rains thrice a month; Sheila Dikshit says Rs.600/- enough for monthly life of family of poor family of around 5

There are times when you are left wondering how those at the helm and other politicians do not know anything about the common man and about the land that they live in…….. is it that they do not know or do not care to know !!!

In historical dramas and in novels, you might have come across the query purportedly by the King to his Ministers – as to ‘whether it rains 3 times a month’  [matham mummari peigiratha ?] ~ one might be tempted to think why the Kings were not even aware of what could be easily observed by themselves instead of asking others ! – were they busy spending time otherwise !!!

Another instance, another day ~ those who listened to Chief minister Sheila Dikshit were silent but couldn't hide their disbelief. Speaking on the occasion of the launch of Delhi government's cash-for-food programme,Annshree Yojana, on Saturday, Dikshit argued that Rs.600/-  - the cash subsidy - was adequate for buying the monthly "dal, roti and chawal" for a poor family of around five. UPA chairpersonSonia Gandhi was on the stage at Thyagaraja Stadium to launch the scheme.  Sheila Dikshit is no ordinary politician; she has been the  Chief Minister of Delhi since 1998. She  represents the New Delhi constituency in the Legislative Assembly of Delhi, considered close to Sonia Gandhi and part of the think-tank of the party ruling the Nation.

Many of the voiceless beneficiaries - who had been herded into the stadium to witness the launch of the scheme which UPA believes will be a game-changer - couldn't swallow this glib remark. As they trooped out of the venue, long after the applause had died down, the women whom the scheme seeks to empower said they didn't need to do any sums to tell you that the least required is a couple of thousands of rupees to take care of bare minimum essentials of  families with five to seven members. 

Rs.600/- as a political doll is good ~ but everyone knows that it would not last more than couple of days for the family ~ for those in the city, it would not suffice for a visit to any of the mall !!   The scheme launched in Delhi, seeks to empower the eldest woman of the beneficiary family with a no-frills account where the subsidy will be delivered every month based on the Aadhar-UID number as identity proof. Announcing that Delhi government had set aside Rs 200 crore for funding the Annshree subsidy, the CM said the scheme will ensured that no one goes hungry.  About 13,300 people will benefit from the scheme with immediate effect and the government has a target to register a total of 2 lakh beneficiaries. These are being chosen from a state survey of most vulnerable carried out in 2009. The scheme applies only to those who do not get the benefit of subsidized rations under PDS. All beneficiaries will get the subusidy from April 1, 2012 onwards.

Getting back to the olden days, the ‘rains thrice a month’ were more of a concept than counting.  Viveka Chinthamani, mentions in great detail that in the land of a King who ruled dispensing good justice, there would be regular rains at least thrice in a month.  One of the poems in Viveka Chinthamani states that : one rain was for the vedic scholars who did their routine; second one was for the King who never steered away from the path of justice and the third was for honouring the chastity of the women of the land…

"vEdam Odhiya vEthiyarkku Or mazhai,

nIthi mannar neriyinArkku Or mazhai,

mAthar karpudai mangayarkku Or mazhai

ena mAtham mummAri mazhai peyumE"

வேதம் ஓதிய வேதியர்க்கு ஒர் மழை 
நீதி மன்னர் நெறியனுக்கு ஓர் மழை 
மாதர் கற்புடை மங்கையர்க்கு ஓர் மழை 
மாதம் மூன்று மழைஎனப் பெய்யுமே. 

With regards – S. Sampathkumar

17^th Dec 2012.