Hi Friends,

Even as I launch this today ( my 80th Birthday ), I realize that there is yet so much to say and do. There is just no time to look back, no time to wonder,"Will anyone read these pages?"

With regards,
Hemen Parekh
27 June 2013

Now as I approach my 90th birthday ( 27 June 2023 ) , I invite you to visit my Digital Avatar ( www.hemenparekh.ai ) – and continue chatting with me , even when I am no more here physically

Tuesday, 4 October 2016

How About Virtual Call Centers ?


In my yesterday's blog ( Slow and Steady wins the Race )- and in earlier blog ( If Mohamed cannot Go to Mountain / 26 July 2015 ) , I had suggested allowing 1.3 million schools of India to lease out their premises at night ( 6 pm to 6 am ) , for private parties to set up Call Centers ( BPOs )


Also enabling them with 100 mbps  Internet broadband connections ( of course , FREE )


Idea was to reduce investment in setting up of BPOs by " round-the-clock " utilization of , otherwise idle assets


That logic could be extended to many similar under-utilized public assets such as :


#   2,25,000  Gram Panchayat offices ( all getting internet connection )

#   1,45,000  Post Offices ( also getting internet connection under Payment Bank scheme )

#   Lakhs of Government offices ( Central / State / Municipal / PSUs etc )

#   Lakhs of branches of Public Sector Banks


But any attempt to share a public place by different entities ( especially by Private Sector entities ) , at different times of day and night , is bound to raise many issues , including that of security / maintenance  etc


Again , these " idle / under-utilized " capacities will be available ONLY during the nights , whereas  a Call Centre  needs to work around the clock !


But then , in today's totally interconnected World , why should it be necessary for housing 10 / 20 / 50 persons in ONE place , under ONE roof , for collaborating on execution of COMMON tasks ?


I am sure , in any given ONE square km of a small town , there are 50 unemployed - and quite possibly , GRADUATE - youngsters , who would be more than happy to " work from home "


They will be happy to set aside , in their homes , a 5 feet by 5 feet space , as a " Home Work Station "


Now , that subsidy of " Rs 1 lakh per seat " that the IT Ministry has promised , is quite sufficient to set up a :


VIRTUAL  CALL  CENTER ,

by connecting those 50 youngsters through a  , VPN ( VIRTUAL PRIVATE NETWORK )


And since these youngsters are working from their homes , they can be asked to work in 3 shifts of 8 hours each , providing " Round the Clock " service to customers !


If Uber-Ola are adding 5,000 " Ride Sharing Taxies " EVERY MONTH , by providing lease finance to the drivers or even buying the cars themselves and giving to these drivers , then what is holding back the IT Ministry to follow their suit and enable 5,000 youngsters to become " Self Employed " , each month ? or even 50,000 ?


Dear Shri Ravi Shankar Prasad-ji :


Why give a subsidy to a prospective " OWNER " of a Call Centre ?


Why not give it directly ( DBT / Direct Benefit Transfer ) to those youngsters ?


Of course , this subsidy transfer should take place , only AFTER , the Call Centre Owner , certifies that it has entered into a " Contractual Retainer-ship " with a particular youngster


I would request you to consider the following aspects of my suggestion :


*  No new building premises needed


*  All technologies for a VPN, are existing / well proven  / reasonably priced / easy to implement quickly


MSPs / ISPs and your own Ministry are pushing internet connections to every corner of India


*  Moving from " Ownership of Assets " to " Assets as Service " scenario ( ala Uber-Ola-Airbnb etc )


*  Moving from " Employment " to " Self Employment " with direct transfer of subsidy to beneficiary


*  Has the potential to raise India's share in global BPO business from current 36 % to 50 % in one year


*  Can earn billions of dollars in foreign exchange


*  It would become a LIVING PROOF that DIGITAL INDIA can help our un-employed graduates to earn a living


*  Google  /  Microsoft  / Facebook , would be happy to help since " Next Billion " is their topmost agenda


In an age where the " Fast and Furious " are out to overtake the " Slow and Steady " , the meek are unlikely to inherit the earth !


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05  Oct  2016

www.hemenparekh.in / blogs




  

Monday, 3 October 2016

Slow and Steady wins the Race ?


India Today ( 03 Oct 2016 ) carries a news report titled :

"  IT Min approves 9,000 seats for call centres in small towns  "

Following are the details :
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" IT Ministry today said it has given its in-principal approval for around 9,000 seats in business process outsourcing (BPO) units across several small cities of the country


"I remember during my visit to Bengaluru, people from North-East, Bihar and other places asked me to do something so that they can work in their hometowns. I am happy that with BPOs in small towns, people will be able to work without any need to leave their native place," IT and Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said while inaugurating a BPO workshop.


The Centre under its BPO promotion scheme will provide financial support for total of 48,300 seats to be set up across country with total outlay of Rs 493 crore.

The scheme has provision to provide 50 per cent of actual expenditure with cap of Rs 1 lakh per seat.

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Dear Shri Prasad :

While congratulating you on this initiative , I would request you to relook my following blog (sent as email to you ):

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Sunday, 26 July 2015

If Mohamed cannot go to Mountain


There is an old saying:

" If Mohamed cannot go to Mountain , let Mountain go to Mohamed "

In today's internet era , an equivalent would be :

" If people cannot go to where jobs are , let jobs go to where people live "

Remember , in 2015 , it is much easier / cheaper to import " digital service " based jobs into India , then to export people to foreign countries , where they will face a lot of resistance / animosity from local citizens

Examples :

Call Canters  /  BPO  /  RPO  / LPO  /  KPO ....any PO ( Process Outsourcing )


May be this is what was in the mind of Shri Ravi Shankar Prasad ( Minister for Communication and Information Technology ) , when he proposed setting up of 480 Call Centers ( @ 100 seats each )

As per Minister ,

*    These will be set up in smaller towns

*    These will be distributed State-Population wise

*    Union Government will give Rs 1 lakh subsidy per seat

*    Established Company will hand-hold a local entrepreneur for setting up
      the Call Center

*    Local entity can be an agency ,society ,individual ,partnership ,Company

*    State Governments will need to provide electricity / security

*    Center will soon issue call for expression of interest


But with 100 persons working in each shift , that would generate employment for only ,

480*100*3 = 1,44,000  youth 

And we have 12 million  people joining our work force every year  !

Can we find ways to generate in small towns , millions of jobs for 3.5 million students graduating from our colleges , each year ?

It is possible , with following  " OUT OF THE BOX " thinking :


#   SPACE

India boasts of over 1.3 million schools . These school buildings are occupied for only 8/10 hours per day

Let Government frame rules which encourage these school-buildings to turn into Call Centers after 5 pm

For a 100 seat Center , Government is planning to give a subsidy of Rs 100 lakhs

If 25 % of this subsidy is passed on to a school , it will be happy to lease out its premises to a Call Center


#   BROAD-BAND

Under " Digital India " program , let Union Government provide a 100 Mb broadband connection to each such " School-cum- Call Center " , free of cost
That will also help the students to freely access digital education content throughout the day


#   BLACK  MONEY

Launch an Amnesty Scheme under which black money is permitted to be invested into setting up such Call Centers

No questions asked as to the source . No penalty to be paid . No income tax on earnings for 10 years

There can be no better way to put these money to a mainstream and productive use !

All that debate of " Rewarding " the tax-evaders while " Penalizing " the honest tax payers , is merely academic

India's problems are unlikely to be solved by academicians !

These can be solved , only by pragmatists  !

Luck happens when " preparedness " meets " opportunity "

My suggestions will prepare us to make 21st Century , an Indian Century !

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04  Oct  2016

www.hemenparekh.in / blogs




Where are we headed ?


In the past 2 weeks , Karnataka Government ( supported by Karnataka Legislative Assembly ) had stopped supply of Cauveri waters to Tamilnadu


Despite Supreme Court twice ordering it to release the waters


Then last evening they decided to release the waters - but only " for irrigation " !


May be they feared that the Supreme Court might hold them in " Contempt of Court " and advise the President to impose Governor's rule in Karnataka ! May be because their counsel , Fali Nariman refused to plead their case any more !


Rising above the theatricals of the present crisis , the larger questions that the country needs to answer , are  :


Does a State have sole / unhindered " rights " over waters of rivers flowing through it , just because it controls the sluice-gates in a dam ?


In this respect , are we employing " Double Standards " while talking about Indus Treaty with Pakistan or when threatened by China constructing a dam on a tributary of Brahma-Putra ?


Or Russia laying claims to oil wealth under Arctic ? Or, USA allowing its citizens to mine minerals on moon / mars ?


I believe , even in case of minerals found entirely within the boundaries of a given State , such rights carry federal obligations !


There was a time when farmers of one State could not sell some of its produce beyond the state boundary


Even this archaic barrier is getting dismantled


If one State refuses to " share " its natural resources across State boundaries , that could set a very dangerous precedent


Tomorrow , Tamilnadu can turn around and say :

" Sunlight falling on Tamilnadu land is our  " exclusive and private "  natural resource .

We will not allow any Solar Power Producer in Tamilnadu , to sell such power beyond Tamilnadu , whether we  ourselves are short of power or not ! "



Can we imagine a situation tomorrow , where each State frames its own rules in respect of utilization of the following Natural Resources , claiming " Exclusive Ownership " ?


       *    Oil / Coal / Shale Gas / Fossil Fuels ( including in sea-basins just 5 km from any State shore )


      *    Ores of Iron / Copper / Zinc / Aluminum etc


      *    Trees ( timber ) that grow in our jungles


      *    Any number of minor minerals / chemicals



      *     Wind that blows freely over our land 


       *    Hydro Power generated along rivers flowing through various states


     *    Tidal Power generated from tides (eg : in Bay of Cambay - Gujarat )



May be 30+ States of India constitute a Federation . But we are NOT 30 + different Sovereign countries !


Let not our GREED break up the unity that Sardar Patel managed to forge in 1947  from 200 + Princely States


Our British rulers tried their best to see that we do not unite


Our current rulers must go out of their way to ensure that we stay united !

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04  Oct  2016

www.hemenparekh.in / blogs





     


     






     








#   Tomorrow , if a private sector company ( or a consortium of Indian
      Companies , in joint venture with foreign companies ) , invest Rs 1 Lakh
      Crores , to build the 22 Km long Kalpsar Dam across the Bay of Cambay
      in Gujarat , and generate 10,000 MW of power from Oceanic Tides  , -
     can they be allowed to set any selling price  ? At International price  ?


     I suppose , it would be next to impossible for them to " Export " such
     power beyond the shores of India  !



#   Incidentally , what about the Airwaves ( the 2G / 3G Spectrum )  ?


     Is that also a Natural Resource which belongs to the Nation ?

  

Kaali-Peeli , Wake Up !


Hindustan Times ( 04 Oct 2016 ) carries a news report titled :

" In Mumbai: Kaali-Peeli app to offer 25% discount to stay in business "

It goes on to read :

Facing tough competition from app-based aggregators such as Ola and Uber,

 Kaali-Peeli taxi drivers from Navi Mumbai will offer discounts on fare to 

commuters from Tuesday



Taxi union sources said that the daily earning of cabbies had gone down. They

 were now offering such discounts to stay in the business.




“ We are aware that Ola and Uber has taken benefit of our weakness, but to 

improve the situation, we need to change ourselves and adopt a new 

technology. Otherwise, the situation will worsen as we have already lost 40% of

 our earnings to Ola-Uber ”, says Vijay Chauhan , who is driving a taxi for last 

26 years.




Mumbai has over 38,000 Kaali-Peeli taxis, besides air-conditioned cool cabs and

 fleet cabs.




Upset with rampant refusals from Kaali-Peeli cabbies, the commuters started

 taking to Ola and Uber for long distance rides because of the cheaper fare

comfortable ride and ease of booking.



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But , do Kaali-Peeli owners realize that " reducing fares to beat the competition

 " , is an obsolete technology - which belongs to a " Sun-set " Industry !




Do they realize that Uber-Ola are not even pretending to be competing with the

 Kaali-Peelies !




They are too busy creating a brand NEW industry , having a totally different set

 of rules !





They are in the business of  " ASSET  AS  A  SERVICE " industry , rather than "

ASSET AS OWNERSHIP "




In the process , they are adding in India alone , some 5,000  such " Asset-

service Taxies " , every month !




Who knows , someday " Car Ownership " as a concept , may disappear !




And making available these " Assets Service " to travelers ,




WHEN  they want


WHERE  they want


HOW  they want ( alone or sharing mode )


CHEAP


FAST ( made available in 5 minutes )



One piece of advice ( albeit , unsolicited ) to Kaali-Peeli owners :


Do not even dream to go on a strike  !


You will end up forcing more travelers to embrace Uber-Ola , thereby hastening your own demise !




It is still not too late for Kaali-Peeli owners to " re-invent "  their " new avatar

by reading the following :






    {  http://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2016/09/name-of-game-co-operation.html  }





    {  http://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2016/09/irrefutable-law-of-economics.html  }





    {  http://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2016/09/an-excellent-advice-shri-raoteji.html  }





    {   http://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2016/07/turning-back-clock.html   }





    {   http://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2016/05/tablets-in-taxies.html   }


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04  Oct  2016



www.hemenparekh.in / blogs