The focus of climate change discussion should shift from doom and gloom to to vote wining.  General Public and the silent majority is being given too little credit for its understanding and intelligence as climate change sceptics fight environmentalists word for word in cyber space. But that is not where the true battle lines are. In every village, town and city people can see declining quality of life from environmental damage and ecological shifts. The pressure on earth’s resources and environment is plain visible to everyone, everywhere. It is obvious to voters everywhere that resource exploitation cannot create long term prosperity and wealth. People understand that earth’s resources need to be renewed and we cannot keep spending the natural gifts of planet as if there were no tomorrow.

Even the most politically apathetic citizens in the world understand basic facts of life: earth’s resources are running out, pollution and environment damage are disturbing ecological balance and the current financial system built around self-serving investment patterns is not in the interest of general public.

But unlike climate sceptics it is pointless and counter productive to fuel anger against those who disagree with this simple reality. Voting in democracies is not a referendum on local industries and job providers. No one will vote to shut down factories , stop development or progress as it is understood now. Voters vote for jobs, for water, electricity, security and improvement in their life and prospect of a better life for their children than their own. What they need is a new promise and the certainty it can be real within their lifetimes.

What needs to come out from all future climate change discussions is a new development and growth paradigm. If sober and sensible climate policies are adopted today world can transition within two or three decades to a new era of prosperity. It is obvious that sensible climate policies, green growth or low-carbon development are the only avenues of  sustainable development. Only self-reliance of small communities on energy generation can create inclusive growth all politicians and economists talk about but fail to deliver. In all discussion and plans of green growth, new job creation should come first and all talk of penalizing industries and workers in traditional industries must stop. Future needs to be planned in partnership with the business leaders and entrepreneurs of today not reinvented in opposition to them.  Only if truly ambitious and productive alternatives are presented to public, destructive development can be slowed and stopped. In the absence of these alternatives, it is difficult to see how human ambition and greed can be contained through taxes and penalties in the name of climate change.

We cannot clear the playing field of world’s entrepreneurs and then build something intangible and new. We do not need any more revolutions. True, climate change will bring about disruption in life in many parts of the world but actions to mitigate it should not be disruptive, they need to be constructive and productive.

The climate policies being adopted and implemented in many countries have largely been ineffective. Emission Offsets, carbon trades and subsidies to “green technology” have given green growth a bad name. Public is genuinely concerned about climate change becoming another looting frenzy for the banks, corrupt politicians and crony capitalists.

The manner in which Ministers from many developing countries are demanding money from rich countries is disgraceful and off putting. If the world is to see any real action on climate change it won’t be through handouts, subsidies, penalties or bail out mechanisms of the kind that have ruined the global financial infrastructure.

For change to come politicians and policy wonks need to understand two simple realities. First, instead of subsidising clean technology or trading emissions, any available financial resources should be invested in innovation. Billions in subsidies cannot achieve what some millions invested in innovation can.

Indian government recently announced its Solar Mission which will involve trillions of Indian Rupees in subsidies over the next two decades to bringing solar power to the country. At the same time India has almost no scientific, research, innovation, development or production infrastructure for solar power. It is obvious that Indian solar mission will become a loot and grab for politicians and voters will be short changed in the name of climate change. Instead of launching the solar mission and a scientific plan at the same time the government should give at least two years for innovation and development and provide investment to hundreds of Indian entrepreneurs to develop locally relevant technologies and products.

The first phase of green growth should be about innovation, invention and an impetus to local entrepreneurship. There are sufficient resources in all major economies of the world to do so and rich nations do not need to pay for it. And that is the only vote winner in climate change policies.

Instead of subsidizing diesel fuel consumption as Indian government now does, it could generate enough cash in a month from cutting back on these subsidies or bogus social spending for a new breed of local entrepreneurs who can transform the country. The key is investment in innovation and not subsidy on consumption of uncompetitive products.

The second reality to be understood is that when these innovative & new energy generation techniques are developed, when new industries kick in, local clean jobs become available, new products are developed without carbon emission then the huge cost of green growth will be paid for by the consumer. The power of consumption should not be underestimated. It has been abused and misused, allowed to run amock or controlled but never properly channelized for common good. Consumer should be given greater choice between polluting, toxic products or green clean products. The consumer will not need any subsidy and will always work harder and earn more to obtain the better product. Consider this paradox of Indian poverty. Over 200 million people below the poverty line earning less than two dollars a day now own mobile phones. The poorest of the poor manage to save up to buy a $40-50 mobile phone and do not need any subsidy for that. No one really needed an iPod or tablet computers or thousands of other gizmo’s and products in the market. But people aspire for them because they are innovative, creative products and they appeal to the basic curiosity and creative instinct of people.

Investment in innovative green technologies will bring a new generation of products and services that consumers will no doubt buy with enthusiasm. These products and services will need to be competitive and they will automatically phase out inefficient and dirty products and services. Governments can help by making life a little tougher for worst polluters and invest in innovation but must stay away from the subsidies. This means we need nuanced policy making and not dumb spending. What resources governments can muster for climate change should be provided to worst affected regions and countries in building basic infrastructure and utilities so they too can secure themselves and incubate their own innovative entrepreneurs and not depend on western handouts forever. Indian government would do well to stop all subsidies and invest in water and soil conservation, reforestation and providing investments in small communities for building self reliant businesses.

The key to solving the climate crisis is investment in innovation and green, clean technologies and products. The world needs a whole new set of green tycoons and only success of green ventures and policies will bring the political capital necessary for change.

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Living conditions in Indian cities are worsening by the day as harsher temperatures, pollution, green house gas emissions and frequent natural disasters impact people’s lives for real. It is obvious that the negative effects are worst for the poorest.

Misguided development policies mean concrete is being poured over thousands of acres of fertile land across Haryana and Punjab, the food bowls of India.

In the name of inclusive growth people are being given minimum employment in unproductive projects. The loss of civilizational structures is being compensated through subsidies and handouts.

At Lokmantra we believe a rejection of development that comes with destruction of nature and believe that only an innovative approach in pursuing green development is the only sustainable way of life forward. This approach requires individual empowerment of citizens at grass roots levels leading to new entrepreneurship and job creation through locally relevant innovative policies. Indian habitat and civilization cannot be saved through handouts from the top or mega-development policies that pour toxins into air and water. Every inch of land and every single individual needs to be nurtured. Earth’s qualities and every individual’s possibilities need to be preserved and nourished.

We believe that energy independence of small communities and small enterprises is the first step in this direction. But India must rediscover the way of life that sustained this great country through countless years. That way of life is fierce loyalty to mother earth and pursuit of prosperity in harmony with fellow humans and all creatures.

At Lokmantra we aim to pursue greater participation and informed constructive activism in Indian democracy. Indian civilizational values of sustainable consumption  harmonious enterprise must rise from grassroots to become the policies of the land.

India stands to suffer the worst affects of climate change. But Indian civilization and the enterprising spirit of Indians also means this could be the greatest opportunity for India to achieve the new development paradigm.

After giving the original light of peace, non-violence and harmony to humanity India can now adopt an innovative spirit and once again demonstrate to world a model of sustainable living and perfect harmony with earth. This requires a perfect democracy where the enduring values of Indian civilization are translated into the reality of the land.

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Objective of program
To improve the efficiency of Indian Technical Labour engaged in non organised sector.

Background
Productivity and efficiency of Indian labour are limited to a handful of the large factory floors.

The domestic and small technical worker still uses decades old basic tools.

It is a normal sight to see carpenter arrive with a hacksaw, hand shaper and hammer and spend day on preparing the wood rather than prepare furniture. Same applies to a plumber, eletrician or a car mechanic. Their lack of basic skills and knowledge of technology or tools makes the whole exercise expensive and unprofessional leaving both service provider and user unhappy.

In the land of Taj Mahal training of root level technical worker segment has been totally neglected and has been left to take care of itself. Over that, lack of basic or vocational education does not allow them to pick the new technologies which they can use resulting in their continued poverty.

Training Program

Based on the above facts, Bharat Utthan Samiti has taken to itself to educate the technical workforce of India in the latest technology, tools and materials so that they can deliver world class services. A pilot project is being launched in partnership with Lokmantra in Chandigarh. We propose to conduct short duration workshops in night at various locations in country in partnership with other stakeholders.

Under this program, local social partner will organise the event and arrange the venue, students, teaching aids and raw material.

The technology partners will provide training on use of latest technology, tools and materials. Technology partners will also provide course content, demonstration tools and materials. They will show trainees the advantages of technology and provide trainings in usage of the same.

Bharat Utthan Samiti will centrally host and co‐ordinate the program with various social groups and
manage the over all impact and popularity of the program. Bharat Utthan Samiti will also offer
training to trainees on importance of budgeting in a persons life and provide tolls for the same.
All the partners will be free to use the event coverage for their public relation exercise as long as all
the parteners of the events are acknowledged.

To join and support, write to Krishan Sanghi : krishan.sanghi@lokmantra.in

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myDemSoc is rooted in the belief that citizen participation in governance in a democratic process is the key to solving problems of society. Citizens do so by regularly petitioning the government individually and as a community on local issues that deserve attention and action from politicians and administrators. LokMantra is founded on the principal that participation of citizens in their community affairs through petition, suggestion and constructive engagement shall make Indian democracy stronger and political leaders more engaged and accountable.This will in turn bring an overall improvement in governance through raised awareness, constructive communication and problem solving approach.Stronger democracy is precisely such engagement of citizenry in affairs of state for improvement of our common lot.

myDemSoc is a unique experiement with a pilot project launched in Chandigarh in fall 2009. myDemSoc uses mobile phones, SMS text, mobile phone retailers, phone and internet kiosks as well as home internet as the contact and interaction points for ordinary citizens for engagement with government and representatives. Uniqueness of myDemSoc lies in the fact that even the illiterate and poor can take their voice public and make their opinions heard through this network. Through a scheme of incentives for the front line volunteers, merchants and students, myDemSoc shall engage millions whose voice is never heard and give them a strong voice resonant in corridoors of power. This voice, once raised through mydemSoc and LokMantra shall become a matter of record, never to be erased or ignored again. Media, civil society and alert citizens can hold the political class accountable once citizenry starts participating in its own governance through myDemSoc.

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It is unthinkable but true that in the 21st century people can be illiterate as they have no access to basic schooling and education through either public, private or non-government sector. Millions of Indians living below the poverty line are too busy surviving to think about educating their children when some minimal facilities do become available.
The standards of education are a further concern. Indian culture is under a systematic and severe attack from pseudo-secularists. Inner light of knowledge and morality that has burnt inside Indians since eternity is being extinguished by an attack on Indian values and cultural institutions.
Literacy is often confused for education and minimal basic education confused for knowledge. India needs to invest in real education and develop in its children the ability to think, innovate and create rather than just blindly follow western models of science and economics.
This Indian education should be a basic and fundamental right of every Indian citizen.
There is a need to encourage literacy in all age groups for poverty alleviation and creating awareness for improvement of living conditions. Social blights such as female infanticide or foeticide, child marriage, dowry can only be eradicated through education. Economic conditions cannot improve in villages unless they have information and knowledge.Women from remote, underdeveloped areas or from weaker social groups need to be educated to raise awareness at rural levels.
Primary, middle and high school education needs to be free and compulsory. Interference of foreign money and fanatical ideas should be stopped in schools. Children and youth need to take greater pride in their own culture, language and art forms. They need to be taught in non-western ways so the greatness of Indian civilization can find ground to survive and flourish.

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Piles of rubbish and trash are a common sight on the roads in India. Heritage places that attract millions of pilgrims and tourists are open garbage dumps. The stench is not only highly revolting but also a big public health hazard. Littering is common, accepted, not unexpected and unpunished. Sewage is largely untreated, millions with no access to a proper toilet use the open spaces and there is very limited public awareness about the dangers of all this. Decades of unchecked use of plastic bags has meant that billions of bags litter the country and are often embedded in soil. Stray animals eat untreated trash, poor children scavenge through it and communities are settled around them. There is no garbage processing to speak of. The neglect of this basic necessity of life by individuals, community leaders and government is simply appalling. Cleaning India is a mammoth task and needs widespread public participation which may have to be enforced by education, mass information and severe penalties. Garbage collection and treatment is the first infrastructure need in India. Cleaning up urban areas, access roads and villages is a mammoth task that needs to be undertaken without delay. Cleaning up is not a state responsibility alone and every individual needs to clean up around himself. Children need civic lessons more than English language lessons.
Cleaning India and gaining clean habits is the first responsibility of every Indian. India needs to clean up and stay clean.

LokMantra intends to present comprehensive sustainable solutions and models that can make and keep India clean with the participation of ordinary citizens, municipal, state and national governments. Participation of private and non-profit sector is essential as is task of educating people on the necessity of cleaning.

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The issues of absence of basic utilities like clean water, public toilets, electricity, issues of pollution, unemployment, of land grabs, of education, of sports, of health care, of culture, of law and order, of housing that really impact our lives each day need real, practical, innovative solutions.

Despite the painfully obvious need for change and inspite of availability of resources as well as human capital from civil society, change has been absent or slow in coming.

We believe that it is because society at large is disengaged from the democratic process of governance. Lokmantra focuses on bringing about greater constructive participation at all levels in the democratic process at all times and all levels so that real and innovative solutions can be implemented without delay when need is great and urgent.

We believe that all of our problems can be solved through democratic participation. We believe democracy is more than a vote. It is a daily process and it needs nurturing, participating, active rearing. Truly participatory democratic institutions that can bring together politicians and administration on one hand, civil society and general public on the other in a regular constructive dialogue and partnership is the greatest need of the hour. At any given time dozens of initiatives – government, private, NGO driven are underway in Chandigarh. Their impact can be multiplied manifold if the motivations, experiences, lessons, successes and failures of these initiatives are shared regularly.

At LokMantra we will try to involve as many people as possible in a positive, respectful, constructive democratic exercise. We will not criticise anyone and refrain from negativity. We will take the ideas, suggestions, policies and vision of many, through LokMantra to the elected representatives and help define an agenda for change.

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LokMantra: A Better Democracy through Participation and Accountability

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