Modi govt falls short of target: 1 million homes continue to be in the dark

Ahead this year's Lok Sabha elections, achieving full energy access has been one of Modi's key reforms for outreach to rural communities, where BJP is challenged by dissatisfaction and joblessness.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led central government missed a self-imposed target to electrify every home, delaying the success of the marquee $2.3-billion development goal that his party plans to showcase before national elections early this year.

After bringing electricity connections to 23.9 million households across 25 states, about 1.05 million homes in four states still lack power, the government’s Press Information Bureau said in a statement Monday, the year-end deadline.

Power Minister R K Singh reaffirmed as recently as late November that the government would meet its December 31 target, which had earlier been moved up by three months.

Achieving full energy access has been one of Modi’s key reforms amid his outreach to rural communities, where his Bharatiya Janata Party has been challenged by dissatisfaction and joblessness. Electrification success would be a political boon for Modi and the BJP as they face national elections in the coming months.

The central government has set several milestones for its rural electrification plan since Modi came to power in 2014 -- bringing connections to all villages by May 1, then to all homes by the end 2018. After full electrification is achieved, the next goal will be to ensure reliable uninterrupted supplies by March 31.

Modi’s government in September 2017 set out to electrify nearly 40 million homes, a target that has been shrinking and shifting along the way.

As of Monday, the total number of homes targeted for electrification stood at about 25 million, more than one-third fewer than the original plan. The target was revised downward to account for families that migrated to cities and households living under one roof that were grouped together for a common power connection, P.V. Ramesh, chairman of REC Ltd., which is executing the rural electrification work, said in early December.

The deadline was also brought forward from its original March 31. The government’s statement Monday, which said the states of Assam, Rajasthan, Meghalaya and Chhattisgarh are still to be electrified, made no mention of the Dec. 31 target. It also mentioned that the state of Uttar Pradesh started a campaign to identify any “left out” households and provide electricity connections.

“Completing this program in a time-bound manner is a big achievement, but it will have to be complemented with more reforms at the state utility level,” Kameswara Rao, who leads power and mining practices at PwC India, said before the announcement.

Business Standard

Education should not really be barrier for contesting elections; here's why

If you erect entry barriers to contesting, you are effectively curtailing the right to vote, by pre-emptively selecting the pool of people from whom the voters can decide.

A thread on why this view is not correct:

There is no evidence to demonstrate that people with a formal education can do a better job as elected representatives than those without. In fact, anecdotal evidence at the time the law was passed suggested the contrary.

See, for instance, Radha Devi. There were many such examples – especially – of women panchayat leaders who drew upon their own experiences of deprivation and lack of opportunity, to ensure that that did not continue.

That, alone, is a good enough reason for why this law was wrong. Formal education has no necessary connection with the qualities required for good and competent political and administrative leadership.

But actually, this framing is itself suspect.

It is suspect because we live in a democracy, and at the heart of our democracy is the concept of representation: voters decide who will best represent their interests, and elect them to legislative bodies accordingly.

Therefore, when you say that formally uneducated should be barred from contesting elections, what you are effectively saying is that you don’t trust the voters to decide who will best represent their interests. This is arrogant and presumptuous.

Now you may argue that there is a distinction between the right to vote and the right to stand for election, and that nobody is taking away the right to vote. But they are two sides of the same coin. If you erect entry barriers to contesting, you are effectively curtailing the right to vote, by pre-emptively selecting the pool of people from whom the voters can decide. It is, effectively, a restriction on voting, just that it’s done indirectly.

Third reason: such laws are discriminatory. They discriminate on lines of gender and caste, because those who have been deprived of access/opportunities to education, are inevitably the most vulnerable members of society. This is documented.

So, the Haryana law disenfranchised 68% of Dalit women and 50% of all women from contesting. It’s not these peoples’ fault that they were unable to get a formal education. Deprivation is function of social discrimination, not individual character flaws.

For these three reasons – that it has no tangible effect on the quality of decision-making, that it is counter to the fundamental logic of democracy, and that it is discriminatory – this law was bad.

Now, to some objections.

Objection A: Will you also get rid of age-based restrictions?

Answer: No, because the logic of an age restriction is entirely different. We agree that participation in democratic politics requires a degree of *mental maturity* that is a function of age.

Business Standard

Six positive Climate change news stories we all probably missed in 2018

Global warming has left some wintery animals with mismatched camouflage, and it may even cause a global beer shortage.

Climate change news can be incredibly depressing. In 2018 alone, The Conversation covered the loss of three trillion tonnes of ice in Antarctica; Brazil’s new president and why he will be disastrous for the Amazon rainforest; a rise in global CO2 emissions; and a major IPCC report which warned we are unlikely to avoid 1.5 degree of warming.

Then there were the rogue hurricanes, intense heatwaves, massive wildfires and the possibility we are emitting our way towards a Hothouse Earth. Global warming has left some wintery animals with mismatched camouflage, and it may even cause a global beer shortage.

But things cannot be entirely bad, can they? We asked some climate researchers to peer through the smog and highlight a few more positive stories from 2018.

Renewable energy is being set up faster than ever

Rick Greenough, professor of energy systems, De Montfort University

2018 saw the largest annual increase in global renewable generation capacity ever, with new solar photovoltaic capacity outstripping additions in coal, natural gas and nuclear power combined.

This is one of several hopeful signs that the “cleantech” sector is rising to the challenge of climate change. The UK, for instance, set new records for wind generation. And now that subsidy-free solar generation has proven possible, there are plans for the UK’s largest solar farm to provide the cheapest electricity on the grid, thanks to battery backup (crucial for intermittent renewable technology). Tesla, meanwhile, installed the world’s largest lithium battery in Australia and it is set to pay back a third of its cost within one year.

Chernobyl fights against climate change

Mike Wood, reader in applied ecology, University of Salford

Three decades ago, the world experienced its worst nuclear accident to date. The damaged Chernobyl nuclear power plant released large quantities of radioactive material into the environment, necessitating evacuation of an area now known as the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone (CEZ). But forget the popularised imagery of a nuclear wasteland; Chernobyl is now home to an amazing diversity of wildlife, its forests are expanding and the future of this region is looking positive.

In the fight against climate change, there is a global need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to increase the removal and storage of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere (a process known as carbon sequestration). The ongoing expansion of Chernobyl’s forests means more atmospheric carbon is becoming incorporated into the trees. Additionally, the central part of the CEZ is now home to a major new solar farm development and wind farm development is being considered. Consequently, this post-accident landscape is now contributing to a sustainable future.

Business Standard

DMRC extends first coach 'Woman only' rule to all routes; Red line exempted |

The similar measure will also be implemented in the Red Line as well once it is extended up to Ghaziabad.

Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has announced on Monday that first coach in the moving direction of all trains will be reserved for ladies from January 1, 2019, except the Red Line.

The new system has been introduced to ensure more convenience and smooth transition to commuters and maintain uniformity among all the metro stations across the DMRC network.

The similar measure will also be implemented in the Red Line as well once it is extended up to Ghaziabad, said DMRC.

Till 2018, the first and the last coach at the terminal stations of Line 1 (Red Line-Dilshad Garden to Rithala), Line 5 (Green Line- Inderlok/Kirti Nagar to Brig. Hoshiar Singh), Line 6 (Violet Line- Kashmere Gate to Raja Nahar Singh), Line 7 (Pink Line- Majlis Park to Mayur Vihar Pkt-1 and Trilokpuri-Sanjay Lake to Shiv Vihar) and Line 8 (Magenta Line-Botanical Garden to Janakpuri West) were alternately used as ladies coach in the Up and Down lines, respectively.

DMRC also stated that the floor graphics and the 'Women Only' hanging signages are being relocated accordingly at all the stations of these lines.

ALSO READ: Delhi metro to ring in Lajpat Nagar to Mayur Vihar line on New Year's eve

"On rest of the Corridors (Line 2 and Line-3/4), the first coach on both Up and Down directions was already used as the 'Women Only' coach and will continue to remain so", the official added.

Business Standard

Tech in review 2018: From AI to camera, trends that shaped smartphone space

Business Standard takes a look at technology trends that changed smartphones space in 2018.

AI became the new buzzword in the smartphone space. Smartphone makers adopted the new technology to enhance the operating system, optimise battery life, improve imaging and reduce unnecessary resource consumption. Of many use cases, the technology made a huge impact on the imaging capabilities of the current generation smartphones. From automatic scene detection to customising settings based on frame, the AI has proved to be a valuable addition.

From iPhone X-inspired wide notch to dewdrop shaped small one, 2018 would be marked as the year of notch-screen smartphones. The Asus Zenfone 5z (review), unveiled at the MWC 2018, marked the beginning of the notch-screen trend in the Android ecosystem. The trend spread like wildfire and smartphones -- budget or premium – did not shy starring the notch on their foreheads.

Since its inception, the fingerprint sensor is one of the phone’s components that never really got a space of its own. It has moved from front to back, right to left, and under the power button -- in some cases. However, the biometric module finally got its much awaited dedicated spot in 2018 – under the screen – thanks to Chinese smartphone maker Vivo. The in-display fingerprint sensors technology is neither fast nor accurate than conventional fingerprint readers. But, they are the future as they save space on the front for display to stretch edge-to-edge without hampering the unibody design of phone’s back.

Launched in March this year, Huawei’s phone made triple-lens cameras a thing of the past, and other android mobile phone makers followed suit. A few months later, Samsung unveiled mid-range phones featuring triple and quad camera modules on the back. More is always merrier, showed the Huawei P20 Pro and Mate 20 Pro. However, the Google Pixel 3-series with a single lens camera showed that a lot can be achieved even with a single camera. This makes us wonder; do we really need triple or quad cameras in phones?

Year after year, smartphones are becoming more and more powerful and their battery life continues to be the biggest pain. So this year, the push seems to be towards making them charge faster than making them larger. Chinese smartphone maker Oppo showcased the SuperVooC charging technology, which is able to charge a 2500mAh battery in just about 15 minutes. Huawei also introduced super charge technology with 40W rated output, claiming to charge a 4,000 mAh battery in less than an hour. OnePlus also introduced a 30W rated WarpCharge that is an improvement over the company’s proprietary 20W Dash Charge technology. Interestingly, the wired charging has become better but wireless charging remains far from ideal.

Business Standard

Jivi Banana 6 review: Cheap copy of original banana phone, the Nokia 8110

Priced at Rs 1,299, the Banana 6 is a feature-rich phone with Bluetooth and dualSIM support. It also offers wireless FM radio that broadcasts radio channels without plugging wired headset.

Jivi, a home-grown mobile phone brand known for budget phones, recently launched the Banana 6 at Rs 1,299. Replica of the Nokia 8110 feature phone, famous for its banana-shaped design and commonly known as the original banana phone, the Jivi Banana 6 is also a feature phone with a curved design and a slider on the front, covering the keypad.

In terms of design, the phone’s bright yellow colour pops out too much and might not go down well with everyone. The slider mechanism is reminiscent of the good old Nokia days when phones with sliders and flaps were common. However, the quality of the slider does not seem to be good. It feels out of the place while sliding down and requires constant efforts to keep it intact. The slider is used for unlocking/locking the phone and receiving calls.

The back of the phone has a removable cover with a battery, dual-SIM and microSD slot underneath. The phone is powered by 1,000 mAh battery. On the front, the phone has a 2.4-inch display covered with 2.5D glass. There are a T9 keypad and a trackpad for navigation below the screen. The keys are soft and have good haptic feedback. For charging, there is a micro USB on the bottom, along with a 3.5mm headphone jack for audio output.

The Jivi Banana 6 is a traditional feature phone, meaning it does not support modern features and applications such as Google Assistant, Google Maps, 4G, LTE Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi hotspot. These features are new in feature phone space and phones like Reliance JioPhone and Nokia 8110 support them. The Banana 6, on the other hand, has a traditional phone interface and a keypad to navigate and operate it.

In terms of value-added features, the Banana 6 offers wireless FM radio, Snake Cobra and Brick n Ball games, GPRS internet connectivity option, and mp3 player support for playing audio files saved in microSD card. The microSD card is also needed to store photos and videos as the phone does have limited internal storage that is mostly filled with the operating system and other system files.

The phone has a rear camera with a flash that can be used as a torch as well. The photos taken by the phone are basic and manage to look fine only in good lighting. The phone also has Bluetooth and dual-SIM support.

Business Standard

Most eligible singles taken in 2018: Celebrity weddings that left us in awe

Here's a quick recap of 10 celebrity weddings of 2018 that garnered attention like none other.

This year saw a Prince of the royal family of Britain getting married. One of the richest business magnates of the world married his daughter off. The biggest teen pop star of a decade ago tied the knot. The Bollywood actress who beat the Khan trinity to top a list India's movie stars, too, took the nuptial vows.

Here's a quick recap of 10 marriages that garnered attention like none others:

1. Meghan Markle and Prince Harry

Suits star Meghan Markle tied the knot with Prince Harry in a wedding ceremony that boasted of the who's who of the glamour world. "I was unprepared for the depth of emotion I felt stepping onto the grounds of Windsor Castle. It literally took my breath away. I exclaimed out loud to no one in particular: 'Whoa! This right here is a whole another level! And I thought immediately of the history, the legacy, the astounding moment Meghan Markle was stepping into," Oprah Winfrey wrote in a column.

2. Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas

Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas The couple tied the knot in Umaid Bhawan in Jodhpur earlier this month. Nickyanka's Mumbai wedding reception was star-studded with celebrities including Anil Kapoor, Anushka Sharma, Salman Khan, Anupam Kher and several others in attendance.

3. Karlie Kloss and Joshua Kushner

Kloss and Joshua Kushner Supermodel Karlie Kloss tied the knot with long-time boyfriend, Joshua Kushner. Joshua is the brother of Jared Kushner, Ivanka Trump's husband and an adviser to President Donald Trump. According to the People magazine, the supermodel wore a custom-made Dior gown when she married Kushner in an intimate Jewish ceremony with around 80 people in attendance, in upstate New York.

4. Deepika Padukone- Ranveer Singh

Deepika and Ranveer tied the knot in Lake Como, Italy in a traditional Konkani ceremony on November 14, while a Sindhi wedding was organised on November 15, both of which were attended by close-knit relatives of the two actors. Among B-Town celebs, actor and fitness enthusiast Shilpa Shetty seemed the most excited, and said the couple never looked more "Ethereal, unreal, surreal".

5. Saina Nehwal - P Kashyap

Saina Nehwal and Parupalli Kashyap After taking their fans by surprise with a hush-hush wedding, Saina Nehwal and Parupalli Kashyap hosted a grand reception party in Hyderabad.

Joining the Sabyasachi bride and groom club, the two opted for matching indigo outfits. The designer took to his Instagram page to share the details of the outfits. Dressed in a rich indigo velvet lehenga, intricately embroidered with zardozi, applique, pearls and crystals, Saina looked like a royal Indian bride.

Business Standard

Rupani calls Rahul Gandhi a 'shameless liar' over Vibrant Gujarat remark

Gandhi had hit out at PM Narendra Modi, claiming that 'cynical' sponsors of the investor summit no longer wanted to be associated with an event presided over by him.

In a scathing attack on Rahul Gandhi for his critical remarks on the upcoming Vibrant Gujarat Summit, Chief Minister Vijay Rupani dubbed the Congress president as a "shameless liar" who was desperate to see the state fail.

Rupani said people of Gujarat have recognised Gandhi's "hatred" for the state and have continuously rejected the Congress, and will keep doing so.

Gandhi had on Sunday hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, claiming that "cynical" sponsors of the investor summit no longer wanted to be associated with an event presided over by him.

"At the Vibrant Gujarat Summit 2019, cynical sponsors no longer want to associate themselves with an event presided over by NoMo. They have left the stage, the way he likes it...Empty," he had said.

At the Vibrant Gujarat Summit 2019, cynical sponsors no longer want to associate themselves with an event presided over by NoMo. They have left the stage, the way he likes it...

Empty.https://t.co/WeLmQLjxB6

— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) December 30, 2018

The Congress chief had quoted a media report to target the summit, conceptualised in 2003 by Prime Minister Modi when he was the chief minister of the state to promote investment in Gujarat.

The report claimed that the United Kingdom, after refusing to be a partner country for the Vibrant Gujarat Summit 2019, said it had decided to withdraw from the "showpiece state-led event" due to lack of satisfactory "commercial outcomes".

Reportedly, the UK is the second country after the United States to pull out as a partner country for the summit.

Reacting to Gandhi's tweet, Rupani Sunday night claimed that the investor meet was seeing even more participation this time.

"Such a shameless liar you are Rahul Gandhi. This time Vibrant Gujarat is seeing even more participation. Here are the facts:," he said in a tweet along with a link to a media report.

Such a shameless liar you are Rahul Gandhi. This time Vibrant Gujarat is seeing even more participation. Here are the facts:https://t.co/BWYLWDF6Bt

— Vijay Rupani (@vijayrupanibjp) December 30, 2018

The glee in your tweet shows how desperate you are to see Gujarat fail.

Gujaratis recognise your hatred for the state and have continuously rejected the Congress & will keep doing so!#RaGaJhoothKiMachine

— Vijay Rupani (@vijayrupanibjp) December 30, 2018

Business Standard

From health to climate change: These 5 stories hold out hope for India

Over the course of 10 months, India Governance Reported has highlighted successful initiatives on issues including health, gender parity, climate change, education.

Business Standard : In February 2018, IndiaSpend launched India Governance Report (IGR), a monthly newsletter that brings together stories of good governance and policy-making from across India.

Over the course of 10 months, IGR has highlighted successful initiatives on issues including health, gender parity, climate change, education, and Kerala’s post-flood rehabilitation. Here is a selection of five stories, each covering one of our focus areas, that made an impact in 2018 and hold out hope for India’s future.

As the country braces for the 2019 general elections, the impact of good governance, or the lack of it, will be under the spotlight. We aim to increase our coverage of governance issues, and welcome your suggestions and feedback.

Climate Change

Farmer Couple Learn To Cope With Climate Change And Flourish

Challenge: Climate change can lower the standard of living of nearly half of India’s population by 2050, the World Bank warned in a June 2018 study. Particularly vulnerable are farmers who are dependent on rainfall for a good harvest, especially in regions such as Karnataka that are prone to drought. In the 15 years to 2015, only three years--2005, 2007 and 2010--witnessed no drought, as per a 2017 assessment report by the Karnataka State Disaster Management Monitoring Centre. In 2018, 77% of the 30 districts were declared drought-hit, The Times of India reported on September 14, 2018.

Action: A farmer couple, Shyamrao and Laximibai Patil, in water-scarce Kalaburagi in north Karnataka, have shown that a combination of state and NGO support, supported by grassroots innovation, can help farmers combat the effects of climate change. The Patils practice organic farming, run a dairy and poultry farm, and are helping their fellow farmers experiment with new methods.

The couple have set up their own self-help group to sell produce such as pulses. From their mixed-crop farming and livestock produce, they make an annual income of Rs 5 lakh and a profit of around Rs 2.5 lakh, at a time when 70% of the country’s agricultural households spend more than they earn on average every month.... Read More

As Isro works on human spaceflight, a glimpse of challenges from the past

On one day in 1973, three American astronauts on board the Skylab space-station closed their radio link with NASA ground stations and took time off to chill.

On December 28, the Government of India okayed India’s first human spaceflight programme at a cost of Rs 9,023 crore. The programme will attempt to launch three Indian astronauts to low-Earth orbit for as many as seven days. If the mission – slated to happen in 2022 – succeeds, India will become only the fourth country in the world able to launch astronauts into space.

It is not yet clear what the astronauts will do in space. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), which is leading the programme, has said they will perform some science experiments on their first flight but nothing of what comes after. But there’s no doubt that there are a lot of possibilities, and that astronauts – Indian and otherwise – have lots left to do in the coming decades. They’re crucial in everything from extraterrestrial mining to Mars missions, space diplomacy to weaponisation,.

In this sense, it is important for space organisations to maintain a keen awareness of their spacefarers’ fitness. Humans aren’t naturally equipped to deal with the alien nature of space, to live in confined quarters with zero gravity, no horizon in sight and with limited resources. If they have coping issues up there, things can get rapidly and profoundly disastrous for all involved.

NASA experienced one of the first such incidents (although there haven’t been many) 45 years ago. On one day in 1973, the three American astronauts on board the Skylab space-station closed their radio link with NASA ground stations and took time off to chill.

ALSO READ: Year in space: Isro gears up for busy 2019 after successful 2018

The Skylab was a space-station owned by the US and operated by NASA. Skylab 4 was the last mission on it. It began on November 16, 1973, with astronauts Gerald Carr, Edward Gibson and William Pogue. At the time of launch, the trio was told that their mission would last at least 60 days – a record at the time. It eventually lasted 84 days.

The two previous crews that had been on Skylab had completed a large amount of work – “150% of their science goals”, according to one telling. This gave NASA the impression that pushing the astronauts to do more was okay, even though the commanders of the two previous manned Skylab missions advised against it. And because Carr, Gibson and Pogue would be the last astronauts onboard the experimental space-station, NASA also wanted to make sure they’d also finish all other pending experiments.

The result was that the astronauts would have to work 16 hours a day for the entire duration of the mission.

Business Standard

Healthy diet plan for office workers | Diet plan for office goers | Tips to improve health at work

Tips to improve health at work: You should walk for 6 minutes for every hour of sitting; include carbs in your diet.

It’s all about low-carb, low-calorie and high-protein food these days, if you want to remain fit. The year 2018 has seen people getting increasingly conscious about not just what they eat but also what goes into making their food. People have also adopted tough food habits like a ketogenic diet, which includes avoiding all kinds of sugar and starch. This has also led to the rapid increase of healthy food chains, which mention the ingredients being put and the calories being consumed.

To follow a healthy diet, remember that in-taking the right quantity of fat like cheese or butter — is actually good for your health. Yes, you read it right, eating the right kind of fat is also necessary. Eating healthy does not mean eating green. Non-vegetarian enthusiasts should continue eating chicken, fish and even red meat.

If your New Year resolution is to change your eating habits, Purva Gulyani, accredited practising dietitian, who has also worked at Fortis Hospitals, has some tips for you:

1. How many meals should we eat in a day?

We should learn to listen to our hunger cues and eat mindfully. Unfortunately, in today's era we get so caught up in work and other pressures that we are not very aware of our body needs. Hence, it is great to start with making a regular eating pattern and aim for 3 main meals and 2 small healthy snacks.

2. How many cups of tea and coffee should we consume? Should we include milk in our daily diet as well?

Moderation is the key to good health — 3 to 4 cups of tea/coffee of every day is the ideal amount for healthy adults. We go wrong when we load hot beverages with 2-3 tea spoon of sugar, full cream milk and have some biscuits or cookies or some savory snacks with it every time. If you can control these things, please go ahead and enjoy your favourite cuppa.

And yes, adding milk to the daily diet helps us meet the daily calcium and protein requirement.

3. Should we eat fruits and salad every day? if so, what kind of fruits and salad and in what quantity?

5 serves of vegetables and 2 serves of fruits every day is the standard recommendation. This should include one serve of vegetable that is half-cooked and one cup raw of veggies. As for fruits, consume one medium size fruit like apple, pear and banana every day. These are a brilliant source of micronutrients and antioxidants, that we pay so much money in the artificial supplements form.

Fruits and veggies are loaded with soluble fiber that helps us prevent and manage diabetes, high blood pressure and many other chronic diseases.

Business Standard

Simmba' review: A masala entertainer and a bonafide comedic masterwork

Simmba is produced as a matter of form but not-without-its-innovations and pleasures.

Film: "Simmba"
Director: Rohit Shetty
Cast: Ranveer Singh, Sara Ali Khan, Sonu Sood, Ajay Devgan, Ashutosh Rana, Siddharth Jadhav

Rating: ****

Critical opinion on a Rohit Shetty film may vary wildly, simply because it is a masala entertainer where one expects the magic on screen, the magic of entertainment, albeit, sans rationality, and that is where the opinions differ.

Some may find "Simmba" silly to a point but overall, most would agree that this film is pretty good, artistic and a bonafide comedic masterwork; produced as a matter of form but not-without-its-innovations and pleasures.

The film is about a cocky, orphan Sangram Bhalerao (Ranveer Singh) from Shivgad, who grows up to be a corrupt police officer. It is his journey from being a bad man-of-the-law to a good one.

Picking up nuggets from real life events, the film mirrors society. If the first half is light and frothy that evokes constant laughter, the second half is equally intense and serious. It delivers middle-class life lessons in a blatantly effective manner.

What really engages you in this over-stretched film are Rohit Shetty's characteristic melodrama and over-the-top comedy, fast-paced action sequences, witty dialogues replete with puns and spontaneous performances by its ace cast.

Ranveer Singh as Sangram Bhalerao aka Simmba is the lifeline of the film. He carries the burden of being the corrupt police officer squarely on his shoulders and he portrays Sangram effortlessly. He is charismatic and charming as he forges new relationships or draws horns with the antagonist Dhruva Ranade (Sonu Sood). His cockiness hits an all-time high when he tells Dhruva, "Je mala mahit nahin, te mala sangh," which means, tell me something, I don't know.

Sonu Sood as Dhruva Ranade is formidable. He has his moments when he shines but is not outstanding. With a miniscule role as Simmba's love interest, Sara Ali Khan is lost in the narrative. She hardly has anything to do in the film.

Ashutosh Rana as the righteous head constable Mohile is intense and Siddharth Jadhav with an expressive visage as Constable Santosh Tawde is comical. The rest of the supporting cast deliver sincerely.

The script loosely adapted from the Telugu film "Temper", is actually a spin-off of Shetty's previous franchise, "Singham". What's commendable about the script is how the writers have effortlessly weaved in "Singham" into the narrative. So you do get to see a good chunk of Ajay Devgan delivering his distinctive action stuff.

Business Standard

Will #Metoo change the unequal gender equations in an organisation?

In our conservative surroundings, it is people who make up organisations that need to reassess and recommit to not just addressing grievances.

Recent revelations in the #MeToo movement have underlined the urgency to redefine the workspace. Addressing sexual harassment is not just about ‘responding’ to specific incidents of sexual harassment. Equally, it is about changing the organisation leadership’s attitude and gender perspective.

In this context, one would agree that the Prevention of Sexual Harassment (POSH) Act (2013) has been a positive step in redressing workspace gender imbalances. POSH requires organisations to systemically address allegations of sexual harassment at the workplace. It prescribes mechanisms to address and change the unequal gender equations in the organisation’s power structure.

But how effective has POSH been in changing workplace culture?

No doubt, there is more ‘compliance drive’ today within organisations in giving a voice to women. This is a required though symptomatic response to address workplace gender inequity. To function as a robust mechanism, however, POSH requires a strategic shift and a new perspective.

The spirit of POSH is directed towards building an organisational culture that can address wider issues of gender discrimination and invisibility. It’s evident that organisations need to develop a mindset where a complaint is not treated merely as disturbance or distraction, but a testimony to the organisation’s lack of understanding of gender equality.

The question of dignity

Will the #MeToo moment change workplace functioning and gender-based attitudes in organisations? Is the compliance mode going to make way for recommitment towards ensuring gender equality and dignity?

Cultural changes are indeed difficult to make. The change needs to come from the top leadership. They need to be committed to the cultural shift as part of delivering on their mandate. This would also include increasing women in leadership.

One wonders though whether the overwhelming male representation at the leadership level makes correcting the gender imbalance difficult; whether the leadership finds itself on the wrong side of the equation, where correcting the imbalance is seen, at the very least, non-essential, and at worst, threatening.

Furthermore, to make an overall cultural shift, both women and men need to feel the need to be a part of that drive. It is important to note that many men across sectors have come out in support of #MeToo.

The feminist movement may have unwittingly drawn a line right down the middle, creating distance and discomfort between men and women. The #MeToo moment, however, has an opportunity to project collective resolve for a healthy, stimulating workplace (and society) for all.

Business Standard