.
I saw one of these buses today morning when we went for our morning walk. It looks neat! This will cover the interior roads of our city, I was told. I saw two buses in our road which is quite long with many arterial roads and full of houses, but no bus comes in this route. People have to walk a long way to catch buses and autowaalas, as you know, charge a lot for short distances. It will be very useful esp. for the elderly people who live here.
This is a very good move by Jayalalitha, our Tamilnadu CM (Amma!). Her 'Amma canteen' is a hit. She is opening them even in hospitals, which is a boon for the patients and their caretakers. She is going to offer medicines in subsidised rates, which is also good. Amma water is subsidised! But, is THIS needed?
Our maid said that she gets 20 Kgs. of ration rice a month, for FREE! Got a saree and dhoti and Rs.100/- for pongal festival! Yesterday, she got one fan, one mixie and one grinder, for FREE! Grinder and mixie...what a combination! She already has got all the three gadgets at home!
SHE SAID THAT AMMA COULD HAVE REDUCED THE BUS FARE INSTEAD OF GIVING ALL THESE THINGS FOR FREE! How sensible!
But, offering freebies is like encouraging people to stay idle without working hard for their living. Most of the men in our maid and her colleagues' houses drink and stay idle at home. This will give them one more reason to stay idle and drink with the meagre money they earn. Rice and other things are coming home for free. Women will be made to keep their mouth shut! Our maid also said that 'current bill kuranjaa nallarukkum' (It would be nice if Amma reduces electricity charges!). But then, how will her party people make money? Closing the liquor shops means, no money for doling out freebies! Hmmm...politicians!
During Karunanidhi's rule, he gave for free, TV sets. My sis in law also went and got it because if she didn't, the middle men will swallow the money! It is sleeping in her attic. Her maid and many people sold them for cash! Most of the freebies are sold. Goats were found in the butcher shops in the villages with govt. seal, our veg. shopwala said. All these freebies have Amma's or Appa's (Karunanidhi's) photos. So it is easy to recognise!
But, as is our nature, we will vote for the better person...every leader makes money. Which one at least provides something in return is better, we feel.
So, Amma will come back!
I read this just now! Amma is barging in in Delhi too! Mr. Modi, watch out!
Hope she will build toilets in the slums esp. and public places, all over Tamilnadu. Like she is remembered for the 'Rain water harvesting', she will be remembered for building toilets too! With Amma pictures?! No problem! It is a GOOD deed, seriously!
P.S.: I have included her (Amma's) name in my tag, 'People whom I admire'! I admire her guts, though a bit eccentric!
Pic.Courtesy: The Hindu (These photos are better than mine. Mine were mobile photos!)
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| The 'Small Bus' (Amma bus!) in Chennai, with Amma's photo in the front and her party symbol (two leaves) painted on the sides! |
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| The interior of the 'Small bus' |
I saw one of these buses today morning when we went for our morning walk. It looks neat! This will cover the interior roads of our city, I was told. I saw two buses in our road which is quite long with many arterial roads and full of houses, but no bus comes in this route. People have to walk a long way to catch buses and autowaalas, as you know, charge a lot for short distances. It will be very useful esp. for the elderly people who live here.
The Hindu says, 'Demands are pouring in from residents of north and west Chennai for small buses in more routes in their localities. As
of now, the Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) is operating 50
small buses in 20 routes mainly covering the southern suburbs and some
parts of the city. Residents of several areas that are poorly connected
want the small buses to fill in the gaps'.
This is a very good move by Jayalalitha, our Tamilnadu CM (Amma!). Her 'Amma canteen' is a hit. She is opening them even in hospitals, which is a boon for the patients and their caretakers. She is going to offer medicines in subsidised rates, which is also good. Amma water is subsidised! But, is THIS needed?
'Cinema theatres... latest Amma-branded subsidy from Jayalalithaa'
Our maid said that she gets 20 Kgs. of ration rice a month, for FREE! Got a saree and dhoti and Rs.100/- for pongal festival! Yesterday, she got one fan, one mixie and one grinder, for FREE! Grinder and mixie...what a combination! She already has got all the three gadgets at home!
SHE SAID THAT AMMA COULD HAVE REDUCED THE BUS FARE INSTEAD OF GIVING ALL THESE THINGS FOR FREE! How sensible!
But, offering freebies is like encouraging people to stay idle without working hard for their living. Most of the men in our maid and her colleagues' houses drink and stay idle at home. This will give them one more reason to stay idle and drink with the meagre money they earn. Rice and other things are coming home for free. Women will be made to keep their mouth shut! Our maid also said that 'current bill kuranjaa nallarukkum' (It would be nice if Amma reduces electricity charges!). But then, how will her party people make money? Closing the liquor shops means, no money for doling out freebies! Hmmm...politicians!
During Karunanidhi's rule, he gave for free, TV sets. My sis in law also went and got it because if she didn't, the middle men will swallow the money! It is sleeping in her attic. Her maid and many people sold them for cash! Most of the freebies are sold. Goats were found in the butcher shops in the villages with govt. seal, our veg. shopwala said. All these freebies have Amma's or Appa's (Karunanidhi's) photos. So it is easy to recognise!
But, as is our nature, we will vote for the better person...every leader makes money. Which one at least provides something in return is better, we feel.
So, Amma will come back!
I read this just now! Amma is barging in in Delhi too! Mr. Modi, watch out!
 |
| ON A PLATTER: People at the ‘Amma Unavagam’ Pongal celebration 2014 at Tamil Nadu Bhawan, in New Delhi on Sunday. Photo: Sushil Kumar Verma |
P.S.: I have included her (Amma's) name in my tag, 'People whom I admire'! I admire her guts, though a bit eccentric!
Pic.Courtesy: The Hindu (These photos are better than mine. Mine were mobile photos!)
20 comments :
There is more risk for people who accept freebies, than they might anticipate. As you have mentioned, it makes them dependent and encourages people to sit idle.
There is no free lunch in life - the sooner people realize this, the better. Even the ones who get some property as inheritance from their parents/relatives. Especially them.
Destination Infinity
I too saw one of these small buses passing our house today... We can’t find a pristine politician but instead of refusing all, I too believe in selecting a better one who could do well for people. I think the freebies are useful only for low income people but the govt. is wasting money giving those who already have everything.
DESTINATION INFINITY: Funny thing is, they take the freebies and vote for the other party, my maid told me! Many are MGR fans. Whatever happens they will vote for 'rettai ilai'. They took the TV and the 'flood relief money' Karunanidhi gave and voted for AIADMK. She laughingly told me that!
Property inheritance is another topic, D.I. What do the parents do with their property? They buy their house with their whole life's hard earnings. They have to give it to their children. The children should handle their lives properly.
JEEVAN: As my maid says, if the govt. has got money to spend, they should use it for giving people cheap transport, cheap electricity, build toilets etc., which is very very important now. Let them make money out of building toilets too, no problem!
Karunanidhi has no future now! Only Amma is there for us! She is capable of good governance if she makes up her mind.
Just finished reading ur blog. Very nicely analysed and written. Even I heard that for construction work also labourers are not available from Tamilnadu. The reason they give is since they get everything free from govt they r lethargic to work and earn. Now in construction sites we can see only labourers like mason and helpers(both male and female) from north India. This govt is only exploiting the labour class by giving them everything free and making them lazy.
USHA BASKER: Welcome to my space, Usha! I am very happy to see your comment here!
What you say is right. Yes, we see mostly people from Bihar or UP doing construction work here. They are hard workers and cheap also! They don't argue much. These are the plus points. They work on Sundays too! Once upon a time Salem workers were famous for hard working. Now, even they are not good, I heard. The govt. is not helping our people to live a decent life. They don't realise that they are getting these freebies from their own money, esp. the money they spend for liquor is coming back in this form. Who will bring a change? Nobody is visible in sight.
Thank you, Usha!
I totally agree on the freebies Sandhya...something worthwhile could've been done with our tax money. Building toilets is such a fab idea...all those road sides where the men pee is such a horrible sight !! And such stink !!
I saw this small bus too...there is one from my area to some nearby areas...saw many ppl using it !! Its out of the regular bus route, helping many.
Our people are so used to freebies puts a great smile on their facce, but still should not encouraged. I always like Ammas guts, her new schemes are really good,. The best of all was the auto meter. nice review and thanks for sharing the pics...
SandhyaMa, awesome post, great humour!
It's true, Indians will fall for anything free... even a Reynolds Ball Point Pen!
LOL @ toilets with Amma's pictures :D
Nice interesting post. What she does sounds like the former Soviet Union. Give the people free stuff and one day run out of money and collapse.
She is barging in Delhi too? No chance of her becoming the PM, even if she wins all 40 seats from T.Nadu and Pondicherry. After the fiasco about freeing Rajiv Gandhi killers, both Congress and BJP and other major regional parties all over India do not want to go near her.
UMS REFLECTIONS: Yes, Uma, this bus seems to be very useful, esp. for people who use MRTS. More people will start using them.
I read somewhere that she insists on building more clean toilets in Govt. schools. Hope she takes this more seriously.
PRIYA ANANDAKUMAR: Yes, fixing auto meter is great, Priya! Nobody dared doing it. Most of the autos are owned by police people and politicians. The drivers are ruthless. Yes, she has got guts.
Thank you, Priya!
CRAFTY SHINES: Ball pen?! Yes, they will! Even I feel happy when GRT gives one ball pen with the new year calendar for new year! Feel silly, but I like it!!
So, you notice me mentioning about Amma's picture outside toilets. But if she does build them, she is great. She can do it, if she makes up her mind.
SG: Yes, she will not be successful in Delhi. She opposes everybody. It is bad for our State.
I don't know where from she got the idea of becoming our PM! She was close to Narendra Modi. Now, he won't do anything for our State when he becomes PM. She is not sensible at all.
Meddling with Rajiv killers' punishment is not good at all. Unnecessary headache.
Freebies are not good for anyone in the long run..Amma canteens are good idea but instead of subsidising they must sell at the cost without any profit.
I hate all politicians. They do crazy things for getting votes during election time. If they really cared for the state, they would have no need to give all these freebies to people. People have also become very lazy, they want everything free.
And I have lost all respect for her when goes about announcing that the killers of our former Prime Minister would be set free.
Everybody can see through her plan, it is not that she has suddenly developed some kind of mercy for these hardcore criminals, she is again doing it for vote collection only. I don't know who will vote for her.
She will never become the PM of our country.
The court too has taken too long to give them death sentence, they should be immediately hanged to death. There can be no mercy for such criminals. If Kasab could be hanged why not these people too?
I am in favour of giving all possible incentives,help,assistance to the deserving poor.But,in the long run,freebies are niether good for common man ,not good for the country's economy.
But then,what can one do about the politicians?
I am not sure of these politicians attitude of considering people tax's money as their money and shamelessly using this photos and party symbols in government property!!!!
Instead of reducing the horsetrading in the commodities and encouraging farmers by giving right price to them, the opening of ration shops for food, medicine and others is not sustainable and will achieve nothing for future.
This introduction of mini buses is a welcoming move but other than that our governments idiotic measures is good for nobody :(
RAMA ANANTH: The dole out freebies with their photos on it...they use our, taxpayers' money for doing it and catch votes!
Every politician is doing this..our luck is to elect one who is slightly better in giving back something good to his state.
Thank god, the Justice dept. has stopped her action.
BK Chowla: We can just sit and watch and vote them back! One might be better in a slight margin...we will vote them back. Even AAP has disappointed us now.
KANAGU: Welcome to my blog, Kanagu! Happy to see you here!
Every politician is behaving like this, Kanagu. Karunanidhi gave TVs with his picture on it and now, Jaya is doing the same. TV itself is a waste. Everybody had it. Now, fan is a waste. Mixie and grinder do the same job. They are given freely with our money but with her pictures. She is going to build theatres where 'poor' and 'middle class' people can 'watch' movies for less cost (this is very IMPORTANT, she thinks, I think!). Giving entertainment cheaply and making people to stay idle or get drunk more! Where can we run away from these?
We are going to vote her back, because Appa's party is gone!
I read somewhere about Vijayakant...'nadichchaar, kudichchaar, adichchaar'! He is capable of only that.
True, giving freebies is a regressive step
Freebies help in getting votes and that's the only thing these people care for. But agree with what you said, these freebies will discourage men to work and instead eat for free.
Interesting and thought provoking post Sandhyaji! :) Small buses are a great help to people who live in remote areas but I am not sure how helpful are the other initiatives!
Take care,
Sai :)
Populism and politics go hand in hand, Sandhya:)
ONKAR: Yes, Onkar! Instead they should create jobs and make people work and earn.
AVADA KEDAVRA: Politicians will never change!
SAI CHARAN: Small bus is famous in all the areas now, Sai!
Others are offered for getting votes. Everybody nowadays, have got fan, mixie, TV etc. Mixie and grinder together is just waste of our/tax payers' money.
RAHUL BHATIA: Hmmm...politicians are always politicians everywhere!
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