equality and inequality #1

 Equality in Democracy

India is a democracy. we looked at the key elements of a democratic government. These include people’s participation, the resolution of conflict, and equality and justice. Equality is a key feature of democracy and influences all aspects of its functioning. we will read more about equality – what it is, why it is important in a democracy, and whether or not everyone is equal in India. 

Equal right of vote
In a democratic country, like India, all adults irrespective of what religion they belong to, how much education they have, what caste they are, or whether they are rich or poor are allowed to vote. This, as you have already read in my previous blog, is called universal adult franchise and is an essential aspect of all democracies. The idea of universal adult franchise is based on the idea of equality because it states that every adult in a country, irrespective of their wealth and the communities she/he belongs to, has one vote.

Inequality

 many people who live in democratic India and who have the right to vote but whose daily living and working conditions are far from equal. Apart from being poor, people in India experience inequality in different ways. 

• One of the more common forms of inequality in India is the caste system. If you live in rural India your caste identity is something that you probably learned or experienced very young. If you live in urban India some of you might think that people no longer believe in caste.
  
  
  

Dignity

 the caste we are born into, the religion we practice, the class background we come from, whether we are male or female – these are often the things that determine why some people are treated unequally. 

When persons are treated unequally, their dignity is violated. 

urban livelihood

Urban livelihood

in india there are

• more than 500 towns
• 27 big cities
  
  
  

in survey of Ahmedabad it was found that 12% of all the workers in the city were people working on the street.

• there are almost 1 crore Street vendors whivh obstruct the traffic and people who walk.
• government thinks to ban these vendors and provide them a shop in hawking zones.
  
  
  
• usually people export clothes in town from Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Gurgaon, Ludhiana, tripura etc.
• the shop has to take licence from municipal corporation.
• municipal corporation also decides on which day Market has to be closed.

Labour Chowk

• A place where people hire labours for their work.
• these labours are daily wage labours.
  
  
  

Benefits of Permanent worker in offices.

• they feel relaxed for their future
• regular salary
• savings for old age
  
  Holidays
• annual leave
• medical facilities
• medical leave

Fishing and Terrace farming

Fishing and Terrace farming

Life in fishing

Results from a household survey show that participation in fishing is common and positively associated with higher occupational diversity and more agricultural activities.Fishing is not an activity only for the very poorest households, but is undertaken by all wealth groups.

However, fishing forms a greater proportion of income, employment and food security for the poor and is important in households with poor quality farm land.

for 4 months fishermen don't catch fishes as in monsoon fishes breed.

caught in debt

as we know fisherman don't catch fishes for 4 months so they don't earn money during those 4 month. and for their livelihood they need money so they take loan from traders. so after 4 months they have to sell their fishes to that trader at very low cost.

Terrace Farming

terrace farming is a method of farming whereby “steps” known as terraces are built onto the slopes of hills and mountains. When it rains, instead of rain carrying away the soil nutrients and plants down the slope, they flow to the next terrace.

Terrace cultivation has been practiced in China, Japan, the Philippines, and other areas of Oceania and Southeast Asia; around the Mediterranean; in parts of Africa; and in the Andes of South America for centuries. See also paddy.

Indian Framers

 In this blog we will read about the condition of farming and farmers.

we will know why farmers

• caught in debt
• farmers suicide

usually farmers sell their produce to those traders from whom they have taken ''seed'' on loan. so to repay that loan, farmers have to sell their crops to that trader at very low cost.

as farmers takes seed on loan from traders and they have to pay it back. But due to monsoon or any pest attack the crops get ruined, so they don't have money to pay or they don't have crops to sell that is why they take more loan to survive. they later unable to pay loans, so they have to sell their fields and that's why they commit suicide. and this happened all due to caught in debt.

in india nearly 2 out of 5 rural families are agricultural labour. all of them totally depend on the work they do on other's field.

in india 80% of farmers have very small plots and only 20% of farmers have big plots.

Municipal departments

 Municipal Corporation's departments

the municipal corporation divides the work in different departments like-

• water department
• garbage collection department
• department to look after roads
• department to look after grounds
• accounts department
• sanitation department
• etc
  

sanitation engineer looks after the cleaning of garbage and sanitation in the city.

Sub-contracting

these days to save money the Commissioner hire private contractors istead of government contractors to collect, process, garbage as it cost less and also labour get paid less. this is called as Sub-contracting

Ward, Ward Councillor & Administrative Staffs

Ward, Ward Councillor & Administrative Staffs

• as cities are very large so it becomes difficult to take care of city by a single person. therefore cities are divided into several wards and for every ward, a ward councillor get elected.
  
  
  
• ward councillor takes decision of making of parks, schools etc after listening to peoples demand.
• the complicated decision which affect the entire city are taken by groups of councillors who form commitees to debate and decide.
• example- cleaning of market, making nala, drains etc.
• if the problem is within the ward then people can contact to their ward councillor.
• after commitees of ward member decide on any issues, the commissioner and administrative staffs implement these.
• ward councillors are elected by people
• while commissioner and administrative staffs are appointed.
  
  
  
• all ward councillor meet and they make budget according to their ward need.
• ward councillors try and ensure that the demand of wards are placed before the entire council. then decisions are implemented.
  
  
  

Municipal Corporation

 In previous blogs we learnt about ''The Rural Administration'' now it's time to learn about 'The Urban Administration''

as we heared earlier about municiapal corporation but do we understand municipal council. so let's know about these things.

• In big cities it is known as Municipal Corporation
• In small towns it is known as Municipal Council

Municipal corporation takes care about-

• street lights
• garbage collection
• water supply
• cleaning the street & market
• caring cities from infectious desease
• runs schhols, hospitals, dispensaries etc
• make parks, gardens and maintain them
  
  
  

Money for Municipal Corporation

• government
• taxes
• people give taxes to govt
• home taxes
• property taxes
• schools, college, hotel, theatres etc

25%- 30 % municipal corporation earns from taxes.

Land records in village

Division of state and districts

•  states are further divided into districts
• districts are sub-divided known as ''Tehsil, Talika''

 

head of sub-districts---District collector [DM]

below DM there is Revenue officer[ Tehsildar]

Work of Revenue officer/ Tehsildar

• tehsildar supervises the work of patwari and keep eye on their work.
• tehsildar takes care that farmer can easily get their land copy
• student can get their certificates easily. 
• certificates like caste certificate,income certificate etc.

Tehsildar office is where land disputes are heard.

why farmers need their land record copy

• 1- if they want to but a new plot
• 2- if theu want to sell their land
• 3- if they want to sell their produce
• 4- if they want loan for any activity on their land
• 5- if they divide property to their children

farmer often require a copy of their land record with a map as they have right to information.

PATWARI / VILLAGE OFFICER

 In previous blog i wrote about how you can file a report in police station. today i am going to tell you about who keeps record of your lands in your villages.

as we know in villages their is so much land for agriculture and keeping record of the land is very important so there is an employe who keeps all the land records whos is known as ''PATWARI'' or ''LEKHPAL'' or ''KARAMCHARI'' or ''KANUNGO'' or ''VILLAGE OFFICER.''

PATWARI / KARAMCHARI

• measuring land and keeping land record is the main work of the ''patwari.''
• patwari is responsible for group of villages
• patwari maintains and updates the record of village land.
• they are known by different names in different state, like ''lekhpal'' or '' kanungo'' or ''karamchari'' or ''village officer''.
• patwari is also responsible for organising the collection of land revenue from the farmers.
• patwari is also responsible for for providing information to govt about the crops.
• seniour officer of revenue department supervise the work of patwari.

The village land is updated in this format

Rural Administration

In the previous blog i wrote about ''PANCHAYAT'', and 'levels of Panchayat',

now i am going to tell you guys about how rural administration works, if you are living in any village then how will you file complaint in police station, who measures your land etc.

There are around 6 lakhs of villages in India, and if you are a villager then you should know these things which i am mentioning below

FIRST OF ALL LET'S LEARN ABOUT POLICE STATION

• every police station has the area under their control, 
• person with any problem can report their case only in their area police station
• person will file his/her report to S.H.O
• the S.H.O listens the problems of the person coming to police station and investigate
• S.H.O is person in charge 
• full form of S.H.O- station house officer

Levels of Panchayat

Levels of Panchayat 

1- The Gram Panchayat [village level ]

2- The Janpad Panchayat or Panchayat samiti [block level ]

3- The District Panchayat or Zila Paridshad [ district level ]

• panchayati raj system is a process through which people participate in their own government.
• The Gram Panchayat is the 1st tear or level of democratic government.

• The Panch and The Panchayat are answerable to Gram Sabha.

   

This idea of people's participation in the Panchayati Raj system extends to two other levels.

1- 'block level' which is called ''Janpad Panchayat'' or the ''Panchayat Samiti.''

•  panchayat samiti have many gram panchayat under it.
• 
  
  
  

2- 'District level' which is called ''District Panchayat'' or the ''Zila Parishad.''

• It makes development plans at district level with the help of Panchayat Samitis
• it also regulate money distribution among all the gram panchayat.

Importance of The Gram Sabha

Need of The Gram Sabha

• the Gram Sabha is a key factor in making of the Gram Panchayat to play it's role and to be responsible. 
• The Gram Sabha is the only place where all plans of work of Gram Panchayat is placed before people.
  
  
  
• Gram sabha also prevents the Panchayat from doing wrong things
• Gram sabha also finalises the list of people below poverty line [BPL].
  
  
  

work of The Gram Panchayat

 The Gram Panchayat

The Gram Panchayat meets regularly and one of it's main task is to implement development program for every villages that comes under it.

The Gram Sabha approve the work of Gram panchayat.

 

works of the Gram Panchayat

1- construction and maintainance of water sources, roads, drainage, schools, buildings and other common property resources.

2- levying and collecting local taxes

3- executing government schemes related to generating employment.

Sources of funds for the Panchayat

1- by collecting taxes on houses, markets places etc.

2- government funds recieved

3- donation for community works etc.

MEANING OF DEMOCRATIC GOVERNMENT

MEANING OF ''DEMOCRATIC GOVERNMENT'' 

These days Government can't call itself ''DEMOCRATIC'' unless and ultil it allows ''Universal Adult Franchise.''

UNIVERSAL ADULT FRANCHISE- All adults in the country are allowed to vote irrespective of their Relegion, Caste, Sex, Race etc.

Practice of ''UNIVERSAL ADULT FRANCHISE'' In India

In early days only men and people with property are allowed to vote, i.e no women, poor and propertyless are allowed to vote and in India before independence only small minority was allowed to vote and they therefore came together to determine the fate of majority.

Gandhi ji also demanded for Universal Adult Franchise.