Are you an invisible employee? Find out ways to reinvent yourself

Every workplace has them - the hard-workers, the whiners, the shirkers and the invisible employees. If you think the last two are practically synonymous, you have another thing coming. Shirkers don't want to work, but with the invisible employees, willingness to work is not in question. Says marketing executive Sucheta Madan (name changed): "I like what I am doing but there's something lacking. 

My work is good but not considered superlative; appraisals are fair but not extraordinary. And though I may not be my boss' favourite, he isn't unhappy with me either. I think I am mostly irrelevant, invisible except when I am literally in his line of vision." If you echo her feelings and believe you are somewhere on the periphery of the organisation's consciousness, you are most likely an invisible employee yourself. 

Part of the problem is inadequate networking skills - you may be a competent worker but find it difficult to assert your presence or 'market' yourself well. At a broader level, an assortment of aspects are at play, such as competence, confidence and inherent shyness. 

"Such employees focus on irrelevant things, for instance; 'What do they think of me'; 'What if I am wrong in what I say/do?' Then there are those who feel secure in the comfort of their 'invisible zone' and avoid taking on responsibilities," says Meenakshi Roy, senior vice-president of human resources at Reliance Broadcast Network. 

Identifying your type 

Latha Nambisan, senior vice-president (HR) at Servion Global, a customer interaction management solutions company, divides invisible employees into three categories. The first comprises employees who give up on being visible because of the frustration generated by unmet expectations. Employees who believe that only empty vessels make noise form the second category. 

You will find them believing that their work should speak for them. The third category is made up of those who lack achievement orientation. Their pet phrases are "living for the moment" and "que sera sera", and they are more or less convinced that their current job doesn't form a part of the larger scheme of things. 

Nambisan believes many such invisible employees can be found in large organisations, partly because it's difficult to keep tabs in a large workforce. 

Whose responsibility is it? 

The responsibility of tackling an invisible employee rests on the manager. Most experts believe that visibility, or the lack of it, is a result of an all-important two-way process gone awry. "If an employee feels that his immediate manager is transactional in nature without offering positive reinforcement, we can be sure of creating an invisible employee. 

On the other hand, if assertion is expected for a role but an employee does not possess this trait - nor makes any attempt to acquire and hone it - he can easily get sidelined," says Roopa Badrinath, group head of HR at Rediffusion Y&R, a leading advertising company. 

Employees who have succumbed to this rampant career-killing malaise tend to look up to the immediate manager or the management in general to put an end to their suffering. For this, a manager has to be intuitive enough to understand an employee's reasons for becoming indifferent. "A good manager can easily spot employees in each of these categories and do what is required to pull them into the mainstream. But nowadays most managers aren't motivated enough to do so. Either they are too busy or their tenures are too short to sustain a relationship building process," says Nambisan. 

 via - economics times

Organizations free of rules and restrictions

Every organization is free and autonomous in itself. There will be no regional or provincial organizations ruling over them. These organizations may take direction, inspiration, and guidance from the center, in order to set their direction according to the philosophy of our center. This guidance, however, shall have no conditions. Our movement for creating a new era is a system: it is a philosophical blueprint, a prescription of a new way of thinking and a new way of conducting ourselves. This system is clear of any rules and restrictions. Local organizations and chapters are sufficient for this purpose. In ancient times, all religions, sects, and movements functioned without rules, restrictions, and governance. Ever since the everyday politics of democratic governance has creeped into religious organizations, the desire for personal gain and higher status has led to corrupt practices that abuse the system, just like in politics. Under and and all conditions, we must protect our organization from such troubles. Local chapters are more than sufficient, with the center providing moral and spiritual guidance only.

Yes, practices that are clearly contrary to the central philosophy will be disallowed, in the form of exclusion of such centers from the organization.  

-Pt. Shriram Sharma Acharya

सज्जनता घाटे में नहीं रहती

उदार-प्रकृति के लोग कई बार चालाक लोगों द्वारा ठगे जाते हैं और उससे उन्हें घाटा ही रहता है, पर उनकी सज्जनता से प्रभावित होकर दूसरे लोग जितनी उनकी सहायता करते हैं उस लाभ के बदले में ठगे जाने का घाटा कम ही रहता है । सब मिलाकर वे लाभ में ही रहते हैं ।

इसी प्रकार स्वार्थी लोग किसी के काम नहीं आने से अपना कुछ हर्ज या हानि होने का अवसर नहीं आने देते, पर उनकी कोई सहायता नहीं करता तो वे उस लाभ से वंचित भी रहते हैं । ऐसी दशा में वह अनुदार चालाक व्यक्ति, उस उदार और भोले व्यक्ति की अपेक्षा घाटे में ही रहता है ।

दुहरे बाँट रखने वाले बेईमान दुकानदारों को कभी फलते-फूलते नहीं देखा गया । स्वयं खुदगर्जी और अशिष्टता बरतने वाले लोग जब दूसरों से सज्ज्नता और सहायता की आशा करते हैं तो ठीक दुहरे बाँट वाले बेईमान दुकानदार का अनुकरण करते हैं । ऐसा व्यवहार कभी किसी के लिए उन्नति और प्रसन्नता का कारण नहीं बन सकता ।

-पं. श्रीराम शर्मा आचार्य

Good nature doesn’t cost anything

Selfless and generous individuals are often tricked by cunning people and as a result, they may usually seem to be at disadvantage. On the other hand, many people—influenced by their generosity—offer them so much help and support that the disadvantage of being tricked by cunning people more or less gets eclipsed by the advantage of reaping help and support from many people. All in all, selfless and generous individuals are always at advantage.

In the same way, selfish people may not bother to help others and in doing so, they may avoid losing anything. However, their selfish nature discourages other people from offering help, thus depriving them of that crucial advantage. To put in a nutshell, mean and selfish individuals would generally suffer greater loss than generous and good-natured individuals.

Corrupt traders who follow double-standards are never seen prospering. Selfish, egoistical and bad-mannered people who expect others to be good to them and help them are actually behaving in the same way as the corrupt traders having double-standards. Such behavior can never ever lead to progress and happiness in life.
 

कर्म के साथ भावना को भी जोडें

दिनभर लोहा पीटने वाले लुहार की अपेक्षा अखाड़े में दो घण्टे कसरत करने वाला पहलवान अधिक परिपुष्ट पाया जाता है । इसका कारण व्यायाम के साथ जुड़ी हुई उत्साहवर्द्धक भावना है । कसरत करते समय यह मान्यता रहती है कि हम स्वास्थ्य साधना कर रहे हैं और इस आस्था का मनोवैज्ञानिक असर ऐसा चमत्कारी होता है कि देह ही परिपुष्ट नहीं होती, मन की हिम्मत तथा सशक्तता भी बहुत बढ़ जाती है ।

-पं. श्रीराम शर्मा आचार्य

Combine Emotions with Action

A wrestler who devotes 2-3 hours daily in the Gymnasium is more stronger than a blacksmith who threshes & beats iron for many hours regularly. Enthusiasm to build a body is a reason behind such results. We think of good health during exercise and this affects our psychology and not only our body but our mind also gets strengthened.
 

-Pt. Shriram Sharma Acharya

भौतिकता और आध्यात्मिकता की आवश्यकता

भौतिकता और आध्यात्मिकता परस्पर दोनों एक-दूसरे से जुड़ी हुई हैं । एक के बिना दूसरी अधूरी है । जंगल में गुफा में रहने वाले विरक्त महात्मा का भी भोजन, प्रकाश, माला, कमण्डल, आसन, खड़ाऊँ, पुस्तक, कम्बल, आग आदि वस्तुओं की आवश्यकता रहेगी ही, इनके बिना उसका जीवित रहना भी सम्भव न रहेगा । इतनी भौतिकता तो गुफा निवासी महात्मा को भी बरतनी पड़ेगी और अपने परिवार के प्रति प्रेम और त्याग बरतने की आध्यात्मिकता चोर-उठाईगीर और निरन्तर भौतिकवादी को भी रखनी पड़ेगी । भौतिकता को तमतत्व और आध्यात्मिकता को सततत्व, माना गया है । दोनों के मिलने से रजतत्व बना है । इसी में मानव की स्थिति हैं । एक के भी समाप्त जाने पर मनुष्य का रूप नहीं रहता । तम नष्ट होकर सत ही रह जाए तो व्यक्ति देवता या परमहंस होगा । यदि सत नष्ट होकर तम ही रह जाए तो असुरता या पैशाचिकता ही बची होगी । दोनों स्थितियों में मनुष्यत्व का व्यतिरेक हो जाएगा ।

इसलिए मानव जीवन की स्थिति जब तक है, तब तक भौतिकता और आध्यात्मिकता दोनों ही साथ-साथ रहती हैं । अन्तर केवल प्राथमिकता का है । सज्जनों के लिए आध्यात्मिकता ही प्रमुख रहती है, वे उसकी रक्षा के लिए भौतिक आधार की बहुत अंशों तक उपेक्षा भी कर सकते हैं । इस प्रकार दुर्जंनों के लिए भौतिकता का स्थान पहला है । वे उस प्रकार के लाभों के लिए आध्यात्मिक मर्यादाओं का उल्लंघन भी कर देते हैं । इतने पर भी दोनों ही प्रकृति के लोग किसी न किसी रूप में भौतिक और आत्मिक तथ्यों को अपनाते ही हैं, या उन्हें अपनाये ही रहना पड़ता ।

-पं. श्रीराम शर्मा आचार्य

Necessity of Materialism and Spirituality

Spirituality and Materialism are both mutually connected. One is incomplete without the other. The saint, even when living in a cave in the jungle, needs food, fire, clothes, carpet, books, blanket, utensils, and many amenities without which it is difficult for him to survive. So, some materialism is being practiced even by those deemed highly spiritual.On the other hand, even the extreme materialists such as robbers practice some spirituality in the form of love and sacrifice for their families and loved ones. Amongst the three attributes (three Gunas: Sattva, Rajas, Tamas) spiritualism is considered as Sattvik (= pure or, divine) whereas materialism is considered as Tamasik (dark, impure, or ignorant).The combination of the two extremes is Rajas, associated with force, energy, and a desire to act. The dynamics of the universe is maintained by a perfect balance of these three attributes. If Tamas is destroyed, man will become God and if Sattva is removed, the man will become a devil. In either case, the human nature is lost. Humanity lies in the delicate balance of the extremes. Therefore, so long as human life exists, materialism and spirituality will both co-exist in man. Giving a higher priority to one is what makes all the difference. For the generous and kind people, spirituality is the primary preference, to the extent that they might end up neglecting the material basis of all things. On the other hand, the selfish people prefer materialism so strongly that they transgress all the ethical limits set by spirituality.

In spite of these facts, each of the two types of people – whether materialist or spiritualist, accept the other viewpoint and are often compelled to consider it.  

-Pt. Shriram Sharma Acharya

दुष्कर्मों के दण्ड से प्रायश्चित्त ही छुड़ा सकेगा

यह ठीक है कि जिस व्यक्ति के साथ अनाचार बरता गया अब उस घटना को बिना हुई नहीं बनाया जा सकता । सम्भव है कि वह व्यक्ति अन्यत्र चला गया हो । ऐसी दशा में उसी आहत व्यक्ति की उसी रूप में क्षति पूर्ति करना सम्भव नहीं । किन्तु दूसरा मार्ग खुला है । हर व्यक्ति समाज का अंग है । व्यक्ति को पहुँचाई गई क्षति वस्तुत: प्रकारान्तर से समाज की ही क्षति है । उस व्यक्ति को हमने दुष्कर्मों से जितनी क्षति पहुँचाई है उसकी पूर्ति तभी होगी जब हम उतने ही वजन के सत्कर्म करके समाज को लाभ पहुँचाये । समाज को इस प्रकार हानि और लाभ का बैलेन्स जब बराबर हो जायेगा तभी यह कहा जायेगा कि पाप का प्रायश्चित हो गया और आत्मग्लानि एवं आत्मप्रताडऩा से छुटकारा पाने की स्थिति बन गई ।

सस्ते मूल्य के कर्मकाण्ड करके पापों के फल से छुटकारा पा सकना सर्वथा असम्भव है । स्वाध्याय, सत्संग, कथा, कीर्तन, तीर्थ, व्रत आदि से चित्त में शुद्धता की वृद्धि होना और भविष्य में पाप वृत्तियों पर अंकुश लगाने की बात समझ में आती है । धर्म कृत्यों से पाप नाश के जो माहात्म्य शास्त्रों में बताये गये हैं उनका तात्पर्य इतना ही है कि मनोभूमि का शोधन होने से भविष्य में बन सकने वाले पापों की सम्भावना का नाश हो जाये।

ईश्वरीय कठोर न्याय व्यवस्था में ऐसा ही विधान है कि पाप परिणामों की आग में जल मरने से जिन्हें बचना हो वे समाज की उत्कृष्टता बढ़ाने की सेवा-साधना में संलग्न हों और लदे हुए भार से छुटकारा प्राप्त कर शान्ति एवं पवित्रता की स्थिति उपलब्ध कर लें ।

-पं. श्रीराम शर्मा आचार्य

Only Remorse can save from the punishment of wicked acts

It is fair to say that if we had behaved badly or done something unfair to someone, we cannot just ignore it as if it never happened. It may be possible that the person who was mistreated has gone away and may not be accessible or traceable any more. In such a situation, it may not be possible to make up for what we had done to him/her. However, there is another way to accomplish it. Every person is a part of society. Hence, damage or harm caused to any individual is, in reality, damage caused to society. We can compensate damage we caused to that individual by doing as much good to society. When the amount of good done to society makes up for the amount of harm done to the individual, it can be safely said that we have atoned for the wrongdoing and have come to a point where we can free us from any sense of guilt.

It is absolutely impossible to set us free from any wrongdoing by means of observing some cheap religious rituals. Reading sacred texts and good thoughts, satasanga (staying in touch with people of great character), listening to discourses and devotional songs, going on pilgrimage, fasting, etc. help us to purify our mind and also enlighten us to restrain, from now on, our tendency to commit anything wrong. The scriptures speak about religious rites and observances having a grand ability to cleanse us from our sins. They only mean to say that the cleansing of the mind (achieved through such observances) may negate any possibility of that individual committing sinful acts in future.

The inescapable justice system of God directs that anyone who wishes to absolve them from the consequences of their wrongdoing should devote themselves to selfless services to the community that can boost up its goodness or merits. This can help anyone to cleanse him/herself from any past wrongdoings and thus, imparts peace and freedom from guilt and unworthy intentions.
 

-Pt. Shriram Sharma Acharya

देशभक्त नवनिर्माण के कार्य में जुट जाए

सरकार अपराधियों को दण्ड देकर आर्थिक प्रगति के थोड़े साधन जुटा सकती है पर व्यक्तिगत मूढ़ता एवं दृष्टता को, सामाजिक भ्रष्टता एवं अस्त-व्यस्तता को मिटाना उसके बलबूते की बात नहीं । अधिनायकवाद की बात दूसरी है । प्रजातंत्र में यह बात नहीं । प्रजातंत्र में व्यक्ति अथवा समाज-सुधार का कार्य लोकसेवियों पर निर्भर रहता है । उन्हीं की सत्ता, व्यक्ति या समाज का स्तर ऊँचा उठा सकने में समर्थ हो सकती है । प्राचीनकाल में देश का गौरव उच्च शिखर पर पहुँचाये रखने का सारा श्रेय यहाँ के लोक-सेवियों को है । वे अपना सारा समय दो कार्यों में खर्च करते थे । प्रथम - अपना व्यक्तित्व उच्चकोटि का विनिर्मित करना, ताकि जनता पर उसका उचित प्रभाव पड़ सके । द्वितीय - निरन्तर अथक परिश्रम तथा अनवरत उत्साह के साथ जन-मानस में उत्कृष्टता भरने के लिए संलग्न रहना । साधु-ब्राह्मण और वानप्रस्थों की यही परम्परा एवं कर्म पद्धति थी । उनकी संख्या जितनी बढ़ती थी उसी अनुपात से राष्ट्रीय जीवन की हर दिशा में समृद्धि का अभिवर्द्धन होता चलता था । यही रहस्य था अपने गौरवमय इतिहास का । दुर्भाग्य ही कहना चाहिए, कि वे तीनों ही संस्थाएँ आज नष्ट हो गई । ब्राह्मण, साधु और वानप्रस्थ तीनों ही दिखाई नहीं पड़ते । उनकी तस्वीरें और प्रतिमाएँ बड़ी संख्या में घूमती- फिरती नजर आती हैं पर उनका लक्ष्य, आदर्श और कर्त्तव्य सर्वथा विपरित हो गया, ऐसी दशा में उनकी उपयोगिता भी नष्ट हो गई ।

दुर्भाग्य का रोना-रोने से काम न चलेगा । अभाव की पूर्ति दूसरी तरह करनी होगी । हम गृहस्थ लोग ही थोड़ा थोड़ा समय निकाल कर लोक-मंगल की सत्प्रवृत्तियों का अभिवर्द्धन करना अपना धर्म कर्त्तव्य समझें और उसके लिए निरन्तर कुछ न कुछ योगदान देने के लिए तत्परता प्रकट करने लगें तो उस आवश्यकता की पूर्ति हो सकती है, जिस पर प्रगति का सारा आधार अवलम्बित है । आवश्यकता ऐसे लोगों की है, जिनके अन्त:करण में देशभक्ति, समाज-सेवा एवं लोक-मंगल के लिए कुछ करने की उमंग भरी भावनाएँ लहरा रही हों । ऐसे ही नर-रत्न अपना जीवन धन्य करते हैं, अपने समय की महत्त्वपूर्ण भूमिकाएँ सम्पादित करते हैं । देशभक्त नवनिर्माण के कार्य में जुट जाए

सरकार अपराधियों को दण्ड देकर आर्थिक प्रगति के थोड़े साधन जुटा सकती है पर व्यक्तिगत मूढ़ता एवं दृष्टता को, सामाजिक भ्रष्टता एवं अस्त-व्यस्तता को मिटाना उसके बलबूते की बात नहीं । अधिनायकवाद की बात दूसरी है । प्रजातंत्र में यह बात नहीं । प्रजातंत्र में व्यक्ति अथवा समाज-सुधार का कार्य लोकसेवियों पर निर्भर रहता है । उन्हीं की सत्ता, व्यक्ति या समाज का स्तर ऊँचा उठा सकने में समर्थ हो सकती है । प्राचीनकाल में देश का गौरव उच्च शिखर पर पहुँचाये रखने का सारा श्रेय यहाँ के लोक-सेवियों को है । वे अपना सारा समय दो कार्यों में खर्च करते थे । प्रथम - अपना व्यक्तित्व उच्चकोटि का विनिर्मित करना, ताकि जनता पर उसका उचित प्रभाव पड़ सके । द्वितीय - निरन्तर अथक परिश्रम तथा अनवरत उत्साह के साथ जन-मानस में उत्कृष्टता भरने के लिए संलग्न रहना । साधु-ब्राह्मण और वानप्रस्थों की यही परम्परा एवं कर्म पद्धति थी । उनकी संख्या जितनी बढ़ती थी उसी अनुपात से राष्ट्रीय जीवन की हर दिशा में समृद्धि का अभिवर्द्धन होता चलता था । यही रहस्य था अपने गौरवमय इतिहास का । दुर्भाग्य ही कहना चाहिए, कि वे तीनों ही संस्थाएँ आज नष्ट हो गई । ब्राह्मण, साधु और वानप्रस्थ तीनों ही दिखाई नहीं पड़ते । उनकी तस्वीरें और प्रतिमाएँ बड़ी संख्या में घूमती- फिरती नजर आती हैं पर उनका लक्ष्य, आदर्श और कर्त्तव्य सर्वथा विपरित हो गया, ऐसी दशा में उनकी उपयोगिता भी नष्ट हो गई ।

दुर्भाग्य का रोना-रोने से काम न चलेगा । अभाव की पूर्ति दूसरी तरह करनी होगी । हम गृहस्थ लोग ही थोड़ा थोड़ा समय निकाल कर लोक-मंगल की सत्प्रवृत्तियों का अभिवर्द्धन करना अपना धर्म कर्त्तव्य समझें और उसके लिए निरन्तर कुछ न कुछ योगदान देने के लिए तत्परता प्रकट करने लगें तो उस आवश्यकता की पूर्ति हो सकती है, जिस पर प्रगति का सारा आधार अवलम्बित है । आवश्यकता ऐसे लोगों की है, जिनके अन्त:करण में देशभक्ति, समाज-सेवा एवं लोक-मंगल के लिए कुछ करने की उमंग भरी भावनाएँ लहरा रही हों । ऐसे ही नर-रत्न अपना जीवन धन्य करते हैं, अपने समय की महत्त्वपूर्ण भूमिकाएँ सम्पादित करते हैं ।

-पं. श्रीराम शर्मा आचार्य

Patriot must involved in restoration / renaissance

The governments of our society can punish criminals but personal stupidity, ignorance, and corruption cannot be eliminated. In a democracy, it is difficult to control and regulate the personal flaws of people which can be easily altered in a dictatorship. In a democracy, social reforms are done by social workers or social leaders. Only these types of people are capable of raising the awareness levels of a person or society. In ancient history, one can find that a nation’s pride was elevated to the highest level by social workers. They invested their time in two aspects; One, to develop their own personality in all respects so that people could follow them, and two, to devote themselves with full enthusiasm and energy in order to inspire and motivate people to achieve excellence in all areas of life. These concepts were a great tradition of Saints, Brahmins, and Vanprasthis (those that left their houses & families to live in the ASHRAMS). This is the secret of our history, but unfortunately, all of the aspects of this culture are demolished. Whatever we have seen in these forms has diverted itself now. Today’s targets, focuses, and ideals are entirely different and useless. It is not worth crying over these unfortunate happenings. Rather, we have to compensate for the loss in some other way. If household people are ready, it is their religious duty to devote and contribute some time for the enhancement of good acts in the society. The compensation is possible because development is based on this involvement and devotion. Today, there is a need for people who are patriotic and have a zeal for society and the betterment of people. The lives of these people are really worth noting and they play pivotal roles in society.
 

-Pt. Shriram Sharma Acharya

चोट खाने वाला योद्धा

किसी समय तलवार चलाने वाले और सिर काटने में अग्रणी लोगों को योद्धा कहा जाता था पर अब मापदण्ड बदल गया । चारों और संव्याप्त आतंक और अनाचार के विरुद्ध संघर्ष में जो जितना साहस दिखा सके, और चोट खा सके उसे उतना ही बड़ा बहादुर माना जायगा । उस बहादुरी के ऊपर ही शोषण-विहीन समाज की स्थापना सम्भव हो सकेगी । दुर्बुद्धि से, कुत्सा और कुण्ठा से लड़ सकने में जो लोग समर्थ होंगे उन्हीं का पुरुषार्थ, पीडि़त मानवता को त्राण दे सकने का यश संचित कर सकेगा ।

-पं. श्रीराम शर्मा आचार्य

The Warrior Who Bears the Wound

Once upon a time, swordsmen and those accustomed to beheading people were called ‘Warriors’ but now the basis of judgement has changed. One who can show valor in the struggle against the pandemic terror and malpractice, as well as bear the anguish, will be considered more courageous. On the groundwork of this valiance or

courage, a dauntless or unblemished society will be established. Only those people who can endure and will be able to fight against the malignity, abhorrence and immorality, can gather the praise for relieving the suffering of humanity.
 

भूत, भविष्य और वर्तमान

परम्परा अतीत की देन होती है और परिवर्तन भविष्य का प्रतीक । मनुष्य का जितना सम्बन्ध वर्तमान से होता है, उतना भूत अथवा भविष्य से नहीं । मनुष्य को वर्तमान में ही जीना पड़ता है । अतीत का वैभव उसका कोई कार्य सम्पादित नहीं कर पाता और भविष्य के स्वप्न भी कुछ काम नहीं आते । मनुष्य को अपने वर्तमान का ही निर्माण करना चाहिए, किन्तु इस निर्माण के लिए आवश्यक सामग्री वर्तमान में नहीं होती उसके लिए उसे अतीत के अनुभवों और भविष्य की कल्पनाओं का भी अवलम्बन लेना पड़ता है । वर्तमान का भवन भूत और भविष्यत्‌ की आधार-शिलाओं पर बनाया जा सकता है ।

Past, Future and Present

Tradition is a gift of past and transformation is a symbol of future. Man is related to the present more than the past or future. Man has to live in present. Treasure of past cannot be used in any work, and the dreams of future are also useless. Man should build his present, but the essential ingredients used for this purpose are not available in present. These has to be collected from the past experiences and the imaginations of the future. Building of present can be built on the bed-rocks of past and future.
 

संगठन की महान शक्ति

कहते हैं कि निर्जीव चीजें एक और एक दो होती हैं किन्तु जीवित मनुष्य यदि सच्चेपन से एक दूसरे को प्रेम करें और एकता की सुदृढ़ भावना में संबद्ध हों तो वे एक और एक मिलकर ग्यारह बन जाते हैं । उनकी शक्ति का परिणाम अनेक गुना अधिक बन जाता है । हमें इस प्रक्रिया को अपनाना ही होगा इसके बिना और कोई मार्ग नहीं । सज्जनों का संगठन हुए बिना दुर्जनता का पलायन और किसी उपाय से नहीं हो सकता ।

-पं. श्रीराम शर्मा आचार्य

Great Strength of Unity

It is said that one plus one is equal to two but if human beings love each other in true sense and are united with good intentions then one plus one becomes eleven. Their power increases many times when united. We have to adopt this process and form teams in different areas to spread goodness in the society, there is no other way out. To eliminate scoundrels, good people have to be united.
 

-Pt. Shriram Sharma Acharya

सम्पत्ति ही नहीं सदबुद्धि भी

सुख-सुविधा की साधन-सामग्री बढ़ाकर संसार में सुख-शान्ति और प्रगति होने की बात सोची जा रही है और उसी के लिए सब कुछ किया जा रहा है पर साथ ही हमें यह भी सोच लेना चाहिए कि समृद्धि तभी उपयोगी हो सकती है जब उसके साथ-साथ भावनात्मक स्तर भी ऊँचा उठता चले, यदि भावनाएँ निकृष्ट स्तर की रहें तो बढ़ी हुई सम्पत्ति उलटी विपत्ति का रूप धारण कर लेती है । दुर्बुद्धिग्रस्त मनुष्य अधिक धन पाकर उसका उपयोग अपने दोष-दुर्गुण बढ़ाने में ही करते हैं । अन्न का दुर्भिक्ष पड़ जाने पर लोग पत्ते और छालें खाकर जीवित रह लेते हैं पर भावनाओं का दुर्भिक्ष पडऩे पर यहॉँ नारकीय व्यथा-वेदनाओं के अतिरिक्त और कुछ शेष नहीं रहता ।

सम्पन्न लोगों का जीवन निर्धनों की अपेक्षा कलुषित होता है, उसके विपरीत प्राचीनकाल में ऋषियों ने अपने जीवन का उदाहरण प्रस्तुत करके यह सिद्ध किया था कि गरीबी की जीवन व्यवस्था में भी उत्कृष्ट जीवन जीना संभव हो सकता है । यहाँ सम्पन्नता एवं समृद्धि का विरोध नहीं किया जा रहा है, हमारा प्रयोजन केवल इतना ही है भावना स्तर ऊँचा उठने के साथ-साथ समृद्धि बढ़ेगी तो उसका सदुपयोग होगा और तभी उससे व्यक्ति एवं समाज की सुख-शान्ति बढ़ेगी । भावना स्तर की उपेक्षा करके यदि सम्पत्ति पर ही जोर दिया जाता रहा तो दुर्गुणी लोग उस बढ़ोत्तरी का उपयोग विनाश के लिए ही करेंगे । बन्दर के हाथ में गई हुई तलवार किसी का क्या हित साधन कर सकेगी ?

-पं. श्रीराम शर्मा आचार्य

Not only wealth but also intelligence

There is a perception in the world that happiness, peace and prosperity can be attained by accumulating material resources and wealth. A lot of efforts are being made for the same. At the same time we must remember that wealth can be beneficial only when our emotional level is also high. A dispassionate person may very well convert prosperity into adversity and distress. A person with no conscience can misuse wealth. If there is dearth of food, people can survive by eating whatever comes but if there is dearth of emotions then only pain will remain.

It has been observed that the life of rich people is more disturbed and disgraceful compared to the poor. Examples of our ancient Rishis show that life can be lived happily in poverty too. There is no enmity or conflict with accumulating wealth, but if our emotional quotient is also high along with materialistic growth, then we can be more happy and peaceful, and so will be the society. If we neglect emotions and focus only on wealth then that money will be spent in destruction only. Can a sword in the monkey’s hand be of any assistance to any body?

We must prove ourselves to be excellent

Writers, artists, religious leaders, scientists as well as politicians, too, are feeling the need of our era and direction. Now they are sure that it is better to go with the flow.They have started understanding the inspiration of destiny and God's will. Accordingly they can be changed with time easily.Everyone will get its clear picture within a few days.

But one can't say this about the rich because neither are they able to understand the time nor are they ready to change with it.They are so caught up in trying to collect as much as they can, be as extravagant as they can be and satisfying their arrogance as much as they can that their return seems difficult.No rich person is ready to become poor.They can donate some money only to self-publicize to buy comfort in the other world on name of doing good for others. One can't hope for more from them.Today, no one is ready to profit from ability to earn for anything else except to satisfy one's senses as Bhamashah, Ashok, Mandhata, Vajshrava, Janak, Bharat and Harishchandra had done.Limits of earning, justice and rightness have been broken.Everyone is busy trying to earn as much as one can without caring for right or wrong.Someone is ahead or back because of difference of skill. This is what happens in horse race but all horses are running in the same direction.Their consciousness has become so mature that preaching falls on deaf ears.It does not have any effect.It seems that this creation must be sent to furnace to be melted again.Enough softness will be generated there to help remodel.Gandhi's trusteeship, Vinoba's land donation, wealth donation, Saints' renunciation arenothing more than texts of philosophy today.There doesn't seem to be any possibility of bringing it in behaviour.As a result one can only see misfortune in its luck.France's Louis, Czars of Russia, India's Kings as well as wealthy people from Russia and China, all of them were destroyed by just one stroke of luck. Had someone seen and understood that then the wealth would have been used for public welfare and to end the poverty. Had people shared everything then the world would have been a much more peaceful and wealthier place.Though there can be good people in a bad world but are they enough?

Time will establish socialism in the field of economics.Though it is a different matter as to where this process is slow and where it happens quickly. But this is what will happen.Now, the form of kings and emperors will adorn the museums.It will be read curiously in the pages of history.Similarly, some time later wealthy people, too, will no longer exist. Things that are not useful and required at a time are thrown in trash and junk.Wealth, too, is going to meet the same end in future.

We've spoken about the world of future.Today, one of the things that we need to change the time is – Wealth.It, too, is important just like education.It takes a thorn to take another out, sword to fight a sword.On the wealth front, too, we'll have to fight.The yagna of knowledge and increase of fighting spirits for change, too, requires resources.If wealthy people wanted to do so then it could have done so easily. But it is like a dying patient and one must not hope for it to improve or change and we will have to join hands just like the blood collection of Rishis for the birth of Seeta and pass another exam.
 

कर्म की भावना का महत्व

भीतरी दुनियाँ में गुप्‍त-चित्र या चित्रगुप्‍त पुलिस और अदालत दोनों महकमों का काम स्‍वयं ही करता है। यदि पुलिस झूठा सबूत दे दे तो अदालत का फैसला भी अनुचित हो सकता है, परंतु भीतरी दुनियाँ में ऐसी गड़बड़ी की संभावना नहीं। अंत:करण सब कुछ जानता है कि यह कर्म किस विचार से,किस इच्‍छा से, किस परिस्थिति में, क्‍यों कर किया गया था। वहाँ बाहरी मन को सफाई या बयान देने की जरूरत नहीं पड़ती क्‍योंकि गुप्‍त मन उस बात के संबंध में स्‍वयं ही पूरी-पूरी जानकारी रखता है। हम जिस इच्‍छा से, जिस भावना से जो काम करते हैं, उस इच्‍छा या भावना से ही पाप-पुण्‍य का नाप होता है। भौतिक वस्‍तुओं की नाप-तोल बाहरी दुनियाँ में होती है। एक गरीब आदमी दो पैसा दान करता है और एक धनी आदमी दस हजार रूपया दान करता है, बाहरी दुनियाँ तो पुण्‍य की तौल रुपए-पैसों की गिनती के अनुसार करेगी। दो पैसा दान करने वाले की ओर कोई आँख उठाकर भी नहीं देखेगा, पर दस हजार रूपया देने वाले की प्रशंसा चारों ओर फैल जाएगी। भीतरी दुनियाँ में यह नाप-तोल नहीं चलती। अनाज के दाने अँगोछे में बाँधकर गाँव के बनिए की दुकान पर चले जाएँ, तो वह बदले में गुड़ देगा, पर उसी अनाज को इंग्‍लैंड की राजधानी लंदन में जाकर किसी दुकानदार को दिया जाए, तो वह कहेगा-महाशय ! इस शहर में अनाज के बदले सौदा नहीं मिलता, यहां तो पौंड, शिलिंग, पेंस का सिक्‍का चलता है। ठीक उसी प्रकार बाहरी दुनियाँ में रूपयों की गिनती से, काम के बाहरी फैलाव से,कथा-वार्ता से, तीर्थयात्रा आदि भौतिक चीजों से यश खरीदा जाता है, पर चित्रगुप्‍त देवता के देश में यह सिक्‍का नहीं चलता, वहाँ तो इच्‍छा और भावना की नाप-तौल है। उसी के मुताबिक पाप-पुण्‍य का जमा-खर्च किया जाता है।

भगवान कृष्‍ण न अर्जुन को उकसा कर लाखों आ‍दमियों को महाभारत के युद्ध में मरवा डाला। लाश से भूमि पट गई, खून की नदियाँ बह गई, फिर भी अर्जुन को कुछ पाप न लगा, क्‍योंकि हाड़-माँस से बने हुए कितने खिलौने टूट-फूट गए, इसका लेखा चित्रगुप्‍त के दरबार में नहीं रखा गया। भला कोई राजा यह हिसाब रखता है कि मेरे भंडार में से कितने चावल फैल गए। पाँच तत्‍व से बनी हुई नाशवान् चीजों की कोई पूछ आत्‍मा के दरबार में नहीं है। अर्जुन का उद्देश्‍य पवित्र था, वह पाप को नष्‍ट करके धर्म की स्‍थापना करना चाहता था। बस वही इच्‍छा खुफिया रजिस्‍टर में दर्ज हो गई, आदमियों के मारे जाने की संख्‍या का कोई हिसाब नहीं लिखा गया। दुनियाँ में करोड़पति की बड़ी प्रतिष्‍ठा है, पर यदि उसका दिल छोटा है, तो चित्रगुप्‍त के दरबार में भिखमंगा शुमार किया जाएगा। दुनियाँ का भिखमंगा यदि दिल का धनी है, तो उसे हजार बादशाहों का बादशाह गिना जाएगा। इस प्रकार मनुष्‍य जो भी काम कर रहा है, वह किस नीयत से कर रहा है, वह नीयत, भलाई या बुराई जिस दर्जे में जाती होगी, उसी में दर्ज की जाएगी। सद्-भाव से फाँसी लगाने वाला जल्‍लाद भी पुण्‍यात्‍मा गिना जा सकता है और एक धर्मध्‍वजी तिलकधारी पंडित भी गुप्‍त रूप से दुराचार करने पर पापी माना जा सकता है। बाहरी आडंबर का कुछ मूल्‍य नहीं है, कीमत भीतरी चीज की है। बाहर से कोई काम भला या बुरा दिखाई दे, तो उससे कुछ बनता-बिगड़ता नहीं। असली तत्‍व तो उस इच्‍छा और भावना में है, जिससे प्रेरित होकर वह काम किया गया है। पाप-पुण्‍य की जड़ कार्य और प्रदर्शन में नहीं, वरन् निश्चित रूप से इच्‍छा और भावना में ही है।  

Networking Capital

Business has caught up with online people-to-people conversations. Companies, big and small, are firming up social media strategies even as the networks they ride on see the sites create both buzz and bucks, writes Shelley Singh

    So, you’ve connected with long-lost friends and made tonnes of new ones via social media; you’ve hired a few people via professional networking sites; and you’ve even used such digital media to promote your business virtually for free. But beyond the buzz has social networking bumped up your bottom line? It can do that, too. Meet Kamesh Ramamoorthy, Chief Operating Officer, Ramco Systems. For most of its 19 years since inception, the Chennaibased provider of business software has been reeling in losses – except for the past two years. The turnaround has been sharper in the past two quarters (October to December 2010 and January-March 2011) during which customer acquisition has spurted four times to around 40 a quarter. The trigger? “Besides changing our business software product to target small and medium businesses (SMBs), we changed our marketing strategy. We looked at social media,” says Ramamoorthy. The move helped Ramco talk directly with CFOs and owners of SMBs in sectors like auto, leather and textiles. A digital agency was roped in to devise social media marketing strategies; bloggers actively talked about the product; Ramco began using professional networking giant LinkedIn and social networking Goliath Facebook. Result? The customers that came from social media interactions include Chennai based RTE Brakes, and Thorn Lighting, Ahmedabad based Ashtech Infotech and United Arab Emirates based Berber Cements. Says Jessie Paul, CEO, Paul Writer, a marketing advisory firm that has Ramco as a client: ‘‘About a fifth of Ramco’s leads came from social media, like LinkedIn and SlideShare.’’ Ramco used SlideShare, the world’s largest community for sharing presentations, to allow potential customers to see a demo of the product. Across India Inc, the social media chatter is now taken far more seriously and the platform as a must-have tool in the marketing arsenal of companies big and small. From Bharti Airtel, PepsiCo India and IBM to little-known and quaintly-named start-ups like Moving Trumpet, 99labels.com and Hopsim, India’s world of business can’t get enough of social media. From dismissing it as the play tool and a hangout zone for the Internet Generation, companies have woken up to the power of people-to-people conversations. That these people are young and actively engage with targeted communities makes it impossible for marketers to ignore social media. Says Subho Ray, president, Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI): “It’s the next big thing, and monetisation is happening now.’’ Adds Alok Mittal, managing director, Canaan India, a venture capital firm: LinkedIn and Facebook now have a business case in India. People are transacting on them.’’ Canaan itself has invested in two social media companies: Kabam, a social gaming company, and Zoosk a social dating company. “Both have created substantial business around them, taking revenues 0 to $100 million in 18 months. There’s opportunity to invest in such niches,’’ points out Mittal. For the big boys, an investment in social media is an imperative not so much from immediate tangible gains but to stay ahead of the curve. Consider Bharti Airtel, which sees social media as a vital prong of its digital media strategy that includes Google Ads, advertising across internet and search engine optimisation. Mohit Beotra, 43, leads a 25-member team at Bharti as its head of brands & media. In the last six months about a third of the team has been working on devising strategies for social networking. That spans engaging with the community on Facebook and Twitter and chalking out integrated campaigns in which social media have a key part to play. When the Airtel brand was relaunched late last year with a new logo, the telco used Facebook to promote it with a ‘name game’. Users were encouraged to name the new logo. Airtel received more than 150,000 entries. 
    What started as a casual effort to put out a message and create pages on social networking sites is serious business now. Like, for instance, Bharti’s football community on Facebook to help fans reach out to Manchester United. Bharti Airtel has a five-year arrangement with the English club that gives Airtel customers, amongst other privileges, access to ManU content on their mobiles. Facebook has helped the telecom major create buzz around the legendary soccer club. Over the past six-seven months 340,000 people signed up as members onwww.facebook.com/ airtelsoccer, 180,000 of who are Airtel subscribers. Fans can video chat with players, buy ManU merchandise or simply know about the soccer team – and about Bharti. “Social networking is effective because people interact with the brand without (the brand having) an agenda,” says Beotra. Next step: An annual partnership with professional networking major LinkedIn that will be signed in mid-July. German automaker Volkswagen India got more than 2,700 recommendations after it started a targeted campaign on LinkedIn’s user aware pages in November 2010. Says Lutz Kothe, head of marketing, Volkswagen India: ‘‘We used LinkedIn to build brand affinity and generate word of mouth, which continues to be a major selling argument in India.’’ It engaged two marketing and branding firms to execute social media strategies. Another German major Grohe is targeting customers for its upscale bathroom fittings on Facebook. Says Mathew Job, vice-president & managing director, Grohe India: “We have created Facebook fan pages for architects, designers, key influencers and consumers.’’ On Facebook, Shower with Grohe’ has 18,000 followers. 
ATTRACTING EYEBALLS AND ADS Companies like Volkswagen and Grohe that are relatively new to India are keen to shorten the learning curve. Making that task easier is the country’s internet user population of 100 million—third largest globally (after China and the US). In a March 2011 report, digital business researcher com-Score said social networking sites reach 84% of the web audience in India and take up 21% of all time spent online. Of the $250 million online ad spend in 2010, about 11% went to social media, up from almost zilch prior to that; in the current year IAMAI estimates social media will corner 18% of the ad spends. By 2015, online ad spends will be about $1 billion and more than half of this could be on social media. Facebook and Twitter lead the social networking user base with 25 million and 12 million users respectively while LinkedIn, practically unchallenged in the professional networking space, boasts of 9 million users. These three have emerged leaders from over 200 global social networking start-ups. Till 2002 the internet was all about people to website relationships. Until Friendster, the world’s first social networking site, woke up to people-topeople conversations. Friendster isn’t top of mind today, and copycats like MySpace, Hi5, Orkut, Delicious have fallen by the wayside. Digital market researcher ComScore’s latest data shows that Facebook has overtaken Orkut, Google’s social networking site. The downward spiral of erstwhile popular social networking sites continues even as Facebook and LinkedIn add new members. In the technology world, it’s a familiar trajectory—don’t innovate and you die. It’s been brutal in social media as fads have come and gone. Yet the new leaders have built an enviable user base that looks difficult to dislodge (see Linked in and on the Same Page). India does not need to have its own networking sites—it just has to piggyback on the existing global ones. “India Inc cannot ignore them. The shift to social media, using it for campaigns, feedback or talent search will accelerate even as the internet user base in India expands,” expalains Nitin Khanapurkar, executive director, advisory services, KPMG. 
SAVIOR FOR START-UPS Jessie Paul says: “The interesting part is social networking gives start-ups a platform to take on the big boys. It helps them to start without an ad budget.’’ To be sure, large companies have deep pockets to do multimedia campaigns. On the other hand even a 30-second TV ad spot can burn a hole in a start-up’s tight pocket. Social networking may be just what the marketing guru ordered for them. Take the case of taxi-top advertising firm Moving Trumpet, started in November 2009 by three fresh graduates in Mumbai. The trio targeted Mumbai’s taxis as an advertising platform for large companies. They had no marketing budget. 
    Then, 26-year-old Gautan Dhirani, head of marketing of Moving Trumpet, devised a plan to write to companies on their portals. All sites have a ‘contact us’ or ‘send info’ window to interact with them and we were hopeful for a response,’’ says Dhirani. After three months of toil and more than 70 web contacts got them just three replies, the trio got fed up and instead solicited business on LinkedIn. Says Dhirani: ‘‘I was directly able to connect with marketing heads, brand managers, media buyers and account directors; that helped our business take wing.’’ Moving Trumpet makes about Rs 8 lakh a month and has done taxi-top campaigns for Bharti, Reliance Communications, and Madison Media amongst others. Over the next fortnight, it will take the business model into all metro cities. Another start-up, 99labels.com, which attracted $3 million in funding from internet company Info Edge, has found Facebook the ideal platform to reach out to buyers interested in picking up deep-discount stuff, from Tshirts to shoes. The e-commerce portal sells excess stock from retailers like Diesel, D&G, Adidas, Nike and Puma and has more than 100,000 followers on Facebook. 99labels buys the discounted merchandise and ships from its own warehouse. Says Ishita Swarup, co-founder & CEO, 99labels: “We are a regular ecommerce site, but didn’t get the traffic till we logged on to social networking.’’ 99labels advertised on Yahoo and Rediff but got the best response from its Facebook presence. The portal is on Twitter as well, but is not sure how to use the micro-blogging site to sell merchandise. Twitter is good for feedback, not for selling. The engagement is limited,’’ she adds. Swarup had sold her previous company Orion Dialog, a domestic call center to Essar Group’s Aegis BPO in 2006 and co-founded 99labels.com in 2010. In many instances it’s David meets Goliath in the online social arena. Hopsim, a provider of pre-paid SIM cards to travellers, launched its services on LinkedIn. Hopsim, in the same space as Matrix Cellular, but without the latter’s deep pockets. Similarly Perfios Software Solutions, a provider of software to manage financial portfolios, is in the same space as global majors like the $3 billion Intuit. The three-year old privately funded company with 140,000 users credits its growth to LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter, which helped in signing on new customers, sending out messages with company-related information and getting feedback. Says V R Govindarajan, director, Perfios Software Solutions: My company wouldn’t have existed without social media. We didn’t have the money to create the reach on traditional media.’’ 
THE DOWNSIDE For start-ups, social media is a great launch pad. But once businesses gain scale and size, just Facebook and LinkedIn won’t be enough. Says Paul: “For mass marketing or taking a product national you have to use traditional media as well.’’ Adds Bharti’s Beotra: The rise of social media as a marketing tool is phenomenal and companies have to use it with care. It’s on the rise, but at present the power of the 30-second TV spot cannot be ignored.’’ Even hiring on LinkedIn has its limitations. Says Brijesh Agarwal, COO, IndiaMART, a B2B marketplace: “You can’t do mass hiring on LinkedIn. Also, for junior to mid-level hiring we have found traditional media more effective.’’ As for Twitter, its text-only micro-messaging limit can serve at best a quick feedback platform. Sachin Bansal, co-founder and CEO, Flipkart.com, an online shopping portal, says: “People don’t get on Facebook and Twitter to transact business.’’ Yet, he does add that “businesses can’t ignore the buzz that can translate into business, hence the appeal.” Another potential danger is that users can make statements – substantiated or otherwise — that can hurt a brand. Café Coffee Day (CCD) in Chennai and more recently Vodafone India have been hit by the backlash of social media backlash. CCD’s apparent attempt to evict customers who just hung around without ordering found its way onto Twitter, forcing the management to apologize. Vodafone’s image took a beating after it sent a legal note to one of its customers who complained about his experience with one of the telecom company’s call center agents. Says Govindarajan of Perfios: “Bad things can spread fast. On the upside it makes you disciplined.’’ Social media is a double-edged sword that India Inc can’t ignore. 

अनैतिकता व मानसिक उद्विग्नता

 

एक दार्शनिक का कहना है कि - संसार में आधे उत्पात अनैतिकता के कारण और आधे मानसिक उद्विग्नता के कारण होते हैं । यदि आवेश एवं उद्वेग जैसी मानसिक दुर्बलता पर विजय प्राप्त कर ली जाय तो संसार में फैले हुये संकटों में से आधे तो तुरन्त ही समाप्त हो सकते हैं । अनैतिकता की तरह उद्विग्नता भी मानव जीवन के लिये समान रूप से हानिकारक है, इसलिए जहाँ हमें पापों को दूर करने और धर्म को बढ़ाने के लिये प्रयत्न करना है, वहाँ आवेश ग्रस्त होने के पागलपन को भी ध्यान में रखना है । यदि पाप मिट जाए और असहिष्णुता एवं तुनक मिजाजी इसी प्रकार बने रहे तो संसार की नारकीय स्थिति इसी प्रकार बनी रहेगी । गीताकार ने सुझाया है कि प्रत्येक विचारशील व्यक्ति को मानसिक संतुलन बनाये रहने का अभ्यासी होना चाहिये । प्रिय परिस्थितियों में न तो अहंकार एवं हर्षातिरेक में डूब जाना चाहिये और न थोड़ी सी प्रतिकूलता एवं अड़चन प्रस्तुत देखकर हड़बड़ा जाना चाहिये । दोनों ही स्थितियों में अपनी गंभीरता बनाये रखनी चाहिये और संसार के स्वरूप एवं प्रवाह को समझते हुये धैर्यपूर्वक सब कुछ सुनना, समझना और करना चाहिये ।

Who is afraid of strong anti corruption laws? (Via Jago Party)

Who is afraid of strong anti corruption laws?
(Via Jago Party)

" India Against Corruption" is fighting to pass a stringent anti corruption law known as " Jana Lokpal Bill". Eminent people like Aravinda Kejriwal, Kiran Bedi, Advocate Prashant Bhushan, Justice Gokhale etc drafted this bill. Jago Party fully supports this bill. These people approched all parties to seek their support. Following is the response from different leaders.


(1) Congress:
Dr. Manmohan Singh:
We wrote several letters to Hon’ble Prime Minister. Jan Lokpal Bill was sent to him on 1st December 2010. Through some of these letters, we even sought an appointment to discuss this Bill and the government’s plan to tackle corruption. We wrote letters on October 26, November 14, December 1, January 28, January 30, and February 1. The letters have not even been acknowledged. Letters were signed by eminent personalities including Swami Ramdevji, Sri Sri Ravishankar, Kiran Bedi, Anna Hazare, Arch Bishop pf Delhi Most Rev Vincent M Concessao, Swami Agnivesh, Medha Patkar, Mahamood M Madani, Maulana Shamoon Qasmi, Justice DS Tewatia, Harsh Mander, Madhu Kishwar, Sunita Godara, Devinder Sharma, Pradeep Gupta of Pan IIT, Vishwas Utagi – General Secretary of All India Bank Employees Association, Kamal Jaswal of Common Cause, etc.
Smt. Sonia Gandhi:
We wrote to Sonia Gandhi in December, Janauary 28, 2011, and February 1, 2011 for seeking an appointment. Anna Hazare wrote another letter on December 21, 2010 seeking an appointment to meet UPA Chairperson. The letters have not even been acknowledged.
Shri Pranab Mukherjee:
We met Hon’ble Finance Minister on February 12, 2011. He has taken all the papers and assured that he would take this up in the Empowered Group of Ministers (EGoM) on corruption of which he is the Chairperson.
Shri Veerappa Moily:
We met Shri Veerappa Moiy on February 11, 2011 and explained to him the provisions of the Jan Lokpal Bill and how the Government’s draft Lokpal Bill was very weak. The Law Minister assured that important features of Jan Lokpal Bill will be incorporated. We requested him not to finalize such an important anti-corruption legislation without adequate public consultations and inputs.
(2) BJP:
Shri LK Advani:
We met LK Advani on February 10, 2011. He was very appreciative of the Bill and said that he would definitely take up this matter within the party.
Smt. Sushma Swaraj:
When we explained the provisions of the Bill to Smt. Swaraj, she was very forthcoming and assured us that their party would explore the possibility of implementing it in the states in which BJP is in power. Their party may also discuss Jan Lokpal Bill in JPC and in Parliament.
(3) CPI:
We met Shri AB Bharadan and D. Raja of the CPI. They wholeheartedly supported the Bill.
(4) CPM:
We met Mr Prakash Karat on February 10, 2011. He said that they would study the Jan Lokpal Bill and revert to us.
(5) TDP:
We met Mr Chandrababu Naidu, along with many of TDP MPs, on February 9, 2011. He was most forthcoming in his support for Jan Lokpal Bill and India Against Corruption movement. He assured all support to the movement. He suggested that we call an all party meeting and he would certainly come in that meeting.
(6) JD (U):
We met Mr Sharad Yadav on February 5, 2011. He said that they would study the Jan Lokpal Bill and revert to us.

Eliminate Subsidy – Give Cash

Jago Party has always been of the view that the present subsidy delivery system of the government is utterly corrupt, wasteful and inefficient. It has not helped the poor because a big portion of subsidized goods [65% of PDS foodgrains, for example] gets diverted to black market owing to price differentials. The current subsidy on kerosene is Rs 20.56 per liter while the same on domestic LPG is Rs 356 per cylinder. Jago Party has been propagating the view that direct payment of cash in lieu of subsidy is the best way to remove corruption and black marketing.

Government of India, under public pressure, has now realized its folly and decided to form a task force to facilitate direct payment of cash to beneficiaries of subsidies like foodgrains, kerosene, LPG, fertilizers etc. This inter-ministerial task force, headed by Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) Chairman, Nandan Nilekani would submit its report within 4 months and suggest practical ways to implement the scheme of direct transfer of cash.

Under this new concept, the poor would be given a fixed amount [say, Rs 800 p.m.] and they would be free to use this amount to buy food, kerosene, LPG or whatever they like. There would be no need to have an elaborate system of administration for delivery of subsidized goods involving millions of babus, politicians and middlemen who tend to be benefitted illegally by differences in prices between subsidized goods and open market.

The next step would be to scrap all the so-called “welfare” schemes in areas like housing, education, health, credit etc and build up a system of free market economy based on fair competition. Under such a system, anybody can succeed and earn money by following the demands of the market. In the same process, he would be offering better and cheaper goods and services to consumers. That would ensure rapid growth of the whole society.

Jago Party is determined to bring about these reforms in the system.     

Salient Features of People\'s Anti Corruption Bill

Salient Features of the Bill proposed by Aravinda Kejriwal, Kiran Bedi, Anna Hazare etc. Jago Party fully supports this bill, also known as " Jana Lokpal Bill"

1. There shall be an institution of Lokpal with ten members and headed by a Chairperson.
2. That part of CBI which deals with cases of corruption, shall be merged with Lokpal.
3. CVC and the entire internal vigilance set in various central government departments will be
merged with Lokpal.
4. Lokpal will be completely independent of the Government.
5. Lokpal shall have jurisdiction over bureaucrats, politicians and judges.
6. Lokpal shall have the powers to initiate investigations and prosecution without needing
permission from any other agency.
7. Public grievances are often linked to demands/expectations of bribery. Lokpal shall act as
appellate authority and supervisory body for grievance redressal systems in all central
government departments.
8. Lokpal shall be responsible for providing protection against physical and professional
victimization to whistleblowers.
9. Members and Chairperson in Lokpal shall be selected through a transparent and participatory
process.
10. The functioning of Lokpal shall be completely transparent to avoid it from becoming a hub of
corruption.
11. Any complaint of wrongdoing against an official of Lokpal shall be investigated and acted upon
within a month through a transparent enquiry process.
12. If charges are proved and conviction takes place, loss to the exchequer caused due to his
wrongdoing shall be recovered from all those who are convicted.

Innovative Ideas Can come from Anywhere, at any Time..

A recent article at Fast Company Design got us thinking about a tenured, but proven, approach to organizational innovation, by way of 3M’s 15 Percent Program. In place since 1948, the 15 Percent Program encourages employees to use a portion of their paid time to dream, brainstorm and test their own ideas. The program and the free time it provides have generated many of the company’s best-selling programs – in addition to serving as a model for the practices of the likes of Google and HP.

Some key take-aways one can learn from 3M’s program – and apply to their own organization, team or personal practice – are recapped below:

• How is the program implemented? Workers often use 15 percent time to pursue something they discovered through the usual course of work but didn’t have time to follow up on.
• 15 percent time is extended to everyone, not just the scientists
• Failure is to be expected, accepted and learned from
• 3M backs their 15 percent program with financial investment and commitment: they invest more than $1 billion in R&D alone.
• According to the author, ‘experts agree that this kind of nudging probably works best at companies where there’s a high level of creative competitiveness; that is, where impressing peers is just as important as the innovation itself.’
• Past projects – which are currently on the market – have included making clear bandages, optical films that reflect light, and designing a way to make painter’s tape stick to wall edges (to protect against paint bleed).
• Ideas can sometimes be ahead of their time; one employees idea needed 15 years for more advanced technology to be in place to support it – and for the market to demand it.

Perhaps the overall conclusion? Innovative ideas can come from anywhere, at any time. Forward-thinking organizations find ways to motivate and reward employees for developing and testing these ideas.

Corruption Free India...

Arrest of Mr A. Raja, the ex-Communications Minister is a victory of the civil society and anti-corruption movement launched by us. This has boosted our courage and confidence in making positive changes in the society.

However, we must continue to insist that corruption cannot be checked by a few arrests here and there.

India needs the following 4 fundamental institutional reforms to eliminate corruption:

1.  Setting up an autonomous, fully empowered investigating and prosecuting agency, free to initiate action against any government functionary – politicians, bureaucrats or judges without anybody’s permission;

2.  Dismantling of all discretionary powers given to Ministers and bureaucrats – all government processes must be standardized, computerized and made fully transparent;

3.  Providing for complete state funding of election though mass media with equal opportunity to all political parties; and

4.  Maximum privatization – government to manage only security, justice, enforcement of contracts, currency and environment. The rest must be left to private enterprises. Public money is treated as nobody’s money – hence there is so much corruption in public/government sectors. All the so-called welfare programs initiated in the name of the poor must also be dismantled, because they are just created to loot public fund by babus and netas. In lieu of that, a system of direct cash transfer through Banks/Post Offices should be started with the aim that the basic minimum needs of everybody are taken care of.

Just these 4 basic reforms would eliminate 99% corruption from public life.