BANK CUSTOMERS IN DOLDRUMS

People keep their money in fixed deposits with banks because they trust the banking channel more than any other investment avenue. This is more than apt in the case of senior citizens who are sixty and above. They do it because they are risk averse and they are uncertain of their future. They park all their available resources in fixed deposits for augmenting their income through the interest received on deposits.  Most of these depositors keep their money in fixed deposits for a period of one year for reasons best known to them. However the deposits stay with the banks for longer periods of time as the depositors prefer renewal of the deposits on maturity than their withdrawal. They are aware that fixed deposits with banks ensure a liquidity that is not available elsewhere. The renewal is automatic for the original period in the event of no specific instructions from the depositors.

Demonetization and consequent inflow of phenomenal deposits have made the banks take their depositors for a ride. They are now flush with funds and the depositor is no longer the King. They have done a great disservice to the depositors by lowering the interest paid on fixed deposits for a period of one year. Adding insult to injury banks have fixed a higher rate of interest on deposits for a period of 211 days to less than one year that is up to 364 days whereas the depositor is eligible only for a lower rate of interest   if the deposit is held with the banks for 365 days or more. The table here is telltale.

Interest Rates on Retail Domestic Term Deposits (Below Repees One Crore) W.E.F. 17.11.2016

 (All figures in % per annum)

Tenors	Existing for Public w.e.f. 24.10.2016	Revised For Public w.e.f. 17.11.2016	Existing for Senior Citizens w.e.f. 24.10.2016	Revised for Senior Citizens w.e.f. 17.11.2016
7 days to 45 days	5.50	5.50	6.00	6.00
46 days to 179 days	6.50	6.50	7.00	7.00
180 days to 210 days	6.75	6.75	7.25	7.25
211 days to less than 1 year	7.00	7.00	7.50	7.50
1 year to 455 days	7.05	6.90	7.55	7.40
456 days to less than 2 years	7.10	6.95	7.60	7.45
2 years to less than 3 years	7.00	6.85	7.50	7.35
3 years to less than 5 years	6.50	6.50	7.00	7.00
5 years and up to 10 years	6.50	6.50	7.00	7.00

It is obvious that when deposits for a period of one year are auto renewed on maturity by banks for the reason that the depositor has not furnished any specific instructions  the  renewal is done for one year that is 365 days whereby the depositors strike a huge loss. The profit banks earn without any effort is huge.

The depositors mostly take their deposit receipts to banks for renewal after some gap from the date of maturity and most of them are oblivious to the loss they sustain due to the unsavoury role banks play with their deposits and their lives. It is clear from the table that banks punish people who keep their funds in long term deposits.

Apart from this ignominious act, when banks reduce rates of interest on Housing Loans they require the borrowers to approach them and remit a fixed quantum of interest as well as charges for reduction in the rates of interest on Housing Loans. Most of the borrowers never go through these hassles. Banks are the gainers for the reason they do not reduce the rates of interest on Housing Loans unless the borrowers satisfy their wrongful diktat. The net effect is nothing but the majority of the borrowers are excluded from the benefits that ought to be accruing to them on account of reduction in rates of interest on Housing Loans proclaimed with much fanfare.

Banks prosper while the customers, both depositors and borrowers, decline. Long live  profitability of banks.

KUTTANAD IMBROGLIO

The Tiruvalla – Edathua – Thakazhy – Ambalapuzha road connects MC(Main Central) Road with the NH(National Highway). It had taken much more than half a century for it to attain the current shape. The development of the arterial road had progressed at a lazy pace. There were bridges to be built. The road had to be widened and raised to non submergible level. Though successive governments had been in power no one was interested in developing the parcel of land below sea level that is so unique in the world. Wherever you go Kuttanad is picture perfect. Nature has blessed Kuttanad with pristine beauty. Rivers, canals, paddy fields, lakes, fertile earth and vegetation in abundance sheltered by green canopy criss- cross Kuttanad. The greatest asset of Kuttanad is its man power. The people are hard working. They battle the elements at all times. Their strength is their resilience. Wherever they have migrated they have carried their never-say- die spirit with them to conquer the world. William Wordsworth would have narrated Kuttanad alone if he had visited it.

Kuttanad is unfortunate. Had it been in any other state of India or in any other country in the world its potential would by now have been fully explored. The people would have benefitted. The state would have prospered. The country would have had an icon.

The arterial road lies in shambles today. It had been more than a year since it was dug up to lay pipes to transmit drinking water to Alapuzha. The asphalted road is no longer there. It is nothing but a path filled with large craters. Vehicles negotiate the damaged road with great difficulty. At times the wheels dig into the earth and are stuck there causing traffic bottlenecks. It has to be borne in mind that road tax has been levied for the vehicles. There is no insurance for the damages they suffer. People who stay on both sides of the road suffer from endemic diseases the never ending dust transmits.

There was a news item on page no. 3 of Malayala Manorama news paper of 23102016 from Alapuzha.  It read in Malayalam ‘Thakarnna rodilude panja businte melkurayil idichu yatrakarante thalayku parukku’. Translated into English it would read ‘ Passenger suffers head injury hitting the roof of the bus that sped recklessly through the damaged road.’

The news from Edathua is disturbing. It highlights the bandaged head of Mr. N.J. Sajeev, Noottimuppathil Chira, Edathua. Sajeev was thrown up from his seat and his head had hit the luggage rack when the  driver of the KSRTC Bus in which he was travelling had  applied sudden brake as it was about to fall into a ditch on the road.  The bus was travelling at a high speed. The driver Mr. Mathew and the Conductor Mr.Francis after termination of the trip at Edathua took the injured person to the Community Health Centre where no doctors were available. He was given first aid there and later he sought treatment from a private hospital.

Where else these things are possible in the world except Kuttanad? When would the suffering of its people would be alleviated? It is with a heavy heart that I pen this. It seems the only expendable commodity in Kuttanad is the life of the human being.

MIRACULOUS ESCAPE FROM THE CLUTCHES OF DEATH

MIRACULOUS ESCAPE FROM THE CLUTCHES OF DEATH

Dinesh is an executive with a well known company.  I came into contact with him when my Personal  Computer had developed some snags that had defied rectification. The Manager had assured me that he was quite smart and courteous. Dinesh wasted no time to call at my place. He had a look at the machine and he told me it was beyond his capability. But he assured that it was something that his Manager could easily resolve. He returned to his office and requested his Manager to accompany him. Proving Dinesh right the Manager had rectified the issue within no time. I had liked the mindset of the young man very much. He had a pleasant smile and had exuded confidence all around. 

‘Garbage in Garbage out’ is the motto of the computer. My machine was no exception. It must have been my own fault the machine struck work again after a gap of four months.  I requested the Manager to depute Dinesh once again. The Manager explained he was helpless as Dinesh had been hospitalized. But he had promised to visit my place within two days as he had been overburdened due to the nonavailability of Dinesh. True to his word the Manager had set right the machine within two days. It had never occurred to me to ask the Manager why Dinesh had been hospitalised.  Perhaps life had become very much self centered making me utterly unconcerned about others.

True to form the machine malfunctioned again after another two months. I was infuriated. It was a brand new machine.  When I had reported the fault the Manager was a much relieved person as Dinesh was available.

Dinesh reported at my place in the evening. He had no difficulty in setting the machine right. But I was horrified when he had narrated why he had been hospitalized.

One evening Dinesh could reach home a little early.  As he was at home his mother had asked him to buy milk from the booth at Ambalamukku. He went out on his scooter minus the helmet since it was a very short distance though the helmet had been a constant companion ever since he had purchased the vehicle. Alas, the unthinkable had happened on his way back. The vehicle had skidded and he was thrown off. His head had hit the asphalt. There was bleeding from both the legs. Though he felt numb inside the head there was no injury. He was able to get up and since the vehicle had no damage he rode it home.

After handing over the packets of milk to his mother he went to his room and sat on a chair. The moment he sat down he had become unconscious and had fallen down along with the chair. His parents rushed to his room hearing a big thud.   They found him lying on the floor. Blood was flowing from an injured hand. Scared they called up 108. The ambulance reached their home quick. He was taken to the Medical College Hospital. The Doctor on duty understood that the patient was critical. But a CT Scan and an MRI Scan were required for diagnosis and treatment. Unfortunately the Doctor found to his dismay there would be some delay for the scanning.

As the patient was receiving no treatment the parents requested the Doctor to discharge the patient so that he could be taken to a private hospital   in the vicinity that had all the facilities and life supporting systems. The Doctors at the private hospital were professional in their approach. The patient was put through a number of tests and scanning was done immediately. It was found that there was a blood clot in the brain. Though an emergency surgery was the remedy the patient could not be operated upon as he was unconscious. The patient was transferred to the ICU where he was administered injections to dissolve the blood clot. It took 48 hours for the patient to regain consciousness. The Doctors were relieved to observe that the blood clot too had miraculously vanished by that time.

Dinesh was shifted to the ward where he was put on Physiotherapy. It took two months and almost a lakh of Indian rupees for Dinesh to return to his usual self.

Indeed a blood chilling narrative.

Kerala United Theological Seminary, Kannammoola, Thiruvananthapuram on the threshold of celebrating its Platinum Jubilee

Welcome to the Kerala United Theological Seminary, Kannammoola, Thiruvananthapuram. Kerala United Theological Seminary (KUT Seminary) is the premier ecumenical endeavour of the erstwhile CMS, LMS and Basel Mission to promote theological education in vernacular language (Malayalam). Their initiative had been formulated as early as in the late 1930s. Ensuing deliberations had zeroed in on the establishment of a united seminary for Theological education at Trivandrum. The long felt need of a Seminary was fulfilled when the Kerala United Theological Seminary was established at Kannammoola, Trivandrum. KUT Seminary has now been in existence over the past 73 years. At present KUT Seminary is on the threshold of celebrating its Platinum Jubilee in a couple of months.

KUT Seminary is led by its Governing Council where all the Bishops of the CSI Dioceses in Kerala have an active role.

KUT Seminary is affiliated to the Serampore University. It offers courses such as BD, MTh and research facilities for Doctoral studies. Admission to courses is open to candidates from all denominations.

KUT Seminary functions in a scenic campus, situated within a short distance from major locations of Trivandrum. The tranquility permeates to each and everyone here bringing out the best from all those who are associated with the Seminary.

KUT Seminary had illustrious Principals at the helm like Rt.Rev.Jesudasan, Rev.Dr.Jacob Varghese, Rt.Rev. J.W. Gladstone and Rt.Rev.K.P.Kuruvilla among the long list of servants of God who had steered it in the past. The present Principal, Rev.Dr.P.T.George, follows in the path of his predecessors with imagination, radiating dynamism all around.   

KUT Seminary has a brilliant faculty that motivates the students to elevate themselves to the highest plateau. As most of the students when they finish their course go into priesthood the faculty guides them through the rigors of life. Besides attending their classes, the students have to spend fixed as well as productive hours in the Library. Incidentally KUT Seminary has a very good Library. The students manage the mess themselves. Very often one can find them lending a hand to the cook.  They take it upon themselves to keep the campus clean. They cultivate plantain and vegetables. They partake in various sports to keep themselves fit and energetic. Sport has the ability to build a spirit of camaraderie. They are the driving force behind the finance campaign every year.

K U T Seminary strives to breakdown all barriers to opportunity. Students are admitted to the courses here with a vision. It is obvious they could have done anything with their lives. But they have chosen the thorny path to do good. They are trained to sail against the wind and break down the barriers that divide the members of the Church as well as the society. The goal is to transform them as born leaders. Leaders who are confident. Leaders who have the initiative. Leaders who would lead the flock through thick and thin. Leaders who are unafraid to break down the glass ceilings that exist in our caste ridden society. Leaders who lead by example. Leaders who are kind and considerate. Leaders who follow Jesus Christ in word and deed. Leaders who break the barriers not for themselves but for the masses so that no one else would have to face them again.

KUT Seminary wishes to reinvent itself at the Platinum Jubilee and stay afloat in the chaos and destruction that confront the world today. KUT Seminary reiterates the vision of the founding fathers to be among the top class institutions in the world for spiritual learning.

KUT Seminary is well supported by believers in their multitudes, Churches and Organisations. The prayers that have brought KUT Seminary this far will carry it in the years ahead by the Grace of God.

THE GOOD SAMARITAN

Accidents occur in the most unlikely places. It was early in the morning on Thursday the 22^nd July 2016. Two ramps off the NH Bypass lead to the Thiruvananthapuram International Airport, one for the entry and the other for the exit. Unmindful of the restrictions a young woman was riding her scooter down the ramp to the entrance.  A young man, an employee of a contractor at the Airport was going up the ramp on his scooter from the entrance to report for duty.  It started raining. The ramp had enough width so that there had been no scope for any collision on it.

Both scooters came at a high speed at each other like predators. The woman lost her nerves when she saw another vehicle coming straight at her. Her vehicle zigzagged. The rider of the other vehicle had no chance. The vehicles collided. Both riders fell off and were injured. The crowd that had gathered on hearing the collision found the woman off the scooter whereas the man was underneath his vehicle.

The crowd was chivalrous. The woman had injuries. She was immediately packed off in an auto rickshaw to the Hospital. There was no one to even look at the man who had also been injured. The commotion brought Ashwin who was jogging in the vast campus of the Airport to the scene. Ashwin, with the help of another onlooker, managed to extricate the man who was profusely bleeding from beneath the scooter and rushed him to the General Hospital.

Ashwin waited at the General Hospital till the injured was taken care of. Later he took the injured man to his residence at Valiathura. The young man was grateful and had requested his benefactor to have a tea at home. Ashwin shrugged and went off.

Ashwin Abraham runs an export firm ‘Cholakath Exports’.  He turned to export business after a stint in IT companies. In order to keep himself fit he would either jog or play football or exercise at the gym.

He donates blood for patients in intervals. In case he has not completed the interval and if someone is in urgent need he makes it a point to get someone to help the patient.

Ashwin Abraham is available at 9645964814.

YOU NEVER TOLD US YOUR PARENTS WERE POOR

Niranam is well known for Niranam poets. It is a small village in Pathanamthitta District, Kerala State, India. Legend says Niranam had once been reclaimed from the sea. The earth there is pristine white sand that one finds at the sea shore. The place is far away from  major thoroughfares and towns. Simple souls inhabit the land. Agriculture is the mainstay of the economy of the village. Paddy is cultivated in the fields. Sugar cane was once cultivated in the paddy fields as the second crop when the Sugar factory was in full swing. Tuber crops like Tapioca (Kappa), Chembu, Kachil and banana are cultivated in the land. Coconut Palm trees and Areca nut trees line the skyline. Pepper creepers climb up the Areca Nut trees. Jackfruit trees and different varieties of Mango trees provide seasonal fruits. There would be one or two Aanjili trees that go up sky high in almost every parcel of land. Anjili wood is extensively used for doors, windows, furniture, aras(where harvested paddy is stored) and even to build country crafts. Aanjili chakka, the fruit of aanjili is  delicious.  Its nuts are roasted and served as snacks. It is scores ahead of pea nuts.   Tamarind trees are grown for tamarind, an integral component of the delectable fish curry. Tamarind's pulp is sweet. Fish is caught from the ponds and the canals and the river that flows through the village. The paddy fields are flooded once the harvesting is over. It is a seamless  expanse of fresh water where fish migrate from the river and the canals and where the duck farmers lead their ducks to hunt for food.  Each household will have one or two cows that yield milk. They would raise a few hens or ducks for eggs and meat. 

Each family had a large number of children. They worked in the fields as they grew up. The roof of the  houses were thatched. There was no electricity. The people had an aesthetic sense. Flowers like Jasmine, Rose, Dahlia, Hibiscus, Nandiyarvattom and Sun flower spreading fragrance and  good cheer  could be seen around each courtyard. The path to the houses had thick growth of crotons on either side.

Drinking water was drawn from wells. Unfortunately all the households were not blessed with wells. People moved across from their dwelling places to wherever drinking water was available. They would  carry home the water they need in buckets and vessels.

There was no public transport system in the village. There were no Taxis. Autorikshaws were yet to make their mark even in the civilized parts of the state. When people had fallen ill vehicular transportation was not available to take them to a hospital far away.  A few able bodied men would lift the bed on which the sick were lying on to their shoulders and carry them to the point where a vehicle was available for transferring the sick to the hospital.

The people were deeply religious. They had no other go but to have absolute faith in their Gods because a crop failure or natural calamities would drive them to starvation and famine.

Education facilities were minimal. Higher education was a dream that never came true for most of the people. In spite of the handicaps some families had managed to send their children away for higher education.

Kochoikunj and Rahel of Kumbalath Nadukke Veedu had somehow managed to send Samuel, their eldest son to Madras for higher education. Samuel had enrolled in an Engineering College. He had excelled in his studies and had won a scholarship to complete his post graduation in Mechanical Engineering. Though his parents had expected their son to return to Niranam, Samuel had other ideas. He had found an opening in Best and Crompton at Madras. The company placed him in Product Design after putting him through probation for two years.  He had won wide acclaim for the fuel efficient engine he had designed for the tractor. Fame brought him a placement, Vice President, in General Motors in Detroit, USA.  

Samuel had married Mariamma when he had successfully completed his probation. It was an arranged marriage. When the offer of placement had come from General Motors, Samuel and Mariamma had two children, Babu of three years and Babita of one year.

Acceptance of the offer from General Motors meant relocation of the family to USA. The offer was so good that no one in his right senses would ever forsake it. Samuel was offered a royalty on his designs patented by General Motors besides the hefty package on offer.

The man from Niranam had made it big in the world. Kochoikunj and Rahel were proud of the achievements of their son. They were happy to receive letters regularly from Samuel. Since there were no Telephones in Niranam they could not converse with each other.

The demands of the job made it impossible for Samuel to plan a visit to India. Finally after seven years Samuel seized an opportunity to spend two weeks with his parents at Niranam. The arrival of Samuel with his family was a great event for the people of the village where everyone knew everyone else quite unlike in larger cities.

Kochoikunj and Rahel were happy. They wished to celebrate the arrival of their son with his family by serving a feast to all the residents of the village. It was a gala event. There was music. There was a big pandal (shamiana) to accommodate all the guests. Food was served on plantain leaves in true Kerala fashion.

When they saw food being served on plantain leaves Babu and Babita had started to cry bitterly. Samuel and Mariamma had no idea why the children were crying. They tried very hard to pacify them. The children while sobbing blurted out, “You never told us your parents were poor. That’s why they could not afford plates.”

AARON ANOOP ABRAHAM