Colourful Thoughts

Help your society back!

India is slowly nudging into future as a tall Nation. But the beloved country needs a push to a next level or what I call 'a minor step change that can be a major life change' to millions out to our mother land. Coz' of the reservation stir, I looked out for answers and found South Africa has very good set of reforms as they have a similar situation to us. But in search of that set of policies, I found interesting information that actually the society plays the big part by repaying for nation building. My thought trains started after reading that and not against or pro-reservation. Please read it forgetting all the past and just from a nationalistic stand point.

I did a simple math in the weekend and pitching this thought to you guys as a set of audience for your views. What I have done is: I have just taken 10% of non resident creamy population from top immigrated nations which numbered close to 6 Lakh NRIs world-over. If the 6Ls contributed just 50-100 units in their local currencies, it would amount to 265 Crores INR\Year. (The stats based on Wiki). 'Just 10% contributing 50-100 bucks for an year'

For this across political spectrum, the 'Will' should be there and this fund especially should be made 100% transparent on the programme execution etc. Out of the 265 crores X amount should go to education and rest amount to rebuild houses for poor or may be a common set of principles can be discussed and agreed. This needs mass attention and honest political will to do. Just this 50-100 units of local currencies can be invested as Infrastructure bonds and the investing NRIs can get a meagre % of Interest. Mind you, the plan is not for investment but as a patriotic initiative for the mother land. But I feel the interest factor is just one another check point to guard the programme. Another point is this is just for a year and if the programme is transparent and pretty well implemented, many more NRIs will contribute more than 50-100 units from the second year and this can be a roaring success. Also, Local Indians can also contribute.

Only factor I humbly request to consider: During freedom struggle this is how we collected funds. Also remember in 1965 Lal Bahadur Sashtri said, we Indians should fast on Monday nights as a move of solidarity during the war periods. Many people back home, they point at NRIs with a sloppy argument that NRIs do not contribute anything back home. (Though I disagree totally)

Key risks:
¨ Political Will,
¨ Corruption in the programme.
¨ Execution of the programme itself.

To mitigate:

¨ Political Will: Media should champion it
¨ Corruption: 100% Transparency in programme can be the best guardian and the best tool to execute
properly.
¨ Development Goals: tall political leaders & public let us decide the execution & goals through dedicated
web sites for this, and also these web sites can be used for public to track the progress.

What do you guys think? If you think this is a nice idea, forward to your NRI friends.