DK Kapila The Oracle

  Harry and Meghan – Just Passing Time – Random Thoughts – The Indian Perspective !. By Dinesh K Kapila   Times are tough, the pandemic is fading but still upon us, and the economy is said to be quite affected.   My mind wanders to explore where is some relief. Now I got to thinking about Meghan and Harry Markle. This couple has caught the public eye after the voluntary stepping back from duties and the   interview, well planned and strategized, with Oprah Winfrey . and then it just went on and on. Meghan says she did not research on the Queen and the family, now that is her problem. Any person would do a reasonable amount of research on what marrying into a Royal Family would entail, specially one as prominent as the British Royal Family. I like the Prince, he seems wedded to the words, “Pain and Suffering” and also seems to have   dutifully reported to his wife all the comments made in any manner by his family or staff.   Discretion, it is obvious, is...

  Just like that - Prices of Fruits Dinesh Kumar Kapila This is purely anecdotal. Just today morning a farmer messaged me about the problems faced by kinnow farmers (low production and productivity, climate change, lack of water in the canals, untreated water and the need to rejuvenate orchards) but stated the farm gate price of Rs 30 a kg was making up for the loss in production. Just about two hundred plus kilometres away we are paying Rs 80 per kg of kinnow. Add grading, packing, sorting, transportation, wastage etc, but does it more than double. And just a few years back the retail price was Rs 100 for five kgs. In the year 2007 or so, while assigned to three districts in Punjab, I found the price of a premium variety of pear to be Rs 12/- to Rs 15/- per kg. Sold along the highway. At Chandigarh just 40 kilometres away the same day I drove to three stores of corporate outfits and a couple of other stores, the price varied from Rs 45/- per kg to Rs 60/- per kg. I found a similar...

  Just a thought - Be Optimistic - Do your part - I have people complaining all the time in our nation. It is correct to say we have problems of governance, administration of cities, corruption and feudalism in attitude by many in officialdom. Manufacturing and employment remain concerns. BUT we have made progress. It’s not as though time has stood still. We will evolve and for the better. But some will only complain. When people crib and crib and bring in political figures, well they are often not clear. Often - even twenty plus years ago I tried this - Take a board - write - or write on a register and hold it up - Water for drinking and irrigation Variety of food and fruits Electricity Roads Comfort goods Two wheelers Cars Banking and financial inclusion  Hospitals / Doctors Communication etc. Then divide it into 60 years - a 20 years period at one time - maybe even ten years - and ask questions about the status ! And I don’t care who governed. But just the status. How it ha...