In terms of Six Fundamental Indicators of Population status, Health, Basic Amenities, Education, Unemployment& Poverty and Social Deprivation, Gujarat has infact gone down to number ELEVEN according to 2001 Census as compared to number FIVE in 1991 census in the rural areas.
Similarly it has gone down to number EIGHT as compared to number SEVEN with respect to urban areas.
Condition of Dalits and Tribals
In answer to a starred question in the legislative assembly, it was stated that in the three years till 30 June 2006, 100 dalits have been murdered.
During 2005-06 alone, 21 murder cases, 78 grievous injury, 414 simple injury and 56 cases of rape were filed under the Atrocities Act.
How safe are women in ‘Woman friendly Gujarat’?
The image of a ‘woman-friendly Gujarat’ comes under a sharp scanner with the facts given below:
Gujarat has reached number FIVE in having WORST SEX RATIO records with the ratio going down to 879 in 2001 census compared to 928 in 1991.
The state home minister has admitted that the “ Cases of Suicide & Murder of women have been on the rise, because of such reason like Prevalence of Dowry system, superstition and moral decadence”.
In the year 2005-06, 323 women were murdered, 264 cases were filed for sexual harassment against them, 350 cases of rape, 789 cases of kidnapping, 1835 cases of suicides were reported among women. This data does not include dowry deaths, abetment to suicide and accidental deaths of women which is already high in the state.
The Infant Mortality Rate for women is 61 in 2003, compared to 52 in Punjab and 41 in Tamilnadu, the two other states with bad track records vis-à-vis women.
---------- Post added at 03:02 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:02 PM ----------
Poverty
Talking about poverty it is important to note that each state has its own criteria for declaring the index or threshold for Below Poverty Line in both rural and urban areas. Hence it has declared a threshold of Rs 353.93 per capita per month for the rural areas. It is interesting to note that it is lower than 15 states of India which include poor states like Jharkhand. Similarly, it has declared a threshold of Rs 541.16 pre capita per month in the urban areas, again lower than 12 other states. It is curious to note that a state which boasts of Rs 16,000 as the average per capita income, will have such low levels of indexes to declare the poor. It has hence very conveniently obliterated a large range of needy from the list of BPL. Obviously the very idea of earning Rs 542 per month in urban areas and not being declared as poor sounds like a cruel joke played on a large segment of people.
Talking about poverty it is important to note that each state has its own criteria for declaring the index or threshold for Below Poverty Line in both rural and urban areas. Hence it has declared a threshold of Rs 353.93 per capita per month for the rural areas. It is interesting to note that it is lower than 15 states of India which include poor states like Jharkhand. Similarly, it has declared a threshold of Rs 541.16 pre capita per month in the urban areas, again lower than 12 other states. It is curious to note that a state which boasts of Rs 16,000 as the average per capita income, will have such low levels of indexes to declare the poor. It has hence very conveniently obliterated a large range of needy from the list of BPL. Obviously the very idea of earning Rs 542 per month in urban areas and not being declared as poor sounds like a cruel joke played on a large segment of people.
Further, despite such low BPL threshold, the latest Planning Commission figures suggest that there is a widening gulf between the rural and the urban sectors of the state. Hence BPL population in the rural areas is more than the urban areas, both in percentage and in absolute terms. In this respect, Gujarat is in league of states like Bihar, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Jharkhand and the seven states of North-East and not with advanced states like Maharashtra, Karnataka and even Rajasthan. The state has 63.49 lakh (19.1% of the rural population) BPL people in the rural areas as compared to 27.19 lakh (13% of the urban population).
The latest NSSO data suggests that the rank of the state in this respect is lower than even Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Delhi, Goa, Haryana, Jammu & Kashmir, Karnataka, Kerala, M.P., Maharashtra and Rajasthan. While the percentage of such population has declined marginally in the rural areas, it has increased in absolute numbers.
And this is the state where per capita income is higher than the national average!
---------- Post added at 03:03 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:02 PM ----------
Employment and Agriculture
According to the census of 2001, roughly 46% population of the state is dependent upon agriculture (27.67% cultivators and 17.91% agricultural labourers). Together they contribute only 15% to the state's Gross Domestic Product while Industry contributes 39% and Services sector contributes 46%. It is hence not surprising that there is a gradual decline in food grain production (from 65.71 lakh tonnes in 2003-04 to 51.53 lakh tonnes in 2004-05). While the obvious reasons for these include more investment on cash crops and a shift to other tertiary sectors, it also raises a serious question about food security for the marginalised people.
This is also no surprise then that in another survey conducted by NSSO (July 2005) approximately 40% of the farmers in the state said that given an option they would like to shift from agriculture. It has also been brought out in the recent studies that both agriculture and labour have suffered extensively in the last decade or so while investments have shifted to industries. This is all the more serious as there is no fall back system being provided for the people dependent on agriculture for their survival.
May 2005 NSSO data also says that each of the 48 lakh farmers in the state was reeling under a debt of Rs 15,526.
Another indicator for the same is evinced in a reply given by the Chief Minister in the state assembly that in one year up to 31 January 2007, 148 farmers had committed suicide in the state. It's a different matter that the reasons attributed for this ranged from mental illness, family matters to inclement weather, all except poverty. Though, 'inclement weather' would actually mean crop failure, is obviously swept aside.
Its clear how, in the name of the rhetoric of 'Vibrant Gujarat' (and now 'Nirmal Gujarat'), state has gone into a denial mode all together just like in the case of Gujarat 2002 pogroms of the Muslims.
Similarly it has gone down to number EIGHT as compared to number SEVEN with respect to urban areas.
Condition of Dalits and Tribals
In answer to a starred question in the legislative assembly, it was stated that in the three years till 30 June 2006, 100 dalits have been murdered.
During 2005-06 alone, 21 murder cases, 78 grievous injury, 414 simple injury and 56 cases of rape were filed under the Atrocities Act.
How safe are women in ‘Woman friendly Gujarat’?
The image of a ‘woman-friendly Gujarat’ comes under a sharp scanner with the facts given below:
Gujarat has reached number FIVE in having WORST SEX RATIO records with the ratio going down to 879 in 2001 census compared to 928 in 1991.
The state home minister has admitted that the “ Cases of Suicide & Murder of women have been on the rise, because of such reason like Prevalence of Dowry system, superstition and moral decadence”.
In the year 2005-06, 323 women were murdered, 264 cases were filed for sexual harassment against them, 350 cases of rape, 789 cases of kidnapping, 1835 cases of suicides were reported among women. This data does not include dowry deaths, abetment to suicide and accidental deaths of women which is already high in the state.
The Infant Mortality Rate for women is 61 in 2003, compared to 52 in Punjab and 41 in Tamilnadu, the two other states with bad track records vis-à-vis women.
---------- Post added at 03:02 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:02 PM ----------
Poverty
Talking about poverty it is important to note that each state has its own criteria for declaring the index or threshold for Below Poverty Line in both rural and urban areas. Hence it has declared a threshold of Rs 353.93 per capita per month for the rural areas. It is interesting to note that it is lower than 15 states of India which include poor states like Jharkhand. Similarly, it has declared a threshold of Rs 541.16 pre capita per month in the urban areas, again lower than 12 other states. It is curious to note that a state which boasts of Rs 16,000 as the average per capita income, will have such low levels of indexes to declare the poor. It has hence very conveniently obliterated a large range of needy from the list of BPL. Obviously the very idea of earning Rs 542 per month in urban areas and not being declared as poor sounds like a cruel joke played on a large segment of people.
Talking about poverty it is important to note that each state has its own criteria for declaring the index or threshold for Below Poverty Line in both rural and urban areas. Hence it has declared a threshold of Rs 353.93 per capita per month for the rural areas. It is interesting to note that it is lower than 15 states of India which include poor states like Jharkhand. Similarly, it has declared a threshold of Rs 541.16 pre capita per month in the urban areas, again lower than 12 other states. It is curious to note that a state which boasts of Rs 16,000 as the average per capita income, will have such low levels of indexes to declare the poor. It has hence very conveniently obliterated a large range of needy from the list of BPL. Obviously the very idea of earning Rs 542 per month in urban areas and not being declared as poor sounds like a cruel joke played on a large segment of people.
Further, despite such low BPL threshold, the latest Planning Commission figures suggest that there is a widening gulf between the rural and the urban sectors of the state. Hence BPL population in the rural areas is more than the urban areas, both in percentage and in absolute terms. In this respect, Gujarat is in league of states like Bihar, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Jharkhand and the seven states of North-East and not with advanced states like Maharashtra, Karnataka and even Rajasthan. The state has 63.49 lakh (19.1% of the rural population) BPL people in the rural areas as compared to 27.19 lakh (13% of the urban population).
The latest NSSO data suggests that the rank of the state in this respect is lower than even Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Delhi, Goa, Haryana, Jammu & Kashmir, Karnataka, Kerala, M.P., Maharashtra and Rajasthan. While the percentage of such population has declined marginally in the rural areas, it has increased in absolute numbers.
And this is the state where per capita income is higher than the national average!
---------- Post added at 03:03 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:02 PM ----------
Employment and Agriculture
According to the census of 2001, roughly 46% population of the state is dependent upon agriculture (27.67% cultivators and 17.91% agricultural labourers). Together they contribute only 15% to the state's Gross Domestic Product while Industry contributes 39% and Services sector contributes 46%. It is hence not surprising that there is a gradual decline in food grain production (from 65.71 lakh tonnes in 2003-04 to 51.53 lakh tonnes in 2004-05). While the obvious reasons for these include more investment on cash crops and a shift to other tertiary sectors, it also raises a serious question about food security for the marginalised people.
This is also no surprise then that in another survey conducted by NSSO (July 2005) approximately 40% of the farmers in the state said that given an option they would like to shift from agriculture. It has also been brought out in the recent studies that both agriculture and labour have suffered extensively in the last decade or so while investments have shifted to industries. This is all the more serious as there is no fall back system being provided for the people dependent on agriculture for their survival.
May 2005 NSSO data also says that each of the 48 lakh farmers in the state was reeling under a debt of Rs 15,526.
Another indicator for the same is evinced in a reply given by the Chief Minister in the state assembly that in one year up to 31 January 2007, 148 farmers had committed suicide in the state. It's a different matter that the reasons attributed for this ranged from mental illness, family matters to inclement weather, all except poverty. Though, 'inclement weather' would actually mean crop failure, is obviously swept aside.
Its clear how, in the name of the rhetoric of 'Vibrant Gujarat' (and now 'Nirmal Gujarat'), state has gone into a denial mode all together just like in the case of Gujarat 2002 pogroms of the Muslims.