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Talkative Shambhu
Through the blog 'talkative-shambhu' an effort has been made to create a platform for dialogue on contemporary issues. I use this blog to engage with my readers and my friends regarding policy issues critical for social and human development.
Monday, July 6, 2015
Wednesday, February 4, 2015
Corruption in PDS: Rising or falling?
A group of economists have recently opposed the leakage figure of 47% in public distribution system (PDS) that was earlier endorsed by the Report of the High level Committee on Reorienting the Role and Restructuring of Food Corporation of India, written under the chairpersonship of Shanta Kumar.
The HLC report on FCI reforms actually had taken the estimate on PDS leakage from an academic paper written by Ashok Gulati and Shweta Saini, which was published from Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations (ICRIER) in January this year. Dr. Ashok Gulati was also a member in the HLC on FCI reforms.
In a briefing session for media persons on 3 February, 2015 held in New Dehi, the group which challenged the HLC figure informed that leakages and diversion from PDS stood at nearly 42%. They clarified that methodological differences is leading to 2 different estimates regarding PDS leakages. (Please check the chart below).
Please note that many of the states/ UTs for which leakages have been calculated by Gulati and Saini are not shown in the above chart.
It was earlier seen in a number of studies that leakages from the PDS reduced over the years. Thanks to a series of measures undertaken in states like Odisha, Bihar and Chhattisgarh, PDS could see a turnaround in these states. For example, PDS leakage in Bihar reduced to 24% in 2011-12 from 91% in 2004-05 due to introduction of coupon system, while diversions declined in Chhattisgarh to 3.3% in 2011-12 from 52.0% in 2004-05 as a result of transparency measures adopted apart from complete overhauling of PDS.
This indicates that PDS can be corrected and made to perform, provided there is adequate political will and enough room for introducing innovative measures. However, on the sole ground of leakage, the HLC on FCI restructuring had suggested to replace PDS with cash transfers without going into further details.
Two economists, namely Reetika Khera from IIT Delhi and Jean Dreze, Visiting faculty at Ranchi University, who disagree with the HLC recommendations on PDS dilution, have alleged that Gulati and Saini miscalculated the figures on total PDS offtake from FCI and total PDS purchase.
Dreze and Khera have argued that most of the leakage is in the Above Poverty Line (APL) quota (apart from the 'ad hoc quotas') into which more and more foodgrain is presently being dumped. Comparatively, there is much lower leakages in the below poverty line (BPL) quota.
One calculation by Dreze and Khera, based on National Sample Survey (NSS) data, shows that while leakages in the BPL/ Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) quota was to the tune of 30%, it was nearly double (i.e. 67%) in the case of APL quota during 2011-12.
Instead of using the NSS data, if the India Human Development Survey (IHDS) data of National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER) is considered, then one can find that leakages from PDS was around 32% in 2011-12, which once again puts a question mark on the leakage figure quoted by HLC.
Apart from end-to-end computerization, the Government should ask the states to release the Socio Economic and Caste Census (SECC) data so that eligible households could avail the benefits of PDS, suggested Dreze and Khera.
Report of the High level Committee on Reorienting the Role and Restructuring of Food Corporation of India, January 2015, http://fciweb.nic.in/app/webroot/upload/News/Report%20of%20the%20High%20Level%20Committee%20on%20Reorienting%20the%20Role%20and%20Restructuring%20of%20FCI_English_1.pdf
Leakages from the Public Distribution System (PDS) and the way forward - Ashok Gulati and Shweta Saini (2015), ICRIER, http://icrier.org/pdf/Working_Paper_294.pdf
The National Food Security Act 2013
The National Food Security Ordinance 2013
FCI reforms: prescription to cure or kill? -Roshan Kishore, Livemint.com, 27 January, 2015, http://www.im4change.org/latest-news-updates/fci-reforms-prescription-to-cure-or-kill-roshan-kishore-4675181.html
Water For The Leeward India -Jean Dreze and Reetika Khera, Outlook, 24 March, 2014,
Public Distribution System Reforms and Consumption in Chhattisgarh -Prasad Krishnamurthy, Vikram Pathania, and Sharad Tandon, Economic and Political Weekly, Vol-XLIX, No. 8, February 22, 2014, http://www.im4change.org/latest-news-updates/public-distribution-system-reforms-and-consumption-in-chhattisgarh-prasad-krishnamurthy-vikram-pathania-and-sharad-tandon-24265.html
Ajay Chhibber, Director General of the IEO, a former assistant secretary general of the UN Development Programme, interviewed by Sanjeeb Mukherjee, Business Standard, 3 February, 2014, http://www.business-standard.com/article/economy-policy/there-seems-to-be-at-least-40-leakage-in-our-targeted-pds-system-ajay-chhibber-114020200447_1.html
Rural Poverty and the Public Distribution System-Jean Dreze and Reetika Khera, Economic and Political Weekly, Vol-XLVIII, No. 45-46, November 16, 2013, http://www.im4change.org/latest-news-updates/rural-poverty-and-the-public-distribution-system-jean-dreze-and-reetika-khera-23277.html
Reforming the Public Distribution System: Lessons from Chhattisgarh by Raghav Puri, Economic and Political Weekly, February 4, 2012, http://www.im4change.org/docs/335reforming-the-pds-lessons-from-chhattisgarh.pdf
PDS leakage drops to 10-15%: govt, The Indian Express, 12 December, 2011, http://www.im4change.org/latest-news-updates/pds-leakage-drops-to-10-15-govt-11988.html
Revival of the Public Distribution System -Reetika Khera, Economic and Political Weekly, November 5, 2011, Vol xlvi, No. 44 & 45, http://www.im4change.org/siteadmin/tinymce/uploaded/Reetika%20PDS.pdf
Trends in diversion of PDS grain -Reetika Khera (2011), Working Paper No. 198, Centre for Development Economics, Department of Economics, Delhi School of Economics,
PEEP survey 2013 and PDS Survey 2011, http://web.iitd.ac.in/~reetika/projects.html
Friday, January 23, 2015
Nutritional Progress in Maharashtra under doubt: latest DLHS
The results of the District Level Household and Facility Survey-4 for the year 2012-13, commonly known as DLHS-4, are out and it shows that among the 18 states and 3 UTs, the percentage of moderate wasting for children below 5 years is highest among Maharashtra (i.e. 34.1%). Similarly, in case of severe wasting and moderate underweight, the situation is worst in Maharashtra as compared to the rest (Please check the chart below).
The above outcomes may be shocking for those who got pleased with the state's decent performance in reducing stunting (i.e. too short for age) among children under 2 years, and expected similar trends for the rest two measures, namely wasting (i.e. too thin for height) and underweight (i.e. too thin for age).
Earlier, the provisional results of the Comprehensive Nutrition Survey (CNS) in Maharashtra during 2012, done jointly by the state's Department of Women and Child Development, International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS) and UNICEF, found that the percentage of children under 2 years affected by stunting came down drastically to 22.8% in 2012 (under CNS) from 39.0% in 2005-06 (under NHFS-3).
Since the publication of CNS results, a lot many international reports, authored by renowned economists and health experts, had praised the state for reducing malnutrition among children, although there were critical reports too by the media on high malnutrition levels prevailing particularly among tribal children in parts of Melghat in Amravati, Jawahar and Mokhada in Thane and urban slums of Mankhurd and Shivajinagar in Mumbai.
Since the DLHS-3 done in 2007-08 (& published in 2010) did not provide information on malnutrition, DLHS-4 can be straightway compared with NFHS-3 for the states whose latest nutritional data is available now.
On doing so, we get that moderate stunting among children below 5 years in Maharashtra has reduced from 46.2% in 2005-06 (NFHS-3) to 30% in 2012-13 (DLHS-4) while severe stunting came down from 19.1% to 14.7% during the same duration, but prevalence of moderate wasting nearly doubled and severe wasting quadrupled in the 7 years span for children below 5 years.
Although prevalence of moderate underweight in Maharashtra for children under 5 years remained almost the same between NFHS-3 and DLHS-4, severe underweight increased slightly during the same time period.
Performance of various states under DLHS-4
In terms of prevalence of 'moderate wasting' among 18 states and 3 UTs, Maharashtra (34.1%) performs the worst and Nagaland (10.8%) performs the best. Except for Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Kerala, Nagaland and Sikkim, the prevalence of 'moderate wasting' is higher in rural areas as compared to urban areas. The rural-urban divide is maximum in Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
The percentage of 'severe wasting' is highest in Maharashtra (20.0%) and lowest in Nagaland (5.2%). The prevalence of 'severe wasting' is higher in rural areas as compared to urban areas, except for Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, Nagaland and Sikkim. The rural-urban divide is maximum in Puducherry.
In terms of prevalence of 'moderate stunting', Meghalaya (41.7%) performs the worst and Goa (18.7%) performs the best. Except for Goa, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Puducherry and Telengana, the prevalence of 'moderate stunting' is higher in rural areas as compared to urban areas. The rural-urban divide is maximum in Tripura.
The percentage of 'severe stunting' is highest in Meghalaya (23.1%) and lowest in Goa (8.4%). The prevalence of 'severe stunting' is higher in rural areas as compared to urban areas, except for Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Arunachal Pradesh, Goa, Haryana, Karnataka, Punjab, Sikkim and Telengana. The rural-urban divide is maximum in Meghalaya.
In terms of prevalence of 'moderate underweight', Maharashtra (38.7%) performs the worst and Kerala (20.9%) performs the best. Except for Karnataka, the prevalence of 'moderate underweight' is higher in rural areas as compared to urban areas. The rural-urban divide is maximum in Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
The percentage of 'severe underweight' is highest in West Bengal (15.4%) and lowest in Sikkim (5.4%). The prevalence of 'severe underweight' is higher in rural areas as compared to urban areas, except for Goa. The rural-urban divide is maximum in Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
(No comparable data between NFHS-3 and DLHS-4 is available for A & N Islands, Chandigarh, Pudducherry and Telengana.)
What is there to learn from Maharashtra on stunting?
Although nothing definite can be said about reduction of malnutrition among children under 5 years between NFHS-3 and DLHS-4, there are certain important lessons that can be learnt from Maharashtra.
A commentary published in Economic and Political Weekly entitled: Progress in Reducing Child Under-Nutrition: Evidence from Maharashtra by Sunny Jose and KS Hari (2015) informs that nutritional interventions through the Rajmata Jijau Mother-Child Health and Nutrition Mission, which began in 2005, played a crucial role in reducing prevalence of stunting among children below 2 years in Maharashtra. However, the decline in malnutrition levels was confined largely to children belonging to two or three age groups and the interventions helped reduce stunting the most, but not wasting and underweight.
Jose and Hari have observed that in the 6 years span (between NFHS-3 and CNS), stunting among children below 2 years belonging to Scheduled Tribe (ST) households declined by 25.3 percentage point from 52.9% in 2005-06 to 27.6% in 2012. However, stunting among children below 2 years from Scheduled Caste (SC) and Other Backward Caste (OBC) households declined much lesser than that among ST children.
A similar trend could be observed in the case of underweight. However, in the case of wasting, the decline is highest among children from SC households as compared to the children from other 2 communities i.e. ST and OBC.
Girls have performed better than boys (both sexes below 2 years) in terms of decline in stunting, wasting and underweight between 2005-06 and 2012.
Jose and Hari inform that the nutrition & health mission of Maharashtra launched a dedicated programme to bring down child undernutrition through a menu of interconnected measures, ranging from monitoring the nutritional status of pregnant women to ICYF practices and vaccination, among others.
In a note given in the Global Nutrition Report 2014 of IFPRI, Prof. Lawrence Haddad from IDS Sussex has explained the following key factors that helped in reducing stunting among children under 2 years in Maharashtra:
* Economic growth and poverty reduction helped in reducing malnutrition in the state. Maharashtra has a modest track record in transparency, anti-corruption efforts, and service delivery.
* Spending on nutrition doubled from a low level, and vacancies among frontline workers in the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) scheme dropped dramatically
* The decline in stunting was broad based and was greater—absolutely and proportionately—for the least wealthy, the least literate, and those with the worst access to improved water sources.
* The determinants that improved the most between the NFHS-3 and CNS surveys were the age of mother at first birth, maternal underweight, maternal literacy, coverage of antenatal visits, delivery in the presence of birth attendants, child feeding practices, and access to ICDS.
* Underlying determinants were reasonably supportive: women's decision-making status inside and outside the home was high; the Public Distribution System (PDS), which distributes subsidized food to poor people, suffered from slightly less leakage than the all-India average; and female education rates were high and rising.
* The state's Nutrition Mission was seen as a signal of high-level political commitment to nutrition improvements and helped coordinate different sectors at village and policy levels.
Caveat: Data comparability and Methodology
A caution for readers about DLHS-4 is that the data provided by it on stunting, wasting and underweight does not take into account data of those (big) states where malnutrition levels have traditionally been higher (such as Bihar, Madhya Pradesh etc.), as shown by the last 3 National Family Health Surveys (NFHS).
The DLHS-4 data is based on a much smaller survey (in terms of sample size) as compared to DLHS-3. The former has covered the better performing states but left out 9 such states where most malnourished children of India are concentrated. However, as pointed above, DLHS-3 did not provide information on the 3 measures of nutrition.
Both the DLHS and NFHS surveys have been done in India under the auspices of Ministry of Health and Family Welfare where IIPS played a key role.
Since the state-wise malnutrition figures based on the Rapid Survey on Children (RSOC), conducted by the Ministry of Women and Child Development in partnership with UNICEF India, is not yet available in the public domain, the publication of the DLHS-4 data providing updated nutritional trends in a few select states is definitely a welcome step. (Please see the alert: Child Malnutrition declining, though not fast enough). However, media reports suggest that publication of NFHS-4 would have done justice to the absence of comprehensive and comparable data since 2005-06.
District Level Household and Facility Survey-4 (DLHS-4) in 2012-13,
Comprehensive Nutrition Survey (CNS) in Maharashtra
National Family Health Survey-3 (NFHS-3) in 2005-06,
District Level Household and Facility Survey-3 (DLHS-3) in 2012-13,
Child Malnutrition declining, though not fast enough
Progress in Reducing Child Under-Nutrition: Evidence from Maharashtra -Sunny Jose and KS Hari, Economic and Political Weekly, Vol-L, No. 3, January 17, 2015,
Panel 2.3: How did Maharashtra cut child stunting? by Prof. Lawrence Haddad (page no. 13) in Global Nutrition Report 2014: Actions and Accountability to Accelerate the World's Progress on Nutrition, IFPRI, http://www.im4change.org/siteadmin/tinymce//uploaded/Global%20Nutrition%20Report%202014.pdf
Beyond the Great Indian Nutrition Debate-Sonalde Desai and Amit Thorat, Economic and Political Weekly, Vol-XLVIII, No. 45-46, November 16, 2013,
The fuzzy numbers on child malnutrition, Livemint, 14 October, 2014,
Fewer kids under 2 years of age malnourished in Maharashtra, but tribal pockets still lag -Madhavi Rajadhyaksha, The Times of India, 16 November, 2013, http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Fewer-kids-under-2-years-of-age-malnourished-in-Maharashtra-but-tribal-pockets-still-lag/articleshow/25857173.cms
Image Courtesy: Shambhu Ghatak
Tuesday, December 9, 2014
Missing girls in 'developed' states
The child sex ratio (CSR) in India has declined from 927 in 2001 to 918 in 2011 (girls per 1,000 boys) according to a new report entitled Missing Girls: Mapping the Adverse Child Sex Ratio in India (Census 2011). Of the total 640 districts in the country, 429 districts have experienced decline in CSR.
Of these 429 districts, 26 districts exhibited drastic decline (of 50 points or more), and 52 districts reported sharp decline (of 30-49 points).
The report from the office of Registrar General & Census Commissioner shows that 13 out of the 35 states and Union Territories (UTs) have CSR lower than the national average of 918 girls per 1,000 boys in 2011. The CSR ranged from a maximum of 972 in Arunachal Pradesh to a minimum of 834 in Haryana. Jammu & Kashmir, Punjab, Haryana, NCT of Delhi, Chandigarh, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, Gujarat and Maharashtra have recorded lower than 900 girls per 1,000 boys.
It has been found that although the CSR for most of the tribal districts (having more than 25 percent tribal population) was above the national average of 918, the situation significantly deteriorated in 2011. While in 2001, 120 tribal districts had CSR of 950 or more, in 2011 this figure unfortunately declined to 90 districts.
Another report titled Women and Men in India 2014 from MoSPI shows that the bottom 5 big states in terms of CSR (for the age-group 0-6 years) are: Haryana (834), Punjab (846), Jammu & Kashmir (862), Rajasthan (888), Uttarakhand (890) and Gujarat (890). The top 5 states in terms of sex ratio for the same age group are: Arunachal Pradesh (972), Meghalaya (970), Mizoram (970), Chhattisgarh (969) and Kerala (964).
Due to the weak implementation of Pre-conception and Pre-natal Diagnostic Techniques (Prohibition of Sex Selection) Act, 1994 (PCPNDT Act), in-laws often get to know the sex of the unborn child. Thereafter, it is followed by provision of low quantity & less nutritious food to pregnant and lactating mothers (at the place of in-laws) apart from insufficient attention to maternal health & care, mental and physical torture etc., all of which have a strong negative bearing on women's health and survival and also on their children—unborn or otherwise.
A report published earlier entitled The Law and Son Preference in India: A Reality Check by Advocate Kirti Singh (November, 2013) informs that the two-child norm and the laws and measures to effectuate this norm has resulted in son preference and daughter aversion as most people, if they are forced to have a small family, automatically prefer sons to daughters.
Concerned over the skewed sex ratio, Minister for Women and Child Development Smt. Maneka Gandhi has recently expressed that a programme for Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (Save and Educate the Girl Child) may soon be started in North and western states of India.
Latest available Census data clearly shows that some of India's more developed states have low overall sex ratio such as Haryana (879), Punjab (895), Uttar Pradesh (912) and Gujarat (919), indicating that growth may not automatically improve gender equality.
On the contrary, the top 5 states in terms of overall sex ratio are: Kerala (1084), Tamil Nadu (996), Andhra Pradesh (993), Chhattisgarh (991) and Meghalaya (989) – some among which are harbingers of human development and female literacy.
Sex ratio is often used as an indicator by social scientists to depict the level of gender discrimination existing in a society. Although women are considered to be biologically stronger than men in terms of survival and life expectancy, gender discrimination often cuts short the life span of the unborn/born female child in a patriarchal set up.
Overall sex ratio, however, may not give a true picture of gender discrimination because due to migration one may find that more women are left behind in the rural areas vis-a-vis men, thereby, yielding high sex ratio figures. Corollary to this, when more men flock to cities and towns for livelihood, it results in low sex ratio in the urban areas.
Overall Sex Ratio - Rural, Urban and Combined (1951-2011)
As per the Census 2011 data, sex ratio in urban areas is 929 females per 1000 males while in rural areas it is 949 females per 1000 males (see the graph above). Between 1951 and 2011, sex ratio has declined by -0.32 percent to reach 943 females per 1000 males.
Instead of relying on the overall sex ratio, experts prefer sex ratio in the age-group 0-6 years so as to assess gender discrimination resulting in female foeticide & infanticide. Also, the latter rules out to a great extent the effect of migration (as discussed earlier). Low child sex ratio (for the age-group 0-6 years) is an outcome of female foeticide, which takes place because sons are preferred to daughters for various reasons including to carry forward the lineage.
Effective advocacy and policy implementations can take place only when good quality data and acceptable gender-based indicators are available. However, one may encounter a variety of problems that are associated with indicator-based study of poverty amongst women such as choice of an appropriate indicator, lack of correlation between various gender based indicators, problems with the sources of data (such as reliability), unavailability of data and qualitative versus quantitative data. Therefore, one should be careful in choosing sex ratio over other gender-based indicators to show gender discrimination.
Missing Girls: Mapping the Adverse Child Sex Ratio in India (Census 2011)
Women and Men in India 2014, 16th Edition,
Chapter 1: 'Population' in Women and Men in India 2014, 16th Edition
"The Law and Son Preference in India: A Reality Check" by Advocate Kirti Singh, United Nations, November, 2013,
Maneka Gandhi Releases 'The State of the Girl Child' Report "Pathways to Power"
More girls go 'missing'; sex ratio declines -Smriti Kak Ramachandran, The Hindu, 30 November, 2014,
Image courtesy: Missing Girls: Mapping the Adverse Child Sex Ratio in India (Census 2011)
Image courtesy: Missing Girls: Mapping the Adverse Child Sex Ratio in India (Census 2011)
Wednesday, October 8, 2014
Eminent citizens oppose Govt.'s plan to dilute MGNREGA*
People's Action for Employment Guarantee called a press conference at Indian Women's Press Corps (New Delhi) on 8 October, 2014 to oppose the dilution of Mahatma Gandhi NREGA Act. Addressing the conference, social activist Nikhil Dey informed that prior to the 16th Lok Sabha election, BJP and other major political parties promised to improve the implementation of MGNREGA. However instead of doing so, after the election the NDA Government tried to roll back the job guaranty programme in 3 different ways—a. Budget allocation for the programme has been squeezed despite MGNREGA being demand-based; b. The Government is changing the nature of programme from labour intensive to material intensive; and c. The Act is being converted into a scheme by restricting its implementation in one-third of the blocks in India that are considered as backward.
Nikhil Dey argued that the law cannot be abrogated by the Executive. It is illegal to make changes in the schedule of MGNREGA. The Parliament too cannot be allowed to make amendments in the MGNREGA since the NDA Government at the Centre did not get the mandate to make changes in it when it was voted to power. A recent RTI reveals that due to proposed change in the labour to material ratio, officials at the Ministry of Rural Development apprehend that "5 crore households will be adversely affected by this decision" that goes against the spirit of the Act.
In order to keep the expenditure on MGNREGA (as a proportion GDP) the same as it was in 2007-08, the Government should spend nearly Rs. 60,000 crore to Rs. 65,000 crore annually at present. Dey said that the motive behind changing the labour to material ratio is to allow the entry of contractors. However, the move will also discriminate against villages where unemployment and poverty is high. The marginalized and the primitive tribals will die due to hunger and starvation in the absence of this programme.
Nikhil Dey said that MPs from across the political spectrum will be approached to oppose the dilution of MGNREGA. People shall be mobilised against the changes proposed in MGNREGA.
Former member of the National Advisory Council and RTI activist Aruna Roy alleged that the Government is in denial. She said that not all schemes are getting closed down due to the presence of corruption. However, MGNREGA has been systematically targeted since its inception. A letter to the Prime Minister of India opposing the dilution of the Act has been signed by more than 200 eminent citizens. A recent RTI reveals that the Union Rural Development Minister Nitin Gadkari has ordered to make amendment in the schedule for changing the labour to material ratio from the existing 60:40 to 51:49. This will usher in Contractor Raj, which was so far restricted to the real estate sector, anticipated Roy. Despite MGNREGA being demand driven, there has been rationing of funds. By restricting the Act to 1/3rd of the blocks, the Govt. is trying to convert the MGNREGA into a scheme. She argued that poverty cannot be defined geographically. Even in rich cities and locations, there exists poverty and unemployment. A lot many myths have been created to tarnish the Act. It is purely a myth that assets have not been created under the MGNREGA.
Aruna Roy argued that both unemployment and underemployment can be solved via MGNREGA. MGNREGA provided employment to women, SCs and STs. Water bodies could be conserved due to the Act, which helped farming in villages. Financial inclusion of women has happened under the programme since bank accounts could be opened in their names. Almost two-third of the MGNREGA work is related to agriculture.
Retired professor of JNU Prabhat Patnaik informed that prior to the MGNREGA, India had food-for-work programme. However, the MGNREGA is different from the former since it is demand driven and also a rights-based programme. One is supposed to receive unemployment compensation if demand for employment is not met. The primary aim of the MGNREGA is to provide employment and not asset creation. Currently the Act is under danger from the Executive. If an amendment is made in the schedule of MGNREGA to change the labour to material ratio, then it will no longer remain a rights-based programme. The recent statement by the Rajasthan Chief Minister to convert the MGNREGA into a food-for-work programme indicates the Act is on the verge of being diluted.
The wages provided to the labourers employed under the MGNREGA generated demand in the village economy via the 'multiplier-effect'. It increased purchasing power of the rural masses during global financial crisis, argued Patnaik. Ideally Rs. 60,000 crore to Rs. 65,000 crore should be allocated annually under the MGNREGA to keep the real allocation constant in the face of inflation. However, presently the programme gets an allocation, which is nearly half of it.
Prof. Patnaik clarified that it is not due to fund crunch that funding to the MGNREGA has been squeezed. The Government has given huge tax concessions to the corporate rich in successive budgets. The Government has enormous amount of foodgrain stock, which is being exported. There is unutilized capacity in the industry. All these indicate that India is a demand constrained economy and, therefore, MGNREGA should not be rolled back.
The Government is presently pressuring the people to reduce demand for employment under the MGNREGA by altogether changing the Act. Commenting on restricting the MGNREGA to 1/3rd of the blocks, Patnaik argued that poor in rich localities cannot be discriminated against poor in backward localities.
Former Planning Commission member and JNU Professor Abhijit Sen said that he is concerned about the recent developments for a number of reasons—a. MGNREGA is an Act and not a scheme. It is a right which is guaranteed by the Act. Therefore, changes should be made in the legislation first, and the Executive has no right to change it; b. The MGNREGA has faced stiff opposition even during the UPA-2. In many villages, farmers opposed MGNREGA. Wages given to labourers under the MGNREGA strengthened their bargaining power vis-a-vis the landowners and farmers. MGNREGA has changed the political fabric in the rural areas. Therefore, being a political issue, the Executive has no right to change it; c. The MGNREGA has been underestimated. Those who are against it say that it has increased the cost of production. Some of it is exaggeration. For example, it is the growing construction sector in Bihar that absorbed labourers in that state, and not the MGNREGA, due to which agriculture in Punjab suffered.
Abhijit Sen informed that there used to be a number of employment schemes running in the country prior to the MGNREGA. Expenditure on the Jawahar Rozgar Yojana (JRY) as a proportion of GDP prior to 2004 had been higher as compared to the expenditure made on the MGNREGA (as % of GDP). Many of the sample surveys done earlier did not show significant increase in employment under the JRY. However, NSS surveys surely indicate rise in employment under MGNREGA. Employment generation has been the main objective of the MGNREGA and not asset creation. However, there is evidence that more assets are being created under the programme lately. At the time when Prof. Sen left Planning Commission, the preliminary findings of the programme evaluation of asset creation under MGNREGA revealed more assets are being created under the Act. He said that amendments to the MGNREGA is a political matter and, therefore, it cannot be left to the Executive.
Abhijit Sen clarified that the proposed changes in the schedule of MGNREGA is different from the changes in guidelines that was recommended by Dr. Mihir Shah of Planning Commission earlier. He said that MGNREGA 2.0 involved an open and transparent consultation process. It gave more powers to the panchayats in opting the type of work required in their respective villages.
Noted lawyer and Additional Solicitor General of India Indira Jaising informed that various senior bureaucrats have agreed that the MGNREGA contributed to the welfare of the poor. Corruption cases in MGNREGA in states of Bihar and Odisha have taken matters to the court. There is clarity in the Act on what proportion of funds should come from the Centre and the state/s. It is widely documented that the MGNREGA enforces the Directive Principles of State Policy embodied in article 39 and 41.
Norati Devi, sarpanch of Harmada panchayat in Ajmer district of Rajasthan said that the MGNREGA provided livelihood security. The programme improved drinking water facility in her village apart from ensuring food security. She demanded that MGNREGA should not be rolled back since many people will become unemployed and fall into poverty in the absence of this Act.
For more information, please check the links below:
Government rolling back rural job scheme, say activists, IANS, The Business Standard, 8 October, 2014, http://www.business-standard.com/article/news-ians/government-rolling-back-rural-job-scheme-say-activists-114100800982_1.html
Do not dilute MGNREGA, eminent citizens ask government, Business Standard, 8 October, 2014, http://www.business-standard.com/article/economy-policy/do-not-dilute-mgnrega-eminent-citizens-ask-government-114100800832_1.html
Human rights groups criticise govt, PTI/ Business Standard, 8 October, 2014, http://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/human-rights-groups-criticise-govt-114100800901_1.html
Proposed changes to rural job scheme will hit 5 cr households, say activists, The Hindu Business Line, 8 October, 2014, http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/industry-and-economy/proposed-changes-to-rural-job-scheme-will-hit-5-cr-households-say-activists/article6482199.ece
* While utmost care has been taken in good faith to summarize the main speakers' views, these may not be exact quotes. Please check with the speakers for verbatim quotes. Advance apologies for any factual error.
Wednesday, May 14, 2014
Rising inequality can hurt peace and justice, says UNDP report
Just when the entire world has started clamouring about the new book on inequality by French economist Thomas Piketty, it becomes essential to mention a UNDP report on the same subject that was released in early 2014. Entitled: Humanity divided: Confronting inequality in Developing Countries, the UNDP report claims that the richest one percent of the world population owns about 40 percent of the world's assets, while the bottom half owns no more than one percent. It warns that inequality could shake the foundations of development, and social and domestic peace. Among other things, the social impacts of inequality include unemployment, violence, crime, humiliation, and deterioration of human capital and social exclusion, informs the report. (Please see the links below).
The report has stated that in populous countries like India and China, household income inequality is rising. The Gini index of primary income distribution in India rose from 33.0 in early 1990s to 35.7 in late 2000s. Similarly, Gini index of secondary income distribution rose from 31.4 in early 1990s to 34.0 in late 2000s*. (Please see the table 1 below for details).
Using the data provided by Abhijit Banerjee and Thomas Piketty (2010) in a study, the UNDP report tells that the richest 1 percent's income share witnessed a rise between 1990 and 1999 in India (see box 3.2, page 86 of the original report).
The role of Indian government in promoting "faster, sustainable and more inclusive growth" relying on decent employment during the 12th Five Year Plan has been stated in the report. It is said that India has started experimenting with small and medium enterprise (SMEs) financing through central bank mechanisms along with special public funds to stimulate and guarantee bank loans linked to their business plans. Since land reforms are problematic, the report emphasizes on improved access to infrastructure, including physical and social infrastructure so as to improve agricultural productivity. The report observes the positive impacts of Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) such as increasing rural wages, reducing distress migration, improving infrastructure, reducing unemployment and underemployment, encouraging agricultural productivity and reducing malnutrition.
Discussing the merits and demerits associated with various types of subsidies, the report says that total expense on food subsidies in India constituted US$12.4 billion, or 1 percent of the GDP as compared to 3 percent directed to education in 2009 (Jha et al., 2011). On gender equality, the report informs that the reform of inheritance laws in India, which granted women the right to inherit or own land or capital property through amendments to the Hindu Succession Act, increased women's land inheritance, but also improved their control over economic resources in the household and their intra-household bargaining power. Quotas as part of affirmative action policies to promote the employment of scheduled castes and tribes in the public sector is also discussed in the report.
According to the UNDP report, a significant majority of households in developing countries – more than three-quarter of entire humanity – are living today in societies where income is more unequally distributed than it was in the 1990s. Although redistribution remains crucial to reducing inequality, the report calls for a shift towards a more inclusive pattern of growth, one that raises the incomes of poor and low-income households faster than average in order to sustainably reduce inequality, key to the post-2015 development agenda.
The report has identified the main drivers of inequality, namely—a. Inadequately regulated financial integration and trade liberalization processes, whose benefits have been distributed very unequally across and within countries; b. Domestic policy choices, such as interventions that weakened labour market institutions or resulted in a downsizing of public investments in critical sectors like health, education and social protection; c. Various economic, social and cultural barriers hindering the political participation of various segments of the population; and d. Discriminatory attitudes and policies that are marginalizing people on the basis of gender or other cultural constructs such as ethnicity or religious affiliation drive many intergroup inequalities.
Incidentally, the world owes a lot to the managing director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Christine Lagarde who conjured up everyone's interest on inequality. While delivering the Richard Dimbleby Lecture in London on 3rd February this year, she paid special attention to inequality as a leading cause for global instability. (Please see the link of her lecture below).
The key messages of the UNDP report entitled: Humanity divided: Confronting inequality in Developing Countries (January, 2014) are as follows:
- On average—and taking into account population size—income inequality increased by 11 percent in developing countries between 1990 and 2010.
- A significant majority of households in developing countries—more than 75 percent of the population—are living today in societies where income is more unequally distributed than it was in the 1990s.
- Evidence shows that, beyond a certain threshold, inequality harms growth and poverty reduction, the quality of relations in the public and political spheres of life and individuals' sense of fulfilment and self-worth.
- There is nothing inevitable about growing income inequality; several countries managed to contain or reduce income inequality while achieving strong growth performance.
- Evidence shows that greater income inequality between households is systematically associated with greater inequality in non-income outcomes.
- Inequality cannot be effectively confronted unless the inextricable links between inequality of outcomes and inequality of opportunities are taken into account.
- In a global survey conducted in preparation for this report, policy makers from around the world acknowledged that inequality in their countries is generally high and potentially a threat to long-term social and economic development.
- Redistribution remains very important to inequality reduction; however, a shift is needed towards more inclusive growth patterns in order to sustainably reduce inequality.
- Reducing inequality requires addressing inequality-reproducing cultural norms and strengthening the political agency of disadvantaged groups.
- Evidence from developing countries shows that children in the lowest wealth quintile are still up to three times more likely to die before their fifth birthday than children in the richest quintiles.
- Social protection has been significantly extended globally, yet persons with disabilities are up to five times more likely than average to incur catastrophic health expenditures.
- Despite overall declines in maternal mortality in the majority of developing countries, women in rural areas are still up to three times more likely to die while giving birth than women living in urban centers.
- Besides improving the progressivity of taxes, it is important to expand the tax base in developing countries as a way to mobilize additional resources.
* The analysis of the trends in income inequality has been focused on the distribution of income between households in an economy. One can interpret household income distribution in three ways (van der Hoeven, 2011):
a. Primary income distribution: the distribution of household incomes consisting of the (sometimes cumulated) different factor incomes in each household before taxes and subsidies as determined by markets and market institutions
b. Secondary income distribution: the distribution of household incomes after deduction of taxes and inclusion of transfer payments (i.e., as determined by fiscal policies)
c. Tertiary income distribution: the distribution of household incomes when imputed benefits from public expenditure are added to household income after taxes and subsidies. This interpretation of household income is particularly relevant for developing, emerging and developed countries, as different government services are often provided for free or below market prices.
** Distribution of income across households or individuals in an economy is usually measured using the Gini Index of inequality, which varies between zero and 100, with zero reflecting complete equality and 100 indicating absolute inequality.
Humanity divided: Confronting inequality in Developing Countries (January, 2014), UNDP
Warning of 'humanity divided,' UN urges job creation, inclusive growth strategies, The United Nations, 29 January, 2014, http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=47039&Cr=inequality&Cr1#.U2wzC9xdHVI
Capital in the 21st century -Thomas Piketty, http://piketty.pse.ens.fr/en/capital21c2
Banerjee, A. and T. Piketty (2010). "Top Indian Incomes 1922-2000", in Atkinson, A. B. and T. Piketty (eds), Top Incomes: A Global Perspective, Oxford University Press, chapter 1, http://global.oup.com/academic/product/top-incomes-9780199286898;jsessionid=C8BCCC3A901A212BDC55B5EAD4FFF2CF?cc=in&lang=en&
Jha, R., R. Gaiha, M. K. Pandey and N. Kaicker (2011). "Food Subsidy, Income Transfer and the Poor: A Comparative Analysis of the Public Distribution System in India's States", ASARC Working Paper 2011/16. Canberra: Australia South Asia Research Centre.
A New Multilateralism for the 21st Century: the Richard Dimbleby Lecture By Christine Lagarde, Managing Director, International Monetary Fund, London, February 3, 2014, https://www.imf.org/external/np/speeches/2014/020314.htm
Why We're in a New Gilded Age-Paul Krugman, The New York Times, 8 May, 2014, http://www.nybooks.com/articles/archives/2014/may/08/thomas-piketty-new-gilded-age/
The Taxation of Wealth-Prabhat Patnaik, People's Democracy, Vol. XXXVIII, No. 18, May 04, 2014 , http://peoplesdemocracy.in/2014/0504_pd/taxation-wealth
The 1 Percent's Problem by Joseph Stiglitz, May 31, 2012, Vanity Fair,
Thursday, March 13, 2014
People's perception about Delhi's public transport
I live in a country where leaders and elderly men believe that eating of chowmein prompt young men to rape our sisters and daughters. In a nation whose female labour force participation rate has been falling over the last ten years, women do not feel safe while traveling to their workplaces even in a city like Delhi.
The gruesome gang rape of Nirbhaya inside a bus in Delhi on 16 December, 2012 has brought the public transport system under microscope. The results of a perception survey done for Delhi Human Development Report 2013 reveals that only a small fraction of the respondents (both male and female) thought that public transport was very secure (0.4 percent) or secure (12.5 per cent) for women. Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) finds that respondents felt women were the least secure while using public transport and most safe in spaces closer to their homes. Female respondents felt that buses were the worst type of public transport in terms of safety since they were harassed by both the young and old, illiterate and educated men.
Perceptions about the safety of public transport for women decreased with increasing education levels. The illiterate and the less educated respondents perceived public transport to be safer than those who were educated up to the graduate level and above.
The male respondents disliked the relatively long time taken by buses to travel from one destination to another, while the female respondents cited the indecent behaviour of bus drivers, conductors and co-passengers as their reasons for disliking the same.
While men, in general, were appreciative of the transport system in Delhi as a whole, women specifically appreciated the Metro service. Women, on the whole, reported disliking the transport system in Delhi, possibly due to issues of safety and overcrowding, among other reasons. Women claimed that the separate women's compartment in the Metro was a welcome feature.
Overcrowding, non-availability of direct Metro facilities to various locations, lack of toilets at all the metro stations and expensive fares were reasons whereby the Metro seemed to fall short of people's expectations. The perception survey finds that the percentage of people using the Metro is still the least among the lowest income groups and increases as one ascends the economic ladder, which is in contrast to DTC buses, for which the usage falls as one climbs up the economic ladder.
Two fifths of respondents felt road conditions are below average in the city of Delhi while a little over a third felt the same to be above average.
A recent survey of 3,400 Delhi women by the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry reveals that 43 percent of them are looking for a job out of Delhi. This is because of Delhi's unsafe environment.
Government of Delhi (2013): Delhi Human Development Report 2013,
43% of migrant women want to quit Delhi: Study -Smriti Singh, The Times of India, 13 March, 2014, http://www.im4change.org/latest-news-updates/43-of-migrant-women-want-to-quit-delhi-study-smriti-singh-24497.html
Image Courtesy: Millennium Development Goals: India Country Report 2014, MoSPI,http://www.im4change.org/docs/242mdg_2014.pdf
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Barrow man denies knife charge
Last updated at 16:42, Friday, 16 November 2012
A MAN accused of brandishing a knife towards doormen at a Barrow pub has told a jury he had no weapon with him at the time.
Shaun Taylor accepts having got into an argument with "bouncers" at the Kings Arms pub in Dalton Road, but insisted to a court that he had not threatened them.
He also said that the only thing he took out of his coat pocket was a mobile phone, as he was trying to ring a friend inside the premises that night in June.
The 21-year-old, of Queens Walk, Ossett, Wakefield, is on trial at Preston Crown Court where he denies a charge of affray and another allegation of possessing an offensive weapon.
The prosecution claims that after being stopped from entering the pub one night he threatened doormen and then lunged towards the doormen with a large kitchen knife. No knife was ever found.
He had been prevented from entering as he was barred from pubs in Barrow town centre, due to an earlier incident.
Giving evidence in his trial, the defendant said that earlier this year he had served two months in prison for having a knife.
He stressed he had not used the knife to threaten anyone, but had thrown it onto the floor of a pub on the earlier date.
Then on June 9, he had been at a friend's house having a drink with a couple of others. They later went to the Rams Head pub in Rawlinson Street and spent an hour there.
One of his friends asked for £10 which Taylor owed him and the defendant said he would try and sort it out.
The same friend was later in the Kings Arms and when he himself tried to go in, he claimed that doormen called him a "nuisance" and told him he couldn't go in.
He tried again to enter, but was pushed and fell over.
Taylor said he went to his Barrow address and got some money in order to pay his friend back.
He tried to ring his friend twice, in order to give him what was owed, while outside the pub, but got no answer.
He claimed that one of the doormen called him a name and mentioned that he had been to prison and thought he was "hard".
He told the court he didn't have a knife or similar object on him at the time but he had taken his iPhone out of his jacket pocket.
"He (the doorman) said to me 'I'll kill you' and walked towards me. He also said 'I've had enough of you winding me up'. I walked off," Taylor told the jury.
The trial continues.
First published at 10:21, Friday, 16 November 2012
Published by http://www.nwemail.co.uk
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A new gearbox and two pairs of undies later, Rog jumped over a car and flipped another on two wheels...and not by accident this time.
Cheers to the awesome crew at Drive Rush for letting Rog behind the wheel. If you want a crack at this yourself, make a booking at www.driverush.co.nz.
It's funny because it's not us.
The Editor of the Southland Times was not impressed with Bryce's confession.
Heavyweight Joseph Parker joins the boys for a yarn about his next fight, flying Premium and fighting Rog.
Tell us how many times Rog, Bryce and Tom say the word 'snatch' in this video, and you could win flights, accommodation and tickets to see AC/DC.
Each Rumble lad has made up a product for an All Black to endorse. Roger went with "Colin Slade's Rollerblades"....and this is his video.
If Tom wants him to endorse Richie McCaw's Animal Claws he's going to have to do better than that.
The Morning Rumble heard from a man who claims to have turned down a threesome.
Rog is set on having "Turn Down For What" by DJ Snake and Lil Jon in the Rock 1000 countdown.
It's funny because it's not us.
The Editor of the Southland Times was not impressed with Bryce's confession.
This week The Morning Rumble take Rog to Spookers for a nasty surprise.
It's in production, stay tuned.
The boss thinks Rog, Bryce and Tom need to do something - anything - to make the news like other radio stations have recently. But what?
Turns out, telling your missus to come and see your snake is not good bedroom chat.
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How to tie in to the ropeby Dan Middleton - BMC Technical Officer Jul/2012
This article has been read 21,762 times
The re-threaded figure-of-eight knot is usually the first knot learnt by the novice climber.
Start with a figure-of-eight knot tied about 1m from the end of the rope (the actual distance will depend on the rope diameter).
Thread the end of the rope through the harness tie in point. Check the harness instructions on where to do this if unsure.
Take the end of the rope and retrace the knot.
Reverse the path of the original knot.
The complete knot should have two rope strands running next to each other.
Have you left a long enough tail? 10cm is the minimum safe length, so check this before tightening the knot.
Some people use the tail to tie a stopper knot. This isn't necessary, but it ensures that you've left a long enough tail without leaving a loose end flapping around. Always make sure the stopper knot is tied snug up to the figure-of-eight.
There it is then � a secure, reliable knot for tying in which is easy to learn and easy to check. Why bother learning any other? Well, this isn't the easiest knot to untie after a fall, and that's where the bowline with stopper comes in.
A versatile knot which has some weaknesses but also some benefits compared to the previous knot.
Thread the rope through the harness tie in points.
Form a round loop in the main length of the rope, making sure that the rope coming in to the harness is on top of the loop.
Take the rope end up through the loop.
Take the rope end around the back of the main rope and then back down through the loop.
Tighten and check the knot.
Finish off with a stopper knot � this is essential to secure the knot safely.
Because it is an easy knot to untie (even after a fall) the bowline is popular with sport and indoor climbers. It has one major weakness � the tendency to become loose and invert and then become untied. Finishing off with a snugly tied stopper knot creates a safe and secure combination knot which should be periodically checked.
Although there are variations to both these knots which may be of interest, it's still a good idea to have one of the standard choices to fall back on. The floorwalker at your local wall may struggle to tell if your knot is correctly tied if it is unfamiliar, and novices are best learning the basics before moving on to the equally appropriate but harder to check variants.
Being able to tie either of these 2 knots correctly isn't enough to keep you safe at the wall or crag. It's shockingly easy to be distracted or simply make a mistake. US climbing legend Lynn Hill almost ended her career (and her life) at Buoux, after failing to tie her knot correctly. Many others have not been so lucky.
There is a simple counter to this inherent ability of humans to make mistakes � it's called the buddy system. Before leaving the ground, the climber checks the belay system whilst the belayer checks that the climber is safely attached to a securely tightened harness. If you don't already use this system, give it a try, it might save you or your partner's life.
"I'm the Technical Officer for the BMC. This is a part time role, and my job is to provide technical advice and information to walkers, climbers and mountaineers. I do this through articles in Summit magazine and the BMC website. If you have a specific question about safety related mountaineering equipment, and you can't find the answer in our online resources, feel free to email me and I'll do my best to help."
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Bottas: "We need to do our best with what we have" (VIDEO)
Jun 29, 2013, 6:17 PM EDT
With Williams going into its 600th Grand Prix tomorrow at Silverstone, the team – which has not scored any points in this year's World Championship – is hoping that Race Day will be a better day after a difficult qualifying run.
The team's rookie racer, Valterri Bottas, was unable to advance out of Q1 on Saturday, and later said that the Silverstone circuit "showed the weaknesses of our car."
"There are always things you can do better during a lap but we didn't have the pace to be in the top ten today, so we need to do everything we can to get closer," said Bottas, who will start 16th. "We will look at our strategy going into tomorrow and try to maximize our potential for the race."
According to comments from Williams technical director Mike Coughlan, the FW35 of Bottas and teammate Pastor Maldonado (who did crack Q2 and will start 15th tomorrow) is "competitive" in Silverstone's high-speed corners, but lacking in the slower sections.
That may mean another day outside of the points, and perhaps a muted celebration of the team's otherwise impressive milestone of 600 races in Formula One.
Ricciardo's first podium in ages comes, like Bourdais' at Toronto, with a trophy drop
Jul 27, 2015, 4:51 PM EDT
Good news, Ricciardo made the podium. Bad news, his trophy didn't survive it.
INDYCAR rescinds minor penalty against Jakes issued at Iowa
Jul 27, 2015, 4:09 PM EDT
Jakes kept his visor down after all on a pit stop in Iowa.
Gabby Chaves' Honda/HPD Midget adventure (VIDEO)
Jul 27, 2015, 3:13 PM EDT
A quick look back at Chaves' short track debut.
Post-Iowa, how Sage Karam responds at Mid-Ohio will speak volumes about his versatility
Jul 27, 2015, 2:00 PM EDT
Karam needs a clean, consistent weekend at Mid-Ohio.
Fiancee battle: Graham Rahal vs. Courtney Force in a Sonoma skills challenge (VIDEO)
Jul 27, 2015, 12:00 PM EDT
Rahal and Force compete against each other in a series of fun challenges at Sonoma.
For Dixon, it's likely Mid-Ohio or bust in terms of 2015 IndyCar title hopes
Jul 27, 2015, 11:00 AM EDT
If another Dixon Mid-Ohio win happens, it will save his championship chances.
After blowing his chance to cut the gap to Hamilton, Rosberg must now avoid the mistakes of last summer
Jul 27, 2015, 10:00 AM EDT
Luke Smith considers the fall-out of a dramatic Hungarian Grand Prix that saw both Mercedes drivers miss an opportunity to seize control of the drivers' championship.
Booth proud of Manor for honoring Bianchi in Hungary
Jul 27, 2015, 9:00 AM EDT
Manor makes it through a difficult weekend by getting both of its cars to the finish in Hungary.
Race Recap: Vettel draws level with Senna on all-time win list with victory in Hungary
Jul 27, 2015, 8:00 AM EDT
Vettel storms to his 41st career victory in Hungary as both Mercedes drivers hit trouble.
NHRA Mile-High Nationals winners: Torrence, Beckman, Morgan, Krawiec
Jul 26, 2015, 11:09 PM EDT
Steve Torrence (Top Fuel), Jack Beckman (Funny Car), Larry Morgan (Pro Stock) and Eddie Krawiec (Pro Stock Motorcycle) won in Sunday's NHRA Mopar Mile-High Nationals.
Sandell secures his, Herta's first Red Bull GRC win of year in Detroit race two
Jul 26, 2015, 6:05 PM EDT
Sandell finally gets on the board in Round 6 of the Red Bull GRC season.
F1 grid unites to pay tribute to Jules Bianchi (VIDEO)
Jul 26, 2015, 5:00 PM EDT
The F1 grid comes together ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix to pay its respects to Jules Bianchi.
WATCH LIVE: Second of two Red Bull GRC races from Detroit, 4:30 p.m. ET on NBC
Jul 26, 2015, 4:00 PM EDT
The Red Bull Global Rallycross doubleheader in Detroit concludes with today's Round 6.
F1 Paddock Pass: Hungarian GP post-race (VIDEO)
Jul 26, 2015, 3:40 PM EDT
Ferrari caps off an emotional weekend with victory at the Hungaroring as Mercedes came unstuck.
Verstappen "unbelievably happy" with fourth in Hungary
Jul 26, 2015, 3:30 PM EDT
Verstappen claims his first top five finish in F1 in Hungary, capping off an impressive first half-season in the sport.
Williams disappointed to leave Hungary without points
Jul 26, 2015, 2:00 PM EDT
A penalty for Massa and a puncture for Bottas leaves both Williams drivers outside of the points in Hungary.
Rosberg: "Awful feeling" to lose podium and chance to cut gap to Hamilton in Hungary
Jul 26, 2015, 1:30 PM EDT
At one stage, Rosberg had been poised to take the lead of the championship into the summer break, only to lose yet more ground on Mercedes teammate Lewis Hamilton.
Hamilton escapes one of his "worst races" to extend championship lead in Hungary
Jul 26, 2015, 12:59 PM EDT
A poor start, off-track excursion, collision with Ricciardo and drive-through penalty can't stop Hamilton from finishing sixth and extending his championship lead.
Hamilton among five drivers handed sanctions following Hungarian GP
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- F1 Paddock Pass: Hungarian GP post-race (VIDEO) 1
- Vettel dedicates Hungarian GP win to Jules Bianchi 2
- Vettel storms to victory in Hungary as Hamilton and Rosberg hit trouble 9


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Two Emory professors, Jill Perry-Smith and Russell Coff, found that thinking tends to converge when people with close relationships among them sit down to brainstorm. They suggest managers should assign different individuals to the idea-generating team than to the group charged with selecting the idea. They also suggest adjusting company routines to promote a group mood appropriate for the task at hand.
Full Story:Knowledge@Emory


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Revlon ColorStay Makeup (24 hour formula)
283 reviews
51% would repurchase
Package Quality: 2.6
Price: $$$
Package Quality: 2.6
Price: $$$
INGREDIENTSCyclopentasiloxane, Aqua (Water), Dimethicone, Trimethylsiloxysilicate, PEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone, Butylene Glycol, Tribehenin, Phenyl Trimethicone, Nylon-12, Cymbidium Grandiflorum (Orchid) Flower Extract, Lactobacillus/Eriodictyon Californicum Ferment Extract, Lilium Candidum Bulb Extract, Malva Sylvestris (Mallow) Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Bisabolol, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Tocopherol, Alcohol Denat., Alumina, Dimethicone/PEG-10/15 Crosspolymer, Methicone, Laureth-7, Magnesium Sulfate, Silica, Polyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate, Ethylene Brassylate, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Dimethicone/Silsesquioxane Copolymer, PEG-12 Glyceryl Dimyristate, Salicylic Acid, Silk Powder, Sodium Citrate, Dipropylene Glycol, Silica Dimethyl Silylate, Serica (Silk), Tetrasodium EDTA, Hexylene Glycol, Caprylyl Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylparaben, Methylparaben. May Contain: Mica, Titanium Dioxide, Iron Oxides.
on 6/6/2015 1:31:00 PM
Age: 19-24
Skin: Dry, Other, Not Sure
Hair: Other, Other, Other
Eyes: Other
I have dry skin so I never thought that I would buy this foundation. Morever, I prefer natural & lightweight foundation for daily use. But someday, I'm in my period and I had a really big pimple on my nose. I needed something covering well. So I just bought this one. For a drugstore foundation, I think it's completely OK.
+ Medium to high coverage
+ Long-lasting ( I tested it in summer and It does stay for 24h )
+ Does not cause break out
+ Buildable
+ Not cakey
+ Lightweight
+ Suitable for both dry & oily skin ( I bought the oily/combination version )
+ Worst packaging ever ( does not have a pump )
on 6/5/2015 7:44:00 PM
Age: 19-24
Skin: Oily, Medium, Not Sure
Hair: Brunette, Curly, Medium
Eyes: Hazel
I wear 240 medium beige for combination/oily skin. HOLY GRAIL item. Full coverage.
on 6/1/2015 10:57:00 PM
Age: 36-43
Skin: Dry, Medium, Not Sure
Hair: Brunette, Other, Other
Eyes: Brown
This was way too cakey and mask-like for me. It did last 24 hours though, which I guess is good, but I couldn't barely get it off, I really had to scrub at it. Maybe that's the price you pay for it lasting 24 hours but it's not worth it for me.
on 6/1/2015 10:49:00 PM
Age: 18 & Under
Skin: Normal, Fair, Not Sure
Hair: Brown, Other, Other
Eyes: Brown
I've always had difficulty with foundations and bb creams because I can't find the right shade matches. The last foundations I tried using (Maybelline FitMe and Covergirl TruBlend) either didn't have a shade light enough (FitMe) or was too yellow (TruBlend). Still, I bought TruBlend again because it was the closest I ever got and tried applying it thinly. Still looked way weird.
When I was restocking TruBlend for the second time I walked by Revelon ColorStay and noticed how there were warm, neutral, and cool variations. I took note of it and the next time I ran out, I picked up 110 Ivory.
This is the first time I've ever worn a foundation that looked natural on my skin.
I don't mind the texture/thickness of it unlike other reviewers. I use very little as is when I apply, and it doesn't cover up my wayward freckles, only slightly masks the scar on my cheek (I don't want it completely hidden, but less obvious is good), but completely hides the redness in my face.
The price isn't bad. Yes, it is more expensive than other drug store brands, but it has lasted twice as long for me, is the right shade, and I only have to apply it once a day, so I think the price is worth it.
There are a few drawbacks. The packaging for example isn't exactly travel-friendly, and I travel a lot. I had it tipped on its side in a makeup bag and it spilled all over and I had to throw out the bag. I've found a temporary solution for overnight trips, but I think I have to forego it when I go away for a week.
It also dries quickly, but if you blend it right and fast enough it doesn't cake.
It really is 24 hours. (you really got to scrub and blast your face with water to get it off). It is convenient because it holds up to the sweat from heat.
This is definitely a foundtion I'm going to sticking to for quite a while.
on 5/30/2015 12:37:00 PM
Age: 44-55
Skin: Combination, Medium, Not Sure
Hair: Brown, Other, Other
Eyes: Hazel
I agree with other reviewers who have stated that you have to blend this foundation very quickly and that it can look cakey. I tried it years ago when it first came out and thought I would try it again, in store, rather than purchase to see if the 'flex' worked and the fact that there was supposed to be an option for drier skin. This foundation does last, however, for me the coverage is just too 'full-on' and mask like. I have tried Rimmel Lasting Finish and even W7 Captain Matt and these foundations, imho, are far better and are cheaper (the W7 one was a great find - goes on smoothly, stays matt without caking). I thought I would give the Revlon foundation one last try, because so many people seem to love it. My advice, as always, would be to try before you buy if possible:)
on 5/30/2015 12:13:00 AM
Age: 19-24
Skin: Combination, Fair, Not Sure
Hair: Brunette, Other, Other
Eyes: Green
I have been using Estēe Lauder Invisible Fluid Makeup in 1CN1 for about 2 years. I loved that foundation-- light, comfortable, natural. When it came time to refill this time, however, I felt hesitant to spend the $37.00. In addition, I was feeling like it was too light and wore off, and I would prefer a slightly heavier foundation that would at least STAY-- seemed kind of pointless to spend so much on something that doesn't last so well throughout the day. Anywho, these two reasons lead me to the drugstore. I chose Revlon ColorStay because I have heard so much about it, in the shade 200 Nude in the formulation for combination/oily skin. I was honestly scared to wear it to work because everyone says its so heavy. I applied it, post moisturizing, with my Real Techniques expert face brush. I used a conservative amount to be safe and found the coverage to be medium, but my freckles still shown through. It felt light throughout the day, the color was perfect, and it just looked great. Very happy with my purchase!
on 5/27/2015 6:50:00 PM
Age: 30-35
Skin: Acne-prone, Olive, Warm
Hair: Black, Wavy, Coarse
Eyes: Brown
This is the first and only foundation I've used. I generally hate the feeling of foundation on my face, preferring to spot-conceal, but I needed this for some very formal events I was attending.
-Decent shade-matching. I'm NC40, olive-toned, and this is slightly too cool for me, but can be easily corrected with some bronzer
-Coverage - I have some hyperpigmentation, and this covered it all. I don't have any icepick scars or pockmarks, so can't comment on how this foundation would perform with those.
-Blendability - Blends fine with fingers or brushes.
My primary complaint is the texture of this foundation. It's a bit sticky, and I find it really difficult to remove. I like using a cream cleanser at night, followed by a toner, and it took an endless amount of wiping, rubbing, and tugging to get all of this off with that method. However, DHC's cleansing oil took it off in one fell swoop.
Despite the removal issue, I would repurchase this if I ever run out.
on 5/27/2015 3:12:00 PM
Age: 19-24
Skin: Combination, Medium, Not Sure
Hair: Brunette, Other, Other
Eyes: Brown
This is my HG foundation of about 3 years now. Every time I decide to try something new, I buy it, use it once, realize it doesn't compare to colorstay and then I end up never using it again! Revlon colorstay is fantastic! I don't have cystic acne, and usually only get a couple of pimples, but can get pretty bad breakouts around that lovely time of the month. This foundation keeps my skin looking great on good skin days and not so good skin days. This foundation stays in place and has great coverage without looking cakey, and you only need to use a little bit of product. I could rant about this foundation all day. Love it!! The ONLY negative would be the packaging, I really wish there was a pump as some foundation can be wasted when using a bottle. Although I haven't tried wearing this foundation for 24 hours, I work as a nurse and this foundation stays put throughout my shifts! It feels as if you aren't wearing foundation at all.
on 5/17/2015 10:37:00 AM
Age: 19-24
Skin: Normal, Fair, Not Sure
Hair: Red, Other, Other
Eyes: Hazel
This is the only drugstore foundation that I semi-like but there are a lot of issues with it. It is pricey for drugstore foundation, and I always use the product up quickly because of the packaging. It is not a full coverage foundation, but you can build on it. It tends to look cakey if you purchased the one for oily skin, but the one for dry skin does not.
Buildable coverage
Lasts all day
There is no pump so there is a lot of product loss, and application is messy
The product is hard to blend and dries quickly on your skin
It gets darker through out the day.
- I will wear it to work and look in the mirror after I come home and my face looks dirty because the product darkened and settled in a weird way its super gross
Ultimately, the only reason I am rating this product 3 stars, is because compared to other drugstore foundations I have tried, this one is one of the better ones. It still kind of sucks, but it works.
on 5/17/2015 3:34:00 AM
Age: 19-24
Skin: Sensitive, Fair, Neutral
Hair: Other, Wavy, Fine
Eyes: Green
This is a decent cheaper foundation with good overall coverage and finish. Easy to blend, stays on well and doesn't go too patchy. It's not full coverage and it doesn't give you that ~flawless~ effect that higher-end formulas do, and it really benefits from being warmed up in your hands before being applied (which I don't really enjoy doing because of the way it says under my nails afterwards). It is buildable though, affordable, didn't upset my eczema or acne and performed well. This is pretty much the ideal first foundation!
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Aubergine Cafe Restaurant
Asian · $$
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Foodshop 45
Indian · $$
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"nice view over truc bach lake, good foods and good price, recommended"
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Coffee Shop · $
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"One of the best and oldest coffee shops in town 👌 yoghurt and "bac xiu" are recommended. 👌"
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Auburn hair color | auburn hair color tips and ideas, Blonds wear heavier makeup than other hair colors. if you are a blond and are going to an auburn color you will need to switch out your makeup.. 50 best auburn hair color ideas | herinterest.com, I would really like to dye my hair auburn, something like isla fisher or khloe kardashian, but i'm not sure it would look good on me… i have olive skin (like. Red hair color gallery - style hair magazine, Shades of red hair color vary from light strawberry to fiery copper to rich auburn and even deep red violet tones..
Feria - 3x highlights conditioning hair color - l'oreal paris, Feria 3x highlights conditioning haircolor by l'oreal paris. permanent hair dye that hydrates & conditions hair while delivering intensified, bright, shimmering. Auburn henna hair dye | henna color lab - henna hair dye, Perfect for: • people with medium brown or dark brown hair who want auburn hues • someone looking to boldly change their look from blonde, light brown, or medium. Tutorial | l'oréal hi color deep auburn red - youtube, Supplies: deep auburn red hair color 30 volume developer foil deep conditioner glass or plastic bowl brush measuring cup for every box of dye add 2.5 oz of.


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She's a golden girl! Georgia May Jagger steals the show in plunging metallic jacket and matching shorts at fashion launch
She might be best known for her famous parents, but she's certainly not in anyone's shadow.
Georgia May Jagger stole the limelight at a fashion launch in Sydney on Tuesday as she posed for photographs in a plunging gold Sass and Bide suit jacket and matching shorts.
Surrounded by some of Australia's top models, the British star managed to stand out as she helped celebrate 30 Days of Fashion & Beauty 2013.
Golden goddess: Gerogia May Jagger wowed in a plunging Sass and Bide gold shirt suit as she helped launch the 30 Days of Fashion & Beauty 2013 in Sydney on Tuesday
Proving that she has international appeal, the event marks the model's third major appearance in Australia this year, as her popularity skyrockets.
And the daughter of Mick Jagger and Jerry Hall certainly knows how to make an impact, looking fashion-forward in the asymmetrical outfit, which showed off more than a hint of skin.
Looking far more edgy than the other models at the launch, which included Annabella Barber and Jesinta Campbell, Georgia May paired the metallic outfit with gladiator-style stilettos.
Stole the show: The British model stood out from the rest as she posed for pictures at the Westfield mall
Fresh-faced: The model left her blonde hair loosed and slightly wavy, and wore minimal make-up
Fashion-forward: Georgia May looked edgy in the asymmetrical outfit, paired with gladiator stilettos
To leave the focus on the dramatic jacket, which was fastened with one button across the stomach and the thigh-skimming shorts, the 21-year-old opted against jewellery.
Making the most of the sharp tailoring of the two-piece, the star kept the rest of the look simple, and wore her trademark blonde hair loose and slightly wavy.
Blonde ambition: Georgia May posed with fellow model Jesinta Campbell as they helped launch the event
Golden glow: The 21-year-old looked bronzed as her light tan matched her golden hair and metallic outfit
Stand-out star: Georgia May certainly stole the show as she posed up with the other models
The bronzed model wore minimal make-up as usual, opting for just a flick of black eyeliner and a touch of nude lipgloss.
Speaking about her love of Australia at the event, she said: 'It's beautiful here. The weather is great, the people are nice and (so are) the beaches, so I just want to keep coming back.'
On-trend elegance: Annabella Barber and Jesinta pulled of sophisticated looks as they attended the launch event
Ambassadors: Georgia and Jesinta are the faces of the annual fashion event in Sydney
International appeal: Georgia May has proved that she is not just popular in the UK as her star appeal stretches across the world
'In London people are wearing a lot more coats and big jumpers than they are here. But I think (fashion) is quite similar to England - it's attractive and interesting,' she added.
'People are doing different things than the rest of the world (here). There's different prints and cuts and it's very unique,' the model continued.
Fancy seeing you here: Georgia was joined by her glamorous mother Jerry Hall at a party later in the day
Blondes together: Georgia changed out of her gold suit into a feminine frock as she posed with her mum and singer Delta Goodrem
Georgia May had a traumatic experience last week when her beloved pet pooch died, but luckily best pal Cara Delevingne was on hand to throw a wake for Poppy.
'Georgia was completely devastated so Cara threw a mini-wake to cheer her up,' a source told the Daily Star.
'Cara got out loads of photos of Poppy and they raised a glass to her in doggy heaven. They ended up getting silly drunk and having fun.'
All that glitters: Delta also showed off her pearly whites as she joined the party on Wednesday afternoon
Lookalikes: They both showed off their big smiles as they posed for yet more pictures
Matching hair: Georgia and Jerry were just two of the star guests at he 30 Days of Fashion and Beauty Launch Party at Town Hall in Sydney
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Planet of the Drums
Your heart won't be the only thing pounding if you're in the middle of the dance floor at Myst on Thursday, June 30. There'll be loud, irresistible beats courtesy of the Planet of the Drums collective: Dara, AK1200, and Dieselboy (with MC Messinian), a trio of turntable messiahs who should traditionally be rivals, as they're three of the most prominent drum 'n' bass DJs in America. They formed their alliance back at the turn of the millennium, and since then have toured annually; now "the original drum 'n' bass champions" (as they call themselves) are dropping in on our scene for the first time. The Planet of the Drums boys will be joined by locals Emile, Nasty Nate, AWOL, Louder, and Excell for this one night of DnB, breaks, and jungle grooves. The event is for ages 18 and up; visit www.eventvibe.com for more information.
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- Tickets
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text: Booked 3 nights thru Priceline July 2015 for family event, Room #228. Shower drain plugged and filled up and dead bolt never worked. Told front desk, but was never dealt with while we stayed. On check out, no record of request. Room was either hot or had to listen to a noisy air conditioner. Bed had a comforter, but no... More


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» News
Congestion dogs Chinese travellers
Publication Date : 08-10-2012
Few chances for paid leave from workplace result in crowded roads
China's traffic networks witnessed more congestion yesterday, the last day of the eight-day holiday that took in both the Mid-Autumn Festival and the National Day holiday.
The heavy traffic started at about 2 p.m. on Saturday, according to the Ministry of Transport.
Because there are only two long holidays in China and paid leave is not well implemented by most employers, people have few chances to travel and many use the long holidays to sightsee or visit family.
The country's 119 major scenic spots received 34.25 million visitors over the eight-day holiday, up 21 per cent from the same period last year. Tourist spending surged by nearly a quarter from last year, up to 1.77 billion yuan (US$278 million), the National Tourism Administration said yesterday.
A new policy making most expressways toll free over the holiday period for passenger cars with fewer than seven seats resulted in heavier than usual traffic over the holiday period.
From Saturday afternoon roads and expressways leading to big cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Wuhan, began to see heavy traffic.
As many as 81 million road journeys were made on Saturday, a 7.6 per cent increase from the same day last year.
A massive 1.8 million journeys were taken on waterways on Saturday, 11.2 per cent more than on the same day last year, according to the ministry.
The Ministry of Transport said yesterday's road traffic peak started at about 10 a.m. and would continue late into the night.
Traffic authorities in Beijing estimated more than 1.7 million cars would return to Beijing yesterday, 40 per cent more than in the same period last year.
On the Zhuji section of the Zhuji-Yongjia highway in Zhejiang province, traffic police were forced by severe congestion to limit the number of cars allowed on the road yesterday afternoon.
The Jinzhong section of the Erenhot-Guangzhou highway in Shanxi province was partly closed yesterday evening due to traffic accidents.
The rail network was also crowded.
In Northwest China's Gansu province, railway officials said they were handling a new peak that started on Saturday and is expected to last several days. Trains to major cities, such as Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen, were very crowded, the Lanzhou railway bureau said.
Tickets for trains from Yinchuan, capital of the Ningxia Hui autonomous region, to Beijing, Shanghai, Xi'an, Zhengzhou and Guangzhou are sold out. No more tickets for those trains will be available until Thursday, the bureau said.
The railway station in Taiyuan, capital of Shanxi province, said it served more than 80,000 passengers yesterday.
At Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport in Southwest China's Sichuan province, there were no tickets left on yesterday flights to Beijing, Shanghai and Wuhan. The airport authority said more tickets will not be available until tomorrow.
In Guangzhou, nearly 145,000 passengers arrived at, or departed from, the Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport yesterday, the airport said.
Authorities used a variety of methods to keep commuters updated.
The Beijing Traffic Management Bureau launched a live map online. The map was updated every two minutes to display the situation on roads and expressways in the city.
In Shanghai, live updates of traffic information were posted on the city government's micro blog.
In East China's Fujian province, all expressway workers were deployed to guide vehicles and emergency-response staff members were kept on 24-hour duty.
While some drivers were racing against the clock to take advantage of the last hours of the toll-free policy for expressways and bridges, which ended at midnight, drivers using the Zhengzhou Yellow River Highway Bridge in Henan province were told yesterday that all tolls on the bridge would be abolished today. The Henan Provincial Transport Department announced the decision yesterday, responding to proposals made by local legislators and political advisers that the bridge should be toll free.
Wang Hongyi in Shanghai contributed to this story.
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Why White Rock, BC, condo prices going down? Strata Council Minutes. Please comment.
Potential buyers would like to hear from White Rock, British Columbia, residents as to why median (average) condo prices has declined from approximately $400K to
ZoomCharts for DeveloperWeek: February 6-12, 2015
ZoomCharts is offering xxdata visualization tools to support presenters at DeveloperWeek 2015, taking place from February 6th to 12th, 2015 at Pier 27 at the
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ZoomCharts at TechChill Baltics 2015
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SFO Kiosks To Sell Carbon Offsets
San Francisco International Airport will soon be offering travelers the option to buy certified carbon offsets at airport kiosks, San Francisco Chronicle reports.
The airport commission has approved the trial program and SFO has invested $163,000. The airport is teaming up with 3Degrees, a San Francisco firm that sells renewable-energy and carbon-reduction investments.
In June, Denver International Airport halted plans to implement a carbon offset program due to minimal interest from vendors.
Details of the SFO program are still being worked out, but the general idea is that travelers would key in their destination at a kiosk and the computer would calculate the carbon footprint and the cost to offset the emissions.
Figures on 3Degree's Web-based "carbon calculator" suggests that a two-hour trip uses about 1,000 pounds of CO2 per person and the offset cost would be about $4.
Mike McCarron, an airport spokesman told San Francisco Chronicle that the projects offered will be chosen by the mayor's office, in conjunction with 3Degrees, from a list certified by the city's Environment Department. A portion of each offset purchase would also go to the San Francisco Carbon Fund.
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey will also start selling carbon offsets in early 2009.
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