While the climate scientists continue to battle over whether Greenland is sinking or not, Kuttanad in Kerala is already looking out for itself…
Missing the last bus loosely describes what Kerala as a state faces on the development front.
Until some years back, Kerala used to be a front runner, an exemplary performer, in various development models of the country. Today, however, the state has slipped down the rankings in most sectors including health, literacy, law and order etc.
The civil service sector is a case in point. The number of people who passed the civil service examinations in the last five years shows poor Kerala presence, reflecting the state’s diminishing educational legacy. On the health front, a number of diseases like malaria, once under control, are on a resurgent spree. What hurts the most is that Kerala’s tradition of agriculture is losing sheen too. Its plight has forced world-renowned agriculture scientist and Father of the Green Revolution in India, Dr MS Swaminathan, to give a clarion call to the Centre and the state to take note. Recollecting the submitting of a package for the Kuttanad farmers, he said, “We submitted a development package for Kuttanad. Central government is ready to fund the project.
Kuttanad is the rice bowl of Kerala. But the paddy fields in this region have a different tale to tell. The production of paddy has come down and the area of cultivation has considerably dwindled, due to which the farmers find themselves in dire straits. The condition of the poor farmers and their farmlands cry out for help. After repeated pleas from the state, the Union government deputed Dr Swaminathan to submit a report for the resurrection of the region.
Dr Swaminathan while preparing the Kuttanad package had more on his mind than agriculture. “Kuttanad is going to give the country the learning experience necessary to tackle rising sea levels,” he said.
Missing the last bus loosely describes what Kerala as a state faces on the development front.
Until some years back, Kerala used to be a front runner, an exemplary performer, in various development models of the country. Today, however, the state has slipped down the rankings in most sectors including health, literacy, law and order etc.
The civil service sector is a case in point. The number of people who passed the civil service examinations in the last five years shows poor Kerala presence, reflecting the state’s diminishing educational legacy. On the health front, a number of diseases like malaria, once under control, are on a resurgent spree. What hurts the most is that Kerala’s tradition of agriculture is losing sheen too. Its plight has forced world-renowned agriculture scientist and Father of the Green Revolution in India, Dr MS Swaminathan, to give a clarion call to the Centre and the state to take note. Recollecting the submitting of a package for the Kuttanad farmers, he said, “We submitted a development package for Kuttanad. Central government is ready to fund the project.
Kuttanad is the rice bowl of Kerala. But the paddy fields in this region have a different tale to tell. The production of paddy has come down and the area of cultivation has considerably dwindled, due to which the farmers find themselves in dire straits. The condition of the poor farmers and their farmlands cry out for help. After repeated pleas from the state, the Union government deputed Dr Swaminathan to submit a report for the resurrection of the region.
Dr Swaminathan while preparing the Kuttanad package had more on his mind than agriculture. “Kuttanad is going to give the country the learning experience necessary to tackle rising sea levels,” he said.
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