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Sunday, May 23, 2010 (15:28:22) |
| Tags : UPA, India, Maoists, Women's Reservation |
On UPA-II's first anniversary, prices dampen ratings, women's bill earns praise |
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New Delhi, May 23: The ordinary Indian seems largely dissatisfied with the ruling United Progressive Alliance-II (UPA) in its first year because of rising prices and Maoist violence. But pushing ahead with the women's reservation bill and implementing the rural jobs scheme have not gone unnoticed by the 'aam admi', a nationwide sample survey by the media shows.
A government school teacher in Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh, A.N. Tripathi, said he had voted for the Congress in the last elections largely based on its promises to work for the common man. "But who cares for the aam admi (common man)? The prices have risen sky high," he said.
In Delhi, migrants are bearing the brunt of the rising costs and trying to survive on meagre earnings even as they send some money back home to their families.
"I send most of my money to my family in Bihar and I just keep Rs.1,500 for myself. But I can't manage with this small amount any more," said Santosh Kumar, a 24-year-old working at a petrol pump. Kumar supports a family of seven back in his village.
Led by the Congress, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh-led UPA-II came to power after the 2009 general elections. It has always sought to portray the 'aam admi' as its mascot. But many who supported it now seem unhappy.
The disappointment was articulated by Saroj Negi, a housewife in Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh, and Savita Singh, a schoolteacher in Chhattisgarh's Raipur.
"Though the government claims it is committed to working for the aam admi, it has failed to contain inflation that affects the common man most," Negi told the media.
A student at Panjab University in Chandigarh, Jaspreet Kaur, said: "At this rate, soon only rich people will be able to afford to live in India's cities."
Hitarth Benani, a Mumbai-based software professional, however, said in the current global economic climate, managing inflation was not an easy task.
"The UPA government has to deal with the economic crisis and the climate that has triggered inflationary issues. I am sure a National Democratic Alliance government would have completely failed, had they been in power," Benani said.
The issue of Maoist violence is also on the minds of people, as each day seems to bring new reports of attacks by leftist extremists.
"The growing support for Naxals among tribals and others has been a major failure of the UPA government. The slow implementation of the forest rights act as well as price rise and the continuing distress of farmers indicate the UPA is far away from the aam admi," said Jagdish Pradhan, a farmer who heads a voluntary organisation in Orissa.
Leading Tripura-based industrialist Swapan Paul had mixed views over the role of the UPA government in the northeast.
"The centre has provided funds, but the fruits of the financial allocation do not reach the common man due to lack of supervision and unrealistic policies. Numerous government barriers come in the way of implementing the industrial projects," Paul said.
While the prices and Maoists keep the government's approval rating low, there are some people who praise the UPA government for its performance in a difficult year.
In particular, the women's reservation bill getting past the Rajya Sabha, largely thanks to the Congress, has been widely hailed as a progressive step for the UPA. It seeks to give women 33 percent of seats in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies.
"It is a right step for the upliftment of women. They will get full opportunity according to their numbers in the population. It will gradually put them at par with men," said Yashoda Devi, a housewife in Gurgaon on the outskirts of Delhi.
A group of women near Changanacherry in Kerala's Kottayam district after working for the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee scheme (MG-NREGS) said the scheme has certainly benefited many.
"This has come as a blessing because we don't have to search for work. Anyone who wants to can go for it and the timings are also convenient. I have had five days' work this month and this has eased the pressure on my husband who works as a daily labourer," Sunitha, a middle aged woman, told the media.
For M.R. Kaundal, a retired official of the Himachal Pradesh horticulture department, had praise for UPA-II's unique identification project.
"It is certainly among the achievements," Kaundal said, pointing out that the huge, complicated exercise would allot a unique number to all Indian citizens and prepare a database that would be of use in many spheres of life. (IANS) |
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