Water Pipes - Last Mile - Is it a proverb or a mathematical term used by Board to explain rationale of notification 6/2006-CE?
WE received this mail from a netizen -
I came across this sentence in the recent Board Circular 945/6/2011-CX , Dated: May 16, 2011 - “Thus, pipes which are used at the last mile to provide the consumer connection whose cost is either paid by the consumer or recovered from him do not form part of the project and will not be eligible for the exemption.”
While reporting this Circular in the issue, the author has questioned as to whether the best brains of the country needed to be wasted (vested) with such powers.
I for one was bedazzled not with the denial of the ‘micro' benefits which is always the norm adopted by the bureaucratic fiefdom but about the usage of the term “at the last mile”.
The Wikipedia describes the term ‘the last mile' thus -
++ The "last mile" or "last kilometer " is the final leg of delivering connectivity from a communications provider to a customer. The phrase is therefore often used by the telecommunications and cable television industries. Because the last mile of a network to the user is also the first mile from the user to the world in regards to sending data (such as uploading), the term " first mile " is sometimes used.
The Dictionary meaning of the term ‘last mile' is as under -
++ LAST MILE (noun): the last walk of a condemned person to the execution place
Since I felt that none of these descriptions best described the term “the last mile” referred to in the Board Circular dated 16 th May, 2011, I thought it would be prudent to interpret this ‘expression' in mathematical terms.
Suppose the length of the pipe used to supply water from the distribution network to the consumer is 10 miles (16 kms). Adopting the literal meaning of the term “the last mile” which benefit is sought to be denied by the Board, the length of the pipe for which the benefit of the notification 6/2006-CE would be available would be 10 minus 1 and which equals nine miles.
So, after all, it is "only one mile" for which the Board does not want any benefit of exemption to be extended.
DDT should in fact be grateful to these best brains for drafting this beneficial Circular.