Warrier's Collage on Sunday December 15, 2024

Welcome To Warrier's COLLAGE On Sunday, December 15, 2024 Good Morning Collage had a midweek edition last Wednesday. Residual content included in today's issue. Happy Birthday to all readers having Birthday during the week ending December 21, 2024. Nice Day M G Warrier A Speaking Tree : Good Karma Ends Tension https://m.economictimes.com/opinion/speaking-tree/good-karma-ends-tension/articleshow/116222625.cms B India Watch : Forex Reserves https://kashmirlife.net/indias-forex-reserves-cover-11-months-of-imports-and-99-percent-of-the-external-debt-govt-in-parliament-375741/ C Media Response The Hindu Business Line Letters I December 12, 2024 Checks and balances* This refers to the article "Institutions must act when freebies go overboard" (The Hindu Business Line, December 12). Recent history tells us that institutions outside legislatures have a major role in ensuring that the citizens' rights and interests enshrined in the Constitution are protected. Courts have been at the receiving end for over enthusiasm. The federal system ultimately gets reduced to equitable sharing of resources. Here institutions like CAG have to go beyond their assigned roles of book-keeping and audit. When disputes like passing on of Central assistance for Wayanad arise, the expertise of statutory bodies can come to help in sorting out issues and even suggesting legislative reforms, if deemed necessary for use of available funds. M G Warrier Mumbai *Not published II December 14, 2024 Realign fiscal federalism This refers to the report "Terms of fiscal federalism not loaded against the States, says Subba Rao" (The Hindu Business Line, December 14). No one can dispute the facts and figures quoted by Subba Rao to argue his case. But still there's a case for revisiting the fiscal federalism which is evolving in India. There's an apparent diversion from the direction the concept was expected to maintain, when the model was conceived during the first two decades after independence. One reason is the growth pattern and disparities in the economic development of states. Last two decades have seen new factors like political equations between Centre and states on the one side and clear difference in perceptions about the methodology of sharing revenue on the other leading to total disagreement on the eligibility issues. All these call for a revisit of the whole issue and settling amicably contentious issues. It should not be left to be decided by the all powerful Finance Commissions and Parliamentary Committees. M G Warrier Mumbai D Way of the World THE MOST AMAZING ADMISSION INTERVIEW FOR UKG. This happened in one of the schools in Bangalore where it is considered impossible to get a UKG/PG3 admission for ordinary kids. The child could not understand why they brought her there.. The room had the parents, the teacher & the Principal and then the School Principal started to converse with the child....yes...in English only! Here goes.. "What's your name?" "Sita" "Good. Tell me something you know" "I know many things. Tell me what you want...!" Alas, there is no better point for not getting the admission! Sita's mother was trying to make up the situation but the Principal stopped her.. Turning to child, she said.. "Tell any rhyme or story which you know." Again, "Which one you want.. Rhyme or Story!?" "Ok. Plz tell me a story." "Do you want to hear what I studied or what I wrote..!?" Taken to surprise, she asked, "Oh! you write stories...???" "Why should I not write?" Now even I was taken aback. But she was impressed with the answer. She (including us) would have not heard such a story in our life... "Ok, tell me the story which you have written?" Sita said, "One day Ravana kidnapped Sita & took her to Srilanka" The opening scene failed to impress but still she encouraged the child to continue... "Rama asked Hanuman's help to rescue Sita. Hanuman too agreed to help Rama..." "Then?" "Now, Hanuman called his friend Spider man." (No one expected this twist in the story!!) "Why?" "Because there are lot of mountains between India and Srilanka ...but if we have Spiderman we can go easily with his rope..." Principal - “But Hanuman can fly isn't it.. ?" Sita - “Yes. But he is having Sanjeevi Mountain on one hand so he cannot fly very fast!" All is quiet, after a while Sita asked, "Should I continue or not?" "Ok plz continue!" "Hanuman and Spiderman flew to Srilanka and rescued Sita. Sita said Thanks to both!" "Why?" "When you are helped you should say Thanks!" So Sita requested Hanuman to call Hulk... All were surprised. She realized our curiosity and said, "Now Sita is there, so to take her safely back to Rama she called Hulk" Teacher - “What?? Hanuman can carry Sita right?" "Yes. But he has Sanjeevi Mountain in one hand and has to hold Spiderman on the other" No one could control thier smiles. "So when they all started to India they met my friend Akshay!" "How come Akshay there now?" "Because it's my story and I can bring any one there!" The principal didn't get angry but waited for the next twist. Then all started to India and landed at Bangalore Majestic bus stop! Now I asked, "Why they have landed In Majestic bus stop?" "Because they forgot the way ...& Hulk got an idea and called Dora!" I came to know about Dora only there...! "Dora came and she took Sita to Malleshwaram 5th Cross ..... that's all!" She finished the story with a smile.. The principal asks, "Why Malleshwaram 5th Cross...?" "Because Sita lives there & I am Sita!!!" The principal was impressed and embraced the child. She has been admitted in UKG & was gifted with a Dora doll.