Incredible India: Kissa Khursi Ka!

The More you know, the complex it gets!

Welcome to the Great Indian Election Tamasha, the race to conquer the throne. The drama of filching, what arguably is one of the most powerful posts in the world.

So the million dollar question still prevails. Will it be the Manmohan Singh led UPA Government or will it be the Advaniji led NDA or as Mr. Karat claims, an emergence of a new third front led by behenji? People, who believe in the might of their pens, have channelized all their resources to facilitate the closest essence of this great tamasha. The country yet awaits this complex code to crack on the 16th of May.

Consequently, who will be the one to carry the onus of shaping this country’s future? Amid this futile series of daily entertainment, there is a set of curious expressions that one needs to pay heed to.

Does it really matter, who is the next PM?

For the past two decades, whether a coalition government or not, on an average, India has moved with a robust growth rate of 6.5 to 7 percent. But to validate its efficacy, it needs to be put through some brutal tests. As an ideal scenario, growth should pave its way for stronger future prospects. It should throw open opportunities for the people of its country to keep pace with it. Growth and development needs to co-exist in the Indian economy for the country to prosper in its true sense.

If one ever takes a breather and analyzes these queries, they are bound go unanswered. No wonder the Indian growth story has always been a highly debatable issue, with each economist offering different opinions about it. Therefore the question of who would be the next Prime Minister leaves behind a trail of several other unattended issues.

Where is the real agenda?

One kg of rice for Rs.3 each, a kg of jowar for Rs.5 each and color television sets for all! Take a gist of what issues are the political parties printing in their manifestos. These ridiculous claims were once reserved for use only within the state of Tamil Nadu. In TN the party that claims to offer food grains at the lowest cost and provide a better television set has always swiftly won the elections.

Tamil Nadu has been following this ritual since years and these claims are sneaking into other party’s manifestos too. India being a developing economy; somehow permits these politicians to exploit masses on such juvenile issues. There are other parties in the bandwagon with a host of several absurd claims viz. abolition of computers and restriction on English language in India. When political parties advertize such messages through their rallies, the ‘real’ issues get buried under the dark blanket of this messed up Indian Political system.

There exists a bunch of grim issues that need pressing attention. These issues if not resolved or attended to, will thwart the growth rate of the country. One of them is to devise policies to dismantle the growing terror infrastructure of the highly unstable neighborhood.

Mumbai: The Low Voter Turnout

The City that is unstoppable and unshakeable! Though it proudly flaunts such accolades on its sleeve, it seems to be unshakeable even the literal sense. The 26/11 terror attacks seem to be abortive in bringing about a turnaround in the attitude of the citizens. The maximum city continues to advocate the belief of ‘ignorance is bliss’. With a voter turnout of 47%, the economic hub of the country exemplifies a short and volatile memory of its recent past.

Is this ratio to be attributed to the ignorant attitude of the city? How on earth does anyone expect a rise in the voter turnout? Mumbaikars and Indians alike are stuck in a real evident dilemma. They are being brought up in the “youngest democracy & oldest parliament”, with the choice of a vote worthy candidate shrinking by the day. Apart from a few young and vibrant candidates these elections have an outsized number of candidates, who themselves are counting days to the grave. With a dearth of young, energetic and strong decisive candidates the voters have an obvious reason not to vote for.

The Road Ahead:

With the exit poll results being awaited, this Indian Elections is yet to see the last phase, the “horse trading” phase. This ‘last’ phase will rewrite the mutual conformity of the Indian politicos and the Swiss banks to reach a new paradigm!

With no fixed formulae and no pre-set norms, this great Indian election drama will unfold; leaving the country with no choice but to accept its fate.

Sounds Cynical in a democratic setup, but isn’t this why it’s tagged ‘Incredible India’!

Tough Times dont Last, but Tough People Do

I explored a wide range of issues around. But each time I gathered my thoughts, I was somehow reminded about the indispensible role of the current crisis in our lives.

I hope to do justice to my creation and take the liberty to expect my readers to provide the response, encouraging enough to keep expressing my perspectives through many such blogs in the future.

So here is my first blog

“Tough Times Don’t Last, but Tough People Do”

Wow...This infuses the much needed optimism in these times of crisis. Or is there a crisis at all?

The past one year has been a roller-coaster ride. The global economic scenario has witnessed a complete turmoil. We have been witness to the collapse of some of the finest banking institutes of our times. Job cuts, Freezing or absconding pay packets, cash crunch, declining consumption...

Terrifying jargons! Is the world economy creeping towards a future that is bleak?

The current downturn has in one or more ways filled the globe with absolute cynicism.

Where does my Bharat lie amid this turbulence? Is it completely safe or is it staring at the crisis. The Countries around the globe catch a cold when USA sneezes, should I believe that India is one of them.

Whether or not in crisis, I believe that this slowdown is or rather can be a blessing in disguise for the 1.1 billion population of the country. Time & Again we have seen world renowned astrologists predict the rise of a new superpower from Asia. Is the present generation going to be the august audience to this phenomenal feat? I know, that this target is far fetched but cannot be shunned either. With a strong population and a high consumption potential, India has emerged as one of the most dynamic and promising economies in the world. The humungous population of the country and its consumption journey has fuelled a ray of hope amid this volatility.

The Factors that work in India’s Favour:

The Indian Middle Class: This Segment consists of a population of approximately 300million with a growing purchasing power. A drive towards quality consumption and a penchant for better standards of living, this segment carries the baton of Indian hope. It is this very segment that puts India as the youngest country (demographically) on the world map. One of the shields against this slowdown is to boost domestic consumption. Healthy consumption patterns can alone trigger growth in the country.

Consumption will take care of slump in Exports: The Indian Economy is fortunate enough that as compared to other huge economies of the world like china, its economy is not completely dependent on exports. Exports are a key element in any country’s economy, but excessive dependence on the same may act as a drawback, especially at such times of crisis. Thus the domestic consumption story of India will further thwart the threat of slowing exports.

The Indian Conservative approach: The Indian government has always believed and encouraged in the theme of free enterprise. It has never advocated monopoly in any form and has ensured a healthy competitive environment among the public and private enterprises. Amid this liberty it has always charted out policies and procedures that govern the proceedings of its industries.

The Indian Government, keeping in line with the Indian culture and psyche has followed a conservative approach towards its growth and risk taking abilities. Ahlas! The Indian banks consecutively don’t flaunt a leverage ratio of 1:100 as in case of other reputed ones around the globe. The Indian banks under the guidance of our cautious policy makers still are registering a positive growth.

Provide a base to sustain Future Growth: One of the biggest hindrances towards the Indian growth march has been the tremendous lack of infrastructure. Ruined roads, Overcrowded railway stations and Chaotic Airports, India continues to lack quality infrastructure. Investing in Massive Infrastructure projects will serve the much needed base to sustain future growth opportunities for the country. Uttar Pradesh, for instance is undergoing a colossal infrastructural progress.

The Ganga & Yamuna Expressways are considered to take shape as one of the most remarkable works of Indian Engineering till date. These projects are huge in terms of investments, employable manpower and the utility of resources required. With a 50,000 cr and 10,000 cr rupees of funding respectively, these projects are expected to change the way India looks at its infrastructure needs. Such projects should be given top priority and should meet its set timelines irrespective of the powers at the center.

I do agree that it would be juvenile to claim that India has been unaffected by the global crisis, but considering it to be at the midst of it would also be too pessimistic.

If India interprets the current crisis and its hidden implications, the problems can be converted into a goldmine of opportunities. Will the government demonstrate vigilance and enthusiasm to explore this goldmine? Will Policy makers start placing the interests of the country ahead of its personal benefits? Will India launch itself as the strongest economy of the world?

Time Alone will answer these questions.