The Railway budget 2010-11 was presented by Mamata Banerjee today.

Much of the budget focused on creating schools, hospitals, museums (Rabindranath Museum at Howrah), sport academics, music academy (at Howrah), housing, crèches and hostels. I guess Mamata Banerjee has considered Railways as an institution of ‘inclusive’ economic growth than focusing on what Railways is actually expected to do, i.e., run trains efficiently, on time and have good connectivity all over the nation.

The budget did not address the issue of safety and security in the Rail network. The minister got away with saying that security is a state subject and hence did not announce anything to gear up the security level. Every year, numerous trains are introduced without working on improving the existing network. All of us are aware of the poor hygienic conditions in Railways (baring Western Railways). But no plan has been drawn to improve it. Several new projects like establishment of 6 bottling plants have been proposed to ‘improve’ passenger amenities/services!

Among some of the visionary goals, one is addition of 25,000kms of new lines in the next ten years. This is commendable given that since independence, we have added just 10,419 kms, an annual average of only 180kms! Let’s hope, like all other visions of Railways, this does not turn out to be a faux!

Mamata has announced to develop new business models in Railways. This is quite intriguing. She intends to provide room for domestic investment in Railways through PPP mode.

Over-all, Railway budget 2010-11 seemed to be quite dry, with no plan to really improve traveling in Indian Railways. It is good to have new plans, but it is important to have the old ones working efficiently first!

A general wandering of my mind led me to ask myself why we humans are usually so unsatisfied with life.  I think it connects to the previous entry of my blog. When some of our needs are not satisfied, we try to hunt for them. And across all ladders of age, social and economic groups, people are essentially not satisfied. It is a human tendency to look at people above them, not the ones below them. So people tend to think more about what they do not have when they should be grateful for what they have.

It is quite a contrast to see two different people, each lacking what the other has, and hoping to have what he/she lacks, something like ‘envy’ principle in economics.

I am not suggesting that being satisfied with what one has shall lead to satiation and hence no struggle to climb up towards the ‘bliss point’ (which in itself is not stationary!). All I wish to contemplate on is why we should be sad over what we do not have, hence forgetting to appreciate our blessings.

I think the law of diminishing marginal utility can never be applied to human desires and emotions. Essentially, it tends to be increasing marginal utility. So, first you struggle to meet basic needs. When you have them, you want qualitative improvement in the same, you want money, more money, you want to be in the best of institute, you want to be the topper of the same, and you want the highest package. And along with this you also want to have better relations. Thus, it is not merely materialistic needs but also emotional needs that are insatiate. Life essentially turns out to be about ‘me and my needs’, an endless loop.

I am quoting this entry from Bhagavad Gita by Surinder Kochar. When I read it, I realized that though the theory has been too easily generalized, it is nevertheless quite true. (I had been told that Maslow’s theory is one which every Management n Psychology student knows by heart, sharing it here for the ignorant souls like me.)

“Maslow believes that the human needs form a pyramidical hierarchy. The physical needs are situated at the base of the pyramid, while self-actualisation is situated at the apex of the pyramid. There are five groups of such human needs, which are as follows:

1. The Basic (Physical) Needs
2. The Safety Needs
3. The Social (Love & affection) Needs
4. The Esteem Needs
5. The Need for Self-Actualisation

1.  THE PHYSICAL NEEDS

These needs are primarily related to human subsistence and his sustenance. Consider a person without any job and without any job and without any source of income. He is without food. He is starving. In such circumstances he obviously wants nothing but some food. He sneers at love. Food is a physical need, which is the most pressing one. Other physical needs are the following:

• Air for Breathing
• Water for Drinking, Washing, etc.
• Sleep for Relaxation
• Sex for gratification of senses and procreation

2. THE SAFETY NEEDS

These needs are related to a sense of security and protection for his life. Consequently, it also includes his employment and regularity of his income. If the man is fortunate, he finds a job. He now seeks safety. He wants to protect himself while at work and he strives to ensure that his employment is permanent.

3. THE LOVE NEEDS

These needs are related to the well-being of man as a social entity. Consider that his management Is sympathetic and he is provided with protective clothing and is assured of permanent employment. Now he begins to look around for friends. Man is a social animal. His quest for friends, their company and love is eternal and irrepressible. When, for instance, he finds that his dearest friend in the office is absent, he becomes acutely uneasy. He cannot work properly without his workmates.

4. THE ESTEEM NEEDS

These needs are related to the self-confidence and self-respect of human beings. Even when he is surrounded by loving friends, he has traces of unhappy. He feels insecure. He is tortured by a sense of inferiority complex. He now badly requires some measure of self-confidence and self-respect. He must be able to assure himself that he can work independently, can do difficult jobs and stand on his feet.

A stage is reached when he feels confident that he has developed a good measure of competence. But he is assailed by fresh doubts, as if he is suffering from the so-called Arjuna disease. He now wants this inward feeling to be confirmed by others. He seeks appreciation and recognition without which he feels uneasy. These are now his dominant desires.

5. THE NEED FOR SELF-ACTUALIZATION

This need is related to achieving the highest objective in life or the supreme goal in human life. When a man gets appreciation and recognition in abundant measure, a man’s mind turns itself inwards.  He wonders whether he has realized his full potential by reaching the summit of his performance. Self-Actualisation is the supreme goal in human life. It can be achieved by our actions, referred as “Karma”.

It may be observed that man is never fully satisfied. He is always in search of something higher, which he does not possess. He remains active. It is always the unsatisfied need that motivates a person. A person who is fully satisfied becomes inactive and apathetic. ”

I am yet to understand whether these needs are good or bad. Somehow I believe that any sort of need is bad and shall be avoided. The question often boils down to how? I do not know. I am still searching for my own answers.

The movie is well paced with excellent performance from Robert Downey (Sherlock Holmes) and Jude Law (Watson). I particularly liked the humour delivered by Holmes, besides the cinematography of the movie.

The movie starts with Holmes and Watson reaching on time to stop a human sacrifice ritual being performed by Blackwood. He is put behind the bars and executed after 3 months. Before his execution, he desires to meet Holmes and warns him of 3 more deaths after his execution. As later explained, Blackwood was a former member of ‘Temple of the four orders’, a secret society which Blackwood desires to take over so that he could use its power to push for England to take over America. The Temple is scared of Blackwood’s ‘powers’ and they plead Holmes to stop him in creating havoc all over the world.

Blackwood is executed and declared dead by Watson. However, three days after his execution, his tomb is found shattered and an eyewitness claims that he has seen Blackwood walk out of his grave.

Holmes is a non believer in the ‘magical’ works of Blackwood and the Secret society and attempts to look for logical coherency in all the events. What follows is an interesting unfolding of the secret ‘power’ of Blackwood by Holmes and Watson. I liked the climax on the Tower Bridge set on the river Thames.

The movie holds you till the last moment and the only ‘magical power’ that seemed to hold was Downey’s performance.

I had an Airtel number since past many years. I had taken an Advance Rental Plan in 2006 which was to expire in August 2009. Since I had not been using the number this year, we had put it as last resort number. When the plan expired in the month of August, Airtel renewed my bill plan without my consent. They could not contact me on the mobile as I had been keeping that number off. They did not contact me on my alternate number and just renewed the plan and sent me a bill for Rs.1000+

I complained to them saying that they have no right to renew my plan without my approval. They did not listen and called me twice a day (on the alternate number) for more than a month insisting me to pay the amount. I did not care and ignored their calls and posts asking (read ‘harassing‘) for the same. The letter that had been posted had names of two people with their mobile number and I was asked to call them for clarification. Their numbers were always busy. Then they posted a letter saying that they will take legal action. I again ignored. Then they sent us a legal notice through some lawyer.

Now, this ‘legal notice’ had all sorts of fancy legal terms (section 420 was also there ) that could scare any person and make him bend on his knees and pay the amount. They were very smart to put that Rs.500 is also to be paid for the legal notice (sort of fees to the lawyer). It appeared to be written to scare the customer of the possible legal fees to be paid if the case is taken by the customer to the court. Basically, the legal notice was sent to scare us with a stick of law. And since most of us are scared of venturing into Indian Judicial system, it was expected that the customer would yield to her fear and pay the bill irrespective of whether it should be paid or not.  As expected, my mother suggested that we pay the bill and be done with it as it would be costlier to take it up legally.

I called up the National Consumer Helpline (1800-11-4000) and sought their help. They listened to my problem and suggested me to mail to the nodal officer (email address: nodalofficer.del@airtel.in). They also gave me a reference number which I could flash in the email. Meanwhile, we again started receiving calls from Airtel. After 10 working days I received the reply to the mail I had sent to the nodal officer and it said that the bill has been waived off!!  (According to the TRAI rules, the nodal officer has to reply in 10 working days. If he/she does not reply then forward your complaint to appellate.del@airtel.in). It was a relief after so many months (to be precise, 5months) of frustration that this problem was resolved.

Some of the things I learnt from the experience:

1. If you are filing a complaint, do it in written. Shouting at them on phone does not really yield any result. Remember that the ‘Customer Care Executive’ have no power to handle your complaint.
2. Do not complain to 121 people. Just mail the nodal officer and that should see some affirmative reply. If you mail 121 people, all they will do is cut copy paste some already written replies (I have received such humorous replies!)
3. Intimate National Consumer Helpline, I think it helps.
4. DON’T BE SCARED OF ‘LEGAL NOTICE’! These people know how to scare Indian masses and earn their buck. Legal notice does not mean much when it comes from some lawyer. The notice has number of laws and sections in it but often it is merely to scare customers.
5. You can write a letter to “The Hindu”. It has a column “Reader’s mail” that comes every Monday. I had troubles with MTNL an year back which was sorted out as soon as the complaint letter was published in the paper. Airtel complaint was also published, alas, only after when it was sorted out! Email address: readers.mail@thehindu.co.in
6. Know that a mobile company does not hold right to activate any service/plan without your consent.
7. Stay firm. If you are right then nothing should defeat you.

The email addresses mentioned above are for Delhi office. One can call the National Consumer Helpline (1800-11-4000) to know the relevant email addesses and phone numbers in order to contact nodal officer or the appellate authority.