The PM’s message to the bureaucracy to reform, perform and transform to be an agency for a change is good to hear. These initiatives should be supported by fine examples from the top. We have seen needless political interference: that should change quickly. Give bureaucrats a free hand and make them responsible for their actions. However, Modi’s assurances to them that he is willing to go along if the bureaucracy wishes to set newer and higher standards are commendable. This is critical for change.

Srinivasan Umashankar

Nagpur

Pay farm labour well

It is imperative that agricultural labourers are paid lucrative wages as their work involves sacrifice and dexterity. Tilling the land and cultivating crops in a humid, hot climate is a difficult job. Big landlords can be exempted from paying taxes or given tax concessions if they pay their labourers well. Of course, the governments must ensure that the prices of agricultural commodities do not go up. Shrewd agricultural planning will not only increase revenue, it will enhance the welfare of farmers and people at large.

S Ramakrishnasayee

Ranipet, Tamil Nadu

Level the field

This refers to ‘Merger of PSBs could help banking system: Urjit Patel’ (April 26). The need for reorganisation of Indian banking infrastructure to rationalise functional responsibilities, presence and outreach is as old as the nationalisation of banks. All along, we had a touch and run or ‘first-aid’ approach to financial sector reforms. Evenwhen the RBI was serious about changes in the system, measures were sporadic and didn’t take a global view. Thus we see new institutions coming up and making existing ones running for their lives.

The merger of associate banks with SBI has shown that all the blame dumped on employees was misplaced. As a large geographical area remains unbanked or under-banked, surpluses in terms of manpower can easily be redeployed elsewhere. The Government should encourage a level playing field for public and private sector banks.

MG Warrier

Mumbai

Cash works in India

This refers to ‘The de-digitisation of India, post DeMO’ by CP Chandrasekhar and Jayati Ghosh (April 25). It establishes that demonetisation did not achieve its goal of shifting to a cashless economy. Government must realise that less currency does not necessarily mean a less-cash economy as it may lead to higher velocity of circulation of money. The Indian economy is mostly informal economy; cash transactions are easiest, cheapest and safest in an informal economy.

Trupti Goyal

Jodhpur

Gutsy CM

The UP CM should be lauded for his bold move in cancelling unwarranted holidays and introducing lessons on great leaders’ achievements in schools. This should be followed by other States. It takes guts to do this.

VS Ganeshan

Bengaluru

Get the Maoists

What exactly are the Maoists fighting for and what has made them resilient despite an intensified manhunt? The CRPF men were providing protective cover for building a road through and into the Maoist heartland. Building roads, police stations, schools and healthcare centres is part and parcel of the strategy to defeat them. A decade ago Manmohan Singh had described the Maoist/Naxalite insurgency (Left Wing Extremism) as India’s most serious internal security challenge. The country needs a well-calibrated response strategy with matching operational doctrines and necessary resources to deal with them.

KS Jayatheertha

Bengaluru

Self-styled activists are pro-active about condemning police/army excesses but observe a stoic silence when security/army personnel are killed in the line of duty. Humanity demands condemning in unequivocal terms anybody killed in attacks.

HP Murali

Bengaluru

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