Dear Friends:
The needed proof is visible & self-evident, except to the selfishly blind.
This need to change: lock, stock and barrel, if India is to be a respected nation. Because no one respects a nation whose public leaders are simultaneously in misappropriation business.
I remember Tehelka case. The then NDA Govt went after the whistle blower rather than the culprit.
In a recent case, a supreme court chief justice was caught allowing his sons, to run business real estate business from his official residence, while he was presiding over the case of unauthorized shops in residential area. His sons were direct beneficiary of his decision to insist on zonal segregation. When it was brought out in the open, the poor investigative journalists had to apologize under threat of "contempt of court" & jail, ordered by chamcha justices of Delhi High Court.
JMM bribary case was a straight forward case. The culprits were destined for the Jail, till Supreme Court performed Legal jugglery. Thus culprets escaped scot-free because the supreme court twisted the case unduly favoring the culprits, (which included the Prime Minister, Narshimha Rao, an otherwise decent man), which halted the "Rule of Law" on it's track.
India has never recovered from that misuse of law, yet. Though conviction of Manu Sharma in Jessica Lal case, was a case where "Rule of Law", finally prevailed, it was an exception. And it was between two families, who were high up in the social ladder.
This needs to change, period.
I am no admirer of BJP and they are no angels. But such happenings are bad for everyone of the ordinary, people. But NDA or UPA, they seem to be stuffed with CROOKS.
Such shameful acts need to change, if India is ever to claim to be a world class democracy, and earn it's due place in the comity of the Nations.
Best wishes,
Sandip
Saturday, August 02, 2008
News - Orissa Govt allots old ORT bus stands to Reliance - News
Dear Friends:
A leader who is close to people will be overwhelmed by their influence
and approach - he will thus be unable to take such action.
Unfortunately it seems that our CM has no connections with the people. He has
connection with the super rich people of the India, like the Ambanis.
A pro-people Govt. will ask IDCO to build markets/shops like one built
in Cuttack Jail or any other successful model and lease them out.
Hundreds of unemployed youth will be benefited. A Govt not wanting to
go that far will auction off these land to the public, so it will get
the market price and mall developers will move in, to construct and
lease.
No there is no such thing. It is given to the richest of the land at
subsidized prices ,which are not made public.
Can we ask, why?
Who will ask?
The legitimate opposition, the Indian National Congress(INC), is out hunting for money and is silent.
They have to collect cash to keep their promises. 3 crores (2
crores outstanding) for abstaining or 25 crores for cross voting, we
hear. Their friends now say - Oh, well Indian democracy is in
developing stage, so such things happen.
We feel like yelling - REALLY?
But soon realize that the choice is between Twiddle Dum and Twiddle Dee. In
other words - WE HAVE NO CHOICE.
Does not it lead people taking law into their own hands?
Best wishes,
Sandip
A leader who is close to people will be overwhelmed by their influence
and approach - he will thus be unable to take such action.
Unfortunately it seems that our CM has no connections with the people. He has
connection with the super rich people of the India, like the Ambanis.
A pro-people Govt. will ask IDCO to build markets/shops like one built
in Cuttack Jail or any other successful model and lease them out.
Hundreds of unemployed youth will be benefited. A Govt not wanting to
go that far will auction off these land to the public, so it will get
the market price and mall developers will move in, to construct and
lease.
No there is no such thing. It is given to the richest of the land at
subsidized prices ,which are not made public.
Can we ask, why?
Who will ask?
The legitimate opposition, the Indian National Congress(INC), is out hunting for money and is silent.
They have to collect cash to keep their promises. 3 crores (2
crores outstanding) for abstaining or 25 crores for cross voting, we
hear. Their friends now say - Oh, well Indian democracy is in
developing stage, so such things happen.
We feel like yelling - REALLY?
But soon realize that the choice is between Twiddle Dum and Twiddle Dee. In
other words - WE HAVE NO CHOICE.
Does not it lead people taking law into their own hands?
Best wishes,
Sandip
Wednesday, April 02, 2008
Flouting civil laws - Sandip K. Dasverma
Re: Prashanta Varma's Blog
Civil Laws and public safety are made for each other and people ignore it at their peril. Level of education and understanding of the Law in the society being non-uniform the need to enforce the Law develops. Because non adherence of the Law results in injury to the others in the the society. For example if a kid does not wear the hamlet and gets injured seriously, the resources of the state and this family are spent to cure him.
Thus the need of Law enforcement. However in India this results in a double whammy. The Law enforcer is paid to enforce the law but he gets paid again for letting the law violator go scot free. He gets paid for doing nothing. Yes, he has to keep his boss happy by sharing the booty or some other way but he gives a damn to public safety which is his primary work area.
They say pictures are worth a thousand words, in this case probably a million. The newly appointed Police commissioner should first ensure that all shops have helmets available and then announce over TV that the laws will be enforced. If in future such pictures can be taken the concerned police officer should be fined 5 days salary for dereliction of duty - or similar. Parents of those who have had accident or who were injured should be part of this oversight committee, in my opinion.
Thanks to Prashant Verma babu for bring such a partinent topic to the table and highlighting it.
The new commissioner of Police of Cuttack and BBSR, should not take more than 30 days to solve it by going on education mode for 30 days and then enforcing law. A repeat in six months, for two to 3 years of he same process will make it permanent.
Civil Laws and public safety are made for each other and people ignore it at their peril. Level of education and understanding of the Law in the society being non-uniform the need to enforce the Law develops. Because non adherence of the Law results in injury to the others in the the society. For example if a kid does not wear the hamlet and gets injured seriously, the resources of the state and this family are spent to cure him.
Thus the need of Law enforcement. However in India this results in a double whammy. The Law enforcer is paid to enforce the law but he gets paid again for letting the law violator go scot free. He gets paid for doing nothing. Yes, he has to keep his boss happy by sharing the booty or some other way but he gives a damn to public safety which is his primary work area.
They say pictures are worth a thousand words, in this case probably a million. The newly appointed Police commissioner should first ensure that all shops have helmets available and then announce over TV that the laws will be enforced. If in future such pictures can be taken the concerned police officer should be fined 5 days salary for dereliction of duty - or similar. Parents of those who have had accident or who were injured should be part of this oversight committee, in my opinion.
Thanks to Prashant Verma babu for bring such a partinent topic to the table and highlighting it.
The new commissioner of Police of Cuttack and BBSR, should not take more than 30 days to solve it by going on education mode for 30 days and then enforcing law. A repeat in six months, for two to 3 years of he same process will make it permanent.
Monday, March 24, 2008
Why I am opposed to Balbir Punj's representing Orissa in Rajya Sabha - Sandip K. Dasverma
Why I am opposed to Balbir Punj's representing Orissa in Rajya Sabha, some friends asked? Their concern was that am I changing my broad liberal views and getting into the quagmire of regionalism, a la Raj Thakre and his MNS? Thus this note and appendix to my earlier blog on this issue.
In my view the main problem with this action by BJP(Bharatiya Janata Party) high command, is that it is violation of both the letter and the spirit of the law.
Like Prime Mininster, Mr. Man Mahon Singh does not live in Gouhati, Assam, Mr. Punj does not live in Orissa. He has falsely given an address in Orissa, which violates the letter of the law.
In addition, the spirit of the Representation of People's act is violated, when one who has never lived in Orissa or else where in the state, is allowed to represent it in Rajya Sabha. This violates it's very spirit of representing the people. How can one, who does not know his electorate represent them? Additionally, Orissa is backward because it has week representation at the national level, leading to neglect for last 60 years. How does a national party, correct such situation by taking away even such weak representation?
The reason is obvious if you sit down and think. Answer that comes to our mind is: We yet to be a country who believe in "Rule of Law"? No, actually far from it.
One glaring example film actress Mrs. Hema Malini mentions film star Dharmendra as her husband and father of her two daughters, in her filing to the election commission for Rajya Sabha election.
Mr. Dharmendra, however, has filed a nomination to the same election commission, for Lok Sabha, stating that he is married to some one else.
Hindu Code Bill, does not allow polygamy since 1955.
Hence either of them or both should not have been allowed to contest election. If the information came up after election, they should have been dismissed, after election on the ground of perjury, submitting false information.
Nothing as you would anticipate for gross lying(per jury) , has happened to them and they are nearing completion of their terms, soon. Most of the India, is either oblivious, including the National women's commission members who have time to raid local parks to dissuade love birds(Or is it only Orissa State Commission) but no time to raise or pursue such a visible and a gross violation of women's rights.
This Chalta Hai attitude has to go before we can move ahead as a nation.
In my view the main problem with this action by BJP(Bharatiya Janata Party) high command, is that it is violation of both the letter and the spirit of the law.
Like Prime Mininster, Mr. Man Mahon Singh does not live in Gouhati, Assam, Mr. Punj does not live in Orissa. He has falsely given an address in Orissa, which violates the letter of the law.
In addition, the spirit of the Representation of People's act is violated, when one who has never lived in Orissa or else where in the state, is allowed to represent it in Rajya Sabha. This violates it's very spirit of representing the people. How can one, who does not know his electorate represent them? Additionally, Orissa is backward because it has week representation at the national level, leading to neglect for last 60 years. How does a national party, correct such situation by taking away even such weak representation?
The reason is obvious if you sit down and think. Answer that comes to our mind is: We yet to be a country who believe in "Rule of Law"? No, actually far from it.
One glaring example film actress Mrs. Hema Malini mentions film star Dharmendra as her husband and father of her two daughters, in her filing to the election commission for Rajya Sabha election.
Mr. Dharmendra, however, has filed a nomination to the same election commission, for Lok Sabha, stating that he is married to some one else.
Hindu Code Bill, does not allow polygamy since 1955.
Hence either of them or both should not have been allowed to contest election. If the information came up after election, they should have been dismissed, after election on the ground of perjury, submitting false information.
Nothing as you would anticipate for gross lying(per jury) , has happened to them and they are nearing completion of their terms, soon. Most of the India, is either oblivious, including the National women's commission members who have time to raid local parks to dissuade love birds(Or is it only Orissa State Commission) but no time to raise or pursue such a visible and a gross violation of women's rights.
This Chalta Hai attitude has to go before we can move ahead as a nation.
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Idea of a Phone bank: - Sandip K. Dasverma
"Please leave the "invitation making" to a phone banking group, led by a Vice Chairman of Communications. He phones 7 group members and they call 7 each. And each of those each call another 7. It has a tree like structure, where each of them make 7 calls. All(400) will be covered, in a span of 7 calls (1*7*7*7+1 +7+49 =400) in two evenings, and in urgent cases even one."
NOTES: I request the secretary/President to not do it yourselves. Use the help of recent batches, who are shy but savvy in IT. Request them to go to NITR database and find phone numbers and down load them. Or ask Gen Secretary to download and send the excel sheet to the leader. The leader(Vice Chairman communications) sorts it by Postal Area code and finds who are located where. Then finds 7 who are primary contacts (and volunteer for one year). He e-mails them the seven names they need to call, and another 7 names who each of those called, will call.
They report to you, every day to vice chair/Secretary, who they called and send a spread sheet giving results. (how many - Yes & how many - NO).
I wish each chapter should have Vice Chairman of Communications (essentially phone bank group leader) and a team of 7 volunteer team, who do it, regularly. They shall be divided geographically, so all calls are local.
This will help the freshers to lose the tongue tied habits, (being shy), to go away, soon. Talking to some one unknown over phone and persuading him over phone is a skill every Engineer must learn. The best part is: with less than 10 calls/ each person, one can execute the whole thing in less than a week.
Leader ----- to 7 sub leader (who each has a list of volunteers to call.).
Each of 7 gives 7 calls reaching 49 volunteer callers.
49 of them call 5 to 7 each in their locality reaching 245 to 343 after that it will automatically spread.
(Evite cards after an initial phone banking is a good way to get confirmation.)
NOTES: I request the secretary/President to not do it yourselves. Use the help of recent batches, who are shy but savvy in IT. Request them to go to NITR database and find phone numbers and down load them. Or ask Gen Secretary to download and send the excel sheet to the leader. The leader(Vice Chairman communications) sorts it by Postal Area code and finds who are located where. Then finds 7 who are primary contacts (and volunteer for one year). He e-mails them the seven names they need to call, and another 7 names who each of those called, will call.
They report to you, every day to vice chair/Secretary, who they called and send a spread sheet giving results. (how many - Yes & how many - NO).
I wish each chapter should have Vice Chairman of Communications (essentially phone bank group leader) and a team of 7 volunteer team, who do it, regularly. They shall be divided geographically, so all calls are local.
This will help the freshers to lose the tongue tied habits, (being shy), to go away, soon. Talking to some one unknown over phone and persuading him over phone is a skill every Engineer must learn. The best part is: with less than 10 calls/ each person, one can execute the whole thing in less than a week.
Leader ----- to 7 sub leader (who each has a list of volunteers to call.).
Each of 7 gives 7 calls reaching 49 volunteer callers.
49 of them call 5 to 7 each in their locality reaching 245 to 343 after that it will automatically spread.
(Evite cards after an initial phone banking is a good way to get confirmation.)
Monday, March 17, 2008
Bureaucrats new Avtar as public representatives..- Sandip K. Dasverma
Todays Tathya is agog with the news of many retired IAS/IPS officers trying to get elected themselves as the MLAs and MPs of Orissa.
In our younger days the politicians kept Goons to protect them. And had favorite businessmen and agents who they nurtured.
A decade later these goons and the businessmen became the king makers, as the quality of politicians deteriorated. In the later times the king makers realized they could became the kings and soon started to become the kings. No sacrifices, no risks, no imagination about people land - just naked greed is what they possessed. But these people soon found that the skill these people had was insufficient to run the Govt, because they did not know and never learnt how to administer. Though they were good at cleaning up the coffers, they found they could not erase the foot prints. Soon as the Govts changed these rascals started getting caught. Scared they found out who among the bureaucrats around can be relied on and the booty shared. This took us to the next phase - when bureaucrats found they are running the Govt and are king makers. After a few years and couple of crore of private resource creation - the wheel is again turning. Now the baboos(bureaucrats) want their pound of flesh. It may be better, because for the 1st time they will have to take the responsibility of their misdeeds or credits for their good deeds.
I guess this is the bottom and it can't go worse, because they ruled us, already, albeit they did so without authority. Now they will rule taking both authority and responsibility for their actions, unlike the previous situation. In my opinion there should be a 2/3 years, hibernation period between the roles as an IAS or IPS and contesting for electoral office.
In our younger days the politicians kept Goons to protect them. And had favorite businessmen and agents who they nurtured.
A decade later these goons and the businessmen became the king makers, as the quality of politicians deteriorated. In the later times the king makers realized they could became the kings and soon started to become the kings. No sacrifices, no risks, no imagination about people land - just naked greed is what they possessed. But these people soon found that the skill these people had was insufficient to run the Govt, because they did not know and never learnt how to administer. Though they were good at cleaning up the coffers, they found they could not erase the foot prints. Soon as the Govts changed these rascals started getting caught. Scared they found out who among the bureaucrats around can be relied on and the booty shared. This took us to the next phase - when bureaucrats found they are running the Govt and are king makers. After a few years and couple of crore of private resource creation - the wheel is again turning. Now the baboos(bureaucrats) want their pound of flesh. It may be better, because for the 1st time they will have to take the responsibility of their misdeeds or credits for their good deeds.
I guess this is the bottom and it can't go worse, because they ruled us, already, albeit they did so without authority. Now they will rule taking both authority and responsibility for their actions, unlike the previous situation. In my opinion there should be a 2/3 years, hibernation period between the roles as an IAS or IPS and contesting for electoral office.
BJP's utter contempt for Orissa: by Sandip K. Dasverma
Bharatia Janata Party was born out of ashes of Jan Sangh, which Indira Gandhi had decimated to the ground in 1971 election. With the assistance and encouragement from Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan, they rose again and joined Janata Party before the epic 1977 elections. Hanging on to JP's court tails by accepting "Gandhian Socialism" they rode to national scene incognito and to power in 1977, under Janata Party banner. Then on the duel membership issue, they parted, when the loose coalition fell apart only in 18 months, disappointing millions of Indians, who pinned their hopes on Janata Party. The issue was the membership of Rastriya Swayangsevak Sangh (RSS) and Janata Party at the same time, which created a clique / party within a party. The other members of the party did not like, it. They clung to the old RSS membership and voted as a block within Janata Party, which was resented by other groups within the Janata Party.
Using socialists Raj Narayan, one time her nemesis, Mrs. Gandhi broke the Janata Party and came back to power, in the middle of 1980. In that election only BJP which was formed by the RSS cadre enblock and a few ex-socialists like George Fernandez and Sushma Swaraj, did comparatively well. However having moved away from communal politics, and congress having adapted soft communalism, they lost their shirts (2 members in Lok Sabha) in the 1984 election, fought in aftermath of Indira Gandhi assassination in 1984. Then they moved back to their root, of hate politics and did much better in 1989 and were part of V.P.Singh's coalition, ministry. This ministry fell apart when to counter Devi Lal's backward caste agenda, VP Singh, implemented Mandal Commission recommendations. This hurt VJP's upper caste base and Advani undertook the "Toyota Rath Jatra" or "Blood Jatra", across India, arousing communal sentiments and inciting a series of riots. The result was spectacular rise in BJPs fortune. They were back on their old: "Hindutwa" or "Expand hate" agenda. They had earlier created a lot of sister organizations like VHP, Bajrang Dal, Vanaasis Kalyan Kendra etc, to have a deniability of their hate crimes, they were later to commit. Encouraged by the election results, they embarked on Babri Masjid demolition, using mythology as history and faith as logic. This further divided the country and caused a ripe atmosphere for them to come to power. The post Indira Gandhi, soft communalism of congress party and it's predominant culture of corruption and nepotism, had turned people away from that party. Particularly the kowtowism of the party to Nehru-Gandhi faimily created an atmosphere - where people bought BJP's "We are different - slogan". BJP claimed they were green horn and people gave them benefit of doubt. Strong leaders don't kowtow (to the Nehru-Gandhi family). But weak leaders don't win elections. So in the congress party we see a lot of leaders, either standing in constituencies away from home, (Narshing Rao getting elected from Gunupur constituency in Orissa) or getting elected thru Rajya Sabha, eg. Pranab Mukherjee, who never own an election to Lok Sabha between 1966 to 2004. Mukherjee got elected for the 1st time to Lok Sabha only in 2004.
Well how did the BJP do or the "We are different" group do?
They elected Mr. Lodha from Orissa, who was dismissed from Parliament and left in disgrace, because he charged money for asking parliament questions. Now Mr. Punj. I ask how are BJP different?
It is a matter of great concern that the most important projects in Orissa like the Bolangir - Khurda Railway line can't be completed because we don't have a voice in New Delhi. No one listens to the affected Tribals and KBK area's demand for connectivity. Why? Because we don't have strong voices in the Indian Parliament. And now even that voice is being snuffed out by a party, claiming to be different?
Give me a break.
I want to tell Mr. Advani, we are not a colony. If you impose such monstrosities on Orissa, you better be ready for people of Orissa's wrath for you and your party. If you flout the spirit of representation of the people's Act by not selecting a person genuinely resident in Orissa, we are ready to throw BJP out, for such injustice and colonial attitude towards us.
Using socialists Raj Narayan, one time her nemesis, Mrs. Gandhi broke the Janata Party and came back to power, in the middle of 1980. In that election only BJP which was formed by the RSS cadre enblock and a few ex-socialists like George Fernandez and Sushma Swaraj, did comparatively well. However having moved away from communal politics, and congress having adapted soft communalism, they lost their shirts (2 members in Lok Sabha) in the 1984 election, fought in aftermath of Indira Gandhi assassination in 1984. Then they moved back to their root, of hate politics and did much better in 1989 and were part of V.P.Singh's coalition, ministry. This ministry fell apart when to counter Devi Lal's backward caste agenda, VP Singh, implemented Mandal Commission recommendations. This hurt VJP's upper caste base and Advani undertook the "Toyota Rath Jatra" or "Blood Jatra", across India, arousing communal sentiments and inciting a series of riots. The result was spectacular rise in BJPs fortune. They were back on their old: "Hindutwa" or "Expand hate" agenda. They had earlier created a lot of sister organizations like VHP, Bajrang Dal, Vanaasis Kalyan Kendra etc, to have a deniability of their hate crimes, they were later to commit. Encouraged by the election results, they embarked on Babri Masjid demolition, using mythology as history and faith as logic. This further divided the country and caused a ripe atmosphere for them to come to power. The post Indira Gandhi, soft communalism of congress party and it's predominant culture of corruption and nepotism, had turned people away from that party. Particularly the kowtowism of the party to Nehru-Gandhi faimily created an atmosphere - where people bought BJP's "We are different - slogan". BJP claimed they were green horn and people gave them benefit of doubt. Strong leaders don't kowtow (to the Nehru-Gandhi family). But weak leaders don't win elections. So in the congress party we see a lot of leaders, either standing in constituencies away from home, (Narshing Rao getting elected from Gunupur constituency in Orissa) or getting elected thru Rajya Sabha, eg. Pranab Mukherjee, who never own an election to Lok Sabha between 1966 to 2004. Mukherjee got elected for the 1st time to Lok Sabha only in 2004.
Well how did the BJP do or the "We are different" group do?
They elected Mr. Lodha from Orissa, who was dismissed from Parliament and left in disgrace, because he charged money for asking parliament questions. Now Mr. Punj. I ask how are BJP different?
It is a matter of great concern that the most important projects in Orissa like the Bolangir - Khurda Railway line can't be completed because we don't have a voice in New Delhi. No one listens to the affected Tribals and KBK area's demand for connectivity. Why? Because we don't have strong voices in the Indian Parliament. And now even that voice is being snuffed out by a party, claiming to be different?
Give me a break.
I want to tell Mr. Advani, we are not a colony. If you impose such monstrosities on Orissa, you better be ready for people of Orissa's wrath for you and your party. If you flout the spirit of representation of the people's Act by not selecting a person genuinely resident in Orissa, we are ready to throw BJP out, for such injustice and colonial attitude towards us.
Friday, March 07, 2008
MNS and Bhyas - a story of plotting to deprive Bhaiyas of Roti, Kapda aur Makan - Sandip K. Dasverma
MNS and it's dis-avawed parent, Shiv Sena are all parachoal fascist organizations. The issue is not if Bhaya's should move to Mumbai or not. The issue is to understand that a threatened Bhaiya can't raise his voice and demand "Roti, Kapda or Makan", i.e. a better standard of living and a better wage. And if it is happening to Bhaiya's today - it is going to happen to Bengalees, Oriyas, Assamese and 36 garhee and Jharkhandees tomorrow. It is creating a better bargaining position for the business tycoons of Mumbai at the cost of wage earners. This is same or similar to the wrath you sees in United States directed against Mexicans, Guatamalans and other latin or central Americans or Chinese.
Patriarch Bal Thakray, was an agent of S. K. Patil in 60s when there was a fight between him and V. K. Krishna Menon, both of whom central ministers. Menon, a radical socialist was winning election from Mumbai with aid of organized textile labor unions, repeatedly. And money bags that supported Patil (he was treasurer of Congress) felt threatened by the success of labor unions. To divide and rule, they brought in this issue of sons of soil and recruited Bal Thakray, a good speaker and small time journalist, as the union buster. The rest, as they say, is history.
Since then the mobilized goons remained the same except the targets changed, from time to time.
Late 50s - Labor Union activists(non-Maharastrians)
Early 60s - South Indians
Late 60s and early 70s- Gujratis
Late 70s to early 2000s - Muslims
2000s, since 2003 - Bhaiyas
In between it was interrupted by stints at Govt. of rabid Shiv Sena in collaboration with RSS and VJP, in 1990s immediately following Mumbai riots and Babri Masjid demolition. Later the followed infighting in the family, who inherits the crown or rather right to loots: Son who carries the direct linage or Nephew who has been competent organizer of the goon squads? Thus driven out of the Shiv Sena, MNS was created by Raj. Now MNS is trying to out show Shiv Sena, as to who is more vile in preaching linguistic regionalism. We have this force in Orissa also - remember NILA CHAKRA and Kalinga Sena, though may be in milder form, due the inclusive nature of Jagannath culture?
Patriarch Bal Thakray, was an agent of S. K. Patil in 60s when there was a fight between him and V. K. Krishna Menon, both of whom central ministers. Menon, a radical socialist was winning election from Mumbai with aid of organized textile labor unions, repeatedly. And money bags that supported Patil (he was treasurer of Congress) felt threatened by the success of labor unions. To divide and rule, they brought in this issue of sons of soil and recruited Bal Thakray, a good speaker and small time journalist, as the union buster. The rest, as they say, is history.
Since then the mobilized goons remained the same except the targets changed, from time to time.
Late 50s - Labor Union activists(non-Maharastrians)
Early 60s - South Indians
Late 60s and early 70s- Gujratis
Late 70s to early 2000s - Muslims
2000s, since 2003 - Bhaiyas
In between it was interrupted by stints at Govt. of rabid Shiv Sena in collaboration with RSS and VJP, in 1990s immediately following Mumbai riots and Babri Masjid demolition. Later the followed infighting in the family, who inherits the crown or rather right to loots: Son who carries the direct linage or Nephew who has been competent organizer of the goon squads? Thus driven out of the Shiv Sena, MNS was created by Raj. Now MNS is trying to out show Shiv Sena, as to who is more vile in preaching linguistic regionalism. We have this force in Orissa also - remember NILA CHAKRA and Kalinga Sena, though may be in milder form, due the inclusive nature of Jagannath culture?
In my opinion, the perpetrators of hate crimes, should be in their proper place - inside the jail.
Reason they are out side is: "WE". Yes, because WE are complex. We complain when we are at the receiving end but become silent and acquiescing, when we are some how believe are on the winning side.
I invoke every one to take one look at the famous Rev. Niemoeller's realization, which appears in Amnesty International web site but also Wikipedia, to which is this link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Martin_Niemoeller.jpg
Hate crimes are old fascist methods of intimidating minorities and to find an easy and quick target, to divert working people's frustration and anger due exploitation. And Shiv Sena and it's new Avtar MNS are essentially trying an old trick.
Raj is a fascist and MNS a fascist party and has a fascist agenda. He is no friend of the Maratha poor and Marathi slum dwellers, he is just finding him an alibi so his goons can loot and steal.
Raj Thakray's tactics and attack on Bhyas is: Old NAZI wine in new MNS bottle.
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Tata and Swami Vivekananda by Sandip K. Dasverma
Puja invocation:
TATAs have a reputation of being good corporate citizen having created Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore. I don't know any of you are aware that it was the result of confluence of two great minds - during a ship journey from Calcutta to Tokyo in 1892. Yes, one was obviously Jamsedji Tata.
But do you know who the other is?
Yes, it is the then young monk, Swami Vivekananda, on his way to Chicago's World Council of Church's interfaith meet, where he was to make history.
He asked Jamsedji, who was going to import matches from Japan to make them in India. Jamsedji's answer was we don't have chemists and engineers. The young monk suggested he can start an institute to train /teach them. Thus was the seed sown.
Many years later - when Jamsedji got stuck down due obstruction of the then bureaucracy- who resisted it asking for full money to be deposited so it can run from the corpus fund - essentially undermining it. On Jamsedji's SOS Swami Vivekananda deputed Sister Nivedita to lobby British Parliament to pass the bill that constituted Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore.
Thus came in to being the IISc - a product of meeting of two great sons of India - A progressive Hindu monk and a great captain of Indian Industry.
A century later, today India is on way back to the top of world due such great foresight of some of the sons of the soil - who were of different religion - different language but one in allegiance and inspiration, the land of India. Let us pledge on this happy occasion that henceforth all our actins will be in the interest of our brethren.
It reminds me of Swamiji"s immortal saying was: "Arise, Awake, stop not till the goal is reached."
Saturday, February 02, 2008
The ball is really in the CM's court. - Sandip K. Dasverma
As I am slowly getting aware of the OHSDP, issue & problems which is not surprising to me. Year before last at Washington DC, OSA convention(July 2006), there were two cabinet ministers from Orissa. Shri Prafulla Ghadei and Shri Surya Narayan Patra and a MLA Mr. Kalpataru Das.
I asked a question, while they were all present together to Prafulla babu. He was lecturing us that theirs as the cleanest Govt ever in Orissa. I asked: "How and why do you think - the same old corrupt people will behave differently, today? After all, they are the same old wine, just in a new bottle?"
His answer was both tactful and tactical: He said the main difference is: "We have a clean leader in Naveen Pattnayak". I was not convinced and skeptical, but it rested there. Because I knew even incorruptible Late Naba Krushna Choudhury could not turn the Govt around from it's corrupt ways, in spite of his personal integrity. I just hoped, that this time around, it will be different.
In America, where the system has similar faults but once you are caught - you are gone. Not so in India. So the corrupt, even those who are caught, survive. This encourages them, all. Particularly, when stealing is so lucrative and so useful, for the family. Smart people learn fast it is the way to go - because it is beneficial, profitable and there is no penalty.
I think this makes the difference between India and America and Indian and American success. That is why I wanted ex-PM Narsingh Rao to go to jail. It was a open and shut case where bribe money was collected and deposited in a Bank A/c. Yet, it did not happen. Because in India law does not rule, people do. It is not "Rule of Law".
So it goes on. But due instant communication, it can't be kept hidden any more,.
After the two ministers went back merrily and the scandals started coming one after another.
* It started with the NREGA scam - alleged to be 555 crores out of total of 755 crore program. Still not resolved.
* Then came Nayagarh female foetuside scandal.
* Then followed the Kantabanji spurious drug scandal.
* And now the World bank scandal.(OHSDP sacandal)
* Of course Richa Mishra suicide scandal preceded, these.
There have been many small scandals but these listed above are the major scandals in about an year's time.
This is actually a chance for the CM to prove his innocence and competence by nailing the real culprits - else he can't any longer claim to be clean.
The ball really is in his court.
I asked a question, while they were all present together to Prafulla babu. He was lecturing us that theirs as the cleanest Govt ever in Orissa. I asked: "How and why do you think - the same old corrupt people will behave differently, today? After all, they are the same old wine, just in a new bottle?"
His answer was both tactful and tactical: He said the main difference is: "We have a clean leader in Naveen Pattnayak". I was not convinced and skeptical, but it rested there. Because I knew even incorruptible Late Naba Krushna Choudhury could not turn the Govt around from it's corrupt ways, in spite of his personal integrity. I just hoped, that this time around, it will be different.
In America, where the system has similar faults but once you are caught - you are gone. Not so in India. So the corrupt, even those who are caught, survive. This encourages them, all. Particularly, when stealing is so lucrative and so useful, for the family. Smart people learn fast it is the way to go - because it is beneficial, profitable and there is no penalty.
I think this makes the difference between India and America and Indian and American success. That is why I wanted ex-PM Narsingh Rao to go to jail. It was a open and shut case where bribe money was collected and deposited in a Bank A/c. Yet, it did not happen. Because in India law does not rule, people do. It is not "Rule of Law".
So it goes on. But due instant communication, it can't be kept hidden any more,.
After the two ministers went back merrily and the scandals started coming one after another.
* It started with the NREGA scam - alleged to be 555 crores out of total of 755 crore program. Still not resolved.
* Then came Nayagarh female foetuside scandal.
* Then followed the Kantabanji spurious drug scandal.
* And now the World bank scandal.(OHSDP sacandal)
* Of course Richa Mishra suicide scandal preceded, these.
There have been many small scandals but these listed above are the major scandals in about an year's time.
This is actually a chance for the CM to prove his innocence and competence by nailing the real culprits - else he can't any longer claim to be clean.
The ball really is in his court.
Competing states, ORISSA, 36Garh and Jharkhand have practically out done the Pandabas in Mahabharat: - Sandip K. Dasverma
The issue of water is of primary importance. In attempt to out do each other the competing states, ORISSA, 36Garh and Jharkhand have practically out done the Pandabas in Mahabharat. They have put everything on the Chess board, forgetting the industries should be good tax paying citizens.
The industries should pay for their inputs, like water, Coal, Iron Ore, Lime stone etc and should plan to dispose / treat their out put. This is well defined practice of the 1st world.
Unfortunately, GOO has promised everything to Integrated Steel Plants, like Judhisthira did in Mahabharata. While playing the dice, they have bet everything and very little is left to bet, to get the POSCOs. Just the give away of Iron Ore alone, will result in a yearly loss to Govt of Orissa to the tune of $2 billion per year or 9000 crores, at current exchange rates and prices charged as Royalty.
The Math is simple:
A 12 million tonne plant will need 20 million tons of Iron Ore.
International market price of lump Ore is approx $100/tonne and likely to go up another 30% this year.
20 million tonnes*$100/tonne = $2000 million=8000 crores ( exchange rate Rs 45/$)
Considering that the cost of raising is $10/Tonne the ISP(Integrated steel plant) gets a subsidy of $90/Tonne of which 50% should come to state as Royalty, for instate plants.
For plants in other states it should be 60% and for export it should be 80% of International Market price.
Similarly all other items, like Coal, Water and other ores should be paid for at Market prices.
News paper report, ( http://www.orissalinks.com/orissagrowth/?cat=162 ) states that Mittal are willing to pay the market price for all inputs. So why not POSCO and TATAs? Whose "Jwain"(son in law) are they?
The three state Governments should get together and do it, asap.
The best would be to keep the above 50%, 60% and 80% as the base prices and then go for an open bidding, so due competition the price of inputs in short supply will be highly remunerative.
I personally do not know Mr. Navin Patnaik but as a CM I believe that the buck should stop at his desk. He has no option to play ignorant.
Right now the MOU terms indicate that the interest of Orissa is compromised and needs solid path correction.
The industries should pay for their inputs, like water, Coal, Iron Ore, Lime stone etc and should plan to dispose / treat their out put. This is well defined practice of the 1st world.
Unfortunately, GOO has promised everything to Integrated Steel Plants, like Judhisthira did in Mahabharata. While playing the dice, they have bet everything and very little is left to bet, to get the POSCOs. Just the give away of Iron Ore alone, will result in a yearly loss to Govt of Orissa to the tune of $2 billion per year or 9000 crores, at current exchange rates and prices charged as Royalty.
The Math is simple:
A 12 million tonne plant will need 20 million tons of Iron Ore.
International market price of lump Ore is approx $100/tonne and likely to go up another 30% this year.
20 million tonnes*$100/tonne = $2000 million=8000 crores ( exchange rate Rs 45/$)
Considering that the cost of raising is $10/Tonne the ISP(Integrated steel plant) gets a subsidy of $90/Tonne of which 50% should come to state as Royalty, for instate plants.
For plants in other states it should be 60% and for export it should be 80% of International Market price.
Similarly all other items, like Coal, Water and other ores should be paid for at Market prices.
News paper report, ( http://www.orissalinks.com/orissagrowth/?cat=162 ) states that Mittal are willing to pay the market price for all inputs. So why not POSCO and TATAs? Whose "Jwain"(son in law) are they?
The three state Governments should get together and do it, asap.
The best would be to keep the above 50%, 60% and 80% as the base prices and then go for an open bidding, so due competition the price of inputs in short supply will be highly remunerative.
I personally do not know Mr. Navin Patnaik but as a CM I believe that the buck should stop at his desk. He has no option to play ignorant.
Right now the MOU terms indicate that the interest of Orissa is compromised and needs solid path correction.
Sunday, January 27, 2008
My take on World Bank Health project (OHSDP) scandal
http://infosources.blogspot.com/2008/01/corruption-plagues-world-bank-aided.html
Dear Sachi babu:
Wish you all the success in your OTV exposure to the Orissa and National audience on OHSDP, issue.
I am slowly getting aware of the problems which is not surprising to me.
Year before last at Washington DC, OSA convention(July 2006), there were two cabinet ministers from Orissa. Shree Prafulla Ghadei and Shree Surya Narayan Patra and a MLA Mr. Kalpataru Das.
I asked a question, while they were all present together to Prafulla babu. He was then claiming theirs as the cleanest Govt ever in Orissa. I asked: " How and why do you think - the same old corrupt people will behave differently, today? After all, they are the same old wine, just in a new bottle?"
His answer was both tactful and tactical: He said the main difference is: "We have a clean leader in Naveen Pattnayak". I was not convinced and skeptical, but it rested there. Because I knew even incorruptible Late Naba Krushna Choudhury could not turn the Govt around from it's corrupt ways, in spite of his personal integrity. I just hoped that this time around, it will be different.
Because in America, where the system has similar faults but once you are caught - you are gone. Not so in India. So the corrupt, even those who are caught survive and this encourages all of them. Particularly when stealing is so lucrative and so useful for the family. Smart people know it is the way to go - and there is no penalty.
I think this makes the difference between India and America. That is why I wanted ex-PM Narsingh Rao to go to jail. For a open and shut case where bribe money was collected and deposited in a Bank A/c. In other words it is not rule of law.
So it goes on. But can't be kept hidden any more, due instant communication.
The ministers went back merrily and then the scandals started coming one after another.
* It started with the NREGA scam - alleged to be 555 crores out of total of 755 crore program. Still not resolved.
* Then came Nayagarh female foetuside scandal.
* Then followed the Kantabanji spurious drug scandal.
* And now the World bank scandal.(OHSDP sacandal)
* Of course Richa Mishra suicide scandal preceded, these.
In between there have been many small but these are the major scandals in about an year's time.
This is actually a chance for the CM to prove his innocence and competence by nailing the real culprits - else he can't any longer claim to be clean.
The ball is in his court.
Best wishes,
Sandip
Dear Sachi babu:
Wish you all the success in your OTV exposure to the Orissa and National audience on OHSDP, issue.
I am slowly getting aware of the problems which is not surprising to me.
Year before last at Washington DC, OSA convention(July 2006), there were two cabinet ministers from Orissa. Shree Prafulla Ghadei and Shree Surya Narayan Patra and a MLA Mr. Kalpataru Das.
I asked a question, while they were all present together to Prafulla babu. He was then claiming theirs as the cleanest Govt ever in Orissa. I asked: " How and why do you think - the same old corrupt people will behave differently, today? After all, they are the same old wine, just in a new bottle?"
His answer was both tactful and tactical: He said the main difference is: "We have a clean leader in Naveen Pattnayak". I was not convinced and skeptical, but it rested there. Because I knew even incorruptible Late Naba Krushna Choudhury could not turn the Govt around from it's corrupt ways, in spite of his personal integrity. I just hoped that this time around, it will be different.
Because in America, where the system has similar faults but once you are caught - you are gone. Not so in India. So the corrupt, even those who are caught survive and this encourages all of them. Particularly when stealing is so lucrative and so useful for the family. Smart people know it is the way to go - and there is no penalty.
I think this makes the difference between India and America. That is why I wanted ex-PM Narsingh Rao to go to jail. For a open and shut case where bribe money was collected and deposited in a Bank A/c. In other words it is not rule of law.
So it goes on. But can't be kept hidden any more, due instant communication.
The ministers went back merrily and then the scandals started coming one after another.
* It started with the NREGA scam - alleged to be 555 crores out of total of 755 crore program. Still not resolved.
* Then came Nayagarh female foetuside scandal.
* Then followed the Kantabanji spurious drug scandal.
* And now the World bank scandal.(OHSDP sacandal)
* Of course Richa Mishra suicide scandal preceded, these.
In between there have been many small but these are the major scandals in about an year's time.
This is actually a chance for the CM to prove his innocence and competence by nailing the real culprits - else he can't any longer claim to be clean.
The ball is in his court.
Best wishes,
Sandip
Thursday, December 20, 2007
May I, request you all to join in, and give a hand for NITRAA DataBase
Dear Friends:
I take the privilege of belonging to the pioneer batch of NIT, Rourkela, in writing to you this letter. It was known those days as Regional Engineering College or REC, Rourkela. It was inaugurated on 15th August of 1961, at premises of the Panposh, ITI, by late Biju Pattnayak, where we lived during India's China war of 1962.
REC, moved to its present campus on January 1963. We moved into the 1st 4 seated hostel. We graduated in 1965, which was followed by the Pakistan War and the recession of 1965/1966, which lasted till 1973. They were the worst years for the Engineers probably in last 60 years. Some of my classmates remained Junior Engineers in Govt of Orissa for nearly 8 years and they were top of line scholars.
But we had our high hopes and potential. And given the proper environment our juniors did much better though some of my own classmates also did extremely well.
One of them Sri Nalini R. Mohanty, went on to become Chairman of the prestigious PSU, HAL, Bangalore and has since been decorated with a Padma shree. And after that many other Alumni have reached similar and/or greater heights. In absence of good net working even I don't know about all of them.
In 2004 another Alumni Surya Narayan Mahapatra of 1971 batch was elected by Quest Diagnostics, a Fortune 500 company as it's CEO and it's Chairman.
This year another Alumni Drona Rath of 1972 became the 1st Chairman of the NITR itself. He had earlier became Chief of MECON, a top PSU.
This year as a proud member of the Orissa Society of America executive, I had the privilege of recommending 3 names for the Prabasi Pratibha Samman, a NRO(Non Resident Oriya) award. And all three were NITRaans.
And hundreds of other's have reached the top rung of any industry or Govt. they decided to work for, some of whom I know some others I don't. But this was all their individual disconnected effort. It resulted in much less achievement compared to our potential and talent. Because this did not involve networking that is possible today, with Rengcol Yahoogroup or overseasnitran Yahoogroups or similar.
But now we are coming in to an era which networking is possible easily. Two significant results of networking through Rengcol Yahoogroup happened this year.
1st when IBM reneged in taking the 2007 batch campus hires. Within days NITRans in IBM acted to help the affected students and they were absorbed.
2nd was when the Aricent repeated similar action. This time the old boys net work worked and only partially. Only half of the affected could be helped.
Why? Because only 5700 of 14 thousand students are listed in the Data Base and only half (of them) are connected through e-mails. So most of the Alumni even today are not in the network, and though they could have helped, they have not or could not - the news did not reach them.
This Data Base creation, sole credit goes to Dr. Saroj K. Patel, the present General Secretary of NITRAA.
He has confided in me and sought my counsel because the whole database registration has gotten practically stalled in the last 2 months and he has no ideas as to how to expand it further. Neither do I.
It now needs fresh volunteers, fresh ideas and fresh initiatives from the many chapters that have come up. I am appealing to you all: to please call, write e-mail to, any one you know who has not registered. Everyone of you must be in touch with 10 of your classmates who are not members and probably 20 of juniors/seniors also who are not members.
My appeal to you is to persuade them to be members and come in to expand this network, through which we can soon communicate to all of the Alumni. Today, I can visit any city in USA and find members NITRans who live nearby and meet them. I have done so thrice already during my visit to San Francisco Bay Area, South California and Detroit, MI.
I have also helped to connect Alumni visiting cities of USA or other countries thus. The potential is enormous, if everyone gives a hand.
Please request all your attendees, in the year end Alumni parties to register at site(with use of WiFi and a lap top) and each one to try to persuade 3 to 5 of their NITR friends, who have not registered to register.
May I, request you all to join in, and give a hand?
Best wishes,
Sandip K. Dasverma
Mech 1965
I take the privilege of belonging to the pioneer batch of NIT, Rourkela, in writing to you this letter. It was known those days as Regional Engineering College or REC, Rourkela. It was inaugurated on 15th August of 1961, at premises of the Panposh, ITI, by late Biju Pattnayak, where we lived during India's China war of 1962.
REC, moved to its present campus on January 1963. We moved into the 1st 4 seated hostel. We graduated in 1965, which was followed by the Pakistan War and the recession of 1965/1966, which lasted till 1973. They were the worst years for the Engineers probably in last 60 years. Some of my classmates remained Junior Engineers in Govt of Orissa for nearly 8 years and they were top of line scholars.
But we had our high hopes and potential. And given the proper environment our juniors did much better though some of my own classmates also did extremely well.
One of them Sri Nalini R. Mohanty, went on to become Chairman of the prestigious PSU, HAL, Bangalore and has since been decorated with a Padma shree. And after that many other Alumni have reached similar and/or greater heights. In absence of good net working even I don't know about all of them.
In 2004 another Alumni Surya Narayan Mahapatra of 1971 batch was elected by Quest Diagnostics, a Fortune 500 company as it's CEO and it's Chairman.
This year another Alumni Drona Rath of 1972 became the 1st Chairman of the NITR itself. He had earlier became Chief of MECON, a top PSU.
This year as a proud member of the Orissa Society of America executive, I had the privilege of recommending 3 names for the Prabasi Pratibha Samman, a NRO(Non Resident Oriya) award. And all three were NITRaans.
And hundreds of other's have reached the top rung of any industry or Govt. they decided to work for, some of whom I know some others I don't. But this was all their individual disconnected effort. It resulted in much less achievement compared to our potential and talent. Because this did not involve networking that is possible today, with Rengcol Yahoogroup or overseasnitran Yahoogroups or similar.
But now we are coming in to an era which networking is possible easily. Two significant results of networking through Rengcol Yahoogroup happened this year.
1st when IBM reneged in taking the 2007 batch campus hires. Within days NITRans in IBM acted to help the affected students and they were absorbed.
2nd was when the Aricent repeated similar action. This time the old boys net work worked and only partially. Only half of the affected could be helped.
Why? Because only 5700 of 14 thousand students are listed in the Data Base and only half (of them) are connected through e-mails. So most of the Alumni even today are not in the network, and though they could have helped, they have not or could not - the news did not reach them.
This Data Base creation, sole credit goes to Dr. Saroj K. Patel, the present General Secretary of NITRAA.
He has confided in me and sought my counsel because the whole database registration has gotten practically stalled in the last 2 months and he has no ideas as to how to expand it further. Neither do I.
It now needs fresh volunteers, fresh ideas and fresh initiatives from the many chapters that have come up. I am appealing to you all: to please call, write e-mail to, any one you know who has not registered. Everyone of you must be in touch with 10 of your classmates who are not members and probably 20 of juniors/seniors also who are not members.
My appeal to you is to persuade them to be members and come in to expand this network, through which we can soon communicate to all of the Alumni. Today, I can visit any city in USA and find members NITRans who live nearby and meet them. I have done so thrice already during my visit to San Francisco Bay Area, South California and Detroit, MI.
I have also helped to connect Alumni visiting cities of USA or other countries thus. The potential is enormous, if everyone gives a hand.
Please request all your attendees, in the year end Alumni parties to register at site(with use of WiFi and a lap top) and each one to try to persuade 3 to 5 of their NITR friends, who have not registered to register.
May I, request you all to join in, and give a hand?
Best wishes,
Sandip K. Dasverma
Mech 1965
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
Unless the current MOU terms are nixed and Royalty raised, our goose will be cooked - by Sandip K. Dasverma
Having lived in USA for nearly 3 decades and having worked in the large Engineering companies, it has become clear to me, that the purpose of India's planning should be different and the model used in Western countries particularly USA, not followed. This is because I also worked a decade and a half in India for Govt. of Orissa(GOO), too.
USA's population density is 31 vs. 366/Sq.mile is India's,i.e. population density is about 11.5 times lower. The western countries always go for technologies that are high on capital and low in labor because they always had a huge shortage of skilled labor.
I remember in a seminar in 1970s at The Institute of Engineers, BBSR one of the invitees, a planning commission member stating that employment potential in agriculture is 23 times more than in Industry, for the same investment. Today, with more automation, the ratio must have further increased. Though mechanization in agriculture would move this multiplier in the opposite direction, has it?
But until today India's main problem(and more so Orissa's) has been, how to generate employment/work for the large working age population among our 1.2 billion people. Unfortunately, we give all kinds of incentive to the industry and very little to the larger employment generating industry, the agriculture is. The very fact that we write off 1000s of crores of loans from public sector banks to various industries and yet in 60 years, we have not been able to set up a mechanism for short term loan to our farmers, (who commit suicide in thousands), tells the story of our wrong bias. Eminent journalist P. Sainath has extensively written and documented on this issue.
We have largely neglected major employment generating areas, thus bringing misery and destitution to our people, namely:
1. Education
2. Health
3. Agriculture
4. Animal Husbandary
5. Infrastructure - Road, residential houses, Railways, transportation et el.
The pretext since the 1960s has been that Govt does not have money. Yet the give aways to industries, have continued, perpetually. The sale of electricity cheap to Hirakud Aluminum Co(Hindalco), Hirakud and Orient Paper Mill, Brajaraj nagar, are case in point. Due huge undue incentives and bad contract with these private industries, the Orissa State Electricity Board was perennially at loss, while these Hindalco and Orient Paper Mills, made huge profits. The give away to these industries were not even compensated by the taxes they paid, draining the Orissa state coffer, perpetually. I remember, we were selling power at one paisa/unit to Hindalco, while producing it at more than 15 paisa/unit, in then new Talcher Thermal Power Plant. This was in late 1960s and early 70s.
We are in the process of signing of a second set of such contracts soon, when POSCOs, Vedantas, Mittals set up their plants in Orissa and convert their MOUs to Contracts. I have noted that as per the present MOUs free water, practically free Iron Ore, practically free coal, no taxes for 1st 5 years(when all the equipment will come in so no taxes) and then another 5 years 50% taxes, almost free land (now getting changed to some extent) etc etc. The true value of these inputs is staggering and mind boggling.
In my blog, I have only calculated what it will be costing GOO to go ahead as is, for the currently mined Iron Ore and POSCO's up coming plant. The blog on the subject is self explanatory. I conclude that, unless the current MOU terms are nixed and Royalty raised, our goose will be cooked.
http://mathtalentsearch.blogspot.com/2007/12/worlds-resources-are-limited-sandip-k.html
USA's population density is 31 vs. 366/Sq.mile is India's,i.e. population density is about 11.5 times lower. The western countries always go for technologies that are high on capital and low in labor because they always had a huge shortage of skilled labor.
I remember in a seminar in 1970s at The Institute of Engineers, BBSR one of the invitees, a planning commission member stating that employment potential in agriculture is 23 times more than in Industry, for the same investment. Today, with more automation, the ratio must have further increased. Though mechanization in agriculture would move this multiplier in the opposite direction, has it?
But until today India's main problem(and more so Orissa's) has been, how to generate employment/work for the large working age population among our 1.2 billion people. Unfortunately, we give all kinds of incentive to the industry and very little to the larger employment generating industry, the agriculture is. The very fact that we write off 1000s of crores of loans from public sector banks to various industries and yet in 60 years, we have not been able to set up a mechanism for short term loan to our farmers, (who commit suicide in thousands), tells the story of our wrong bias. Eminent journalist P. Sainath has extensively written and documented on this issue.
We have largely neglected major employment generating areas, thus bringing misery and destitution to our people, namely:
1. Education
2. Health
3. Agriculture
4. Animal Husbandary
5. Infrastructure - Road, residential houses, Railways, transportation et el.
The pretext since the 1960s has been that Govt does not have money. Yet the give aways to industries, have continued, perpetually. The sale of electricity cheap to Hirakud Aluminum Co(Hindalco), Hirakud and Orient Paper Mill, Brajaraj nagar, are case in point. Due huge undue incentives and bad contract with these private industries, the Orissa State Electricity Board was perennially at loss, while these Hindalco and Orient Paper Mills, made huge profits. The give away to these industries were not even compensated by the taxes they paid, draining the Orissa state coffer, perpetually. I remember, we were selling power at one paisa/unit to Hindalco, while producing it at more than 15 paisa/unit, in then new Talcher Thermal Power Plant. This was in late 1960s and early 70s.
We are in the process of signing of a second set of such contracts soon, when POSCOs, Vedantas, Mittals set up their plants in Orissa and convert their MOUs to Contracts. I have noted that as per the present MOUs free water, practically free Iron Ore, practically free coal, no taxes for 1st 5 years(when all the equipment will come in so no taxes) and then another 5 years 50% taxes, almost free land (now getting changed to some extent) etc etc. The true value of these inputs is staggering and mind boggling.
In my blog, I have only calculated what it will be costing GOO to go ahead as is, for the currently mined Iron Ore and POSCO's up coming plant. The blog on the subject is self explanatory. I conclude that, unless the current MOU terms are nixed and Royalty raised, our goose will be cooked.
http://mathtalentsearch.blogspot.com/2007/12/worlds-resources-are-limited-sandip-k.html
Friday, December 07, 2007
The World's resources are limited - Sandip K . Dasverma
The World resources are limited. This understanding dawned in recent decades, resulting in sky rocketing prices of natural resources. $100/ Crude oil barrel (up from $1.28 in 1970). Iron ore International Market price(IMP) has soared to $100/Tonne( see: http://www.econstats.com/rt_ironore.htm). ($1=Rs. 40)
And is still going up(http://metalsplace.com/news/?a=16372)
By common sense no one will off load stocks, when prices are rising. Thus it is not clear, why the Govt. of Orissa(GOO) is eager to sell off its Iron Ore reserves at throw away prices(Current Royalty Rs. 27/Tonne) to the likes of POSCO or TATAS or Mittals and many others.
In a democracy the only way to stop such deals is by informing/educating public and the civil society.
The cancellation of sale of NALCO couple of years back was an example of education of the civil society and general public. The common alibi is: Royalty prices have been fixed by Govt of India(GOI), not us. But in a democratic free country what prevents the GOO from asking for a revision, at an ad velorem rate? And why this haste in signing off the rights before such a revision?
The following data/numbers will explain, why:
1. In 2006 GOO leased mines raised 47.6 million Tonnes of Iron Ore. This has brought the miners, $4.76 billion at the international market price of $100/ Tonne. The cost of raising and transporting is only $450 million. So a net profit of $4 billion has gone to the miners or ISP(Integrated Steel Plants).
If OMC(Orissa Mining Corporation, a public sector undertaking owned by GOO) handled the whole business, GOO would have profited by $4.00 billion or Rs. 16 thousand crores.
2. But OMC can’t, because it is undermined by both inefficiency, corruption & the political influence of the mining lobby.
3. Thus mining rights were doled out to the private mining companies, who mostly export and to ISP, who mine and process. Miners & ISPs, paid only $30 million(Rs. 120 crores) as Royalty, Rs. 24($0.60) per Tonne to GOO.
This surely needs to change, if Orissa is not to remain perpetually poor, while it's family silver wire is sold off.
POSCO case - A similar analysis:
1. POSCO will consume 20 million Tonnes of Iron Ore in 12 million ton ISP per year. At Rs. 27($.68) it will pay 54 crores/ year. However the ore price is Rs. 8000 crores (Rs. 4000 X 20 MT)
2. At current prices GOO will give away rights for $60 billion or 240,000 crores worth Iron Ore for a mere 1620 crores. The price is expected to rise between 20 to 50%(http://metalsplace.com/news/?a=16372). Incidentally while GOO is selling it’s assets, China is trying to buy mining company Rin Tinto for $350 billions for it’s mining leases. In other words the Orissa lease will increase POSCO nett worth by $60 billion plus.
3. MOU has a clause by which POSCO will ship out 72000 crore ($18 billion) worth(30%) Iron Ore to it’s other plants, through it’s own port? It has to pay $18 billion plus the transport to bring it back. Who will keep account? At the end POSCO will probably go for arbitration and even if they pay $1 billion as fines, they will come out ahead.
4. This is added to the fact that when the plant machinery comes it will pay no taxes, since they have manipulated to get an SEZ, from GOI.
5. They don’t pay for water,for coal, dolomite, chromite etc.
6. They don’t have a clause in the MOU to restore land and treat their effluent, since laws of the land are not applicable to SEZ.
My recommendations:
Three ad velorem Royalty rates:
1. 50% for ISPs in Orissa, applicable to POSCO. They pay all taxes to the GOO, the main advantage of having an instate ISP. At this rate POSCO plant will bring Rs.4000 crores (20 MT X Rs. 4000 X 0.5) per year, same as current GOO budget.
2. 60% for ISPs in other Indian states. (Currently about 5 Million Tonne, will bring Rs. 1200 crores)
3. And 80% for the mining companies, to export. (Current 45 Million Tonne, will bring to GOO, Rs. 14,400 crores/year)
4. All environmental laws should be operative.
5. The R & R is a minor 4.5 % of the current give away to the ISPs and also one time only. All evictees should be fully compensated. The 900 crore payout is 20 lakh / acre per of 4500 acres of land to be acquired. I think they should be paid 10 lakhs and be given other 10 lakhs as postal saving bank deposits.
Common sense should prevail:
GOO should give first priority to change the GOI policy. Because they are losing out nearly 20 thousand crores per year for each of next 30 years.
The MPs and ministers from Orissa, 36Garh, Jharkhand should form an IRON ORE Alliance.
Like the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), they should get together to ask for higher Royalty, for minerals? Recently the CMs have got together and are trying to meet the PM but only to have the mine allocation rights restored to the states, not request to raise the Royalty. This is naïve and only good for the political parties – who can raise election donations from the mining lobby but not good for people of Orissa, who are remaining poor.
For ISPs currently operating in AP, MP, Karnataka and West Bengal, to bring them into IRON ORE Alliance, I have suggested a compromise formula, a Royalty at 60% of the IMP.
The change in above policy is clearly necessary before signing of the POSCO contract. Similar protective steps are necessary before Mittal, Jindal, Tata contracts are signed.
And is still going up(http://metalsplace.com/news/?a=16372)
By common sense no one will off load stocks, when prices are rising. Thus it is not clear, why the Govt. of Orissa(GOO) is eager to sell off its Iron Ore reserves at throw away prices(Current Royalty Rs. 27/Tonne) to the likes of POSCO or TATAS or Mittals and many others.
In a democracy the only way to stop such deals is by informing/educating public and the civil society.
The cancellation of sale of NALCO couple of years back was an example of education of the civil society and general public. The common alibi is: Royalty prices have been fixed by Govt of India(GOI), not us. But in a democratic free country what prevents the GOO from asking for a revision, at an ad velorem rate? And why this haste in signing off the rights before such a revision?
The following data/numbers will explain, why:
1. In 2006 GOO leased mines raised 47.6 million Tonnes of Iron Ore. This has brought the miners, $4.76 billion at the international market price of $100/ Tonne. The cost of raising and transporting is only $450 million. So a net profit of $4 billion has gone to the miners or ISP(Integrated Steel Plants).
If OMC(Orissa Mining Corporation, a public sector undertaking owned by GOO) handled the whole business, GOO would have profited by $4.00 billion or Rs. 16 thousand crores.
2. But OMC can’t, because it is undermined by both inefficiency, corruption & the political influence of the mining lobby.
3. Thus mining rights were doled out to the private mining companies, who mostly export and to ISP, who mine and process. Miners & ISPs, paid only $30 million(Rs. 120 crores) as Royalty, Rs. 24($0.60) per Tonne to GOO.
This surely needs to change, if Orissa is not to remain perpetually poor, while it's family silver wire is sold off.
POSCO case - A similar analysis:
1. POSCO will consume 20 million Tonnes of Iron Ore in 12 million ton ISP per year. At Rs. 27($.68) it will pay 54 crores/ year. However the ore price is Rs. 8000 crores (Rs. 4000 X 20 MT)
2. At current prices GOO will give away rights for $60 billion or 240,000 crores worth Iron Ore for a mere 1620 crores. The price is expected to rise between 20 to 50%(http://metalsplace.com/news/?a=16372). Incidentally while GOO is selling it’s assets, China is trying to buy mining company Rin Tinto for $350 billions for it’s mining leases. In other words the Orissa lease will increase POSCO nett worth by $60 billion plus.
3. MOU has a clause by which POSCO will ship out 72000 crore ($18 billion) worth(30%) Iron Ore to it’s other plants, through it’s own port? It has to pay $18 billion plus the transport to bring it back. Who will keep account? At the end POSCO will probably go for arbitration and even if they pay $1 billion as fines, they will come out ahead.
4. This is added to the fact that when the plant machinery comes it will pay no taxes, since they have manipulated to get an SEZ, from GOI.
5. They don’t pay for water,for coal, dolomite, chromite etc.
6. They don’t have a clause in the MOU to restore land and treat their effluent, since laws of the land are not applicable to SEZ.
My recommendations:
Three ad velorem Royalty rates:
1. 50% for ISPs in Orissa, applicable to POSCO. They pay all taxes to the GOO, the main advantage of having an instate ISP. At this rate POSCO plant will bring Rs.4000 crores (20 MT X Rs. 4000 X 0.5) per year, same as current GOO budget.
2. 60% for ISPs in other Indian states. (Currently about 5 Million Tonne, will bring Rs. 1200 crores)
3. And 80% for the mining companies, to export. (Current 45 Million Tonne, will bring to GOO, Rs. 14,400 crores/year)
4. All environmental laws should be operative.
5. The R & R is a minor 4.5 % of the current give away to the ISPs and also one time only. All evictees should be fully compensated. The 900 crore payout is 20 lakh / acre per of 4500 acres of land to be acquired. I think they should be paid 10 lakhs and be given other 10 lakhs as postal saving bank deposits.
Common sense should prevail:
GOO should give first priority to change the GOI policy. Because they are losing out nearly 20 thousand crores per year for each of next 30 years.
The MPs and ministers from Orissa, 36Garh, Jharkhand should form an IRON ORE Alliance.
Like the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), they should get together to ask for higher Royalty, for minerals? Recently the CMs have got together and are trying to meet the PM but only to have the mine allocation rights restored to the states, not request to raise the Royalty. This is naïve and only good for the political parties – who can raise election donations from the mining lobby but not good for people of Orissa, who are remaining poor.
For ISPs currently operating in AP, MP, Karnataka and West Bengal, to bring them into IRON ORE Alliance, I have suggested a compromise formula, a Royalty at 60% of the IMP.
The change in above policy is clearly necessary before signing of the POSCO contract. Similar protective steps are necessary before Mittal, Jindal, Tata contracts are signed.
Thursday, November 08, 2007
A give away, a loot and a scam, rolled into one by Sandip K. Dasverma
Why I think leasing out any mines at this time without linking it to ad valerom, International Market price is a give away, a loot and a scam rolled into one? I will give the reason below. First please read below the very interesting news article about SAIL(Steel Authority of India Limited) plans.
Ad Valorem is a potent term, which means that price is linked to the value, going up or down based on it's International market price.
News paper article in The Telegraph:
Subject: SAIL would source about 30MT of iron ore from its seven mines in Jharkhand and Orissa.
Fresh techies make way for SAIL unit - PINAKI MAJUMDAR
Jamshedpur, Nov. 7: XXXX SAIL operates seven mines at Kiriburu, Megahataburu, Gua, Chiria, Bolani, Barsua and Kalta. The steel company is soon going to start mining operations at another iron-ore mines at Taldhi, between Barsua and Kalta.
A spokesperson of SAIL told The Telegraph that along with the 41 trainees, SAIL has also made recruitment at the middle management level, consisting of project engineers to meet the growing manpower requirement at its mining division. Moreover, the company is also planning to appoint geologists to fill up important positions.
The newly recruited engineers will fulfill the vital human resource requirement in the present mines as well as in the mines that are coming up at Chiria and Taldih, he said. SAIL has fixed a target to produce over 25 million tonnes (MT) of steel by 2011, for which iron ore requirement would be over 40MT. The raw material division would source about 30MT of iron ore from its seven mines in Jharkhand and Orissa.
.
This gives me an opportunity to demonstrate to the concerned citizens, why I say, we are missing out on focusing on the important issues of the deals.
Talking about Royalty, it being fixed at ridiculous Rs. 27 or $0.68/tonne by center ( by Govt of India) as an issue, which should be addressed foremost. In any independent country. Member of it's Parliament, dictate the policies which the bureaucracy implements. But why are our MPs more or less silent on this issue? To me silence is ominous and situation seems suspicious and we are probably in the middle of a scam. Where does the MPs allegiance lie? It should be People of their respective states. Yet they are silent when so much money is being drained out of the exchequer. There is no convincing reason to imagine that the MPs are unaware of these issues. When such huge money is involved, such deafening silence seems suspect.
Let us take this case of SAIL, which is a public sector undertaking. It's profits are theoretically to be plowed back to the revenue of the country, which in turn shares it with the states.
Each part of the country has it's own advantages & disadvantages of natural resources. Some are endowed with natural resources others are not. Those who are, like Orissa state and have other disadvantages, should insist on getting a fair price & return on depletion of their resources.
Only way to plow it back to the economy of Orissa, we have to insist on GOI, to raise the Royalty, proportional to the to international market price (rise) of the Iron and other ore. Presently the value of high grade lump Iron Ore from Orissa, is approx. $100/Tonne, less the raising costs. Of which we retain only $0.67 as Royalty. This is laughable but let us calculate the results.
Let us consider that we ask for higher Royalty at the ad valorem, at 50% of the international Market price to SAIL.
This will enrich the state of Orissa, @ $50/Tonne 50*40million =$2000 million or $2 billion or 8000 crores, approx, per year.
That Rs. 8000 crores will provide us with:
1. 8 IITs / year with our own money.
2. 15 times the present total Railway investment in the state.
3. 2 times the total annual commercial tax revenue, so we can abolish all sales taxes, octori taxes etc.
4. We can give any student who wants to study, all the loan they want.
5. We can also give loan to our entrepreneurs, the money they need, to invest
etc etc etc
And all this from only the earnings of one year.
We don't have to go every year begging to the GOI.
So why not?
Because there is a written and a signed lease contract with SAIL, which will prevent us from doing the same. Similar contracts are with NALCO, TATA etc. So those are lost cases.
But it can be done in case of TATA's, Mittal's or POSCO's, new plants and new leases, which are to be signed at the end of MOUs.
But only and only if, Govt of Orissa(GoO) does not sign new contracts in same terms, as in the MOUs.
So I think the R &R issues are diversionary and a SIDE SHOW. The pro-people lobby is fighting the wrong battle for better rehabilitation benefits, while all of the above companies (TATAs, Mittals or POSCO ) are going to laugh their way to the bank.
Because the money that these MNC(Multi National Corporations) and LNC(large National Corporations) will pay for rehabilitation and land, is equal to savings from only 8 million Tonnes, of the cost of the Iron Ore. So what if they pay a higher price for the land? If I were the CEO of POSCO I would create a problem in R & R area, in the beginning to divert attention away from the deal where lies, most of the money. I will demo that again below illustrating with POSCO numbers.
Similar is the case of VEDANTA, which needs bauxite, but it has different numbers but though equally bad. I will cover the same later.
To demo what I am talking about, let us run the same numbers through the POSCO numbers:
POSCO who will produce 12 million tonnes, thus will need approx 20 million Tons of Iron Ore/year.
POSCO will save them $100*20 million = $2 billion per year based on current international Market price. Or 8000 crore at current exchange rate. ($1= Rs. 40)
If POSCO agrees to pay 20 lakhs / acre (2 times the current highest price of 10 lakhs per acre offered by any Govt. in India) their pay out for 4000 acres, will be about Rs. 8 billions (Rs. 20 lakh/acre *4000 acres = Rs 8oo crore) or $200 million only, for the land.
And land is to be paid for one time only.
In other words even ignoring free water, free disposal of waste, low Royalty price of coal etc and SEZ advantages, POSCO will make a profit of 7200 crore in the first year and 8000 crore for the rest of their working plant life in Orissa from savings in Iron Ore prices, alone. Other benefits will add up at least up to a similar amount, if not more. There is also no cost to be paid for pollution and disposal.
If Orissa Govt Orissa(GOO) gives POSCO, 600 million tonne mines on lease, GOO will give away $60 billion to POSCO, at current prices for iron Ore. This ignores the international Market price rise which is expected to double in less than 5 years.
Shipping out 30% or 180 million Tonnes of high quality Ore, will be like giving away $18 billion to POSCO without any indemnity. Because POSCO’s whole plant is to be a $12 billion investment. Do you friends think that GOO has where withal to get back this Ore, from an MNC?
I can take the risk it in writing they will pay at 68cents/ Tonne ($125 million) and a penalty of $100 million or so. Because they don't have ore, and they buy it at $100 plus, which will cost them probably Whopping 20 to 30 billion Dollars, and $40 billion if prices escalate as projected in next 5 years.(include transport)
So some donation to some party fund, $ million or two to the those who need to be bought and buy an arbitrator and fix a deal like I have said above. It will cost may be another $100 million a saving of $25 billions to $40 billion for POSCO.
600 million * $100 at today's price =$60 billion dollars ignoring all other savings (the International price of Iron Ore is expected by the futures market to go up 30% in the coming year of 2008 alone) they will make or costs they don't have to incur, compared to other locations.
Similar is the case with all others: Tatas, Mittals, POSCO and VEDANTA.
I would like to draw every body's attention to these numbers and request them to rethink their blind support for such deals.
I do agree that giving mining lease to the mining company without asking for the international market price is an equally bad give away of public resources.
Solutions:
Fix the Royalty at 50% of the ad valorem International market price for in state Integrated Steel plant(ISP) or Aluminum plants .
Fix the Royalty at 60% of the ad valorem International market price for ISP or Alumina plants located in other states of India.
Fix the Royalty at 80% of the ad valorem International market price for Export.
Ad Valorem is a potent term, which means that price is linked to the value, going up or down based on it's International market price.
News paper article in The Telegraph:
Subject: SAIL would source about 30MT of iron ore from its seven mines in Jharkhand and Orissa.
Fresh techies make way for SAIL unit - PINAKI MAJUMDAR
Jamshedpur, Nov. 7: XXXX SAIL operates seven mines at Kiriburu, Megahataburu, Gua, Chiria, Bolani, Barsua and Kalta. The steel company is soon going to start mining operations at another iron-ore mines at Taldhi, between Barsua and Kalta.
A spokesperson of SAIL told The Telegraph that along with the 41 trainees, SAIL has also made recruitment at the middle management level, consisting of project engineers to meet the growing manpower requirement at its mining division. Moreover, the company is also planning to appoint geologists to fill up important positions.
The newly recruited engineers will fulfill the vital human resource requirement in the present mines as well as in the mines that are coming up at Chiria and Taldih, he said. SAIL has fixed a target to produce over 25 million tonnes (MT) of steel by 2011, for which iron ore requirement would be over 40MT. The raw material division would source about 30MT of iron ore from its seven mines in Jharkhand and Orissa.
.
This gives me an opportunity to demonstrate to the concerned citizens, why I say, we are missing out on focusing on the important issues of the deals.
Talking about Royalty, it being fixed at ridiculous Rs. 27 or $0.68/tonne by center ( by Govt of India) as an issue, which should be addressed foremost. In any independent country. Member of it's Parliament, dictate the policies which the bureaucracy implements. But why are our MPs more or less silent on this issue? To me silence is ominous and situation seems suspicious and we are probably in the middle of a scam. Where does the MPs allegiance lie? It should be People of their respective states. Yet they are silent when so much money is being drained out of the exchequer. There is no convincing reason to imagine that the MPs are unaware of these issues. When such huge money is involved, such deafening silence seems suspect.
Let us take this case of SAIL, which is a public sector undertaking. It's profits are theoretically to be plowed back to the revenue of the country, which in turn shares it with the states.
Each part of the country has it's own advantages & disadvantages of natural resources. Some are endowed with natural resources others are not. Those who are, like Orissa state and have other disadvantages, should insist on getting a fair price & return on depletion of their resources.
Only way to plow it back to the economy of Orissa, we have to insist on GOI, to raise the Royalty, proportional to the to international market price (rise) of the Iron and other ore. Presently the value of high grade lump Iron Ore from Orissa, is approx. $100/Tonne, less the raising costs. Of which we retain only $0.67 as Royalty. This is laughable but let us calculate the results.
Let us consider that we ask for higher Royalty at the ad valorem, at 50% of the international Market price to SAIL.
This will enrich the state of Orissa, @ $50/Tonne 50*40million =$2000 million or $2 billion or 8000 crores, approx, per year.
That Rs. 8000 crores will provide us with:
1. 8 IITs / year with our own money.
2. 15 times the present total Railway investment in the state.
3. 2 times the total annual commercial tax revenue, so we can abolish all sales taxes, octori taxes etc.
4. We can give any student who wants to study, all the loan they want.
5. We can also give loan to our entrepreneurs, the money they need, to invest
etc etc etc
And all this from only the earnings of one year.
We don't have to go every year begging to the GOI.
So why not?
Because there is a written and a signed lease contract with SAIL, which will prevent us from doing the same. Similar contracts are with NALCO, TATA etc. So those are lost cases.
But it can be done in case of TATA's, Mittal's or POSCO's, new plants and new leases, which are to be signed at the end of MOUs.
But only and only if, Govt of Orissa(GoO) does not sign new contracts in same terms, as in the MOUs.
So I think the R &R issues are diversionary and a SIDE SHOW. The pro-people lobby is fighting the wrong battle for better rehabilitation benefits, while all of the above companies (TATAs, Mittals or POSCO ) are going to laugh their way to the bank.
Because the money that these MNC(Multi National Corporations) and LNC(large National Corporations) will pay for rehabilitation and land, is equal to savings from only 8 million Tonnes, of the cost of the Iron Ore. So what if they pay a higher price for the land? If I were the CEO of POSCO I would create a problem in R & R area, in the beginning to divert attention away from the deal where lies, most of the money. I will demo that again below illustrating with POSCO numbers.
Similar is the case of VEDANTA, which needs bauxite, but it has different numbers but though equally bad. I will cover the same later.
To demo what I am talking about, let us run the same numbers through the POSCO numbers:
POSCO who will produce 12 million tonnes, thus will need approx 20 million Tons of Iron Ore/year.
POSCO will save them $100*20 million = $2 billion per year based on current international Market price. Or 8000 crore at current exchange rate. ($1= Rs. 40)
If POSCO agrees to pay 20 lakhs / acre (2 times the current highest price of 10 lakhs per acre offered by any Govt. in India) their pay out for 4000 acres, will be about Rs. 8 billions (Rs. 20 lakh/acre *4000 acres = Rs 8oo crore) or $200 million only, for the land.
And land is to be paid for one time only.
In other words even ignoring free water, free disposal of waste, low Royalty price of coal etc and SEZ advantages, POSCO will make a profit of 7200 crore in the first year and 8000 crore for the rest of their working plant life in Orissa from savings in Iron Ore prices, alone. Other benefits will add up at least up to a similar amount, if not more. There is also no cost to be paid for pollution and disposal.
If Orissa Govt Orissa(GOO) gives POSCO, 600 million tonne mines on lease, GOO will give away $60 billion to POSCO, at current prices for iron Ore. This ignores the international Market price rise which is expected to double in less than 5 years.
Shipping out 30% or 180 million Tonnes of high quality Ore, will be like giving away $18 billion to POSCO without any indemnity. Because POSCO’s whole plant is to be a $12 billion investment. Do you friends think that GOO has where withal to get back this Ore, from an MNC?
I can take the risk it in writing they will pay at 68cents/ Tonne ($125 million) and a penalty of $100 million or so. Because they don't have ore, and they buy it at $100 plus, which will cost them probably Whopping 20 to 30 billion Dollars, and $40 billion if prices escalate as projected in next 5 years.(include transport)
So some donation to some party fund, $ million or two to the those who need to be bought and buy an arbitrator and fix a deal like I have said above. It will cost may be another $100 million a saving of $25 billions to $40 billion for POSCO.
600 million * $100 at today's price =$60 billion dollars ignoring all other savings (the International price of Iron Ore is expected by the futures market to go up 30% in the coming year of 2008 alone) they will make or costs they don't have to incur, compared to other locations.
Similar is the case with all others: Tatas, Mittals, POSCO and VEDANTA.
I would like to draw every body's attention to these numbers and request them to rethink their blind support for such deals.
I do agree that giving mining lease to the mining company without asking for the international market price is an equally bad give away of public resources.
Solutions:
Fix the Royalty at 50% of the ad valorem International market price for in state Integrated Steel plant(ISP) or Aluminum plants .
Fix the Royalty at 60% of the ad valorem International market price for ISP or Alumina plants located in other states of India.
Fix the Royalty at 80% of the ad valorem International market price for Export.
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Monday, October 22, 2007
The Myth - "Central Government controls the mining rights" refrain is a smoke screen- Sandip K. Dasverma
The Myth - "Central Government controls the mining rights" refrain is a smoke screen to protect lots of vested interests.
- Sandip K. Dasverma
It is a myth that Central Govt controls the mining rights? Why else Huda committee's recommendations, are so much opposed by Govt of Orissa, Govt of 36Garh and Govt of Jharkhand? It is a bone of contention, as it will shift the rights to Central Govt., the minining rights authority, which now rests with the states.
The Royalty is fixed by the Center (Govt of India), i.e a few babus of Govt of India, mining ministry. In in absence of any hue and cry from the concerned states or their MPs, the private parties from Jindals to Tatas, and Mittals to Posco call the tune. They are all in this along with the inefficient public sector plants which manages profit at the cost of the Orissa state and other states like it.
For last two years I have been pleading that MPs from Orissa and these other two states get together and demand better than 60% ad valorem International Market price of Iron Ore, as ROYALTY from the Industries. States should not beg Industry to come and to make super profits, while they stay as is. Whose interest they are protecting by becoming silent on this issue? You might as well guess. http://mathtalentsearch.blogspot.com/2007/05/orissa-mps-can-do-better-by-asking-for.html
Lastly, if we get 60% of International Market price we can give away 10% to any one for making their plant inside the state. And we earn $2 to $4 billion dollars(8000 to 16000 crores at current prices which are likely to go up next year). This we can spend not only to improve health and education but for changing quality of life. We not only give this away but add SEZ and other facilities in the name of competition between the states. For a reference Orissa's current year's budget is Rs. 4500 crores, half the money Orissa GoO is willing to giving away only to POSCO/year for next 30 years.
The three State Govts(Orissa, 36Garh and Jharkhand) can form a Cartel (like OPEC) so they won't have to compete against each other and give away their family silver, so to say.
Please consider why scarce OIL will sell at $80 a barrel every where and scarce IRON Ore at $0.68 C/Tonne, while Brazil and Australia sells it for $100/Tonne.
Also the Iron Ore price differentials, in Ores from lump to fine are all sold in India at the same price in India. Thus a huge wastage and throw away of fines, the less desirable Ore occurs in India.
Who benefits? This Royalty fixed by center argument is a smoke screen to hide that fact that lot of people are unduly benefiting at the cost of the affected states and their people, including Orissa.
Why no such action is being taken?
If it is not happening there must be some vested interest, who must be exposed, is it not?
Let states get together to demand from center:
1. there should be price differential in Ores based on the grade of Ores, from the lump ore, medium and fines.
And:
Fix the Royalty at 50% of the ad valorem International market price for in state Integrated Steel plant(ISP) or Aluminum plants .
Fix the Royalty at 60% of the ad valorem International market price for ISP or Alumina plants located in other states of India.
Fix the Royalty at 75% of the ad valorem International market price for Export.
- Sandip K. Dasverma
It is a myth that Central Govt controls the mining rights? Why else Huda committee's recommendations, are so much opposed by Govt of Orissa, Govt of 36Garh and Govt of Jharkhand? It is a bone of contention, as it will shift the rights to Central Govt., the minining rights authority, which now rests with the states.
The Royalty is fixed by the Center (Govt of India), i.e a few babus of Govt of India, mining ministry. In in absence of any hue and cry from the concerned states or their MPs, the private parties from Jindals to Tatas, and Mittals to Posco call the tune. They are all in this along with the inefficient public sector plants which manages profit at the cost of the Orissa state and other states like it.
For last two years I have been pleading that MPs from Orissa and these other two states get together and demand better than 60% ad valorem International Market price of Iron Ore, as ROYALTY from the Industries. States should not beg Industry to come and to make super profits, while they stay as is. Whose interest they are protecting by becoming silent on this issue? You might as well guess. http://mathtalentsearch
Lastly, if we get 60% of International Market price we can give away 10% to any one for making their plant inside the state. And we earn $2 to $4 billion dollars(8000 to 16000 crores at current prices which are likely to go up next year). This we can spend not only to improve health and education but for changing quality of life. We not only give this away but add SEZ and other facilities in the name of competition between the states. For a reference Orissa's current year's budget is Rs. 4500 crores, half the money Orissa GoO is willing to giving away only to POSCO/year for next 30 years.
The three State Govts(Orissa, 36Garh and Jharkhand) can form a Cartel (like OPEC) so they won't have to compete against each other and give away their family silver, so to say.
Please consider why scarce OIL will sell at $80 a barrel every where and scarce IRON Ore at $0.68 C/Tonne, while Brazil and Australia sells it for $100/Tonne.
Also the Iron Ore price differentials, in Ores from lump to fine are all sold in India at the same price in India. Thus a huge wastage and throw away of fines, the less desirable Ore occurs in India.
Who benefits? This Royalty fixed by center argument is a smoke screen to hide that fact that lot of people are unduly benefiting at the cost of the affected states and their people, including Orissa.
Why no such action is being taken?
If it is not happening there must be some vested interest, who must be exposed, is it not?
Let states get together to demand from center:
1. there should be price differential in Ores based on the grade of Ores, from the lump ore, medium and fines.
And:
Fix the Royalty at 50% of the ad valorem International market price for in state Integrated Steel plant(ISP) or Aluminum plants .
Fix the Royalty at 60% of the ad valorem International market price for ISP or Alumina plants located in other states of India.
Fix the Royalty at 75% of the ad valorem International market price for Export.
Thursday, October 11, 2007
Are we are becoming a shallow and mean people? - By Sandip K. Dasverma
A question often bothers my mind: Are we are becoming a shallow and mean people? Or we are just allowing such people to represent us by default?
I saw many of the protest videos in
I don't like the dynastic tendencies at all. In 1975, my sympathies were with the opposition alliance, largely due to the dynastic tendencies and it's promotion by the All India Radio(AIR), also popularly known as All Indira Radio. Though I was a Government of Orissa servant, my position was not private, though I did not actively participate in politics. Even with that background I don't like this ugly illiberalism and ethos, which smacks of communalism and dirty politics. There is no doubt that starting from Indira Gandhi till today, this family has taken advantage of the coincidence of their last name with M.K. Gandhi. However the way to face that is not to ally with people who are openly communal. The way BJP has tried to take advantage of ignorance of Indian masses to project Ram Setu is clearly a manifestation of of their archaic and evil mind. Ofcourse Mr. Karunanidhi, a thrice married man, in a country, where only monogamy is legal, has by his stupid action made it worse. Unfortunately, we has a people have very little choice. The choice is between Twiddle Dum and Twiddle Dee. First a bunch of unscientific backward looking people who promote miracles in 21st century, for example Ganesh statue drinking milk (with Ph.Ds in science) and another bunch who speak all the right things but do just the reverse. They both keep other issues (like Ram vs.
Why could not the same people at
Don't these people understand that it is stupid to do it this way – and project ourselves as a bunch of intolerant people, to an international audience? It is like asking sympathy of the very people you want to denigrate, is not it? It is stupid at best and highly harmful and damaging to image of
If I were to decide what to do, I would have invited Prof. Jean Derez to lead a protest based on all the above issues and highlighted the fact that in Gandhi's land one Ambani is building a house worth $1 billion, under the present Government's guardianship and her leadership. This while, nearly 50 thousand or more farmers have committed suicide and there is no mention of the same in the issues raised. The rejection of our real heritage and values, like simple living and high thinking, was not even an issue made by these people each of whom want to be a Mahajan or an Ambani. All they can think of is Ram Vs. Rome, such is their lop sided view and politics.
We have to remember that replacing a Gandhi dynasty with a Mahajan (he improved his net worth from Zero to 2200 crores in 20 years of politics) is going from frying pan to fire. Should we not have concentrated on why we are going away from our real heritage, under this very Government? If we accepted Mira Behn (Magaret Slade), Rev. C. F. Andrews, Nelli Sengupta, Anne Besant, Dr. Varrier Alwyn, and today’s people like Jeanne Druz and many such, why can't we accept Sonia, as long as she accepts our heritage and type of living?
A question often bothers my mind: Are we becoming a shallow and mean people or we are just allowing such people to represent us, by default?
Thursday, September 27, 2007
A plan for Odissi Dance Market Development in USA- By S. K. Dasverma
A plan for Odissi Dance Market Development in USA
Or,
- By S. K. Dasverma
Or,
Can we show case of our culture in USA and use Odissi dance groups as a profitable venture?
By Sandip K. Dasverma
The answer to this question is: Yes.
Odissi dancers have been visiting USA since early 70s. Two names that were known early to the Indian community in North America's metros were Late Sanjukta Panigrahi and Late Kelu Charan Mohapatra. Both are legends and have since passed away.
We have come a long way since then, particularly after the International Odissi Dance festivals in 2002/2003 at Washington DC with active help of the then Indian Ambassador Mr. Lalit Mansingh. A new generation has taken over and the group dances have become popular. Additionally, a large group of male dancers, no longer masquerading as females (Gotipua style) are now becoming popular. A good Odissi dancer can now earn 1 lakh plus on a trip to USA, all costs paid. They are still not floating in milk and honey but no longer starving either, if they are good. The purpose of this article to discuss plans and possibilities to take these troupes to the next higher level, so more artists, can earn more. Also a corpus fund ($1 million) can be created out of the profits to support the purists and the pure form.
Strategic changes needed:
- Odissi troupes now must focus on mainstream Americans rather than target only Indian audiences. They still continue to depend on local Indian host groups (mostly Oriya or Bengali groups) for transport, food and shelter, to keep them within budget and provide them a support group in an alien circumstance.
- Professional management of the tours must happen, with good scheduling, good planning, regular networking with the local patrons, like a touring theatre company.
- There should be a central promotion group body for promotion of Odissi in America – constituted by the individual local patrons/promoters a body of hundred who have worked in the past or still working on it, as a independent non-profit federation or under OSA as a special unit.
A. The following visible developments have happened in the last decade or two:
- The grace of Odissi is now appreciated all over India and its popularity has come at par with Bharat Natyam, the most popular of the classical Indian dance forms, except in South.
- The development of group dances with equal number of men and women has transformed the image of Odissi from a slow, solo dance to a rhythmic dynamic dance form with lot of energy and speed.
- .It has come to the throes of a financially viable industry, provided it is professionally managed. The techniques of Scheduling, financial planning and marketing and electronic communication needs to be introduced to make it flourish. Of course it needs nurturing to become a cash cow.
- Like cricket, it is now a hobby, from which one can make a living, provided one is a top end of performer, (I would assume those within top Fifty women and men, can earn 2 to 3 lakhs an year – after all costs..
- Odissi has become very popular outside Orissa, all over India, particularly in West Bengal and among Bengalees.
- Awareness of the dance abroad has become wider. From ambits of an elite audience it has moved to general awareness among American public.
- There are now at least 60 to 80 American communities and big cities where more than one Odissi performance has been performed. If we include Canada it will probably be 100 communities. However public forget the performance if it is not repeated within 3 years plus/minus. These can be expanded to 150 or more if persistent effort is made, targeting all towns of population of 50 thousand or more.
- There are at least 20 / 25 Odissi Dance schools in North America that are run by good Odissi dancers, who teach this increasingly popular dance form. They are creating awareness and appreciation among general American public, in addition to Diaspora. A list needs to be prepared of such schools, as they are they are a natural ally/host to the touring teams and any performance in those communities is mutually beneficial.
- With web sites being easy and cheap, each troupe can develop their own web site, providing information about their group and while they tour a web based info on them. They can also post a standard brochure and poster which can be customized.
B. Exploitation of potential and future vision
1. Many questions come up. Like can we bring more than one troupe a year from Orissa, and make the trips financially viable?
2. If it is possible what is the model?
3. What will be goal of such expansion?
4. What will be the infrastructure needed?
5. Can the Oriya network, as it is today, run it and do justice to its potential?
6. Economics and financial viability.
C. Areas of Improvement, a few answers to the questions raised:
1. Develop a net work of Odissi lovers – not necessarily Oriya people, preferably Oriya, other Indian and American fans from the beginning at each target community.
2. A significant improvement in presentation with use of video, projectors and light. For example I saw a Mohini Attam group create the background and change it through overhead projector. This type of action will be particularly applicable to the dance dramas like "Konark" or "Katrina" by Orissa Dance Academy. Now it is being done by them on a white or black back ground, which could be significantly enhanced by a background depicting a sea on the background. Various other such projections to enhance the presentation.
3. Standardized optimal stage size, sound quality and light needs to be communicated early.
4. Standardized explaining of the nuances or each troupe having its presenter, who has practiced American English.
5. Making standard marketing techniques available to each community leader. As to how to Contacting local TV, local news paper etc.
6. Renting good but decent halls for cheap – possible if planning is done more than four to six month before the performances. Always using a non-profit organization as local promoter to avoid tax related problems.
7. Last but not least moving focus and target from Indians to general American community stated above. Visible local coordination with church groups or other community groups, are to be attempted as a policy.
8. Planning Workshops on local dance schools or collaborating with local Ballet schools one in each place of visit to expand market and create curiosity for the dance form. However in the initial trip only one in 4 places should be aimed at about 5 places to start with.
9. Collection of fund either as a bank loan or an investment from people who get 10% return on his capital, if venture succeeds. For example 100 people giving consent to contribute $1 K each can raise $100 K for venture capital. There could be call up only if the money is necessary, so money is not sitting in low paying bank accounts. However these venture capital donors can alternatively make the up the Board to run the venture and decide what they want to do with the surplus funds after they get their money back. It is expected to be donated to the Odissi Trust Fund.
10. For city performances the ticket should be on average $25 and for small town America $15 / person. Each center can bring in sponsors and donors and can use the extra money after paying for the troupe and expenses for their club or philanthropic goals. This way we can create a vested interest in them to repeat and thus will develop a permanent market.
11. The profitable efforts should also agree to give 50% of the surplus to a Odissi Foundation Fund to be floated and a significant portion of the surplus – and up to 50% should be deposited in a general fund (target $1 million) for the promotion of pure Odissi dance form. This will be an endowment fund, like the one Srikhetra at Chennai has, for Bharat Natyam. There are no patrons in Orissa for Odissi and Government of Orissa is in the process of withdrawing from all such activities due to the advent of market economy.(this suggestion is by Dr. Sri Gopal Mohanty, who like many others, feel that the original dance form is threatened).
12. Try to use 2 out of 4 layover days – Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, to promote appreciation of the dance form in small town America.
13. A standard rate for small towns should be $1 k for 1st visit, $1.5 K for second and subsequent visit. These will be on M, T, W, T days. (Week days). Other arrangements will be similar.
14. And halls will be smaller 200 to 300.
15. A standard remuneration of $4k/ performance to the party for the cities or big town and weekend performances is recommended. The transport, stay and food will be on local promoters, they can pay in cash or kind, at their choice. Thus facility can be provided like hosting the artists and giving them a ride.
16. Hall size in cities should be about 400 plus (depending on past success) – for performances on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
17. Live music is a must for these performances.
18. Develop a database list of all the communities where there has been performance in the past and keep the contacts updated.
19. For emergency situations a few of the artists getting international driving license and a credit card will be desirable.
20. There are many cities where Oriya groups are feuding among them. As a result if one group promotes an Odissi dance group the other completely non-cooperates or occasionally even create obstructions. This should be handled carefully by the national entrepreneurs by giving a program to each of the groups as a healthy competition rather than unhealthy rivalry. This should happen, in the common interest of every person from Orissa, to spread of name and fame of Odissi in North America, a cultural Gem from Orissa.
A sample virtual project:
I am using here a fictitious company which is visiting West Coast named ABC Dance company to demonstrate what I have in mind. They will fly in to say Washington DC as Rudrakhya has done this time and then fly to Seattle or Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston or Dallas, Washington DC/ New York, New Orleans, Louisiana to the six metropolitan areas and move around the area like shown for West Coast.
Premise/Assumption:
- A trip to west coast by ABC company, consisting of 4 male dancers, 4 female dancers, 5 live musicians and the Guru & the manager(who usually is the Guru or a lead dancer) – A team of 13/14 people, any variation is OK.
- The troupe will travel max 250 miles daily, usually 200 miles or less & preferably 100 to 150 miles.
- They will be hosted free by the hosts in individual houses or low cost Motels of Indians which will be paid for by the hosting community.
- They will be given preferably Indian food, with occasional variations.
- They will move in a 16 seat bus which will carry their instruments and belongings for the length of the trip. If they use Air travel the local trips will be in such a bus.
- Alternatively they could travel between cities by Air and travel locally by a bus.
- Food should be provided by the hosts or an allowance of $25/day in lieu of that / person.
- Private residential hosting accommodation is fine. Else Four / Five Motel Six type double bed double rooms to be provided.
- They will dance maximum 6 days a week, with Friday, Saturday and Sunday in big cities. And 2 / 3 other days in the 4 weekdays preferably rested every 6 th day.
- They will spend their rest day sight seeing supported by hosts at established fan bases.
- They will get adequate rest and food, so they can perform at their prime.
- They use a similar color fliers(couple available via internet) with localization and printing done by local promoters.
- Local TV, Radio stations and news papers requested to make public service announcements, not only in the Indian News papers as now. Ads will at no charge to the troupe..
- A few new locations have to be developed, for future exploitation/visit.
- Some flexibility is there and some are challenges to be undertaken. These are just suggested and can be modified or based on entrepreneurs can be added or deleted. Just gives a general idea of how in the west itself nearly 30 performances can be sold with 18 weekend performances and 14
- Group tickets viz. Disneyland and Universal Studio will be provided by the local promoters but may be shared by all locals, if more than one, are local.
Schedule:
They deplane in at Seattle and take a days rest, after finishing their trip to OSA July 4th convention, 2007.
1. 1st Performance Seattle North area Friday July
2. 2nd performance Seattle South Area Saturday July
3. 3rd performance Olympia Sunday July?
4. Sight seeing Seattle and Olympia Monday
5. 4th Performance Ellensburg(small town) Monday
6. 5th performance Richland(small town) Wednesday
7. 6th Walla Walla(small town) Thursday
8. 7th Performance Portland, Oregon. Friday
9. 8th performance at Portland, Oregon North(Vancuver) Saturday
10. 9th performance capital, Oregon, Sunday
11. 10th Medford, Ca Tuesday
12. Stay at Sacramento and Sight seeing at Capitol
13. 11th Stockton, CA Thursday
14. 12th Sacramento CA Friday
15. 13th San Francisco, CA, Saturday
16. 14th Hayward or Palo Alto, Sunday
17. 15th Livermore Hindu Temple, CA, Monday
18. Sightseeing Yesomite on Tuesday or rest
19. 16th San Rafel, CA, Wednesday
20. See San Francisco Thursday
21. 17thperformance at Freemont, Friday
22. 18h performance Santa Cruz, Saturday
23. 19th performance at South San Jose, Sunday
24. 20st Bakersville, Monday
25. 21nd Thousand Oaks, Tuesday
26. visit Universal Studio on Wednesday
27. rest on Thursday
28. 22th performance Los Angeles, Friday
29. 23th performance in Pasadena area, Saturday
30. 24th performance in San Diego, Sunday
31. sightseeing at San Diego, Monday
32. 25th performance Orange county, Tuesday
33. 26th Diamond Bar, Wednesday
34. See Disney Land , Thursday
35. 27th performance Riverside, Friday
36. 28th performance at Los Vegas, Saturday
37. 29th performance at Reno, Sunday
38. sight seeing at Lake Tahoe Monday
39. 30sth performance at Redding, or Davis Tuesday
40. See Lassen Wednesday Travel to Seattle
41. Fly out to Dallas, TX, Thursday AN and rest
42. Next performance on Friday at Dallas, TX.
Alternatively:
Alt step 37. 29th performance at Phoenix, AZ
38. sight seeing at Grand Canyon, Monday
39. Rest day at Safford, AZ
40. 30sth performance at Safford, AZ, Wednesday
41. Fly out to Dallas, TX, or Houston, Tx, Thursday AN and rest
42. Next performance on Friday at Dallas, TX or Houston, Tx.
43. * A south central itinerary to be drawn up by a set of locals
Moving South
Estimated Earnings:
- 18 X 4 = 72 K
- 12 X 1 = 12 K(can go up to 18K)
- Costs:
- Transportation costs:
- The bus will cost approximately 10 K, to be shared by the 30 parties about $400 / party max and $300 / party min.
- Food costs:
- Either it can be paid @25/day/ artist
- or will be provided by the hosts to the satisfaction of the artists.
- Quality and personal hosting will be preferred and main consideration will be the cordiality of the hosts.
- Accomodation costs:
- It is assumed that in most of the places host families will be identified ahead of time.
- In the worst case Motel accommodation can be arranged for by the hosts either free or paid for at their choice which shall be of reasonable quality(Motel six for example).
- Entertainment costs:
- Tickets to the places like Disney Land etc will be paid for by the local parties unless they make a loss in the performance.
Thus a net profit for the party for a properly organized US, West coast tour will be nearly 70 grand, assuming only a few small town performances will be squeezed in.
Alternatively, they can perform around four Airports Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego, Los Vegas and Dallas. They will unable to perform couple of performances and places to visit like Reno, Davis, Medford. But wont have to travel back to Seattle and they will spend one week less. However local transport will be the head ache .
Trips will be, with 3 month advance ticket:( some one can check if there are group travel tickets for 14 people)
Seattle to San Francisco @$52/ person by SWA
San Jose to Los Angeles @$52/ person by SWA
San Diego to Los Vegas @??
Los Vegas to Dallas @
- By S. K. Dasverma
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