A farmer who broke out of poverty

A farmer is in news and for a good reason. Let me give you some background.

His father was a bonded laborer. Odds were against him like for all poor farmers. But he owes his success to adopting simple measures in his farming.

Non-stop income: His daily income comes from selling milk through dairy farming. Weekly income comes from selling vegetables. Quarterly income comes from harvesting coconut. Half yearly income comes from pulses. Yearly income comes from sugarcane and turmeric crops. 

This is a simple but an effective way of beating the price fluctuations and weak monsoons. A cow or two does not occupy much space in the farm. The coconut trees at the border line do not require intensive care but yet offer a steady income. And the portfolio of crops in the field coming to harvest at different times of the year provide the non-stop income. This inclusive farming when practiced to perfection provides the farmer a healthy cash flow which a salaried person would envy.

No loans and reinvesting in his fields: This farmer did not borrow even while sinking bore wells one every year for eight years. Accumulated money found a purpose and the bore wells reduced dependency on the rain. He had the patience to do that with his own money. This farmer who started with four acres of land now owns about 40 acres.

His name is Puttiah and he inaugurated this year’s Mysore Dasara. His message to fellow farmers – “Be brave to face uncertainties. Suicide is not the solution”. He has proved that farmers can break out of poverty. We should ensure that his story gets known to all the poor farmers so that they too learn to diversify and reinvest and do better.

Farmers feed the world. India was always known as agrarian economy and the farmers thrived here with a bartering system to do all transactions. They ran the economy. All the kingdoms in India were built on the taxes levied on the farmers. Farmer was the foundation of society, religion, and kingdoms. But times changed. Farmers became poor, went hungry themselves. Some of them had put an end to their lives too. In that background, Puttiah’s life has a strong message for the farmer's community on how they can do well in the present world too.

ಸಣ್ಣ ಕಥೆ: ಮನೆ-ಸೆರೆಮನೆ

ಅವಳ ಹೆಸರು ಜಾನಕಿ.  ಅದು ಸೀತೆಯ ಇನ್ನೊಂದು ಹೆಸರು. ಕಾಕತಾಳೀಯ ಎನ್ನುವಂತೆ ಈ ಜಾನಕಿಗೂ ಗಂಡನ ಜೊತೆ ನೆಮ್ಮದಿಯ ಬಾಳು ಸಾಧ್ಯವಾಗಲಿಲ್ಲ. ಬದಲಿಗೆ ಅವಳ ದಾಂಪತ್ಯ ಜೀವನ  ಕೆಲವೇ ದಿನಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ಮುಗಿದು ಹೋಗಿತ್ತು.

ಅದು ಕಲಬುರ್ಗಿ ಜಿಲ್ಲೆಯ ಹಳ್ಳಿ. ಬಿಸಿಲು ಧಾರಾಕಾರ. ನೀರಿಗೆ ಹಾಹಾಕಾರ. ಹಳ್ಳದಲ್ಲಿ ಕುಡಿಯುವ ನೀರು ತುಂಬಿಕೊಂಡು ಬಿಂದಿಗೆ ಹೊತ್ತು ಕೊಂಡು ಬೆವರಿಳಿಸುತ್ತ ಬಂದ ಜಾನಕಿಗೆ, ಅಂದು ಆಕೆಯನ್ನು ನೋಡಲು ಗಂಡು ಬರುವ ವಿಷಯ ತಿಳಿಸಿದ ತಾಯಿ, ಅಂದು ಹೊಲಕ್ಕೆ ಕೂಲಿಗೆ ಹೋಗದೇ ಮನೆಯಲ್ಲೇ ಇರಲು ತಿಳಿಸಿದಳು. ಜಾನಕಿಯ ಅಪ್ಪ ಮನೆಗಿಂತ ಬೇವಿನ ಗಿಡದ ಕಟ್ಟೆಯ ಮೇಲೆ ಬೀಡಿ ಸೇದುತ್ತಾ, ಊರವರೊಡನೆ ಹರಟುತ್ತ ಕಾಲ ಕಳೆದದ್ದೇ ಹೆಚ್ಚು. ಈ ಕಾರಣಕ್ಕೋ ಏನೋ, ಮಗಳ ಮೇಲೆ ತಾಯಿಗೆ ವಿಶೇಷ ಕಾಳಜಿ. ಅವಳು ಜಾನಕಿ ಇನ್ನೂ ಹೊಟ್ಟೆಯಲ್ಲಿರುವಾಗ ಊರಿನ ಗೌಡರ ಮನೆಯ ಟಿವಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ರಾಮಾಯಣ ತಪ್ಪದೇ ನೋಡುತ್ತಿದ್ದಳು. ರವಿವಾರ ಹೇಗೂ ಕೂಲಿ ಸಿಗುತ್ತಿದ್ದಿಲ್ಲ. ಬಸ್ಸು ಹತ್ತಿ ಪಟ್ಟಣಕ್ಕೆ ಹೋಗಿ ಸಿನೆಮಾ ನೋಡುವುದು ವರ್ಷಕ್ಕೋ ಎರಡು ವರ್ಷಕ್ಕೋ ಒಮ್ಮೆ ಸಾಧ್ಯವಾಗುವ ವಿಷಯ. ಬದಲಿಗೆ ರವಿವಾರದಂದು ಗೌಡತಿಗೆ ಮನೆ ಕೆಲಸದಲ್ಲಿ ಸ್ವಲ್ಪ ಸಹಾಯ ಮಾಡಿ, ಹಿತ್ತಿಲ ಬಾಗಿಲ ಓರೆಯಿಂದಲೇ ಕಾಣುವ ಟಿವಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಬರುವ ರಾಮಾಯಣವನ್ನು ಕಣ್ತುಂಬಿಕೊಳ್ಳುತ್ತಿದ್ದಳು. ಅದರ ಪ್ರಭಾವದಿಂದ ಮಗ ಹುಟ್ಟಿದರೆ ರಾಮ, ಮಗಳು ಹುಟ್ಟಿದರೆ ಜಾನಕಿ ಎಂದು ಹೆಸರು ಇಡುವ ಎಂದುಕೊಂಡಿದ್ದಳು. ಜಾನಕಿ ಬೆಳೆದು ಈಗ ಮದುವೆಯ ವಯಸ್ಸಿಗೆ ಬಂದಾಗಿದೆ. ಅಪ್ಪ ಸುಮ್ಮನಿದ್ದ ಅಂತ ಅಮ್ಮ ಸುಮ್ಮನಿರಲಾದಿತೇ? ತನ್ನ ಬಂಧುಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ಅವಳಿಗೆ ಗಂಡು ಹುಡುಕಲು ಕೇಳಿಕೊಂಡಿದ್ದರಿಂದ ಇಂದು ಜಾನಕಿಗೆ ಒಬ್ಬ ಗಂಡು ಬಂದಿದ್ದ.

ಬಂದವರದು ಹತ್ತಿರದ ಹಳ್ಳಿ. ಹುಡುಗ ಕಟ್ಟು ಮಸ್ತಾಗಿದ್ದ. ಅವನು ಉಳಿದವರಂತೆ ಊರಲ್ಲಿರದೆ ಸೈನ್ಯಕ್ಕೆ ಸೇರಿಕೊಂಡಿದ್ದ. ಅವನು ಕಳುಹಿಸುವ ಹಣ ತಂಗಿಯ ಮದುವೆಗೆ ಎಂದು ಕೂಡಿ ಇಡುತ್ತಿದ್ದಳು ಅವನ ತಾಯಿ. ಜೊತೆಗೆ ಒಂದು ಎಕರೆ ಜಮೀನಿತ್ತು. ರಜೆಗೆಂದು ಬಂದಾಗ ನೋಡಿದ ಜಾನಕಿಯನ್ನು ಒಪ್ಪಿದ್ದ.  ಜಾನಕಿ ಇನ್ನು ಬೇರೆಯವರ ಹೊಲದಲ್ಲಿ ಮಾಡುವ ಕೂಲಿಯ ಬದಲು ತನ್ನದೇ ಹೊಲದಲ್ಲಿ ಕೆಲಸ ಮಾಡಬಹುದು ಎಂದುಕೊಂಡಳು. ಬೆಟ್ಟದ ಮೇಲಿನ ವೀರಭದ್ರ ಗುಡಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಸರಳವಾಗಿ ಮದುವೆ ನಡೆದು ಜಾನಕಿ ಗಂಡನ ಮನೆಗೆ ಬಂದಿದ್ದಳು. ಕೆಲವೇ ದಿನಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ಮನೆ ಒಳಗೆ, ಹೊರಗೆ ಜವಾಬ್ದಾರಿಗಳನ್ನು ತನ್ನ ಹೆಗಲೇರಿಸಿಕೊಂಡಿದ್ದಳು. ಆದರೆ ಎರಡು ಕುಟುಂಬದವರ ನೆಮ್ಮದಿ ಅಲ್ಪ ಕಾಲದ್ದಾಗಿತ್ತು.

ಸೈನ್ಯದ ಕೆಲಸಕ್ಕೆ ಮರಳಿದ ಗಂಡ ಮತ್ತೆ ವಾಪಸ್ಸು ಬಂದಿದ್ದು ಹೆಣವಾಗಿ. ಶವವನ್ನು ಊರು'ಮುಟ್ಟಿಸಲು ಬಂದಿದ್ದ ಸೈನ್ಯದ ಅಧಿಕಾರಿ ಆತನ ಶೌರ್ಯವನ್ನು ಕೊಂಡಾಡಿದ. ಗಡಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ನಡೆದ ಗುಂಡಿನ ಕಾಳಗ ಆತನ ದೇಹವನ್ನು ಜರಡಿ ಮಾಡಿ ಹಾಕಿತ್ತು. ರಕ್ತವೆಲ್ಲ ಸೋರಿ ಹೋದ ಮೈ ಪೂರ್ಣ ಕಪ್ಪಾಗಿ ಇದು ತಾನು ಮೋಹಿಸಿದ ಶರೀರವೇ ಎಂದು ಜಾನಕಿ ಹೆದರಿಕೊಂಡಳು. ತನ್ನೆಲ್ಲ ಶಕ್ತಿ ಉಡುಗಿ ಹೋಗಿದ್ದರೂ, ಆಘಾತದಿಂದ ಹಾಸಿಗೆ ಹಿಡಿದ ಅತ್ತೆ, ಮಾವರ ಸೇವೆಗೆ ನಿಂತಳು.

ಮನೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ಎಲ್ಲರು ಅಳುತ್ತ ಕೂತರೆ ಕುಡಿಯಲು ನೀರೆಲ್ಲಿ? ಗಂಡನ ಸಾವಿನ ಮರು ದಿನವೇ ಮತ್ತೆ ತನ್ನ ಎಲ್ಲ ಜವಾಬ್ದಾರಿಗೆ ಜಾನಕಿ ಮರಳಿದಳು. ಹೊಲದಲ್ಲಿ ರಾಶಿ ಕೆಲಸ ಬಿದ್ದಿತ್ತು. ದಣಿಯದಿದ್ದರೆ ನಿದ್ರೆಯೇ ಸುಳಿಯದು. ಕೆಲಸದ ನಡುವೆ ವಿರಾಮ ಸಿಕ್ಕಾಗ ಬೆಟ್ಟದ ವೀರಭದ್ರನಲ್ಲಿ ಹೋಗಿ ಪ್ರಶ್ನೆ ಹಾಕುವ ಎಂದುಕೊಳ್ಳುವಳು. ಆದರೆ ಹಣೆಬರಹ ಬರೆಯುವವನು ಬ್ರಹ್ಮ. ಅದಕ್ಕೆ ವೀರಭದ್ರ ಏನು ಮಾಡಿಯಾನು ಎಂದುಕೊಂಡು ಸುಮ್ಮನಾಗುವಳು. ಬದಲಾಗಿ ಗಂಡನ ತಂಗಿಯ ಮದುವೆಯತ್ತ ಚಿತ್ತ ಹರಿಸಿದರೆ, ಸತ್ತವನ ಆತ್ಮಕ್ಕೆ ಶಾಂತಿ ದೊರಕಬಹುದು ಎನ್ನಿಸಿ ಮತ್ತೆ ಕೆಲಸಕ್ಕೆ ತೊಡಗುವಳು.

ನಮ್ಮ ಪಾಡಿಗೆ ನಾವಿದ್ದರೂ ಸಮಾಜ ತನ್ನ ಪಾಡಿಗೆ ತಾನಿದ್ದೀತೆ? ಕೆಲವರು ಅವಳು ಕಾಲಿಟ್ಟ ಗಳಿಗೆಯ ಮೇಲೆ ಅಪವಾದ ಹೊರಿಸಿದರು. ಮತ್ತೆ ಕೆಲವರು ಜ್ಯೋತಿಷ್ಯ ಹೊಂದಾಣಿಕೆ ಇಲ್ಲದೆ ಮದುವೆ ಮಾಡಿದರೆ ಅಪಾಯ ತಪ್ಪಿದ್ದಲ್ಲ ಎಂದು ಅಭಿಪ್ರಾಯ ಪಟ್ಟರು. ಹಾಗೆಯೇ ಒಂಟಿ ಹೆಣ್ಣೆಂದು ಪಡ್ಡೆ ಹುಡುಗರ, ಕಾಮಪಿಪಾಸುಗಳ ದೃಷ್ಟಿ ಕೂಡ ಈಕೆಯ ಮೇಲೆ ಬೀಳತೊಡಗಿತು. ಎಷ್ಟು ದೂರ ಸರಿದರೂ, ಅಪವಾದಗಳು ಬೆನ್ನು ಬಿಡಲಿಲ್ಲ. ರಾಮಾಯಣದ ಸೀತೆಗೂ ಅಪವಾದ ತಪ್ಪಿರಲಿಲ್ಲ. ರಾಮರಾಜ್ಯಕ್ಕಿಂತ ಕಲಿಯುಗ ಯಾವುದರಲ್ಲಿ ಹೆಚ್ಚು, ಯಾವುದರಲ್ಲಿ ಕಡಿಮೆ?

ಹೆಂಗಸರ ಚುಚ್ಚು ಮಾತು, ಗಂಡಸರ ವಕ್ರ ದೃಷ್ಟಿ ಅಸಹನೀಯ. ಆಗಿಂದಾಗ್ಗೆ ಜೋರು ಬಾಯಿ ಮಾಡಿ ಸುಮ್ಮನಾಗಿಸಿದರೆ ಅಂಥ ಪ್ರಯತ್ನ ಕಡಿಮೆಯಾದಿತೇನೋ? ಆದರೆ ಮೃದು ಸ್ವಭಾವದ ಜಾನಕಿ ಯಾರ ಜೊತೆಗೂ ಮಾತಿಗಿಳಿಯದಿದ್ದರೂ, ಇವಳ ಕೇಳಿಸಿಕೊಳ್ಳಲೆಂದೇ ಆಡುವ ಮಾತುಗಳು ದಿನೆ ದಿನೇ ತೀಕ್ಷ್ನವಾಗತೊಡಗಿದವು. ಒಂದು ದಿನ ಹೊಲದಿಂದ ಹುಲ್ಲಿನ ಹೊರೆ ತಲೆಯ ಮೇಲಿಟ್ಟುಕೊಂಡು ಮನೆಗೆ ಮರಳುತ್ತಿದ್ದಳು ಜಾನಕಿ. ಹತ್ತು ಹೆಜ್ಜೆಗಳ ಹಿಂದೆ ಬರುತ್ತಿದ್ದ ಮಹಿಳೆಯರ ಗುಂಪು ಇವಳನ್ನೇ ಕುರಿತು ಗಟ್ಟಿ ದನಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಮಾತನಾಡಲು ಆರಂಭಿಸಿತು.

"ಗಂಡಂಗೆ ಬ್ಯಾಡ ಅಂದ್ರೆ ಗುಂಡು ಕಲ್ಲಿಗೂ ಬ್ಯಾಡ ಅಂತ ಗಾದೆ ಮಾತೇ ಐತೆ. ಅಂತದ್ರಲ್ಲಿ ಇವ್ಳಿಗೆ ಇನ್ನ್ಯಾರೋ?"

"ಗಂಡ ಬಿಟ್ಟ ಇಲ್ಲ ಗಂಡ ಸತ್ತ ಎಲ್ಲ ಒಂದೇ. ಇವಳ್ ಆಸೆನೂ ಅದೇ ಇತ್ತೋ ಏನೋ?"

"ಇಲ್ದೆ ಏನು? ಇವ್ಳ ಹಾದ್ರ ಕಂಡು ಅವ್ನು ಸತ್ತಿರ್ ಬೇಕು"

ಅಲ್ಲಿಗೆ ಸಹನೆ ಮೀರಿದ ಜಾನಕಿ ತಲೆ ಮೇಲಿದ್ದ ಹುಲ್ಲಿನ ಹೊರೆಯಿಂದ ಕುಡುಗೋಲು ತೆಗೆದು ಹಿಂತಿರುಗಿ ಬರುತ್ತಿದ್ದ ಗುಂಪಿನತ್ತ ಬೀಸಿದಳು. ಅದು ಆ ಗುಂಪಿನಲ್ಲಿ ಒಬ್ಬಳಿಗೆ ಕುತ್ತಿಗೆಗೆ ತಗುಲಿ, ಅವಳು ಕುಸಿದು ಬಿದ್ದಳು. ರಕ್ತ ಧಾರಾಕಾರವಾಗಿ ಹರಿಯಿತು. ಕೆಲವರು ಆಕೆಯ ಕುತ್ತಿಗೆ ಗಾಯಕ್ಕೆ ಬಟ್ಟೆ ಒತ್ತಿ ಹಿಡಿದು ನಿಲ್ಲಿಸಲು ನೋಡಿದರು. ಆದರೆ ಉಪಯೋಗವಾಗಲಿಲ್ಲ. ಪ್ರಾಣ ಪಕ್ಷಿ ಹಾರಿ ಹೋಗಿತ್ತು. ಜಾನಕಿ ಮಾತ್ರ ಸಿಟ್ಟಿನಿಂದ ಏದುಸಿರು ಬಿಡುತ್ತ ನಿಂತಲ್ಲೇ ನಿಂತಿದ್ದಳು.

ಕೆಲವು ಗಂಟೆಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ಬಂದ ಪೊಲೀಸರು ಜಾನಕಿಯನ್ನು ಬಂಧಿಸಿ ತಮ್ಮ ಜೀಪಿನಲ್ಲಿ ಕುಳಿಸಿದರು. ಜೀಪು ಶುರುವಾಗುವ ಹೊತ್ತಿಗೆ ಜಾನಕಿ ದೂರದಲ್ಲಿ ತನ್ನ ತಾಯಿಯನ್ನು ನೋಡಿದಳು. ಸುದ್ದಿ ಕೇಳಿ ಆಕೆ ಓಡಿ ಬರುವುದರಲ್ಲಿ ಜಾನಕಿ ಹೊರಟಾಗಿತ್ತು. ಧೂಳಿನಲ್ಲಿ ಅಸ್ಪಷ್ಟವಾಗಿ ಕಾಣ ಬರುತ್ತಿದ್ದ ತನ್ನ ತಾಯಿಯ ಆಕೃತಿ ಕ್ರಮೇಣ ಚಿಕ್ಕದಾಗಿ ಕಣ್ಮರೆಯಾಯಿತು. ಜಾನಕಿ ತಲೆ ತಗ್ಗಿಸಿದಳು. ಅವಳಿಗಾಗಲೇ ಆವೇಶ ಇಳಿದು ಹೋಗಿತ್ತು ಆದರೆ ತಾನು ಮಾಡಿದ್ದು ಸರಿಯೋ ತಪ್ಪೋ ಎಂದು ವಿಚಾರ ಮಾಡುವ ಶಕ್ತಿಯನ್ನು ಸಮಾಜ ಆಕೆಯಿಂದ ಕಸಿದುಕೊಂಡಿತ್ತು. ನ್ಯಾಯಾಲಯದಲ್ಲಿ ಏನು ಮಾತನಾಡಲು ಅವಳಿಗೆ ತೋಚಲಿಲ್ಲ. ಅವಳು ಮಾಡಿದ ತಪ್ಪಿಗೆ ಜೀವಾವಧಿ ಶಿಕ್ಷೆಯಾಯಿತು.

ಜೈಲಿನಲ್ಲಿ ವರ್ಷಗಳು ಸರಿದು ಹೋದವು. ದಿನವೂ ಅದೇ ಏಕತಾನತೆ. ಇಲ್ಲಿ ಅವಳಿಗೆ ಯಾವ ಜವಾಬ್ದಾರಿಯೂ ಇಲ್ಲ. ಅಪಸ್ವರದ ಮಾತು ಕೇಳುವುದೂ ಇಲ್ಲ. ಅವಳ ತಾಯಿಯೂ ಜಾನಕಿ ಜೈಲು ಸೇರಿದ ಮೊದಲ ವರ್ಷವೇ ಕೊರಗಿನಿಂದ ಸತ್ತು ಹೋಗಿದ್ದಳು. ಹೀಗಾಗಿ ಅವಳನ್ನು ನೋಡಲು ಬರುವವರು ಯಾರೂ ಇರಲಿಲ್ಲ. ಎಲ್ಲ ಸಂಬಂಧಗಳು ಕಳಚಿದ ಮೇಲೆ, ಈ ಜೈಲು ವಾಸ ಅವಳಿಗೆ ಬಂಧನಕ್ಕಿಂತ ಸ್ವಾತಂತ್ರ್ಯ ಎಂದೇ ತೋರತೊಡಗಿತು. ಜೈಲನ್ನು ಸ್ವಚ್ಚವಾಗಿ ಇಡಲು ಅಧಿಕಾರಿ ಹಾಗು ಸಿಬ್ಬಂದಿಗಳಿಗೆ ನೆರವಾಗುತ್ತಿದ್ದ ಜಾನಕಿ ಕ್ರಮೇಣ ಅವರ ವಿಶ್ವಾಸ ಗಳಿಸಿದಳು. ಕಸ ಗುಡಿಸುವ ಕೆಲಸವನ್ನೇ ಶೃದ್ಧೆಯಿಂದ ಮಾಡುತ್ತಿದ್ದ ಜಾನಕಿಯ ಎಲ್ಲಾ ಕೆಲಸಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ಒಪ್ಪ ಓರಣ ಇರುತ್ತಿತ್ತು. ನಿಮಿಷ ಮಾತ್ರದ ಆವೇಶ ಅವಳನ್ನು ಈ ಜೈಲು ವಾಸಕ್ಕೆ ತಳ್ಳಿತ್ತು. ಆದರೆ ಸೆರೆಮನೆ ಅವಳಿಗೆ ಮನೆಯಾಗಿ ಮಾರ್ಪಟ್ಟಿತ್ತು.

ಸುಮಾರು ಇಪ್ಪತ್ತು ವರ್ಷಗಳು ಕಳೆದ ಮೇಲೆ ಅವಳಿಗೆ ಬಿಡುಗಡೆ ಆಯಿತು. ಆದರೆ ಅವಳಿಗೆ ತನ್ನ ಜೀವನದ ಮೊದಲ ಇಪ್ಪತ್ತು ವರ್ಷಗಳಲ್ಲೇ ಸಂಬಂಧಗಳೆಲ್ಲ ಮುಗಿದು ಹೋಗಿದ್ದವು. ಮತ್ತೆ ಸಮಾಜ ಜೀವನಕ್ಕೆ ಕರೆದೊಯ್ಯುವ ಯಾವುದೇ ಶಕ್ತಿ ಜೀವಂತವಾಗಿ ಉಳಿದಿರಲಿಲ್ಲ. ಬದಲಿಗೆ ತನ್ನ ಇಪ್ಪತ್ತು ವರ್ಷ ಜೈಲು ವಾಸದಲ್ಲಿ ಅಲ್ಲಿ ನೀರುಣಿಸಿದ ಮರಗಳು ಮತ್ತು ಅದರಲ್ಲಿ ಬಿಟ್ಟ ಹೂಗಳು ಹೆಚ್ಚು ಜೀವಂತ ಎನಿಸಿದವು. ಪರಿಸ್ಥಿತಿ ಅರ್ಥ ಮಾಡಿಕೊಂಡ ಅಧಿಕಾರಿಯೊಬ್ಬರು ಆಕೆಗೆ ದಾರಿ ತೋರಿಸಿದರು. ಆಕೆಗೆ ಅಲ್ಲಿ ಸಹಾಯಕಿಯಾಗಿ ಉದ್ಯೋಗ ದೊರಕಿಸಿ ಕೊಟ್ಟರು. ಜಾನಕಿಯ ಜೈಲಿನ ನಂಟು ಮುಂದುವರೆಯಿತು.

RBI loosens the grip on low cost housing loans

There were minor modifications announced by RBI in the risk weights for housing loans. (Link: https://www.rbi.org.in/Scripts/NotificationUser.aspx?Id=10063&Mode=0)

I am providing a snapshot herewith.

Source: RBI

The first change was increasing the slab to 30 lakhs from 20 lakhs. The second change is risk weight is reduced to 35% from 50% for lower LTV ratio categories.

Few primers before we begin. LTV is loan to value ratio, for a house costing or valued at 30 lakhs, one would get a loan of 80% that is 24 lakhs at 80% LTV. For this 24 lakh loan, if risk weight assigned is 50%, then 12 lakh amount of loan is at risk which needs to be covered with a Capital Adequacy Ratio (CAR) set at 9%. That comes to Rs.1.08 lakh which banks needs to set aside as reserve for each Rs. 24 lakh loan.

Now let us rerun the math for the change in policy. Since risk weight is reduced to 35% from 50% for two categories, for the same Rs. 24 lakh loan, amount at risk reduces to 8.4 lakhs (from 12 lakhs) and the reserve required comes down to Rs. 75,600  (from 1.08 lakh). This differential money banks can use to lend that will increase their profits in the range of 10 bps to 30 bps (0.1% to 0.3%). Banks can choose to pass on this benefit partially or fully to the consumer too.

Changing the slab from 20 lakhs to 30 lakhs was necessary as land and construction costs have gone up. Personally I do not think houses at this price range carry the risk of 35% price drop in adverse situations. But banks and RBI need to be conservative. Probably measures like this have protected India from situation like subprime crisis when housing prices dropped significantly in US during 2008-09. Though it seems still high, reducing risk weight from 50% to 35% to low cost segment is definitely a welcome move.

Now with this change, consumers buying a house valued up to 37.5 lakhs (then the maximum loan will be 30 lakhs at 80% LTV) can benefit and banks would chase this segment as target base. Housing loans are a lion share in most banks loan portfolio and this change will improve liquidity and improve profitability too. If consumers borrowing less than Rs. 30 lakhs get a small rate differential, it would save them a few hundred rupees a month in the interest outgo. But not being denied the loan (even when eligible due to liquidity reasons) is the real benefit. Don’t be surprised if you begin to get calls from bank marketing channels offering you a housing loan at competitive rate. That is expected in the coming months. Distressed realtors too would roll out a red carpet when you go for a site visit.

Though RBI is aiming to make it easier for borrowers of low cost housing, we can observe that it has reduced risk weightage for loans above 30 lakhs too to 35% if LTV is at 75%. This would mean those making a 25% down payment on the houses costing in the range of Rs. 30 to 75 lakhs would also find it convenient to get loans. When credit growth at multiple years low, bond yields reducing, and improving liquidity situation, banks would not turn down the qualified customer. Instead they would outbid each other.

If we have affordability and need but don’t own a house yet, it is time to go out and build (or buy) our own houses. Lower rates, pampering by banks are cyclical. Consumer’s party has begun now and it is likely to stay for couple more years. Take benefit as long as it lasts and pay-off as much debt as possible too. When rates come back, it would not pain you as your loan principal would have been reduced. If you already own a house and have a loan, visit your bank to ensure you are getting revised lower rates. If not burdened, do not reduce your EMI, choose for reducing the loan period. In a 20 year loan period, one can see 3-4 cycles of rates going up and down. Keeping the EMI constant when rates are low helps to offset the burden when rates are high.

If you think all of this does not matter much, you will end up working for the bank more than for your home.


[I am not from banking background. I wrote this post to understand the policy changes better]

Contradictions and wages

Sri Sathya Sai Hospital, Whitefield, Bangalore

A friend, an ex-colleague of mine had called me up to meet together for a lunch. We had agreed to meet at InOrbit mall in Whitefield. From my office, it is a walking distance of 10 minutes. As I like to walk, I did not let go of this opportunity. I had to pass by Sathya Sai Hospital, a well-known super specialty hospital to reach the mall. There I noticed a bizarre thing. On the footpath, attached to compound wall of this hospital, there was a make-shift, cloth wrapped, temporary shop of medicine seller, selling medicines made out of various spices with a banner claiming to cure all kinds of ailments. There was a loud speaker too to attract the attention. Well, if the patient is cured with the treatment inside the hospital, will he come out and try these medicines or will this be the first stop for him? I did not know how it worked but for a moment I thought India is incredibly contradictory as we have ancient medicines and the state of the art health services made available in one place.

Inorbit Mall, Whitefield, Bangalore

I went on to meet my friend and proceeded for lunch. There, for two person’s meals, we paid a price with which a small family would buy grocery to last for a month. After the lunch, a walk inside the mall gave me a feel that this is a better facility than many of the malls I had visited in US, Europe or Singapore. I again felt contradiction as we hit the street outside we are very much in India with all of its hallmarks. This mall had all international brand stores. Among them there was an arts and crafts shop too. The shop-keeper there was sitting with his legs stretched out on two chairs as if he is not expecting any curious customer to come-in, forget the business. I was thinking how they survive, while my friend was gossiping about office politics.

When I was walking back to my office, again in front of Sathya Sai Hospital, few village men asked me how to reach ‘Kailasa Palya’. I was puzzled for a moment as I had not heard of that place. Seeing my confusion one of them uttered another word – ‘Victoria Hospital’.  Suddenly I was smiling and I corrected them. They needed to go ‘Kalasipalya’ and helped them to board the bus. I could make out that these villagers had brought a patient along with them, they had come to get him treated at this Satya Sai Hospital which is a free service hospital built by Sai Baba. But the rush and waiting periods are so long, many have to return without success of getting admitted here so they were leaving to Victoria hospital which is run by the Govt.

Traffic congestion in Bangalore

When commuting in Bangalore is an adventure for a healthy person, how the deceased would suffer in the crowded public transport system? I really felt bad for the patient. I know more than half population of this world is poor, struggle to make their ends meet. Many are happy to have single meal a day. And when they suffer from ailments, they have to travel miles to the likes of expensive city of Bangalore to get back to their health.

When will this change and when will they do better? Not when some rich donate money, though it helps to some extent. A good society should not depend on few people’s philanthropy. And no use blaming Govt. as they represent the broader society that is us again. Another thing to note is, facilities develop when the affordability in the society goes up. Did you know that Whitefield was a sleeping village fifteen years ago? I had to travel more than 5 km to find a Tea shop on the day I got my offer letter from a company in this area in 2001. Now it is transformed into a modern suburb. Most of the people working in this locality earn well, so you find everything under the Sun here. That is because the spending power of people living here went up and the facilities followed them.

Wages are increasing in rural India too, but they are unevenly spread. When they, from laborer in the fields to construction workers get better wages, life style improves in the villages too. Those villages may not become another Whitefield but become better places than they were before. That would put a halt to those suffering from ill health to arrive in Bangalore, suffer in traffic and experience hell.

If things are going to be expensive as wages are to go up at the bottom of economic pyramid, we should know that it is not entirely unwelcome. History has taught us that prosperity islands will fall out when there is social unrest. It is better to spread the prosperity. Not by donations but through wages as the benefits would reach far and wide. That is what happened in many developed countries so their incomes are at multiples of ours. As India’s economy expands, we will also see wages here going up all over the places. And that will get millions out of poverty, reducing the gap in access to basic facilities. I am hopeful of seeing it in my lifetime.

Being a politician is a hard job

I recently met a budding politician. That meeting had around 20 members, conducted in a prviate house. They were all members of an association of a newly formed layout on the outskirts of Bangalore. This politician was elected to be a Gram Panchayat member in the recent elections. Meeting had two things on the agenda. One is, congratulating him on winning the election and the other, getting few petty things done from him for the layout.

This politician, probably in his 40’s, had a great physique. He looked like a granite rock rawly cut. Huge and strong skull, curly hair, bulky eyes, broad shoulders, solid arms gave him a scary look. But his talk was soft. Surprisingly for a politician, he knew his limits. He was able to explain how the Govt. and Panchayat work in simpler words. He talked to the point, quickly understood what was expected out of him in that meeting. He ordered his men to build a dump yard for collecting waste, promised to build flag hosting pole at his own expense, called up the responsible to repair the street lights and explained how a mud road fix does not help anyone and why it is better to demand for a tar road and who would help as it was beyond his limits. He distributed sweets along with his visiting card. He asked everyone to approach him for whatever things he is responsible for and he would also let the meeting attendees know if he needs any support. Favor reciprocation is an old formula in politics and the underworld. He did all of this in a matter of 20-30 minutes and then drove off in his Toyota Innova, probably to he next meeting.

He kicked off a few thoughts inside me and I am putting down few things I could notice from him. To be a politician, one should not be too sensitive. Everyone does not respond to the politician in the same manner or tone. Irrespective of that he has to treat all of them fairly in public. Else his image is at stake. He should have the knack to take the meetings under his control, to keep it short and fruitful. He should know the truth that society cares only those who win elections and those who lost are good as dogs. It can be a thankless job even for the purest soul. He should strive to promote himself for taking the credit for his good deeds. Else the opposition does it shamelessly. If you don’t eat Tiger does not mean Tiger will not eat you. A politician should know how to defend himself and his family from those who want to put an end to his career or life. If violence scares you, you are out in no time. A politician should know how to manipulate the human behavior. He should shout at some to get things done and be pleasing to few to keep things going. One weapon does not work for all. A politician dons hats of many roles, all at the same time. That of an actor moderating his stance throughout the day, as a psychologist in gauging the people and situation, as a marketer in shaping his image in the people’s eye, as a punter in protecting his interests and so on.

This also makes it clear why many good people do not get into politics, even when tried, they cannot go further. Many good people are sensitive. They cannot stand too much praise or insult. They promote themselves hardly. Even if some are able to overcome this behavior, they might not be in a situation to protect themselves and confront the violence. They are scared off by stronger forces at play. When these are not a problem for few, playing too many roles as a politician throughout the day can be really tiring. A slipped tongue in public or a small fight with the media can damage the image severely and quickly. Factors like this filter out the mass and leave little who are really cut out for politics.

Being a politician is really a hard job. Hope you would agree with me. As politicians would not read blogs, you won’t be one of them I guess.