In Blacks we place trust, April Ryan book

April Ryan in conversation with Wolf spoke about race relations and how it has not gotten better. What she essentially meant was THere are disproportionate numbers of African-Americans who are at the lowest level. Disproportionate when we look  at unemployment, housing, education and criminal justice. Presidency in Black and White author April Ryan had been to Selma as revealed in the conversation where the likes of John Lewis and Prez set the right tone.
What happenned in Ferguson was highly unfortunate and in another episode a black boy was shot point blank by a police officer. The police officer had been called by boy's mother to prod the boy to mend his ways. The police officer spotting the boy holding a screwdriver asked him to do away with screwdriver. Rather the boy shouting the police officer started yelling and seeing the boy not dispense with a mere screwdriver the police officer shot him point blank range. Is this the kind of policing we need in the US. Here POlice officer is carrying a bodycamera. In another incident near campus a black boy is beaten blue and black by two to three police officers. Some would argue to desist them from taking extreme step, they first need to get themselves mentally strong. A rope, a baton (here in india we call lathis), perhaps a plastic baton would be the best way to handle issues like a boy holding a mere screwdriver.

Tennis giants Sere and Ve have to bring more from your fraternity to this sport. African-American leadership has to be encouraged so do the likes of John Lewis from Georgia. It is good Mi went to Siem Reap. Perhaps the entire family would go there later.  After a long time  TV MODE story on Kuterevo Sanctuary in Crotia evinced interest. So did the story on sale of salmon to russia coming in a middle east channel .

I wanna dance with somebody by Whitney Houston looks great. A prolific singer with a true heart.

I wanna dance with somebody by Whitney Houston looks great. A prolific singer with a true heart.

INdisicipline in the city and beyond

As we begin to write, the amount of ruckus that gets raised by simple minivans/trucks is exemplary. some time back a green coloured mini van with last digits DL IL 5039 or 5539 came out with a series of abuse against a rickshawman. These green coloured mini vans are raised to create mayhem across cities and towns and most happen to be on payrolls of law and order department. THose who bother to follow discipline are made to disobey given the amount of graft that prevails in the police machinery. A law-abiding citizen or even following laws till 50 per cent is forced to change his or her way of approach to life given the unsurmountable pressure brought out by these men in khaki.

The amount of indiscipline this city has rarely finds mention in newspapers and channels and unless you put the law and order department under control they would continue to create mayhem across country. Hard to forget days when you used to go to a bathroom to take shower in the month of march last year in Ajmer a series of abuse used to greet you. THe amount of abuse and spit they welcomed you with here and there showed these khakimen's true colours in Ajmer.  All of a sudden if you entered a eating joint for the first ten minutes things would be in order followed by a series of abuse and spits. All across different streets of Ajmer they greeted you with abuse and spit. Just going past them they would spit followed by another layer of spit before or as you went past them. In Puri, they made life miserable on the street from temple to sea where no less than 30 to 40 spits greeted you as you went past men placed by police department. THen came parking attendants followed by a place where you took curd followed by a spot where you took cool drinks, each and every place they would spit before you or standing next to you. To make matters look exemplary good they would engage vendors here and there before you reached your lodge.

In Nagar near your lodge they would place three boys which you would spot after coming from your lodge and turned left (about 10 metres away) and they would spit as you would go past them. While coming back to lodge or going away from lodge they would spit at you as youas you as you  went past them. As you took another lodge all of a sudden things looked better for the first half an hour and as you descended from third floor to ground floor, the first thing the hotel manager did was to spit with a ferocity not known to mankind. Till the previous hour, the manager had not got the mandate to toe the line set by policewallah.

 In Uttaranchal on the ride from bus stand to railway bus stand, the man sitting opposite me kept spitting in the direction where i was sitting for the next 20-odd minutes before a new entrant got into the scooter. IN Mussoorie, they greeted me with a series of spits and abuse as i was going past the barrier. Till i was not away from his sight they kept passing filthy abuse and kept spitting. In the same town where there is a ropeway or something like that while going towards library point nothing happenned. While coming back from library stand one gentleman kept spitting before me and he continued to follow and spit for the next two minutes. If  you put a query to someone first thing he would do from his shop would be to spit before you and then answer. Abuse in Mussorrie was flowing as  if they were raised to do this deed. Mussorrie a very indisciplined town. There may be some good patches but it gets overshadowed by bad patches.  The amount of abuse and spit they splurged as i went past them may be 50 to 60 times in a space of six days. In Jaisalmer they spit before me in the fort, took a mouthful of water and spit before me outside the fort where i had gone for xerox. As long as i was sitting in the xerox shop, they did not indulge in anything. Once i went out to get a change and returned to give the change they spitted with mouthful of water.

IN Jaisalmer
IN Jaisalmer station on platform one as all of a suddden i went to seek cool drink from nowhere two railway staff members came and spat near me.Look at the vendor selling cool drinks next to waiting hall on platform one, he deliberately delayed giving cool drinks so these two railway class iv employees could come near the place where i was standing and when all have gone away they would repeatedly spit near you.  In the train from Ajmer to KOlkata they engaged in same acts while you tried to go to a bathroom, all of a sudden a man would come and spit before you. In Howrah station as you wash your hands, a boy would come and spit in the same wash basin knowing fully well you are washing your hands. THis they did on the floor where sleeper class waiting hall is there and on ground floor. All in all vendors of different scale like the one in ajmer platform two running a small shop who spitted before you before answering your query on which side the train would come. Vendors, some autowallahs, bus drivers, conductors, cleaners and all those staff members come handy for them who are on payroll of law and order department. Otherwise why in Nizamuddin station they would send boys on a bench where you are sitting and they would spit repeatedly and if you changed your seat, the same act they would follow. In Nizamuddin station as i went out to seek bananas, they send a boy and as he approached he spat next to me. Back to platform in the station they passed abuse or spitted. I sought a query from a railwayman meant to put chart on trains. While going towards police station he nodded his head and while coming back, he first looked at me came near me and from there spiited on railway tracks. This shows Nizamuddin station is in all sort of problems.

Staying in Nizamuddin station for over eight hours that day showed the prowess of these men and if they are not contained mayhem would rule, mayhem would rule   If that is not enough through a porter who would get into a train pulling in a station (Anandvihar station in July), he would stand next to you at the gate and as you would descend from train he too would descend at the same time and spit next to you and follow it with abuse. The porter was neither in search of passenger nor luggage, only he was sent to engage in these acts. Otherwise in a train if you wash your face in a washbasin and someone spits in the same basin at the same time why would anyone do if these men of notorious make do not ask them to do. In DElhi Near hairgrowthclinic, near 263, near 269, near dhobishelter and other places on occasions they have placed their men to pass abuse and spit repeatedly. They send their men on bikes and as they approach you they engage in same acts. Years have gone by the place near hairgrowth clinic which has been used by them to place spits of their choice and abuse and again repeated spits. On one day one set of gentlemen they use, on another day another set of gentlemen they use to carry out their acts of notoriety.  Earlier they used to stand in uniform to pass threats that any word on new construction by this man would be be met with a befitting response. Befitting response on spits, abuse they began from delhi and passed it on to other cities/towns. The amount of indiscipline this city has, the reckless driving the cluster buses do, the force they bring on other govt buses to do reckless driving shows their reach. The amount of indiscipline this city has never gets reported in newspapers, tv channels as it is all a process of give and take. Can they deny their acquaintances are not working in tv channels, newspapers and thus this milibhagat is serving both sides. What reporting you papermen are doing if you can't bring the truth.

The amount of indiscipline this city has never been reported and would never continue to get reported.

Circle rates in Delhi, House glut in China

As i begin to write about circle rates in the national capital of delhi, the search of the same does not yield results. Seventies was the period when the rates would have been fairly low, not lessening the  speed at which the residents could gain fairly accessible options.  It should have been an ideal capital where prices of property to praise should have least required huge outlay of resources/mirroring of moods.

Reckless driving
The  city has grown in size so has grown the demand to raise price of land to deter the "outsider" to ever think of getting a piece of land. They talk about the urgent need to check the amount of unaccounted money that flows in this sector and thus the need to up the circle rate. It was the environment of 80s that set in motion the feast of black money and where does the high circle rate has a ring of justification. Here public transport, considering the number of govt buses/cluster buses that run on roads does not show a pattern, you have more buses than required, more running at reckless speed than ever an attempt being made to check the menace of reckless driving. Here background checks are not carried out before recruitment of those handling public transport. A woman should not be the last one to exit the bus. One would argue during Night shifts more steps are to be taken to see order in some form is maintained. Forces that served in public transport get easily absorbed in real estate and associate sectors and vice versa and here one can imagine the ruckus that could gain ground, years turning to decades.  There were two sets of buses, first red line followed by blue line. These buses plied in the 90s and till 2008-09 and the amount of freedom they secured to run over here and there saw the weak side of law enforcement.


Venezuela buses no spare parts; the scene here between 90s to 2008
Venezuela we come across stories where spare parts are not available for buses. It is better to have such buses than have cases of reckless driving. Before people are recruited in public transport, highlight them the benefits of driving with care, caution and not throwing abuse at womenfolk. They say half of the recruitment in public transport is with personnel having allegiance to police and cluster buses and other buses also have a fair share of them. Well the 90s and till 2008 when red line and blueline buses plied the share of those being owned by them was known.  For a better law and order what is more important is to keep the force productively employed. A force which is productively employed and not sitting idle would bring order to the proceedings.
Starting with a contract system and that too from a district is not a bad idea. Similarly when a dhaba, small eating joint, cineplex opens, care should be taken to see order is maintained, effectively meaning it does not set in a range of problems.  Similarly when a host of real estate projects get launched and realised, a share here and a share there gives ample room for people behind such projects to fiddle with laws and up the price. If law had been strong since 80s, at least real estate should have been a place not known for notoriety and law and order problems.

Red carpet laid in the 80s, newspaper supplements adding to the problems
That was 80s, triggering a push for real estate to readily erect a frontier  where newspaper supplements which were once in a month affair turned to a weekly exercise. Had control been exercised then and there itself, neither the rates would have hit the roof nor it would have kept a large segment out of house cover.  Real estate spawned a rally in other sectors that not only raised the arrogance, abuse with capital A and the feeling of I the owner of roads and colonies began to run unchecked. If a black in the US gets to face the rough side of law enforcers, it is not hard to figure out why this is happening. Scores of protesters, white, blacks and others demand justice and before this episode recedes in the background another episode of another black being meted out same treatment we come across. Speaking to a Nigerian national studying in the national capital the Ferguson episode one hoped would be an isolated one, recurring of the same here and there has hit hard the template of compassion and coexistence the country is known for. Mr Bloom, Mr Ross would agree with that.
The sunshine in Alabama was good and George sharing dias with Ba was a consolation. Though some would have found fault with the speech made but one has to understand the hands are tied and how much Ba can do. Here some would argue another AfricanAmerican, CaribbeanAmerican, CentralAmericanAmerican should get another opportunity. It may be distant but not impossible.  


House glut in China
China is facing a housing glut with developers finding it difficult to raise funds. Chinese manufacturers face weak demand from home and abroad. Olympics and the boom that one expected following the big event did not happen and as a result, the house glut, low demand and threats from different forces became more visible. For China, more important is to keep the Army productively employed and instill in them the virtues of discipline and not displacing others. More important is to inculcate in them the feeling of compassion. China faces a daunting task. One among them is Honk Kong where the tirade of the local residents is that those hailing from mainland have left no room for them to get a roof of their own. Some would argue that Mainland China should steer a drive where affordable housing involving local residents should be set in place for a long time. Similarly admissions to schools,colleges and employing the locals to companies stationed there is a way forward to break the impasse.

We had commonwealth games and the amount that went down the drain is known. At least the stadiums built then should be put to effective use as stories abound of such structures lying unused in Brazil (world Cup), China (olympics), London (olympics). In each of theses places, the budget went beyond expectations. As for DEbates in electronic media, it  should be towards measures required to be taken to reduce circle rate, bring transparency in real estate, the clamour to secure high salary/compensation after completing courses from private institutes is it justified?. Are Business graduates that are being churned out by private varsities getting effectively employed. One paper had a story on clutter of gutter mbas. Not meant to offend anyone, this tribe of gaining business outlook with no prospects in hands looks alarming.
High circle rates have kept the commoner out of home reach and any attempt to raise a skyscraper when Yamuna is not relatively clean looks priorities are misplaced. Here newspapers talk about skyscrapers.  A district court here and there, a stadia right in the city and outskirts, some of these places lie unattended. Though economy is not booming, it is not in pause mode either, not by any means engineering prospects for repo rate to be cut on two occasions.

M O Ibrahim Foundation established in 2006 to encourage African leadership is something on which Inside Story had a reasonable debate. One channel covers Africa in its entirety. Perhaps channels in Delhi should take a leaf from that.  

Afghan troops banking on rice, spinach and tomatoes

Afghan troops banking on rice, spinach and tomatoes; land bill that should make them stay put in rural hinterland

The report coming from the channel of middle east showed the dwindling budget for Afghanistan troops. They have to settle with rice, spinach and tomatoes. There was a conference of donors in LOndon where some resources were raised to set a strong security apparatus in Afghanistan. If other reports are to be believed things are settling down in Afghanistan. Most important is to get the realisation among extreme elements that a mind not wavering and a mind at work should be the priority. Once employment begins to rise, people begin to earn livelihood with little or no fear and once leakages in govt budget are corrected, things would look promising. Time is to bring more and more people to this realisation that peace from north to south and east to west is the best option. Pakistan should do its bit as it would help it to contain extreme elements at home. Closing proximity between Afghanistan and Pakistan should be hailed as it would help to contain extreme forces and bring peace to Afghanistan and Pakistan.

On other hand  If Pakistan desires and New delhi sends some troops/machinery to fight extreme elements in some parts of the country or help it to gather a better average as far as intelligence is concerned, Pakistan would be able to get some order it desires. Pakistan takes a moderate position on Kashmir and India giving it the intelligence and other infrastructure support to fight extreme elements in Pakistan would be handy. India helps it to get the schools/educational institutions in remote areas up and running because once the benefits of education/employment reach four corners of Pakistan peace would surely touch its frontier. Some would argue that we hardly have a bag full of trained teachers so from where we can send trained teachers. We will make it mandatory for teachers from public schools/private schools to use their experience to do a bit for the neighbouring country. You have secured land at such low rates, you have exceedingly high school fees, you should listen to govt advice and lend training to teachers in Pakistan. Once peace would come to Pakistan then firing across border would fall as Separatists would lose their plank. Separatists in Kashmir need be told that gaining employment/education should be the priority and we cheer for a peaceful Pakistan as for a peaceful India.

There was another story on land bill. There are gaping holes in the land bill. Seeking no approval is not done. But turning it to aar paar ki ladai (my way or highway) is ludicrous. YOu see the amount of land that was set aside for SEZs and how much of that is operational. Not even 50 per cent. The land that is to be dispensed with there is a need AS ONE WRITER wrote about long lived financial asset creation. A creation of wealth fund that invests in a range of options that gives a fair rate of return (a guarantee of sorts is not asking for moon). The wealth fund should seek resources from specific routes so that a fair return is assured. And reserve a fraction of land for sale a decade or two decades later and proceeds go towards this wealth fund. Perhaps a small piece of land can be purchased  elsewhere. But the amount of return one gets or is assured to get over a period of time should be used to stay in the rural hinterland and not migrate to urban centres as writer would like us to understand. Never use the proceed to migrate to urban centre (migrate if someone has found gainful employment) , invest in rural hinterland, there are immense options. Areas with mango cultivation, areas with no infrastructure for schools, skill learning institutes should be deployed with such benefits.

Singur and Nandigram in state of West Bengal left none here and there. First in the name of votes, public was asked to protest and when the companies left with no factories put in order the land is lying unused and is unuseable. One does not know the status of land that was first acquired and later left abandoned in the state of west Bengal. In the state of west Bengal employment is a big issue. In another state a state head is asking for compensation for farmers due to unprecedented rains/weather and at the same time a full page ad he is sharing with another leader. Leader is asking us to do away with LPG subsidy. You first stop your full page ad. You first make your ill-tempered and spoilt police force to stay in limits. You ask your spoilt police force to mend its ways. Right now you have stressed train drivers, stressed pilots and what not.

Topollo from Lesotho  Highland WAter Commission

Residential prices in other cities, Streaming of middle east events, no stable win

Residential prices in other cities, Streaming of middle east events, no stable win

As we did a report on circle rates in the national capital of delhi, quick came the rebuttal in some papers of existing prime residential prices.  Cities mentioned and rates galore went like this (prime residential prices in rs/ sq ft) monaco - 339723, HK - 293944, London - 283215, NY- 174362, Dubai - 40455, Delhi - 33400, Bangalore - 18600. Whom we are trying to fool. The pressure of population on land in the countries where these cities exist and country of India where the city of delhi lives has a huge never-ending gap. In the cities of Monaco, Honk Kong, London, New York and Dubai, the countries where they reside and renovate, they have fewer population and fewer migrating to the city in search of livelihood. One can make a case of a labour force here or an entrepreneurial class there on a rising scale but not at the level at which the national capital of delhi lives with and the amount of pressure on land in the city and the entire country that one comes across. Some tend to justify that residential prices in rs /sq ft - even from prime residential prices prism - in delhi is fairly less than that in Monaco, Hong Kong and London.

Here the US and cities need to watch out for. The boiling anger too has its roots in high land rates. Too up the revenue issuing tickets here and there does not show well. Reading about a lady with two kids who was issued four tickets and bail for each came at 500$ apiece showed the utter callousness of the authorities.   As land prices have to be kept low so has to be the need to refrain from such ticket-issuing tactics.Some would argue Fox News, ABC, CBS, Bloomberg and other channels need to stream news/events from middle east, showing the positive pursuits thereby giving a voice of arab people and a chance to see the US they live in is the country they believe in. Simply yelling jehad on plane is no big issue when memories about reclining seats and the emanating heat are still not far away.  Here one gets a reminder about CCTV channel in China and the mammoth coverage and mammoth eyeballs it gets. China on its own would have not believed that Olympics of 2008 would leave it with a  glut affecting its fundamentals. A 7 per cent growth rate is a task that looks somewhat unachievable. Here the housing glut, steel glut and commission/cuts that went preceding the games and after games has hit hard the nation. Some would argue it needs to build employment in rural areas, try to get more areas arable. If in agriculture it is able to make a stride that would at least take a fraction of the flak that its plummeting  growth is facing with.

Justification for high residential prices
Coming to residential prices in India, Are the number of people covered in MNREGA in the entire country is same as the scale of people being supported in other countries/cities by some other form of arrangement. Circle rates and the tendency to curb it should have been set in motion way back in the 80s. You had municipal bodies to do that and if they had done that it would have mirrored the real chasm that defines the underdeveloped from emerging economy. Getting a handful of report in foreign publications does not deliver wonders. You tend to sell yourself as emerging economy and so all the more justification for residential prices to remain high. Real estate leaks and liberty have played havoc with nation's pursuit to maintain order. Eighties you could have come heavily on real estate, their folly year after year and the resultant inability of others to act fairly. Schools, private institutions and other bodies have much to cheer with this nexus among law enforcers and law breaking winners.


Blaming the liberalisation endeavour for the ensuing mess in real estate won't be correct. Much before that the efforts to make the land and dwelling of not the scale of a limo out of reach of common man had been set in.  Real estate rantings of the 80s pushed some towards a goal where flats could be offered in the city or outskirts at a price determined by them. Prices they determined and dethroned were those part of the populace who had never imagined that flats could be coming at this high range.

Admissions to Kendriya Vidyalayas
To keep the govt coffers up and running increasing the circle rate time and again was a resourceful alibi. North east, ladakh, kashmir, bengal and South among others are areas from where people come to gain employment and gain a roof over their head. Nothing is local about the city, each individual is as local or as liberated as anyone else. Admissions to Kendriya Vidyalayas see majority being secured by those kids whose parents are either on deputation or designated to serve here. At least some people hailing from other regions of India are able to secure admissions in KVs. As for public schools, with school fees touching roof, the bulk comprise of those with skyrocketing salaries or income. Had the circle rates been kept low, at least a sort of control could have been exercised on these public/private schools. Huge circle rates opened doors for arrogance and tv theatres across cities were comfortable pursuing their side of stories as they could afford to pay high circle rates and high salary for which their staff was not willing to wait.

Jubilation for what, let liberal voices be heard
There has been a jubilation of sorts over the surprise win which some believe won't be a stable win. Elections show that extreme positions taken and giving threats that your so-called enemies would be pummelled has won them seats. It seems voters do get swayed by such rhetoric.Those with liberal voices and having shown the liberty to reach out to the other side have not been given requisite number of seats.That does not mean the other side with five to six seats more would be giving a stable coalition. It is time for liberal forces to come out of closet and try to bring a coalition that appeals to all. Still the man with liberal outlook has done exceedingly well, with an agenda that he would reach out to others.

From Tuk Tuk in Phnom Penh to rugby in Papua New Guinea

From Tuk Tuk in Phnom Penh to rugby in Papua New Guinea


We relish stories on how rugby as a game is dong it bit to curb violence in Papua New Guinea. Stories on Tuk tuk as a mode of transport in Phonm Penh evince interest so does the battle to maintain heritage in South Korea against new constructions. Tuk Tuk as a mode of transport is economical, environment friendly and no noise emitting.Time has come to run battery operated buses in different cities as it would keep environment in check. THe paper which did a story on govt buses and their reducing number should have checked facts. This story on its local page did not gell well.Another story on page three that surveillance would generate sympathy looked childish. One paper had that during the second stint no new AIRs have been filed. In the first place the first set of AIRs you filed in the first stint only showed your arrogance. A nation where dragging someone to court for no fault has become pastime. Those at fault deserve to be handled this way but not others.

Another story on film festival in south/central america evinced interest. But the show where someone is being tried and how one is taking a drag in a public place in France looked offensive.
Another channel runs hashtag like raga, leads. Look at the point size of hashtag. It looks alarming Look how cluttered the debate looks. First one gentleman used to come. Now two to three from studio and two in the field.Let each do a separate show. Or at the most two in one show. Try to do debate on how minorities can be brought in mainstream, institutions doing the same effort. Try to do debate on posh colonies and how possibly rash some are by their effort to garner huge loads of money and make from car washer to other personnel look similarly arrogant. Do a debate on real estate and how it has hit the simple law and order and other fundamentals of economy.  Do a debate on how they want to raise a skyscraper in East Delhi when Yamuna is yet to get little clean.

Policingh that has gone wayward

Puri and its roundabout

THe town has been known to engineer a positive response fropm those who visit here. But there are some shortcomings
Spitting here and there serves no purpose. Ten shops among 50-odd and each takes his time to spit as you go past them. Then again another set of 10 to 15 among 50-odd repeat the same feat.The small stretch of road from temple towards sea on the left is witness to this sort of proceedings. Things could get a little better if those who are supposed to maintain order don't resort to this window of opportunity.A place known for peaceful existence should let peace prevail rather mayhem through wide array of people take effect. Right from parking attendant to a shop attendant to a score of vendors, the mandate should be to keep things tidy and less turbulent and make visitors catch a right glimpse of the city. Why the national capital experiment of spitting and abuse you want to carry to other parts of the country.  

Puri boasts of a right template of order and let that continue.

Visiting Rajasthan

Visiting Rajasthan

Some months ago had the opportunity to visit Rajasthan. Left  Delhi Kashmiri Gate ISBT at 11.50 am. Before writing about onward journey a word or two on ISBT. Apart from the front exit/entry gate the other gates to get inside is quite a hullabaloo. You have some metro work going, adding to that is the pollution that pervades the area. If you are taking a public transport to reach the ISBT, the bus stand is well after the flyover and the driver driving the bus gives the rationale that he gets a challan if he drops passengers underneath the flyover. How true he is and how truthful were his observations. Inside the bus stand the toilets are fairly clean but the clutter of shops look to be a little disorganuised. Here at different points there should be boards elaborating on eatables/juices and their fixed price.

After not much of a wait, left  Delhi Kashmiri Gate ISBT at 11.50 am.  Reached South Extension at 12.30. At 1.18 Jaipur is shown to be a little over 210 km. The ride is on a public transport bus with window seat much to cheer about. Reach mehsana 1.35, at 2 pm  we are in Dharuhera, at 2.23 we are in Bawal. We go past Meena STD PCO at 2.38, Neerana 2.45 and Behror around 3. We sight Hotel Triputi at 3.40. At 3.45 Jaipur is shown to be 103 km.
Reach Shahpur 4.45, Manoharpur 5.02, and in Jaipur we are in at 6. In between we come across traffic jams which the bus and other modes of transport find hard to negotiate. Though the road from Delhi to Jaipur has settled to a wide extent from excessive digging in we experienced some years/months ago, the ride lasting six hours leaves you tired and out of tune. Take a room near Sindhi camp, probably that is how the bus stand is known to be. The boys tell me it would be a pleasant stay but it turns otherwise. Take breakfast and meals from Hotel Mewar. Here i am told the prices for room are 700 rs and above. It is ok if one seeks little peace and order. To keep the tummy in control, prefer to settle for rice, curd, dal from Mewar. Mewar has a great staff.

Leave next day from Sindhi camp bus stand for Ajmer. The ride is bordering on hopelessness. I can make out the plain clothes man travelling in the bus. The conductor who looked to be sweet begins to show his side of temper later. After a ride of 20 -odd minutes he begins to spit on the stairs of the bus repeatedly. And  no offence meant. Against this ride from Jodhpur to Ajmer had among two set of conductors one spitting from his window everytime you used to get out of bus.How remotely he seem to be connected to order.Here it is important to note that drivers, conductors and helpers who could be a source of trouble if not properly trained.  By the time i reach Ajmer i am in a fix of whether i should have travelled. Stayed in a hotel probably with the name Delux. The hotel was ok and so was the staff. Visited Dargah on more than one occasion. The place is good. But on occasions it is not bereft of spitting and that too if you are just going past them.They would spit before you or as you go past them or just immediately after you.  Thousands of times i have encountered this in this city.  Took a general ticket for ride from Ajmer to Jaipur as i already had sleeper class ticket from Jaipur to Delhi Cantt.  

 The stay in Ajmer was mixed, the stay in hotel ok. In the Ajmer station they don't have enquiry counters working after 2 pm. So to seek an enquiry one has to get into the long queue. Can one understand the rationale behind such a move. The traffic outside the station and the multiple layers of pollution is doing no good to the city. Even Kacheri road has multiple layers of pollution. While waiting for Ashram train i took a seat near the overbridge. There was one gentleman sleeping there and another standing, both from the police department in plain clothes. The man who said sahib aayee showed his true colours later When i took the seat first he requested for my pen. Later having finished his work he released a series of filthy abuse. I was stuck. I kept mum for the next 20 minutes. During this period it was all abuse and solid assurance of the same. The man who was sleeping just nodded whenever he would finish a sentence rich with abuse. Provocation of the same i could not make out. We have to admit. We pass abuse at home when the abuse coming from outside becomes unbearable. Only when we are provoked we pass abuse.  Otherwise we try to stay calm. After these series of abuse i took another seat and waited for the train.
Took the general coach. Changed to sleeper coach in Jaipur. Here as i went to sleep on lower berth with the face towards window seat, after 15 to 20 minutes a  man lifted the window and  spat. How much dignified his approach was. I protested and told him, these acts are engineered by those meant to provide security. Later i came across a gentleman who hailed the train from Alwar. He seem to be a proponent of cleanliness and calm surroundings. Reached Delhi Cantt. And took a bus to ring road and an auto to the place.

Ajmer for all its richness has to evolve as far as cleanliness and calm surroundings are concerned. Pedal rickshaws are good, goodness has to shown by those driving at breakneck speed. SPitting and relieving here and there should be least tried.A clean surrounding serves all.

Circle rate in national capital, blacks in US, house glut in neighbouring country

Circle rate in national capital, house glut in neighbouring country

As i begin to write about circle rates in the national capital of delhi, the search of the same does not yield results. Seventies was the period when the rates would have been fairly low, not lessening the  speed at which the residents could gain fairly accessible options.  It should have been an ideal capital where prices of property to praise should have least required huge outlay of resources/mirroring of moods.

Reckless driving
The  city has grown in size so has grown the demand to raise price of land to deter the "outsider" to ever think of getting a piece of land. They talk about the urgent need to check the amount of unaccounted money that flows in this sector and thus the need to up the circle rate. It was the environment of 80s that set in motion the feast of black money and where does the high circle rate has a ring of justification. Here public transport, considering the number of govt buses/cluster buses that run on roads does not show a pattern, you have more buses than required, more running at reckless speed than ever an attempt being made to check the menace of reckless driving. Here background checks are not carried out before recruitment of those handling public transport. A woman should not be the last one to exit the bus. One would argue during Night shifts more steps are to be taken to see order in some form is maintained. Forces that served in public transport get easily absorbed in real estate and associate sectors and vice versa and here one can imagine the ruckus that could gain ground, years turning to decades.  There were two sets of buses, first red line followed by blue line. These buses plied in the 90s and till 2008-09 and the amount of freedom they secured to run over here and there saw the weak side of law enforcement.


Venezuela buses no spare parts; the scene here between 90s to 2008
Venezuela we come across stories where spare parts are not available for buses. It is better to have such buses than have cases of reckless driving. Before people are recruited in public transport, highlight them the benefits of driving with care, caution and not throwing abuse at womenfolk. They say half of the recruitment in public transport is with personnel having allegiance to police and cluster buses and other buses also have a fair share of them. Well the 90s and till 2008 when red line and blueline buses plied the share of those being owned by them was known.  For a better law and order what is more important is to keep the force productively employed. A force which is productively employed and not sitting idle would bring order to the proceedings.
Starting with a contract system and that too from a district is not a bad idea. Similarly when a dhaba, small eating joint, cineplex opens, care should be taken to see order is maintained, effectively meaning it does not set in a range of problems.  Similarly when a host of real estate projects get launched and realised, a share here and a share there gives ample room for people behind such projects to fiddle with laws and up the price. If law had been strong since 80s, at least real estate should have been a place not known for notoriety and law and order problems.

Red carpet laid in the 80s, newspaper supplements adding to the problems
That was 80s, triggering a push for real estate to readily erect a frontier  where newspaper supplements which were once in a month affair turned to a weekly exercise. Had control been exercised then and there itself, neither the rates would have hit the roof nor it would have kept a large segment out of house cover.  Real estate spawned a rally in other sectors that not only raised the arrogance, abuse with capital A and the feeling of I the owner of roads and colonies began to run unchecked. If a black in the US gets to face the rough side of law enforcers, it is not hard to figure out why this is happening. Scores of protesters, white, blacks and others demand justice and before this episode recedes in the background another episode of another black being meted out same treatment we come across. Speaking to a Nigerian national studying in the national capital the Ferguson episode one hoped would be an isolated one, recurring of the same here and there has hit hard the template of compassion and coexistence the country is known for. Mr Bloom, Mr Ross would agree with that.
The sunshine in Alabama was good and George sharing dias with Ba was a consolation. Though some would have found fault with the speech made but one has to understand the hands are tied and how much Ba can do. Here some would argue another AfricanAmerican, CaribbeanAmerican, CentralAmericanAmerican should get another opportunity. It may be distant but not impossible.


House glut in China
China is facing a housing glut with developers finding it difficult to raise funds. Chinese manufacturers face weak demand from home and abroad. Olympics and the boom that one expected following the big event did not happen and as a result, the house glut, low demand and threats from different forces became more visible. For China, more important is to keep the Army productively employed and instill in them the virtues of discipline and not displacing others. More important is to inculcate in them the feeling of compassion. China faces a daunting task. One among them is Honk Kong where the tirade of the local residents is that those hailing from mainland have left no room for them to get a roof of their own. Some would argue that Mainland China should steer a drive where affordable housing involving local residents should be set in place for a long time. Similarly admissions to schools,colleges and employing the locals to companies stationed there is a way forward to break the impasse.

We had commonwealth games and the amount that went down the drain is known. At least the stadiums built then should be put to effective use as stories abound of such structures lying unused in Brazil (world Cup), China (olympics), London (olympics). In each of theses places, the budget went beyond expectations. As for DEbates in electronic media, it  should be towards measures required to be taken to reduce circle rate, bring transparency in real estate, the clamour to secure high salary/compensation after completing courses from private institutes is it justified?. Are Business graduates that are being churned out by private varsities getting effectively employed. One paper had a story on clutter of gutter mbas. Not meant to offend anyone, this tribe of gaining business outlook with no prospects in hands looks alarming.
High circle rates have kept the commoner out of home reach and any attempt to raise a skyscraper when Yamuna is not relatively clean looks priorities are misplaced. Here newspapers talk about skyscrapers.  A district court here and there, a stadia right in the city and outskirts, some of these places lie unattended. Though economy is not booming, it is not in pause mode either, not by any means engineering prospects for repo rate to be cut on two occasions.

M O Ibrahim Foundation established in 2006 to encourage African leadership is something on which Inside Story had a reasonable debate. One channel covers Africa in its entirety. Perhaps channels in Delhi should take a leaf from that.  

Racism they bank on. Characters with shrewd past

Budget that should give fillip to jobs in rural hinterland

Budget that should give fillip to jobs in rural hinterland


Jobs in rural hinterland is a big issue. Big enough to up the temperature. Those having passed out of schools, colleges are sitting idle. WAiting for an opportunity to secure training here or there. Some having enrolled in ITIs are staring at a bleak future, those having passed out no good either.
The attempt to get in shape SMEs (small medium enterprises) should be in a way that dots the rural landscape. Select 50-odd districts who barely have a sector to support them, distressed by most yardsticks, try to get the smes here in one way or the other.  Rural hinterland with a falling agricultural yield is a source of concern and attempt should be to get a research institute in a district that is not known. Already a district bombarded with different sectors/institutes can't have the sole privilege to have more of them. The effort should be to have them(sectors/institutes) evenly spread.

Disinvestment as part of non tax revenue can't be relied for long, other avenues should be explored. When base year was 05, the GDP grew at 5 per cent, when base year was made 12, the GDP grew by almost 7 per cent. New data series on GDP growth is questionable. Some would argue that was there a need to change the base year.
Public sector ports to be corporatised. A good move indeed. A process not to be rushed through with enough precautions built in. Some public sector ports need not change their nomenclature if proper study is done as research would reveal after clipping little loopholes here and there they can still function as public enterprise .

Some cheered the announcement of setting up of seventh pay commission. To be fair the largesee that is to be doled out should be in a manner that does not bring the finances under alarming stress. A mild rise is better since revenue with higher traction is not always guaranteed. Some may ask was there a need to make an announcement towards setting up of a new pay commission, something done in the previous regime. At lower level get more recruitments on contract to get the financial pressure away. At middle level try to do the same. We hail the deal in Greece and hope it carries through. That should be a reminder for us.


New glide path that puts fiscal deficit at 3.5 per cent in 2016-17 and 3 per cent in 2017-18 should not necessarily be adhered to. A little higher fiscal deficit would still be viable. Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT), more should be brought in its coverage as that at this moment looks to be the option to cut leakages. We say that India stands at 35th position as far as foreign debt which is 120 per cent of GDP. Attempt should be to get somewhere near 70 per cent over a period of time.
More attempt should be made to bring the lower half of policing under contract as that would give dramatic results.

Skill development with something to look forward is better. A blueprint, with enough precautions built, should be tried in the right earnest. Making announcement just for the sake of making announcement does not get us on board. There are a host of states which have organised investors' meet. Big page ads showing the proposals they received may have revived the fortunes of different publications but that was far away from truth. A slew of proposals received does not translate to a slew of investments made and registered. Let the state governments Get the ads posted once investments have been made, married to a possibility of changing the fortunes of some if not all.

The Swatch Bharat Cess may look grand, grand would be its realisation if the money meant for this cause actually goes towards that endeavour rather ending somewhere else. A monitoring, consistent, and carried by capable hands would be ok.  A budget exercise that evoked mixed reactions.

Priority should be to up the agricultural yield, bring jobs to rural hinterland.

Gems that Whitney Houston gave to us

Whitney Houston has been a great enthusiast. The songs that came from her stable truly lifted the meaning of love and how compassion should be part of our lexicon.
The numbers "I Wanna Dance with Somebody", "How will i Know" draws same level of affection towards her as it did in the 80s and 90s. A true human being indeed. 

Meeting students from northeast in national capital

Meeting students from northeast in national capital

On occasions we come across students from northeast. Most are pursuing degree courses in campuses of delhi university, south campus, north campus. THese students stay on rent, seek a simple living and search for an outlook that is mild and tolerable. How they get assimilated in the large template of delhi is not that hard to figure out; we find a good number of them as audience in TV debates.

Perhaps the paper which reproduces sections of economist should seek their views and contributions from them. Reproducing sections of economist is ok but when you read it has inside the story written that second part of the story is in the following page or inside the issue. But here only two stories are being reproduced. So that portion which says accompanying stories on following page or in this issue should be avoided. Second the caption of German, French, Russian leaders with Ukraine President did not gell in a right way.Names came first the standing was not in that order.  Perhaps care should have been taken in the newspaper.

Papers should focus more on northeast and the rich vibrant rice fields of Bengal, Bihar, Orissa and South. Papers with single column story having exclusive tag and a byline looks a bit odd.
As for Ukraine if rebels could leave DEbaltseve, things could still look better. Russia has enough inspiration to do good things and here not raising another regiment in Ukraine would be helpful. Russia should get the rebels back to Russian territory. A peaceful Ukraine is all we look forward to. A thriving Ukraine we all look forward to. A Russia that is in control of itself we look forward to. 

Budget papers laid in House

Budget papers laid in House

As the budget papers were laid in House, the acrimony and anti and pro lobbies seem to be a distant past. That was welcome given the first full fledged effort to present a full budget. A target to keep fiscal deficit away from a glide path is ok, even a four per cent would do. Because getting spending cuts in motion just three months before presentation of papers does not make sense. Something that should be an exception.

As budget boast would carry for a month or so, celebrations and criticisms included, debates would be worth towards the job creation in rural areas and how it can be given a facelift. Jobs in rural hinterland should be the priority. One paper had a series of stories on how people with expectations of 10,000rs salary are building their ambition. Compare this to the mammoth that greets the urban section thereby opening more doors for migration.


Watching Captain Jean Cernan with a hat and the other story on networks barely covering christian persecution evinced interest. What did not  evince interest was ICC event where some commentators are going from bad to worse. Shame and Assaulton are worst speakers, speaking with a mind that is racist and reprehensible. ICC and the sports channel that has the mandate to organise and cover the event shows the air of arrogance it is flowing with and some commentators having the liberty to lift their arrogance level to a point rarely seen. Sometimes appearances could be deceptive, but shame and assaulton shame the proceedings from the word go. Millions would love to watch them but there would be a minority that would detest their presence and disassociate from their commentary campaign skills  And enjoying their company are others who don't let them know when they have crossed the line like those hailing from subcontinent.  And there won't be dearth of commentators who would like to follow suit if given a free hand to launch innuendoes. Do they hail from territories that gives wide space to be racist?  Shame and assaulthon shame the proceedings and there would be others who would bask in their glory. Both nations with a white majority has a majority of the populace that thinks right. Racist comments, innuendoes here and there don't lead to much of a security problem but if continued for long and let such shameful characters take charge could spell trouble. You tend to get into hotels, get into scuffle and try to be racist, firing all innuendoes, you have enjoyed the freedom to be racially/physically proactive. It would have been better to not organise this event if you have speakers who can't define sobriety as it does not form part of their lexicon.

All across the world the campaign to get peace and patience registered is a prayer on the lips of majority. If we tend to write about blacks and the hard times they face, such characters with white antecedents demean the very thought process we are grappling with. Whites in majority love to be sweet and simple, but these very unsavoury characters shame and assaulthon tend to bring a bad bad name. Where is the need to organise this event?

As we try to explore Caribbean and its riches, thoughts go out on Africa and how strong are its resources. Papua new Guinea is another area rich in tourism; some effort required to get the infrastructure on track. On the other side the Transatlantic alliance has stood test of times, testing times would see how much sanity we all can maintain. Some would reckon a new decision on port construction in nearby country would have to come for not upsetting the peace template in the region. Let us see how it unwinds in the next 15 days.