Mango Man chronicles

The salaried employee, like R.K.Laxman's Common Man, has been silently carrying the heavy cross unaided by any, but he has been the honest and unfailing citizen in paying what is due to Ceasar (a.k.a., Govt of India). Month on month the salary slip cuts through the heart of ‘Mango man’.

Today, the biggest concern facing the country is rising prices. Food inflation is hovering near 20 per cent. Everyone is facing the brunt of rising prices. Food prices are soaring. . . all essential items like vegetables, oil, milk, sugar are getting costlier. Rentals and real estate rates have almost doubled in just a few months in most cities. The real estate prices are at record highs making life miserable, especially for people who have migrated to cities for jobs.

Inflation hits you badly as prices keep rising. You end up spending more money for things that you could buy for less earlier. What you could buy for Rs 100, some months ago, would now cost you nearly double. As a result, your savings will come down. As prices rise, the purchasing power of money goes down too.

Inflation does not spare retired folk and people with fixed incomes are burdened very badly. Inflation de-stablises the economy as consumers and investors change their spending habits.

Where is all this money going? What is burdening ‘aam aadmi’?

330 crores down the drain

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In a setback to India's space programme, GSLV D-3, the satellite launch vehicle showcasing its indigenous cryogenic technology, trailed off its designated course and went out of control shortly after lift-off from the spaceport on Thursday. The rocket, along with its two payloads -- satellites GSAT-4 and GAGAN -- crashed into the Bay of Bengal 293 seconds after launch.

It took scientists of the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) around 17 years and 330 crores to develop cryogenic motors after its bid to import the technology from Russia in 1992 failed because of opposition from the US.

India has no choice but to master this technology in the long run as it is technology that has been denied to the country, the sources said.

India’s own white elephant

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The overall developmental cost of Tejas Light Combat Aircraft has quietly zoomed past the Rs 13,000-crore mark, with the government sanctioning the extension of the fighter's "full-scale engineering development'' (FSED) till December 31, 2018.
This, in effect, means the Tejas developmental saga will now stretch across 35 years, sanctioned as the project was way back in 1983 at a cost of Rs 560 crore to replace the ageing MiG-21s.
Tejas, in fact, can now give the Arjun main-battle tank a run for its money in terms of years taken for full development. The tank project, after all, was first approved 36 years ago.

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I am not sure if these are the projects suit a nation with a dubious distinction of having a third of the world’s poor.

Aam aadmi is the funniest ‘cliché’ coined by some genius. Aadmi is being squeezed like a mango and filled on to the ‘slice’ bottle. As shown in the slice ad, people on top will continue to use it for their ‘pleasure’able activities.

Aam aadmi has to be bear being raped till he resurfaces again just before the election.