The 'demographic dividend ' con
TOI comments in its edit on Monday…
"Between political timidity and regulatory logjams, India has done a 'good' job of spawning its own monsters. Joblessness is one of the biggest. With about a million young Indians entering the job market every month, it was very disturbing… total employment in the country grew by just 1.6% per year from 1999-2000 to 2009-10. That was through boom years. Today we are looking at a dismal 5% growth.. For China, for South Korea, for Taiwan, for most of our successful Asian neighbours, it was a manufacturing expansion that lifted that lifted millions of works out of poverty and delivered growth dividends lifting entire economies into a new hemisphere. Everyone knows what's hampering a similar expansion here – a reform of antiquated laws for labour regulation and land acquisition, corruption, slow clearance of projects and so on…"
(Me: Though one agrees with the paper's conclusion, no use blaming the government alone for political timidity, antiquated laws for labour regulation; coalition politics with every partner having strong divergent opinion on every major and minor issue, and the opposition's obstinacy thwarting every government move are the major culprits.
We pick up rosy terms like 'demographic dividend' and 'India being a Super Power by 2020" from someone who wants to chadao/flatter (only to DECEIVE) us and we go into ecstasy of our future; the potential, even if it is present, will remain a pipe until and until we DO something concrete to realize those potentials. Population exploding is by no means a dividend but certainly a very real demon).
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From the world of science…
'Superwheat' may increase yield by 30%
London: Cambridge-based scientists claim to have developed a new type of 'superwheat' which could boost productivity by 30%. Scientists at the National Institution of Agricultural Botany have combined an ancient ancestor of wheat with a modern variety to produce a new strain.
(Me: Most western countries use cereals like wheat as a fodder for cattle. On the other hand, they are a staple diet in India and we do have agricultural research labs and institutions in India, so it doesn't redound to the credit of these much-vaunted institutions that such discoveries take place abroad)
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Eat Insects to combat world hunger, says UN
Rome: Beetles, caterpillars, bees and wasps may soon find a place in your regular diet!
Insects are healthy, nutritious alternatives to mainstream staples such as chicken, pork, beef and fish and can prove critical in the fight against hunger, UNs, FAO. It is estimated that, as it is, insects form part of the traditional diets of at least 2 billion people. The research was released at the International Conference on Forests for Food Security and Nutrition in Rome.
(Me: There is certainly no alternative when foodgrain doesn't match with the galloping population. But it would be tough to follow in countries like India where a strong but irrational anti-nonveg bias/fetish exists)
Swimming helps children with asthma, says study.
Swimming can provide health benefits for young people with asthma. Swimming increases physical and cardio-pulmonary fitness as well as lung function, says Sean Beggs, director of paediatric education at the Royal Hobart Hospital.
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Raw onion encourages production of good cholesterol (HDL), helping keep your heart health.
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Tech-aided lifestyle tied to early onset of dementia..
London: Modern lifestyle is causing dementia and other brain disease to stroke at a younger age, with widespread use of computers, mobile phones and chemicals to blame, a new study has found.
Mindchow
Adversity is the first path to truth.
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Tongue very much in cheek…
It's lonely at the top; but you do eat better.
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There are more things in heaven and earth than are dreamt of in your philosophy" – Shakespeare
(Me: Can't agree more; philosophy is one of the four topics/subjects, am strongly allergic to, the others being spiritualism, economics and statistics)
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Man to wife: "If breakfast is the most important meal of the day, why doesn't it come with a cocktail, appetizer and dessert?"
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