The editorial ‘‘Reduced to tears’’ ( Business Line, September 19) makes an in-depth study of the factors responsible for scarcity and soaring prices of onion — so dear to all sections of society.
The black-marketers are also reportedly taking undue advantage of the situation. The Centre must take strong action to make onions available at reasonable prices and check hoarding by unscrupulous elements.
It is a fact that delayed supply of onions from Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra has made the situation worse. However, the supply chain from
Undue influence from any quarter should not be tolerated for selling the item at exorbitant prices. Reforms are needed even for vegetables and food items to ensure their easy and timely availability at reasonable prices.
Further, to avoid the onion crisis, if required, the Centre, in consultation with the States, must open its own market outlets to sell the item at affordable prices, removing tears from the eyes of commoners.
Jayant Mukherjee
Kolkata
Quality of education
‘‘The Business of Education” ( Business Line , September 16) was interesting. I think there is also a need to go for a health check of public universities — both at the central and state levels — which are languishing mostly due to rigid bureaucratic control and lack of accountability at all levels. Faculty shortage is a chronic problem in all public universities. IITs are facing a faculty shortage of 40 per cent.
Private universities have many problems mostly arising out of the University Grants Commission’s (UGC) apathy to the private sector. There many reputed private universities doing good work. Without private universities, we cannot achieve 30 per cent gross enrolment ration (GER) by 2020. The Education Promotion Society for India (EPSI) has been taking it with the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) and UGC.
H. Chaturvedi