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By:

Abhijit Mulye

21 August 2024 at 11:29:11 am

Deepening BJP-Sena rift exposed

Mumbai: Corridors of power in Maharashtra are witnessing a growing sense of unease. Stern and quick disciplinary actions against senior bureaucrats are rare in state administration. The recent suspension of a senior IAS officer for failing to brief a minister during an ongoing assembly session has sent shockwaves through the bureaucracy. It has also laid bare the intense power struggle between ruling alliance partners, the BJP and the Shiv Sena. The controversy erupted when presiding officer...

Deepening BJP-Sena rift exposed

Mumbai: Corridors of power in Maharashtra are witnessing a growing sense of unease. Stern and quick disciplinary actions against senior bureaucrats are rare in state administration. The recent suspension of a senior IAS officer for failing to brief a minister during an ongoing assembly session has sent shockwaves through the bureaucracy. It has also laid bare the intense power struggle between ruling alliance partners, the BJP and the Shiv Sena. The controversy erupted when presiding officer Dilip Lande ordered immediate suspension of Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) Member Secretary M. Devendar Singh and Joint Director Satish Padwal. It is an unwritten parliamentary convention that presiding officers refrain from directing such severe administrative actions directly from the chair. However, the environment department acted with unprecedented speed. Sources indicate that the file implementing these suspension orders has already reached Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis’ office. Babus Baffled This swift administrative compliance has caused a significant flutter among top officials. Many bureaucrats feel the Fadnavis administration is setting a dangerous precedent. Others quietly admit that the officers simply became collateral damage in a fierce political crossfire. The root of this administrative crisis lies in the fraught relationship between two key political figures. The environment department is headed by BJP Minister Pankaja Munde. Meanwhile, the MPCB is chaired by Shiv Sena leader Siddhesh Kadam. The two leaders reportedly do not see eye to eye. M. Devendar Singh, the suspended IAS officer, is widely considered to be close to senior Shiv Sena minister Sanjay Rathod. During his earlier tenure as the district collector of Ratnagiri, Singh also developed close ties with powerful Sena minister Uday Samant. Bureaucratic circles suggest that Singh was appointed as the MPCB member secretary last year primarily due to strong recommendations from Samant and Sanjay Rathod. Against this backdrop, the political rivalry between Munde and Kadam reached a boiling point. According to an MPCB insider, Kadam allegedly issued oral instructions to board officials ordering them not to share any information with minister Munde or her office without his prior consent. Caught between a hostile chairman and an inquiring minister, officers naturally shied away from providing crucial briefings. Sensing this deliberate blockade of information, frustrated Munde spilled the beans on the floor of the House. She admitted her inability to answer legislators’ questions due to non-cooperative officials. The issue quickly escalated, likely beyond the minister’s own imagination. The presiding officer intervened, and the bureaucrats ultimately bore the brunt of the political dysfunction. Top officials now privately acknowledge that this entire episode is a direct outcome of the shifting power dynamics between the BJP and the Shiv Sena. This incident is not an isolated case of administrative cracking of the whip. Recently, the government initiated strict disciplinary action against an assistant charity commissioner in Gondia simply for participating in a lucky draw without prior permission from her superiors. Together, these incidents are sending a chilling message down the administrative spine. While the government attempts to project an image of strict discipline and accountability, the bureaucracy is increasingly feeling the heat of coalition politics. Officials are now acutely aware that navigating the fragile egos of alliance partners is just as critical as their administrative duties.

Indian Shipbuilding A Must Win Marathon

Shipbuilding

With a coastline of 7500 KM, it is hard to imagine, that for the first 20 years (1947-1967) India had no ‘shipping ministry’. In 1967 a Shipping ministry “coupled” with ROAD transport was established. Since then, this ministry has been on a name changing ride, not once, not twice but six times. In 2009 the “ROAD Transport and Highways” was de-coupled and ‘Shipping’ ministry was formed. Turning point came in 2015 with a clear maritime vision for 2030 and 2047. Ministry was re-christened, aptly to Ministry of “Ports, Shipping and Waterways” in 2020.


Why is Shipbuilding important for a country?

a. A Shipyard becomes an opportunity hub and like a queen bee requires the support of an industrial colony to manufacture machinery and equipment.

b. National Shipyards support fleet renewal needs of the Navy.

c. Contributes to national GDP, increases inflow of FOREX.


Korea shipbuilding is 8% of GDP. Japan’s automobile industry is 2.9% of GDP. India’s shipbuilding a meagre 0.000578% of GDP. In context, India’s pharmaceutical industry, ranked third largest in the world is 1.72% of India’s GDP.


International Shipbuilding Market

The market is estimated to reach around USD 200 billion by 2029, growing at a CAGR of 4.84%. While India is at bottom with 0.07% of world share, behind Philippines 1.5% and Vietnam 1%, however on the positive side, India has done well in taking care of its defence needs, with 37 of 39 Naval ships being built in India yards. Rear Admiral S Shrikhande researching on maritime as a Fellow at Wollongong University, Australia, says “Shipbuilding in India needs both, serious incentivisation and dogged determination and not harping on being a big ship breaking country. That Garden Reach shipyard has a $54 million order for merchant ships from a German owner, is a good sign.”


Were Shipyards of 20th century in Flight mode?

Prominent shipyards in India were built in the colonial period. Mazagon Dock 1774, Garden reach 1884, Hindustan shipyard 1941 to cater to British navy and merchant fleet needs. Cochin shipyard 1972, Adani Katupalli 2013, Reliance Naval and Engineering, Rajula Gujarat 1997 and others have limited capacity, hence a lot more work to do. Capt. Subhangshu Dutt (Singapore) a mariner and now a shipowner, says “GOI should hold hands in any collaboration till the marriage with the foreign entity is reasonably stable. He also suggests that “new shipbuilding sites should be given to existing successful shipyards since they have decades of experience and talent. Consortium of 3 or more parties may also be good idea”.


Shipbuilding GOLD

As per SPLASH report the demand for LCO2 carriers could reach 2,500 ships by 2050. As per other estimates, 40% of global fleet of ships could have wind propulsion by 2050. A surge in such vessels is due to an unparallel waves of decarbonization in the shipping industry. Demand for ships with ‘carbon neutral’ badges, such as Dual fuel, Wind assisted, Nuclear fuel ships, Hydrogen powered ships, Liquified CO2 (LCO2) carrier, is outstripping supply. A must in the ‘bucket list’ of every Shipyard. Pinning down a standard ROI in shipbuilding is not easy, but experts suggest it could range from 4% to 15% for the high demand ‘carbon neutral’ ships. While an LNG new build vessel could cost US$ 250 million upwards.


International collaboration

On China’s shipbuilding success story, Manoj Pandalanghat (Singapore) a mariner and ship owner believes that “China has around 50 active Shipyards. Each have a few large dry docks. In each dock two or more large vessels are built simultaneously. Thus, a single yard is able to roll out 2/3 vessels/month, 36 vessels/year and 50 shipyards roll out 1800 vessels/year”.


China could be a jaldi-5, but India needs a sturdy Mount Fiji. Besides technology, Japanese bring the most important hand baggage of soft-skills and culture, essential for success from keel laying to delivery. Maruti’s is a standing example.


Food for thought for New Delhi

a. Expertise: Hire Naval Architects and shipbuilding experts with current international experience.

b. Government assistance: Land, Financial support, subsidies and timebound clearances.

c. Monitoring: PMO should monitor the first 5 to 10 years till Shipbuilding takes-off on this long-haul flight to destination 2047.


India’s Shipbuilding is expected to grow to $237 billion by year 2047. On a back of the envelope calculations this works out to about 4% of India’s 2047 projected GDP of $ 5 trillion. While cars are driven on roads, however the Ministry of roads and transport has little to do with “Automobile manufacturing”. On a similar note, ‘Shipbuilding’ as an industry has little to do with Ports, Shipping and Waterways, thus it may be worthwhile to consider a separate ‘Ship-building’ wing in the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways headed by a dynamic cabinet rank minister. Since 2047 targets are stiff and an uphill task, so in all probabilities, the officials in Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways are likely to push beneath the carpet, delays and failures of Shipbuilding with sweet success stories of “Ports, Shipping and Waterways” and if this does happen then India will not only miss the Shipbuilding bus of 21st century but a lot more from a national security and strategic perspective.


(The author is a Shipping and Marine consultant. Member Singapore Shipping Association and empaneled with IMO as a specialist consultant. Views personal.)

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