Letters to the Editor: Sept 17, 2018

1) A welcoming scheme

The Centre has announced Rs 15,053 crore scheme to ensure that farmers growing oilseed, pulses and copra actually get the minimum support price (MSP) which they are promised for their crops every year. The umbrella policy Pradhan Mantri Annadata Aay Sanrakshan Abhiyan (PMAASHA) — was approved by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs. It is a welcome step taken by the government for the farmers of the country. It is a reality that farmers are considered as the backbone of the Indian economy. Surely, this scheme will make them heave a sigh of relief and live a happy life. The government deserves to be praised for this wonderful step for the sake of country’s farmers.

– Mohd Usmani

 

2) Bring petrol-diesel under GST

It refers to a statement by the Union Petroleum Minister advising states to cut taxes on petrol and diesel to overcome the effect of regular price rise. But one time cut in tax rate by states can in no way check regular price rise in accordance with a rise in crude price. Rather it is absurd to harm public-exchequers of some states where polls are due in coming months with such cut in tax rates only for the political purposes. Instead, Dharmendra Pradhan should make a sincere initiative to bring petrol and diesel under GST to ensure uniform pricing throughout the country. Any subsidy in prices of petrol and diesel to overcome rising crude price will be adverse to the Indian economy. However, some practical steps can help control the situation.

Since the government is the biggest user of the petroleum products, the Union Government apart from cutting down its own expenditure should launch austerity drive by announcing stiff measures for a drastic cut in the consumption of petrol and diesel including installation of GPS in all the government vehicles to check a large-scale misuse of the government vehicles for private purpose.

Bigger and smaller sized cars should have dual rate structure of GST according to ex-factory value rather than length, and any new car at the cost of public-exchequer should be a small car even for heads of the nation, legislature, judiciary and bureaucracy. Car loans should be provided only for small cars.

Large overheads and publicity budget should be curtailed by the merger of all public sector oil companies in one unified company.

Discounts on petrol and diesel purchased by affluent class through credit cards should be abolished.

Prices of petroleum products including GST should be rounded in complete rupee rather than daily changes in paise.

Any relief due to fall in crude price should be kept in the reserve fund rather than passing to consumers to overcome any future rise in the crude price.

Licence for auto-rickshaws should be freely given on demand so that middle-income people may switch to auto-rickshaws from cars. Present capping in Delhi makes auto-rickshaw drivers overcharging and denying going to desired destinations.

New-look translucent LPG cylinders made of fibre glass ensuring tamperproof full-load supply of LPG gas per cylinders should replace old iron cylinders with one-time replacement cost rather than charging Rs 300 extra for every refill.

LPG subsidy should be only on filing affidavits about combined family incomes rather than government expecting voluntary surrendering subsidy from those with high family income.

– Madhu Agrawal

 

3) Stop Mob-attacking

In the present day, every day some unbelievable incidents are happening constantly in our society. Some stranger disturbance takes place every day around the country with old people and children. Recently, a most sorrowful incident happened that shook our souls and embarrassed our culture when a 25-year-old mentally challenged was mob lynched and tied to a tree and beat him up on the suspension of his being kidnapper in Kadugodi. Onlookers did not help him while he was being attacked. It is a very shameful and painful news for all of them who were present there and only looking at him and did not help in any way. It seems like respecting and helping each other has gone completely. It is a dangerous situation and bad condition for the humanity. By these ways, our society demands a good, helpful and powerful group which can face mob-attacker and save its people from them and also save the children from strangers as much as possible.

– M S Nadwi F Y

 

4) It is a conspiracy

The Financial Minister Arun Jaitley is being targeted by political leaders all over the country after the businessman Vijay Mallya claimed to meet him before he left India in 2016. It is the job of the investigators to know the reality behind this statement. Without any proof and witness, no one should target Arun Jaitley. Vijay Mallya is the same person who cheated millions of people before a couple of years, so how can we trust him only because one statement was released by him. I think it is a conspiracy being hatched to target our honourable Minister Arun Jaitley. The reality must be investigated before saying words against Jaitley. If the claim is proved, ultimately he will be in the queue of cheaters.

– M.F.U.Tandvi

 

(The views expressed by the author in the article are his/her own.)