Hamara Bajaj - Rahul Bajaj

Veteran industrialist and the Chairman Emeritus of the Bajaj group, Shri. Rahul Bajaj has passed away at the age of 83.

Born on June 10th, 1938, Shri. Rahul Bajaj graduated from St. Stephen's College at Delhi in 1958 and also earned a degree in law from Bombay University. Post the same, he went on to pursue MBA from Harvard Business School in the US and became CEO of Bajaj Auto in 1968. A former Rajya Sabha member, Shri. Rahul Bajaj was also awarded the Padma Bhushan, India’s third-highest civilian award, in 2001.

As the chairman of the Bajaj group for over 4 decades, an iconic legend and visionary with tremendous courage, Shri. Rahul Bajaj has been credited with making the brand Bajaj, a household name by building a world-class empire.

Shri. Rahul Bajaj lived an extraordinary life - He was the architect of one of the most respected business houses in the country, a vocal proponent of entrepreneurship, and a voice of the industry at large.

He stood for what he believed, a man driven by values, and bold in both expression and action. He was the torchbearer of the family legacy that dates back to the founding days of our country and championed the creation of a new India. While his passing away has left a void amongst us, he leaves behind an unparalleled foundation for all of us to build upon.

With tributes pouring in from across the world, this is a huge loss to the business community at large - our thoughts and prayers are with everyone he has touched, inspired, or influenced.

While Shri. Rahul Bajaj has departed the mortal world, he lives on in the hearts & minds of millions with the eternally iconic chant - Hamara Bajaj.

Dileep, Bishop Franco and Kerala High Court

High rise we feel enjoy life, their life is so complex..In todays world I am not even sure I can take a side. Both parties can make up stories. Experience help us  to see up close the other side of a woman scorned. But here, there is no second guess, these are clear cut cases. 

https://www.thequint.com/voices/opinion/kerala-nun-rape-case-why-a-womans-conduct-is-not-the-point

 Kerala High Court and Church and film starts, I do believe there can be a nexus. Let's see what the supreme court has to say. 

Case1:

A trial court in Kottayam acquitted Bishop Franco Mulakkal, accused of having raped a nun as many as 13 times. It has been met with widespread cries of incredulity as it questioned her conduct.

The case, in brief, was that in June 2018, a 43-year-old nun from Kerala, also a Mother Superior belonging to the Missionaries of Jesus congregation based in Punjab, had filed a police complaint in Kottayam, claiming that Mulakkal, former head of the Latin Catholic diocese of Jalandhar, had raped her several times between 2014 and 2016.

Mulakkal was arrested only in September 2018, after five nuns sat on an indefinite hunger strike at a public square in front of the Kerala High Court, demanding the arrest of the bishop. He got bail a month later. The question of getting justice for hapless women against powerful men and institutions becomes particularly important in light of the fact that one of the first things Mulakkal did after his acquittal was meet then-MLA PC George. The latter was quick to remark, “A move to dent the powerful church was foiled by believers.” It may be recalled that George has had been supporting Mulakkal since the beginning, and in September 2018, he was summoned by the National Commission of Women for his remark, “No one has any doubt that the nun is a prostitute. Twelve times she enjoyed it and the thirteenth time it is rape? Why didn’t she complain the first time?” Sister Jesme, who walked out of the congregation questioning alleged ill-treatment by church authorities, also points out that soon after the victim had filed a police complaint, there was a concerted social media attack on her by people close to the church. In other words, it had become a fight of a lonely nun against the church.

The prosecution has decided to file an appeal . the court looked at all the reasons not to believe the nun rather than believe her. According to the court, the infighting, rivalry and desire for power of the nuns were evident from the victim and her supporting nuns agreeing to settle the matter if their demands for a separate region under the diocese of Bihar was accepted by the church. But for a woman to make an allegation of having been raped 13 times, staking her honour, career and everything else merely because of a power struggle in the church is difficult to believe.

Case2:

Dileep, I have heard so many stories of him orgies etc in Cochin, he is manipulative - First wife, Manju, Bhavana,  Kavya; and then Abduction and assault case. Bhavana and Manju Warrier have remained close friends. Reportedly, it was the Bhavana who told Manju about Dileep's affair with actress Kavya Madhavan. In their messy divorce, the Bhavana took Manju's side. Reportedly, Dileep planned the entire assault to settle scores with her and wanted to film the assault so he could blackmail her, and it was done on 17th Feb. 2017. 

In June 2017, Dileep and his director-friend Nadirsha were grilled by the investigating team for 13 hours. On June 19 that year, he was arrested and was kept in the Aluva sub-jail. After getting his bail plea rejected multiple times, he was granted bail on October 3, 2017, after spending 85 days in Jail. In the 650-page charge sheet, the investigation team named Dileep as the eighth accused. Meanwhile, many actresses expressed solidarity with the survivor, and they had to face the consequences. In June 2018, he filed a petition in the Kerala High Court charging the Kerala Police of deliberately framing him. He requested the case be handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation. Dileep filed an additional plea for accessing video footage of the incident. The plea was denied by both the Angamaly Magistrate Court and the Kerala High Court. In October 2018, Dileep was granted bail by the Kerala High Court. 

In April 2019, the Government of Kerala froze charges against him until the court has given an independent verdict on the case. In May 2019, the Supreme Court stayed his trial until his plea for footage is considered. On 30 November, the court turned down his plea, rather allowed to inspect its content, or have a second opinion as to whether the video is genuine. In December 2021, the trial was nearing an end. But, Dileep's former friend and director Balachandra Kumar's statement came as a turning point. He alleged that Dileep was in possession of the visuals of the assault even before he saw it at the Magistrate's court. The director also released audio clips in which Dileep and his men allegedly planned to attack the police officials. Balachandra Kumar also revealed that a VIP was allegedly involved in this.The Kerala government approached the Supreme Court seeking an extension of six months to finish the trial. The trial court asked for the probe to be completed by January 20. Raids were conducted at Dileep's Aluva house after a fresh FIR was registered based on the clips released by the director. Dileep's brother, Anoop, and brother-in-law Sooraj were named as the second and third accused. Now an anticipatory bail has been granted to actor Dileep and other accused in the case of conspiracy against investigation officials of the actor assault case.

Interestingly, Dileep and Mulakkal have the same lawyer Raman Pillai. In India, the legal system that is supposed to deliver justice is just another tool to tire and victimise you. Incidentally, the selection of Raman Pillai also has evoked a curious connection the advocate had with actor Dileep: Earlier, Pillai had appeared for Nishal Chandra, the former husband of actress Kavya whom Dileep later married. 

Yet, we dare hope, we dare seek justice. Even if today seems dark, we hope for a better tomorrow.

“Praise the Lord!” Mulakkal is reported to have said.

Indeed. Is there anything else cooking up behind these?

Toofan to aana hai

Aakar chale jaana hai

Baadal hai yeh kuchh pal ka

Chhaa kar dhal jaana hai

Parchhaiyan reh jaati

Reh jaati nishani hai

Zindagi aur kuchh bhi nahi

Teri meri kahani hai

Schoolies - Friendship

We have consciously started reducing  interactions with those that no longer serve our purpose . True our mission needs  focus - not the drama some people bring 😉😉😉May god bless them too.  We make your own list - and act accordingly 🌻🌻🌻 

Was lucky enough to get such amazing friends around, during school, college, office days… In fact, they were (some of them still are) one of my pillars of strength…….  Whenever I went low, they saved me…….in every possible way!!!❤️

But now, there are times where I could sense change in some of their thoughts, approach, talk……And YES, it’s definitely shattering me into pieces………!💔

 Do you remember the days back in school where we would queue up in temples for food, empty Eid's biryani from friends tiffin and share

Christmas cakes to the whole class. While doing all this we never thought about which religion we all belonged to. Life was good back then, isn't it?

Yes we did have sisters telling us not to wear nail polish or mehndi, and some raised voice against it, but eventually a common agreement was arrived it within the classroom or school. 

The purpose of education is lost if you do this. Unity in diversity is the beauty of our country. Let us see each others as human beings and not as religious symbols.

The social media will very soon pick its next hot topic, the politicians will get busy with their parties and the society at large will move on like it has always done.

But, friends who have now turned into hijabs, saffron shawls and blue shawls won't go back to who they were after all the damage we humans have done, in the past and now.

Situation have killed friendship bonds! 

Lataji

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFpXv4eVfjo

Listening to her as I type about an end of sweetness; India's melody - who has seen India through her years, part of India's consciousness. She had made Nehru cry, with her song ‘Ae Mere Watan Ke Log’, one of India’s best patriotic songs, which was first sung on the republic day in 1963. The song was written by poet Pradeep, composed by C. Ramchandra, and sang by Lata Mangeshkar. Nightingale was asked by Pakistan in replace of Kashmir. She was born in Indore on 28th Sept. 1929. 

Lataji known as  Didi recorded songs in over 36 Indian languages including English, Russian, Dutch &  Swahili. Didi articulated our feelings -  care, love, separation, longing, pain, death - at every stage of our life, knowingly or unknowingly.

Having lived for so many years she has been heartthrob of  many generations of this country across the world, who had been admired and rewarded by all the Prime Ministers of India. She was very fond of Prime Minister Narendra Modi .

The queen of melody died at the Breach Candy Hospital on Sunday morning at 8.12 am. She was on ventilator after her condition deteriorated, being effected by Covid and pneumonia. Her body was brought to her residence in the afternoon and she was buried at Shivaji Park with full state honour. She left us on the day of visarjan after Saraswati Puja.  The day when Saraswati  Mata was immersed is the day Lataji departed.

Didi had a tough childhood & once she earned enough to secure her family financially, and was the support for her family in what was then derisively termed as the ‘Mangeshkar mafia’ . Her brother Pt Hridaynath was not so lucky, but the sisters were. She received the Bharath Ratna in 2001.  Her father, Master Dinanath was a gifted singer & performer in his own right, but his love for his motherland & dharma overshadowed everything. He expounded on the problems that Gautam Budhha's kingdom fell into, once it abdicated its weapons & defense, in the name of ahimsa.  Pt Dinanath Mangeshkar  staged it as a musical. Risky experiments rendered the Mangeshkar company penniless in a few years, resulting in the untimely death of Pt Dinanathji. But  this was followed by a phoenix-like rise of Lata Didi & her siblings.

Together in heaven, at last ! It is said that marriages are made in heaven, and in the case of former Rajasthan cricket captain, Raj Singh Dungarpur and legendary singer, Lata Mangeshkar, it has actually turned out so. It is said that Raj and Lata were madly in love with each other and wanted to get married, but as the former BCCI President came from a royal family, it was not possible for him to tie the knot with a commoner. It is said that Raj even requested his father, late Maharawal Lakshman Singh, the then ruler of Dungarpur for his consent, but he flatly rejected the idea. After that, though they continued to remain friends, both decided to remain unmarried till their last breath. Raj passed away in 2009 after prolonged battle with Alzheimer. Very few also know that it was Raj who gave Lata the pet name 'Mithoo' as he used to fondly call her that. Music and cricket found each other. They could not marry because of family restrictions, but it's said that both remained single for each other. Latha sang a concert for the team, after their 1983 win.  

Unfortunately,  people tried to communalise her at and after her death. Lata Mangeshkar was a religion of her own; her work cut across politics

Lata Mangeshkar's 'Allah Tero Naam Ishwar Tero Naam' was no empty rhetoric. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=prJ9NbOycEI

If she is being mourned in Pakistan as much as in India, then it is only because she sang for mankind, she will live through thousands of her songs for as long as civilisation exists; which may not be very long, what with many kinds of viruses and other toxic elements polluting and poisoning our planet. The Goddess’s songs owed allegiance to neither saffron nor green. They were a religion of their own, a colour so vibrant, deep, tapestried, and rich, they have no human definition. 

As I end, I wonder 

"Ajeeb dastan hai yeh, Kahan shuru kahan khatam, Yeh manzilein hai kaun si, Na woh samajh sake na hum" and "Yeh kahan aa gaye hum, Yunhi saath saath chalte"

Atomic Habits - James Clear

Tiny changes, remarkable results. Atomic Habits - An Easy and Proven Way to Build Good Habits and Break Bad Ones by James Clear was my 15th of 2021.

Habits are about becoming something. It helps you become the type of person you wish to be. Quite literally, you become your habits. Word meaning of Habit is a routine or practice performed regularly, an automatic response to a specific situation.  A habit is a behaviour that has been repeated enough times to become automatic. Atomic is an extremely small amount of a thing; the single irreducible unit of a larger system. It is the source of immense energy or power. 

First know 'who' you want to be, and then work towards is. When you know the who, the how and why becomes easy.  The most effective way to change your habits is to focus not on what you want to achieve, but on who you wish to become. 

The Fundamentals - Why Tiny changes make a big difference

1. The Surprising Power of Atomic Habits - The impact created by a change in your habits is similar to the effect of shifting the route of an airplane by just a few degrees. When flying from LA to NY, if heading is adjusted 3.5 degree south, it will land in Washington DC. A small change, over time, such a huge impact. +ve are compounding of Productivity, knowledge and relationships. -ve are Stress, Negative thoughts and Outrage. Habits are the compound interest of self-improvement. Getting 1% better everyday, counts a lot in the long run. Forget about goals, focus on systems instead. Goals are good for setting a direction, but systems are best for making progress. A handful of problems arise when you spend too much time thinking about your goals and not enough time designing your system:
1. Winners and losers have the same goals - We speak only of achievers eg. all participate in Olympics to win gold, and the actual winners implement a system of continuous small improvements that they achieved a different outcome
2. Achieving a goal is only a momentary change
3. Goals restrict your happiness
4. Goals are at odds with long-tern progress - it creates a yo-you effect. 
1. You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems. 
2. How your habits shape your identity  (and vice versa) - Changing our habits is challenging for two reasons: (1) We try to change the wrong thing and (2) We try to change our habits in the wrong way. 
   
   
   In this session the discussion is on layers of behaviour change, i.e. the first part on what should we change .  There are three layers of behaviour change, the outermost is the change in the outcome, the big circle, the middle is the change in the process and the smallest inner one is the change in the identity. Your identity emerges out of your habits. Every action is a vote for the type of person you wish to become. Becoming the best version of yourself requires you to continuously edit your beliefs, and to upgrade and expand your identity. Habits matter because they can change your beliefs about yourself, in due process they can get you better result. 
3. How to Build better habits in 4 simple steps -Four step model for human behavior: 
   
   
   Problem Phase                                                        Solution Phase
   1. Cue                                                               3. Response
   2. Craving                                                         4. Reward

   
   

   • Awareness comes before desire,
   • Happiness is the absence of desire
   • It is the idea of pleasure that we chase
   • Peace occurs when you don't turn your observations into problems
   • With a big enough why you can overcome any how - Great Craving(motivation/desire) can power great action- even when friction is high
   • Being curious is better than being smart
   • Emotion drives behaviour
   • We can only be rational and logical after we have been emotional
   • Your response tends to follow your emotions
   • Suffering drives progress
   • Actions reveal how badly you want something
   • Reward is on the other side of sacrifice
   • Self-control is difficult because it is not satisfying
   • Our expectations determine our satisfaction. Satisfaction = Liking-Wanting
   • The pain of failure correlates to the height of expectation
   • Feelings come both before and after the behavior. - Before acting, there is a feeling that motivates you to act - the craving. After acting, there is a feeling that teaches you to repeat the action in the future - the reward. 
   • How we feel influence how we act, and how we act influence how we feel. 
   • Desire initiates. Pleasure sustains.
   • Hope declines with experience and is replaced by acceptance.  - In the beginning hope is all that you have. 

   Cue>Craving(feeling)>Respons>Reward(feeling)   - The four stages of habit are best described as a feedback loop. They form an endless cycle that is running every moment you are alive. This 'habit loop' is continually scanning the environment, predicting what will happen next, trying out different responses and  learning from the results. We chase rewards because they satisfy us and they teach us. You can think of each law as a lever that influences human behavior. When the levers are in the right positions, creating good habits is effortless. When they are in the wrong position, it is nearly impossible. 
1. The First law - Make it Obvious - Cue
4. The Man who didn't look right
• With enough practice, your brain will pick up on the cues that predict certain outcomes without consciously thinking about it.
• Once our habits become automatic, we stop paying attention to what we are doing
• The process of behaviour change always starts with awareness. You need to be aware of your habits before you can change them.
• Pointing and calling raises your level of awareness from a non conscious habit to a more conscious level by verbalizing your action
• The Habit scorecard is a simple exercise you can use to become more aware of your behavior. 
5. The Best Way to Start a New habit
• The 1st Law of Behavior change is make it obvious.
• The two most common cues are time and location
• Creating an implementation intention is a strategy you can use to pair a new habit with a specific time and location
• The implementation intention formula is: I will {BEHAVIOR} at {TIME} in {LOCATION}.
• Habit stacking is a strategy you can use to pair a new habit with a current habit.
• The Habit stacking formula is : After {CURRENT HABIT}, I will {NEW HABIT]
6. Motivation is overrated; Environment Often Matters More
• Small change in context can lead to large changes in behavior over time. 
• Every habit is initiated by a cue. We are more likely to notice cues that stand out.
• Make the cues of good habits obvious in your environment
• Gradually, your habits become associated not with a single trigger but with the entire context surrounding the behavior. The context become the cue. 
• It is easier to build new habits in a new environment because you are not fighting against old cues. 
7. The Secret to Self-Control - short term strategy, not a long-term one. 
• One of the most practical ways to eliminate a bad habit is to reduce exposure to the cue that causes it. 
• Inversion to 1st law is make it invisible. 
• Once a habit is formed, it is unlikely to be forgotten. 
• It's easier to avoid temptation than resist it. 
1. The Second Law - Make it Attractive - Craving
8. How to Make a Habit Irresistible - One of the important role player in habit formation is a neurotransmitter called dopamine. It provided a window to biological underpinnings of desire, craving and motivation that are behind every habit. Without dopamine, desire die, and without desire action stop. When dopamine rises, so does our motivation to act. 
• It is the anticipation of a reward - not the fulfilment of it - that gets us to take action. The greater the anticipation, the greater the dopamine spike. 
• Temptation bundling is one way to make your habits more attractive. The strategy is to pair an action you want to do with an action you need to do. 
• The habit stacking +temptation bundling formula is:
• After [CURRENT HABIT], I will [HABIT I NEED]
• After [HABIT I NEED], I WILL [HABIT I WANT]
9. The Role of Family and Friends in Shaping Your Habits - We imitate the habits of three groups in particular - 
• The close (family & friends), the many(the tribe) and the powerful (those with status and prestige).
• The culture we live in determines which behaviours are attractive to us.
•  We tend to adopt habits that are praised and approved of by our culture because we have a strong desire to fit in and belong to the tribe. 
• One of the most effective things you can do to build better habits is to join a culture where 
• Your desired behavior is the normal behavior and 
• You already have something in common with the group
• The normal behavior of the tribe often overpowers the desired behavior of the individual. Most days, we'd rather be wrong with the crowd than be right by ourselves. 
• If a behavior can get us approval, respect, and praise, we find it attractive. 
10. How to Find and Fix the Causes of Your Bad Habits
• Your habits are modern-day solutions to ancient desires.
• Every behavior has a surface level craving and a deeper underlying motive
• The cause of your habits is actually the prediction that precedes them. The prediction leads to a feeling.
• Habits are attractive when we associate them with positive feelings and unattractive when we associate them with negative feelings. Create a motivation ritual by doing something you enjoy immediately before a difficult habit. 
1. The Third Law - Make it Easy- Response
11. Walk Slowly, but Never backward - 
• In the beginning a habit requires a good deal of effort and concentration to perform. After a few repetitions, it gets easier, but still requires some conscious attention. With enough practice, the habit becomes more automatic than conscious. Beyond this threshold - the habit line - the behaviour can be done more or less without thinking. A new habit has been formed. With repetition, it becomes automatic. Habit formation is a process by which a behavior becomes progressively more automatic through repetition. 
• The most effective form of learning is practice, not planning
• Focus on taking action, not being in motion.
• String together enough successful attempts until behavior is firmly embedded in your mind and your cross habit line. 
• The amount of time you have been performing a habit is not as important as the number of times you have performed it. 
12. The Law of Least Effort - is what human behavior tend to follow. 
•  Create environment where doing the right thing is as easy as possible.
• Reduce the friction associated with good behaviors. When friction is low, habits are easy. 
• Prime your environment to make future actions easier. 
13. How to Stop Procrastinating by Using the Two-Minute Rule - 
• The difference between a good day and a bad day is often a few productive and healthy choices made at decisive moments. Each one is like a fork in the road, and these choices stack up throughout the day and can ultimately lead to very different outcomes. 
• When you start a new habit, it should take less than two minutes to do. - Write one sentence/write one para/write 1000 words/5000 words/Book.
• The more you ritualize the beginning of a process, the more likely it becomes that you can slip into the state of deep focus that is required to do great things.
• Standardize before your optimize. You can't improve a habit that doesn't exist. 
14. How to Make Good Habits Inevitable (easy) and Bad Habits Impossible (hard) - Automate your habits. 
• A commitment device is a choice you make in the present that locks in better behavior in the future.
• The ultimate way to lock in future behavior is to automate your habits.
• Onetime choices - like buying a better mattress or enrolling in an automatic savings plan- are single actions that automate your future habits and deliver increasing returns overtime.
• using technology to automate your habits is the most reliable and effective way to guarantee the right behavior. 
1. The Fourth Law - Make it Satisfying - Reward
15. The Cardinal Rule of Behaviour Change
• What is immediately rewarded is repeated, what is immediately punished is avoided. 
16. How to Stick with Good Habits Every Day
• Track your habits - its obvious, attractive and satisfying. It's a simple way to measure whether you did a habit - - eg. Mark X in calender. 
• Dont break the chain, keep habit steak alive. 
• Never miss twice, get back to track ASAP.
• Just because you can measure something doesn't mean it's the most important thing.
• One of the most satisfying feeling is the feeling of making progress. 
17. How an accountability Partner Can Change Everything
• We are less likely to repeat a bad habit if it is painful or unsatisfying. 
• An accountability partner can create an immediate cost to inaction. We care deeply about what others think of us, and we do not want others to have a lesser opinion of us. 
• A habit contract can be used to add a social cost to any behavior. It makes the costs of violating your promises public and painful. 
• Knowing that someone else is watching you can become a powerful motivator. 
  
  
  
1. Advanced Tactics: How to Go from being Merely Good to being Truly Great
18. The Truth about Talent (When Genes Matter and When they don't)
• The secret to maximizing your odds of success is to choose the right field of competition
• Pick the right habit and progress is easy. Pick the wrong habit and life is a struggle
• Genes cannot be easily changed, which means they provide a powerful advantage in favourable circumstances and a serious disadvantage in unfavourable circumstance.  
• Habits are easier when they align with your natural abilities. Choose the habits that best suit you. 
• Play a game, that favors your strengths. If you can't find a game that favours you, create one. 
• Genes do not eliminate the need for hardwork. They clarify it. They tell us what to work hard on. 
• The most proven scientific analysis of personality traits is known as the 'Big Five', which breaks them down to five spectrum of behaviour.
1. Openess to experience: from curious and inventive on one end to cautious and consistent on the other
2. Conscientiousness: Organized and efficient to easy-going and spontaneous
3. Extroversion: Outgoing and energetic to solitary and reserved (you likely know them as extroverts vs. introverts)
4. Agreeableness: Friendly and compassionate to challenging and detached
5. Neuroticism: anxious and sensitive to confident, calm and stable. 
19. The Goldilocks Rule: How to Stay Motivated in Life and Work - 
• It states that human experience peak motivation when working on tasks that are right on the edge of their current abilities. Not too hard. Not too easy. Just right. In psychology research this is known as the Yerkes - Dodson law, which describes the optimal level of arousal as the midpoint between boredom and anxiety. You need to regularly search for challenges that push you to your edge while continuing to make enough progress to stay motivated. 
• Behaviors need to remain novel in order for them to stay attractive and satisfying. Without variety, we get bored. 
• And boredom is perhaps the greatest villain on the quest for self-improvement. The greatest threat to success is not failure but boredom. Habits that don't delight us makes us bored.
•  The only way to become excellent is to be endlessly fascinated by doing the same thing over and over. You have to fall in love with boredom. 
• Anyone can work hard when they feel motivated. It's the ability to keep going when work isn't exciting that makes the difference. 
• Professionals stick to the schedule; amateurs let life get in the way. Professionals know what is important to them and work toward it with purpose, amateurs get pulled off courses by the urgencies of life. 
20. The Downside of Creating Good Habits 
• The upside of habits is that we can do things without thinking. The downside is that we stop paying attention to little errors. Feedbacks are important. 
• Habit+Deliberate Practice= Mastery. The process of mastery requires that you progressively layer improvements on top of one another, each habit building upon the last until a new level of performance has been reached and a higher range of skills has been internalized. 
• Reflection and review is a process that allows you to remain conscious of your performance over time. Ask - 1) what went well 2) what did not go well 3) what did you learn.  Have an integrity report to check - 1) What are the core values that drive my life and work 2) How am I living and working with integrity right now. 3) How can I set a higher standard in the future.
• A lack of self-awareness is poison. Reflection and review is the antidote. 
• The tighter we cling to an identity, the harder it becomes to grow beyond it. 

Men are born soft and supple;

dead, they are stiff and hard.

Plants are born tender and pliant;

dead, they are brittle and dry. 

Thus whoever is stiff and inflexible 

is a disciple of death.

Whoever is soft and yielding

is a disciple of life.

The hard and stiff will be broken.

The soft and supple will prevail. 

- Lao Tzu 

The ultimate purpose of habits is to solve the problems of life with as little energy and effort as possible. Any habit can be broken down into feedback loop that involves four steps: cue, craving, response and reward. The four laws of behavior change are a simple set of rules we can use to build better habits. They are to make your good habits obvious, make it attractive, make it easy and make it satisfying. Make your bad habits invisible, unattractive, hard and unsatisfying.  It is inside out and not outside in with strong system/process. It applies to nearly every field and can be used no matter what challenges you are facing. Never stop making improvements. That's the power of atomic habits. Tiny changes. Remarkable results. 

Finally glad that I read the book.  Then there are tips on how to apply these in business, parenting and to know more visit www.atomichabits.com

A perfect Valentine's day gift read. 

Grief - From an FB post

 Grief is like this:

There's a box with a ball in it, and a pain button.

In the beginning, the ball is huge. You can't move the box without the ball hitting the pain button. It rattles around on its own in there and hits the button over and over. You can't control it - it just keeps hurting. Sometimes it seems unrelenting. 

Overtime, the ball gets smaller. It hits the button less and less but when it does, it hurts just as much. It's better because you can function day to day more easily. But the downside is that the ball randomly hits the button when you least expect it. 

For most people, the ball never really goes away. It might hit less and less and you have more time to recover between hits, unlike when the ball was still giant. 

Think, how big is the ball today, and how you can make it smaller?

It's inevitable for most, especially caused by the loss - mainly because of a loved one but also because of loss of health, job, financial stability, friendship, safety after trauma, cherished dream, pet. It can also be caused by retirement, miscarriage, selling the family home. 

1. Remember and celebrate the life of the loved one
2. Acknowledge your feeling
3. Take Care of yourself
4. Maintain a healthy diet
5. Get moving
6. Understand that grief is unpredictable
7. Be patient with yourself
8. Reach out to others dealing with loss
9. Seek out support
10. Accept your new reality

Grief is a natural response to loss. It’s the emotional suffering you feel when something or someone you love is taken away. Often, the pain of loss can feel overwhelming. You may experience all kinds of difficult and unexpected emotions, from shock or anger to disbelief, guilt, and profound sadness. The pain of grief can also disrupt your physical health, making it difficult to sleep, eat, or even think straight. These are normal reactions to loss—and the more significant the loss, the more intense your grief will be.

Silicon to Saffron of India - Karnataka

Silicon valley of India is  turning into Saffron valley of India. Will not be surprised if soon we have dress code, like Yogi. Will there be a mandate all should wear only Saffron clothes? Will they prohibit Sikh from wearing turban?

Karnataka Govt invokes state law to back hijab ban: ‘Don’t wear clothes that disturb law & order’. The ban on wearing the hijab to classrooms, according to the state government, is not a violation of the fundamental right to religious freedom guaranteed by the Constitution.

The ‘hijab-saffron shawl’ controversy created confusion in some colleges in north Karnataka districts as students came to attend classes wearing ‘hijab’ and ‘saffron shawls’, forcing the college administrations to suspend classes for the day in a few institutions.

Protests in favour of and against hijab were staged in various districts, with Hindu outfits staging protests opposing students wearing hijab, while Muslim and progressive organisations staging protests condemning what they termed as divisive politics by the ruling party. 

Last week, B C Nagesh, minister for school education, announced plans for a uniform policy: “What if tomorrow someone comes to the college in shorts saying it is hot? We cannot allow it. Colleges had set their own rules and it was being followed. There are Christian missionary-run colleges and a few of them do not allow Hindu students to wear bangles or bindis. Nobody has questioned it because it was the college’s decision.”

Two questions to be asked

1. Does the institute have a dress code Y/ N

2. Did the Children violate that code Y/ N

If Y for both, the Children/ Parents need to step back, apologise and follow the code.

If N for both, the institute needs to step back and apologise

There is a Kerala High Court judgement on this. If there is a dress code, students need to follow it. It is not their personal choice

A video of a boy putting up a saffron flag went viral on social media. In the video, the majority of the students that were filmed were waving saffron flags and stoles. Times Now’s Special Correspondent Imran Khan shared the video with a misleading caption. He claimed, “Karnataka Congress president DK Shivakumar has tweeted saying replacing National flag with Saffron flag at #Shimoga is a breakdown of law and order. And the college should be closed for a week.” and now this tweet is going internationally viral. 

As I discuss with my cousin, he says, people in Karnataka do not know what bribe or corruption is, it is a custom there. At least in India, news erupt and then it goes silent. Karnataka, everything happens, but nobody will know. 

If we compare today's govt....central or state what ever...he thinks ...old Rajas,  the British admin, or the period soon after Independence were far more better. All Kallanmar, they were Vella Kallanmar, who did somethings in return. Now people are not afraid. They know if they support the ruling party, they will be safeguarded. Because of loop holes and vote bank system, people can do anything here. In Arab countries, people are so obedient. But in India as long as there is minority/majority and vote banks, the color of the flag will keep changing and so that of people. 

On 75th Anniversary - First 25 years - Mukund Mavlankar

 PM’s comments made at the IIT Kanpur convocation on Dec 28th has not gone unnoticed this time. Whether students heard him or not, alumni did. Modi deplored the “fact” that little was done in the first 25 years after independence to make India self-reliant. 

https://twitter.com/RajeevMatta/status/1480106570906103809

“25 years after Independence, we should have done a lot more to stand on our feet. There has been further great delay from then till now. The country has lost a lot of time. In between, two generations have passed. Now we can’t afford the loss of even two moments”.

However, is it a “fact” little was done in the first 25 years to make India self-reliant? Mukund Mavlankar, an illustrious alumnus of IIT Kanpur thinks it is not. 

He says of himself, “education in IIT Kanpur gave me a solid, scientific and technological foundation and helped me build a 43 year strong manufacturing career”, has written to PM to explain why. 

He mentions 12 key achievements of the first quarter century that India should not only never forget, but always be proud of. In the year we celebrate the 75th anniversary of Independence, these are the landmarks that are worth reminding ourselves of. 

First the political ones. India gave itself a Constitution to eternally boast of. It enshrines the values we cherish. That happened less than 3 years after Independence. 

Two years after that, the country held its first national election. Every adult, rich or poor, man or woman, had the right to vote. We take that for granted today, but it simply wasn’t at the time.

Next, come the educational institutions we built in those years. Between 1950 and 1964, five IITs were set up. Before 25 years were over, three Institutes of Management (IIMs) were also established. And let’s not forget prestigious research laboratories such as Indian Institute of Science, the Defence Research and Development Organisation.

The Bhabha Atomic Research Centre and the Indian Space Research Organisation. They are world-class and the envy of our peers. 

Mavlankar’s letter mentions a lot more – Bhakra Nangal Dam, Hindustan Aeronautics, the Oil and Natural Gas Commission, Bharat Heavy Electronics, and an assortment of steel plants. And in this time of Covid-19, how can anyone forget the Indian Council of Medical Research and the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS)? The first was established in 1948. The second, in 1956.

The hundred acres on which AIIMS stands was donated by the then health minister Rajkumari Amrit Kaur. 

Mavlankar’s parting words: “Sir, the list could go on and on.Our democracy invested its energy, blood sweat and toll in the first 25 years to lay the foundation of this country which we are so proud of. All this was done in spite of poverty, great natural disasters, epidemics and four wars with our neighbours”

He adds: “I agree with you a hundred percent that the work of building the country is not over as yet.” 

The intent of his letter is to ask the PM not to forget or undervalue what politicians of the past have done. We need to add to their efforts, but that won’t happen by denigrating them. 

We collectively have been responsible for utter degradation of the environment we live in. CO2 level has been increasing relentlessly and in geometric progression since 1763.

World of Cryptocurrencies.....

 With discussions around banning 'private' cryptocurrencies, it has been brought under tax net in the latest budget. Currently it s in a 'grey zone' as there is no legal backing or ban. However, existing laws (like anti-money laundering, cheating) are applicable. 

Cryptocurrencies are a digital form of money that represent financial freedom and privacy. Unlike traditional currencies, they are not issued by central banks. They also aren't controlled by any individual or institution and are instead governed by a code. They enable secure transactions free from government or corporate influence. Due to encryption, it is not possible to issue counterfeit currency or double-spend. 

To invest in Crypto, we can open an account with a crypto exchange by submitting KYC details online. The investment process is similar to buying stocks on online platforms. Most cryptocurrencies don't have any intrinsic value. Five years ago, the value of 1 Bitcoin was about $1,000. Now, it is near the $37,000 level - a rise of 3,600% However, it has been a rollercoaster ride with many crashes over the years. Demand and supply competition, and regulation are some factors that determine the value of cryptocurrencies. Though there is no central authority, it is controlled. Bitcoin has been designed to have a limit of 21 million and the rate of generation is also pre-decided - the last Bitcoin is set to be mined in the year 2140. Other cryptocurrencies have their own rate of supply. Bitcoins finite nature has led to it being called an anti-inflation hedge. 

Bitcoins are the biggest cryptocurrency in terms of market cap and also the oldest. Other cryptocurrencies are termed.

Different sides of coins are:

Altcoins or alternative coins. Cryptocurrencies linked to an asset like gold or dollar are called  Stablecoins as they are less volatile. 

Blockchain is a decentralised public ledger tech, which is the base for crypto. Process through which block chain transactions are verified and new tokens created is called mining. 

CBDC is the legal tender - Digital currency issued by Central Bank. 

NFTs or Non fungible tokens  are cryptocurrencies that are mostly used as certificates of ownership of digital assets like art, audio or photos. 

Crypto threatens state control over monetary policy. Regulators feel private currency will erode public trust in money and lead to financial instability. In India, the RBI has called for a full ban on crypto as partial restrictions won't be effective. Some countries are developing legal frameworks to treat crypto as assets and not modes of payment. Most people are acquiring crypto as an asset and not for payments. They are speculating that it will appreciate as the value of fiat currency deteriorates due to excess supply. Investors see it as a high-risk, high-reward opportunity. 

Crypto payments are enabled by a decentralised computer network, where those who verify the transaction suing cryptography are rewarded with tokens. However, avenues to spend crypto are limited. El Salvador is the only country where it has legal tender status as of today. Last year, Tesla had announced it would accept payments in certain cryptocurrencies. The first Bitcoin payment was made to buy pizza in 2010. The bill  worth $40 was paid using 10,000 Bitcoins, which would be worth $370 million today. 

To remove third-party risks, cryptocurrencies use a trust-less computer network. The identities of the two parties are not disclosed but their transaction is recorded and verified publicly. 

Quarantine Is Over - Oviya R

 "The best feeling ever is realizing that you're not sad anymore over something you were sure you'd never get over with." 

It is the experience of Jithesh and his realisation, this story by Oviya is all about.  As he is struggling with multitude of emotions as seen in the cover page - of love, loneliness, pain, mistakes and buried secrets, added up with helplessness and the mistake committed comes the intruding neighbour family. 

A beautiful story of family with suspense to keep the readers wanting to know. A small and easy read. Looking for many more Oviya.  

This was my 14th of 2022, 13th being, the one written in Jan, on listening to the talk - The amazing "Civilisation, Economics and Constitution' by M R Venkatesh. 

Feedback

 We grow with feedback, receiving and giving, both are equally important. 

Coaching references:

Tip 1: SBI - ) Situation /Behavior/Impact

• Situation: Describe the situation, be specific of where and when it occurred
• Behaviour: Describe the observable behaviour. Don't assume you know what the other person was thinking.
• Impact: Describe the impact as a result of the behaviour. What you thought or felt in reaction.

Give positive and developmental feedback. 

Tip 2: Statement/Question

S: The feedback suggested  you have good ideas but could be more determined...

Q: Which areas do you think you could have more ambition?

S: The feedback recommended a more collaborative approach to projects

Q: What would be the value of collaborating more? Where could you demonstrate that?

S: Many people ask you about their problem without designing  a presentation

Q: How would you like to provide this expertise with other people more officially?

Tip 3: Rebounding

Answering a question with a question....

Employee: How can I be more collaborative?

Manager: It is about working closing with people, can you think of a situation where you could work closer with someone?

Employee: I am naturally not very creative, how can I be more creative?

Manager: Can you think of something you've done differently or have come up with alternative way of doing things?

Employee: I am not sure, I know enough about that to help anyone.

Manager: Where could you look to find more?

Tip 4: Stop, Start, Continue

Stop: When you plan a campaign what is the main thing, that stops you from hitting a deadline?

Start: And with that campaign, what could you start doing or do differently, that would create a better outcome?

Continue: With campaign management, what have you discovered that really works in your favour?

Pitfall to avoid when writing reviews

• Primary and recency
• Gravitate to the mean
• Emotional influence
• Avoiding difficult conversation
• Halo/Horn effect
• Self-benchmarking
• Avoid vague and ambiguous feedback

What are the risks when managers rate employees to high or too low

• High performers don't feel rewarded or recognised
• Poor performers don't know how far they are below expectation
• Documentation may contradict employee decision
• Defined top performance is'nt clear
• Setting goals that are too high
• Setting goals that are too low
• Could drive high turnover

Invincible Thinking - Ryuho Okawa

 12th of 2022, Invincible Thinking by Ryuho Okawa is a guide to becoming outstanding leaders, capable of showing others the right path. It is a philosophy that allows people to succeed in any situation. Ryuho Okawa, is the founder and spiritual leader of the Institute of Happy Science, who has devoted his life to the exploration of the spirit world and ways to human happiness. This books is based on four weekday seminars held from June to July in 1989 for  members of his institute. 

Divided into four parts it covers:

Part One: The Source of Invincibility:

1. Qualities required of a Leader 
1. Able to point others in the right direction, Able to see the future, 
2. Make others feel that there is a bright future, begin with you, something good can happen
3. Have past achievements to convince.
2. Self-Reflection - Ups and down help learn, and look deep into the inner self. 
3. Trials needed - It's an experience to develop greater
4. Learn from Ordeal - be a giver of love, and not just taker; difficulties don't last long. 
5. Do not live a life of excuses - 
1. Do not blame fate or other people for any personal hardship
2. Accept what fate has given
3. Find lessons in adversities - Let go
4. Don't give into the temptation to wallow, accept bravely what is thrown at you, overcome it
6. Determination and willpower open up a path - More privileged your circumstances, the greater the opportunity you have to be of service to others. 
7. Device ways of becoming invincible - Use wisdom - Take help, simplify, 
8. Transcend Individual Limitation - There is always a place where the path divides, and the outcome will depend on whether you can spot an opportunity and devise ingenious method. Apply creative thinking
9. Two Secrets of Achieving Success - 
1. Find a Demand
2. Think about Future development
10. Financial strengths help overcome difficulties - Try to accept adversities and use it as a springboard to find ways of moving forward and making future progress.
11. Discover the Invincible Self - You are what you think. 

Part Two: Revolutionizing your perspective:

1. The importance of creating New Ideas - important to practice devising new ways of improving a situation. 
2. Find a Third Alternative - Find new ways to do things. 
3. Think in the Opposite Way to create Positiveness
4. Use Failure as a Springboard - The lessons you learn from studying others become your personal savings. 
5. There is no waste in the world created by God - It was created with the best of intentions.
6. Confront Your Karma with a Positive Attitude - Life is like a workbook of problems to be solved. What your are fighting in the ring is not another person; it is a battle between you and your karma, and you have to win this match at all cost. Once you are in the ring, you have to hide your weaknesses and give it your best shot. 
7. People Assess you differently - Make effort to see positive side in things that you worry. 
8. Plan to live to 120 years 
9. Life can be extended through effort - Keep learning, and it will be of great help. 

Part Three: Life and Victory: - Health, Wealth and spiritual life (Integrity)

1. When a philosophy Radiates Light - achieve continuous victory in life in all areas as below:
2. How to Live a Healthy Life  - Health is most important, 
1. Physical Conditions restrict the Mind, -
2. Control your physical body, - Balancing is very important - like cycling. Any damaged part need repair. 
3. Care is up to Individual, 
4. Body and Mind - When feeling good, do positive thinking and when feeling bad, do self-reflection. 
3. The creation of Wealth - 3 basic principles; (i) Thrift - cut out waste, (ii)Know how to use it - money appears to them who know (iii) People who give, receive. Tap water philosophy - Konosuke Matsushita. We need wealth, and having it is good, it should be created in the right way. People all have different ways of living and different ways of thinking. When you elect to live in poverty, do not try to force others to do the same. Never express jealousy or envy - this is very important.  There are numerous variations of methods of attaining wealth, but the basic is the three mentioned above. First, use your money with moderation; second have a clear idea of how to use wealth and third be prepared to use what you have accumulated for the sake of others. 
4. Spouse and Home - (i)Start by making yourself into your own ideal. If we chase, the object will flee. (ii) Understand your partner. (iii) You need to work to make a perfect match.
5. Encounters that will change your destiny  - (i)Noble person, (ii)listening humbly, (iii)having a grateful heart. Have earnest desire for these. 
6. Spiritual Legacy - Integrity. Ability is something you are born with, you have the seeds within you; integrity is acquired in two ways - through success and failure. Search for the diving intervention, seeds in experiences. For success, you supply water and feartilizer, but without the divine will, it will not bear fruit. 

Part Four: The Power of Invincible Thinking:

1. Self-Reflection and Progress are linked - Principles of happiness : love, wisdom, self-reflection and progress. Positive thinking is forward-looking, this should go hand in hand with self-reflection. 
2. Power of Invincible Thinking in the Phenomenal World - No one can live without making mistake, and invincible thinking is a personal philosophy unique to each and every individual. 
3. Transform Difficulties into Strength for your soul - solve your problems, guide others and work to establish some large, positive undertaking. 
4. Be Master of your own time - Keep growing taller both in good times and bad.  
5. The energy of Bamboo that Creates joints - Flexibility and strength exist together in harmony, and this is needed for growth through good and bad times. Fate and luck run in cycles, times of adversity are the joints in life, after you have created a joint you can advance to the next step. 
6. Creating Annual Rings in a Harsh Environment - When your body and soul are faced with the buffeting winds of misfortune, and the heat and snow of tribulation, your soul develops the power to resist any misfortune, and it is like an immunity. Every experience accumulated is a lesson, converted into a powerful energy for soul. 
7. Think Like a long distance runner - both short term and long term, as per needs of each season. Pacing is important. 
8. The cumulative effect - Will power - Some study page to page, some learn important things only. The former will need more time, but should not give up. Picking up gist of the subject might give you short term success but not long term true victory. 
9. Prepare for the next step, instead of waiting on luck - No matter whether the environment is good or bad, the economy buoyant or depressed, as the base you need to have an attitude of trying to offer a good product or service which will allow you to maintain a steady batting average. 
10. When conditions are favourable, sow the seeds of love - Hardships are times of training, good times give love. Keep aside thoughts of bad luck, misfortune, pride etc. 
11. Aim for a goal one step higher - When you have achieved something, set your next goal to brace yourself, and consider how to go about steadily attaining it. 
12. Think flexibly and turn difficulty to your advantage - Always be ready to make your next move. Ask yourself what the problem that you are now facing is and once you have identified it, work out how to get around it. If you stay several steps ahead, you will find that the outcome will always be positive. 
13. Toward a life of daily success - Snowball effect. Whatever happens, use it to build up your store of experience, like a snowball. When you practice invincible thinking, it is as if you are looking around, ready to face any troubles or difficulties, and as soon as something happens you absorb it and convert it into strength. This philosophy is very powerful and it is the manifestation of unshakable mind. When someone complements you say, it is because you had the help of numerous people. Think of hardships as nourishment to help you grow and bear fruit. You should make use of both the philosophy of self reflection of the Buddha and the philosophy of positivity of Hermes. Absorb all of what you have experienced while confronting difficulties and transform it into energy within you. using both philosophies make yourself invincible. 

Budget 2022

 The Finance Minister said, India is celebrating Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav and it has  entered into Amrit Kaal, the 25-year-long leadup to India@100, the government aims to attain the vision of  Prime Minister outlined in his Independence Day address and they are: 

• Complementing the macro-economic level growth focus with a micro-economic level all-inclusive welfare focus, 
• Promoting digital economy  & fintech, technology enabled development, energy transition, and climate action, and 
• Relying on virtuous cycle starting from private investment with public capital investment helping to crowd-in private investment.

India’s economic growth in the current year is estimated to be 9.2 per cent, highest among all large economies. The overall, sharp rebound and recovery of the economy from the adverse effects of the pandemic is reflective of our country’s strong resilience.

The Finance Minister informed that the Productivity Linked Incentive in 14 sectors for achieving the vision of AtmaNirbhar Bharat has received excellent response, with potential to create 60 lakh new jobs, and an additional production of Rs 30 lakh crore during next 5 years. Dwelling on the issue of implementation of the new Public Sector Enterprise policy, She said, the strategic transfer of ownership of Air India has been completed, the strategic partner for NINL (Neelanchal Ispat Nigam Limited) has been selected, the public issue of the LIC is expected shortly and others too are in the process for 2022 -23.

PART A

 India’s economic growth estimated at 9.2% to be the highest among all large economies.

 60 lakh new jobs to be created under the productivity linked incentive scheme in 14

sectors.

 PLI Schemes have the potential to create an additional production of Rs 30 lakh crore.

 Entering Amrit Kaal, the 25 year long lead up to India @100, the budget provides

impetus for growth along four priorities:

• PM GatiShakti
• Inclusive Development
• Productivity Enhancement & Investment, Sunrise opportunities, Energy Transition, and Climate Action.
• Financing of investments

PM GatiShakti

 The seven engines that drive PM GatiShakti are Roads, Railways, Airports, Ports,

Mass Transport, Waterways and Logistics Infrastructure.

PM GatiShkati National Master Plan

 The scope of PM GatiShakti National Master Plan will encompass the seven engines for

economic transformation, seamless multimodal connectivity and logistics efficiency.

 The projects pertaining to these 7 engines in the National Infrastructure Pipeline

will be aligned with PM GatiShakti framework.

Road Transport

 National Highways Network to be expanded by 25000 Km in 2022-23.

 Rs 20000 Crore to be mobilized for National Highways Network expansion.

Multimodal Logistics Parks

 Contracts to be awarded through PPP mode in 2022-23 for implementation of

Multimodal Logistics Parks at four locations.

Railways

 One Station One Product concept to help local businesses & supply chains.

 2000 Km of railway network to be brought under Kavach, the indigenous world class

technology and capacity augmentation in 2022-23.

 400 new generation Vande Bharat Trains to be manufactured during the next three

years.

 100 PM GatiShakti Cargo terminals for multimodal logistics to be developed during

the next three years.

Parvatmala

 National Ropeways Development Program, Parvatmala to be taken up on PPP mode.

 Contracts to be awarded in 2022-23 for 8 ropeway projects of 60 Km length.

Inclusive Development

Agriculture

 Rs. 2.37 lakh crore direct payment to 1.63 crore farmers for procurement of wheat

and paddy.

 Chemical free Natural farming to be promoted throughout the county. Initial focus is on

farmer’s lands in 5 Km wide corridors along river Ganga.

 NABARD to facilitate fund with blended capital to finance startups for agriculture &

rural enterprise.

 ‘Kisan Drones’ for crop assessment, digitization of land records, spraying of insecticides

and nutrients.

Ken Betwa project

 1400 crore outlay for implementation of the Ken – Betwa link project.

 9.08 lakh hectares of farmers’ lands to receive irrigation benefits by Ken-Betwa link

project.

MSME

 Udyam, e-shram, NCS and ASEEM portals to be interlinked.

 130 lakh MSMEs provided additional credit under Emergency Credit Linked Guarantee

Scheme (ECLGS)

 ECLGS to be extended up to March 2023.

 Guarantee cover under ECLGS to be expanded by Rs 50000 Crore to total cover of Rs

5 Lakh Crore.

 Rs 2 lakh Crore additional credit for Micro and Small Enterprises to be facilitated under

the Credit Guarantee Trust for Micro and Small Enterprises (CGTMSE).

 Raising and Accelerating MSME performance (RAMP) programme with outlay of

Rs 6000 Crore to be rolled out.

Skill Development

 Digital Ecosystem for Skilling and Livelihood (DESH-Stack e-portal) will be

launched to empower citizens to skill, reskill or upskill through on-line training.

 Startups will be promoted to facilitate ‘Drone Shakti’ and for Drone-As-A-Service

(DrAAS).

Education

 ‘One class-One TV channel’ programme of PM eVIDYA to be expanded to 200 TV

channels.

 Virtual labs and skilling e-labs to be set up to promote critical thinking skills and

simulated learning environment.

 High-quality e-content will be developed for delivery through Digital Teachers.

 Digital University for world-class quality universal education with personalised learning

experience to be established.

Health

 An open platform for National Digital Health Ecosystem to be rolled out.

 ‘National Tele Mental Health Programme’ for quality mental health counselling and

care services to be launched.

 A network of 23 tele-mental health centres of excellence will be set up, with

NIMHANS being the nodal centre and International Institute of Information TechnologyBangalore (IIITB) providing technology support.

Saksham Anganwadi

 Integrated benefits to women and children through Mission Shakti, Mission Vatsalya,

Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0.

 Two lakh anganwadis to be upgraded to Saksham Anganwadis.

Har Ghar, Nal Se Jal

 Rs. 60,000 crore allocated to cover 3.8 crore households in 2022-23 under Har Ghar,

Nal se Jal.

Housing for All

 Rs. 48,000 crore allocated for completion of 80 lakh houses in 2022-23 under PM Awas

Yojana.

Prime Minister’s Development Initiative for North-East Region (PM-DevINE)

 New scheme PM-DevINE launched to fund infrastructure and social development

projects in the North-East.

 An initial allocation of Rs. 1,500 crore made to enable livelihood activities for youth and

women under the scheme.

Vibrant Villages Programme

 Vibrant Villages Programme for development of Border villages with sparse population,

limited connectivity and infrastructure on the northern border.

Banking

 100 per cent of 1.5 lakh post offices to come on the core banking system.

 Scheduled Commercial Banks to set up 75 Digital Banking Units (DBUs) in 75

districts.

e-Passport

 e-Passports with embedded chip and futuristic technology to be rolled out.

Urban Planning

 Modernization of building byelaws, Town Planning Schemes (TPS), and Transit Oriented

Development (TOD) will be implemented.

 Battery swapping policy to be brought out for setting up charging stations at scale in

urban areas.

Land Records Management

 Unique Land Parcel Identification Number for IT-based management of land records.

Accelerated Corporate Exit

 Centre for Processing Accelerated Corporate Exit (C-PACE) to be established for

speedy winding-up of companies.

AVGC Promotion Task Force

 An animation, visual effects, gaming, and comic (AVGC) promotion task force to be

set-up to realize the potential of this sector.

Telecom Sector

 Scheme for design-led manufacturing to be launched to build a strong ecosystem for 5G

as part of the Production Linked Incentive Scheme.

Export Promotion

 Special Economic Zones Act to be replaced with a new legislation to enable States to

become partners in ‘Development of Enterprise and Service Hubs’.

AtmaNirbharta in Defence:

 68% of capital procurement budget earmarked for domestic industry in 2022-23, up

from 58% in 2021-22.

 Defence R&D to be opened up for industry, startups and academia with 25% of defence

R&D budget earmarked.

 Independent nodal umbrella body to be set up for meeting testing and certification

requirements.

Sunrise Opportunities

 Government contribution to be provided for R&D in Sunrise Opportunities like Artificial

Intelligence, Geospatial Systems and Drones, Semiconductor and its eco-system, Space

Economy, Genomics and Pharmaceuticals, Green Energy, and Clean Mobility Systems.

Energy Transition and Climate Action:

 Additional allocation of Rs. 19,500 crore for Production Linked Incentive for

manufacture of high efficiency solar modules to meet the goal of 280 GW of installed

solar power by 2030.

 Five to seven per cent biomass pellets to be co-fired in thermal power plants:

 CO2 savings of 38 MMT annually,

 Extra income to farmers and job opportunities to locals,

 Help avoid stubble burning in agriculture fields.

 Four pilot projects to be set up for coal gasification and conversion of coal into

chemicals for the industry

 Financial support to farmers belonging to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, who

want to take up agro-forestry.

Public Capital Investment:

 Public investment to continue to pump-prime private investment and demand in 2022-23.

 Outlay for capital expenditure stepped up sharply by 35.4% to Rs. 7.50 lakh crore

in 2022-23 from Rs. 5.54 lakh crore in the current year.

 Outlay in 2022-23 to be 2.9% of GDP.

 ‘Effective Capital Expenditure’ of Central Government estimated at Rs. 10.68 lakh

crore in 2022-23, which is about 4.1% of GDP.

GIFT-IFSC

 World-class foreign universities and institutions to be allowed in the GIFT City.

 An International Arbitration Centre to be set up for timely settlement of disputes

under international jurisprudence.

Mobilising Resources

 Data Centres and Energy Storage Systems to be given infrastructure status.

 Venture Capital and Private Equity invested more than Rs. 5.5 lakh crore last year

facilitating one of the largest start-up and growth ecosystem. Measures to be taken to help

scale up this investment.

 Blended funds to be promoted for sunrise sectors.

 Sovereign Green Bonds to be issued for mobilizing resources for green infrastructure.

Digital Rupee

 Introduction of Digital Rupee by the Reserve Bank of India starting 2022-23.

Providing Greater Fiscal Space to States

 Enhanced outlay for ‘Scheme for Financial Assistance to States for Capital

Investment’:

 From Rs. 10,000 crore in Budget Estimates to Rs. 15,000 crore in Revised

Estimates for current year

 Allocation of Rs. 1 lakh crore in 2022-23 to assist the states in catalysing overall

investments in the economy: fifty-year interest free loans, over and above normal

borrowings

 In 2022-23, States will be allowed a fiscal deficit of 4% of GSDP, of which 0.5% will

be tied to power sector reforms

Fiscal Management

 Budget Estimates 2021-22: Rs. 34.83 lakh crore

 Revised Estimates 2021-22: Rs. 37.70 lakh crore

 Total expenditure in 2022-23 estimated at Rs. 39.45 lakh crore

 Total receipts other than borrowings in 2022-23 estimated at Rs. 22.84 lakh crore

 Fiscal deficit in current year: 6.9% of GDP (against 6.8% in Budget Estimates)

 Fiscal deficit in 2022-23 estimated at 6.4% of GDP

PART B

DIRECT TAXES

To take forward the policy of stable and predictable tax regime:

 Vision to establish a trustworthy tax regime.

 To further simplify tax system and reduce litigation.

Introducing new ‘Updated return’

 Provision to file an Updated Return on payment of additional tax.

 Will enable the assessee to declare income missed out earlier.

 Can be filed within two years from the end of the relevant assessment year.

Cooperative societies

 Alternate Minimum Tax paid by cooperatives brought down from 18.5 per cent to 15

per cent.

 To provide a level playing field between cooperative societies and companies.

 Surcharge on cooperative societies reduced from 12 per cent to 7 per cent for those

having total income of more than Rs 1 crore and up to Rs 10 crores.

Tax relief to persons with disability

 Payment of annuity and lump sum amount from insurance scheme to be allowed to

differently abled dependent during the lifetime of parents/guardians, i.e., on parents/

guardian attaining the age of 60 years.

Parity in National Pension Scheme Contribution

 Tax deduction limit increased from 10 per cent to 14 per cent on employer’s

contribution to the NPS account of State Government employees.

 Brings them at par with central government employees.

 Would help in enhancing social security benefits.

Incentives for Start-ups

 Period of incorporation extended by one year, up to 31.03.2023 for eligible start-ups to

avail tax benefit.

 Previously the period of incorporation valid up to 31.03.2022.

Incentives under concessional tax regime

 Last date for commencement of manufacturing or production under section 115BAB

extended by one year i.e. from 31st March, 2023 to 31st March, 2024.

Scheme for taxation of virtual digital assets

 Specific tax regime for virtual digital assets introduced.

 Any income from transfer of any virtual digital asset to be taxed at the rate of 30 per

cent.

 No deduction in respect of any expenditure or allowance to be allowed while computing

such income except cost of acquisition.

 Loss from transfer of virtual digital asset cannot be set off against any other income.

 To capture the transaction details, TDS to be provided on payment made in relation to

transfer of virtual digital asset at the rate of 1 per cent of such consideration above a

monetary threshold.

 Gift of virtual digital asset also to be taxed in the hands of the recipient.

Litigation Management

 In cases where question of law is identical to the one pending in High Court or Supreme

Court, the filing of appeal by the department shall be deferred till such question of law

is decided by the court.

 To greatly help in reducing repeated litigation between taxpayers and the department.

Tax incentives to IFSC

 Subject to specified conditions, the following to be exempt from tax

 Income of a non-resident from offshore derivative instruments.

 Income from over the counter derivatives issued by an offshore banking unit.

 Income from royalty and interest on account of lease of ship.

 Income received from portfolio management services in IFSC.

Rationalization of Surcharge

 Surcharge on AOPs (consortium formed to execute a contract) capped at 15 per cent.

 Done to reduce the disparity in surcharge between individual companies and AOPs.

 Surcharge on long term capital gains arising on transfer of any type of assets capped at 15

per cent.

 To give a boost to the start up community.

Health and Education Cess

 Any surcharge or cess on income and profits not allowable as business expenditure.

Deterrence against tax-evasion

 No set off, of any loss to be allowed against undisclosed income detected during search

and survey operations.

Rationalizing TDS Provisions

 Benefits passed on to agents as business promotion strategy taxable in hands of agents.

 Tax deduction provided to person giving benefits, if the aggregate value of such benefits

exceeds Rs 20,000 during the financial year.

INDIRECT TAXES

Remarkable progress in GST

 GST revenues are buoyant despite the pandemic – Taxpayers deserve applause for this

growth.

Special Economic Zones

 Customs Administration of SEZs to be fully IT driven and function on the Customs

National Portal – shall be implemented by 30th September 2022.

Customs Reforms and duty rate changes

 Faceless Customs has been fully established. During Covid-19 pandemic, Customs

formations have done exceptional frontline work against all odds displaying agility and

purpose.

Project imports and capital goods

 Gradually phasing out of the concessional rates in capital goods and project imports; and

applying a moderate tariff of 7.5 percent – conducive to the growth of domestic sector

and ‘Make in India’.

 Certain exemptions for advanced machineries that are not manufactured within the

country shall continue.

 A few exemptions introduced on inputs, like specialised castings, ball screw and linear

motion guide - to encourage domestic manufacturing of capital goods.

Review of customs exemptions and tariff simplification

 More than 350 exemption entries proposed to be gradually phased out, like exemption

on certain agricultural produce, chemicals, fabrics, medical devices, & drugs and

medicines for which sufficient domestic capacity exists.

 Simplifying the Customs rate and tariff structure particularly for sectors like chemicals,

textiles and metals and minimise disputes; Removal of exemption on items which are or

can be manufactured in India and providing concessional duties on raw material that go

into manufacturing of intermediate products – in line with the objective of ‘Make in

India’ and ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’.

Sector specific proposals

Electronics

 Customs duty rates to be calibrated to provide a graded rate structure - to facilitate

domestic manufacturing of wearable devices, hearable devices and electronic smart

meters.

 Duty concessions to parts of transformer of mobile phone chargers and camera lens of

mobile camera module and certain other items – To enable domestic manufacturing of

high growth electronic items.

Gems and Jewellery

 Customs duty on cut and polished diamonds and gemstones being reduced to 5 per cent;

Nil customs duty to simply sawn diamond - To give a boost to the Gems and Jewellery

sector

 A simplified regulatory framework to be implemented by June this year - To facilitate

export of jewellery through e-commerce.

 Customs duty of at least Rs 400 per Kg to be paid on imitation jewellery import - To

disincentivise import of undervalued imitation jewellery.

Chemicals

 Customs duty on certain critical chemicals namely methanol, acetic acid and heavy feed

stocks for petroleum refining being reduced; Duty is being raised on sodium cyanide for

which adequate domestic capacity exists – This will help in enhancing domestic value

addition.

MSME

 Customs duty on umbrellas being raised to 20 per cent. Exemption to parts of umbrellas

being withdrawn.

 Exemption being rationalised on implements and tools for agri-sector which are

manufactured in India

 Customs duty exemption given to steel scrap last year extended for another year to

provide relief to MSME secondary steel producers

 Certain Anti- dumping and CVD on stainless steel and coated steel flat products, bars of

alloy steel and high-speed steel are being revoked – to tackle prevailing high prices of

metal in larger public interest.

Exports

 To incentivise exports, exemptions being provided on items such as embellishment,

trimming, fasteners, buttons, zipper, lining material, specified leather, furniture fittings

and packaging boxes.

 Duty being reduced on certain inputs required for shrimp aquaculture - to promote its

exports.

Tariff measure to encourage blending of fuel

 Unblended fuel to attract an additional differential excise duty of Rs 2/ litre from the 1st

of October 2022 - to encourage blending of fuel.

In every budget the poor get subsidies,  the rich get rebates and the middle class debates.