It is unfortunate that the Railway Budget is to to be received in mourning in more than one sense. Madras-bound Coromondal Express derails near JK Road. 15 are reported dead and more than 100 injured with casualities likely to go up.
The other reason is that the budget is by a Bihari about Bihar and for Bihar.
There was a Group discussion arranged by ETV in which some top ex-Administrators, Union leaders and others participated yesterday. It was an exercise in lament. Some Highlights of the budget (not included in the budget speech) as brought out in the group discussion are as under:-
1. 2,00,000 vacancies in Railways. The saving on these vacancies shown as incrased earnings!
2. Projects for Bihar and surveys/feasibility studies for other states.
3. We are talking of bullet trains (projected speed 350 kmph) when we are not able to run trains even at 150 kmph.
4. An existing train running via Sec'bad to touch Kacheguda. This is a new achievement!
5. Approved pojects in previous budgets get no allocation or token allocations. But new surveys/studies announced. Example Kakinada-Pithapuram line, total cost estimated around 50 crores. Mooted for execution almost 60 years ago. Mr.Pallam Raju our Hon'ble MP from Kakinada and MOS(defence) can cite this as his achievement when he seeks re-election.
6. Fares cut by 2%. But lion-share of accommodation set aside for Tatkal for which charges are twice as normal.
7. General bogies reduced and reserved bogies increased. Poor people have to pay more.
8. All catering contracts to a cartel from Bihar. You dont get local ethnic fare. You have to eat Bihari samosas everywhere.
9. A train which reaches its destination say after 12/15 hours reduces its running time by 5/10 minutes. Made superfast and additional levy extracted.
10. Lalu may be comfortable in his Saloon. But paying passengers have to squeeze themselves in the third side berth.
11. A new train beetween Secunderabad to Patna. This will serve Bihari labour in hyderabad. you know how many Andhras live in patna.
12. No dedicated freight corridor for south.
South Central Railway contributes around 30% of Railway revenues. Congress is in power in Centre and AP. AP has around 45 MPs in Lok sabha. will they create a ruckus in parliament? Will they throw budget papers? will they walk out? Will they resign en masse? Will they whimper?
...ponder
Friday, February 13, 2009
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Small Men Big Shoes
Terrorism is serious business. The safety and security of the Nation and its people are ever vulnerable. The need of the hour is to close ranks and project a single-minded determination and sense of purpose to the enemy.
This is neither the time nor the excuse to play to gallery for petty ends like votes. If this applies to Antulay and Karunanidhi, it equally applies to Modi too.
When our government is struggling to marshall world opinion against terrorism in general and Mumbai attacks in particular, off-the-cuff reference to alleged internal assistance gives a handle to the enemy. Pakistan gleefully grabbed it. Chidambaram is right in chiding him.
Modi is occupying a very responsible position and not unlike any ordinary citizen, any information he has should be shared with appropriate authority and not the gallery or the media. If he is speculating, he should avoid same, as his utterances need to be given due importance.
He is reputed to be a go getter and is said to have wroght wonders in administering Gujarat and in its development. But any day, he cannot win a popularity contest. He should stick to his strengths and avoid his weaknesses. He should remember that he is yet to get an American visa despite trying.
Mimicking is no excuse. Sagacity and statesmanship are needed.
...ponder
This is neither the time nor the excuse to play to gallery for petty ends like votes. If this applies to Antulay and Karunanidhi, it equally applies to Modi too.
When our government is struggling to marshall world opinion against terrorism in general and Mumbai attacks in particular, off-the-cuff reference to alleged internal assistance gives a handle to the enemy. Pakistan gleefully grabbed it. Chidambaram is right in chiding him.
Modi is occupying a very responsible position and not unlike any ordinary citizen, any information he has should be shared with appropriate authority and not the gallery or the media. If he is speculating, he should avoid same, as his utterances need to be given due importance.
He is reputed to be a go getter and is said to have wroght wonders in administering Gujarat and in its development. But any day, he cannot win a popularity contest. He should stick to his strengths and avoid his weaknesses. He should remember that he is yet to get an American visa despite trying.
Mimicking is no excuse. Sagacity and statesmanship are needed.
...ponder
Friday, February 6, 2009
Needless Diversion
Pranab Mukherjee is juggling three responsibilities now. In addition to his External Affairs, he is also handling Prime Ministerial job and also the Finance Ministry. This vetern Congressman, who was disgraced by Congress Party, for aspiring exactly for this role in the wake of Indira Gandhi assassination, is admirably handling his present unique assignments. I think he is also handling Bengal Congress affairs.
But coalition politics and compulsions will not leave him alone. He has to go to Sri Lanka at a most un-diplomatic juncture just to mollycoddle Karunanidhi. It is another thing that the President of that country politely found time for this big brother despite engaged in a most decisive military exercise after Bangladesh War.
This poking of our nose in the internal affairs of a neighbouring country with the Kashmir problem already in our lap is just shooting one's own leg. If Pakistan raises hue and cry over the fate of Kashmiris, it is interference in our internal affairs. But same is not the case when we talk of Tamils in Sri Lanka. Double standards!
Though his timing was undiplomatic - when war is raging in its climax - his utterances were diplomatic enough. He might have even privately congratulated Sri Lanka.
Also contrast the present stance of our government with that of immature Rajiv Gandhi, who was led the garden path by the wily Jayawardane and India had to lose face by the rout that IPKF suffered then.
Sonia is better than Rajiv, Coalition politics and Karunanidhi not withstanding.
...ponder
But coalition politics and compulsions will not leave him alone. He has to go to Sri Lanka at a most un-diplomatic juncture just to mollycoddle Karunanidhi. It is another thing that the President of that country politely found time for this big brother despite engaged in a most decisive military exercise after Bangladesh War.
This poking of our nose in the internal affairs of a neighbouring country with the Kashmir problem already in our lap is just shooting one's own leg. If Pakistan raises hue and cry over the fate of Kashmiris, it is interference in our internal affairs. But same is not the case when we talk of Tamils in Sri Lanka. Double standards!
Though his timing was undiplomatic - when war is raging in its climax - his utterances were diplomatic enough. He might have even privately congratulated Sri Lanka.
Also contrast the present stance of our government with that of immature Rajiv Gandhi, who was led the garden path by the wily Jayawardane and India had to lose face by the rout that IPKF suffered then.
Sonia is better than Rajiv, Coalition politics and Karunanidhi not withstanding.
...ponder
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