Letters to the editor dated August 10, 2021

This has reference to ‘An urban job guarantee scheme is the need of the hour’ (August 10). An urban employment scheme similar to MGNREGS is essential for urban organised labour, but this should not be drawn keeping pandemic lockdowns alone in view. Urban labour, both migrant from far off and intra-State, find the living conditions quite different and difficult in urban areas. Both cost and standard of living hurt them badly and many of them end up living on the roads.

Unfortunately, any employment guarantee scheme is only about giving doles to those eligible and there is no plan for skill development on a sustainable basis. Most of the urban unemployed work as construction workers, casual labourers, security staff, delivery boys, helpers or small vendors without any training. What is needed is financial support in lieu of employment and also a well-structured skill development programme .

Covid-19 has precipitated the crisis in urban livelihoods. The rural population, thankfully, are protected by the MGNREG scheme with guaranteed work and wages.

Such a permanent scheme for urban workers must be created, with continuous assessment of the urban job market. Further, large investments in urban programmes like developing smart cities will alleviate urban poverty and unemployment.

Sivakasi

This refers to ‘Olympian hurdles’ (August 10). In order to accelerate the success rate and promote competitiveness among our players for the next Olympic games, the government needs to spend much more on sport activities.

Also, people’s attitude towards sportspersons must change — idolising them when they succeed and trolling them when they fail. The Tokyo Olympics has showed that there’s rich talent in rural and semi-urban India. Sportspersons should have easy access to gyms, playgrounds, stadia and training centres so that future Mirabai Chanus do not have to travel 30 km daily in trucks.

Pune

Sports and sportspersons should be encouraged by the government. The Sports Ministry should walk the extra mile to encourage sports at the school level itself and take initiatives to train the youngsters. In India, too much importance is given to cricket at the cost of other games, and cricketers are treated as gods. All types of sports should be wholeheartedly encouraged right from the primary school level. Eminent sports personalities should be encouraged to train youngsters in their respective fields.

One of the main reasons why children these days are susceptible to various diseases and obesity is lack of encouragement to participate in sports.

Thane

The Indian contingent’s admirable performance at the Tokyo Olympics should spur faith in the potential and talent of our sportspersons to do well at the highest level. While we celebrate their achievements and reward them handsomely, we should sow the seeds for continued success by giving them and others waiting in the wings the wherewithal to train. Our mission should be to invest more in sports and provide a platform for our sportspersons to hone their skills without worrying about their livelihood.

Bengaluru

‘Parliament passes Bill to amend DICGC Act’ (August 10) is no doubt an interim relief for the depositors of those banks which have been placed under RBI moratorium.

However, the buck must not stop at this stage; the RBI and the Finance Ministry must set a timeline to complete the investigation only to ensure that the depositors get back their entire dues, for the simple reason that depositors have no role in the frauds banks commit.

Halekere Village, Karnataka