Mumbai

Mumbai is undoubtly the most popular metropolis of India. Apart from the title of 'Financial capital', Mumbai boosts of the biggest stock exchanges (BSE, NSE), house to Bollywood stars, Night life, safety of women, Sea Link, Skyscrapers among the majors in fascinating list. Not to forget, links to the underworld, smuggling, mafia and flesh trading. Dont be surprised to find posh colony, with sophisticated people staying in high end area adjancent to slum hutments. Largest slum of Asia, 'Dharavi' is in Greater Mumbai, in popluar lingo called Town Side. More than 50 % of Mumbai's 1.5 Crore population live in slums. Slums have families living in most unhygenic conditions in a 10" x 10" size hut. Also famous for local trains which run almost 20 hours a day. Just stand at any Subarban local railway station on a monday morning at 9 AM, you will witness a war like situation with people fighting to get inside the already more than crowded train compartments or on top of them. By the way, local trains are most outdated urban mass transport system existing. A long list to talk about this city, also known as 'Maximum city'. Mumbai is full of paradoxes. People have very low wages as compared to other metroplis of World, but 3rd Costliest city in Property prices. In some areas, rates are as high as Rs. 85,000 for just one sqaure feet $ 2000 for 1 sqaure feet space. A very vast coastline, but uglist public beaches. Most outdated mass public transport sytems, and also the highest number of luxury sedans. One of the Lowest standard of living as compared to other Cities of the World, and also some of the richiest people of the World reside in this subcontinents most happening place. Mumbai provides more than 1/3rd of the taxes that Governent collects and has a growing population which will soon become more than Australia or whole of Scandinavia. Yet the city doesn't get sufficient attention from the Government and is fighting for basic needs of good transport system, roads, sewage disposal, drinking water and electrcity.

Mumbai remains 'Sapno ka sehar' and will remain for a long time to come. Mumbai is face of emerging India. Times Magazine writes 'Mumbai is shaping India's future -- and the future of the World'. Give Mumbai another 12 - 15 years time, it will be difficult to recognize it. 3 huge Metro projects, another sea-link from Bandra to Versova, sky walks to major rail stations, tourism booster structures creation and upgradation, Slum rehaitalisation, and a lot more on way. With positive political will, it should not take more than 12-15 years for Mumbai to get a proper make over.

THE NEW INDIAN ORDER!!!!

Its been a long time. In my last post, I was too worried about the elections and the profile of the parties contesting - Congress led, BJP led and 3rd Front. After the election verdict I am happy that there is a Cong led stable Government at the center.

The Indian people have voted for stability, for growth, for prosperity, for better future. Its time for a NEW INDIAN ORDER. This "New Indian order" will lead to a more prosperous and powerful nation state. For that to happen, Religious hatred, regional hatred and caste based segmentation (leading to more and more complexities and caste based riots) should be rooted out. Well for that we need to have a more mature society. This may take several Decades and can only be accelerated to some extent by better education to masses and improved economic conditions.

There are lot of expectations from Govt. "New Indian order", is not possible without political will of our national leaders. We are plagued by poor infrastructure, miserable health care facilities, poverty, disastrous educational system, etc etc. "New Indian order" is not another marketing or branding stuff like "India shinning", its real and something we can achieve. Its not coined by any political party or media house. Its a dream of every fellow Indian.

The road ahead is full of obstacles, most of them created by ourselves. Some of the things necessary for the "New Indian order" are -

1) Inclusive growth in true sense

2) Power - Not just to Industry but to every household, to even the most interior village. Not just adding power generation capacity by traditional means but also monitoring fraud and theft of power. Not to forget, Nuclear power generation capacity building.

3) Drinking Water - people are worried of Oil shortage crisis. Lakhs still don't have adequate drinking water. In many villages still people have to travel miles to gather few buckets of water. This should be a major concern when the Cong party talks of inclusive growth. Need of the day - Capacity building, water conservation, rain water harvesting, pipe connections network expansion.

4) Roads - Road network expansion has already been identified by Kamal Nath. He has promised a 20 Km per day road addition for the next 5 years. He is setting a new company to manage funds for this purpose - Road Finance Corporation. Lets hope this promise is fulfilled.

5) Education - Structural changes needed. Standard of Indian universities is too low. Just setting up more IIT's and IIM's will not make much difference. The structure, right from primary education to higher education needs a serious revamp. Lets hope Kapil Sibal gets over reservations issue in educational institutes and does some real constructive work. Shortage of quality faculties another issue as far as higher education is concerned.

6) Urban Development - You simply can't have cities with more than a crore population and negligible facilities. Metro rail network, Slum rehabilitation, traffic conditions improvements ........ a long list. We can't talk of shanghai anytime soon.

7) Controlling Rising Food Prices - Forget talks of zero inflation. Look at food prices. If the rise in food prices is not arrested urgently, millions won't get to eat a balanced or even a moderately adequate nutritious diet.

8) Legal System - make the elephant run or it will ruins many lives.

9) Mobile & Internet - Stimulate internet penetration. Get 3G soon. Improve network quality.

10) More FDI, Lower budget defecit, Divestment, .....
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.... A very long TO-DO list for Manmohan Govt.

But i feel "New Indian Order" has began. How far can we go and how fast can we go? Can we become an economic behemoth anytime soon? Or will we be dissapointed again?

Kisko vote Karein???

WHO DO I VOTE FOR?????? BJP or Congress or 3rd front??

BJP's PM candidate is 81 year old L K Advani. Well all know about this person and his role in Babri Masjid demolition. His recent internet publicity campaign talks about great things he will do for this nation. But do we want to grow under the leadership of a person who will create hatred between communities? Certainly not. We are capable of growing without the help of this old man

Congress.....MNS created a havoc in the financial capital of the country. Regional hate campaign of a new found MNS...Cong could not stop that, forget the prevention of terrorist attacks of 26/11. Vote bank politics of Congress lead reservations in reputed institutes of India and a threatening to private sector too..what a shame!!!!

3rd Front.....The WORST SCENARIO for the country....With only railways in Lalu's hands, most of the new trains lead you to Bihar, imagine what a bunch of regional parties will do to development of India as a whole??? Each will act selfish and work for improvement of their own state leaving National growth to chance. Also left parties will RED TAPE the economic growth of the country.

WHO DO I VOTE FOR????? BJP or Congress or 3rd Front??

Bloodbath nearing an end??????

I am writing this post minutes after the historic moment of Obama swearing ceremony. While to millions in USA and World, Obama has become a symbol of hope and optimism, but is the economic bloodbath nearing an end?????

Liquidity has vanished. RBS, Citi, UBS, Deutsche bank have all reported billions of losses in their quaterly results. Oil prices have fallen below $35 per barrel. There seems to be no hope from anywhere. Stock markets have failed to recover even after repeated stimulus and bailouts. Unemployement is soaring high not only in USA and UK, but many parts of the world including developing world.

But some analystes say worst will be over in next few months and economy will pick up in 2nd half of 2009. The logic being, the effects of the stimulus and bailout package will take time to show results. Plus investors are sitting on 70 % cash in USA which is all time high. Whenever stock markets have crashed in USA and cash pile of investors turned 55 - 60 %, there has been a rapid recovery. This time cash pile is 70 %, suggesting a revival in the capital markets in the USA. US capital market revival will give encouragement to capital markets elsewhere including India. A boom in capital markets means more IPO/FPO's resulting in easing of cash worries for most of the firms as money can then be raised through capital markets. Underwriting Investment Bankers will benefit and brokrage firms will benefit with the boom in capital markets. Effects will propagate and positive turnaround may be seen by the end of 2010.

Given Obama power to USA and World, things may change.