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

Thursday 26 October 2017

#BlackMoney

8th  Nov  :  Anti  Black  Money  Day  ?


Whereas Opposition Parties ( primarily , Congress ) want to celebrate 8th Nov as a “ BLACK DAY “ , NDA government has announced that it will be celebrated as “ Anti Black Money Day



Although opinions are divided as to the DeMo having succeeded or not in getting the economy rid of the BLACK MONEY , one may ( grudgingly ? ) concede that this could be considered the FIRST STEP in that direction



But , it would be a pity if  8th Nov 2017 , ends up being no more than a series of celebratory and derogatory speeches on the merit / demerit of Demo !



Quite like paying homage to Mahatma Gandhi at Raj Ghat , every Nirvana Day , by offering flowers and the ritual of going around the memorial !



If NDA government is really determined to get rid ( permanently ) of existing STOCK of BLACK MONEY , and also FUTURE GENERATION of Black Money , then on 08 Nov 2017 , PM should announce introduction of RFID nano-chips in high currency notes of Rs 2000 ( existing ones to be replaced with new Plastic ones) - and forget re-introduction of Rs 1000 note



Exactly as suggested by me , ONE YEAR before the DeMo Day  , in my following blog / email dated 03 Nov 2015 :


Networkof Currency Notes  [  03  Nov  2015  ]





Followed by another 38 emails sent to the Central Cabinet Ministers between Nov 2015 and the date of DeMo announcement ( 08 Nov 2016 )



For those 38 links , look up :







Those who doubt the feasibility of this technological innovation , please read following :




australian economy  /  03  July  2017


Cash crackdown boss floats nano-chips in notes

THE man charged with cracking down on the “black economy” has revealed how he would like to keep track of your $100 and $50 notes.


Hi-tech nano-chips would be implanted in Australia’s “disappearing” cash under a plan floated by Michael Andrew, the head of the federal government’s Black Economy Taskforce.


“You could put a trace on some of these notes to see where they would go. YOU CAN USE NANO TECHNOLOGY TO PUT LITTLE CHIPS IN SO YOU COULD THEN TRACE IT.”


For full report , click :





As to the feasibility of this suggestion , here is what a leading authority on RFID chips wrote to me :



25  March , 2016


Dear Mr. Parekh,

Yes, placing tags on money has certainly been considered in the past.  I think it is a matter of time before it happens. I do agree with your idea. 

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

13  Nov  2016

Hi Hemen,

It can be brought down to about 3-5 cents with scale. 

Meanwhile check out a variant of the technology which is cheaper:




27  Oct  2017

www.hemenparekh.in / blogs

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



When I emailed Sanjay re the development in Australia , here is how he replied :



Dear Sanjay ,

Your prediction is about to come true  !


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


Indeed  !
Sanjay Emani Sarma

 <sesarma@mit.edu>



(The wisdom is Siri's, the typos mine.)


Wednesday 25 October 2017

#BankRecapitalization

Only  Rs  7,000  per  Family  ?



Gujarat Samachar ( 25 Oct 2017 ) carries following news report :

( loosely translated by me from Gujarati )




“  To bail out Public Sector Banks , each and every family will need to fork out Rs 7,000


Banks may not lend to citizens but citizens must pay
This amount ( Rs 2.11 lakh*crore ) will have to come from the government treasury . That means , this is tax-payers’ money !


Finance Minister calls this a “ Bold Step “  !


In normal course , banks are supposed to help out the citizens but , in India , it is other way around !


That is not a “ Bold Step “ !


At present there are 30 crore “ families “ in our country . Hence this bail out works out to Rs 7,000 per family


So , this amount will get transferred to these bankrupt banks without the knowledge of these families


So what is government doing ? Transferring citizen’s tax-money instead of reforming the bank administration !


This will only lead to worsening of their position
This has happened earlier also . History repeats without banks mending their ways !


If they are guaranteed repeated bail out , where is their incentive to improve ?


In the end , only the tax payers will foot the bill





More than 2 years ago , I sent the following blog to the Policy Makers :





Tuesday, 23 June 2015


Bank  Re-Capitalization  ?



Here is a layman's understanding :


*   Bank executives give Rs 4 Lakh Crores worth loans to   Industrialists / Businessmen ( who , sometimes happen to be close relatives / friends )

   
   

*   Bankers " forget " to examine past records of loan-repayments by these individuals 

   

*  
Banks do not share among themselves info about " black-listed " borrowers


*  Banks " forget " to inquire if a loanee is a " Benami " company


*  
Banks do not incorporate stringent clauses in loan agreements (on purpose )


*  
Banks adopt " Forget & Forgive " approach to defaulters


*  
For loan recovery , bankers wait for other  bankers to take the lead


*  
Before taking action , bankers check-out with people in power


*  
When sinking under the burden of NPA , bankers run to Government of India to bail
    them out through " Bank Re-Capitalization "

     


*  
Government oblige by giving money to stressed banks, so that they can survive


*  
Government rationalize its bail out by saying, " depositors must be protected " .
    Sounds so reassuring  !


*  
Government then goes out and raises taxes ( direct + indirect ) to balance its books (
    Current Account Deficit ? )

   


In a nutshell :


*  
Eventually , honest tax-payers foot the bill, one way or the other 


*  
7,000 + loan-defaulting swindlers spend vacation in Switzerland with family ( and
    their politician friends ) - till they are ready to borrow more !


   

*  
Bankers vie with each other to " Re-Schedule Payments " and advance fresh loans to
    pay off old loans ( Rs 4 lakh Crores of NPA ).

    If EU / IMF can do this for Greece , why cannot we ?

   

*  
Government will take pride in " Bold Banking Reforms "( to please IMF ? )


*  
As a Nation , we are very compassionate !  We cannot let any institution die !

    We are obsessed with keeping it alive at any cost . We must, forever, keep it alive
    with artificial ventilation / blood transfusion !


   
 

    It is time to re-think : 


   
When a person or an Institution just cannot be kept alive , it must be allowed to die ,
    in a dignified way !


 

   
Would it not be far better to protect the small bank-depositors by returning their
    deposits , rather than infuse Rs 4 lakh Crores into these banks , by way of re-
    capitalization ?




Am I missing out on something that economists know better ?



25  Oct  2017




Tuesday 24 October 2017

Citizen Monologues



News paper headlines speak of problems facing the country


Political , Social , Economic Problems



Almost everyone has some suggestion to offer but most shy away from expressing themselves  - quite often by saying :


“  What’s the use of speaking up  ?  Who listens / reads / cares  ?  “



If you send hundreds of E Mails to the Policy Makers and do not receive , so much as an acknowledgement , it is natural to become a cynic  !


But , “ giving up all hope “ , is easy .  To persist / persevere , is quite difficult



I have chosen the difficult path and have sent following emails to Policy Makers , against problems highlighted by these news-paper headlines :





Economic Times ( 13  Oct 2017 )

“ Secretaries for One Revenue Authority “



My  View :

E  Governance  [  03  April  2014  ]




Economic Times  ( 13  Oct  2017 )

“ Minimum Wage is a Frankenstein for BPOs here “


My View :

Howabout Virtual Call Centres  ?  [  04  Oct  2016  ]


DNA  (  18  Oct  2017  )

“  Aadhar can be sole ID for voting : Former CEC “


My  View  :


     


Progress : of a doubtful kind ?   [  19  Oct  2017  ]




DNA  (  13  Oct  2017  )

“  India’s political funding mess “  [  Article by Shri Niranjan Sahoo ]


My  View  : 

Transparencyin Political Funding  [  06  July  2017  ]




Times of India  (  11  Sept  2017  )

“ SC seeks govt , EC reply on ways to check veracity of netas’ assets “


My  View :

Filtering  Candidate Information  ?  [  18  Sept  2016  ]




Economic Times  (  08 Sept  2017  )

“  DIPP to move Cabinet Note on Guarantee Fund for Start Ups “


My  View  :

Spirit  of Israel  [  19  Feb  2017  ]




Economic Times  (  07  Sept  2017  )

“ Three Wheels and an Electric Engine "



My  View  :

ARickshaw  by  Any other  Name  ?  [  20  Aug  2016  ]




Economic Times  (  07  Sept  2017  )

“  We’re Working on Steps to Boost  Exports in Shortest Time : Prabhu “


My  View  :

Export  Strategy ?  [  30  June  2015  ]





Business Line  (  07  Sept  2017  )

“  NITI  Aayog sets up task force on Employment , Exports “


Economic Times (  05 Sept  2017 )

“ We’ll bring Scale , Speed to Skilling “


Times of India  (  05  Sept  2017 )

“ Pradhan gets set to raise army of skilled workers “


My  View  :





DNA  (  07  Sept  2017  )

“ Road accidents claim 17 lives each hour in 2016 “

DNA  (  10  Sept  2017  )

“  Software can help avoid accidents  “

Times of India  (  16  Sept  2017  )

“ All  1300  RTOs in India to be linked / From next year, you will need Aadhar to drive “


My  View :

Internetof Vehicles  ( IoV ) ?  -  [  04  March  2017  ]



Intelligent Transport System  [  07  Oct  2017  ]


https://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2017/10/intelligent-transport-system.html

 




Economic Times  (  05  Sept  2017  )

“ Will take States on board for Labour Reforms , says Gangwar "

  
My  View  :

Agenda  for Reforms  [  01  Oct  2015  ]





Times of India  (  05  Sept  2017  )

“  Confident of meeting targets : MoS housing , Hardeep Puri  “


My  View : 

Shelter@ Speed of Snail  ?  [  21  Sept  2017  ]





Times of India  (  03  Sept  2017  )

“ On the Double : Electric Cars Go From 1M to 2M in 1 YR “


My  View  :

Gadkariji  is Angry  !  [ 12  Sept  2017  ]





DNA  (  04  Aug  2017  )

“ Satellite images to spot slavery in India “


My  View  :

Leveraging  NaviC ?  [   30  May  2017  ]





Economic Times  (  07  Sept  2017  )

“ US’HTT to build India’s First Hyperloop , link Amaravati & Vijaywada “


My  View  :

Makingof an NPA  ?  [  20  March  2016  ]





DNA  ( 15  Oct  2017 )

“ Spend no more than Rs 28 Lakhs in HP polls : Chief Election Officer  “


My  View  :

Transparencyin Political Funding  ?  [  06  July  2017  ]





Hindustan Times  (  15  Oct  2017  )


“ New rules set to protect interests of home-buyers “


My  View  :

Self  Certification For  Builders  [ 04  Nov  2015  ]




DNA  (  15  Oct  2017  )

“  Ban on plastic cups, plates likely by ‘ 18 “


Hindustan Times (  22 Oct  2017  )

“  BMC mulls using plastic to build city roads “


My  View  :

DiscouragePlastic  :  Encourage Greed  [  21  March  2016  ]



Kenyashows the Way  [ 30  Aug  2017  ]



Plastic Skyscrapers ?  [  15  March  2017  ]

https://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2017/03/plastic-skyscrapers.html

 




DNA  (  15  Oct  2017  )

“  None can stop resolution of Kashmir issue : Rajnath “


My  View  :

TheBitter  Truth  [  07  June  2015  ]




Economic  Times  (  12  Oct  2017  )

India could provide UBI (Universal Basic Income) of Rs 2,600/year by ending Sops : IMF


My  View  :

Universal  Basic Income  [  20  Jan  2017  ]





DNA  (  12  Oct  2017  )

“ India had the highest number of underweight children in 2016 / According to a study , 97 million of the world’s underweight children live in the country “


DNA  (  18  Sept  2017  )

“ Soon states to be ranked on nutrition  -  Shri Amitabh Kant , CEO – NITI Aayog “


Times of  India  ( 19  Oct 2017 )

“ Saving Mothers and Children “ ( article by Shri Amitabh Kant – CEO , NITI Aayog )


My  View  :

BANMALI  is the  TOTAL  Solution  [  14  Nov  2016   ]




A  Mobile App named “  BANMALI  “  [  15  Sept  2016   ]







Saving  1.2 Million  Kids  [  29  June  2016  ]





Times of India  (  10  Oct  2017  )

“ Govt okays Rs 2,000 cr to set up Aadhar centres in post offices “

My  View  :

FDI  in Post  Office  ?  [  11  July  2015  ]





Economic  Times  (  06  Oct  2017 )

“  Commission  Not Fully Ready Yet for Simultaneous Polls : Officials  “


DNA  ( 09  Oct  2017  )

“  Parties need to be on board for simultaneous polls  : EC


Economic  Times  (  30  Sept  2017  )

“ Counting costs and KURTA–TAILS “ { Article by Vikram Doctor and Aanchal  Bansal  }


Times of India ( 13  Oct  2017 )

“ Case for Simultaneous Elections “ ( Shri M Thambi Durai  /  Dy Speaker , Lok Sabha )



My  View  :

OneDay Polling is possible  [ 31  March  2016  ]




One  Poll :  One  Time  [  06  Sept  2016  ]







One  Nation , One  Vote  ?  [  29  Nov  2016  ]









Indian  Express  (  06  Oct  2017  )

“  Prasad :  Govt is working on regulatory framework for E-Commerce companies  “


My  View  :

Defining  E Commerce  [  14  July  2015  ]



Ifyou cannot lick them , join them  !  [  24  July  2015  ]



Who  will obsolete Whom  ?  [  20  Aug  2015  ]



E  Commerce is  Easy  Commerce  [  15  Nov  2015  ]



Lessons  from History  ?  [  07  Jan  2016  ]











Business  Line  (  02  Oct  2017  )

Designing a  Demand  Stimulus { Ashima Goyal – Member PM – EAC  }


DNA  (  27  Sept  2017  )

Will a fiscal stimulus work wonders for Indian Economy ?  { Dr Sanjiv Bhatia  }


Indian Express  (  17  Oct  2017  )

“  Niti Vice Chairman : Do see a case for fiscal stimulus  “


My  View :

Biggest  problem with  ZERO  TAX  [  02  Oct  2017  ]



What  would happen  ?  [  28  Sept  2017  ]





Hindustan Times  (  18  Sept  2017  )

“  Public Investment set to get a leg-up in the Budget “ / What Next ? Govt eyes aggressive fiscal push following slump in GDP growth “


Economic  Times  (  18  Sept  2017  )

“  Prabhu may seek Investment Pledge from 30 Indian Cos “


Economic Times  (  05  Oct  2017  )

Crack Open That Piggy Bank  (  Mohan Guruswamy  /  Centre for Policy Alternatives  )



My  View :

Don’t  Ask ,  “ How “  ?  [  07  April  2014  ]




Time  is NOW  !  [  02  Feb  2016  ]




Innovative  Financing ?  [  06  March  2017  ]




How  to raise  $  500 Billion  [  17  Sept 2017  ]




Indonesia Shows the Way  [  23  Dec  2016  ]

https://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2016/12/indonesia-shows-way.html

 





Economic Times  (  28  Sept  2017  )


“ Centre , States to Fill Up 2 million Vacancies “

DNA  (  18  Oct  2017  )

“  Against job reservations in private sector , says Niti VC

  
My  View :

Mythof  Job Creation  !  [  13  Sept  2015  ]








Have  a Degree  :  Will Sweep  !  [  22  Jan  2016  ]





Hindustan Times  (  19  Oct  2017  )

“ Cycle Track likely in your area soon / Civic Chief asks all 24 ward officers to identify roads that can be used to create dedicated cycling tracks “


My  View  :

A  Sensible Solution  [ 03  Sept  2017  ]


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


Hindustan Times  (  20  Oct  2017  )

“  A shield for domestic help ( Editorial ) “


My Views :

Maidin India  ?  [  10  Aug  2015  ]



Times of India  (  19  Oct  2017  )

PMs don’t enjoy absolute authority in coalition govts  (  Shri Pranab Mukherjee  )


My Suggestion :

A Constitutional Coalition Government  ?  [  02  Oct  2016  ]


https://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2016/10/a-constitutional-coalition-government.html

 

Constitutional Coalition Aftershocks !  [  02  Oct  2016  ]

https://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2016/10/constitutional-coalition-aftershocks.html

 

Presidential or Coalition Government ?  [  25  March  2016  ]

https://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2017/03/presidential-or-coalition-government.html

 

Revolution Through Coalition Government ?  [  27  Sept  2017  ]

https://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2017/09/revolution-through-coalition-government.html

 

Why can’t we institutionalize Coalition ?  [  29  Sept  2017  ]

https://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2017/09/why-cant-we-institutionalize-coalition.html

 

 

Economic Times  (  12  Oct  2017  )

“  Renewable Energy Tariffs will fall further , says Secy “


My View  :

Solar Power at Rs 1 per Kwh ?  [  29  Jan  2017  ]

https://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2017/01/solar-power-at-rs-1-per-kwh.html

 

SUN is THE SOLUTION  [  13  Sept  2016  ]

https://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2016/09/sun-is-solution.html

 

Unlimited Power : and round the clock ?  [  29  July  2016  ]

https://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2016/07/unlimited-power-and-round-clock.html

 

 

Economic  Times  (  17  Oct  2017  )

“ A  Rs 1.2 Lakh*Crore  Social Security Plan for Poorest 20 %  “


My  View  :

Three Sides of the Triangle  [  28  Aug  2017  ]

https://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2017/08/three-sides-of-triangle.html

 


Times of India  (  17  Oct  2017  )

“  Bank details of Indians for sale online for Rs 500  :  MP  Cyber Police  “


My  View  :

www.PrivacyForSale.com  [  26  Aug  2017  ]

A Fool’s Paradise ?  (  29  Aug  2017  )

https://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2017/08/a-fools-paradise.html

 

 

 

 

Times of India ( 17  Oct  2017  )

“ More cos use Aadhar to verify new hires “


My View :

From BAD to MAD  [  01  June  2016 ]

https://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2016/06/from-bad-to-mad.html

 

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

 

Economic Times  (  16  Oct  2016  )

“ Led by Chinese , Investors to pour $ 85 Billion into India “

600 odd Cos plan big investments ; to create 700,000 jobs over 5 years “


My  View :


This works out to an investment of approx. Rs 79 Lakh  to create  ONE JOB  !


For further view, read :


Who is Clueless ?  [  16  July  2017  ]


Economic Times ( 16  Oct  2017  )

“ Bank recap plan to be finalized by Dec “


My  View  :


Bank Recapitalization ?  (  23  June  2015  )

https://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2015/06/bank-recapitalization.html

 


Economic Times  (  29  Sept  2017  )

“ CBDT opens Checking A/C on Rs 3 Lakh*Crore deposits “


Apex body chief tells tax officers to target unexplained deposits after demonetization “


My  View  :


IT Notice : What will it say ?  [  06  Jan  2017  ]

https://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2017/01/it-notice-what-will-it-say.html

 

 

Economic Times  (  27  Sept  2017  )

“ States will have to compete for central Projects “

PM approves Niti Aayog’s proposal to award projects to states based on ‘ Challenge Method ‘


My  View :


One Infrastructure SPV ? More will follow  [  20  March  2017  ]


https://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2017/03/one-infrastructure-spv-more-will-follow.html

 

“ Scheme B “ in :


" NOT - SO - SMART " CITIES ?  [  05  Sept  2016  ]

DNA  (  22  Sept  2017  )

India requires out-of-the box thinking on Tax Reforms ( Dr Sanjiv Bhatia )


My  View  :

 

·    Jan  Dhan  Sarjan Yojana  [  31  Aug  2015  ]


·  A Virtuous  Circle  ?  [  04  Jan  2015  ]


·   A case for ZERO personal income tax  [  11  Nov  2014  ]



·  Central  Budget - 2014   [  07  July  2014  ]



· To  Be  or  Not to  Be  ?  [  17  April  2014  ]



· Create  Wealth  to create  Jobs   [  26  Feb  2014  ]




·  Magic  Wand   [  09  June  2011  ]



·   WHAT NEXT ? UNDISCLOSED INDIAN ASSETS ?  [  18  Sept  2015  ]

https://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2015/09/what-next-undisclosed-indian-assets.html

 



·   Treading the Beaten Path  [  25  Sept  2015  ]



FROM GREED TO GREAT ?  [  01  Oct  2015  ]

 

Indian Express  (  24  Oct  2017  )

“ Pay Farmers 50 % more than cost of production , says NCP Chief “

My  View  :

A Different Kind of UFO ?  [  22  Sept  2017  ]