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Showing posts from May, 2019

The Ramadan spirit: Let not thy right hand know what thy left hand doeth

By Moin Qazi* The idea that helping others is part of a meaningful life has been around for several years. For Muslims, charity is a central aspect of faith and practice. In Islam, a culture of giving is interwoven into the fabric of its modes of worship and it is one of the five basic requirements (arkan or “pillars”) of Islam. It connotes the path to purity, comprehension of material responsibility, and a heightened sense of spirituality. The centrality of zakat is underscored by the many times it is coupled with the command for prayer and also identified as a continuation of the practice of past prophets. In the Qurʾān, almsgiving is often cited along with prayer as a duty of the Muslim: ‘Perform the prayer, and give the alms’ (Q2: 43, 110, 277). . The two are often mentioned simultaneously in the symmetrical rhythm of the Qur’an. The tradition of humanitarian stewardship and egalitarian values are at the foundation of Islamic beliefs. Governed by a worldview in which all things

Whither devolution of power in panchayats to women?

By Moin Qazi* Pride and dignity would belong to women if only men would leave them alone. – Egyptian Proverb During the last two decades the gender landscape in rural India has been slowly greening and women are now on the cusp of a powerful social and political revolution. The harbinger of this social and political change is a unique policy experiment in village-level governance \ has brought transformative results for its most oppressed class: the village women. India’s affirmative action, aimed at chipping away centuries of powerlessness, is one of the many watershed stories. Women have risen to participate in decision-making processes and play a role in public life. In 1993, India introduced the Panchayati Raj (Village Government) Act, mandating a three-tiered structure of local governance at the village, block and district levels with reservation of one third of all posts in gram panchayats – village councils at the bottom tier of India’s decentralized governance system – for

Why role models, mentors matter more than words, formal training

By Moin Qazi* A leader is best when people barely know he exists, when his work is done, his aim fulfilled, they will say: we did it ourselves. – Lao Tzu India is at a crossroads in its journey of “development”. It is still perceived that the development landscape continues to look jaded. Lessons from recent times show that if we plant the right seeds, the native soil is fertile and can yield a development bonanza. It is only the development paradigm that needs to be set right. We need plans, systems, and mutual accountability. But even before we have all of that apparatus in place — the economic plumbing — we must understand more concretely what such a strategy means to the people, who know best their own problems and also have relevant and sustainable solutions for them. Each development agent will have to use her own creativity to ensure that interventions deliver the best value to stakeholders — the state, donor agencies and recipients. You don’t give a medical diagnosis on one pag

Construction workers’ safety at bottom of builders', contractors', engineers' agenda

By Vipul Pandya* The construction sector in India is the country’s second-largest economic segment after agriculture. It employs more than 40 million people, contributing nearly 8% to the national GDP. According to an industry estimate, the Indian construction industry is worth Rs 9,000 billion. Prior to the global economic crisis in 2008, the industry grew at more than 10% during 2005–07. After 2008, the growth moderated, with the industry registering an average real growth rate of 5% since 2008. However, the industry is now expected to recover with the formation of a stable government at the Centre with its thrust on infrastructure development to revive economic growth. Infrastructure projects are major demand drivers in the Indian construction industry accounting for an estimated 49% of industry value followed by real estate and housing (42%) and industrial projects (5%). Construction is an industry that requires working at ever-changing locations and work environments. Nearly 6.5 m

GPCB’s casual reply to action sought on very high COD level in groundwater

The Vadodara-based environmental body, Paryavaran Suraksha Samiti (PSS), has written an open letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with copies to the Gujarat chief minister, senior officials Government of India and Gujarat government officials*, especially those looking after environmental issues, taking strong exception to what they it called “perfunctory, non-serious, and casual reply” of DP Shah, Unit Head of the Vadodara district of the Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB) to its letter dated March 18 on dangerously very high COD (Chemical Oxygen Demand) levels observed and documented in the groundwater in village Luna, Padra Taluka, Vadodara District. Signed by senior activists Rohit Prajapati and Krishnakant, the letter refers to the Supreme Court (SC) order dated February 22, 2017 on groundwater contamination, castigating officials for failing in their duty in preventing the pollution “even after repeated letters and complaints”, as also the National Green Tribunal orders d

Complaints against CIC: DoPT to set up panels, but won't be part with proposal

By Venkatesh Nayak* Readers may remember the controversy created by the Central Government’s proposal to set up two committees to inquire into complaints against serving and former members of the Central Information Commission (CIC). Several RTI advocators have commented on this latest move of the Government to curb the CIC’s autonomy. I had also critically examined its implications in light of media reports of this proposal. The Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) has refused to divulge details of this proposal under The Right to Information Act, 2005 (RTI Act) claiming that it is not final yet. The RTI Intervention Soon after after this proposal was reported widely in the media, I decided to seek the following information, from the DoPT, which is under the Prime Minister’s portfolio, through an Online RTI application : “1) A clear photocopy of the communication sent to the Central Information Commission (CIC) regarding the proposal to set up committees to inquire into c