This is with reference to “Wait and watch till August” by SS Tarapore (June 13). Again, the RBI is firm on its stand with regard to inflation control being its pivotal aim and has introduced few changes in the monetary policy. All it did was change the SLR by 0.5 per cent.

Of course, the optimism existing in the macroeconomic sphere thanks to the new government could boost the confidence of domestic as well as foreign investors. But steps such as removing the blocks on stalled projects, introducing investor-friendly tax and labour policies and facilitating land acquisition will do more along with tuning up the agricultural sector to reduce food inflation.

Ramasamy Nagarajan

Email

Seeing red at the greens

The Intelligence Bureau report to the Prime Minister states that the activities of some foreign-funded NGOs are aimed at impeding the economic progress of India. In the report, there is a special reference to the campaign against palm oil imports from Indonesia by certain vested interests.

It is a fact that several organisations connected with the manufacture of edible oil in India and organisations of edible oil manufacturers have reportedly requested the Government to scale down palm oil import to the country. More than half of India’s annual demand of 17-18 million tonnes of cooking oil is met by importing palm oil.

The country’s oil seed industry needs a boost to increase its yield; its present conversion to edible oil also needs a push. To say opposition from certain quarters to more imports of palm oil will hamper economic development of the country is irresponsible. The country’s indigenous industry is seeing less growth due to cheap pricing of imported palm oil and if imports continue unabated, the industry will be completely wiped out. The Government needs to vet the IB report in light of the grave charges.

A V Ramanathan

Tattamangalam, Kerala

The leaked report that NGOs in general and Greenpeace in particular stall India’s economic growth and pose a threat to its economic security cannot but be taken with pots of salt. It must be put in context to discern how it was nothing more than a pretext to clamp down on the legitimate concerns about and protests against the current unsustainable model of development.

The undisguised motive was to malign and muzzle NGOs and prepare the ground for unhindered implementation of dubious projects “to spur economic growth”.

G David Milton

Kanyakumari

Surprise benefits

This is with reference to the report “Venkaiah frowns as babus report late for work” (June 13). The initiative is welcome. Management by Walking Around (MBWA) is a very useful technique. Surprisingly it is not so commonplace, considering its effectiveness in management. In many offices, the top brass prefer to sit in their AC rooms and get updates, so they are not aware of what is happening on the ground. Many of the scams and frauds can be nipped in the bud if surprise checks and audits become a part of organisational culture.

Aravind Narasipur

Chennai

The Indian situation

“Doctors without borders” by Vidya Ram (June 13) discusses the important issue of racism in the British medical system. But look at India: the medical situation is rather dismal here. It is not racism that is causing trouble here; the Government is just not able to provide the required level of medical service to the citizens owing to many factors. For one, the population is way too large and the medical professionals are not enough in numbers.

The private medical service has become extremely costly with the charges for various components becoming very high. The inadequacy of medical colleges to produce the required number of doctors is a major concern.

Private medical colleges charge very huge amounts as capitation for management quota seats and only the wealthy can get seats. As a result, many brilliant students are thrown out of the system.

TR Anandan

Coimbatore

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