India, New Delhi, November 17, 1990.
"What should I do today?"
"The Industrial Licensing Amendment Bill will be tabled in Parliament on the 20th. The Assam & Nagaland missions are also going well. So, what should I do now?"
Aryan has been sitting in the office for two days. He has nothing to do. Because of his Prime Minister title, he has noticed that his party leaders are not stirring up any trouble.
He was playing with his pen and thought, "Why don't I visit a nearby IIT college? No, I didn't tell them in advance. I don't know what danger lies ahead for me. I have no fewer enemies..."
He shook his head, and his gaze was on the pen in his hand.
"Hey, I still have important work to do. How did I forget?" The pen fell from Aryan's hand as he thought, and he stood up straight.
"The USSR will collapse next year, and then oil prices will skyrocket."
. . . . . .
He leaned back in his chair.
His eyes were on the map of Asia. His eyes were searching for something.
"December 1991...when it all ends."
"They don't know yet, but I do..."
He opened a file.
He began to write the first point, "Soviet Brain!"
1. Physicist from Dubna and Novosibirsk.
2. Mathematician from Kyiv.
3. Computer scientist from Moscow.
4. Cybernetic engineer from Minsk.
"When India's economy starts growing in six to seven months, I will be able to recruit these types of professionals from all these places."
"The situation in the USSR is such that their factories are making tanks and rockets, but their people are waiting in line for bread."
He then wrote the second point, "Internal Condition!"
> RAW and IB agents will be deployed as exchange students.
Then the third point is "Zero Cost Advanced Weapons."
1. Ask DRDO to create a list of items that can be easily transported, such as radar, helicopters, aircraft, tanks, computers, etc.
2. Start buying all the technology and items on the list ten days before the collapse of the USSR.
The fourth point, "Oil!"
1. From now on, oil will not only be bought but also stored. The more, the better.
2. After partition, India will be the first to congratulate them and sign a 10-20-year oil deal with them.
The fifth and last point is the "Rescue Plan."
> Inviting scientists who secretly flee to hide from the world to India and giving them first-class Indian citizenship.
"..."
"Shhh, it's finally over...Am I forgetting anything else?" Aryan closed the file and looked up at the ceiling, wondering if he had forgotten something.
"Anyway, it's not time to apply the plan yet."
He will decide to start the plan when India's economy is stable.
. . . . . .
Lok Sabha Chamber, Parliament of India, November 20, 1990.
The entire chamber was full.
The Speaker took the chair. All the MPs are muttering about Aryan.
All the people of India are stunned by Aryan's fast action. It has been ten days since he became Prime Minister, and in the meantime, he is about to make changes in the economy.
Everyone was discussing what Aryan was going to change.
The Speaker said, "Order, order. Honorable members, we will now proceed with the legislative business."
"Item Number 1: Introduction of Industrial Licensing Amendment Bill, 1990."
Aryan's cabinet minister, Ramesh, stood up and said calmly, "Sir, I have raised the Introduction of Industrial Licensing Amendment Bill, 1990."
"I have brought this Bill to amend the Industries (Development and Regulation) Act, 1952."
"We are falling behind the world day by day because of this bill."
"Today, if a middle-class youth in our own country wants to open a small business, he has to pass 50+ licenses, wait for two or three years, and finally, he fails to start his business due to one license."
"And if a company from a foreign country comes to do business in our country, they have to fill out even more licenses. It's so time-consuming and unproductive that they end up leaving our country for another country."
"We created this bill to start an industrial center in our country."
"Our country's economy is very backward. We only have 15 days of foreign reserves, our youth have no jobs, and the road system is bad."
"We will liberalize licensing for all sectors except strategic/core industries like defense, pharma, chemicals, etc."
"Thank you."
The entire Parliament is silent.
All the ministers started whispering. Some opposition party MPs even lost their temper. Opposition Leader Vikram Desai stood up and said, "That's utter nonsense."
"This bill is nothing but opening the door to corporate exploitation!"
"Are we handing over our economy to a few private giants?"
Finally, Aryan stood up slowly, "Mr. Speaker, I want to ask the House: How long are we going to continue this same pattern and chain our people with red traps?"
"Today, if an ordinary person wants to open a business, they have to wait one to two years just to open a factory."
"We are not weakening our nation. We are freeing our nation to build, to grow, and to lead the world."
"If a sector takes 10 years to grow, if the government manages it, the private sector doesn't even take half that time to grow."
"We are not ending regulation, but we are ending harassment."
"Our licensing system is so ingrained in our minds that if someone thinks of opening a business, the first words that come to mind are problems and worries."
Aryan looked at the opposition and said firmly, "We will look at pollution. We will look at labor protection. But we will not ask a farmer's son to beg for a license to build his dream."
"We will give him the funds and ask him to pursue his dreams."
The Parliament became quiet; no one spoke, not even the Speaker, and the media, which were writing the news, also fell silent.
Then Aryan read the bill:
1. No license is needed for non-strategic or non-core industries. However, some basic licenses, such as pollution clearance and land use, are required.
2. Single Window Clearance System.
3. Sunset clause for pending applications. If there is no response within 90 days, the application will automatically be approved.
(Note: Sunset clause is a legal term that refers to the automatic end of a regulation or contract.)
4. Heavy penalties will apply if pollution spreads onto roads, canals, rivers, etc.
5. No minimum capital proof is required for Indian entrepreneurs.
These were the highlights of the bill.
After some time, the Speaker said, "The question is: Will the Introduction of Industrial Licensing Amendment Bill, 1990 be approved? Those who favor will say, Aye..."
Before the Speaker could finish his speech, everyone in Aryan's party called Aya.
"Aye~~."
The Speaker was stunned, then smiled slightly and said again, "Those who are against this bill, say No."
"No..."
There is a small number of MPs who did not respond to either side.
"The Ayes have it. Bill approved. The House will pass the bill on Friday."
Hooray!
All the members of Aryan's party started celebrating. Now, all that remains is for the President to approve it.
The first requirement for passing a bill is the approval of the Cabinet. Then, the approval of Parliament (Lok Sabha or Rajya Sabha), and finally, the approval of the President of India.
If a bill passes both the Cabinet and Parliament, the President will approve the bill.
Aryan has passed two levels, so he has no more worries about passing the last level.
Everything was so easy because of the title the system gave him. If it weren't for the title, it would have taken months and months to pass this bill.
. . . . . .