India Shining !!!!!!!! really

I was in India couple of months back. Wherever I went, a few thoughts crossed my mind, which I thought of putting into words. I am no expert to say whether India is shining nor am I a part of the government who promises to convert Mumbai into Shanghai.

From a global perspective, India is growing. There is money to be made in India. FII's with deep pockets can pour money into the markets and take the sensex up, make a good 15-20% and then sell their stakes, book profits and tank the sensex. It is the same story with the mutual funds. Within 6 months, as of today, the sensex trades at 90% more than the lowest levels of 2009.

Coming back to my India trip, I had a few thoughts, which made me think if India is really shining? Is the stock market growth in India a true sign of development and economic growth?

- 60% of population in the financial capital lives in slums.
- One downpour is enough to make any city in India paralyzed.
- There are some roads in between potholes.
- Power problems still plague big cities. In winters, people use geysers and heaters which increases demand. In summer, people use air-conditioners, which increases the demand and every year for the past 60 years, the government is taken by surprise.
- Water, electricity and basic sanitation facilities are still a luxury for more than half of our population.
- Unemployment is around 10-15%. This is does not include the disguised unemployment prevalent in the government and quasi-government sectors.
- Public transport facilities are in shambles, in a few cities where it is available
- Government hospitals are meant for politicans only (they also seldom use it)
- The airline of the country is meant for government babus, their families, cousins and the army of relatives
- Our defense budget is a whopping 150,000 crores, but any tom, dick and harry, not only takes a boat ride into the country but also holds an entire city to ransom
- We have a public distribution system for the poor, where the worst quality of foodgrains are distributed
- Politicans, beureaucrats, cricketers, filmstars and the likes are VIP's, VVIP's and VVVIP's and are provided Y, Z, Z+ category security, whereas the common man is a victim of extremism
- Many children and adults are illiterate and have no basic education
- Votes cost Rs1/- only
- A bollywood actor is finding it impossible to get a house in pali hill, as he is a muslim and we call ourselves secular
- Even today, more children in the family means more hands to work
- Inflation is negative, but our living expenses are soaring
- The Ambanis and Birlas make money even in the recession, but the mundu on the street lives on a per capita income of Rs. 37000/- per annum
- Anything from a pin to a plane can be bought in 'hard cash'

These are a few things which I noticed. We could be developing, but until such things get sorted out, we will still be developing. We need radically different reforms and a completely independent set up to actually implement them. Lets face it, the current government and constitutional set up is not working. Until the government focusses on saving its 'kursi' we will be developing.

my two cents worth of thought.