Registered with the Reg. No. TN/CH(C)/374/18-20 Registrar of Newspapers Licenced to post without prepayment for India under R.N.I. 53640/91 Licence No. TN/PMG(CCR)/WPP-506/18-20 Publication: 1st & 16th of every month Rs. 5 per copy (Annual Subscription: Rs. 100/-) INSIDE Short ‘N’ Snappy Readers Write The Army Clothing Depot Swadesamitran Madras Cricket www.madrasmusings.com WE CARE FOR MADRAS THAT IS CHENNAI Vol. XXIX No. 22 March 1-15, 2020 Digital banners HERITAGE WATCH NEW and hoardings soon to return he political establishment social celebrations.” We are not putting up banners, boards and Thas been feeling lost ever sure if religious events also are hoardings all along the prin‑ since the High Court of Madras within the ambit of this inter‑ cipal thoroughfares of the city pronounced an outright ban on pretation and if so, the Corpo‑ on a daily basis. Pedestrians parties erecting digital banners found it next to impossible to and hoardings along the streets negotiate the banners and the and roads of Chennai. And by The Editor poles that held them up, the Last days of Last House on Snob’s Alley as is always the case, a minor footpaths were repeatedly dug It has survived from the 1640s, making it one of the oldest adjustment when it comes to ration has pretty much opened up to accommodate these tem‑ surviving buildings in the whole of Chennai city. But Last interpretation of the judgement up the city for the putting up of porary structures and motorists will soon help it in getting these digital banners, flex boards and were put to risk as the banners House to the left of Snob’s Alley may be on its last legs if the public nuisances to be back. hoardings. blocked line of sight and often Archaeological Survey of India has its way. If the news agencies are to be It was in December 2018 came crashing down as well. Listed as being of grade 1 (primary landmark of which no believed, the Corporation of that the High Court of Madras, Political parties were the worst alterations may be permitted) by the High Court of Madras Chennai is of the view that the irked at what it perceived as offenders, and they invariably based on the recommendations of the Justice E. Padmanabhan ban pertains only to political blatant violation of its earlier put up banners without seeking Committee report, Last House gets its name by virtue of being parties and not organisers of judgements, pronounced an police permission, something at the end of St. Thomas’s Street, Fort St. George (see Know “marriages, birthdays and other outright ban on political parties (Continued on page 6) Your Fort, MM Vol. XXV, December 16, 2015). Around ten years ago it was in relatively good condition with clear land around it on which you could walk and reach the eastern ramparts of the Fort. But consistently denied funds for maintenance (it was allocated Rs. 1 lakh in 2014 or so), it is in a decrepit condition and it is reliably learnt that the ASI has recommended that it be TN budget ignores removed from the list of protected structures. It is one of the classic methods of doing away with historic buildings – deny funds for maintenance thereby ensuring a by A Special Correspondent dilapidated appearance and then suggest removal of protected the basics status on the grounds of structural instability based on no or very cursory assessment. fter the introduction of in 2016‑17 to Rs. 25,000 crores, 12.5 per cent per year from Our OLD is a sketch of Last House as imagined by Ismaena AGST, States have lost the breaching the budget estimate today to neutralise the rev‑ Warren in 1947 for Col. D.M. Reid’s The Story of Fort George. individual power to determine of Rs. 14,000 crores in 2019‑20, enue deficit by 2024‑25. If The New is a photo taken of it in 2015 indirect tax rates, except on is disturbing. The 2019‑20 rise revenue growth is only 10 per alcohol and petroleum. When is more than the Rs. 4,025 cent, expenditure rise must be GST stabilises and States be‑ crores of revenue deficit still to contained at 5‑6 per cent per OLD come confident of GST as a be received from the Centre. annum or lower. More need not dependable revenue source, Consequently, outstanding debt be said as the tightening fiscal alcohol and petroleum may mounts to Rs. 4.56 lakh crores choke is already being discussed also pass into the ambit of GST. by end of March 21. All this widely in the public domain. With the rate of indirect tax erodes the credibility of fiscal As increased revenue revenue thus predetermined, numbers now presented. is dependent on economic resource management efficacy The Medium‑Term Fiscal growth, containment of reve‑ is the challenge for State Fi‑ Plan lists out assumptions that nue expenditure through strin‑ nance Ministers. lead to reduction of revenue gent priorities and extraction The overarching concern deficit to Rs. 11,000 crores by of better results from exist‑ is the growing revenue defi‑ 2022‑23. A simple simulation ing investments is the line to cit which accounts for about shows that as long as non-­ be pursued, apart from better 40‑50 per cent of net borrowing discretionary expenditure is compliance. That calls for a (numbers are rounded off for raging at 10 per cent or higher critical examination of the ease of reading). This rise of than inflation, revenue growth deficit from Rs. 16,000 crores must outdo it by a minimum (Continued on page 2) 2 MADRAS MUSINGS March 1-15, 2020 BUDGET REVIEW (Im)Mobile technology (Continued from page 1) of growth for the State. The schemes announced, rein‑ bill for subsidies and transfers, nlike the Chief, whom utes there is what is termed a swaying somewhat thereby in- forced by the Central Budget’s the Madras from Ma- call drop and the line goes dead. dicating his spiritually elevated which is estimated to be at U massive allocation and the dras Musings misses on a You then go back to step 1. state. He had apparently been Rs. 94,000 crores compared 16‑point approach to agricul‑ daily basis, MMM took to MMM thought of switching caught taking photographs of to previous year’s Rs. 82,000 tural development, might rev cell phones very early. He from Air Fail to Why d’you the aircraft and also some self- crores. The allocation includes up its engine. progressed steadily from pag- Phone but was told by users of ies in the process. The ground expenditure for various ongoing ers to the large brick-sized the latter that they have found staff had objected to which On infrastructure, allocation welfare schemes like food subsi‑ instruments and the smaller it easier to visit the person they he had responded with some has been raised substantially dy, power subsidy, scholarships, ones. With time cell phones intended to call and deliver colourful expletives. Someone from Rs. 4500 crores to Rs. housing schemes, social security became larger and smarter their message directly. MMM made bold to ask for his board- 5,500 crores. More importantly, pensions and agricultural loan/ and MMM kept pace. He can was at his wits end when he ing pass and found he had through appropriate legislative still recall those old days when read a news item that Chennai none. It then transpired that interest waiver. A selective amendments, government has a cell phone in Madras that is is now the pigeon racing capital the precious document was reversal of subsidies that have introduced a legal arrangement Chennai would not work in of India. He has therefore de- with the secretary who was little economic or social impact by which landowners can give Bombay that is Mumbai, the cided to abandon his cell phone no doubt the flabby gent who and minimum voter alienation, their land for building infra‑ network being different. From and rear a couple of those birds had just arrived on the scene could have been carried out to structure without losing their such a scenario to now, when – one for outgoing and the huffing and puffing and bran- signal the government’s con‑ life without cell phones can be other for incoming messages. dishing the missing pass. The right on it and share the benefit cern. In moderate doses over pretty much impossible (un- staff probably decided that dis- of the increased value of the 2‑3 years, this approach would less you live in Kashmir), we cretion was better especially as land on account of the infra‑ As small as they have helped in reducing the have come a long way. Which the flight was shortly to leave. structure. This measure is sig‑ deficit. However, it is too much is why MMM is unable to han- come The man was ushered in and nificant for speedier acquisition dle the poor connectivity that he proceeded to express loudly to expect the ruling party to he lower the status of the of land for building bridges and has become a part of daily life. his anger at what he called the have done it, with elections politician, the more ob- highways reducing implemen‑ Cannot able to understand is, T rudeness of the ground staff. ahead. This should have been noxious his/her behaviour – at tation time. Imaginative policy so MMM believes, the current The secretary tried pacifying done in the last 2‑3 years; as least this was what came to the changes do not require money expression and MMM had him which strangely worked it is, the administration has he stooped to such a level, mind of the Man from Madras – MMM thought this would and do make a difference to Musings when he recently missed the bus.