Narendra Modi vs the Dynasty: Contrasting Ideas of India

SaiK · Post by **SaiK** » 02 Dec 2013 02:29

http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/lead/an ... epage=true
The Indian financial system suffers from a hangover of cronyism and corruption that have brought the government budgets on the verge of bankruptcy

Setting a 2020 Perspective Economic Agenda for India requires clarity about the framework within which economic policy choices have to be made. There is a wide global consensus today that democracy and competitive market economy provide that framework. Democracy is a system of governance by consent of the people. Democracy has become the trend, the accepted system of government globally, and it is spreading worldwide.

Furthermore, devolved democracies better manage contradictions and conflicts arising out of a heterogeneous society and provide effective feedback through an independent press to enable corrective action by the government. It empowers people to question the authorities and make them accountable in an election.

Moreover, the comparative economic results in East and West Germany, North and South Korea, China before reform and China now, have conclusively proved that a competitive market system driven by incentives is superior to a coercive, state-controlled system, and that transparent democracy is a better system of governance than a closed dictatorship.

With the disintegration of the USSR into 16 countries in 1991, the comparative economic development theory has changed its focus from a study of alternative systems to alternative governance models of democracy, market system and globalisation, that is, change of focus from dictatorship vs. democracy, and state ownership vs. competitive market, to harmonising freedom and choice, with regulation, and how much public sector and how much private, and how the emancipating and enabling power of democracy is to be balanced with the development of a profit-driven and competitive efficient market — what regulatory democratic institutions must do to promote the efficient allocation of resources with good, transparent and accountable governance.

Governance norms, if properly enforced, can enable India to grow at 12 per cent a year by efficiently using the current 36 per cent rate of investment — by reducing the current incremental capital output ratio from 4.0 to 3.0. This implies a 36 divided by 3 per cent growth rate in GDP, or 12 per cent a year, which will mean a doubling of GDP every 72 divided by 12 years, or just six years, and that of per capita income doubling every seven years. This growth rate can take us to the league of the top three nations of the world, of the U.S., China and India, by 2020 and help overtake China in the next two decades thence. That should be the goal of governance for us today.

India is not yet an economically developed nation. While it has demonstrated prowess in IT software, biotech and pharmaceuticals, accelerated its growth rate to 9 per cent a year to become the third largest nation in terms of GDP at PPP rates, it still has a backward agricultural sector hosting 62 per cent of the people of India. Farmers are committing suicide unable to repay their loans, the national unemployment rate is over 15 per cent of the adult labour force, and there is prevalence of child labour arising out of nearly 50 per cent of the children not making it to school beyond the fifth standard. The country has a deeply malfunctioning primary and secondary educational system, 300 million illiterates and 250 million people in dire poverty. India’s infrastructure is pathetic, with frequent electric power breakdowns even in metropolitan cities, dangerously unhealthy water supply in urban areas, galloping HIV infections, and gaping holes on the National Highways.

To become a developed country, India’s GDP will have to grow at 12 per cent a year for at least a decade. Technically this is within India’s reach, since it would require the rate of investment to rise from the present 28 per cent of GDP to 36 per cent while productivity growth will have to ensure that the incremental output — capital ratio declines from the present 4.0 to 3.0. These are modest goals that can be attained by increased FDI and by use of IT software in domestic industry.

Need for more reforms

But for that to happen, more vigorous market-centric economic reforms to dismantle the vestiges of the Soviet model in Indian planning, especially at the provincial level, are required. The Indian financial system also suffers from a hangover of cronyism and corruption that have brought government budgets to the verge of bankruptcy. This too needs fixing.

India’s infrastructure requires about $150 billion to make it world-class, while the education system needs 6 per cent of GDP instead of 2.8 per cent today. But an open competitive market system can find these resources, provided the quality of governance and accountability is improved. Obviously, a second generation of reforms is necessary for all this.

But reforms are urgently required to be carried out to accelerate India’s growth rate to 12 per cent a year. India has many advantages today for achieving a booming economy: a demographic dividend, an agriculture that has internationally the lowest yield in land and livestock-based products, and also at the lowest cost of production, a full 12 months a year of farm-friendly weather, a highly competitive skilled labour force and low wage rates at the national level, the advantages of which have already been proved to the world by the outsourcing phenomenon. We have a young population (average is 28 years compared to the 38 years of the U.S., and Japan’s 49 years) that can be the base for it by ushering in innovation in our production process.

Since the worldview of economic development has now completely changed, economic development is no more thought of as capital-driven but as knowledge-driven. For application of knowledge, we need innovations. This means more original research, which needs more fresh young minds— the cream of the youth — to be imbued with learning and placed at the frontier of research.

Instead, for decades since Independence we had been told that India’s demography was its main liability, that India’s population was growing too fast, and what India needed most was to control its population, even if by coercive methods.

Globally, India today leads in the supply of youth — persons in the age group of 15 to 35 years — and this lead will last for another 40 years. We should not, therefore, squander this “natural resource”. We must, by a proper policy for the young, realise and harvest this demographic potential.

China is the second largest world leader in having a young population today. But the youth population in that country will start shrinking from 2015, because of the lagged effect of the one-child policy. Japanese and European total populations are already fast ageing, and will start declining in absolute numbers from 2013. The U.S. will, however, hold a steady trend thanks to a liberal policy of immigration, especially from Mexico and the Philippines. But even then the U.S. will have a demographic shortage in skilled personnel. All developed countries will experience a demographic deficit. India will not, if we empower our youth with multiple intelligence. Our past liability, by a fortuitous turn of fate, has become our potential asset.

Thus, India has now become, by unintended consequences, gifted with a young population. If we educate this youth to develop cognitive intelligence to become original thinkers, imbibe emotional intelligence to develop team spirit and a rational risk-taking attitude, inculcate moral intelligence to blend personal ambition with national goals, cultivate social intelligence to defend the rights of the weak, gender equality, the courage to fight injustice, and the spiritual intelligence to tap into the cosmic energy (Brahmand) that surrounds the earth, then we can develop a superior species of human being, an Indian youth who can be relied on to contribute to make India a global power within two decades. Only then, our demographic dividend will not be wasted. This has to be the core of the economic agenda for a new government in 2014.

(The writer is a former Cabinet Minister of Commerce)

Gus · Post by **Gus** » 02 Dec 2013 02:56

RajeshA wrote: This is funny! If Gujarat police can do surveillance of anybody within Gujarat and not outside, the question do they have the capability to do surveillance outside. If that is possible only if the person from outside is calling some party in Gujarat, then the surveillance is still "allowed" as the other party is in Gujarat, and the surveillance can be considered as being of the party that is being called in Gujarat.

also - i wonder how they tapped the person when said person was in another state - without the approval of local state govt, and if that be the case, then they too are 'guilty' if this thing is indeed illegal.

SaiK · Post by **SaiK** » 02 Dec 2013 03:30

like I said earlier, the cobrapost is the link to screw these scums.. if there was a snoop, there exists also a snoop on the alleged snooper. so, this is a counter snoop issue.

SaiK · Post by **SaiK** » 02 Dec 2013 04:33

unique I haven't heard so far.. from modi!

KLNMurthy · Post by **KLNMurthy** » 02 Dec 2013 04:49

KJoishy wrote: IMO, it was a sterling speech!

It was good that Kashmir Pandits were not mentioned. Issues which comprise of historical injustices against Hindus, be it Ram Janam Bhoomi Devalaya, Krishna Janam Bhjoomi Devalaya, Kashi Vishvanath Devalaya, or Kashmiri Pandits, these should not be made into electoral issues or an object of wailing and complaining. Wailing and Complaining is what weak people do and after some time wailing and complaining takes a life of its own, and people start doing it per forma.

Resolution of these issues has to flow out of brute political strength.

I am okay with it if he did not mention Pandits. This is not the time for chest puffing and talking smack. He has to be very careful what he says. The ONLY goal has to be to win. You cannot win if you talk about Ayodhya, Mathura etc etc because he will get dragged into that and give an opening to Congress.

I have enough confidence in Modiji that he will look into the issue of the KPs once he gets into power. As for now, I trust in him to do what is needed to get to power.

KP issue is not a Hindu vs Muslim partisan issue at all. It is a matter of human rights, fighting against bigotry, ethnic cleansing and for justice. It is disappointing if BJP / Modi cannot grow beyond Hindu vs Muslim and take on the issue on its own merits. Same goes for BRF IMO. "Wailing and complaining?" "Talking smack?" Really? How much more indifference can we show about fundamental human values? The fact that hypocrites have degraded the issue by giving it lip service doesn't change the fact that this is a very fundamental issue of humanity and human values. Should fighting for such values be a matter of just sneaking in a law or change once "our" man somehow gets into office? We already have a party and government that is completely indifferent to values and talks with the same contempt about them. Why do need another one with different initials?

KLNMurthy · Post by **KLNMurthy** » 02 Dec 2013 04:55

KJoishy wrote:
RoyG wrote:She is a snake for sure. She destroyed our artillery capability in one swoop. Honestly, she is just too toxic to touch. It will look bad if BJP inducts her.
I agree, it is too soon. From dissing Modi a few days/weeks ago, why should Modi welcome her?

This type of moving hollow elite chess pieces around has been tried for so long and is proved to be a complete failure. If somehow Renuka Chaudhary had a change of heart about BJP and Modi and wants to join, let her face the public and explain what changed her mind and how and convince the public. If she doesn't have the character or verbal skills to articulate this (which in my judgment she doesn't) then there is no need for such an inferior creature on "our' side.

sudarshan · Post by **sudarshan** » 02 Dec 2013 05:35

^^^ Is the news confirmed, or just a rumour? IOW, are we busy destroying strawmen, or what?

krisna · Post by **krisna** » 02 Dec 2013 05:45

from the Jammu speech from what I heard with my elemnetary knowledge of Hindi-
1) dissed article 370 indirectly- said congis dont even follow Pandit Nehru footsteps- he said the article 370 was only for some time not forever- Now congis dont even follow him.saparate state has made it into a separatist state. we have to chnage it to a super state.
2) talked about discrimination of ladies in J&K due to separate laws.
3) talked about India from kashmir to kanyakumari and from attock to cuttack- there should be equality etc.

Lot more he said in his speech- tore into Omar and other parties interested in making J&K a beggar state and demaning the localites, indierctly blaming the sepaarte laws of the state.
he weaved a lot of local history and problems into his speech also which endeared to the crowd.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

he has been fantastic invoking of past congis leaders and rubbishing the present ones.

Here he took the name of Pandit Nehru and dissed the present ones in not following him.
He took out Sardar Patel from congis in anothe rspeech.
He took out Ambedkar in Delhi from congis.
He Took out PVN from congis.
He is only isolating Nehru parivar by not naming them.
The ordinary folks are slowly but surely knowing these.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
The congis high command is shell shocked not knowing how to respond other than making crude and haphazard remarks in paid media. other thing is trying to make terrorists target NaMo.
Quite a few have said about these aspect.

krisna · Post by **krisna** » 02 Dec 2013 05:46

^^^^
twitted-
sickular parties loot India, NaMo loots sickular leaders.LOL

Muppalla · Post by **Muppalla** » 02 Dec 2013 05:51

krisna wrote:from the Jammu speech from what I heard with my elemnetary knowledge of Hindi-
1) dissed article 370 indirectly- said congis dont even follow Pandit Nehru footsteps- he said the article 370 was only for some time not forever- Now congis dont even follow him.saparate state has made it into a separatist state. we have to chnage it to a super state.
2) talked about discrimination of ladies in J&K due to separate laws.
3) talked about India from kashmir to kanyakumari and from attock to cuttack- there should be equality etc.

Lot more he said in his speech- tore into Omar and other parties interested in making J&K a beggar state and demaning the localites, indierctly blaming the sepaarte laws of the state.
he weaved a lot of local history and problems into his speech also which endeared to the crowd.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

he has been fantastic invoking of past congis leaders and rubbishing the present ones.

Here he took the name of Pandit Nehru and dissed the present ones in not following him.
He took out Sardar Patel from congis in anothe rspeech.
He took out Ambedkar in Delhi from congis.
He Took out PVN from congis.
He is only isolating Nehru parivar by not naming them.
The ordinary folks are slowly but surely knowing these.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
The congis high command is shell shocked not knowing how to respond other than making crude and haphazard remarks in paid media. other thing is trying to make terrorists target NaMo.
Quite a few have said about these aspect.

This post is a keeper.

sudarshan · Post by **sudarshan** » 02 Dec 2013 05:56

When and where did he take out PVN from congis? Excellent move, if so. Next should be LBS (Lal Bahadur Shastri).

krisna · Post by **krisna** » 02 Dec 2013 05:59

^^^^
he has dissed the combo of MMS and PC in economics by comparing to ABV and PVN. he said these were not economists but ordinary Indians who have the feel of Indianness etc in one of his speeches.
( not exactly able to say it in Hindi)

Muppalla · Post by **Muppalla** » 02 Dec 2013 06:02

"Cyber-Hindus" - India's new breed of political activists

NEW DELHI/BANGALORE: Four men chatting in a Delhi bar are not, by their own admission, natural drinking buddies.

The young professionals in their 20s and 30s come from vastly different regions of India and varied backgrounds.

They first "met" on Twitter, spotting each other on the micro-blogging site where they voiced a common desire - to see Narendra Modi become the next prime minister.

After online introductions, they met face-to-face on their own initiative, and, finding they had plenty in common, gather monthly in the nation's capital to talk about life, work, and, most importantly, how to make a difference in India's upcoming election. The men insisted they paid for their own expenses, and only one of them was associated with Modi's party.

Tiny cells of friends like this one are being created up and down the country, they say - a rare instance of India's politically apathetic urban middle class getting drawn into activism. Many come together of their own volition, others with a nudge from Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

It's another arrow in his quiver ahead of a general election that must be held within six months, and opinion polls are already predicting he and the BJP will win more seats than the ruling Congress party.

The young pro-Modi activists are being dubbed "cyber-Hindus". When online, they spread Modi's message, counter newspaper criticism of him and question reporters' integrity, or mock the Gandhi dynasty that runs the Congress party and has dominated politics since independence.

At party rallies, where the more traditional cadres are also at hand, the tech-savvy volunteers tweet, or produce live-streaming of speeches.

"I think he (Modi) has proven himself," says Nitin Kashyap, a financial services executive who took a six-month sabbatical from work to volunteer for the campaign.

"This guy has done something which should have been done in India a long, long time ago," adds the 34-year-old from a small town in the state of Assam in India's far northeast.

The brand consultant sitting next to him, who gives only his Twitter handle @Keshar_ because he is concerned his political views could affect his business, calls Modi a "uniting force".

"That guy has worked his way up from being a tea boy to becoming an aspiring prime minister of India," he says of Modi, who has played on his humble roots during a gruelling pre-election tour of the country that has electrified Indian politics in the last 10 weeks.

"That's a big deal for the country. He's relating to an IT guy, he's relating to somebody in the desert, somebody up north in the hills, everybody."

While the numbers of these cyber-Hindus are a drop in the ocean of an electorate of 770 million, tech-savvy activists believe that, with the aid of social media, they can mobilise millions of like-minded Indians to vote for Modi and the BJP in the elections.

The BJP even appears to be making inroads into the poor rural vote and that of an emerging middle class living in small towns, even though both groups benefit from Congress handouts to farmers - underlining how Modi's pro-business credentials are striking a chord.

RISE OF TECHNOLOGY

The rise of the cyber-Hindus marks a shift for the BJP and for Indian politics as a whole.

The party has long been associated with its ideological parent, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), a voluntary group that preaches "Hindutva".

Clad in baggy khaki shorts, RSS members still meet in parks across India to salute, exercise, sing patriotic songs and discuss the greatness of their nation.

But now, the BJP's message comes increasingly from a swell of aspirational, Indians angry about endemic corruption they blame on Congress and eager to protect the rights of a Hindu majority.

Modi, who joined the RSS as a teenager, flits between both worlds. Since 2001, he has been chief minister of the western state of Gujarat, where he touts an economic success story he wants to apply to India to lift it from economic torpor.

India's 1.2 billion people are mostly Hindu with Muslims a 14 per cent minority. Sikhs, Christians and Buddhists make up the rest.

In a Reuters interview, Modi called himself "techno-savvy". He has nearly three million Twitter followers, and addressed four rallies at a time using holographic technology last year.

Congress, meanwhile, has been slow to develop a cyber strategy, amid disagreement among senior figures about how much impact it will have on the election outcome.

Modi sees technology as a particularly good way of connecting with India's burgeoning youth - there are expected to be more than 150 million first-time voters in 2014. The percentage of the population using the internet has jumped from around 0.5 per cent in 2000 to 12.5 percent in 2012, according to the International Telecommunication Union.

"Technology is our DNA," says Arvind Gupta, the head of Modi's Delhi-based IT cell. He sees social media as a way both to tell and to listen, or, as he calls it, "a two-way street."

At Gupta's state-of-the-art IT operation, a team of young volunteers works at computers to spread the BJP message, knock down negative articles or comments and delve into corruption scandals that could taint opponents. At huge Modi rallies across India, local IT outfits numbering up to 100 volunteers also stream speeches live and tweet and blog words and images.

"It's not hype - he has a proven track record," said Anil Chalageri, 33, as he helped livestream Modi's November rally in Bangalore, where he addressed a crowd of some 300,000 people.

"They want to see Gujarat across the nation," said the founder of QualiBrisk, a human resources firm.

VOTES, NOT TWEETS

Back in the Delhi bar, Kashyap and his friends see social media as a means of empowerment - getting their message to hundreds, if not thousands of people.

What they want, they say, is real change.

"I feel a responsibility on my shoulders," says Ankit Jain, a 26-year-old diamond dealer with some 8,600 Twitter followers.

"Twitter will not change anything. Voter registration is very important. Every vote counts."

Shreshtha Sharma, the fourth member of the group and founder of a software development company, shares his friends' excitement about Modi, whose popularity among young Indians borders on a personality cult.

But he is reluctant to predict outright victory for the BJP, which needs to make huge gains from 2009 to prevail in 2014.

"That will depend on whether this generation has obtained the critical mass," says the 28-year-old. "But the generation after us, they will be able to shift it. If Modi isn't able to do it now, then he will definitely be able to do it later on."

ramana · Post by **ramana** » 02 Dec 2013 06:31

Thats how BRF members have met the world over.And some are changing it in heir own way!

abhik · Post by **abhik** » 02 Dec 2013 07:24

krisna wrote: --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
he has been fantastic invoking of past congis leaders and rubbishing the present ones.

Here he took the name of Pandit Nehru and dissed the present ones in not following him.
He took out Sardar Patel from congis in anothe rspeech.
He took out Ambedkar in Delhi from congis.
He Took out PVN from congis.
He is only isolating Nehru parivar by not naming them.
The ordinary folks are slowly but surely knowing these.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Most importantly MKG and his wish to to break up the congress.

Prem · Post by **Prem** » 02 Dec 2013 07:26

A new caste is coming up, Incorpotrating and consolidating all Varnas in One. Its called Cyber Snatani or Internet Hindus.

SwamyG · Post by **SwamyG** » 02 Dec 2013 07:33

Hari Seldon wrote:
SwamyG wrote:I did not see/hear the Jammu speech, reading the highlights makes me believe it to be sterling speech. How was it ?
It was OK. Nothing earth-shaking. Could've been hajaar better. IMHO. Only.

Well Article 370 is making news. He is setting the talking points for the media/elite. That is big.

SaiK · Post by **SaiK** » 02 Dec 2013 07:35

backward or forward? quota?

Hari Seldon · Post by **Hari Seldon** » 02 Dec 2013 07:39

SaiK wrote:backward or forward? quota?

General quota saar... (as opposed to sepoy quota)

sum · Post by **sum** » 02 Dec 2013 08:38

Delhi: At Rahul Gandhi’s low turn-out rally venue, full house for Modi

It was full house at the rally of BJP Prime Ministerial candidate Narendra Modi on Sunday in stark contrast to the one addressed by Rahul Gandhi held over a fortnight ago at the same venue as well as on a Sunday. While the Congress Vice President’s rally held at Dakshinpuri area in South Delhi on November 17 witnessed a poor turnout, thousands of people gathered to hear Modi address his last rally in Delhi before the Assembly elections.

Modi’s 35-minute address was interspersed with people chanting “Modi, Modi”. The excitement of people was so palpable that they got restless when former BJP President and Delhi in-charge Nitin Gadkari took a little long to end his address, the crowd forced him to cut short his speech as they started shouting Modi’s name until he came to address the gathering. The capacity of the venue is around 12,000, but only a little over 6,000 people had attended Rahul’s rally. The venue today was not only full to its capacity, but also hundreds of people had gathered outside the venue. Senior BJP leaders apologised to the crowd saying they could not allow more people inside which was in contrast to Rahul’s rally when Delhi Chief Minster Sheila Dikshit had to request the people to sit down and listen to Gandhi’s speech.

ramana · Post by **ramana** » 02 Dec 2013 08:44

So in the run up to the four state elections where are the famous stalwarts of BJP who were doing thier best to prevent anointing Modi?

ashashi · Post by **ashashi** » 02 Dec 2013 08:46

Hari Seldon wrote:
SwamyG wrote:I did not see/hear the Jammu speech, reading the highlights makes me believe it to be sterling speech. How was it ?
It was OK. Nothing earth-shaking. Could've been hajaar better. IMHO. Only.

It is an historic speech. He was the first national politician to talk about issues like Article 370, Women's rights in J&K, discrimination against gujars, shias etc. He also took on the separatists without invoking their religious belief systems or linking them to terrorists. Masterfully done.

Shanmukh · Post by **Shanmukh** » 02 Dec 2013 08:49

ramana wrote:So in the run up to the four state elections where are the famous stalwarts of BJP who were doing thier best to prevent anointing Modi?

SS is actually doing her best in Delhi, and is addressing a bunch of gatherings. Venkaiah and AK - I doubt they even speak Hindi, so they are actually useless in the four Hindi speaking states. I think even AJ is campaigning hard for the BJP in Delhi.

Dipanker · Post by **Dipanker** » 02 Dec 2013 08:53

Who writes the speech for Modi? It seems there is always one or two factual errors in his speech. He should have them reread and checked for facts before Modi delivers them. Otherwise these minor errors could start to add up and have a negative impact.

Arjun · Post by **Arjun** » 02 Dec 2013 08:58

Dipanker wrote: It seems there is always one or two factual errors in his speech. He should have them reread and checked for facts before Modi delivers them. Otherwise these minor errors could start to add up and have a negative impact.

Like which ones ? I have come across only one genuine error so far, the one relating to China Education spend. Even that is disputed as a goofup by Harbansji. Which are the other goofups ? Minor slips of the tongue should not count....

SwamyG · Post by **SwamyG** » 02 Dec 2013 09:33

Vipin_Upadhyay wrote:One of the best speech of NaMo today and truth is I have heard almost all NaMo speeches, but this one was different. The passion, the restlessness for J&K was visible!!
NaMo is in the league of his own. He is without peer.

har har NaMo, Ghar Ghar NaMo

I just finished watching the J&K speech, and man it was awesome. Moi not being from J&K, thought he hit the issues very well. He fanned the aspirations and hope of people. He brought in Women rights, State economy, Corruption, Film Institute, IIT, IIM, discrimination of people, Article 370, China, Employment, Tourism -general and religious, Separate State vs Super State, Integration vs Separation, Congress dealing of the State - attempt to keep it a beggar state.

I think he covered so many items unique to J&K and its people's aspirations. Could he have covered more? Possibly. But he did not have waste any time, he did not repeat ideas from his previous speech - this was no stump speech. It was fine tuned and specific to J&K.

It was perfect, it should have rekindled the flame in the hearts and minds of J&K vaasis for economic growth and further integration with India.

disha · Post by **disha** » 02 Dec 2013 10:08

sudarshan wrote:When and where did he take out PVN from congis? Excellent move, if so. Next should be LBS (Lal Bahadur Shastri).

Long back. He took out both Shastri'ji and PVN. At this stage, the CongIs are standing naked with likes of Sibals, Digvijayas, Tharoors around them.

Sridhar K · Post by **Sridhar K** » 02 Dec 2013 10:12

Returned from a 9 day trip of Pancha dwaraka covering Gujarat and souther Rajasthan. Landed at Karnavati(Ahmedabad) by flight and took a Force Traveller, visited Dakore near Karnavati, and the next day started to Dwaraka via Rajkhot, Jamnagar, Motikhavdi (Reliance Refinary), Vadinar (Essar Refinery), Khambalia (airforce station). Visited the island of Peyt Dwaraka, then went back south via Porbandar, and reached Veraval/Somnath. From Somnath, went to little Rann of Kucth via Junagadh,
Rajkhot, Surendra Nagar and stated at a resort nearby. From there, visited Ambaji (one of the Sakthi peeth), then exited Gujarat and reached Mt. Abu. Stayed there for a night and visited NathDwara (Srinathji temple), Kankhroli, Eklingaji (Shiv temple now gaurded by the Mewar regiment of Indian army) and finally Udaipur. Took a return flight to Chennai from Udaipur via Delhi.

Considering that Modi's work in Gujarat being in the center of attention these days, some random observations on Roads,

electricity and Agriculture that corroborates the article posted by Krsna.

http://www.theindianrepublic.com/tbp/su ... 014-2.html

Initial impression was that there is more hype over substance but we could slowly see the difference. Please take it with a pinch of salt considering that I spent more time on the roads, spoke to drivers, guides and others

Roads
a) First impresssions: If you are expecting a massa like road infrastructure/cleanliness in Gujarat like me, you would be disappointed. Coming from TN, it is not much different than what we see. However,
b) When compared to other states, the roads are much better, decently laid and maintained.
c) Considering that Gujarat had heavy rains this time, the roads got hit but still they were much better than the roads of any state after the rainy season perhaps barring Kerala.
d) Road repairs had started on most of the state highways(Veraval-Junagadh, Surendra Nagar- Mehsana). It was excellent from Mehsana all the way till the Rajashtan border). We went via Modi's home town (Vadnagar) as well.
e) There was work going on expanding bridges everywhere
f) State highways are better maintained than National highway.
- The Ahmedabad-Rajkhot was a four lane even in 1999 but not in great shape for a tolled road. Very similar to Sriperumbudur -Ranipet section of the Chennai- Bangalore. The rains, heavy container traffic to Khandla port to Jamnagar or lack of central focus be the reason.
- However, the stretch from Rajkhot to Porbandar maintained by the Guj Govt is in excellent condition. The L & T maintained Rajkhot-Vadinar via Jamnagar state highway is awesome
- The Vadodara - Ahmedabad expressway on the NH stretch is excellent with planned exits is on par with Massa roads, one of the best in India. It was pleasure to ride on the road with people following lane discipline and slow moving vehicles on the left lane. Of course there were a few morons in cars who overtook from the left but for most parts, the lane discipline was maintained.
g) The traffic seemed much less in Interior Gujarat unlike TN or UP. Very less number of cars and two wheelers as well. Road disciple in much better on highways but like any other city in India
h) State transport busess seems a bit of old and new. However, buses were the least polluting I have ever seen in any other state. Our guide told me that the Govt replaces 1000 buses every year. Maintenance and cleanliness is decent but still can improve. Rajasthan buses seems cleaner and better looking from the outside. Limited number of Volvos as well when compared to KA
i) BRTS buses in Ahmedabad are spanky new and mix of a/c and non a/c buses. The stations are well lit with CCTV, digital signboars. Also saw BRTS in Rajkhot.
j) Toilet and eateries on the roads are mixed bag. The food options are decent but toilets though clean are smelly. Could be better and no wonder Modi mentioned Sauchalaya in his speeches.
h) Rajasthan on the other hand has got some new 4 laners built and maintained by NHAI. State highways are not on par with Gujarat. Looks like Raj gets better funding for their roads from Central than Guj.
j) Connectivity to port cities are excellent. i.e. special 4 laned state highways connecting the port cities to Ahmedabad and the Golden quadrilatral.
k) Somne of the train routes still have the old style manual signalling system and still meter gauge tracks. Does center gives a raw deal to Guj on the railway front?

Agriculture and irrigation
1) Visible changes in the area being cultivated with cash crops. The Rajkhot- Jamnagar- Motikhavdi stretch which used to be barren is now full of fields with cash crops.
2) Hardly any real estate promition unlike TN where every piece of agricultural lands is being put up for real estate. I was expecting the Jamnagar-Motikhavdi to be heavily urbanised but surprised to see it maintain the semi-rural look.
3) Could see news Canals everywhere with water flowing including many parts of arid saurashtra. Perhaps the new canals with heavy mansoon doing the tricks. Saw a lot water sheds to store rain water, which I had not seen earlier.
4) Areas even till a KM in the little rann of kutch had fields with cash crop being irrigated by drip irrigation from tubes.
5) Our guide claimed that they are targetting 20% increase in agricultural productivity
6) Cattle rearing is heavy. It was nice to see healthy cattle everywhere.

Cities and Towns
1) Hotel facilities are pretty decent whereever we stayed. Despite vibrant tourism, it is still in its nacency when compared to Rajasthan
2) Toilet facilities and overall hygiene needs to improved
3) The main temple in Somnath is well maintained. It was good to see how the temple back. The Govt has built water fronts, and renovated the ghats and the roads in Somnath (Prabhas Patan). However maintenance leaves a lot to be desired. Reliance is funding the landscaping along the coast in Dwaraka town
4) Ahmedabad is similar to other cities in terms of road traffic and civic sense
5) The pan spitting on the road which used to be rampant in Gujarat seems much less now.
6) Saw the Sabarmati river front. It is still a lot work in progress but at least the river has water from the Narmada canal now. It used to look very much like Adyar river of Chennai from my earlier visits to Ahmedabad.

Overall administrations and feeback from people
a) The people seems to be very happy with Modi because he is approachable, looks at holistic development and no nonsense.
b) He has not removed corruption completely and has not transformed into a super clean state as he has to carry along with him the curroupt polity, judiciary and beurocracy but he has brought in a lot of changes that empowers people, lead them in the right directions towards a better state.
c) My guide's 80 year old mother wanted to meet Modi and thank him for good work and he solicited an appointment to meet him. His office responded to the application stating that they will revert back in three days subject to his availibility. He got a response in 2 days with the appointment in a month. After meeting Modi, his mother told him that she was upset with Pakistan beheading the soliders and the Central Govt not doing anything about it. It seems Modi became very pleased with her, took her blessing and promised that he will raise this issue big time.
d) It seems that the people of Gujarat dont want him to be the PM of India but rather would prefer him to be the CM of Gujarat.
e) Whomever I spoke had a lot of reverense to him (Modi Saheb, our honourable Chief Minister etc.)
d) Political poster, and party flags are almost non existent (unlike TN) but we could see one Modi poster in every town. As soon as we entered Raj, it was posters everywhere but had to factor in the fact that Raj had elections.
e) Gujaratis approach (be it on the road, or interactions) indicate a very satvic natured.
f) saw one hunger strike on a road bridge construction getting delayed on the porbandar- Dwaraka highway and a strike at Morbi (Ceramic Tile capital of India) against gas price increase by the Guj state owned CNG distribution network
g) We met a tribesman in the little Rann of kutch who were looking after a salt field. There was a little girl and he mentioned that since it is difficult for such tribes to send the girl to school far away, the Govt. sends teachers to several villages to teach and they were very happy about it.
h) Not once during our 2000 odd km trip, we were stopped by police asking for bribe but as soon as we entered Raj with a Guj vehicle, a policeman tried his trick. My guide admitted that similar things happen in Gujarat as well for other state vehicles.
i) Electricity situation has improved drastically. No power cuts anywhere. In 1999-2000, Jamnagar had frequent power cuts outside of Reliance township. The same Havells fan runs much faster and silent than it does in my home in Chennai indicating the quality of power. Could see new electric lines in remote parts of Beyt Dwaraka island with power.

Apologies for the typos and grammatical errors

SagarAg · Post by **SagarAg** » 02 Dec 2013 10:17

Lalkaar rally local newspaper front page

https://pic.twitter.com/Mn2XFXUdCO

Hari Seldon · Post by **Hari Seldon** » 02 Dec 2013 10:26

Amitbhai shah in kolkata targeting TMC misrule...

Santosh · Post by **Santosh** » 02 Dec 2013 11:23

Rahul M wrote:It was a marriage of convenience and whatever little need MB had of INC is finished and she discarded them. just like she squashed the maoists like ants after using them to counter CPIM. (an act for which she gets mad props from me. she thought up a strategy that would have done chanakya proud yet kept it under wraps with no one the wiser. and executed it with such speed and sophistication that all the maopests were overwhelmed before they had any idea what was happening. it was a masterclass in diabolical politics.

Rahul ji, can you elaborate? TIA

kapilrdave · Post by **kapilrdave** » 02 Dec 2013 11:59

Sridhar K wrote:Returned from a 9 day trip of Pancha dwaraka covering Gujarat and souther Rajasthan. ..........

Saar, one thing you must have noticed - since you travelled through that route - is that all along the coastal line there is a garland of wind farms. State has invested very heavily on it.

Sridhar K · Post by **Sridhar K** » 02 Dec 2013 12:04

kapilrdave wrote:
Sridhar K wrote:Returned from a 9 day trip of Pancha dwaraka covering Gujarat and souther Rajasthan. ..........
Saar, one thing you must have noticed - since you travelled through that route - is that all along the coastal line there is a garland of wind farms. State has invested very heavily on it.

Yes. Forgot to mention. Saw them along the Dwaraka belt. Most importantly they were functioning. South TN has heavy investments into wind power but off late one of our friends who owns a few of them mentioned that some of them were not functioning due to non payment of bills from the electricity board.

devesh · Post by **devesh** » 02 Dec 2013 12:58

hat tip to Hari Seldon ji.

it was startling to see that crowd in Kolkata for a BJP rally. that too for Amit Shah, whose mass-power and fame in that region aren't probably much to begin with.

ashish raval · Post by **ashish raval** » 02 Dec 2013 13:34

^^ nice observations, Sridhar. You are more up to date than me not having visited home for more than a year now. I do think overall sanitation & cleaning needs improvement. The southern states had a head start in terms of education and overall discipline, I believe, while Gujarati's mostly interacted with Arab and African oddballs which never really led to much mental discipline.

Corruption is omnipresent in India, Gujarat is not exception however, at higher level try try to make it smooth and workable for industries, not unnecessary holding in lieu of payment etc.

It is very safe for women's though. I have not heard many gang rapes in my lifetime growing up in Rajkot. May be partly due to alcohol ban. Thiefs I.e. chain snatchers yes, rapists no ! Although being safer is true for southern states too.

kapilrdave · Post by **kapilrdave** » 02 Dec 2013 13:35

Read in a local news paper that in pappu's rallies they play pre-recorded clappings in between the speech. These claps are heard in speaker so the people attending the speech don't get excited but in tv it sounds good (who attends his rallies anyways).
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India TV was showing funny crowd comparison between modi's rally and pappu's. The anchors were literally making fun of him. Congi workers are now openly speaking against dynasty. I bet they will blame everything on Rajmata and Yuvraj if they end up 4/0 in this election. Going by the trajectory of things, no one will even care whether shehzaga flees the country or goes to jail after 2014. NM has destroyed the enigma of the dynasty - if not dynasty itself - even before coming to power. Expect mass level jump-shipping after 8th dec if results are indeed favorable to bjp. Early departure of the govt is very likely.

kapilrdave · Post by **kapilrdave** » 02 Dec 2013 14:05

ashish raval wrote:The southern states had a head start in terms of education and overall discipline, I believe, while Gujarati's mostly interacted with Arab and African oddballs which never really led to much mental discipline.

Not sure I understand the bolded part. Can you explain it more?

Regarding education in GJ, it is traditionally a community of traders. They hardly needed education to get jobs. This explains why there is negligible percentage of gujjus in IAS/IPS cadres and also same regarding their representation in armed forces. The level of education has increased only recently. In fact there were very too few engineering/management collages as compared to the number of students that they had to go to southern states to get degrees. Since NM came he eased out the policy for opening collages and encouraged it a lot. Now no longer students have to go out of the state.

If anyone comes to GJ with the expectation of seeing massa like infrastructure then they will definitely be disappointed. GJ is not massa and it doesn't need to be massa. It is just another Indian state. However what is to be observed there is the all round development, culture and values and confidence of people. Last one is most important.

I have not heard many gang rapes in my lifetime growing up in Rajkot.

આવ ભાઈ હરખા, આપણે બેય સરખા

. જય ગાઠીયા, જય ભજીયા

.

Sridhar K · Post by **Sridhar K** » 02 Dec 2013 14:46

kapilrdave wrote: Regarding education in GJ, it is traditionally a community of traders. They hardly needed education to get jobs. This explains why there is negligible percentage of gujjus in IAS/IPS cadres and also same regarding their representation in armed forces. The level of education has increased only recently. In fact there were very too few engineering/management collages as compared to the number of students that they had to go to southern states to get degrees. Since NM came he eased out the policy for opening collages and encouraged it a lot. Now no longer students have to go out of the state.

The above is another thing that our guide mentioned pointing to a few private engineering colleges on the road. I remember that Nirma was the only one that was a private engg. college and was even asked by one Gujju HR guy in Reliance on how did I manage to get selected despite being from a Private engineering college in Chennai.

The other notable thing was that we could leave our slippers right outside the temple gate, come back to find them in their place. Can't imagine that happening in TN

prahaar · Post by **prahaar** » 02 Dec 2013 14:49

Few anecdotes from my last trip (traveled mostly in the Ahmedabad - Vadodara - Surat belt):
1.I visit regularly (annually or more), so am surprised to see new "hardware infrastructure" every visit, new flyovers, new road-widening, etc. in Vadodara quite regularly.
2.A wide demography of visitors in local malls (expat Japanese, Families with kids, a visible amount of Muslims - considering some of these malls are not in the traditional Muslim dominated areas, Maharashtrians, Tamils, Keralites, Punjabis, etc.). This was not the case 10 years back i.e. earlier it was a predominantly Gujarati and speckle of Marathi speaking crowd.
3.Power situation has improved a lot since the earlier times. Previously summer was a nightmare, it was tolerable in 2004-2009 period, but now when I went to buy a cordless phone, the shop keeper said why are you wasting 500 Rs. extra for a battery backup, since "light kaha jati hai".
4.The roads were much better during Monsoon, just tolerable. I can distinctly compare it with 2006 (since I was visiting during similar rainfall year and same months).
5.Corruption for getting approvals is still intact, although, a threat of complaint to the higher up gets things moving fast. This means, there are still many people who do not use the threat of higher level complaint.
6.Corporation offices, at least in Vadodara work much more than before. Last couple of years have seen massive expansion in their office space infrastructure (new Multi-storeyed blocks coming up).
7.Piped-Gas is not spreading fast to households, causing lot of anger. Probably this is in some litigation with center (railway not cooperating to allow piped gas to cross railway line).

Atri · Post by **Atri** » 02 Dec 2013 15:02