Kick-starting the economy
This refers to the article ‘Bringing the economy back on track’, while the pandemic has led to a contraction in the economy, it would not be correct to lay all blame on Covid, as the rot began after the disastrous demonetisation exercise.
The Finance Minister does not inspire much confidence in her attempts to get the economy back on track.
The government does not have any road map on recovery . Whatever happened to the Mudra loans which were supposed to kick-start the economy a few years ago? Nobody is talking about it and most likely they have burnt a big hole in the pockets of the banks.
And it appears that the poor citizens are going to foot the bill in the form of higher fuel prices.
Anthony Henriques
Mumbai
A Cabinet reshuffle?
The Modi cabinet is perhaps set for a shuffle. The governance of the nation has long been rendered Modi centric even as he is called upon by the party to spearhead electoral campaigns, perennially. A top-driven style of governance provides little elbow room to his ministers, however able.
The bureaucracy also needs to keep pace with Modi’s programmes. It would be difficult to judge the government’s course only on the make up of a new cabinet. The ethos of governance has to change where key result areas are addressed without acerbity and confrontation, but with earnestness, transparency, consultation and consensus and the government’s experience with Covid should be of much help in the needed course correction.
R Narayanan
Navi Mumbai
The Covid toll
This refers to report, ‘Karnataka’s excess deaths nearly 6 times official toll’. Nearly every State has been under-reporting and fudging Covid data. This reveals the governments’ narrow and myopic approach. The governments’ attitude towards data will instill a feeling of complacency to down play the virus.
Such tampering with data is also unfair to the families who have lost their loved ones. Moreover, this will make a massive difference in formulation of the health programmes for the anticipated waves.
The governments must present the true picture to the public rather than fretting over their image.
Aanya Singhal
Noida
Apropos ‘What does it take for DFIs to succeed?’ (June 21). Backed by government guarantees, DFIs can raise a huge quantum of funds in the international capital markets to provide loans or equity investments on competitive terms. DFISS can also insulate banks from lending to long-term infra projects and rescue them from asset/liability mismatch. But the feasibility of DFIs depends upon the taking of its bonds as risk free assets by banks and creating a good bond market. With a proper governance framework DFIs can be vital for project based finance and infrastructure creation.
NR Nagarajan
Sivakasi
Towering Milkha
Apropos ‘Towering in sport, and life’, the legendary Milkha Singh’s life was a complete roller coaster — from the tragic partiotion days to his triumph on the athletics tracks.
But such was his sheer determination and hard work that he reached the pinnacle of his sporting discipline.
His fourth place in the Olympics has not been bettered till date by any Indian athlete.
Such was his humbleness that when he saw that Krishna Punia won Gold medal in 2010 Commonwealth games, after 52 years of his winning Gold in Britain, he came to congratulate her.
He would remain an inspiration for generations to come.
Bal Govind
Noida