Saturday, March 28, 2009

Small Car Big Dreams

It will be a wrong denial from me to say I don’t want to be the owner of a Nano. Now I feel I will see it run the roads before I take my final decision. At last the much awaited Nano was commercially launched in Mumbai on Monday March 23. For the first time in January 2008 when the Tatas announced to bring out the cheapest car in the world, so many people started dreaming of owing a car of their own as this would cost only one lakh rupees. Expectations had been mounting in the hearts of the people for their Lakh Takia Car.

It took more time than expected for this small car to hit the market. Its arrival was delayed because of the dispute over the land issue and shifting of the plant from one state to another. But after all within months the wheels of the little Nano will run the streets of this country…maybe in July.

The other day my neighbourhood tailor said, “Madam, I had bought a second hand scooter three years back. I dreamt of riding a car and I think I can afford to buy a car. My wife feels frightened to sit on the bike with two kids in the congested Delhi roads. Madam, how long will I have to wait if I book my Nano now?” How could I give a prompt reply when everything rested on the production and allotment from the dealers? All that I could tell him was to speak to the dealer.

There are millions of people in this country who ride two wheelers. If wishes can always be true then the dreams of many of these two wheeler riders will be fulfilled. Being cheap it is affordable. Along with it this car will give the owners a safe ride. Small families of Papa, Mama and two children had trouble moving on two wheels and now a small family can feel safe in a car of their own.

Though many are happy for the small car, there arise many questions that remain to be answered.

Nano will no doubt be another car added to the number of the existing cars in many families in Delhi. Auto rickshaw owners are thinking of plying this small car on the streets in place of auto rickshaws as they feel running on four wheels is safer than three wheels. No doubt this can lead to more road congestion. Another thought that creeps into the mind is about the material used for the body and the amount of safety it can give. No doubt many two wheelers will go off road and many more four wheels will move on the roads…there is risk of increasing pollution.

But along with the negative points there are positive points too. Being a small car it can be parked in small spaces…less parking constraints. It is said to be fuel efficient. No doubt it will provide better safety and security to its riders than two wheelers. The dreams of many will come true.

At last many thousands and millions can now say Nano is no longer a dream. After all this Small is Beautiful.

Friday, March 20, 2009

Should the Government Consider Raising the Entry and Retirement Age Limits in Jobs (Government & Public Sector)

Try a Turnabout

Whether you understand the economics of the present world scenario or not, you can hear about the Recession and Economy Slow Down making rounds in each and every part of the globe. This recession period jumped on this world that is trying its best to make developments in every sphere, Advancement being the buzzword. No one thought that the meltdown would come and cause a spill of grave concern.

The main area hit by this recession is the job world. The print and electronic media and research shows huge cut down in jobs, affected people are left with tantrums, trauma, to fill up their lives with.

The scenario in India seems to be a bit better. Private company workers are a worried lot while the people in the Government and Public Sectors are happy to play safe in their Sarkari Jobs.

The recent placements in the premiere B Schools—the IIMs show that the public sector banks have hired quite a number of them. Some pass outs are preferring government jobs, compromising with a smaller pay packet than they would have expected if the recession had not hit the world economy.

With elections round the corner, the present care-taker government can do little. Once the elections are over, whosoever comes to power has to chalk out better plans for a Better Tomorrow.

It is high time the next government gives it a thought to increase the entry age into public sector and government organisations to 36 years and at the same time raise the age limit for retirement in these sectors by two years, i.e. up to 62 years. This will be a great relief to some young people who have lost their jobs in the recession, being a part of the private sector and can try for secured government jobs and also in the public sector. As for those who will retire at 60, can work for another two years, their experience will be the guiding factor for fresh recruits.

All said and done, nothing is EASY but there is always the word POSSIBLE.

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Women's Day

The eighth day of March brings with it the importance of the existence of Woman on this earth. Every nook and corner in this universe says and reads, “Happy Women's Day”. Why do we have to take out a day to celebrate something special for a woman?

For me each and everyday is special in the life of a woman.

A woman carries the burden of multi tasks on her shoulders…that’s the progress she has made. At the end of the day she stands with all the concerns of being a daughter, a wife, a mother and the vocation of a whole-time or part-time job or even that of a homemaker. Each and every role she plays she tries to specialise in it. The house looked after, food placed on the table at the right time, shopping at the green grocer and the monthly grocery stored, the household economy updated with the daily and monthly expenditures, and above all get some liberation hiring the domestic help who can bring some relief and comfort in her life.

In this whole process of progress of the family well-being and career, she lands up with little time for herself, ignoring her health. By the time her responsibilities get cut down with the children getting more independent she is left with common perennial health problems like: backaches, joint pains, sleep disorder, acidity and above all the stress and strain that she has acquired through all these years.

A career woman tries her best to rise to heights, even a simple housewife has her dreams and wishes that at times are fulfilled for some and become embers for those who could not pursue them.

Woman with careers can break their day into different activities. For those who don’t have a full-time career the best thing is to pursue the hobby. It can be gardening and your flower’s can win the best prize at the Flower Show of your town. You can land up with your novel or short stories getting published and gaining acclaim. Can become a Social Worker working for the poor, the stray animals, for a green environment, or become a part of an NGO working for the cause of a better world. Looking beyond there is so much to do apart from the everday monotony of daily life.

Society and the world needs Woman don’t forget that!



Friday, March 6, 2009

Sunshine Smiles

As the day breaks, did I say “break”? Yes that’s what I said. But nowhere can I see a smash or a fracture. All that the coming of the day did was, break my sleep.

Sleep, aha! Wish I could sleep as long as I could.

Didn’t William Henry Davies rightly say in his poem Leisure,
“What is this life if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare.”

Let me make the best use of my day.

Sunday, March 1, 2009

February Winks

When the calendar was invented why were those people in a hurry to let the second month of the year have lesser days than the other months.

February has 28 days and 29 days in a Leap year.

Why?

Mind boggling.

So many theories are related to the beginning of the calendar. But, it were the Romans who gave the calendar to the world and we follow; the days and the months conscientiously. Why not, the name of the months, show the different seasons that come and go.

The widely believed -- but possibly erroneous -- story has it that February is so short because a day was borrowed from it to add to the month of August. July was renamed to honour the Roman Emperor Julius Caesar and had 31 days. August had earlier 30 days and when it was renamed to honour Emperor Augustus Caesar, he did not want his calendar month to have a lesser day than July. So a day was snatched away from February, the winter month, and added to it to make it 31 days.

Just imagine the fate of one born on 29 February. Hesitation? The Roman Emperors are to be blamed for the fate of such a child. Isn’t it?

If there are more problems its better to catch hold of Julius Caesar.

But where?

In Shakespeare’s play Julius Caesar.

True. Isn’t it?