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

Saturday, 29 January 2022

Smt Sitharamanji : It is NOT too late

 

In your Budget Speech next Tuesday ( 01 Feb 2022 ), can you declare AtmaNirbhar V 2.0, by announcing :


This government will work towards making India, “ Back Factory of the World


Here is proof of the concept  :

Working from home… in blue collar jobs

 

Extract :

An interesting article in Wired, “Now physical jobs are going remote too”, looks at how a growing range of traditionally physical jobs, such as driving a forklift, can now be carried out from anywhere via a computer.

In the case discussed in the article, a forklift operator working for Phantom Auto remotely loads a truck with pallets and moves containers around a warehouse he has never set foot in, using a program with a steering wheel and pedals similar to those used in many video games, while his monitor provides 360 degree camera shots of the vehicle.

To all intents and purposes, the forklift appears to be driving itself and relies on obstacle detection and collision avoidance algorithms to move around the warehouse. However, when it comes to carrying out certain operations, the company says that sometimes the complexity of the environment means full autonomy is to dangerous, so it makes sense to have human operators in charge, even if they are not physically present, in case the internet connection is lost.

In other situations, it’s also possible to operate three-dimensional robotic arms remotely, or supervise automated operations when the machine hesitates in a certain situation and has to make a choice, and which can be made by operators who can be located anywhere, simply observing events until the moment when their participation is required. Order processing (pick & pack), for example, often requires a robot to take items from a location and place them in a cart, but in many cases it encounters items that it does not know how to handle or has difficulty with, and requires some kind of human instruction to be able to do so.

Robots can also be used to carry out surveillance or logistics, but still require the help of a human operator located elsewhere when they encounter some kind of unexpected situation such as having to address a human.

Human teleoperation is becoming more important as technology enables the automation of more and more operations, but is still at a stage where it is not yet possible to completely dispense with people.

IN THE FUTURE, MANY OF THESE OPERATIONS WILL LIKELY BE CARRIED OUT REMOTELY, WITH SUPERVISORS WEARING A VIRTUAL REALITY VISOR THAT WOULD ALLOW THEM TO PERCEIVE THE ENVIRONMENT MORE REALISTICALLY.

Will we soon start seeing job descriptions such as “automatic forklift operator” and machines moving around apparently on their own in warehouses, stores and other locations ?

 

 

Following is my following 6 YEAR old e-mail on this subject :

" BACK FACTORY " OF THE WORLD ? …………………………….[ 09 Sept 2015 ]

 

Extract :

China is known as the " Factory " of the World

 

India is known as the  " Back Office " of the World

 

Can India become the " Back Factory " of the World ?

 

Wrong question !

 

Right question is : WHEN can we become the " Back Factory " of the World ?

 

Answer is " hiding in plain sight " !

 

This week , an astronaut , sitting in a satellite 400 km above the earth and hurtling through space at 16,000 km per hour, operated a robot on the earth

 

Earlier, scientists sitting in NASA space centre or in Shri Harikota space centre, have operated Mars Rovers / MOM ( Mars Orbital Mission ) remotely

 

From a distance of millions of miles

 

And soon, astronauts  will be sending emails to earthlings from millions of miles away , using " Space Internet " on their Mobile phones

 

Invariably, each such team of scientists, comprised Indians !

 

So, WHEN can our scientists - and software Start Ups - enable Indian workers, sitting in Hyderabad / Chennai etc, to operate / manipulate, machinery in factories of Europe / America / China ?

 

I believe this can become a reality by 2020 , if Central Government and State Governments , just get out of the way of our scientists / Start Ups and leave them alone !

 

Then tell them :

 

" You are our next generation of Freedom Fighters .

 

Free our millions from poverty / starvation / jobless depression / ignominy / suicides

 

 

Like war - ravaged people of North Africa, Indians cannot invade Europe / Australia / Canada, in search of jobs / better life

 

 

We depend upon you to bring the jobs to India - jobs such as ,

 

  *   Operating Machinery in Factories abroad

 

  *   Controlling Air Traffic at Airports around the World

 

  *   Operating upon patients in Hospitals , all over

 

  *   Teaching students in Schools , in remote Africa

 

  *   Any job that currently requires immediate presence of a worker

 

 

And,

 

if you set up a " Back Factory " , you don't need to pay Corporate Income Tax for next 10 years !

 

 

SIMPLY REGISTER ON WEB SITE OF INCOME TAX DEPARTMENT AS A " BACK FACTORY " OWNER AND FILE ANNUAL " ZERO CORPORATE TAX RETURN "

 

 

When this happens ,

 

 

>  Millions of skilled Indian workers will operate factories around the World ,

    sitting in, internet connected " Back Factories " in small Indian towns

 

>  Foxcon will not need to replace its high-wage Chinese workers with one

    million robots ( as officially announced sometime back )

 

    At half the wages of those Chinese workers, Indians will operate Foxcon

    factories , all over the World, remotely !

 

>  " Contract Labour Act " will need to be replaced with " Back Factory Act

 

>  " Minimum Wages Act " will need to be scrapped !

 

>   India will not need to fight with WTO on " Manpower / Service Exports "

 

>   " Make in India " will morph into " Make from India "

 

 

I hope NDA Ministers and members of NITI Aayog will ask, Narayan Murthy / Sam Pitroda / Azim Premji / Sundar Pichai / Satya Nadela / Ray Kurzweil etc :

 

 

"  How soon can this be done ? How can you help ? "

 

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

With Regards,

Hemen Parekh  /  hcp@RcruitGuru.com  / 29 Jan 2022

 

 

Friday, 28 January 2022

National Carbon Market : Suggested Action Plan


Context :

Govt plans to open National Carbon Market this year  /  Business Line  /  29 Jan 2022


Extract :

The Power Ministry is planning to launch the National Carbon Market in the country during the current calendar year as it aims to promote CLEAN ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES on a large scale , thereby aiding in reducing greenhouse gas ( GHG ) / CO2 emissions by 1 billion tons by 2030


The Bureau of Energy Efficiency ( BEE ) has been mandated by the Government to develop the market


BEE’s governing council deliberated on five key strategies to reduce carbon emissions by 2030, which include :


#   Implementing mission ROSHANEE aggressively

#   Empowering States to accelerate Energy Efficiency ( EE ) policies

#   Enhancing cooperation among Ministries

#   Extensive participation by Consumer and Private Sector

#   Scaling up EE financing and investment

 

Carbon Markets have proved successful in reducing GHG emissions by ,

#  Setting a limit on emissions, and

#  Enabling their trading

 

Trading allows entities that can reduce emissions at LOWER COST to be paid to do so by higher-cost emitter, thus lowering the economic cost of reducing emissions


In October 2021, Singh had announced the proposal for a National Carbon Market with an objective to involve Corporate and Private Sectors towards Energy Savings and Carbon Emission reductions

 

Congratulations, Shri R K Singhji,

 

Without doubt, launch of National Carbon Market is long overdue


Especially heartening is your emphasis on :

“ Extensive participation by Consumer and Private Sector


In India, we have close to 290 million households.


Following are my suggestions ( sent to you earlier ) for, not only creating an AWARENESS among them but also getting them to ACTIVELY ENGAGE , in reducing their CARBON FOOTPRINT :

 

 

[ A ]   Carbon Finance through Carbon Credits…………. { 12 Mar 2021 }

Extract :

    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

 


[ B ]   Vehicle Charger cum Carbon Creditor ? ……………[ 28 May 2021 ]

Extract :

    While continuing with FAME II, I strongly urge the Govt to consider giving CARBON CREDITS to EV 2-Wheelers, which use the above-mentioned CHARGING DEVICE


    Govt may consider options of a EV 2-Wheeler Owner en-cashing his Carbon Credits or trading it on a CARBON CREDIT EXCHANGE . This will prove to be a powerful INCENTIVE for adoption of EV 2 Wheelers

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

 [ C ]   Making Yourself Obsolete ? ………………………………[ 14 Feb 2016 ]

 

 Extract :

For taxis / rickshaws running on Hybrid fuel ( producing less Co2 )

or Electric Vehicles ( zero emission ),both, the driver and the passenger

 will get " Carbon Credits "

 - which will also get displayed on the DigiMet  as  also

  on the FareCalc Mobile App on the smart phone of the passenger

 ( @ 20 % of the fare payable ? )


These amounts will get transferred to their respective Jan Dhan Bank Accounts ( thru DTB ) , every quarter

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

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

 

Extract :

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 , as incentives to manufacturers 

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

[ E ]   Vehicle Scrapping Policy ……………………………….[ 03 Feb 2021 ]

  

Extract :

If govt does not have money for paying INCENTIVE, will it consider motivating old-car owners by crediting into

their JAN DHAN Accounts certain number of CARBON CREDITS ( like crypto-currency ? ) and launch VEHICLE    CARBON CREDIT TRADING EXCHANGE ?

The number of Carbon Credit will depend upon Age/type of OLD car and those of REPLACEMENT car

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

 

With regards,

Hemen Parekh  /  hcp@RecruitGuru.com / 29 Jan 2022

  

Related Readings :

 

National Carbon Market     

Google points the Way                          ……………….[ 01 Apr 2021 ]

 

Treading ( gently ) on Solar Power Trading ………………[ 18 Oct 2021 ]

Market-based Model for Renewable Energy………………[ 09 June 2021 ]

 

 

 


Apprentices : Hire Any Number without paying Wages ?

 


Context :

Apprenticeship Revamp: On-The-Job Training For All Sectors In The Offing  /  TechLive  /  24 Jan 2022

Extract :

The government could open up on-the-job training for all sectors, besides bringing apprenticeship under one ministry or an umbrella body, as part of its efforts to significantly improve apprenticeship in India.

 

The move is aimed at skilling India’s workforce at a rapid pace across sectors, especially for the 13 sectors under the production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme, and to cover up the loss in skilling for two years due to the Covid-19 pandemic.


A host of skilling related announcements could be made in the Union budget for 2022-23 on February 1, with a focus on incentivising private players to take up skilling in a big way.


Currently, the retail sector has the flexibility of on-the-job training but other fast-growing sectors including logistics and healthcare are deprived of this flexibility.


This increases the time span for bringing apprentices on board as they first have to undergo physical class-room training.


Besides the ministries of,

#  Skill Development and Entrepreneurship,

#  Human Resource and Development,

both have one apprenticeship scheme each, leading to overlap and confusion among candidates and employers.


“The government is focused on making apprenticeship in India at par with global standards and this requires focussed intervention,” said a senior government official

 “We are analysing various options and an announcement to this effect could be made soon.”


According to India Skills Report 2021, employability of India’s youth decreased to 45.9% in 2021 from 46.21% in 2020 and 47.38% in 2019, primarily due to the loss of skilling in the past two years.


In India, just 0.26 million people are apprentices compared to 0.5 million in the UK, 3 million in Germany, 10 million in Japan and 20 million in China. This is miniscule when compared to nearly 10 million youths that enter India’s workforce every year.


Industry associations have asked the government to involve them as third-party agencies for scaling up apprenticeship in India.


“Across the world, apprenticeship has emerged as one of the successful models to get a skilled workforce for the industries.


Apprenticeship training is a very effective way of enabling youth to have practical, on-the-job training, which meets the requirements of the industry,” the Confederation of Indian Industry said in its recommendations to the government ahead of the Budget.


India’s current apprenticeship scheme allows 2.5-15% of the organisations’ total workforce to be apprentices and firms with 30 or more employees need to mandatorily hire apprentices.

 


Dear Smt Sitharamanji,


Next Tuesday morning ( 01 Feb 2022 ) when you deliver your Budget speech, I hope it would incorporate the my following suggestions, as far as the Apprenticeship Scheme is concerned :

 

 Make in India is Skill-ing India…………………………………. [ 17 July 2015 ]

 

Extract :

 #   JOB  CREATION

 

      We should, simultaneously amend the Apprentice Act – 1951

 

      Under the amended Act, every factory will be required to take fresh

      Apprentices in the ratio of 1 : 3 ( one trainee for three permanent

      employees, in each trade ), instead of current prescribed ratio of 1:7

 

      This will create a huge demand for ITI trained students

 

 

 #    COST  REDUCTION

 

      Since ITI trained apprentices are paid a stipend ( generally 20 % of the

      wages paid to regular / permanent / skilled workers ), this will sharply

      reduce the manpower costs of manufacturing units

 

     This will lead to India becoming a " Low Cost Economy " and increase the

     competitiveness of our products, in the international markets , thereby

     boosting our exports ( currently, a meagre 1.7 % of World Trade ! )

 

    

 

 #   ADVANTAGE ,  MSME

 

     Under amended Apprentice Act , permit MSME to retain ITI trained skilled

     workers, on a stipend-basis , for 4 years ( instead of current 2 years )

 

     This lowering of wages will make MSME very competitive in their cost.

 

     In turn, this will encourage large organized factories to outsource /

     sub-contract more components to MSME , instead of manufacturing

     in-house

 

     This will result in a robust " Supply Chain Eco-System "

 

     It is such an Eco-System in China, which compels Apple to have 331

     Component-Suppliers in China as against ONE supplier from India !

 

 

  

#   PERCENTAGE  OF  SKILLED  WORKERS

 

     Of the total work force , percentage of skilled workers in India today , is

     meagre 3.5 % , as against 96 % in South Korea  !

 

     If my suggestion gets implemented, we should be able to raise this

     figure to at least 50 % in next 10 years !

 

 

IDEAS TO CREATE JOBS……………………………………. [ 22 Aug 2015 ]

 

Extract :

My suggestions :

 

 

    >   Change ratio from 1:7  to  1:2

 

    >   Ratio not to apply " Trade-wise " but to the total no of

          permanent employees

 

    >   Increase in-house training period from 1 year to 3 years

 

    >   Reduce monthly stipend to " Statutory Minimum Wages "

 

    >   No compulsion for absorbing such trainees at the end of

         the  training period

 

As a result of the suggested changes , following will happen :

 

>    Millions acquiring skills under NCSD, will get stipendiary jobs at once

 

>    Some 57 million MSME will each take, 1 to 2 such trainees

 

>    Even if not absorbed by the Company, they will be ready to become

      self employed

 

>    They will become eligible for Start-Up loans ( from MUDRA support )

 

 

 

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

 

Extract :

Just tell our 50 million MSMEs ( and all larger units, as well ) :

 

 

*   " Train "  Apprentices ( low cost labour ) , then 

 

*   " Hire " them for longer periods  ( - again , low cost labour ) ,

 

*    Reduce your manufacturing cost ( to become competitive world-wide ) ,

 

*    Become more profitable ( and sooner  )

 

 

 

It is time to stop tinkering with persuading of PSUs 

 

It is time to harness " Greed " to " Skill India "

 

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

 

Extract :

But, we all know that :

 

#   NSDC ( National Skills Development Corporation ) has a target to impart 

     " Skills " to 300 million youth by 2022 ( approx 50 million / year )

 

#   As of now, only some 27 % of college graduates are " employable "

 

#   50 % of our current population (approx 550 million) are under age of 27

 

 

 

In light of the foregoing, the reforms ( in Apprentice Scheme ) announced are most welcome

It could have been still better if :

 

#   Offset against CSR ,( of the expense incurred by Companies on

     Apprentice Scheme ) was NOT restricted to only those Companies

     which engaged apprentices in excess of mandatory  2.5 % of employee

     strength

 

#   For 6 trades, training duration was NOT reduced from 3 to 2 years

 

#   Stipend payable was lower than specified 70% / 80 % / 90 % of

      Semi-Skilled minimum wages ( of approx Rs 6000 per month )

 

#   Minimum Mandatory limit was raised from 2.5 % to 5 %

 

#   There was NO upper limit for engaging ( currently 10 % of employees )

 


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

 

Should he choose to become Self-Employed ( by registering as a " Start Up " ),

exempt him from paying Personal Income Tax for next 10 years

 

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

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 )

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

HOW CAN WE ENSURE A " LEAKAGE PROOF " DISBURSEMENTS OF DBT AMOUNTS ?


*    Through implementation of Mobile based Attendance System , outlined in

       my blog,

      From BAD to MAD 

 

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

 

Extract :


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 Labour 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

 

with regards,

hemen parekh  /  hcp@RecruitGuru.com / 28 Jan 2022

 

Related Readings :


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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

Paralyzed by Policy Revisions ? ……………………………[ 27 May 2019 ]

 

Conditions ( must ) Apply !.............................. [ 14 July 2020 ]

 

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

 

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

 

E-Mails to Cabinet Ministers > SELF EMPLOYMENT / GIG ECONOMY [ 10 Mar 2021 ]

 

National Skills University : Virtual is the only way… [ 03 Apr 2021 ]

 

CC:

 

Shri Santosh Kumar Gangwarji,  Minister for Labour , Central Government

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

 

 Shri Mahendra Nath Pandeyji

(  Minister for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship )

mahendranath.pandey@sansad.nic.in /  drmnpandeymp@gmail.com