gujarat Model within India. Will the Indian Prime Minister and the Finance Minister give due consideration to these points and reflect them in the budget 2018-19?
M L Gupta

The images of children some as old as four to six years crouching with fear inside their school bus along with their teachers in Gurugram brought up so much anger against the powers that be. Is there no Government in Haryana which could rein in these goondas of Karni Sena or whatever brand of mafia they were from. It seems that Haryana Government as well as Governments from other states like Rajasthan, Gujarat, M.P and U.P are helpless before these mobs who have run amok all over a film. Action needs to be taken against their irresponsible leaders. Are votes more important than the lives of citizens which include these small children whose school bus was attacked by these hooligans.
Aarti Khosla

Information regarding officers against whom Show Cause notice had been issued by the TDS Officer under Section 201 (1)/ 201 (IA) of the Income Tax Act, 1961 on account of short deduction of TDS from payment made on account of Professional Charges and issues related thereto. The CIC noted that the appellant was not present to contest the submissions of the Respondent or to establish the larger public interest in disclosure. The denial of information was upheld.
Comments
For seeking personal information regarding any employee of the public authority the applicant must disclose a “larger public interest”. Unless the PIO or the appellate authority, as the case may be, is satisfied that the larger public interest justifies the disclosure of any such information that invades the privacy of an individual is not permissible.
Citation: Mr. Bipin Kumar v. Office of the Income Tax Officer Srinagar in Appeal No.:-CIC/DITIN/A/2017/178317-BJ, Date of Decision: 15.01.2018
Dr. Anuradha Verma (dranuradhaverma@yahoo.co.in) is the co-author of the books: RIGHT TO INFORMATION – LAW AND PRACTICand PIO’s guide to RTI. Her other articles can be read at the website of RTI Foundation of India at - http://www.rtifoundationofindia.com/

As the Prime Minister's Civil Services Award has virtually become an Awards for the District Magistrates/Collectors, my humble request to the fraternity of the Civil Servants of other services of the country to not to attend the next Civil Services Awards function to be held on 21st April, 2018. The central secretariat officers who on the fear of disciplinary action being taken against them should also not attend the function in the background wherein they are being denied promotion during the past two years by the IAS officers at the helm of affairs in the Department of Personnel & Training.
A retired IRTS
People-friendly Income Tax department !
The income tax department has sent an SMS to the tax payers curtly telling them that "You have not filed your ITR for this assessment year, even though you have filed it long ago and be done with it. But the IT department will not leave you in peace. The last sentence in the SMS blithely says "Ignore this message if you have already filed your ITR." This is how casually they treat the citizen tax payer. Can't the IT department take the trouble to send such a message only to those who have not actually filed it? Should they not have the minimum courtesy not to trouble those who have filed it ?
MSK

For 70 years Indya has been ruling Bharat: mocking, ridiculing, foul-mouthing. Every time Bharat makes some statement, Indya takes instant offence and brands it “controversial”. Time for Bharat to narrow down this gap. If science, like English, does cease to be sole preserve of less than the metaphorical 1%, it too can join Indya. But it has to acknowledge the resistance. See what have they done to the junior HRD minister for questioning the scientific basis of Darwinism, even though the debate about creation or evolution remains unsettled till date. Evolution from ape to man tickles the funny bone undoubtedly. May be one alternate model of evolution could be millions of life forms over a period of time. How many species were there according to the last estimate? Bharat has been told that there were some 84,00,000 species. Was it a wild guess or scientific research? There are several instances of mention of mathematical and statistical numbers in various treatises e.g. live for 100 years (why not more or less and only shatayu bhav?), time division into four yuga with each having different numbers or the size of the Earth. But talking such things can land one into some controversy. So, till AI (artificial intelligence) proves otherwise, we go by whatever Darwin has said!
M L Gupta

India seems to be the flavour at World Economic Forum at Davos. It was after two decades Indian Prime Minister addressed the Forum. Way back in 1997 Deve Gowda did that job. How far removed the country was then from the present status. One felt good to see our Prime Minister handling this attention on India with aplomb. The snow at Davos brought some warmth to us over here. One did feel proud to be Indian notwithstanding so many complications (the latest being all this rioting over the release of a film Padmavat) around.
Aarti Khosla

I am in complete agreement with the views expressed in FORUM regarding sending our political stalwarts to feel the pinch on Indian border especially where proxy war is on. They have no business to give their views on armed forces which demoralises their initiative and drive including morale.
Harish Kumar
An eye opener for IFS officers
I read This is History (818) of January 17, by External Affairs Minister Madam Sushma Swaraj. I think for the first time in the history of Diplomatic Service the Minister has very ably judged the Diplomats and their usefulness - i.e. only in a fair weather. In a difficult situation, they drown in a drop. This is an eye opener for IFS officers. I can say that Not All are in this category.
Zile Singh

Suggestions have been invited for party funding. It is welcome step by the Govt. to invite suggestions. Without any prejudice it is submitted for consideration that the Party funding can be based on general policies of Govt. being followed i.e. to promote digital India, maintain transparency, paying the taxes for better governance. Therefore only following three main things are needed for Party funds: 1. Party funds should be completely cashless i.e. receipt and expenditure 100% cashless to promote Digital India. 2. It should be completely transparent i.e. all receipts and expenditures to be available in public domain i.e. in party's web-site. 3. It should be made taxable by issuing an Amendments in Income Tax Act 1961 to make it taxable so while spending the money the wearer knows where the shoe pinches. Good luck for new guidelines for party funding.
Naveen
Why this sudden recommendation ?
Why this sudden recommendation when CEC was due for retirement on 23rd instant. Currently 11 other states have Parliamentary Secretaries. In Several states HCs have annulled the appointments but never disqualified the MLAs. Earlier Governments in Delhi itself when Congress and BJP were power during Sheila Dikshit and Sahib Singh Verma had parliamentary Secretaries. An update on Parliamentary Secretaries in the past in different states is as follows: Punjab 24 (2012), Arunachal Pradesh - 26 (2016), Meghalaya - 18 (2017), Nagaland - 26 (2017), Delhi - 21 (2015). When EC has not disqualified PS in any other states why this kolavari against AAP led Delhi Govt and that too even without following the principles of natural justice. This will not stand the scrutiny of law. Not going to stand the test of law. Meanwhile as usual let a section of media, congress and BJP celebrate it.
Krishna Das

The Appellant sought certified true copies of documents provided by respondent to the Internal Complaint Committee (ICC) for defending the case of sexual harassment and other related documents. The information was denied claiming that it pertained to the ICC enquiry proceedings and as per Section 16 of the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act of 2013, ICC Act, 2013 it is prohibited from publication. The CIC held that the information relating to the proceedings & findings of ICC while dealing with any incidence of sexual harassment, must be voluntarily made available to the victim. The Section 16 (ibid) does not eclipse the right of a complainant / victim of sexual harassment to access the same under RTI Act. The Section 16 (ibid) merely eclipses the right to know of the public at large, press and media only. Thus, a complainant/victim of an incident of sexual harassment can access information through the RTI Act, 2005.
Comments
It is a settled principle of interpretation of statutes that the provisions of any enactment are to be interpreted in a manner which furthers the cause or purpose behind its enactment. Section 16 is enacted as a safeguard measure to check further aggravation of traumatic and stigmatic experience of a victim of sexual harassment against by unwarranted disclosure of her identity.
Citation: Reshma M G v. All India Radio in File No.: CIC/AIRCL/A/2017/101742/SD, Date of Decision: 04/01/2018
Dr. Anuradha Verma (dranuradhaverma@yahoo.co.in) is the co-author of the books: RIGHT TO INFORMATION – LAW AND PRACTICand PIO’s guide to RTI. Her other articles can be read at the website of RTI Foundation of India at - http://www.rtifoundationofindia.com/

India must start conducting mock exercises against possible conventional and nuclear attacks from Pakistan,China and even North -Korea.
Kashmir is a perennial theatre of war. Doklam remains a ticking bomb.
Not based on conjectures and surmises.
“ Kaheen bhi, Kabhi bhi, Kuch bhi hoe saktaa hai “
Is the government taking pro-active steps for such a contingency ?
Guidelines must be laid down detailing steps to be taken by the citizens in case of sudden attacks from ny quarter. The Civil defence wings in all indian States must be activated
There are different types of siren alarms forewarning against conventional and nuclear attacks respectively. The public is blissfully ignorant about the differences in their tones and durations..
Last two days experiences of administrators in the US and Japan of a fake nuclear attacks by North Korea, should serve as eye –opener to Ajit Doval, India’s National Security Advisor.
The idea is not to create panic but forewarn the public rather than let them be caught unawares.
Leaders of both the US and Japan were rattled by the fake nuclear alarms.
Another important suggestion.
Our political leaders must be compulsorily sent to the borders with China and Pakistan ( LOC, LAC, IB) for a week for having the first hand experience of the situation there.
This would enable the Congis ( one, Sandip Dikshit) and RJD ( one called Manoj Jha ) leaders to learn to shut up and put up. Should they not be house-arrested and booked under Law of the land?
These loose cannons have, of late, been targeting Army chief, General Bipin Rawat by shooting irresponsible ,motivated statements that demoralise the Armed forces.
A K Saxena (A retd civil servant)

On one hand they say that CJI is only first among equals, but by same argument, how can they claim to be senior and therefore superior to other judges ! Moreover past cases show that important cases have gone to so called junior benches! These judges have violated all norms and codes. Are they fit enough to continue! Moreover who are they to dictate suddenly, when historically, there have been no such measure and these worthies never raised any concern earlier! Moreover why this sudden concern after 4 years of death! Seems it is part of the design of the frustrated and shameless Congress to defame the govt. It would only be appropriate if the same fate of Justice Karnan is meted out to them, to send a message to all sectors and maintain the decorum of the highest court of the country , and the dignity of the nation,
S Chatterjee