floods in south India

After a prolonged delay in revival of monsoon, the monsoon revived itself in a ferrosious way flooding the two States of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. There was huge loss of men and material and loss of property. The Governments naturally turned to the common man for help instead of releasing the funds from the Government for relief work. Of course common man understands the worst affected common man's plight and liberally donated cash and kind to the political bowl bearers. In Karnataka the Chief Minister took "Paada Yaatra" i.e. walk along the streets and collected hundreds of crores of ruppes for the relief funds. As usual top political and Government leaders had a bird's eye view of the flood hit areas and announced relief funds. The Prime Minister was kind enough to announce that there was no paucity funds for flood relief works. However the Chief Minster of Karnataka Mr. Yeddiyurappa, in spite of having record collection of fund and aid from Central Government contemplates to impose new taxes on common man. The Common man does not understand the logic behind the impositin of new tax. There was a good collection and PM has announced that there was no paucity of funds for relief work. There where is the necessity of imposing new taxes. If at all funds are required for relief work why can't the MLAs, MPs, Ministers, big Industrialists, Businessmen contribute in crores. Every MLA and MP is having assets worth thousands of crores of rupees. Few hundred crores donation for the flood relief work won't make them poorer. Apart from being MLA, MP and Minister all politicians are owning Mines, Colleges, Universities, Industries, TV Channels, Film Distribution, Production companies. They earn hundreds of crores and have black money too. When these people could contribute to the full requirement of the relief work where is the need for taxing the common man. Is the Government bankrupt? Politicians know well public are fools and they could be deceived very easily. Further who knows how much funds are spent for the relief work and how much are pocketed by the politicians and their hencmen? Is the Government going to render account for the collection and spending?

Cost of Living in Chennai, India

Recently I read an article in the Sunday Express where in, the Cheapest cities in the world were categorised. Chennai, Capital city of Tamil Nadu had been given the 7th place in the order of cheapest cities. I was also under the same impression that Chennai is cheaper compared to other Indian Cities like Mumbai, New Delhi, Calcutta, Bangalore etc., But my opinion about Chennai's cost of living was short lived. Recently I had been to Chennai. First my surprise was how people live in such a hot climate. In spite of very hot weather people swarm the shopping areas especially T.Nagar. I too visited the famous cloth shop Pothis and another Departmental Store Saravana Stores. I wondered whether the entire city population has come for shopping to T.Nagar. Now coming to the cost of living : nothing is cheaper. Everything is as costlier as in any other place and some items still more costly too. Only thing is people can spend their shopping time in A/c atmosphere and purchase most of the items undr one roof, provided your legs are stronger. These malls are nothing but explitation centres. People fall pray. the most shocking matter about Chennai is the cfost of food items. Once the city was known for its cheaper food items like Idly, dosai, vadai, and rice preparations. Today these items also have become more costly. There are two names in Chennai that make the public visit as a tourist attraction. Whoever comes to Chennai for shopping or for any other purpose would certainly visit any one of the chain ofhotels/restaurants run by these names. The foremost being Saravana Bhavan and next is Adyar Ananda Bhavan. Apart from these two another popular hotel is Triplcane Ratna Cafe. This hotel is having a branch in Chennai Central. These hotels/restaurants have made Chennai one of the costliest cities. What is available for Rs.15/- in Bangalore , another metropolitan centre, is priced @ Rs.25 or 30/- in Chennai hotels. Not only that, the size of the items also smaller than in Bangalore. I ordered for Onion Uthappam in Saravana Bhavan thinking the size would be as big as in Bangalore, but alas when it was brought by the waiter I was shocked to see that it was half the size of bangalore's uthappam. Price also Rs.30.25ps. How they worked out 0.25 ps and 0.75 paise god alone knows. It should be either Rs.25/- or Rs.30/-. Further I ordered for Idiappam . The waiter brought 2 idiappam with in sufficient side dish. that cost Rs.25.75ps. The same idiappam I took in Thrissur, Kerala, about ten days ago. There it cost Rs.20/- only for 4 nos. and it was quite sufficient. The side dish also was given in a reasonably big bowl instead of small cup. The big names of Chennai swindle the public . Public are the victims of exploitation of all sorts in Chennai. The only consoling factor is,the Bus fares are cheaper. Even by mistake one should not take an auto there. The auto drivers demand exhorbitantly and they cheat also. Though in other places also autodrivers exploit it is restricted to new visitors and at Railway Station and Bus stand. Otherwise they charge according to meter. In Chennai meters are only a fitting. The autos and taxis are run by the politicians, police and Government officers and rowdies. Public has no voice to point out the grievences. Who said Chennai is one of the cheapest cities. It is a cheat City.

Politicians and their sons

Now Mr. Bhuta Singh's son has been booked for taking or demanding a bribe of Rs. 1 Crore. What a small amount. Even a small time politician now- a -days owns hundreds of crores worth of property and income. How many MLAs, MPS and Ministers are owning Medical colleges, Engineering colleges and business schools and all sorts of educational institutions which generate income of hundres of crores of ruppes. Whether all these income have come through an honest and sincere way of earning. then why Mr. Bhuta Singh's son alone is caught or netted. Anyvested interest could not get his share from him? How many transfers, admissins, passing of examinations, scoring of marks in the exams., getting through the service commission examinations have taken place in all these years through politicians! Howmany thousands of crores has changed hands. Why blame politicians alone; what about bureaucrats who are in power? They do not lag behind( the politicians) in owning wealth. Government, whether Central or State, do not pay crores of rupees as salary and perks. Then how they amass wealth in crores is a open secret. When the system itself is infested with corruption why the drama of" catching" a sibloing of a politician is staged. One crore rupees is dream amount to an ordinary citizen, but for the above mentioned category of citizens it is pittance. It is known fact that this guy also would come out clean after some enactment of scenes. Let us see the drama and enjoy. Afterall we are not seeing such drawmas free of cost. We pay for it in all possibles ways of our spending . so enjoy it.

Unique Identy Number to Citizens.

The opposition parties especially the BJP has raised objection in the very first step of Mr. Nilekani in announcing that not only Indian Citizens but also non-citizen Indian origin will be given an Unique Number. Is it a convention that Opposition Party means it has to oppose each and every move of Government? Further the responsibility of issueing Unique ID has been entrusted to a technically qualfiied and well experienced person. He knows how to allot a number to each and every category and every citizen. Unncessary intervention and opposing a himkalayan task and putting hurdle on the implementation of the task is not appreciated by the public. Let the opposition watch and wait till something concrete is done in the project. Raising controversy just for the sake of opposing is not in good taste. Do some thing constructive like exposing the corrupt, both in the government as well as in the politics. First clean yourself, then you can point out the uncleanliness of your opponent.

One thing I do not understand is how the platform vendors are allowed to increase in number and grow beyond control. In the beginning only one or two vendors appear and in a short span of time they mushroom the entire area. They cause a lot of inconvenience to the public. One cannot walk freely on the platform. There is a risk of stumbling upon a protruded stone. or slipping in the moistured area caused by the vendors. Or one cannot walk on the platform at all. One has to walk on the road itself which is having heavy speeding vehicular traffic and face the danger of accident. Apart from this the platform is made a dirty mess. One cannot feel walking on the platform or road on the marshy mess created by the vendors like chat shops, paan shops, vegetable vendors, eateries etc. If one ponders over the matter, one would wonder what the BBMP authorities, police and other officials are doing? Don't they want to keep the city clean and facilitate the public to have a safe walk on the road? Yes they don't want. All the concerned officials/departments are earning out of the vendors. Apart from the officials, the rowdy elements also give protection to these vendors of course for extortion and in many cases the rowdy themselves do the business. When there is outcry from the public and NGOs, the Corporation authroties and the Police play the drama of removing the platform shops in one sweep and after some time all will appear again. During the intervening time a lot of money would exchange hands, political drama also would play a role. What is the use of telling or writing that Singapore is clean, US is neat and tidy etc. If you want to be in a clean atmospher go to Singaore or any other country of your choice. If you want tolive in your Mother Land live with all its originality: corruption, crime, dirty environment and all other practices that you can't find elsewhere in the world. India Shines with all her dirty linen be proud!

Lokaykta - Karnataka and elsewhere

For the past two years the role of Lokaykta has caught the lime light and more and more cases of corruption and corrupt practices have come light. In Karnataka the Lokaykta incumbents have exposed many big Babus as well as small fishes. Every one caught by the sleuths of Lokaykta has amassed wealth and enjoying the fruits of the same. The wealth owned by them is enough to provide luxurious life for ten or more generations to come. All at the cost of the poor public. The Government is shielding them by way of inaction. Here again the procedure, heirarchy to act on the complaints come in to picture. No body is willing to take a bold action. The officials caught red handed know how to hoodwink the Government and enjoy the same status. The Lokaykta just pile up the cases rather pepers. All expenditure is wasteful. The right action should be first sieze the properties and other kinds of wealth and deposit with the Government. The income coming out of the immovable property should be the income of the Government. Remove the concerned official from service. Leave the legitimate savings/income for the sustenance fo the family of the officials caught, in case thefamily is likely to suffer. Unless some drastic action is congtemplated the corruption is live for ever. the Lokaykta is a burden for the public fund.

Another interesting thing is what about the Lokayktas of other States. The media are silent about them. Whether they are working or just drawing their salaries and perks. Or corruption is rampant only in Karnataka?Other States are having clean administration? If the appointment of Lokaykta is constitutional post whey can't Central Govt. empower the Lokaykta to take action? Can any one through further light on this topic?

Indian Budget for 2009-10

The Budget for the FY 2009-10 appears to be common man friendly; but the ultimate result will be that the common man would not benefited as expected. The only marginal benefit given to the common is increase in Income Tax limit by Rs.10,000/- and Rs.15000/-. This benefit will go only to income tax payees. What about the upliftment of the people BPL? Whether the IT limit is increased by 10,000/- or 100000/- the BPL category is not going tobe affected.

The agricuture sector is given a boost with the credit flow of Rs.3,25,000/- crores during the FY. If the poor farmers i.e. marginal farmers are benefited the purpose is served. But it is not going to be so. As per the claims of the politicians most of the ministers, MPs, MLAs are farmers. The claim they are from rurual background. Whatever subsidy, concession facilities are extended tothe agriculture and rural sector would be utilised by the so called 'agriculturists'. The real farmers would get only a negligible per centage.

Further short term crop loan to the maximum of Rs.3,00,000/- is being contemplated. Here again the elite caegory of agriculturists would reap the benefit. The farmers with small land holdings would demand the maximum amount for his farming purpose, thought actually they may not require that much. The politicians would exploit the small farmers and utilise this opportunity to augment their vote bank. The scape goat for this agriculture credit is the bank Manager. Having tasted the benefit of writing off the agriculture loans in the past as well at present, the farmers know well that one day or other the Government would write off their loans. There would certainly a lot of NPAs in this category. Bank Managers/Officials would face the fiddile by way of chargesheets, suspensions, punishments, and dismissals. This viscious circle is going on for decades and will continue in the years to come. Unless the Government take strict action against the defaulters, with the exception of draught situation, the tax payers money would go to the gutters. Here again the rich farmers, read politicians, gain the benefit. Howmany people are having landholdings in benamy names! Do you agree that the Budget is pro poor man.

Secondly the Industrial Sector is not provided with adequate boost, except maintaining the same corporate tax level at the same level. The financial market has crashed already on the eve of Budget. What is the use of reducing the price of mobile and LCD? Whether 'Aam Aadmi' is benefited except he uses the cell phone. Whether the tariff is reduced? or by his using the cell phone the economy is going to get a boost. Howmany common man is having LCD? Only the media and the influential personalities would hail the Budget as common man's budget, but who is the common is the million dollar question.

Comments or criticism is welcom.

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