Students Power Harnessed for Swaach Bharat

 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi works tirelessly to lift up the nation. Whether it is the country’s cleanliness or Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) or securing India a permanent seat in the United Nations or increasing the Per Capita Income of every Indian or doubling up the farmer’s income, he is in the forefront. He uses every medium to motivate every citizen of the country both inside and outside the country to work towards the overall welfare of the nation. Not only the Indians but also people across the world are excited at the way in which the PM motivates. No other head of the state has succeeded the way in which Modi has motivated the people.  The most remarkable achievement of Narendra Modi as Prime Minister of India is, harnessing of youth power for the national development. He has reached out to the students in every nook and corner of the country. Never before students were scientifically involved in the nation building. All this is due to the complete utilization of technology to ensure the full involvement of students.

From Swaach Bharat Mission (SBM) to Solid Waste Management (SWM) to the promotion of Yoga to Hardware Heckathon, Modi government has silently weaved a web of students’ power to take the nation forward. Critics keep showering negativism. That is common to any democratic setup. The beauty of Modi is to unmind the negativity created by his opponents. His opponents range from foreign nations to local politics to cinema to NGOs to priests to industrialists to educationists. There is a blockade in each and every thing Modi has initiated. Overcoming these blockades and ensuring the smooth sailing of the nation is a herculean task. He has stupendously achieving his targets except few odd cases.  

P.M Narendra Modi launched his dream project “Swachh Bharat Mission” on 2 October 2014. Within four months of taking over the Prime Ministership, Modi has kick started clean India campaign. He fixed the target of achieving clean India within five years by constructing 90 million toilets. Construction of toilets not only clean the streets of India but also it gives better health conditions for the resident and visitors. After five years, the results are mixed. Definitely India has not become 100% clean. But definitely it has changed a lot in comparison with the past scenario.  One human being called Prime Minister cannot change the nation’s cleanliness completely. It is the responsibility of the each and every citizen. 

What Prime Minister has achieved through SBM is, the commencement of culture of cleanliness. Every household aims to have toilet facility, open defecation has become an odd case, airports, seaports, railways and other public places have become much cleaner. But the SBM has also failed to achieve complete cleanliness in both public and private places. This is because the nonseriousness and aversion of the stakeholders. Unless they change themselves to clean their places, cleanliness of India will be only a dream which can never become reality. Prime Minister can only motivate, advise ministers, order bureaucrats and check the public pulse. But to implement SBM and achieve the targeted goal of 100% clean, everyone’s support is needed. That is the missing crucial link in meeting the goal of 100% clean India.

The government of India has ensured the construction of 86 million toilets in the country in the last four years. It has reduced the number of open defecators from 550 million to just a million. This is a Himalayan achievement. But that one million open defecators pose a big risk to the overall health of the nation.  

In this big mission, Prime Minister has determined to use the students’ power. Education institutions are ranked for cleanliness. This will create a culture of cleanliness among the young people. When the students get into the world as adults, cleanliness will automatically come as their first priority. This is how a big nation like India can transform. Technology has come in handy to usher in the desired transformation in our massive country.

Brilliantly his government has initiated Swachh Bharat Summer Internship programme recently to involve the students to clean up the country. From universities to colleges, students across the country are enrolled in cleaning. They are rewarded cash prize ranging from Rs.50000/-. These are positive steps by the government led by Narendra Modi not only to clean India but also create a national unity. Definitely youth power needs to be harnessed positively and Prime Minister Modi is doing his best in this area.

Agenda for the NaMo Government

Narendra Modi (NaMo) won the battle of ballots decisively. Albeit 31% of the total voters endorsed him, due to the majority number of seats his party won, Modi is going to be the Prime Minister. Voters of India are gracious enough to listen to his promises made during election rallies and pressed the EVM button on his party's symbol - lotus. Now it is the turn of NaMo to fulfill all his promises to the people. Getting through IEE (Internal security, external relations and economic development) with excellence will endear Namo to India for many more years. Don't mistake this attempt as JEE exam to enter IITs.  In case of failure, the people of India will be unfortunate to hunt for an alternative leader who can keep up his promises. Let us know how Namo can get through IEE.

Internal security is the main challenge today for the central government. With increasing attacks by Naxalites, intrusion of terrorists from across the borders, home g
rown terrorists and mafia gangs, national security of India is at big risk never before. In this task, involvement of the states is very important. Any effort to handle internal security without the knowledge and engagement of the state governments will backfire even the well intended measures. Giving a death blow to Naxalism will give a booster shot to the national development. Like the Andra Pradesh government under the leadership of Y.S.Rajasekhara Reddy crushed the naxalites, state leaders must groomed to give the death to Naxalism. A regular update from the states about the law & order is a must for the centre. Above all, maintaining the communal harmony is the big test for NaMo as he has been blacklisted in this area. Controlling the communal tongues in his party and parivar is a must.

External relations must be developed in such a way India's interests are addressed. The previous government had given too much to the neighbours without taking anything. Worst scenarios were witnessed in Sri Lanka & Maldives where the Indian government's liberal dole was misused.  Using Indian aid and army, Sri Lanka not only finished off the LTTE but also eliminated lakhs of innocent Tamils. The worst was Sri Lanka's complete tilt towards China. Now the fear is there is an axis of Indian destruction getting strong with the Sri Lanka, Maldives going closer to China, Pakistan the traditional anti-Indian side. The NaMo government must engage all the players irrespective of their attitude towards India. In case of their back stabbings, suitable strategies can be devised. A strong leader at the helm sends out a signal which will prevent anti-India forces from entering the Indian territories.

Economy needs immediate surgery. In the urgency, the focus, long interests and welfare of the needy cannot be dumped. If the corruption and red tape are cut to a minimal size then the economy will gloop automatically. Importantly, NaMo should not succumb to the pressures of both liberals and radicals of the economic development. Opening up of FDI in retail, insurance should not be done at this stage. I am for FDI in the infrastructure, defence, telecom,aviation, power, ports, basic needs not in retail, insurance. Increasing diesel & LPG prices is not advisable. Fertiliser import should be reduced. Farmers need to be encouraged to adopt organic methods instead of depending on the imported fertilisers and pesticides. Linkage of rivers should be taken up after a thorough study about its impact on the ecology. If it is done in a win-win situation then India is going to be in the golden age. Air India, MTNL, BSNL and other sick PSUs should be given to its employees. A cooperative society of the sick PSUs can run them instead of the government wasting resources on them.

Remember clearing IEE is a must for NaMo to get into the hearts of people of India for more years. A failure in this won't even give him a space in the history books.

Failing America

USA is considered as the dreamer’s paradise. It is known for its advanced capitalists pursuit, technological wonders, political innovations, social stunts and military arrogance. For the past half a century, the American domination in the world is unparallel. A carefully crafted policy combined with theatrics employed by the American stakeholders has shaped ‘the big image’. Today that fancy figure of America is in tatters. In every field they are collapsing and proving to be a failed nation.

In the social and political spheres, America has exposed its weakness long back. With 12 percent poverty ticking in the self-proclaimed prosperous land, other social evils are also teething. More than 90 percent of the teenaged girls are pregnant. Child bearing and social dropouts of teenaged girls are common. Health sector is in doldrums. Nearly 40 percent Americans cannot afford the high cost of the health services.

Education has the same sad story to narrate. With the blind commercialization every good thing associated with education is missing. This is amply clear from the democrat candidate Barack Obama’s election promise – “We will make education as a priority to make America competitive again in the world”. This has been the repeated promise of the Presidential candidates cutting party lines for the past two decades.

Collapse of the World Trade Centre towers in 2001 shows the inefficiency of the American police. That tragic incident may not be the single incident to expose the weakness of the system. But the aftermath of 9/11 is a clear indicator of the American confusion. In the run to capture Osama Bin Laden and Saddam Hussein, the Marines have messed up completely. Iraq and Afghanistan are almost destroyed. Without care for innocent lives, American military has bombarded the territories of these poor countries. Even after eight years, the great American military with ultra modern technology has failed to capture its enemy No.1, Osama. What is the use of self proclaimed supremacy? One man is challenging and defeating the only global super-power!

When every golden trait associated with the American supremacy is vanishing, capitalism was considered as its bedrock intact. Even that last fort is crumbling. In the past one year alone, the government has spent $900 to bail out failed private companies. The liberal and capitalist tendencies of the Americans were thrown in the air. Against the established norms of the American system, the state went in for the rescue of the collapsed private companies. “Privatization of profit and socialization of losses” says Nouriel Roubiani, a New York University professor. In the interests of the government and to safeguard the entire social system this rescue operation is carried out. For instance $85 billion package to AIG (American International Group) has some merit. The company has $1 trillion turnover with 73 million customers in 130 countries. Naturally any careless handling of the company’s inefficiency will affect both global and local social systems. But the question is, why this organizational bungling in the world’s No.1 nation?

Bailouts in 2008
Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac 200
Federal Housing Administration 300
Fed’s Term Auction Facility 200
JP Morgan Chase 87
AIG 85
Bear Stearns 29
Grants to local communities 4

$ in billion
Source: The Times of India, 18 September 2008, p.24.

A detailed analysis of the past few decades shows that the casual American approach is responsible for the shakeup of the foundation. Every issue was dramatized and looked in Hollywood movie style. Even they did not spare tragic incidents like 9/11.

In the intra-connected world every nation’s well-being is crucial. One cannot live happily without peaceful progress of the other. Any trouble for America or Iraq or Afghanistan or India is not good for the rest of the world. As the world leader, America needs to reform its thought processes and actions for the benefit of all. More importantly any carelessness will affect its own nation and people seriously. The American system is urgently in need of understanding and accepting this holy truth. The early they take it for implementation the better the world will be.