Addressing hunger

This refers to ‘Hunger-free world by 2030: A mirage’ (September 4). Having enough food to keep our bellies full and bodies running is a fundamental right, not a privilege. Although hunger is an incredibly personal issue, its impact inhibits productivity, slows economic growth, and places unnecessary burdens on health and education systems. Also, as seen in famine situations, many fatalities associated with hunger aren’t due to hunger itself, but also due to malnutrition. While hunger is not caused by food shortage alone, the combination of natural, social, and political forces add to it. In order to achieve zero hunger by 2030, urgent coordinated action and policy solutions are imperative to address entrenched inequalities, transform food systems, invest in sustainable agricultural practices, and reduce and mitigate the impact of conflict and the pandemic on global nutrition and food security.

N Sadhasiva Reddy

Bengaluru

Credit-deposit gap

This is with reference to ‘PSBs need to win back depositors’ (September 4). Banks’ deposit growth in FY24 was well below the rise in credit, forcing them to meet the funding gap through higher-cost certificates of deposit (CDs). The interest rate offered by public sector banks isn’t attractive, hence their deposit growth rate is falling. Smaller private banks, on the other hand, offer flexibility and higher FD rates. India’s big banks may continue to face deposit crunch if the government and the RBI insist on lower lending rates. Banks should be allowed the freedom to determine the deposit and credit rates to play effectively in the market.

P Sundara Pandian

Virudhunagar, TN

Anti- rape Bill

This is with reference to ‘West Bengal Assembly passes ‘historic’ anti-rape Bill seeking capital punishment’ (September 4). This is a step in the right direction, as the crimes against women have continued unabated even after the stringent provision of life imprisonment stipulated by the Nirbhaya Act 2013. However, what needs to be noted is that it is not just the existence of the most stringent laws that would bring about the real change, but it is a change in the mindset of the men and patriarchal attitude of the society, which treats woman as property of man, that would bring the desired transformation.

Kosaraju Chandramouli

Hyderabad

Boosting insurance

The report ‘Grievances in the life insurance sector are about the product itself: IRDAI member’ (September 4), has not a come a day too soon. The fact that the IRDAI member is aware and abreast of the flawed products coupled with ‘misselling, at an alarming level’, it should lead to concerted efforts aimed at streamlining product portfolios and process of sales, for the industry to deliver on its mandate. Health and life insurance can gain a lot by increasing awareness along with better calibration of products.

Jose Abraham

Vaikom, Kerala