The unequal distribution of resources has always fuelled the divide between the rich and the poor. However, in recent years, there has been a sharp rise in this inequality. Veteran journalist P Sainath said this while speaking at the 15th Rahul Sankrityayan memorial lecture organised by the People’s Association for Himalaya Area Research (PAHAR) here in Nainital on the weekend.
Expressing his views on the occasion, Sainath said that in India, people who constitute about one per cent of the total population have control over more than 50 per cent of the nation’s economy.
Quoting data from the global wealth data magazine, the journalist said that in the year 2009, there were a total of 53 billionaires in the nation whereas the number of billionaires has now increased to about 101.
Referring to the anomalies in the distribution of natural resources, he said that there are imbalances in the distribution of water resources. The sources of water in located in the villages and rural areas but the villagers generally suffer without water even as the water is transported to the cities and urban areas.
Citing the example of the State of Maharashtra, Sainath said that the state had about 36 districts but about 53 per cent of the State’s total areas is under the purview of only three districts — Mumbai, Nashik and Pune. There is 24 hour water supply in Mumbai and Pune but those living in the tribal areas of the state have to struggle throughout the day in search of water. While the villagers struggle to secure water, there are buildings being constructed in towns with large swimming pools by the builders.
There are anomalies in the agricultural sector too where about two per cent of the people cultivate sugar cane but 68 per cent of the irrigation water is used for sugar cane farming. PAHAR office bearers Anup Sah, Shekhar Pathak and others also expressed their views on the occasion.