Farm income

The article ‘Need to re-imagine the farm as an enterprise’ (July 3) aptly states that the farm should be treated as an enterprise with balance sheet and P&L account. Once that is done, the financial aspects of farming would become starkly visible. The role of different inputs, expenses, bank credit, insurance and profitability would be documented. Decision making would become more rational, scientific and financially sound. It would also reveal the income of large farmers and help bring it under the tax net.

Jaipur

Puducherry Lieutenant Governor Kiran Bedi blaming the political class and people of Tamil Nadu for the present crippling water crisis engulfing the State has, as expected, invited sharper rebuttals from parties across the political spectrum in the State. The language she deployed to articulate her views is undesirable.

As a constitutional functionary, Bedi should have exercised restraint and refrained from making unwarranted remarks. Bedi's dubbing of Tamil people as cowards and selfish is unbecoming of the coveted constitutional post she holds now.

Sholavandan, TN

This is with reference to ‘Modi flays assault on civic official by BJP MLA’ (July 3). Prime Minister Narendra Modi truly deserves the appreciation of all the law-abiding citizens of this country for categorically condemning his own party’s MLA Akash Vijayvargiya for assaulting a civic official in MP.

This would leave a strong message against “bad behaviour and arrogance.” Perhaps, the need of hour could be Akash’s immediate expulsion from the party.

New Delhi

This refers to ‘A headache for China’ (July 3). History traces huge socio-political transformations to small and hesitant protests. In early 1800s, just ten per cent of British adult males were eligible to vote — the richest.

The 1819 protest for voting reforms resulted in heavy casualties but yielded the modern franchise system. In India, the 1930 Dandi March of Gandhiji paved the way for the nation’s freedom.

We have had the Nazi-era pogrom that snuffed out six million Jewish lives and the massacre at Tiananmen Square not long ago. But we also saw the die-hard apartheid regime in South Africa yield rather peacefully to democratic rule by the coloured majority.

Amidst contemporary events in the US, where immigrant children are stoically separated from parents, China’s stepping back at Hong Kong should come as a welcome sign of emancipation in public governance.

Navi Mumbai

This is with reference to ‘Industry needs national innovation system’ (July 3). More than doling out subsidies, the government should encourage scientific temperament, research and innovation in industry. Despite our vast potential in terms of intellectual and youth power we have not contributed much to the world in terms of scientific research, inventions and new ideas.

One of the most important reasons for this is that our education system does not encourage innovation and research. We believe in a system where a child’s intelligence is judged by the marks he/she has secured in various exams. Research and innovative ideas should be encouraged at the school level. Dedicated teachers are a prerequisite for this.

Lack of government support for research and innovation is also stifling talent. Our government/leaders believe more in short-term gains and hence are not able to tap the potential of youngsters/innovators and scientists and invest in research and technology.

The Modi government should call for a special meeting of experts from various fields and start a new body to encourage innovations/research in all areas.

There is no dearth of talent in India, but a big push is required to tap this talent.

Thane

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