Passionate About India: The government should immediately ban the word 'Ch...:
The government on its part banned bulk messages for 15 days, as well as multimedia messages of over 25 KB throughout the country. The government also blocked a total of 310 web pages, which provided, in one form or the other, morphed images of riots in Assam which had been instigating hate sentiments among over 60 million Indian net users. The banned web pages include specific pages from Twitter and Facebook as well – it’s estimated that 36 million in India use Facebook and 15 million use Twitter. Our ruling elites have perchance presumed that banning SMS texts and some social networking sites is enough to stem the trouble – these in reality are actually the tip of the iceberg of a much deeper-rooted problem. Although the government has set the tone of its action by blocking the hate pages from various websites, this is more of a juvenile and a temporary step. What our policy makers forget is that till one and a half decades ago, there were no social networking sites, yet there had been numerous catastrophic riots in the region.
Read more: http://arindamchaudhuri.blogspot.in/2012/08/the-government-should-immediately-ban.html
Thursday, 30 August 2012
Passionate About India: The government should immediately ban the word 'Ch...
Passionate About India: The government should immediately ban the word 'Ch...:
The government on its part banned bulk messages for 15 days, as well as multimedia messages of over 25 KB throughout the country. The government also blocked a total of 310 web pages, which provided, in one form or the other, morphed images of riots in Assam which had been instigating hate sentiments among over 60 million Indian net users. The banned web pages include specific pages from Twitter and Facebook as well – it’s estimated that 36 million in India use Facebook and 15 million use Twitter. Our ruling elites have perchance presumed that banning SMS texts and some social networking sites is enough to stem the trouble – these in reality are actually the tip of the iceberg of a much deeper-rooted problem. Although the government has set the tone of its action by blocking the hate pages from various websites, this is more of a juvenile and a temporary step. What our policy makers forget is that till one and a half decades ago, there were no social networking sites, yet there had been numerous catastrophic riots in the region.
Read more: http://arindamchaudhuri.blogspot.in/2012/08/the-government-should-immediately-ban.html
The government on its part banned bulk messages for 15 days, as well as multimedia messages of over 25 KB throughout the country. The government also blocked a total of 310 web pages, which provided, in one form or the other, morphed images of riots in Assam which had been instigating hate sentiments among over 60 million Indian net users. The banned web pages include specific pages from Twitter and Facebook as well – it’s estimated that 36 million in India use Facebook and 15 million use Twitter. Our ruling elites have perchance presumed that banning SMS texts and some social networking sites is enough to stem the trouble – these in reality are actually the tip of the iceberg of a much deeper-rooted problem. Although the government has set the tone of its action by blocking the hate pages from various websites, this is more of a juvenile and a temporary step. What our policy makers forget is that till one and a half decades ago, there were no social networking sites, yet there had been numerous catastrophic riots in the region.
Read more: http://arindamchaudhuri.blogspot.in/2012/08/the-government-should-immediately-ban.html
Wednesday, 29 August 2012
Business is Marketing: JUST DO IT!
Business is Marketing: JUST DO IT!:
In today’s world, where we live in an environment of clutter, chaos and confusion, the person who is able to de-clutter and simplify his life is the one who can achieve the maximum. Most of us are doing too much – speaking too much, connecting too much (thanks to Facebook and other networking sites), multitasking too much, aiming for too many goals, filling our workday with too many commitments, and the list goes on. It’s time to hold back, think, and simplify things. It’s time to focus on the essential and de-clutter, and de-stress our life. All successful people have done it.
Read more: http://rajitachaudhuri.blogspot.in/2012/08/just-do-it.html
In today’s world, where we live in an environment of clutter, chaos and confusion, the person who is able to de-clutter and simplify his life is the one who can achieve the maximum. Most of us are doing too much – speaking too much, connecting too much (thanks to Facebook and other networking sites), multitasking too much, aiming for too many goals, filling our workday with too many commitments, and the list goes on. It’s time to hold back, think, and simplify things. It’s time to focus on the essential and de-clutter, and de-stress our life. All successful people have done it.
Read more: http://rajitachaudhuri.blogspot.in/2012/08/just-do-it.html
COMMON SENSE SIMPLIFIED: SENSE OF CENSOR
COMMON SENSE SIMPLIFIED: SENSE OF CENSOR:
As a measure of policy upshot to censor nonnews television programs, the Broadcasting Content Complaints Council (BCCC) that was formed in June last year, is already over the edge, with heaps of complaints pouring in against the free fall of moral content (that includes obscenity and violence) of the small screen programs. Within 6 months of its inception, BCCC received 3441 complaints, and between June 20, 2011 and July 02, 2012, 717 separate complaints were lodged with the new regulatory body. In this latter period, 47 per cent of the complaints were against obscenity and nudity and 16 per cent were against portrayal of violence, especially against women. The BCCC, in its turn have decided to use its armory against 479 complaints that it has taken seriously and has decided to act.
Read more: http://prasoonsmajumdar.blogspot.in/2012/08/sense-of-censor.html
As a measure of policy upshot to censor nonnews television programs, the Broadcasting Content Complaints Council (BCCC) that was formed in June last year, is already over the edge, with heaps of complaints pouring in against the free fall of moral content (that includes obscenity and violence) of the small screen programs. Within 6 months of its inception, BCCC received 3441 complaints, and between June 20, 2011 and July 02, 2012, 717 separate complaints were lodged with the new regulatory body. In this latter period, 47 per cent of the complaints were against obscenity and nudity and 16 per cent were against portrayal of violence, especially against women. The BCCC, in its turn have decided to use its armory against 479 complaints that it has taken seriously and has decided to act.
Read more: http://prasoonsmajumdar.blogspot.in/2012/08/sense-of-censor.html
Thursday, 23 August 2012
Passionate About India: An open letter to my Muslim brothers
Passionate About India: An open letter to my Muslim brothers:
But my question is: is that justification for molesting lady constables, desecrating the Amar Jawan Jyoti, randomly attacking people from the north east and threatening them and also destroying a Buddha statue? This is where my blunt question to my Muslims brothers, who are also fellow Indians must be asked: why are you getting so worked up over the persecution of Muslims in Myanmar? Why are you not holding rallies and organising protests against the daily massacre of Muslims in countries like Syria? Why are you not protesting against the senseless manner in which Shias are being butchered in Pakistan? Even more important: is there any dearth of real problems that Muslims face in India, while they remain one of the most economically marginalized sections of the society?
Read more: http://arindamchaudhuri.blogspot.in/2012/08/an-open-letter-to-my-muslim-brothers.html
But my question is: is that justification for molesting lady constables, desecrating the Amar Jawan Jyoti, randomly attacking people from the north east and threatening them and also destroying a Buddha statue? This is where my blunt question to my Muslims brothers, who are also fellow Indians must be asked: why are you getting so worked up over the persecution of Muslims in Myanmar? Why are you not holding rallies and organising protests against the daily massacre of Muslims in countries like Syria? Why are you not protesting against the senseless manner in which Shias are being butchered in Pakistan? Even more important: is there any dearth of real problems that Muslims face in India, while they remain one of the most economically marginalized sections of the society?
Read more: http://arindamchaudhuri.blogspot.in/2012/08/an-open-letter-to-my-muslim-brothers.html
Sutanu Guru: ARE WE HEADING AGAIN FOR THE SHAH BANO, BABRI MASJ...
Sutanu Guru: ARE WE HEADING AGAIN FOR THE SHAH BANO, BABRI MASJ...:
That is where I come to those days of Shah Bano when thethen Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi used the brute majority of his party in the Parliament to overturn a Supreme Court verdict that said even Muslim women in India are entitled to alimony and maintenance after divorce. Not much had been heard about the VHP and Bajrang Dal before that. The so called Ram Mandir movement was still a fringe affair that an (L) December 6, 1992; Ayodhya: Hindu nationalists (supporters of VHP, Shiv Sena and BJP) tearing down the Babri Masjid mosque. In the nationwide riots caused, more than 2,000 people were killed; (R) August 18, 2010; Bareilly: Riots and curfews on a regular basis symbolise the fierce and noisy antagonism between the Hindus and the Muslims in this city (SMS your views with your name and topic to 0-9818101234) overwhelming majority of Hindus preferred to ignore. But what happened after Shah Bano? VHP, Bajrang Dal and Ram Janambhoomi suddenly became mainstream. Thousands of bureaucrats, armed forces personnel and others started loudly talking about Hindus getting second class treatment in their own country and started joining the BJP. All this actually helped the BJP capture power in Delhi. Of course, secular warriors say that all those bureaucrats and army officers who joined the BJP were actually bigots who came out of their closets. Many were, no doubt. But to say that a guy like Maj. Gen. (Retd.) B.C. Khandhuri – the man who has been responsible for the National Highways success – is also a closet bigot means you need psychiatric treatment. But then, there are secular warriors who firmly believe that a majority of voters in Gujarat who keep voting for Narendra Modi are bigots.
Read more: http://www.sutanuguru.com/2012/08/are-we-heading-again-for-shah-bano.html
That is where I come to those days of Shah Bano when thethen Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi used the brute majority of his party in the Parliament to overturn a Supreme Court verdict that said even Muslim women in India are entitled to alimony and maintenance after divorce. Not much had been heard about the VHP and Bajrang Dal before that. The so called Ram Mandir movement was still a fringe affair that an (L) December 6, 1992; Ayodhya: Hindu nationalists (supporters of VHP, Shiv Sena and BJP) tearing down the Babri Masjid mosque. In the nationwide riots caused, more than 2,000 people were killed; (R) August 18, 2010; Bareilly: Riots and curfews on a regular basis symbolise the fierce and noisy antagonism between the Hindus and the Muslims in this city (SMS your views with your name and topic to 0-9818101234) overwhelming majority of Hindus preferred to ignore. But what happened after Shah Bano? VHP, Bajrang Dal and Ram Janambhoomi suddenly became mainstream. Thousands of bureaucrats, armed forces personnel and others started loudly talking about Hindus getting second class treatment in their own country and started joining the BJP. All this actually helped the BJP capture power in Delhi. Of course, secular warriors say that all those bureaucrats and army officers who joined the BJP were actually bigots who came out of their closets. Many were, no doubt. But to say that a guy like Maj. Gen. (Retd.) B.C. Khandhuri – the man who has been responsible for the National Highways success – is also a closet bigot means you need psychiatric treatment. But then, there are secular warriors who firmly believe that a majority of voters in Gujarat who keep voting for Narendra Modi are bigots.
Read more: http://www.sutanuguru.com/2012/08/are-we-heading-again-for-shah-bano.html
Typos: THE SILENT EXTINCTION
Typos: THE SILENT EXTINCTION:
Read more: http://prashantobanerji.blogspot.in/2012/08/the-silent-extinction.html
Otters lack the magnificence of the great beasts that lay slain alongside them and so they hardly ever seem to get noticed. There have never been any significant researches about otters in this country and we don’t even know how many we once had and how few now remain. What we do know that there was once a time when they were a common sight along our rivers and streams, and today we would be hard pressed to find a family group in even the protected national parks.
Wednesday, 22 August 2012
Business is Marketing: NEVER NEVER NEVER GIVE UP
Business is Marketing: NEVER NEVER NEVER GIVE UP:
She was born into a family of jhum cultivators of Manipur. She helped her parents till the fields and looked after her siblings. Brought up in such a modest background, she never imagined that she would one day win a medal for her country at the Olympics. The woman I am talking about is Mary Kom, a true winner who, without any formal training and money, has won six gold medals at World Championships. This year, she made India proud by winning a bronze for the country. While better and more popular athletes crashed out, this woman put up a tough fight and achieved victory. Her story is the story of a woman who never gave up.
Read more: http://rajitachaudhuri.blogspot.in/2012/08/never-never-never-give-up.html
She was born into a family of jhum cultivators of Manipur. She helped her parents till the fields and looked after her siblings. Brought up in such a modest background, she never imagined that she would one day win a medal for her country at the Olympics. The woman I am talking about is Mary Kom, a true winner who, without any formal training and money, has won six gold medals at World Championships. This year, she made India proud by winning a bronze for the country. While better and more popular athletes crashed out, this woman put up a tough fight and achieved victory. Her story is the story of a woman who never gave up.
Read more: http://rajitachaudhuri.blogspot.in/2012/08/never-never-never-give-up.html
COMMON SENSE SIMPLIFIED: PEACE IN THE ECONOMY
COMMON SENSE SIMPLIFIED: PEACE IN THE ECONOMY:
Internal peace and economic development share an uncanny correlation. But then, it is quite rare when a policy maker correlates these two discreet variables, while making plans for inclusive growth, whereas these conventional indicators are deeply inter mingled in our societal framework. Recently, both the Growth Domestic Product (GDP) of the nation and our ranking in the Global Peace Index (GPI) has gone down. And why not, with perpetual social and political turmoil, the economy has been on the brink. With more political and social turmoil, the economy is also seen experiencing tremors. Be it the latest Assam mayhem or the on-going naxal problems or the recent labour-corporation friction at Manesar – almost all these event had a strong impact on our economy.
read more: http://prasoonsmajumdar.blogspot.in/2012/08/peace-in-economy.html
Internal peace and economic development share an uncanny correlation. But then, it is quite rare when a policy maker correlates these two discreet variables, while making plans for inclusive growth, whereas these conventional indicators are deeply inter mingled in our societal framework. Recently, both the Growth Domestic Product (GDP) of the nation and our ranking in the Global Peace Index (GPI) has gone down. And why not, with perpetual social and political turmoil, the economy has been on the brink. With more political and social turmoil, the economy is also seen experiencing tremors. Be it the latest Assam mayhem or the on-going naxal problems or the recent labour-corporation friction at Manesar – almost all these event had a strong impact on our economy.
read more: http://prasoonsmajumdar.blogspot.in/2012/08/peace-in-economy.html
Thursday, 16 August 2012
Passionate About India: Why the UID card should be made every citizen's co...
Passionate About India: Why the UID card should be made every citizen's co...:
The importance of such data in this age of information needs no mention. No nation today can come out with holistic and feasible developmental policies without taking into consideration the real picture of the economy and the society. Neither can a government infer the effectiveness of its policies without reading the right data. Imagine the consequence of those policies that our policy makers draft based on dated reports or even non-available data. The crying example is our reservation policy that is based on the Sachar Committee Report, which is almost six years old! And in these six years, the country’s demographic has seen major movements. Similarly, NREGA (National Rural Employment Guarantee Act), SSA (Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan) and several other poverty alleviation programs are framed on reports based on census data that are decades old and quite obsolete!
Read more: http://www.arindamchaudhuri.blogspot.in/2012/08/why-uid-card-should-be-made-every.html
The importance of such data in this age of information needs no mention. No nation today can come out with holistic and feasible developmental policies without taking into consideration the real picture of the economy and the society. Neither can a government infer the effectiveness of its policies without reading the right data. Imagine the consequence of those policies that our policy makers draft based on dated reports or even non-available data. The crying example is our reservation policy that is based on the Sachar Committee Report, which is almost six years old! And in these six years, the country’s demographic has seen major movements. Similarly, NREGA (National Rural Employment Guarantee Act), SSA (Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan) and several other poverty alleviation programs are framed on reports based on census data that are decades old and quite obsolete!
Read more: http://www.arindamchaudhuri.blogspot.in/2012/08/why-uid-card-should-be-made-every.html
Typos: UNDONE BY THE UNBEARABLE LIGHTNESS OF BEING
Typos: UNDONE BY THE UNBEARABLE LIGHTNESS OF BEING:
“This is the real stuff… exquisite and beautiful! Just touch it and you will know…”, Riaz insisted with a twinkle in his eye. I obliged and in that moment I must have betrayed a trace of sensual surrender for he added… “Ah, you like it! I have more… as many as you might want.” I was surprised. The delicate and incredible lightness of the fabric I now held between my thumb and my forefinger reminded me of the time I had held a butterfly’s wings as it settled on a flower. Th at time, I didn’t know that my innocent act had doomed the butterfly but now if I bought this shawl, I knew I would be commissioning the murder of another dozen chiru.
Read more: http://prashantobanerji.blogspot.in/2012/08/undone-by-unbearable-lightness-of-being.html
“This is the real stuff… exquisite and beautiful! Just touch it and you will know…”, Riaz insisted with a twinkle in his eye. I obliged and in that moment I must have betrayed a trace of sensual surrender for he added… “Ah, you like it! I have more… as many as you might want.” I was surprised. The delicate and incredible lightness of the fabric I now held between my thumb and my forefinger reminded me of the time I had held a butterfly’s wings as it settled on a flower. Th at time, I didn’t know that my innocent act had doomed the butterfly but now if I bought this shawl, I knew I would be commissioning the murder of another dozen chiru.
Read more: http://prashantobanerji.blogspot.in/2012/08/undone-by-unbearable-lightness-of-being.html
COMMON SENSE SIMPLIFIED: PERENNIAL BLACKOUT
COMMON SENSE SIMPLIFIED: PERENNIAL BLACKOUT:
The bottom line of the problem is the poor showing of the State Electricity Boards and dearth of reforms in power distribution that can portend a situation of losses touching up to 1.2 per cent of India's nominal GDP by March 2014. With no effort to stem the crisis, the losses rose in FY 2010 to 0.9 per cent, a significant jump from 0.6 per cent in FY 2006. Th e losses are accumulating because the power generation has failed to keep pace with our economic growth. It is paradoxical that electricity generation has experienced a draw-down in the liberalised era from its previous period. In the period 1980-81 to 1990-91 the power generation grew by impressive 124 per cent, only to be blunted by the ill-effects of much reduced growth in the next decade by mere 58 per cent, and then followed by an augment of 75 per cent in the first decade of this century. Accordingly, a similar consumption trend prevailed.
Read more: http://prasoonsmajumdar.blogspot.in/2012/08/perennial-blackout.html
The bottom line of the problem is the poor showing of the State Electricity Boards and dearth of reforms in power distribution that can portend a situation of losses touching up to 1.2 per cent of India's nominal GDP by March 2014. With no effort to stem the crisis, the losses rose in FY 2010 to 0.9 per cent, a significant jump from 0.6 per cent in FY 2006. Th e losses are accumulating because the power generation has failed to keep pace with our economic growth. It is paradoxical that electricity generation has experienced a draw-down in the liberalised era from its previous period. In the period 1980-81 to 1990-91 the power generation grew by impressive 124 per cent, only to be blunted by the ill-effects of much reduced growth in the next decade by mere 58 per cent, and then followed by an augment of 75 per cent in the first decade of this century. Accordingly, a similar consumption trend prevailed.
Read more: http://prasoonsmajumdar.blogspot.in/2012/08/perennial-blackout.html
Thursday, 2 August 2012
Typos: THE LITTLE BROWN DOG
Typos: THE LITTLE BROWN DOG:
I held up my hand towards oncoming traffic and moved closer towards the dog. Its hind legs seemed ok but were splayed at an odd angle. I could see a little blood but the wounds seemed superficial. I wanted to move the dog away from the road but was worried about further damaging the dog’s condition. Also, one must ensure that the dog’s mouth is secure during such maneuvers because a creature that is both scared and in pain might just snap and bite in fear and frustration. I realised I would need help… I raised both hands and asking for help as I stood beside the dog and soon enough a kindly biker stopped and parked his bike right in front of the dog to create a barrier of sorts between the dog and the traffic. Together we secured the dog’s muzzle and then, as gently as possible, we picked her up and gently set her down on a muddy knoll by the side of the road. The dog needed help and fast. I poured out a little water for the animal in a coconut shell, thanked the biker for his help and rushed inside the car to flip out the phone and call any one of the various shelters for help.
Read more: http://prashantobanerji.blogspot.in/2012/08/the-little-brown-dog.html
I held up my hand towards oncoming traffic and moved closer towards the dog. Its hind legs seemed ok but were splayed at an odd angle. I could see a little blood but the wounds seemed superficial. I wanted to move the dog away from the road but was worried about further damaging the dog’s condition. Also, one must ensure that the dog’s mouth is secure during such maneuvers because a creature that is both scared and in pain might just snap and bite in fear and frustration. I realised I would need help… I raised both hands and asking for help as I stood beside the dog and soon enough a kindly biker stopped and parked his bike right in front of the dog to create a barrier of sorts between the dog and the traffic. Together we secured the dog’s muzzle and then, as gently as possible, we picked her up and gently set her down on a muddy knoll by the side of the road. The dog needed help and fast. I poured out a little water for the animal in a coconut shell, thanked the biker for his help and rushed inside the car to flip out the phone and call any one of the various shelters for help.
Read more: http://prashantobanerji.blogspot.in/2012/08/the-little-brown-dog.html
COMMON SENSE SIMPLIFIED: POLITICS OF ILLEGAL COLONIES
COMMON SENSE SIMPLIFIED: POLITICS OF ILLEGAL COLONIES:
The regularisation of unauthorised colonies seems to be a very potent vote catcher. Parkash Singh Badal knew it too well when he announced his regularisation drive that was the tipping point ahead of this year’s assembly election, that he won. The decision was taken in December by the incumbent government – chaired by him – where he declared that local municipal institutions will curve out identification and demarcation process which will be followed by regularising them and their development programmes will be treated at par with other localities. However, the regularisation endeavour of Punjab government has a catch and a price! The property holders in the unlawful colonies have to pay a development charge of 75 per cent of the property price in exchange for restoring legality of the colonies. It also restates that at least a majority of the owners must deposit the charge for the government to extend the facility. Predictably, there are very few takers to this proposal. The people residing in the illegal colonies form a major chunk of votes, too precious for the incumbent governments to loose. Bhupender Singh Hooda and Parkash Singh Badal realised it too well, and so did Sheila Dixit – all hell bent on speeding up the infrastructural development in the areas where the illegal colonies are located. It is a trend line in which regularisation of unauthorised colonies remains the dominant force behind the campaigns.
Read more: http://prasoonsmajumdar.blogspot.in/2012/08/politics-of-illegal-colonies.html
The regularisation of unauthorised colonies seems to be a very potent vote catcher. Parkash Singh Badal knew it too well when he announced his regularisation drive that was the tipping point ahead of this year’s assembly election, that he won. The decision was taken in December by the incumbent government – chaired by him – where he declared that local municipal institutions will curve out identification and demarcation process which will be followed by regularising them and their development programmes will be treated at par with other localities. However, the regularisation endeavour of Punjab government has a catch and a price! The property holders in the unlawful colonies have to pay a development charge of 75 per cent of the property price in exchange for restoring legality of the colonies. It also restates that at least a majority of the owners must deposit the charge for the government to extend the facility. Predictably, there are very few takers to this proposal. The people residing in the illegal colonies form a major chunk of votes, too precious for the incumbent governments to loose. Bhupender Singh Hooda and Parkash Singh Badal realised it too well, and so did Sheila Dixit – all hell bent on speeding up the infrastructural development in the areas where the illegal colonies are located. It is a trend line in which regularisation of unauthorised colonies remains the dominant force behind the campaigns.
Read more: http://prasoonsmajumdar.blogspot.in/2012/08/politics-of-illegal-colonies.html
Passionate About India: Privatise and outsource our prisons!
Passionate About India: Privatise and outsource our prisons!:
Prisons in India are not only a liability on society but have lost the very essence of their objective. Let me discuss this issue point by point. Most of the prisons in our country (barring two or maximum three) are a cost for the nation. The total expenditure on all prisons combined, across the nation, was estimated to be around Rs.2,69,726.80 lakhs during the year 2010-11, with every prisoner, on an average, costing the exchequer Rs.19,446.60 (2010-11 data)! Now, here is where the paradox lies. These criminals are stuffed (literally) into our prisons since they have created either an economic loss or social loss to the country; and they are then made to survive on the tax paid by that very aggrieved society. In simple terms, the total cost on all prisoners put together is shared by around 150,000 taxpayers!
Read more: http://arindamchaudhuri.blogspot.in/2012/08/privatise-and-outsource-our-prisons.html
Prisons in India are not only a liability on society but have lost the very essence of their objective. Let me discuss this issue point by point. Most of the prisons in our country (barring two or maximum three) are a cost for the nation. The total expenditure on all prisons combined, across the nation, was estimated to be around Rs.2,69,726.80 lakhs during the year 2010-11, with every prisoner, on an average, costing the exchequer Rs.19,446.60 (2010-11 data)! Now, here is where the paradox lies. These criminals are stuffed (literally) into our prisons since they have created either an economic loss or social loss to the country; and they are then made to survive on the tax paid by that very aggrieved society. In simple terms, the total cost on all prisoners put together is shared by around 150,000 taxpayers!
Read more: http://arindamchaudhuri.blogspot.in/2012/08/privatise-and-outsource-our-prisons.html
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)