Letters to the editor dated June 17, 2021

Apropos ‘Unleashing India’s export potential’ (June, 17), the increased use of B2C e-commerce exports would certainly help MSMEs compete with foreign producers. India not only has the exchange rate advantage vis-a-vis most European countries, but also the availability of cheap labour and abundant raw materials in the villages.

The Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD) is spearheading the National Rural Livelihoods Mission (NRLM), with an ambitious agenda to cover seven crore rural, poor households across 600 districts, to start with. It’s mission is to reduce poverty by enabling the rural families to gain self-employment.

Most rural women do have unique abilities in artisanship, making edible items like pickles, papad and other articles that have good export potential. By providing them the right encouragement and export assistance through the government agencies, it could be ensured that the ‘rural flowers do not blush unseen’, besides bridging India’s current account deficit.

Chennai

The 47th G7 summit was more concerned about its relative relevance in the face of China’s rise. Since the seven countries first got together in the 1970s, their share of global GDP has halved, from 80 per cent to 40 per cent.

Now, the US has stepped forward with a plan, supposedly the centrepiece of G7’s fight back: Build Back Better for the world. B3W is to take on China’s BRI. The idea is that western democracies will finally moderate China’s infra swagger, by building on their own in developing economies.

Currently, much of the resolve is coming from the Biden administration, other western countries are less keen.

Italy even joined the BRI in 2019 and it shows little enthusiasm for a divorce. Also, Joe Biden doesn’t enjoy the policy carte blanche of Xi Jinping, who can make policy at will and compel state-owned banks to provide financing, all without legislative battles.

Bengaluru

With reference to ‘Speed, scale of vaccination to shape recovery: RBI’ (June 17), the RBI’s ‘State of the Economy’ report highlights several key issues and makes some thought-provoking observations in the wake of the second wave of Covid.

Interestingly, as per its assessment, the adverse impact of the second wave on domestic demand was mainly on account of regional and specific containment rather than the nationwide lockdown. This view isn’t convincing, though.

The RBI team has, however, rightly emphasised that the speed and scale of vaccination will shape the path of recovery.

The ball now truly lies in the Centre’s court. It must honour its own commitment to vaccinate all the citizens in the specified time-frame.

Bengaluru

The transporting of jabs via drones is a novel and interesting initiative.

The programme ought to be launched as a pilot project, especially in backward areas lacking basic health amenities. The programme, if implemented scrupulously and diligently, will strengthen the health infrastructure. However, it can turn out to be double-edged sword if misused by unscrupulous elements to peddle drugs.

But with proper checks and balances, the gains from drones will surely outweigh the losses.

Noida

Apropos ‘The optical fibre decade’ (June 17), indeed it is the elixir for communication technology with its virtually unlimited bandwidth and capacity.

Fiberisation will open vistas for the fast growth in digital education, remote medicine and robotic surgeries.

The surge in remote working, learning and social interactions through broadband emphasise the need to deploy high speed and low latency optical fibre networks.

Sivakasi, TN

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