Overheard that a farewell dinner of a top-notch yesterday (October 15, 2009) cost around Rs. 6,600. I don’t think I need to add that this price was for each person!
Consider this: In India, a family of four can survive a whole month on approximately $150, which comes to around Rs. 6750. This is true to close to 50% of the population in our country! As per the World Bank, about 42% of Indians are in the below poverty line (BPL) zone (surviving on less than $ 1.25 per day).
At around the same time that folks in the party were enjoying the expensive meal, I couldn’t help, but notice a family of three on the footpath on my way back to CST Station. A little kid, oblivious the world around and the condition his family is in, as old as my nephew Jonty, trying to reach to something unknown; a lady sitting still, looking at the third member of her family – her husband, who was trying to hide/cover his face supposedly crying! The scene, still as fresh as a daisy in my mind, hit me hard… Really hard!!!
Ironically, the (note the singular) dinner (@ Rs. 6,600 per person) was hosted just a day before UN’s World Food Day (October 16, 2009), celebrated this year with the theme – ‘Achieving food security in times of crisis.’
2 comments:
Ridiculous!
How true the paradox-India is a rich country with poor people!!
Your blog keeps getting better and better! Your older articles are not as good as newer ones you have a lot more creativity and originality now keep it up!
Post a Comment