unleashing the genie
The auctioning of cricketers by the BCCI to the IPL teams, has led to all kinds of reactions from the public, particularly the ones who do not understand the language of the market. Excerpts from a posting in a ‘Greens’Yahoo-Group read as below:
Should the big barons of India even pay a fraction of the monies being given to cricket, to the forest guards, they would be a happy lot and be motivated to protect our forest treasures. Instead we see some humans being treated as treasures.
It will be argued that all these monies will be taxed and more money will be in the government coffers, and that can be used to nurture and protect the forests. But a gesture from Corporates (towards protecting our forests) would make such a dramatic and powerful statement of concern about the environment.
Though I speak about cricketing issues, I want to highlight the extent of money that seems to lie in corporate India, and their utter lack of involvement in environment issues.
I responded as below:
Until some five years back, the wind energy sector in the country was hardly known even to exist. Somewhere along, some Finance Minister provided the necessary incentives, and with that, the sector has today gone on to become a significant player in the economy of the country, with Mr Tanti of SUZLON even getting listed amongst the richest men in the country.
Likewise, there was talk some time back of incentives to be provided for Arid land forestry development. It created quite a buzz in the industry circles, and was all set to catch on. Companies like ITC (which prides itself as the only company of its size in the world to be Carbon positive, Water positive, and having close to zero solid waste discharge) had lined up major action. But, apparently, the government goofed up somewhere, and all the plans fell apart.
If the industry has to make a contribution, the government needs to facilitate that through proper policy initiatives. That is its role. Instead, when it takes on the role of providing services and producing goods on itself, it just messes up every thing, besides becoming the dog in the manger.
Should the big barons of India even pay a fraction of the monies being given to cricket, to the forest guards, they would be a happy lot and be motivated to protect our forest treasures. Instead we see some humans being treated as treasures.
It will be argued that all these monies will be taxed and more money will be in the government coffers, and that can be used to nurture and protect the forests. But a gesture from Corporates (towards protecting our forests) would make such a dramatic and powerful statement of concern about the environment.
Though I speak about cricketing issues, I want to highlight the extent of money that seems to lie in corporate India, and their utter lack of involvement in environment issues.
I responded as below:
Until some five years back, the wind energy sector in the country was hardly known even to exist. Somewhere along, some Finance Minister provided the necessary incentives, and with that, the sector has today gone on to become a significant player in the economy of the country, with Mr Tanti of SUZLON even getting listed amongst the richest men in the country.
Likewise, there was talk some time back of incentives to be provided for Arid land forestry development. It created quite a buzz in the industry circles, and was all set to catch on. Companies like ITC (which prides itself as the only company of its size in the world to be Carbon positive, Water positive, and having close to zero solid waste discharge) had lined up major action. But, apparently, the government goofed up somewhere, and all the plans fell apart.
If the industry has to make a contribution, the government needs to facilitate that through proper policy initiatives. That is its role. Instead, when it takes on the role of providing services and producing goods on itself, it just messes up every thing, besides becoming the dog in the manger.
posted by Muralidhar Rao at
3:09 AM
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