For a stronger rupee, provide electricity!!
Facts:
- One of India’s biggest import is oil
- The maximum use of Diesel in India is for generators!!
Now, add the two together and we get some interesting scenarios:
- A large % of the Diesel subsidy goes for retail electricity generation.
- By providing proper power supply, not only would it reduce oil imports and reduce the CAD, it will also greatly reduce the amount of subsidy the government shells out on diesel.
- Better power supply makes for competitive industries (several reports point to losses & close downs of small/medium Industries due to lack of power!).
- Stronger industries boost exports. Lower oil consumption reduces imports – both of which strengthen the rupee, which in turn will reduce inflation and boost economy.
By providing this very basic infrastructure, the government can make the citizens happy, strengthen the rupee, boost economy and reduce inflation – all in one fell swoop!
Now, can some of our political executives junk their multi-hundred-crore phoren trips and spend the money on a few clean energy power plants instead?
The non-flying customer
Everybody in India is a customer of Air India. Even if you never flew AI, you may be a customer if you pay taxes! The GOI recently cleared a 30,000 Crore (yes, you read that right) bailout for the most inefficient airlines in the history of mankind.
AI has the highest aircraft to employee ration (at last count, some 30000 employees) but the worst service, the worst safety record (just ahead of the duct taped twin-engine 1968 planes that still fly in Congo) and the employees would have you believe that they are underpaid and want you to support their flash strike for higher pay!!
We are washing our plane only!
This has not stopped them from getting a 787 Dreamliner, financed by the taxpayers of India. Although no sane Indian flies AI, he stills pays for its upkeep.
GOI, please stop this nonsense. Please shutdown the airline and use these funds for some meaningful purpose, like helping farmer who commit suicide for debt as little as 15000.
Oh, did I mention the “free mobile phone to everyone” scheme being contemplated? Maybe somebody needs to tell GOI that citizens need toilets before they need a mobile!
Welcome our new parliamentary committee members!
1 box = 1 million; 100 million = 1 crore; 100 crore = 1 Koda; 100 Koda = 1 Kalmadi; 100 Kalmadi = 1 Raja; 100 Raja = 1 Rani (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
“Raja, Kalmadi made parliamentary standing committee members” screamed the news from leading dailies. Raja for “Energy” and Kalmadi for “External Affairs”.
Considering the volume of the financial scandal involved (between them, at last count, the alleged corruption stood at about 250000 Crores Rupees or roughly $50 billion) and the fact that both had spent time in Tihar jail, this is indeed extraordinary news by any standards. But its just another day in the life of independent India.
One is left wondering if “Energy” is really euphemism for money and “External Affairs” for how to send it out!
Its like that only.
There are no software engineers in India!
top private bank in India (which shall remain unnamed, except for saying their four letter name starts with A), recently carried out a big campaign. “We have upgraded our website, please take the spanking new online banking portal for a test drive”.
Even my usual jaded self was taken in! Five minutes after I logged in I saw that the online statement had the Amounts center aligned!
Wait! Isn’t that something we learn in third grade, with the long end of a sturdy stick? Even if that wasn’t the case, that numbers need to be right aligned should be common sense, right? Oh, where are all the smart engineers in India?
I am left wondering why India, which produces the top software minds for top software companies cannot even get such basics right for domestic software.
Oh, if you thought this was bad, wait until you try to use your credit card on the most active online portal in India – the railways!
Well, its like that only.
Musing on India 