Letters to the editor dated Jan 3, 2020

This refers to the timely write-up ‘India really needed a Chief of Defence Staff' ( www.thehindubusinessline.com January 3). There can’t be two opinions about the fact that such a strategic defence reform was the need of the hour. The BJP government has now risen to the occasion by naming General Bipin Rawat as India’s first-ever Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) and putting him in charge of the newly created Department of Military Affairs.

Gen Rawat has been tasked with a whole lot of fresh yet huge responsibilities including that of the key player in the nuclear Strategic Forces.

This refers to the editorial ‘Fog disruptions: Air passengers continue to bear the brunt of ineffective regulation’ (January 3). Airlines along with the regulators see the disruptions as not too frequent and are, therefore, not investing in providing the required training and equipment to overcome the problem. Such a nonchalant approach is untenable when India is aspiring to be a global tourist hub.

Chennai

This refers to ‘Hardly the time for a tight-fisted Budget’ (January 3). While the economy is facing the persisting shock of the down-shift, the focus in the Budget needs to be for raising the disposable income of households to propel consumption and, thereby, the aggregate demand for goods and services. The speedy execution of the already announced infra projects matters a lot, not only in saving the cost over-runs but also it is key to support the growth of the interconnected and interdependent industries and other economic activities. Though the banking sector could record better resolution of the big ticket-sized bad loans during the year 2019, yet the non-performing assets of banks and NBFCs are posing threats to these institutions and if not addressed will be a roadblock to the anticipated dynamism these institutions are supposed to create. Despite the execution of several measures, underpayment of direct and indirect taxes are not rare resulting in huge revenue loss to the government. Extensive use of all available sources of information to detect the evasion of tax is paramount.

The ensuing Budget should not be a mere income and expenditure statement but must be a vision document depicting the ways and means to attain the targeted growth.

Kottayam

This is with reference to the enormous and mounting debt of state-owned Air India. The government should immediately attend to the SOS call of the beleaguered airline and bail it out. This will, apart from allowing the airline to fly high again, help preserve the jobs of its loyal employees.

Lucknow

It augurs well that the Pradhan Mantri Kausahl Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) has been making a positive impact on job creation. It would be ideal if courses that help one get tech-related jobs are introduced at the earliest in Industrial Training Institutes. With the huge success of Ayushman Bharath, it would be in the fitness of things if healthcare workers are trained on all the latest gadgets.

It is imperative to note that the BPO promotion scheme under the Digital India programme is encouraging local entrepreneurship manifold.

Vadodara

Considering the changing lifestyle of the youth and the working population of our country, health issues and chronic diseases are on the rise, which are in turn increasing healthcare costs. The government’s ‘Arogya Sanjeevani’ scheme, which includes a maximum cover of ₹5 lakh, is nothing less than a boon as more than half the population finds it extremely difficult to pay for good quality, long term treatment. This scheme would result in a healthier population, increased life expectancy and, in turn, a better demographic structure.

Pune

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