A Knee Jerk Approach ?

Today's Livemint.com , carries following news report :

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Car buyers may need parking space certificate in future  :   Venkaiah Naidu

To tackle growing congestion woes and lack of parking space across the country, the central government is looking to make it compulsory for car buyers to obtain an adequate parking space certificate.

Addressing a press conference in the national capital, urban development minister M. Venkaiah Naidu said that in the future it would be compulsory for cars to provide an adequate parking space certificate.

“In future, I also want to share with you that no car or vehicle will be registered without an adequate parking space available certificate. I am very keen on this. I am holding discussion with the surface transport minister and also sensitizing the states. We would be moving in that direction,” Naidu.

“In future it will be mandated. No permission will be given to any construction without a toilet,” Naidu, who was addressing a press conference on the launch of a toilet locator mobile application, added.

The Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill, 2016 was introduced in the Lok Sabha in August. The amendments are yet to be passed by Parliament. It aims to address the issue of road safety and improve the processes for citizens while dealing with transport departments.

In 2015, the Himachal Pradesh High Court had directed the state government to make compulsory for people to show a certificate of parking for cars that are to be registered for use within the Shimla municipal area.

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I strongly urge the Government , not to attempt such knee jerk reactions to the problem of urban transport congestion / vehicle pollution / road safety etc , all of which need to be addressed through other means

Will such a " directive / order / regulation " , not be unfair to future buyers of cars , when millions of existing car owners are parking their cars on public roads , without any permit ?

And why only cars ?

There are millions of buses / trucks / bikes / rickshaws / taxies etc parked on public roads , all through day and night ! Their owners have no permits ! And these are , their only " means of earnings " !

Then there are millions of " Un-licensed " carts on the foot paths of all cities , which leave no place for pedestrians to walk !

Leave aside a place to " park " these carts inside their huts ,  their owners have nothing but a footpath for themselves , to sleep at night !

Next , will the government come out and say :

" If you cannot prove that you have adequate means to support / bring up a child , you cannot bring her to life " ?

In fact , our constitution promises certain " fundamental rights " to every child born , irrespective of the financial condition of its parents

I am not suggesting that it is a fundamental right of every " new-born " car that the government provide it with a " parking space " !

Would you go so far as to tell the car manufacturers :

" Thou shall not sell a car to a person who cannot produce a certificate that he actually possesses , a parking space " ?

Or , tell Washing Machine manufacturers :

" You shall not sell a washing machine to a person , who does not have " Certificate of Adequate Water Supply " ?

If so , how about telling the doctors in hospitals :

"  You will not permit a baby to be born in your hospital , till the would-be parent produces a statement of his bank balance " ?

And prey , who will be that " CERTIFYING AGENCY " ?

By enacting " Un-implementable " laws , are you not giving rise to corruption ?

How much would I need to bribe that " CERTIFYING AGENCY " ( no doubt , with new Rs 2,000 note ! ) , to get such a permit ?

And how much more ( by way of monthly " haftas " ) to " IMPLEMENTING AGENCY " ?

And having obtained a " parking space "  , can I ,

*  " TRANSFER " it to someone else when I move to another street or town ?

*  " SELL " it or " RENT " it , if I sell my car and do not need a parking space ?

*  " GIFT " it to a relative / friend ?

*  " WILL " it to my children when I die ?

*  " INHERIT " it from my grandfather ? ( like " Purush-Dhan " ? )

Dear Shri Venkaiahji ,

Before rushing in with such a draconian measure , I urge you to upload a online OPINION SURVEY , inviting citizens to tell you whether it will provide a solution or increase corruption

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23  Nov  2016

www.hemenparekh.in / blogs  

People with Inside Info ?

Having never met Shri Narendra Modiji , I do not have the advantage of knowing his thinking on the issue of eliminating BLACK MONEY , - an advantage that Shri Gurumurthy and Shri Anil Bokil seem to enjoy, going by the following news reports :

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Source : Times of India ( 12 Dec  2016 )

" Introducing Rs 2000 notes is a stop-gap arrangement for the immediate post-demonetisation scenario, RSS ideologue S Gurumurthy said today in New Delhi.

Asked why the Rs 2,000 note was brought in and that it could encourage black money, Gurumurthy said, "In the short time of two months you do not have time to print Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes. 

This 2000 rupee note must be phased out ... Demonetisation is not a one-stop solution for black money. This requires a very major agenda... The nation is rebooting."

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Source : Hindustan Times ( 22  Dec  2016  )

" Anil Bokil, the man who gave the idea of demonetisation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Wednesday said the Rs 2,000 note was only a stopgap arrangement and it would be withdrawn once availability of cash normalises in banks.

 Bokil, said the Rs 2,000 notes were only serving as a ‘diversion’ to allow the government to build an ‘overbridge’ in place of the ‘road damaged by black money’. “It will be closed once the overbridge is complete,” he added.

The social activist from Aurangabad in Maharashtra, however, warned that the government’s bid to encourage cashless economy would yield positive results only if the tax system is revamped, offering huge incentives to the people.

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To best of my knowledge, proposal that Shri Bokil presented to Shri Modi in 2013 ( when he was CM - Gujarat ) mainly comprised of :

( A )  Total abolition of Personal Income Tax and introduction of 2% BTT ( Bank Transaction

        Tax ) on all " payment transactions " through bank ( not on withdrawals )

( B )  Abolition of all other Indirect Taxes

( C )  Highest denomination currency note to be of Rs 50

I totally support ( A ) , and unable to comment on ( B )

But I believe ( C ) is totally impractical

I agree that the black money holders would find it impossible to hoard Rs 1 crore at home ( or in bank lockers ) , consisting of Rs 50 note, or carry in a brief case, weighing 200 kg !

But , if people could manage their daily purchases with a Rs 50 note , millions would not be queuing up before the bank counters and ATMs, for past 42 days !

Even a housewife, out for shopping, needs to carry in her purse, notes of Rs 500 , when

even vegetable prices hover around Rs 150 per kg !

Reason why countries such as USA / UK etc , manage with their highest denomination notes at 100 times the face value of their smallest denomination notes is that, in their economies, some 90 % of the payment transactions are " Non Cash "

It would be many years before we could reach that stage

So, the government must have thought :

" For now, we do need higher denomination notes "

But the BLACK MONEY holder / generator thought :

" Oh, what a god-sent opportunity to carry Rs 10 lakh worth of Rs 2000 notes in my pocket , weighing only 500 grams instead of 1 kg weight of Rs 1000 notes ! "

Events of past few weeks have only re-confirmed my belief that the only way to keep the higher denomination notes into circulation for day-to-day usage of common men but, at the same time thwart the re-generation of a vibrant BLACK ECONOMY , is to :

EMBRACE  THE INEVITABLE

{  http://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2016/11/embrace-inevitable.html  }

And , this much I say , without being privy to any inside information !

To the NDA ministers , I would say :

There is no loss of face in admitting that just replacing OLD notes with NEW notes , has turned out to be a case of replacing OLD black money economy with a NEW black money economy ( leaving aside reported demands for bribes in the form of Gold / Diamonds ! )

Let us not lose this battle ,

FOR  WANT OF  A  NAIL

{  http://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2016/12/for-want-of-nail.html  }

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22  Nov  2016

www.hemenparekh.in / blogs

Reforming Elections and Lok Sabha [ REaL ]

Dear Shri Narendrabhai ,

During your speech at a rally in Kanpur recently , you spoke about issues concerning ,

*  SIMULTANEOUS ELECTIONS  *  POLITICAL DONATIONS  *  WORKING OF LOK SABHA

In respect of these , I have earlier sent to you ( as E Mails ) , some of my blogs listed below each issue

Obviously , final solutions in respect of each issue , must necessarily emerge from a country-wide debate among all citizens

I urge you to get NITI Aayog to frame suitable QUESTIONNAIRES ( one for each issue ) and invite citizens to vote ONLINE , on all government web sites

NITI Aayog may also want to consider conducting these ONLINE SURVEYS , through Mobile Apps, as you recently did in respect of demonetization

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SIMULTANEOUS ELECTIONS  :

*    " Due to continuous election mode, much time is wasted which can be used in

     development activities. I appeal to EC to start dialogue on holding the central and state

     elections simultaneously.

I had said earlier that elections ( Lok Sabha and Assembly Polls ) are held separately,

thereby adding a lot of monetary strain. It also allowed a space for black money to make

its way into the system.

We should work towards having simultaneous elections for the Centre and the state. "

MY  BLOGS :

     *  VotesApp (  18  Dec  2012  ) 

        {  http://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2012/12/votesapp.html  }

     *  One Poll ,One Time  ( 06 Sept 2016  ) 

       {  http://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2016/09/one-poll-one-time.html  }

     *  OneNation , One Vote ( 29  Nov  2016  ) 

      { http://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2016/11/one-nation-one-vote.html )

     *  Honey , Ishrunk the EVM !  ( 21  Oct  2015  ) 

      { http://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2015/10/honey-i-shrunk-evm.html  }

     *  OneDay Polling is Possible  ( 31  March  2016  ) 

      {  http://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2016/03/one-day-polling-is-possible.html  }

     *  Howto Save Rs 5511 Crore ?  ( 12  Dec  2015  ) 

      {  http://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2015/12/how-to-save-rs-5511-crores.html  } 

    *  Sun  Never Sets  ( 01  April  2014  ) 

       { http://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2014/04/sun-never-sets.html }

    *  All   Seasons are  Election  Seasons  (  22 May 2014  )

       { http://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2014/05/all-seasons-are-election-seasons.html }

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POLITICAL  DONATIONS  :

   "  I requested in the all party meet that discussion on how political parties get funds

      should take place in the Parliament.

      It is the responsibility of political parties to set an example on non-corrupt practices,

      especially about donations to political parties "

MY BLOGS :

*    How  Will  Political  Parties  Survive ?  ( 19 Dec 2016   )

     { http://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2016/12/how-will-political-parties-survive.html }

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WORKING  OF   LOK  SABHA  : 

    " Our agenda is stop corruption, stop black money. But others have an agenda of ' Stop

     Parliament ' .

Despite the President of the country telling them to do their job and let Parliament

function, they continued to disrupt Parliament. "

MY BLOGS  :

*  ROMP :  A Panacea ?  ( 06  Aug  2016  )

   {  http://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2015/08/romp-panacea.html  )

*  A  Winter of  Discontent  ( 08 Aug  2016  )

   {  http://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2016/12/a-winter-of-discontent.html  }

*  When  Will People  Win ?  (  06  Nov  2013  )

   {  http://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2013/11/when-will-people-win.html }

*  Darkness  at Noon  (  18  Feb  2014  )

   { http://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2014/02/darkness-at-noon.html )

*  As  the Sun  Rises  ( 26  April  2014 )

   {  http://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2014/04/as-sun-rises.html  }

*   Getting  Even  (  16  Oct  2013  )

   {  http://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2013/10/getting-even.html }

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And although left unsaid at Kanpur rally , I have no doubt , here is what you might have said about ;

ELECTION  MANIFESTOS :

"  Election Manifestos should reflect the wishes of the citizens . These wishes should be

 

   ascertained through online OPINION POLL / MOBILE APP "

MY BLOGS :

*  ManifestoMisconduct ( 26  March  2014  )

   {  http://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2014/03/manifesto-misconduct.html }

*  Poll  Promises ?   Tall   Promises ?  ( 23  Feb 2014  )

   {  http://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2014/02/poll-promises-tall-promises.html }

*  Perennial  Poll  Promises  (  13  Dec  2013  )

   { http://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2013/12/perennial-poll-promises.html }

*  But  You Have  Promises  to Keep  ( 14  May  2016  )

   {  http://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2016/05/but-you-have-promises-to-keep.html }

*  What   are  the   Chances  ?  ( 18  May  2014  )

   { http://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2014/05/what-are-chances.html  }

*  Congress   Poll  Manifesto  ( 25  Oct  2013   )

   {  http://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2013/10/congress-poll-manifesto.html  }

*  BJP  Poll Manifesto  (  19  Oct  2013  )

   { http://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2013/10/bjp-poll-manifesto.html }

*  If  / Then   (   06  April  2014  )

   {  http://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2014/04/if-then.html  }

*  Issues  vs Non  Issues  (  18  Nov  2013  )

  {  http://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2013/11/issues-vs-non-issues.html }

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CANDIDATE  BACKGROUND :

"  Voters deserve to have full / authentic information about the contesting candidates

MY  BLOGS :

*  Electoral  Reforms through  Backdoor  ?  ( 03 April 2016   )

  {  http://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2016/04/electoral-reforms-through-backdoor.html }

*  Filtering  Candidate Information  (  18  Sept  2016  )

  { http://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2016/09/filtering-candidate-information.html }

*  The  More Things  Change  (  22  March  2014  )

  {  http://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2014/03/the-more-things-change.html  }

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COOPERATING  FOR  NATION  BUILDING  :

" Each and every party (including those in Opposition ) should focus on Nation Building "

MY  BLOGS :

*  A  Constitutional  Coalition Government  ?  ( 02 Oct 2016  )

{http://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2016/10/a-constitutional-coalition-government.html}

*  Constitutional  Coalition Aftershocks  ( 03  Oct  2016  )

{  http://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2016/10/constitutional-coalition-aftershocks.html }

     *    Marriage  Season is  upon  us  (  04  May  2014  )

      { http://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2014/05/marriage-season-is-upon-us.html }

     *   Tora  , Tora  ,  Tora  (  01  Nov  2013  )

      {  http://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2013/11/toratoratora.html }

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BRIBING  VOTERS  WITH  FREEBIES  :

"  To win votes , during Election Campaigns , political parties must not offer  FREEBIES "

MY  BLOGS  :

*  Advantage  Incumbent ?  (  05  Sept  2016  )

   {  http://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2016/09/advantage-incumbent.html }

*  One  Up on  Free  Wi Fi  ?  (  11  Feb  2015  )

   { http://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2015/02/one-up-on-free-wi-fi.html }

*  Bribing  the Voters  ?  (  12  March  2014  )

   { http://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2014/03/bribing-voters.html }

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Dear  Shri  Narendrabhai ,

I urge you to initiate action on these ELECTORAL REFORMS , before people lose all faith in the ability of our DEMOCRATIC SYSTEM to alleviate their miseries

with regards,

hemendra  parekh / hcp@RecruitGuru.com

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21  Dec  2016

www.hemenparekh.in / blogs