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“A DREAM TAKES SHAPE !

R K Misra returns to his roots with his ‘Agri PLUS’ project to ransform the lives in his village of Sonari with a plan to spread it across ‘Rural India’.

TIMES NEWS NETWORK
Sonari (UP): In the midst of bright yellow mustard fields, Sonari is he sort of anonymous, sleepy village in central UP where a boy alling off a tree can become a talking point. But on Sunday, as cars with flashing red lights poured in, everyone seemed to know this could be a turning point in the hamlet’s story.

They were right. Sonari, the ancestral village of Lead India winner R K Misra, became the launch pad of a cooperative dairy that could improve thousands of lives. The project is being funded by the Rs 50 lakh that Misra received for winning Lead India along with his contribution of land and funds.

Last February, asked during the Lead India finals to outline a dream project, the Bangalore-based Misra spoke of his desire to improve the quality of life in his impoverished village. His plan to set up a dairy cooperative was initially derided by the judges as ‘thinking small’, but he won them over by pointing out that focused spending of the prize money would significantly improve lives.

Since then, the 43-year-old used the experience of setting up companies like Tenet Holdings and traveljini to plan the project. Even while attending a leadership course at Harvard University, part of the prize for winning Lead India — a nationwide talent hunt by TOI to give India better political leaders — the thought dominated his mindscape.

“The course had 58 top politicians and bureaucrats from 34 countries like the Serbian sports minister and Nigeria’s Speaker. I was the only one who was neither politician nor bureaucrat. The experience was extremely enriching because it gave me a great bird’s eye view of developmental challenges around the globe,” he says.

Now, Misra is back, and bustling with enthusiasm about his scheme, named Agriculture Plus. According to him, the average rural income is about Rs 1,500-1,800 per month whereas an unskilled migrant labourer in the city can earn around Rs 3,000. “But he just gets a harder life and loses his dignity,” he says.

The initiative seeks to increase the income of unskilled rural villagers, alongside their agricultural occupation. This, he believes, will not only ensure a better life but also arrest migration.

The scheme’s inspiration goes back to a similar project in northern China in the 1950s and 60s. The dairy cattle will be owned individually but managed collectively. The cross-breed cows will be kept in a state-of-the-art farm with the best feed management, immunisation and health practices. At least 30 villagers have already signed up.

Misra, who has helped execute major road projects across Bangalore, wants the project to be replicable and become a shining model of public private partnership. “I want the scheme to have private sector efficiencies and spirit of enterprise. But the real test will be its scalability. However, I am confident it can be achieved with PPP,” he says. The Rs 50 lakh prize will be spent on fixed asset infrastructure and livestock, and for working expenses as well.

Misra has already linked with UP’s Saghan Mini Dairy Project, active in 40 districts. Mohan Swaroop, the project’s GM, says he’s willing to provide technical assistance like installing a bulk milk chilling plant, worth Rs 13 lakh, that can store 2,000 litres. “We want Sonari to become a centre of excellence for dairy development,” he says.

The project will start off with 40 cows, expected to double by end-2009. “We hope to grow further every two years,” says Misra, who earlier worked on a project that helped carpet weavers in Rajasthan’s Sikar, Jhunjhunu and Churu districts double their income. He adds, “The dairy will employ another 10-15 people who will each earn Rs
2,500 per month.”

M K Narayan, Sitapur’s district magistrate, said that a cluster of nine villages around Sonari could become part of an integrated development plan.

Sonari’s villagers, primarily Brahmins and Dalits, are enthusiastic. Of the 300-odd families here, most are marginal farmers or farm labourers. “Our village didn’t even have a pucca approach road. But the dairy project could herald the beginning of change,” said villager Ram Kumar Tiwary. Fellow villager Siyaram, a Dalit who has also queued
up to join the cooperative, said, “Several other Dalits too want to join.”

The mood is infectious. During the foundation ceremony, attended by around 500-odd villagers, many from nearby villages also strayed in. Some wanted their village to host a similar project. Telling them it will happen soon was little consolation. Chhote Lal of nearby Jagannathpur said, “I want to join today.”

Clearly, R K Misra’s dream has many takers. “

Did you know that there is a system in our constitution, as per the 1969 act, in section “49-O” that a person can go to the polling booth, confirm his identity, get his finger marked and convey the presiding election officer that he doesn’t want to vote anyone!

Use your voting right for a better INDIA .

Unfortunately, Inspector Sharma suffered three bullet injuries. The wound to his abdomen proved fatal. Eight hours after the encounter started, the nation lost this valiant officer. leading the encounter. He fought for his life as doctors of the Holy Family Hospital performed an operation to save him. But, eihght hours after the encounter began, he breathed his last.

Mohan Chand Sharma was a decorated police officer. He had been awarded 4 president medals and three other police officers. He had killed over 40 terrorists in different encounters. “We have lost our best man,” Joint Commissioner of Police (Special Cell) Karnal Singh mourned. Earlier, Delhi Police Commissioner Y.S. Dadwal described Mohan Chand as “one of our most brave officers”.

Let us all join hands in paying tribute to Inspector Sharma and convey condolences to his bereaved family.

b) Autos can not ask for more money for carrying passengers to a place within municipal limits. Autos can not deny to go to any place with in municipal limits.

c) Police can ONLY manhandle if :
- There are two independent witness
- The person has more than one criminal/corruption cases file against him
- There is a proper warrant against the person
Police CANNOT abuse or manhandle a person otherwise. If a cop does this, the person can file the complaint and the action will be taken within one week!

d) All the results of PILs must be published in ALL national dailies on the last page covering 1/4th of the page for at least two days in succession.

e) Public roads CANNOT be used for political rallies or private functions (Religious festivals, marriage processions etc).

f) No more than 5 cars can be used to give security to politicians.
- The procession cannot be carried in peak hours (morning 8pm-11pm and evening 4pm-8pm). No road can be blocked for more than 10 minutes.

g) Increase the traffic violation fees by more than 5 times. Make every cop accountable to some minimum amount they need to recover from every month in penalties. Give them 25% of the excess penalty as bonus. Do the same thing for raiways, traffic inspectors and all similar services.

h) Reduce the airline, train and phone quota for politicians, government employees. The service can not be extended for more than 3 family members (Spouse and 2 children). All facilities to have a cap of 10% of the salary as upper cap.

i) I should be allowed to do whatever I want, where ever I want. Freedom of expression. No more moral policing!

Any more to add?

What is wrong with us? Are we so fast in catching up in all the wrong things with US?  Do we really need that screwed up western education methods for primary schools? Add to this that we have developed these fancy schools where the buildings are air conditioned, earthquake proof, holidays in Europe, prom nights and what not. We see kids spending hundreads of rupees and time on cafe coffee days talking about sex, booze and smoking. Is this what we are giving our future generation?

I want to write much more on this topic but I am just too depressed by this news. I think we need to copy one more thing from America. We need to copy the phrase “God bless India”!

Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam ’s Speech in Hyderabad:

Why is the media here so negative?
Why are we in India so embarrassed to recognize our own strengths, our
Achievements? We are such a great nation. We have so many amazing success
Stories but we refuse to acknowledge them. Why?
We are the first in milk production.
We are number one in Remote sensing satellites.
We are the second largest producer of wheat.
We are the second largest producer of rice.
Look at Dr. Sudarshan , he has transferred the tribal village into a Self-sustaining, self-driving unit. There are millions of such achievements But our media is only obsessed in the bad news and failures and disasters. I Was in Tel Aviv once and I was reading the Israeli newspaper. It was the Day After a lot of attacks and bombardments and deaths had taken place.  The Hamas had struck. But the front page of the newspaper had the picture of a Jewish gentleman who in five years had transformed his desert into an orchid And a granary.   It was this inspiring picture that everyone woke up to. The Gory details of killings, bombardments, deaths, were inside in the Newspaper, buried among   other news.

In India we only read about death, sickness, terrorism, crime. Why are we so NEGATIVE? Another question: Why are we, as a nation so obsessed with foreign Things? We want foreign T. Vs, we want foreign shirts. We want foreign Technology.

Why this obsession with everything imported. Do we not realize that Self-respect comes with self-reliance? I was in Hyderabad giving this Lecture, When a 14 year old girl asked me for my autograph. I asked her what her goal in life is. She replied: I want to live in a developed India .   For her, You and I will have to build this developed India . You must proclaim India is not an under-developed nation; it is a highly developed  nation. Do you have 10 minutes? Allow me to come back with a vengeance. Got 10 minutes for your country? If yes, then read; otherwise, choice is Yours.
YOU say that our government is inefficient.
YOU say that our laws are too old.
YOU say that the municipality does not pick up the garbage.
YOU say that the phones don’t work, the railways are a joke,
The airline is the worst in the world, mails never reach their destination.
YOU say that our country has been fed to the dogs and is the absolute pits.

YOU say, say and say. What do YOU do about it?
Take a person on his way to Singapore . Give him a name - YOURS. Give him a face - YOURS. YOU walk out of the airport and you are at your International best. In Singapore you don’t throw cigarette butts on the roads or eat in the stores. YOU are as proud of their Underground links as they are. You pay $5 (approx. Rs. 60) to drive through Orchard Road (equivalent of Mahim Causeway or Pedder Road) between 5 PM and 8 PM. YOU come back to the parking lot to punch your parking ticket if you have over stayed in a restaurant or a shopping mall irrespective of your status identity… In Singapore you don’t say anything, DO YOU? YOU wouldn’t dare to eat in public during Ramadan, in Dubai . YOU would not dare to go out without your head covered in Jeddah . YOU would not dare to buy an employee of the telephone exchange in London at 10 pounds ( Rs.650) a month to, ’see to it that my STD and ISD calls are billed to someone else.’YOU would not dare to speed beyond 55 mph (88 km/h) in Washington and then tell the traffic cop, ‘Jaanta hai main kaun hoon (Do you know who I am?). I am so and so’s son. Take your two bucks and get lost.’ YOU wouldn’t chuck an empty coconut shell anywhere other than the garbage pail on the beaches in Australia and New Zealand . Why don’t YOU spit Paan on the streets of Tokyo ? Why don’t YOU use examination jockeys or buy fake certificates in Boston ??? We are still talking of the same YOU. YOU who can respect and conform to a foreign system in other countries but cannot in your own. You who will throw papers and cigarettes on the road the moment you touch Indian ground. If you can be an involved and appreciative citizen in an alien country, why cannot you be the same here in India ?

Once in an interview, the famous Ex-municipal commissioner of Bombay , Mr. Tinaikar , had a point to make. ‘Rich people’s dogs are walked on the streets to leave their affluent droppings all over the place,’ he said. ‘And then the same people turn around to criticize and blame the authorities for inefficiency and dirty pavements. What do they expect the
officers to do? Go down with a broom every time their dog feels the pressure in his bowels? In America every dog owner has to clean up after his pet has done the job. Same in Japan . Will the Indian citizen do that here?’ He’s right. We go to
the polls to choose a government and after that forfeit all responsibility. We sit back wanting to be pampered and expect the government to do everything for us whilst our contribution is totally negative. We expect the government to clean up but we are not going to stop chucking garbage all over the place nor are we going to stop to pick a up a stray piece of paper
and throw it in the bin. We expect the railways to provide clean bathrooms but we are not going to learn the proper use of bathrooms. We want Indian Airlines and Air India to provide the best of food and toiletries but we are not going to stop pilfering at the least opportunity. This applies even to the staff who is known not to pass on the service to the public. When it comes to burning social issues like those related to women, dowry, girl child! and others, we make loud drawing room
protestations and continue to do the reverse at home. Our excuse? ‘It’s the whole system which has to change, how will it matter if I alone forego my sons’ rights to a dowry.’ So who’s going to change the system? What does a system consist of ? Very conveniently for us it consists of our neighbours, other households, other cities, other communities and the government. But definitely not me and YOU. When it comes to us actually making a positive contribution to the system we lock ourselves along with our families into a safe cocoon and look into the distance at countries far away and wait for a Mr.Clean to come along & work miracles for us with a majestic sweep of his hand or we leave the country and run away.
Like lazy cowards hounded by our fears we run to America to bask in their glory and praise their system. When New York becomes insecure we run to England . When England experiences unemployment, we take the next flight out to the Gulf. When the Gulf is war struck, we demand to be rescued and brought home by the Indian government. Everybody is out to abuse and rape the country. Nobody thinks of feeding the system. Our conscience is mortgaged to money.

“Ask what we can do for India and do what has to be done to make India what America and Other Western countries are TODAY.”  

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John F Kennedy also said this in his famous speech, “ask not what your country can do for you - ask what you can do for your country. ” Here is the link to very inspiring speech.