The Reforms I Expect in India - Open letter to PM of India on FDI

Sahasradhika Yaaga Karta, Vedanta Visarada, DR P V SESHA SAI ASWAMEDHAYAAJI #303, Vijetha Sanjeevani Apartments, 6-4-8, Musheerabad Main Road, SECUNDERABAD A.P 500080 Telefax 040 27541613, Mobile 09440422613 Web http://aswamedhayaaji.com, e mail shodasisai@gmail.com 23rd September 2012 An Open letter to Dr Manmohan Singh, Honorable Prime Minister of India, New Delhi The Reforms I Expect in India – the next Generation Kindly view http://thereformsiexpectinindiathenextgen.blogspot.in Sir May Our Divine Mother Land grant us positive attitude and religious approach to the actions that we take, decisions we make, anxiety we show. Me and my dearest fellow countrymen are noticing the economic reforms you desire to bring into the country. Chances are remote for you to remember the good olden days dating back to 1983-86 where I could draft a paper on “Common Universally Acceptable Paper Currency” where in many theories like PPP etc were discussed at length. When the original was addressed to you, a copy of the same was sent to Dr Rangarajan in RBI at that time, but Dr Rangarajan alone acknowledged, and I never knew what happened subsequently. Incidentally I did not get any acknowledgement from you. Only University of Economic Sciences, Berlin took the paper quite seriously and the contents and the basic paper are seen in the shape of Euro Currency of today in Europe. I am not a politician, nor do I attach myself to any political party. Neither had I tried for any recognition nor for an award, I really thought that the paper would be of use to India, through learned people like you who were already in prime positions. But, of course, you have many limitations, as I understand and the paper is not taken care by you. You will have some more information in the form of documentary evidences in my blog http://servicesinternationally.blogspot.in. There is no need to write on this today, but this helps us to what degree the administration in India is active and vigilant. Today, you are allowing the retailers into Indian Market with some objective. A few points where a common man has to be convinced are still stuck our brains – just a few points relating to common sense. Presumably, I do not expect any acknowledgement from your office, nor any action on this, as you have your reasons and might be sometimes, some political pressures too. I am not criticizing you or your point of view, kindly view this paper in a positive attitude and for any reason, some information is still useful to you, you may kindly accept and implement. I only consider this as a constructive criticism. I desire to use quite a palatable tone in expressing my thoughts, but unfortunately the subject is such, it is not allowing me to sit quite looking at the on-going things. As a result I am feeling like addressing this to you after a very long gap, with all assumptions that a corrective action is taken at least now, before it is too late. Let us take certain examples of the past like EAST INDIA COMPANY entering into Indian Market and thereafter ruled the country for over centuries, just trading activity and apparently a trading activity – several sacrifices – One MAHAATMA and fortunately we are now in a democratic country. ONE AND ONLY QUESTION : ARE THE FOREIGN RETAILERS ARE USEFUL TO US OR WE ARE USEFUL TO THEM FOR IMPROVING THEIR MARKETS AND MAKING MONEY FROM A VERY HUGE MARKET OF OUR COUNTRY ? Certain view points of a common man:- 1) Whether the decision to allow foreign retailers into Indian market shall bring anything new to the consumer and is there anything that a new product is sold by the foreign retailer beyond the one which is already existing and available in Indian Market? Please remember that Wal-Mart was not permitted to enter New York in USA – in its own country of origin, but conveniently preparing itself to walk onto the commercial corners of India. Why is that we need to allow a majority stakes (51%) for foreigners in multi brand FDI's? What purpose will it serve to the interest of India assuming that the leadership mantle is carried by foreigners? Why is that we are allowing stake for foreigners and for any reason we do not allow any stake to them, are the foreigners are not willing to carry business in India?. 2) Whether any foreign retailer can sacrifice his business interest of making profit and do service to the Indian Consumer? Wal-Mart etc. are pure business establishments which aim at profit, they are not charitable institutions which look for the betterment of India or Indians. 3) Whether any foreign retailer can re-invest all the profits only in Indian Market without taking the same to his country of origin, if he declares so, why at all he is entering into India without getting himself satisfied with whatever he had in his country of origin? 4) Whether granting of permission to foreign retailers does not give them a scope for dumping all unwanted and third class goods onto Indians, where quality assurance or control is absolutely lacking? 5) What type of quality control you have in your administrative mechanism today, and are you not aware that the mechanism is not arresting the spurious drugs; unethical adulteration including milk to children; and a thousand such, within the country? 6) Is this not a fact that the foreign retailer invented Indian Market as a gold fish to catch where 100 crore people are available as consumers and even a profit of one rupee – just one rupee a day from each Indian, is a great advantageous bouquet for the foreign retailer? 7) Are you not aware that the neighboring country China is dumping its waste into our country and who permitted it to do so? Is this not a fact that a sum of Rs.1000 is lost by a individual in a year by purchasing useless and unquestionable goods from China, and what is the amount for 100 crore people multiplied by 1000, on an average? Is there any quality assurance and who checks up the quality and if the quality is checked up and certified, why and on what basis millions of China Goods are in the dumping yard daily? 8) In places like USA, Quality assurance is a basic need, the Courts punish the guilty by imposing heavy penalties and you are aware of it. I fought a case for several years against a foreign institution and still it is going on. It is again a case of selling Insurance product. And today, foreigners found this as an excellent business in India, where they can make money and remain more comfortable than in their own country. Is this not a lope hole that allures the foreign retailers? 9) Do you expect each and every stage to be supervised by the Courts in India and do you have the basic data on Consumer Forums which are formulated only for consumers. Kindly get the data as to how many cases are filed, what is the frequency of adjournment on an average; how much average time is taken for concluding a case; what kind of penalties are imposed and why the courts are sympathetic and leniently view the guilty? This is needed, because, your decision is inter linked with Consumer 10) What is the basic need for a common man in India – not a great foreign retailer; but surely a common vendor on the street at his door steps, which is economical and which is trustworthy. 11) Is this not a fact that a local Industrial Unit suffer on account of a foreign retailer entering into the market, bringing all useful or otherwise items from his country and selling them in India. Which means, over a period of time we are brutally butchering our own industrialists and making the skilled as useless in our own country? 12) What additional advantage do we get from foreign retailers, and incidentally you speak on employment potentiality. It is unfortunate as to why your Government does not aim at giving importance to local, cottage and village industries which are already giving some kind of employment opportunity to millions. 13) Is this not a fact that in the name of employment, we create some more slaves for foreign retailers, and what happens to the existing industries either local, or cottage? 14) CAN YOU GIVE QUALITY ASSURANCE – QUALITY ASSURANCE IN POLITICAL CIRCLES IS BEYOND ANYONE’S REACH WHICH IS A OPEN SECRET, BUT QUALITY ASSURANCE OF THE ADMINISTRATION AND ON THE QUALITY OF THE PRODUCTS TO BE IMPORTED INTO THE COUNTRY; AND ANY LAW TO PUNISH THE FAULTY IS ALSO GOING TO BE INTRODUCED ? 15) What is that WE have done ( I consider me in WE and WE means Indians) when the Ongole Oxen breed is unethically taken over by foreigners and today the animals are increased to millions as per a news paper report recently. What is that we have done when patent rights are claimed by foreigners on trees which are not at all grown in their countries? Is there any case where we protested for brutal killing of our Indians, when countries like USA do take serious action even for missing of a single citizen of USA, and for us, it becomes a statistical data. Did we ever protest and did we ever take the matter seriously as expected of us. These are the areas of our deficiency, whether it is our weakness or otherwise, this is what is noticed by any foreigner and this is the area of the foreign retailer’s strength in our country. 16) You want to permit the foreign retailers in any way into our country: - can you not take the following small steps which are still open for you and which establishes our patriotism. a) Instruct the foreign retailer to adopt one village for every one establishment of the foreign retailer, for taking care of the basic amenities like providing water, maintaining a library and uninterrupted power to the village. WE COULD NOT QUENCH THE THIRSTINESS OF A HOUSEWIFE IN A VILLAGE BY OUR ACTIONS WITHIN THE PAST 6 AND HALF DECADES AFTER INDEPENDENCE, LET US SEE WHETHER WE HAVE SOME CAPACITY TO GET THE THINGS THROUGH SOME ONE FROM OUTSIDE. b) Instruct the foreign retailer to have a quality assurance certification that the goods sold by them are taken back as much as they take back in the country of their origin and such certification to be displayed publicly, so that at entry level itself we can make sure of the quality c) Any dispute between the foreign retailer and a Indian Consumer should be sorted out within a period of ten days or so, lest the foreign retailer has to pay a certain sum as penalty to the Indian Consumer d) No agricultural produce to be brought into India from outside, basically as an economist, you might be aware that India is a predominantly an agricultural country. We have already grabbed agricultural lands from several of our agriculturists and made them jobless. Let us protect at least the existing cultivators to keep on their activities so that the skill is not dead over a period of time. I consider you as a brother, you have your own limitations, you have your pressures, I do admit, but let us not sacrifice the interest of our fellow countrymen – our own brothers and sisters – for no fault of them. We could not provide uninterrupted power supply to our countrymen as well a pot full of water to sister ladies / housewives in villages, even after six and half decades of independence. These are the basic needs, not an air cooler or an electronic good from a foreign country, what is that a common person can do with an electronic device in the absence of the electricity. Hours together we are imposing power cut and nothing presumably is forthcoming to solve this problem. There is nothing that people LIKE YOU AND ME to improve the taste of our tongue; or to wear; or to enjoy additionally – surely nothing allures us at our age, excepting protecting the interest of our fellow countrymen, Society, and the country. Let us do something useful to the next generation, and we will surely have self satisfaction that we have done something to our fellow countrymen when we are active and alive. Globalization is not meant for grabbing the rich treasures of other countries, it is purely meant for exchanging of technical knowhow; services for over all betterment. Globalization helps us to procure what we do not have, but not to kill our skills and accept the skills of other countrymen. Globalization is for a human comfort, and not for self sacrifice. I do not get even acknowledgements from people like you, as such; I do not wait for any acknowledgement or an action on this note. But I prefer to keep this note in my blog so that the next generations would understand that some thought provoking ideas are still generated in India. No Position is permanent, but surely our actions, let us all work for the welfare of our countrymen for having been fortunately born on this HOLY LAND. The least, give me an opportunity to contribute to your think tank, let people of identical mind (may be quite few), work together – surely in five years time, I can support you and your administration to create a golden period for our Country and Countrymen. We will be remembered by people of India for generations. One final suggestion : Let us present our views to a group of experts and experienced and let them examine quite unbiased and let us also take their views into consideration before implementing the decision. Please look into the possibility of Political parties not entering the scenario which may ultimately dilute the intensity and aims at individual goals. We have pure and dedicated personalities in our Country. I too volunteer myself and I offer my services free of cost – in the best interest of our people. We can do lot of things – nothing remains impossible for a human being – let us all convert the impossibilities into possibilities. JAIHIND Yours truly Hara Hara Mahadeva Dr P V Sesha Sai Aswamedhayaaji To Shri Dr Manmohan Singh, Honorable prime Minister of India 2) Shri Dr Rangarajan.