The ultimate objective of our democracy is not to be content with the rule by the representatives; it is the participation of the empowered citizens more actively in the governance of all spheres of life. Mr. Subhash Chandra Agarwal is one such prolific thinker who proposes many appropriate changes in policies and procedures. The readers who agree with any of his proposals may pick them up to pursue them further on their own and campaign for their adoption by the competent decision-makers. 1. Ban service-charges by restau…
Observing that many Union, state and municipal governments are trying to put pressure on many enterprises in the country, to divert the CSR funds to their official and unofficial initiatives and projects, instead of their being routed through the civil society organisations, the following message is sent to many office-bearers of the federations of the enterprises in the country: Dear Sir/ Madam, When our Parliament passed a legislation on Corporate Social Responsibility, it wanted that the dynami…
In GVMC, there are 98 divisions (wards), as of now and elections were held on 10th March, 2021, after a gap of about a decade. The results were declared on 15th March and the new council, with 98 elected Coporators was formed accordingly. Smt G.Hari Venkata Kumari, was elected as Mayor . The first council meeting was held on 09th April, 2021. The Voice of Gajuwaka (the Federation of Gajuwaka RWAs - Zone VI, GVMC) has been playing a vital role towards taking various activities aiming for all round development of Gajuwaka area. I…
Election Watch Activities in AP&TS Former SEC Joins the ranks of the Election Watch One is no more an officer, but he remains a concerned citizen. Dr. Ramesh Kumar Nimmagadda whose activism brought new light on the role of a State Election Commissioner has completed his term and retired in Andhra Pradesh on 31st March, 2021. Soon after i.e. the day after, approached by the civil society organisations in AP&TS which conducts vigilance activities during the elections to uphold democratic values, to be one of their advisors and gu…
Some Senior Citizens issues were brought to the attention of the Telangana State Government. 1. The State Council for the Senior Citizens is to be re-constituted with the Senior Citizens’ associations (SCA) with proper geographical representation, oldage homes, NGOs, professional bodies and GHMC’s Aasara, while ensuring at the same time that there is a due representation to women among them. It is to be renewed every 2 years. 2. The State Council is to be convened every six months without fail by the Chief Secretary or the Principal Secret…
Linking RWAs with Ward Secretariats at Kakinada A decision has been taken at the RWA interaction meeting with the Commissioner, Kakinada Municipal Corporation in A.P., Sri Swapnil Dinakar Pundkar IAS held at the Siddhardha Nagar Park that on every 4th Saturday the Ward Secretariat has to come to RWA precincts and conduct meeting and has to submit minutes to the Commissioner. The problems that can be taken care of by the secretaries of the Ward Committee have to be attended by them and they will submit the proposals for developmental wo…
The White Tiger and its forensic scrutiny of class is now a Hollywood film but the author of the novel, Aravind Adiga, missed a trick when he portrayed his upper middle class characters’ contempt for the poor. The real pools of pure concentrated class hatred are the middle class and nothing embodies this hatred, the desire to make the poor invisible, to airbrush them out of the landscape, than Resident Welfare Associations. The minutes of one such RWA meeting in New Delhi ruled that, in the interests of preventing noise pollution, street …
Political governance in our country by way of peoples’ Representatives has now transformed itself into a rule by political parties, which are never assigned any role in our constitution. If we look into the history of the political parties, these groups formed by ambitious persons, have never managed to maintain internal democracy and have always been desperately trying to capture and retain power at any cost, at least in the developing countries. A Political Class, a new caste has emerged filling the ranks of the parties, exercising power a…
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