Human face and other jokes on economic reforms

The supposedly new emphasis of providing economic reforms with a "human face" was the most important part of Dr. Manmohan Singh's comments after he was sworn in as India's Prime Minister. At least according to all the English-language TV news channels and newspapers that I looked at.

What is this "human face" business? Only something that is bad needs to be "reformed" right? The socialist economic system that the Congress Party bestowed on the country during its first 45-years in power, has been proved a failure all over the world.

And therefore, this bad - and ugly - system needs to be reformed. Which is what Dr. Singh started out to do in 1991.

So, again, what is this human face that Dr. Manmohan Singh was talking about? How exactly do the "poorest of the poor" benefit by the Government of India owning Air India and Ashoka Hotels? How can a "human face" (whatever it might mean) alter this? Sadly, none of the media outlets bothered to ask Dr. Singh.

Probably all the reporters have prepared themselves to hear Dr. Singh use such meaningless words often to keep the communist parties happy. (Meaningless words for a meaningless ideology. Nice.)

Admist all the natak and Politically Correct speak about "human faces", I was pleasantly surprised to encounter a column by Sunil Jain, in Business Standard, pointing out some uncomfortable facts (for the commies) about our great Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs).

Some extracts from the column:

"Over the past 57 years, the country'’s economic policies have been held hostage to the interests of PSUs, and this causes enormous efficiency losses, not just for the economy, but even for the common man. But since PSUs have become synonymous with the national flag, even though less than 6 per cent of the country'’s work force is employed by them, few dare protest."

"Till around the time it was privatised, no one except VSNL was allowed to provide international calls; — once the monopoly was broken, call rates fell from around Rs.80 a minute four years ago to Rs.8-9 now."

"In the case of the oil PSUs, similarly, while it is important to allow them to benefit from the rising oil prices, the deal worked out is completely lopsided and anti-consumer. The PSUs are paid on what's called an international price parity formula which sounds fine, but apart from the international price, this includes a 20 per cent import duty and the freight and insurance on the petroleum products as well!"

"PSU interests are once again raising prices for the common man (in the telecom field). The Access Deficit Charge of Rs.5,250 crore levied on all long distance calls, for instance, has substantially hiked STD and ISD rates. Where does this money go? To a PSU, Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited, which uses the money, interestingly, to keep its cellular call rates lower than those of the private sector competitors. So, not only is the common man in the remotest part of Laloo Prasad Yadav's Bihar paying 40 per cent more every time he calls up his brother in Patna, it also distorts competition."

Ah! After too much of election-time NDTV, it is refreshing to hear from sane - and politically-incorrect - voices.