My needs and his needs

There maybe a couple of people each of us know, who sleep with empty stomachs in our society. As a welfare state, it is the duty of the Government to provide them the basic necessities. In the days of Kings, most rulers used to be generous enough to provide anything they wanted to their subjects. Many Kings have made excellent efforts in their days to provide a better life, better irrigation, better roads and better security to the citizens. The world believes that democracy is better than monarchy. This is because, there are various systems of check-and-balance in a democracy. What if all these systems come together in mutual interest to non-perform?

I elect my representative with my vote, but I cannot expect that my representative knows what are the issues or difficulties I am facing in my life. The Prime Minister will ignore my problems by saying that 'it is a problem of an individual'. Even if it is the problem of the whole village or a whole district, he will get away by saying that 'it is an isolated problem' which does not deserve an attention from his level. This means that his level stand only for the problems of 'common interest' or collective needs of the citizens. Now, for a state, the issue in a district becomes an issue of 'common interest' and for a Panchayat, the issue in a village becomes an 'issue of collective interest'. This has also become an example of the various structures' "coming together in mutual interest to non-perform." The ball of responsibilities keeps moving from one court to the other and the work is never completed.


Today, the DGCA is holding talks with private fliers to lower the fares of domestic air travel. The majority of the people of India do not need cheap air fare and Rs. 1 lakh car but cheap fertilizers, quality seeds and small amount of credit for daily activities. If a person availing air travel can pay to the tune of Rs. 5,000 then he can also pay to the tune of Rs. 5,500. What will a fall of fares by few percent figures mean to his annual savings, insurances and investment? Now, compare this with the need of some villagers who want monetary assistance to dig a short canal for irrigation, or to construct a bund to prevent flooding their fields. Some people walk with pride and with wide chest. Others walk disgusted and empty bellied. What to take care of first, an empty belly or a wide chest? There are different needs of different sections of the society and these have to be considered on a priority basis of urgency.

I am quick to decide my needs. I may also be able to comprehend your needs. I may not be able to visualize the need of my neighbor in initial days of interaction, but it should become clear to me in some months. Out of common sense, I knew as a child that my trees need water everyday and my dog needs a chapati every night. The system of administration should also have come to understand the needs of the different sections of society. I do not know of any protest being done by the consumers of air travel to lower the fares. This makes the steps in this regard unnecessary. I know about various protests of the people demanding their rights in the various parts of country such as Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, J&K, Rajasthan, Maharasthra, Tamil Nadu and the North East...

Should their needs be low on priority when they are fighting only for their dignified life?