[sustran] Re: No money for good PT or walk/bike infastructure?: India 'world's biggest arms buyer'

[Sujit Patwardhan]

Thank you Rutul for your timely intervention on this.

My problem with Tom's email is not so much its content but the tone which
can be interpreted (I'm sure unjustly) as anti-India. If one starts talking
about expenditure on arms I can write volumes on the US and USSR and UK and
France and many other countries that could use the money on health,
education, the environment and so on... and now China and India are also
joining their ranks, but I sincerely believe that bulk of the criticism
against Government's spending on the armaments industry should come from the
citizens themselves (where citizens have the democratic space to do so). I
also admit that as citizens we (all of us, the communists included) are not
doing enough in this area.

Having said that-- in context of Public Transport and NMT facilities I think
all (our) cities have enough money which is presently being spent on the
wrong projects ones that will basically facilitate (even fuel) greater use
of personal auto vehicles. As Rutul has points out, even with substantial
amounts made available under the various urban renewal schemes, a favourable
National Urban Transport Policy, insistence on preparation of City Mobility
Plans before release of funds from the central Govt to the states and cities
etc etc, we see PT and NMT schemes conspicuous by their absence. This is
also being pointed out by many NGOs and independent experts.

I feel the reason for this is the absence of proper monitoring and
regulatory systems that need to be in place. There is evidence that
presently this is being formulated by the central government and it may
start functioning soon. However this should have been done at least 5 years
back.

--
Sujit









On Tue, Mar 15, 2011 at 11:19 AM, Rutul Joshi <joshirutul at yahoo.co.in>wrote:

> Why Off-topic? Would anyone care to explain?  (Before anyone label me, I
> must add that I am an Indian but not a communist)
>
>
> However, this view - money for weapons but not for sustainable transport -
> might be a bit naive.
>
>
> There is a lot of money with cities, states etc (400 million $ annual
> budget of a 5 million plus city). There is a policy in place (National Urban
> Transport Policy)... there is a program to implement this policy (JNNURM now
> 'new' 'improved' JnNRUM)...there are plans (comprehensive mobility plans -
> CMPs) then why is it so that even straight-forward projects like building
> footpaths everywhere do not take off? Would anyone care to explain?
>
>
>
> Rutul
>
>
>
>
>
>
> ________________________________
> From: Cornie Huizenga <cornie.huizenga at slocatpartnership.org>
> To: eric britton <eric.britton at ecoplan.org>
> Cc: Asia and the Pacific sustainable transport <
> sustran-discuss at list.jca.apc.org>
> Sent: Tuesday, 15 March 2011 6:40 AM
> Subject: Re: [sustran] Re: No money for good PT or walk/bike
> infastructure?: India 'world's biggest arms buyer'
>
> Eric,
>
> I fully agree!
>
> Cornie
>
> On Tue, Mar 15, 2011 at 4:11 AM, eric britton <eric.britton at ecoplan.org
> >wrote:
>
> > You are off topic Todd. Please.  Eric Britton
> >
> >
> > --------------------------------------------------------
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> >
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>
>
>
> --
> Cornie Huizenga
> Joint Convener
> Partnership on Sustainable, Low Carbon Transport
> Mobile: +86 13901949332
> cornie.huizenga at slocatpartnership.org
> www.slocat.net
> --------------------------------------------------------
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>
> --------------------------------------------------------
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>
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> equitable and sustainable transport with a focus on developing countries
> (the 'Global South').
>



-- 
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*“..each million we invest into urban motorways is an investment
to destroy the city“*

Mayor Hans Joachim Vogel
Munich 1970

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Sujit Patwardhan
patwardhan.sujit at gmail.com
sujit at parisar.org <sujitjp at gmail.com>
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