1st Culprit

There was no one to fight with her...

In that (dystopian)country people only thought about themselves. Whenever they saw people fail in life they said 'it's their incapacity to win others'. They didn't know it was a 'right'; right to live. They thought breaking the law was braveness and they wanted to be brave. Also they thought the law enforcement was the duty of only police dept. So whenever a law was broken they collectively yelled at police dept. and the Govt that ruled the nation... they said 'it's the incapacity of Govt in enforcing laws'. It was established to be a democratic country after getting freedom from a foreign invasion and they had a beautiful constitution too in which everything was done merely based on the response of citizen.

Probably there was no proper education system which would've made them aware of what freedom means or what does a democratic country means... So they made up definitions that would allow them to do whatever they want. They said the Govt is corrupted and they build 10 storied building with a label 'below poverty line'. The college students ticked 'present' for their friends in attendance sheet who were sleeping in hostel. No one stood against it, because everyone 'knew' it's just helping friends...

Well, in that dystopian country she was different. She was a school student who used to go school by some private transport service. School students had ticket concession in there too as any other nation. But the student population made a decline in the entry of travelers who paid full ticket and hence bus workers hated the students. On that day she was scolded a lot for sitting on the bus seat. She was forcefully pulled off the seat for someone pays full ticket; where that 'someone' stood beside the seat as if the 'someone' had the right to do so.

She was a child and hence weaker than the bus worker. She tried to argue with him. He walked away. Everyone else in the bus laughed at her, because she didn't win...

She observed everyone silently...
She believed in the power of the constitution.
She took a paper and started writing a complaint addressing the law enforcement dept of her nation
besides the problem she wrote
1st culprit - Co-travelers in bus - for promoting crimes
2nd culprit - the bus workers - for disobeying law

The Power Of Democracy Is Asleep...

It’s from my experience; there were a group of private bus transportation workers who collectively were disobeying rules, whenever I talked about it I was scolded by them and teased by the travelers (note: no other travelers EVER talked against the practice  of disobeying law). Then I thought of moving along with police dept. But I should submit petition with proof, for the dept. to take any action. I did and within hours the dept. took action. That was a surprise, from what I have heard about police dept. from my surrounding. And as a part of follow up I got call from the dept. nearly after two months and now gladly it’s been strictly implemented by the dept. So, if you will give a request action will be taken…

No! Let’s see how far it will work. It is corrupted everywhere. No one will be able to change it.

But you could try at the least. I’ve done and it worked. Why don’t you try?

I’m afraid. What if things get against me or people isolate me?

Ok, give details to me. I’ll report.

No. I’m taking favors from the bus conductor, because he knows me for almost one year. And I shouldn’t report against him at the police dept.

The Power Of Democracy Is Asleep…

A democratic country is ruled merely based on the response of a citizen to an event or a law. Instead of blabbering he/she could use their power to call back a corrupted minister. They could pass a bill in the parliament.

It is equivalent to say ‘We want a corrupted society’ unless we use the power of democracy constructively

Why doesn’t an Indian child speak Japanese?

Are you from India, native? Does your child speak Japanese? Korean? French? Russian?

Of course NO! because they haven’t seen a single person who speak those languages here in India. We call Keralite a Malayalee, but a Thiruvananthapuram child does not speak the Kannur Malayalam, because he/she doesn’t see such slang

Then why do you expect your child to behave as someone else apart from what they see or perceive from society?!

Shouldn’t movies have a considerable influence in a society; in shaping trends, culture, ideologies about ethics, concepts about behavior etc???

Whenever I point out this ‘fact’, I was always been asked ‘ha ha! Have you ever heard of people committed crimes seeing movies??? Or is there anyone at your fingertip who became a noble person seeing good movies?’

And now,

We do see the ‘Premam’ effect in Kerala; released on May 29 2015. Quite a lot of students grow beard in my institute, and they plan to wear similar costumes from the same movie for Onam celebration! The vocabulary of the youngsters has been extended only because of certain ‘hit’ movies…

Also, you must have seen statutory warning in movies whenever someone smokes or drinks alcohol, isn’t it? But, there is no warning if someone drives with no helmet or seatbelt or if someone drops waste on public place or molests someone

I don’t want to make this article lengthy by putting such scenes. You will find it a common movie; it’s guaranteed. Most of the time our ‘hero’ disobeys rules (only because he is hero and he may do whatever he wants to do)

In brief there is no warning whenever someone violates a LAW or some unethical practice happen!

Children imitates a lot… when I was a child of age around 5, I climbed over a small papaya tree; it got cut off halfway and I fell down along with the tree (hero used to climb up areca palm tree in a movie I saw on that day, and for me all that available was a small papaya tree ).

I have seen several news in which children of age less than ten used to rape, seeing blue films or porn movies…

India has first place in producing movies, twice as that of Hollywood. In a year, nearly 2000 movies are being released in India; one of the biggest industry.

Well, it is certain that movies are not of priority than food, shelter, money or education. Why can’t we just cut short the number of movies and make the censor board even stricter? Or else you can’t expect your child to be a ‘good’ citizen and hence the development of a nation!

I Need a Hike in Salary!

It’s was a ‘beautiful’ Sunday evening just past 5pm, in Trivandrum, Kerala, India… I had to close all the windows before taking a nap due to the drilling and welding sound in my hostel; some renovation works! I headed towards store for snacks… on the way back I heard an ear-piercing sound. It was from a building given below…

As you can see it’s a four storey building, and people were working in this Sunday evening. They were working while anyone else is taking rest…

Indignation was what I felt then… I recalled the movement for ‘fellowship hike’ by PhDs from my institute in the beginning of this year; 2015… Their claim (I phrase it as claim; because it may or may not be true!) was, they work day and night paying attention to what they were doing; in hazardous environment especially when dealing with radioactive, explosive and high energy etc objects and the fellowship wasn’t enough for their hard work.

Let us look at the workers you see in red circle closer (When I went again around 5.30pm they were there.)… Two are sitting at a height ~9 meters and one is sitting at a height ~12 meter. Do they have enough safety measures??? Do they get tolerable amount as wage for their hard work???

My intuition told me ‘compare life style and the houses other gadgets that a mason or a carpenter has with a school teacher or professor or any police officer has here, in kerala’. Then I felt 'oh, these workers get very low income…'

On searching for evidences I came to certain conclusions which are true at least for Kerala…

Income of the above mentioned workers very from ~10000 INR to ~18000 INR per month^1,2,3,16,17. Whereas for a research fellow it varies from 25000 to 28000 INR (it was 16000-25000 before the hike)^4,5. For school teachers ~25000 to 50000 not only just school teachers but also lecturers police dept etc; the minimal amount that you get is ~15000^6,7,8,9,10 – provided Govt. job. It is even lesser for private sector¹¹.

Well, it is certain that the wage difference for Govt. employee and people who work for daily wages… But what dragged my attention wasn’t the wage difference, But the point of view of each news. I’ll rewrite those headings.

Times Hike nod for part-time tutor’s salary – the telegraph¹⁵

Kerala pay too irresistible for Bengal – the telegraph²

Govt. approves stipend hike to researchers – the times of India ⁵

Shortage of labour hurts Karnataka farmers – the times of India ³

For migrant labour, Kerala is the new Gulf - the times of India ¹²

Lack of skilled workers hits realty sector in Kerala - the times of India ¹³

UGC follows DST, hikes fellowship by 55% for 15 schemes - the times of India ¹⁴

Do you see the difference in attitude between the wage hiking for a mason or a carpenter to the others???

No one- the media as well as the media customers - wants their wage to be hiked. Why? Don't they deserve a better life?
Or is it because it makes our expenditure high? they also have to pay whatever we pay for vegetables, stationery, health etc... So their income should increase accordingly.
Is there any problem with our economic infrastructure? 

At present, we need a hike because everything is costly. It applies for everyone and hence everything become even more costly. In brief though we get a hike, the the standard of life doesn't improve much... what you ALWAYS need is facilities at low cost which will improve the standard of life... which won't be achieved just by a hike!

Think about a scenario, that all these kind of jobs like carpentry, masonry are dealt by Govt. corporation, that the Govt will pay for the job? It certainly makes the life of workers safe as any Govt employee... and if there are training too we -the nation- will get skilled workers even more... It will make everyone's life much better... 
What do you think?

Ref:

1.http://www.business-standard.com/article/economy-policy/high-wages-yet-labour-shortage-in-kerala-112010400068_1.html

2.http://www.telegraphindia.com/1121004/jsp/nation/story_16050826.jsp#.Vcc9PHGqqko

3.http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bengaluru/Shortage-of-labour-hurts-Karnataka-farmers/articleshow/47713295.cms

4.https://www.facebook.com/504383576361198/photos/a.510593392406883.1073741828.504383576361198/640201476112740/?type=1&theater#

5.http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Govt-approves-stipend-hike-to-researchers/articleshow/46450022.cms

6.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_Police_Service#Pay_structure_.28gazetted_officers.29_IPS_.26_CA

7.http://ugcprc.blogspot.in/2009/03/be-angry-theres-reason-to-be.html

8.http://www.academics-india.com/Teacher-payscale.pdf

9.http://www.governmentjobsworld.com/en/salaryCalculator/post/3563/Starting-Salary-Structure-For-Lower-Division-Clerk-Post-In-Staff-Selection-Commission

10.http://www.telegraphindia.com/1150130/jsp/calcutta/story_10721.jsp#.VcdVdXGqqko

11.http://www.quora.com/What-is-the-average-salary-of-a-school-teacher-in-India

12.http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kochi/For-migrant-labour-Kerala-is-the-new-Gulf/articleshow/16776642.cms

13.http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kochi/Lack-of-skilled-workers-hits-realty-sector-in-Kerala/articleshow/14071434.cms

14.http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/education/news/UGC-follows-DST-hikes-fellowship-by-55-for-15-schemes/articleshow/45368052.cms

15.http://www.telegraphindia.com/1150130/jsp/calcutta/story_10721.jsp#.VcdVdXGqqko
16.http://forbesindia.com/blog/business-strategy/overcoming-labour-shortage-the-kerala-way/
17.http://www.indialabourstat.com/labourandworkforce/380987/wageratesfornonagriculturaloccupations19952014/209144/wageratesformason19952014/449788/stats.aspx

Give It Up and TATA NANO

It’s new and probably a hot news for a talk, the ‘give it up’ campaign; and ‘they’ say that

“Money we save from giving up LPG subsidy is the money we will use for the poor, so that they have access to clean energy too.” ¹

I can't help asking “Oh, really?!”

Why would the government ask us to help the poor?!
Whereas Mr. Modi is so generous that he will give subsidy even to a private initiation…

You must also have heard of TATA NANO plant… which was planned to establish in west Bengal and later shifted to Gujarat… and Mr. Modi permitted nearly 30,000 crore INR as subsidy and 456 crore INR loan at 0.1% interest, when the west Bengal Govt. permitted 5000-6000 crore INR and 200 crore INR loan at 1% interest. Is Gujarat really wealthy to give 30,000 crore INR as subsidy?

Well, let us look at GDP of both states. In 2013-14 Gujarat and West Bengal had 765,638 and 707,848 crore INR respectively, in 2012-13 670,016 and 620,160 crore INR. Extrapolating the available data we see both of the states are almost equal in wealth.

From the Indian Income Pyramid it is evident that, what 684m; 53% of Indian population² need is not a Nano car but food and shelter.

If 53% of Indian population doesn’t get the benefit of TATA nano why would the Govt. take so much risk permitting 30,000 crore INR as subsidy and 456 crore as loan?

At this point;

Why would the government ask us to help the poor?!

Why can’t the Govt. increase the subsidy at least for the poor? Or why can’t the Govt. decrease the price of LPG???

CAG report says LPG is overpriced!^3,4,5

Govt. could increase subsidy for selective layer or they could decrease the petroleum price… But Govt. wants us to join Give It Up campaign.

Is there a discrepancy in Govt. policy in 'helping' the poor???

Ref:

1.http://www.thenewsminute.com/article/less-month-three-lakh-consumers-join-modis-give-it-campaign

2. http://www.worldometers.info/world-population/india-population/ 

3. http://petrobazaar.com/diesel-petrol-lpg-are-over-priced-says-cag-11004.html

4.http://www.deccanchronicle.com/140719/business-market/article/diesel-lpg-overpriced-cag

5.http://saiindia.gov.in/english/home/Our_Products/Audit_Report/Government_Wise/union_audit/recent_reports/union_performance/2014/Comm/Report_14/chap_4.pdf

Privatization.

Every day in newspapers televisions we hear about the policies of 'corrupted' govt. It's not just the case of India but all over the world the media scream about the 'corrupted' govt, and as an alternative they ask us to say 'welcome privatization!’ Well, what's wrong with it?! We get things done easily and fast. When govt starts a project like constructing new highways, bridges or co-operative ventures, we know how hard and long it takes to get implemented; and then we will start whispering that the govt took the money and that's why things are not being done! But if a private initiation is there behind it then it becomes faster (so far!). Media ask us to trust them; since they are more sincere than govt! And they tell us 'see, how fast it works...'. and then we learn to appreciate it.

Bank lends loans of hundreds of crores to the private initiation and not to the govt for the very same project. Private Banks and insurance company approach us for deposits... and they say 'follow us... you can be richer tomorrow...’ And they convince us how we will become richer. I hope the reader is familiar with the concept money chain.

Have you ever think about the working principle of their so called theory?

If the private initiations really have a developing mentality, they will try to bring up everyone economically. In another way, everyone will become rich just like you! Then how would you even be called as richer? 

Let us recall the privatization, from our own experience.

For example, we have schools, which play a big role in the students’ future.

Privatize them.

Alas! We will get admission only if we have money.

The same is applicable for hospitals too.

If you consider a private company, nothing is there to assure you the job on the next day.

In brief it is a fancy thing that creates discrepancy in society!

Or only the one, with money, will live!

Amazingly still we believe that the privatization help the development or growth of a nation!

To plant privatization all you have to do is,
1. Create a pseudo warlike environment; such that people will lose trust in Govt.
2. Stretch helping hands
3. Create your world with new definition of ethics!

I recall,  http://thusharaav.blogspot.in/2015/05/health-for-sale.html

Doubter: Hey, I've made a cartoon on it. How's it? Doesn't it show the discrepancy 
          (Pictures are from net!)

Also recently I got a schematic from planning commission ministry of statistics and programme implementation, given below...

Helping the POOR 1

Do you like to help ‘the POOR’? Would you help them if you have the facility?

There are plenty of individuals and organizations to help ‘the POOR’.

If you ask a child (of age around 10 in Kerala, India), ‘what do you want to do for the society, when you have enough money?’ the most heard answer is –at least from my experience-

‘I want to serve the society and want to help the poor’

Which immediately evince the culture especially morality or ethics of the society.

(It also shows the general economic, political and cultural condition of the same society.-still another question; where their morality does go off on growing up?!!!-)

Along with this attitude we’ve also heard attitudes like ‘regardless of his status, he inquired for help’; in any popular movie, novel or in your daily life.

Which is also a part of the same culture…

So we now have two cultural situations

·         Helping ‘the POOR’ (and we think it is piousness)

·         Seeking help regardless one’s ‘STATUS’ (and we think it is shameful)

When we help ‘the poor’ are we empowering them to stand in life by themselves or making them feel ‘we are helpless, and those kind people help us.’

Aren’t we creating a bunch of people who are ‘helpless’, who do not have a better ‘status’, who think ‘I deserve to be helped since I’m poor’…

Roughly 1500 beggars are there in Cochin (Kerala, India) itself (in Kerala it’s become a business. You can find several child beggars in here. But notably hardly there is any Keraliite!)

I’m not saying you shouldn’t give money to a child who needs money to pay his/her school fee but you don’t have to give money for no reason- supposing  he/she will pay the school fee.