Short-sighted fixes to GST will not help. There are innumerable issues and all the assurances put forward by the GST council provide only temporary relief. The root cause appears to be lack of preparation for implementation and hasty execution.

Ashok Jayaram

Bengaluru

Good example

This is with reference to ‘Infosys treats its new recruits like fighter pilots’ (October 12). People are the biggest and most complex asset of any organisation/nation. Many treat human assets like they treat other assets of the company/organisation.

Properly handled, groomed and counselled, human assets can become invaluable and boost the company. It is sad that while trade unions bargain for higher wages and other facilities, they hardly ask for the mental well-being of employees. Our industries do not consider it necessary to counsel their staff and hence employees depend only on unions for redress of their problems.

Veena Shenoy

Thane, Maharashtra

Suspicious step

The Government’s move to remove gem and jewellery traders from the ambit of anti-money laundering legislation creates doubts in the minds of people. Maybe it wants to revive the sector.

It is an established fact that the gems and jewellery industry lacks transparency. Quality, and making and wastage charges are a drain especially on those who opt to exchange gold ornaments. On an average a customer has to forego nearly one gram of gold on the purchase of one sovereign. This varies. Though BIS marking has introduced some standardisation, there are many grey areas in the gold trade. Then of course there is the matter of unaccounted money both at the business level and at the consumer level. Relaxations will only reverse the steps taken to regulate the industry.

S Veeraraghavan

Madurai

Academic conundrum

The pay hike for college and university professors is a bonanza, especially when the country is experiencing an economic crisis. It is true that the vast majority of people are in economic distress. Compared to farmers and workers in the unorganised sector, the salaries of college and university professors cannot be said to be insufficient.

The Government cannot but be considerate to the movers and shakers of the intellectual world, given that most of them come from privileged backgrounds. If the rationale for the hike is to lure the ‘best talents’ and improve the quality of higher education, it must be said that those who regard lucrative pay as the main motivation for going into teaching are unlikely to make great teachers.

G David Milton

Maruthancode, Tamil Nadu

Worthy programme

This refers to ‘Plug in all, but boost supply hours too’ by Vivek Sharma (October 12). ‘Saubhagya’ is a well-meant development step, long overdue, which will effectively impact quick development in rural areas. In addition to providing lighting it will also enhance domestic industrial activities. The suggested focus areas are worthy of consideration, apart from installations providing electricity in the rural areas.

TR Anandan

Coimbatore

Wake-up call

The PM’s advisory council’s acknowledgement of the slowdown should serve as a timely wake-up call to the Government. (‘Slowdown is official: PM’s panel picks10 areas to work on’, October 12), and the panel’s findings should be given serious consideration. In spite of the complete failure of demonetisation and the inconvenience it caused, the people took it in their stride as they felt the motive was honest even if the implementation was wanting.

The NDA government is still looked upon by many as the only one that could turn things around for the better. However, this should not make the BJP complacent. With only a little over two years left, the Government faces the mammoth task of reviving the economy to retain the trust of the common man.

V Subramanian

Chennai

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