TIME TO CELEBRATE ?

Citing a survey conducted by market research firm IMRB , Times of India ( 26 July,2011 ) reports following findings :

• Urban woman’s average income rose from Rs 4,492/month in 2001 to Rs 9,457 in 2010

• Average monthly household income of urban India rose from Rs 8,242 to Rs 16,509 in the same period

• No of women doing household work dropped from 91 % to 71 %

• According to official data , India’s per capita income was,

• Rs 16,688 in 2000-2001

• Rs  54,835 in 2010 -2011 ( + 228 % )

It is another matter that over 400 million Indians ( 33 % of the population ) live on $ 1.25 per day ( UN’s poverty line )

Whereas in China , only 17 % of the population is below UN poverty line

However, the Government of India wants us to believe that only 345 million Indians are really “ Poor “ – who live on Rs 28 / - ( ie: approx $ 0.45 per day )

So much for performance of our democracy vs China’s dictatorship !

Do starving Indians care for freedom of speech ?

With  regards

HEMEN PAREKH