The idea of Track2Infra-I

September 28, 2012

Infrastructure is not just a fancy term for growth and development but undoubtedly the lifeline of modern economy. Can we imagine life today without the key infrastructure components like Roads & Bridges, Power, Oil & Gas, Telecom, Aviation, Ports & Shipping or Railways? And if not, then let us collectively look forward to see how these key infrastructure elements, that is our life line today, can be developed for further growth and development.

There is no bigger news than infrastructure in India today. Beyond the Vision 20:20 at the policy level, lies the fact that the Indian growth story that the world is looking forward to with great anticipation cannot be achieved without infrastructure growth in this part of the world. No wonder, infrastructure had never been under so much of public scrutiny and hence there is a need to track the real growth, bottlenecks, challenges, issues and concerns.

When we wanted to take our success of narrowcast media venture with Track2Realty to the next level, it was quite obvious that urban development and overall Indian infrastructure was our next milestone. After all, infrastructure is the defining point for India to transform from a developing nation to developed nation. The collective consciousness is also getting aspirational on the need of better infrastructure. Thus, as a responsible media group it is also our responsibility to shape the public psyche at large.

The Indian media, by and large, has often failed to focus as much on the infrastructure sector as it is needed. This vacuum demands an infrastructure think-tank platform, something that doesn’t mind going against the collective consciousness if it is not shaped by ground reality. This is where Track2Infra aims to position itself as a news platform with a clear focus on identifying the infrastructure, its policies, plan, agenda, roadblocks and challenges. Our focus will be more on channelizing the public perception for taking it up with the power centre, at times even through overt policy advocacy.

Advocacy and activism will be very much part of Track2Infra, and we may be rubbing the government and leading players in the sector the wrong way on occasion more than one. But then the team of Track2Media that has been behind conceptualizing the news project believes that the real journalism is not about asking the sweet questions, getting the sweet answers and filing the sweet copies. We are coming in the fray with a serious approach and intent to be whistle blowers as well.

…….to be continued

The idea of Track2Governance

May 8, 2011

These are interesting times for any student of politics and governance in India. While the politics has always been the much talked about subject in this part of the world, governance as a subject of academic discussion is gradually taking the centre stage now. More importantly, governance had never been under so much of public scrutiny and hence there is a need to track the real governance, its agenda, issues and concerns. The collective consciousness is getting vocal on the issues of governance and it is time to shape the public psyche at large.

The Indian media, by and large, has often failed to differentiate between the politics and governance. No wonder, they are often seen to be a party on various issues. Moreover, the public perception and middle class outburst is more based on perception than ground reality. Hence the reactive tone & tenor of India could not be channelized for a positive change in the country.
 

This vacuum demands a governance think-tank platform, something that doesn’t mind going against the collective consciousness if it is not shaped by ground reality. This is where Track2Governance aims to position itself as a news platform with a clear focus on identifying the governance, its policies, plan and agenda. Our focus will be more on channelizing the public perception for constructive politics.
 

Advocacy and activism will be very much part of Track2Governance, and we may be rubbing the government the wrong way on occasion more than one. But then the team of Track2Media that has been behind conceptualizing the news project believes that the real journalism is not about asking the sweet questions, getting the sweet answers and filing the sweet copies. We are coming in the fray with a serious approach and intent to be whistle blowers as well.
 

We will also provide the much needed media support to the deserving movements on governance reforms. But at the same time we will neither be a party to any vested interests nor support any hypocritical media managed show in the name of fighting pro peoples’ causes. We would rather take a stand against attempt to promote extra constitutional mechanism. We are quite conscious of the fact that it will be very often interesting case studies, particularly in the wake of Track2Governance going against the tide.
 

After all, it is easier to sway the collective consciousness with a populist but irrelevant cause. What is challenging to stand up against the hidden agenda and tell the misguided masses that what they think as a legitimate cause is actually lending credence to the vested interests that have a large game plan in the process. Well, the emotionally charged people may not believe us in the short term, but then earning the credibility is always a long term road map and, of course, a challenge in hand.
 

It is not that efforts to launch news projects on governance have not been made earlier. As a matter of fact, there have been very many. A few of such governance news is doing good as well. However, we have made a proper study on competitive market and aim to position Track2Governance on a different level altogether. The existing news projects on governance are too bureaucracy centric in approach with overtly bureaucratic TG in mind.
 

Track2Governance doesn’t want to have bureaucracy as TG for the right reasons. We would be rather happy to note that we are at the wrong end of bureaucrats as our TG. Our real focus would be the impact of governance & policies on the common man. We don’t intent to be a mouthpiece or extended PR machinery of the government, its policies and programmes.
 

The common man’s issues and concerns with the government is what will matter the most to us. That is one of the reasons that we will regularly come out with the survey on various issues that concerns the performance of the government and the people’s expectations with the government and their local elected representatives. 
 

For the first time in the history of independent India the TINA factor is so profound that despite of the series of scams and scandals, the collective consciousness is not ready to trust those who are trying to destabilize the government by means fair and foul. Isn’t time for a fresh approach on governance? Isn’t it time for Track2Governance?