COASTAL BUSINESS AND TRADE IN INDIA

     The food inflation has come down mainly due to low demand. There are reasons for the same to come down even further than 3 %. The demand is low due to the low level of consumption among the lower middle class and of course the poor. The consumption level peaked earlier due to the capacity of lower and upper middle classes starting to spend freely on whatever vegetables are available in the market. This capacity came from the exceptional upbeat of the economy in all fronts a few months back. The inflation then was hovering over the double digit mark.
     The upper middle class families and the rich would not have cut down their expenses on the vegetables, meat and fish. But the lower middle class would surely do if their capacity to earn as before fell sharply due to unemployment and job loss due to lower industrial productions and silent layoffs. These people are the most vulnerable both by design and due to their own peculiar nature. In fact, many families belonging to this group would go on a spending spree when the time is fortunate and show withdrawal symptoms the moment they lose their capacity to earn enough money.
      Therefore, the industrial production steadily declining and the capacity of the consumers nosediving the people of India have now before them a brief moment of low inflation or rather low food inflation. The poor on the other hand remain on the basic necessity levels as before and have no cause for any hysterics then and also now.
       However, one spot in India has still woes on the food front as the food inflation has not come down all that conspicuously. Here in Kerala due to the row over the Mulaperiyar dam things are not all that comfortable as there is less vegetable, fish, meat and poultry coming from Tamil Nadu. The unrest would in all possibility show a very high inflation during the X Mas next week.
      This shows that its perhaps high time we thought of coastline trade through steamers for placating the demands of food for the population of Kerala. This would ensure a steady coastline operation of steamers carrying food grains, vegetables, poultry to the people of this state. Security around the coastal areas are a big problem yet if there is proper regulation and licensing of private steamers or speed boats to carry on with trade in food items by procuring them from Maharashtra, Karnataka and Goa and even Gujarat then the food problem would be solved; Mullaperiyar or no Mullaperiyar. Patrolling and policing should be strengthened such that the trade barrier is overcome in this area.
        In any case this is a must in the future as the modern trade demands such innovative supply chain activities to go into full swing to overcome the burden of the present lethargic distribution system in the whole country. Vigilant border coast guards and vessels and the booming trade between different states would create more employment which is all for the progress of the nation on the whole.
         Remove the shackles of any artificial barriers and let such trade increase.
Galvanizing the interstate farmers to action
    The cross border farmers and even those in the interiors living in states far away from Kerala could benefit out of this. The could make use of the high food prices in Kerala compared to the other states. In fact the prices are too high for the farmers of other states to even dream of. Innovating Government of Kerala should take a step forward in this regard and make use of its distribution network to establish collection centers and depots at other states, preferably in and around the coastline where such steamers or speed boats could make way or anchored at.
     The next thing is pretty good marketing and publicity campaigns which is rather simple. All the government has to do is to place placards or sign boards that clearly gives out the entire list of vegetable, fish, meat and poultry in the language of the respective state. Next to the item will be the prevalent weekly index price list of these food items. The rest will even easier as this by itself would galvanize the local farmers into action as none would never even dream of such huge prices. This is no joke, but can cleverly be done with minimal expenses on the part of the government.
    Ambitious Supplyco offices of Kerala could be utilized to run even boats along the coastlines with refrigerated and deep-frozen food supply and storage facilities for enhancing the distribution network. Others too are likely to follow suit. BHARAT FDI TYPE RETAIL could be an immense possibility here and everywhere else in the country.
Rest of India
The same holds true for the rest of the country including those in the interiors. A little innovative planning and the country can have a great water system running and streaming through its different river tributaries which can be prove to a formidable distribution network in itself. The coastline outlets can act as a stop over and tiny harbors can bring forth the possibility of providing unique trade and transit of goods all for generation of a sound distribution system and surely for employment purposes. The year 2012 can be a year of some kind of progress in this matter. Even the boat manufacturing scene would undergo a rapid positive change. It is not as imposing as the large ship making units, but definitely the small boats manufacturing could create employment to hundreds and thousands in the country. Lethargic Tourism Industry of India can also rise up to the occasion and lend a helping hand in a matter where it has so far not shown enough drive or zest.

FLEXIBILITY FOR INDIAN NATIONAL HIGHWAYS RULES

        Of late the system of extracting money for the government built over-bridges, flyovers and road repairs on the National Highway in India has become a contentious issue. There has been numerous protests, dharnas and road blockades. This is particularly true of places where the density of the population is too high and where the locals have to move about for their daily needs and requirements one way or the other over these areas. Hence, crisscrossing the National Highway toll gates are becoming all too common for those engaging in short hops.
         Enigmatic toll gates rules are yet another thing altogether where the common folks have less of chance to speak against as the Government seems to be doing its best by modernizing the otherwise dilapidated road conditions. Now what is the problem? The main problem is that people or vehicles be it a two wheeler, a car or a truck passing through these highways have to pay toll which is a system of extracting revenue from the people who use it so as to maintain these highways.
          However, this is okay as far as the National averages are concerned where highways appear far away from the actual residential areas. Even if a major accident or massacre or mass rapes take place in such areas in many other parts of the country then it is reported only the next day or even a couple of days later. True, what else can be done with poor communication and absence of any social network. What I mean to say is that these highways are way away from the place where the population lives. In Kerala this is not so. In fact many people in good density live and work near these toll gates.Their livelihood depends on commuting frequently.
         The irony is that they have to do it several times a day. It is okay for the day as the payment to and for through the toll gates are extracted once only, but what about the next day and the next and so on. What can the government do about it? Well, it needs to think along this line for sooner or later urbanization would speed elsewhere in the country as they did in Kerala. The best suggestion would be do as follows:

• The toll gates should be able to extract the amount from long distance travelers as they did earlier. 
• The toll gates should demand something like a 'blue card' or any other card for that matter whereby the people possessing them are allowed free to pass through without any hindrance.
• These blue card ought to be sold by the respective RTO office to residents living within a defined area near to the toll gates or town by extracting only a token amount and renewable every month.
• Every state government should pass the order and come to an understanding with the Indian highway authorities. 
•  Ruling RTO offices of Thrissur, Koch and Thrivanthapuram and others could make some kind of ammendments to the existing rules by involving the National Highway authority into the process of evolving a common program that could remove the anxiety of the people who are going to be worst effected.
• Frequency electronically meters can be conceived so that vehicle numbers that are frequently passing through the toll area can be identified and some concession could be allowed. This again ought to be updated periodically so that vehicle owners do not take any undue advantage of it. 

Why the blue card you might ask? Well, nothing the blue color isn't being used anywhere and the is quite uncommon color. That's all. But it surely would help people passing the tollgates in distress.