Friday, March 27, 2009

Nanoing the way to change

Nano is finally on the scene, thanks to grit of Tata. One day, actually last year, I was traveling in an auto in Mumbai. I started chatting with the driver both to pass time and to get some idea of their thinking. It was just a few months after Tata had unveiled the Nano in Auto-expo. I asked him what do he think about Nano. He said that Tata is doing real good but it would hurt people like him. I asked and he told that now more and more people would shift to buying cars so the people opting for travel in auto would decrease. I was astonished with his sheer calculations but suddenly a thought came to me and I shared it with him also. I wondered if the Government of India can start a scheme under which they provide some loan to the auto-drivers to buy nano and they can repay the loan in installments. Also, the government can give some exchange-value for their auto. This could have following benefits:
  1. First and foremost, it would increase the dignity and self-respect of the auto-drivers as they would then become proud owner of a Taxi,
  2. It would reduce the emission-problems up to a great extent and thus the air-quality would improve,
  3. The Nano project could also become economically viable and sustainable by the bulk purchases from the government. Nano could be seen as something of which India can feel proud (as the world's cheapest car).
  4. The aesthetic looks of the cities would improve as the brand-new Nanos would replace the old autos.
So planner! are you listening...?

1 comment:

  1. Good going. The cost difference between an auto and Nano may not be much.

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