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, 16 July 2024

Law of Unintended Consequences

 


 

 

Context :

Karnataka Cabinet approves draft Bill mandating job reservation for locals  .  HT .. 17 July 2024   


Extract :

The Karnataka Cabinet approved a draft bill that mandates 50 per cent reservation for locals in management jobs and 75 per cent reservation in non-management categories.

The “Karnataka State Government Employment of Local Candidates in Industries Bill, 2024” was cleared in a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on July 15. It is slated to be presented during the current legislative session.

The Act defines a local candidate as a :

Ø  person born in the Karnataka and

Ø  domiciled in the State for 15 years.

Ø  the person should speak, read and write Kannada in a legible manner. 

Ø  The candidates should have a secondary school certificate with Kannada as a language. If not, they must pass a Kannada proficiency test as specified by the nodal agency. 


In situations where there is a lack of qualified local candidates, the hiring establishments in collaboration with government agencies should train the candidates within three years. 


The Bill also mentions exemptions in cases where enough local candidates are not available. In such instances, the hiring establishment may apply to the government for relaxation from the Act’s provisions. The government, after conducting a proper inquiry, may issue appropriate orders, which shall be final.  

However, it is stipulated that:

Ø   the percentage of local candidates should not fall below 25 per cent for management positions, and

Ø   50 percent for non-management categories,


Failure to comply to the reservation mandate may attract penalties ranging from ₹10,000 to ₹25,000. Continued violations could result in additional penalties of ₹100 per day until compliance is achieved. 


Adding that in terms of implementation, there is always a gap between the rhetoric and the reality, he said the challenge lies in finding the number of locals for the various types of management and non-management level jobs. 

The reality of globalisation requires movement of people across States and countries also. How this legislation responds to this requirement would be another question,” he said.  

 

 

My  Take :


While there can be no argument against CREATION of enough new jobs each year

within Karnataka , so that ALL the local people find a “ paying salaried job “ , the reality

is that this goal has remained elusive for many decades, even in those States which

have enacted such ACTS , years ago


By a big margin , proposed act of Karnataka , seems like the MOST STRINGENT – even

UN-IMPLEMENTABLE


By application of the  “ LAW of  UN-INTENTED  CONSEQUENCES  “ , it is possible that

the industries in Karnataka may consider the cheaper alternative to accelerate the

introduction ROBOTS on the factory floor / mass production Assembly lines


Here is why ( - since I am sending this blog as an email to , not only the Cabinet

Ministers but also to all the Chief Ministers , I hope Chief Minister Siddaramaiahji ,

 finds time to read this ) :


Ø  SECOND INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION ?  …………………… 21 Sept 2015

 

Extract :


But Western countries are not resigned to their fate of a lowered

 

 " Standard of Living "

 

 

They are gearing up to usher :

 

The Second Industrial Revolution  !

 

 

In the form of Robots :

 

Robots manufacturing cars / appliances / machinery / anything

Robots 3 D printing products from designs downloaded from Net

 

Robots managing health care in hospitals

 

Robots serving food in restaurants

 

Robots carrying out office jobs

 

Robots teaching in schools

 

Robots entertaining

 

Robots everywhere !


And these are :

 

Robots which work 24 hours/day and do not ask for a salary

 

Robots that do not " go slow "or go on a strike

 

Robots that do not demand " Quotas / Reservations "

 

Robots that do not take holidays or take " Sick Leave "

 

Robots that do not resign / demand promotion

 

Robots that neither envy other robots nor sabotage 

 

Robots that do not complain against unpleasant work

 

Robots that do not get tired and need rest

 

Robots whose production does not drop after working for 8 hours

 

Robots that do not demand " Overtime Pay " @ 200 % of normal

 

Robots that perfectly co-ordinate their tasks with other robots

 

Robots that willingly " retire " at any age , whenever required

 

Robots that do not demand Unemployment/Retirement Benefits

 

 Robots which may , some day , provide you with emotional support when you are sick / depressed  !

 

 

And this Second Industrial Revolution is NOT going to take a hundred years to reach the shores of India

 

 

With spread of DIGITAL INDIA / Internet / Mobile Apps , it may take , no more than 20 years !

 

 

Question :

 

Fearing that it will create further unemployment , shall we try to stall its arrival  ?

 

OR ,

 

Will our Self-Employed and Start Ups expedite its arrival and imaginatively use it to create 100 new jobs for each lost job ?

 

Let us stop tinkering with ,

 

*  The India Aspiration Fund

 

*  The Make in India Soft Loan Fund

 

*  The MUDRA Bank

 

 

Converting millions of Job-seekers into Job - Creators ,  would entirely depend

upon Union Government quickly passing , what I earlier advocated as :

 

Start Up Act - 2015

 

 

With regards,

 

Hemen Parekh

 

www.My-Teacher.in

 

 

 

Monday, 15 July 2024

I am not Surprised !

 


 

Context :

BMC fills each pothole ‘at least eight times a month,’ say Mumbai police.. HT.. 16 July 2024

Extract :

Police said the BMC responds to their pothole-related complaints within three hours, but the material used to fill them up gets washed away when it rains

Even as the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) claims to be on a war footing and spending hundreds of crores of rupees on filling potholes, the results aren’t quite showing, according to motorists and traffic police officials. While the civic body is quick to respond to pothole-related complaints, the fill-up job sometimes lasts just a few hours, they said.

Traffic police officials told HT that the BMC responds to their pothole-related complaints within three hours, but the material used to fill them up gets washed away when it rains again.

In a month, the BMC fills one pothole at least eight times,” said a senior traffic police official

 

 

My Take :

Hey , What is “ news “ in this ?

It would be newsif the headline reads :

“ As soon as there was a slight break in rains , BMC filled up , “ water-filled pot-holes “ with COLD  ASPHALT , ran a Road Roller over it and allowed the traffic to resume within 15 minutes.  These potholes did NOT reappear for 12 months “

The above headline would be “ news “ also because it would prove that there was :

Ø  no CORRUPTION ( bribing of BMC inspectors by the contractors – for acceptance of a shoddy job )

Ø  no CORRUPTION ( by specifying use of ONLY Cold Asphalt , in tender specs )

Oh well , citizen of Mumbai have known about such GOLMAAL for decades . What they may not know is :

What is this COLD ASPHALT ? How can you use it by pouring it in a water-filled pothole – considering that water and asphalt are sworn enemies ? How can these enemies work together to fill up potholes that last ?

Interested readers may want to look up my following e-mails , sent to our Cabinet Ministers  :

Ø  Keep Experimenting ! …………………………………..  21 Feb 2016

Ø  POT HOLES ARE FOR EVER ?  ………………………. 11 July 2016

Ø  Cold Asphalt is THE ANSWER………………………….19 July 2016

Ø  POTHOLES CAN BE BANISHED………………………. 23 July 2016

Ø  Nitinbhai, there is a BETTER / CHEAPER alternative.. 07 Apr 2021

Ø  Dear Shri Chahal : Please consider COLD ASPHALT.. 12 July 2022

Ø  Dear Shri Chahal , Please give a chance to COLD ASPHALT.. 25 July 2023

 

With regards,

Hemen Parekh

www.My-Teacher.in  /  16 July 2024

 

Related Readings :

Ø  Go Green Road Repairs 

 

Ø  Cold Asphalt Mixes for Indian Highways Environment Friendly Technology

Ø  Cold Mix Asphalt Market 2020 Global Share, Growth, Size, Opportunities, Trends, Regional Overview, Leading Company Analysis, And Key Country Forecast to 2026

 

Ø  What is the difference between Hot Mix and Cold Mix Asphalt ?

 

Ø  Recycling with Cold Asphalt 

 

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

Indian Road Congress Contacts :

secygen.irc@gov.in

ds.irc-morth@gov.in

tc.irc@gov.in

dd.irc-morth@gov.in

admn.irc-morth@gov.in 

arbitration.irc-morth@gov.in

us1.irc-morth@gov.in

 finance.irc-morth@gov.in

us2.irc-morth@gov.in

membership.irc-morth@gov.in

sale.irc-morth@gov.in

ad.irc-morth@gov.in

librarian.irc-morth@gov.in

manoj.kmr15@gov.in

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Skilling Wish-list

 


 

Context :

Offer Tax deductions for Skill development, proposes govt agency  ..  TOI  … 15 July 2024

Extract :

 

Several tax benefits for skilling have been proposed in the Budget by National Skill Development Corporation as the govt seeks to align it with formal education.
In its presentation to the finance ministry, the govt agency has proposed extending several benefits –

> deductions on tuition fees and interest on loans,

> exemptions for scholarships,

> lower tax rates for for-profit skilling institutions,

> exemptions to educational institutions to skilling programmes,

> ensuring tax exemptions for training institutes and

> enhanced deductions for skilling expenditures, apart from

> changes to the Goods and Services Tax (GST) regime

 

In the amendments sought under the direct tax laws, it proposed to add an explanation to clarify that 'education' includes skill development programmes and training conducted by training institutes, which will enable them to be eligible for seeking exemptions applicable to trusts.


"This will enable institutions to function at a
lower cost and make the programme more affordable and of better quality as well as enhance access," said an official of NSDC. The proposal also sought deduction to individuals on donations made to training institutes providing skilling courses.

 

The skilling body and the skill development ministry have argued that govt has focused on education, providing a slew of incentives and exemptions to educational institutions, which significantly improved India's literacy ratio.


"These changes aim to
align skilling with formal education, providing extensive tax benefits and incentives to skilling institutions, thereby making skilling more accessible and affordable," a senior official told TOI.


In line with provisions for not-for-profit universities and other educational institutions, it also proposed exemption from Income tax.

To boost its growth and expand its reach to its target trainees at affordable pricing, it is recommended lower tax rates for new skilling training centres.


Other recommendation includes extending deduction on tuition fees to skill training institutes, encouraging individuals to upskill/ reskill and easing financial burdens, interest on loans for vocational and skill development training will be eligible for tax deductions, promoting higher participation in skilling, and interest on loans for vocational and skill development training will be eligible for tax deductions, promoting higher participation in skilling. Tax exemption is also sought for scholarships for skill development courses.

 

Thank You, Smt Sonal Misraji


[ Joint Secretary, Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship /  sonal.mishra@gov.in  ]


Thank you for incorporating my suggestions ( sent through following emails ) in your presentation to the Finance Minister . I hope that these will get accepted – and get announced in the Budget Speech on 23rd inst .


With regards,

Hemen Parekh

www.My-Teacher.in  /  16 July 2024

 

Past   95  E Mails sent to Cabinet Ministers :

 


2013  ( 1 )

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

2015 ( 2 )

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

2016 ( 3 )

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

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

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

 

2017 ( 3 )

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

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

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

 

2018  ( 2 )

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

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

2019  ( 4 )

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

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

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

Paralyzed by Policy Revisions ? …………………………………….[ 27 Mar 2019 ]

2020  ( 3 )

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

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

Congratulations, TATA………………………………………………………[ 27 Dec 2020 ]

 

2021  ( 4 )

ApprenticeShip : Unanchored and ready to sail ? ………….[ 08 Feb 2021 ]

National Skills University : Virtual is the only way……….. [ 03 Apr 2021 ] – links to 64 other E-Mails

Small Steps for Small Firms ? Not enough………………………[ 07 Mar 2021 ]

Gaining Ground : Virtually ………………………………………………[ 01 Mar 2021 ]

 

2022 ( 5 )

Apprenticeship : Half Way house ? ………………………………. [ 29 Mar 2022 ]

Skilling 300 Million ? Here is a way, Shri Pradhanji ……..[ 29 June 2022 ]

Skilling for World ? Here is why – how ! ………………………..[ 30 May 2022 ]

Apprentices : Hire Any Number without paying Wages ? [ 28 Jan 2022 ]

Thank You, Shri Dharmendra Pradhanji …………………………[ 02 July 2022 ]

 

 2023 ( 4 )

Revamping for Skilling : at last ………………………………………. 23 Jan 2023

Apprenticeship Scheme : Details Tally  … ………………… 02 Feb 2023

On the Job Training : a Vindication………………………………… 01 Feb 2023

 Apprenticeship Scheme : Govt listened to my suggestions……………….. 28 Nov 2023