That was a proud moment for me at a time when very few people could do it.

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Erno Rubik, the reclusive inventor of the homonymous cube offers a somewhat philosophical look at the story of the world's greatest puzzle…

On the origins of the Cube…

I was sure it was something very interesting and important in my life but I was not thinking about its commercial potential. For me it was a curious object, a puzzle for solving. However, I was trying to develop it as a product, because if you only have ideas, you can’t share them with other people.

The early challenges…

Everybody said it wouldn’t work, it was much too hard, they said; it didn’t make any nice noises, whatever. There was no market for it, basically. In the end, one company (the Ideal Toy Corporation) was willing to give it a try. They thought we might sell a million Cubes in the first year if we were lucky; as it was we sold five million, and it just took off from there.

And, now there’s the emerging popularity of ‘Speedcubing’…

It’s difficult to predict what will happen with a toy, and for me this aspect of the Cube – the competitions, I mean – wasn’t something that I was thinking about at the beginning at all. Usually a puzzle is a solitary pursuit. You are alone, you have time to work on it; you are not forced by the clock. So for me it is very interesting, this Speedcubing thing. I have solved the Cube. That was a proud moment for me at a time when very few people could do it. Back then my task was to prove that it could be done, because people said it couldn’t. But now these... these wonder-boys can do it much faster. In the 1980s my average time was about one minute. But now, I would have no chance to be a contestant in the Championships (laughs).

The Cube’s international appeal…

One of the main characteristics of the Cube is that it has no national character. It’s about a human being trying to solve his or her problem.

The impact of the Internet…

The Internet makes a difference to everything. It makes a difference to life. Nowadays the Cube has such a wide audience via the Internet. And they’re not just an audience, they’re an interactive community: they are listening, telling and showing what they have done.

A test of intelligence…

I don’t know. It’s very difficult to define. It’s not any one thing. The Cube is a test, sure, but in my view, well, the whole of life is a test.

The Cube’s future…

“If it’s capable of living for almost 30 years, it’s probably capable of living forever.”


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An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri and Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

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I see you clearer, the movements of your body, your hands, so quick, so determined, it's almost a meeting,

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Czech-born German-speaking writer, Franz Kafka (1883- 1924) worked for much of his life as an official in an insurance company. His posthumously published novels express the alienation of the 20th century man. Kafka's nightmares of dehumanisation, bureaucratic labyrinths, and totalitarian society have much in common with the works of George Orwell. His works of fiction were written in his spare time and many of his novels were published after his death. Kafka met Felice Bauer in 1912; for 5 years they pursued a tempestuous love affair.

10th October, 1913,Prague

Dear Frau Milena,

I have never lived among German people, German is my mother-tongue and therefore natural to me, but Czech feels to me far more intimate, which is why your letter dispels many an uncertainty, I see you clearer, the movements of your body, your hands, so quick, so determined, it's almost a meeting, although when I try to raise my eyes to your face, then in the flow of the letter--what a story!--fire breaks out and I see nothing but fire.

I somehow can no longer write of anything but what concerns us, us in the turmoil of the world, just us. Everything else is remote. Wrong! Wrong! But the lips are mumbling and my face lies in your lap.

The most beautiful of your letters are those in which you agree with my "fear" and at the same time try to explain that I don't need to have it. For I too, even though I may sometimes look like a bribed defender of my "fear," probably agree with it deep down in myself, indeed it is part of me and perhaps the best part. And as it is my best, it is also perhaps this alone that you love. For what else worthy of love could be found in me? But this is worthy of love.


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Neil Nitin Mukesh, proving to be not just another Johnny-come-lately, in a tête-à-tête with Aakriti Bhardwaj…

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You were paired opposite Bipasha in “Aa Dekhen Zara” and are working with Katrina in “New York”. How was it working with relatively more experienced stars? Did they have any starry tantrums?

Not at all! They are both dear friends and they are both lovely people. Off-screen they are both extremely nice and cordial, and both are very fond of me. That is why I would say the chemistry came easily and very naturally. I think every day of shooting was great. Bipasha is bliss to work with. She is extremely professional and very talented and, I don’t need to say that she is a great co-star. Katrina and I had a fight on the first day of “New York”. It was a very immature first introduction kind of a thing. It was weird but no, after that we became friends instantly. Did you at any time state that you’d only be doing commercial cinema?

(laughs) No... I personally don’t understand what commercial and off-beat means. For me, a film is a film. I don’t think I would have ever stated that, and considering the kind of films I do, I would never say it. “Tera Kya Hoga Johnny” again is an off-beat film...


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IMF-supported programmes should focus squarely on solving critical problems

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Financial crisis - The IMF’s Lending Overhaul

Second, for those not qualifying for the new instrument, the Fund’s workhorse lending facility, the Stand-By Arrangement, will be made more flexible along several dimensions. These include permitting high financial access even before a crisis materialises, and allowing disbursements to be more front-loaded.

Third, the amount of lending available from the IMF is being raised substantially. Normal limits on access to IMF resources are being doubled – a development consistent with the growing consensus that the Fund’s lending capacity needs to be at least doubled given the severity of this crisis. This is extremely important, since few things are as fatal to the credibility of a policy package as insufficient financing.

Taken together, these steps address the core problems – the stigma associated in the past with International Monetary Fund’s conditionality, the availability of early pre-crisis financing, and the overall size of rescue packages – that have sometimes diminished the effectiveness of the Fund’s role as a crisis lender. Emerging markets that approach the IMF early on for pre-crisis financing will find shelter from the winds of global deleveraging, which in turn will help contain the spread of the crisis.

The IMF has already moved quickly to help many of our member countries in this time of crisis, including by protecting social spending in order to cushion the impact of the crisis on the most vulnerable. The lending reforms adopted last week will enable us to be even more flexible and responsive in assisting even more countries.

At the same time, these reforms are only a part of a much larger plan for IMF renewal. Still in the pipeline are initiatives to increase concessional lending to low-income countries hit by the crisis, to strengthen the Fund’s surveillance and early warning capacity, and to improve its governance structure in ways that recognise the larger role of emerging-market countries in the world economy.

It is my hope that further action in all these areas will be taken in the coming months. Together, they constitute a turning point in the way the IMF works, and will allow it to serve its global membership even better.


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An Olympian betrayal?

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Why has the Army scrapped its pre-Olympics training scheme for soldiers’ children? The top brass say it has not been yielding results. But the facts speak otherwise, reports Mayank Singh

The Indian Army’s ambitious ‘Mission Olympics – Catch Them Young’ scheme has been scrapped, and quite suddenly morphed into ‘Mission Suppress’. TSI did not even get a chance to confront the officers with the exhaustive research that this magazine has conducted – all of which completely contradicts their dire claims that the scheme did not yield any results. All in all, the impression was inescapable that the Army had something major to hide.

For, everywhere this correspondent went, he was stonewalled, most of the officers clamming up at the very mention of the scrapped mission. And the few who could be persuaded to speak their minds did so strictly on condition of anonymity – some of them alleging that nepotism and financial mismanagement were the factors behind this decision.

Mission Olympics was launched in 2005 after Lt Col Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore won an Olympic silver medal. The idea was to conduct a talent hunt among the children of Army personnel – especially those of jawans – and get the shortlisted candidates to face an expert jury. Shooting, archery and lawn tennis were the three categories in which the children would be trained. Under the scheme the expenses incurred on the selected children’s education, food, lodging, coaching, travel et al would have been borne by the Army.

After the culling of the children – both boys and girls – the jury panel, headed by a brigadier and comprising sports coaches and sports medicine doctors, selected 23 of them. The selection process was extremely tough. In the first stage itself the children were tested in all seven commands, and only those who cleared these were interviewed by the jury in New Delhi.

The programme won wide popularity – especially among the jawans – because it provided their children with an out-of-the-world opportunity to rise in life. For shooting and archery are highly expensive sports. It would never have been possible for any one of them to buy a gun (which costs Rs 1 lakh in the open market) and then pay for the training expenses. In the 12-member shooting team nine were children of soldiers and junior commissioned officers, and it had cost Rs 20 lakh to build the shooting and archery ranges. One coach said the market price of practice sessions is around Rs 10,000 a month.


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An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri and Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

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Karnataka beaches - The sun-sand-sea front of Karnataka

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The coastal stretch of 320 kms, squeezed in between the Arabian Sea and Western Ghats in Karnataka, is home to several spectacular beaches and are fantastic budget holiday destinations. All of these beaches were naturally fenced by palm trees, fishermen’s villages and vast paddy fields. Numerous estuaries were formed by criss-crossing rivulets and in between cliffs originated from the Western Ghats. Two wonderful islands inside the sea also welcome tourists with open arms.

From Ullal to Karwar, one can find more than eight virgin beaches. There isn't any sign of commercialisation at any one of these beaches except for Om Beach near Gokarna. Someshwara (Ullal), Surathkal, Malpe, Maravanthe, Someshwara (Byndoor), Murudeshwara, Gokarna and Karwar are the best beaches to be visited here. National Highway 17 runs along the Karnataka coast and goes along all these beaches. A long drive on this road by itself is a refreshing experience.

Someshwara beach near Ullal is pilgrim centre. Someshwara temple is situated on the sea front and a small cliff emerges from the temple complex and touches the sea. One of the famous beach resorts in Dakshina Kannada, Summer Sand Beach Resort, is situated very close to the temple and is an ideal and affordable place for a long vacation. Surathkal is to the north of Mangalore, and for a balmy evening this beach is perfect. Malpe is 6 kms west of Udupi and this is one of the finest beaches in the series. A tour from Malpe to St Mary’s Island is an enthralling experience. If someone wants to stay on Malpe beach front, a few high-end resorts are available. While near Maravan, one can stay at the more affordable Turtle Bay Beach Resort.

In Marvanthe, NH-17 runs along the sea shore. In the centre of this stretch one can see the Kollur river almost touching the highway! So on one side of the road there is the sea shore, and on the other side, the river!

Someshwara is an unexplored beach near Byndoor. Here, the Byndoor river joins the Arabian Sea. There is a temple right on the edge, and at the back a cliff from ‘Ottinane’ (where splendid sunsets can be enjoyed) hangs out toward the sea. On the tip of that cliff, the Forest Department has built a resort. This place is isolated and completely disconnected from the outer world.

Next come the beautiful beaches in North Canara district of Karnataka. Murudeshwar is a perfect pilgrim centre plus a holiday destination. Over here one of the finest beach resorts stands right next to the sea. There is even a cafeteria built inside the sea. From Murudeshwar, one can travel to Netrani Island, a coral Island where a temple is situated. The island is 19 kms away from Murdeshwar. An hour's boat ride takes you to Netrani, and roaming about in that unmanned Island is an unforgettable experience. Om Beach near Gokarna is an extended arm of beaches of Goa, and this is a hot destination for foreigners. There are high end and affordable cottages in this Om-shaped beach. The last in this series of gems is the Kohinoor – Karwar. Watching the sun set here is a heavenly experience. Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore called this beach as one of the finest in the world, and he himself spent a whole evening on this beach!

Satish Chapparike


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0.44% Inflation, declining headline inflation does not necessarily imply prices coming down.

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…you must be joking! The decline in WPI-led index for inflation is not good news at all for the common consumers, as the numbers are manipulated, says Gyanendra Kumar Kashyap

Breaking News: Inflation is at a historic low! Head to the nearest vegetable vendor and you feel cheated by the news, and perhaps all the more by your very own interpretation of the statistic called inflation. True, the headline inflation numbers have come down ‘drastically’ but has it translated in some respite for the common consumers (aam aadmi – if you so please)? Do a reality check and you will get your answer – a big No! The inflation index – WPI (wholesale price index) – as displayed on your television screen is a flawed measure; it conceals more than what it reveals, like all good statistic. Whether in urban centres or in the rural heartland, at the retail level the current inflation is well over 10 per cent and not 0.44 per cent as the Breaking Newswallahs attempt to put it.

There are three kinds of falsehoods – lies, damn lies and statistics. Statistics on inflation are manufactured at the government factory (read Commerce Ministry), especially when the stakes are high. So, when the government pegs the current inflation as ‘a mere statistic’ at 0.44 per cent (statistically a historic low), one is left to wonder whether even today the Indian audiences are educated enough to see through this lie.

As the WPI touches that so called historic low, thanks to easing fuel prices, falling global commodity prices, policy measures such as a cut in duties and interest rates and most importantly, the high base effect, the disjunct between the two measures of inflation, viz. WPI and CPI (consumer price index) becomes all the more vivid. The low inflation rate, however, has not at all translated into low prices for items consumed by the common man. And here is the catch: declining headline inflation does not necessarily imply prices coming down. It only implies that the rate at which the prices of goods were rising has become slower. So when one hears that inflation is down to 0.44 per cent, what it really implies is that the prices today are higher by 0.44 per cent as compared to the prices on the same day a year ago. That’s a harsh reality many of us would not agree to accept. In fact, the prices will come down only when the inflation numbers turn negative (economists prefer calling it deflation).

According to Harsh Pati Singhania, President, FICCI: “Inflation rate has been coming down over time and these latest numbers are not entirely unexpected. However, the fact that WPI has come down to 0.44 per cent on a year-on-year basis, despite prices of food articles going up by 7.3 per cent on a yoy basis shows that inflation in case of other products has declined significantly. The high base effect also has a role to play in this case, as inflation stood at 7.78 per cent during the corresponding week of the previous year.”


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An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri and Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

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The penalty had to be charged from the salary of the person responsible for the harassment.

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But, when none of them except ITNL responded, the Ministry on December 23, 2008, amended its Request for Qualification (RFQ) conditions and “invited” PNC-SREI-Galfar Consortium and Oriental Structures – companies which had not been originally short listed.

Within a month, the Ministry made changes in its RFQ and invited a fourth bidder, JMC Projects (India) Limited, by extending the date to January 30, 2009.

Even though the contract was awarded to ITNL and an advance of Rs 77.75 crores (40 percent of the project cost) paid upfront, the norms prescribe an advance grant of 20 per cent of the project cost. Several key questions remain unanswered: why were only four companies out of a total of 16, informed about changes in RFQ or extension of bid filing dates?

Both Minister Balu and Secretary Road Transport and highways, Brahma Dutt, refused to respond to an advance questionnaire.

The compulsions of coalition politics have saved Balu. Over the last five years, he has been hauled over by the coals by the CAG, Prime Minister and the judiciary for shoddy mismanagement and tardy progress of national highway projects. Amazingly, he has got away with it.

The Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) indicted the ministry for harassing its officials and additionally imposed a penalty of Rs 45,000 in two different cases. The penalty had to be charged from the salary of the person responsible for the harassment. Luckily for the Minister, since he himself had ordered the penal action, fixing responsibility was never difficult.


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An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri and Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

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Multiple insurgencies in Iraq in 2003-04 were partly supported by fighters from abroad

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Mideast terror - Is Iraq Safe sans us troops?

The multiple insurgencies that developed in Iraq in 2003 and 2004 were supported at least in part by money, material, and fighters from abroad. Suicide bombers from all over the Arab world crossed into the country through the porous Syrian and Jordanian borders. Regional governments may not have openly supported the insurgents, but they clearly avoided cracking down on the jehadist groups operating within their borders.

Foreign governments began to change these polities after al-Qaeda in Iraq bombed three hotels in Amman, Jordan, in November 2005, killing 60 people. Frightened governments in the region realised that the type of violence occurring almost daily in Iraq was starting to spill across the country’s borders.

Soon after this incident, the highly effective Jordanian intelligence service began assisting the Iraqi government in going after the al-Qaeda network in Iraq. By June 2006, this effort was paying off. Jordanian agents were instrumental in providing the intelligence that enabled US forces to kill Abu Zarqawi, the mastermind of the Amman bombing.

Slowly but surely, throughout 2006 and 2007, Jordanian intelligence, working with Iraqi Sunni tribes, chipped away at al-Qaeda. Moreover, quiet efforts were made in the Arab world to curtail the recruitment and funding of suicide bombers headed to Iraq.

Iran’s role in Iraq also changed. The Iranian government had been a major backer of Shiite militia groups, including the Mahdi Army, led by radical cleric Muqtada al-Sadr. But the Iranians also had close ties from the beginning with elements of the Shiite-led coalition government. In 2008, following Maliki’s military operation to clean out militia groups in Basra, Iran’s leaders seem to have decided that this two-faced strategy had run its course.

Iran then helped broker a ceasefire that was highly favourable to Maliki, and cemented his commanding position inside the Iraqi coalition government. No doubt Maliki’s hard-line stance on the need for a firm timetable for the withdrawal of US troops was critical to Iran’s decision to throw its weight behind him.

Both the transformation of Baghdad into a Shiite city and the recognition and support of Iraq’s neighbours for the country’s new political order have been instrumental in stabilising the country. These changes are likely to be permanent, and offer hope that the wide-scale violence that afflicted the country between 2003 and 2007 will not return after US forces depart.


For more articles, Click on IIPM Article.
Source : IIPM Editorial, 2008
An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri and Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

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Plug the holes… Get connected

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Sheer disconnect between government’s fancies and reality is decaying India...

For the past few days time since realisation dawned upon the government that elections are just round the corner, newspapers all across the country have been flooded with a literal propaganda blitzkrieg unleashed by the government to showcase its achievements. Giant full page advertisements by different ministries as to how much they have been spending on social development and in improving the economy have become a norm than exception. To whom all the credits are being attributed to or on whose behest all these advertisements are being given is a known fact and needs no elaboration. All this for wooing the voters and to make all believe that the government has done a splendid job in the last five years and that it rightfully deserves to be voted back to power. Interestingly a few days back in one of the leading English news dailies of India, there was an article about a UN Report which stated that India is home to the largest number (230 million) of malnourished people on earth. And right in that very edition of that news daily, just a few pages later there were one page advertisements each (albeit with taxpayers’ money) by India’s Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Ministry of Rural Development and even by the state government of one of the poorest states of India. Each of the ads was a blatant propaganda trying to prove how government has developed rural India, the UN report notwithstanding. As if not confident enough whether this daily dose of half truths are good enough to fetch votes, the government reduced the occasion of the Interim Budget to literally a tool for advancing its own personal agenda and did every type of populism possible to make the concerned vote banks happy. It didn’t care two hoots about the burgeoning fiscal deficit (expected to be 6%) and what impact it could have in the long run on the economy. This was complimented by several doses of post budget financial packages, subsidies and enhancement of dearness allowance for the already pampered government employees. The typical excuse given by the government was that such fiscal measures were needed to boost the economy in times of recession. Well, only if such money were to be spend on capital expenditures and not on typical revenue expenditures which do no good except for increasing government's borrowings and thus the internal debt of the economy. It took only a few days to vindicate how all of it is futile as recent estimates by the Central Statistical Organisation stated that the GDP growth rate for the third quarter has come down to 5.3%. This, in spite of two rounds of fuel price cut and increased salaries due to Sixth Pay Commission.

Thus, there is a sheer disconnect between what the government claims to do and how much impact it has on India. A recent Assocham report stated, ‘The 18 strangled projects of India Inc. to the tune of Rs. 2,44,815.5 crore remained on papers, in the form of MoUs and agreements over the past three-four years, however the smooth implementation could have created job opportunities for at least 1,64,000 people directly and 2,70,000 people indirectly’. This further vindicates that India's problems, be it social or economic can be solved if the government reforms its own bureaucratic style of functioning. The reasons for which projects get delayed are same for which in spite of spending billions, India remains a nation of malnourished. Need more reasons as to why strong institutions are need of the day?


Pathikrit Payne

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article.
Source : IIPM Editorial, 2008
An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri and Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

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Concessions are made to religious demands, be it Shah Bano or recently in Bangalore

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Reporting religion - Media not above scrutiny

Similarly, I am glad, no mainstream publication produced the controversial cartoon depictions of Prophet Mohammed and here too, I will take a slightly different view. If you look at the caption that appeared in Karavali Ale, the Kannada eveninger, whose editor was arrested for the caption “Mohammed the Merciful”, you would not think that the sketch had anything to do with Prophet Mohammed, whose pictorial itself no one has seen.

But knowing the fact that this is an extremely sensitive matter with the Muslim community, I will avoid, even if legally it may be inoffensive. Readers may recall that in the late 1980s, there was a serious incident in Bangalore. The Deccan Herald in its Sunday section publicised a Gyanpeeth award-winning short story titled “Mohammed the Idiot”. It was not about Prophet Mohammed at all. It was a story from Kerala in which the village idiot was named Mohammed. And the headline said “Mohammed the Idiot”. Nobody read it, obviously. Now, this was one award winning story which had been published several times in different parts of the country. But when it was carried as the main story in the Sunday edition of the Deccan Herald, Bangalore burnt for three days. This is how sensitive issues are. Wittingly or unwittingly, such things are interpreted by our volatile polity in a way that leads to a great deal of public disturbance, sometimes loss of life and definite loss of property.

Very often it is deliberate. I am not defending those who do it. They do it with the intention of establishing their leadership by pandering to a basis which reeks of communalism. This is to be condemned. But it is one thing to condemn theoretically sitting here in the India International Centre (IIC), another to go on the streets to lodge that protest.

Therefore, whether 295 (a) should be diluted - even though I am no legal expert - my immediate response is no. There are not too many cases of prosecutions under this section and the government too is circumspect, but some times, public pressure or public opinion in localities is so strong that the police are compelled to arrest the person, even if it is for his own safety, to ensure his safeguard as well as that of his institution from the wrath of an enraged public.

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article.
Source : IIPM Editorial, 2008
An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri and Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

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In fact, once the national database of poor people with biometric cards is established, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee can simply announce.....

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6: Allocate Rs 5,000 crore to Create RTI Awareness

Many Indian companies, brands and celebrities are known to virtually every Indian despite advertising and promotional spends that rarely exceed Rs 100 crore a year. Imagine how empowered Indian citizens in both urban and rural areas will be empowered if there is a massive and sustained campaign that actually tells people how to use the Right to Information Act. This revolutionary law has not yet been utilised to its potential simply because citizens don’t know how to use it. But spending Rs 5,000 crore a year on creating RTI awareness will surely act as a transformational initiative even if some money is siphoned off by some powers that be in the government and their cronies to make terrible ads and promotional material!

Where will the Money Come From?

In the new Khao Aur Khilao Budget, about Rs 200,000 crore (Two Lakh Crore!) of additional funds have been allocated. That sounds like a lot of money. But if you look again, that is even less than the personal wealth reported by our top industrialists and tycoons. And that is barely 2.5% of India’s GDP, not counting for ‘Black income and wealth’! Many of you have probably read the book "The Great Indian Dream" that I co-authored with my father Dr. Malay Chaudhuri many years ago. Those who have read the book will know my position that it will be easy for Pranab Mukherjee to raise the funds without affecting corporate profitability or economic growth. Our tax and cess regime is so riddled with loopholes that there are tens of thousands of Indians who earn millions and pay a pittance in taxes – either directly or indirectly. In fact, once the national database of poor people with biometric cards is established, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee can simply announce that no subsidy of any type will be given to citizens who don’t possess these biometric cards. That means you and I might pay Rs 600 for an LPG cylinder instead of less than Rs 300; will 300 bucks a month beggar you? That means you and I might end up paying a few thousand rupees more for our child’s education in SRCC, Xaviers and Loyola instead of the few hundred rupees we pay now. That means we might end up paying more for petrol and diesel for our cars. That means we might need to pay a few thousand more when we go overseas and spend more than a lakh. These steps will ensure that the new expenses can be taken care of.

Look at it another way. Currently, the budget allocates about Rs 65,000 crore for the major welfare schemes mentioned above. If you go by the Rajiv Gandhi doctrine, about Rs 10,000 crore reaches the poor. Even if India fails spectacularly in implementation yet again, the The Khao Aur Khilao Budget will ensure that Rs 20,000 crore more will reach the poor every year. Just imagine what would happen if Pranab Mukherjee announces bold initiatives that will allow our system to siphon off 50% of the extra expenditure. The poor in India will still be left with Rs one lakh crore a year. And the corrupt will any way remain happy.

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article.
Source : IIPM Editorial, 2008
An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri and Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
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America’s decision to plunge headlong into the world’s toughest region is farsighted

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Middle East - Obama, Israel’s True Friend

Israel has invested great financial resources in the settlements, often ignoring important needs in Israel proper. The settlers, predominantly supporters of religious-nationalist movements and parties, often flaunt an attitude of superiority in their relations with Israeli authorities, pretending to have a special status with respect not only to Palestinians, but also to other Israeli citizens. Indeed, a substantial number of them don’t even recognise the Israeli state’s legal authority.

The greatest problem with the settlements is that if they continue to expand, the two-state solution will be compromised and, sooner or later, lead to a unitary state – one populated by two ethnic groups – between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea. Because simple demographic implies that Palestinians would gradually come to constitute a majority, a unitary state is a recipe for the end of Israel. The majority of Israelis understand this. But, like an incorrigible drug addict, they are unable to say, “Enough. We have made a mistake, and we have to remedy it before it’s too late.”

To be sure, when a peace treaty was signed with Egypt, Jewish settlers were forcibly evacuated from the Sinai. Similarly, when Jewish communities in the Gaza Strip became unsupportable, the leader of the right, Ariel Sharon, forced out the 9,000 settlers who lived there among 1.5 million Palestinians – a dramatic event that has left deep scars on both sides. But there are 250,000 Israeli settlers in the West Bank. Any attempt to evacuate them could escalate into a civil war.

The world, including the United States, disapproves of the Israeli settlements. But, despite past US administrations’ opportunity to make their influence felt, they preferred to permit Israel, an allied, friendly state, to do what it wanted.

So a moment of truth has arrived. Barack Obama, a wise and courageous leader, is – I have no doubt about it – not merely interested in improving America’s image in the eyes of the Muslim world. He also seeks Israel’s welfare and security, and says to us, “Enough. Stop harming yourselves and your own future. Even if you don’t believe in Palestinians’ real desire for peace, their capacity to hold terrorist organisations at bay, or their renunciation of the alleged right of return, you can always protect your security with a military presence in Palestinian territories rather than prejudicing the future peace and the two-state solution by expanding useless settlements.”

With such a clear and direct appeal to the Israeli government, America’s President not only expresses what a majority of Israelis know. He also proves his profound friendship for the Jewish state.

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article.
Source : IIPM Editorial, 2008
An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri and Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
Khao Aur Khilao budget by Arindam Chaudhuri
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(IIPM) Management Education Institute India
Moneycontrol >> News >> Press- News >> IIPM ranked No1 B-School in ...
» IIPM ranked No1 B-School in India :: Education, Careers ...
The Hindu Business Line : IIPM placements hit a high of over 2000 jobs
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India eNews - IIPM Ranked No1 B-School in India
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domain-b.com : IIPM ranked ahead of IIMs
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Slow and steady

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“When I qualified for the NET Examination, I thought I could finally fulfil my dreams. That day I had seen a streak of happiness on my father’s face. I still recall that moment. He had firm belief in my ability and this success was testimony to that faith,” says Mita Ujjain, who now works as a lecturer in Public Relations at the Makhanlal Chaturvedi Rashtriya Patrakarita Vishwavidyalya in Bhopal.

Mita was extremely serious about studies since childhood. She had obtained 64 per cent marks in the Bihar School Board Examinations. Considering the vast syllabus and rigorous evaluation system, getting a first division was quite tough. She worked really hard for the Intermediate science exams, but missed first division by two percentage points. She was really disappointed with her result. But she chose to move ahead in pursuit of higher goals.

She managed to get admission in Patna Women’s College after a written test and interview. She has never looked back since. After studying journalism, she taught in a private college and then went on to crack the NET Examination. When Mita was appointed a lecturer at the Makhanlal Chaturvedi Rashtriya Patrakarita Vishwavidyalya, she felt like her dreams had taken wings. She says, “If the family is supportive, then it is rather easy to tide over moments of disappointment. We should never let failure in examinations stop us in our tracks. It is important to keep pegging away come what may. We should learn not to give undue importance to marks. The rule is simple: keep working hard and your dreams will be fulfilled.”

Raju Kumar



For more articles, Click on IIPM Article.
Source : IIPM Editorial, 2008
An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri and Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
Khao Aur Khilao budget by Arindam Chaudhuri
IIPM Best B-school
IIPM
IIPM Global B-School
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(IIPM) Management Education Institute India
Moneycontrol >> News >> Press- News >> IIPM ranked No1 B-School in ...
» IIPM ranked No1 B-School in India :: Education, Careers ...
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India eNews - IIPM Ranked No1 B-School in India
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domain-b.com : IIPM ranked ahead of IIMs
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