27/04

India shining or losing it's sheen. Shining for whom? Truth is concealed behind so many curtains and occasionally gives it glimpse in the form of various scams, the enormity of them is horrifying. Corruption is present almost in every country but in varying degrees. In India it is eating out the moral fabric of every ethical and moral foundation of a functioning society. Collusion among big corporations, politicians, bureaucrats and now media also is creating such a dismal picture that no glimmer of hope appears at the end of the tunnel. Black money is crudest form of siphoning of resources of the country, whereas writing off of corporate taxes such as-income tax, excised duty etc. in the name of protecting workers and providing cheaper products to consumers is only a big bluff. Funds for critical infrastructure such as public health systems, educational infrastructure are never enough and whatever is made available is not utilized because of the reasons known to all. Dubbing health tax as "misery tax" and forcing government to pull it back signifies the power of freedom of expression provided in the constitution that how India responds towards it's citizens through lenses coloured with power, cartel, money etc.

What is the exact problem? It's very tough to even comprehend it in it's entirety leave alone the solution part. It appears a maze where at every other corner a hydra-headed monster is waiting.

(contd.)

accident

sunday ka din tha...tareekh? 1 Aug., good..aage bolo, blog likho...main 12 saal ki umar se chala raha hoon main chalaoonga, jyada beer nahi pi thi, aadhi-aadhi bottle only...fir pakode khane ka socha, aur gadi palat gayi, kitne mare police walon ne poochha car ki halat dekh ke,bekaar stitch, 2 din ICU , bhai aa gaya, fir mahine bhar rest...shaam tak sab kuchh sahi..pata bhi nahi chala. aur pakode khayega ,

False Economy

A book by Alan Beattie-International economy editor of the "Financial Times"

Any ready prescriptions and solutions to the economic problems of the world face imminent danger of failure in the complex environ in which (problems) they evolve. Author has carefully distanced himself from providing any such easy solutions, nevertheless his analysis is intriguing, covering vast spectrum and is written with a historical perspective.

It covers topics ranging from comparing the developments of American and Argentinian economy over a century and where they have reached starting from the same point. It clearly outlines failure of the "Import Substitution Model" adopted by Argentina and other countries around the globe in their economic history. Why India turned to this model when example of it's failure were abundant is a question. Nationalization drive, coupled with steel-frame of bureaucracy and expediency based politics only pushed the economy on inevitable path of failure.Though, course correction was achieved in Indian case in post-1991 via IMF prescribed reforms measure under the leadership of then Finance Minister. Author does not fail to recognize the failure in equitable distribution of the rewards throughout the populace. Argentina, hopelessly stuck to it and is over dependent on the borrowing.

He further highlights that how lobbying and political expediency can hinder taking up right decisions. Under the pressure of very small number of cotton farmers US is sticking to Agriculture subsidy which is jeopardizing the interests of millions of farmers in developing countries and has stalled the developments in DOHA round of negotiations under WTO.

Scanning the whole economic history of the world and extracting major lessons from it in a single volume is a very challenging task and certainly author has missed out on certain points, but the insight provided is amazing and he never claims the book to be encyclopedic in nature.

Contd...

वादा था शाम वापस आने का ..

वादा था शाम वापस आने का , सफ़र में रात हुई और राह गुम गयी

दरख़्त के नीचे दो लम्हा आँख लगी , ख़ुली तो अजनबियों के शहर में

अब ढूंढते हैं की वो राह किधर है , हम किस्मत पे वो कमबख्त हमपे हंसती है

तुम्हारे शहर में चंद लम्हों में घर की याद शिद्दत से आई है

ऊंची ईमारत ऊंचे लोग सब बहुत अच्छा है, पर मुझे मेरी छोटी बस्ती अच्छी लगती है

ये अजनबी शहर तुम्हे मुबारक, हम तो अपनी दुनिया में अच्छे थे

ये तौर तरीके इस शहर के हमसे हमीं को चुरा ले गए

वादा था शाम वापस आने का ...