Milk cooperatives

Close on the heels of vociferous protests in neighbouring Karnataka from political parties across the spectrum against the entry of Amul into the State, Tamil Nadu has raised objections against the procurement of milk by Amul from the milk shed area of Aavin-Tamil Nadu Cooperative Milk Producers Federation. It is wholly uncalled for.

As Amul, Nandhini and Aavin are farmer-owned and professionally managed dairy cooperatives, the intervention of bureaucrats or politicians in their business operations is least desirable. The argument by some that Amul’s entry into Tamil Nadu and Karnataka will harm producers and consumers alike is fallacious. While the farmers in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka will benefit more when there are more buyers for their milk, consumers will have more choice and benefit from healthy competition between milk cooperatives. What can be normal competition in a marketplace cannot be allowed to get thwarted by misplaced nationalism.

M Jeyaram

Sholavandan, TN

Climate finance

Apropos the editorial ‘Tilting at windmills’ (May 29), India has been raising its voice in different forums against climate change and the need for the active and sincere participation of developed countries. On the domestic front, India has been taking a number of initiatives such as a gradual migration to renewable sources of energy such as solar, wind and hydro.

Though the RBI may not have much say in framing policies and guidelines on the modalities of tackling climate change, it can help in financing and extending support to enterprises in establishing the required infra for renewable sources of energy.

It is time the RBI came out with a policy on climate finance on the lines of the existing agricultural finance policies.

RV Baskaran

Chennai

Global warming

It is imperative that the corridors of power in this part of the world take the problem of global warming head-on as it affects the productivity of workers and organisations and, thereby, the GDP of the country. The RBI too, one feels, can adopt selective measures of credit control to ensure a pollution-free environment. Of course, monetary policy is only a tiny instrument to solve a cosmic sized problem.

S Ramakrishnasayee

Chennai

Sengol politics

Sceptre is a symbol of monarchy and it is not used in democratic form of governance. It is supposed to be kept in museums. Are we moving from democracy to monarchy? In spite of opposition from various quarters the ruling dispensation going ahead with Sengol is also seen as a frantic attempt to divert the attention from the turmoil in Manipur and the plight of the unemployed.

AG Rajmohan

Anantapur, AP

Strengthening democracy

Democracy wouldn’t be strengthened by raising a palatial Parliament building with all modern and digitalised infra facilities. The credentials of Parliamentarians rest on rendering good governance to people who voted them to power. If deadlocks, impasse and pandemonium continue, there is no meaning in having a new building, for which taxpayers’ money has been splurged.

NR Nagarajan

Sivakasi, TN

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