India is currently set to host the commonwealth games. However, they are receiving harsh criticism from the international community due to their infrastructure being unable to create an environment that the international world expects for such an event. It has made some conclude to the point that India will always be a second rate power country.
India however has the potential to become a powerhouse in the realm of international economy. When comparing India to China both have a large population. However, India's work force is continuous. They have a young population ready to fill the work demand of the older population as they age. China however, does not have this ability due to the one child law implemented by the Chinese government. India also has a growing GDP that is showing promise in the International economy.
India does lack a strong central government however this does play to positives for the International economy. India is able to make decisions on what their government feels is essential without having to bend to the whim of interest groups and lobbyists. India's private sector has grown immensely however due it the infrastructure instability international investors would still most likely invest in China before India.
If India wishes to become a leading power in the International economy they must create an infrastructure capable of meeting the demand and create policies that protect investors in order to attract investors.
http://www.economist.com/node/17147648?story_id=17147648&fsrc=rss
Saturday, October 2, 2010
Taboo in India Culture
"Each culture has its own taboo about sex" India has one of the largest HIV infected populations. It also has one of the largest demands for commercial sex workers. The concept of a dangerous disease mixed with a population fully capable of spreading that disease is the recipe for a epidemic.
In several studies I found the statistics showed that close to 50-70% of commercial sex workers in Mumbai were HIV positive while only 5-10% of the brothels provide condoms. Another article referred to how only slightly more than 50% of men knew how and why to use a condom and of those 50% approximately 20% actually used condoms while performing sexual acts with non-regular sexual partners. (India Environmental Portal)
There is a strict taboo of sex in India. First, there are strong religious ties within India regardless of what religion tradition is being followed. These different religions have strong values in sex outside of the marriage. Therefore there is limited sexual education classes. Due to the belief of there is no threat of disease if both parties are being faithful to their marriage and their partner and not seeking sexual acts outside or prior to marriage.
Second, there is a strong animosity to those who are in prostitution. Therefore if a commercial sex worker contracts HIV in their course of business there is little sympathy for them from the society. This is seen both with those who enter prostitution both voluntarily and involuntarily.
India has one of the largest HIV populations and needs to implement policies aiding this part of their society in order to prevent alienation. But in order for these policies to be created and implemented India must also deal with the taboo within Indian society regarding STDs and sex.
Resources
"India Environmental Portal" http://www.indiaenvironmentportal.org.in/node/41194
http://sti.bmj.com/content/86/Suppl_1/i44.full
http://www.liebertonline.com/doi/abs/10.1089/108729104322994847
In several studies I found the statistics showed that close to 50-70% of commercial sex workers in Mumbai were HIV positive while only 5-10% of the brothels provide condoms. Another article referred to how only slightly more than 50% of men knew how and why to use a condom and of those 50% approximately 20% actually used condoms while performing sexual acts with non-regular sexual partners. (India Environmental Portal)
There is a strict taboo of sex in India. First, there are strong religious ties within India regardless of what religion tradition is being followed. These different religions have strong values in sex outside of the marriage. Therefore there is limited sexual education classes. Due to the belief of there is no threat of disease if both parties are being faithful to their marriage and their partner and not seeking sexual acts outside or prior to marriage.
Second, there is a strong animosity to those who are in prostitution. Therefore if a commercial sex worker contracts HIV in their course of business there is little sympathy for them from the society. This is seen both with those who enter prostitution both voluntarily and involuntarily.
India has one of the largest HIV populations and needs to implement policies aiding this part of their society in order to prevent alienation. But in order for these policies to be created and implemented India must also deal with the taboo within Indian society regarding STDs and sex.
Resources
"India Environmental Portal" http://www.indiaenvironmentportal.org.in/node/41194
http://sti.bmj.com/content/86/Suppl_1/i44.full
http://www.liebertonline.com/doi/abs/10.1089/108729104322994847
Friday, October 1, 2010
Microfinance: To Profit or Not to Profit?
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/17/business/global/17micro.html?ref=india
Started in 1998 as a non-profit organization, SKS Microfinance closed 10.5 points up on its first day of trading stock to the public on September 27th. The first microfinance institution to sell stock in India, SKS has grown remarkably since transitioning to a for-profit company in 2003. The company is currently lending over $3 billion to over 7 million rural Indian women, and is only one of five microfinance institutions globally that offers publicly listed shares. In a chronically underbanked country (approximately only 40% of the population has a bank account), the concept of microlending has spread quickly. This recent success for a microfinance company could prompt scores of others to go public soon.
The debate arises: is it ethical for banking institutions catering to the poor to make large-scale (if any) profits by lending to them at high interest rates? SKS originated as a non-profit organization--by going public it has certainly garnered attention, but analysts fear that increased competition between microfinance companies could lead to higher default rates. Muhammad Yunus, founder of the Grameen Bank, has said that in a social business such as microfinance, if the company makes a profit, the owner should not take a profit. The bottom line then becomes the number of people helped, not dividends made. In contrast to SKS, Grameen is owned primarily by its borrowers- 90% of shares are owned by the poor they serve, and 10% by the government of Bangladesh.
Started in 1998 as a non-profit organization, SKS Microfinance closed 10.5 points up on its first day of trading stock to the public on September 27th. The first microfinance institution to sell stock in India, SKS has grown remarkably since transitioning to a for-profit company in 2003. The company is currently lending over $3 billion to over 7 million rural Indian women, and is only one of five microfinance institutions globally that offers publicly listed shares. In a chronically underbanked country (approximately only 40% of the population has a bank account), the concept of microlending has spread quickly. This recent success for a microfinance company could prompt scores of others to go public soon.
The debate arises: is it ethical for banking institutions catering to the poor to make large-scale (if any) profits by lending to them at high interest rates? SKS originated as a non-profit organization--by going public it has certainly garnered attention, but analysts fear that increased competition between microfinance companies could lead to higher default rates. Muhammad Yunus, founder of the Grameen Bank, has said that in a social business such as microfinance, if the company makes a profit, the owner should not take a profit. The bottom line then becomes the number of people helped, not dividends made. In contrast to SKS, Grameen is owned primarily by its borrowers- 90% of shares are owned by the poor they serve, and 10% by the government of Bangladesh.
A Bumpier But Freer Road
This article explains the factors leading to India's growing economy. The recent boom in consulting firms are valued at $5 billion and are expected to jump to $30 billion within the next few years. Economists are also predicting the GDP to increase by 8.5% and expect India to be the fastest growing country in the next quarter century.
One of the reasons for such a spurge in growth is due to its large, rapidly growing young population. Tariff reforms in the 1990s has also allowed Indian businesses to compete in the global market. Another factor is India's economy is being driven by 45 million entrepreneurs, more than an other country. The large informal economy and lack of education for many Indians is leading its citizens to build their own businesses.
Despite all the reports indicating India's progress they country still has many obstacles to modernize itself. India's current urban infrastructure and roads are in poor condition. It is estimated that in order for the country to support its growing population it will need to spend $1.2 trillion dollars by 2030. Nearly forty percent of the population is illiterate and another forty percent is do not complete school. An uneducated and unskilled population is leaving many Indians unemployed and below poverty level. High levels of unemployment are also leading to high levels of corruption.
The end of the article discusses India's wild and unpredictable democracy. Government and policies are always changing. While reading this article I kept thinking of Milton Friedman's article "The Relationship between Economic Freedom and Political Freedom" assigned in cross sector analysis. While the economy has been booming it is leaving many people out of the race. I am curious to see how the government deals with a booming economy as well as to find opportunities to improve infrastructure, public schools, and corruption for the entire population.
http://www.economist.com/node/17145035
NGO's Speak Up about Labor Law Violations..Indias GEA claims NO
In a nation where working conditions are inhumane in many areas and children are put to work and not receiving an education, political activists have spoken up. The Indian government in a partnership with the Garments Exporters Association (GEA) an association that is responsible for reporting and enforcing labor law violations to the governmental officials has stated NGO's have gone too far. Non-Government Organizations in India have worked to create an awareness of such practices in India that are still currently taking place, with the sweatshop industry and unethical and unlawful child labor business practices. On the other side of the issue, the GEA has stated numerous violations that have been claimed by the NGO's do not exist. The real issue that lies at hand is, whether or not the violations reported by the NGO's are valid and if the GEA has taken the proper sanctions necessary of any infractions of unlawful labor law violations. It is this writers opinion that many sweatshop industries and businesses that utilize child labor have supplements the GEA with a fair amount of cash to look the other direction. Open forum for discussion please.
http://www.fibre2fashion.com/news/apparel-news/newsdetails.aspx?news_id=90914
http://www.fibre2fashion.com/news/apparel-news/newsdetails.aspx?news_id=90914
Pregnancy Practices in India
Choudhry, U.K. (July 2006). Traditional Practices of Women From India: Pregnancy, Childbirth, and Newborn Care. Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic and Neonatal Nursing, 26(5), 533-539.
The intent of the article is to help Western neo-natal nurses better understand their Indian client's perspective on birth. However, the generality of the Indian cultural practices surrounding Indian pregnancy, childbirth and newborn care are quite useful when implementing and/or improving policy on child nutrition. Motherhood in India is considered a "socially powerful role," where most, if not all, women are expected to marry and have children. During the entire childbearing period women are highly dependent on a community composed of elders, family members and midwives and are not likely to seek professional healthcare. Further, there are still many cultural superstitions such as basing a healthy pregnancy on foods categorized as hot and cold and the ritual of burying of placenta post-birth. Further, the lower socio-economic classes often practice a belief called "eating down" where the pregnant woman does not eat a sufficient amount of food during pregnancy for fear of a difficult pregnancy. Children of high-birth-weights are presumed to result in more difficult deliveries; therefore, demand more expensive medical attention which a family cannot afford. Unfortunately, children of low-birth-weights have a higher infant mortality rate. Delaying breastfeeding (24 hours to 1 week) is also common practice. Many supplement breastfeeding with sugar/honey water-based liquids. These supplements also contribute to the risks of a low-birth-weight.
As pregnancy practices may appear social, it also influences India’s economy. Much of India’s fiscal budget is focused on improving healthcare. This money is often highly emphasized in rural regions, where healthcare facilities still lack adequate resources and are not made readily accessible to the population. The result of little modern healthcare and minute health education for pregnant women is congruent to lower child nutrition and higher infant-mortality-rates. For India to be putting so much money into solving its issue of healthcare, one would hope that you could see better results. Unfortunately most India regions still face high infant mortality rates with over 50% of India’s children still considered malnourished. A sign that there is still a lot more work to be done.
The intent of the article is to help Western neo-natal nurses better understand their Indian client's perspective on birth. However, the generality of the Indian cultural practices surrounding Indian pregnancy, childbirth and newborn care are quite useful when implementing and/or improving policy on child nutrition. Motherhood in India is considered a "socially powerful role," where most, if not all, women are expected to marry and have children. During the entire childbearing period women are highly dependent on a community composed of elders, family members and midwives and are not likely to seek professional healthcare. Further, there are still many cultural superstitions such as basing a healthy pregnancy on foods categorized as hot and cold and the ritual of burying of placenta post-birth. Further, the lower socio-economic classes often practice a belief called "eating down" where the pregnant woman does not eat a sufficient amount of food during pregnancy for fear of a difficult pregnancy. Children of high-birth-weights are presumed to result in more difficult deliveries; therefore, demand more expensive medical attention which a family cannot afford. Unfortunately, children of low-birth-weights have a higher infant mortality rate. Delaying breastfeeding (24 hours to 1 week) is also common practice. Many supplement breastfeeding with sugar/honey water-based liquids. These supplements also contribute to the risks of a low-birth-weight.
As pregnancy practices may appear social, it also influences India’s economy. Much of India’s fiscal budget is focused on improving healthcare. This money is often highly emphasized in rural regions, where healthcare facilities still lack adequate resources and are not made readily accessible to the population. The result of little modern healthcare and minute health education for pregnant women is congruent to lower child nutrition and higher infant-mortality-rates. For India to be putting so much money into solving its issue of healthcare, one would hope that you could see better results. Unfortunately most India regions still face high infant mortality rates with over 50% of India’s children still considered malnourished. A sign that there is still a lot more work to be done.
Bringing Light to India's Rural Areas
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/03/business/energy-environment/03iht-rbogsolar.html?_r=1&scp=27&sq=India&st=cse
This article explains a new endeavor in the rural villages of India to provide solar power electricity. This effort has been pushed by a company called Selco, which has been installing the solar powered lights since 2003. The article touches upon the banks, government, and other organizations which have been capable of providing the funding to install and operate this new venture. Many of the villages who are recieving the funding are ones that have never had acces to energy previously. Beyond the financial costs of the implementation, the article touches upon the opprotunities that the many farmers in these villages have to utilize this new, sustainable form.
As India is one of the fastest growing populations in the world as well as one of the leading consumers of coal, this new shift in efforts by both entrpenuers and the government proves their progression. With so many of its population living in these rural villages, the ability to provide sustainable means of energy proves that they are working towards a greater goal. Can China and other developing countries provide this same opprotunity to its citizens. This article raises questions on how developing countries, with addictions to coal, are striving to implement sustainable forms of energy for its people. Even if it starts with those that dont have the means to afford it.
This article explains a new endeavor in the rural villages of India to provide solar power electricity. This effort has been pushed by a company called Selco, which has been installing the solar powered lights since 2003. The article touches upon the banks, government, and other organizations which have been capable of providing the funding to install and operate this new venture. Many of the villages who are recieving the funding are ones that have never had acces to energy previously. Beyond the financial costs of the implementation, the article touches upon the opprotunities that the many farmers in these villages have to utilize this new, sustainable form.
As India is one of the fastest growing populations in the world as well as one of the leading consumers of coal, this new shift in efforts by both entrpenuers and the government proves their progression. With so many of its population living in these rural villages, the ability to provide sustainable means of energy proves that they are working towards a greater goal. Can China and other developing countries provide this same opprotunity to its citizens. This article raises questions on how developing countries, with addictions to coal, are striving to implement sustainable forms of energy for its people. Even if it starts with those that dont have the means to afford it.
Yoga Wars India Blocks Patents on Poses.
http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2010/08/23/129381241/india-yoga-patents-html
This NPR Piece highlights the issues faced by Indian officials who are working to protect ancient Yoga poses. They are compiling information about Yoga practices that go back for thousands of years to be included in the Traditional Knowledge Digital Library. This information will be sent to patent offices around the world in order to insure that these practices cannot be legally patented.
"Yoga is collective knowledge and is available for use by everybody no matter what the interpretation," the head of the digital library told the WaPo. "...we wanted to ensure that, in the future, nobody will be able to claim that he has created a yoga posture which was actually already created in 2500 B.C. in India."
This is an example of ways to insure that traditional ideas and practices can be protected from commodification in a globalized economic system which would attempt to assign a monetary value to nearly everything.
Dominique Brown
Mercedes-Benz expanding in India
Mercedes-Benz expanding into India
http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/mercedes-benz-to-extend-finance-arm-to-india/409943/
Daimler Financial Services (DFS), the financial arm of Mercedes-Benz will be moving into India pending some approvals from authorities. They will be focusing on finance and leasing, dealer financing and insurance to private customers, dealers and groups. DFS has already been active within the used car market but will be moving into financing and backing of new vehicle to expand their luxury car brand in India.
I think that this is an important article because it shows how India’s economic system has been growing through a commercial product like luxury cars. Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai and Ahmedabad already has a pre-owned operation but in the “second phase,” Mercedes-Benz they will be launching operations in Pune, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Kolkata and Jalandhar. I just found it interesting that for an economy that has had such a hard time that now a luxury vehicles expanding across the country.
India’s Economy Accelerated in Quarter By VIKAS BAJAJ
Unbelievably, in a time of slowing growth and growing unemployment in developed countries, India boasted of an economic growth rate of 8.8% in Q2 2010 and 8.6% in Q1 2010. The Indian government said that they would like to push the economy’s growth rate up to 9% and eventually 10%. The push for such dramatic growth is driven by the need to alleviate poverty and increase job opportunities for its young population. It is reported that half of India’s population is 25 or younger.
With such high growth potential foreign businesses have invested in the country’s market place. For example, Ford, Nissan and Volkswagen have significantly expanded production capacity in India as car sales climbed 38% in July 2010. While the growth rate potential of India is similar to China, India’s economy is a bit different in that their growth has been driven by domestic consumption. Some articles have named India’s domestic consumption and government fiscal policies as reasons why the country has been far more insulated from the global economic recession.
While the growth rate is quite impressive, inflation still remains as a side effect of such growth. Food, energy and other basic needs have experienced a 10% increase in wholesale prices in recent months. It is expected that the Reserve Bank of India will continue to raise interest rates as inflation continues to rise.
India & Its Economy: The Latest Article in The Economist
To piggie-back off of Maria & Megan's posts, I offer you this article just posted by The Economist: http://www.economist.com/node/17147648
This article looks at the general state of India's economy and then, like the other posts, compares it to China's. Despite all the disfunction that the Commonwealth Games brought to the surface, India's economy is expected to grow by 8.5% this year. While it will take awhile for India to "outpace" China, this articles explains that India's workforce and its democratic political structure makes it a hot economic contender to China. Remember, China has a one-child policy that will soon hurt its country as China's population ages. Secondly, sure, there are pros as it relates to productivity in having a centralized government like China does. But, democracy encourages a strong private sector that is entrepreneurial and innovative, making it a strong global economic contestant.
Americans, like many of us, know that our position as a world "superpower" may be waning. INDIA, CHINA, Russia, Brazil...these economies are now contending for greater and greater power in this increasingly globalized world. But, do we - educated citizens - know why these economies are rivaling each other? Do we know the strengths each one brings to the global market? Here we are traveling to one of the largest, growing economies in the world.
This article looks at the general state of India's economy and then, like the other posts, compares it to China's. Despite all the disfunction that the Commonwealth Games brought to the surface, India's economy is expected to grow by 8.5% this year. While it will take awhile for India to "outpace" China, this articles explains that India's workforce and its democratic political structure makes it a hot economic contender to China. Remember, China has a one-child policy that will soon hurt its country as China's population ages. Secondly, sure, there are pros as it relates to productivity in having a centralized government like China does. But, democracy encourages a strong private sector that is entrepreneurial and innovative, making it a strong global economic contestant.
Americans, like many of us, know that our position as a world "superpower" may be waning. INDIA, CHINA, Russia, Brazil...these economies are now contending for greater and greater power in this increasingly globalized world. But, do we - educated citizens - know why these economies are rivaling each other? Do we know the strengths each one brings to the global market? Here we are traveling to one of the largest, growing economies in the world.
Prostitution
While Indian ministers scramble to get everything ready for the Commonwealth Games, another issue has arisen - a large number of girls have been hired by escort services for the games, according to Impulse NGO Network.
A large number of agencies have hired workers for the Games, but some of the ads the newspapers that promise great pay are really fronts for prostitution rings. Impulse estimates that 40,000 girls have been falsly recuited for such services, though the number can't be confirmed. The nonprofit estimates that about 15,000 girls have disappeared, never to return home, over the past 10 years due to these types of scams.
The Indian government is very concerned about giving the thousands of worldwide visitors attending the Games a positive image of India. It is unfortunate that a large event like the Games gives those in the illegal sex trade an opportunity to make more money, and is taking advange of thousands of girls in the process. India still has a long way to go to address this issue.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-11441205
A large number of agencies have hired workers for the Games, but some of the ads the newspapers that promise great pay are really fronts for prostitution rings. Impulse estimates that 40,000 girls have been falsly recuited for such services, though the number can't be confirmed. The nonprofit estimates that about 15,000 girls have disappeared, never to return home, over the past 10 years due to these types of scams.
The Indian government is very concerned about giving the thousands of worldwide visitors attending the Games a positive image of India. It is unfortunate that a large event like the Games gives those in the illegal sex trade an opportunity to make more money, and is taking advange of thousands of girls in the process. India still has a long way to go to address this issue.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-11441205
Pollination crisis' hitting India's vegetable farmers
'Pollination crisis' hitting India's vegetable farmers
The first sentence of this article hits the nail on the head, “A decline in pollinating insects in India is resulting in reduced vegetable yields and could limit people’s access to a nutritional diet, a study warns.” (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-11418033)
In the United States and parts of Europe, we are experiencing the same phenomena as bees are dying by the millions and no one can put a finger on exactly what is killing them. Many factors are to blame; pesticides, switching the queen bees from their colonies, transporting the colonies thousands of miles (causes stress on the bees), parasites, etc…
In India, the use of domesticated bees isn’t as common as in the US. So the question of causality remains unanswered. This is disconcerting because of the population of 1.2 billion people, many of which are reliant on food programs. While grains remain the major crop in India, and these types rely on the wind being the pollinator, many rural farmers (such as those of WOTR) would rely on insect pollinators for their vegetables. Would this mean that without their own crop yields in rural areas, the people will be subjected to migrate to the cities in search of work in order to feed their families? It will certainly create a change in diet, as the first sentence of the article suggests. With malnutrition already a concern in India, this is definitely something to keep an eye on……
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-11418033
India Maoists release police hostages
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-11450500
On September 19, Maoist rebels, also referred to as Naxalites, abducted seven policemen in Bijapur, Chhattisgarh state. Three were found dead and four were released late Thursday night, being handed over to local journalists. The article explains that the Maoist offensive in several states is seen as India's biggest internal security challenge. However, it does not receive a large amount of media coverage worldwide.
The Maoists claim that they are fighting for the rights of the poor, but they have actually disrupted and ruined the lives of thousands of poor tribespeople and villagers who have been caught in the middle of the crossfire and forced to move to camps or, even worse, been killed by the rebel fire.
I also found the article below explaining that in April 2010, the Indian government launched a major offensive against the Maoist rebels. It is obvious and incredibly unfortunate that the government has not been able to control the growth of the rebels and provide relief to citizens in the area. Some believe that the Maoist control continues to strengthen. A local journalist stated, "This generation is unlikely to see peace in their lifetime. Next generation, maybe." While this is one of many complex problems that the Indian government is faced with, it must remain a critical focus of their security efforts. An entire generation giving up hope should never be an option.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/8608192.stm
On September 19, Maoist rebels, also referred to as Naxalites, abducted seven policemen in Bijapur, Chhattisgarh state. Three were found dead and four were released late Thursday night, being handed over to local journalists. The article explains that the Maoist offensive in several states is seen as India's biggest internal security challenge. However, it does not receive a large amount of media coverage worldwide.
The Maoists claim that they are fighting for the rights of the poor, but they have actually disrupted and ruined the lives of thousands of poor tribespeople and villagers who have been caught in the middle of the crossfire and forced to move to camps or, even worse, been killed by the rebel fire.
I also found the article below explaining that in April 2010, the Indian government launched a major offensive against the Maoist rebels. It is obvious and incredibly unfortunate that the government has not been able to control the growth of the rebels and provide relief to citizens in the area. Some believe that the Maoist control continues to strengthen. A local journalist stated, "This generation is unlikely to see peace in their lifetime. Next generation, maybe." While this is one of many complex problems that the Indian government is faced with, it must remain a critical focus of their security efforts. An entire generation giving up hope should never be an option.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/8608192.stm
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)