Saturday, February 02, 2008

Loans and Farmer Suicides

Loans and Farmer Suicides

Indian mornings are become used to read / watch news of suicide by the farmers especially from the states of Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh. As the economic growth of the country is going high so the tendency of suicide is increasing among the Indians, surely this is matter of analysis is there any relation between the economic growths and suicidal death tolls?

Statistical figures are suggestive that if we compare the farmer suicide tolls in the era after 1991, the year of start for the second phase economic reforms in the country, with the time prior to that, we are bound to find that in the recent times death tolls are many times higher to era prior to 1991. I am just an awake citizen neither an experts of human psychology nor have much experience in the field of consumer and personal loans, however my findings might prove sufficient to suggest solution roads for the experts of the field and governments.

Liberal economics policies of Indian government are working for raising the economic growth rate and GDP of the country. Markets are not going under the phase of deficit of liquidity. Ample amounts are available for the taking in the form of various loans from the banking sector and financial companies. Indian markets, over crowded with commodities of physical comforts are proving almost non resistible temptation for the Indians who are looking forward to raise the living standard with the availability of these commodities at home. Just look at life of common Indian, not only in the cities but also in the village mobiles have become essential for normal living. A significant growth in the family earnings and too much easiness in availability of loans are the prompting factors and increasing the buying powers of middle class Indians. I have tried to look at city life of medium population cities like the
Kolhapur and surprise to know that almost every forth person from the business class and working class is in the loan web if not for more at least for one type of loan. In the villages of developed states like the Maharashtra, Punjab and Andhra Pradesh etc. situations are more resembling with the life of small cities and might this be the root cause of increased suicidal tendency.

In the agricultural sector Indians have covered miles and miles on the road of progress. Increased irrigation facilities and supportive activities like the poultry and milk producing cattle are working for boosting the earning capacities of the farmers. It is a fact that still a lot of Indian land is without irrigation facilities and factors like the increasing competition and high going expenses of meeting with care of birds and cattle are proving obstacles for the farmers for being with sufficient liquidity of money. Uncertain climatic conditions like the heavy or less rain, extreme high or low temperatures are also working for the decline in the income of farmers. In all these situations, loans taken not only stands as it is but keep on increasing with the interest and penal interests of banks, co-operative societies and financial companies. If one can work on the number of ceased vehicle by the finance companies for non payment of EMI’s the picture will be clear about the repayment capacities of small city and village population of India.

It is often said loans/ Debts are the guest of the life; they entered into your life with greeting, welcoming you as the realization of dream and keep on living and growing with you. Only very strict and time bound economic disciplines are the only remedy for getting rid of these. Is the common Indian farmers are with the wisdom of having such capacities? Is the question and answer to this is, where the solution for the suicidal tendency is lying.

Friday, February 01, 2008

Cricket Kings

Cricket Kings

At last the test series between Australia and India ended and as per the Australian plans Australia won the series with 2-1 to keep their winning record intact though their image of being the undisputed kings of cricketing fields is not as the same as was prior to this series and even the ground behavior of Australian players and sportsmanship were put under the question mark at several occasion during the series.

This series will be remembered for the disputed umpiring decisions favoring Australia, allegation of so called racial comments by Harbhajan and controversial decision of ICC match referee Mr. Proctor over this issue. The issue sounded to such great extant that at one stage it was threatening a division among the cricketing nations of the world. Thanks to decision of excusing Harbhajan from such serious but base less allegations by the ICC appeal commissioner as neither there was any decisive evidence for supporting so called allegations nor even Andrew Symonds was able to recall the exact words of Harbhajan. However Harbhajan is punished with 50% cut in match fees for using abuse words on the ground in response of controversial exchange of words started by Australian player Symonds.

This is appropriate time to look in to the background of all this. Over the years sledging was the effective weapon of Australian cricketers on the ground and no one from the rest of world was not in competition with them at least in this aspect. Since last one year or so young Indian cricketers not only started to tackle this successfully but also started to answer in the language of Australians. This forced Australia to get exit from semifinal of inaugural T-20 World Cup held in South Africa. The war of supremacy on the sledging grounds was at the peak during the Australian cricket tour to India last year and Andrew Symond, Harbhajan and S Shrisanth were the front runners, unfortunately Australians found themselves on the losing side. Hence this tour by Indian cricketers has been taken as the revenge grounds.

Australian players and media are taking the decision of the ICC appeal commissioner not as the justice but as the victory of money powers of BCCI with blaming the Cricket Australia for bowing down under the pressures of monetary powers. How wrong they are? If the ICC was favoring the Indians was it possible that Harbhjan is punished for responding and Andrew Symonds, who himself admit, who initiated this controversial word exchange will be allowed to escaped from being punished? No dear this is pure justice though Symonds was guilty of taking the initiative but Harbhajan was punished for using abused language. Surely in the present times escaping from the temptations of the money powers is almost impossible. I wish to put a question for all the Australian cricketers, many of them are participating in IPCL a tournament being organized by BCCI in the hot summers of Indian climatic conditions and paying very handsome amounts to players, If the Australians players are thinking they are with the resisting abilities for the powers of money, let it prove by saving self from dehydrating Indian heats and opt to keep self away from this tournament, remember this tournament is not going to be played for the national pride and glory. This is a professional league tournament in which players will play for the city which can bid most for them. It sounds funny that a person available in the market for a bid is blaming others for acting under the pressures of money powers.

Most of the cricketing world is looking this as the end of sledging war between the players of two countries where cricket is much more than just a game. Frankly speaking still some suspecting snakes are on the move in my mind, as S Shrisanth was not part of Indian Test squad and now is in Australia for the tri angular ODI series. In all probabilities Australian players will not leave any space vacant for irritating Shrisanth and warm blood of this young Indian speedster might response on the lines of Harbhjan, after all Shrisanth is more vibrant in expression of aggression on the ground when compared with Harbhajan. There are some chances that might the Harbhajan face some adverse comments from the Australians during the ODI series. Let us hope things will not take the same turn again allowing cricketing lovers from all part of globe to respire with relief and enjoying the game in coming days.