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

Sunday, 14 March 2021

Traffic Offences are a Lesser Priority

 


 

Dear Shri Gadkariji,


Saving lives is a greater priority


Here is a sobering statistics :

“ Nearly 44,666 two-wheeler drivers and pillion-riders were killed in road crashes in 2019 for not wearing helmets “

(https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/applicants-for-new-driving-licence-must-go-via-video-tutorial/articleshow/81490204.cms


It is entirely within your power to issue a notification that says :


Ø  >   From April 2022, all 2-wheelers shall be sold along with a helmet ( compulsory

          accessory )

Ø  >    Both, the 2-wheeler and the helmet shall have embedded SENSORS, which

          are internet connected [ IoT ]

Ø  >     A 2-wheeler ( whether Electric or ICE ) will not start unless the driver is

           wearing that helmet , enabling both the sensors to link-up / get paired /

           communicate / transfer data ( to traffic police dept server , transmitting

           Vehicle registration number and driver license number )

Ø   >     It will also not start if,

#  Driver is drunk ( alcohol analyzing sensor )

#  Laden weight exceeds 150 Kg ( weight sensor )


In the age of Level 5 Autonomous Self Driving cars, implementing what I just described, is not a Rocket Science


Nor will its implementation push up the 2-wheeler selling price by more than Rs 1000 ( less than 1 % )


But, my suggestion has the potential to save some 40,000 lives each year !


I urge you to use your authority for a noble / humanitarian cause


With regards,

Hemen Parekh  /  hcp@RecruitGuru.com  /  15 March 2021 

    

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

Context :

Install Electronic devices to curb Traffic offences: Road Ministry  / Business Line  /  27 Feb 2021

Extract :


Ø  In a move to :


>  curb corruption and bad behaviour by any of the stakeholders in case of skirmishes between a law enforcer and a road user and to

 

Ø >   increase road safety, the Road Transport and Highways Ministry has published

        draft rules for electronic devices to be used by traffic rule enforcement officers.


The electronic devices can be :

Ø  speed camera,

Ø  closed-circuit television camera,

Ø  speed gun,

Ø  body wearable camera,

Ø  dashboard camera,

Ø  Weigh-in-Motion (WIM) bridges or any other technology.

 

Also, the devices have to be certified every year, to ensure their accuracy, as per the draft notification.

Moreover, the officials must notify to the offender that he is being recorded by the camera.

Also, the notification asks State governments to put warning signs before the stretches monitored by electronic enforcement devices, notifying the public that such devices are in use

“Body wearable cameras shall be explicitly used by the law enforcement officers, such as police and transport officials while managing the traffic or carrying out any enforcement drive which can be used in the court as an evidence against the offending driver or person and also ensure that the law enforcement official has acted as per the provisions of law while penalising the offending driver or person.

Both the video and audio functions of the body camera shall be activated only when the law enforcement official is on duty and the official must notify the subjects that they are being recorded by the body camera,” the Road Ministry has said in its draft notification.

State governments shall ensure that appropriate electronic enforcement devices are placed at high-risk and high-density corridors on National and State Highways, and at critical junctions in State capitals and cities with more than 1 million population, added the notification.

The electronic enforcement device used for issuance of a challan shall have an approval certificate signed by a police officer or designated authority certifying that the device is accurate, said the draft adding the approval certificate must be renewed on a yearly basis.

The electronic record collected by way of electronic monitoring should be stored for a minimum period of 30 days, and in the case where the electronic record relates to an offence, should be stored till the conclusion of proceedings initiated, including appeals.

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

Context :

Starting April, all cars must have airbags for front passenger seat, says Centre   /  Scroll  /  06 March 2021

Extract :

The Centre on Friday made it mandatory for all new cars to have airbags for front passenger seat in steps to improve safety in case of road accidents. Airbags for drivers was made mandatory in all cars since July 1, 2019.

Ø  The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways in a gazette notification announced the rule that will require all new vehicles manufactured on and after April 1 to have dual front airbags as standard fitment.

Ø  Existing vehicles, on the other hand, will be required to be sold with dual airbags from August 31, the ministry said.

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

MY TAKE :

Ø  Airbags

-  are solely aimed at SAFETY of passengers – and are INTEGRAL to a car body

as against this,

Ø  Speed camera, closed-circuit television camera, speed gun, body wearable camera

-   are aimed at “ curb corruption and bad behaviour “ of the drivers – and installed on roads or carried on the person of the Traffic Police

            

Both of these approaches / methods are fairly prevalent in most of the developed countries . Tried and tested .

 

But, here is the MAJOR DIFFERENCE

[ A ]  AIRBAGS

Upon an accident, an AIRBAG acts instantly / fast / on its own, without waiting for “ NOTIFYING “ anyone !

It does not even wait for the vehicle driver to get activated / deployed !

Its sole “ reason for existence “ is SAVE the passengers NOW .

 

[ B ]  EXTERNAL DEVICES

Require annual certification by TESTING AGENCIES and notifying rash drivers

 

QUESTION :

Can BAD BEHAVIOUR of drivers be controlled ( even prevented ) by mandating ( as done in case of Airbags ) , that the vehicle manufacturers pre-install following SENSORS in the vehicles , by 01 April 2022 ?


     #   Engine ( or Electric Motor ) temperature

 

     #   Pressures / Displacements / Compression Ratios in case of petrol / diesel

 

          Vehicles / Battery Charge Levels / fuel consumption

 

     #   Emission Levels ( PM2.5 / CO2 etc ) in petrol / diesel vehicles

 

     #   Tyre pressures / wear and tear of moving parts / RPM

 

     #   Vehicle speed / acceleration / braking distance

 

     #   Proximity to other moving / stationary vehicles or objects

 

     #   Weather conditions / Visibility levels / Traffic Density

 

     #   Condition of the road being traversed ( co-efficient of friction )

 

     #   Condition of the person driving ( sleepy / drunk etc )

 

     #   Whatever else you want “ measured / monitored / relayed 

 

   [ source :  Internet of Vehicles ( IoV ) ?   /   04 Mar 2017   ]

 

I am glad Delhi NCT is about to finalize guidelines for “ Traffic Violation Premium “ , as reported in :

A Premium for Good Road Behaviour ?  

Extract :

Imagine a CIBIL score for motor insurance. Instead of your debt repayment records, you’ll be rated on your road behaviour – sticking to speed norms or parking in designated zones, for instance.

On paper, that sounds reasonable. In practice, that might do more harm than good to millions of Indian private vehicle owners, and end up favouring the insurers in an unequal game.

The US, Canada, the UK, France and Australia have similar systems and ALGORITHMS in place to link motor premiums, based on traffic violation status. However this is based on a TECH INFRASTRUCTURE that binds an integrated database with social security and DRIVING LICENSES of VEHICLE OWNERS

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

Related Readings :


       2021 ( 1 )

Ø  Young : and dying on roads ………………………………[ 13 Feb 2021 ]

 

        2020 ( 2 )

Ø  Congratulations , Shri P K Purwarji …………………. [ 21 Dec 2020 ]

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

 

      2018 ( 7 )

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

Ø  Crossing the Seven Seas ………………………………….[ 10 Sept 2018 ]

Ø  #ISRO #NaviC #India #TransportRevolution…..[ 13 Apr 2018 ]

Ø  Immobilize the Jumpers ? …………………………………[ 14 Mar 2018 ]

Ø  To Curb speeding : Immobilize those Cars ………[ 11 Feb 2018 ]

    Ø  Immobilize the Jumpers ?............................. [ 14 Mar 2018 ]

Ø  To Curb speeding : Immobilize those Cars ……..[ 11 Feb 2018 ]

 

      2017 ( 12 )

Ø  This will take Ages ! ………………………………………….[ 12 Dec 2017 ]

Ø  #UrbanTransport #FasTag #Pollution ……………..[ 14 Nov 2017 ]

Ø  Intelligent Transport System ……………………….....[ 07 Oct 2017 ]

Ø  Smart Cars, Safe Cars , Social Cars ? …………....[ 31 Aug 2017 ]

Ø  Linking PUC with Insurance ? …………………………..[ 15 Aug 2017 ]

Ø  Look Beyond Liquor Ban …………………………………..[ 03 Aug 2017 ]

Ø  Can Technology Out-Smart the Traffic Offenders ? [ 16 July 2017 ]

Ø  Revolutionizing Transport ? ……………………………..[ 14 July 2017 ]

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

Ø  Do Not Drink and Drive …………………………………..[ 05 Apr 2017 ]

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

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


       2016  ( 4 )

Ø  Let us Leapfrog the World ! ……………………………[ 27 Nov 2016 ]

Ø  HORN OK ? ……………………………………………………..[ 22 Aug 2016 ]

Ø  Tablets in Taxies ? ………………………………………….[ 16 May 2016 ]

Ø  BRAVO , GADKARI-JI ! ……………………………………[ 16 Feb 2016 ]

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

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

Friday, 12 March 2021

Carbon Finance through Carbon Credits

 


 

Context :

EESL brings in Carbon Finance for LED bulb distribution in rural areas  /  BL – 12 Mar 2021


Extract :

Public sector company Energy Efficiency Services Ltd (EESL) has dipped into the carbon markets for funding its LED lamp distribution programme in rural areas.

EESL is an ‘ESCO’ or ‘energy services company’. It makes available to consumers energy efficiency appliances at its cost and lets them pay for it through the savings in their electricity bills.

It began in 2014 with its ‘flagship’ product, LED bulbs, which remains its biggest success, even though it distributes several other products, such as electric motors and water pumps.

Between 2014 and 2020, EESL distributed 365 million LED bulks, through the ESCO model,

However, most of the LED bulbs went to urban consumers — less than 2 per cent made it to the rural areas, because, even at a subsidised price of ₹50 a bulb, rural folk could not afford it.

In November 2020, EESL roped in Mahua Acharya, a climate finance and carbon markets expert, who had dealt with carbon credits for over two decades, as the CEO & MD of EESL’s fledgling wholly owned subsidiary, CESL — a company that is meant to take over and run the assets of EESL. Acharya has now brought in a carbon finance dimension to LED distribution business, to make the bulbs affordable even to the rural population.

On Monday, EESL will launch at Arrah, Bihar , a ‘GRAM Ujala’ programme. The programme recognises the need to further subsidise the bulbs of 7W or 12W, to about ₹10

The subsidy will be paid for by sales of instruments like carbon credits in the global carbon markets. There is potential to replace 300 million incandescent bulbs with LED, which could result in energy savings of 40,743 million kWhr annually and avoid peak demand of 22,325 MW a year, not to speak of carbon dioxide emission reduction of 37.48 million tonnes a year.

Gram Ujala will be implemented in villages only. Consumers may purchase a maximum of 5 LED bulbs against submission of an equal number of incandescent lamps that must be in working condition.

Meters will be installed in each house to determine the total number of hours of usage.

Carbon credit documentation will be sent to UN accredited validators.

The carbon credit instruments, such as Certified Emission Reductions (CER), are broadly called ‘ carbon offsets ’ because they pay for carbon reduction activities in developing countries such as India, where it is cheaper to do so.

It is expected that the carbon offsets earned by EESL for its rural distribution of LED bulbs will be sold in the voluntary markets.

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

MY TAKE :

Ø  Here is a partial list of domestic appliances which consume electricity ( apart from LED bulbs ) :


TV sets – Refrigerators – Air Conditioners – Fans – Deep Freezers – Ovens – Electric Stoves – Mixers – Computers – Cloths Washing Machines – Dish Washers – Radios – Tablets – Robotic Floor Sweepers – Massagers – etc


Ø  By 2030, all of these must be made “ Energy Efficient Appliances “ , certified by Bureau of Energy Efficiency [ BEE ]


Ø  Just as was done in respect of ICE vehicles ( BS IV > BS VI compliance ), all electric Appliance Manufacturers must be mandated to switch over to manufacture of only BEE certified appliances in 4 phases ( April 2022 – 24 – 26- 28 )


Ø  Each such appliance MUST be pre-installed / integrated with SENSORS which will continuously monitor its,


#   State of Usage ( ON or OFF )

#   Rate of Consumption of electricity ( Units )


These INTERNET-CONNECTED appliances will continuously relay / transmit these data to the SMART ELECTRIC METER installed in each home


In turn, each SMART METER will relay / transmit to concerned DISCOM ( and to any other specified govt agency servers ), such usage / consumption data, through Internet ( IoT / Internet of Everything ).


These data-transfer will be separate for EACH INDIVIDUAL APPLIANCE


This will enable DISCOM / concerned Agencies, to know / monitor, IN-EFFICIENT appliances, operating above the CERTIFIED THRESHOLD for each type of appliance


Appliances operating “ above “ the threshold, will be assigned / allotted “ CARBON DEBITS “ , whereas those operating “ below “ the threshold, will be assigned “ CARBON CREDITS


If the NET of these two is POSITIVE ( + ), that home will be incentivized by a lower tariff – and vice-versa


This model ( of INCENTIVIZATION ) must be further strengthened by measuring the amount of ROOF TOP Solar Power , flowing into the SMART METER , with appropriate linkages to CARBON CREDIT


This linkage will motivate a large number of households to install ROOF TOP solar panels


This scheme will enable us to take the CARBON MARKET / CARBON CREDIT / CARBON FINANCE concept, right inside our 290 MILLION households !

 

Ø  All manufacturers of House-hold Electric Meters must be told to manufacture only SMART ELECTRIC METERS , starting April 2022


Ø  All DISCOMS to replace existing meters in each and every home, with a SMART METER, by April 2024


This is only a CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK whose details are not difficult to work out


 

Dear Shri R K Singhji


During past 3 years, you have initiated many reforms to replace FOSSIL-FUEL power with RENEWABLE power


If implemented, my above-mentioned suggestion will ensure that we exceed our commitment given in Paris Agreement

With regards,

 

Hemen Parekh  /  hcp@RecruitGuru.com  /  13 March 2021

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

We have come a long way since I sent following E Mail to Cabinet Ministers :

Ø  PIYUSH PLAN ? …………………………[ 27 Mar 2016 ]

 

( Source : https://www.livemint.com/Politics/9sTBs0Yg0tdTMEltgJfyvO/India-can-become-first-country-to-run-100-electric-vehicles.html )

 

Extract :


      My suggestion :

 

      Forget about ,

 

     *   Computing of " Individual Savings "

 

     *   Giving electric cars " free initially "

 

     *   Owners " paying back from savings "

 

 

     Based on car specifications / assumed average monthly usage  etc , figure out

     and fix

 

    *  " Carbon Credits " for each model of electric car manufactured

 

    *   Based on Carbon Credits earned, calculate Direct Transfer of Benefit ( DTB

        ) to electric car manufacturers based on monthly dispatches of each model

 

         

     and then transfer these amounts from EVFF ( Electric Vehicle Finance Fund ) ,

     as incentives to manufacturers 

 

    As far as incentives to electric car owners is concerned, make tax-exempt, all

    interest paid by owners for car loans taken, without any ceiling


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

Indian Manufacturers of Electric Meters

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

1.         1       Bentec Electricals & Electronics Pvt Ltd / info@bentecindia.com

2.           2        Genus Power Infrastructures Ltd / info@genus.in

3   HPL India Ltd  /  hpl@hplindia.com

3.    Itron India Pvt Ltd / ashok.dash@itron.com  / 

4.    Landis+Gyr Ltd

5.    Larsen & Toubro Ltd / cic@Lntebg.com / infodesk@larsentoubro.com /

6.    Schneider Electric India Pvt Ltd

7.    Secure Meters Ltd  /  sales_india@securemeters.com  /

8.    Superior Products Industries  / 

9.    Towa Engineering Works  /  

    

Thursday, 11 March 2021

Even Inevitable takes time

 


 

Context :

3.8 lakh contract workers register on Railways’Shramik Kalyan portal  /  BL – 12 March 2921


Extract :

Ø  Indian Railways’ Shramik Kalyan e-application, which was developed and launched on October 1, 2018, has seen registration by 15,812 contractors and 3,81,831 contract workers so far, an official release said on Thursday.

Ø  The e-application ensures compliance with the provisions of the Minimum Wages Act

Ø  The contractors are required to regularly upload WAGE PAYMENT DATA on to the e-application

Ø  This helps the Railways , as the principal employer, to keep an eye over wages disbursed by contractors to workers

Ø  The contractor has to CREATE PROFILE of each CONTRACT WORKER…and update the WAGES provided to him/her on REGULAR BASIS

Ø  There are checks in the portal to ensure that WAGES paid by the contractors conform with the MINIMUM WAGES fixed by the Government

Ø  Railway Authorities, before passing the contractors’ bills, have to check whether CONTRACTOR WORKERS WAGES DATA have been uploaded by the contractor or not. For ensuring the compliance, necessary changes have also been made in the CONTRACT CONDITIONS

Ø  Provision is available in the e-application to generate an IDENTITY ( Card / Number ) for the CONTRACT WORKER and also send TEXT MESSAGES from time to time, about WAGES PAID, and CONTRIBUTION made to the EMPLOYERS PROVIDENT FUND ( EPF ) and Employee State Insurance Corporation ( ESIC )

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

HOW MUCH TIME ?


For the Punjab Mandi Board  

>  little more than 3 YEARS ( Refer : MAD goes to Mandi   /   02 Jan 2020 )

 

For the Indian Railways

>   About 5 years ( as can be inferred from above-mentioned news )


BUT SINCE WHEN ?

Since sending following E Mailed suggestion to our Cabinet Minsters :

Ø  From BAD to MAD …………………………[ 01 June 2016 ]


 

WHAT WAS YOUR SUGGESTION ?

To replace BAD ( Biometric Attendance Devices ) with MAD ( Mobile-based Attendance Devices )


HOW WAS THIS  “ MAD “ TO WORK ?


#  All smart phones to evolve as Bio-metric Attendance Devices , with built-in

    Bio-metric Recorders , GPS , a mobile attendance App ( called MAD ? )

 

#  App to have 2 buttons ( Green = IN  /  Red = OUT )

 

#  Employee to touch IN upon reaching his work-station and touch OUT ,

    while leaving work place , at the end of work-shift . That's all  !

 

#  Being GPS enabled , buttons will get activated ONLY when the employee

    has reached the work place ( not while he is on his way ! )

 

#  All 100 million establishments in India ( factories / offices / shops / clinics

    NGOs / Govt Depts ) to ensure that the MAD app is installed on the smart

    phone of each employee , when he joins

   

#  All of these smart phones to be connected ( IoT ? ) , with the Servers of ,

 

    *  Labour Ministries ( Central and States )

 

    *  HRD Ministry ( Central )

 

    *  Skills Development Ministry / NSDC

 

    *  Finance Ministries ( Central + States )

 

    *  NITI Aayog

 

    *  Income Tax Department

 

    *  Any other server that you may want to

 

 

#   MAD app is integrated with a STANDARD / COMMON , software system

     for computing daily wages / monthly salaries of ALL the persons working

     in those 100 million establishments ( whether they are casual /

     contractual  / trainee / apprentice / probationer / permanent / retained

 

 

#   As each person joins in any of these establishments , data re  that

     person must be inputted by the Employer into the App , such as :

   

     *  Name / Contact Details / DOB / Aadhar Card No / Employee Number

 

         ( Each unique Employee Number will be auto-generated by the

         common Salary Payment Software , running on IT Dept Server )

 

 

     *   Employee's Jandhan Yojana Bank Account Number for salary EC

 

 

     *   Employer's Jandhan bank account / Unique Employer Number

 

 

     *   Payment Mode ( Hourly / Daily / Monthly Rated , wages / salaries )

 

 

     *   Leave provisions / PF rate / TDS rate / Allowances / Reimbursements

 

 

     *   Any other relevant data ( either about employee of for employer )


 

WHAT  ARE  THE  ADVANTAGES  ?

 

 #   For employees , no need to file a separate annual Income Tax Return

 

#   Direct deposit of PF / TDS amounts into bank accounts of Govt Depts

 

#   Direct Benefit Transfer ( DBT ) to every Employer for Stipend Subsidy ,

     based on number of total trainees / apprentices employed

 

#   Total number of employees in India ( category / region / industry )

 

#   Employment Density ( Industry wise / Region wise / Skill wise etc )

 

#   Net Employment Growth Rate ( weekly - monthly / Industry-wise )

 

#   Co-relation with no of persons graduating at various levels

 

#   Data about those Unemployed ( " Graduating " less " Employed " )

 

#   Overtime Statistics ( Use / Abuse )

 

#   Work-hour Analysis ( Ave hours / week - month )

 

#   Wage / Salary Rates ( Rs per hour ) - Industry wise / Region wise

 

     ( of great interest to Foreign Investors looking to bring down

       manufacturing costs , by outsourcing to India / manufacturing in India )

 

#   Compliance with labour laws / tax laws / Apprentice Act etc

 

#   Job Market Forecasts through BIG DATA ANALYTIC ( region / industry )

 

#   Demographic  Profiles of employees  ( Rural to Urban migration )

 

#   Per Capita Income Growth for persons using MAD app  ( MOM / YOY )

 

#   Changing composition between Blue Collar and White Collar employees

 

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

Dear Cabinet Ministers,

 

Ø  Indian Railways is not the ONLY government department / agency / unit , which employs CONTRACT WORKERS 


Ø  In 2019, altogether , Central Government was employing 10 LAKH contract workers 


Ø  Contract labour has estimated that there are a total of 3.6 crore contract labour  in the country and out of them 60 lacs are covered under the Contract Labour (Regulation and Abolition) Act, 1970 in both Central and State sphere.

 ( source : INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS & CONTRACT LABOUR IN INDIA  )


The reform carried out by the Railways is in the right direction, though it covers only 3.8 LAKH contract workers


Considering that all 3.6 CRORE contract workers are covered by the Minimum wages Act, same ( reform ) can be easily extended to all 3.6 CRORE contract workers


But then, the Minimum Wages Act applies equally to the PRIVATE SECTOR as well ( possibly employing more than 3 CRORE contract workers )


I urge you to modify / amend the Minimum Wages Act to mandate,

Ø  > All the establishments ( whether PRIVATE or PUBLIC ) must implement 

        From BAD to MAD

Ø  > This must be effective from 01 April 2022

Ø >  For those establishments which fail to implement, wages paid ( to contract

       workers ) shall not be considered / counted as “ Legitimate / Deductible “

       Business Expenses in their annual TAX RETURNS


With regards,

Hemen Parekh  /  hcp@RecruitGuru.com / 12 March 2021