Loud Thinking

Posts Tagged ‘poor’

Daily The News reports today that “Conditions of IMF met for $7.3 billion bailout package”.

Link:- http://images.thenews.com.pk/26-08-2013/ethenews/t-25004.htm

Mr. Ishaq Dar kindly clarify the following 7 questions relating to the facts regarding the Pakistan’s economy..!

1. Firstly, you stated on the floor of the house that we are taking fresh loan from the IMF to repay the old IMF loan.

2. You also stated on the same floor of the house that the loan amount from the IMF will be $5.5billion at an interest rate of 3%, which was exorbitantly high interest rate considering that IMF had already decided in December, 2012 to give loan on ZERO interest rate to poor countries. Kimdly inform which country can be poorer than Pakistan, who was unable to even repay its loans?

Your kind attention is invited towards the following news item titled “IMF extends zero interest rates on poorer country loans” published by the daily “Pakistan Today” on 23 December, 2012 detailed news available at the link :- http://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2012/12/23/news/profit/imf-extends-zero-interest-rates-on-poorer-country-loans-2/

3. Secondly, you pledged on the floor of the house that loan terms will not be against the interests of Pakistan.

4. Then you increased the electricity tariff for the Pakistani industrial users by a whopping 70% to fulfil the IMF conditions for the loan.

5. Don’t you think that this power tariff increase will destroy our economy and create unemployment, as the increased cost of production of each and every item, under the use of the poorest of the poor, will make the goods highly expensive and the poor will become even more poorer? In fact, your this step will ever be remembered in the history of Pakistan, as the one and only top most action which murdered the economy of the country and pushed additional millions of people below the poverty line.

I am also afraid that your this single step may not forever seal, the fate of PMLN’s chances in coming to the power again, as and when the negative impact is gradually filtered down the line.

If I were the PM Pakistan, would never have approved this fatal decision of increasing power rates of the already limping industry of Pakistan.

5. Why you earlier mislead the nation that $5.5billion is being taken for the repayment of the old loan and now the cat is out of the bag and the loan amount is actually $7.3billion?

6. The above fact at #5 also proves that you also wrongly said that this loan was being taken to repay the old loan.

7. Hope you remember the maiden speech of the PM in the Parliament house wherein, the PM promised with the nation on the floor of the house, that nothing will be hidden from the nation. Then why you hid the fact that this loan is being taken NOT just for the repayment of the loan; and why you hid the fact that this loan amount was actually $7.3billion and not $5.5billion?

An early reply shall be highly appreciated.

Best regards,

Syed Nayyar Uddin Ahmad

Lahore.

Sent from my iPad3 4G LTE

Pakistan must emulate india in providing food security to the poor.

Indian Cabinet clears ordinance to implement Food Security Bill
A Times of India report.

PTI | Jul 3, 2013, 07.00 PM IST

Cabinet clears ordinance for Food Security Bill

NEW DELHI: The government on Wednesday decided to come out with an ordinance to give nation’s two-third population the right to 5kg of foodgrain every month at highly subsidized rates of Rs 1-3 per kg.

The Cabinet, which had last month deferred a decision on the issue, approved promulgation of an ordinance to implement the Food Security Bill, sources said.

With this, India will join select league of countries in the world that guarantee majority of its population foodgrain. At Rs 125,000 crore of government support, the food security programme will be the largest in the world.

The ordinance is being promulgated just weeks before the scheduled monsoon session of Parliament. Even after the ordinance, the bill will have to be approved by both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha.

The ordinance, which will guarantee 5kg of rice, wheat and coarse cereals per month per person at a fixed price of Rs 3, 2, 1, respectively, will come into effect after President Pranab Mukherjee signs it.

However, about 2.43 crore poorest of the poor families covered under the Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) scheme under PDS (public distribution system) would get legal entitlement to 35kg of foodgrains per family per month.

Officials said the ordinance will be presented to the President on Thursday. Once the President signs it, rules will be framed. The programme will be rolled-out from August after state governments prepare the beneficiary list.

The scheme will take at least six moths to cover the entire country, they said.

“When prices of staples soar, the poor bear the brunt. Without global action, people in poor countries will be deprived of adequate and nutritious food, with tragic consequences….” – Robert Zoellick.

It is a matter of great satisfaction that the world bank’s chief has the realisation of the situation, which (global hunger) now in fact, has become a matter of human rights violation.

In order to avoid the tragic consequences of impending hunger bomb, the following proposal may be considered by the all concerned.

In this regard, It is proposed that all world governments (without exception) must give 50% of the government’s share to the poorest of the poor (right to vote gives them right to govern as well), in their respective countries, just like some countries include on mandatory basis, women & other sections of societies in their parliaments.

Until and unless, those feeling the pangs of hunger, are given a chance to directly participate, in the governance of their affairs, any planning to eradicate the menace of hunger, will be faulty from its inception.