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Showing posts from April, 2014

The Accidental Prime Minister - Moneylife

The Accidental Prime Minister - Moneylife Online comments: This comment from me is not specific to this article or the book “Accidental Prime Minister”. Of late, gossips, allegations, criminal charges and observations made by people who ‘missed bus’ or overlooked while considering ‘tickets’ or positions for various reasons are all getting mixed up. The ‘selective’ disclosures by people claiming to be in possession of ‘classified’ information and the timing of such disclosures is more nauseating. High time some voluntary agency scans such disclosures and educate the AAM aadmi who gets carried away by the spicy disclosures. Some follow up of serious charges also is called for. M G Warrier  

Dr KC Chakrabarty's post retirement cause for banking - Moneylife

Dr KC Chakrabarty's post retirement cause for banking - Moneylife Very interesting and informative article. The article also takes note of Chakrabarty’s approach towards the challenges now being faced by the financial sector. He was at times, according to his own admission, contrarion and never felt bad about being ‘controversial’ while using his ‘freedom of expression’. He will be remembered in RBI circles for his open mind and anxiety to find solutions for problems in his own way. Even his exit made a news, as perhaps, Chakrabarty is the first person in RBI to declare that it is the individual’s option to decide ‘when to stop’. M G Warrier

Waste is here to stay?

Copied below is the unedited version of the letter "Waste is here to stay?" published in The Hindu, April 28, 2014(Readers' Mail, Thiruvananthapuram edition) Waste management A solution to the mounting waste accumulations looks still elusive for Thiruvananthapuram. Some may call it an irony that Kerala is getting dubious publicity for two totally unrelated reasons. One, the God’s Own Country’s inefficient accounting and not so transparent management of ancestral wealth including the gold and jewellery with temples and religious institutions and second but more important from a health-hazard angle, the state’s inability to dispose of waste even in the capital city. As the yet to be accounted and valued assets of Sripadmanabha Temple is getting the attention of the Apex Court, let us focus on waste management. Main roads and gullies in the city are getting equally affected by the accumulation and in some places ‘ongoing’ burning of waste bags deposited by hous

Are we under-saving for retirement? - The Hindu

Are we under-saving for retirement? - The Hindu This article has relevance in India in the context of unilateral withdrawal of pension scheme for a section of central government employees from January 1, 2004 and for employees of several state governments from various dates. The Global ANALYST published my article on National Pension System in October,2013 issue. Can be accessed @theglobalanalyst.co or by a click here: Read- Global Analyst October 2013 M G Warrier

WB discourse on financial inclusion: N A Mujumdar

WB discourse on financial inclusion This article published in the Free Press Journal on April 28, 2014 was written by Mujumdar prior to his demise on April 6, 2014

Restore Civility to Debate - The New Indian Express

Restore Civility to Debate - The New Indian Express Let me read the comments, "If democracy is to be saved and the Constitution respected it is absolutely vital to restore civility. Civility in debate and civilised debate leads to civilisation or a stage of development in human society which is socially, politically, culturally and technologically advanced. That is why if we are to ensure a corruption-free good government we need to restore to politics a standard of values and morality, we need to return to civilisational roots, we need to restore civility to debate." again. We need more statesmen like Buch to come to the open and talk about values loudly and clearly like this. There is a billion people willing to follow the right leadership. M G Warrier

‘Judicial overreach should be avoided’ - The Hindu

‘Judicial overreach should be avoided’ - The Hindu THE STATEMENT ON JUDICIAL OVERREACH SHOULD BE SEEN IN THE CONTEXT OF THE RECENT EXPERIENCE OF JUDICIARY BEING DRAGGED TO DO THINGS WHICH IT WOULD NOT HAVE DONE, BUT FOR THE INACTION OF OTHER WINGS OF THE SYSTEM. M G Warrier

The men in khaki did the police proud - The Hindu

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The men in khaki did the police proud - The Hindu This article was published in The Hindu on March 10, 2012. Being posted here now on request from some friends who expressed interest in reading the online comments about which I mentioned in a recent conversation... M G Warrier The men in khaki did the police proud M. G. Warrier crime, law and justice police human interest In early 1970s, owning a two-wheeler in Trivandrum was a milestone in a middle class family's growth trajectory. Availing myself of a two-wheeler loan from my employer, I too became a proud owner of a ‘second-hand' Lambretta purchased from my friend who moved to another city on transfer. At that time, the waiting period to get a new scooter was two to three years after booking. Those days city roads were much less crowded and one could move slowly, stop and give way to any faster vehicle, and still be on time at the destination. One could travel from one end to t

A new economic agenda - The Hindu

A new economic agenda - The Hindu It is comforting to find political leadership, irrespective of their election fortunes have started thinking in terms of solutions for the nation’s economic problems. This should not be a season’s specialty, meaning a pre-election phenomenon. As is the practice in developed countries, major political parties should involve in development issues and work with the political leadership forming the government giving proactive support where ideological conflict doesn’t exist. M G Warrier  

Padmanabhaswamy temple audit a difficult task, will do it sincerely: Vinod Rai - The Hindu

Padmanabhaswamy temple audit a difficult task, will do it sincerely: Vinod Rai - The Hindu Temple audit This refers to the initial response of former CAG Shri Vinod Rai on being identified to head the team auditing the accounts and assets of Padmanabhaswami Temple at Thiruvananthapuram. In Bhagavat Gita there is a stanza ending "...Sambhavaami yuge, yuge". Remembered this, finding that we can still trust in ultimate justice. The seriousness with which the Apex Court approached this issue and the cooperation the system is getting from people like Vinod Rai testifies that there is a possibility of setting things right. Having said this, one is sadly aware that the likes of Seshan, Sreedharan and Vinod Rai are not given the respect they deserve by the society. We need many more statesmen of their stature, who are among us, to come forward and lead us. If the trust deficit is to be made up, 'WE THE PEOPLE'(Refer PREAMBLE of Indian Constitution) should behave wit

VITALINFO: Worth trying scrap gold

VITALINFO: Worth trying scrap gold : My View on   " RBI restrictions hit gold flow to Bangalore ":  The issues raised here are very relevant. The inherent fear...  Comments posted in response to an article on gold published in Mint on April 24, 2014: The inherent fear to touch or talk about the huge domestic stock of gold in India is behind the artificial scarcity of the yellow metal and all concomitant problems like smuggling, unrealistic pricing and so on. The fear of gold was captured by K U B Rao in his report on Gold Management repeased in January, 2013 in the following words: “Indians’ obsession for large investment in physical gold is the outcome of the confluence of numerous and divergent factors. Given the complexities involved in the lure for gold in India, a holistic strategy that deploys a combination of demand reduction measures, supply management measures and measures to increase monetisation of idle gold stocks needs to be put in place. Cre

In praise of walking - The Hindu

In praise of walking - The Hindu As one who has been walking regularly for the last few decades-first, during school days, by compulsion as I could not afford the minimum bus charge of 5 Annas(equivalent of the value of 4 coconuts, those days) and later in life 'Morning Walk' as a ritual and of late after understanding the benefits!- I 'endorse' the views expressed here. MORNING WALK is a three-in-one package. PRAYER, PLANNING and EXERCISE! M G Warrier

Improvement in RBI - Moneylife

Improvement in RBI - Moneylife Online comments posted on April 22, 2014: Copied below is my response to a report of September 15, 2010 in the Economic Times. Being reproduced to draw attention to the fact that the focus of this article is on an issue which has been neglected for years and a meaningful debate at this juncture is most appropriate: M G Warrier, Thiruvananthapuram   “This refers to the report ‘It’s not over, RBI again writes to finmin on autonomy’ (ET, September 15). Of late, the finance ministry has been having problems with almost all regulators. It is not the other way round. Because of RBI’s premier position, the issues in which the central bank is involved get media attention. The proposal to super-impose a body to oversee the functioning or coordinate among various regulatory bodies and give it a permanent and legal status had ab initio met with the response that government is finding an alternate route to encroach on the autonomy of individ