Letters to the editor dated April 16, 2021

This refers to ‘What exactly is Atmanirbhar Bharat?’ (April 16). As a nation, our weaknesses overshadow our strengths and in simple terms Atmanirbhar would mean reversing this in quick time. Take the case of South Korea, which was trapped between an advanced Japan and a rising China — falling short of Japan in terms of quality and unable to match China on the price front.

It adopted the ‘value for money’ strategy and a new ethos, with products that optimise the quality and price trade-off. Its mobile phones account for a major share of the global market and the country is poised to replace Japan as the world’s top LCD-TV supplier. Realising that capital is crucial for achieving this objective, the country zealously funded research and development.

But investments in technology-intensive industries are inherently labour saving and do not create jobs. Therefore, in India’s case, giving a boost to the services sector, including finance, professional services, communications, medical care, tourism and education is a must for job creation.

Focus too must be on raising the living standards of the people and designing investment policies that promote regional economic clusters and pave the way for equitable growth. Atmanirbhar Bharat is a holistic concept to be moulded more in an ethos of inclusiveness.

Navi Mumbai

‘India Inc bracing for lockdown 2.0’ (April 16) is more like treating the symptoms rather than the root cause. Super spreader events — religious, political and social — right under the watch of the government is the norm rather than exception. Uttarakhand has rolled out several measures to rein in the virus but spared the Kumbh festival. Till the country is run on the whims and fancies of the government of the day, lockdowns will not serve the intended purpose and is an eyewash.

Noida

With public health experts attributing double mutant variants of coronovirus as one of the major reasons behind the present exponential surge in Covid-19 positive cases, no time should be wasted to hasten the process of genome sequencing of the Covid samples.

This holds the key to know if the virus has become more infectious or lethal. While India is sequencing scarcely one per cent of the Covid positive samples, the UK sequences about 6 per cent. Mutation may be quintessential to viruses, but only genome sequencing will be able to shed light on whether it is inconsequential, deadly or beneficial.

That the existing vaccines are found to be efficacious against double mutant variants and other variants is reassuring, but it doesn't mean that people, including those who were inoculated, can lower their guard. Sustained awarenesses campaign to underline the significance of strict adherence to Covid appropriate behaviour until herd immunity is achieved through vaccination brooks no delay.

Sholavandan, TN

This is with reference to ‘E-governance needs a human interface’ (April 16). Penetration on electronic and communication gadgets such as mobile phones and laptops in rural areas which are close to urban agglomeration is high, thanks to the revolution in the telecommunication industry.

We have several spoken languages and each State has its own administrative language for ease of doing business. To take government services to the ultimate beneficiary, all basic services and other utilities rendered by local government bodies need to be digitalised. Be it obtaining a birth certificate or applying for ration/voter card or financial relief schemes of the government, these must be brought under one umbrella. States must make available the required technical infra and human resource.

The efficiency of Regional Passport Seva Kendras is well-known. Every State administration must replicate such established working models in addressing citizens’ societal needs.

Chennai

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