Not in one day : What about 3 years ?

 

A few days back , I came across following statement from Shri Prakash Javadekarji :

Pollution Problem can’t be resolved in a day

Extract :

Ø  Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar on Sunday said the pollution problem cannot be resolved in a day and continuous efforts are needed to tackle each of the contributing factors.

Ø  At a Facebook Live event, he said the major factors behind air pollution are traffic, industries, waste, dust and stubble burning, geography and meteorology

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

Context :

Air Pollution killed 1.6 million in India last year

Extract :

Ø  ……  air pollution is globally the fourth highest cause of death

Ø  Long-term exposure to air pollution contributed to around 6.7 MILLION deaths globally……with India accounting for 1.67 million of these
The report, however, notes the success of the ‘Pradhan Mantri Ujwala Yojana Household LPG “ programme , saying it helped dramatically expand access to clean energy especially for rural households and helped reduce “ household air pollution exposure “

Ø  “ Outdoor and household particulate matter pollution “ contributed to deaths of nearly 5 lakh infants globally,including almost 1.2 lakh in India

 

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

Dependence on coal killing 80k-1L /year in India : Study

Extract :

Ø  About three-fourth of India’s electricity is coal-based

Ø  India’s dependence on coal is growing faster than any other country ( 6 % / year )

Ø  Coal extraction has doubled to 500 million tons since 1994

Ø  The coal complex in India has significant health impacts – mainly through local air pollution – including premature mortality ranging from 80,000 to 115,000 premature deaths per year

Ø  While coal contributed to 23 % of India’s energy supply in 1970, its share is nearly 40 % now

Ø  India is sourcing 70 % of its energy from non-renewable sources and accounts for 10 % of global energy supply from coal

Ø  Less than 1 % of employment is in mining and electricity, gas, and water supply combined

Ø  Due to air pollution, India had 1,670,000 deaths in 2019

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

Let us focus on just one cause of air pollution – specifically INDOOR ( household ) air pollution caused by cooking , using wood / cow-dung cakes etc

Above report says this has considerably come down due to implementation of :

Pradhan Mantri Ujwala Yojana Household LPG “ programme

At what ( recurring ) cost ?

Take a look :

No DBT on subsidised LPG for 3 months due to favourable oil market   /  July 28 , 2020

Extract :

Ø  Under the direct benefit transfer scheme (DBT), the government provides subsidy on 12 cylinders a household uses in a year. While consumers buy cooking gas at market rates, the calculated subsidy amount is transferred directly into their accounts.

    The government has allocated Rs 40,915 crore as petroleum subsidy for FY21, a 6 per cent increase from Rs 38,569 crore allocated for the last fiscal

     

Ø  Out of this the allocation for LPG subsidy has been increased to Rs 37,256.21 crore for current year.

 

Now take a look at the following figures :

Ø  Total No of Households in India……………………….   27 Crore ( 270 million )

Ø  Poor Households covered by Ujwalla Scheme…     8 Crore  (  80 million )

Ø  Increase in LPG Consumption ( 2014 > 2019 )..  56 %

Ø  Import of LPG ( in Aug 2020 )………………………………  1.24 million tons

Ø  LNG import in 2019-20……………………………………….. 33,680 (MMSCM) ( $9.5 billion=

                                                                              Rs 70024 crore )

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

MY TAKE :

Ø  Allocation of Rs 37,256 crore for LPG subsidy ( for cooking ), is an ANNUAL RECURRING expense

Ø  If household cooking was to be based on use of a SOLAR CHULHA ( Stove ), then no need for LPG !

Ø  Some 3 years ago, IIT-B won a competition for design of a Solar Cooking Stove

Ø  Govt had specified its max “ Sale Price” at Rs 10,000 /- per Stove [ $ 135 ]

Ø  For Rs 37,256 Crore , govt can buy and distribute ( FREE ), some 3.7 cr ( 37 million ) solar stoves

Ø  Within about 2 years, Govt can handover a SOLAR STOVE to all households covered by Ujwalla Scheme

Ø  Of course , since food gets cooked even when there is NO SUNSHINE , each Solar Stove would require a Tesla’s  POWERWALL type of Storage device

( in which PM Shri Modi had shown keen interest during his visit to TESLA factory in 2015 )

Ø  If my suggestion gets implemented, country would save annually , foreign exchange worth Rs 37,256 Cr

For details of my proposal , please read :

Dear Shri Goyalji : How about a Solar Cooker ?   /  26 Aug 2020

 

With regards,

Hemen Parekh  /  hcp@RecruitGuru.com  /  26 Oct 2020

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

Related Readings :

The State of Global Air / 2020 

Highlights :

Ø  In India, Bangladesh and Pakistan, 100 % of the population lives in areas where PM 2.5 levels are higher than WHO-recommended air quality norms

Ø  476,000 newborns worldwide died in 2019 due to air pollution; India alone saw 116,000 such deaths

Ø  India and China together accounted for 58 % of worldwide deaths attributed to PM 2.5 in 2019

Ø  India and China had the highest ozone-attributable deaths worldwide – 168,000 in India and 93,300 in China

Ø  India has managed to curb exposure to HOUSEHOLD AIR POLLUTION – from 73 % in 2010 to 61 % in 2019 . This is mainly due to Ujjwala Yojana and other schemes to provide CLEAN COOKING FUEL

 

Similarities could be Coincidental

 

 

Context :

How India plans to vaccinate against coronavirus  

 TIMESOFINDIA.COM | Updated: Oct 23, 2020, 22:19 IST

Extract :

 

HOW WILL THE VACCINE BE DISTRIBUTED?

 

   The corona virus vaccine , once available, will be distributed under a special

   COVID – 19 immunization programme , with the Centre procuring the dozes 

   DIRECTLY and making it available for PRIORITY groups

       

Ø    The States have been asked not to chart separate pathways of procurement

Ø    The existing digital platform and processes used for the Universal Immunization Programme ( UIP ) are being enhanced to TRACK Covid-19 vaccine administration and movement – from PROCUREMENT to STORAGE to DISTRIBUTION to individual beneficiaries – as and when the vaccine becomes available

Ø  The digital platform that is being enhanced is Electronic Vaccine Intelligence Network ( eVIN ) which provides REAL-TIME information on VACCINE STOCKS and Storage Temperatures across all Cold Chain Points in the country under UIP

Ø  Union Health Minister HarshVardhan has said that the Centre estimates to receive and utilize 40-50 crore dozes of Covid-19 vaccine covering around 25 crore people by July next year

 

 WHO ARE THE PRIORITY GROUPS ?

 

Ø  States have been asked to enlist by mid-Nov, the priority population groups……….Each person in the immunization list will be linked with their Aadhaar Cards so as to TRACK them

 

WHAT IS THE UNIVERSAL IMMUNISATION PROGRAMME?

Ø  This special Covid-19 immunization programme would run in parallel with the Universal Immunization Programme , but will use its PROCESSES , TECHNOLOGY and NETWORK ,of the existing vaccine distribution framework

Ø   We have an established infrastructure for SUPPLY , STORAGE and DELIVERY of vaccines to the last mile under our UIP, where we are administering around 600 million dozes to children every year

 

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

 4 days earlier, in my email to Health Ministry, I proposed following procedure [ similarity if any with the above news report, could be purely coincidental ] :

 

Voting and Vaccination : Compare and Contrast …………………………[ 19 Oct 2020 ]

Extract :

Distribution Logistics

Please also consider a centralized purchase of vaccines by your ministry from all vaccine manufacturers

No direct purchase by State Governments or any other govt agency – and certainly not by any private party/person

Your ministry to issue DELIVERY SCHEDULES to all vaccine manufacturers, which will instruct, how many dozes ( vials ) to be delivered to each VDC ( Vaccine Delivery Centre ) – and on what date .

These schedules to be visible to all, so that there is no dispute between different States re “non-receipt / less receipt “ of dozes

Each consignment to be tracked by Aushman Bharat website and promptly displayed for all to see

Online confirmation of receipt of each consignment by all VDC – again displayed on website for all – ensuring no debating of FACTS of deliveries / stocks / consumption

Although, website shall not display the names of citizen who have been administered the vaccine ( to protect their privacy ), it will display the DAILY and CUMULATIVE numbers of vaccinations ( for all to see )

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

I urge the officers of the Health Ministry to also examine the “ REGISTRATION PROCESS “ ( for each citizen wanting to get vaccinated ), suggested in my e-mail and if found suitable, announce / publicize the same { similarities notwithstanding },  in News Papers – TV Channels – Social Media etc

Such clarity ( widely publicized ), would go a long way to assure the citizen re: the TOTAL TRANSPARENCY of the Vaccination Scheme , irrespective of the “ Confusing Declarations “ in the election manifestos of different political parties in Bihar Elections

 

With regards,

Hemen Parekh  /  hcp@RecruitGuru.com  /  25 Oct 2020

 

 

The Race is on !

 

 

Context :

Maharashtra invites Tesla to invest in state; talks held

Extract :

Maharashtra is looking for potential investment from electric car major Tesla in the state and has held discussions with the company , weeks after the American firm revealed its plans to enter the Indian market

 

Ø  State Tourism Minister Aaditya Thackeray said in a tweet on Thursday that Industries Minister Subhash Desai held a video call, in which he also participated, with the Tesla team, inviting the electric car maker to Maharashtra

 

Ø  “ This evening I had the opportunity to participate in a video call by Industries Minister @Subhash_Desai ji with @Tesla team to invite them to Maharashtra. I was present not because of just the investment but my firm belief in electric mobility & sustainability @elonmusk “ , Thackeray said in a tweet

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

Maharashtra woos Tesla with ‘VIP treatment’, special incentives

 

Extract :

 

Ø  The Karnataka government is also trying to get Tesla set up an R&D center in the State

 

Ø  A press statement issued by Desai’s office said te Maharashtra Government is rolling out the red carpet to the company

 

Ø  Desai told the Global Director of Tesla, Rohan Patel [ rpatel@teslamotors.com / rpatel@ncseglobal.org / rohan@tesla.com ] , that the 2019 policy of Maharashtra Government lays special emphasis on non-polluting e-vehicles

 

Ø  The State government will accord customized “ VIP treatment along with commensurate basic infrastructure facilities and special incentives for the company to make its foray into the India automotive industry “ , he added

 

Ø  Tesla can get a foothold in the Indian automotive sector along with special incentives through the investment in the facility, the statement said

 

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

 Congratulations ,

 

 Shri Subhash Desai

( Industries Minister – Maharashtra / Subhash.desai12@gmail.com / min.industry@maharashtra.gov.in )

 

Shri Aaditya Thackeray

( Tourism Minister – Maharashtra / 'adityathackeray@me.com' )

 

Shri Venugopal Reddy

( Principal Secretary Industries – Maharashtra / psec.industry@maharashtra.gov.in )

 

 Dear Sirs,

 

I wish you all success in bringing Tesla to Maharashra

 

As far as those “  Special Incentives “ are concerned , you may want to look up :

 

 Fastest Finger First ?  …………………………………….[ 07 Oct 2020 ]

 

ARA & M Ltd ?............................................[ 02 Oct 2020 ]

 

Of course, many other States will try to woo Tesla with their own packages of “ Special Incentives “

But you can try one thing which will convince Rohan Patel that you are sincere / you mean business ( Americans want you to “  Walk your Talk “ )

Immediately nominate ( re-designate ) a Senior Secretary from the Industries Ministry :

SECRETARY – TESLA PROJECT

( exactly what convinced Elon Musk to set up factory in China , last year )

His mandate ?

Not go home till Tesla starts production in Maharashtra !

( exactly what Mukesh Ambani would do if he had this mandate )

There is no better way to convince Tesla re your “ Honesty of Purpose “

Other states are bound to come up with their own versions of “ Secretary – Handholding ( Tesla ) “

 

With regards,

 

Hemen Parekh  /  hcp@RecruitGuru.com  /  24 Oct 2020

 

 

Wait for further Clarifications !

 

In connection with the LTA / LTC encashment scheme announced by the Government a few days back, I sent following E Mail to our Policy Makers :

LTA spend linked to Consumer Spend : Is this practical ? ……[ 15 Oct 2020 ]

 

Therein , I raised following questions :

 ISSUES :

Ø  What goods / services were purchased ( did these attract GST @ 12 % rate ? )

 

Ø  Who ( shop / company / individual person ) was the SELLER ( full details )

 

Ø  When was the purchase made ( date )

 

Ø  What was the bill amount ( with Bill Number )

 

Ø  How was the payment made ( details of Cash – Cheque – App payment – Digital bank transfer etc )

 

Ø  Tabulated summary of ALL the Bills / Payments( from today till 31 March 2021 )

 

 QUESTIONS :

 Ø  How will this work in a “ Faceless Online Tax Regime “ ?

 

Ø  Will all these data need to be entered ONLINE ( on IT dept portal ) – with photo-images of bills ?

 

Ø  Will each claim get examined closely for correctness of data furnished ?

 

Ø  Will close examination slow down the assessments ?

 

Ø  How will accountants ( of Private Company employers ), decide how much TDS for each claimant ?

 

Ø  Is Company Accountant responsible to verify THREE TIMES SPEND on Consumer Goods / Services ?

 

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

 

Yesterday , Ministry officials released following “ Answers “ ( - upto you to decide

whether these cover all the questions raised in my email ) :

 

 

Context :

LTC cash voucher scheme for Govt employees can be utilised through virtual market, too

The Hindu Business Line / 22 Oct 2020

·           

The Finance Ministry has said that government employees availing of LTC (Leave Travel Concession) cash voucher scheme

 

#  can procure goods from e-commerce portals, apart from physical stores.

 

#  Also, purchases can be more than one.

 

 

Based on queries, the Finance Ministry has prepared an FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) with answers to 15 queries.

 

Closer look

 

#  In case an employee has already exhausted all his leave encashment for LTC,

    the optional scheme will be available to him. However, he/she will need to

    spend in accordance with the ratio as prescribed —which means three time of

    fare and one time of leave encashment.

   

#  As per the scheme, an amount up to 100 per cent leave encashment and 50 per

    cent of the value of the deemed fare is to be paid as an advance to the

    employee opting for the scheme.

 

    

# Now what will happen, if an employee spends only the advance amount and

   makes a claim? If the reimbursable amount is less than the advance withdrawn,

   then this would be treated as under-utilisation. However, after  calculation of the

   claim, balance amount will be recovered from the employee.

 

     

# Newly-joined Government employees — though entitled for three hometown

   visits and one anywhere in India in  a block of 4 years — if they are availing this

   scheme, they may use any one of the LTC available in a block year.

 

   

Multiple bills

 

#   The Ministry has clarified that multiple bills of purchase to be accepted.

     However, bills should be in the name of the employee.

   

# Also, number of transactions may be limited to a minimum extent to avoid any

   difficulty or delay. Purchase can  be of any good or services provided rate of GST

   should be 12 per cent or more. It can be interior decoration or phone bills.

     

 

#   An employee can avail the scheme in partial, i.e. of the LTC of part of eligible

     family. Since this is an optional scheme, if the LTC of fare of any member of the

     family has not been utilised for this purpose, those members can avail subject

     to extant instructions under LTC rules.

   

  MY TAKE :

  Over the past 70 years , we have improved upon the British Rule by perfecting

  the art of  " Convoluted Rules to Inflict Insults and Injuries to Common Citizen "

  

   

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

With regards,

Hemen Parekh / hcp@RecruitGuru.com / 23 Oct 2020