ಆಲದ ಮರದ ಅನಾವರಣ

This was a day of keeping up the promise, a day of rejoicing in the accomplishment of restoring the life of a charming garden!

The Big banyan tree at Basaveswaranagar has made way to its kin!

You must have read in my musings of 15th instant of May, how disturbed I was and so also the people of the place when all of us saw the Big Banyan tree at Basaveshwaranagar Monkey Park laying down its life. The sentiments attached to this tree were beyond the words to express.

I went pensive, as to how fast and how effectively I should function to soothe the ailing hearts of the people of the locality who were all missing the tree’s presence. Although nothing can replace the legacy of the tree, all that I could do was to plant a banyan tree in the same place which could definitely bring some kind of merriment on the peoples’ faces.

My search for a tree ended when we found a sapling of around 15 ft height with a circumference of around 2 ½ ft near BHEL Circle on Mysore road. This tree was about to be axed for the Metro rail work!

The preceding one was a day of 24 hours and beyond for the forest officers and my party workers who were successful in removing the remaining of the old tree and transporting the sapling (!) right from Mysore road to the place.

Flower lit, the atmosphere resembled a grand ceremony. Every one’s mood was festive! I could see the excitement in the eyes of those people of the area who were gathered to see the re-birth of their old friend! It was a grand birthday party in its literal sense! Sweets distributed, Reverences uttered, prayers held.

Finally when the sapling got its place on the soil, the moment and the feeling was as comforting and ecstatic as for a mother giving birth to her progeny.

My gratitude to everybody who had made the day memorable!

- S.Sureshkumar

Finance Ministers’ meet- Vigyan Bhavan, New Delhi- 11^th June 09

It was an opportunity for me to be present in the Finance Ministers’ meet convened by the Union Finance Minister, Mr.Pranab Mukherjee. My CM had directed me to represent and convey the views of the State in that Pre budget meet. It was an excellent gesture on the part of Mr Pranab Mukherjee, who is a veteran in the administrative matters. At one point of time, he was heading a group of 55 ministers! Few CMs Mr.Ashok Gehlot of Rajasthan, Tarun Gogoi of Assam, Premkumar Dhawal from Himachal Pradesh, and the Deputy CM of Bihar, Mr. Susheel Modi who all hold the finance portfolios of their respective states made their presence. Mr Pranab Mukherjee is always known for his no-nonsense approach.

The deliberations went on for seven quality hours with absolute seriousness. Everyone was allowed to express his views. Vigyan bhavan, the venue was vibrating with the positive views and concern for the Country’s economic future. For a change, politics and the political speeches were conspicuous by their absence.

It was a collective resolve to take the Country out of the present day crisis. Confidence was evident, that nation will surely emerge victorious out of this mess with the collective thinking and effort.

It was nice to watch Mr.Asim Das Guptha, the finance Minister of West Bengal and also the Chairman of the Empowerment Committee who dwelt on the issue at length. Nationalistic sentiment was evident in the meet when the saner voices from the smaller states like Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Manipur and all other states were heard with apt attention and total acceptance.

Personal front, it was a meeting which enriched my knowledge and gave me a glimpse of the situation in various states. Karnataka’s views on the future of the garment industry, the need to improve infrastructure in smaller towns and cities to nurture industries and hence create more jobs, offering job oriented training to the rural youth etc., and many other issues were taken note of by those who were present.

It’s my sincere belief, that such deliberations will go a long way in shaping up the future of the nation.