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.

Ban Begging in Railway Compartments - Open Letter to Ministers of Railways

Dr P V Sesha Sai Aswamedhayaaji E mail shodasisai@hotmail.com web http://aswamedhayaaji.com Land Line 040 65581368 Mobile 9440422613 Point wise blog : http://thereformsiexpectinindia.blogspot.in or http://thereformsiexpectinindiathenextgen.blogspot.in/ 9th September 2012 THE REFORMS I EXPECT IN INDIA – THE NEXT GENERATION- Begging in Railway Compartments An appeal and open letter to Honorable Minister for Railways, Government of India Being educated, we all knew that we should protect and take care of less fortunate fellow human beings in the society. It is our primary duty to make them live with basic needs. But that does not mean that we ignore all decencies and permit beggars to enter into all classes of travel in Railways and present an indecent picture for the visitors and also give scope for missing of the belongings etc of the passengers. A travel without a ticket is a punishable offence, and our Railway Staff are quite generous, they ignore the basic rule and become silent spectators of the beggars entering into the train without a ticket, besides allowing them to make money in the form of sympathy. I am not talking of any great decision – may be in respect of reservations in promotions etc; may be in respect of mercy petitions etc; I am just writing this on a point – where no POLITICS ARE INVOLVED; NO CONTRADICTORY STATEMENTS ARE EXPECTED; NO HARTAL; NO DHARNA; still RAILWAYS cannot take a decision expected of them. it is JUST A MANAGEABLE MATTER. It can be managed at a lower level of the Railway administration, but why can’t they take a decision and restrict beggars entering into the compartments. From South to North; East to West – any train – any class – any situation; thousands of beggars can be found round the clock in the trains. Today Railways are in a comfortable position economically, if Railways consider to promote begging activity, no one prevents, Railways as well can run a beggar home in all stations and look for the basic needs of the beggars, public will also contribute their best generously. Moreover, begging in Railways gives a very shabby picture for the foreign tourists particularly in tourism oriented states like Rajastan, Kerala, Tamilnadu etc. Let foreigners do not feel that our motherland consists of more beggars than economically better. Let foreigners also not think that we have no administrative ability. Let us not allow any foreigner to feel that we have no conceptual ideology. Please ban begging in Railways, permit citizens of India to have a safe and comfortable travel while making Indians feel proud before foreigners that we take care of less fortunate in the society in a far better manner. Let us not ignore – more the beggars – more we expose of our inefficiency to take care of our less fortunate people. Is the Railway Ministry so incapable ? Can they not do what they are expected of ? Affectionately. Hara Hara Mahadeva Dr P V SESHA SAI ASWAMEDHAYAAJI

Education on Non-usage of Plastic Bags- Open letter to Minister for Education

Dr P V Sesha Sai Aswamedhayaaji, President, World Brahman Organization, Chief : SAINTS(School for Scientific Analysis on Indian Traditional Systems) #303, Vijetha Sanjeevani Apartments, 6-4-8, Musheerabad Main Road Secunderabad AP India Mobile 09440422613, web http://aswamedhayaaji.com., e mail. shodasisai@gmail.com 16th August 2012 The Reforms I Expect In India – The Next Generation ( Basic Morale and Education Need for Children) – a open letter to Honorable Minister for Education, Government of India –New Delhi Dear Sir Kind attention of Shri Kapil Sibal, Hon, ble Cabinet Minister HR Reg: Education on Usage of Dust Bins and non-usage of plastic bags and materials and also Educating public not to use any open place for toilets I am touring throughout the country and to my surprise I found either side of the railway track; either side of high way or a street, a lot of used plastic bags. One side authorities of Pollution Control Board speak a lot on these wastages. It is a matter of surprise, the PCB and the Industrial license sanctioning authorities are both the wings of Government. It is not known as to why the Government stops issuing licenses to these wrong things. It is also not known as to what are the delicacies for the Government to ban such items outright. The least what the Government can do, is the public education. Please make use of the channels and telecast at least half an hour program in all channels on these subjects and the danger generated out of such usage may also be illustrated. Similarly the Radio Channels may also be used for this purpose. One more step which the Government can take up (which shall go for a long run), is to introduce lessons relating to the subject and educate children from school standard onwards. Similarly, throwing of garbage in any place of public choice is yet, another area where public needs to be educated. So also usage of any open place as public toilets should be taught as a wrong practice. I am sure that the Government can help in educating children from primary levels onwards on these subjects in order to build up a healthy future for the Country so also for creating a healthy environment. The Channels are mostly delivering terror pictures; fantasies; lootings; and that of Ghostly attitude. These picture no way help the Countrymen particularly, the next generation, though they give a momentary pleasure. They are harmful to the community; to the future of the children, where as public education system on some important points will surely help the Government and also the Country in the long run. Someone has to start, if not today, at least in the near future, if one decides to contribute his best to the Great Motherland. WHY NOT WE START NOW ITSELF instead of giving similar opportunity to someone else at some other point of time – fatally loosing the golden opportunity that is available in our hands of the Present Government, right now. JAIHIND Yours truly HARA HARA MAHADEVA DR P V SESHA SAI ASWAMEDHAYAAJI

Morale and Educative Need- Open letter to Minister for Education

Dr P V Sesha Sai Aswamedhayaaji, President, World Brahman Organization, Chief : SAINTS(School for Scientific Analysis on Indian Traditional Systems) #303, Vijetha Sanjeevani Apartments, 6-4-8, Musheerabad Main Road Secunderabad AP India Mobile 09440422613, web http://aswamedhayaaji.com., e mail. shodasisai@gmail.com 17th August 2012 The Reforms I Expect In India – The Next Generation ( Basic Morale and Education Need for Children) – a open letter to Honorable Minister for Education, Government of India –New Delhi Dear Sir Kind attention of Shri Kapil Sibal, Hon, ble Cabinet Minister HR Reg: why should we take up these educative methodologies? In a secularist country like India, introducing methods is a risky job due to political uncertainty and persons in opposition (either Congress or otherwise) find fault with the administration and enforcement of law, for different reasons. We have already formulated Laws and our Laws are sufficient to give proper and legitimate fruits to the citizens of India. The only and only problem is implementation of law – we are utterly failing in implementation of law. We need to put up several check points and spend huge amount on these law enforcing agencies. The easiest and quickest possibility is through proper education to children, though the fruits of this tree cannot be seen by you or me – aged; the fruits are certain over a period of time, and our next generation will surely enjoy, PROVIDED, we plant a comfortable and adaptable seed now. Therefore educating Children right from childhood is sure to help us to see a bright INDIA in due course of time. This educative system is a non-controversial system and those who try to tag this FIRST shall always be admired. Second point is that ONLY MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND HUMAN RESOURCES CAN DO WONDERS, hence it would be advisable for the Ministry to bring a five member committee – where no person from the Ministry shall be a member; and one each drawn from each side of the country and ALL THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS shall be only AND ONLY SENIOR CITIZENS, who are either social workers or involved social upliftment activities. This committee would examine each area and give suggestions to the Ministry – and ultimately, the powers to implement the suggestions or not shall rest in the hands of the Ministry; hence there is forcible thrust on the Government keeping the Government in an Embracing situation. LET US EDUCATE CHILDREN FOR A BETTER AND MEANINGFUL TOMORROW. JAIHIND yours truly HARA HARA MAHADEVA DR P V SESHA SAI ASWAMEDHAYAAJI

Basic Education Need - Open letter to Minister for Education

Dr P V Sesha Sai Aswamedhayaaji, President, World Brahman Organization, Chief : SAINTS(School for Scientific Analysis on Indian Traditional Systems) #303, Vijetha Sanjeevani Apartments, 6-4-8, Musheerabad Main Road Secunderabad AP India Mobile 09440422613, web http://aswamedhayaaji.com., e mail. shodasisai@gmail.com 15th August 2012 The Reforms I Expect In India – The Next Generation ( Basic Morale and Education Need for Children) – a open letter to Honorable Minister for Education, Government of India –New Delhi Dear Sir Kind attention of Shri Kapil Sibal, Hon,ble Cabinet Minister HR I am stunned to see a report in the news columns recently wherein a statistical data is provided in respect of road accidents in Hyderabad. During 2009 the number of accidents were 2990 while 481 died; during 2010 it was 2797 and 494 died; in 2011, 2800 accidents and the dead were 430. If this is applied for the entire Nation, more or less 100 cities and the death rate shall be 43000 for 2011, if not more. How and why these accidents are taking place? is a matter to be seriously taken note of. Reports say that speed driving is one reason; no knowledge of road rules is another reason; drink and drive is another major reason, which speaks about our failure to educate the youth on road rules shall become the prime cause for all these deaths. When the channels are in the hands of Government, I really do not know as to why the Government cannot impose a law on each channel to telecast AT LEAST HALF AN HOUR PER DAY on the educative programs and educate the parents 1) not to purchase the vehicles for the children below the age prescribed under law; 2) not to allow their children to drive vehicles without getting proper driving license; 3) to educate their children that they should be within the road rules. This basic education has to start from home, lest, the parents have to pay heavy cost in the form of their children lives as was in the case of certain politicians, cine artists, and cricketers in the recent times. Kindly give instructions to all channels to telecast AT LEAST HALF AN HOUR in frequent intervals on the causes of death. This public awareness program is most likely to bring the death rate in road accidents. Road rules are the primary educative needs for children. As such, a text should be introduced in all classes focusing on road rules; first aid; helping physically challenged; helping senior citizens in road crossing etc so that we can build up a better future for the next generation. Job oriented education alone will not help to build healthy Nation, countrymen morale should ever remain high and mutual help and understanding the law shall be a certainty for each child or for that matter for each citizen. Government is in your hands; you can make laws; you can amend Acts in this direction; and you can alone stop this fast growing unhealthy attitude amongst the youth particularly. Education alone helps and you can alone do it. Kindly help the younger generation to remain disciplined. Let us all together build up a better future for our Country and for our Children. JAIHIND Yours truly HARA HARA MAHADEVA DR P V SESHA SAI ASWAMEDHAYAAJI

SOBHA - SOCIAL ORGANIZATION FOR BUILDING UP HEALTHY ATMOSPHERE

Dr P V Sesha Sai Aswamedhayaaji #303, Vijetha Sanjeevani Apartments, 6-4-8, Musheerabad Main Road, Opp Gandhi Hospital, SECUNDERABAD 500080 AP India E mail shodasisai@hotmail.com web http://aswamedhayaaji.com Land Line 040 65581368 Mobile 9440422613 Point wise blog : http://thereformsiexpectinindia.blogspot.in 28th May 2012 THE REFORMS I EXPECT IN INDIA – THE NEXT GENERATION Dear all A small fun before a serious matter: Two persons were sitting at a Dhaba and chatting while one among them said, “Bhai, I seriously condemn any one employing child labour, we must all think seriously on this and control employment of child labour”, and he continued calling the server, “chotu, chai lao phataphat” ordered a ten year old boy serving tea in the dhaba. Sometime ago I was seriously writing on some burning issues of fundamental nature – not great issue which forever remain unsolved – the issues which I focus are those which can be solved quickly and without any statutory hurdles. I am fortunate I have been travelling through India and also out of India quite frequently, and there are many reasons for this; perhaps number one might be – my interest to see people in different parts of the country; and perhaps number two might be – certain compelling situations. Whatever it is nearly half of the country has been toured by me. Well, this is one aspect, the purpose of my writing this letter is something different. When I was travelling either by a train, or by a bus, or by any other mode, I am seeing both the sides of the roads lot of dirty used plastic carry bags. One danger is that as and when throughout a carry bag, we are considered to plant a poisonous seed for another 300 above years, as it does not get decomposed, nor gets mixed up with earth element. Lot many people write on this and many a times, local governments tried to impose restrictions on the usage of these bags. Perhaps, only in Uttaranchal, these restrictions are followed to some level, but not in other states of this country. Particularly in Gujarat like States, the situations need a special focus, as every inch of the road side is filled up with this. It is surely a challenging task in front of the next generation. Surprisingly, it is not known why the Central or State Government take up this matter seriously and impose restrictions at Manufacturing level itself so that the hazardous material is not dumped into the market for public use. In fact the Manufacturing license should be such that only items are to be produced which are perishable and quickly usable for re-cycling. Let us, if possible, float an organization for country cleaning purpose on voluntary basis. Young people, students in their leisure time, senior citizens and woman who can afford spending a few hours in a week – constitute a better army for this work. They will automatically develop a tendency of keeping their home clean, indirectly. I look forward for a good leader for taking lead of this cleaning army. Why not an organization in the name of SOBHA – SOCIAL ORGANIZATION FOR BUILDING UP HEALTHY ATMOSPHERE, is floated right now and why not we start a revolution of cleaning? Affectionately. Hara hara mahadeva Dr P V SESHA SAI ASWAMEDHAYAAJI

The Reforms = Telephones

Dr P V Sesha Sai Aswamedhayaaji
235, Federal Row Dr # 201, COLLIERVILLE TN 38017 USA
e mail shodasisai@gmail.com, web www.ashwamedhayaagam.org, http://aswamedhayaaji.blogspot.com 31st July 2007

The Reforms I expect in India – The next Generation (Telephone Revenue)
The value of a paisa - unfortunate coins of India from Rs.1 and below, made me to write this. A cent is considered as a valuable unit in USA and not only that, even still decimals of a cent are considered as of much value. The coins are minted in large quantities and it is increasing year by year in USA, to the best of my knowledge.
Long back I remember to have seen a Paisa – the 100th of a Rupee, and there were 2,5,10,20,25,50 paisa coins and this was perhaps when there was some value for all this. I do not think even these coins are minted now a days. Interestingly even beggars do not accept less than an Rs.2 coin and Rs.1 is not being considered as a valuable unit of measure and this is the practical position. This position is nothing new to any Indian. Knowing all this fully well, why the Government puts up some improper regulations in an irregular and impracticable manner, remains to be an unsolved question when all this needs a simple commonsense.
The purpose of my writing all this is simply linked to the tariff of a phone call in telephone booths throughout the country. I believe (I presume that the tariff is something like Rs.1.32ps) Rs.1.32 paisa or so is the minimum tariff for a phone call. I do not really understand as to why the Government keeps a fancy of maintaining an odd charge for such an important public need. I believe that at least a fifty lakhs calls are made in these public booths throughout the country on any day, on an average.
I started analyzing the subject. No booth owner accept Rs.1.32paise religiously, for the simple reason, neither he keeps such a change, nor the customer carries such odd change, nor such change is useful for both of them in any manner outside. Perhaps, if any one wishes to observe strict discipline and carry a change that suits a call, the booth owner unhesitatingly demands a minimum of Rs.2 and makes fun of our sincerity. Thus, a consumer is forced to pay Rs.2 the next immediately acceptable coin beyond Rs.1/ - and the difference of Rs.0.68ps or so, goes to the pocket of the Booth owner.
If the Government is a little wise in its tariff, say, if it charges Rs.2/ per call and make the tariff in round sums of a rupee, the amount which goes to the pocket of the booth owner straight goes into the revenue pooling of the Government and the consumer is nothing to lose additionally. Assuming for a while that the Government is getting at a rate of Rs.0.40ps per call from a consumer beyond what they are charging today, on an average, that would be Rs.20 lakhs of rupees a day and it is something like 72 crores of rupees revenue a year – may be something more if accurate statistics are available.
It is time for the Government to think of this wisely and it is advisable for the Government to implement such systems which are practicable and possible in real life. Some logical and practical approach will be beneficial to the Government in enforcing its policies. Dr P V. Sesha Sai Aswamedhayaaji