two Indias.

On April 20, 2011, the Supreme Court of India told the Central Government ,

“ We can’t have two Indias. You want the world to believe that we are the strongest emerging economy, but million of poor and hungry people are a stark contrast. It is a tragedy of sorts. We have our food granaries full, and in many places, overflowing. And there is a prediction of bumper crop this year. If it’s so, why not allocate substantial food grains to take care of hunger and malnutrition ?”

Could following have prompted the Supreme Court to make these remarks ? :

Ø   2010-11 harvest of food grains will be at 232.1 million tonnes, the second highest of all times

Ø   Total effective food storage capacity in the country is less than 3 million tonnes

Ø   Over the last 10 years, 1 million tonnes  of food grains have rotted in the godowns of Food Corporation of India

Ø   435 million Indians [ 36 % of 1210 million population ] are below poverty line, unable to spend even Rs.12 ( $ 0.21 ) per day on food / clothing / shelter

For this “ Second “ India comprising the remaining 36%, it is starvation from birth until death ! To them a GDP growth rate of 9 % makes no sense !

With  regards

hemen  parekh