Deprecated (16384): The ArrayAccess methods will be removed in 4.0.0.Use getParam(), getData() and getQuery() instead. - /home/brlfuser/public_html/src/Controller/ArtileDetailController.php, line: 150
 You can disable deprecation warnings by setting `Error.errorLevel` to `E_ALL & ~E_USER_DEPRECATED` in your config/app.php. [CORE/src/Core/functions.php, line 311]
Deprecated (16384): The ArrayAccess methods will be removed in 4.0.0.Use getParam(), getData() and getQuery() instead. - /home/brlfuser/public_html/src/Controller/ArtileDetailController.php, line: 151
 You can disable deprecation warnings by setting `Error.errorLevel` to `E_ALL & ~E_USER_DEPRECATED` in your config/app.php. [CORE/src/Core/functions.php, line 311]
Warning (512): Unable to emit headers. Headers sent in file=/home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Error/Debugger.php line=853 [CORE/src/Http/ResponseEmitter.php, line 48]
Warning (2): Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Error/Debugger.php:853) [CORE/src/Http/ResponseEmitter.php, line 148]
Warning (2): Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Error/Debugger.php:853) [CORE/src/Http/ResponseEmitter.php, line 181]
LATEST NEWS UPDATES | Economic reforms confined to the corporate sector only by Madhu Purnima Kishwar

Economic reforms confined to the corporate sector only by Madhu Purnima Kishwar

Share this article Share this article
published Published on Jan 27, 2012   modified Modified on Jan 27, 2012

Poverty is concentrated in the informal sectors of the Indian economy, with people in these occupations amongst the worst affected from the pernicious Licence Quota Raid Raj. This is illustrated by the sarkari controls that trap the livelihoods of some of our nano entrepreneurs - cycle-rickshaw owners and pullers - in a web of illegality. Cycle-rickshaws are an inexpensive mode of commute in many cities, and do not cause any air or sound pollution. 

Instead of encouraging this ecofriendly mode of transport, government agencies wage a daily war against them. It took Manushi 15 years and a PIL before the Delhi High Court declared, in February 2010, the existing cycle-rickshaw laws as unconstitutional. But the Municipal Corporation of Delhi and Traffic Police have challenged the order in the Supreme Court so that they can continue with the corruption-friendly Licence Quota Raid Raj. 

In Delhi, the rickshaw quota began at 600 during the 1960s, which rose to 52,000 in 2007. But according to MCD's own admission, there are more than 6 lakh rickshaws plying in the city. Almost all licensed rickshaws carry the "illegality" stigma, because of absurd restrictions that govern the trade. No person can ply a rickshaw without two licenses-a puller's and an ownership license. Plying one without them invites confiscation and destruction of the vehicle. 

Possessing more than one rickshaw or allowing another to ply yours are also punishable . The ostensible justification for this law is to protect pullers from exploitative fleet owners. But its real intent becomes clear if we consider that the overwhelming majority of rickshaw pullers (over 95%) are seasonal migrants who find it impractical to own their own vehicle. 

But the "owner must be puller" regulation ensures that almost every rickshaw puller and owner becomes illegal. The police make a killing by imposing unrealistic and arbitrary bans on rickshaw entry, including banning them from all arterial roads in Delhi, ensuring that pullers cough up daily bribes. As per calculations made by Manushi in 2001, the rickshaw trade loses at least Rs 360 crore a year by way of bribes and fines in Delhi alone. In response to a sustained campaign by Manushi, then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee announced a rational policy framework for the cycle-rickshaw trade in August 2001. 

Instead of implementing the policy, the government machinery went to great lengths to sabotage it. That is why we appealed to the high court, which scrapped the licensing regime. The court ruled that the city government must provide equitable road space for non-motorised vehicles, or NMVs. It ordered the government to appoint a task force for evolving a new transport policy that treats NMVs as an integral part of city traffic. 

The task force has replaced the arbitrary licensing system with registration on demand and mandated the creation of dedicated NMV lanes. However, our efforts to get the new legislation implemented are being met with stiff resistance. The government clearly prefers the pretense of 'mai baap sarkar' with corruptionfriendly and wasteful schemes for the poor such as NREGA even while it goes about actively wrecking livelihoods and depressing incomes of the poor. The poor need no subsidies, no concessions. All they need is the freedom to earn a dignified living through their own enterprise and hard work.


The Economic Times, 27 January, 2012, http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/smb/economic-reforms-confined-to-the-corporate-sector-only/articleshow/11645766.cms


Related Articles

 

Write Comments

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

*

Video Archives

Archives

share on Facebook
Twitter
RSS
Feedback
Read Later

Contact Form

Please enter security code
      Close