Description
Some of the professionals’ knitpicking the spices thrown in the budget to hint at development of a possible pudding were a delight. However such conjectures would be more welcome if delivered after a detailed study including highlighting areas which are still needed to be thrashed out for the ‘kite to fly’. It would also have been better if the studios involved professionals where some was defending and some other supporting government so that a more balanced view emerges. This is all the more necessary due to ‘Hilsa ke mudhi ka shortage’ at the neta level who seem to be out of practice for serious debates and rely only on sloganeering and rhetoric.
My take on budget debates - ‘Hilsa ke Mudhi ka
shortage’
By: Amit Bhushan Date: 11
th
Jul
201
!he debate around "ndia’s 201#1$ general budget% in its immediate
a&termath on media es'e(ially mainline (hannels )as a delight* At least%
some serious attem'ts )ere being made to 'robe dee' beyond rhetori( &rom
the ‘netas’ and se+eral o& them )ere (aught una)ares* !he habit o& making
generi( statement &or media bytes to (a'itali,e on su(h e+ents has been a
retinue &or the media sa++y netas and had been a hel' in (on+eying
intelle(tual image amongst unsus'e(ting +oters egged ably by the tele-
media* -o) a dee'er 'robe results in su(h images (rumbling. and 'erha's
)ill &or(e netas to )ork a bit harder &or their o)n good*
!he debate like this )rest o& (ertain 'illars like the (ommand on numbers
in(luding realisti( a(hie+ement o& 'ro/e(tions i& any. the budget relies on
many 'ro/e(tions some o& )hi(h may not be e0a(t e0tra'olation o& the 'ast
and may be on basis some assum'tions. some o& the netas )ere a miserable
&ailure at them due to ob+ious la(k o& 'ra(ti(e* A budget is also a statement
o& intent )hi(h in(ludes ‘(ontinuan(e o& +arious s(hemes’% ‘)inding do)n
some others )ith (om'lete de-allo(ation or redu(tion in allo(ation’ and
‘initiation o& ne) s(hemes’* 1ros and (ons o& earlier s(hemes% their im'a(t
and 'o'ularity as )ell as 'ro+isions made &or the same needs to be analy,ed*
!he netas )ere e0'e(ted to do a good /ob es'e(ially &or those s(hemes )hi(h
(on(ern their (onstituen(ies and2or home states* -eedless to say that the
'er&orman(e )as miserable not only &or o''osition netas but also &or non-
minister netas on the side o& go+ernment* !he o''osition netas )ere la(king
any tou(h o& realism )hile the netas on go+ernment side sim'ly )anted to be
seen as eager de&enders o& the budget and &or&eit any (laims to demands &or
any amends% a 341 ritual )here leadershi' is not to be 5uestioned and not a
‘(hange’ that 'eo'le may )ant to see* 6hat )as missed )ere ‘no debate on
merger o& de'artment o& say -17 and 8"DA" and its im'a(t’ and other issues
like this )hi(h the go+ernment has announ(ed% any sa+ings or additional
e0'enses and some 'eek to details 9and the go+ernment &or the time being
got a)ay% thanks to the o''osition netas and 'ro&essionals in !: studios;* !he
last is analysis o& intent &or ne) s(hemes* !his )as the area netas )ere seen
as attem'ting to atta(k i*e* short allo(ation et(* !his area is generally the one
least 'rone to atta(ks unless the s(heme or intent itsel& is (ontro+ersial* 6hat
(an 'erha's be 5uestioned is timelines &or 'ro/e(ts to &ru(ti&y and details on
ho) &unding is e0'e(ted% bene<ts et(* )ith suggestions gi+en &or
in(or'oration so that netas (an take some (redit at a later stage 9!: &ootage
)ould ha+e hel'ed;* !he laun(h o& atta(k in the bud )ith no 5uestions on
intent is a(tually a disaster &or the debater% and a gory tale &or the netas in
5uestion% sin(e there are still ele(tions to be (ontested*
=ome o& the 'ro&essionals’ knit'i(king the s'i(es thro)n in the budget to hint
at de+elo'ment o& a 'ossible 'udding )ere a delight* Ho)e+er su(h
(on/e(tures )ould be more )el(ome i& deli+ered a&ter a detailed study
in(luding highlighting areas )hi(h are still needed to be thrashed out &or the
‘kite to >y’* "t )ould also ha+e been better i& the studios in+ol+ed
'ro&essionals )here some )as de&ending and some other su''orting
go+ernment so that a more balan(ed +ie) emerges* !his is all the more
ne(essary due to ‘Hilsa ke mudhi ka shortage’ at the neta le+el )ho seem to
be out o& 'ra(ti(e &or serious debates and rely only on sloganeering and
rhetori(*
doc_368193427.doc
Some of the professionals’ knitpicking the spices thrown in the budget to hint at development of a possible pudding were a delight. However such conjectures would be more welcome if delivered after a detailed study including highlighting areas which are still needed to be thrashed out for the ‘kite to fly’. It would also have been better if the studios involved professionals where some was defending and some other supporting government so that a more balanced view emerges. This is all the more necessary due to ‘Hilsa ke mudhi ka shortage’ at the neta level who seem to be out of practice for serious debates and rely only on sloganeering and rhetoric.
My take on budget debates - ‘Hilsa ke Mudhi ka
shortage’
By: Amit Bhushan Date: 11
th
Jul
201
!he debate around "ndia’s 201#1$ general budget% in its immediate
a&termath on media es'e(ially mainline (hannels )as a delight* At least%
some serious attem'ts )ere being made to 'robe dee' beyond rhetori( &rom
the ‘netas’ and se+eral o& them )ere (aught una)ares* !he habit o& making
generi( statement &or media bytes to (a'itali,e on su(h e+ents has been a
retinue &or the media sa++y netas and had been a hel' in (on+eying
intelle(tual image amongst unsus'e(ting +oters egged ably by the tele-
media* -o) a dee'er 'robe results in su(h images (rumbling. and 'erha's
)ill &or(e netas to )ork a bit harder &or their o)n good*
!he debate like this )rest o& (ertain 'illars like the (ommand on numbers
in(luding realisti( a(hie+ement o& 'ro/e(tions i& any. the budget relies on
many 'ro/e(tions some o& )hi(h may not be e0a(t e0tra'olation o& the 'ast
and may be on basis some assum'tions. some o& the netas )ere a miserable
&ailure at them due to ob+ious la(k o& 'ra(ti(e* A budget is also a statement
o& intent )hi(h in(ludes ‘(ontinuan(e o& +arious s(hemes’% ‘)inding do)n
some others )ith (om'lete de-allo(ation or redu(tion in allo(ation’ and
‘initiation o& ne) s(hemes’* 1ros and (ons o& earlier s(hemes% their im'a(t
and 'o'ularity as )ell as 'ro+isions made &or the same needs to be analy,ed*
!he netas )ere e0'e(ted to do a good /ob es'e(ially &or those s(hemes )hi(h
(on(ern their (onstituen(ies and2or home states* -eedless to say that the
'er&orman(e )as miserable not only &or o''osition netas but also &or non-
minister netas on the side o& go+ernment* !he o''osition netas )ere la(king
any tou(h o& realism )hile the netas on go+ernment side sim'ly )anted to be
seen as eager de&enders o& the budget and &or&eit any (laims to demands &or
any amends% a 341 ritual )here leadershi' is not to be 5uestioned and not a
‘(hange’ that 'eo'le may )ant to see* 6hat )as missed )ere ‘no debate on
merger o& de'artment o& say -17 and 8"DA" and its im'a(t’ and other issues
like this )hi(h the go+ernment has announ(ed% any sa+ings or additional
e0'enses and some 'eek to details 9and the go+ernment &or the time being
got a)ay% thanks to the o''osition netas and 'ro&essionals in !: studios;* !he
last is analysis o& intent &or ne) s(hemes* !his )as the area netas )ere seen
as attem'ting to atta(k i*e* short allo(ation et(* !his area is generally the one
least 'rone to atta(ks unless the s(heme or intent itsel& is (ontro+ersial* 6hat
(an 'erha's be 5uestioned is timelines &or 'ro/e(ts to &ru(ti&y and details on
ho) &unding is e0'e(ted% bene<ts et(* )ith suggestions gi+en &or
in(or'oration so that netas (an take some (redit at a later stage 9!: &ootage
)ould ha+e hel'ed;* !he laun(h o& atta(k in the bud )ith no 5uestions on
intent is a(tually a disaster &or the debater% and a gory tale &or the netas in
5uestion% sin(e there are still ele(tions to be (ontested*
=ome o& the 'ro&essionals’ knit'i(king the s'i(es thro)n in the budget to hint
at de+elo'ment o& a 'ossible 'udding )ere a delight* Ho)e+er su(h
(on/e(tures )ould be more )el(ome i& deli+ered a&ter a detailed study
in(luding highlighting areas )hi(h are still needed to be thrashed out &or the
‘kite to >y’* "t )ould also ha+e been better i& the studios in+ol+ed
'ro&essionals )here some )as de&ending and some other su''orting
go+ernment so that a more balan(ed +ie) emerges* !his is all the more
ne(essary due to ‘Hilsa ke mudhi ka shortage’ at the neta le+el )ho seem to
be out o& 'ra(ti(e &or serious debates and rely only on sloganeering and
rhetori(*
doc_368193427.doc