Letters to the editor

Apropos ‘Now, the hard part’ (February 4). The editorial brings to fore the fact that Britain must now work to separate its market connection with the European Union. It is doubtful whether EU will agree to huge concessions with zero tariff and zero quotas on British goods to EU. Nevertheless, the UK’s expectation for a Canada-style free pact will never be yielded to by the EU, since the latter is not ready to lose its resources further on Brexit. Nevertheless, to balance the Brexit impact, the UK must begin bilateral trade negotiations with other countries, which is a herculean task at a time when there is global economic contraction.

Sivakasi

This refers to ‘Education should have received higher outlay’ (February 4). More than outlay, the semblance of peace and autonomy in educational institutions is required. Top notch institutes such as JNU and AMU have become a hotbed for violence, political interference , and factual manipulation. Regretfully, only a handful of our institutes figure in world rankings. Even families with limited means aspire to send their children to private schools, instead of government institutions. Parents with deeper pockets are packing off their wards overseas for higher education. There are no takers for newly-created IITs and IIMs, and even the faculty positions remain vacant. The focus should be on quality.

Chennai

This refers to ‘Climate risks push banks into a race against their regulators’ (February 4). New dimensions on climate change and climate risk throw open different kind of challenges in front of banking industries.

It is high time the NIBM, IIBF, and RBI agriculture training centres and renowned agriculture universities introduce innovative courses on climate financing, environmental assessment and auditing and climate risk from the regulators’ point of view. With bank mergers taking place across the country, it is about time climate financing projects are given attention.

Climate financing will positively contribute by facilitating the ease of doing business in green corridors across India. Changing trends in bank credit towards climate financing will be a timely game-changer. However, it is imperative to note and ensure the right projects are sanctioned by banks at the earliest. Climate change was a major theme during the recent G20 summit as India stood on the firm ground to carry on with Paris agreement.

Green and blue bonds, the blue economy, green corridors and initiatives, etc, are sweeping across the nation. Amalgamated banks with robust resources augur well for climate change financing.

Vadodara

This refers to ‘AAP, Congress are provoking people for vote-bank politics: PM’ (February 4).There is little doubt that the unexpectedly prolonged anti-CAA protests may be aimed to an extent at cornering the government of the day.

Needless to say, these unabated protests also enjoy the political ‘blessings’ of some big-wigs, who may be overly keen to reap some rich political dividends at the ensuing Assembly elections in Delhi. But sadly, the common man continues to suffer during this ordeal.

Significantly, Prime Minister Narendra Modi also went to the extent of alleging that the design behind anti-CAA protests is by the ‘Balkanise’ India, even as he questioned the nationalist credentials of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and the Congress.

However, notwithstanding the inherent political interests of all stakeholders, viz the BJP, the Congress and the AAP in this election, one genuinely wishes that since enough is enough now, the ongoing protests be shifted to safer places, in view of some unimaginable yet avoidable incidents, which greatly affect commuters and residents living nearby.

New Delhi