Interview-Compendium

The current government has started a new trend – naming schemes after the PM. What do you think of the same?

The current government’s initiative towards neutral attribution for all social sector schemes is a good move. Most of the government schemes in India have been named after Nehru Gandhi family, which is obvious because of long tenure of Congress in Government. The current government has not only removed those names and subsumed those schemes in new schemes but also tried to use the term Pradhanmantri as a prefix to many schemes launched recently. This follows the principle that government belongs to all and not only the ruling dispensation. The naming of schemes after the political icons is mainly to ensure electoral benefits and the new government’s initiative is worth praise.

What do you mean by CXO? Why so many companies in recent days appointing more and more CXOs?

CXO means Chief Experience Officer. This officer is responsible for overall experience of an organization’s products and services. He is expected to bring holistic experience design to the organization as essential part of business strategy and culture. To make India manufacturing hub, the country’s businesses need to move up in value chain. In recent years, more and more companies in all sectors in India have been recruting more and more CXOs. This spurt must be welcomed because CXOs can play an important role in enhancing the business culture and build a talent pool of skilled workforce in India which would ultimately help the economy.

The government has recently relaxed environment norms for real estate. What is your take on this?

In place of 100 green rules in place, the present Government has fixed some 12 to 24 environmental norms for real estate developers depending on their project sizes. For example, projects that are built on 5,000 to 20,000 m² would need to face 12 conditions; projects that are built on 20,000 to 50,000 m² will need to meet 18 conditions. The projects above 50,000m² will have to comply 20 to 24 norms. This is certainly good for the real estate sector because there was a need to simplify and rationalise the green procedures. However, government should not simplify and not dilute the green norms because lax norms would have long term adverse impacts on environment. Thus, the environment ministry should ensure that such situation does not come. Further, the government should also ensure proper implementation of environmental norms and must take action against those who violate the norms.

What do you know about the new satellite station of India in Vietnam? What are India’s benefits from it?

India has set up a Data Reception and Tracking and Telemetry Station at Ho Chi Minh City in southern Vietnam. This is to be activated soon by ISRO. This facility will help ISRO to track satellites launched from India and receive data from them. India also has a satellite tracking system in Brunei. This is a welcome move because latest system would be a strategic asset for India and would help us to get strategic toehold in South China Sea. At the same time, I think that if so much of money (for example Rs. 152 crore spent on Vietnam facility) is spent to track satellites; ISRO must do something to monitor infiltration on India’s border using some sophisticated Satellite imagery. This would not only supplement our efforts towards border security but also would help to reduce loss of life in hard terrains of Himalayas.

It is very rare that in recent times, India’s Nominal GDP is lower than Real GDP. How it affects you and me?

It was first in June 2015 when Nominal GDP slipped below Real GDP. This is mainly because of the dichotomy between CPI (Consumer Price Index) and WPI (Wholesale Price Index). The difference between CPI and WPI is mainly because of their composition. In June 2015, there was a difference between CPI inflation and WPI inflation at around 750 basis points and this seems to have stayed.  This affects both producers and consumers because producer is seeing deflationary forces, while consumer is seeing inflation.

Lodha committee has recommended that betting in cricket be legalised. What do you think on this?

The government has to strictly implement the rules to eliminate the betting rather than choosing to legalize betting. Legalising betting should be considered only when we are unable to eliminate it.

The Law Commission had recommended abolition of death penalty for all crimes except those related to terrorism. Do you think the time has come to abolish death penalty?

The recommendations of law commission have merit as well as weight. Abolition of death penalty is a widely debated issue. The Indian law provides that death penalty should be provided only in rarest of the rare cases. I also believe that death penalty should be abolished for all but heinous crimes and terror related cases. Further, there is a need to make our criminal justice system efficient and expeditious, which would also act as a deterrent to crime. Currently, the prisoners in death row have to spent many years in appeals etc. and this really is painful and sometimes puts the entire justice system in questionable situation.

In the wake of the recent terrorist attacks, especially in Pathankot, do you think that the government should implement new laws to combat terrorism?

I think India has sufficient laws to tackle such cases. Terrorism is a universal problem and I think that there is a need for stringent international law which can effectively control the cross border terrorism. All the countries need to come up together and form an strong international law on terror.

What issues India can raise on global stage against terrorism?

First, India should increase its efforts to bring terrorists such as Masood Azhar and Salahuddin under the UN’s 1267 sanctions list. I think India has more evidences by now and also an increased global stature. This should be leveraged by India and should try to bring permanent and non-permanent members at UN in support of such a global law. India can also bring China in favour because terrorists are posing dangers for peace in its Xinjiang region. India should keep pushing for early completion of the negotiations on the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism (CCIT).

What are the legal reforms being introduced by the current government?

The current government has focussed on minimizing the laws. They have identified some 1741 obsolete laws and have placed four bills before the parliament to get nearly 1200 redundant acts repealed. The government has also done effective changes in Arbitration & Conciliation Act, has set up exclusive commercial benches, increased in sanctioned strength of judges etc. While some of these measures are focussed on ease of doing business while others focus on ensuring speedy and swift justice.

Why Bastar region was in news in terms of justice system recently? What is your take on this?

It was in news because an NGO study revealed that Jails in Bastar region are crowded beyond capacity due to excessive fake cases. The NGO found that 96% of the tribals arrested were acquitted. Most of them were lodged in jails due to fake cases and bail was not granted. The trials take long and this jailed keep remaining overcrowded. In my view, justice delayed is justice denied; and failure of the criminal justice system to deliver justice to under trials is unacceptable. Problem of under trial is one of the major issues in our country and there is a need to bring in judicial reform, appoint more judges at all levels, and bring down the trial period.

It has been over a year since planning commission replaced by NITI Aayog. What are the practical problems NITI Aayog is facing now?

Planning Commission was responsible for finalizing the state plans and funds to state to implement key schemes. Planning Commission made state plans but over the years its increasingly intervention was hated in state capitals. The popular elected leaders saw the plan panel and its unelected members as increasingly anachronistic.  On the other hand, since NITI aayog is no longer entrusted with earmarking of the funds, it has advisory role. Practically, NITI aayog has neither a stick nor a carrot. The members of NITI aayog visit to various states to advise them and persuade them to implement the big ticket schemes of the central government but every state has its own style of working, it is not making much difference. In my view, NITI aayog needs to focus more on capacity-building, coordination and hand-holding.