“ Going – Out – of - Business “ sale ?

Or is it  SAD - Strategic Arms Disposal ?

Britain’s defense department faces a deficit in its budget of 36 billion pounds.

So it is offering following Strategic Assets for sale :

Ø  Aircraft Carrier HMS Ark Royal

Original Price ……….. 200  Million pounds

Sale Price………………..3.5   Million pounds

Ø  Type 20 Ship

Original Price………..  400  Million pounds

Sale Price ……………..  0.3  Million pounds ( already sold ! )

Ø  Helicopters ( 13 no )

Original Price…………. 5.0    Million pounds

Sale Price ……………….0.1    Million pounds

Ø  Jaguar Car

Original Price…………..200,000   Pounds

Sale Price………………..   12,000  Pounds

Ø  Land Rover

Original Price ……….   65,000  Pounds

Sale Price……………………2,000  Pounds

( Source : Mumbai Samachar / Aug 16,2011 )

Non-profit Organizations ( Syrian / Libyan rebels ? ) may be offered further discounts !

With regards

Hemen  Parekh

De-criminalization of Politics Bill

Law Minister, Salman Khurshid told Economic Times [ 03,Sept 2011 ] :

“ We will shortly take a bill banning charge-sheeted individuals from standing for elections “

Harish Salve says,

“ This is a serious reform. This is better than the Lokpal Bill “

This Act would be a huge success if applied retrospectively

But, you guessed it right !

For the first time, Congress and BJP would come together ( in a un-holy alliance ? ), to defeat the “ retrospective “ application

Out of a total of 162 current members of parliament who have criminal cases pending against them, 44  belong to Congress !

And another 44 belong to BJP !

Of course, they can always add a rider that the “ retrospective “ provision does not apply to Congress / BJP members !

With regards

Hemen  Parekh

Women in Workplace

Writing in MINT [ 07 Sept, 2011 ], Malvika Chandan highlights following findings of a report released by Community Business , co-authored by Shalini Mahtani ( Founder ):
• Percentage of women represented in the total workforce
 China …………………… 49.79 %
 Malayasia…………………..47.35 %
 HongKong ………………. 45.34 %
 Singapore ………………. 43.29 %
 Japan ………………………. 33.62 %
 India ………………………… 24.43 %
Obviously, India has a lot of catching up to do.
But then , if “ Women’s Representation Bill “ can be languishing in Parliament for 20 years, there isn’t much hope !
With regards
hemen parekh

WOMEN IN WORKPLACE

13 Oct 2011

WOMEN  IN  WORKPLACE

Writing in MINT [ 07 Sept, 2011 ], Malvika Chandan highlights following findings of a report released by Community Business , co-authored by Shalini Mahtani ( Founder ):

• Percentage of women represented in the total workforce

·       China  ……………………  49.79 %

·       Malayasia…………………..47.35 %

·       HongKong  ………………. 45.34 %

·       Singapore  ……………….  43.29 %

·       Japan  ………………………. 33.62 %

·       India  ………………………… 24.43 %

Obviously, India has a lot of catching up to do.

But then , if  “ Women’s Representation Bill “  can be languishing in Parliament for 20 years, there isn’t much hope !

This is nothing less than  “ Crime Against Women “ perpetrated by the male members of our parliament – a crime they will continue for ever unless/until women of India unite and refuse to vote in the next election.

With regards

HEMEN  PAREKH

Fake Education for Fake Jobs ?

Times of India [ 09 Sept. 2011 ], reports on the state of India’s education thru following figures :

Ø  Altogether, there are 348 unapproved technical and management institutions across India

Ø  State-wise distribution is as follows :

·        Maharashtra ………………….  75

·        Andhra Pradesh  ……………  52

·        West Bengal  …………………  34

·        Uttar Pradesh  ………………   30

·        Karnataka  …………………….. 26

Ø  Then there are 21 “ fake “ universities, as follows,

·        Uttar Pradesh  ………………….. 8

·        Delhi  …………………………………  6

·        Maharashtra  ……………………   1

What next ?

 A red-lettered warning on top of the Diploma / Degree certificate which reads :

“ This certificate is valid only for fake jobs – and best used within 6 months from the date of issue “

With regards

Hemen  Parekh

A Perpetual Scam ?

Sure ! Except that it is known as “ Public Sector Units – PSUs “.

Here is why [ as reported in DNA / Sept 06,2011 ] :

Ø  About a third of India’s 249 state–owned firms are losing money ; $ 3.4 billion ( Rs. 15,300 Cr ) in the most recent financial year

Ø  There is nothing the Govt can do because of the current labor laws

Ø  Govt labor department has granted permission to 21 PSUs to close factories – but none has been closed !

Ø  PSUs have assets worth $ 199 billion ( Rs. 8,95,500 Cr ), which, last year gave an average return on capital of about 4.3 % !

Ø  Govt missed the goal of raising $ 8.7 billion ( Rs.39,150 Cr ), this year thru sale of stakes in PSUs

What were once the “ Commanding Heights “ , have now become the “ Demanding Absurdities “ of Indian economy ! Any wonder petrol prices in India are more than double those in neighboring countries ?

With regards

Hemen  Parekh

Slumdog Millionaires ?

No. Simply slumdogs !

A study conducted by National Sample Survey Organization ( NSSO ) – as reported in Times of India / May,06,2011 – estimates that India’s slum-dwelling population went up from 75.2 million in 2001, to 93 million in 2011.

That is more than the entire population of ANY European country – led by Germany with a population of 82 million.

City of Mumbai alone boasts of 7 million slum-dwellers.

City Fathers of Mumbai should first provide at least 200 Sq.Ft of brick / mortar residences to its slum-dwellers before dreaming of turning Mumbai into a Shanghai.

Slumdogs are not amused with travel agents promoting slum-tourism !

With regards

Hemen  Parekh