Blog

Monday 8 May 2017

ATKT : Allowed To Keep Term ?

50 years ago , a student who failed an engineering exam , was allowed to attend lectures of the next higher term , on certain conditions

This arrangement was called : ATKT

I don’t know whether this practice still exists !

Any way , I am happy with the following news report ( Business Line / 08 May 2017 ) :

“ No more rejection for start-ups seeking tax sops “

In what could be a morale booster for start-ups, the government has decided to do away with the practice of rejecting applications for tax sops.

Instead, start-ups will get an opportunity to apply again after making changes to the proposal based on the explanation given to them on the initial one.

The Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion is also re-working the qualification criteria for start-ups for non-tax benefits, a government official told BusinessLine.

“Instead of dismissing proposals that do not meet the mark for tax-sops with a simple ‘rejected’, the inter-ministerial group examining it will give details of where they fell short.

This will give the start-ups an opportunity to re-work their proposals, and apply again for tax benefits,” the official said.

“ There has been no change in the criteria of judging whether a start-up qualifies for tax benefits. It still depends on how innovative the idea is.”

The change in the Central government’s stance has been triggered by a general sense of dissatisfaction among start-ups with the new policy, as only about 10 proposals had qualified for tax sops till last month out of the 140 proposals vetted by the inter-ministerial group since the policy was announced last year.

“The DIPP has decided to be a bit more empathetic while dealing with start-ups. After all, what good are tax sops if very few are able to benefit from it,” the official said.

The 130 applicants for tax apps, who were rejected over the past year, will also get a detailed note on why their cases did not pass the test.

The DIPP will come up with a new set of rules over the next few weeks, tweaking the definition of a start-up that will result in more companies and LLPs coming under in the category.

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WHY THIS “ CHANGE OF HEART “ ?

My following blogs ( earlier sent as Email to DIPP ) , will explain :

StartUp Re-defined ( 20 Jan 2016 )

{ https://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2016/01/start-up-re-defined.html }

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InWonderland of Start-Ups ( 21 July 2016 )

{ https://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2016/07/in-wonderland-of-start-ups.html }

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· A Booster Shot ? ( 04 Sept 2016 )

{ https://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2016/09/a-booster-shot.html }

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· “Slow and Steady “ loses the Race ( 06 March 2017 )

{ https://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2017/03/slow-and-steady-loses-race.html }

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· Are We really Serious ? ( 14 March 2017 )

{ https://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2017/03/are-we-really-serious.html }

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· Spirit of Israel ( 16 Feb 2017 )

{ https://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2017/02/spirit-of-israel.html }

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09 May 2017

www.hemenparekh.in / blogs

Why a Begging Bowl ?

A news report in MINT ( 08 May 2017 ) reads :

“ Roads ministry in talks with Japanese fund for Rs 2 trillion loan “

The ministry of road transport and highways is in talks with a Japan-based fund for a Rs 2-trillion loan at low interest rates.

A cabinet note will be moved shortly for the same as part of a strategy to generate funds for India’s new integrated infrastructure planning initiative.

India has been trying to leverage its relationship with Japan to access technology and funds. Japan has pledged investments of around $33 billion between 2014 and 2019 in India’s manufacturing and infrastructure sectors.

“ Fund requirements is not an issue.

There is a fund from Japan which wants to offer this loan at around 5% rate of interest.

We will prepare a cabinet note for the same,” said a senior government functionary requesting anonymity.

He declined to name the Japanese fund. Mint could not ascertain the fund’s name.

Why is Road Ministry ( ie : NDA government ) shying away from raising such funds for Infrastructure Projects at 4 % interest ?

And locally ? And super-fast ? And without worrying about repayment ?

Just as tiny Indonesia did , a few months back

By offering an AMNESTY SCHEME to Indonesian Citizens to declare their BLACK MONEY

Just pay 4 % tax and NO PENALTY / NO LITIGATION / NO QUESTIONS ( re source of funds )

Within 4 months , Indonesians declared ( illegal funds stashed abroad or domestically ), $ 300 BILLION

No wonder , Indonesia does NOT need any FDI for the next 10 years !

Compare this with our Road Ministry’s requirement of just $ 31 Billion [ Rs 2 Trillion ] !

For the “ Strategy “ which would liberate us from our dependence on FOREIGN FUNDING ( - and a begging bowl ) , read :

Whatgoes Out , comes Back

{ https://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2017/05/what-goes-out-comes-back.html }

09 May 2017

www.hemenparekh.in / blogs

Not Tough At All !

Today’s Editorial in Hindustan Times reads :

“ All charged up and nowhere to go / The electric car in India is a novel idea , but getting clean energy will be tough “

India plans to drive the internal combustion engine to extinction. The Narendra Modi government has set a sales target of six million electric vehicles by 2020 with an even more ambitious goal of having sales of new oil-driven vehicles ceasing by 2030.

The benefits for a country whose cities are choking on air pollution and one that is considered among the most vulnerable to climate change are obvious.

Finally, if India can develop a suitable technological lead and manufacturing base for such vehicles, it could allow the country to leapfrog ahead of others in the automotive sector.

In most electric vehicles the battery is the most expensive item, sometimes as much as two-thirds of the cost.

Pricing will be crucial. China, which sells more electric battery and plug-in vehicles than the rest of the world combined, took the path of direct subsidies for electric car vehicles.

While the number of such cars grew dramatically, petrol and diesel vehicles still dominate in China and are still relatively cheaper.

Worse, the subsidy bill has become swollen by corruption and leakages and has cost Beijing a cumulative $12 billion.

The other concern will be the fuel source of the electrical power.

An electric car transfers the carbon emissions from under the bonnet into the power plant.

If the power plant is burning coal, then driving an electric car accomplishes nothing as far as the climate is concerned – and the pollution is merely moved from the city centre to the exurbs.

The Modi government deserves praise for the sheer ambition of the idea and its continuing commitment to greening India. However, given how the renewable energy sector is still not self-sustaining, the real challenge will be the actual implementation of something that will be created almost from scratch.

It seems the Editors of Hindustan Times are unaware of the ISRO designed Electric Car , whose Li-ion battery gets charged through solar panels mounted on car roof top and , therefore :

· Do not need the expensive infrastructure of millions of charging stations , which draw their own power from coal-based power stations , addressing the very real concern of the Editors ( “ An electric car transfers the carbon emissions from under the bonnet into the power plant “ )

I strongly urge the Media, to create an all-round awareness about ISRO’s singular achievement ( - far ahead of the Electric Car Industry of the World )

I am appalled at the “ deafening silence “ ( re: this remarkable breakthrough ) on the part of :

· Scientists and Academicians

· R&D Managers of the Car Manufacturers

· PV Solar Panel manufacturers

· Policy Makers in Road Transport and Energy Ministries

· NITI Aayog

I urge them to read :

· SolarPanels Charging Li-ion Batteries of Electric Cars ?

{ https://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2017/05/solar-panels-charging-li-ion-batteries.html }

· A “Reverse Toll “ ? Possible

{ https://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2017/05/a-reverse-toll-possible.html }

09 May 2017

www.hemenparekh.in / blogs

Sunday 7 May 2017

A “ Reverse Toll “ ? Possible !

AfternoonVoice ( 07 May 2017 ) carries following news report :

“ Nagpur-Mumbai E-Way: Motorists likely to pay Rs 2.5 per km toll “

State road development authority MSRDC plans to collect toll of Rs 2.5 per km from passengers vehicles on the much-awaited Rs 46,000 crore Nagpur-Mumbai Prosperity Corridor, which is expected to be completed by October 2019.

“The civil work on the eight-laned Expressway will commence on October 1^st this year and will be completed by October 2019,” , MSRDC Managing Director Radheshyam Mopalwar told reporters.

Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) which is implementing the 706-km corridor project, will be charging a toll fee of around Rs 2.5 per km for cars while for heavy vehicles, it will charge around Rs 6.5 per km.

“As per our calculations, we feel the toll would be around Rs 2.5 per km for passenger vehicles and up to Rs 6.5 per km for commercial and heavy vehicles,” Mopalwar said.

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A non-starter ? Seems so

A guaranteed NPA ( for the lending banks ) ? Very likely

HERE IS WHY :

· Petrol cost / km = Rs 7.0 ( Rs 70 per litre giving 10 km / litre )

· Toll / km = Rs 2.5 ( proposed )

· Maintenance Cost / km = Rs 0.5 ( oil + spares etc )

· Total Cost / km = Rs 10

So , one way trip will cost = Rs 7,060 !

And a travel time of 10 hours !

At this rate , how many cars can be expected to undertake that journey ?

May be , 100 cars per day – making this project non-viable !

IS THERE A VIABLE SOLUTION ?

Fortunately , there is

Instead of charging the car owners Rs 2.5 / km by way of toll, if the government were to pay them , Rs 2.5 / km ( a kind of “ Reverse Toll “ ) , then , instead of 100 cars per day , there could well be 10,000 cars per day !

If those 10,000 cars were ISRO-designed Electric Cars , whose Roof Top Solar Panels were to charge a 5 kwh Li-ion battery , reducing the Total Cost per km = Rs 4.0 !

Now subtract that “ Reverse Toll “ ( of Rs 2.5 / km ) , and the total cost to the car owner comes down to just Rs 1.5 per km ( Rs 4 less Rs 2.5 )

That will guarantee a daily traffic of 10,000 cars ( - “ Reverse Toll “ to be paid , ONLY to ISRO-designed Electric cars – and only as DBT in his Jan Dhan Account )

At the toll naka , and along the entire length of the Expressway , electric lighting poles will carry CCTV cameras and RFID chip detection devices . Each Electric Car will be embedded with RFID chip

For costing details , read :

SolarPanels charging Li-ion batteries of Electric cars ?

{ https://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2017/05/solar-panels-charging-li-ion-batteries.html }

BUT , HOW WILL THE GOVERNMENT FIND THE MONEY TO PAY TO THE CAR OWNERS , RS 2.5 AS “ REVERSE TOLL “ ?

Good question – considering that the government is struggling to raise money

Once again , a technological solution is right around the corner !

In the form of piezo-electric panels embedded on the highway surface , which generate electricity due to tyre pressure

HALF A MILE OF HIGHWAY WILL GENERATE ENOUGH ELECTRICITY TO POWER 5.000 HOMES

( Remember , Mumbai-Nagpur Expressway will be 706 Km long and we are talking of 10,000 cars plying per day ! )

As little as 400 cars per hour would be needed to make the system economically viable

This project is under way right now by California Energy Commission , in collaboration with University of California

For details , refer :

· http://www.gogreen.org/blog/how-to-turn-californias-gridlock-into-green-energy

· https://www.rethinkx.com/

· http://lovelyman.website/california-traffic-jams-to-generate-electricity/

The government will sell this “ Car Generated Power “ to cities along the Expressway and from that revenue , pay the “ Reverse Toll “

Just imagine the HUGE MOTIVATION , this arrangement will the petrol-car owners to quickly switch over to the Electric Cars !

Considering that the construction of Mumbai-Nagpur Expressway is yet to begin ( from Oct 2017 ) , there is enough time for Shri Nitin Gadkariji , to tie-up with the providers of this technology ,who would not want to miss this unprecedented opportunity to show-case their technology !

And the laying of piezo-electric arrays ( stacked like quarters in the road surface ), is NOT confined to NEW ROAD CONSTRUCTION only !

It can be carried out on any EXISTING ROAD , as well !

CONTEXT :

This blog must be read in the context of the following news report appearing in Hindustan Times ( 08 May 2017 ) :

“ It’s Electric Vehicles over Hybrids for NITI Aayog “

“ Niti Aayog has recommended lowering taxes and interest rates for loans on electric vehicles, while capping sales of conventional cars , signalling a shift in policy in one of the world’s fastest growing auto markets

A draft of the 90 page blue-print , seen by Reuters, also suggests the Centre opens a battery plant by 2018 end and use tax revenues from the sale of petrol, diesel vehicles to set up charging stations for electric vehicles

The recommendations are aimed at electrifying all vehicles in the country by 2032, said government and industry sources “

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Dear Shri Gadkariji :

You are given to bold , out-of-box thinking and not given to “ Analysis-produced Paralysis “

Please , cease this opportunity !

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08 May 2017

www.hemenparekh.in / blogs