Delhi government under Arvind Kejriwal has kept its first promise, while media is watching it closely. Or is it another way round? – Since the press is watching Delhi government kept its early promise?
Nothing will change for these, who actually need water (image credits to indianexpress.com)
By free water and cheaper electricity, as I understood, as supposed to be achieved through the efficiency through bringing down corruption, fixing wastage, suppress mafia and improve operations scientifically. Apparently answer is none of the above. Instead, it’s a socialistic populist freebie.
I am not impressed so far, in fact, I am worried about what’s coming next. Here, let me list down 5 things which, I think, are wrong by the way it is implemented.
- Some detailed, the money for free water is taken out of from the profits made by Delhi Jal Board in past years. The Idea is, profit out of public funds, should go back to the public, for free! Remember India 40-50 years ago? Never_dream_of_profit policy? This is version 2.
- What happens after this profit in coffer wears out? They either will have to stop the free-water flow or raise money through taxes. Either way, won’t be free anymore!
- What about houses which aren’t in the water grid? They don’t have free water now anyway, later point these guys need to pay for something they aren’t precisely benefitting from. Double trouble!
- One of the features least thought about is, If a meter consumes even a litre more than ‘free’ limit, total consumption is charged! There are no slabs. This means Dilwale Delhi people can no longer host any guest who baths daily.
- Free-water does not translate to availability of it. Honestly, I still wonder, what is the bigger problem in Delhi? Not having water round the clock? Or paying for the service which brings it to you?
A tick on free water, electricity next. Without even an audit, a 50% tariff reduction is written on stone. Let’s see how they mess this up?
The Bach 
I totally agree with your point. Being against freebies culture , I strongly believe everything must be charged within limits so it doesn’t lose its value.
Lets see how this shapes up.
Regards,
Chezhiyan.S
LikeLike
Thanks for stopping by and the comment, I thought I will be ambushed.
LikeLike
I hear you buddy… but let’s just give AAP a chance, some time and benefit of doubt till then, shall we?
I am sure, they would have run some numbers and hope have a plan for tackling this when the profits pools from past dry up, lets see!
LikeLike
I am not so sure about that, but okay :-).
LikeLike
>> Points 1 and 2 are hand in glove. The measures taken by AAP would be reviewed in 3 months time. Would be wiser to wait and watch what AAP comes up with.
>> Point 3: From what we hear from AAP representatives, there is a lager roadmap for tackling water administration. Yes, in the short term measure the poorest of the poor would not benefit; the long term measure is to ensure every citizen of Delhi gets water.
>> Point 4: What makes you think they have thought ‘least’?? have you been privy to their discussions? Attitude to a limit is fine but anything more suggests pure moronic mis-adventures.
Are you saying having slabs is the Perfect thought about way of pricing water/electricity, etc? Remember that these measures would be reviewed in 3 months time. Room for optimization of these measures certainly exists. (courtesy – Mr. Jora Gonda!)
>> Point 5: This point has couple of questions you have and suggests nothing ‘wrong’. I would say water – whether is it charge or not, does not translate to its availability. So what is your concern is here??
Overall, what I make out from your article is that you have worn the cap of a AAP’s critique – with sarcasm.
Please do the following:
> Check out AAP’s prime member – Arvind Kejriwal’s resume.
> Compare his resume with that of yours.
> And then, read your article once again.
> Then let us know what you think – this could be your follow-up article!
You think a person with AK’s credentials would not think about concerns raised in your points?
Moreover, try to put yourself into AK’s shoes and try to understand the things he has achieved, both individually and as a key contributor to organizations he has been a part of. That should bring you down; and if that doesn’t, then a response to your senseless anti-AAP articles would be futile.
Note: I’ am not stating that AK or AAP would never go wrong; if they do go wrong, they would find corrective course of action.
LikeLike
Let me respond to second part first then will come back to 5 points you challenged.
Its pro-AAPians who wear the cap rather than a critique, both literally and otherwise. I did following : read your comment, read my post then read your comment again – one thing clearly stand out. Your are bhakt at a bigger degree than me a critique.
I still puzzled why you brought his resume up ? My resume is simple, I voice out whenever I don’t feel lazy. I consider myself doing good job considering your blood boiled ;-). But about Kejriwal resume I did not find anything about experience policy making, let me know what I am supposed to look. Talking about resume, have you read Manmohan Singh’s? Did it translate into anything significant?
On your response or each point.
1 & 2 everyone asking me to wait. I am asking why Government couldn’t wait till they had a plan to raise money and sort out other details. Treasury is there for strategic policies, not distribution. Simple populism ahead of general election?
3. Ideally the money in coffer should’ve been used to bring these guys into the grid, or improve water quality or increase availability or or .. there are several other things could’ve been done. Now when they sit for “next” discussion for “larger roadmap”, they don’t have any buffer for improvement in system, nor they have free money.
4. They went wrong with fundamental thing, I am not sure what you are arguing about. When they announce base quantity is free, the same cannot be chargeable when someone over-consumes. Unless you come-up with some examples any such tariff anywhere else and it works fine, let’s put a period on this point. Instead of accepting there is a mistake and “will revise” is not rock_n_roll as they think.
and slabs work, it works much better than not having slabs at all.
5. I urge you do to some research; I can name at least 2 examples in india where water supply system brought near perfection. 24X7 running water with reasonably good quality, consumers pay for services without complaints. Now this is what I would expect from a well educated chief minister leading a young brigade. Not some irresponsible burden on state income without having any plans on how to negate the load and shouting “wait and see” “will be revised” like parrots will not work. If it works, I pity delhiites.
LikeLike
Totally agree. If freely available, consumption will grow! How will the govt handle this…. Waiting to see.
LikeLike
Srik, long time ;). welcome.
LikeLike
Bach, simple point here. Lot of us want a nice governance but these peOple have dared to leave everything, their careers n want to do something for the society. Let’s give them a chance instead of cutting their limbs before they actually do something for the society. In terms of money invested in water, it’s not huge, the previous govts n party mlas are making this amount of money for themselves instead if this is for the people y not appreciate it. Recently few mlas in knt govt Hv gone on a foreign trip with family as study tour spending crores but the same is given to the people. I agree bout giving freebies is not the solution but this will get lot of people without a legal meter to approach the authorities to get a legal meter. I have read their manifesto n they have a clear plan of wat they want to do n how. I suggest u go through the manifesto. I was shocked to read some realities. They r a bunch of guys who have applied lot of Rits n know the in and outs of the malpractices n irregularities. All these things they have promised can be given free Bcoz of the money laundering or corruption that’s been happening in these particular departments.
LikeLike
Arun, What did I do ? I just criticized free water policy. Are you saying they should be beyond criticism and scrutiny? Just look around in mainstream media, they are media eye-candies.
About Manifesto and other promises, yes I have read them. Let me raise one point among them “market prices for essential commodity will be fixed by common man”. In other words, if attempted, this state is going to ignore supply-demand which always fixes prices! Oh joy. There is no single place in earth where such socialism worked. It was attempted, but never worked.
LikeLike
Congressmen are Confused !
AAP made a few poll promises – prominent being ,
> 700 Liters of free water per month
> 50 % subsidy in power bills
And people of Delhi elected them to power
Then within 48 hours of forming government , AAP fulfilled these promises
Total cost ?
Less than Rs 40 Crores / month
Congressmen are asking themselves ,
” We promised Rs 200 Cr / month of freebies – and got thrown out of
Rajasthan / MP / Chhattisgarh
What went wrong ?
The more we promise , the more we lose !
And , to win 2014 elections , we have promised 600 million poor people
a monthly subsidy of Rs 8,000 Crores by way of Food Security Bill
At this rate , what will happen to us ?
It seems , the more freebies you promise , the greater your chance of
being thrown out of power !
And look at what Rahul Gandhi has promised the people of Amethi :
> A railway coach factory
> A University
> A paper mill
> 40 food processing units
> Indian Institute of Information Technology
> Footwear Design and Development Institute
> IT hub in Tikarmafi
> A railway line ………………etc
But Kumar Vishwas ( AAP candidate for Amethi ) is promising only ,
> A clean / corruption-free / pro-poor government
No more !
With just 5 months before the 2014 elections , how can our would-be Prime Minister , withdraw those promises ?
And , since the logic of ” Less is More ” seems to work , does that mean Kumar Vishwas will defeat Rahul Gandhi ? ”
And Rahul Gandhi is asking Sheila Dikshit :
> Why , in 15 years , you did not implement what Arvind Kejriwal did ?
> Why you did not ask CAG to conduct an audit of Discoms ?
> Why you did not hold Mohalla – Sabhas to connect with Aam Aadmi ?
> Why you failed to figure out that people wanted toilets, not highways ?
Now , all of you , repeat after me ,
> Less is More
> Simple is Elegant
> Adarsh is not Ideal
> Aam is not Ordinary
> CAG is credible
> Jhadu will sweep
> Congress will weep
Sheila Dikshit , Chidambaram , Kapil Sibal , Salman Khurshid , Jairam Ramesh , Manish Tewari , Kamal Nath , Digvijay – and sundry other Netas , are utterly confused !
hemen parekh ( 01 Jan 2014 / Mumbai )
LikeLike
Did Rahul Gandhi really asked Sheila Dikshit about why you did she not hold Mohalla – Sabha ? Any links ?
LikeLike
Good post Bach.
I don’t understand why AAP supporters take any criticisms of AAP’s policies or decisions as pro-congress or pro-corruption or anti-AAP. You thoughts can’t be any different from the Jhaduwalas. What kind of democracy is that?
LikeLike
Sapna, Thanks for dropping by.and the comments
LikeLike
Good one man, even though I support AAP, liked your article…
LikeLike
Thanks boss, how have you been ?
LikeLike
IMHO, pt. 1 is wrong – govt.’s main job is not to make profit, even in a capitalistic economy. It should only encourage businesses to make profit.
Other points have merit I think, but I’ve seen counter arguments as well. (one of them at least in this article – http://harsht.wordpress.com/2013/12/30/is-aap-really-giving-water-free-telescopic-tarriff-and-removing-mass-subsidies/)
I do not have all the info (or the expertise) to support or thwart your points, but I would recommend citing specific links/references for whatever points you are making to make them stronger!
Correct me if I am wrong, but one point I like about the AAP government is that all their plans and actions seem to have a lot of transparency – so if they do make mistakes, people like you and I can help them fix it (if we can make valid arguments).
LikeLike
Roopesh, when a department does not make profit they loose their ability to innovate and improvise and need to rely on other departments to bail them out. That is the fundamental difference between a socialistic economy and others.
Thanks for the link you shared, please read the comment by Dr. Vasant Moharir, thats bulz-eye!
Let me share one link too, please have a read : http://www.raythomas101.com/evitafactor.html
LikeLike
@bach – your link is about how socialism destroyed Argentina. It is unfair to compare AAP to a socialist govt unless you show me specific plans they have mentioned that include taking over profitable private businesses.
I take your point about temporary profits/buffer funds needed for innovative projects. But the point remains – the profit is a means to an end (in your example, that is innovation) – so you too would agree that profit is not the main purpose of the department as it is for a private business (where shareholder return rules supreme).
As long as the govt. finds funds to provide for innovative projects (and Govt.s are generally at an enviable place to do this) I personally won’t complain.
In any case, we are arguing on opinions here, and neither of us is an expert (at least I am not, I am assuming you are not as well), so this argument will probably not lead to any conclusion really :D.
LikeLike
True, I am not expert in economic or political science, but off late I am getting a feeling that I am better than some got elected recently 🙂 .
On specific plans on taking over profitable business, that’s what we are discussing on free-water ;-). and cheaper electricity. Kidding, back to your question. They seem to have a plan to decide prices of essential commodities through people. Not sure how that’s gonna work by not ignoring thumb rule of supply-demand.
“Govt. find fund”. how ?
LikeLike
IMO water can be categorized as basic necessity for living. And subsidizing basic necessities is perfectly OK. So, giving 600Lts of water every day is perfectly OK. Yes, the next question is on its effect on profits of board. I think AAP is going in right direction by replacing corrupt JAL board head on day one. Previously JAL board had openly accepted that there is about 40% loss of water during transmission which is ridiculous. This needs to be fixed.
LikeLike
Kaushik, we should learn our lessons on subsidies from soviet Russia.
LikeLike