Trade secrets

Trade secrets: Why we need a public discourse on RCEP talks

Why we need a public discourse on RCEP talks

As India gets ready for the crucial 19th round of Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership or RCEP negotiations this week in Hyderabad (July 24-28), one wonders how aware the people in general and the stakeholders in particular are, on the likely fallout. If you go by arguments put forth by activists, the RCEP would have far-reaching impact on the economy. They say, if ratified, the RCEP provisions could impact agriculture, manufacturing, e-commerce, services and pharma.

It’s not that no discussion had ever taken place. But it was largely confined to only one layer, keeping the majority out of the discourse. The opponents of RCEP compare this with the discourse that happened over other global trade pacts such as the WTO. Or, the Government has not done enough to make India discuss this.

The RCEP has 16 member countries — 10 Asean countries and six with whom it has free trade agreements. It aims at creating a free, common market place for the member countries, which are home for 3.5 billion people. India, home to over one-third of the RCEP population, holds the key as it offers the second biggest market after China in the group.

The People’s Resistance Forum against FTAs-RCEP feels that the manner in which the talks are being held is undemocratic and not inclusive. They are demanding that India withdraw from negotiations to safeguard its interests.

It alleges that the details of the agenda and provisions are kept as a secret from the public. Talks are being held behind the doors, giving little scope for the public to understand what is happening inside.

They fear severe harm to the interests of farmers, dairy industry and pharma sector as imports from developed countries could flood the domestic market. Small-holder farmers face the biggest risk as imports from developed economies could make them jobless.

They fear RCEP could impact seed sovereignty of farmers. Farmers’ organisations fear that dairy imports from Australia and New Zealand could flood the Indian market, putting the domestic dairy sector in serious trouble.

The States too have taken not much interest in the RCEP deliberations or its impact on the primary sector. Agriculture being the State subject, the States should have discussed the provisions in detail. Political parties too seem to have no clue on what is happening.

Still more surprising is the late realisation by the activists themselves. They began rallying farmers’ associations, trade unions and intellectuals a couple of weeks ahead of the conference. They are holding parallel meetings to explain the likely fallout of the talks.

Whether it is good or bad is a different issue but it is imperative that the RCEP should have been discussed in the public domain in detail, considering the scale of impact it would have. Complete absence of discourse in the public space is baffling, particularly when the crucial round of negotiations are being held in the country.

Considering the apprehensions and likely implications on the country’s economy and livelihoods of crores of people, the Government should put forth the RCEP agenda for discussion.

It must publicise the provisions of RCEP and what it would mean by joining a big free trade region. It will not only give them a chance to come out with suggestions, but will also help them prepare for such a regime.

(This article was published on July 23, 2017)

Unwritten traffic rules

Strictly follow traffic rules but keep these things in mind while driving in Hyderabad

1) One-way roads are not one-way always. Be warned -- don't take one-ways for granted. Look at the other side too. Or, get hit.

2) One-way rules not applicable to some, including cops, VIPs and people's representatives.

3) Fast-lanes on main roads are strictly meant for slow-moving vehicles. They follow the lane discipline. They don't move even if the whole traffic is held up behind.

4) Don't be surprised if people overtake from the left side. Some do it for fun, others because the fast-moving lanes are occupied.

5) Don't get irritated by honking. Honking is the hallmark of Hyderabad roads.

6) Factor in the vehicles stopped on the other side, while taking a U-turn. Don't ask them to move ahead. They might feel offended.

7) Provide for an additional one-hour to reach your destination to give VIPs a faster passage.
8) If you are a pedestrian, don't forget to take a minimum health insurance cover for Rs 10 lakhs.
9) Remember Roads are meant for vehicles not for walking.
10) Don't curse yourself if you've forgotten to capture a great moment on the road. The traffic department must have captured all of your road life. They have over 10,000 cameras and cameramen to take care of this.

We missed the comics bus

Enthusiastic crowds at #ComicCon Hyderabad 2015

One is not old as long as one is a comic freak. I was a comics freak. I have kept myself away from comics for years, the moment I got into college education and got into reading serious stuff – the likes of Marquez, Isabelle Allende, Gorky, London and Sinclair.
But for those occasional encounters in newspaper columns, I was away from the world of zombies, super heroes, villains, comedians and those lovely animated characters.
I have just reconnected myself with that wonderful world of comics as I accompanied by 12-year-old son to the two-day Comic Con held here over the weekend. Thousands of kids and youth swarmed the Hall 3 at the Hitex facility. I have never seen such an enthusiastic crowd, yelling, hooting, giggling as they jostled their way and took innumerable selfies all over, with friends and with cosplayers.
The hall was so crowded that one actually had to push others to find space for one’s next the other foot as you walk.

There are a lot of takeaways. Hope is not lost – a good number of them are still hooked to that wonderful world of comics where we, who are into 40s and 50s, once spent considerable time. Over 200 people cosplaying as their favourite comic characters vied for a prize in the cosplay contest, with crowds yelling out the famous dialogues of the characters. Most of them actually looked like living and breathing those characters. Exuberance indeed is infectious.
That only two participants cosplayed as Indian comic characters shows where India stands in this space. It shows how poor our imagination is. Utter lack of imagination leads to mediocre content. Comic makers take the beaten track – churn out content based on religions. Japanese content is virtually ruling the comics space. Kevin Hamric of Viz Media says there’s universal acceptance for the Japanese content across the English-speaking world.

Why, both my kids are avid fans of Japanese comic serials – Doraemon, Naruto et al.
It’s time we invent themes and characters that can catch imagination of our children. It’s time we attract our children back from vulgar item number culture.

Creative marketing

This, perhaps, is a common scene in several Indian cities -- guerrilla marketing by the women, kids, youth from the poor families. I don't know why, (or is it a Hyderabad-specific phenomenon?) mostly these uneducated marketing professionals are mostly from the Lambada community.
They efficiently use the short span of time to sell the idea. Or, in the start-up lingo, quickly pitch their product idea. As vehicles wait for their turn to get the green, she moves on from one car to another, showcasing the product.
Looks like they are the first point of access to most of the Chinese products -- toys, Chota Bheem balloons, 'designer' umbrellas, mosquito bats, car cleaners, and what not. The products are novel, contemporary and the utility value too.
This morning, I have seen this woman, a familiar face at the impromptu, walking mall at the Jubilee Hills' Check Post -- selling selfie sticks.
With selfie mania gripping the city (as elsewhere), this woman chose to sell a product that goes very well with the mania.
She demonstrates the product, clamping her phone to the stick and holding a small stock of the product. ...And, China knows how to penetrate a market with a product.

A farmer's last visit to the city to deliver a message from the village

   A nameless, listless farmer Limbaiah, 45, ended his life in Hyderabad yesterday.

A portrait of a farmer by the legendary
 artist Chittaprasad (from the Net)

He was among hundreds of farmers that committed suicide this year in India. But Limbaiah, like the farmer who killed himself in Delhi during AAP rally, shook the conscience (I doubt, though) of the 400-year-old City. He travelled 170 km from Nizamabad to hang himself in Hyderabad.
   Had he committed suicide elsewhere, like many of his peers, the City would not have bothered. Those deaths happening in the backyard hardly touched the City soul.
   The City wants everything. The food that the village produced. The milk, handicrafts, water, drivers, maids, vegetables, cotton for its clothes -- a typical urbanite wants everything delivered at his or her nearest shop, at the doorstep. They don't have time to spare a minute about how the gigantic machine called City is chugging along. He never cared for the nuts and bolts that helped the machine to run.
   Limbaiah, perhaps, wanted to convey a strong message -- that the village is bleeding to quench the thirst of the City, that their problems are not being heard, that they are broke, that their wards living in inhuman conditions, that the City has become a monster, devouring the life in rural areas. Perhaps, that's why he chose Hyderabad, the Capital of Telangana, as the venue for his last journey.
  Like the little Syrian boy, Limbaiah will haunt us for long.

Nizamabad farmer commits suicide in Hyderabad

Asif Yar Khan Hyderabad, Sept. 9: A farmer from Nizamabad District allegedly hanged himself to death at Lower Tank Bund in Hyderabad early on Wednesday.

The man, B Limbiah, 47, of Sadasivanagar mandal in Nizamabad District came to the city three days ago along with his son Shankar. Shankar, is admitted at a private hospital in Chaderghat as he suffers from some ailment, the police said.

On Wednesday morning, Limbaiah left the hospital and reached Katta Maisamma temple in Lower Tank Bund area. “He handed over Rs.10,000 to the priest and stayed in the vicinity of the temple. Sometime later, the locals found him hanging to a pole adjacent to an electrical transformer,” DCP Central Zone, V.B. Kamalasan Reddy said.

The police said that the incident is not a farm related suicide. “We are trying to ascertain the reasons. Preliminary enquiries revealed that Limbiah was depressed over his son’s failing health condition,” the official added.
(The Hindu, Sept 10.9.2015)

Milk turns cheaper for us, life turns dearer for dairy farmers

  You must be pleading with your daughter or son to have that morning cup of milk. But I am afraid a dairy farmer don't dare to do the same. For, price of milk that he supplies to the local collection point has just fallen below Rs 20 (cow milk) a litre, or barely half of the cost of production. (Buffalo milk would fetch him a bit more thanks to the additional fat content.) Upfront, they face loss. Experts feel that farmers with less than five animals are the worst hit as their capacity to face odds is very low.
  This is an Indian paradox. Per capita consumption of milk is among the lowest in the world. Productivity levels are low. Poorly organised milk collection network. That only 20 per cent of the 145 million tonnes of milk is in the organised sector shows how bad the situation is.
  Poor farm gate incomes would result in farmer's ability invest on their food, on the feed and the dairy farm's ability to sustain. They can't even store milk for a better price. They will, for whatever price they get. Something is better than nothing. There's absolutely no defence mechanism for them against situations like these.

Falling farmgate prices of milk seen squeezing dairy sector investments

NDDB sends teams to Maharashtra, UP to assess impact of poor rainfall on milk production

HYDERABAD, SEPTEMBER 8:  

Falling prices of milk at the farmgate is becoming a cause for concern. For, this can not only affect farmer incomes but also stress the industry’s ability to invest and survive, said National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) Chairman T Nanda Kumar.Though there won’t be any shortage of milk, the Board is worried that the situation will hit the growth rate this year.

Poor rainfall in several parts of the country could add to the woes of dairy farmers. Recognising the problem, the Board has deputed teams to Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh to assess the impact of the deficient monsoon by collecting information from the vast network of co-operatives.

“There is discomfort at the farmer’s level on falling farmgate prices. This is largely where the co-operatives are not present. Co-operatives have managed to hold prices. Though prices have come down for farmers, the benefit has not been passed on to the consumer,” he told BusinessLine.

He cited the example of Maharashtra where the price (for the farmer) had fallen below ₹20 a litre (cow milk) at some places. Farmers selling buffalo milk were relatively better off, thanks to the higher fat content fetching better prices.

Industry size

“What could happen (because of falling prices) is farmers may start reducing the feed quantity. The dairy industry’s ability to invest and survive too would be impacted. This is one concern we have,” he said.

The dairy industry, which registered a production of 138 million tonnes (mt) in 2013-14, added 7 mt last year. “We may not see a similar growth this year,” Nanda Kumar said. He felt that the situation was not alarming but there was a cause for concern, particularly with regard to small farmers having one or two cows.

The NDDB Chairman felt that falling prices (for consumers) due to the intense competition among the dairy players in some markets was not sustainable. "You need to have a balance in the long run. It is not sustainable,” he pointed out.

FSSAI issue

He said the industry had no problem with the quality standards prescribed by the FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India).

“We absolutely have no issues with compliance. There were some reports of adulteration. Incidence of adulteration is minor. But these (lots) are stopped outside. There will be community level punishments on the erring suppliers,” he said.

(This article was published on September 8, 2015)
http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/economy/agri-business/falling-farmgate-prices-of-milk-seen-squeezing-dairy-sector-investments/article7629775.ece?homepage=true

Smart Cities, Ugly Life

Technology is democratic in nature. It is a great leveler -- no matter who is using it, it gives the
same results, same comfort. But there are a couple of important riders -- you must be able to afford to own and understand technology to enjoy that democratic space.
Technology can improve quality of life. It can significantly change the way we buy things and access services -- public or private. One layer of urban India has already become smart and is enjoying the benefits the Smart world is offering. They are buying tickets, ordering food, booking cabs -- on the go.
With technology tapping all the unused potential, bringing down prices, life has become much more easier for those who can buy a good smart phone with a good Internet connection and, of course.
No wonder the urban India is anxiously waiting for 'Smart Cities' project launched by the Centre. Tasting the utility of smart tools, they want much more.
But the immediate challenges the urban India facing are not so smart. They, in fact, are ugly and deserve immediate attention. It sounds          rhetoric, if one talks about the acute poverty, poor sanitation, abysmal healthcare facilities, illiteracy and lack of jobs. The cost of living has gone up so high that even the middleclass is feeling the pinch. Majority of people in urban areas are living in unlivable conditions.
Looks like our priorities are skewed. It's become glamorous for politicians to talk technology, Smart Cities, e-commerce. The more you talk technology and 'smartness', the more you get coverage in the media.
A sense of equity must prevail. While a larger section of cities are under tremendous pressure. While the cities are saddled with poor and insufficient infrastructure making travel a real hell, smart apps are equipping the police with super smart tools to nab those who violate traffic rules. You are blaming the victim.
A top Telangana bureaucrat announced that the Government intends to do away with all physical interactions over a period of three years. "We will make all the G-2-c services available only electronic form," he said.
Sounds great. Isn't it?
But, then, one must remember that we are not the US or the UK or Sweden.
The talk on Smart Cities is targeted at satisfying the influential layer of urban areas. If it is satisfied, its vocal section is satisfied. Or, they can quickly write a blog post or send out a Tweet that would be retweeted several times over, or start a Facebook page to quickly garner public support.
I am not saying it is not important. It's any way being taken care by the social media. Young, enterprising start-ups are driving innovation, taking care of the needs of this layer.
But what the government must focus on is the bigger, uglier part of the urban areas. People are dying in hundreds of dengue, swine flu and diarrhea and need urgent . They deserve immediate attention. Now.

jallianwala bagh, hyderabad

Hyderabad is Jallianwala bagh today!