The nation has 60 million hectares lying as wasteland and if we have, say, about 300 million people below poverty line, we may consider about 60 million families falling in this category. This suggests that, generally, a hectare can be accorded to each such family. While farming activity from a hectare of land could take care of the food and basic requirements of the family, it would be able to plant something like 1500 trees on a 7 year rotation, with harvesting beginning from the 7th year at the rate of more than 200 trees. The same number will be replanted. The 200 trees should, through a very conservative estimate, provide anything in the vicinity of a lac of rupees per annum, and may be more. But, the value of the trees standing in a hectare of land at any given time, after 7 years, shall, at today's prices be about Rs 7 lacs. This will be a permanent accrual.

With R&D intensification, everyday there are new finds in bio-tech, and the day is not far when very lucrative farming and forestry options emerge. Paulownia the wonder tree of China is a good example in this context. When a country like Israel can boast of an accrual of more than 50,000 US Dollars/annum/hectare from farming, what stops us from making use of such a large amount of land that can alleviate poor lives? In relativity to the yield/accrual available in another country, let us reckon the potential of a hectare of land that is available to a marginal farmer in India, once the government in right earnest, initiates a measure of wasteland allotment on lease. It is colossal actually. All that matters is our intent.

This shall also help provide self-employment to an unparalleled number of people.

Curbing the menace of indebtness to unscrupulous moneylenders: This is one of the ( with respect to the rural populace ) least debated, but one of the most unfortunate curses plaguing rural India. A news item in a TV channel from Moraba in Karnataka, of suicide by a farmer, is one of the very few cases that have come to light. A farmer has to approach the money lender for funds for almost anything beyond routine: be it for a wedding, death or illness, or be it to fight drought conditions. The much-claimed easy bank finances are simply within the reach of the privileged few. As such, the underprivileged have no option but to approach the money lenders, who then, with a view to exploit them, provide loans at extremely high rates of interest, failing to pay which, subjects the farmer to misery, wherein his land may be forfeited or even his dwelling. Tales of such untold misery then come to light as the farmer lives under the constant threat to his land, thus living a life of suffering, not only for himself, but for his entire family. The government needs to bring about a legislation which brings relief to the farmers who have hitherto been subjected to exploitation at the hands of such miscreants. There should be a summoning of moneylenders at the local administrative level where a committee may examine as to how subjectively, in each case, the exploitation exercised by the moneylender ends and the farmer gets exonerated.

Here again, several elastic components will have to come into play, in order to address the transactions subjectively, with an eventual objective of terming such transactions void. Just as RBI demonetizes certain denominations of currency notes, there could be some measure to ensure that a given moneylender explains to the examining officer/committee all the details of the transaction(s), which would help a dutiful officer to ascertain the area where he could be nabbed. What is important is that the officer(s) so designated, must have a strong integrity.

Duly bringing a blanket end to such money lending, the government needs to introduce transparent and simple means for the farmer to be able to obtain loans from banks and authorized institutions.

Food Security: It is a pity that we learn of starvation deaths taking place in various parts of our country. On one hand we have surplus food stock which get rotten due to a higher supply than the demand, and on another, we have to hang our face in shame with incidences of such a catastrophe! This needs our best attention and needs to be brought an end to, whatever be the endeavor necessitated. Whatever be the extent of budgetary provisioning to fight this misfortune, should be taken care of. The government(s) can seek the assistance of NGOs as well in evolving measures. There could be an effective participation of the corporate sector as well, as discussed above.

There could be a concept of walk-in-kitchens thrown open, duly managed by an appropriate agency at the local level. Or, measures that are suggested by experts could be evolved. But, this should be helped on priority.

A word about exercising of electoral franchise: One very important aspect which needs critical attention, is, that of the need to help bring forth people of high moral values in public life. There needs to be a mass education initiative transcending down to each household, about their ensuring the indispensability of adherence of highest moral values amongst those who seek to represent us at different forums, be those at the pedestal of the Parliament; the Legislature or at a decentralized level. This needs to be ensured that a representative so elected, should be one of high integrity and honesty, besides the attributes of capability and commitment. This shall help improve the quality of governance at large and has macro annotations.

www.rajivg.org beckons you for discussions on the above measures.

As a rich tribute to humanitarian Rajiv, let us dedicate ourselves to the cause of our suffering people, and help bring fulfilling lives for them. In parallel, let us pursue all possible measures to bring about true all-round development of our nation, and that will be our richest tribute to beloved Rajiv.