The survival of ATMs

This is with reference to the article ‘Is the sun setting on ATMs?’. ATMs were set up to reduce the counter rush at the bank branches, so that the bank staff can concentrate on loan recoveries, promote credit portfolio and canvas for deposits. But after withdrawing cash from ATMs, customers come to branches for passbook updation thereby increasing the workload of bank staff. Also maintenance of ATMs and ensuring adequate cash in them is cumbersome. ATM thefts have become common and financially-strapped banks cannot ensure security at each ATM. Maintenance of ATMs by outsourced staff has also become risky. Hence it is better to have a overall look and close down loss-making ATMs and reduce expenditure.

TSN Rao

Bhimavaram (AP)

Towards policy ‘normalisation’

With reference to article to ‘RBI on track to policy normalisation’ (October 12). With a recovering economy, there is need to synchronise monetary policy and credit flow actions. Capacity building, utilisation, more ease of doing economic activities, and easier cash flow are key to inject growth dynamism.

The buoyancy in the capital market is an indication of investors optimism about reforms.

It is now imperative to control the prices of fuels, and essential commodities. The soaring cost of inputs is detrimental to investment and competitiveness in global markets.

The speedy removal of the bad loans from the loan books of the lenders is too essential to relieving the banks from the financial stress and to make them healthy to continue funding. Therefore along with the accommodative monetary policy, it is necessary to speed up the resolution of bad assets.

VSK Pillai

Changanacherry (Kerala)

Load-shedding worries

The coal crisis has made many State governments to resort to load shedding and advising their citizens to go slow in the power consumption in the peak hours.

The Centre has advised States to utilise the 15 per cent power produced by the Central agencies, which is not State government specific. Power surplus States have been urged to sell surplus power. However, in this race to mop up revenues and to cater to their own population, this option may not be effective.

On the supply side, coal imports went by 50 per cent more in June.The monsoon too hinderered extraction of coal. There are huge pile up of dues from TN and Rajasthan. Unviable populist schemes cause strain on the resources. Giving Bonds in view of these debts doesn't address the issue.

With the festivals season coming up, power scarcity must not dampen demand that is beginning to pick up. The government needs to clean up the mess on the supply side, take up energy audit measures and use technology like AI to better forecast the demand. Any laxity will only make the critics, “to haul the government over the coals”.

PSS.Murthy

Hyderabad

BJP’s farmer woes

With reference to the article ‘BJP on the backfoot’, it is indeed baffling that the Prime Minister remained mum on this sensitive matter given the alleged involvement of the son of a Minister from his Cabinet.

The least he should have done is to sack his minister to send a strong message.

By not doing so and remaining silent he did not do any good to his image. What about Sabka Saath ?

Leaving aside the political cost, the image of both the PM and the Home Minister has been damaged.

How deep this episode will impact the BJP’s fortunes in next UP elections remains to be seen. In the Assembly polls, SP can pose a serious threat to Yogi’s government.

Bal Govind

Noida

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