Chetan Bhagat's Bharat

And also, does he want to get into politics? In a candid chat, the 45-year-old touches upon all of that, as well as the economy, how to stay motivated and fatherhood.India Positive, priced at D225, was published by Westland Books. You said recently in an interview, 'all fiction novels are about national issues'. Could you elaborate? Yes, if you notice any of my books, like Five Point Someone was about the education system, 2 States was about the North-South divide, The Girl in Room 105 was about Kashmir and so on, every book of mine definitely touches about an issue that affects the country today. Now that you have a book of essays, would you say that non-fiction is a more impactful form to discuss the very same issues? I think both forms can be impactful, but there are just too many issues in India to write a fiction novel about everything. A non-fiction article helps me touch on a lot of the country's problems and can stick to the issue and don't have to worry about weaving an interesting plot around it. Would you consider consciously combining the two - fiction and a relevant issue - like say women's safety, LGBTQ or politics? Would a timely marriage of the two spur on more change? I have been doing exactly that for years, though I haven't touched on LGBTQ issues yet. I just don't know the issues involved well enough to have a take on it. Today, a large number of citizen opinions about problems tend to be negative and critical without making much action toward change. Does India Positive seek to turn that around with its messages and how? I try to be a solution-oriented, practical person, even if that means my solutions are simplistic. I even get mocked for it sometimes, as in who am I to suggest solutions. I guess if others can criticise and point out problems, I can be positive and suggest solutions too. We noticed that one of the topics you have covered is how to create a more equal society. Could you walk us through your thoughts on that? Well, you would have to read the essay for that, but I guess we have to work towards a 'level playing field' concept as a nation. Equal to me, simply means equal opportunity to strive and do well, not necessarily a communist style equal rewards for all. What's the biggest burning issue in your opinion - that once solved - will by default solve a number of others? There is no one burning issue, but I think we are so poor as a nation that we have to grow the economy at a much faster rate than now and that might solve a lot of our problems. DailyhuntDisclaimer: This story is auto-aggregated by a computer program and has not been created or edited by Dailyhunt. Publisher: The New Indian Expresshttps://issuu.com/venomezeen

'No pressure on me, just lost my cool'

Explaining his outburst, he said he lost his temper at Yeramarus because some youth were trying to stage a protest at the spot. 'I had met their representative at the guesthouse, but they wanted me to alight from the bus and listen to them again. My ministerial colleagues, however, advised me against it , saying it would delay his grama vastavya,' he added. When his attention was drawn to the protest by members of the Valmiki Naik community for 7.5 per cent reservation, Mr Kumaraswamy retorted, 'The order cannot be issued on the street.' As for the cancellation of his village stay at Heroor (B), Afzalpur taluk, he said it would be held in the same village in the first week of July. Mr Kumaraswamy saidlthough he had sought an appointment with the Maharashtra CM to discuss release of water from the Ujani dam to the Bhima river to help Karnataka deal with its water crisis, he had not responded as yet. ... DailyhuntDisclaimer: This story is auto-aggregated by a computer program and has not been created or edited by Dailyhunt. Publisher: Deccan Chroniclehttp://kingcameranfoundation.ning.com/profile/zeenmaaene

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The right convergence

MGNREGA accounts for nearly half of the ministry's budget. Convergence of labour-intensive MGNREGA activities with productivity-oriented schemes of other ministries and states transforms MGNREGA from an essentially wage-labour safety-net programme to an instrument for rejuvenating land, water, agriculture and biodiversity. Convergence were initiated in 2008-09 with the ministries of agriculture, water resources, land resources, environment and forests. This was to enhance the durability and productivity of the assets created under MGNREGA. Over the years, linkages have been forged with central programmes on food security, horticulture, agro-forestry, rural livelihoods, animal husbandry, fisheries, and state schemes such as Kapildhara, Sahastradhara, Bhumi Shilp and Vanya in Madhya Pradesh. If the challenge of doubling farmers' incomes by 2022-23 has to be met, it needs to be emphasised that agriculture is a multi-dimensional enterprise. The sector is rapidly undergoing structural transformation, influenced by several factors. No longer limited to a commodity production system, the agriculture sector now embraces post-production activities like markets and value-chains in a holistic agri-food system. Simultaneously, farmer welfare, building resilience of vulnerable communities, rejuvenating natural resources, addressing climate change must be kept centrestage. The complexities of handling an agri-food system can be gauged by the processes involved: Sustainable management of soil, water, biodiversity, climate change; input supplies such as seeds, fertilisers, plant protection, farm-machinery, irrigation, credit, insurance, extension; conservation production and agronomic practices such as soil-testing, zero-tillage, water and nutrient use efficiency; post-harvest activities in drying, sorting, grading, warehousing, cold-storages; marketing, related to village markets, mandis, contract farming, cooperatives, farmer associations, e-NAM, private markets, supermarkets; agro-processing linked to milling, preservation of perishables, transportation, supply-chain management; retailing, branding, labeling, certification of organics, bio-fortification; services for farmers' welfare such as pensions, insurance, health coverage; rural infrastructure; and rural non-farm income generation. This requires convergence between not just two or three ministries but across at least 15 ministries bearing on agriculture and farmers. Presently the linkages between agriculture and agriculture-related non-production activities are weak. The missing links limit efficiencies accruing from coordination between agriculture, development and sustainability. There is a disconnection between agriculture and the sectors dealing with agro-processing, environmental services, natural resources, rural non-farm livelihoods and urban and peri-urban activities. The implementing agencies while spending their annual budgets and individually achieving their limited goals, are unable to make the desired impact on the collective outcome. Bringing agriculture and rural development under one minister is an important step but not enough. On the other hand, it is not feasible to place multiple ministries under a single minister. Overarching mechanisms and capacities need to be built that catalyse convergence between various agencies at all levels. At the state level, the institution of agriculture production commissioner (APC) was created to coordinate between relevant departments. In the context of the holistic agri-food systems approach, going beyond commodity production, the APC needs to be reviewed so as to be aligned with the emerging realities. The district level agriculture technology management agency also requires restructuring that factors in markets and supply chains. Coordination is required between different implementing agencies, notably the district rural development agencies, krishi vigyan kendras, fish farmers development agencies, farmer producer organisations and private sector agri-service providers. The capacities of the panchayati raj institutions need to be re-oriented. The NDA 2 government may consider constituting a cabinet committee on agriculture and rural rejuvenation. The target of doubling farmer incomes by 2022-23 is more likely to be achieved if a significant proportion of that income accrues from rural non-farm activities. There is much potential for employment generation in the holistic agri-food system. A separate agriculture budget taking into account the complementarities of agriculture-related components in various schemes will be a robust framework for an integrated approach. The Niti Aayog's task force for structural agricultural reforms will know that while the central government can propel the nature and scope of agricultural transformation through its policy and programmes, the primary responsibility for agriculture development rests with the state governments. Partial remedies will not suffice. Comprehensive long-term measures are needed. The writer is former secretary, Ministry of Rural Development and joint secretary, Ministry of Agriculture DailyhuntDisclaimer: This story is auto-aggregated by a computer program and has not been created or edited by Dailyhunt. Publisher: The Indian Expresshttp://kingcameranfoundation.ning.com/profile/tawonkeens#

Need to change the way coalition works: Congress to HD Kumaraswamy

The Congress leadership has also asked its leaders not to make any public statements on sensitive issues like giving "religious minority" status to the Lingayat faith, among others, an issue that had cost the party dearly in the 2018 assembly polls. "It was made clear during a recent meeting that the issue was before the central government now, let community take up the issue, but party should not be involved," sources said, adding that on sensitive matters related to government or coalition, leaders should not make remarks openly. In its worst ever performance in Karnataka, the Congress had managed to win only one out of the 21 seats it had contested while the JD(S) won one out of seven seats it contested. The BJP swept the polls bagging 25 out of 28 seats. Congress and JD(S) which faced the Lok Sabha polls in alliance according to coalition arrangement had decided to contest 21 and seven seats respectively. Though a section within the party wants Congress to be "more assertive" in the coalition government, many feel that regular discussions with JD(S) was the only option and there was no other way. There have been voices within Congress blaming the alliance with JD(S) for its debacle in the polls. Several senior Congress leaders including Veerappa Moily and K H Muniyappa have blamed the alliance and opposition within the Congress for their defeat in Lok Sabha polls. Sources said, there is also some kind of acceptance within the party that internal opposition led to the defeat of a few Congress candidates in the polls. Conceding that the cadre base of the party has kind of gone into a "depression" and lost enthusiasm due to the results, and because of alliance in certain parts like old Mysuru region, they said, party leadership has to work towards motivating by reaching out and working amidst them. On repeated speculation about the longevity of the coalition government and mid-term polls, sources said, one cannot predict what would happen when, but party is cautious that it should not be responsible for any such eventuality. "Government will stay and continue, as there is no other alternative that is visible for now, and no one wants elections with the fear of loss," they said, adding that disgruntlement or dissidence within the party would not have any impact on the government. According to top party sources, KPCC that is being reconstituted would be "thin", with about 70-75 office bearers, for which hectic lobby is under way. The previous PCC that was dissolved had close to 300 office bearers. In a major move after the rout in the Lok Sabha polls, the AICC on June 19 had announced its decision to dissolve the KPCC, while retaining its President and working President. Loyalty and commitment would be the major criteria while constituting the new team and there would be naturally younger representation, though some people would be from the old team, who have been effectively working, sources said. The plan is to appoint office bearers, strictly adhering to merit, without buckling under pressure, sources said, adding, the party leadership even expects some amount of "pushback". AICC General Secretary in-charge of Karnataka K C Venugopal on Wednesday had said that the PCC would be reconstituted in three weeks' time. ... DailyhuntDisclaimer: This story is auto-aggregated by a computer program and has not been created or edited by Dailyhunt. Publisher: Deccan Chroniclehttps://justpaste.it/7pvo1

Bareilly Ki Barfi star Kriti Sanon feels comedy is a difficult genre to pull off

It was gorgeous but we saw nothing.What kind of a traveller are you?I need my people, at least one or two people. I'm not a solo traveller. I like spending time with the people I'm comfortable with and love seeing new places and their culture. I think I've opened up as a person now that I have the opportunity to travel. I am more willing to experiment with different things, whether it's water sports or other things that are specialties of a particular place. I try new cuisines, I used to be very stuck-up earlier. I just wanted yummy food and my taste buds are very north Indian. Now I am open to experimenting with new food.It's been five years since Heropanti. Do you remember your first day of shoot?Yeah, yeah, I remember the first shot also. I had gone before to Patiala to just see how the shoot was happening much before I was required. So by the time it was time for me to start shooting, Tiger (Shroff) and I had become very comfortable with each other. For my first shot, my director had very sweetly kept it as a walking shot so that I don't feel conscious. It was still surreal, and thankfully I had done one schedule of a Telugu film with Mahesh Babu before that. So at least I knew the basics of what was required of me as an actor.So, technically, Heropanti wasn't the first time I faced a film camera. But I have to tell you about the nervousness I experienced the night before the first shot of Heropanti. I still get it. The night before the first day of shooting any film, there's this restless feeling in my chest that I don't know how to explain. Sometimes, it could start three or five nights before - it really depends on the film. I don't sleep well because I've figured the character a little bit with what I've done but until I'm in front of the camera I don't really know how I'm going to play it. It's not like A-B-C, you have to feel it and play it and until you've seen yourself on that monitor, you're still figuring stuff out. It's a good thing to have butterflies and I want to have this all my life. It's already turned out to be a good year for Kriti Sanon. The actress delivered a sleeper hit with Kartik Aryan in Luka Chuppi. Her second release of the year is Maddock Film's Arjun Patiala, which is directed by Rohit Jugraj, and will hit screens on July 26. The film pairs her with Punjabi actor and singer Diljit Dosanjh. While Kriti plays a journalist named Ritu, Diljit is in the titular role of a small-town man in this quirky rom com. In an early morning chat at Maddock's brand new office in Andheri in Mumbai, Kriti spoke to t2 about being funny in real life, the kind of traveller she is and her surreal first shot for her debut film Heropanti.Congratulations on the success of Luka Chuppi. I remember you being quietly confident that the movie would work... I think there are some films that you instinctively like on paper and there are those that get better while filming. This was one of the scripts that I loved on paper as it is - I laughed through the narration. That had happened to me with Bareilly Ki Barfi as well. I got the same feeling, of it being a very well-written script and when we shot it, director Laxman Utekar did take it a notch higher. I knew it was a family film, a film you would not dislike... how much you like it depends on you. That's why we were a little confident, but honestly didn't expect the kind of numbers it did. Ultimately, it's a small film, not a big-budget one. It's set in Gwalior and Mathura and we shot it in 45 days. So, it was a pleasant surprise when it did those huge numbers.The film's success also brought to light our inherent sexism where we attribute the success of a film to the hero. I feel I should clarify the fact that during the film's reviews, I never felt that I was not given credit. In fact, I was very happy and overwhelmed that my performance was appreciated. It was genuinely a film that rested on everyone's shoulders. When I signed the film, I knew the role was very strong. So, I never felt that I did not get credit. There were places I was asked a generic question around times when some reviewers forget to mention the girl.But it's not just the reviewers, is it? It's also the industry as a whole...This topic started when one of the digital platforms, in some article's headline had 'Amitabh Bachchan's Badla and Kartik Aryan's Luka Chuppi continue to do well'. Taapsee (Pannu) started the conversation when she tweeted that the girls had worked equally hard. We've been ignoring the fact that the mentions are still not there in headlines. It's a small thing but it's a sad thing. The lack of mentions in headlines was what started it. She tweeted, then I did and Arjun (Kapoor) tweeted. That was a good conversation around something that hadn't been spoken about before. It was not so much about credit... it was about acknowledging the fact that it's not a male-oriented film you're talking about. I was glad that the conversation started. What made you want to be a part of Arjun Patiala?I think it's a very different attempt on comedy, which is what attracted me to it. It's spoof-ish, which hasn't been done here. Films like Deadpool have been done in Hollywood where they make fun of themselves, and I love that genre but it's not been attempted here before. You've probably never seen a trailer that's making fun of itself. Here's a film that's laughing at itself and I'm sure it'll make the audience laugh as well. I feel kids are really going to love this film. You've done your fair share of comedies.In my defence, I signed this before Luka Chuppi (laughs). I love comedies. It's a difficult genre to pull off and I feel we need more comedies in our lives. There's so much stress in the world, it's nice just to make the audience laugh and have a good time.In real life, are you funny? Hmm... I'm not so funny, maybe subtle-funny. Sometimes, on my funny days, when I'm in full form I'll be dropping these one-liners but otherwise it's more subtle. How was Diljit as a co-star? He can be very shy.Yeah. he is very shy as a person. But the moment the camera rolls, you see a different person. He wouldn't be talking at all before the shot and suddenly you're wondering what just happened. He's got great comic timing. Also, I think, once he gets to know a person, he opens up. He's also very funny in real life. His comic side has not been seen much here, he's done very serious films so far. In Punjab, he's done a lot of comedy. He loves to improvise. The first scene I shot with him, it was the end montage of a song. It's a scene where he's taken me to meet his family, and I get off his bike. There are no dialogues but just reactions and gestures. He gestures, 'Let's go in' and I go 'Your house is good'. And then I wonder why we're waiting and he goes 'Do your pallu'. I gesture that I'm not doing it and he goes, 'Oh okay'. It's just reactions, was never rehearsed and not told to us. That was my first shot with him and there was great chemistry, and I knew that it was going to be a good journey. With him, you have to make the conversation. Once you make the conversation, he participates but you have to initiate it. He did open up towards the end, though. The maximum I chatted with him was on my last day. On the last day, we were on a truck and again, it was a montage shot. We were supposed to be chatting and laughing. So, we genuinely started chatting and kept laughing. So, that's when I found out that he does talk. I'm not so funny, maybe subtle-funny. Sometimes, on my funny days, when I'm in full form I'll be dropping these one-liners but otherwise it's more subtle DailyhuntDisclaimer: This story is auto-aggregated by a computer program and has not been created or edited by Dailyhunt. Publisher: The Telegraphhttps://startupmatcher.com/p/neervaanaas

Air pollution in India linked to increased hypertension risk in women: Study

The study, published in the journal Epidemiology, studied 5,531 adults from 28 peri-urban villages near Hyderabad city. The researchers measured systolic and diastolic blood pressure of participants and estimated their annual residential exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and black carbon. The participants also answered a survey to determine socio-economic status, lifestyle and household characteristics, including the type of cooking fuel generally used. All study participants were exposed to fine particulate matter levels above the 10 microgrammes per cubic metre limit recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO). Average exposure to PM2.5 in this study was 33 microgrammes per cubic metre. Based on the blood pressure measurements, almost half of participants (46 per cent) were identified as hypertensive, with high proportions of participants with undiagnosed and untreated hypertension. The results show that an increase of one microgramme per cubic metre in PM2.5 exposure was associated with a four per cent increase in hypertension prevalence in women, as well as a higher systolic and diastolic blood pressure — an increase of 1,4 millimetres of mercury (mmHg) and 0.87 mmHg, respectively. In men, the association observed was weaker, researchers said. 'Women spend most of their time near their households in this study area — 83 per cent of their daily time as compared to 57 per cent for men, which could explain why we observe a stronger association in women than in men,' said Ariadna Curto, first author of the study. The study indicates that long-term exposure to particulate matter is associated with a higher prevalence of hypertension, regardless of the type of fuel used for cooking. 'Other studies have found that women that cook with solid fuels such as biomass tend to have higher blood pressure than those using clean fuels, although our data is not powered enough to support this,' Curto said. 'Our study suggests that the effects of outdoor air pollution on cardiovascular health may be independent from those of indoor air pollution,' she said. 'In the light of our lack of association with black carbon, it is important to keep in mind that this is a peri-urban area, where the sources and chemical makeup of air pollution differ to urban areas mostly dominated by traffic sources,' Curto said. Cathryn Tonne, the study coordinator, said that the mechanisms by which air pollution could contribute to high blood pressure 'include inflammation and oxidative stress, which may lead to changes in arterial function.' 'Although further epidemiological evidence is needed to confirm our findings, ideally through longitudinal studies, these data suggest that public policies aimed at reducing air pollution will greatly benefit cardiovascular health,' said Tonne. DailyhuntDisclaimer: This story is auto-aggregated by a computer program and has not been created or edited by Dailyhunt. Publisher: The Indian Expresshttp://langleygymnastics.ca/ActivityFeed/MyProfile/tabid/61/UserId/900713/Default.aspx

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ICC Cricket World Cup 2019: It will not be easy vs Pakistan, says New Zealand's Mitchell Santner

We've had a couple of tight games, which I guess the key so far is other people have been stepping up, and I guess that's what you want to do as a team," he was quoted as saying by the ICC Media. "You want everyone to step up at different times throughout the tournament, and I think that's what we've found so far. We haven't relied on a few guys to do the bulk of the work, but in saying that, being on the winning side of those tight encounters give the whole squad confidence."So that's nice, obviously, going into each game, that you know you've got confidence. The team, other people are standing up at different times, and you can back everyone to do a job rather than just relying on a couple of key players."You look at our side as a whole, we're quite a scrappy side, and we pride ourselves on winning those little moments, like I guess we have been, and saying that, we could have been on the other end of a couple of those games."Opponents Pakistan head into Wednesday's game in Birmingham still well in the hunt for a semi-final berth after victory over South Africa at Lord's on Sunday.Key to the Men in Green's success resurgence has been Mohammed Aamir's potent use of the new ball, with the seamer currently sitting close to the top of the bowling standings. And with pre-tournament favourites England another their victims over the past month, Santner believes Pakistan's threat cannot be taken lightly."I think they're very dangerous. Obviously, they've had a pretty good record over here," he added. They won the Champions Trophy a couple of years ago, and they've come off a pretty good win against South Africa. "We've played Pakistan a lot recently. We're aware of their strengths, and I think Wahab back into their team is very good for them. Aamir is bowling very well as well. Their bowling attack on the whole is very good. "We can't take them lightly, and we'll have to prepare accordingly. I guess we've seen early in this tournament they've taken down big sides." DailyhuntDisclaimer: This story is auto-aggregated by a computer program and has not been created or edited by Dailyhunt. Publisher: The Telegraphhttp://www.tripntale.com/profile/133011