Rail infra upgrade

With reference to news report ‘PM launches 2,000 Rly projects for ₹41,000 cr’ ( February 27), it is certainly a welcome step.

These infrastructure projects will give the much-needed boost passenger amenities and track upgrade. Thinking big and doing the best is definitely the need of the hour. But then, the Railways has to also ensure basic cleanliness and clean drinking water in coaches.

Providing the contact numbers of the staff responsible for these amenities will help the passengers.

Katuru Durga Prasad Rao

Hyderabad

This refers to ‘PM launches 2,000 Rly projects for Rs 41,000 cr’ (February 27). Many major stations have been provided with neat platforms, digital display boards, provision for drinking water, easy access to entry and exit, foot over bridges, escalators, food stalls, free wifi and improved online ticket booking facility improving passenger comfort.

The massive investment of ₹41,000 crore in improving further 553 stations under Amrit Bharat Scheme across the regions in improving passenger amenities, constructing number of flyovers and underpasses is a very big initiative benefitting common public as well as the rail users.

The Railway Ministry needs to prioritise in replacing all nine car MEMUs with full fledged 12 car MEMUs in Southern Railway fulfilling the long felt need of the suburban rail passengers and also do away with different designs and structure of rail coaches used in suburban railway system.

RV Baskaran

Chennai

Byju’s imbroglio

The ongoing tussle between some investor shareholders and Byju’s, the beleaguered edutech company, citing short-comings on account of oppression and mismanagement, oppressive-opacity, regulatory non-compliances, problems encountered in raising B-type term loans etc. creates uncertainty in the minds of shareholders and necessitating establishment of transparency at the earliest.

The matter which has been referred to NCLT for resolution is sub-judice and the MCA, as a light-touch regulator, contemplating tighter governance norms on unlisted companies albeit the non-existent provisions in the companies act, is welcome news.

SEBI also needs to frame necessary guidelines mandating the unlisted companies raising funds through private placement norms, to disclose and report regularly about any regulatory non-compliances, defaults, frauds etc, within the shortest time possible for monitoring, as a best measure of investor protection.

Sitaram Popuri

Bangalore

Cane farmers’ stress

Apropos the Editorial “Less than sweet” (February 27), though the hike in Fair and Remunerative Price for sugarcane from ₹315 to ₹340 appears to be high compared to previous years, it is not enough given the rise in cost of cultivation.

And the plight of the farmers for whom the sugar recovery rate is less than 10.25 per cent is much worse, as the cost of cultivation is same for all farms, irrespective of the recovery rate.

A FRP in the range of ₹375 to ₹400 would have given the much needed relief to the sugarcane farmers, especially to those with lower sugar recovery rate.

On the diversion of sugarcane to ethanol production, a more stable policy on it could result in a win-win situation for both farmers and the energy security of the country.

Kosaraju Chandramouli

Hyderabad

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