Hindi English Translation || Editorial || At a crossroads: On Sri Lanka’s economic recovery

At a crossroads: On Sri Lanka’s economic recovery

The road (राह, दिशा, मार्ग) to Sri Lanka’s economic recovery will have to pass through (गुजरना, निकासी, आगे बढ़ना) political change

The widespread public unrest (अशांति, हलचल, उथल-पुथल) in Sri Lanka has taken on (लेना, प्राप्त करना) the dimensions (आयाम, पहलू, गुणवत्ता) of a political revolution (क्रांति, नाटकीय परिवर्तन, आमूल परिवर्तन) of great import (आयात, महत्व, परिणाम). It is apparent (स्पष्ट, बोधगम्य, ध्यान देने योग्य) that it is driven (cause something to happen; cause something to develop) by popular (लोकप्रिय, सार्वजनिक, सामाजिक) anger and a collective (सामूहिक, संगठन, संयुक्त) will that straddles all ethnicities (जातीयता, मानवजाति). For a country once seen as having irreconcilable (uncompromising, inflexible, unrelenting, hard-line; completely different, directly opposed, incompatible, at opposite extremes/poles) ethnic divisions (विभाजन, क्षेत्र, खंड), there is hope that the people will (determination, firmness of purpose, will power, strength of character, resolution, resolve, single-mindedness, commitment, dedication, tenacity) recognise (पहचानना, स्वीकार करना) the real provenance (उत्पत्ति, स्रोत) of their travails (ordeal, labour/struggle/hard work; painful effort) — an apathetic (उदासीन, अनुत्तरदायी) political leadership that wields great power without much accountability (responsibility, liability, answerability) — as they come together on the streets to demand change and relief ((financial) help, aid, assistance, succour). The people seem to be demanding a wholesale (comprehensive, all-inclusive, total, outright, thorough, sweeping) regime (government/system) change, and not tweaks (adjustment, modification, alteration, change). As the protests escalate (increase, intensify, heighten), the administration of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and the government of his elder brother, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, seem to have lost public support and the confidence of their political allies. The Opposition has rejected the President’s call (requirement, necessity, demand, request) for a multi-party Cabinet, key allies such as the Sri Lanka Freedom Party have walked out of the ruling coalition, and the newly appointed Finance Minister did not deem (regard, consider, think of, see, view) it prudent (wise, sensible, careful/ far-sighted) to take charge (take control of, take over, assume responsibility for). It is an unusual stalemate (deadlock, impasse, standstill/stand-off) on the political front (a particular situation (or) front line, vanguard, combat zone), as it is clear that nothing short of the resignation of the Rajapaksa brothers will assuage public anger; but, at the same time (simultaneously, at once, at one time), it is unclear if anyone will be willing (ready, prepared, disposed, inclined; eager, keen) to take charge amidst (amid, in the middle of; during) a seemingly (obviously, palpably, apparently) insurmountable (unconquerable, unassailable, unbeatable, unstoppable, overwhelming, hopeless, impossible; no way to overcome/defeat) economic crisis. As over 40 legislators (a member of a legislature (parliament/legislative assembly); lawmaker, representative) have walked out of the ruling alliance, the present regime faces a loss of majority in Parliament. The real question is whether the Opposition will be willing to form an alternative dispensation (organization, establishment, system; government).

The urgency of the situation is beyond doubt. The country needs an economic recovery plan to approach international lenders and bring about (cause, create, produce) macro-economic stability (firmness, solidity, secureness, strength). And a concerned (caring, attentive; connected, interested, involved) and accountable (responsible, liable, answerable, chargeable) regime needs to be in place for this. Economists have suggested that Sri Lanka may need a bridge loan (a short-term form of financing that is used to meet current obligations before securing permanent financing (or) Bridge loan is a type of gap financing arrangement wherein the borrower can get access to short-term loans for meeting short-term liquidity requirements) while an external debt restructuring plan is put in place (in position; exist; establish, set up), but much depends on whether there is a credible (acceptable, trustworthy, reliable, dependable; believable, plausible, reasonable) leadership. Sri Lanka is at a crossroads (at a situation when an important decision ought to be made). Going one way may lead to a debt trap (a situation which causes a damaging cycle of borrowing when someone cannot repay their debts on schedule), sovereign default and possible bankruptcy (legal state of insolvency. An individual or organisation is declared bankrupt if a court judges that the party involved can no longer meet debt payments to creditors. it is defined as the outcome of a legal procedure). On the other hand (as an alternative), the present unrest provides an extraordinary opportunity to change its political and administrative paradigm (model, pattern, standard, ideal, criterion). Bloated government, excessive security expenditure, the profligate (irresponsible, reckless; immoderate, excessive; unprincipled/corrupt, immoral) ways of those in power, lack of attention (care, support, aid, help, assistance) to domestic production and centralisation (the process of having functions, powers, people or things only in a central location or authority) of decision-making have all contributed to the mess. Much of this needs to change. No more should majoritarian (relating to a philosophy that states that a majority (sometimes categorized by religion, language, social class, or some other identifying factor) of the population is entitled to a certain degree of primacy (priority) in society, and has the right to make decisions that affect the society) mobilisation (the act of bringing forces/people/resources together for a particular cause) be allowed to cover up (conceal, hide, camouflage (a mistake or crime)) political and economic failures. An inclusive (all-inclusive, comprehensive, including all the parties/groups involved in something) outlook (perspective, approach, angle, point of view) has to be fostered (encourage, promote, develop). The people will have to realise that voting on emotional issues related to race and religion only helps the ruling class and seldom (hardly, rarely, almost never) benefits them. Only such a momentous (significant, important, serious, crucial/critical) change on the political and social level will lead to (cause, result in, bring on, bring about) their economic emancipation (liberation, freedom, freeing, release).

Courtesy: The Hindu

Important Word List With Meaning

1.road (noun)

Hindi Meaning - राह, दिशा, मार्ग
English Meaning - way, path, route, direction, course.

2.pass through (phrasal verb)

Hindi Meaning - गुजरना, निकासी, आगे बढ़ना
English Meaning - go through, move through, pass/go across.

3.unrest (noun)

Hindi Meaning - अशांति, हलचल, उथल-पुथल
English Meaning - disruption, agitation, turmoil, disorder, chaos.

4.take on (phrasal verb)

Hindi Meaning - लेना, प्राप्त करना
English Meaning - acquire, assume, come to have

5.dimension (noun)

Hindi Meaning - आयाम, पहलू, गुणवत्ता
English Meaning - aspect, quality, feature, side, element.

6.revolution (noun)

Hindi Meaning - क्रांति, नाटकीय परिवर्तन, आमूल परिवर्तन
English Meaning - dramatic change, radical change, complete shift, sea change, metamorphosis, transformation.

7.import (noun)

Hindi Meaning - आयात, महत्व, परिणाम
English Meaning - importance, significance, consequence, substance, weight, gravity, seriousness.

8.apparent (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - स्पष्ट, बोधगम्य, ध्यान देने योग्य
English Meaning - evident, obvious, clear, visible, discernible, perceptible, noticeable, recognizable.

9.popular (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - लोकप्रिय, सार्वजनिक, सामाजिक
English Meaning - public, societal, collective; general, common, widespread.

10.collective (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - सामूहिक, संगठन, संयुक्त
English Meaning - combined, united/joint, cooperative (by all people as a group).

11.ethnicity (noun)

Hindi Meaning - जातीयता, मानवजाति
English Meaning - a category of people who identify with each other based on common language, ancestral, social, cultural, or national experiences.

12.division (noun)

Hindi Meaning - विभाजन, क्षेत्र, खंड
English Meaning - sector, section, group, class.

13.recognise (verb)

Hindi Meaning - पहचानना, स्वीकार करना
English Meaning - acknowledge, accept, admit something (existence, validity, or legality).

14.provenance (noun)

Hindi Meaning - उत्पत्ति, स्रोत
English Meaning - origin, source, place of origin.

15.apathetic (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - उदासीन, अनुत्तरदायी
English Meaning - indifferent, uninterested, unresponsive.

16.drive (verb)

English Meaning - cause something to happen; cause something to develop.

17.widespread (adjective)

English Meaning - extensive, general/common, omnipresent, ubiquitous, prevalent, rife, rampant, present everywhere,.

18.at a crossroads (phrase)

English Meaning - at a situation when an important decision ought to be made.

19.will (noun)

English Meaning - determination, firmness of purpose, will power, strength of character, resolution, resolve, single-mindedness, commitment, dedication, tenacity.

20.straddle (verb)

English Meaning - be on both sides of something; extend across, traverse.

21.irreconcilable (adjective)

English Meaning - uncompromising, inflexible, unrelenting, hard-line; completely different, directly opposed, incompatible, at opposite extremes/poles.

22.ethnic (adjective)

English Meaning - relating to a population subgroup (cultural, national, traditional/folk) with a common national or cultural tradition.

23.travails (noun)

English Meaning - ordeal, labour/struggle/hard work; painful effort.

24.wield (verb)

English Meaning - exercise, exert, be possessed of, have, hold, control.

25.accountability (noun)

English Meaning - responsibility, liability, answerability.

26.relief (noun)

English Meaning - (financial) help, aid, assistance, succour.

27.wholesale (adjective)

English Meaning - comprehensive, all-inclusive, total, outright, thorough, sweeping.

28.regime (noun)

English Meaning - government/system.

29.tweak (noun)

English Meaning - adjustment, modification, alteration, change.

30.escalate (verb)

English Meaning - increase, intensify, heighten.

31.ally (noun)

English Meaning - associate, confederate, partner, supporter.

32.call (for) (noun)

English Meaning - requirement, necessity, demand, request.

33.walk out (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - depart, get out, leave suddenly; desert, abandon.

34.coalition (noun)

English Meaning - alliance, union, partnership.

35.deem (verb)

English Meaning - regard, consider, think of, see, view.

36.prudent (adjective)

English Meaning - wise, sensible, careful/ far-sighted.

37.take charge (phrase)

English Meaning - take control of, take over, assume responsibility for.

38.stalemate (noun)

English Meaning - deadlock, impasse, standstill/stand-off.

39.front (noun)

English Meaning - a particular situation (or) front line, vanguard, combat zone.

40.short of (phrase)

English Meaning - less than.

41.assuage (verb)

English Meaning - relieve, alleviate, soothe, mitigate, tone down, appease.

42.at the same time (phrase)

English Meaning - simultaneously, at once, at one time.

43.willing (adjective)

English Meaning - ready, prepared, disposed, inclined; eager, keen.

44.amidst (preposition)

English Meaning - amid, in the middle of; during.

45.seemingly (adverb)

English Meaning - obviously, palpably, apparently.

46.insurmountable (adjective)

English Meaning - unconquerable, unassailable, unbeatable, unstoppable, overwhelming, hopeless, impossible; no way to overcome/defeat.

47.economic crisis (noun)

English Meaning - a period in an economic cycle in which an economy faces difficulties for a long time.

48.legislator (noun)

English Meaning - a member of a legislature (parliament/legislative assembly); lawmaker, representative.

49.dispensation (noun)

English Meaning - organization, establishment, system; government.

50.beyond doubt (phrase)

English Meaning - without uncertainty/question/apprehension/second thought.

51.bring about (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - cause, create, produce.

52.macro-economic (adjective)

English Meaning - relating to the branch of economics concerned with large-scale factors (interest rates/national productivity).

53.stability (noun)

English Meaning - firmness, solidity, secureness, strength.

54.concerned (adjective)

English Meaning - caring, attentive; connected, interested, involved.

55.accountable (adjective)

English Meaning - responsible, liable, answerable, chargeable.

56.in place (phrase)

English Meaning - in position; exist; establish, set up.

57.bridge loan (noun)

English Meaning - a short-term form of financing that is used to meet current obligations before securing permanent financing (or) Bridge loan is a type of gap financing arrangement wherein the borrower can get access to short-term loans for meeting short-term liquidity requirements.

58.debt (noun)

English Meaning - liability, financial obligation, borrowed capital.

59.put in place (phrase)

English Meaning - to implement, to establish.

60.credible (adjective)

English Meaning - acceptable, trustworthy, reliable, dependable; believable, plausible, reasonable.

61.debt trap (noun)

English Meaning - a situation which causes a damaging cycle of borrowing when someone cannot repay their debts on schedule.

62.sovereign default (noun)

English Meaning - a failure by a government to repay its country’s debts/borrowings.

63.bankruptcy (noun)

English Meaning - legal state of insolvency. An individual or organisation is declared bankrupt if a court judges that the party involved can no longer meet debt payments to creditors. it is defined as the outcome of a legal procedure.

64.on the other hand (phrase)

English Meaning - as an alternative.

65.paradigm (noun)

English Meaning - model, pattern, standard, ideal, criterion.

66.bloated (adjective)

English Meaning - inflated, high-flown, extravagant, exaggerated, blown up/swollen; excessively vain, conceited.

67.profligate (adjective)

English Meaning - irresponsible, reckless; immoderate, excessive; unprincipled/corrupt, immoral.

68.lack of (noun)

English Meaning - absence, non-existence.

69.attention (noun)

English Meaning - care, support, aid, help, assistance.

70.centralisation (noun)

English Meaning - the process of having functions, powers, people or things only in a central location or authority.

71.mess (noun)

English Meaning - plight, predicament, emergency, tight spot, difficulty, trouble, quandary, dilemma, problem, muddle, mix-up, confusion, complication, imbroglio, entanglement, mire.

72.majoritarian (adjective)

English Meaning - relating to a philosophy that states that a majority (sometimes categorized by religion, language, social class, or some other identifying factor) of the population is entitled to a certain degree of primacy (priority) in society, and has the right to make decisions that affect the society.

73.mobilisation (noun)

English Meaning - the act of bringing forces/people/resources together for a particular cause.

74.cover up (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - conceal, hide, camouflage (a mistake or crime).

75.inclusive (adjective)

English Meaning - all-inclusive, comprehensive, including all the parties/groups involved in something.

76.outlook (noun)

English Meaning - perspective, approach, angle, point of view.

77.foster (verb)

English Meaning - encourage, promote, develop.

78.race (noun)

English Meaning - ethnic group, ethnic origin.