1) Issue complete set of new-designed notes
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has announced new-designed Rs 100 currency-notes under new series of smaller-sized currency-notes in different denominations being issued in phases with smaller-sized currency-notes of Rs 20 denomination in new design yet to be issued. Gradual issue of new-designed smaller-sized notes in different denominations in a phased manner at intervals requires frequent changes in ATMs, which costs heavily to banks. System should be to issue complete series of new currency-notes in all denominations simultaneously. Even now changes in ATMs to handle new smaller-sized currency-notes should be deferred till small-sized currency-notes in remaining Rs 20 denominations are also issued. It would have saved heavily if new-designed currency-notes in all denominations except of Rs 500 and 2,000 would have been issued simultaneously to avoid frequent changes in ATMs.
Since currency-notes in denominations of Rs 500, 200 and others are now plenty in circulation, RBI should stop printing currency-notes in Rs 2,000 denominations which were issued as interim emergency-situation following demonetisation of earlier currency-notes in denominations of Rs 1,000 and 500. It is a known fact that with currency-circulation now much higher than before demonetisation on November 8, 2016, currency-notes of Rs 2,000 are mainly misused for unaccounted transactions.
Moreover huge wastage of funds on printing Re 1 notes suddenly re-issued after a gap of two decades just for bureaucratic craze of getting their signature on notes should be avoided by immediate stopping their further printing. Since these Re 1 notes have not reached to general public even after more than three years of their issue on March 6, 2015, enquiry should be made and guilty ones exposed and punished for deciding re-issue of Re 1 notes which are still being sold at exorbitant premium multi-times the face-value. Existing stock of one-rupee notes should be sold by RBI as premium collector’s item in attractive plastic-packing like commemorative coin-sets.
– Madhu Agrawal
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2) We are becoming a mirror image of Pakistan
With Narendra Modi as the Prime Minister, India is on her way to becoming a Hindu Rashtra (Hindu nation). The killings of the Muslims across various States of the country seem to be the tipping point. No opposition party is willing to confront the monster that the Modi government has unleashed on the society. We are becoming a mirror image of Pakistan, and many Hindus seem too proud of this Hindu nation in the making.
– Jubel D’Cruz
3) BJP should accept RaGa’s offer
Instead of opposing for the sake of opposition, the ruling BJP should accept Rahul Gandhi’s offer without any hesitation for passing the Women Reservation Bill in the monsoon-session of the Parliament. Such strategical move will hit two birds with one shot. BJP will easily get passed long-pending Women-Reservation-Bill, which has always been supported by BJP, giving ruling party favour of the 50 per cent population automatically in the forthcoming Lok Sabha election. Simultaneously, Congress will be fighting its own allies like SP and RJD which are bitter-most opponents of Women Reservation Bill. Hesitating to reject Rahul Gandhi’s offer will give wrong signals of BJP being opponent of the Women Reservation Bill.
Political parties cry for reservation on man-made aspects like religion and cast evidently for vote-bank politics, but oppose reservation to women which still remain dominated section of society created by nature in our male-dominated political system. Even Islamic world including Pakistan and many other democratic countries have adopted Women Reservation in legislature. The Election Commission formula to make it compulsory for every political party to give at least 33 per cent party-tickets to women may be immediately enforced as an interim measure, till Indian women get their legitimate right for 33 per cent reservation in legislature. However, it should be ensured that such distribution may be state-wise rather than on country-basis. Otherwise parties will fulfil formality of women-quota by giving all tickets from reserved quota to women in states with no base of the concerned party. Moreover, to prevent wives or other relations being misused as proxy of male politicians, there should be a system whereby name or photo of husband or any other relation may not be permitted in election-campaigns of women candidates. At a time when women-quota in Panchayats and local bodies is being increased to 50 per cent from earlier 33 per cent, it is meaningless to resist 33 per cent reservation to women in legislature. Rather there should be uniform 33 per cent reservation for women at all stages from civic bodies to the Parliament.
– Subhash Chandra Agrawal
4) Monsoon Rains and Mountain Ranges
God has given a gift to the people of Mumbai and Pune to live near two hill towns Lonavla and Khandala. These places are lying in the Mumbai-Pune belt and people passing through the Expressway or the old route thoroughly enjoy the nature’s beauty in the best way possible. Expressway is a boon to the passengers to go to these places and enjoy the wee-end in the best way possible. Apart from this, there is a rail route which passes through the green mountains and gives the passengers a pleasant sight to watch. It is just a Heaven on Earth. The landscape and the valleys give a green look and very pleasant to the eyes. During cloudy rainy season, one can enjoy the scenic beauty with smoke surrounding these mountains from three sides.
The areas most prone to heavy and extremely heavy rainfall are close to Mumbai in Maharashtra. It was observed that rain on the “windward” side of cascaded mountains, the side of mountain ranges that are exposed to monsoon winds, is greater than that compared to isolated mountains. This is because of the barrier created by a cascaded mountain range restricts flow of clouds for a longer time, thus giving more time for rain formation. If the barrier is small, like an isolated mountain, the water droplets are carried away to the other side of the mountain and rain on windward side is less. Since Karnataka has a cascade mountain range in the Western Ghats.
Monsoon rains and Mountain ranges add colour to this enchanting route. Rain season is the best to enjoy the scenic beauty. The atmosphere is very clear and you can see the mountain ranges from a long distance very clearly. The green vegetation and the birds flying near the mountains is a scene to cherish. The fog/smog hit the mountains near Khandala and gives you the feeling that the cloud is at your grasp. Monsoon rains hit Lonavla/Khandala very heavily and the water flows through the bus and wiper doing its duty systematically. During heavy rains water flows from all parts of the mountains and it gather as one stream and we can see silver stream passing through at a distance from all the sides. The birds screaming give a musical sound. The journey of 90 minutes through Monsoon rains and Mountain ranges is really a thrill. One can visualise the magic moments and get a closer look of the nature.
– C.K. Subramaniam
(The views expressed by the author in the article are his/her own.)
