Loud Thinking

Archive for June, 2014

Mian Nawaz Sharif what are YOU doing for your subjects?

An eye opening TOI news published today, about the Indian PM that how much he is worried about his people’s welfare..!

Set up special courts to try hoarders, PM Narendra Modi tells states

NEW DELHI: Prime minister Narendra Modi on Thursday urged states to set up special courts for speedy trial of hoarders and black-marketers and stressed on the need for the Centre and states to launch coordinated efforts to deal with any possible adverse impact of weak monsoon rain.

The government has taken several steps in the past few weeks to tame inflation and Modi brainstormed with senior ministers, officials and weather office experts to review the progress of the monsoon and steps taken to contain price pressures.

Taming inflation has been identified as a top priority by the NDA government and it is keen to ensure that it does not remain a policy headache during its term. Recent data had shown a spike in inflation but the government has moved in swiftly to ensure it is contained.

Officials from the India Meteorological Department (IMD) apprised the PM of the monsoon situation. “They said though the monsoon has been delayed, rainfall is likely to improve substantially in the months of July and August,” said a statement from the prime minister’s office.

READ ALSO: Monsoon rains to improve after July 7, govt says

The ministry of Agriculture has prepared a contingency plan for more than 500 districts to deal with patchy rains. “Modi stressed on the need for both Centre and States to proactively mount a coordinated effort in implementing the advance action plan for the monsoon, with districts, rather than states, being the unit of planning,” the statement said.

The PM emphasized on ensuring adequate power and seed availability for the agricultural sector, and directed that NREGA be used to generate rural employment, if necessary.

The Modi administration has called for strict action against hoarders and black marketers. Hoarding has been identified as key factor for the sharp uptick in prices. States have a tardy record of arresting and prosecuting hoarders and the conviction rate is dismal. Government data showed that while 5,132 people were arrested for such acts in 2013 up to October, only 2,468 were prosecuted and the number of convicted was 966.

Besides sending a strong message to hoarders, the government has also taken a raft of measures to ensure availability of food items across the country. The Modi government imposed a minimum export price (MEP) of Rs 2,700 ($ 450) per tonne for potato on Thursday to keep a check on exports. Annually, around 1-2 lakh tonnes of potatoes are exported from the country.

Food and consumer affairs minister Ram Vilas Paswan reiterated the government’s resolve to fight against hoarders. “It’s only because of speculation prices are rising despite we have huge food stock, potato and onion,” he added.

Official said the government will ensure stable supplies of onions and potatoes in the market.

“This will ensure that there is enough availability of the two main kitchen items in the domestic market. As such Delhi has been flooded with onion and prices have stabilized. We have to keep a close watch on onions in July when the supply at mandis reduces significantly,” consumer affairs secretary Keshav Desiraju said.

Within hours after Modi held a detailed review of the monsoon and food inflation progress, the Cabinet secretary Ajit Seth decided to hold a review meeting of Committee of Secretaries on Friday on the government’s preparedness in case of a deficient monsoon.

The government is also stepping up its vigil with the Cabinet secretary reviewing the price and monsoon situation every fortnight against the earlier practice of a monthly meeting. While Central Water Commission has asked states to prepare their crop plan keeping in mind the water stored, the drinking water and sanitation ministry has asked states to submit detailed contingency plans including identifying new bore wells and open wells, high yielding agricultural bore wells for hiring and possibility of transporting water through special trains to areas which may be affected due to scanty rains.

States have also been asked to prepare adequate plans with route maps to supply safe drinking water through tankers for vulnerable villages. The PM also reviewed the position of water reservoirs and fodder stock. He urged that maximum possible use be made of the existing water resources, and best practices in rainwater harvesting.

“I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples.”

― Mother Teresa

Indian PM’s advice to his Members of the Parliament

Every MP should take help of their staff and younger family members to become more tech savvy. At least they should have a presence on Twitter to start with.

“Knowledge comes, but wisdom lingers. It may not be difficult to store up in the mind a vast quantity of facts within a comparatively short time, but the ability to form judgments requires the severe discipline of hard work and the tempering heat of experience and maturity.”

— Calvin Coolidge

“There is no exercise better for the heart than reaching down and lifting people up.”

—John Holmes

Unbelievable Unbelievable Unbelievable..!

Can someone explain the reason for the 17 June massacre of Model Town Lahore, because the excuse given by the provincial PMLN government and the Police was that they wanted to remove the barriers, which incidentally have now been placed again.

So, it seems that the innocent peoples genocide was just for the sake of
fun???

میں کس کے ہاھۃ پے اپنا لہو تلاش کروں

This country has now become a nation of the elite, for the elite and by the elite, which is confirmed by the appointment of ARSALAN Iftikhar as VC BOI Balouchistan.

Cut Down on Errors and Improve Quality

Today’s customers have myriad outlets to air grievances about poor service or faulty products. And because cycle times in most industries have shrunk, the likelihood of errors has increased. To prevent problems, concern for quality needs to be embedded in the company culture. Doing this requires clear communication at every level.
Executives need to emphasize quality’s importance when evaluating employees and announcing new initiatives.
Managers should regularly discuss processes to improve quality with their teams.
Employees need to be encouraged to hold one another accountable, and feel comfortable raising concerns about quality violations.

Adapted by HBR from “ Creating a Culture of Quality” by Ashwin Srinivasan and Bryan Kurey.

Few suggestions to all the provincial and local district governments in Pakistan.

In our country the advent of holy month of Ramzan has become synonymous with sudden price hikes of each and every item of daily use.

As such, it is necessary that a campaign in collaboration with government and public must be launched to control the menace of Ramzan price hike, as explained below.

1. All the provincial and district governments must ensure that the government approved rate lists of each and every item, must be BOLDLY and PROMINENTLY displayed at each and every shop, Khokha and Rehri; and must also be advertised daily in the media.

Although, this will NOT completely eliminate the overcharging and extra profiteering by the sellers; yet, it will be a big deterrent and relief in over charging and to a large extent, will also be very effective against the hoarders, as well. Basically, the hoarders are responsible for the Ramzan price hikes.

2. Moreover, telephone numbers of the concerned officials of the district administration, should also be printed on the price lists, in bold font, for the public to register their complaints for swift action, against the sellers who are found to be overcharging, during the Holy month of Ramzan.

3. Further, a public volunteers team should also be formed, to assist the local administration, in enforcing sale of items on government’s fixed rates.

4. Moreover, to instil fear of law into the hearts of the overcharging persons, such unscrupulous persons, must immediately be jailed (without bail) for 30 days, after same day court trials.

5. In this regard, All MNA’s, MPA’s, retired government servants of grade 20 and above and ALL serving government servants of grade 17 and above, should be vested with the powers of the 1st Class magistrate to speed up the same day trial process.

My letter (though badly edited) published by the daily “The News” today.

Newspost

Ramazan lists

Thursday, June 26, 2014
From Print Edition

New 0 0 0

This Ramazan, all the provincial and district governments must ensure that the government approved rate lists of each and every item, must be prominently displayed at each and every shop and must also be advertised daily in the media.

Although, this will not completely eliminate the overcharging and extra profiteering by the sellers, it will at least be a relief and to a large extent will also be very effective against hoarders who are responsible for the Ramazan price hikes. Moreover, telephone numbers of the concerned officials of the district administration should also be printed on the price lists, in bold font, for the public to register their complaints for swift action against sellers found to be overcharging during Ramazan. A public team should also be formed to assist the local administration in enforcing sale of items on government’s fixed rates.

Syed Nayyar Uddin Ahmad

Lahore