Our neighbour Pakistan is boiling

Unfortunately our esteemed neighbour Pakistan is politically boiling of late, thanks to the disbelief in fairness of general elections held last time by which the present incumbent prime minister Nawaz Sherief came to power replacing military rule. 

Imran Khan, the leader of Tehriq-e-insaaf and Qadri, a cleric and the leader of Pakistan. Awami Tehriq are up in arms against NawazSherief and seeking his resignation and spreading their agitation up to Lahore and Karachi. This must have demoralised Nawaz to a great extent. Nawaz, a friend of India otherwise, is forced by circumstances to keep a low profile towards India at the moment. This explains the recent disturbances by the so called terrorists on the borders. The PM of Pakistan is unable to control his military and engage in talks with India. The Pakistan military is itching for a fight with India under some pretext or other and usurp civil power like what happened during Kargil war in the past. We are afraid Nawaz would fail this time too. The powers that be in Islamabad never want peaceful settlement with India at any time.

Forecast of events that would unfold in the near future:

General elections under the supervision of UN committee
Alternatively a military rule soon

Best Formula:

A fair and free general elections held under UN control with the help of election commissions from a few democratic countries followed  by a grand alliance with India for economic development.

A close and effective purging of those elements pursuing military domination through so called terrorists for the last few decades and destabilising democratic rule in Pakistan since its independence.

A referendum seeking the type of friendship and support the people of Pakistan want with their counterparts from India.

A grand Pan India including India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Ceylon like the European Commission in the West will be a reality by 2050 AD.

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CBI to close MCX probe against former Sebi chief Bhave, member

CBI was investigating the roles of C.B.Bhave and K.M.Abraham in allowing MCX-SX to function as a full-fledged private exchange.

While CBI has reportedly said Bhave should have been careful in granting sanction, his decision did not merit a criminal case.

CBI WILL RECOMMEND TO GOVT. that departmental action be taken against Bhave & Abraham, with an FIR against other officers.(Times Business August 26, 2014).

This episode raises certain basic questions:

At last both the top officials have been let off from criminal prosecution. Unfortunately there has been a change of heart at the CBI HQrs - done under some pressure? If not who was responsible for adverse publicity in the initial stage without proper study and analysis? 
What is the necessity of recommending departmental action when no mala fide  intention was found by them? Who and which experienced and qualified economic expert took this decision on such a commercial transaction in CBI? 
Who is qualified in CBI to give a conduct certificate to Bhave and Abraham when even the best judges would find it difficult to pass a judgment on such business and commercial transactions in this country?

It is unfortunate that probably good boys are punished and the crooks are let off in such a system. Bad and dangerous trend for this country!

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One platform for project nods

The Project Monitoring Group (PMG) in the cabinet secretariat had initially identified two dozen approvals that are required from the central government, while another 35 clearances needed from the states.

The idea is to digitise the processes and then get on e-biz which was conceived five years ago by the department of industrial policy and promotion but has failed to take off as other government agencies have refused to cooperate.

PMG is now trying for a single platform. It is not an easy task. An iron hand with an iron will power only can ensure single window clearance for the projects on a sustained basis. All the best.

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Road accidents in India

“More people die from road accidents in India than any where else in the world.”

It is indeed a damning and disheartening report.

“The World Health Organisation (WHO) says death rate per 100,000 population rose in India from 16.8 to 18.9 between 2009 and 2013.  If you look at numbers in 2011, we had 440,123 road accidents and 136,834 people were killed in them. Between 2001 and 2011, death rates from accidents on Indian roads rose by 44.2 per cent.

At the moment, one person dies in a road accident every five minutes in India. By 2020, the number is expected to be one every three minutes.

Any solution to this problem?

Yes there is a solution provided the law makers make the following rules and the officials/ authorities concerned implement them sincerely and fearlessly.

Restrict the number of owned vehicles per family / institution/ organisation by raising the vehicle tax for the additional numbers acquired by them.

Rationing of fuels as per the actual need of the owners and charging more on the excess quantity utilised by them.

Quotas to be fixed for the manufacture of vehicles by different companies on the basis of certain parameters determined by the committee of experts.

Widening of the roads whenever needed and wherever feasible.

Encouraging the usage of public transport among the office-goers and discouraging the usage of cars / four wheelers by / for single persons on city roads.

Shifting of bigger establishments with a large number of workers in crowded localities of towns/ cities/ metros to the suburbs with a provision for accommodation and other public utilities like schools , shops etc.

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Age and natural force won't stop a determined individual.

Village Mongari, District Dhamtari, State Chhattisgarh (India): A ten year old boy named Bhakth Prahalad travels alone in a boat to navigate a big ( the biggest in the state) reservoir called Gangrel by covering a distance of six kilometres to reach his school daily for the purpose of study. 

Look at his punctuality:

Year.               School Days.                    Days attended
2013-14.          231.                             217
2012-13.           228.                             213
2011-12.           229.                             210

( Ramdhar Yadav reporter, Naidunia, dated August 24, 2014, Dhamtari)

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Beware of Pollution.

During the year 2013 as much as 175 million tonnes of fly ash from industries were produced in india out of which only 56 percent of it was used as raw material. In Chhattisgarh state only 27 percent of 24 million tonnes  it produced could be recycled for other uses, much less than national average.

A long term plan and short term action plan is very much needed for a better living in the days to come.

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Scrap Planning Panel

Merits in dismantling:

Perspective plans are only the decorative coding of long term wishes of the heads of governments and nothing more.

The planning commission of Nehruvian days was  mainly meant for centralised planning with five year plans laying emphasis on different sectors of the economy in varying degrees from plan to plan. 

Of late it has grown to a mammoth size with little contribution directly to achieve the desired goals set from time to time.

It indulges in 'Annual' drill of clearing the quantum of plan ceilings to different states in separate meetings with the respective chief ministers. It hardly ever cared for the performance of the states really and effectively in terms of physical targets. A ritual of this type never disciplined the state-level panels but very much pleased the chief ministers attending such sittings politically although!

Having no statutory backing it never had the authority to have a final word in the allocation of scarce resources between and among the ministries or the states in particular but certainly halted the speed of disposals invariably. Its removal / replacement, due to its existing shape and strength, is the need of the hour. 

Alternative: National Economic Forum

We need an expert body to function as a storehouse of research and survey reports assisting different ministries in terms of feedback before and after a programme or scheme is taken up for approval and implementation in any department / ministry or in any state of the Indian Union.

Its inputs are meant to enable the departments to finalise the blueprints while putting into action the programmes of the elected governments in the five-year period they are elected to power as per the mandate of the people. 

In other words the expert body is to subserve the interest of the elected governments with all the technical tools and expert advice. 

It is to function like a reference point for government agencies for working out a strategy in implementation of its schemes and programmes.

It has to be a lean body with the following members selected for a period of five years by a team headed by the Prime Minister:

Five members from the academic institutions selected on the basis of their experience both as a teacher and an economic planner.

Five members from the pool of managers/ administrators in the public/ government sector with a proven track record of achievements in the field.

Secretariat 

It is to be headed by an officer of Joint Secretary level in G.O.I with a maximum staff of two dozen employees with different grades under his control to provide logistical support to the Forum in its working. He would report to the secretary in the ministry of Economic Affairs and seek his support and assistance for annual budget and coordination with other departments / ministries and the states.

Dr.P.Raghava

A senior citizen and a former civil servant,

A Visiting Fellow to Oxford University during 1993-94,

An economist and a columnist for articles on economic and social issues,

A social reformer and a whistle blower in the existing system of governance,

A poet with the publication of " Travails and Thrills of Third World Nations (India)"

A planner and experimentalist of alternative style in governance in all the posts held over 30 years (1972-2006)

A sincere advisor to the ministers and chief ministers at the cost of one's career.

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One lakh ration cards in circulation with no genuine identity (addresses)

District Raipur, Chhattisgarh State. Daily Dainik Bhaskar reports (Thursday, July 24, 2014) that there are more than one lakh ration cards with no proper addresses or persons for  verification on the spot during the last one month. 

In other words there is a possibility of large scale bungling and siphoning of stocks indulged in by vested interests in collusion with petty politicians and departmental staff throughout the district. The opposition party is up in arms in the state assembly during the monsoon session in questioning this development in the state.

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