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, 8 February 2021

ApprenticeShip : Unanchored and ready to sail ?

 


Thank you,

Dr. Mahendra Nath Pandeyji  ( Hon’ble Minister of SDE  /  min.sde@nic.in )

 

Context :

Govt to make Apprenticeship Act Employer Friendly  /  ET Magazine – 07 Feb 2021

Extract :

Ø  According to a note prepared by the ministry ( Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship ) and shared with the Prime Minister’s office, the new definition of establishment under the amended act would include,

#    any place where any trade, commerce or industrial activity is taking

       place, including Educational and Training Institution

This will further expand the institutions available for apprenticeship


Ø  Further, the ministry has proposed to relieve industry from the burden of paperwork for apprenticeship by enabling empaneled third party aggregators ( TPAs ) to support employers in all functionalities of apprentice engagement, stipend payment and other paperwork


Ø  Even mandatory provisions of signing of apprenticeship contracts by employers may be replaced


Ø  Proposals are being firmed up to allow part-time apprenticeship to even students under the formal education system, while replacing the provision of contract approval by authorities


Ø  It will also permit VIRTUAL TRAINING, instead of the physical mode prescribed in the present act, in select sectors such as IT


Ø  Further, there will be no monetary penalty on employers while allowing  industries registered in India to send apprentices abroad as far as health, safety and welfare measures for apprentices are maintained under the relevant labour codes

 

Context :

India set to send skilled staff to work in Japan  /  MINT – 06 Jan 2021

 

Extract :

Ø  Indian workers would be granted a new status of residence—‘Specified Skilled Worker’—by Japan

Ø  India has been talking about supplying skilled workers to the global market by mapping domestic skill training programmes with the requirements of different countries

Ø  It ( WEF ) said the country ( Japan ) will face a shortage of 6.44 million people in the labour force by 2030. Tokyo alone will be short 1.33 million workers.

Ø  The government listed the 14 sectors as: nursing care; building cleaning; material processing; industrial machinery manufacturing; electric and electronic information related industry; construction; shipbuilding and ship-related industry; automobile maintenance; aviation; lodging; agriculture; fisheries; food and beverages manufacturing; and food service industry.

===================================================

Over the years, I have made a number of suggestions re Human Resource Development Skilling - Revamping of the Apprenticeship Scheme etc., ( - all sent as e mails to our Policy Makers ). Some of these are listed below :

===================================================

2020

Human Resource Capital of the World ? …………………….....[ 23 Nov 2020 ]

Congratulations, Shri Ajit Pawar / Shri Nawab Malik ….[ 06 Mar 2020 ]

===================================================

2019

Thank You, Prakashbhai ( Javadekarji ) ……………………..[ 03 Apr 2019 ]

Congratulations , Anilbhai Naik ……………………………………..[ 08 Feb 2019 ]

 

Organizing the Unorganized …………………………………………...[ 04 Feb 2019 ]

Extract :

Role of Ministry of Skills Development

#   There are around 15,000 skill training centres in the country right now,   which are inadequate for India’s size


#   We need to train at least 2 crore people every year, but right now we’re

      training only 1.05 croreWe need to double our capacity


#  At Rs 3 cr / centre, we need Rs 45,000 cr to construct additional 15,000 centres, to be able to train 2 cr youth / year. It will take years to construct these centres, even if the required funds were available ( - which is not ! )

 

To bypass both of these limitations, I suggest :

 

         #   Transform millions of  MSME  into “ Skill Training Centres 


         #   Deliver online Training Courses for development of various skills through

               the Computer provided by the Labor Ministry for implementation of

               MaanDhan Scheme

              

         #   Some of these may be VR based training, requiring VR headsets ( to

              be  provided FREE to MSME by this Ministry ).

              These can be used not only by the apprentices but also by the MSME’s

              own workers

             

                           

         #   As an incentive / motivation for the MSME to undertake to train at least

              2 apprentices  per year ( under the Apprentice Act ) , following may

              be considered :  

               

              +   Government subsidizing the stipend payable to the trainees by 50 %

              +   No obligation to absorb the trainees after completion of training

===================================================

2018

Starting a Virtuous Circle …………………………………[ 17 Dec 2018 ]

Of Interns and Apprentices ………………………………[ 07 Jan 2018 ]

 

================================================

2017

Discovering the Obvious ?......................................[ 30 Nov 2017 ]

 

Universal Basic Income   …………………………………………….[ 20  Jan  2017  ]

Extract :

WHAT WOULD BE THE RIGHT APPROACH ?


 Right approach would be :

 " Do not give fish to a hungry man / teach him how  to fish "

 

 In short, empower them to earn their own living by teaching them " Skills " and

 by gaining " Experience " in use of those skills

 

Entire cost of this " Skilling " and " Experiencing " to be borne by the

Government, till each targeted poor / unemployed person, either gets gainfully

employed or becomes self-employed


HOW TO TRANSLATE THIS " SELF HELP " CONCEPT INTO PRACTICE ?


Divide the implementation in following 3 phases

    *    Empowering - 3 years ( Imparting Skills in Industrial Training Institutes )

    *    Experiencing - 3 years ( Providing experience in Ind / Commercial

          Establishments )

    *    Self-dependence Phase ( Working in a gainful job or as Self Employed )


WHAT SKILLS WILL GET PROVIDED IN ITI ?


Entire range of Manufacturing Industry related skills being currently imparted

plus a whole host of commercial skills required by E Commerce / Fintech /

Agriculture Processing  / Payment Banks / Service Sector / BPO / Telecom and

other emerging sectors


HOW SHALL WE MOTIVATE UNEMPLOYED YOUTH TO JOIN ITIs ?


* Each trainee will receive Rs 1000 pm ( for course duration of 3 years )

   This amount will get deposited in Jan Dhan bank account of trainee ( DBT )


HOW CAN WE GET PRIVATE SECTOR PARTICIPATION IN THIS PHASE ?


 If a Private firm or individual comes forward to set up such a Training

 Institute ,

      #    Treat it as an Infrastructure SPV

      #    No questions asked as to the source of funds for setting up such ITI

         {a kind of Amnesty Scheme to convert Black Money into White Money  }

    #   A government grant of Rs 1,000 pm per trainee to such SPV ( DBT in Bank

          A/C )

         If this is done, expect 10,000 SPVs to come up within one year and 10

         million youth to get  trained each year !

         

HOW CAN WE GET INDUSTRIAL AND COMMERCIAL ESTABLISHMENTS TO

 PROVIDE EXPERIENCE TO TRAINEES PASSING OUT OF ITIs ?


*    AMEND APPRENTICESHIP ACT

  Allow all Industrial and Commercial Establishments to engage ANY NUMBER

      of apprentices ( without upper limit ) , for a period of 3 years

     

 Starting stipend   =  Min of Semi-Skilled wages ( currently, approx Rs 6,000

                                   pm )

 Annual Increment =  5 %

 Establishment to pay 75 % of stipend

*  Government to pay 25 % of stipend ( DBT into Jan Dhan account of the

    Apprentice )

 

 

Discovering the Obvious ?  ………………………………….[  30  Nov  2017  ]

Extract :

I urge the Policy Makers to consider the following ‘ triggers ‘ :


     Revise Apprenticeship Act,

     to enable employers to engage ANY NUMBER of ( eligible ) youth as apprentices

     and allow employers to devise “ Training Structure “ as per their needs


Any Employer wanting to engage apprentices under this revised APPRENTICESHIP

 ACT , would need to be registered online on the web site of Labour Ministry

 and must have installed a Biometric Attendance system , as described in :

                                  From  BAD to  MAD  

  

      An eligible youth can serve his apprenticeship period with only one employer

      A person who has successfully completed his apprenticeship cannot be accepted

      as apprentice , a second time , in same or any other company


      Remove :

#  concept of 5 different “ categories “ of apprentices

#  concept of “ Shop-floor Trades “ for engaging Apprentices

#  concept of “ Trade-wise Ratios “ of apprentices

#  distinction between “ Shop floor “ and “ Office “ , and just say “ WORK PLACE 

#  the stipulation concerning “ different years of training for different trades “

    [Just make all training for 4 years ]


#   THE CONCEPT OF “ CONTRACT APPROVAL “ BY APPRENTICE ADVISOR


    #   Fix stipends payable to apprentices as follows :

Ø              Starting Stipend…………….. Minimum wage as per Min Wage Act

Ø              Annual Increase……………… Linked to rise in CPI


      Reimbursement of Training Cost incurred by the Employers

Ø  25 % of the Stipend cost to be borne by the Central Government and this amount

    to be transferred to the Jan Dhan Account of the concerned apprentice ( as DBT )


Ø  This provision will reduce our “ Cost of Manufacture “ and help to make India a

  “ Low Cost Economy “ , without calling this a “ Subsidy “ and violating WTO rules


This would be far better than controversial Universal Basic Income ( UBI )


Ø  It shall not be obligatory on the part of the employer to offer any employment to

     any apprentice who has completed the period of his apprenticeship training in his

    establishment, nor shall it be obligatory on the part of the apprentice to accept an

     employment under the employer.


Ø  To encourage PRIVATE SECTOR to come forward in a BIG WAY , to set up

     Industrial Training Institutions ( ITI ) , implement my earlier suggestion , as

     follows :

                 SkillCapital of the World ?  ……………..[  06  June  2016  ]


 

No mere Relief : A Game Changer   …………………[  20  Dec  2017  ]

Extract :

I urge the Union Government to take following steps simultaneously , in order to

generate , not just 5 million but  50 MILLION  new jobs in the MSME sector ( and

without additional funds ! ) :


#   Abolish all visits by Inspectors (Labour + Shop & Establishment Departments )


#   Allow MSMEs to engage Apprentices under the recently revised Skills

     Development Regulations / Apprentice Act


#   For them , remove the upper limit ( of Apprentices ) which is maximum of

     10 % of employee strength


#   Let them engage Apprentices up to 100 % of their existing employees


#   Let them keep these trainees for 3 years under " Retail Establishment

     Trainee  Scheme "


#   Let the stipend be 100 % ( instead of currently prescribed 60-70-80 % ) of

     semi- Skilled Minimum wages

     ( Minimum Semi Skilled Wages are approx Rs 6,000 per month so Shopkeeper

       need to pay Rs 6000 pm )


#   Concerned State Governments to subsidize 50 % of this stipend (so,

     Shopkeeper's burden to be  Rs 3,000 pm )

     [  Stipend Subsidy does not violate WTO  !  ]


#  To ensure fool-proof  compliance with the number of Trainees engaged and

    Stipends paid , following Scheme , viz:


    ( 24 hr open + 100 % trainees + 100 % Stipend + 50 % Subsidy + 3 year

       training program + No inspectors) ,


     will apply ONLY to those Shops which implement , mobile app MAD outlined in

      my following blog :

                               From  BAD to  MAD   [  01  June  2016  ]

===================================================

2016

Skill Capital of the World ? ……………………………[ 06 June 2016 ]

Harness " Greed " to " Skill India "……………….[ 19 June 2016 ]

===================================================

2015

Make in India is Skilling India…………………………..[ 17 July 2015 ]

================================================

2013

Rejoice You Jobless ! …………………………………………[ 03 Sept 2013 ]

 

===================================================

With regards,

Hemen Parekh  /  hcp@RecruitGuru.com  /  09 Feb 2021

===================================================

 

Copy To :

Shri Ajit Pawar, Finance Minister , Maharashtra , [ officialfbpageajitdada@gmail.com  ]


Shri Nawab Malik, Skill Development Minister, Maharashtra ,  contact@nawabmalik.com ]


Shri Santosh Kumar Gangwarji,  Minister for Labour , Central Government

molegangwar@yahoo.com  /  Santosh.gangwar.bareilly@gmail.com ]

 

 

 

Saturday, 6 February 2021

“ Individual Health Records “ for Disease Prevention

 


Context :

Individual health e-records to aid in disease surveillance: Niti paper  /  TOI  - 12 Dec 2020


Extract :

Ø  The government may consider making individual digital health records the basis for surveillance of various communicable as well as non-communicable diseases over the next 15 years , says a vision document prepared by NITI Aayog on : Public Health Surveillance in India by 2035 :


Ø  “ In 2035, India’s public health surveillance will be a PREDICTIVE, RESPONSIVE, INTEGRATED , and a tiered system of disease and health surveillance that is inclusive of PRIORITIZED, emerging and re-emerging communicable and non-communicable diseases and conditions “, the document states


Ø  The document also suggests that surveillance will be primarily based on DE-IDENTIFIED individual level PATIENT INFORMATION that emanates from HEALTH CARE FACILITIES, LABORATORIES and other SOURCES


Ø  “ Going forward , India’s public health surveillance will be based on INDIVIDUAL EHR that capture and amalgamate individuals’ HEALTH CARE RELATED INFORMATION through the use of a UHID . This is used in every CLINICAL, LABORATORY or a PHARMACY VISIT


===================================================


Following is a list of my 57 past e-mails on the subject  of HEALTH-CARE / COVID / PATIENT HEALTH RECORDS  :

 

2021 ( 1 )

A Matter of Grave Concern …………………………………………….[ 05 Jan 2021 ]

 

2020 ( 36 )

Thank You, Shri Ravishankar Prasadji,……………………………[ 24 Dec 2020 ]

Marching with Matched Steps ?...................................[ 13 Dec 2020 ]

Covin App : Confirmation Coming ……………………………………[ 07 Dec 2020 ]

COVIN App : A Curtain Raiser ………………………………………….[ 04 Dec 2020 ]

Shri Indu Bhushan has a dream ……………………………………..[ 29 Nov 2020 ]

Congratulations , Dr Harshvardhanji ……………………………….[ 21 Nov 2020 ]

Standardizing Vaccination Registration Process……………….[ 31 Oct 2020 ]

Similarities could be Coincidental …………………………………….[ 24 Oct 2020 ]

Vaccine Delivery System [ VDS ] : Policy and Procedure  [ 19 Oct 2020 ]

Voting and Vaccination : Compare and Contrast…………….[ 19 Oct 2020 ]

National Clinical Registry on Covid ………………………………….[ 29 Sept 2020 ]

Thank You, Adar Poonawala ……………………………………………..[ 26 Sept 2020 ]

Bill Gates has the same concerns – and similar views ……[ 25 Sept 2020 ]

A Nightmare come true ?   ………………………………………………[ 18 Sept 2020 ]

Let me make money by selling my Health Data………[ 02 Sept 2020 ]

Preventing ( illness ) is better than Curing……………..[ 17 Aug 2020 ]

Thank You , Cabinet Secretary   ………………………………………[ 07 Aug 2020 ]

The Changing Face of Healthcare System   …………… [ 01 Aug 2020 ]

Congratulations , Sid Chakravarthy …………………………………[ 24 July 2020 ]

Probabilities  ……………………………………………………………………..[ 19 July 2020 ]

Thank You All …………………………………………………………………….[ 10 July 2010 ]

An Appeal to DCGI – and others ……………………………………..[ 09 July 2020 ]

“ Corona Kavach “ Insurance ……………………………………………[ 07 July 2020 ]

Rationing of Covid Vaccine ? …………………………………………….[ 06 July 2020 ]

Cooperating for Common Cause [ 3 C ]………………………[ 23 June 2020 ]

Priorities for AI [ Artificial Intelligence ] portal ………........[ 31 May 2020 ]

Tele-Medicine / Tele-Health : a COVID gift ?  ………… ...... [ 20 May 2020 ]

E-Pass : By no means , an Easy Pass ……………………………….[ 20 May 2020 ]

Aarogya Setu : Ayushmaan Bhavah :………………………………..[ 22 Apr 2020 ]

Thank You, Aarogya Setu Team ………………………………………..[ 19 Apr 2020 ]

Aarogya Setu : Good Beginning / Long Way to Go……………[ 18 Apr 2020 ]

Corona Patient Case Histories : a Fragmented Database  [ 30 March 2020 ]

Remotely measuring Body Temperature ………………………….[ 27 Mar 2020 ]

Mobiles for Tracking Corona Movements ?......................[ 23 Mar 2020 ]

बहुजन हिताय बहुजन सुखाय ………………………………………………………[ 20 Mar 2020 ]

Sankalp – Sanyanm – Shastra ………………………………………….[ 20 Mar 2020 ]

 

2019 ( 2 )

No need to be secretive !  ………………………………………… ......[ 14 Nov 2019 ]

Health Data Vault                                                   ......[ 16 June 2019 ]

 

2018 ( 8 )

Thank You Madam Maneka Gandhiji …………………………….....[ 21 Dec 2018 ]

Will “ Ayushman Bharat “ listen ?                            .... [ 14  Nov  2018 ]

Ayushman Bharat : Think Big …………………………………….... [ 23 Sept 2018 ]

Personal Health History : NHS……………………………………......[ 11 Aug 2018 ]

Healthcare : The Unfolding Story                             .....[ 19  June  2018 ]

AI  for  Healthcare   …………………………………………………….....[ 17 June 2018 ]

Well begun is half done !............................................[ 03 Apr 2018 ]

Modicare : A Game Changer ……………………………………….....[ 01 Feb 2018  ]

 

2017 ( 1 )

2024 ! – V 2.0 of Orwellian 1984 ? ……………………………......[ 07 July 2017 ]

 

2016 ( 4 )

Health Care through Mobile ?........................................[ 24 Nov 2016 ]

BANMALI is the TOTAL SOLUTION ……………………………........[ 14 Nov 2016 ]

A Mobile App named " BANMALI "………………………………......[ 15 Sept 2016 ]

Saving 1.2 million Kids ……………………………………………….......[ 29 June 2016 ]

 

2015 ( 1 )

Digital Delivery of Drugs                                          .......[ 11 Oct 2015 ]

 

2012 ( 2 )

Healthcare in India ? …………………………………………………….......[ 04 Feb 2012 ]

Starving / Dying can be saved ……………………………………........[ 19 Jan 2012 ]

 

2011 ( 2 )

Medical Tourism to India…………………………………………….........[ 20 June 2011 ]

Bitter Pill ………………………………………………………………………........[ 05 June 2011 ]

===================================================

With regards,

Hemen Parekh  /  hcp@RecruitGuru.com  /  07 Feb 2021

 

 

Friday, 5 February 2021

Mumbai Parking Authority ( MPA ) : A Come Back to What ?

 


 

Context :

Reconstituted parking authority makes a comeback in budget  / HT – 05 Feb


Extract :

Ø  The MPA was reconstituted in January last year. BMC has appointed Tata Institute of Social Science ( TISS ) , as the agency from where urban planners, traffic planners, urban designers and Geographic Information System ( GIS ) designers are being roped in, to help with MPA’s work

Ø  …. it has been given the time line of one year to complete tasks at hand, which include ward-wise survey and GIS mapping of on-street and off-street parking and formulation of the parking policy, fee structure , among other things

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

FACTS :

Ø  By end 2017, no of registered vehicles in Mumbai ………………. 3.05 million

Ø  As of Jan 2019, no of vehicles in Mumbai ……………………………… 3.57 million

            This means, in about ONE YEAR, no of vehicles in Mumbai went up by approx. 0.5 million ( 5 lakhs )

Ø  As per the Economic Survey of Maharashtra 2018-19, the vehicle density is at 28,380 vehicles per lakh population and 115 vehicles per kilometre road length

===================================================

PROBLEMS :

Ø  There are few ( economically viable ) methods of creating NEW / ADDITIONAL parking places ( eg: parking in basements of new buildings / multi-storied “pay and park “ buildings )

Ø  It is not possible to stop citizen from buying new vehicles / even restricting no of vehicles / family

===================================================

SOLUTIONS :

Ø  Devise methods to “ dis-incentivize “ purchase / owning of PRIVATE vehicles


Ø  Introduce “ Incentives “ for people to use PUBLIC transport ( local trains-metros – BEST buses )


Ø  TISS may consider collaborating with  Dr. Bernd Bienzeisler, head of the Research and Innovation Center for Cognitive Service Systems at Fraunhofer IAO. (bernd.bienzeisler@iao.fraunhofer.de )

 

(  Ref :   Using AI to measure the demand for parking space  )

 31ST INTERNATIONAL RESER CONFERENCE 2021, HEILBRONN, GERMANY

=================================================

 

RELATED READINGS :

Tata Motors launches what3words enabled Nexon

Ø  Maharashtra plans to make location tracker device must for commercial vehicles     ( TOI – 15 Dec 2020 )

 

Interim Solution :

Un-Implementable Laws : Unstoppable Corruption  ……[ 20 Feb 2017 ]

 

Ultimate Solution :

Transport : an Integrated Logistic Plan ? ……………………….[ 20 Nov 2018 ]

 

 

FOLLOWING  E-MAILS PERTAIN  TO  PARKING  PROBLEMS – SOLUTIONS :

Ø  A Radical Radial Revolution ! …………………………..[ 18 Aug 2016 ]

Ø  Name of the Game : Co-operation…………………..[ 23 Sept 2016 ]

Ø  One Car per Family ? ……………………………………….[ 27 Sept 2016 ]

Ø  Wisdom of the Ancients ……………………………………[ 05 Oct 2016 ]

Ø  A Knee Jerk Approach ? …………………………………..[ 22 Dec 2016 ]

Ø  Internet of Vehicles ( IoV ) ? ……………………………[ 04 Mar 2017 ]

Ø  Shri Raoteji has a Vision…………………………………..[ 23 Mar 2017 ]

Ø  Passing the Buck ?....................................... [ 18 Apr 2017 ]

Ø  Leveraging NaviC ?.......................................[ 30 May 2017 ]

Ø  Who says IMPOSSIBLE ? …………………………………..[ 31 May 2017 ]

Ø  Urban Transport Policy……………………………………….[ 09 June 2017 ]

Ø  Why don’t they park in their flats ?..................[ 01 Sept 2017 ]

Ø  A Sensible Solution………………………………………………[ 03 Sept 2017 ]

Ø  Where will SoBo park its cars ?........................[ 19 Sept 2017 ]

Ø  The  Next  Big  Thing…………………………………………..[ 14 Nov 2017 ]

Ø  Parking Mess ? It will get worse !.....................[ 01 Jan 2018 ]

Ø  It is not that simple !......................................[ 31 Jan 2018 ]

Ø  No Takers ? No Wonder !.................................[ 13 Feb 2018 ]

Ø  Who killed BMC Parking Policy ? I did not !.........[ 31 Mar 2018 ]


    A  Law  on  Parking  ?......................................[ 13 Apr 2018 ]

 

 TRAFFIC  MANAGEMENT RELATED E MAILS :

Ø          Congrats , Shri Shivang Luthraji, …………………[ 22 Sept 2018 ]

Ø  Gathering Speed at Snail’s Pace ? ……………….[ 02 Oct 2018 ]

Ø  Transport Solutions ? Must try everything …..[ 26 Oct 2018 ]

Ø  Better Late than Never !  ………………………………[ 01 Nov 2018 ] 

Ø  When will the rest follow ? …………………………….[ 14 Nov 2018 ] 

Ø  Traffic Congestion ? Finally, a solution in sight ?[ 31 May 2019 ]

Ø  BEST app will have destination alarm ……………[ 02 Sept 2019 ]

Ø  Realization ? Yes but Gradual and Grudgingly ? [ 16 Sept 2019 ]

Ø  A Railway Revolution ? ……………………………………[ 13 Oct 2019 ]

Ø  Congratulations, Avinash Dhakneji…………………[ 15 Dec 2020 ]

 

===================================================

CC to :

Ø  Prof Shalini Bharat, Vice-Chancellor, Director ( TISS ) /  director@tiss.edu

 

Ø  Prof. Dr V H Iyer , Professor Emeritus and Dean

       Welingkar Institute of Management Development and Reserch  /                           vh.iyer@yahoo.com  

 

Ø  Mr. Ashok Datar, Advisor - Mumbai Parking Authority  / datar.ashok@gmail.com

 

Ø  Mumbai Mobility Forum  /  mumbai-mobility-forum@googlegroups.com

 

Ø  Mr A V Shenoy / shenoyav@gmail.com

 

Ø  Dr. Bernd Bienzeisler  /  bernd.bienzeisler@iao.fraunhofer.de

 

===================================================

With regards,

Hemen Parekh  /  hcp@RecruitGuru.com / 06 Feb 2021