Little Info on Food Processing Industries in India?

Q) Why Food Processing Industry is important for India?

A) 

1. This industry involves in the processing of agricultural,horticultural and other

products,which can reduce the wastage of food substantially and increases the

food security in the country. 

2. Food processing Industry is fifth largest industry in india.It encompasses

agriculture,horticulture,plantation,animal husbandry and fisheries.

3. India is home to 60 million poor people. It requires more than 60 million tonnes

of food grains for the Public Distribution System.(Reduction in wastage increases

the food security of nation and make it hunger free).

4. One of the main criticism of the PDS is poor Quality of grains. Processing can

enhance the quality of grains(if properly stored).

5. It has the capacity to provide more than a million jobs to youth, which are

suffering with unemployment and underemployment. 

6. Rural Economy is mainly based on agriculture. Nearly half of the indian

population are still dependent upon the agriculture. Improvement of food

processing increases the Both domestic and external demand,which

automatically converts the subsistence based agricultural produce into

commercial one,which ultimately increase the GDP of the nation. 

7. Indian farmers are suffering with various calamities. their margin on produce is

very low due to involvement of number intermediaries. Improvement of food

processing industries will cut down the intermediaries and enhance the welfare of

the farmers, who are back bone of the country’ s food security.

8.   Demand in the food production will be enhanced due to the development of
this industry. Such demand will automatically increases the investment in units of
both forward and backward linkages(that means: transportation, Fertilisers,
seeds, Irrigation, Marketing, Retail, Power Distribution, e-Technology through
APMC and other sectors ).

9. Also India has significant proportion of population which is undernutrition (1/3 of population), stunted and wasted. Indian population are suffering from the deficiency of vitamin(ex:- Vitamin A). 

10. The cost of skilled manpower is relatively low as compared to other countries.Attractive fiscal incentives have been instated by central and state governments and these include capital subsidies, tax rebates, depreciation benefits, as well as reduced custom and excise duties for processed food and machinery.

11. India,at present, has Multinational mega food processing players. for

example:- Kelloggs(USA) Pepsi(USA),Yakut ( Japan),Amazon (USA),

Nestle(Switzerland).

Q. What is Scope and Significance of the Food Processing Industries?

A)Scope and Significance of the food processing industries:-

Food processing Industry is fifth largest industry in india.It encompasses

agriculture,horticulture,plantation,animal husbandry and fisheries.

Definition of Food processing industry deals with two type of industries,which are

Manufactured processes and Other value added services. 

Manufactured Process:-

Any raw material from either agricultural industry or horticulture or fisheries go

through the process,which involves human energy,power,machine or money

e.t.c.,  to become the edible material or to become commercial value, such

manufactured products comes under the food processing industries.

Other Value added Process:- 

Even though a material is not undergone any manufactured process, if it is

transformed either to increase shelf life or to consumption or other purposes, then

such value added processes also comes under food processing industries.

Food processing industries encompasses following stages :-

Inputs—>Production—>procurement&storage—>Primary Processing--> Secondary Processing —> Retailing. 

Scope and Significance In terms of Agriculture:-

1. In india,nearly 270 million tonnes of food grains are produced in last fiscal year.

Out of total agricultural produce, only 2% of food is processed. 

2. With rich agriculture resource base-India was ranked No. I in the world in 2013

in terms of production of Arecanut, Bananas, Castor oil seed, Chick peas, Chillies

& Peppers dry, Ginger, Lemons & limes, Mangoes, Mangosteens, guavas, Millet,

Okra, Papayas, Pigeon peas, Meat- buffalo, Milk-whole fresh buffalo & goat,

Ghee, butter oil of cow milk, Ghee of buffalo milk, sesame seed.

3.  India ranks second in the world in the production of Anise,fennel, coriander,

beans-dry, cabbages and other brassicas, cauliflower & broccoli, Egg plants

(aubergines), Garlic,Groundnuts with shell, Lentil, Onions dry, Peas green,

Potatoes, Pumpkins, Squash and Gourds, Rice/Paddy, Safflower seed, Sugar

cane, Tea, Tomatoes, Wheat, Meat goat, Milk whole fresh cow. Further, India is at

third position in the production of Cashew nuts, with shell, Coconuts, Lettuce and

chicory, Nutmeg, mace and cardamoms, Pepper (piper spp.), Rapeseed.

4. The Country’s gross cropped area amounts to 194.39 Million Hectares, with

cropping intensity of 139%. The net irrigated area is 66.10 Million Hectare.

5. India has about 26 types of different climatic conditions,46 varieties of soils are

there in India out of total 60 types of soils worldwide. 127 ‘agro climatic zones’

have been identified in India. Also, Indian food is known worldwide for its unique

taste and aroma.

Scope and Significance in terms of Strategic Location and outreach:-

It is strategically situated in between west asia and south east asia,which are

majorly Food Importing regions of the world, with nearly 7,500 km of coastal line.

India has Extensive network of food processing training, academic and research

institutes.At present, India has 42 mega food parks are being setup with an

investment of INK 155 Billion. The parks have around 1250 developed plots with

basic enabled infrastructure that entrepreneurs can take on lease for the setting

up of food processing and ancillary units.

Q. What are important Agencies that are involved in Food Processing Industries?

A)Agencies that related to food processing industries:-

1. Ministry of Food Processing Industries

2. Food Safety and Standards Authority of India

3. Agriculture and Processed Foods Export Development Authority

4. National Insitute for Food Technology and Entrepreneurship Management

5. All India Food Processors Association

6. Commodity Boards under the Ministry of Commerce and the Ministry of

Agriculture/Ministry of Food Processing: coffee, tea, spice, meat and grapes. 

7. Indian Grape Processing Board and some other Agencies involved in the food

processing industries.

Q) Discuss some of the Govt Initiative that boosted the growth of Food

Processing Industries in India?

Government Initiatives:-

National Mission on food processing: Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MOFPI) implemented a new Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) National Mission on Food Processing (NMFP) on 1st April 2012 for implementation through States/UTs. The NMFP visualises establishment of a National Mission as well as corresponding Missions in the State and District level. The major objectives of this schemes are as follows:

1 To augment the capacity of food processors working to upscale their operations through capital infusion, technology transfer, skill up gradation and handholding support.

2 To support established self-help groups working in food processing sector to facilitate them to achieve SME status.

3 Capacity development and skill upgradation through institutional training to ensure sustainable employment opportunities to the people and also to reduce the gap in requirement and availability of skilled manpower in food processing sector.

4 To raise the standards of food safety and hygiene to the globally accepted norms.

5 To facilitate food processing industries to adopt HACCP and ISO certification norms

6 To augment farm gate infrastructure, supply chain logistic, storage and processing capacity.

7 To provide better support system to organized food processing sector

Major Programmes / Schemes to be covered under NMFP during 2012-13 are 

Mega food parks: 

Mega Food Park Scheme is the effective program of the Ministry of Food Processing Industries, Government of India. Mega Food Park Scheme suggests a demand driven/pre-marketed model with strong backward/forward linkages and sustainable supply chain. It can be said that the policy of Mega Food Park is intended to offer a mechanism to relate agricultural production to the market through bringing together farmers, processors and retailers in order to maximize value addition, reduce wastages, increasing farmers' income and creating employment opportunities particularly in rural sector. The Mega Food Park Scheme is based on Cluster approach and visualizes a well-defined agri/ horticultural-processing zone containing state-of-the art processing facilities with support infrastructure and well-established supply chain.

Total 42 Mega Food Parks have been sanctioned by the Government for setting-up in the country. This step of the Government will create huge modern infrastructure for food processing sector and provide impetus to the development 

of the area.

List of Mega Food Parks

Modernisation of abattoirs: 

According to reports, The Scheme of Modernization of Abattoirs was launched during 2008. The Scheme is employed through local bodies (Municipal Corporations and Panchayats)/Public Sector Undertakings/Cooperatives/ Boards under Government and will have the flexibility for participation of private investors on PPP basis. The scheme offers facilities for scientific and less painful slaughtering, chilling, waste treatment plant, by-product utilization, water and power with required sanitary / phyto sanitary conditions for modernization of abattoirs. Transformation of abattoirs will also enhance essential supply base of hygienic raw material to the meat processing industry, both for domestic consumption and exports, besides discouraging illegal slaughtering. Scheme of Setting up/ Modernization of Abattoirs offers for initiation of private capital, better technology, backward and forward linkages. The system also provides for execution of projects preferably under PPP mode with the involvement of local bodies and has the flexibility for involvement of private investors/exporters on a BOO/BOT/JV basis.

Cold Chain Infrastructure: 

The Government of India identifies that development of cold chain is an essential step in upgrading India's food processing industry and consequently offers many incentives for promoting growth Scheme for Integrated Cold Chain, Value Addition and Preservation Infrastructure has major objective to motivate setting up of cold chain facilities to provide integrated cold chain and preservation infrastructure facilities without break from the farm gate to the customer.

Scheme of Technology Up-gradation/Establishment/ Modernization of Food Processing Industries: The Scheme is implemented to support prospective entrepreneurs to establish food processing units to decrease the wastage of agricultural and horticultural produce. 

R&D, QA, Codex and Promotion: 

Scheme for Quality Assurance, Codex, R&D and Other Promotional Activities is being executed to build infrastructure of food testing laboratories in the country to establish quality monitoring system for food processing, implement HACCP/ISO22000, ISO14000/GHP/GMP and other quality management systems and to encourage research and development for innovative products and process.

Food Testing Laboratories: The objective of the scheme is to guarantee safety and quality of food products with the analysis of the samples received from food processing industries and other stakeholders. The formation of a surveillance system to monitor the quality and composition of food and thereby ensuring compliance of international standards on food. 

Implementation of HACCP: 

The goal of the scheme is to encourage the food processing industries to adopt food safety and quality assurance mechanisms such as total quality management including ISO 14000, ISO 22000 HACCP, GMP, GHP, to prepare them to face global competition in post STO Regime, to enable faithfulness to stringent quality and hygiene standards, to improve product acceptance by foreign buyers and to keep Indian industry technologically up-to-date of international best practices.

Research & Development: Main aim of this scheme is that the end product/findings of R&D work must benefit food processing industries in terms of product and process development, improved packaging, value addition and leading to advanced products and process with profitable value.

Promotional Activities: 

In the Scheme for Promotional Activities, the Ministry offers financial support for organizing pan India level Seminars/Workshops/Fair/ Exhibitions and also partake in pan India level Fair/Exhibitions spearheaded by Apex Industry Associations and Autonomous Bodies/PSUs of Govt. of India with the objective of distribution of information regarding food processing industries.

Scheme for Human Resource Development: 

Ministry of Food Processing Industries has executed the Scheme for Human Resource Development since 9th Plan and onwards to boost the supply of trained manpower/ personnel at all levels for food processing sector such as entrepreneurs, managers, sales persons, floor workers. The ministry of food processing has taken the following initiatives for policy support for food processing Industries: 

1 Formulation of the National Food Processing Policy

2 Complete de-licensing, excluding for alcoholic beverages

3 Declared as priority sector for lending in 1999

4 100% FDI on automatic route

5 Excise duty waived on fruits and vegetables processing from 2000 - 01

6 Income tax holiday for fruits and vegetables processing from 2004 - 05

7 Customs duty reduced on freezer van from 20% to 10% from 2005 - 06

8 Implementation of Fruit Products Order

9 Implementation of Meat Food Products Order

10 Enactment of FSS Bill 2005

11 Food Safety and Standards Bill, 2005

The Centre has requested state Governments to undertake the following improvements:

1 Amendment to the APMC Act

2 Lowering of VAT rates

3 Declaring the industry as seasonal

4 Integrate the promotional structure

Little Explanation on Right To Information act,2005

Object behind the enactment of RTI Act, 2005:-

Maladministration, mismanagement, corruption and delays are some of the melodies plaguing the public offices which a common person has to face in his daily life. With a view to curb corruption and mal-administration etc. in the public offices and to promote transparency and accountability amongst the public officers, the Parliament enacted a new legislation in the year 2005 namely, The Right To Information Act, 2005. Prior to the passage of the RTI Act, 2005 and because of the stringent provisions contained in the Official Secrets Act, 1923, it was almost impossible for a citizen to obtain any information regarding the official working and performance of a public officer holding a public office. The RTI Act, 2005 not only promotes transparency and accountability amongst the public servants regarding their performances in their public offices but also ensures that the concept of rule of law is not subverted and foiled. This new legislation has brought about the sense of devotion towards duty and tendency to adhere to the laws and norms amongst the public servants in discharge of their official duties as they have been made to realize under this Act that any willful breach of the laws, norms and the official duties on their part may invite punitive action against them under the provisions of the RTI Act, 2005.

Provisions of RTI Act, 2005 

1. Every public authority has to provide to the citizen the right to information within a prescribed time limit. Public Authorities has been ascertained by the Act itself, which includes the office of the President, Vice-President, Prime Minister, Chief Justice of India, the Parliament, State Legislatures, the Supreme Court, High Courts, constitutional bodies such as CAG (Comptroller and Auditor General), Election Commission etc. It also includes all the departments, Ministries, Boards, PSUs (Public Sector Undertakings), Agencies of Central Government, State Governments & Local Governments.

2. It is mandatory for a public authority to create a separate office called as PIO (Public Information Officer), with an objective to provide information within a prescribed time limit of 30 days. If the information is related to life and personal liberty than the information should be provided within 48 hours.

3. If any citizen is not satisfied with the content, context or subject matter of any information or the information is not provided within a prescribed time limit of 30 days than an appeal can be filled before 1st level Appellate Authority (i.e. the Joint Secretary of the respective department) and against the adjudication of 1st level Appellate Authority the appeal can be filed before the 2nd Appellate Authority (i.e. CIC- Central Information Committee & SIC- State Information Committee).

4. This Act also prescribes/describes the term Information in a comprehensive manner. Information means any material in any form including records, documents, e-mails, opinions, advices, orders, law books, contracts, samples etc.

5. RTI Act also determines some exceptions under which the public authorities have no obligation to give any official information to any citizen. These exceptions are as follows:- 

a. Information relating to integrity, security, sovereignty and strategic, economic & scientific interest if the State.

b. Information which has been expressly restricted by any court of law to be published.

c. If disclosure will cause a breach of privilege of Parliament or State Legislature.

d. Information including IPR (Intellectual Property Rights) & trade secrets.

e. Information received in confidence from any foreign government.

f. Information the disclosure of which would endanger the life or physical safety of any person.

g. Information related to the process of investigation and prosecution.

h. Cabinet papers including records of deliberation of Council of Ministers and other high level officials.

i. Personal information, disclosure of which has no relationship with nay public activity or interest.

Recently a study was performed by PWC (PricewaterhouseCoopers - a multinational professional services firm) to identify issues and constraints in the implementation of the Act. According to the study main emphasis needed to be given to the Supply Side Issues & the Demand Side Issues. 

(Important Sections of the RTI:-

(i) Section 3 of the RTI entitles a citizen Right to Information.
(ii) Section 4(2) of the RTI obliges the public authority to disclose the information to common people.
(iii) Section 2(n) defines the Third Party
(iv) Section 11(1) explains the procedure to access third party information. )

The Supply Side Issues listed by PWC were as follows:- 

1. Purpose Clause: Under RTI Act it is being provided that without any purpose, qualification or objective a citizen can take any information from a public authority. Apart from this free of cost information is provided to persons who are Below Poverty Line. According to PWC survey because of both these clauses government spend approximately Rs 10,000 in the disposal of one case and on an average Rs 25,000 petitions are filed in different PIOs working at different levels of government.

2. 30 Days Clause: This clause does not include administrative exceptions such as public holidays, staff leave and administrative assignments like election, census, disaster management etc. Situation becomes much more impractical when information is as old as 20 years.

3. Appeal & Complaint Clause: It has been observed that citizen groups & media are directly filing complaints in spite of appeal, it leads to extraneous pressure on public functionaries and affect the motivation of public servant and motive of this Act.

4. Any PIO Clause: Under this clause a citizen can ask any information from any PIO whether the PIO is possessor of that information or not. In the disposal of such cases lots of time and energy is wasted due to administrative hierarchy. Situations becomes much more difficult when 30 Days Clause is enforced with Any PIO Clause. 

The Demand Side Issues can be listed as follows:-

1. Language Clause: Under this clause the PIO should provide information to the appellant in administrative language. It should be noted that administrative language has its own terminology, abbreviations and complexity which is not possible for a citizen to understand.

2. Designation Clause: It has been observed that the designation of the PIO and public authority of similar types of departments is different in different States. Apart from this the process by which a petition can be filed and the procedure by which adjudication is done also differ in different States.

3. Issues related to Legal & Political Rights: In our education system there is no separate curriculum which make people aware about their legal and political rights. Awareness of rights such as Environment Protection Act, Forest Conservation Act, Consumer Protection Act, Domestic Violence Act and RTI Act is required for every citizen to make the administration or government more accountable and responsible.

  

Recent Issues on RTI:-

1. When Rakesh Nayak, NGO, filed a plea for the information about the pellet guns used by Paramilitary forces and their efficiency in maintenance of the peace, the Central Public Information Officer (CPIO) of the OFB(Ordinance Factory Board,Kolkatta based) turned down the RTI request under section 8 (1) (a) of the RTI Act, which exempts sensitive defence information. Also invoked was section 8 (1) (d) of the Act, which exempts trade secrets, intellectual property or commercial confidence that could “harm the competitive position of a third party” from disclosure.


    " For Further details on RTI "

Story of Poor King

Once upon a time there was a king who was famous for his charity. People said, "To hungry he gives food to scholars he gives rewards; to noblemen he gives titles and honours. In fact he is never tired of giving."

But he had already grown tired of giving. He thought, "all my life I have been giving alms and awards. Where is the end? Are the people really needy or they continue to come simply because I give? Don't I see the same faces coming to me again and again wearing a standard mask of gratitude?" He thought a lot and decided to stop the practice " If give I must, it should be only to those who are really needy. It is high time I know who are really needy and, to begin with, I must find out the poorest man in my kingdom, he decided. Accordingly he sent his minister to find out the poorest man. 

A week later the minister returned and announced in the tone of a successful explorer. "My lord, not far from here, inside the forest, there is a small mountain. Top of that sits the poorest man of our land- a mendicant. He has no roof on his head, nothing on his body except a yard of bark; he lives on whatever fruits some wood-cutters care to leave beside him on their way home from the forest." 

"Is there really such a man in my kingdom? I must see him," said the king and rode into the forest and then climbed the mountain and found out the mendicant sitting still, his eyes closed. 

The king had to wait for a long time. When the mendicant opened his eyes, he said, "I am the king of this land. I am sad to see the miserable condition in which you are living. I want you to dress well; tell me, what kind of dress will you like? Dhoti or chapkan?" the mendicant smiled, but kept quite. 

The king said again, I will like to build a house for you; tell me, what kind of house will you like to own?" The mendicant smiled again; yet he did not speak. A little later the king again said, "I will arrange to send some food for you everyday. Tell me your preference in matters of food. " the mendicant smiled but still kept mum. 

The king began losing patience and cried out. "I appeal to you, do speak!" 

Slowly but sweetly the mendicant said. "My dear king. You are mistaken I am not the poorest man. There is another man in the kingdom that is poorer than myself So far as I am concerned although I look poor. I am very rich, for I can change the earth into gold", 

The king gaped with amazement for some time and asked. "Will you kindly tell me who is poorer than you? And will you kindly reveal to me the secret of transforming the earth into gold? The mendicant said, "To know these things you have to follow a certain discipline." 

"I will follow, said the king enthusiastically. 

"For full one year, everyday, you must come here once before the sunrise and once again before the sunset and spend some time with me, " said the mendicant. 

"I will do so, " said the joyous king, bowing to the mendicant. 

And he came there twice everyday without fail. The mendicant seldom uttered any work, but his charming smile always spoke of his affection for the king. He made the king sit down and meditate for some time. For the king the discipline was a bit awkward experience for the first few weeks. But soon he realised that it was a most welcome change from the dry or anxious hours of the court where he was always surrounded by diplomats and flatterers and discontent people. After a few months he grew so fond of his visits to the mendicant that he eagerly looked forward to the twilights. 

The silence of the mountain, the sunrise and sunset which coloured the landscape, the breeze which embraced him with the message of freedom, the songs of the birds in the wood and above all the quiet yet overwhelming presence of the mendicant slowly made the king a different man. The little time he spent there everyday had its sure effect on the rest of his time and routine. 

The king did not remember when a year passed. He even did not know when several years passed. At the end of the third year one day the mendicant suddenly asked the king, "well, it seems we have forgotten about the two things you wanted to know-about the man poorer than myself and about the secret of transforming the earth into gold. Would you not like to know about them?" 

The king smiled and replied. "But haven't I known them already? I was the poorer man because I was anxious to possess more gold and I was begging to know the secret of changing the earth into gold. And secondly, I believe, by now I have known the secret of changing the earth into gold. 

When I sit here and marvel at the splendour of nature all around at sunsets and sunrises when the colours of heaven are sprinkled on earth- at the diamond -fringed clouds - at all God's creation- all appear to me a thousand time more wonderful than gold”. The mendicant smiled and said. "You have got it- and that is because you have turned gold within." 

LOWERSELF AND THE HIGHERSELF 

According to Indian psycho-philosophy, the gold within referred to in the story lies in the cave of the heart. We may symbolise it with golden flame or the Higher-self. Its characteristics are given as follows: 

1. Eternally perfect

2. Constantly blissful

3. Completely autonomous

4. Truth and light in itself

5. Identical with the higher self of all others.

When we say I, majority of the times we are not referring to the self-mentioned above. This reference to self in normal usage is toward the lower self through which we are connected to the exterior world. But when we refer to the self within or the interior world or the internal centrifugal force or source/within, we are referring to the Higher Self. Though, the higher and the lower self are very deeply connected, the awareness of this connection is lost in our day to day over involvement with the exterior world. While the lower self keeps jumping around, the higher self is watching silently. 

According to Vivekananda: 

‘ Religion is manifestation of divinity within you’. ‘Education is manifestation of perfection already in the man’. 

Thus divinity and perfection are not external objects, but internal bliss achieved through religion and real education. 

We may compare the Lower self and higher self as follows. 

Thus as the lower self is deficit-driven, it is demanding. The behaviour coming from this state is the one that tries to grab and watch self-interest only. The Higher Self being poorna gracefully allows others to gain and remains bliss-full. 

Where as self (lower) of each individual is different from that of the other, the Self (higher) in all is the same. 

Naturally the qualities like team-spirit, collaboration, can in real sense be driven from the higher-self which is poorna and identical with the higher-self of all others and not the lower self which is deficit-driven and cannot see a common string in all human beings. Thus it can lead us to interpersonal conflicts only. 

Thus the need is to withdrawn for a time being from the exterior world and to look within to establish a connection with this true higher Self. 

Socrates declared: ‘Know thyself’. 

We know ourselves, only in the extremely narrow sense of selfish desires and ambitions of our mento-physcial existence. At the most some of us reflect the dimension of social existence too. And it is this type of extremely limited knowing, which underlies all the issues of human in- effectiveness in organizations. The great problem seems to be our inability even to diagnose this as the key issue. 

ILLUSTRATIONS 

Let us try to understand the higher and the lower self and their inter-relation more clearly through these illustrations though they cannot fully signify the nature of higher self in real sense: 

(a) When air is pumped into a bladder, the football becomes round and swollen. The air inside serves certain function for a while. But when it is deflated or punctured, the football loses its shape and the air in it returns to its original free state. It returns to its source. The air in all different types of shapes looks different but is actually the same air. On the same analogy the higher self of each one of us is identical and is a part of the same, all pervading divinity. Where as the lower self is one identified with this Body, Mind & intellect complex and which we normally call I and mine. Just like the air inside a ball or a tube looses connection with the air in the atmosphere and is seen as a ball or tube only, we start recognizing ourselves with the body, mind & intellect complex which are the exterior forms and which keep us involve in the exterior world. We forget the real nature i.e. the higher self within. Thus more the lower self remain anchored to or connected to the inner source or higher self, the more ethical will be the behaviour, and the personality. As we have already seen that the source of Values is within, that source is this higher self only, which in turn is a part or reflection of the all-pervading Divinity. 

(b) Similarly a close friendship between a blind man and a lame one makes the two together a functional pair- the mobility of the blind guided by the sight of the lame. This metaphor is used to hint at the nature of the lower-self and higher-self combination in every individual. We can say, in each person there are two aspects: one, the active and mobile but insentient part of the being; the other the witness and still but sentient part of the being. The moment the blind stops listening to the lame he stands danger of misleading himself. In the same way if we stop paying attention to the higher self within, we start following the path of disaster. We call this higher self the Atman, which is a part of all pervading Bliss - the Paramatman. 

These working implications of Yoga-Vedanta psychology underlie the mystic affirmation uttered by Christ: 

‘O Lord! Let Thy will be done, not mine', 

As Sri Aurobindo says: 

By practice in concentrated silence, everyone can develop a kind of dual consciousness- the one engaged in surface-level activity, caught in obscurity and struggle; the other, behind, remaining calm and strong with effortless insight. After some sadhana the mobile but erring prakriti (lower-self) becomes subject to the guiding light and rectitude of the witness purusha (higher-self). Then the individual achieves ever more perfection as a worker. The revived poorna higher self directs the executive lower self to perform wholesomely. 

Thus by listening to that higher Self within, we are in fact listening to the God. This paves the way for empowerment of our consciousness, from a higher source, which leads to us to perfection/ excellence. Thus, the whole of Indian civilization and society, her systems and structures were in principle and in practice aimed at ultimately helping each individual to ascend to the higher self. This was provided for by a constant and consistent weaving of the sacred into the secular, i.e. adding human values to the day-to-day activities. As Enrich Forman says: 

We are aware of the existence of a Self, of a core in our personality which is unchangeable and which persists through out our life inspite of varying circumstances and regardless of certain changes and opinions and feelings. It is this core which is the reality behind the word 'I' or Self and on which our conviction of our own identity is based. 

Here Forman’s 'I' corresponds to the Higher self of Indian philosophy and is referred to as unchanging core. 

For the ultimate truth in man is not in his Intellect or in his material wealth: it is in his imagination of sympathy, in his illumination of heart, in his activities of self-sacrifice in his capacity of extending love far and wide across all barriers of caste and colour, in his realizing this world not as a storehouse of mechanical power but as a habitation of man's soul with its eternal music of beauty and its inner light of a divine presence. 

RABINDRANATH TAGORE 

Present is reality and Leave the Past freely without Hesitation

The Doctrine of Karma(DOK) acts as a psychological and moral thermostat. Even if the linkages do not become clear in many cases and memory connections may not be found or seen, the existence of the phenomenon cannot be denied. It is just like -if there is smoke, there must be fire. So if there is effect, there must be a cause, even if we cannot connect it. The Doctrine of Karma is linkage of past to present and the present to future. Past is gone, we have no control, so endure the effect. But the present is reality. So we must act for the effect in future. Thus constant self-check on our present karma can only help. Each type of guna create its characteristic thought pattern, e.g. Sattwa of patience and compassion, Rajas of greed and pride, Tamas of anger and indolence. These thought patterns create respective subtle impressions, which accumulate in our psyche. Given an appropriate stimulus, these stockpiles are ignited which manifest themselves in outward action. Each such action taken under the impulse of particular latent impressions, further reinforces those very impressions. 

click here to know about the doctrine of karma

click here to know about satwa,rajas and tamas

Thus, the 'guna-impression-karma' cycle goes on repeating itself. The tendencies of a rajaso-tamasic mind, for instance, will go on reinforcing the stockpile of wrong conditionings-samskaras. Their invisible power will prevent improved behaviour or action, inspite of the best of intellectual learning. 

With DOK inspiring us to perform more ethical acts, the non-ethical latent samskaras will gradually be subdued. Steady striving towards more of Sattwa will create a more ample niche for purer samskaras or latent tendencies. And with better quality samskaras, more wholesome behaviour should follow, and the Sattwa Guna should be reinforced. Thus whatever had been past acts and effects we should forget them because we have no control on them. It is our present acts and deeds, which we can improve upon and make concerted effort to rectify them, regardless to what others around are doing. 

Thus the need is to focus on individuals, personal conduct which is within one's own control or ZOD(Zone of Discretion). Let our intellectual predisposition not shun the practical merit of controlled fear via DOK in improving the purity of our mind, and its ethicality. 

Doctrine of Karma

We all are well versed with Law of conservation of Energy. According to this law the sum total of energy in this Universe is constant. It only changes from one form to another i.e. from light to heat or electricity etc. In the same fashion in the moral world, the Law of conservation of Moral Energy prevails. Every act good or' bad has its energy level that is never lost. It may remain stored for a shorter or longer period, but at some point of time it emerges and gets activated. Thus no act of ours, morally right or wrong gets lost. This principle if understood, can help us keep ourselves on track. We may understand it properly through the following components: 

1. A cause at present must produce an effect in future.

2. An effect at present must have had a cause in the past.

3. The effect returns to the source of the cause.

4. Like cause, like effect.

5. Each cause produces its own effect; there is no mutual cancellation.

Thus it is well said, "As shall you sow, so shall you reap". 

This gives us a higher motivational theory, encouraging to do right and discouraging to do wrong. A bonafide cause now brings a bonafide effect tomorrow. And an undesirable cause (doing) today is bound to bring an adverse effect tomorrow. 

Further, each cause has its own effect. A businessman using unfair means to earn more knows very well that he is doing wrong and tries to get rid of this burden by giving a portion of such earning in charity. But as there is no mutual cancellation, he has to face an adverse effect of wrong doing separately and a pleasant effect of the charity separately. 

This doctrine of Karma is also found operative for a group of individuals also. A collective cause brings a collective effect. We do see the impact of right or wrong doings at the level of family, society, organisation or the whole country. For the given right or wrong deeds practiced at individual, family, society or country level; the effect is also seen at individual, family, and society or country level respectively. For example, sons paying debts of father or inheriting property, innocent citizens suffering consequences of wars or prosperity of the country. 'Gahana karmo Gati' or dense are the ways of karma- what trait will they take, and when, is unknown. 

We may at times have a feeling that no one bothers for this law. Or the effect may come or may not. But we say so, with reference to the immediate surroundings. We tend to look at results in near future-least understanding that the effect is a net result of following factors: 

-  The above five components taken together,

-  The time factor-the past, the present and the future (nearer or farther), thus the effect may come  immediately or after a long time.

-  The form or shape in which the effect may come. 

All these make a network of permutations and combinations, and so we may not many a times be able to witness the results of given cause or be able to relate an effect to a past cause. But when we say that effect may or may not come; we definitely acknowledge that effect is there though seen in some cases, not all. 

The Indian explanation of fate is Karma. We ourselves make our own fate through our actions, but the fate created by us binds us; for what we have sown, we must reap in this life or another. Still we are creating our fate for the future even while under going old fate from the past in the present. That gives a meaning to our will and action and does not, as European critics wrongly believe, constitute a rigid and sterilizing fatalism.