AWAKENINGS

  To understand the present full-fledged Ukraine War waged by Putin as from  24 February 2022, a brief past history of Ukraine – its Geographical and Demographics - will enhance our understanding of the present conflicts in a broader and unbiased perspective. Ukraine of 1654 was a tiny piece of land in the middle which was expanded with 80% of its territories given by the Russians from the time of imperial Tsars (1654-1917) to Lenin (1922) to Stalin (1939-1945) with Khrushchev (1954) lastly giving Crimea to Ukraine from Russia territory even though its population was more than 60 percent Russians.   In the 17th century, large areas of what is now Ukraine became part of the Russian Empire. After its disintegration in 1917, the country experienced a short period of independence before the Soviet Union reclaimed it by force. Russian history began in Kievan- Rus' more than a thousand years ago. The modern nations of Belarus, Russia and Ukraine all claim Kievan Rus' as their cultura

Though ‘Loot ki Sarkar of UPA’ was defeated by Modi, Modi’s sarkar was accused by Rahul as ‘Suit boot ki Sarkar’ because Modi had appeared with a costly suit gifted to him by an Industrialist a year or so. Now, with the budget of 2016-17 which is being hailed as the Pro-Farmer, Pro-Poor, Pro-Women, Pro-Rural Skill and Infrastructure Developments budget, it seems that Congress Party under Rahul’s stewardship was once again knocked out and he should coin some other suitable slogans to target Modi. Some salient points of the budget in respect of Rural and Agricultural Sectors alone are listed hereunder: A dedicated Long Term Irrigation Fund will be created in NABARD with an initial corpus of Rs. 20,000 crore with a view to double farm incomes by 2022. A sum of Rs 38,500 crore allocated for MGNREGS. 100% village electrification by 1st May, 2018. 2.87 lakh crore will be given as Grant in Aid to Gram Panchayats and Municipalities as per the recommendations of the 14th Finance Commission R