Got you with the catchy title? (there is a serious side to this post below...)
Well evidently what was hot in Bangalore when we were there was the latest Bollywood flick - Chennai Express (which we went to see!)
And, just when you thought Sheila was as Aussie as it gets... for some reason a lot of small kids were singing this song - "My name is Sheila!"
But what I really wanted to talk about in this post was the variety of policies/programs that are being introduced/ talked about in the media at the moment. Actually, I found reading the newspaper there very interesting and insightful.. and dare I say it, actually covering 'news-worthy stories'!!! (and was slightly embarrassed when showing the Indian Young Professionals the SMH home page which featured a rugby league result, Lleyton Hewitt reaching the 3rd round at the US open and Abbott saying he was confronted by Burkas as the top 3 new stories!)
Some things that are hot in India right now from a government/political standpoint:
1. Bangalore to become kerosene-free! - this one was obviously directly related to Pollinate's work as their solar lights are a direct substitute for kerosene lamps! Kerosene is known as the 'poor man's fuel' and has many adverse health affects and is known to be controlled by the mafia...challenging situation!
2. The legal right to food via the Food Security Bill - Earlier this week the Indian Parliament passed the National Food Security Bill which gives around 800 million people (70% of the population) the right to cheap food, in an effort to eradicate malnutrition!
Under the scheme, those that qualify will be able to buy the following each month: 5kg of rice @ 3 Rupees per kg (equiv to AU 5c), 1kg of wheat @ 2 Rupees (equiv to AU 3c) and cereals @ 1 Rupee (equiv to AU 2c).
As with Kerosene, there are concerns over how the government will actually implement this as well as whether they can afford US$18 billion a year to provide the scheme (not to mention where they will source 5 million tonnes of grain p.a!)!
3. Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act - created in 2005 it essentially guarantees 100 days paid unskilled manual work to adults every financial year.
Many obstacles and criticisms regarding the implementation of this Act e.g corruption - if you're interested, read more about it in this interesting World Bank blog post here
Found all of the above very interesting!
Well evidently what was hot in Bangalore when we were there was the latest Bollywood flick - Chennai Express (which we went to see!)
.JPG) |
| Bollywood in full flight :) |
But what I really wanted to talk about in this post was the variety of policies/programs that are being introduced/ talked about in the media at the moment. Actually, I found reading the newspaper there very interesting and insightful.. and dare I say it, actually covering 'news-worthy stories'!!! (and was slightly embarrassed when showing the Indian Young Professionals the SMH home page which featured a rugby league result, Lleyton Hewitt reaching the 3rd round at the US open and Abbott saying he was confronted by Burkas as the top 3 new stories!)
Some things that are hot in India right now from a government/political standpoint:
1. Bangalore to become kerosene-free! - this one was obviously directly related to Pollinate's work as their solar lights are a direct substitute for kerosene lamps! Kerosene is known as the 'poor man's fuel' and has many adverse health affects and is known to be controlled by the mafia...challenging situation!
2. The legal right to food via the Food Security Bill - Earlier this week the Indian Parliament passed the National Food Security Bill which gives around 800 million people (70% of the population) the right to cheap food, in an effort to eradicate malnutrition!
Under the scheme, those that qualify will be able to buy the following each month: 5kg of rice @ 3 Rupees per kg (equiv to AU 5c), 1kg of wheat @ 2 Rupees (equiv to AU 3c) and cereals @ 1 Rupee (equiv to AU 2c).
As with Kerosene, there are concerns over how the government will actually implement this as well as whether they can afford US$18 billion a year to provide the scheme (not to mention where they will source 5 million tonnes of grain p.a!)!
3. Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act - created in 2005 it essentially guarantees 100 days paid unskilled manual work to adults every financial year.
Many obstacles and criticisms regarding the implementation of this Act e.g corruption - if you're interested, read more about it in this interesting World Bank blog post here
Found all of the above very interesting!
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