Transcript of the special episode of Mann ki Baat: PM Shri Narendra Modi and US President Shri Barack Obama share their thoughts on Radio

English Rendering of Transcript of the special episode of Mann ki Baat: PM Shri Narendra Modi and US President Shri Barack Obama share their thoughts on Radio

(Hon’ble Shri Narendra Modi): Today, Shri Barack Obama, President of the United States, joins us in a special programme of Mann Ki Baat. For the last few months, I have been sharing my "Mann Ki Baat" with you. But today, people from various parts of the country have asked questions. But most of the questions are connected to politics, foreign policy, economic policy. However, some questions touch the heart. And I believe if we touch those questions today, we shall be able to reach out to the common man in different parts of the country. And therefore, the questions asked in press conferences, or discussed in meetings – instead of those – if we discuss what comes from the heart, and repeat it, hum it, we get a new energy. And therefore, in my opinion, those questions are more important. Some people wonder, what does "Barack" mean? I was searching for the meaning of Barack. In Swahili language, which is spoken in parts of Africa, Barack means, one who is blessed. I believe, along with a name, his family gave him a big gift. African countries have lived by the ancient idea of ‘Ubuntu’, which alludes to the ‘oneness in humanity’. They say – “I am, because we are”. Despite the gap in centuries and borders, there is the same spirit of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, which speak of in India. This is the great shared heritage of humanity. This unites us. When we discuss Mahatma Gandhi, we remember Henry Thoreau, from whom Mahatma Gandhi learnt disobedience. When we talk about Martin Luther King or Obama, we hear from their lips, respect for Mahatma Gandhi. These are the things that unite the world. Today, Barack Obama is with us. I will first request him to share his thoughts. Then, I and Barack will both answer the questions that have been addressed to us. I request President Barack Obama to say a few words. (Hon’ble Shri Barack Obama): Namaste! Thank you Prime Minister Modi for your kind words and for the incredible hospitality you have shown me and my wife Michelle on this visit and let me say to the people of India how honoured I am to be the first American President to join you for Republic Day; and I’m told that this is also the first ever Radio address by an Indian Prime Minister and an American President together, so we’re making a lot of history in a short time. Now to the people of India listening all across this great nation. It’s wonderful to be able to speak you directly. We just come from discussions in which we affirmed that India and the United States are natural partners, because we have so much in common. We are two great democracies, two innovative economies, two diverse societies dedicated to empowering individuals. We are linked together by millions of proud Indian Americans who still have family and carry on traditions from India. And I want to say to the Prime Minister how much I appreciate your strong personal commitment to strengthening the relationship between these two countries. People are very excited in the United States about the energy that Prime Minister Modi is bringing to efforts in this country to reduce extreme poverty and lift people up, to empower women, to provide access to electricity, and clean energy and invest in infrastructure, and the education system. And on all these issues, we want to be partners. Because many of the efforts that I am promoting inside the United States to make sure that the young people get the best education possible, to make sure that the ordinary people are properly compensated for their labour, and paid fair wages, and have job security and health care. These are the same kinds of issues that Prime Minister Modi, I know cares so deeply about here. And I think there’s a common theme in these issues. It gives us a chance to reaffirm what Gandhi ji reminded us, should be a central aim of our lives. And that is, we should endeavour to seek God through service of humanity because God is in everyone. So these shared values, these convictions, are a large part of why I am so committed to this relationship. I believe that if the United States and India join together on the world stage around these values, then not only will our peoples be better off, but I think the world will be more prosperous and more peaceful and more secure for the future. So thank you so much Mr. Prime Minister, for giving me this opportunity to be with you here today. (Hon’ble Shri Narendra Modi): Barack the first question comes from Raj from Mumbai His question is, the whole world knows about your love for your daughters. How will you tell your daughters about youre experience of India? Do you plan to do some shopping for them?  (Hon’ble Shri Barack Obama): Well first of all they very much wanted to come. They are fascinated by India, Unfortunately each time that I have taken a trip here, they had school and they couldn’t leave school. And in fact, Malia, my older daughter, had exams just recently. They are fascinated by the culture, and the history of India, in part because of my influence I think, they are deeply moved by India’s movement to Independence, and the role that Gandhi played, in not only the non-violent strategies here in India, but how those ended up influencing the non-violent Civil Rights Movement in the United States. So when I go back I am going to tell them that India is as magnificent as they imagined. And I am quite sure that they are going to insist that I bring them back the next time I visit. It may not be during my Presidency, but afterwards they will definitely want to come and visit. And I will definitely do some shopping for them. Although I can’t go to the stores myself, so I have to have my team do the shopping for me. And I’ll get some advice from Michelle, because she probably has a better sense of what they would like. (Hon’ble Shri Narendra Modi): Barack said he will come with his daughters. I extend an invitation to you. Whether you come as President, or thereafter, India looks forward to welcoming you and your daughters. Sanika Diwan from Pune, Maharashtra has asked me a question. She asks me, whether I have sought assistance from President Obama for the Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao Mission  Sanika you have asked a good question. There is a lot of worry because of the sex ratio in India. For every 1000 boys, the number of girls is less. And the main reason for this is that, there is a defect in our attitudes towards boys and girls. Whether or not I seek help from President Obama, his life is in itself an inspiration. The way he has brought up his two daughters, the way he is proud of his two daughters. In our country too, I meet many families who have only daughters. And they bring up their daughters with such pride, give them such respect, that is the biggest inspiration. I believe that inspiration is our strength. And in response to your question, I would like to say, to save the girl child, to educate the girl child, this is our social duty, cultural duty, and humanitarian responsibility. We should honour it. Barack, there is a question for you. The second question for President Obama comes through e-mail: Dr. Kamlesh Upadhyay, a Doctor based in Ahmedabad, Gujarat - Your wife is doing extensive work on tackling modern health challenges like obesity and diabetes. These are increasingly being faced in India as well. Would you and the First Lady like to return to India to work on these issues after your Presidency, just like Bill and Melinda Gates?  (Hon’ble Barack Obama): Well, we very much look forward to partnering with organizations, and the government and non-governmental organizations here in India, around broader Public Health issues including the issue of obesity. I am very proud of the work that Michelle has done on this issue. We’re seeing a world-wide epidemic of obesity, in many cases starting at a very young age. And a part of it has to do with increase in processed foods, not naturally prepared. Part of it is a lack of activity for too many children. And once they are on this path, it can lead to a life time of health challenges. This is an issue that we would like to work on internationally, including here in India. And it is a part of a broader set of issues around global health that we need to address. The Prime Minister and I have discussed, for example, how we can do a better job in dealing with issues like pandemic. And making sure that we have good alert systems so that if a disease like Ebola, or a deadly flu virus, or Polio appears, it is detected quickly and then treated quickly so that it doesn’t spread. The public health infrastructure around the world needs to be improved. I think the Prime Minister is doing a great job in focusing on these issues here in India. And India has a lot to teach many other countries who may not be advancing as rapidly in improving this public health sector. But it has an impact on everything, because if children are sick they can’t concentrate in school and they fall behind. It has a huge economic impact on the countries involved and so we think that there is a lot of progress to be made here and I am very excited about the possibilities of considering this work even after I leave office. (Hon’ble Shri Narendra Modi): Mr. Arjun asks me a question. An interesting question. He says he has seen an old photo of me as a tourist outside the White House. He asks me what touched me when I went there last September.  It is true that when I first went to America, I was not lucky enough to visit the White House. There is an iron fence far from the White House. We stood outside the fence and took a photograph. White House is visible in the background. Now that I have become Prime Minister, that photo too has become popular. But at that time, I had never thought that sometime in my life, I would get a chance to visit the White House. But when I visited the White House, one thing touched my heart. I can never forget that. Barack gave me a book, a book that he had located after considerable effort. That book had become famous in 1894. Swami Vivekananda, the inspiration of my life, had gone to Chicago to participate in the World Religions Conference. And this book was a compilation of the speeches delivered at the World Religions Conference. That touched my heart. And not just this. He turned the pages of the book, and showed me what was written there. He had gone through the entire book! And he told me with pride, I come from the Chicago where Swami Vivekananda had come. These words touched my heart a lot. And I will treasure this throughout my life. So once, standing far from the White House and taking a photo, and then, to visit the White House, and to receive a book on someone whom I respect. You can imagine, how it would have touched my heart. Barack there is a question for you. Himani from Ludhiana, Punjab. Question is for you ……:  (Hon’ble Shri Barack Obama): Well the question is “Did you both imagine you would reach the positions that you’ve reached today?”  And it is interesting, Mr. Prime Minister, your talking about the first time you visited White House and being outside that iron fence. The same is true for me. When I first went to the White House, I stood outside that same fence, and looked in, and I certainly did not imagine that I would ever be visiting there, much less living there. You know, I think both of us have been blessed with an extraordinary opportunity, coming from relatively humble beginnings. And when I think about what’s best in America and what’s best in India, the notion that a tea seller or somebody who’s born to a single mother like me, could end up leading our countries, is an extraordinary example of the opportunities that exist within our countries. Now I think, a part of what motivates both you and I, is the belief that there are millions of children out there who have the same potential but may not have the same education, may not be getting exposed to opportunities in the same way, and so a part of our job, a part of government’s job is that young people who have talent, and who have drive and are willing to work for, are able to succeed. And that’s why we are emphasizing school, higher education. Making sure that children are healthy and making sure those opportunities are available to children of all backgrounds, girls and boys, people of all religious faiths and of all races in the United States is so important. Because you never know who might be the next Prime Minister of India, or who might be the next President of United States. They might not always look the part right off the bat. And they might just surprise you if you give them the chance. (Hon’ble Shri Narendra Modi): Thank you Barack. Himani from Ludhiana has also asked me this question – did I ever imagine I would reach this high office?  No. I never imagined it. Because, as Barack said, I come from a very ordinary family. But for a long time, I have been telling everyone, never dream of becoming something. If you wish to dream, dream of doing something. When we do something, we get satisfaction, and also get inspiration to do something new. If we only dream of becoming something, and cannot fulfil the dream, then we only get disappointed. And therefore, I never dreamt of becoming something. Even today, I have no dream of becoming something. But I do dream of doing something. Serving Mother India, serving 125 crore Indians, there can be no greater dream than this. That is what I have to do. I am thankful to Himani. There is a question for Barack from Omprakash. Omprakash is studying Sanskrit at JNU. He belongs to Jhunjunu, Rajasthan. Om Prakash is convener of special centre for Sanskrit Studies in JNU.  (Hon’ble Shri Barack Obama): Well this is a very interesting question. His question is, the youth of the new generation is a global citizen. He is not limited by time or boundaries. In such a situation what should be the approach by our leadership, governments as well as societies at large.  I think this is a very important question. When I look at this generation that is coming up, they are exposed to the world in ways that you and I could hardly imagine. They have the world at their fingertips, literally. They can, using their mobile phone, get information and images from all around the world and that’s extraordinarily powerful. And what that means, I think is that, governments and leaders cannot simply try to govern, or rule, by a top-down strategy. But rather have to reach out to people in an inclusive way, and an open way, and a transparent way. And engage in a dialogue with citizens, about the direction of their country. And one of the great things about India and the United States is that we are both open societies. And we have confidence and faith that when citizens have information, and there is a vigorous debate, that over time even though sometimes democracy is frustrating, the best decisions and the most stable societies emerge and the most prosperous societies emerge. And new ideas are constantly being exchanged. And technology today I think facilitates that, not just within countries, but across countries. And so, I have much greater faith in India and the United States, countries that are open information societies, in being able to succeed and thrive in this New Information Age; than closed societies that try to control the information that citizens receive. Because ultimately that’s no longer possible. Information will flow inevitably, one way or the other, and we want to make sure we are fostering a healthy debate and a good conversation between all peoples. (Hon’ble Shri Narendra Modi): Omprakash wants me too, to answer the question that has been asked to Barack.  Barack has given a very good answer. It is inspiring. I will only say, that once upon a time, there were people inspired primarily by the Communist ideology. They gave a call: Workers of the world, Unite. This slogan lasted for several decades. I believe, looking at the strength and reach of today`s youth, I would say, Youth, Unite the world. I believe they have the strength and they can do it. The next question is from CA Pikashoo Mutha from Mumbai, and he asks me, which American leader has inspired you  When I was young, I used to see Kennedy`s pictures in Indian newspapers. His personality was very impressive. But your question is, who has inspired me. I liked reading as a child. And I got an opportunity to read the biography of Benjamin Franklin. He lived in the eighteenth century. And he was not an American President. But his biography is so inspiring – how a person can intelligently try to change his life. If we feel excessively sleepy, how can we reduce that? If we feel like eating too much, how can we work towards eating less? If people get upset with you that cannot meet them, because of the pressure of work, then how to solve this problem? He has addressed such issues in his biography. And I tell everyone, we should read Benjamin Franklin`s biography. Even today, it inspires me. And Benjamin Franklin had a multi-dimensional personality. He was a politician, he was a political scientist, he was a social worker, he was a diplomat. And he came from an ordinary family. He could not even complete his education. But till today, his thoughts have an impact on American life. I find his life truly inspiring. And I tell you too, if you read his biography, you will find ways to transform your life too. And he has talked about simple things. So I feel you will be inspired as much as I have been. There is a question for Barack, from Monika Bhatia.  (Hon’ble Shri Barack Obama):  Well the question is “As leaders of two major economies, what inspires you and makes you smile at the end of a bad day at work?”  And that is a very good question. I say sometimes, that the only problems that come to my desk are the ones that nobody else solves. If they were easy questions, then somebody else would have solved them before they reached me. So there are days when it’s tough and frustrating. And that’s true in Foreign Affairs. That is true in Domestic Affairs. But I tell you what inspires me, and I don’t know Mr. Prime Minister if you share this view - almost every day I meet somebody who tells me, “You made a difference in my life.” So they’ll say, “The Health-Care law that you passed, saved my child who didn’t have health insurance.” And they were able to get an examination from a Physician, and they caught an early tumour, and now he is doing fine. Or they will say “You helped me save my home during the economic crisis.” Or they’ll say, “I couldn’t afford college, and the program you set up has allowed me to go to the university.” And sometimes they are thanking you for things that you did four or five years ago. Sometimes they are thanking you for things you don’t even remember, or you’re not thinking about that day. But it is a reminder of what you said earlier, which is, if you focus on getting things done as opposed to just occupying an office or maintaining power, then the satisfaction that you get is unmatched. And the good thing about service is that anybody can do it. If you are helping somebody else, the satisfaction that you can get from that, I think, exceeds anything else that you can do. And that’s usually what makes me inspired to do more, and helps get through the challenges and difficulties that we all have. Because obviously we are not the only people with bad days at work. I think everybody knows what it is like to have a bad day at work. You just have to keep on working through it. Eventually you make a difference. (Hon’ble Shri Narendra Modi): Indeed Barack has spoken words from the heart (Mann Ki Baat). Whatever position we may hold, we are human too. Simple things can inspire us. I also wish to narrate an experience. For many years, I was like an ascetic. I got food at other people`s homes. Whoever invited me, used to feed me as well. Once a family invited me over for a meal, repeatedly. I would not go, because I felt they are too poor, and if I go to eat at their place, I will become a burden on them. But eventually, I had to bow to their request and love. And I went to eat a meal at their home. It was a small hut, where we sat down to eat. They offered me roti made of bajra (millet), and mik. Their young child was looking at the milk. I felt, the child has never even seen milk. So I gave that small bowl of milk to the child. And he drank it within seconds. His family members were angry with him. And I felt that perhaps that child has never had any milk, apart from his mother`s milk. And maybe, they had bought milk so that I could have a good meal. This incident inspired me a lot. A poor person living in a hut could think so much about my well-being. So I should devote my life to their service. So these are the things that serve as inspiration. And Barack has also spoken about what can touch the heart. I am thankful to Barack, he has given so much time. And I am thankful to my countrymen for listening to Mann Ki Baat. I know radio reaches every home and every lane of India. And this Mann Ki Baat, this special Mann Ki Baat will echo forever. I have an idea. I share it with you. There should be an e-book made of the talk between Barack and me today. I hope the organizers of Mann Ki Baat will release this e-book. And to you all, who have listened to Mann Ki Baat, I also say, do participate in this. And the best hundred thoughts that emerge out of this, will also be added to this e-book. And I want you to write to us on Twitter, on Facebook, or online, using the hashtag #YesWeCan. • Eliminate Poverty - #YesWeCan • Quality Healthcare to All - #YesWeCan • Youth empowered with Education - #YesWeCan • Jobs for All - #YesWeCan • End to Terrorism - #YesWeCan • Global Peace and Progress - #YesWeCan I want you to send your thoughts, experiences and feelings after listening to Mann Ki Baat. From them, we will select the best hundred, and we will add them to the book containing the talk that Barack and I have had. And I believe, this will truly become, the Mann Ki Baat of us all. Once again, a big thank you to Barack. And to all of you. Barack`s visit to India on this pious occasion of 26th January, is a matter of pride for me and for the country. Thank you very much.

Biotechnology vision

Kiran Mazumdar Shaw presents Indian Biotechnology roadmap to Dr. Jitendra Singh The sector to grow to 100 billion USD by 2025

The Indian biotechnology sector to grow from the current 5-7 billion USD to 100 billion USD by 2025 so that the current growth rate of 15% in this sector could be enhanced by twice to up to 30%. A roadmap on this is presented to the Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr. Jitendra Singh by Smt. Kiran Mazumdar Shaw, President of the Association of Biotechnology Led Enterprises (ABLE), and also happens Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of Biocon Limited, who called on him here today. Smt. Kiran Shaw, visited Delhi from Bengaluru to attend the CEOs meet with US President, Mr. Barack Obama and handed over to Dr. Jitendra Singh a copy of the memorandum containing budgetary recommendations submitted to the government. Dr. Jitendra Singh said, the government is keen to promote all kinds of upward activities in Biotech sector and said that the suggestions offered by the ABLE would be given due consideration and dealt with a positive approach. Dr. Jitendra Singh agreed that the key States of India where the biotechnology is likely to grow in near future are Karnataka, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat but suggested that a focused planning is required to spread it to other States as well because this will not only add to the current growth rate but will also help create new avenues of employment particularly skilled jobs. The memorandum submitted by ABLE made several recommendations to support the biotechnology industry. These include deduction of current tax incentives of 200% to be increased to 300% with a validity of three years and extension of 10 years of tax holiday for biotech/farming establishments by another 2 years. Invoking the “Make in India” agenda of the present government, the memorandum also pleads for the indigenously made products to be given 15% to 25% weighted advantage over imported products in all government tenders. Dr. Jitendra Singh assured Smt. Kiran Shaw that he will take up all the suggestions with concerned departments to work out their feasibility and applicability. Biotechnology is the science of future and industry’s participation in future biotech ventures will also help in expanding the range of its utility as a means of social transformation, he added.

Eminent cartoonist RK Laxman passes away

Eminent cartoonist, illustrator and humorist Rasipuram Laxmanpassed away in Pune. He was 94.

About Rasipuram Laxman

Rasipuram Krishnaswamy Laxman (famously known as RK Laxman) was born on 24 October 1921 in Mysore, Karnataka. Famous novelist R. K. Narayan was his older brother.

His creation:

• He is best known for creation of iconic character The Common Man, for his daily cartoon strip, You Said It in The Times of India(TOI). It was started in 1951. This character held a mirror to the society and targeted politicians for more than five decades.
• In 1988, commemorative postage stamp of The Common Man was released by the Indian Postal Service on the 150th anniversary TOI.
• He also created a popular mascot for the Asian Paints group called Gattu in 1954.

Other Works:

• His cartoons have appeared in Hindi films such as Mr. & Mrs. in 1955 and a Tamil film Kamaraj.
• His creations also include the sketches drawn for the television adaptation of Malgudi Days (written by his elder brother R K Narayan and directed by Shankar Nag).
• Awards: He is recipient of Padma Bhushan (1971), Padma Vibhushan (2005) andRamon Magsaysay Award for Journalism, Literature and Creative Communication Arts (1984).
• His Autobiography: The Tunnel of Time: An Autobiography.
• Books: He had published numerous short stories, essays, and travel articles, some of which were collected in The Distorted Mirror (2003). His novels include The Hotel Riviera, The Messenger and the short story collection Servants of India.

Colombia’s Paulina Vega was crowned 63rd Miss Universe after beating out contenders from the United States, Ukraine, Jamaica and Netherlands.

Miss USA Nia Sanchez from Las Vegas was named a runner-up, along with Miss Ukraine Diana Harkusha.

Paulina Vega- She is granddaughter of celebrated Colombian singer Gastón Vega. Currently, she is a student of business from the northern Colombia city of Barranquilla.

Game changer for pest control

Scientists have used state-of-the-art technology to evolve gel-based carriers known as nanogels that carry pheromones to repel pestsConsignments of Indian fruit and vegetables often face quarantine restrictions or rejections in export markets because of pest infestation or high pesticide residues. In the domestic market, too, unsafe levels of pesticide residues in food items have become a major concern, inviting injunctions from courts to curb this menace. The solution lies in finding and promoting safer, preferably non-toxic means of pest control. Options for implementing this include the use of bio-pesticides or natural enemies (predators) of the pests; hot and cold treatment and irradiation of the produce; and equipping plants with inbuilt resistance against pests and diseases through genetic modification, among others. However, most of these methods have their own limitations that restrict their usage.

Another hi-tech, yet easy-to-use method that has shown good potential for controlling pests is the deployment of pheromones - natural or artificial odours, including sex aromas - that lure insects to either trap and destroy them or disrupt their breeding. These aromas, similar to the ones emitted by insects themselves, are species-specific. They, therefore, do not result in killing all insects indiscriminately - as is done by most pesticides - regardless of whether they are harmful or useful to the crops as pollinators or predators of pests. Besides, these are required to be used in extremely low doses and do not leave any harmful residue that affects the marketability of the produce. In the past half century, scientists have identified and synthesised around 1,500 pheromones for different insect species. These have found widespread application in agriculture, forestry and urban pest management.

However, for using pheromones on a mass scale, the techniques for dispensing them in fields need to be reliable, economical and simple enough for the farmers to use. For this, many methods, including aerial spraying, have been tried out but with limited success. Many medium (carrier)-based pheromone dispensers have also been developed and are commercially available. But most of them are sensitive to ambient temperature and other atmospheric conditions that limit their use to certain seasons only. In recent years, various kinds of gels have been used as the medium or carrier for pheromones for field application. However, many of the commonly used gels, notably hydrogel, swell or shrink, depending on the obtaining humidity level, or tend to degenerate under other adverse circumstances.

To get over these constraints, scientists have now used state-of-the-art nanotechnology to evolve hassle-free gel-based carriers for pheromones called nanogels. They have been found to be the most convenient option for field application of pheromones in all seasons, regardless of the temperature or humidity. Besides, they are easy to transport and do not require specialised storage. Pheromones absorbed in nanogels are released slowly over an extended period to provide longer-term protection against pests. Nanogels are now also used in human and animal health care for slow delivery of drugs in the required quantity to targeted spots in the body. In pest control, too, pheromone-doped nanogels have displayed the ability to release pheromones gradually in the needed quantity.

The technology for preparing these nanogels for agricultural use has been evolved by a team of scientists belonging to the Bengaluru-based Indian Institute of Science and the National Bureau of Agricultural Insect Resources (NBAIR) of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research. "This simple, practical and low-cost environment-friendly method of pest management has a significant potential for crop protection due to its long-lasting beneficial activity, excellent efficacy and favourable safety profile", says NBAIR senior scientist Deepa Bhagat, who was part of the team that invented the nanogel. This technology can be efficiently and economically carried forward from the research laboratory to agricultural fields to control pests of crops such as cotton, pigeon pea, chickpea, tomato, brinjal, coffee, guava, mango, rice and others, Bhagat points out. The developers of the nanogel have already initiated the patent process before it is licensed to entrepreneurs for commercial production and promotion.

Concern over climate, compromise on nature

While technological solutions like renewable energy are being aggressively pursued for combating climate change, little value appears to be placed on keeping natural systems intact

On his visit to India, U.S. President Barack Obama and Prime Minister Narendra Modi have announced a landmark civil nuclear deal, which will give India access to generating nuclear power. This follows on the heels of several announcements made by Mr. Modi on making India a hub for producing clean or non-conventional energy, posited as a measure to tackle climate change. Simultaneously, decades after environmental laws were first conceived, a review of environmental laws in India has just been undertaken by a High-Level Committee. The report of this committee is in turn being considered by a Parliamentary Committee on Science and Technology, Environment and Forests. The ostensible conclusion is that the government is serious about appraising existing policy and legislation at the highest levels, to strengthen environmental protection in India and tackle climate change.

A peculiar quandary

However, a peculiar quandary appears in the discourse on environmental protection in India today: on the one hand, technological solutions like renewable energy are being aggressively pursued for combating climate change; on the other, nearly no value appears to be placed on keeping natural systems intact. Consider this: in the High-Level Committee report, the only mention of ‘climate change’ is in the newly extended name of the Environment Ministry itself — from the Ministry of Environment and Forests, the Ministry is now called the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change. While the report asks if we will see more climate disasters such as the “Kedarnath or Srinagar valley disasters” in India, points out that governance of environmental clearances has been “flabby,” the “legal framework has not delivered,” and says environment should be considered as a “whole,” it has not addressed ways to combat climate change through environmental acts, future legislation, or state-led policy. Gaping questions remain on the protection of natural ecology and climate action. The recommendations moot creating several new institutions: a new law, the Environmental Management Act; new and quicker environmental clearances processes; and a new Environmental Service cadre. But the question of which direction this proposed overhaul will take us in needs to be raised — and answered.

Among India’s environmental laws are the Environment Protection Act, the Forest Conservation Act, the Wildlife Protection Act, Air and Water Acts, which were all drafted decades ago. Since then, much has changed. Species have become extinct, forests have shrunk, protected areas have been created and coastlines and rivers have been altered. We have witnessed droughts, floods, cyclones and cloudbursts; these have caused dams to burst, deaths and many forms of displacement. India has not been silent on the issue of climate action, and is likely to announce a few more national missions under climate change, with a focus on clean energy production. The stress on a diverse energy mix is a welcome step, but this appears to be confounded by an emphasis on altering natural ecologies through ‘quick clearances’ and a willingness to re-engineer natural systems in haste.

At one level, the government’s approach seems to suggest that it is okay to quickly deal with impending projects to clear forests or natural areas, as stressed by the High-Level Committee report; this will subsequently lead to a release of emissions. At another level, the government will facilitate creating green energy to mitigate carbon emissions. While both scenarios will occur, the two do not, in fact, cancel each other out. As the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) points out in its latest (2014) report, resilient ecosystems offer effective adaptation to climate change. Resilience, as per the IPCC, is the ability of an ecosystem to bounce back to a previously undisturbed state without losing its fundamental character, even when disturbed. For instance, soil studies say soil with a range of biodiversity does not become barren easily; forests with natural diversity re-emerge afresh from forest fires, clean rivers filter their own water — all products of undisturbed or biodiverse ecosystems which are in turn resilient, a living carbon sequestering sink. For human beings the impacts are better ecosystem services, the stuff a lot of people living with nature have understood as ‘prakriti ke karishme’ (miracles of nature).

Why does this not have more currency in combating climate change? Perhaps because there are no ribbons to be cut and no foundation stones to be laid for forests, mangroves, rivers, et al, and no budgets to be sanctioned for their development. But on the cusp of becoming a major manufacturing power, and in the middle of an environmental act review, it would be short-sighted to only focus on engineering solutions such as clean power. We also need to focus with our commitment on protecting our natural infrastructure — a veritable carbon sink, and a major tool towards climate adaptation — which we currently possess.

Perhaps the simplest example of systematic failure towards this carbon sink is in the current ‘compensatory afforestation’ system. Forests get diverted for projects; money for their destruction is paid to a compensatory fund. But often there is no land left for replantation. The money remains untouched, or gets used for making forest department buildings. These are ‘virtual forests’ floating about in governmental files. Then, there is always the issue of the ‘new’ forests, if created, being cut again.

A starting point therefore would be to look at the issue of diversion of natural areas on a landscape scale, and not on a piecemeal basis. We need to consider, through field observations and modelling, how much disturbance a forest or a river can take before it loses its integral character and degrades; we also need to consider that replacing these systems is not only expensive but sometimes also nearly impossible. In all this enters the even more problematic question of climate hazard. While forests, mangroves and wetlands form the basis of nature, they are no longer just trees, grasses and water, but also systems that protect us, at least in moderate amounts, from extreme events — not just during the event, but also after.

It is up to Parliament to decide whether we need separate and new legislation on climate change, but there are at least two things to be addressed. One, our existing laws need to now address the issue of climate change through environmental mapping and measuring impacts of projects at ecosystem or landscape levels; and two, the approach has to include setting thresholds for avoiding irreparable degradation of natural ecosystems.

The High-Level Committee report notes that there is “need to rationalise and amalgamate many of the existing Acts,” noting the holistic nature of ‘environment.’ This observation is challenged by the report in the very next line, which suggests single-window environmental clearances; this suggestion is made without a reflection on how this “one” environment will respond, or is responding, to many sorts of unconnected pressures. Whatever system we set in place for project clearances, whether managed by a reformed ministry, a new law, or new acronyms, must take into account a serious understanding of natural systems — and how far the systems can bend. Our laws can no longer be blind to this.

US commits $4 bn for Indian renewable energy sector

In one of the biggest deals for the growing renewable energy(RE) sector in India, US federal agencies have committed a total of $4 billion for both projects and equipment sourcing.

Officials close to the developments at the 'US-India Business Summit' said three US government agencies made separate commitments to pump money in the sector.

US Trade and Development Agency has decided to leverage a $2-bn loan to RE projects. The US Overseas Private Investment Corporation will lend $1 bn to clean energy projects in India.

And, in a deal which saw its inception during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the US last year, the US Exim Bankwill agree to $1 bn lending in a month's time, said the officials. Aiming to finance RE project developers in India sourcing components from the US, the Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency and US Exim Bank signed an agreement to finance such projects over a period of 18 years in September 2014. The Exim Bank would finalise the deal next month, after a visit by its officials.

"The US President emphasised that all their agencies would work together for more investment in RE and bilateral ties," said an Indian government official.

The government here had recently revised the targets for solar and wind energy capacity addition. The former was revised to 100,000 Mw by 2019 and the latter to 10,000 Mw annually. The government would also push domestic manufacturing in RE under its 'Make in India' programme. Wind energy turbines in the country are mostly domestically sourced but 70 per cent of the country's solar energy capacity is based on imported content, mostly from China and the US.

While the country aims to add around 4,500 Mw of solar power capacity during the current financial year to the current 2,600 Mw, the manufacturing capacity in the country is only 1,500 Mw.

Focus on higher education to improve states' economy

To attract foreign investment in the education sector, the govt needs to clear the foreign universities Bill but it also needs to amend and align the way different arms of the govt treat FDI in the education sector

If individual states want to improve their economic situations, they should concentrate and invest in the higher education sector.

In a report on the annual status of higher educational universities and colleges in India, data analysis shows a very direct link between states that have higher "knowledge direction" and the state of their economies. In other words, states that lay more emphasis on the quality and depth of their higher education are economically better placed than those that do not.

Establishing this direct link will encourage states to come forward to invest in higher education. Or this is what the Centre and the Ministry of Human Resources Development hope.

Rohin Kapoor, senior manager, Deloitte India, who has worked on this report for two years, said: "The strength of correlation between education and economy is startling. States with superior knowledge direction have in general superior economies."

The Centre has allocated almost Rs 99,000 crore under the Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA) for improvement in higher education institutes, especially in infrastructure in the 12th and 13th Five- Year Plans. Of this, the Centre is to provide Rs 69,675 crore and states are expected to contribute Rs 28,459 crore.

The states are required to contribute financially to make the scheme a success. But states have so far in the past been reluctant to invest generously in the sector. Unless the states recognise the relevance of investment in education, the state of colleges and universities cannot be improved.

Further, at a macro level, to attract foreign investment in the education sector, the government needs to clear the foreign universities Bill but it also needs to amend and align the way different arms of the government treat foreign direct investment(FDI) in the education sector. Also, different wings of the government prescribe different things. The Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) says 100 per cent foreign investment is permitted in the education sector. This is one arm of government. Then, the AICTE (All India Council of Technical Education) Act says no foreign investment is allowed, directly or indirectly, in setting up a technical institute in the country. So, FDI is out. The University Grants Commission (UGC), a third aspect, simply does not recognise foreign universities, so that rules out foreign investment totally.

Says Deloitte's Kapoor: "The different wings of the government need to echo the same voice. The UGC Act 1956 needs to be amended urgently. At present, it does not recognise foreign universities. It does not define it. So, it clearly cannot regulate it. If you do not recognise something, how can you regulate it?"

As a result, so far, India has only got Rs 4,900 crore of foreign investment in the education sector - not in formal education but in skill development, training schools and so on. The government has to realise that it cannot solve this problem on its own.

The number of institutes that can be set up through philanthropy will always be limited. "You can build a regulatory mechanism that has a strong monitoring and quality control process. There are companies in the US that run very high quality colleges and are firms listed on the stock exchange. This model can be replicated here too. A crystal clear regulatory framework will help eliminate the fly by night operators or those who are in it for a quick buck," explains Kapoor.

At a countrywide level, issues like enrolment and gender disparity have been addressed to some extent over the years. "The new issues are poor quality of teaching and staff. Our focus needs to shift altogether. Some of the softer issues need to be addressed far more seriously," says a former advisor to the Planning Commission. He argues that what is worrisome is that there is no plan for instance to set up teacher training academies to bridge the shortage of teachers. Nor is there any clear attempt to improve the quality of teaching staff. There are no attempts being made to try and raise salaries of teachers and make teaching a career of choice.

The HRD ministry is now trying through the setting up of an Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) and an Indian Institute of Management (IIM) in each state. For one, there is such a high demand for seats in these institutes; this will make them more accessible for everyone. Two, this is expected to have a rub off on other educational institutes in the state. They will act as a role model, so to speak, for other colleges in the region to emulate.

But there is already a 40 per cent shortage of teachers at the existing IITs and IIMs. It is possible that retiring faculty from the IITs and IIMs might be asked to mentor staff at the new institutes.

At a micro level, there are several problems across states that need to be fixed. For instance, 40 per cent of enrolments in all colleges are for humanities, social sciences (even higher than engineering and medical); yet, in India, there are hardly any liberal arts colleges or even courses on offer, which would allow students to sample all the liberal arts before choosing what they specialise in.

Then, non-teaching staff in colleges in some states is way too high. So, in states like Delhi (where jobs are typically handed out on sifarish), the average non-teaching staff per college is 171 instead of the national average of 34. States such as Bihar have a very high pupil-teacher ratio of 37 against the all India average of 13.1.

Gender disparity, which is not as sharp as one would expect in enrolments (55 per cent males and 44 per cent females), in teaching staff, however, remains significant. Sixty-one per cent of the teaching staff is male and 39 per cent is female. This drops further when one looks at the non-teaching staff with the percentage of males at 73 per cent.