Free ! Free ! Free!

Yesterday, there was a news item about people jostling with each other for obtaining forms for cheap housing in Gujarat . ‘Ghar nu Ghar’ scheme (by current opposition  party in state ) of providing cheap housing to BPL families across the state has generated overwhelming response in the state.

Giving 'freebies' to middle / poor class has become a norm  for winning elections .Political parties are not the one to be blamed, public who have a never ending thirst for ' Free' items are the ones to be blamed.

In Tamil Nadu, it was free TV distribution to the public in the last regime. The latest ' gifts'  in TN  as a part of electoral promise include mixie, grinder and a table fan.

These are innovative ways to spend 'tax payer's ' money.

Fortunately or unfortunately , I got to witness one such free distribution in TN recently. There was a huge crowd at the distribution centre . The distribution was supposed to open at around 10 am. But I heard that the queue started around 4 am in the morning ( wow! look at the enthusiasm to get freebies).

Most of them in the queue , as I could judge could very well afford all that were distributed free and would probably have all these items in their home already( purchased by their hard earned money ,of course).

Every one was very clear that ' their right' to freebies should be honoured and there were strong verbal bouts when some one's name was not  figured out in the distribution list. Many had taken an off from their office keeping in mind the 'important' day. Families showed unity by taking turns to stand in the queue. Most of those in the queue were tuned to the latest music on their iPhone / Clon phones.

The autos were doing a good business that day by transporting the freebies home for a hefty charge.( Make hay while the sun shines).

This give me everything for ' Free! Free! Free!' hunger is definitely going to take our country  a long way in her development path!

PS:- When everyone was collecting the freebies , none was  worried about the lack of electricity (TN) for almost 10 hours a day without which the freebies would be of no use.  Long live democracy.

Also, Please don't ask me , " What were you doing there at the distribution center ??" :-)



Addicted to subsidy !

 Pre logue :- I know, many of the readers may not like this post !!!

Whenever diesel, petrol, kerosene or gas price increases, there is a hue and cry created in the media. People talk about, how government is insensitive to the burden of the common man.Many want the government to roll  back all the taxes that the government charges on petroleum products, some talk about how cheap oil is in other countries and many tell that cheap fuel is their fundamental right!!!.

The world has been running on this fossil fuel for quite sometime now. The demand for this is increasing in leaps and bounds in a growing economy like India. The prices to the consumers should actually reflect the international crude prices. I do not want to comment on tax structure of petroleum products alone ( we need a separate article to talk about taxation in India).

The international crude prices increase not only based on demand but also on speculation. If we tag our retail prices in tandom with international prices, then the high price would automatically pull down demand. The cure for 'High prices' is always high prices. We should follow examples of countries like Denmark where petroleum products and vehicles for personal use are taxed heavily., This  in one way would reduce the ever increasing traffic :-)

Good public transport systems, Penalising single person driving (a car/four wheeler), Encouraging cycling in cities ( again Copenhagen has > 30% of population commuting by cycles), Heavy investment on alternate source of energy ( esp. Solar power for India) are the need of the day. We need to fight for all this instead of crying about increasing prices. We need to make our growth GREEN and SUSTAINABLE.

I would strongly suggest the reader of this blog to read the book "Hot, Flat and Crowded" by Thomas Friedman, If you have not already done so.  ( In the context of oil prices).

Finally , Never ever expect any SUBSIDY from the government in the long run. It is not good for the progress of the nation.