WHAT NaMo COULD HAVE MISSED?

Bikash Choudhury

The new Govt. led by Narendra Modi has managed to do just one thing in 100 days and that is transforming a few millions of Indians from despair & desperation to hope and self belief and from negative mindset to a very positive environment of expectation of success for an entire Nation--- things will move and work will happen as per schedule. However, in the bargain Mr. Modi, who is a fountainhead of Ideas, may have missed out a few things inadvertently. First of all, Modi heads a cabinet which looks little uncomfortable and a little incomplete from outside. Modi has taken on an onerous responsibility of a huge backlog of last decade on Governance and mismanagement of last six plus decades Therefore, it would be urgent and important for the prime minister to make his cabinet much more cohesive and as much inspired as he himself remains and fill up the gaps in the cabinet as soon as possible; if for nothing else, at least to save the poor finance minister who was compelled to read out his maiden budget speech from a chair due to health reasons. It would be a good Idea to pick up Indian origin global talent to help the premier in execution. PM has articulated his vision about 100 smart cities; however, completely for got about the condition and opportunities trapped in our metro cities. Our metro cities have grown much beyond the scope of civic administration and urgently need a structural operation to transform them into City State to tap the benefits of Global Cities; attract Global resources for much faster growth in society & economy. NDA Govt. has unveiled gigantic plans which would require huge resources beyond the scope of revenue; therefore, Govt. should take bold steps to unlock value from the public sector by bringing them under one umbrella—Holding Company. Further, Govt. should have taken urgent measures to wards self reliance in fossil fuel by encouraging large scale Jatropa farming in each village in the country.

Prime Minister talked at length on taking the State Govt. along with the Central Govt.; but, failed to organize a Chief Minister’s conference to share his vision about Govt., Governance & Development. He did not include any Chief Minister in the Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs; which he could have expanded to include four chief ministers from each geographical regions as invitee. Further, PM could have initiated structural changes in the district administration to make governance more responsive and responsible. Modi Ji started the movement of ‘Sadvabana’ that is Sarba Dharma and Sarba Pranta Prayers from the shores of Gujarat; which his Govt. should continue in different parts of the country in regular intervals which would improve the social contacts between its diverse constituents and over a period of time build understanding and trust for a shared economic prosperity against a toxic and inflammable environment of political expediency. That would also give India a moral right to intervene against sectarian violence & war in the World for Peace and Prosperity. Modi Ji would be in Delhi for a long haul and therefore let him drop his guard a little and assimilate & acknowledge the power elite of Delhi. PM could appoint a hostess for 7 Race Course from the ranks of Indian Foreign Service and open the doors of PM residence to the practitioner of Art, Literature and Culture to propagate the soft power of PMO.      

#Flat No: 105, Kalpatru Nivas Apartment, Swarnapuri Road, Patia, Bhubaneswar-751024

Mob: 9853426657 E-Mail: streben.marke@gmail.com Twitter: @ ideasofhope 

MANUFACTURING- MAKE IN INDIA & MADE IN INDIA

                                                            Bikash Choudhury

Prime Minister made a strong pitch for the Indian manufacturing sector in his maiden National address from the ramparts of the Red Fort in New Delhi. After a long time an Indian Prime Minister Spoke like a passionate activist—make in India and made in India. There was a National Symposium on Manufacturing Best Practices at Bhubaneswar recently with intent to exchange ideas on best practices among Union/State Govt. and Indian Industry. It was agreed that Indian Manufacturing Sector has completely failed the domestic economy against a potential of being the power house of Global Manufacturing Industry. Opinion varied about the probable reasons of such monumental failure—some believed it was the difference between ‘knowing and doing’ and some others thought ‘we lacked focus on manufacturing’ while a section professed ‘ it was a question of mindset which we missed’. Union Govt. is trying its best to be proactive facilitators for our nascent manufacturing to thrive while the High Interest Regime of our Central Bank throwing spanner on growing enthusiasm for investment in the domain. The consultants are gung ho about India becoming the Germany of the East in manufacturing; that could be a long shot at the moment but not an entirely impossible dream. Indian Industry should get together to modernize our agriculture sector that could spur the demand for manufacturing and lift the sector from current depression. Our central /state Govt. should persuade our corporate sector to adopt one district each and invest in soil testing laboratory, farm equipment, farm consultants, ware house and food processing centers to create value in rural landscapes that would eventually travel down to the manufacturing sector.

India was at the top of manufacturing sector once upon a time; we just need to revisit and renew our old tradition of excellence in manufacturing. Konark Temple in Odisha and Khajuraho in Madhya Pradesh stands for architectural grandeur of those times and the same could stand for excellence in manufacturing process, engineering and logistic capability and highest degree of Project Management skills. We need to do the following to give a leg up to the domestic manufacturing. Distributed Manufacturing: We need to identify products, the components of which could be mass produced in a cluster of cottage Industry in rural/semi urban areas well connected by rail/road to reduce manufacturing cost substantially through labor arbitrage and overheads of a large factories. We need to link the skill development with the skill and competency requirements of clusters of cottage industries. We need to tap a large mass of educated/skilled home makers in urban centers with part time jobs in manufacturing sector by designing and locating small production centers linked to the available skill sets in respective urban areas. We need to identify/design products that have huge demand globally. 

HOW TO LIFT THE ANIMAL SPIRIT OF ECONOMY?

BIKASH CHOUDHURY

Readers may excuse me for proposing an extra-curricular regimen for the Babus in Central & State Govt. at the end of six working days to lift the enthusiasm and an opportunity for showcasing their inherent skills outside work with a game of Lawn Tennis, Chess, Volley Ball, and Basket Ball and may be with an arrangement of sing and dance. All of these could make them comeback on a Monday morning charged up to push up those urgent files that holds the economy to ransom during the silent premier’s time in last five years. Modi, the new PM is very active in social networking  and was very prompt in meeting the top babus of Delhi and tried to inspire them to perform and cajoled them with authority and responsibility in his own style; but, will it work? Problem is PM does not work for money or to make a living; but, babus do. If top Babus decide to work beyond the call of duty; then no body could stop the Indian Bureaucracy turning into an engine of growth of our economy.

                                    RBI should now throw the conventional wisdom to the wind and summon enough courage to pad down the interest rates by 125 basis points by the end of June 2014 to pep up the manufacturing and real estate sector by making the cost of funds relatively cheaper both for the supply and demand side; which should be able to start a fresh investment cycle by the end of September 2014. But, before that RBI should take the Bankers and Industry into confidence to creatively use the policy to return to growth.

At the same time the ghost of retail inflation could be partially addressed by improving the production of fruits and vegetables at urban centers through roof top farming in the short run. GoI could direct the fertilizer PSU to create a business model to deploy the household organic waste into compost to raise urban roof top farms. Apart from reducing the pressure on urban civic bodies on Solid Waste Disposal; this could actually create a huge opportunity for urban and rural youth for gainful employment.          

                                  Indian Industry which is now heaves a sigh of relief at the installation of a strong and stable Govt. at the centre must also be ready to contribute on their own to the growth cycle of the economy. Top 500 corporations of the country should immediately look inside their own organization to spot new business propositions and potential entrepreneurs and fund them in their own business interest and of the economy. IIT and IIM system could help the Industry with technology and business model to complete the exercise with scale and speed that our new activist premier is sold on. There are other short term measures that can be effectively leveraged for improving export earnings like promotion of Indian Handicrafts & cultural services (Indian style marriages and colorful Indian festivals) through Indian corporate having overseas presence and Indian Diaspora. MNREGA could be tweaked to include farming of Jatropa in each six lakh plus villages in the country to produce enough substitute of fossil fuel to knock of 25% of our energy imports; and in the bargain raise gainful and sustainable employment opportunity in rural areas. Further, District Rural Development Agency in each 500+ districts could be entrusted with the task of micro economic management of their respective area for substantial improvement of per-capita income. At the end, we may need to do a jugalbandi of Art, Literature and music to lift our spirits and consciousness.

#Flat No: 105, Kalpatru Nivas Apartment, Swarnapuri Road, Patia, Bhubaneswar-751024 India Mob: 9853426657 E-Mail: streben.marke@gmail.com Twitter: @ ideasofhope       

KITCHEN- A LABROATORY AT HOME

BIKASH CHOUDHURY

I treat myself to a delicious ‘Kichidi’ (a favorite dish of our new Prime Minister) and some deep fried vegetables dipped in tomato sauce yesterday night as my wife left for her parent’s home in the morning to celebrate Odia festival Rajo with her gang of sisters & a brother. It was a good riddance temporarily as you are now emperor of your 2 BHK home, watch your favorite news channel, listen to soul stirring music of your choice and smoke to your heart content in a air-conditioned comfort; that’s a dream come true for a 40+ man for a while. Now let me tell you also my battle to prepare the dinner all alone as I am stepping into the kitchen after almost a year; completely forgotten how much rice and lentil for one adult to prepare Kichdi and did not wish to trouble my sweet heart at her home on such a trivial issue. Therefore, looked at my stomach and the Pressure cooker in front and chose to remove four palms full of rice and two of urad dal in the container to wash and keep aside. Got a few pieces of Potala and cut it to small pieces, one potato, one onion and one tomato. Confidently put the pressure cooker on the gas stove and randomly added three spoon full of vegetable oil and crackled some zeera then added onions and other vegetables cooked it for some time and then added turmeric and chilly powder and at the end downloaded the washed rice and dal mixed it well and fried for some time then added three glasses of vegetable stock and closed the lid for ten minutes and after three whistles took out the pressure cooker for cooling. After a smoke break opened the pressure cooker and to my surprise found a very good looking orange color-mixture of yellow and red Kichidi ready and the taste was fabulous after adding three spoon full of Desi Ghee; my wife would not have prepared such a tasty Kichdi in last 15 yrs. Similarly dip fried cut vegetables in a pan and added to a saucer full of hot tomato sauce and took the dinner in a calm setting in the air-conditioned bed room in between a few smokes while listening to a popular score in the lap top. Sleep was also perfect commensurate to the taste of dinner.        

MODI--NEW PREMIER OF INDIA

BIKASH CHOUDHURY

Barak Obama fought and own the endorsement of American people on ‘Ideas of Hope’ and with a narrative ‘together, we can’ in 2008. In 2014 a former tea sales man on an impoverished Indian Railway Platform sold the Idea of ‘Development and Governance’ overwhelmingly to Indian electorate of 800 million, 70% of them walked to the polling booth in spite of a scorching summer largely inspired by the relentless campaign of Narendra Modi, 15^th Prime Minister of India who received a stupendous mandate from people of India. Modi all of 63 years pack a diamond hard- mind of his own, has traveled a very long way from a tea stall to the PMO of India in the South Block of New Delhi; his journey was eventful and marred by serious challenges posed by feudalistic Indian system. However, he holds a doctoral degree in converting challenges into an opportunity.     

That was seen in ample measure during his long campaign of 9 months; each barb of his opponents were put to public test and style very unique to him and he garnered a phenomenal public endorsement with each passing day making his opponents very nervous at the end. India has produced many leaders in different points of time in its history, since ancient times like Emperor Ashoka, Emperor Akbar, Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru; who have changed India and the World in a substantive way; incumbent premier Modi holds the same pedigree that would unfold over a period of time. He is a compulsive and calculated risk taker with child like inquisitiveness; and, his office could be a laboratory for exploration & experimentation on Political Economy and Governance. All along, he has displayed his special ability in choosing right people for the job who produce not only good result but phenomenal one.

                                      His mission is to revisit the glorious history of India in a shortest period of time and he knows too well that he has to carry the entire Nation with him, partner in the region and collaborate in the World that serves his Nation’s interest the best that has swept his vitriolic opponents from their feet; but, he is just working to a plan and he would not compromise ever. He is very respectful and obliged to his seniors in the party; but, does not hold a brief of any body irrespective rank and relations except his mission of Nation Building. Head of SAARC Nations came calling including Pakistan Premier Nawaj Sherief for his Oath taking ceremony and bonded well over a dinner followed by bilateral talks with each visiting dignitary. He is quietly making an effort to transform the main stumbling block-the Indian bureaucracy into an Engine of growth, emphasize on sanitation and hygiene, rejuvenation of Indian River system & Cities. He would make India a preferred destination for Business and Tourism. He has a long agenda but his method of going about it would remain unique to him and bring laurels to India in very near future not only in its economy but also in Art, literature and culture. One need not be surprised after completing his domestic agenda; if Modi, actually venture out into the World with the message of Buddhism for Global Peace and Prosperity.          

#Flat No: 105, Kalpatru Nivas Apartment, Swarnapuri Road, Patia, Bhubaneswar-751024 India Mob: 9853426657 E-Mail: streben.marke@gmail.com Twitter: @ ideasofhope      

WATER-AN IMPORTANT AGENDA

BIKASH CHOUDHURY

Water is life. And, life has shaped this civilization for million of years on this planet earth; apparently only one that supports living beings. The population of our country has multiplied four times in past sixty plus years and that has put tremendous pressure on fresh water sources. Apart from that due to lack of awareness, habitual contempt against water conservation and plain abuse of our fresh water resources has brought us to present time when water of infamous Ganga River no more pure or pious that it used to be and Yamuna & Adyar rivers have turned to an urban drainage system that mocks at our civility and civilization. True to his word new Indian Govt. led by our PM has started to clean Ganga and other river systems in the country. A new department of River Development under water resources ministry has been created to focus on such a gigantic task. It is said ‘Well begun is half done’; however, Ganga Action Plan has been languishing for last thirty years without much head way and in spite of draining thousands of crores of public money in the project. May be under an activist prime minister like Modi we will see this National Project taking shape towards its logical conclusion- making Ganga clean and navigable and all Indian River system rejuvenated in a sustainable manner. Apart from Govt. commitment such an important and complex project would require huge amount of funds, public awareness and patronage, involvement of activists and Non-governmental organization passionately working in the domain and most importantly people living in the embankments. There is a need for a popular public movement across the country that would complement the efforts of Govt. on water conservation, river development and rejuvenation and creation of green belt in either side of rivers for the preservation of top soils and the river channels. Prime Minister could appoint a National Committee on Water under the leadership of a very senior leader and drawing members from all political parties with a mandate to create a popular public movement to raise awareness and volunteers for conservation, protection and development of our fresh water resources in the country by initially deploying the workers of all political parties. Govt. could also bring legislation in this monsoon session of Parliament to make Rain Water Harvesting mandatory for all buildings across the country and all roads RWH compliant as that would help our river system a natural flow round the year. This should solve our water woes in most part of our country in a few years.    

                                             

#Flat No: 105, Kalpatru Nivas Apartment, Swarnapuri Road, Patia, Bhubaneswar-751024 India Mob: 9853426657 E-Mail: streben.marke@gmail.com Twitter: @ ideasofhope      

INDIA'S OPPORTUNITY IN IRAN

Apropos “India’s Opportunity in Iran”, agreed with the author as it is extremely important for India to partner with Iran on Chabahar Port (for which there is a standing agreement in place) for India’s long term strategic requirement and contemporary commercial interest. It would be also ‘Ideal’ for our new Govt. to revisit the Iran-Pakistan-India Gas/petroleum pipeline for energy security in the Indian sub-continent and also bringing the people of Pakistan & India much closer. If this pipeline project were completed in 5 yrs; then, that would knock out a significant portion of our energy import bill and therefore control the volatility in the petroleum prices and ease the pressure on retail inflation. That apart, this gigantic project could throw up opportunity for collaboration between Indian & Pakistani Industry. Last but not the least India could tick off USA for the Khobragade humiliation in a Style.

Bikash Choudhury

Bhubaneswar