The increased awakening about prevalent corruption in political and administrative system has created a feeling of self- guilty among many elites and middle class. Magnitude of loot by politicians and their cronies has increased many folded in recent past or may be earlier general public was not being able to track such huge loots.

Inflation, corruption, black money, poor Governance has made life a miserable affair for both Aam Aadmi and Khas Aadmi. Aam Admi has been at receiving end in form of inflation & poor governance. The growing frustration with government and administration was channelized in form of protest, Candle Marches & heated TV Debates. The public support for Anna Hazare & Baba Ramdev is case in point. The successful mobilization of public anger & judicial activism has been able to make troubles for Khas Aadmi. This has created a state of panic among cronies (or Khas Aadmi). First times in independent India, the khas aadmi, were competing with each other for a birth in EXECUTIVE SUITE of TIHAR ASHARAM. Others also started to realize that their turn may be next. Suddenly the TIHAR ASHARAM becomes the hot destination for the Business honchos & political mavericks. The public anger and judicial activism was being able to put VIP (Khas Aadmi) behind the bars for time being. But it seems all is not well with this approach. It has been creating anarchy like situation than a ideal democratic state. People are being made scapegoats & real beneficiaries are still outside the Net. This all is just a stop gap arrangement rather than systematic reforms to address the root reasons for corruption.

All said , what can we do to improve this situation ? what can be our role in Nation Building ?

We, Citizens of country, irrespective of caste, creed, religion and region needs to adopt following things in habit in order to make India a better place to live:

1. Recognize responsibility as citizens before demanding any rights

2. Criticize but don’t blame – Be a constructive critic – propose the solution

3. Be vocal – express opinions freely without considering the political correctness

4. We have to be proactive not reactive if we want a prosperous nation in next 10 years

5. Be empathetic not sympathetic with underprivileged

6. Society is made up of individuals so don’t just blame others for wrong things happening in society. Accept the fact that we are part and parcel of problem.

7. Need to re-look and introspect “Chalta hai attitude”

8. Give preference to merit over connection/acquaints

9. Rational before emotion in decision making (day to day or political decision or Business decisions)

10. Be part of process of change

We as a nation need to introduce the following systematic reforms with urgency to ensure a prosperous future for our next generation:

1. Transparency in government decision making

– What is need of RTI if process itself is transparent?

- What is need of Ombudsman (or Lokpal) if big contracts are made in transparent manner and arbitrary discretion power to Ministers or Senior Officials are removed

Technology can be a leading factor in bringing transparency in government system.

2. Education reform – not just passing Right to Education bill – Need for Quality

Education is backbone of any society. We need quality education with universal access. Education creates the opportunity. it is the greatest equaliser for income disparity.

3. Focus on Basics

- More people have died in Rail Accidents than the terror strikes in current year. Yes we may not be able to stop all terror attack but can we stop every single rail accident?

4. Revival of Agriculture:

The One very important and crucial segment of our populations is Kisans. They provide the food to eat. Both these segments have been ignored by the leaders of country and the representative class. Farmer’s constituent more than 50 % of our population. We set the target of Agriculture growth to be 4 % while the overall growth target is in double digit. This way we are systematically creating a gap between Rich & Poor. This could be in future utilised by same political class for electoral gains as seen in case of Garibi Hatao & Inclusive growth slogans. Only few states like Gujrat have been able to put agricultural growth on par with overall growth rate. No fresh investment has been made in the agriculture sector. Even the irrigation projects are also put aside. There is an urgent need for second Green Revolution or “EVERGREEN” Revolution with increased focus on productivity with no harm to ecology.

5. Address the leadership vacuum

Leaders are called leaders because they are supposed to provide much needed direction and leadership to masses. “If leaders fail to lead, their followers will take over the leadership and lead instead.” It seems to perfectly suits in current situation of India. Political class has failed to provide the needed leadership to carry the country forward. There is need for youth who can provide the much needed leadership in this process of development. The emergence of a vocal and assertive voice against the political elite (dynasty) is essential for healthy democracy.

We need to avoid falling in trap of fake leaders. There is need for independent thinking for every individual before accepting anyone as our leader. We, the youth of Country, have stake in future and needs to take active involvement in day to day happening and take leadership roles otherwise usual cronies will continue to rule the country.

We always focus on problems without proposing any solution. I have tried to propose one solution for ending or reducing the corruption in public life.

Problem

- The main source of Corruption is political

- Politics have become a family business (irrespective of party line except a few)

- Big Mullah are spend on election – No retail contribution here only wholesale ( So you don’t have any right to ask for detailed funding and cost of political party as you rarely contribute )

Solution – Individual contribution from able citizens and Supporters

Why this will bring down corruption

1. Stakeholders will demand more transparency as their money is involved

2. Politicians will no longer be able to give silly arguments like money is needed to fight the next election

3. Capable, Honest candidates (without financial capability) will also be able to come to parliament

4. As a stakeholder we can ensure that our interest are protected – Concerned issues are raised by our party (No rant of serving only corporate India)

5. Last but not the least sense of participation will awaken the ordinary men making him more honest in day to day conduct.

All is not well with our country but this everything is also not bad. Growing anger and different voices are sign of change and its upon our hand to decide the future. Whether we are happy with status-quo or we want a better India- Its upon us to decide and make that happen.

We need to realize our potential and there is a big opportunity to make this nation a ideal place to live.

Jai Hind Jai Bharat!!!

Are we really Independent ?

Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru looks down on the crowd during India’s Independence Day celebrations at Red Fort, New Delhi, India, Aug. 15, 1947

Today is 64^th Independence Day of India. British left India on 15^th August, 1947 after the centuries of colonial raj and looting of natural resource and India became a sovereign nation.

So what had changed after the independence? What does Independence mean for us? Does this mean 1.Economic Independence 2.Social Independence or 3.Cultural Independence? What is importance of Independence Day for a common man? Are we really independent (as a nation and as an individual)?

Yes, we can beckon of emerging global power of world but what about the plight of 40 % population which is living below the poverty line and lacking the access to basic amenities? Well, such an occasion helps in sustaining the general euphoria of “Mera Bharat Mahan” among the public. It’s good to have  a sense of proud in one’s own country but this shouldn’t be a momentous phenomenon. Are we really proud of present status of country? (Crippling with tonnes of problems like widespread poverty, terrorism, internal security, corruption, inefficient governance, price rise and lack of efficient and affordable education and health care etc). Some may argue that “Cribbing about the inadequacies and shortcomings is never the solution. It’s up to you to make the best out of this situation.” This confirm to saying of Gandhiji “Be the change you want to see in world” .Don’t like it change it!

I agree to them to a certain extent. We (the common citizens) are responsible for present status of country (Good or Bad or whatever). We need to take responsibility for everything that happened around us and can’t remain a silent spectator for changes taking place in and around the society. There is no shame in accepting that our country in not the best in many areas (like Governance, security, infrastructure, and education, healthcare) but as the same time we should also rejoice our achievements. Acknowledgment of failure and strategies to improve on failed (or weak) frontiers are need of hour. There is always a scope for innovation and improvement.

It would be wrong to undermine the progress made by India in last 63 years after the independence but there is need to raise the concern about the way of development and unfold the truth about the real beneficiary of development. We need to ensure the accountability at each and every level and it shouldn’t stop at the “lofty promises of inclusive development”

I have tried to present my own perspective on few areas which would be crucial in shaping the future trajectory of India.

1. Education

Education is foundation stone of any nation. There has been an increase in the spread and reach of education in various hinterlands of India but we had failed to provide quality education to a larger section of people. This had undermined the growth potential and marginalised some section of society from mainstream growth story.

Approach: RTE (Right to Education) could be one of step in right direction. But the real challenge is execution of legislation to make any observable change in reach and quality of education. It will face many hurdles including the arrogance and ignorance of elites in ensuring a level playing platform for all Indians.

While it may not be bad idea to discuss the role of private sector and foreign players in spreading the outreach of education but they can’t substitute the government. Education is a primarily a state subject and it can’t be left to private sector or market forces. Education shouldn’t be approached as a business but unfortunately it is taking shape of business in India with vested interest tweaking policies to fill their pocket.

There is need to focus on the primary and secondary education, because if your foundation is shaky you can’t build a skyscrapers. Our education system is, still, largely based on the “Macaulay system” which was created to manufacture few people (disconnected from ground realities) who can help British to be in command. Continuity of this structure ensured that few people (politicians) still managed to hold that command. Now we are in rush to create so-called professional who can run the multinational and make their profit sheet fatty. Education should be about nurturing the talent and uncovering the hidden potential and creativity of individuals. Access to opportunity (so education) is crucial and first step in ensuring the equity and equality in the society.

Model System: Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya is one of success story of our education system. It has been able to deliver results with focus on the affordable quality education. (Navodaya’s are Central Government promoted schools set up across the country with focus on the rural students. They were dubbed as “Doon for common student” by Rajiv Gandhi)

2. Social Mobility

We need to create the “access to opportunity” and “enabling environment” for upward social mobility in the society. Unless we offer such a framework we will not be able to bridge the gap between poor and rich and inclusive development will remain a lofty promise for winning elections.

What we are seeing is skewed development with benefits limited to certain section of society. Number of Billionaires from India is increase but at the same time number of people living below the poverty line (latest estimates show this is 40 %) are also increasing. So what we have achieved through the independence? How many people from low economic class  had become billionaire by genuine and legitimate way (not by Hook and crook) after the independence? Birth shouldn’t completely decide your fate!

3. Fair Business Environment

Most businessmen in India are successful due to their proximity to power (Government). This had become even greater with increasing influence of money in elections. There is need for creation of an environment which ensure fair and transparent process for doing business. Do we want few individuals like late Dhirubhai Ambani who can tweak the law and become a successful businessman or we want to provide the same opportunity (to rise to height by his entrepreneurial talent)to all the Indians?

There is an urgent need to reassess present approach to development which is largely based on exploitation of natural resources to generate profit for few corporations (Like Mining in tribal areas). We need to make local people stakeholders in development and ensure proper Rehabilitation and Resettlement. Otherwise this approach to development will lead to social chaos and social tension as seen in the Red Corridor.

4. Governance

Indians had shown leadership (domestic as well global) in business despite dysfunction governance. Now it’s time to show leadership in governance and politics. It’s time to do away with dynastic politics and stop being extremely loyal (or Chamcha) to few political families. Politics is a bad word to discuss in India but who are responsible for this? Politician or we (the people) who elected bad politicians and takes no interest in ensuring accountability and transparency in public life?

We live in country where an economist Prime minister (who doesn’t have confidence in democracy otherwise why didn’t he contested the Loksabhae election or may be he was not confident enough or may be his boss didn’t allowed him to contest) set target of 4 % growth rate for agriculture (on which more than 60 % population depends directly and all of us depend indirectly) and double-digit growth rate for economy? Why this double standard? Do we want to create gap by systematic approach? What do we want to achieve through such an approach? This shows how disconnected our policy makers are from ground realities. We are still living under the colonial mindset where people at top think that they are enacted to assert authority over the India.

We need policy makers who have some sense of understanding of problem faced by real India and can feel the sorrow of marginalized section of society. We are still a democratic nation and it’s up to the people of nation (or us) to decide what kind of leadership we would like to see in the future India?

Today elections are all about the money (and about the cast to a certain extent) .We need act immediately to stop overriding influence of money on the democratic process of election otherwise we will soon become Gulam of our own money hungry political class. Democracy and independence will again be in serious danger!

5. Employment Generation and increasing the productivity

It would be wrong to judge the progress of country only based on the so called GDP indicators. It would be misleading to see the growth of malls or IT industry as growth of real India. Only a small fraction of population had benefitted from the present approach of growth.

There is a need to push forward manufacturing for long term sustainable employment generation opportunities. Why can’t we become leaders in quality manufacturing? (We have largest workforce in world and technological ability). The proposed National Manufacturing policy is a step in right direction which aims to create domestic capability and competence in industries where there is a huge domestic demand (telecom, power equipment etc). There is a need to leverage the technical skilled workforce and demographic dividend.

Also short-term solution to employment like MNREGA are not sustainable in long-term and people need to understand the difference between “vote bank” moves and real solutions.

6. Responsibility, accountability and Diversity

India is country of diversity.  Let’s not focus on the single point universalism of values for the all people. We need to respect the other’s norms, values and faith as long as it doesn’t interfere with the others. Let’s not shy away from discussion about the religion and politics. We can have divergent views but it is these views which will help in a coherent and inclusive society.

Rather than shying away from responsibility, let’s accept the fact that in some way or other we all are responsible (and contributor) for present state of India.

India is on the verge of transformation. It’s up to the conscious citizens to decide whether they would like to live in a Global power where creativity flourish , ideas emerge and talents are nurtured to their potential or people struggling with poverty ,hunger and striving for basic amenities ?

Let’s not forget the sacrifice made by our own countrymen in achieving the freedom and maintaining the freedom  Let’s not allow this to go waste Let’s salute the brave hearts who have sacrificed their life in protecting freedom.

Let’s start today the process of nation building where citizens are safe and secure , where creativity flourishes, ideas emerge and “access to opportunity” is ensured!

Let’s make whatever small efforts we can make in own capacity and capability to become a responsible stakeholder of resurgent India.

Jai Hind Jai Bharat!

Well,this was a first major election after the Loksabha election and many people took interest in it.Some of Enthusiastic people volunteered and tried their best to educate the people about the importance of their vote.This helped some young minds to get their electoral Id first time and some also exercised their option.Some loudly announced after the results "why No-Vote were not taken into consideration".

Well,this will continue to happen in every election and stories will keep repeating with some twists.

Here are few my observation from this election

1. Dynastic Politics is OK-After the victory of many political successor of their family people (Specially media and elite class) started to believe that Dynastic politics is here to stay(in India) .People with desirable credential without political backing of family have very little Chance of survival in this political battle.
2. The Haryana poll has shown that Caste based politics is here to stay and Media has very less sense of people’s thinking in the Rural and Non-metro areas.Omprakash Chautal’s Journey could be  described as "Rise from ashes like a Phoenix".Where the Exit poll results gone?This can be related to some extent to the influence of Media over the decision-making power of public !Media play an important part in opinion making
   and biased media (due to whatever reason) can do the wonder in urban area where people make opinion based on what is being projected in media.The Disparity in the development were reflected in the results.The region where economic belt was built in last 5 yr remained a strong hold of ruling party.
3. CM will be decided by the Sonia Ji ?A CM of State speak! This is case with most of political parties.Why the state unit are not capable to make their decision on their own. Then what is the importance of people’s verdict? Don’t they vote to choose their representative ?or the CM are only for acting as Chamcha or tool to fulfil the political and personal aspiration of some people?
4. Some editorial show this as a triumphs of Central government Policies (HT) on Education(privatization),Climate change(whether talking about the Jairam Ramesh Policy?) and Disinvestment (Obviously for the benefit of private sector) and same praise the congress and even project as the Inclusive party.This should raise a important question in Minds of  aware citizens-whether the election in states be fought on central government policies or on local issues and development?
5. NO VOTE-Most common excuse and senseless demand of so-called Educated and aware people.Because they believe that by this way they can put blame on the corrupt and money dominated electoral system.If you want a solution and better alternative then you have to be the part of constructive improvement.Become a part of solution than blaming.People have to aware enough of all the power canter(Visible-Politician or hidden-like Media and Businessman) and should work together to eliminate the wrong elements from the system.
6. Rise of MNS -The most dramatic thing was that MNS won most of the sheets from the Urban and metropolitan reason.Why?Because the issues raised by them are relevant to the people at ground level.May be the methodologies adopted by them are wrong ?This can be seen in global context.Despite the continuous attack on the Indian students No Politician in Australia opposed them publicly!The same reason -The Local people were losing the jobs.Another factor for MNS rise can be the story of "Agent of Congress" to destruct the Sena.That’s why congress government take no strict action against the Raje Thakare for all his wrong doing and he is continuously running a  parallel government.
7. Introspection time for the BJP- Whether BJP comes to power or not But continuous decline of National Party like BJP is a bad thing for India.Because a strong opposition is very essential at all level for an effective democracy.BJP have to review its strategy-Whether it want to follow their core ideology of Hindutava(Don’t take this as the kattar Hindu organisation ) or Inclusive Right wing party? The leadership of BJP is in the wrong hand(at least incapable ) and lack the strategic long term thinking .This should change immediately otherwise this can lead to complete disastrous for a national party.

Well ,These are some of my observation of this great fiesta and much more things are waiting to happen!This is just a gentle beginning and "Film abhi baki hai"

Last but bot the least-most of Indian(including me) not have habit to talk about the Good thing and they believe in blame game.

To achieve the great heights we have to learn to celebrate the small-small successes and Enjoy the life !

Jai Bharat .

The same situation is prevailing today with some context changed.Today,the few politician are ruling the country who don’t have any mass support.How many present politician have came from the grass-root and aware about the real problem of  Bharat.They are fighting over the issues which are irrelevant to the common public be it the internal fighting between the BJP ,constructing of stone statues by Mayawati or Pseudo-secular politics of Congress.They are playing the same game which British had successfully implemented-Divide and Rule.Nobody is concerned about the real issues that country is facing like the issue of increasing food prices of basic commodities over the past few years,lack of effective implementation mechanism in government policies,problem of drought and flood in various parts of country,unemployment of educated youth,health and sanitation and inclusive rural development.

Election are fought over the bad-wording between politician not on the real development issue.How many promises made by  the UPA-I are fulfilled? Media which is considered as the fouth part of successful democracy is a mere puppet of political parties.Why media has given so much importance to the person abuses between the politician instead of analysing the work done by government as it has done after the NDA government?How can you consider the media to be free and unbiased when on the anniversary of a leading newpaper the Party in power gave advertisement showing paper’s gratitude for the help.

Today the corrupt  crorepati politicians don’t even hesitate to say that they will be better equipped to serve the poor as they have money without declaring the source of Income? Is this India of Gandhi’s Imagination? or in Today’s world money is everything?

Let’s hope that our tommorow will be brighter than the today and at the same time be prepared for the worst!

Jai Hind Jai Bharat!

“I have been traveling to india for last few months and I know that i can spend
still years to know the India.yet I already know that what we say means nothing to masses of country.Here we make speeches for each other and those english liberal magazine may grant us few lines.The people of India are untouched.Thier politics is confined to bread and salt.Illeterate they may be but they are not blind.They see no reason to give thier loyality to Rich and Powerful man,who simply want to take over the role of British in the name of freedom.This congress tells the world-it represent the India.My brothers India is 7 hundred thousands villages NOT a few hundred lawyers in delhi,bomaby and culcatta.Until we stand in few in the millions who spoil each day under the hot sun we will not represent the India.We will not represent the India .No one will ever be challenge the british as one nation.”

Some common questions which come to our mind when we think about creating green economy are: Is it feasible? Can development accommodate ecology? Can green economy be affordable to everyone or is it a thing for only affluent? Can green economy provide enough production for consumption? Will this means compromising with life-style? I have tries to answer these common questions.

I want to start with the Green revolution (although nothing was green about it).There are positive things which we can learn from the green revolution and few mistakes upon which we can improve in process of setting /creating an Evergreen Economy. I am trying to analyse the concept of “Evergreen Economy” this with the help of concept of “Evergreen revolution” given by ‘Father of Green revolution in India’, Prof. M.S.Swaminathan, which means which implies increasing productivity in perpetuity without associated ecological harm. Green Revolution was a product of public-sector enterprise–there was no patenting, and the smaller farmers benefited more from the new seeds—on the other hand the gene revolution is controlled by multinational companies which are based on intellectual property rights and social exclusion in access to technology. Now the same is happening with the Green technology.

Is green economy realistic? Let’s analyse the situation:-

Failures/shortcoming of Green Economy-

• Based on the Price efficiency which may not always translate into resource efficiency.
• The present green economy is following the steps of Gene revolution i.e. MNC’s building IP and patents ((thus a direct hurdle) which are going to be used by the poorest of poor. One such example I want to mention is the Water Harvesting technology, which PepsiCo is planning to patent, is used for less water consumption in Rice fields. Another interesting fact is that so called green tech is biggest growing industry in terms of patents and IPs.
• Failure of first generation Bio-diesel – the greed economy is being priority here. Jatrofa is being cultivated on fertile land which is contributing in sky rocketing food prices and increase in Hunger and also exploitation of poor and marginalised farmers by big corporate. We are basically feeding the vehicles instead of mouth!
• We are becoming over dependent on the technology. We think in terms that technology can only solve the problem and here technology refers to technologies which are developed by the so called Educated and developed. We are not taking into consideration the solutions which an officially uneducated but intellectual in understanding can provide. Education is not always about reading the books and passing the exams.
• Technology is often seen as creating a "digital divide" between the technological haves and have-not’s. Present green economy concept is further strengthening it. Another side effect of excessive use of technology is that we don’t think about the life-style changes which are a need of hour.
• Technology is controlled by corporations that profit from it without regard to the adverse effects it can have.
• For generations, industry treated “the environment” as a cost of doing business. What the green economy done is that people have started doing the business of Environment. The basic philosophy of economy getting priority over environment hasn’t changed.
• Now-a-days it is more about being seen being green. Buy a Hybrid & landfill your SUV?
• Another tactics to save the capitalism! Even the biggest polluters are now advocates for the green movement, like the home heating oil industry television commercial in the US claims that oil heat is energy efficient and environmentally friendly!
• Present system of Government subsidies and tax breaks to green technology companies can’t work in a capitalist economy. All of this will of course be financed out of the hide of the working class, who will pay higher prices for "clean" consumer goods and higher taxes to finance subsidies and compensate for lost revenues due to corporate tax breaks. In the end the green economy that will supposedly "revolutionize" the economy and save the world from ecological disaster is ultimately just another way to foist austerity on the working class and erode even further its standard of living.

So how do we build a green economy that is sustainable without massive subsidies? How can we build economy which is based on the harmony with nature? How can we overcome the shortcoming of Green economy? For all of these answers we have to think out of box and adopt a rather a complex and not so linear approach. We just can’t accept a solution just that it can save a few watts of electricity (means less CO2 and less global warming) and may save a few bucks from personal wallets. We have to work on the methodology of adopting a rather mix of solution which may vary on the parameter to parameter and analyse the benefits of all and then adopt the best possible version adapted to local needs. This is same as following the Mahatma Gandhi’s principle: ‘Keep your doors and windows open; let fresh air and ideas come from all sides. Keep, however, your feet firmly on the ground and do not get blown off by untested ideas.’

Need to done for Evergreen Economy-

• It should be based on the resource efficiency. Modern markets are 50-90% inefficient in resource utilisation. Globalisation may have increased the price efficiency but it had surely decreased the resource efficiency.
• Develop eco-technology which is an advance that create employment, assure equity of access to resources and promote energy efficiency.
• “There is something for everyone’s need but not for every one’s greed”. We can’t just continue on the development path as usual. We have to adopt a path different from the consumer-centric approach. Lifestyle of consumption needs to be changed.
• Need to redefine the development indicator in terms of quality of life in other factor such as cultural values rather than in consumption only.
• To overcome the Greed economy in clean-tech governments has to provide more funding to public-sector institutions like universities, government institutions or institutions which are working on eco-technology ,to enable them to develop technologies that are available to the poorest of poor(Individual/Country) .
• Environment is not a thing of business. Environment should be given priority over the economy. We can’t continue to treat environment as consumable thing for granted.
• Develop sustainability Index which allows the company to demonstrate that its concern lies beyond environmental issues to the broader arena of sustainability, which includes social and human issues.
• A green economy must abandon the conventional “market ideology “.We must fundamentally change the operating basis of our policy and evolve the cultural values driving it.
• The only way that governments can promote the green economy is to introduce disincentives for continued use of fossil fuels and incentives to push companies towards green economy investments. So-called "free market" forces will never make this happen; it requires vigorous state capitalist policy intervention.
• Utilize the power of technology for equalizing influence between the rich and poor in the world. Develop the relevant technology and fine-tune the delivery mechanism so that it can be distributed to people who are the end-user.
• Mainstreaming ecological principles in technology development and dissemination.
• To bridge the digital divide, start with the poorest person. If you attend to the poorest person, everyone will benefit.
• “Progress today should not be at the expense of progress tomorrow” is the common saying now days in conferences. But we forget that even we are part of it. Can’t we say in other words that “Progress made by us should not be at the cost of other”? If can realize that then it can does the miracles. Because the people responsible (Rich and elites) for the change are going to get least affected by the change. So the moral is that rather act than preach.

Well, there is a genuine and widespread concern about the despoliation of the environment and the very real threat of climate change with potentially catastrophic social impact. But we have to aware of green-washing. To make sense out of economy and developments we need fundamental change in thinking in a way that has not seen since the early days of the environmental movement. We need to ask ourselves whether we are going on right path or not? We ourselves need to analyse what are our needs? How can we make life happier without increasing consumption?

The present concept of green economy is the same politics of capitalism with name changed. This suggests that we don’t have to change the social and economics relation. What is ultimately appealing about this scenario is that it demands absolutely no change from the Developed and rich people, especially as consumers. Sustainability and green are today the biggest business and people are exploiting it like never before. What’s more ironic is that people who are living the highly unsustainable life are preaching the sustainability to those who are living the more sustainable and environmental friendly life. They think that we can just throw on a fresh coat of green and “brighten” up the economy. For achieving the sustainability in real sense we have to make the systematic changes which go beyond the thinking in terms of business only. We have to change market systems that have created both poverty and global warming. Monetary investment and market will not be able to fix the problem of environmental degradation for that our values must change. Even if we believe that technology and science alone can do the miracle then we have to ensure that science shines for everyone!

These are some of Figure are keep repeating in various Newspapers and Floating on Internet on which they are saying this is a Great Engineering Marvel of Modern India.

1. Project Cost of Rs.1650 Crores(about 330 Million US Dollar).More than four times the initial projected cost of Rs 400 Crores.
2. Rs. 9 Crore alone will be just the cost of illuminating the bridge.
3. Made with about 38000 KM Long Steel Ropes, 575000 tonnes of Concrete & 6000 Worker
4. Bridge weigh more than 50,000 African Elephants.

Is that a achievement? What type of achievement is it? Does Huge Amount of material use mean a Better Product ?

The project has taken more than 10 years to complete.Cost is almost 5-6 times what was projected and also this is a drop in ocean in solving the problem of traffic(transportation) in Mumbai.

Can’t we build 5-10 such bridges in same cost ,Time-frame and same quantity of materiel being used?If we can do that then only we can that Yes we had proved over-selves! and we had done what others can’t do with a excellent efficiency.

On the Politics

Well, I am not opposing the move to name it as "Rajiv Gandhi Setu" but everything should not be linked to Gandhi Family(Rajiv Gandhi or Indira Gandhi or Jawaharlal Nehru).I don’t see the many leaders in congress who think that they can rise to top without doing ‘ChamachaGiri’ of Sonia and Rahul Gandhi.Rahul gandhi is talking about the Democracy in Congress party but congress had suffered from Gandhi Mania(unawareness and lack of education in Indian masses adds to that) from decades So it will take at least a Decade if some changes are to be seen in Congress leader’s attitude.Almost all the Government schemes in Center or Congress led Government are named in Gandhi family(actually very few in name of true Gandhi-The Father of Nation).

Also the politicizing the BWSL(Bandra Worli Sea-link) can be seen by every Mumbaikar.There were large hording in every corner of Mumbai ,on BEST Buses and the whole page Ads in every daily of Mumbai-reiterating the praise of Gandhi’s'(Rahul and Sonia a Must in Every Poster).They are projecting the this project like congress had done this for People and people should obligated for it.While the bitter reality is that congress(Central and Maharashtra Gov.) is also spending the tax-payers money in these advertisements also.All the cost of building the sea link had come from pocket of tax-payers. It’s high time people voice their views and stop political parties from taking credit for what the government is doing with public money.

On the other hand this is not a first-of-its-kind in the world and a triumph of Indian technology. A small country like Malaysia erected a 15 km long sea link between the mainland and the Penang Island almost a quarter of a century ago. If anything, Bandra-Worli Sea Link shows how backward we are in infrastructure development.

Adding to this Mumbai comparators had started to pitch their voices for Free passes as they can’t afford the Toll for whom Luxury Cars is a necessity.On  the other hand common public is expected to may Rs 10 per Km (Rs 50 for a car) for crossing the Bridge once!!This means that if anybody is going to travel in this sea-link with Nano then it would have to Pay 33% of total cost as a Toll-Tax for year.Sounds Amazing.

Keep India creating the Engineering Marvel like BWSL to save economy for recession(by huge expenditure and Long-Time Frame) and for comfort of Cash-Rich Citizens.

This is my first post on this blog.What to write? I don’t know the exact answer but I will try to write my thoughts on the issues which concern me or all of us.I will be utilizing this platform to share my perspectives on different issues which can be personal, public issue or any thing.

I had started this blog with aim to communicate my view and feeling through the medium of internet.

Also this will help me to improve on my writing skill and communication skill in longer.

Your support and feedback is crucial for constant improvement.Most of blog are boring and same may be the case with this blog.But I will try my best to make this platform as much engaging as possible by incorporating your feedback.

Let’s hope something productive and useful will come out of this and  i will have time to express my opinion.Please left a comment about what you feel after reading or having a look at  this blog.

Let’s Begin the Blogging !

Vijaypal  Bishnoi