Drought declared by the Doctor

On Saturday, 8th August,2009, the Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh said there was drought in 141 districts in the country and people must be prepared for a further rise in prices. There is a shortfall of six million hectares under paddy, this kharif season, owing to a deficient southwest monsoon.

So it’s official . The government has admitted to drought, price rise and a specific shortfall in kharif sowing.

Addressing a meeting of the State Chief Secretaries, Dr. Singh assured the states of the Centre’s full support for tackling drought. The States should quickly send detailed memoranda for assistance under the Calamity Relief Fund or the National Calamity Contingency Fund, he declared.

A meeting of all state Chief Secretaries is anyways a wasteful indulgence where also only doubt and lack of clarity has been displayed. What have they been told which could not have been guessed in their respective state capitals or indeed communicated over phone, fax or file ?

The response is neither proactive nor reactive. The PM’s expression of concern over drought conditions on August 8th is a bit too little and way too late.

Asking people to be prepared and alluding to calamity relief is bemusing.

Dr Singh preached to the choir declaring that “in no case should we allow citizens to go hungry,” and if need be, the government would take strong measures and intervene in the market. No news on what those could be. “We are helped by the fact that there were adequate food stocks owing to record production and procurement of foodgrains in 2007-08 and 2008-09.” he stated and that “We expect the State governments to intervene in procurement and act against hoarders.”

Dr. Singh wanted the States to operate a contingency plan for crops, drinking water, fodder, human and animal health and keep a close watch on food grain prices.

Qu says that from the earliest origin of government in this country, through successive reigns, occurrence of drought and resulting famine has been proactively monitored and actions taken

All forms of government in this country, even the dictatorial ones, had been receptive to the purpose of mitigating drought & alleviating suffering. Always, attempts were made to put in place a blue print and a well thought out cascading contingency plan.

For a 21st century Prime Minister aided by Super computers , latest Met technologies and global Information access to make pronouncements of this nature seems like a old village Mukhiya advising his community to trek over the hill in an attempt to survive.

Consider :

- Contingency scenarios , famine relief works scope and schedule , community water resources investments - Where is the master plan?

- Along with this prophecy of calamity, was it not incumbent upon the PM to disclose to the nation at least 10 concrete measures which are anyhow fairly ritualistic rather than bemoan lack of budget utilization etc and merely press the panic button?

- That this drought was anticipated is a matter of record. Mr Pawar had , from London, decided that it was enough of a rainy condition to call off the match (pun intended !) and left the prognosis to his lethargic mandarins. When exactly did it dawn upon the rulers that we were dry and desperate?

Finally, Union Agriculture and Food Minister Sharad Pawar blamed hoarding and speculation in the market for the “sudden” spurt in the prices of essential commodities, particularly pulses. He said that unless the States took action, the Centre would not be able to control the prices. We need effective response, not a lesson in Civics !!

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