Lalu’s solution for drought: Eat less – WTF!!

Finally we have a WTF statement from one of India’s finest comedians, Shri Lalu Prasad Yadav, former chief minister of Bihar, former husband of chief minister of Bihar ….oops..I’m sorry…husband of former chief minister of Bihar and former union railways minister. He has come up with this unique solution to avoid the impending food crisis due to a bad monsoon.

Prasad goes on further in the same article asking everyone to eat just one meal a day and that way the food stock can be made to last for 13 months. This statement has confirmed it at least for me that this guy could have no way been responsible for the supposed turnaround in Indian railways. As it is there are claims that he inflated the profits and many railway insiders claim that he reaped the benefits of his predecessors hard works (one Mr. Nitish Kumar in particular is counted by top Railway honchos as one of the best Ministers the railways has had in many years). If these are the kind of innovative ideas Mr. Prasad can think off, I can wonder what a tough time railways officials might have had in managing his whims and brainwaves during this tenure. I still remember the scheme to introduce matke ka cups in trains to promote local potters and remember exclaiming to myself WTF!

Technorati Tags: WTF,Laloo Prasad Yadav,Indian Railways

Govt holds virginity test for MP brides – WTF!

This is a new section inspired by bloggers like Amit Verma and Prem Panicker. I’ll try to point out articles and news pieces which manage to evoke that reaction : WTF. And the Govt of MP has provided the ideal start to this series. Click below this article to read the full coverage. Apparently the MP govt has taken upon itself to get people married( with taxpayers money of course – WTF). And after a case where a woman gave birth while getting married, it plans to get brides test for their virginity to prevent false claims. The reason why prospective brides are clamoring to get married is because the govt is also giving away some money for the couples getting married. Here’s an excerpt from that article

All 151 girls who participated in a mass wedding conducted by the Madhya Pradesh government on June 26 were forced to undergo virginity tests before doing so.

The mass wedding in Shahdol, 600 km east of Bhopal, was part of a welfare measure, the Mukhyamantri Kanyadaan Yojna (Chief Minister’s ‘giving away the bride’ programme) begun by the state in April 2006. Under it, single adult women from poor families – be they unmarried, widowed, divorced or abandoned – who have found themselves prospective spouses but cannot afford the wedding expenses, are married off in groups and paid a fixed sum of Rs 6500 as well.

The funny part is the fact that the govt claims all single adult women are eligible – be they widowed, divorced or abandoned; but goes to test their virginity. I think this is an insult to women and all those women rights groups and human rights activists should be pouncing on the MP govt for this regressive and simply ridiculous plan.

Technorati Tags: WTF,MP govt,virginity test,Amit verma,Prem Panicker

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President Patil promises slum free India in 5 years

In the first address of the new UPA government President Pratibha Patil today announced ambitious plans amongst which included the Rajiv Gandhi Awaas Yojana, on the lines of the Indira Awaas Yojana. The scheme promises to provide housing for all the slum dwellers within 5 years. The shortfall in urban housing is around 25 mn units. That is very a ambitious goal and one that makes me skeptical. Not that I want to be a cynic, but have these schemes really helped the people. Year after year, the government announces newer schemes; each one more pompous than the other.

The only development which has happened is by the people themselves. By which I mean the private sector since it represents the actions or efforts of individuals to achieve and grow. So that begets the question, is it appropriate for the government to start building houses? I’m more interested in the Tata low cost housing project, dubbed the 'Nano' of the housing sector. Only a company which is profit oriented can actually do a good job of satisfying its customers. That might sound ironic, but it is the truth. Non profits, governments or communities can only do so much. Only when driven by profit will an organization turn to efficiency and quality. A Govt sponsored housing scheme would be bloated, delayed, filled with corruption and a probable failure. Whereas private sector run housing projects have generally been successful, although Govt must step in to facilitate.

What the Govt can do though is change the Land ceiling act to aid more FSI and also ease the process of land procurement; at the same time ensuring that poor landowners get a fair deal. My heart wants to believe in this Govt scheme, but my brain needs more details from the Govt rather than mere promises

Technorati Tags: Rajiv Awaas Yojana,Pratibha Patil,Slum free India,Indira Awas Yojana