Dear Members,
“The achievement we celebrate today
is but a step, an opening of opportunity, to the greater triumphs and
achievements that await us. Are we brave and wise enough to grasp this
opportunity and accept the challenge of the future?” These words
of Jawaharlal Nehru at midnight on 14th August 1947 still hold
tremendous truth and remain valid even today. As India celebrated its 70 years
of Independence, the citizens have much to be proud of and can look to a future
that is radiant with opportunity.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi
re-echoed this optimism as he spoke from the ramparts of the 17th
century Red Fort in New Delhi. In his fourth Independence Day address to the
Nation, he called upon the citizens of India to build a New India that
will be free from the shackles of caste and religion…where terrorism and
corruption will be defeated and people will have access to better standard of
living. His speech reflected his vision for a New India…where people
will come together to realize the dreams of youth, women and farmers…where shanti,
ekta and sadbhavana shall flourish.
The PM stressed that we need to
work with determination, in an environment where all are equal…no one is big
or small. To accelerate ahead on the path of development, he said we need to
give up the “chalta hai” attitude and be driven by “badal
sakta hai”. He emphasized in the past it was the “Bharat Chhodo”
for freedom…today it is “Bharat Jodo” for a New India!
From enumerating his high
expectations from the people of India, PM Modi went on to explain what the
government and he were working on to transform India. Good governance
remains a priority but with greater speed and simplification of processes. The
fight against corruption has been initiated and is expected to continue relentlessly.
Technology, he promised is increasingly being used to harness and track
corruption as well as to facilitate greater transparency in all government
actions. The PM explained how his government is working with universities to
expand their operations. In the last three years his government has been
instrumental in setting up six IITs, seven IIMs and eight IIITs. In addition to
education, the focus is also on more affordable and widespread availability of
critical medical facilities besides capping of prices of vital drugs.
At the macro level too, there is
change. The PM talked of cooperative federalism and competitive federalism in
which the Centre and the State now work more closely together. The Centre is
now lending a helping hand to the States in implementing policies such as: GST,
Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan, Smart Cities and Ease of Doing Business.
The PM’s speech clearly mirrors
India – a young nation, comprised of yuva shakti that is already
growing fast, but poised to grow a lot faster. The government has embarked on
several initiatives to step up the pace of the economy.
Ganesh Chaturthi is an auspicious
time when the Lord removes obstacles and paves the way for progress and
happiness. And by a happy coincidence, the Supreme Court delivered a landmark
ruling which elevates privacy to a fundamental right and declares that it is
intrinsic to right of life and personal liberty. What’s remarkable is this that
the largest bench of the SC was ever constituted…and that the nine-member
bench was unanimous in their verdict. This ruling is probably the finest in the
history of the Court but is likely to set open a Pandora’s box of cases and
legislations.
The absolute right to privacy
resides in Article 21 and other fundamental freedoms contained in the Constitution.
But for long they have remained obscured from public attention. It was the
petition challenging the Aadhaar project that provided the spark for this
judgement. Overturning a 63-year old verdict, this historic 547 pages ruling
boldly demarcates the limits of the state’s intervention in the lives of
citizens. Coming on the back of India’s 71st Independence Day, the
Right to Privacy, I hope, will open a new era of freedom and well-being for the
citizens of India.
Disruption appears to be a negative
word, but in the world of technology it appears to be the guiding force.
Researchers are constantly seeking ways to innovate by upsetting the applecart.
Participants at the ITF Conference in Pune last month organised by the Society,
were taken down the ‘road not taken’ and shown how technology is re-inventing
our world and lives. Keynote speaker, Mr. Ravi Pandit, CEO, KPIT Technologies
and a CA too, shared how cutting-edge technologies in robotics, nanotech,
genetics, software, computers and sensors are disrupting the normal.
Another vital facet was the rapid
proliferation of technology. He traced how it took 119 years for spindles to
reach the 50 million mark, TV happened a lot faster with 50 million users in
just 30 years. Internet spread much faster, getting 50 million users in just 4
years. Jio was exceptional, got 50 million users in 83 days! Clearly change is
here to ‘stay’ so let’s keep pace!
“Champions of Change” is a novel
initiative of NITI Aayog, the government’s think tank to spark innovative ideas
of change. This two-day deliberation of around 200 young CEOs from all corners
of India was a platform for brainstorming; to chart out a blueprint for “New
India” and drive Transformation across sectors. The young CEOs had a
unique opportunity to interact with each other as well as with secretaries and
cabinet ministers of various ministries. Among their many concerns were the
high number of regulators…they also questioned as to who evaluates the
performance of the regulators.
The young minds were divided into
six groups and were assigned an issue which is a challenge for policy making.
The issues included: world-class infrastructure, reforming financial sector,
doubling farmer’s incomes, smart cities, Make in India and New India 2022. They
made their presentations to PM Modi, who told them, “You are my team, and we
need to work together to take India forward.” He urged them to adapt to change
as they work for the welfare of the people and the nation.
Clearly, the nation is heading for
even better times with abounding opportunities and enhanced stability. World
leaders, renowned economists and multinational heads have all reiterated the
vast potential and immense optimism they believe India possesses. To help us
chart our way ahead we return to the question that Pandit Nehru posed at the
dawn of India’s independence…“Are we brave and wise enough to grasp this
opportunity and accept the challenge of the future?”
The festive
season has set in. Hope you enjoyed the Ganpati Festival. Wishing you a Happy
Dussehra in advance!!
Feel free to write to me on
president@bcasonline.org
With kind regards,
CA. Narayan Pasari
President
