We are what we are !!

 1) This news item in Dinamalarin June 2021 shows that Local bodies,Govt departments r not paying EB tariffs for many years. If Govt itself is the delinquent, this is a serious loss of credibility and governance. Long-term remedy has to b thought of. Further funding reqtuirements of these local bodies to b linked to payment of pending EB bills. Beyond a point should withhold even Salaries to the Top Govt secretaries ,like in private sector ,for non-payment of EBdues,Property tax or any other govt levies. For unpaid Motor accident compensation ,courts many times initiate distraint proceedings against Govt transport corporations.Something similar to b done for these unpaid dues. Or fast track privatization of EB distribution. 2 ) w.r.t media why not ask those who have PEP(Politically exposed Person/s) in their Boards, their relatives, those affiliated to parties &controlling their labour union,donating ,providing ads revenue more than 10% of income http:// etc.to show in small l...

1)  Fundamentally, we all go by our System 1  thinking - with  'perception  bias"," recency bias" and what not. All of us including the so-called Economists are basically Irrationalists. We are all very good critics and so we want to find all the wrong reasons to blame the Government at the Centre and Modi in particular. (E.g Some of the questions our analysts and researchers frame for fixing the blame for the pandemic deaths/distress in their families- Do you Blame Centre or State or your fate-sounds childish-no blame for China!!!) Those who want to blame Modi often confuse others  with Pandemic induced downturn with economic policies of the Govt  , which are bad according to them. So many of their arguments are based on their convenience and not based on any economics per se.Most of them will start by saying "Tea sellers do not know anything beyond Pakora", or "Demon led to all these economic downturns etc. with a sweeping judgmental tone". None...

 Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) is the economic alliance formed with China and other 14 countries primarily from Asia recently but including  non Asian countreis like australia, New Zealand. India was said to have entered into this economic pact and was negotiating for its membership, but withdrew later when it rightly found that this trade partnership would only benefit other countries but not its interests. Maybe in the long run India would have to enter this trade pact but certainly not at this time when China's hegemony is strangling many of the Asian and African countries. With many of the other Asian countries India already has a free trade pact except China. China is a net exporting country to India and therefore any free trade pact removing the tariff barriers would only directly and indirectly benefit China. Let us look at the specific pros and cons to RCEP: Pros 1)The purpose of RCEP was to make it easier for products and services,investments, int...

  The two major loved deities of the Hindu pantheon are Hanuman and Ganesha. Let us dwell into the concepts and significance of these two dieties. Ganesha, the son of Parvati and Shiv, is worshipped first before starting any new job or work. Even if you want to start writing or reading , you invoke the blessings of Lord Ganesha who goes under various names- Ganapathi, Vigneshwar, Vinayak, and  Pillayar in Tamilnadu. Ganesha Gayathri, Pancharatnam are some of the important Ganesha mantras and hymns. Adi Ganesha idol is in a Temple near Tiruvarur in Tamilnadu with a human face.The mythological story says that Shiv slew His head and then fixed the head of the animal that He saw first after this beheading of His son. Ganesha after that with the elephant head is worshipped as the wisdom god by Hindus. Why only Hindus. He is worshipped in Indonesia where He finds Himself in their currency notes. He is considered the destroyer of evil in Japan. In Mexico, Ganesha idols were said to h...

 "Data Piracy is threatening Data Privacy".Information security starts with the CIA Triad-sounds more like mafia and counter-espionage jargon- is the bedrock of the cybersecurity edifice.CIA stands for Confidentiality, Integrity and Availability encompassing the entire gamut of Information security. Consider the following examples and contemplate on these real-life threats faced by all of us: 1)TWITTER SAYS 130 ACCOUNTS WERE TARGETED IN A MAJOR CYBER ATTACK OF CELEBRITY ACCOUNTS TWO DAYS AGO SOURCE: BBC 17 JULY 20 2)MARRIOTT INTERNATIONAL NOTIFIES GUESTS OF PROPERTY SYSTEM INCIDENT SOURCE: HTTPS://NEWS.MARRIOTT.COM/NEWS/2020/03/31/MARRIOTT INTERNATIONAL NOTIFIES GUESTS OF PROPERTY SYSTEM INCIDENT 3)Computers containing data relating to national security and VVIPs like Prime Minister Narendra Modi were compromised in early September after a security breach at the NIC (National Informatics Centre), Delhi Police sources have said.The computers affected also stored data relating ...

  State pollution Control Boards have enormous powers and the absolute power corrupts absolutely. They can bar and mar a factory, a company etc by wielding their bureaucratic overreach, pelf and power or even by threatening to use them. Under Environmental rules drawn by Govt. to rid the environment of pollution, those in power misuse these provisions and line up their pockets. The typical case is that of a mid-level officer in Vellore recently caught by the State DVAC  who was found to be owning cash, jewellery, assets and landed properties to the tune of Rs100 cr.( link ) Pollution Control or management should be best left to experts and the bureaucrats should not be involved in this. The corporates should be under the surveillance and audit of third party experts certified by agencies like UNFCCC etc. The present system provides for nexus between Corporates and the bureaucrats or Corporates and the political class with bureaucrats at their beck and call or bureaucrats in ca...

 "Negotiations over a shrinking pie are especially difficult, because they require an allocation of losses" The above is from Daniel Kahnemann's magnum opus "Thinking, Fast and Slow". India is facing a shrinking pie situation with steep GDP contraction. Fiscal stimulus is imperative and it is expected on a yesterday war footing. Early birds and head-starts enhance hope and confidence which feed favourably into demand and investment.They also act as countercyclical to shrinking pie despondency. Credit boost is a temporary remedy to manufacturing machinery to kick start and keep up the production capacity. But it can work only up to a point, where the productivity and earnings should become sufficient to keep up with the plan of repayment of loans and borrowings. If the people in general do not foresee sufficient future income and employment, they may not turn out to buy things and assets.They cannot evergreen their loans like some corporates feeding only on liqui...