<br /> <keyword id="276564" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Satya-Nadella">Satya Nadella</keyword> and <keyword id="164502" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Sundar-Pichai">Sundar Pichai</keyword>, the Indian-origin CEOs of world's largest technology companies Microsoft and Google, respectively, are going to visit India this month.<br />
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Pichai, accompanied by Google’s senior global executives, will be here in the coming week or next, marking his first international visit after becoming the CEO. In the two days that he would be here, he would be outlining his Indian vision for the coming years. Pichai, 43, is likely to deliver the keynote address at the ‘Google for India’ event on December 16 in New Delhi. He's also expected to share the plans that Google has for India, which happens to be one of its largest growth markets.<br />
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Pichai would also be attending a dinner at the Rashtrapati Bhavan, which would be hosted by President Pranab Mukherjee. Meeting PM Modi is also on his cards. The two have already met when Modi visited Silicon Valley in September.<br />
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Nadella came to India just a month ago to attend Microsoft's flagship Future Unleashed event and meet key customers, partners and developers. However, this time, this is more of a personal trip, quite like last year when he visited during the Christmas and New Year holidays.<br />
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In the recent past, India has seen frequent visits by top global executives, including Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg.<br />
Like Zuckerberg, Pichai has plans to host an open house session with Indian students; however, instead of IIT, his choice is likely to be Delhi University. <br />
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<a href="http://s3.india.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/google.jpg"><em>Image source</em></a><br />

After Zuckerberg, Nadella and Pichai to visit India before the year ends

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The 2020 GT is the "grand touring" model from <keyword id="64813" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="McLaren">McLaren</keyword>, boasting a comfortable ride and ample storage space via two trunks.</li><li>In fact, the combined storage space from its trunks is actually more than a Toyota Camry's trunk capacity.</li><li>The GT starts at $215,500, but my loaner came to $237,930 MSRP after options.</li></ul><p>I'm old enough to remember when there were no McLarens for sale. The only McLaren you could buy for the road was <a href="https://cars.mclaren.com/us-en/legacy/mclaren-f1">the hallowed F1</a>, which <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20070213011041/http://www.mclarenautomotive.com/cars/f1_production.htm">ended production in 1998</a>. Two decades and an exponentially heightened collector status later, most people don't have <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/1994-mclaren-f1-auctioned-for-19-million-2019-8#:~:text=Monterey%20Car%20Week%20is%20a,to%20be%20auctioned%20this%20year.">a spare $20 million</a> to blow on an F1 at auction today.</p><p>But now there are many McLarens to choose from. McLarens that cost far less than $20 million. McLarens that have <a href="https://jalopnik.com/give-me-top-exit-exhausts-or-give-me-death-1827201559#_ga=2.237367176.928740838.1546822882-1329287156.1540411326">top-exit exhausts</a> — exhaust tips that point upward, because awesome — <a href="https://jalopnik.com/there-will-always-be-room-for-supercars-1832867383">McLarens without roofs</a>, and utilitarian McLarens with big trunks.</p><div type="image" title="2020 McLaren GT_KL_57" height="1667" width="2500" msid="79100038" hostid="261"></div>That brings us to the <keyword id="10238587" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="mclaren-gt">McLaren GT</keyword>. <h2><strong>The <keyword id="10238588" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="2020-mclaren-gt">2020 McLaren GT</keyword>: The one with the big trunk</strong></h2><p>In 2019, McLaren <a href="https://cars.mclaren.press/en-us/releases/703">debuted</a> the new McLaren GT, calling it the "first true McLaren Grand Tourer in the McLaren product family." Yes, there indeed was the comfort-oriented <a href="https://jalopnik.com/the-2017-mclaren-570gt-is-a-wicked-supercar-that-you-ca-1778688341">McLaren 570 GT</a> that came before this, but the past is the past!</p><div type="image" title="2020 McLaren GT_KL_54" height="1667" width="2500" msid="79100040" hostid="261"></div>As its name promises, the GT is meant for comfortable long-distance driving with additional room for luggage. Other McLarens have been <a href="https://www.barrons.com/articles/the-mclaren-720s-is-a-supercar-for-daily-driving-1537898400">widely praised</a> for their everyday comfort, but the GT offers additional storage space not found elsewhere in McLaren's lineup. The car still uses a carbon-fiber monocoque called the MonoCell II-T as a lightweight and rigid chassis, but the "T" here stands for "Touring." <p>Basically, it just means that McLaren <a href="https://cars.mclaren.press/en-us/releases/703#gallery">added</a> a carbon fiber upper structure behind the passenger cabin and made a luggage area above the engine. For anyone who's ever been annoyed that they can't take their McLaren on a cross-country road trip <em>and</em> fit "golf clubs or skis" in the back, this is the solution. We count our blessings in this house. </p><h2><strong><div type="image" title="2020 McLaren GT_OEM_18" height="1668" width="2500" msid="79100044" hostid="261"></div>Details and safety ratings: More trunk space than a Camry. Really.</strong></h2><p>The GT uses a mid-mounted, 4.0-liter, twin-turbocharged V8 that's good for a claimed 612 horsepower and 465 pound-feet of torque. All of that is sent to the rear wheels via a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. McLaren estimates the 0-to-60-mph sprint to happen in just 3.1 seconds, with a top speed of 203 mph.</p><p>It is 15.4 feet long, 6.7 feet wide, and stands about four feet tall. Staggered wheels mean the GT wears 20-inch wheels in the front and 21-inch wheels in the back, both of which are much larger than the 17-inch ones on your Hyundai Elantra. Curb weight comes to 3,384 pounds.</p><div type="image" title="2020 McLaren GT_KL_44" height="1667" width="2500" msid="79100045" hostid="261"></div>The McLaren GT's front trunk provides 5.3 cubic feet of storage space, and the rear 14.8 cubic feet. Combined, the two offer 20.1 cubic feet of storage room — which is actually more than the 15.1 cubic feet of space found in the single rear trunk on the <a href="https://s3.amazonaws.com/toyota-cms-media/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/2021_Toyota_Camry_Product-Information.pdf">Toyota Camry</a>. Huh!<p>The GT is also better on climate guilt than many of its <keyword id="731183" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Supercar">supercar</keyword> pals, according to its EPA-estimated fuel economy: 15 mpg in the city, 22 mpg on the highway, and 18 mpg combined. Sure, it's not outstanding. But this is a McLaren, not a Prius.</p><p>As is the case with many sports cars, the McLaren GT hasn't been rated for safety or crashworthiness by the National Highway <keyword id="34991" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="transportation">Transportation</keyword> Safety Administration or the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.</p><div type="image" title="2020 McLaren GT_KL_31" height="3750" width="2500" msid="79100048" hostid="261"></div><h2><strong>What stands out: Taking flight</strong></h2><p>Driving or riding in a car with a monocoque chassis doesn't feel quite like anything else. Because the structure is one solid piece, the whole car sort of behaves that way too. Going over a bump in a normal car splits the action in two: impact on the front wheels and then, a second later, impact on the rear wheels.</p><p>In the GT, bumps did not feel like this. Whatever affected the front was felt immediately throughout the entire car, similar to how turbulence feels when you're flying. The GT may be the "practical" McLaren, but it's maintained the wonderfully distinctive soaring sensation that other McLaren models have perfected. Your imagination wanders from merely cruising on the highway at 70 mph to gliding along in a low-flying fighter jet.</p><p>But tug on the left-hand transmission paddle — machined magnificently from what felt like a single piece of metal — and the dual-clutch snaps the gears down faster than a whip-crack. Punch in the accelerator and you've punched yourself straight for the horizon, the sound of those twin-turbos whooshing behind your head. </p><p>The GT's pièce de résistance, however, is its steering. It uses a electro-hydraulically assisted steering system, so there's no artificial feel — typically associated with electronically assisted steering — to worry about here. There's weight to it, but it's welcomed weight because you're able to tuck the nose precisely and directly into a corner every single time. Wondering what the front wheels are up to is for the birds, baby.</p><div type="image" title="2020 McLaren GT_OEM_19" height="1668" width="2500" msid="79100049" hostid="261"></div>And the trunks. At first, the idea of a McLaren with extra storage room seemed gimmicky to me. But as it turns out, the rear cabin does fit a good amount of stuff. The front trunk eats up your average-sized overhead suitcase. And there's a decent-sized parcel shelf right behind the passengers that fits a larger-sized overhead suitcase. Putting anything there severely restricts your rearward visibility, though.<p>The rest of the storage cabin is admittedly strangely shaped: It slopes over the engine compartment, while the "ceiling" is shaped by the tapered rear glass hatch closure. Whatever you put back there needs to be irregularly shaped or able to be compacted. </p><div type="image" title="2020 McLaren GT_OEM_2" height="1666" width="2500" msid="79100051" hostid="261"></div><div type="image" title="2020 McLaren GT_OEM_4" height="1666" width="2500" msid="79100054" hostid="261"></div><div type="image" title="2020 McLaren GT_OEM_3" height="1666" width="2500" msid="79100056" hostid="261"></div><div type="image" title="2020 McLaren GT_OEM_5" height="1870" width="2500" msid="79100057" hostid="261"></div>Don't worry, though: McLaren has a bespoke, four-piece luggage set, exclusively designed to fit in the GT, available for purchase. <a href="https://cars.mclaren.press/en-gb/releases/741">Yours for about $15,000</a>, or nearly the base price of that Elantra.<h2><strong>What falls short: Room for luggage and that's about it</strong></h2><p>There's no denying that the McLaren GT is a huge car. It's long and wide, and the up-swinging dihedral doors add about another two feet of width on either side. Unless you have a very big and tall space, this car will be a challenge to fit in most garages.</p><div type="image" title="2020 McLaren GT_KL_48" height="1667" width="2500" msid="79100062" hostid="261"></div>But despite how big the GT is from the outside, there aren't actually a whole lot of places to put loose items — purses, phones, keys, masks — once you're sitting in it. There are small door pockets and a couple of cup holders, but that's about it.<p>The interior layout, while providing ample luggage room and a space-age feel, was not great for small everyday things. </p><div type="image" title="2020 McLaren GT_KL_49" height="1667" width="2500" msid="79100154" hostid="261"></div>Did the people who designed the GT <em>not</em> carry loose items with them? Or did they perhaps merely <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2014/09/the-gender-politics-of-pockets/380935/">have the privilege of owning clothes that come with real pockets</a> and designed the car for this very same demographic? Unclear.<p>There's also the backup camera footage, which doesn't appear in the center infotainment screen as one would expect. Instead, it shows up in the driver information cluster, which is a nice idea until you remember you also need to steer in reverse sometimes.</p><div type="image" title="2020 McLaren GT_KL_19" height="1667" width="2500" msid="79100156" hostid="261"></div><div type="image" title="2020 McLaren GT_KL_18" height="1667" width="2500" msid="79100157" hostid="261"></div>In the GT, I felt like I was driving on eggshells. This wasn't only because of its $237,930 price, but because I had trouble seeing out of it. <p>Girl, let me tell you: You sit low and those fenders are <em>tall</em>. The hood slopes down and out of your line of sight. The vast rear end stretches out of your eye kingdom. On open stretches of highway, this is no problem at all. But life isn't all big, sweeping roads, Chuck! Sometimes it's tight parking lots and cramped streets.</p><div type="image" title="2020 McLaren GT_KL_51" height="3750" width="2500" msid="79100161" hostid="261"></div>My greatest fear was curbing one of the lovely wheels — giant in diameter and shod with extremely low-profile Pirelli P-Zeros. A rolling risk, a constant test of my depth perception. Half of my driving around town relied on my own estimations, the other on faith alone. <h2><strong>How the GT compares to its competitors: The only one of its kind</strong></h2><p>Because the McLaren GT bills itself as a grand tourer, there is no shortage of competition. Most of it will be cheaper, though, because most of it isn't as cool.</p><div type="image" title="2020 McLaren GT_KL_40" height="1667" width="2500" msid="79100163" hostid="261"></div>Base MSRP of the GT comes to $215,500, but after options such as the electrochromic roof ($6,000), the MSO Bright Pack ($5,500; whatever that is), polished brake calipers with a black logo ($1,500), a luggage retention strap ($500; I could make this with a bungee cord), lithium-ion battery charger ($230; why?), warning triangle and first-aid kit ($100), car cover ($600), sports exhaust ($3,500), and Viridian exterior paint ($4,500), the final MSRP came to $237,930.<p>Sure, you've got your Bentley Continental GTs (<a href="https://www.caranddriver.com/bentley/continental-gt">$207,825</a>), Aston Martin DB11s (<a href="https://www.edmunds.com/aston-martin/db11/">$205,600</a>), Mercedes-Benz S-Class Coupes (<a href="https://www.mbusa.com/en/vehicles/build/s-class/coupe/s63c4">$171,400</a>), Porsche 911 Turbo S models (<a href="https://www.porsche.com/usa/models/911/911-turbo-models/911-turbo-s/">$203,500</a>), and Ferrari GTC4 Lusso Ts (<a href="https://www.caranddriver.com/ferrari/gtc4lusso">$263,750</a>), but none of them have the same flair as the McLaren. </p><div type="image" title="Large 9 TheMcLarenMP4 12CCarbonMonoCell" height="1574" width="2500" msid="79100166" hostid="261"></div>They don't have swooping doors, the hammerhead-like face, the alien-looking interior, or a carbon-fiber monocoque chassis. This McLaren has presence and it's made by people who know how to build fast things. If you're going to drop close to a quarter of a million dollars on a supercar that can <em>also</em> carry golf clubs, you can't really beat this one.<h2><strong>Our impressions: Performance over comfort</strong></h2><p>Thinking about the McLaren a month later, the thing I remember most is how much effort driving it commanded. I don't mean that it's difficult to drive, but rather that everything you touched to get it moving or stopping felt tight and purposeful. </p><div type="image" title="2020 McLaren GT_KL_64" height="1667" width="2500" msid="79100171" hostid="261"></div>You had to push a little harder on the brake and throttle pedals. The steering was always heavy, no matter the speed or drive mode, complementing the chassis wonderfully. The GT's exterior design might be a touch mellower, more streamlined, and less holey than the rest of McLaren's cars, but underneath, it's <a href="https://newrepublic.com/article/134042/softball-began-play-hardball">soft like softballs are "soft."</a><p>Toss it into tight turns and the suspension staunchly refuses to lean, a mountain that refuses to bow to centrifugal force. The unshakable steering feels out the road like you're sweeping your palm across it.</p><div type="image" title="2020 McLaren GT_KL_55" height="1667" width="2500" msid="79100173" hostid="261"></div>I didn't find the sound of the twin-turbocharged V8 particularly beautiful, but it was neat to hear the turbochargers whoosh. Strangely, though, the 612-horsepower GT felt pretty tame. It's not slow by any means, but it doesn't lay into its power as ferociously as other McLarens do. <p>Perhaps this had to do with being turbocharged, as I detected some lag — or maybe the sensation of having your face torn off isn't the GT's M.O. This is the long-distance McLaren, remember, not the face-tearing sprinter. </p><div type="image" title="2020 McLaren GT_KL_36" height="1667" width="2500" msid="79100175" hostid="261"></div>But it's clear, especially when you consider everything it's up against, that McLaren still values performance over comfort. Distilled, the GT is a mid-engined car and with carbon-fiber tub — bones that make sense, because it was built by a company that has only ever known race cars and seismically fast road cars. The GT will never shed the driving characteristics that those basic qualities bring; it simply has a bigger trunk and a less bitey personality than the other McLarens. <p>So, sure, the McLaren GT might be a "grand tourer." But don't get into one expecting it to shroud you in pillowy opulence. </p><p>Instead, get into one knowing that it's just as capable as any McLaren — and totally down to whisk you and (some of) your baggage away on a weekend trip.</p><p style="text-align: center;">♦♦♦</p><div type="image" title="2020 McLaren GT_OEM_15" height="1875" width="2500" msid="79100177" hostid="261"></div><div type="image" title="2020 McLaren GT_OEM_8" height="1875" width="2500" msid="79100181" hostid="261"></div><div type="image" title="2020 McLaren GT_OEM_12" height="1875" width="2500" msid="79100183" hostid="261"></div><div type="image" title="2020 McLaren GT_KL_58" height="3750" width="2500" msid="79100187" hostid="261"></div><div type="image" title="2020 McLaren GT_KL_67" height="1667" width="2500" msid="79100191" hostid="261"></div><div type="image" title="2020 McLaren GT_OEM_1" height="1668" width="2500" msid="79100192" hostid="261"></div><div type="image" title="2020 McLaren GT_KL_56" height="3750" width="2500" msid="79100196" hostid="261"></div><div type="image" title="2020 McLaren GT_KL_42" height="1667" width="2500" msid="79100199" hostid="261"></div><div type="image" title="2020 McLaren GT_KL_52" height="1667" width="2500" msid="79100200" hostid="261"></div><div type="image" title="2020 McLaren GT_KL_63" height="3750" width="2500" msid="79100204" hostid="261"></div><div type="image" title="2020 McLaren GT_KL_45" height="1667" width="2500" msid="79100207" hostid="261"></div><div type="image" title="2020 McLaren GT_KL_50" height="3750" width="2500" msid="79100210" hostid="261"></div>

REVIEW: The McLaren GT is a $240,000 luggage hauler that can rocket to 203 mph with your golf clubs in tow

The recent budget has been pragmatic that focuses on enhancing the foundations of <keyword id="497931" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Competitiveness">competitiveness</keyword> and <keyword id="2748697" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Social-Wellbeing">social wellbeing</keyword> of its people. The budget, without a doubt, has been visionary in more than one ways and is reflected in the distinct direction that the present regime is trying to push the country towards. The budget tries to serve the poor at the same time being pro-business and pro-investment in sectors like infrastructure, housing, and power. All this in addition to accepting the recent recommendations of the <keyword id="74136" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="finance-commission">Finance Commission</keyword> to devolve a greater share of <keyword id="487578" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="tax-collections">tax collections</keyword> up to 42% from the earlier 32%. This suggests that the government clearly appreciates the idea of states as being the primary unit of geography where finer economic development objectives are decided.<br />
<br /> The focus of the budget has been in solving the problems of the poor through targeted subsidy regime by reducing leakages in transfers. The JAM (<keyword id="6392137" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Jan-dhan-Yojana">Jan Dhan Yojana</keyword>, <keyword id="681230" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Aadhar-card">Aadhar Card</keyword> and Mobile Phones) Number Trinity as pointed out in the economic survey aims to make the system leak-proof in the coming future. The government has thought long and hard on solving the problems of the poor. It is evident from the schemes meant for the people at various stages that do not have medical or general insurance. The old age pension scheme and the way the other insurance schemes have been designed with benefits to poorest of the poor in times of need in the form of accident premiums at amounts as small as Rs 330 a year, etc. with a coverage of Rs 2 Lakh point towards the same.<br />
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Implicit in the design of such schemes is the fact that the government seems to opt for market-based solutions to take care of problems of the people rather than a governmental welfare driven model. It was also evident by the announcement to create a National Skills Mission through the Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Ministry that aims to make the workforce employable and stay employable. A look at the provisions also suggests that the government is keen to invest in startups as well as in promoting small businesses by providing funds for entrepreneurship. The opening up a Micro Units Development Refinance Agency (MUDRA) Bank, with a corpus of Rs. 20,000 Crore also bolsters this point. There also seems to be an explicit understanding that India of tomorrow will have to be driven by entrepreneurs and a shift in the mindset is required from being job seekers to job creators. The education system also gets a boost, but opening up newer institutions especially IIM’s and IIT’s makes the education system focus on quantity but not quality. This is where the task of the HRD Ministry would be cut out to focus on IIT’s/ IIM’s as a pillar in the ecosystem of creating enterprises.<br />
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For the corporate sector and investor community, this is probably the first time that the focus has been on providing internationally competitive tax rates (though deferred over the next four years). Similarly, the indication on a timely implementation of the much-awaited goods and services tax (to be implemented from next year) indicates that the government is keen towards its aim of a common unified market that will integrate the economy and boost growth and enhance regional competitiveness. The focus on reducing red tape by focusing on simplifying norms for opening and complying with rules also indicates the government is keen on improving India’s rank on indices such as the Global Competitiveness Index and the Ease of Doing Business Index by leveraging technology to solve problems.<br />
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The push towards infrastructure is evident with an allocation of Rs. 70,000 Crores more to the sector from the previous year despite the reduction in fiscal space. The creation of the National Investment and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF), with annual flows of Rs. 20,000 Crore will help the trust to raise debt, and in turn, invest as equity in infrastructure finance companies. It will then enable infrastructure finance companies to leverage extra equity, many folds. Thus, one clearly sees a boost for India’s creaky infrastructure.<br />
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The greater devolution to states also means that now the union government is trying to go on the path of cooperative federalism that had been talked about for long. It means states will now have greater freedom to design policies and implement programs suitable to the needs of the people residing therein. The only two caveats i.e., first the states being unable to implement policies and secondly the deepening wedge and greater regional disparity due to better performance of some states. This is where the states will have to understand the competitive federalism and take it in a healthy spirit. The Institute for Competitiveness’s annual State Competitiveness Index ranking may be of benefit for states to see their performance and improve it over time.<br />
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The budget thus manages to do well for quality of life of citizens, as well as social progress especially for the common people. It signals a departure from the past with a new economic order in place one that has at its core a focus on states, infrastructure, entrepreneurship, competition and access to markets as the prime drivers of tomorrow’s India. Will the budget have a transformational impact on India’s future? It certainly has the potential; The rest will depend on India's implementational capability.<br />
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<em>(Dr. Amit Kapoor is President and CEO of India Council on Competitiveness and Honorary Chairman of Institute for Competitiveness, India. He tweets @kautiliya and can be contacted at <a href="mailto:amit.kapoor@competitiveness.in">amit.kapoor@competitiveness.in</a>)</em><br />

Enhancing India’s Competitiveness: A New Economic Order in Making

The entire list and a brief profile of 'Delhi ke nirmata'⁠— the makers of Delhi felicitated at Kejriwal's oath taking ceremony

<br /> When <keyword id="6612" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Smriti-Irani">Smriti Irani</keyword>, the popular TV actor-turned-politician took oath as the <keyword id="114568" type="POSITION" weightage="100" keywordseo="hrd-minister">HRD Minister</keyword> in Narendra Modi’s Cabinet, controversies raged over her educational qualification. It is now known that Irani had made contradictory declarations in her affidavits in 2004 and later in 2014 when she contested the Lok Sabha polls from two different constituencies. During the 2004 elections, Irani declared that she held a BA degree from <keyword id="6360099" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="Delhi-University">Delhi University</keyword> (School of Correspondence, 1996). But in the same column of the affidavit filed in the 2014 elections from Amethi, Irani said she was a “Bachelor of Commerce Part-1, School of Open Learning (Correspondence), University of Delhi – 1994.”<br />
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According to a 2012 Supreme Court ruling, false disclosures in an affidavit can be a ground for rejection of a candidate’s nomination.<br />
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The controversy snowballed when academician and activist Madhu Kishwar tweeted about the same. When the Indian education system is in a shambles (whether it is research or primary education), it required someone experienced from the field of education.<br />
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The duties of the HRD minister partly involve meeting the heads of the IIT’s and the IIM’s. Considering the Hon’ble HRD Minister’s experience and exposure in the education space, the situation looks tricky and it is very uncertain what kind of results we will get.<br />
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However, it is definitely not about educational qualification but about skills and vision. It doesn’t really matter how many degrees one has but what you make of them makes all the difference. Therefore, it will be very important for Smriti Irani to understand the dichotomy between needs and interests; the difference between left, right and centre of influence, opinion and politics.<br />
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In the past we have had many qualified HRD ministers. Yet, a fare percentage of our youth is still languishing behind – either they are engaged in some menial work or working to save enough to enrol for further education. So it is time to see what Irani can do besides quoting excerpts from the Vedas.<br />
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For decades now, the condition of various government and MCD schools has been appalling in spite of fund allocations. And the quality of teaching, except in a few elite private schools, has much room for improvement.<br />
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Likewise, the Right to Education, which entitles children between 6 and 14 years free and compulsory education, proves to be a champion of all in being vague.<br />
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If you are an ordinary citizen, a 3-4 hour drive outside Delhi should be enough to tell you how that right has been implemented so far. Why is the school housed in just one room with broken walls? Where has all the money gone? Should we wait for the better days to arrive? Building schools and ensuring that they function properly should not take more than five years. All it takes is proper planning and of course, the willingness to implement.<br />
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In the previous terms, we have seen how distributing free laptops and mid-day meals captured the headlines. But it is important to note that there is still a gap that needs to be bridged because it is not even about making education free and compulsory. It is about providing proper infrastructure and teaching staff.<br />
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There is no doubt about the complexities of the HRD Ministry, but that is precisely what Irani has asked for through her comment on the controversy, two days later.  Her biggest challenge will be to make the education system inclusive. The question is – will she be worth it or not? Her term will confirm whether the existing education system has done more damage than one could imagine.<br />

Smriti
Irani Controversy: Forget Degrees; What We Need Is Vision<b></b>

MUMBAI: <keyword id="6360722" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="ratan-tata">Ratan Tata</keyword> is said to be considering a personal investment in <keyword id="541988" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="SnapDeal">Snapdeal</keyword>, an e-commerce firm, at a time when online retail is generating investor euphoria on the back of exponential growth.<br />
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In a move that would signal his interest in India's emerging consumer internet story, the 76-year-old chairman emeritus of Tata Sons may buy out an early investor in Snapdeal through a secondary sale, people familiar with the development said.<br />
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Kunal Bahl, co-founder of Snapdeal, did not respond to TOI's query while an emailed questionnaire to Tata's office on Monday remained unanswered till the time of going to press on Tuesday.<br />
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The 76-year-old, who transformed India's largest private sector conglomerate with a string of marquee global acquisitions, is expected to be a minority investor in his personal capacity in the e-tailer. TOI could not ascertain the exact stake Tata would hold in Snapdeal if and when the transaction is completed.<br />
<br />
While his holding is unlikely to be high, its real significance would lie in the buzz it would create for the four-year-old firm. Tata has always had in interest in technology; even so, the deal, if it goes through, would mark the ultimate coming together of the old and new guard.<br />
<br />
People close to Snapdeal said Tata had visited the firm's headquarters in Delhi about a month ago and addressed employees.<br />
<br /> Tata could be boarding Snapdeal just when the online marketplace, which has crossed $1 billion in gross merchandise sale by value—second only to Flipkart—is busy fending off a challenge from online retail juggernaut <keyword id="18635" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Amazon">Amazon</keyword> for No. 2 position in the domestic e-commerce market.<br />
<br />
The investment would be testimony to the growing interest of established business houses in India's burgeoning internet commerce, which is poised to hit $9 billion over the next two years, according to US venture capitalist Accel Partners.<br />
<br /> The potential investment by Tata, who stepped down from his day-to-day responsibilities at the $100 billion conglomerate about two years ago, would be a huge, timely shot in the arm for Snapdeal, with both <keyword id="6354742" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Flipkart">Flipkart</keyword> and Amazon declaring open war for dominance of India's fast-growing e-commerce market which has attracted top dollars from financial investors.<br />
<br />
Bangalore-based Flipkart, the country's leading e-tailer with gross sales nearing $3 billion, last week raised $1 billion in funding mostly from existing investors led by Tiger Global, Naspers and Accel Partners. The Jeff Bezos-led Amazon responded a day later by announcing a $2 billion investment in what is becoming a hotly contested three-legged race.<br />
<br /> Another Indian business tycoon, Wipro's Azim Premj, has laid bets on the Indian consumer internet story through his family office PremjiInvest by picking up minority stakes in <keyword id="319719" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Myntra">Myntra</keyword>, now merged with Flipkart, and Snapdeal. <keyword id="6354512" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Infosys">Infosys</keyword> co-founder <keyword id="6355623" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Narayana-Murthy">Narayana Murthy</keyword> recently formed an e-commerce joint venture with Amazon through his private investment firm Catamaran Ventures.<br />
<br />
Other big Indian business houses with interests in offline retail like Mukesh Ambani's Reliance Retail and the Aditya Birla Group have now begun unfolding their e-commerce plans as an increasing number of Indians shop online, driven in large part by rising smartphone penetration. India's galloping internet user base is now estimated at over 240 million, raising the possibility of it emerging as the world's largest digital commerce market along with China.<br />
<br />
Snapdeal has already raised two rounds of funds so far this year, taking total capital raised to about $350 million at a valuation of a billion dollars. Its existing investors include San Jose- based eBay Inc, Singapore's Temasek, BlackRock, PremjiInvest, Intel, Nexus Venture Partners, NEA-IndoUS Venture Partners and Bessemer Venture Partners.<br />
<br />
Bahl and schoolmate, Rohit Bansal, both 32, started Snapdeal four years ago as a daily deals site, modelled on GroupOn, later changing it into an online marketplace for merchants to sell their products. Before Snapdeal, the Delhi duo founded Money Saver, a physical coupon book business that offered discounts to consumers across retail outlets. Bahl, who'd returned after graduating from Wharton, and Bansal, armed with an IIT-Delhi degree, later transitioned from a physical format to mobile couponing till the idea of starting a daily-deals site struck them in January 2010.<br />
<br />
Snapdeal says it sells about five million products across various categories like apparel, mobiles and electronics with over 25 million subscribers operating on a pure-play online marketplace model. Like Flipkart, it generates over 50% of its orders from mobile phones.

Tata May Invest In E-Tailer Snapdeal

<br /> In July 2012, <keyword id="1870519" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Ashish-Goel">Ashish Goel</keyword> and <keyword id="2480022" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Rajiv-Srivatsa">Rajiv Srivatsa</keyword> decided to take the plunge and start <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/How-UrbanLadder-got-Ratan-Tata-on-board-as-an-investor/articleshow/52649231.cms">UrbanLadder</a>, an online <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=furniture&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">furniture</a> website with the aim of making beautiful homes.<br />
<br />
“We decided to go online at a time when no one could even think that people would buy furniture on the internet,” says Srivatsa, highlighting the risk of their venture.<br />
<br /> Thankfully for the duo, investors saw the Bangalore <keyword id="2539960" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Urbanladder">UrbanLadder</keyword>’s potential and came calling. From <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=SAIF+partners&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">SAIF Partners</a> and <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Sequoia+Capital&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">Sequoia Capital</a> to <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=kalaari+capital&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">Kaalari Capital</a>, Steadview Capital and <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=ratan+tata&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">Ratan Tata</a> himself, the <keyword id="3397759" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="online-furniture-website">online furniture website</keyword> became quite a hit.<br />
<br />
Add their efficient customer service and beautifully designed products to the mix and four years later, UrbanLadder has managed to establish itself as India’s leading furniture and home decor destination.<br />
<br />
The <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=startup&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">startup</a> that raised 50 million in funds last year claims to be looking at another funding round next year of the same value with the hope of breaking even on their mind.<br />
<br />
“From the $50 million that we’ve received last year, we intend to pump in $15 million this year to expand and stabilise our brand,” Srivatsa tells us.<br />
<br />
An<a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=iit&amp;sortorder=effectivedate"> IIT</a> and <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=iim&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">IIM</a> graduate himself, Srivatsa, the COO and co-founder of UrbanLadder talks to Business Insider about leadership, company strategies, the startup ecosystem and how tough it is to hire the right candidate.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
 <br />
<strong>What was the idea behind starting an online furniture website like UrbanLadder?</strong><br />
<br />
Four years back, we started out with one thought, ‘India has a lot of homes. Can we make those homes beautiful?’<br />
<br />
When you take a call to start a business based on that vision alone and not anything else, the way you go about your business is very different.<br />
Our aim was to go about in a way so that the end product would be a beautiful home. This meant that we had to focus on three aspects in a very strong way. Those were-<br />
<br />
1.     <strong>We had to get a product that was fantastic</strong>: When I say fantastic, I mean it had to be designed well and in a way that you’re proud of. But, there was a catch. The beauty couldn’t come at a very high cost. The beauty had to come at a cost which was meaningful and a quality which was long-lasting, because Indian customers value the quality, right? So product and beauty of the product was a very very strong point.<br />
 <br />
2.     <strong>Second comes the service</strong>: This is not one of those businesses where I just deliver the product outside the house and my job is done. It requires service as well. I need to help you install the product, arrange it in a way you like it and even help you take regular care of it. So essentially, in this category the service also becomes a part of the product. And, we had decided early on that our service needs to be top-notch so that the customer is worry-free.<br />
 <br />
3.     <strong>The third aspect was technology</strong>: To ensure that UrbanLadder reached as many people in as many cities as possible, we had to take it online. And, here the quality of technology played a very big part as it would help the customers visualise how our products would fit into their space.<br />
 <br />
So, essentially brand UrbanLadder is nothing but an execution of these three aspects.<br />
 <br />
<strong>How do you think these three core aspects helped UrbanLadder stand out as compared to other brands?</strong><br />
<br />
The result of this was that we didn’t have to talk price or discounts. All that did the talking were our products. Giving discounts and indulging in crazy pricing would have made sense until a year back when people were still pumping money into businesses. It makes absolutely no sense right now because of the slowing down of the startup ecosystem and I’m proud that we stuck to our guts.<br />
<br />
<strong>One decision that you’d taken in the early years that you wish you could undo?</strong><br />
<br />
We initially started with third party services for pour deliveries. The idea was to rely on these well established players and get them to help us with deliveries. But, it turned out to be quite a catastrophe and in one month we pulled back these delivery services from all over India and realised that we can’t make our brand happen if we depend on someone else. Our vision would go for a toss, our customer service score would go for a toss. So, we just decide to do it ourselves. That is how we started doing everything inhouse, right from the delivery to the installation.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<strong>What would you say are some strategies that help UrbanLadder grow as a brand?</strong><br />
<br />
Firstly, you would notice that any typical marketplace will generally have 50,000 or more products, but not us. We have a little over 4,000 products. That’s only because we don’t want to crowd our side with incessant product additions everyday but instead create value with each of our existing products. By having a slightly less number of products, we ensure that we’ve been thoughtful with every product that’s on the site.<br />
The second thing that I believe has helped us is our clear perspective on how we want to grow year on year. Last year, our business grew 3x. This year, our aim is to grow 2.7 x. The following year we’re looking to grow around 2.5 x. The reason you don’t see us making claims of wanting to grow 5x or 4x is because we want to grow in a way that would actually help profitability and allow us to hold the customer service experience really strong.<br />
 <br />
<strong>UrbanLadder is about to complete four years of existence. What would you say are some of the decisions that has helped the brand through the years?</strong><br />
<br />
We’ve always stuck to a pricing which is reasonable to a sustainable economic situation and that decision has helped us in establishing a fundamentally sound business that can shoot for profitability in the next two years.<br />
<br />
<strong>Does that also mean that you don’t take too many risks and play it safer than the others?</strong><br />
<br />
We see risk very differently. For us, any innovation related to our three aspects is a risk. For example we just introduced a very ethnic Indian range on our website. UrbanLadder has never done anything like this before, so for us this is out of our comfort zone.<br />
<br />
We don’t want to have products that we later have to recall. We don’t want out customers to say, ‘I’m never going t buy this product’ Our aim to is to be very thoughtful with every product. That’s our priority.<br />
<br />
<strong>Tell us how UrbanLadder incorporates technology in its operations?</strong><br />
<br />
Tech innovations are very important for us. Infact, we were the first ones to invest in AR/VR two years back.<br />
<br />
We have an app called Living spaces where customers can look how our sofa looks in their living rooms with the help of augmented reality. It basically happens by superimposing the model on a camera and that’s been a big proponent of how we sell so fast. This helps customers figure out how a product would look n their space. A big challenge with AR is that you have to ensure it doesn’t look fake because your surrounding are real.<br />
<br />
<br />
<strong>What would you say has worked for UrbanLadder that quite hasn’t for other players?</strong><br />
<br />
I think, the scale at which furniture is bought on our website is something that no other player can boast about. We’ve actually managed to get customers to shop for furniture online. Plus, no other player has even managed to come half at par with the level of service that we offer.<br />
<br />
<strong>What are the areas you are looking to invest heavily this year?</strong><br />
<br />
Our focus like always is to be thoughtful more than anything. But there are a few things that are a priority for us this year. One of them is to leverage what we already have, and especially our new interior business.<br />
<br />
Secondly, of late, sofas as a category are taking off so our aim is to have a wide range of sofas that are easily configurable.<br />
<br />
Additionally, we are also changing the interface visually on the website so as to ensure the customer buying experience is very different.<br />
<br />
<strong>Is hiring a difficult process for a company as unique as yours?</strong><br />
<br />
It’s tough to find the right candidate when you’re a startup. A lot of people are not okay with the possibility of their job being at stake even if they perform well, though the number of people who are open to joining start-ups are much more now as compared to four years back.<br />
<br />
At UrbanLadder, what we try to do is instead of getting a lot of senior people on board, we look to hire MBA graduates with 2-3 years of experience and groom them in a way that they are able to make decisions tomorrow and face challenges. We have only 3-4 senior people in the company.<br />
<br /> I believe, the media plays a big role here. They should start talking about stuff other than funding news. We need more success stories, learnings, how entrepreneurs have solved problems to get people to broaden their view of <keyword id="6362513" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="Startups">startups</keyword><br />
<br />
<strong>How do you think IKEA’S entry into the Indian market will affects players such as UrbanLadder?</strong><br />
<br />
I’d like to believe that the Indian furniture market is big enough for every player to fit in. But, it all depends on execution. IKEA is a fantastic brand and their execution is top-notch so the challenge for us is to hold on to our value propositions, execute and innovate well.<br />
<br />
<strong>Have you thought about entering the office interior space?</strong><br />
<br />
Not as of now. I mean, it is a massive opportunity, no doubt, But it’s also a very different segment that requires different products. But, I’ll never say never.<br />
 <br />
 <br />
 <br />

Exclusive: UrbanLadder
will be profitable in 2 years, will likely raise close to $50mn next year

<keyword id="71" type="POSITION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Prime-Minister">Prime Minister</keyword> <keyword id="6354477" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Narendra-Modi">Narendra Modi</keyword>, in an interview to ANI, said the opposition alleging that his government is a 'suit-boot ki sarkaar' is definitely better and more acceptable than being labelled a 'suitcase' (ki sarkaar), and satirically added, that after ruling for sixty years, the <keyword id="1575" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Congress">Congress</keyword> has suddenly remembered the poor. <br /><br />

	Excerpts:
<br /><br />

	1. In a scale of 1-10, how would you grade your government?
<br /><br />

	It is for the people of this country to grade and evaluate us. How can I take away their right? I have presented my report card to the country. Recently, media has published the findings of some surveys. You would already have seen them. I can only say that we have laid a solid foundation on which the people can rate us.
<br /><br />

	2. You came in with the promise of 'Acche Din.' Have you been able to meet the goals that you set for yourself in the first year of the government?
<br /><br />

	Yes. I am fully satisfied with the work that we have done. The most satisfying part of this year is that we have lived up to the promise that our intentions will be pure and our actions will be driven by long-term national interest. Recall the situation one year ago. Massive corruption at various levels of Government gave rise to scams on a regular basis. Our precious natural resources were going into the hands of a chosen few. In contrast, there are neither any charges of corruption against my Government nor any scandals. Corruption was seen as the biggest problem. We have given a clean, transparent and efficient Government. Burey Dino Ki Vidayee Hui hai. (Bad days are over). Is this not Acche Din for the country?
<br /><br />

	3. What has been the single big success in the past year? 
<br /><br />

	The achievements and successes of my government are numerous. However, I know that the success of a government's journey lies in reaching the last man. Therefore, our efforts were directed towards the poor and marginalized. We have also paid special attention to remote corners of the country. Our objective is to transform quality of life, infrastructure and services. We have worked simultaneously on all fronts which bring a smile on the face of the common man. I can give you some examples. From controlling food prices to enhancing farm productivity; improving Railways to strengthening Roads; generating electricity to its 24x7 availability; building school toilets to setting up IITs, IIMs and AIIMS; building houses for the homeless to upgrading our heritage cities; cleaning surroundings to bridging the digital divide; making world class products to skilling and employment generation; strengthening the banking system to funding the unfunded; ensuring labour welfare to providing social security to common man; rejuvenating rivers to irrigating fields; from enhancing co-operation with States to deepening foreign relations; we have worked at an energetic pace and with innovative spirit. 
<br /><br /> Bringing back black money was a major electoral promise, but then your party president, <keyword id="6355521" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Amit-Shah">Amit Shah</keyword> gave the word 'jumla' to it and Arun Shourie criticized the procedures adopted by the finance ministry. How committed is your government in bringing back black money to India? <br /><br />

	My Government is fully committed on the issue of Black Money. We want to crack down severely on tax evasion and black money. I had taken up this issue with world leaders during the G-20 summit. In our very first cabinet meeting, we formed an SIT. Then, we presented a new legislation in Parliament which is very stringent. We want to make it more difficult to evade taxes and siphon money abroad. We are also aggressively pursuing cases against those who have stashed funds illegally in foreign banks. Recently the names of some such persons have been revealed. We are also trying to move towards cashless transactions. We want to make maximum use of ICT in our tax administration.
<br /><br />

	At the same time, we want to remove the discretion which causes corruption and generation of Black Money. Hence, we promulgated ordinances in sectors like coal and mines. It has proved to be a good step. We have generated Rs. 3.30 lakh crore for the country so far through transparent auction of some coal mines. Similar is the case with auction of spectrum. I can say that if your intentions are noble, you are sure to get success and required support.
<br /><br />

	5. Key bills like the Land Acquisition Bill has got stiff opposition from the opposition. They have been able to create doubts about the government's intention. What do you have to say? 
<br /><br />

	Opposition to our Land Bill is totally unjustified and unfortunate. We have not made any changes for private industry. Moreover, if you have money, you don't need a Land Acquisition Act to accumulate land. Some individuals have done so in Rajasthan, Haryana, Shimla, Delhi etc. Land acquisition becomes necessary for government-driven strategic and development activities, especially in undeveloped areas. 
<br /><br />

	This too is done mostly by State Governments. We have made changes only in response to demands of the States. The benefits of these changes will also accrue to the rural poor in terms of irrigation, housing, electrification, as well as better physical and social infrastructure.
<br /><br />
<br /><br />

	In this country, the Land Acquisition Act was almost 120 years old. The Congress-led Governments used the same Act after independence. Suddenly, before the last Parliamentary elections, the Congress went to another extreme by legislating an Act which is neither in the interest of farmers nor in the interest of the country's development. 
<br /><br />

	Now, they are not even ready to sit and discuss. We believe in dialogue with all political parties. I have personally appealed in Parliament that we are ready to open a dialogue with political parties and consider their suggestions. I hope that the parties will cooperate on issues of larger national importance without getting into political calculations. 
<br /><br />

	6. How are you going to convince the farmers of this country that you mean well?
<br /><br />

	The proposed Land Acquisition Bill focuses on benefitting the farmer and balancing the long-term interests of the nation. The world is changing fast. Even farmers need canals to irrigate, roads to transfer products from farms to markets. They need hospitals, schools and houses. Farmers want modern amenities in their vicinity and jobs in formal sectors for their sons and daughters. I have always believed that if we want inclusive development, we need amenities. We need to match the development of such amenities with agricultural growth. This is what the Bill strives to do while safeguarding the interests of farmers. Our amendments only aim to do away with the bureaucratic bottlenecks in the 2013 Act. I am sure the farmers of this country will understand where their real welfare lies.
<br /><br />

	7. Agriculture is in distress in the country. To a large extent the problem is endemic and decades of mismanagement have resulted in the present situation but how does your government plan to stem the tide of farmer suicides and farming stress?
<br /><br />
<br /><br /> The root causes of the problem find mention in your question itself. This is a very important issue and the Government is concerned about it. We have responded to the recent agrarian crisis with alacrity. We have undertaken several reforms. The <keyword id="6362177" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="union-government">Union Government</keyword> has enhanced the relief norms for compensation against crop loss by 50%. <br /><br />

	The limit of minimum crop damage, for grant of compensation, has been reduced from 50% to 33%. Norms have been relaxed to allow procurement of damaged food grains at MSP rates. The target of agricultural credit has been enhanced in our two consecutive budgets. 
<br /><br />

	But as you said, the problem in agriculture is endemic. Nothing much was done for six long decades. But we have started long-term steps for the farm sector. To address the issue of access to irrigation for every farm, and efficient utilization of water, the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) has been started. Blue Revolution which aims to improve production and productivity in the fisheries sector is also an action point. We have launched the soil health card scheme. The price stabilization fund with a corpus of Rs. 500 crores has also been set up for perishable commodities. Rashtriya Gokul Mission has been commenced with the objective of conserving and developing indigenous cattle breeds. We have made honest and sincere efforts for rural development. I have recently launched the Kisan Channel for giving timely information to farmers on inputs and markets. In the coming days, I would like to see more focused action on increasing Farm Productivity; Rural Industrialization; Skill Development in rural areas and rural trades, and faster Investments in Rural Infrastructure including cold chain.
<br /><br />

	8. The opposition has termed your government as suit boot ki sarkar. What is your take on this allegation? 
<br /><br />

	Suit-boot is definitely more acceptable than suitcase. After ruling for sixty years, the Congress has suddenly remembered the poor. People of this country have suffered and remained poor due to shortsighted policies of the Congress. Many countries of the world have surpassed us on all accounts including poverty removal. Congress did incremental work so as to keep the issue relevant for next election. Did the coal and spectrum scandals or the CWG fiasco benefit the poor? Everyone knows who were their beneficiaries - some chosen industrialists and contractors. The result of Congress's politics and governance of sixty years is that poverty is still our biggest challenge. One-fourth of the families are without shelter. Health, education, water, electricity and roads are even bigger unrealised dreams for a large number of citizens of this country. You should ask them- If you were pro-poor, why does poverty still exist in India?"
<br /><br />

	9. Opposition says that your government is pro-industrialists.
<br /><br />

	Those who gave away precious natural resources like coal and spectrum to their favourite industrialists have no right to say this. We are working for the common man of the country. 
<br /><br />
<br /><br />
<br /><br />
<br /><br />

	We implemented the Jan Dhan scheme and opened more than 14 crore bank accounts for financial inclusion. Earlier also, there were banks, as well as people without bank accounts. What did they do all these years?
<br /><br />

	The so called pro-poor have been just repeating that there is leakage in subsidy. We used technology to ensure that LPG subsidy reaches the targeted person directly; We have launched MUDRA Bank for financing 6 crore small vendors and businesses 61% of whom are SCs, STs, OBCs and Minorities; We have launched the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana which the Congress did not think of in sixty years; We have planned to see that by 2022, no family remains without a roof over its head; The Soil Health Card scheme has been launched to enhance farm productivity and reduce expenses, thereby enhancing the farmer's income. 
<br /><br />

	We have come out with a comprehensive social security scheme for the poor and marginalised, old and those with low income levels; Swachh Bharat Mission has been started to see that health and hygiene issues of the poor do not affect the working capacity and output of the poor and labourers; Railways, on which the common man travels, is being changed for the better.
<br /><br />

	We have set up the Skill Development Ministry to enhance employability of the youth to whom we are committed to provide jobs through initiatives like 'Make in India'. In the past, the country had been led into an economy of jobless growth.
<br /><br />

	We provided for reservation of women in the police forces of Union Territories. This was done even when there were no elections around the corner. 
<br /><br />

	Through the regime of coal auction that we have put in place, more than Rs. three lakh crore have already been generated for the less-developed states of India. This money will be used for the poor of those states.
<br /><br />
<br /><br /> These are just a few examples. Why were these things not done in the past sixty years. Who prevented them? Their worry is not that we are not pro-poor. Their worry is that they are being exposed as not being pro-poor. People are asking them: "If <keyword id="6360789" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Modi-Government">Modi Government</keyword> can think and do this in six to nine months, why could you not think and do it in sixty years." <br /><br />

	10. You have travelled to 17 countries in 12 months...something that nobody expected you to do as you were seen as a novice on foreign policy matters. But you seem to enjoy running the country's foreign policy. Any comments? 
<br /><br />

	Foreign engagements are international obligations on the part of the Prime Minister. All Prime Ministers have to do this. Moreover, this is an integrated world. We have to attend international, multilateral and bilateral summits, and build ties with our neighbours and other nations. Our foreign policy is mature and there is a full-fledged mechanism to pursue it. I have only added an element of dynamism to it. We have strived to strongly further our economic cooperation in the Asia-Pacific Region. We have endeavoured to nurture new economic partnerships and tap reserves of energy, minerals, technology and finance from major economies.
<br /><br />
<br /><br /> 11. In real terms, do you see that the Chinese will actually deliver on the financial pledge they have done, that the US will open up its markets for India, that Pakistan will give up its anti-India agenda? That our smaller neighbours will stop seeing us as a bully? Yes, I am sure that the commitments and agreements will be implemented. We have received a commitment from the Government of <keyword id="6355311" type="COUNTRY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Japan">Japan</keyword> for facilitating public and private funding of 3.5 trillion Yen - or approximately $35 billion dollars - over the next five years; there are agreements with China on two industrial parks and intended investments of 20 billion US dollars; there are investment plans of about 42 billion U.S. dollars from U.S. companies over the next five years. <keyword id="6358826" type="COUNTRY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Russia">Russia</keyword> has proposed to manufacture helicopters in India. With Australia and Canada, we have signed civil nuclear cooperation agreements, and other agreements to strengthen our energy security. With the United States, we have moved forward in implementation of the civil nuclear agreement and signed a significant partnership agreement to use renewable energy for rapidly expanding rural access to energy. There has been good response from financial institutions, including pension funds from Korea, Canada, Australia and the US. There is a strong support in all major economies for our "Make in India" programme. <br /><br />

	In the neighbourhood, there has been forward movement on the 5600 MW Pancheshwar project in Nepal, that was stuck for the last 25 years. Similarly, with Bangladesh we have settled the land boundary issue. We are working with a spirit of mutual benefit. There is no question of bullying anyone. Our recent help to Nepal during the natural calamity shows that our approach is brotherly. With Pakistan too, we will pursue our long-standing approach. We will continue our efforts to advance cooperation and connectivity, without compromising our national security. 
<br /><br />

	12. If we were to return to domestic issues, you have come for criticism from many for not being able to reign in vitriolic elements in your party who have made disparaging remarks against minorities. What do you say? 
<br /><br />

	Our Constitution guarantees religious freedom to every citizen and that is not negotiable. The tradition of welcoming, respecting and honouring all faiths is as old as India itself. As Swami Vivekananda said: We believe not only in universal toleration, but we accept all religions as true. This principle of equal respect and treatment for all faiths has been a part of India's ethos for thousands of years. And that is how it became integral to the Constitution of India. Our Constitution did not evolve in a vacuum. It has roots in the ancient cultural traditions of India. I expect that everyone will understand and respect this.
<br /><br />

	13. Why do some elements in your party feel emboldened to say awful things even though they ought to know that a Prime Minister of India cannot really support bigots in his cabinet? 
<br /><br />

	I have said this before and I say it again: any discrimination or violence against any community will not be tolerated. My position on this is very clear: Sab ka saath, sab ka vikas. We stand for each of the 1.25 billion Indians regardless of caste or creed and we will work for the progress of each of them. Every faith in our country has equal rights; it is equal not only before the law but also before society. 

	<br />
	<em>As published in ET. </em>

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