Prime Minister's Tour of USA

Indian Premier in in USA on a state visit. Democracies of world must unite to promote harmony amidst the present chaos. Internet have definitely been a leveler for the world netizen. I earnestly hope that we the citizens of the world, though divided into many countries, races etc will find the equilibrium soon. After all, we can't be in this agitated mode for ever. Science tells that whenever an electron is 'excited', it goes into a higher orbit. However it comes back soon & in this process, emits energy as light or radiation. I guess it is going to be similar. I hope all the violence that we are experiencing in different parts of world is akin to energy dissipation. I earnestly hope that we will be back to equilibrium and at peace with other people/nations. Hopefully we won't have to go back to the stone age and wisdom will prevail.

കണ്ണൂരും രാഷ്ട്രീയവും

കേരളം വീണ്ടും ഒരു ഉപതിരഞ്ഞെടുപ്പിന് ഒരുങ്ങുന്നു. എറണാകുളത്തും കണ്ണൂരും ശ്രദ്ധേയമായ മത്സരങ്ങള്‍ നടക്കുമെന്ന് തീര്‍ച്ച. സ്ഥാനര്തികള്‍ രംഗത്ത് ഇറങ്ങും മുന്‍പ്‌ രംഗം കൊഴുക്കുന്ന കാഴ്ച പുത്തരിയല്ല. ഇത്തവണ വോട്ടര്‍പട്ടിക ആണ് വില്ലന്‍. കരടുപട്ടിക (വര്‍ക്കിംഗ്‌ ലിസ്റ്റ്) ലഭ്യമാക്കണം എന്നാവശ്യപെട്ടു കോണ്ഗ്രസ് പ്രവര്‍ത്തകര്‍ ബഹളം ഉണ്ടാക്കിയെങ്കിലും വലിയ ഫലം കണ്ടില്ല. പട്ടികയില്‍ വ്യാജവോട്ടര്‍മാര്‍ ഉണ്ട് എന്ന ആരോപണത്തിന് സാധുത ഉണ്ട് എന്നറിയുന്നു.

ഇന്ത്യ ചൈന ഭായി ഭായി

എന്താണ് നടക്കുന്നത് ? അരുണാചല്‍ പ്രദേശിനെ ചൊല്ലി ഇടയുവാനുള്ള ശ്രമം ആരംഭിച്ചിരിക്കുന്നു. എത്രയും പെട്ടെന്ന് പ്രശ്നങ്ങള്‍ക്ക് പരിഹാരം ഉണ്ടാകും എന്ന് പ്രതീക്ഷിക്കാമോ?

Economic Recession & India especially Kerala

World Economy is facing problems & many are getting affected. Some lost jobs, some got pay packets reduced, some sectors closed altogether so on and so forth. Where do India stand? It is a known fact that all the IT, BPO, KPO stuff were bringing valuable foreign currency apart from work & life style to many Indians. This will get definitely affected. For states like Kerala, where wealth comes from Gulf & Europe thanks to the 'Pravasi'. With economic slow down, many are expected to return. That's an interesting situation. On one hand the money inflow gets badly affected & on the other hand, number of mouths to be fed becomes higher. For some months, the Gulf Returnee might live on the savings. However this can't be eternal. Many of the fields especially in construction, Kerala was facing acute shortage of manpower. The wages of labour (Skilled or otherwise) have skyrocketed so much that it has become very difficult for the middle class people to construct a home.
Hopefully returning migrant people might consider working again & if that happens, the bloated wages as well as construction costs can come down. This gives me good hope to construct something for myself!
As they say in management jargon, one must consider setbacks like slow down as a challenge and take it as an opportunity. In these difficult days, the onus of keeping the economy safe and sound should be the highest priority for the government. With a transition in place, hopefully Government will rise above petty political differences and rise up to the occasion. India has a very good opportunity to build infrastructure using this time interval. Since many of the good companies (L&T, Gammon, IVRCL, HCC, Bhageeratha etc etc) will find their order book shrinking, they will be willing to execute works at lesser cost to keep their machinery moving. India needs a lot of infrastructure facilities. Many financial institutions like world bank, IMF will be in a position to give loans to Government of India. Wonderful opportunity for India - Good competitive financing options, Competent companies & Fine work force.
Hope governance gets delinked from politics and all concerned raises above myopic visions.
Have a nice time !

Juggernaut of Indian Democracy - Elections

In the backdrop of Economic Slowdown gripping the whole world (Some even term it as Economic Meltdown possibly pointing to global warming ! ), the mother of all democracies of the world is getting geared up for the greatest event viz., Elections. Being into the election year, budget presentation was scaled down to mere vote-on-accounts in line with the traditions. Since Prime Minister who holds finance portfolio is recuperating after surgery, Sri. Pranab Mukherji presented vote on accounts. He is reported to have said that governement had to abstain from declaring radical measures which are the need of the day. Hopefully the next government will go full steam ahead into the task so that the effects on country's economy is minimal.
All political parties have started making headlines by announcing this policy or that comment. Though election dates are yet to be announced, the background work is already on. Some of the candidates have also been fixed. I wonder what common man is getting out of all these expenditure. With Sri. T.N. Seshan assuming the office of the election commission, tight vigil on the activities of political parties during election period has set in. Luckily the situation continues even now though there had been dilutions by adding the number of election commissioners. Strangely enough there are some disord within that institution these days. Political parties have already taken partisan stands. I hope the dignity of the office of election commission will be held high.

Kissing In Indian Public Places

As per a TV report in a (landmark) judgement by the Delhi High Court, a couple were released from legal tangles. They were charged with obscene behaviour as per the appropriate law provisions by the police for kissing in a public place. The court has observed that an expression of love can't be construed as obscene. This will definitely come as a solace to many youngsters in India.
The act of kissing comes in different hues. It can be as innocuous as a peck in cheek to a full fledged french variety. (I wonder why the french word ? Did such kissing style originate from France?) Certain type of kisses are generally considered to be sexy to say the least. Hope some prudence will prevail in the minds of kissing parties so that it will not look vulgar to side walkers when done in public place.
Happy Kissing around!

Global Warming - Kerala Initiatives

Tourism Department has re-christened Keralam as " God's Own Country ". Anyone who passes through the lush greenery, vast water bodies, pristine rain forests, icy high range will assent a nod to the title. With so much of concern being raised for Global Warming, Keralites can do their bit in this fight. Interestingly government departments have conducted a symposium on this issue. Though television news item did not give much insight into the program schedule, it did show short clip on minister speaking about some large percentage of contribution being from America. Alternating governments can surely be very proud in stating that the industrial carbon foot print for Kerala is comparable to that of a virgin rain forest. Governments in collusion with trade unions have ensured that no new industry came up during their regime. All existing industries were given such harsh conditions to work with that they preferred to close the shutters instead of expansion. The moral of the story is that there is always positive side even in the grave unemployment situation of Kerala. I am wondering whether any developed nation will allow us 'carbon credits' for this feat. If you think so, kindly get in touch with state finance minister who is guarding an empty treasury.

Wishes for a Happy New Year

This being the first post of year 2009, it is time to wish you a happy and prosperous year ahead.
I had been to Kerala during the last month. Ernakulam witnessed the muscle flexing meetings of leading poplitical parties of both fronts in recent times. With elections coming close, what else a political entity requires to do ? At first it was the turn of Congress Party which leads the United Democratic Front. National president Ms.Sonia Gandhi attended the meeting. Congress is synonimous with groupism. In Earlier days, there were two prominent groups affiliated to Sri. A. K. Antony and Sri. K. Karunakaran. Then came the third group - reformists! Even at panchayat, mandal, block, district levels, there were many a groups. In fact each leader who had some clout did develop own groupism forgetting to promote the party!
After the Congress meeting at Ernakulam was over, it was the turn of CPI(M). They too did the show well. Being a cadre party, they had things planned in the meticulous way. It ws repoprted in the press that District secretary had instructed party cadre to applaud when the National General Secretary Sri. Parakash Karat comes to speak. It seems the applause that was offered to him during some earlier meetings were less than what Sri.V.S. Achuthanandan got. Since power & post in the governmental setup must not be above the party rank, such behaviour of the mob is totally against the tenets of CPI(M) policies!
If you had been to Ernakulam during any of these meetings, you would have realised how difficult normal life was. Schools were closed by noon on the day of CPI(M) rally owing mostly to traffic restrictions in the city. Attendance in offices in the afternoon was terribly affected. Traffic towards western side of railwayoverbridges were cut off. Public transport systems were diverted and in some cases they had to cut short their route. I earnestly plead to all parties / organisations who plan to organise such rallies to consider inconveniences caused to public while planning these rallies. Allappuzha being town with narrow roads used to be the favourite hangout for rallies. Life in town normally gets crippled with any such rallies.
It is time we think about the national loss of productivity owing to these rallies. The mentality towards bandh, hartal, rallies needs to be changed. We make the slightest excuse to escape from our responsibilities. Do you think such a trend is good?
P.S. I wonder whether same people are attending all these rallies for returns in cash and kind?