Arhat Vachan 1999 10

SR No.: 526544
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Anupam Jain
Publisher: Kundkund Gyanpith Indore
Publication Year: 1999
Total Pages: 92
Language: Hindi
Classification: Magazine, India_Arhat Vachan, & India
File Size: 5 MB

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cart has it's own part to play and it makes hardly any sense to upset this balance.
THE BULLOCK CART On a rough estimate, there are some 15 million bullock carts in the country, which in terms of investment is equivalent to Rs. 4500/- crores - just Rs. 1500/- crores less than the government's investment in the railways in the last 10 years. 41 billion tonne kilometers of goods i.e. 60% of the average farm products to market (tansportation of goods) are carried by bullock carts every year, as against 180 billion tonne kilometers carried by railways ad 80 billion tonne kilometers carried by road transport. Directly and indirectly, the bullock cart industry provides employment to 20 million people against 6 million by the road transport industry and 1.4. million by railway.
SECURED PLACE IN INDIA'S TRANSPORT SYSTEM Although many would believe that the bullock cart is on its way to extinction, it is not only increasing in the number (One million every 5 years) but also proving itself as the cheapest form of transport for short hauls. A recent case study of 5 mandis in different states to assess the role of bullock carts and trucks in rural transport, conducted by the programme evaluation organisation of the planning commission, some time back, throws interesting light on the situation. It says, "the cart continues to occupy a indispensable place in the rural economy. While carts have lost much ground against trucks in the mandis or market centres, they have increased in number in the villages and are not handling any lower volume of traffic than 10 years back". In order to understand this phenomenon, one has to look into the set-up of our rural economy and take into account the advantage of the cart has over the other modes of transport.
The Programme Evaluation Organisation's study further observed that "Carts handle 50 to 96% of the road-borne inward traffic at the mandis, though they do not have much scope for handling outward traffic. Their main work lies in the mandi itself, in the transport of goods from the shops to godowns, mills, railway stations and similar points. The cart is not a competitor but complementary to railways and trucks".
COW PROTECTION REMAINS A FAR CRY Even after more than five decades of independence and in the face of above mentiond facts, the Govt. of India is continuing to stick fast to the policy of cattle - slaughter initiated under the British rule. This is inexplainable except for the inscrutable nature of the modern state craft. No doubt, there are laws for cattle - preservation in the provinces but they provide ample scope for free and want on slaughter. Moreover, the Government of India has added a new dimension to already on going cattle - slaughter by introducing meat export
Arhat Vacana, Oct. 99
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