Where do we live? And how do we move about?

We the Indians live in mansions, villas, houses, apartments and skyscrapers, slums and shanties and even on platforms in metros in the midst of filth and garbage stacked and stored for eternity with sewage and drainage flowing on the sides or in the middle of the roads depending on the mercy of civic authorities. Are we entitled to call ourselves civilized citizens or inanimate barbarians of pre-historic ages? Who is at fault? Are we short of resources all over India? or Are we short of thinkers, planners and the people to execute?

Who is to sweep our streets, remove the garbage and construct underground drainage and when do we reach the standards of western and even some of the Asian countries?

Submission of Suspicion

Justice V.R.Krishna Iyer rightly questions the callousness and the boldness with which the Attorney General G.E. Vahanavati made a statement before the Supreme Court on November 22, 2010 on behalf of the Union Government that since the appointment of judges to the Supreme Court was made many a time without questioning much on the integrity of the proposed candidates, it was therefore not necessary to go deep into the appointment of the present incumbent on the post of C.V.C namely P.J Thomas although he was facing criminal prosecution in a Kerala court on account of his earlier conduct.

His outburst in the absence of a similar protest from any other quarters is understandable. May be such reactions are perhaps not highlighted by the V.I.P-savvy media?

A most serious monster has shown its ugly head by fluke. I would say so because many such posts are filled not on the basis of pure merit but on some other considerations. Unfortunately Dr Manmohan Singh as P.M is forced to take decisions without applying his mind due to the overwhelming presence of officials hailing from one state namely Kerala. In such cases the conduct of D.O.P.T (Department of Personnel & Training in Governement of India) is not above board. Its policy and practice seem to jusitify the widely-prevalent statement: ‘Show me the person, we shall show you the rules’. A wretched system in Indian Bureaucracy after 60 years of independence! Different yardsticks are boldly applied without any fear or decency. A review of similar cases related to cadre appointments, promotions, postings and disciplinary matters related to the members of Indian Administrative Service in the last 6-7 years would reveal and expose a number of naked skeletons in the cupboard.

P.S

Of late Justice Iyer seems to have aplogised to the Attorney General after seeing a rejoinder and clarification from him. However the point regarding CVC's posting is under terrific controversy.

Man's ingenuity finds no bounds

“Man’s ingenuity finds no bounds”

‘Despite reform banks have room for risky deals’ in the client’s name. Bets can still be made as routine part of business.

When U.S Congress passed a new financial regulation bill in July, 2010, it sought to prevent federally insured banks from making speculative bets using their own money. But that will not stop banks from making bets, that some critics deem risky, even as the rules go into effect over the next few years.

In other words you move the mountain but what comes out is only a mouse. What a great exercise? Who is winning or losing? The integrity and the intention of the framers of the bill is definitely in doubt; one should suppose and surmise legitimately? In fact they have ensured that even the rules, whenever they come out – delay is obvious in the official set-up normally, will not be able to plug this loop hole. This is what is called the perfect invisible diplomacy of senior and seasoned bureaucrats in any democratic system of government.

Worldy Wisdom

The Bhagavad Gita (c 300 B.C)
From Book Two
Lord Krishna:
Arjuna, you must learn to endure
Fleeting things -- they come and go!

If you are killed, you win heaven;
If you triumph, you enjoy the earth;

Kill them
Without wavering;
Fight , and you will conquer
Your foes in battle!

TamilTiruvalluvar (c 500)
From the Kural
Highest of all richs
Is the wealth of learning:
All other wealth will perish

JapanPriest Sami Mansei (c720)
“Our Life in this World”
Our Life in this World
To what shall I compare it?
It is like a boat
rowing out at break of day
leaving not a trace behind.

William Shakespeare (1564 – 1616)
From Cymbeline
“Fear no more the heat of the sun,
Nor the furious winter’s rages;
.. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
Golden lads and girls all must
As chimney-sweepers come to dust

An American Style of Dilemma?

Capitalism (liberalism) Vs Socialism

Fiscal Policy rifts have destabilized the Democratic Party for decades. But Obama is better situated to sell reform to his party’s skeptical base than any other President in the last 40 years – say compared to Clinton or Jimmy Carter since John F. Kennedy.

Obama can ill afford to rely only on his own party’s majorities but will have to build a genuine coalition of law-makers from both parties if he is to change the nation’s fiscal trajectory. A growing faction among the Democrats feels that if Washington is not serious now about scaling back entitlements and other government spending, then fiscal ruin might be just a decade away.

Government debt is mounting and likely to exceed 90 per cent of G.D.P by 2020 as feared by the Congressional Budget Office. A minority of Congressional Democrats are already objecting to proposals supported by most of the party for billions more dollars in deficit spending this year on unemployment benefits and state-aid, as a way of trying to avert a double-dip recession(June, 2010).

Nation Remembers Great Souls

The American nation and the leading news paper, The New York Times rightly remember the great souls who had excelled in different fields during their life time and try to cover their life-story for the sake of current readers. For example the celebrities who passed away after 80 years and above in age between 12th and 18th of July, 2010 are enlisted below:

1) Bob Sheppard -- the long-time public address announcer at Yankee Stadium died at the age 99 (Three months short of 100 years).

2) Arnold Kramish, 87 who did work on Atomic Bomb, died in Washington

3) Charles Mackerras, Elegant Australian Conductor dies at 84 in London who played a crucial role in establishing Janacek’s opera in the West.

4) Harvey Fuqua, 80 dies in Detroit (AP) – a singer, song writer and record producer.

5) Eleanor R. Morse 97 who along with her husband founded the Salvador Dali Museum in St.Petersburg Fla. died on July 1 at her home in St.Petersburg.

6) Mrs. Clara Claiborne Park, a college English teacher who wrote a book “ The Siege” on Autism in 1967 died at 86 on July 3 in Williamstown, Mass.

7) Vernon Baker, the only living black veteran, the awardee of the Medal of Honor for valor in world war ii from President Bill Clinton in 1997 - 52 years after his work ( better late than never!), died at 90 at his home near St. Maries, Idaho on July 13, 2010

Addiction to Affluence

USA has been a land of affluence till 2008
USA has been a land of opportunities surely
God’s gifts in abundance of natural resources
God knows the extent of intellect immigrants

A rich land of mass between Atlantic & Pacific
A populace of varied race, culture and creed
A fantastic mix of capitalism and democracy
A fabulous trait of innovative spirit in display

National flag often seen fluttering everywhere
Natural pride held by men in homes and offices
Hardly found anywhere on this globe like these
Hardy & healthy people found throughout USA

U.K was the invader of the U.S.A in 1600s & 1700s
U.K the model of infrastructure in miniature form
USA the liberator is literally gigantic in size & form
USAite is used to live in abundance and affluence


Infrastructure in road, rail & ship transportation
Car population twice the size of human numbers
Oil supplies at cheaper prices in huge quantities
Individuals enjoyed the luxury of driving initially

Addiction of affluence enabled many sky-scrapers
Addition of comforts drew people from all places
Suddenly the administration found itself in deficits
Certainly they expected never to be in such straits

The day is not far off when manufacturing is less
And consumption is much more than production
Spending is more than an income to be generated
The country bound to feel the pinch sooner or later

Another affluent society was Japan in the Far East
Admire one could at its growth around ten per cent
A nation shattered in World War II stood on its legs
A nation modeled for hard work & success for years

Last two decades 1990-2010 the worst period indeed
Lost its prime position in economic growth & wealth
Affluence at its zenith crashed to around 2% growth
Alas! A dozen prime ministers sacrificed at its altar!!

How to cut the budget of the nation and all homes?
How to curtail the incomes & wealth of few families
How to manage the wants of hundreds & thousands
How to cater to the demands of poor and the needy?

Man-made disasters added with natural disasters
Home-made solutions rarely visible in the vicinity
Governments aren’t tumbling day-in and day-out?
Rulers & the ruled are equally upset at the change.

World Trade Center in New York

Ground Zero in Lower Manhatten's Commercial Disdrict in New York, which was once the proud land mark of the city known as twin blocks of famous WTC, otherwise recognised as the Freedom Tower after the 9/11 infamous incident, is getting a reshape and developing fast for a new life in the form of future World Trade Center with a carpet area of 2.6 million sq.ft at a cost of $3.3 billion @ $1269 a sq.ft in 105 floors to a height of 1776 ft, as the tallest building in the city.

It is a joint venture of Durst Organisation(a leading real estate developer) and Port Authority of New york and New Jersey.

In a place like new York this project work took so many years to fructify after a lot of uncertainty in between. All is well that ends well

In major cities of the world there seems to be a competition to build the tallest building. Why don't we Indians ever venture into such a competition? Are we short of engineering skill or wherewithal or the political will to undertake a similar project in any of our cities?

Cruise Capital

The Sea Port of Miami (in U.S.A) desrves to be called the Cruise Capital of the world with more than four million (40 lakhs) passengers in transit each year. Miami is the HQrs. for three of the world's largest cruise lines. Several millions of dollars have been invested in upgrading the terminals. In a recently conducted customer service survey more than 90 per cent of passengers have rated the services at the port of Miami as 'good' or 'very good'. 'The Epic', one of the world's largest , newest and most luxurios ships had its inagural recently at its Miami homeport.[Miami Today - Week of Thursday, July 22, 2010 in his letter to the Editor by Bill Johnson the port Director]

Kudos to the authorities both in the public and private sectors for such a phenominal development in the field of world tourism!

Nagging Fog on the Runway

Delhi is the capital of Indian democracy
Daily the days there are short in winter
Air travel though on the rise these days
Air Traffic Control & fog are real foes.

14th Dec: 10-45 A.M the flight to Raipur
A737 Boeing craft was full to its capacity
Passengers all got seated inside by 11A.M
Routine travellers thought they were lucky.

All of a sudden came the news from cock-pit
Two hours delay was the first announcement
Gradually it got extended again till 2-45 P.M
Reason quoted of course was the nagging fog.

Delhi being located near Shimla in Himalayas
Any snow fall, rain fall and cold winds therein
Fog the villain is an end-result in Delhi airport
Visibility turns a casuality more often than not.

Air travel easily brought to nought in no time
Every year public makes a hue and cry on this
Airport authorities vouch for remedy regularly
But seldom had the solution been found so far.

Man's great designs get knocked off very often
Whenever the nature starts showing its anger
Even a temporary measure seems to be elusive
When do the technocrats find answer inclusive?

Raipur
15-12-2005

Advanced Nations? How & Why?

An Example: City of Vancouver(British Columbia), Canada: Date:- 8/10/2010

People are generally very polite there and considerate to outsiders. Look at the bus passenger (a black senior) and the city bus driver (white-skinned). Both were second to none in stopping the bus and allowing me and my spouse (brown-skinned)to alight in the particular bus stop where from we could proceed to the sky train station. Even when I was avoiding to tell the destination viz., the YVR Airport, the driver knew where we were heading and on his own started explaining that we should get down in the next stop and turn right and walk a few yards to board the train. I agreed to his suggestion and did accordingly. After walking a few steps in the guided direction, the gentleman senior (black-skinned) passenger who too got down and started walking in same direction again politely pointed out the passage to the basement available right on the road platform. When I proceeded to the said passage, another worker (white-skinned)present on the spot guided us to the elevator located nearby on seeing us carrying two pieces of baggage with us. I simply wondered as to who taught these gentlemen settled in Vancouver such a civilized and exemplary courtesy because we could never imagine such a concern to us in our own country much less from the driver of a bus in the metro town like Chennai or Delhi.

No wonder why the West has progressed faster and become a developed world!

Vancouver Islands Vancouver is a city on western coast of Canada Nature has showered its benevolence in plenty Hills, parks & water-fronts are all in one line Humans found in peace and unison with nature. Houses are built with the greenery all around They are neat and clean sans litter on ground A scene for the one from India is indeed great Roads and pavements are very clean and tidy. Public transport thro’ tram bus and sky train Public in general do enjoy joyfully & casually Land near stations and tracks is green & neat Escalators & elevators enhance the comfort. Grouse Mountain is accessible thro’ cable cars Height of 3000 ft is climbed only in 10 minutes Bus & the sea-bus, sky train all work together A common ticket enables a person to travel all Vancouver aquarium is a rich study in sea life A private foundation busy in its maintenance All the islands near this city have eco systems What a variety in shapes, designs & contents. Think of a design you have a creature in waters One wonders at such a diverse life under water Sea lions, the Beluga whales and the dolphins Sea horses, star fish, jellies, snakes and crabs 500 killer whales are destined to disappear now Thanks to pollution, starvation & the boat traffic Frogs in ever so many colours , designs & shapes Saddened we are to hear its extinction like dinos

[Research & preservation undertaken by Canadians Arctic Ice region may sustain life for some time]

Good Life for how many?

Old age is a bonus or a curse? Depends who you are and where you are placed. By the way is it really worth-living at a ripe and helpless age?

Look at Anne DeAngelis who, originally a resident of Sicily (Italy) but now settled in the Holiday City Carefree in Toms River township in New Jersey State of USA, is living alone, after her husband's death six years ago, with her only companions, namely, her piano and her dog Chico, although she has been blessed with four children, nine grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren. Unable to drive the car herself she is prepared to entertain other seniors on piano every Monday and tries to meet her fellow country persons speaking Italian once in a month and revive the language in the vicinity. A fellow resident (84 yrs) helps her with food shopping once in a while.

The Toms River Times of September 8, 2010 carries a 'Featured Letter' from Yeranuhi Gidikoglu of Ocean Gate with a caption "Governor's Cuts Put All Seniors In Same Boat". It refers to two more seniors in a similar predicament and virtually living on a Social Security of $602 without property tax rebate ($3668) and unable to meet expenses on home insurance, sewer, water, car insurance, telephone, electricity , gas etc. This is the state of affairs in a developed nation like USA. What about India? Leave alone the people living below the poverty line who have been served with lip sympathy with name-sake cash doles by the rulers of the day, even the salaried and pension-receiving seniors are going to get a similar treatment very soon with life expectancy going higher and higher these days.

Unless a massive program is taken up and paid old age homes are set up soon , things are going to take a very bad shape and put the whole nation into shame.

Democracy Faltering?

USA is one of the oldest and wealthiest democracies while India is currently the largest democracy in the world. But look at the fate or similarity in one hugely-infamous feature of these two democracies. In both these countries, the Parliament is supposed to be the supreme authority in conducting and supervising the day-to-day functioning of their governments by enacting legislations and passing annual budgets every now and then. They are in fact the watch-dogs of their rulers and the spokespersons of the citizens they represent for a fixed tenure either by direct or indirect elections.

The parliamentarians or these law makers are notorious for two things: 1) Too much of or total dependence on donations from rich individuals or corporate entities to fight elections and get into the Parliament.2) they collect illegal fees and gifts for raising questions or abstaining from the house to protect the concerned parties from embarrassment or collect funds in the name of their charities or their political parties.

The working of democracies for 234 years in USA and 63 years in India has failed to devise a method by which these law makers can be spared from the ignominy of collecting money from rich donors. The Fair Elections Now Act that would allow qualified candidates public subsidies to compete free from lobbyist-designed bundles from influential donors is still pending for consideration and passing in the Capitol Hill at Washington D.C. India is still to contemplate such a measure and place a piece of similar bill on the anvil for consideration in the near future. Looking to the mood and movement of our representatives in New Delhi at the moment we can hardly expect such a gesture soon.

BUGS OR THUGS -- NO REMEDY?

Thugs were the way-side robbers/killers in Central India (under British rule) who were annihilated and removed from public scene with a lot of difficulties by the then government and the people.

Now a different kind of menace in the form of bedbugs has sent shock waves across the city dwellers of New York, Boston and other urban areas. Its reach and the spread has almost threatened the living style of people in USA - not just where people sleep like hotels and residential units, but also in the occasional movie house or clothing store. People are almost forced to think of reusing the long-abandoned DDT (with less effective control thanks to bug’s ability to resist) or the inevitable propoxur, a highly toxic chemical (found injurious to children) .

Isn't it a paradox to find a nation that could devise nuclear war-heads for destroying vast tracts of land mass and population and a land which could enable the landing of humanbeings on moon some forty years ago are struggling hard to find a solution for bedbugs?

Bug-bite, although not a disease-carrier, triggers an allergic reaction at times causing fatal shocks including emotional and psychological disturbances. The editorial of the New York Times (Sunday, September 5, 2010) expects government and industry to expedite the search for better solutions.

What a tragedy?

I.M.F's Inimical Interest or Beneficial Bail-out?

The Wall Street Journal Tuesday, August 31, 2010

The IMF (International Monetary Fund) appears to anticipate a crisis in some developing countries in the near future. Hence its anxious announcement on Monday that it is preparing to extend a helping hand in the form of a new ‘precautionary credit line’. This line of credit doesn’t expect a country to use the money and rack up interest charges, unless it needed the financing at one go. This program envisages offering of loans as much as five times a country’s quota with a condition for some policy changes on the part of borrowers. It is little enigmatic too to note that IMF loans at times carry reportedly a ‘stigma’ in the market place.

With a view to circumventing the stigma of borrowing, the IMF is now contemplating a different loan, the “global stabilization mechanism” which would be available to groups of countries at a time.

If a country wants to avail a ‘flexible credit line’ without going through the necessity of effecting changes in policies, it has to earn a good reputation in the eyes of IMF over a period of time by following a set of policies wholeheartedly endorsed by it.

IMF credit or the World bank funding, as sought after by many central and provincial governments in different countries, adds its own measure of success or failure in the context of a country’s economic and social development on the basis of their own ability to use it economically, whether supervised properly or not by the donor, in a specific period of time with the least cost of implementation. If timely and properly utilized, it amounts to be a beneficial bail-out or else it proves to be an inimical intervention.

Newspaper Reading

An Art or Science? –
A Daily Paper or a Standard Book?

Gone are the days when the daily newspaper – vernacular or an English one – used to contain only 10 to 12 pages. Now they are as informative and voluminous with facts, figures and photos including ads and notices that they look like books for reading.

Look for example the size of the newspaper – The New York Times of July 11, 2010 edition having the following Chapters:

General News: 24 Pages
Metropolitan: 10 “
Sports Sunday: 14 “
Week in Review: 10 “
Sunday Styles: 10 “
Sunday Business: 30 “
Arts & Leisure: 24 “
ZK : 4 “
Book review: 28 “
Travel: 14 “
Real Estate: 18 “
Automobiles: 08 “
Ad – handouts: 76 “
NYT Magazine: 60 “

Thus it had 330 pages in all – almost the size of a book to read. If one misses to read the paper one or two days - well, that is it. Persons working 12 to 14 or more hours per day would not be able to read the papers daily. One needs to develop the art of reading and updating one’s knowledge lest he becomes out of date in his own field or in general knowledge. Many a time knowledge or book is bought and kept for days and years together with a view to encashing its usefulness at a future date by the majority of literates. With the digital and internet revolution in place these days the reach of a common man to the vast ocean-level knowledge and news is immense. How much time one can actually devote for general news or the researched article on a subject depends on the availability of time or immediate relevance of the topic at his work place. Hence the need for developing it as an art as well as science so as to enhance its utility and match the value of money spent on it.

Aberration Along Affluence

“Asian students have generally performed better than white students on state math tests in the city (New York), and about the same on English tests. Those gaps have remained fairly consistent over the years. “(New York Times, N.Y Monday, August16, 2010). The city Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and Chancellor Joel I. Klein have been proved wrong in their claims to the contrary all these years since 2002 when the present Mayor came to office.

New York still has to solve the problem of uplifting the standards of Black and Hispanic students at the school level This is the situation when a laudable scheme called “No Child Left Behind” which mandated annual testing for all students in grades three through eight had been launched in right earnest and it had even won the praise of President George W. Bush as well as a prestigious education prize from the Broad Foundation in 2007.

It seems the problem of under-development remains more or less the same in any part of the globe, a country or a society as the case may be – whether developed fully or partially. What is the difference between the given scenario in Central India, Sub-Saharan Africa and Pan America and a similar one in the Manhattan County of New York City, the most developed piece of land on earth? Black and Hispanic populations live there side by side in considerable numbers with the whites for more than two-three centuries. The New York City Administration and the Federal Government of USA will have to work hard for number of years to achieve the set goal of parity in educational standards between different segments of populations like in the case of underdeveloped countries (for example - the tribal belts of Central India) in the third world.

Want to remain in the Boxing Ring?

Warm up yourself my friends, the Chinese Dragon is flying past after defeating different giants one by one in controlling population, registering double digit growth rate in the last three decades consistently, achieving surplus in international trade with the world’s biggest economy i.e. USA for several years, strengthening its military presence in strategic points, obtaining the first position in Olympic games, launching the biggest show in the form of Trade Fair in Shanghai, rubbing shoulders with other permanent members in the Security Council of UNO etc etc. Well we don’t know where we are although our leaders project ourselves as the contender for the position of a Super Power in 21st century.

Five years ago China’s gross domestic product was about $2.3 trillion about half of Japan’s. China’s per capita income is $3600 and that of US is about $46000. In the first quarter of the current year China has overtaken Japan, as feared and expected in many quarters, as Number Two Economy in the world. Economic pundits apprehend that China will pass the US as the world’s biggest economy as early as 2030. You know that America’s GDP was about $14 trillion in 2009. It is obvious we the Indians are nowhere in the picture for the present.

Another factor of concern is that the latest global Education First - English Proficiency Index shows India standing in 30th place and a spot above it - China. This is the first time it has topped India in these rankings. In 2009, a report by the British Council of India revealed that China was pulling ahead of India in boosting Engish usage.

Innovation in Marketing

Marketing in Western hemisphere is known for its quality and innovative methods.

IKEA is a wholesale store run by a Swedish firm with its brand name selling not only household goods but also with lot of innovative ideas and new varieties and designs for mundane and utility products. The household interiors (like drawing room, kitchen, study room, toilets, dining rooms) in actual size with products in varying designs and shapes and in different mediums like plastics, plywood, leather, cotton, polymer, steel and laminated sheets are put on display for the people to see, touch and enjoy them before making purchases and themselves transporting the same to their vehicles. What an idea and execution in the interest of consumers?

America Becoming Another Banana Republic?

Shah Gilani, Contributing Editor, Money Morning is rightly worried that the great American tradition of individualism and capitalism is being systematically undermined by a cadre of financial strongmen and the ruling class of wealthy oligarchs.It is an irony that the same capitalist system that molded America into the richest nation in history has been transformed into a mostly private moneymaking enterprise producing nothing but paper profits, as he bemoans.

America's transformation into a banana republic is indeed intriguing and perplexing looking to the vast implications anticipated on the global economic scene. That probably explains the dilemma faced by the majority of Democrats in the Capitol, Washington D.C under the leadership of President Barack Obama as to how to hold the Bull's horn and overpower it without hurting oneself and others in the arena. The challenge before the policy makers now is how to avoid or atleast control those forces which are bent upon increasing enormous wealth in a few hands and forcing the majority to live in poverty and penury by utilising the very features of capitalism and laissez-faire.

The practice of socialism in countries like USSR has taken a beating very badly and communistist countries like China have started adopting features of capitalism in production, ownership and stock market in a limited and controlled fashion. The lesson is that any kind of 'ism in the extreme form is bound to burn fingers and fail to delver results for the good of the majority in a society.

A good mix of both ie Controlled Capitalism alone can ensure the light at the end of the tunnel, I suppose.

Long live Mr Barack Obama

God and Nature help those who are basically courteous and couragious in work and life. The Westeners and Americans esp. deserve to be complemented in this regard. They do respond to letters and e-mails received from any individual on this globe.

When I sent a birth day greeting mail to the US president Mr Barack Obama on his 49th birth day on 4th August, I received a 'thank you' mail to day the 6th August, 2010. That shows his working style and the courtesy of the First Lady in White House.

I am literally pained in my heart to reveal the utter carelessness exibited by my Indian brethren - be it the personages occupying highest positions in P.M.O, Rashtrapathi Bhavan, Planning Commission, Chief Ministers with one exception, Secretary to Government of India, Chief Secretary or Secretary in the state governments, the editors of leading daily newspapers and magazines ...........My countrymen the great Indians - high or low in position - would respond only if they want to or likely to gain in any manner in the near future. Otherwise it is impossible to get response even to serious matters in public life (issues) or even greetings in private capacity.

God help my India!

Forests Under Fire

Naxalites Vs States

Vast tropical forests in India were effectively protected by the wild life and the Princely States in the past before the advent of fire-arms. But the invented firearms helped the human poaching in eliminating the florishing fauna and increasing the list of endangered and extinct species in wild life.

Simultaneously man's greediness found no bounds while decimating the deep forests over a period of time but thanks to the presence of naxalites in place of wild life that there is some check on this trend unwittingly of course.

Two decades ago when naxalites activities were at the peak in Andhra Pradesh State we literally feared their advance and intrusion into the jungles of Orissa State, Chhattisgarh area of erstwhile Madhya Pradesh State and Jharkhand area of erstwhile Bihar State which had actually taken place to the dismay of all concerned. The solution seems to be elusive of all the preparations and attempts made by the Central Government and the respective State governments so far on the ground. Naxalites are almost running a parallel government in those places and the general public are in their grip willingly or unwillingly. Developmental activities of civilian governments in those areas have taken a beating in the hands of naxalites. God knows when normalcy will return to such territories so that those simple and peace-loving citizens can start leading a normal life like their brethren in other parts of the country.

The central government refuses to send the military forces to contain this menace on the basis of a settled convention practised so far of not sending the troops for an internal law and order problem. But the issue has assumed such a big dimension and proportion that it is only a quesion of a few days or months before the embattled areas are handed over enabling a show-down between the naxalites and the armed forces for a final solution.

Let us await the D-day.

Is Prop 8 constitutional?

A waging war is on the anvil right now in USA over the right of two indviduals of same sex to enter into a legal wedlock. California’s Proposition 8, which bans same-sex marriage is under challenge before the courts of law. A trial challenging the same began January 11 and a U.S. district court concurs. The case is now likely to reach the Supreme Court for final adjudication. The outcome of the case is expected to set precedent for years and shape the American society.

I do sincerely think banning same-sex marriage is constitutional inasmuch as the biological and demographical needs of the society demand the union of two individuals of opposite sex. Well the question of two individuals of same sex wanting to live together and raise a family can be settled in their favour without any legal obstruction or humiliation. A register of such marriages of same sex can be kept separately for the purpose of census and other uses. The American settlement in this regard will lead to similar requirements in other countries very soon.

Brave Man Never Looks Back But Moves Forward

Mr. Barack Obama, President of USA is a brave man and he is bent upon implementing what he promised when he ran for office in 2008. As Sheryl Gay Stolberg reports in New York Times (Business Friday July 16, 2010) that he used the government as an instrument to try to narrow the gaps between the haves and have-nots. He is a socialist at heart. I admire him irrespective of the fact whether his party wins many seats or less in coming November elections as some have predicted in discouraging tones. A few have even anticipated some slow move or withdrawal of some hard decisions on the economic and social front. We are sure nothing of that sort is going to happen in the near future. He will grow stronger in his resolve and execution. Although the stimulus package involving $787 billion has not led to wholesale correction on the financial system, it was the only remedy available at the time. The health coverage to 32 million uninsured and the way he has achieved the relationship among Washington, Wall Street investors and consumers go to show his sincerity and courage of conviction. US economy is in safe and competent hands.

Fire-works of July 4, 2010 in New York

Macy’s, a giant retail showroom chain specializing in high-end garments among cash rich consumers all over USA has been reported to be organizing a grand finale of United States of America Independence Day celebration in New York every year for some decades now.

I was also one of the spectators of this grand show on this day from a cruise parked on the waters of Hudson River. A view of the skyscrapers on Manhattan from the river is a sight one can never forget easily. How many colors and shapes of buildings glittering and shining on both sides of the river (New York city on the one side and Jersey town on the other) while creating a feeling of ecstasy among the visitors and witnesses? A mesmerizing event was displaying a view of the heaven on earth indeed.

Fireworks had a theme and pattern of their own as designed and executed by those master men sitting and supervising from their respective boats and ships – a minimum of five at least in number. What a variety! What a rhythm? What a combination of colors! What shapes and how many designs & at what designated heights & what a range and richness and selection of colors for various objects on display? A mindboggling exercise and massive planning with a huge expense at the cost of Macy’s is an admirable private event. Hats off to the thought and action on the part of this company for such a wonderful celebration.

How I wish Mukesh Ambani of Reliance Group to undertake a similar venture and underwrite a similar sort of annual event fully from his company on the Arabian Sea-front near the Necklace of Mumbai Marine Drive on the occasion of India's Independence day i.e. 15th of August!

Food and Time for Thought

Who are we? Where are we?
We the humans are a tiny tot on the planet called the earth, one of the nine planets around the sun in the solar system, which in turn is a tiny part of the Milky Way galaxy which is again a tiny tot among the galaxies of the universe.

Shouldn’t we wonder at our stars and feel obliged to the universe or the Creator that we are born into this world at this time and made to realize who we are and what we are in such a context; and start leading a peaceful and satisfied life , rather than indulge in aggression,, arrogance, bullying, unlimitted selfishness and terrorizing & destroying other organic and inorganic objects and lives on the globe?

Stunning Similarity Among Rich Across Continents

Biggest Defaulters

What a strange and strong coincidence in defaults among the rich borrowers and debtors across the globe! According to Sam Khater,the senior economist of CoreLogic (the real estate analytics firm), "The rich are different: they are more ruthless". It is said that the priviledged enclaves like the one in Silican Valley(more than one in seven home-owners with loans in excess of a million dollars) have started behaving worse than the working class and stopped paying the mortgage at a rate that greatly exceeds the rest of the population(one in twelve mortgages below the million dollar mark) in USA.

It strikes very similar to Indian situation wherein the actual major defaulters of loans and advances from almost all the commercial banks and financial institutions are none other than our privileged sections namely the rich and influential individuals and industialists in the country. This fact has been revealed more than once in several studies conducted by government agencies and others.

What a Stunning Similarity Among Rich Across Continents??

Travails of US Economy in Recovery

The US economy is undergoing a slow and jobless recovery. Whatever recovery has been achieved so far, it is reportedly driven by strength in manufacturing which in turn was boosted by rebound in global trade and rebuilding of inventories that were cut during recession. But manufacturing has started declining giving rise to doubts about the recovery signs.

The Institute for Supply Management (ISM)'s index of nonmanufacturing activity declined to 53.8, compared with 55.4 in May while numbers over 50 do represent growth
(The Wall Street Journal of July 7, 2010). As we are aware, services nearly account for two-thirds of US Gross Domestic Product. Unfortunately the service side hasn’t fully engaged as lamented by the economist Ethan Harris of Bank of America. Recovery in the Service sector hss slowed down in June compared to May, 2010.ISM report showed that more service firms cut jobs than added them in June in view of the fact that service businesses alone employ more than four of every five private sector workers. In other words they added 91000 jobs in June, 2010 but 20000 of which were at temporary staffing agencies whereas many temps actually work for manufacturers.

The temporary lesson one learns from this development is that manufacturing esp. the small and medium enterpries producing goods do play a direct and definite role in creating jobs.

"Punishing the Jobless"

This refers to Paul Krugman's "Punishing the Jobless" in The New York Times of July 5, 2010.He laments therein the clueless and inability of some representatives of US Parliament to understand the advantage of extending the unemployment benefites in view of only partial recovery from the great recession and its comparative economics or opportunity costs.I too agree with his analysis.

Unemployment in USA

Even as the great recession of 2008 has just started petering out, the issue of unemployment (about 15 millions) is still dodging the US economy with Obama administration trying its best to get back the majority of unemployed into jobs. The condtion of labor market needs to be studied in a broader perspective and not in terms of smaller palliatives to solve it as one time measure.

An interesting feature of the emerging scenario is the change in the nature of job-qualification or experience of the work force as the recovery in manufacturing demands. The industry now requires the services of skilled workers and not the type employed earlier in pre-recession days. It is ipso facto an opportunity available to the managements to procure the really-needed and eligible employees to handle the high-end and sophisticated machines that are replacing the old and obsolete equipments day by day.Such a development is revealed best in a survey conducted last year of 779 industrial companies by the National Associations of Manufacturers, the Manufacturing Institute and Deloitte, the accounting and consuting firm in which 32 percent of companies reported "moderate to serious" skills shortages and sixty three percent of life science companies and 45 percent of energy firms cited such shortages(The New York Times of July 2,2010).

Now the US economy and the administration needs to train and upgrade the skills of the already unemployed and the incremental additions entering the labor market every year. Nothing less than a National Training Package by the Federal government and implementation at the state level for a period of 4 - 5 years can retrieve the situation in the short or long term. A perfect and thorough study of the possibility of job-generartion in all the three sectors - primary, secondary and tertiary,alone can indicate the scope and preparations needed for such a goal.

Let us see how Obama administration makes moves in this direction.

The Epics

Addressed to Ms Sonia Gandhi
Who knows the actual origin of our epics Ramayana and Mahabharata except through the original narrators as supplemented by illustrious thinkers and writers who succeeded the duo in due course?

But the messages and lessons they teach to the humanity are immense and far-reaching as long as the mankind exists.They are the stories related to the happenings of royal families /dynasties /kingdoms in particular regions or territories of ancient India. They have been fantastically preserved and perpetuated by several generations till date. What a treasure-hove of values and venerations they portrayed and conveyed to the mortals like us for ages!The conduct and behaviour of several characters (including the sacrifices made and the sufferings undergone by them which are exemplery and extraordinary in nature)in the epics depict the ideal relationships between the father and son, husband and wife, brothers and sisters, King and the citizens in the most exalted and edifying manner that are fit to be emulated by similarly placed individuals even in modern society.

Some mortals become immortals by their unusual and extraordinary actions and they acquire the status of saints and gods as the time passes. Mother Teresa has been ordained the sainthood by the Pontiff and similarly where is the guarantee that Mohandas K.Gandhi would not join the Indian pantheon of gods and Goddesses after some hundred years on the basis of his autobiography, biographies, museums, monuments, statues and several thousand books and writings containing his thoughts and actions?

Mohandas K.Gandhi never held a post of perks in the Government till his last breadth. He was above all. His sacrifice to the nation at all costs - not only to his wife and children but his own caste and creed, race and religion - was par excellence. Unfortunately his successors in politics and government after 1960s have failed to learn basic etiquette and principles in their day to day functioning like, for example, in observing punctuality, impartiality and hesitation to pursue self interest and the interest of kith and kin much against public interest (unpardonable act).

One has to note painfully the fact that the public functionaries at the helm of affairs at the moment, in both Government of India and the state governments, are determined not to respond to the letters and reactions even with a positive tone. They stubbornly refuse to acknowledge the receipt of suggestions and ideas meant for the betterment of the society. Father of the nation even during his hectic schedule and travel never failed to respond to the common man. Why such a deterioration in standards and values? Whom are they going to serve and satisfy, God knows!

Madam, being the head of UPA at Delhi, can you please intervene and improve the situation in the government?

Bhopal tragedy, the industrial disaster

Following is the comment made on the editorial regarding the "Bhopal Tragedy" by the Editor of Dinamani(Tamil)Newspaper on 22nd June,2010

Friends, nobody is above board in today's Indian politics and industry. One represents and takes care of the interest of the other. The pity is that in a given situation or calamity we Indians are slow to react and ensure the preventive or post-event action as usual, unlike in the recent oil-spill disaster in the Gulf of mexico in which the whole nation including the President Obama of the USA stood firm and timely and effective action was taken against the company including the help to the affected. Let the Governments and the authorities concerned act sincerely and effectively. Otherwise we will have more of such industrial disasters in India in the days to come.

By KPR.Raja
6/22/2010 5:45:00

Grains Vs Guns

‘Grains Vs Guns’ seems to here been the latest statement made by the eminent agriculture scientist Dr. M.S. Swaminathan in Tiruvandrum enclave of Indian Scientists inaugurated by Prime Minister of India Dr. Manmohan Singh. Swaminathan has been advocating and asserting on the significance of food grains viz-a-viz the guns produced or procured by nations in modern times. In his reviewச் and interviews on ‘Food inflation’ he laments the absence or inadequacy of proper and timely formulation of policy decisions on the supply-side of food economics on the part of Govt. of India. The immediate concern (second week of January, 2010) of everyone from top to bottom – i.e. Prime Minister and his team of advisors downwards up to the desk of Sharad Power and his officials is how to check this maddening spree of price spiral in food grains, pulses, oils, vegetables, fruits and sugar.

A few days ago R.B.I headed by Governor Subha Rao, Economic Advisory Council headed by Dr. C. Renganathan, Planning Commission headed by Montek Singh Ahluwalia made forecasts to the effect that inflationary trend especially in grains, vegetables and sugar would beat a retreat soon. Now all of them seem to have been stumped with the outstanding upward movement of price rise. Consumers seem to be stunned and forced to reveal their latent out- bursts and concerns on such a development as made out from their interviews of late both in print and electronic media day in day out. Commodity economics as reflected in the behaviour of commodity markets seems to be elusive of any amenable solution available to eminent stock-exchange economists like M.S. Ahluwalia, Rengarajan and others. Macro economists brought up in the school of international trade, balance of payment, international banking, stock exchange markets, capital account convertibility, private equity and profit maximization do suddenly find themselves unable to tackle food inflation, agri-economics, retail price index etc. They are unable to decipher the loop-holes prevalent in supply side theory and practice of economics. The entire paraphernalia engaged in production of grains, pulses and sugar is unable to cope with a realistic study of the area deployed for this purpose, the inadequacy or absence of incentive on a balanced use of timely and requisite inputs needed for production, processing, storage and marketing of essential commodities. Department of Agriculture and Co-operation and the Department of Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs both at Central and State Government levels appear to be so much engrossed in their routine engagement on facts and figures, meetings and minutes that they hardly ever applied their mind and soul to study the long term trend in demand and supply existing potential and requisite supplies in the case of essential commodities like food grains – both rice and wheat, pulses, oils, vegetables, fruits and sugar as also the chronic problems faced by the major producers viz. the small and marginal farmers in the countryside.

The nation expects from senior agriculture scientists like Dr. M.S. Swaminathan to devote their precious time and energy on experiments with the Science & Technology connected with the production, processing and marketing of agri-produce so that the governments can feed the entire population of this country in the days to come. Mere conferences, congresses and consultations including paper and book publicity are not going to deliver goods as one would expect.

Homeless on a Winter Night

Harsh Mander’s article on “Homeless on a Winter Night” is a telling example of the state of affairs prevailing in several parts of North India during winter. It is indeed a vivid account of vicarious nature of urbanization in India. It along with a series of articles written by him under the banner “Bare foot” reminds us of the days of Oliver Twist penned by Charles Dickens in England. Well, it would have been better if Harsh, being a former bureaucrat suggested a practical solution to the Delhi administration or followed one of the following two courses of action.

1. Send a story-line or a film script to one of the Bollywood film producers for making a feature film on street-dwellers of Delhi.
2. Implement with his own team a welfare project aimed at their amelioration in Delhi Urban Agglomeration after its formulation and sanction by concerned government departments and agencies.

Note: This letter is sent to 'The Hindu' newspaper

MSSRF

Dear Ms. SriVidya,

You’ve done an excellent coverage on the community based initiative of MSSRF recently in the Hindu newspaper. The MSSRF seems to have taken a lot of strain on finding solutions to the perennial problems of poor people engaged not only in inland farming but also in sea-fishing on the costal zones. The IGNOU too seems to have entered this arena with a view to supporting the community college and making it a component of the integrated Coastal Zone Management of MSSRF. The participation of Ms. Kanimozhi, Rajya Saba M.P. will ensure the whole-hearted support of the state government. The opening of a training institute for the fishermen under the aegis of MSSRF will certainly add one more ground for the activity of MSSRF. The Village Resource Centers and the Village Knowledge Centers are indeed to be watched and replicated in other parts of the country. I wish you closely monitor these concepts and practices at least for 1-2 years on a quarterly basis and report on its feasibility and adaptability.

Note: This letter is sent to the newspaper 'The Hindu'

Will anything change?

Dear Ms. Kalpana Sharma,
I read your article on ‘Will anything change?’ in the Hindu dated 27th December 2009. It is true “for millions of Indians there is little cause to cheer”. Millions who live in poverty-stricken villages will continue to be poor and become poorer unless and until some realistic policies framed and circulated by governments in the National capital and State capitals are sincerely implemented by the so-called permanent executives posted in the district head-quarters and block development head-quarters. The latest headache to the villagers is the hydra-headed monster in the form of SEZ to snatch farm lands from the farmers and make the rich richer and allow the MNCs to flourish and loot in the name of ‘development’.

Note: This letter sent to the newspaper 'The Hindu'

Golden Chance for the Golden Age in India

Telengana episode has effected a rupture on Indian Polity and caused a painful turmoil all over. The latent desire and desperate demand for separate statehood in different locations has erupted with a sudden spurt compelling the Congress party in the Centre to go slow on the same within 24 hours of its initial announcement. How to contain such a development is the major concern of all the right-thinking individuals and well-wishers in the country. Intelligent humans, as we are, should convert such an event into a positive chance for a better arrangement in the given democratic system. Language, the only major criterion for the reorganization of states in the post-independent era in 1950s, remains no more a lone valid and solid base for the purpose. Economic development and, that too a balanced regional development has become the need of the hour. Divisive and decisive forces such as language, caste, colour or creed could hardly be a base for geographical divisions any more.

India is a country of one billion plus in population. Geographical area-wise and population-wise it can easily afford to have 40 to 50 states in all – each containing or catering to a population of 20 millions plus. The only rider is that it should be a Democratic Federation with the Presidential form of government as in the case of USA. The President and the Governors in the states should be directly elected for a term of 5-6 years with each incumbent allowed to serve only 2 terms in office and necessarily not succeeded by a close relative in the posts for at least 2 terms at a stretch. Under such a scenario, the elected executives would be assisted and advised by a group of experts as ministers (mostly nominated) numbering not more than 5 in each government. Departmental activities should be guided, budgeted and monitored by the advisory committees comprising members of the Parliament or State Assemblies as the case may be. Direct election would be conducted once in 5 – 6 years only for the lowest chamber via. Village Panchayats and Municipal bodies and also for the highest executive post in the country viz. President and in the states viz. the Governors. All other legislative bodies viz. the Janpad Panchayats, District Panchayats, Municipal Councils/Corporations, State Assemblies and the National Parliament should have selected/nominated members with proven talent and experience from among them on the basis of internal elections. No public representative elected or nominated can hold any particular office for more than two terms. In other words it would inject fresh blood into each chamber of public representatives. Direct election to the posts of President and Governors and similarly to the lowest chambers should be conducted at the Government cost.

Only two or three dominant political parties (on the basis of immediately-preceding General Elections) should be allowed to field candidates for the post of President and Governors but the elections or nominations to all other posts and chambers need not necessarily be in the name and nomination of political parties. All the ills of electoral processes can be automatically tackled without any major costs – neither to the Government nor to the candidates. No favoritism, no nepotism, no dynastic tendency, no black-money and no muscle power would be able to raise their ugly heads in such a system.

It is indeed a golden chance coming on our way for ensuring a golden era in Indian Sub-continent. Telengana, Gorkhaland, Vidarbha, Bundelkland, etc. etc. can await the recommendations of a newly-formed State Reorganization Commission in the next 2 years. As a saying goes, one should strike when the iron is hot. Let us convert the current malady into a remedy. Sixty years of Parliamentary Democracy needs a re-look and re-working. So the current Parliament can easily be converted into a Second Constituent Assembly for the debate and a decision on an alternative system of governance like the Presidential form of Government. A federal polity with such contrast situations, languages, cultures and civilizations, heritages and histories in India needs immediate political and constitutional reforms to halt the riches of a few, to promote the welfare of all the citizens, to make justice available at a cheaper cost, to eradicate or substantially control the electoral fraud and bad practices, to provide corruption-free public services from government functionaries, to check the erosion of dignity of labour but improve and sustain its productivity be it on agri-farms, in factories, in public and semi-public offices, to halt the mobocracy and encourage meritocracy in every sphere of public life.

Note: This article is sent to all major Newspapers, Magazines, Political parties, President, Prime minister, Chief ministers of all the states, Election Commission, all Governors, Chief Justice of India, Judges of Supreme Court, Chief Justices of States, Chief Secretaries of all states, LBS Directors, etc.