The 1-2-3 of a #NewIndia
By- Pamarty Venkataramana
The age of #NewIndia has begun. All the pomp and ceremonies are justified for it was a once upon a time 2-MPs party that has romped home to the House of People(Lok Sabha) with an thumping majority which is an absolutely resounding victory.
But how is #NewIndia going to be built? Certainly not with a proud showmanship or through those catchy slogans beamed by a well-satiated media.
The cry for a #NewIndia as much rent the air of the country as did the war-cry of ‘#JaiShriRama decades ago. While the latter cry jettisoned and galvanised the forces of faith towards one rallying force,the former cry ( which is the latest in the land of innovative marketing) is more universally felt in the billion plus nation.
‘Old India’ would be the adage akin to the Palaeolithic age of mankind and the pre-independence era will be equated with the pre-historic era. If these political outfits were to rule roost over better senses of both History and the People of India.
Alright. Conceded that the last few decades were of decadence and corruption. There was no sanity among the general public and so the several dynasty parties of various hues and shades became eternal rulers. All the spirit and letters of the Constitution were sidelined. Therefore, arose the need for the Messiah to ensure succour of Almighty was doled out to the masses.
Subsidies were given up. Toilets were dubbed to be temples of the poor rural folks. Electricity poles and lines were laid across the length and breadth of the country as never brute done. World leaders began to hug our leadership.
Terrorism was kept at bay. When they assaulted our sovereignty,we retaliated and struck them in their dungeons. Soldiers were worshipped.Scientific community began to be publicised as film stars. Cricketers were welcomed to become leaders of public. Stalwarts were shown their retirement-cages as Margadarshaks. Anti-social elements came to don different forms as ‘tukde-tukde gangs’,as beef-lynching mobs,as award-wapasi gangs , so on and so forth. There was a general sense of ennui among diverse sections of society post-demonetisation action. Only the share brokers and speculative traders seemed to float atop cloud nine. Real estate activity took a major hit. RERA Act and the Triple Talaq ordinance was a boon to many affected parties. Runaway tycoons who reportedly swindled banks were being brought back through due process of law to homeland,to stand trial. Several navratna public sector units reached the brink of extinction. Yet,the sense of Nationalism and Patriotism peaked to the 1942 Quit India movement levels.
The net result:a phenomenal victory for the previous Government. It has been returned to power.
All of these facts are undisputed and accepted by the ruling dispensation too. Hence,the cry for a #NewIndia.
That law and order is the first major concern of any large democracy as ours remains the global truth. And,most of us who are well versed with the actual goings-on in the country at different levels of activity attest to the open secret that the criminal justice system has collapsed.
A new body of laws must be passed.
Yet,none bears acumen or the political vision and moral courage to enact a thousand little new laws which would help make life a pleasant experience and not one of monotony,fear and insecurity in our country. At best,law commission recommendations and House Committee reports would be thrown for a public debate ( and,the term of this Parliament would lapse by the time it reaches stage of maturity into Bills to be piloted in the August Houses ).
The thought of Human Security is coupled with Economic Security. Internal Security is a matter of policing and enforcement of law as laid down.
But which singular change will usher in both economic security and herald the rising of a #NewIndia ?
GST.
Scrap the half baked GST law in its present state of implementation. Bring in one single rate applicable for every field of business activity. Ignore the callous arguments advanced by yes-man pundits and unlicensed television commentators about irrational reasoning for a single , uniform , fixed GST-rate. No more slabs.
No more multiple computations or ‘charge-surcharges fiasco’ . But, feel free to add only a ‘Health-tax’ and a ‘Environment-Protection tax’ In select areas such as liquor or automobiles.
Watch the effect and a #NewIndia.
The second best silent reform could be in the matter of personal-taxation. Enhance slabs and exempt all who have an annual income of say twenty five lakhs and one crore could become the next slab. There would not be many assesses and Althea burdensome cost of a separate department for this may be dispensed with( and utilised for more socially useful and productive purposes).
Let not the citizens be dubbed as tax evaders or creatures born to pay taxes to a government ejected by them and others in the State. Better still,remove personal taxation and watch the monies reportedly stashed outside by wealthy businesses flow back into India flooding and adding a fillip to the economic activities. The cyclical effect on both investments and domestic consumption would be magical.
To let every transaction reflect as a contribution to the national activity,impose a nominal one percent transaction tax.
These changes in fact ought to become constitutional amendments so that monumental steps cannot be undone by less intelligent or weaker Prime Ministers in future.
Third major step towards a #NewIndia ought to be the prohibition of undertaking any fiscal transfer above say rupees three lakhs via cheque. It is only natural and necessary in a digital-era for money to be more digital than paper cheques or cash in currency bundles. Later on,as remote areas and less literate population are provided with cell phones by the local government or political parties ( which boast of enormous political donations during elections), this three lakhs limit too can go. Life would be simpler and monsters of corrupt ways would disappear.
So,automatically in a #NewIndia environment,issuing post dated cheques will be banned ( for these are primarily illegal under the law).
If these three ‘baby steps’ can be taken by the next Union Cabinet and the Parliament of India,the picture of a #NewIndia shall emerge in all its brightness and striving towards providing justice in all its spheres,viz;political,social,economic!
Is anyone in power to design a #NewIndia listening ?
Jai Hind 🇮🇳
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