UN, Indian Officials Agree India Worse Than Pakistan, Bangladesh in Food, Hygiene

[RiazHaq]

India(49) also has more than twice as many billionaires as Japan (22) which is a far richer country.

Indian and UNICEF officials concur that Indians are much worse off than Pakistanis and Bangladeshis in basic nutrition and sanitation.

Meanwhile, India is worse than Bangladesh and Pakistan when it comes to nourishment and is showing little improvement in the area despite big money being spent on it, says Planning Commission member Syeda Hameed.

India might be an emerging economic power, but it is way behind Pakistan, Bangladesh and even Afghanistan in providing basic sanitation facilities, a key reason behind the death of 2.1 million children under five in the country.Lizette Burgers, chief water and environment sanitation of the UNICEF, said India is making progress in providing sanitation but it lags behind most of the other countries in South Asia.

Most of the 8-9% growth has fattened the bottom line of a small percentage of India's population, with the rest getting poorer. India's Gini Index has increased from about 32 to 36 from 2000 to 2007.

India now has 100 million more people living below the poverty line than in 2004, according to official estimates released on Sunday. The poverty rate has risen to 37.2 percent of the population from 27.5 percent in 2004, according to a Reuters report.

The rising gap between abject poverty and obscene wealth in India is fueling anger, and insurgencies such as the Maoists'.

 

[RiazHaq]

Hunger: India worse off than Zimbabwe! : Rediff.com Business

There are now one billion hungry people on the globe, United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said recently.

A statistic that is shameful and shocking at the same time. The global financial crisis too has led to a dramatic rise in hunger across the world.

Ban warned that the food crisis is a wake-up call for tomorrow since by 2050 the planet's population will be 9.1 billion people, over two billion more than today.

"This day, more than 17,000 children will die of hunger. One every five seconds! The world has more than enough food. Yet, today, more than one billion people are hungry," he said.

The Global Hunger Index 2009 says that countries that have scored between 20 and 30 points are in an alarming condition. The index ranked countries on a 100-point scale, with zero being the best score having no hunger and 100 being the worst.

The index measures global hunger by ranking countries on three leading indicators and combining them into one index. The three indicators are prevalence of child malnutrition, rates of child mortality, and the proportion of people who are calorie deficient.

India, Rank 65

According to the 2009 Global Hunger Index, India ranks 65th out of 88 countries, with a hunger rate of 23.9.

India, which was largely unaffected by the severe recession, however appears to have made little progress in tackling hunger and malnutrition issue.

The situation remains 'alarming' in the country on this front, according to the Global Hunger Index 2009.

Countries like Uganda (38th); Mauritania (40th); Zimbabwe (58th) and many others have a better record than India on this front. Even war-torn nations have managed to combat the scourge of hunger quite well, while India -- even though it boasts of being the second fastest growing economy in the world -- languishes far behind and millions in the country go hungry.

Almost 21 per cent of the Indian population was undernourished (between 2003 and 2005), 43.5 per cent Indian children under the age of five were underweight (between 2002 and 2007) and the under five-year-age infant mortality rate in 2007 was 7.2 per cent.

Hunger: India worse off than Zimbabwe! : Rediff.com Business

 

[RiazHaq]

More people in India, the world’s second most crowded country, have access to a mobile telephone than to a toilet, according to a set of recommendations released today by United Nations University (UNU) on how to cut the number of people with inadequate sanitation.

“It is a tragic irony to think that in India, a country now wealthy enough that roughly half of the people own phones, about half cannot afford the basic necessity and dignity of a toilet,” said Zafar Adeel, Director of United Nations University's Institute for Water, Environment and Health (IWEH), and chair of UN-Water, a coordinating body for water-related work at 27 UN agencies and their partners.

India has some 545 million cell phones, enough to serve about 45 per cent of the population, but only about 366 million people or 31 per cent of the population had access to improved sanitation in 2008.

The recommendations released today are meant to accelerate the pace towards reaching the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) on halving the proportion of people without access to safe water and basic sanitation.

If current global trends continue, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) predict there will be a shortfall of 1 billion persons from that sanitation goal by the target date of 2015.

“Anyone who shirks the topic as repugnant, minimizes it as undignified, or considers unworthy those in need should let others take over for the sake of 1.5 million children and countless others killed each year by contaminated water and unhealthy sanitation,” said Mr. Adeel.

Included in the nine recommendations are the suggestions to adjust the MDG target from a 50 per cent improvement by 2015 to 100 per cent coverage by 2025; and to reassign official development assistance equal to 0.002 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP) to sanitation.

The UNU report cites a rough cost of $300 to build a toilet, including labour, materials and advice.

“The world can expect, however, a return of between $3 and $34 for every dollar spent on sanitation, realized through reduced poverty and health costs and higher productivity – an economic and humanitarian opportunity of historic proportions,” added Mr. Adeel.

http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=34369&Cr=mdg&Cr1#

Sewage Water Pollution and Its Environmental Effects Finalizations

 

[RiazHaq]

 

[RiazHaq]

Pakistan's water quality is not good, but it is significantly better than in India.

On page 288 of his book "Water management in India" the author P. C. Bansil quotes a UN study that says India ranks a poor 120 on a list of 122 countries in water quality.

India's neighbors Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Pakistan rank much better at 40, 64, 78 and 80 respectively.

Water management in India - Google Books

http://www.unesco.org/bpi/wwdr/WWDR_chart2_eng.pdf

 

[RiazHaq]

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that 28 tribal children have recently been allowed to die of malnutrition. According to a field report by Madhya Pradesh Lok Sanghash Sajha Manch and the Right to Food Campaign Madhya Pradesh, the families of the deceased children have clearly been deprived of their right to food and right to health of the children in particular, due to the failure of government programmes to reach tribal communities. Despite this, the relevant government authorities have not yet taken action to support the victims, or other children in the villages confronting the same situation.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION:

Jhabua District is located in the far west of Madhya Pradesh, adjacent to Rajasthan. The majority of people are from the Bhil tribe - comprising 86% of the total population in the district. Communities within the villages are widely scattered, which creates more difficulty for poor villagers to access available government facilities.

According to the field report, 93.9 % of the total population lives in rural areas and 87.6% of the urban population lives in poverty. Only 4.5% of the rural population has access to toilet facilities while 1.5% take water from a pipe. Merely 19.4% of the children between 12 to 23 months are fully immunized while 14.6 % of the children between 9 to 35 months have received one dose of vitamin A. These poor facilities and conditions are reflected in the fact that the government recognizes that more than 40% of the children are malnourished in this area.

SUGGESTED ACTION:
Please write a letter to express your concern and grief about the needless deaths of these children, and regarding the danger faced by those currently suffering from malnutrition in Jhabua.

The AHRC has also written a separate letter to the Chief Justice of India, the UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food and the Committee on the Rights of the Child calling for their intervention.

INDIA: Twenty-eight tribal children in two villages have died of malnutrition in the last three months in Madhya Pradesh — AHRC Food Justice

 

[Hutchroy]

Mr. Haq,

This is the wrong Forum to discuss this matter and I will delete this post if required.

I think that the following News Report is “Outlandish” as at the rate of USD 1 = Pak RS 84 the sum of Pak RS 6.98 Trillion amounts to nearly Half of Pakistan's GDP and request your views :

ONLINE - International News Network

AGP detects massive financial irregularities of over RS 6.98 trillion

ISLAMABAD: Auditor General of Pakistan (AGP) has exposed claims of good governance and better fiscal policies by the sitting government with pointing out widespread financial irregularities amounting to over Rs 6.98 trillion in the audit report for the financial year, 2008-9, the first fiscal year of the ruling coalition.

The highest irregularities-Rs116.341 billion-have been detected in the Federal Board of Revenue, followed by Rs111.174 billion in accounts of the ministry of Water and Power and Rs22.323 billion in the accounts of civil works of various government agencies.

The audit report on the accounts of ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources reveals financial irregularities worth Rs17.239 billion and Pakistan Railways has committed financial wrongdoings worth Rs15.677 billion.

The management of the Pakistan Steel also failed to satisfy the auditors about irregularities amounting to Rs15.656 billion.

The report has detected irregularities of over Rs7.84 billion in the accounts of Trading Corporation of Pakistan, over Rs3.844 billion in the telecommunication sector and over Rs2.5 billion in the accounts of defence services, including the Pakistan Army, Pakistan Air Force and Pakistan Navy.

An anomaly of over Rs2.95 billion has been detected in the accounts of the Sui Southern Gas Company Limited.

The report has also found anomaly of Rs1.08 billion in the accounts of Employees Old-age Benefit Institute.

Following are the departments, corporations and ministries where the audit reports have detected irregularities worth over Rs100 million: Pakistan Baitul Maal (Rs941 million); Port Qasim Authority (Rs762m); Pakistan State Oil (Rs650m); Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Rs574m); Pakistan Ordnance Factories (Rs529m); Pakistan Re-Insurance Company Limited (Rs506.36m); Pakistan Agricultural Storage and Services Corporation Limited (Rs463m); Pakistan Television Corporation (Rs421m); Pakistan International Airlines (Rs347m); National Fertilizer Marketing Limited (Rs248m); Utility Stores Corporation (Rs247m); Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (Rs242m); Zakat and Ushr (Rs234m); Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation (Rs150m); National Logistic Cell (Rs115m) and Export Processing Zones Authority (Rs104m). Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission Rs 723 million, ministry of petroleum and natural resources, Rs 539 million, Ministry of science and technology, Rs 1.1 million, ministry of social welfare, Rs 2.9 million, textile ministry Rs 11.7 million, ministry of women development, Rs 100 million, ministry of live stock and Korangi harbor authority Rs 662000 and ERRA, Rs 3.62 billion.

 

[justpk]

India(49) also has more than twice as many billionaires as Japan (22) which is a far richer country.

Indian and UNICEF officials concur that Indians are much worse off than Pakistanis and Bangladeshis in basic nutrition and sanitation.

Meanwhile, India is worse than Bangladesh and Pakistan when it comes to nourishment and is showing little improvement in the area despite big money being spent on it, says Planning Commission member Syeda Hameed.

India might be an emerging economic power, but it is way behind Pakistan, Bangladesh and even Afghanistan in providing basic sanitation facilities, a key reason behind the death of 2.1 million children under five in the country.Lizette Burgers, chief water and environment sanitation of the UNICEF, said India is making progress in providing sanitation but it lags behind most of the other countries in South Asia.

Most of the 8-9% growth has fattened the bottom line of a small percentage of India's population, with the rest getting poorer. India's Gini Index has increased from about 32 to 36 from 2000 to 2007.

India now has 100 million more people living below the poverty line than in 2004, according to official estimates released on Sunday. The poverty rate has risen to 37.2 percent of the population from 27.5 percent in 2004, according to a Reuters report.

The rising gap between abject poverty and obscene wealth in India is fueling anger, and insurgencies such as the Maoists'.

I agree the rich poor gap seems to be widening in India, atleast in terms of consciousness. I have 2-3 points for your consideration.

1 - India trailing BD, Pak is not the best comparison given the size of the problem India faces. The correct comparison has to be with a China or Brazil etc. Ofcourse, India trails them by far more than it might trail BD/Pak. Providing water to 170 mm people and 1000 mm are two different things. There are wide disparities in India and the numbers are pulled down by the 4- 5 poor populous states.

2 - The main reason for underperformance of India is corruption. The politicians and babus have bled us dry.As a reaction, private sector has learnt to operate in environments made difficult by red tape and the learning is what has been on display in IPL.greed...ie somehow running operations by flouting the rules using bribery, complex transactions as a cover to get things done in an atmosphere vitiated by the govt(ofcourse Pvt sector in India is qite efficient and GOI is no match to it eg Doordarshan vs private TV Channels.....In other words, the one and only problem India has is corruption of people in hgh places enabled by a weak center.

3 - Given the rule in Pak by military (assumed as more efficient) and the smaller size of the problem, it must introspect why its not already a 'South Korea' like modern economy; in reality the excuses Pak has are fewer given the size and ethnic/religious homogenity (relative).

 

[RiazHaq]

Hutchroy and jutpk,

Without commenting on the specifics of your pots, I do believe that there is a lot of incompetence and corruption in Pakistani government at all levels. Pakistan has been ruled by a narrow ruling elite from its inception. This elite has been far more focused on serving its own interests rather than the broader interest of the people that has led to the serious problems Pakistan faces today on many different fronts.

Haq's Musings: Why Is Democracy Failing in Pakistan?

Haq's Musings: Incompetence Worse Than Graft in Pakistan

 

[Ham-ster]

Get a Life Frustrated Riaz, Ur own Blogs ur own facts , you ought to be a Fool or a Frustu to post ur won Blog post, clearly dispaltying Insecurity . Do you want me to post barrage of youtube videos on pakistani Poverty, corruption and schizophrenia! hhahahha some of u r so Insecure!

YouTube - poor pakistan

 

[Hutchroy]

Hutchroy and jutpk,

Without commenting on the specifics of your pots, I do believe that there is a lot of incompetence and corruption in Pakistani government at all levels. Pakistan has been ruled by a narrow ruling elite from its inception. This elite has been far more focused on serving its own interests rather than the broader interest of the people that has led to the serious problems Pakistan faces today on many different fronts.

Haq's Musings: Why Is Democracy Failing in Pakistan?

Haq's Musings: Incompetence Worse Than Graft in Pakistan

Thank you for your reply.

I repeat the following from my post #37 of 12.52 PM today :

I think that the following News Report is “Outlandish” as at the rate of USD 1 = Pak RS 84 the sum of Pak RS 6.98 Trillion amounts to nearly Half of Pakistan's GDP and request your views if it is indeed the case :

Please note that I am not interested in criticising the amount of corruption in this instance.

All I want to know is if it is possible for the Pakistani Corruption in 2008-2009 to amount to the sum of Pak Rs. 6.98 Trillion which is equal to nearly Half of Pakistan's GDP and request your views as I think this is an irresponsible "Article" from the Pakistani Media.

Thanks again.

 

[Abu Zolfiqar]

Proud to be Pakistani. That's all I can say.

Actually, i firmly believe that our living standards are much better here. Alhamdolillah. Allah SWT has been kind to us.

We should also respect our country and surroundings.

 

[RiazHaq]

Get a Life Frustrated Riaz, Ur own Blogs ur own facts , you ought to be a Fool or a Frustu to post ur won Blog post, clearly dispaltying Insecurity . Do you want me to post barrage of youtube videos on pakistani Poverty, corruption and schizophrenia! hhahahha some of u r so Insecure!

YouTube - poor pakistan

YouTube- BBC DOCUMENTARY - POOR TREATMENT OF PASHTUNS FROM SWAT BY PAKISTAN GOVERNMENT PART 1

YouTube- Poverty In Pakistan, Voice Ali Arshad, Writer: Hafiz Haroon ,Re Edited by ADIL BAIG

YouTube- Gujranwala poverty in Pakistan

Pakistan does have problems of poverty and deprivation, but it's still doing far better compared to the situation in India. It's a fact that is accepted by both the UN and India officials who know better than the multitudes of ignorant Indian chauvinists like you.

'India worse than Pakistan, Bangladesh on nourishment' ? Sulekha News

India trails Pakistan, Bangladesh in sanitation

 

[prithwidw]

Guys leave him alone. He is better listened and then forgotten.

 

[RiazHaq]

Mr. Haq,

This is the wrong Forum to discuss this matter and I will delete this post if required.

I think that the following News Report is “Outlandish” as at the rate of USD 1 = Pak RS 84 the sum of Pak RS 6.98 Trillion amounts to nearly Half of Pakistan's GDP and request your views :

ONLINE - International News Network

AGP detects massive financial irregularities of over RS 6.98 trillion

ISLAMABAD: Auditor General of Pakistan (AGP) has exposed claims of good governance and better fiscal policies by the sitting government with pointing out widespread financial irregularities amounting to over Rs 6.98 trillion in the audit report for the financial year, 2008-9, the first fiscal year of the ruling coalition.

The highest irregularities-Rs116.341 billion-have been detected in the Federal Board of Revenue, followed by Rs111.174 billion in accounts of the ministry of Water and Power and Rs22.323 billion in the accounts of civil works of various government agencies.

The audit report on the accounts of ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources reveals financial irregularities worth Rs17.239 billion and Pakistan Railways has committed financial wrongdoings worth Rs15.677 billion.

The management of the Pakistan Steel also failed to satisfy the auditors about irregularities amounting to Rs15.656 billion.

The report has detected irregularities of over Rs7.84 billion in the accounts of Trading Corporation of Pakistan, over Rs3.844 billion in the telecommunication sector and over Rs2.5 billion in the accounts of defence services, including the Pakistan Army, Pakistan Air Force and Pakistan Navy.

An anomaly of over Rs2.95 billion has been detected in the accounts of the Sui Southern Gas Company Limited.

The report has also found anomaly of Rs1.08 billion in the accounts of Employees Old-age Benefit Institute.

Following are the departments, corporations and ministries where the audit reports have detected irregularities worth over Rs100 million: Pakistan Baitul Maal (Rs941 million); Port Qasim Authority (Rs762m); Pakistan State Oil (Rs650m); Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Rs574m); Pakistan Ordnance Factories (Rs529m); Pakistan Re-Insurance Company Limited (Rs506.36m); Pakistan Agricultural Storage and Services Corporation Limited (Rs463m); Pakistan Television Corporation (Rs421m); Pakistan International Airlines (Rs347m); National Fertilizer Marketing Limited (Rs248m); Utility Stores Corporation (Rs247m); Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (Rs242m); Zakat and Ushr (Rs234m); Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation (Rs150m); National Logistic Cell (Rs115m) and Export Processing Zones Authority (Rs104m). Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission Rs 723 million, ministry of petroleum and natural resources, Rs 539 million, Ministry of science and technology, Rs 1.1 million, ministry of social welfare, Rs 2.9 million, textile ministry Rs 11.7 million, ministry of women development, Rs 100 million, ministry of live stock and Korangi harbor authority Rs 662000 and ERRA, Rs 3.62 billion.

It's hard to check the veracity of specific allegations of corruption in an opaque system. But there's no doubt that Pakistan has very substantial underground economy estimated by some to be as much as 50% or more of the official GDP.

You can see too many people in Pakistan living way beyond their official means on paper.

According to a study published by Lahore School of Economics, Pakistan's underground economy has increased enormously from Rs. 12 billion in 1974 to Rs. 1085 billion in 2002.

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