This seems to be the new way to make money. Plan a huge infrastructure project. Well before it is executed, the politicians, the bureacracy and the land mafia will buy land along or around this. Then the project comes up. The land values sky-rocket and you make a neat packet.
In the old way, the politicians let unauthorised constructions come about and pocket money for looking the other way. Then the next ministry 'regularises' these and makes more money.
Well, you can choose, which is the better 'Blow-up'
I feel however, there is no perfect system to get things done. Once China decides, they just do it. No turning back. It may draw flak, but they do not bother. My friend, who stays and does business in China, is astonished by the changes happening every day. He says everything is available, including 24 hours water and electricity. Some of the infrastructure thay have built at scorching pace is better than the best available anywhere else. With our present system, it is impossible to replicate that in India. We are always in self doubt. Rather we do nothing than do something that will invite criticism.
I have seen people trying to cash in at the first opportunity everywhere and that is a basic human instict in people obsessed with making money. Side by side, there are those who are contented eking out a living, 9 to 5 jobs.
There is always two sides to the coin. We have to go according to our comfort levels.
The saying that "behind every fortune there is crime" makes sense.
yes,it is mostly to serve powerful people,ealier it was every politician now it is every rich businessman and very powerful politicians. What we see on tv and news papers are only handouts given to them by these powerful people. I have never come across any one asking inconvenient questions to either sonia gandhi or congress politicians.whereas every other politician including the leftists are made to look foolish and corrupt. similarly some businessmen are letout without delving deep.Like dlf,essar group,videocon.Look at patel engineering a pre independance day engineering company must have carried ou tens of thousands of crores contracts but how much of profits are shared with public sharteholders . When mps declare assets of only a few crores what are the media people doing.Are they digging out the information to nail the mps.No .
i guess, for the politicians, this SEZ is the sure shot way of gaining wealth legally. i guess, we would know the reality if we check the prices and the landownership before the SEZ talk cameup and the prices and ownership afterwards. again it is not the SEZ land that brings in the moolah but the ones abutting this SEZ. The sadest part: the original owners are no where in the picture. Well, if rediff wants a large scoop, Mr.Balakrishnan, you have it. you have it all in you to be more than just a scribe and get the lid off this SEZ thing. Imagine these politician are making many opposing SEZ seem like neo Luddites.
