The duplicity of Nirmala Sitharaman
Nirmala Sitharaman, Finance Minister is showing some deft footwork in the face of most of the non- BJP ruled States complaining that they have been deprived of funds by the Centre. With the Karnataka CM protesting on February 7 at Delhi, she has come out with a statement that in the Interim Budget presented to Parliament recently none of the allocation to States have been reduced!
This is neither here nor there since the complaints from the States are for the previous budget periods going back a few years on revenue sharing like on GST and allocation of costs for approved projects where the share of the Centre has not been forthcoming.
The complaints are just not from one State but ranging across all non- BJP ruled States from Bengal, Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. Thus one would have to believe that the complaints are true. Such step-motherly treatments in a federal democratic set-up are not proper particularly when changes have been brought in to divert almost all revenue like that of GST to the Centre and the States have to look towards Delhi for funds. Such machinations are nothing but blackmail forcing the people to vote for Double Engine governments where both the State and Centre are ruled by the BJP or NDA affiliated parties.
If the problems on revenue sharing like on GST and allocation of costs for approved projects where the share of the Centre has not been forthcoming is common across all States then one wonders why the BJP ruled States have not been raising their voices. Have they gone dumb or fear reprisal if they make themselves heard from a dominant Centre?
Srinivas Kamat, Alto St. Cruz
Over 100 cr Indians can‘t affort a healthy diet
Given India’s population stands at 144 crore in 2024, NITI Aayog’s claim that at present the percentage of people deemed to be poor is 11.28 per cent means that there are 16 crore poor people in India now. It totally contradicts government’s own estimate that around 81 crore people require food assistance for five more years.
However, the 81 crore estimate is based on the 2011 census. Economists pointed out that more than 10 crore deserving Indians would not get the benefit of the 5-year extension of the free ration programme for the poor because of government’s failure to conduct the long-due population census.
Therefore, government’s own estimation of 81 crore plus this 10 crore means 91 crore people of our country require food assistance. This estimate supports the 2023 report from the Food and Agriculture Organisation, a specialised agency of the UN that over 100 crore Indians (74.1 per cent of the population) could not afford a healthy diet in 2021. To put it simply, three out of four Indians are underfed because of poverty.
Sujit De, Kolkata
Video surveillance a must for safety in schools
Some days back, an attempt to kidnap a primary student in Keri-Sattari was thwarted by prompt action and alertness of a fourth standard girl. An automobile with tinted windows stopped close to the girl as she was making her way to school. Someone abruptly grabbed her hand and attempted to pull her into the car. The girl bit the man’s hand, demonstrating her quick thinking and reflexes, and he released her. Over the years, there has been a rise in the number of instances of attempts to kidnap children by trespassing into school premises. Police cannot make their presence felt at all the schools. Hence it would be in the fitness of things to install CCTV cameras outside the school premises. Schools are expected to keep students safe and to have appropriate systems to protect them from everything from bullying to kidnapping. Security cameras and a board that reads “The school premises is under CCTV surveillance” can deter potential crimes from happening. Video surveillance can detect trespassers, unauthorized visitors and suspicious vehicles.
Nothing is more important to parents than their children’s safety. However school security cameras should never be used in places where privacy is required, such as restrooms, locker rooms, etc. Installing CCTV cameras can be cost-prohibitive for many schools. The state government needs to provide grants for schools specifically earmarked for safety and security of students.
Adelmo Fernandes, Vasco
Panaji has become the pothole capital
Roads are dug on and again in Panaji for various project works and the work seems to have no end in sight, much to the anger of netizens.
Bad roads and potholes in Goa are an all-season malady. Panjim has become pothole capital and land of forever dug up roads and hinder traffic movement besides compromising on road safety.
Citizens have the right to properly maintained roads and in the event of loss of life or limb, then they also have a right to seek compensation.
K G Vilop, Panjim
Union budget, an electoral gimmick
The Union budget presented on February 1 by the Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman was just an electoral gimmick on the part of the BJP government before the 2024 Lok Sabha elections scheduled to be held in May so that people may vote for the party.
People should not get carried away by such cheap gimmicks. PM Narendra Modi had made many promises in the past but did not fulfil any of them; not even the Rs 15 lakh which he promised to give every citizen of India or the free foodgrains to the poor during the lockdown period.
Jubel D’Cruz, Mumbai
US economy is far ahead of India
Viz a viz the United States, India has a long way to go as far as its economy is concerned. It may be noted that the market capitalization of all the listed companies in India at the moment is about $ 4.63 trillion. Comparatively, merely three of the top US companies namely Apple ($3 trillion), Meta Platforms ($1.197 trillion) and Tesla ($ 587 billion) only together account for the entire market capitalization of India. Also the total market capitalization of all the listed companies of the US is $46.2 trillion which is ten times that of entire India. However, it has to be noted that America is a capitalist country and they can afford to be so since the entire population is only 350 million which is exactly a quarter of India with a population of 1.4 billion.
Ideally, India should adopt a socialist model to bring its large percentage of population which is not adequately provided for to a semblance of being adequately provided for so as to turn around the corner and become a developed country in the years to come. At the moment, for India, the corporates are doing a fine job.
Elvidio Miranda, Panjim
