Digital Footprints!

Online Payment/NEFT for Public Provident Fund - PPF

Public Provident Fund

When we opened the PPF account with SBI last year we had no option to make an online transfer to the PPF account. However a few days back I spoke with the Manager of SBI and was informed that I can do a NEFT transfer into the PPF account even though I do not have an SBI Savings account. So I tried initiating a simple Rs.5 transfer into my SBI PPF account from my Citi Bank Online NEFT and Yippeee it works. Finally some respite as I can make it into small EMI so that I don't feel the pinch at the end of the year.

Image taken from here

Nobody is above the law - Nemo est supra legis

Chola King Manuneedhi Cholan

It was a pleasant start of a day with showers early this morning and a sense of calmness around the place with just the sweet chirping of the birds. An early start to office, hoping to beat traffic (and fail as always - everyone starts early to beat traffic) the roads looked deserted until I reached Anna Nagar - K4 Police Station where there was heavy traffic towards the police station. While I keep looking at the white line ahead of me and steering to stay within the lines not getting on the way of the incoming traffic, I see a nice white car over taking me on my right, with the head lights on (my understanding is that it means a request for the right of way - correct me if I am wrong) into the incoming traffic and another white car behind the first one. Before I could yell at the driver "Where the hell do you think you are going?" I am quick to pause and hold my thought and tongue as I see a red beacon flashing on the first car and the second car with just a red beacon. I was telling myself "don't get into an argument with a police officer" (that's the first thing you get in your head seeing a car with a beacon right?). Oh baby was I in for a surprise? In fact shock. Both cars are that of the Hon'ble Madras High Court Judges. I am not sure whether the Hon'ble Judges were there (I assume there was a High Court Judge inside the first car as the beacon was flashing). While I still wait for the signal to turn green and the long Q of cars before me to move, the two cars just slipped away and long gone. (like Gone in 60 seconds) My memories went back to my first year of law school when I was introduced to legal maxims and one maxim that flashed on my windshield was "Nemo est supra legis" meaning "Nobody is above the law" and the statute of the Chola King Manuneedhi Cholan in the premises of the Madras High Court Campus which I happen to see often accompanying my grand father to Court since my school days. The Chola king believed to have killed his own son to provide justice to a Cow whose Calf was killed under the wheels of his chariot. I pondered over the question of whether the Hon'ble High Court Judges are an exception to this maxim and drew into the heaviest of the rains I have ever seen, reaching office on time.

Image taken from: http://www.hcmadras.tn.nic.in

The Pram Saga in Chennai

Driving through the crazy Chennai traffic I was recollecting the hard time we went through finding a quality, reliable pram for our son Matt. Then the success in finding one such thing and then wondering whether I should put it right here so that someone else might find it useful. My wondering materialized when I saw todays comment on my FB status.

Now we started checking out prams from Just Born (which has only their own brand), Mom & Me(Very few prams - cheaper but shabby), Born Babies (in Anna Nagar- Decent enough with a few models by First Step), BSA (yes BSA cycles which we had in our younger days) but unfortunately they have less productions, Mere Toy Shop had a few models from First Step and some other brand. The shocking part was I checked with Angels in Anna Nagar and they had a few models like Zauhaou and apparently you know where it is made :-) LOL Made in C%^&*. None of the parents would risk their babies life with that.

HUNKY DORY in Kilpauk - I am gonna give this a 100% rating because I really liked this shop for their collections and more important excellent customer service. When we first went there Matt was just a week old and he started crying and the staff there made if so convenient for us to handle the situation very well. And when I went in last week when the hunt for Pram started they had a few models from First Step and one from Chicco which was really good. But when I went in a few days back they had ran out of stock. Meanwhile in Ampa Sky Walk I met this nice lady who was using Chicco for their kid and enquired where she had got it and she said "I got it from Switzerland" Wow! But she advised that I check with a few stores in Express Avenue which I did but my attempts were futile.

So we finally decided that we will go for Chicco because it is branded and will have international service as Matt would be travelling soon. The Chicco will also be smart enough to be handled well inside the flight as I cant take a risk trusting the baggage handlers. We all know how our baggage is handled! Broken Handles, etc etc. :-) Checked online and as always South in India means Bangalore and Chennai is part of Sri Lanka. :-) This discrimination starts right from a news channel ignoring Chennai to Chicco who opens up shop all over the north and in South in Bangalore. But Hunky Dory guys are smart. real Smart! Within 50 minutes of telling them the model number they got me the pram. It was a nice piece and Matt enjoyed it as well.

Thank you Hunky Dory for making my day.

Mission Passport - Chennai Passport Office - II

UPDATE:

Apparently, the Regional Passport Office in Nungambakkam does not offer Passport services anymore. As you pointed out, TCS has opened Passport Seva centers (3 in Chennai - Aminjakkarai, Saligramam and Thambaram). Children under 3 and senior citizen do not need any prior appointment at Thambaram center. However for Aminjikarai and Saligramam, we have to schedule the appointment online.

Just thought I'll share this info with you. Thanks again, for your blog.

Regards,

Ghuru

I was glad that the mission to get the passport for Matt was over on March 14, 2011. But I was WRONG. Unfortunately have underrated our Indian Officials. The online status page always showed that the File No was incorrect. I am not surprised but definitely pissed off! So I wrote an email to the passport office on the email address mentioned in the receipt on March 17 - Yes you guessed it right. NO RESPONSE. Then another reminder on March 18 but this time with a copy of the email to others as well. BINGO! No response yet :-) LOL. The TATKAL scheme was to issue passport in 7 working days and that is gonna be March 22, 2011. Not to take a risk I have sent Ansari my super duper office guy to check in the passport office. Yes not to forget the futile attempts to SMS the application number to the automated system that gave the same response that the application number is wrong :-) and the unanswered phone calls to numbers 044-28203591, 93, 94 and the automated voice " The Number you have dialed is currently busy, Please try after some time".

A few questions that came to my mind....

>When will our Government Offices stop FU**ing us?
>Why can't we just outsource the paper work to VFS or some agency like that instead of having touts and brokers doing this at the ground floor of the passport office?
>Why cant we have some polite people at the passport office guiding us instead of BULL DOG officials who treat you like SHIT?

from	Raja Selvam
to		rpo.chennai@mea.gov.in, jscpo@mea.gov.in, pptgrievance@tn.nic.in
date		Fri, Mar 18, 2011 at 9:00 AM
subject		File No: MASF00555011 in the name of MATTHEW GREGORY SELVAM dated March 14, 2011
mailed-by		gmail.com

hide details Mar 18 (3 days ago)

- Hide quoted text -

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Raja Selvam <selvamraja@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, Mar 17, 2011 at 11:05 AM
Subject: File No: MASF00555011 in the name of MATTHEW GREGORY SELVAM dated March 14, 2011
To: rpo.chennai@mea.gov.in

Dear Sir,

I have applied for a passport under TATKAL and was given the above mentioned file number. However when I tried checking the status of the application using the file number the system shows that no such file number exists. I would appreciate if you can provide me with the status of the application. Thank you so much for your help in advance.

Google Customer Service - Hilarious

This was really funny. I finally decided to migrate from Godaddy (loosers who rip their clients - I am writing about this here). I created an account in gmail but deleted it again and unfortunately gmail stated that I need to wait for 5 to 7 days before I can recreate it again. Today I thought it would be nice to recreate it as its a weekend and the migration could be smooth but still gmail popped up saying I cannot do it now without giving me a timeline so I write to the worlds largest and popular IT giant GOOGLE.You need to read my email followed by his reply and then you get what I am talking.

Hi,
I tried Google Apps for my domain XXXXXXXX.IN for a few days and then wanted to take Google Apps for business but then we were planning a re-branding. Hence got the apps deleted. Now we would like to migrate to Google Apps for business and we are unable to do so as we need to wait for some days as we recently deleted it. I am not sure when was it that I deleted it last week. Can you please let me know when should I try creating it again or is there something you can do to get this started asap; I thought it right to try today being a weekend and the migration could have been smooth. I look forward to hear from you.

regards,
Selvam

and Viola the reply

Hello Raja,

Thanks for your interest in Google Apps.

Google Apps for Business is USD$50 per user per year. One user account includes one 25 gigabyte email inbox and access to

* Calendar (with resource management)
* Gtalk (Instant messaging with video/voice chat and file transfer)
* Docs and Spreadsheets (Document creation and management)
* Google Sites (intranet/portal building and file hosting service)
* Google Video for business (a company wide video hosting service).
* Control panel (to manage the account and users)

A Google Apps for Business domain, with any number of accounts, is also eligible for phone and email support, and our 99.9% uptime service level agreement.

To learn more about the benefits and advantages of Google Apps, please visit http://www.google.com/apps/intl/en/business/details.html. Also, you can visit the FAQs page at: http://www.google.com/apps/intl/en/business/faq.html.

Please feel free to let me know if you require more information or if there is anything else that I can do to assist you in your decision making process.

Regards,

****************
Google Enterprise Sales
India

Mission Passport - Chennai Passport Office

Note: This is my experience entirely for applying a passport in Chennai for a minor child under Tatkal.

Finally we decided to get a passport for my son Matthew and as I was discussing this with my colleague he challenged me that it is nearly impossible to get the passport without meeting an agent at the passport office. I decided that instead of cribbing at the corruption and red tapism around us, I should take this challenge and ensure that I get the passport for Matthew directly from the Chennai Passport Office without approaching any of the agents/touts.

First Step:

Checked the passport office website which only has broad information and almost no information on passport for minors(safe for them - You can question them later). The next step was to Google for information and landed with some wonderful blogs. Am taking the liberty to list them here so that anyone reading my blog can benefit from the valuable information given in their blogs.

Naveen Kapoor's Blog: http://roopakneevan.wordpress.com/2009/01/29/india-tatkal-passport-for-minor/

Amreekandesi's Blog: http://amreekandesi.com/2010/08/21/dummys-guide-to-a-minor-passport/

Making of the application at https://passport.gov.in/pms/OnlineRegistration.jsp

After perusing these blogs I finally went for the online registration page of the passport website. On the drop down option of "Passport Office" we have two options - Chennai for ordinary Applications and Chennai Tatkal for Tatkal applications. Now you will not see Chennai - Tatkal just like that. The reason: Typical careless attitude of Government Offices. They have not arranged the drop down list in alphabetical order. If you go down the drop down list you will find the Chennai - Tatkal option. Thanks to my neighbor (Pradeep) who pointed this out to me just a day before I was to go to the passport office with an ordinary application. I redid my application once again and got a new Demand Draft in the name of "The Regional Passport Officer, Chennai" Payable at Chennai for Rs.2100. (Rs.600(Application Fee) + Rs.1500(Tatkal)).

The application will be printed with Rs.600 only mentioned in the column. Please use a whitner to amend this alone. No whitner should be used in making corrections in other places. If done the application will be treated as void.

All the required details were filled on the online application form and upon hitting the save button “Viola” I got the appointment date for visiting the passport office on March 14, 2011 (One month from today when I filled the application form "Valentine's Day) which is crazy specially when I apply under Tatkal. I will now visit the passport office to know whether I can visit them any day prior to this appointment day and plead my case. Pradeep has advised me that I meet the "APPICER" I mean officer at the First Floor of the Passport Office and request early appointment citing some urgency reasons.

Signature in the application form by minor/infants/babies:

Now since my boy who is 4 months old has not started to sign on his own we will have to put his thumb print in places where he has to sign. In all places the thumb print is followed by the parents signatures. Exception to this rule is the thumb impression on the first page on the top. This will only have the thumb impression and no signatures.

Getting the documents in place:

Fortunately opps sorry Unfortunately I do not have my wife’s name in my passport. (I wish I could when I applied for my passport during my college days). Luckily (and unfortunately J ) my wife’s passport has got my name as it was taken after our marriage (How we got her passport is a big story – hopefully will have it blogged soon). The catch here is I have one address in my passport, my wife has another and the birth certificate of Matthew has a completely different address. However we now want the passport in my wife’s address hence we are relying mostly on her passport, address proof etc and birth certificate is only to show that we are the parents.

The documents Required:

1. Bank Statement/passbook in original with your photo and bank seal.

2. Letter from Bank Manager certifying your account and address.

3. PAN card, Letter of PAN allotment along with the last income tax returns/Form 16.

4. Passport of both Father and Mother.

5. Annexure - H: Printed in plain white sheet and signed by both parents.

6. Demand Draft (DD) for Rs.2100 in the name of "The Regional Passport Officer, Chennai" payable at Chennai with the name of the applicant, date of birth, application number (the computerised number on the right top corner of the application form something like MATI02663311SA0925 for Tatkal) and telephone number clearly written behind the DD.

7. Copies of passport size photographs.

Please carry all original documents wherever applicable along with additional photocopies just to make sure not to run around searching for a photocopy shop.

Arrangement of the Application and photocopies set:

Yes, This is very important. Now stop searching for information on this at the passport website, You will find nun. I was advised by Pradeep once again to obtain the services of the "helpers" outside the passport office for a fee of Rs.20 only (Nopes you are not gonna talk about the sharing ratio) so that he arranges the entire application set in the order that will make the verifying officer happy. Finally my office assistant went to the passport office to sort out the arrangement of the application issue. The agent advised that we arrange the application in the following order.

1. First 3 pages of the application

2. Birth Certificate of your child

3. Annexe H - Now the agent gave me a different format. I am attaching it here for the readers convenience.

4. Passport copy of the Father

5. Passport copy of the Mother

6. Marriage Certificate

7. Father's bank statement

8. Mother's Driving Licence

9. Last page of the application form

10. Police verification page in duplicate.

11. Demand Draft (DD) for Rs.2100 in the name of "The Regional Passport Officer, Chennai" payable at Chennai with the name of the applicant, date of birth, application number (the computerised number on the right top corner of the application form something like MATI02663311SA0925 for Tatkal) and telephone number clearly written behind the DD. Also please ensure that your DD bears the Staff S.No of the person signing the draft in the bank. (It is ridiculous but don't take your chances)

March 14, 2011:

Reached passport office at 8.30am saw the Q till the gate. Joined the Q and when I neared the Token guy at 9.30am he said "Sir you can go to the 2nd floor" :-0 Went to 2nd floor another Q for Senior Citizens and infants. About 20 to 25 persons waiting. The wait started and the Lordship came at 10.30am to start issuing the tokens. I got Token No: 55 Counter E. God only knows how the token number was 55 when only 20 persons were there. Some Hanky Panky for sure. He bluntly said go down watch the screen.,... I quietly left to office.

At 12.20pm I returned to the passport office and noticed that the token number was 44 so went to the 2nd floor was lucky to grab a seat as well. Waited once again. Bingo at 1.00pm they went for lunch and the token no was 50. Back at 2.pm the tokens started to roll. At 2.30 went and verified the documents and got the approval and finally before I left the officer said "Excuse me sir How are you related to the applicant? and I was like Zapped............. I said Father-Son :-) and then another Q for handing over the DD and that took a while. Finally Viola I completed the process and got the receipt. I am just waiting for receiving the passport now.

The whole room was smelling of sweat, no AC, no fans, no way to get in or get out, worst than a cattle shed and God save us in case of a fire accident. And this is just another day at the passport office. They take our money and they sit in AC rooms while we are treated like shit!

Hopefully I should file a Writ before the High Court Madras for cleaning this mess..... Lets see. Only time will say!

Revival of my passion (hmmmm I guess so) of blogging

Finally I decided to revive my blog after seeing some speeding motorists jumping a 15 sec RED signal with a traffic cop watching near the DRG Hospital signal on my way to office. It just struck me how careless these people are without any thought about the other road users and more importantly the lil child that would wait for her dad's return, the smiling wife awaiting the husband, the aged parents waiting for their daughter and only they hear is bad news.....

While I was pondering over this I heard a siren from an ambulance and paving way for it and while the ambulance overtook me it was spine chilling to even imagine oneself on that ambulance battling for their life...

I believe that however tough the laws are made they are broken unless we citizens learn to respect them, learn to respect others, our neighbors, our co passengers, other road users and specially pedestrians, cyclists.

When will the CHANGE be YOU.