10% Reservation for poor upper caste

It refers to the government decision favoured generally by the opposition parties but only in principle regarding 10 per cent reservation for the Poor Upper Caste covering roughly 90 per cent of people from the General category with the parameters defined for getting reservation benefits being as high as household income above Rs 8 lakhs per annum, agricultural land less than 5 acres, residences less than 1,000 sq ft and residential plot less than 100 sq yards in a notified municipal area and 200 sq yards in a non-notified municipal area. If the Central government is really sincere about the economically weaker section (EWS) of the society, these parameters need to be made realistic. Otherwise, the proposed 10 per cent quota should be doubled to at least 20 per cent.

However, the proposed policy is not likely to be struck down by the Apex Court which has fixed maximum 50 per cent reservation quota only for backward classes made under article 16(4) of Constitution as per 1992 clarification by the Supreme Court. Simultaneously, the Central Government should implement verdict dated September 26, 2018, by a five-member Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court for the exclusion of creamy layer from reserved categories under scheduled castes and scheduled tribes. Reservation-benefits must be given to families with up to two children.

The complete policy of Reservation incorporated in the Constitution for a limited period of just 15 years to create a homogeneous casteless society is in itself a big failure whereas this policy has instead made people of reserved categories separately identified from others.

Madhu Agrawal

Power (Shakti) and discipline

Afternoon Voice cherishes the values ingrained in Mahaveer Hanumanji. There is a lot of indiscipline and loose talk in our country. PM Modi, Amit Shah, and the RSS must do utmost to eradicate such bad habits growing among the masses.

Mahendra Singh

Reinstatement of CBI Chief a setback for Modi govt!

Reinstatement of Alok Verma as the CBI chief by the Supreme Court is a setback for the Modi govt who sacked and sent him on forced leave for charges of corruption. The controversy was termed as CBI v/s CBI as both Alok Verma and his deputy Rakesh Asthana had abused each other of corruption but the government’s midnight action was what looked suspicious as there are certain procedures that need to be followed in sacking a key member of an organisation that overlooks corruption in our country. It seems that the Modi government acts in haste and its advisors don’t seem to know the law of the land.

Corruption by the CBI head is a serious issue and needs to be addressed properly within the jurisdiction of the law. The SC wants the government and the leader of Opposition along with the Chief Justice of India to meet and look at the matter of corruption without any bias or nepotism. But with elections around the corner and BJP as well as Congress on loggerheads, justice cannot be expected in the case of corruption where each of the party’s favouring an individual for their poll prospects. It is the Supreme Court who should now appoint a special bench of former judges for a speedy solution on a matter that looks very critical and serious for the country!

S.N.Kabra

0.75% discount on fuel purchased through credit cards

The Union government post-demonetisation of currency on November 8, 2016, to encourage the use of cashless transactions, had started giving several discounts for promoting the use of credit and debit cards which also included 0.75 per cent discount on the purchase of petrol and diesel through credit or debit cards. Due to inadequate publicity, it is not clear which discounts are still prevailing which also included on online payment of insurance premiums.

With all such discounts having since lost relevance after the normalisation of currency-position; the Union government should not burden exchequer with subsidy-loss through such discounts anymore. Instead, steps should be taken to ensure banking to be made least expensive including in respect of credit and debit cards. The concept of minimum-balance-charge for bank-accounts should be altogether abolished with banks already earning a lot on providing a very small interest-rate on bank-balances in savings-accounts and no interest on credits in current-accounts. Likewise charges for the issue and maintain debit cards should be abolished.

However, consolidated steps can be taken to minimise currency-circulation which may also include a monthly cash-withdrawal limit from banks of say Rs 96,000 for an individual, which may be gradually reduced to Rs 50,000 per month.

Madhu Agrawal

Limit monetary benefit to ultra-rich Cricketers

The Board for Control of Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced an award money of Rs 15 lakhs extra in addition to the equal amount of match-money to each of the cricketers having played in recently concluded series with Australia where India won the series. All this is in addition to a very hefty annual salary-package of up to Rs 7 crores per cricketer and lifetime heavy pension after their retirement from cricket paid by BCCI.

It is absolutely unfair to create such a class-distinction in a society where cricketers earning otherwise also through their costly appearance in advertisements and business-income are paid so heavily from the BCCI funded through public-craze where cricket has become a religion for people. There should be an upper-limit of salary-package for BCCI which may be equivalent to a highest paid bureaucrat in the country.

If earning of BCCI is a criterion for payment to cricketers, then priests of famous temples can also demand such hefty payments based on the income of temples. The central government should ensure that BCCI funds may be utilised for public-welfare schemes in the manner income from famous Hindu temples like Tirupati are spent.

Subhash Chandra Agrawal

Strike – Where country loses

Currently, it is seen that BEST and Banks are organising strikes on a major level and the motive behind this strike is simple fulfillment of their demands. But do they ever realise how our country is adversely affected by these kinds of strikes? When BEST goes on a Strike, every common man is suffered and when Banks goes on strike, every financial work is hampered directly affecting the bank customer. Today, if we see our country is in debt which means every citizen carrying a hefty sum of Rs 60,000 as a share of the country’s debt. So everyone should think in this situation are really this strike important, should we really do this strikes now and then! If we really want our country to progress, every citizen should contribute with the sense of sacrifice and keeping personnel demands at distance. Otherwise, in no time, we will see a downfall rather than a rising Country.

Nehali Shimpi

Strike and senior citizens

I, a senior citizen aged 71 years from North Mumbai and a huge number of senior citizens above the age of 60 years travelling by BEST buses everyday and have savings accounts with nationalised and the other banks, are wholeheartedly grateful to all the strikers for putting me and crores of senior citizens like me into unbearable troubles for three consecutive days!!! It is ridiculous to note that though the bank employees get the heftiest salaries and bonus with so many types of leaves and allowances, they go on strike nearly every now and then. They are entitled also to go on privileged leaves and enjoy outings with their families at the cost of the bank (read crores of bank customers like me). Is this their art of avoiding work?

Hansraj Bhat

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