Voting, CSR & Diwali!

“If I have the means, I have the responsibility to employ them.” …Terry Brooks

Terence Dean "Terry" Brooks is an American writer of fantasy fiction. He writes mainly epic fantasy, yet his above quotes tells us about his philosophy also! Three things happened in this week which is why I thought of taking this subject i.e. social responsibility! First we were part of a voting awareness campaign, courtesy one very honest & sincere              Dy. Collector Snehal Barge, second I had been called as a speaker by a small group of entrepreneurs called Business Mantra, for sharing my views about business & third its Diwali times so as usual wanted to write a letter along with bonus to my team!

On the face all three things will seem to have no relevance of each other yet some where they are connected by one single thread & that is responsibility towards the society! It started from our letter about voting awareness to our clients, explaining importance of their vote & reminding them about their duty towards voting! During that discussion with Barge madam, who is charge of election proceedings in Khadkwasla constituency, she shared her team’s efforts to reach out to the voters in rural as well localities which are cut off from urban means of communication, for making them aware about voting. The real challenge is to contact citizen from working classes who mostly work on daily wages & make them understand importance of their vote. And as many of these class, work in fields or farms or at some construction site, they are not connected to means of common media like TV or Radio or even by Whatsap or FB type social media also! So we thought of making a small leaflet with message to the parents by school kids that why they should vote, & barge madam immediately agreed to distribute in all Zillah Parishad schools across her constituency. Idea was, these leaflets will be distributed in all school children & they will be requested to carry it to the home & hand over to their parents. The concept worked great & barge madam distributed nearly ten thousand leaflets which we have made & the children were happy, as they feel responsible & part of the campaign. The real story is ahead, as I received snaps from many schools of the leaflet being distributed amongst the children & the same is being displayed by the schools.  

One particular snap caught my attention where the school kids were standing in rows on their school ground & many of the kids were without even footwear! I remembered shoe rack of my own kids & felt guilty over it as its overflowing by all brands of the shoes/sandals/chappls & here the future, through which we were sending voting awareness leaflet are standing barefoot in harsh sun of October heat!  We are an independent country now for more than 68 years & in city like Pune there are at least half of the kids in one snap of one of the school, who don’t have even basic need fulfilled like having a decent shoe! What moral right we have to call our self a progressing & developing & 2000 Century’s future city! On other hand each day I read hundreds of advertisements of shoe sales on the occasion of Diwali, displaying all top brands in the world. And citizens only, who too are voters, must be the clients of all these brands for sure; so does our responsibility ends by just voting? Just think if every person who buys such branded shoe decides to buy one extra pair along with what he is buying for his kids & give it to all these needy children, isn’t it a sign of real responsible citizen?

Second thing happened, when as I mentioned was being called at a talk by small group of business club. The invite came via my close friend Vikrant & though by now I am used to lectures but never have been called as a business man for any speech! Yet I accepted as when he said it will be just a sharing about what I do at my end in my profession. Thankfully the lecture cum sharing went pretty well & during open house i.e. question by audience, one lady asked my views about recent policy of Central Govt for making2% of turnover or profit of a business house allocate for CSR activities!  

Well, for them who don’t know what CSR means, its Corporate Social Responsibility; in simplest word what efforts big business houses took for sharing their wealth with the segment of society which isn’t as privileged or lucky like as we are! It covers many fronts right from environment conservation to working for urban or rural poor to child welfare & many. I said I personally don’t know about any such policy in place but making laws doesn’t reduce the crime, is what I feel! With due respect to all business men in the country, we have enough means to dodge any policy or law which we don’t want to follow is a fact. By making any policy or rule CSR won’t survive but what every individual thinks about CSR will decide its survival! In first place why we need a law to help someone who needs help & when we are in capacity to help! And why only corporate, isn’t every individual has some responsibility towards the society? It’s a real shame that we need to frame a policy to help citizen of our own country who are not as privileged as us! But in the country where we follow even traffic signals only if a policeman is there, what else can be expected! What as an individual I do does matter most on the front of CSR is what I feel. And it isn’t necessary to spend crores of rupees for CSR, even buying one pair of shoe to a needy kid can also be a CSR by an individual; all what is needed is thinking for others also who too have their needs but not the means to fulfill them! This was my reply to the lady.

Third incidence was its Diwali festival ahead& obviously it’s a bonus time for our team. Though the times are not as festive on business front but then again sharing whatever we can with our own team is also somewhere part of CSR activity; as if one can’t keep our own team happy then what moral right one has to have all the luxuries of life! After all we all earn for our live hood but what we do from what we earn decides what we have become! Every year at Diwali I write a small letter to my team & along with wishes I try to share my philosophy with them. After all unless your team doesn’t understand what you want from the business then you alone will never be able to achieve what you want! So here is what I shared with them, as I thought most appropriate to share the very same words with you all…

"Dear Team,

“Always remember that with privilege comes responsibility." ...Sandra Rodriguez Barron.

Sandra Rodriguez Barron is the winner of the International Latino Book Award for debut fiction for her very first novel! And look in how simple words she has told us about our responsibilities towards the world! Friends, Diwali times are here & all are & should be in festive mood. But at the same time don’t neglect what’s happening around; economy is going through a difficult phase & no one is sure about the future. The country has seen a historic change on leadership as well political front & we do expect “achhe din“; but remember, any ship has to survive the storm before sailing in clear water!

Looking at the condition in various industries it’s a tough time we have to face & agreed home is most basic necessity yet our real estate industry survives on other industries performance is a fact we can’t ignore. We have done fairly well in such times also but don’t forget keeping our-self focused on the course is most important. And at such times when we will be welcoming the festival like Diwali with a smile, just keep in mind that there are many segments of society who are not as lucky as us & while we celebrate happy times with our families & friends, somewhere someone has nothing to be happy!

What I have always wished for you is, do make one such person happy while you have your joys & fun, as that will make your Diwali real special & that’s our culture at Sanjeevani!

Do convey our wishes to all your family & have great times ahead! Thanks for our togetherness!

Happy Diwali!!"

Yours...

Finally do remember, pressing of the button on voting machine is only a start of the journey on road of social responsibility, destination of which is a happy & healthy society, mind it!

Sanjay Deshpande

Sanjeevani Dev.

Please do visit my blogs to know about our philosophy at Sanjeevani ! (Click the links below)

http://visonoflife.blogspot.in/2014/09/affordable-housing-some-ground.html

http://jivnachadrushtikon.blogspot.in/

Social Side of Sanjeevani ! (Click link below)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/65629150@N06/sets/72157627904681345/

For any of your complaints about city, log in at link below

http://www.punecorporation.org/GRS/Complaint/LaunchComplaintCitizen.aspx

Think Green, Think Life

www.sanjeevanideve.com

State Elections & City's Expections!

You cannot escape the responsibility of tomorrow by evading it today…Abraham Lincoln

Abraham Lincoln was the 16th president of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. Well, no need to describe the probably most popular US President who is equally famous for his witty wisdom! While seeing the campaigning of State Assembly elections in our Pune city, his above words I remembered; as being an engineer as well a real estate person by myself, what this city’s real estate expects from the candidates while they ask for our precious vote? Many will ask why the real estate people need anything in itself at first place! As have they not made enough money to feed their coming generations, as from common man’s eyes, being builder means loads of money! Also many will say, isn’t the real estate itself cause of this city’s deterioration or degradation, as the city was much better place to live before the specie named  “Builder’ came in existence! Well, I don’t blame these voices as there have been incidences which only have given the real estate its infamous status in the city social life; but does that mean real estate is the only culprit for all the bad things which has happened to the city or is a cause of every single problem the city is facing? Isn’t real estate too is an industry like so many other industries which has been part of the city in growth? Does a city means only Restaurants, IT parks, Colleges or Auto Industries?

Well, like any above industry real estate too is an industry which provide homes to millions of citizens of this very city only & it too has its own needs like all other industries. These needs includes right from  infrastructure support on administration level to policies which will ensure that the end result from the industry will be achieved & here end result is making a simple affordable home available for the common man! As like in any industry there are good elements as well bad elements, but what is important is to look at the industry in larger perspective, as we can’t ignore the contribution of real estate industry. Had it not been the numbers of developers & organizations of the developers like Credai or MBVA, imagine what would have been the city’s condition! Unplanned growth all around with illegal structures & no assurance of quality construction would have made the scene worst. Already nearly 40% population of the city is staying or rather forced to stay is proper term, in slums or illegal structures; this percentage would have gone to much more, had the real estate industry would not have been here! But in doing so, somewhere it’s like a lone warrior’s battle for real estate! Here many will disagree with me as what else they can expect from a real estate person but situation doesn’t change whether a builder is stating the facts or some social activist, facts remains facts! And I am not expecting any sympathy or special concessions for the real estate but just want to put light on the scene & its impact which will make the entire city to pay for it!

And on this back ground once again the State elections are ahead & it’s the State Govt which is majorly responsible for the real estate of not only Pune but of entire State! As very few will know but a city & its planning doesn’t depend on just Municipal Corporation i.e. PMC in our case; rather PMC is just a tool in implementing the State Govt's policies about real estate. They can’t change any single law or rule regarding various aspects such as parking or FSI norm or development charges or height & so many of such types. It goes to Urban Development Dept of State Govt & which for last many years has been under direct control of Chief Minister himself! Some fifteen odd years back Urban Development popularly known as UD was never considered as of any significance but as the urbanization all over the State increased slowly our rulers started knowing its importance & we all know the reasons behind it. In current economics it’s no more gold or share but it’s the land holding is what decides the wealth of any group or the person. And it’s UD which decides any policy regarding the land use, so obvious that head of the State will hold the key to these policies! Now you will understand why the State elections are very much important for real estate of the city as it’s this Govt which holds the fate of real estate!

To start with, once we accept the goal of real estate is to make the homes affordable for every citizen of this city, then what we have done to make it possible? To me good days for real estates doesn’t mean ever rising rates of the flats as it’s the worst sign for any business. As one day the rates will be so high that there will be no buyer for the homes, so what I wish for real estate is there should be constant demand & the supply which will fit in that demand! The rates should match the growth rate like any other industry as sudden rise in rates of lands which we have observed in last three to four years gets reflected in rates of finished products but then one lac sq ft of land can purchased by a single developer, where as it requires hundreds of flat buyers to buy flats built on that one lac sq ft of land. And one man can buy at higher rate not hundred persons can do it! This is exactly where things have gone wrong in real estate. Till just few years back Pune was dear to all kind of segments in the society for various reasons, like from IT professionals to education aspiring youngsters, from all over the State, people came here & that’s the main reason of growth of the real estate here! No Govt or any of the elected members have any part in making Pune real estates’ hot destination & exactly it’s this inefficiency which has been the reason of bringing dooms days to the real estate industry! As look at the way city has spread in past decade, we have every known money earning business here right from education to IT to banking to service industry, needless to mention ever existing automobile segment too, but what about the policies which will ensure that this growth will be sustained by equal strong real estate which in a way is like infrastructure for the city. Because if there are no proper homes for these millions coming here, then there won’t be too long a time when they will go to another city for their “roji roti’ i.e. daily earnings! When I say proper it means affordable & not only on front of price but well backed up with basic infrastructure like water, drainage, roads, public transport, electricity etc!

We have been unable to form the infamous Pune Metropolitan region, which would have ensured uniform & holistic network of this basic infrastructure but when it will come in existence we don’t know. Take every single front of this city from ready reckoner rates which keeps on growing each year without taking in consideration market scene & as PMC’s various building premiums are directly related with ready reckoner rates of flats, the overall construction costs keeps on increasing. Then there is issue of public transport policies as there is no public transport so people needs private vehicles & as people needs private vehicles so what PMC does? It increases parking norms for the buildings, making more area to be build for parking so again addition in construction costs of the building. But State Govt has no time to intervene & make public transport strong as well reduce the parking norms so as to refrain people from buying more vehicle , which every day are killing the city fresh air by their exhausts! On same lines PMC don’t have got enough money to acquire land for roads on its own so whatsoever area of plot goes in road the developer has to pay road development cost to PMC to get that FSI &  who ultimately pays for this cost? PMC has acquired hundreds of lands under the name of amenity spaces reservation & what has happened to use of these lands? Again, there is no policy in place! We have started giving TDR as well reservation for small houses but then who will change the required norms regarding height or coverage or tenement density, of buildings to accommodate this additional burden? We have been announcing about merging of new villages where as our old city limit Development Plan & even the Development Plan of already merged villages has not been cleared by UD or State Govt! We speak about saving our hills & we don’t have a single policy in place that how we are going to save them & in actual every day hills are surrendering to slums! We make promises about Metro & on other hand, in agenda of many candidates they have been mentioning fly over on the same track where Metro is supposed to be built! A simple policy like tree cutting we are unable to draft & for cutting a single tree even for legitimate reasons, one has to go to high court, shows what kind of state we are in on policy & governance level! And these are just tip of iceberg, there are such thousands of issues which has been awaiting proper policies about them! My God, so many questions & issues unanswered or even untouched by every party’s candidates & we expect this city to be ideal city in State!

We speak about making Smart Cities but what I feel, need of the time is Affordable Cities! As first make at least one Pune city a proper livable, affordable to its citizens & then show us the dreams of Smart City, this is what real estate of city expects. On this background what is unfortunate that no candidate has mentioned even a single logical solution to any of the expectations of real estate. As ultimately who are the clients of real estate industry? Who else but very citizens of this city only, so whatever real estate’s expectations are, they are for the city only! 

As to blame some bunch of people for every failure is very easy but for how many days we are going to dodge our responsibility by doing so? As the wise US president has said each candidate of every party who is contesting the election should remember this as it’s for the people of this city they are responsible & just by giving promises the responsibility isn’t going to be fulfilled! And this every single voter has to keep in mind while vote, as it’s the future of your own city you will be voting for & if you fail to vote responsibly then you your self will be at blame & then even Gods won’t be able to save the city! So let’s unite & act up on call of your city is what I will say, as five more such years will be too late to recover!

Sanjay Deshpande

Sanjeevani Dev.

Please do visit my blogs to know about our philosophy at Sanjeevani ! (Click the links below)

http://visonoflife.blogspot.in/2014/09/affordable-housing-some-ground.html

http://jivnachadrushtikon.blogspot.in/

Social Side of Sanjeevani ! (Click link below)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/65629150@N06/sets/72157627904681345/

For any of your complaints about city, log in at link below

http://www.punecorporation.org/GRS/Complaint/LaunchComplaintCitizen.aspx

Think Green, Think Life

www.sanjeevanideve.com

Who Deserves Your Vote?

“That we have the vote means nothing. That we use it in the right way means everything.” …Lou Henry Hoover.

Lou Henry Hoover was the wife of President of the United States Herbert Hoover and served as First Lady from 1929 to 1933. And sure the first Lady’s word indicates her wisdom also, for which she is known! And especially when election in our State are hardly two weeks away, here this quote seems very apt for the present sorry scene around us! I am no political expert neither this blog is for any political party or guidance but all I am always interested in is development of the society we live in. And for that development every election around is important yet the State Assembly election has its special importance. As Municipal elections are on very local issues as well Central i.e. Lok Sabha elections are for National level issues, it’s the State issues which are more important as right from Law & Order around us  to Urban Development Policies to Infrastructure Development, most of the things on which we decide the quality of our living, depends on State Governance. And that’s what makes State elections more important as it’s this Govt which is mainly responsible to make difference to our life for next five years! And it’s not just the five years but the decision taken during these five years makes long lasting impact on our future directly!

On the back ground of Lok Sabaha elections outcome, we are seeing too much of shuffling of candidates in all the parties around & a common voter like me is not only confused but frustrated about what he is seeing around. And somewhere its matter of concern as it’s this frustration which may lead to many for not to vote itself! As if there are no morals or ethics right from the choosing of candidates by the major parties on whom we put our faith, then what to expect from such parties about the promises they will be making to us? This is one part of frustration & equally applicable to the candidates who just for getting ticket of a party which in one way a ladder towards the victory, jumps in any party without even thinking once about their own past! So what confidence such candidate can give us about when he himself has no character, rather an attitude which displays sheer selfishness & grid for the power! Many voters will say there is option of NOTA i.e. "None of the above" means opting to vote no one, which is now available by the election commission! Well, that too is an option & with due respect to election commission, I personally feel that’s a wrong option. As if all voters use NOTA then imagine what situation will arrive? May be re election, but with not allowing then any of the candidates who have contested for as the voters have refused all of them as eligible! Interesting situation we have, as in current scene I think most of the people must be thinking to refuse all the candidates who have displayed a classic show of all sorts of political gymnastics, most popular of which is summersault from one party to other!  

Yet I feel that NOTA should not be used because it’s not possible that most of the people will use NOTA & then whoever comes in ruling will be on lesser numbers of votes yet he will be ruling the entire society, which will be unjust to all of those who didn’t vote or used NOTA. Another curious question comes to my mind is, what if NOTA votes are more than other valid votes to the individual candidates? Does in such case the election gets cancelled & all the candidates from that constituency gets banned for standing for election ever? As its clear that majority voters of that constituency have been rejected by the voters then all the parties should have to find new candidates; as all these candidates once have been rejected by their voters means they are not eligible as per the voters to contest the elections itself! Unless the NOTA right of voting is taken that seriously & awareness about its use has not been spread amongst the common voters, till then NOTA is waste of votes is what my personal opinion is!

Well, till then we have to respect the situation & those who wants to execute their right can press the NOTA button in election. But what about those who want to vote some one? Here I always wonder in our country where the candidates of the party are chosen by criteria like caste, religion, money, muscle power & most important is relation with the existing personalities in politics, which every party conveniently calls as capacity to get elected, what should I decide as a parameter to vote? As where are the criterias’ like vision of the candidate, his understanding & integrity towards the issues in his constituency, his past track record, his way of keeping in touch with the voters, his availability to common man of the society, his dedication towards any party , his character as well social background! Leave apart education & profession as agreed it is important yet many may not be fortunate to have proper education & then a candidate is educated doesn’t mean that he is a good human being! As we have enough examples of highly educated candidates going corrupt when came to power.

One more thing which many of us must have noticed & that’s declared wealth of many candidates which fortunately is mandatory by the election commission! It seems that Carodpati’s seems to be ruling all the constituencies, which means a candidate having wealth above Rs One Crore are too common! We have some very rural & poor constituencies which represents poverty ruled areas in Vidarbha & Marathwada, & even here too when the farmers are succumbing to suicides, the candidates seems to be very wealthy! Being a Carodpati is a coincidence or a criterion for getting a party ticket? And though it’s not surely a crime for becoming rich yet how it comes that many of the ruling candidates wealth has been increased in multiple scales in past five years when their voters financial condition isn’t reflecting same scene? Sure to earn money is a motive of most of the people but how one earns it, decides the character of the person & voters are not blind on this front about their candidate! May be day by day elections are becoming a costly affair & official expense allowed in itself has crossed nearly Rs 25 lacs, obvious that’s just tip of iceberg! And a common man rarely can meet those figures of the expenses. To reach up to millions of the voters needs lots of infrastructure, manual, mechanical as well electronics in now days which we call social media! And too manage all these fronts’ does needs money is a fact! In recent past the campaign nature has changed entirely & gone are the days where the candidate would visit each house personally. Though those were better days of elections where a personal rapport used to get developed between the voters & the electing candidates!

Now during next fifteen days many dreams will be shown, many promises will be given, personal as well about society’s development! But what one has to do as a wise voter is first you must vote & then analyze by your own self about what’s being told & shown to you & then vote judiciously! See that you vote to a person who has a past record of delivering what has been promised & who is a good human being first. Remember there may be many bribes which will come in direct as well indirect forms, may be even cash will be offered or some petty works in the society like fixing paving blocks in drive way or water pumps or bore well etc. But then the person who is trying to buy your vote, think what he will do when he gets power in his hand? There always is confusion in mind of many, even in my own, as to whom I should vote, to the party on which the candidate is standing or the person candidate? Well answer is real tricky, as the famous mythological quest says, what we call as a person, the soul within the body or the body which carries the soul? What I think, is ultimately we have to weigh joint effect of the both. Many a times individually a candidate may be very good as person but the party he is representing may not have stood to its promises or their philosophy may not be in good faith of the society. And it’s also possible that the party ethics are good but they have chosen a candidate with no base in that party & is of a poor character! In such case one has to apply logic & decide what we vote for! 

Ultimately remember one thing we are in democracy where individual person even elected may not be able to make the desired impact yet like each vote has its own value, same way if a good candidate is alone in the party yet he can make the difference with his will & behavior. We all have witnessed that in Lok Sabha elections!

So as the First Lady has said, to vote is a responsibility too,& then executing that responsibility will be important for us; because even in our own work there are situations where we might get confused about what to choose between the options & here is where the ability to vote wisely will come to our help!

Right now it’s our State as well the society we live in, needs our wisdom to choose & if we failed to perform our responsibility then we only will be at blame for our future, which needless to say won’t be bright! So go ahead & vote with open mind & be the change by yourself for the entire society with the power of your vote!

Sanjay Deshpande

Sanjeevani Dev.

Power (MSEDCL) Committee, Credai, Pune

Please do visit my blogs to know about our philosophy at Sanjeevani ! (Click the links below)

http://jivnachadrushtikon.blogspot.in/

http://visonoflife.blogspot.in/2014/06/a-journey-of-decade-named-sanjeevani.html

Social side of Sanjeevani ! (Click link below)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/65629150@N06/sets/72157628805700569/

For any of your complaints about city, log in at link below

http://www.punecorporation.org/GRS/Complaint/LaunchComplaintCitizen.aspx

Think Green, Think Life

www.sanjeevanideve.com