DOI 10.4010/2016.1484 ISSN 2321 3361 © 2016 IJESC

Research Article Volume 6 Issue No. 5

Alarming Issues in Region of Karamveer Kaur Brar1, Amandeep2 Research Scholar1, 2 Punjabi University, Patiala1, Punjab Technical University, Jalandher2 [email protected], [email protected]

Abstract: The state of Punjab is a part of the world’s first and oldest civilisations. The state of Punjab has been showcased as an Indian agricultural success story since the Green Revolution. Nowadays Punjab becomes grain bowl of the country. Punjab has more popular regional divisions’ viz., , and Malwa regions. Malwa is a natural region in west-central northern occupying a plateau of volcanic origin. This Region covers as many as 15 districts of Punjab. Malwa Region contribution in Primary, Secondary and Territory sector is at increasing pace which makes it backbone of Punjab. revolution in this region has generated and provides the much needed food security to the nation(s) and at the same time, Malwa Region is today battling so many problems, This paper has tried to cover different alarming issues of Malwa Region which are diluting poison in this ‘Makheon meetha Malwa’ for instance, Gender imbalance, Drug addiction, Skill Gap, Peasant’s Suicides in agricultural heartland, Desperate Youth, Instability in Peace, Curse of Cancer. Present paper also enlightens the way out for these burning problems.

Keywords: Agriculture revolution, Alarming issues, Desperate Youth, Gender imbalance, Malwa Regions, Skill Gap

1. Introduction Curse of Cancer. Present paper also enlightens the way out for “He who has bread has many problems; these burning problems. He who does not have bread has only one problem.”- Byzantine 3.Research Methodology The study is based on secondary data collected from reputed Punjab, the richest state in India that throbs with the vibrant articles of research journals, books, prominent sites, reports culture, has always moved on the path of prosperity. The state etc relevant to present study. The study is all about to focus on known as the “Food basket and Granary of India", has been alarming issues of Malwa Punjab. awarded National Productivity Award for agriculture extension services for consecutively ten years from 1991-92 to 4.Gender Discrimination 1998-99 and 2001 to 2003-04. Once India's fastest growing To achieve fatherhood or motherhood is the greatest, happiest state, Punjab is now one of its slowest, with about 6% and the most satisfying and soothing feeling in this world economic expansion annually in recent years, compared with a irrespective of the sex of the child. But in which circumstances national average of 8.5% and top-performing regions that are the social structure of the state has tilted towards the clocking 11% growth. With few good industry jobs being preference for sons is a very tricky and difficult question to created, urban unemployment is a shocking 15.2%. Punjab's answer. The most important reason which is not talked about struggles offer one scenario of what might happen next in for the neglect of the girl child is that Punjabi society attaches India if the central government doesn't address longstanding too much “izzat” (honour) to the name of the daughter. Sons challenges. The state's woes also are a stark warning that rapid may indulge in any anti social or immoral activity but the economic growth can't be taken for granted, even in regions honour of the family is not at stake. This is not the case with that have long been star performers. Malwa is one of the three daughters. Newspapers daily carry reports of rape and sexual main divisions of the present Punjab state of India, the other exploitation of girls. Loss of virginity for unmarried daughters two being Majha and Doaba. Malwa is a natural region in is loss of honour for the family. It is considered to be a sin for west-central northern India occupying a plateau of volcanic which she cannot be forgiven. She is the victim of the crime origin. This Region covers as many as approximate15 districts but becomes herself criminal in the eyes of the society. Social of Punjab. Malwa Region contribution in Primary, Secondary pressure is mounted to such an extent and Territory sector is at increasing pace which makes it on the girl and her parents that they feel guilty without having backbone of Punjab, but at the same time Malwa Region is done anything wrong. This fear of loss of “izzat” becomes the today battling so many problems like Gender imbalance, Drug cause of their rejection at the prenatal stage. According to Addiction, Skill gap, Peasant’s suicide etc. UNICEF (1999) the girls in India are discriminated in the 2.Objectives- The Main objective of present paper is to cover form of less medical help in case they fall sick, no special food different alarming issues of Malwa Region like Gender and very little parental attention. Due to this girls are more imbalance, Drug addiction, Skill Gap, Peasant’s Suicides in prone to infections and diseases than boys which results in agricultural heartland, Desperate Youth, Instability of Peace, their poor health and short life span. This discrimination

International Journal of Engineering Science and Computing, May 2016 6134 http://ijesc.org/ against girls throughout their life is more lethal than feticide quacks, drug peddlers and truck drivers have been identified and infanticide. Punjab is a horrible and a fit case of such as the main supply source of drugs in Punjab. In the villages, barbaric discrimination. The sex ratio in Punjab as started to the chemist shops, which are meant to be the lifeline for the look up as 83 panchayats in the state have achieved a sex ratio villagers are one major source of illegal drugs for the village of 1000 girls for the same number of boys. Though these people. panchayats are small in number as compared to 12000 villages in the state yet it is a good beginning. The department of 6.Peasent’s suicide Health and Family Welfare has given 1.5 lakh cash to each of The state of Punjab has been showcased as an Indian these panchayats as a reward which will further encourage agricultural success story since the Green Revolution, which other panchayats to follow in their footsteps. The department was the parcel of development initiatives undertaken by has inspected 3642 ultrasound centers across the state since developed countries in the late 1960s and 1970s to aid April 2010 to ensure they did not indulge in female feticide. developing counties in increasing their crop yield. Yet, since Notices have been sent to 144 of the centres under section 20 this time there has been a steady increase in the number of of the PNDT Act. Licenses of 96 centers were suspended economically-related suicides by Punjabi farmers. In Indian where as license of 5 centres were cancelled following Punjab, one various groups are reporting a significant number different violations (The Tribune January 6, 2011). The of farmer suicides. Movement against State Repression programme under the name of “Nanhi Chhan” has been (MASR), an NGO working in Southern Punjab for the past launched in whole of Punjab by Harsimrat Kaur Badal two decades, has recorded 1,738 suicides in 91 Punjabi member of Parliament representing constituency to villages between 1988 and 2014. These 91 villages are from protect “Rukh Te Kukh” (Womb and Plants). Under this two sub-subdivisions of District , one of the 22 programme various plants and the literature about the districts of Punjab. MASR estimates at least 50,000 suicides protection of girl child is distributed free of cost. The lectures, have occurred across Punjab over the last two decades, though seminars and debates are organized enlightening the not all districts are equally affected. Sangrur, Mansa and importance of girls and trees in our life. In the mid of January Bathinda districts show a high trend among farmers to commit a festival ‘’ previously which was reserved to be suicide compared to other districts of the state. A staggering celebrated exclusively for sons born in that year in the family 63 per cent of these suicides took place in three districts of is now being celebrated for the newly born daughters also. Sangrur, Mansa and Bathinda. Sangrur reported 1,132 cases State level Lohri functions are planned for the girls in order to between the years 2000 to 2008, followed by Mansa, which realize the society about the equality of sons and daughters. witnessed 1,013 cases, including highest number (414) of suicides by farm workers. Bathinda is third with 827 cases 5.DrugAddiction followed by comparatively smaller district of Barnala, which Now a days the addiction is the worst illness of our society reported 532 cases. Other districts with three-digit figures on and it has been spreading its tentacles throughout the nation farm suicides due to high debt are (344), Moga and the world. No society has been free from this malady. (292), (126) and Muktsar (102), the home turf of ruling There is evidence that it can damage the brain and the mind, Badals. A State Government-commissioned report by Punjab increase the risk of strokes, seizures, dementia, liver diseases, Agriculture University reports 2,990 suicides in the two cancer and hypertension. The per capital alcohol consumption Districts – 1256 in Bathinda and 1634 in Sangrur between in Punjab is considered to be the highest in the world. The 1990 and 2010. After this report the Punjab finance minister in survey on Drug Abuse in Punjab conducted by Institute of the 2012-13 budget had allocated Rs 30 crore — Rs 2 lakh for Development and Communication, in 2003, each suicide-hit family. further indicates that the offspring of the rich are trying smack The personal report by Bhalla examined following 45.20 in the cities where they are sent for studies by their parents. percent of the victims were landless labourer on the other hand Every third male and every 10th female student in the State has 24.50 percent small and marginal farmers (0-5 acre land had drugs on one occasion or the other.80% of Punjabi youth holding) whereas 18.80 percent lower medium farmers (5-10 takes drugs. The drug problem came to notice only few years acre land holding) as well as 5.60 percent medium farmers ago. The spark was present since past many years, but the fire (10-15 acre land holding) and 5.60 percent large farmers spread only two or three years ago, and it is destroying many (above 15 acre land holding) It is further brought out that the houses in Punjab. According to many surveys, 78% people say majority of the victims about 60.30 percent belonged to young that users make their first contact with drugs through friends. person in the age group of 15-29 years. 30.20 percent The most popular drugs among students are: belonged to young persons in the age group of 30-44 years. Alcohol - reported by 38% Remaining 9.5 percent of cases belonged to age group above Smack - reported by 37% 45 years. In terms of educational attainment 58.5 percent of Cigarettes - reported by 25% the cases belonged to illiterates. 11.3 percent to primary level 67% of the rural households in Punjab have one drug addict, 11.3 percent to middle level of schooling and matriculation says a survey conducted by the Department of Social Security above constituted 18.9 percent of the total cases. Development of Women and Children. The addicts use a Many studies reported that the largest cause of suicides was variety of drugs, which included raw , smack, heroin, family discord accounting for 35.79 percent of the suicides synthetic drugs like morphine, pethidine, codeine and whilst alcohol and illicit drugs used caused 17.89 percent of psychotropic substances like diazepam. Chemists along with the suicides. The economic causes, such as Indebtness (17.89

International Journal of Engineering Science and Computing, May 2016 6135 http://ijesc.org/ percent), Loss of status (16.84 percent), Lack of resources Requirement in Malwa Region in 2012-17 is 4,62,113, (6.32 percent), Crop failure (1.05 percent) Accounted for Incremental Manpower Requirement in Malwa Region in 42.10 percent of the suicides. Apart from these, Suicides were 2017-22 is 4,72,783. Focus sectors will be Engineering caused by death in the family (3.10 percent), Quarrel with in Services, Agriculture Implements Servicing, Training & laws (1.05 percent) Impotency (1.05 percent). Recent case of Education, Small Auto Parts, Hospitality, Textile & Apparel, Two farmers allegedly committed suicide due to crop failure Pharmaceutical, Construction, Food Processing, Healthcare, and mounting debts on January 12, 2016 one from Raipur Retail. Following table shows the picture of skill gap in each village and other was from Makkha village. district.

7.Skill Gap There is vast mismatch between student aspiration and job opportunities available in the state. Incremental Manpower

Figure: 1 District Wise Supply- Demand Gap in Punjab (2012-22) 2012-17 2017-22 Region Skilled Semi Minimally Total Skilled Semi Minimally Total Skilled skilled Skilled skilled 3,408 35,176 (3,196) 35,387 2,473 23,367 589 26,429 Barnala 508 5,183 327 6,019 1,098 7,543 2,688 11,328 Bhatinda (744) 11,933 (8,151) 3,038 (277) 9,850 (2,898) 6,675 Faridkot (343) 3,519 (82) 3,094 33 5,414 534 5,981 Fatehgarh (620) 2,582 590 2,552 18 4,717 2,954 7,688 Ferozepur 2,011 19,025 (11,504) 9,533 1,807 13,583 (3,423) 11,966 Ludhiana 6,441 57,622 23,266 87,329 7,396 48,937 42,833 99,167 Mansa (885) 2,976 (5,761) (3,670) (359) 4,117 (2,912) 845 Moga (610) 7,572 (5,524) 1,437 (25) 7,722 (1,691) 6,006 1,642 14,918 (4,395) 12,164 2,065 15,541 (1,142) 16,465 Muktsar (781) 6,081 (6,041) (741) (255) 6,439 (2,671) 3,513 Patiala (1,234) 9,722 (1,687) 6,801 242 12,444 5,490 18,176 Sangrur 181 17,749 (13,447) 4,484 598 14,399 (6,413) 8,584 Source: KPMG Analysis

This table depicts that Ludhiana is on the top position in skill 8.Desperate Youth gap and followed by . Interventions in Daily News, Articles and surveys show the high Desperation vocational education to bridge the gaps in the educational of Malwai youth. First and foremost being, is unemployment. system (within the schooling stage itself) and provide Above 50% youngsters are idle inspite of, having high seamless options for students to pursue vocational education , qualification due to skill gap. Secondly, our youth has no would be crucial in developing a holistic approach to address patience .They want to achieve name, fame and luxurious life the skilling needs of the state. Level of private participation is with a blink of eye. Moreover, our government don’t provide lower in most of the Punjab districts Assessment of existing required opportunities to youth to utilize their skills for the training infrastructure in comparison to human resource betterment of the state so that is the main reason of “Brain demand over XII Plan period, indicates significant capacity Drain” and Drug addiction. expansion requirement for semi-skilled category through vocational education. Demand-Supply gap estimates indicates Writing about the late 1970s situation in Punjab, eminent a need to improve participation rates in semi-skilled categories author Khushwant Singh had written that decreasing returns along with providing vocational skills to high skilled labour from agriculture after the peaks of the Green Revolution, land force as well, considering the high level of employment fragmentation and the government's incapability to create opportunities in semi skilled category within the state. Further, fresh jobs were the reasons behind many frustrated youngsters employability of highly skilled graduates is an issue owing to joining the ignoble cause of the secessionists and terrorists in misalignment of courses with industry needs and poor quality the 1980s. With the emergence of peace and sanity, it was of institutes. Issue of low employability of graduates has to be hoped that Punjab's politicians would have learnt from their addressed through suitable up-skilling considering local mistakes. Sadly, it was not to be. industrial requirements in order to ensure availability of Neeraj’s stirring lines best capture our condition, industry ready manpower. “Paon jab tak uthe zindagi phisal gayi… Carvan guzar gaya, Gubar dekhte rahe”.

International Journal of Engineering Science and Computing, May 2016 6136 http://ijesc.org/ 9.Curse of Cancer 3. The economic distress is a major cause of suicides Punjab, the leader of the green revolution since the mid-1960s, among peasants. When at dire needs the peasants is now suffering from the adverse consequences of it as well. came to rescue to acquire self reliant in food grains, The health ailments, alarmingly on the rise, are being getting now it is the duty of the Nation as well as of Civil closely identified with indiscriminate use of agro-chemical in Society to come to the rescue of peasants to save agriculture; and the cancer is one of them. The government Human Rights and their Life. survey report (released by Health Minister Madan Mohan 4. Build industry linkages in areas of development and Mittal on 28.1.2013) of a statewide cancer awareness and delivery of training programs for instance, symptom-based early detection campaign showed that 33,318 placements, curriculum formulation, apprenticeships, cancer deaths have occurred during the last five years, out of faculty training engage credible local networks which 14,682 were in the Malwa region alone. The survey (SHGs, NGOs, student groups such as Nehru Yuva data reveal that there are 84,453 persons who have cancer-like Kendra groups) for student acquisition. Next, focus symptoms in the state. The survey covered almost 98 per cent on high growth/ aspiration value sectors where of the state's population and it has found that the incidence of student acquisition is easier like Transportation & cancer is higher than national and international average. When Logistics, Textiles & Garments, Banking & Financial compared to WHO’s point of reference — 80 affected persons Services, Healthcare, Food Processing, Construction, among a population of one lakh — Punjab's survey discovered Tourism & Hospitality and Retail and another need to that 90 persons in a population of one lakh were suffering create capacities in districts with lower penetration of from the cancer. While 215 people per lakh have died of training infrastructure - Barnala, Sangrur, Ludhiana, cancer, another 318 per lakh are suspected of suffering from Muktsar & Mohali. the disease. Region-wise, Malwa tops the list (107.1 per lakh), 5. The government should promote agro ecology which followed by Doaba (88.1 per lakh) and Majha (64.7 per lakh). produces more food with no external inputs, and In Malwa, district-wise incidence of cancer was the highest in reduces farmer’s debt to zero. The Punjab Muktsar (136.3 per lakh)(The Indian Express, 2013). agricultural University should immediately start a program on Agro ecology. The government should 10.Instability of Peace enact a land alienation law like the one passed by Sir When at India level our central government is taking an Chotu Ram. Next year is Sir Chotu Rams’ birth initiative to incourage multinational, as well as domestic centennial. It would be a good way to remember and companies to manufacture their products in India and honor him and return Punjab to its glory. launching “Make in India” at the same time potential of 6. My appeal to youngsters of Punjab is not to resort Malwa’s human resources is draining on roads (Dharna). violent methods and to steer clear from drugs. The Every day there are new reasons that drive them towards Prime Minister is right when he appeals to youth to Dharnas. In bird’s eye view last year there were many burning channel their energies for the betterment of India and issues, for instance, Unemployment, pesticide scam, Punjab make “Make in India” successive. But my appeal to Teen Molestation tragedy in Moga, Guru Granth Sahib our governing bodies is that Punjab’s youth is desecration controversy, Terrorist Attack, Abohar desperate to contribute to the betterment of India and murder case, Air Force Station attack etc .All these to be a part of India’s onward march. At least provide cases show the picture of unsafe and slave judiciary in this them with an enabling ecosystem. This is the least region. they deserve from their government. 7. The state wide awareness campaign is needed to 11.Recommendations convince farmers’ deleterious effect of excessive 1. Media should participate to promote the pesticide usage. The state government needs to invest empowerment of women. It has great influence on heavily into water treatment to avoid a potential the psychology of their viewers and can give any disastrous situation. direction to them. Moreover, its our pleasure that our local bodies are taking initiatives for women Bibliography empowerment and launched some programmes for  Gurinder Jit(2011), “Gender Discrimination women’s betterment. Not only launching of Sex Ratio Imbalance in Punjab” , Journal of programmes are necessary but also implementation is Economic and Social Development, Vol-7, No- must. 1,pp.121-140 2. Firstly for the control of drug addiction there is a  Grewal & Ahluwalia(2014), “Profile Of Punjab: A major need to control the illegal sale of medicines. Gender Perspective” ,International Contemporary Pharmacists have to keep proper record of sold drugs. Research Journal In Management And Social Secondly, educate and aware to drug addicters for Science, Vol-1, No.-1, pp. 100-118 Rehabilitation centers and there is need for restruct  Kaur & Siwach(2014), “Women Empowerment in the internal environment of these centers. Last but not Punjab: a study of Malwa Region” , Indian journal of the least, there should be tight security on border Public Administration,Vol. lx, no. 3, pp-671-678 areas of our state because neibour country is the main supplier of drugs.

International Journal of Engineering Science and Computing, May 2016 6137 http://ijesc.org/  Singh Kuldip( 2015), “Peasant’s Suicides in Punjab is a Scar on State and Civil Society” , International Interdisciplinary Research Journal, Vol-5, pp.227- 234  Singh & Manisha(2015), “Crisis in Agricultural Heartland: Farm suicides in Malwa region of Punjab, India” , International Journal of Advancements in Research & Technology, Vol- 4, No.- 2, pp.107-118  http://indianexpress.com/article/blogs/punjab- whitefly-epidemic-we-need-a-new-agricultural- policy/#sthash.pofNwAOK.dpuf

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