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

Monday, 13 March 2017

A Matter of Shame !



DNA ( 11 March 2017 ) carries following news report :




“ Install technology to detect objects on railway tracks : HC “


"This is a matter concerning the lives of thousands of Mumbaikars who travel daily by suburban trains. Prevention should be better than cure," the Bombay High Court observed on Friday while directing the Central and Western Railways to look up and install technology which will help detect foreign objects on railway tracks.

A division bench of Justice VM Kanade and Justice PR Bora asked Railways advocate Suresh Kumar to consult senior railway officials and consider the use of technology to prevent any incidents of sabotage being planned either by miscreants, terrorists or anti-social elements, by placing boulders and slabs on tracks. This apart, CR and WR officials have been directed to place on record its decision before the court on March 17.

The bench pressed for the installation of technology because it felt that it was humanly impossible for gangmen to monitor tracks. However, it asked the Railways to increase manpower and also enlist the help of the Railway Protection Force (RPF) and Home Guards for the same. The question of sabotage came up after the court referred to
several cases reported in the media about foreign objects being kept on tracks at different places in the country.

The court made this observation while hearing a Public Interest Litigation filed by activist Sameer Zaveri, highlighting the problem of accidental deaths at railway stations.


I suppose the HC did not wish to insult the technocrats of railway by saying :


“ All over the World , thousands of kilometres of railway tracks and cross-country oil / gas pipelines are being monitored , 24*7 , through use of low flying drones .


Maharashtra Government has even sub-contracted to a private party , the job of recording speeding cars on the Mumbai – Pune Expressway and alert the highway police to catch the culprits , in real time


And if you want to do better, just request ISRO to develop / install a technology , both in the railway tracks and in the train engine , which will simply bring the speeding train to a complete halt , 100 meters ahead of any obstruction on the track


Did you listen to what Shri A S Arunkumar ( ISRO Chief ) said at the 34th Foundation Day celebration of the Raja Ramanna Centre for Advanced Technology ( RRCAT ), a few days back ?


He said :


“ We have the capability to create a Space Station , but you ( government ) have to give us the money and time to make this happen
If the Government and country decides , we are ready


You need to provide us funding , policy clearance. Space mission is low priority for the government because one does not see any immediate use of this in country’s development and growth “




Dear Shri Suresh Prabhuji :



Would saving lives fall under “ Country’s development and growth “ ?


If you agree , please also inquire if ISRO can develop technology to save lives of 10 persons EVERY DAY , who get run over by local trains in Mumbai , by implementing my following suggestions ( sent to you as email ) :






·         Not soFuturistic  ? 










14  March  2017




Sunday, 12 March 2017

Building Castles in the Air ?



Someone has said :

“ It is OK to build castles in the air , as long as you know how to put foundations underneath , later on “



THE  CASTLE [ GREEN  TRANSPORT ] :



·         Auto Mission Plan – 2016-26

India’s passenger vehicle market to grow from current 3.2 million to 13.4 million by 2026
Commercial vehicles to grow from 7 lakh ( 2014-15 ) to 39 lakh ( 2026 )



·         National Electric Mobility Mission Plan – 2020

6 million Electric and Hybrid vehicles on the road by 2020

All passenger and commercial vehicles to be powered by electricity by 2030

( Current population of all vehicles = 200 million )


·         Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Hybrid and Electric Vehicles ( FAME )

Subsidies as follows :

#   Bikes………..Rs  29,000

#   Cars………..  Rs  138,000



·         Current Electric Vehicles Sales

#   2014-15………… 16,000

#   2015-16………..  22,000 ( only 2000 cars ; rest 2 wheelers )



·         Energy Import

#  2015-16……….. 202 million tons of oil ( valued at $ 150 billion )

#  By 2030……….  $ 300 billion



·         Voluntary Vehicle Fleet Modernisation Programme (V-VMP)

#  First Phase…… Scrap vehicles which are older than 15 years

·         Those surrendering their old vehicles will get some financial benefits.


·         Policy may provide benefits of Rs 2-3 lakh for every heavy vehicle to be scrapped.


     *  At the time of new purchase, manufacturer will offer some concession,
         government of India will provide some and there would be value for the scrap


·         The policy proposes three incentives for the vehicles scrapped –


#    half the road tax and excise duty at the time of purchase of the new vehicle,


#    fair value for the scrap, and


#    discounts from automobile manufacturers.



·         These incentives are likely to cut cost of a new vehicle for the buyer by 15% on an average. 


·          

THE   FOUNDATION :

There is NO WAY , this castle can hold up in the air – as envisaged above !


Shri Arun Jetleyji / ShriNitin Gadkariji / Shri Anant Geeteji / Shri Anil Daveji / Shri Piyush Goyalji , are requested to , once again , look up my following earlier blogs / emails.


They will find those foundations there !



·         Not a day too soon



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·         Internet ofVehicles ( IoV )


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·         Welcome , Elon Musk!



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·         A Radical RadialRevolution



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·         All Charged Up ?



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·         Piyush Plan



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·         Making Yourself  Obsolete  



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·         Pollution Solution 







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13  March  2017


          

Saturday, 11 March 2017

Time to Fulfil Your Promise



Dear Captain Amrinder Singhji :


At the outset , congratulations on winning the election and wishing you , a very happy birthday !


Since yesterday morning , TV Panel Experts and analysts are vying with one another to advance their arguments regarding what made you win


It is a pity that not one of them has even remotely suggested that it was your promise for making the Punjab Youth , “ drug free


And , if they do , reward them with jobs !



NOW IS YOUR TIME TO FULFIL THAT PROMISE



To ensure that only those Punjab Youth who comply with the condition of remaining “ drug free “ , retain their jobs , I request you to consider the following blog that I sent to you , on 25th Dec 2016


And when the Congress bigwigs meet for a critical “ Self Analysis / Soul Searching “ later today , do not hesitate to brag about your “ Winning Formula “ !



Sunday, 25 December 2016



A Freebie that cannot be Faulted  ?


Captain Amrinder Singh ( Punjab Congress ) has promised jobs ( of course, if voted to power in the forthcoming State Election ) , to youth who pledge as follows :


" I promise I will remain free from drugs and make my family drug free too "


By now, some 12 lakh youngsters have signed up


Expect this figure to go up dramatically, considering that , a few weeks back , some 30 lakh youngsters ( 20 % girls ) had signed up to receive a FREE smart phone from  Captain ( " if voted to power " conditions apply )


In Punjab , there are 91 lakh youngsters in the age group of 18 - 35


And a smart phone could well cost Rs 5,000 each


That would cost the Congress Government ( if voted to power ), Rs 4550 crores !


Election Commission " guide lines "  and Supreme Court  " directives " notwithstanding , all political parties have in the past, offered ( and often delivered ) a whole host of " freebies " in order to " buy " votes


Aam  Aadmi  Party ( AAP ) has promised jobs ( if voted to power ) , to 25 lakh Punjab youth


Without asking them to kick the drug habit !


SO , HOW CAN CAPTAIN BE FAULTED ?


What could be more " noble " than to wean away the Punjab youth from drugs ?


And keep them gainfully / productively engaged in a nation-building activity by having a job and supporting their families ?



I suggest that Captain implement the following as far as ensuring that these 91 lakh youth stay " drug free " after getting a job :


*  As promised , distribute smart phones which are UPI / AEPS enabled Payment Wallets


*  Those smart phones must have  built-in

    *  " Drug Analyzer " ( similar to Oxymeters , which display oxygen level in blood when
         a finger is placed on the device )

    *   Biometric reading device ( Iris and Finger scan )

    *   Pre-installed Mobile App " DrugFree "



    I have no doubt that leading smart phone manufacturers will come forward with such
    versions , considering the volumes involved and the possibility that the other political
    parties , too , may make similar conditional " Job Promises " in near future !




*  Every morning , as soon as the Youth reports for work , he will launch " DrugFree "app on his mobile, and place his finger on App icon, in the presence of his immediate supervisor
    


*  Phone will display / record the drug level reading and also relay it simultaneously to the Server of the Salary Section ( including the time for attendance recording  )



*  This exercise will be repeated in the evening when that Youth leaves for home


*  No salary will be paid for the day on which drug reading exceeds permissible limit

    This will be done automatically by the Server-based software ( very simple coding )



*  If drug reading exceeds the permissible limits , more than 3 times in a month , the
  Server-based software will automatically issue a " Warning Email " ( keep humans out )



*  Upon issuance of 3 such " Warning E mails " , the Server-based software will issue a
    " Termination E Mail " , terminating the services of the Youth and simultaneously
    instructing the Salary Section to settle his account and issue a " Service Certificate "
    which will mention full Service History



But developing / implementing a fool-proof technological solution ( to determine drug free status of the Youth ) , is the least of the problems


Any number of Start Up in the Health Care domain, will do it in 3 months ! Just ask Practo !


The real problem is :


WHERE - AND HOW - TO FIND JOBS FOR 91 LAKH YOUTH ?



The worst thing would be to create vacancies in Government , which will bring governance to a complete halt and sky-rocket the Corruption ! Don't even think of this !


Sure , new industries can be incentivized to hire a few lakh, by offering free land , exemption from Municipal / State taxes for 5 years , exemption from certain Labour Laws, stipend subsidies if 70% employees are " DrugFree " youth , etc


Even existing industries ( especially , MSME ) can be incentivized by reimbursement of 50 % salaries for 5 years for employing such Youth


But none of these measures can take care of Captain's promise to 91 lakh Youth !


I suggest Captain Amrinder Singhji , to look up my following suggestion for an alternative of


 SELF EMPLOYMENT :



   {  http://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2016/05/rejoice-you-self-employed.html  }



   {  http://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2016/10/how-about-virtual-call-centers.html  }



   {  http://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2016/06/50-million-new-jobs-in-5-months.html }



  {  http://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2016/05/harness-greed-to-skill-india.html  }



  {  http://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2015/11/surrogate-cow-farms.html  }



  {  http://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2015/10/start-up-eco-systems-usa-vs-india.html  }



  {  http://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2015/02/create-self-employment.html }



  {  http://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2012/01/it-pays-to-be-entrepreneur.html  }



Dear Captain Amrinder Singhji :


Having made a very noble gesture to the voters , please ensure a FAIR & JUST implementation !


I hope Shri Prakash Javadekarji / Shri Amit Shahji , find merit in this suggestion for other forthcoming elections in States


12  March  2017