THE BUDGET...

The present President of India is the first ever one to note price rise of essential commodities and expecting the UPA Govt.to curtail them during his formal speech in the Parliament right before Budget sessions were to move for the 2007-08 tenure. It's his last speech as President and may retire this year.Even PM and FM have shown their concern over the hovering prices.

Ironically we don't have union or groups or outfits to cry against rising prices ;no morchas, strikes, bandh or even letters to the Press reacting on the price rising.Political parties have been mum over the issue.

Is it because the people of this unique nation are enjoying better purchasing power though they constitute only 35% of the total ? Or it's because the 65% have not thought that food, clothing , housing, health, education etc.are no more basic needs for them ? Or we have nothing for them to offer?

We have some 22% saving rate pa. as compared to just 7% in US or Canada .It means the well paid working class in the organised/Govt.sector/service sector has been able to save up to 22% of their total earnings after spending on essentials .As against this, we have some 7 crores as jobless indians who are fed well though fed up with joblessness.Those in unorganised sector(mostly producing class and using traditional technology ,lack marketing sense,and developing a trend to change workplaces .) have been reassured with better wages, group insurance ,skill development confined to rural parts.The walk-the-talks on empowerment during 90's (neo-globalisation era) have begun to show the results with lessening resistance all over.
But even this empoverished section has not opposed the current high price situation.

The reason for price rise is not due to scarcity of goods and services ;the classical economic demand and supply theory has lost its glory and glare .The demand is growing for everything; the supply is growing to keep pace and so the production process with better technology in all most all sectors .This is mainly because we are now passing through a second phase of industrial society and everyone living in such a society has realised that he or she to work more to earn more to pay more in the form of costs and prices which in turn make up higher purchasing power.This is also because the Indian economy has become stable and unshakable ..and the whole credit goes to Indian secular democratic economic system now in it's 60th.Price rise itself may not be an index to show the growing economic rate but the capacity to pay the rised price is!

Then it should not be a matter of concern for high minds like Prez,PM or FM to speak out for price rise when the republic around is quiet .They could have kept mum too when the people are not raising their voices (all bills being paid by all who get them everymonth without any murmur) .The concern is for those who are still falling far behind and no one is there to hear their muffed voices or cries;the lot is busy in moving upward in the given situation ;their only demand is;Pl.let us do what we are doing ;we'll overcome the odds.Just protect us from communal hates, riots, killings and being suspects for terrorist attacks.

The trio from Delhi is speaking out for THEM ..the poor but no more wishes to remain poor forever and they are now around 35% on the other side of the Indian economy.Those in the first group of well off sections(35%!) do not want the 35% on the other side and everyone now knows why it's so.

In case our peace talks turn out to be a success, the national exp.on budget for defence would come down heavily on both sides (let it shatter the US imperial economy for a decade at least) and the 'savings' would go to level the empowerment needs ;we can create a stable society through a stable governement.

Let us prepare ourselves to pay for it both in cash (taxes) and kind (communal harmony) .
Wish you all the best of financial year 2007-08.

--By Pradeep Deshpande (Socio-Economic- Political Writer)
(01-03-2007)