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By:

Quaid Najmi

4 January 2025 at 3:26:24 pm

Crack down on fake godmen scourge

Mumbai: As outrage continues across the state over the revival ‘babas’ and ‘buwas’ – self-styled fake godmen on the rampage targeting people, especially women, a social activist has called for a crackdown on this scourge by the government, coupled with awareness and grassroots support at the village-levels. Towards this end, Mahatma Phule Samaj Seva Mandal (MPSSM) chief Pramod Zinjade submitted a memorandum to the Rural Development Ministry seeking a state-supported initiative to curb such...

Crack down on fake godmen scourge

Mumbai: As outrage continues across the state over the revival ‘babas’ and ‘buwas’ – self-styled fake godmen on the rampage targeting people, especially women, a social activist has called for a crackdown on this scourge by the government, coupled with awareness and grassroots support at the village-levels. Towards this end, Mahatma Phule Samaj Seva Mandal (MPSSM) chief Pramod Zinjade submitted a memorandum to the Rural Development Ministry seeking a state-supported initiative to curb such evil social malpractices rampant in the mofussil areas. Zinjade urged the government to move swiftly as superstition-loaded exploitation is not only spreading but cutting across caste-religious lines with such fake babas preying on the vulnerable village folks – and must be curbed with an iron hand. “The recent case of Nashik, involving Ashokkumar Eknath Kharat, as well as others in the recent past in the state and other parts of the country, has highlighted how these unscrupulous persons trap people in the name of miracles, healing powers, divine engagement and occult practices,” Zinjade told  ‘ The Perfect Voice’ . There are other similar instances in some parts of the state where ‘tantriks’ forced gullible women into physically exploitative rituals - ostensibly to ward off curses, effects of dark spells or evil spirits, saving the lives of their husbands or kin - and other such superstitions. Black Magic Act Referring to the Maharashtra Prevention & Eradication of Human Sacrifice and other Inhuman, Evil and Aghori Practices and Black Magic Act, 2013, Zinjade said in his memorandum that existing legal provisions are underutilised or not fully enforced, and need to get a boost from the state. “The law has already criminalised such acts and also mandated stringent punishment, besides encouraging the citizens to develop a ‘scientific temper’ to prevent abuse by so-called bhondu babas. The government should issue a state-level circular directing all district and local authorities to mandate the Village Panchayats to take up ‘Superstition Free Village’ as a formal agenda to be implemented within a time-frame,” explained Zinjade. All the villages can pass suitable resolutions, form Superstition Eradication Committees, launch awareness campaigns involving the youth and school or college students, vigil by women’s groups to keep an eye on any resident or roving godmen and enforce the law at the grassroots with the help of the local police along with the district administration, he added. He expressed optimism that if the state government intervenes in the matter, there could be a drastic reduction in incidents of superstitious, fraudulent, spiritual and aghori rituals-practices, preventing the exploitation of womenfolk plus ensuring the rural societies are rendered safe and secure.

Indian Shipbuilding A Must Win Marathon

Shipbuilding

With a coastline of 7500 KM, it is hard to imagine, that for the first 20 years (1947-1967) India had no ‘shipping ministry’. In 1967 a Shipping ministry “coupled” with ROAD transport was established. Since then, this ministry has been on a name changing ride, not once, not twice but six times. In 2009 the “ROAD Transport and Highways” was de-coupled and ‘Shipping’ ministry was formed. Turning point came in 2015 with a clear maritime vision for 2030 and 2047. Ministry was re-christened, aptly to Ministry of “Ports, Shipping and Waterways” in 2020.


Why is Shipbuilding important for a country?

a. A Shipyard becomes an opportunity hub and like a queen bee requires the support of an industrial colony to manufacture machinery and equipment.

b. National Shipyards support fleet renewal needs of the Navy.

c. Contributes to national GDP, increases inflow of FOREX.


Korea shipbuilding is 8% of GDP. Japan’s automobile industry is 2.9% of GDP. India’s shipbuilding a meagre 0.000578% of GDP. In context, India’s pharmaceutical industry, ranked third largest in the world is 1.72% of India’s GDP.


International Shipbuilding Market

The market is estimated to reach around USD 200 billion by 2029, growing at a CAGR of 4.84%. While India is at bottom with 0.07% of world share, behind Philippines 1.5% and Vietnam 1%, however on the positive side, India has done well in taking care of its defence needs, with 37 of 39 Naval ships being built in India yards. Rear Admiral S Shrikhande researching on maritime as a Fellow at Wollongong University, Australia, says “Shipbuilding in India needs both, serious incentivisation and dogged determination and not harping on being a big ship breaking country. That Garden Reach shipyard has a $54 million order for merchant ships from a German owner, is a good sign.”


Were Shipyards of 20th century in Flight mode?

Prominent shipyards in India were built in the colonial period. Mazagon Dock 1774, Garden reach 1884, Hindustan shipyard 1941 to cater to British navy and merchant fleet needs. Cochin shipyard 1972, Adani Katupalli 2013, Reliance Naval and Engineering, Rajula Gujarat 1997 and others have limited capacity, hence a lot more work to do. Capt. Subhangshu Dutt (Singapore) a mariner and now a shipowner, says “GOI should hold hands in any collaboration till the marriage with the foreign entity is reasonably stable. He also suggests that “new shipbuilding sites should be given to existing successful shipyards since they have decades of experience and talent. Consortium of 3 or more parties may also be good idea”.


Shipbuilding GOLD

As per SPLASH report the demand for LCO2 carriers could reach 2,500 ships by 2050. As per other estimates, 40% of global fleet of ships could have wind propulsion by 2050. A surge in such vessels is due to an unparallel waves of decarbonization in the shipping industry. Demand for ships with ‘carbon neutral’ badges, such as Dual fuel, Wind assisted, Nuclear fuel ships, Hydrogen powered ships, Liquified CO2 (LCO2) carrier, is outstripping supply. A must in the ‘bucket list’ of every Shipyard. Pinning down a standard ROI in shipbuilding is not easy, but experts suggest it could range from 4% to 15% for the high demand ‘carbon neutral’ ships. While an LNG new build vessel could cost US$ 250 million upwards.


International collaboration

On China’s shipbuilding success story, Manoj Pandalanghat (Singapore) a mariner and ship owner believes that “China has around 50 active Shipyards. Each have a few large dry docks. In each dock two or more large vessels are built simultaneously. Thus, a single yard is able to roll out 2/3 vessels/month, 36 vessels/year and 50 shipyards roll out 1800 vessels/year”.


China could be a jaldi-5, but India needs a sturdy Mount Fiji. Besides technology, Japanese bring the most important hand baggage of soft-skills and culture, essential for success from keel laying to delivery. Maruti’s is a standing example.


Food for thought for New Delhi

a. Expertise: Hire Naval Architects and shipbuilding experts with current international experience.

b. Government assistance: Land, Financial support, subsidies and timebound clearances.

c. Monitoring: PMO should monitor the first 5 to 10 years till Shipbuilding takes-off on this long-haul flight to destination 2047.


India’s Shipbuilding is expected to grow to $237 billion by year 2047. On a back of the envelope calculations this works out to about 4% of India’s 2047 projected GDP of $ 5 trillion. While cars are driven on roads, however the Ministry of roads and transport has little to do with “Automobile manufacturing”. On a similar note, ‘Shipbuilding’ as an industry has little to do with Ports, Shipping and Waterways, thus it may be worthwhile to consider a separate ‘Ship-building’ wing in the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways headed by a dynamic cabinet rank minister. Since 2047 targets are stiff and an uphill task, so in all probabilities, the officials in Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways are likely to push beneath the carpet, delays and failures of Shipbuilding with sweet success stories of “Ports, Shipping and Waterways” and if this does happen then India will not only miss the Shipbuilding bus of 21st century but a lot more from a national security and strategic perspective.


(The author is a Shipping and Marine consultant. Member Singapore Shipping Association and empaneled with IMO as a specialist consultant. Views personal.)

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