CBDC : Slow and Steady

 

 

Context :

RBI's digital currency: Phased implementation in process for wholesale, retail segments 

( DNA /  20 July 2022 )

Extract :

The Reserve Bank of India is in the process of implementing the Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) in a phased manner for the wholesale and retail segments, an official said on Wednesday

The passage of the bill has enabled the RBI to conduct a pilot and subsequent issuance of CBDC, he said. "RBI is also working on phased implementation of a central bank digital currency (CBDC) in both wholesale and retail segment," Choudhary said while delivering a keynote address at the 'PICUP Fintech Conference & Awards' by FICCI.

CBDC is a digital or virtual currency but it is not comparable to the private virtual currencies or cryptocurrency that have mushroomed over the last decade. Private virtual currencies do not represent any person's debt or liabilities as there is no issuer.

India's official digital currency is likely to debut by early 2023, which will mirror any of the currently available private company-operated electronic wallets. The CBDC will be a sovereign-backed digital currency. 

Citing data, he said so far this year, India's UPI transaction has seen participation of 323 banks and has recorded 5.9 billion monthly transactions worth over USD 130 billion. 

The revolution which the QR code brought along and the interoperability features ensured that the banking on the fingertip phase came through, the official said. "I have also observed that most of the younger generation now avoid carrying a physical wallet as everything they need is in their mobile phones. The contribution of fintech in digital payment can also be observed by usage of prepaid payment instruments.

 

 

MY  TAKE  :

 

Crypto : Corruption : Corona : China ………………………..[ 17 June 2020 ]

-       Where , I wrote :

 

Dear Smt Nirmala Sitharamanji / Shri RaviShankar Prasadji / Shri Piyush Goyalji,

 

I have no clue as to what mechanism could be used ( Inter-Currency Exchange

Rate ) for payment for Imports and remittances for Exports , if – and when –

we introduce IndiaBit

But if IndiaBit can ,

 #   To begin with bring out all BLACK MONEY ( stashed away as paper

      currency notes ) and deploy the  same into mainstream economy for

      productive purposes , 

and

 

#   Put a Full Stop to any future generation of Black Money ,

           -      then my proposal deserves a debate

 

What will convince RBI / Government to issue OFFICIAL VIRTUAL CURRENCY ?

Here is a brief ( non-comprehensive ) suggestion for proposed Law :

Ø  While banning Private Crypto, introduce IndiaBit ( Govt Virtual Currency )

Ø  With some effective date, withdraw all Paper Currency ( forget coins )

Ø  Minimum denomination will still be called a RUPEE ( easy to convert from

    paper to digital )

Ø  As of a given date, bank balances in everyone’s bank account gets

    converted to IndiaBits

Ø  Set time limit within which people can deposit their paper currency into

    banks for instant conversion into IndiaBits

    

Ø  After set date, paper currencies held by anyone ( individual or any legal

    entity such as a Company ), loses all value and become illegal for any sell /

    purchase transaction

    

Ø  All future financial transactions ( sell / buy of any goods or services ) can

    only be through mobile-app based DIGITAL transactions

    

Ø  Since all transactions will become DIGITAL, Govt would have full / life-

    time LOG of each citizen’s 

  “ Sale  or Purchase “ 

   [ Who bought What , When , from Whom , at What price , Where etc ] .

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

Dear Smt Sitharamanji,

 

A word of caution :

 

Implementation of my suggestion ( described above ), is bound to meet with

strong resistance / opposition from persons holding BLACK MONEY ( stashed

paper currency in Rs 2,000 notes )

Expect opposition to quote the “ failure “ of De-Monetization to get rid of Black

Money

They will strongly oppose total replacement of paper currency, citing enormous

inconvenience / hardship this will cause the poor people .

I agree with them

Please enable a JPC ( headed by Opposition Member ? ) to draft the Crypto Bill,

with full unanimity

I agree that the objective should be limited to :

 “ Reduced dependency on cash “

And not :

 “ Replacement of Cash “

May be, 5 years after introduction of IndiaBit, this ( larger ) objective would find

acceptance

 

With Regards,

Hemen Parekh  /  hcp@RecuitGuru.com  /  26 July 2022

 

Supreme Fails to Speak : Because no one is Listening ?

 

 

Context :

‘No citizen should die of hunger,’ says SC in migrant workers matter  /  The Print  /  21 July 2022

Extract :

The Supreme Court on Thursday while hearing a matter relating to migrant labourers remarked that no citizen should die of hunger and said that it was most concerning that there were deaths due to hunger.

When the court was apprised that a large number of migrant workers are without ration cards, the bench of justices MR Shah and BV Nagarathna said, “no citizen should die of hunger and it is most concerning that there were deaths due to hunger.”

The bench observed that migrants and other workers are the backbone of the country and they must be provided rations at subsidized rates.

The court further observed that in villages and in marginalised communities people tie a tight cloth around their stomachs to suppress their hunger pangs.

It was pointed out by the petitioners that the central government had failed to undertake any exercise to re-determine coverage under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) and as a result, more than 10 crore people who should have been issued ration cards were left out of the purview of the food security net.

 

MY  TAKE  :

 

I am surprized ( and shocked ) that the Supreme Court failed to ask the Government :

 

“ Even if you manage to issue ration cards to those 10 Crore poor people, do they

  have money to buy that subsidized ration ?

  

We think, millions among those 10 crore, just don’t have money to buy ration

A few who may have the money to buy ration, do not have money to buy LPG

cylinder or even chopped wood

How do you plan to ensure that they do not die due to hunger ?

Some 6 months ago, we had asked you to come up within 3 weeks,  a :

National Policy on Community Kitchens

Your Food Ministry even formed a committee of Food Secretaries from 8 States to

 frame such a policy

Since then, we have heard nothing from you in this matter

We ask you to give us , within 3 weeks, your response to the following proposed

 scheme, received from a citizen :

 [ Source :   Community Kitchen ? Never too late ! ………… 01 Dec 2021  ]

 

I urge the Group of Food Secretaries to consider following suggestions when formulating the Scheme :

[ A ]   Involvement / Participation

               Ø   This scheme should involve total involvement of all the States. They

                    should be made responsible for its implementation and monitoring (

                    within their respective States )

 

                   

[ B ]    Organizational Framework

              Ø  Much similar to GST COUNCIL , this scheme must have an MANAGING

                  COUNCIL, consisting of Food Secretaries from ALL the States

                  

              Ø  This Council may be named “ No One Starving Or Hungry in

                   India ( NOSOHI ) “

              Ø  NOSOHI will formulate Framework - Rules – Regulations – Systems –

                  Procedures etc re this scheme

              Ø  Proposed Framework may incorporate the desirable elements of Co-

                  operative Movement , enshrined in the examples of AMUL / LIJJAT Papad

                  / Anganwadi etc., which would convey the “ Spirit of Service “

                  

 

[ C ]     Generation of Self Employment 

             Ø  The scheme should enable a large number of destitute women to

                 participate and become Self-Employed

                 

             Ø  In the towns / villages / cities, selected by the State Governments, some

                 State Ministry must be tasked with the job of encouraging formation of

                 Women’s Community Kitchen Co-Op Societies, 

                 who shall manage these Community Kitchens

                 

             Ø  To each such “ approved / enlisted “ Society, State Government will make

                 available the physical premises ( with water / power ). The size of

                 premises will be linked to the number of poor hungry  persons to be fed

                 by the Society, every day ( pre-determined )

 

                    

             Ø  To each such Society, the Central Government shall make available ( free

                  of cost ) :

#  All Kitchen equipment ( including Gas Chulhas + Gas Cylinders ). In

     course of time, when available commercially, these gas stoves should be

     replaced with Solar Cookers / Chulhas .

   

#  All tables / chairs required for the Dining Area ( No food shall be allowed

    to be taken out )

#  All Storage equipment, including Refrigerators ( for Cereals  and for

    cooked food ) 

#  All Ancilliary equipment ( including cleaning equipment )

 

Downside of my above-mentioned suggestion :

           Ø  Creation of such a huge infrastructure is very difficult in a short time

           Ø  Once created ( at a huge Capital and Recurring Expense ), it is very

               difficult to administer

           Ø  There will be leakages and corruption ( in Supply Chain )

 

I urge the group of Secretaries to also consider following alternative :

NGO serves up free meals for kin of poor patients at JJ hospital    /   TOI   /   28 Nov 2021

 

Highlights :

I found that an NGO distributes free food here,” said Patil. 

He is among 600 people , all relatives of patients, who benefit from the scheme of

Fazlani Aishabai and Haji Abdul Latif Charitable Trust. ( info@aishabaitrust.com )

“ Relatives of many patients eat a vada pav for lunch or dinner. Two square meals a

 day in Mumbai costs Rs 150 –200, and the poor cannot afford this “, trust

 Chairman Abdul Kader Fazlani (roc.fazfoundation@sopariwala.com) had said

 earlier

 

Procured from an ISO-certified caterer, the free meals are given twice a day.

“ As per our Chairman’s instructions, the food should be NUTRITIOUS and there

  should be no compromise  on QUALITY.

 We have kept it VEGETARIAN so that nobody has any hesitation in accepting it “ ,

 said Trust CEO Shabir Mushtaq Mir, adding that they often make surprise visits to

 the caterer’s kitchen to ensure QUALITY and HYGIENE

 

 

“ Beneficiaries get food coupons a day ahead so that the trust’s VOLUNTEERS

  know the NUMBER of FOOD PACKETS they need to arrange for that day. We

  ensure ZERO WASTAGE for the FOOD “, said Mir

 

 

Dear Secretaries :

 

While drafting your Community Kitchen Scheme , irrespective of its proposed

structure, I urge you to incorporate the following provisions :

       Ø   Hungry person who queues up to collect COUPONS  or FOOD PACKET,

            will NOT be asked  ANY QUESTION, whatsoever 

            Please do not HUMILIATE a poor hungry human !

 

      Ø    He / she will not be asked :

       #    Domicile – Nationality – Name – Address – any Identity Card /

             Document – Community – Religion –Caste –Age – whether employed /

             jobless etc

             

     Ø  Although you may recommend installation of a FACIAL RECOGNITION system at

         each kitchen, it will be for  the sole purpose of keeping count ( of the numbers

         served each lunch / dinner ) and to avoid DUPLICATE issues  to same person.

         

       Ø  No beneficiary will be allowed to take the FOOD PACKET, outside the kitchen. It

           must be consumed inside the kitchen’s  Dining Area only

          

      Ø  However, your scheme should provide for taking home the Food Packets, in

           cases of OLD-SICK-INVALID-BED RIDDEN, poor humans who just cannot walk

           up to the nearest kitchen. In such cases, relative / family member /friend or an

           NGO volunteer may be allowed to take out the food packet, after entering  full “

           SICK  BENEFICIARY  DATA “ in a centrally computerized system

                      

 

       Incidentally, all over India, religious trusts are running FREE " Bhojanalaya " ,

       serving meals to thousands of devotees every day. One such Community Kitchen

      is at Sarangpur in Gujarat which claims to be running this service for past 100

      years ( 24 x 7 ) , with 30 lakh ( 3 million ) being served every year

 

With regards,

Hemen Parekh  /  hcp@RecruitGuru.com / 23 July 2022

 

Related Readings :

Ø  There are no Starvation Deaths ? …………………………[ 19 Jan 2022 ]

Ø   No savings, income shortfall and much more: What data says about the lives of gig workers / BL / 22 July 2022