No return of the non-natives
Till the first quarter of 2020 the Indian economy was showing signs of recovery majorly powered by ‘guest workers’ (‘migrants’ in local parlance) but now these very same workers have been reduced to the status of ‘ nowhere people’. There was a time in the not too distant past when industrialists from prosperous states actively wooed migrants but these very same states are now putting up barriers to their return by reserving the lion’s share of jobs in both the public and private sector for locals.
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Agreed that Covid has adversely impacted the migrant’s job prospects but I also detect a strain of xenophobia and vote bank politics in the greater scheme of things. For instance the present dispensation in Maharashtra plans to introduce a law making it mandatory to reserve 80% of the jobs (forget whether skill sets would be available ) in the private sector for those domiciled in the state. Such retrograde measures besides being legally untenable would also skew free market dynamics leading us back to the dark ages of ‘ licence raj ‘.
The Constitution of India grants the right of vocation and free movement to every citizen of India. Lop sided implementation of protectionist, partisan and ill thought through labour policies is a zero sum game and would ultimately lead to economic balkanisation of the nation…. where everyone is a loser.
Vinay Dwivedi, Benaulim
Working within constraints
Companies recruit personnel based on their culture. The Fortune 500 Companies will recruit graduates only from certain educational institutes and with a minimum cut off percentage. They are not from those under the Goa University for sure. That will be the day!
When faced with the current pandemic, such Companies are bound to fare better than the rest. Any disputes? What do other companies do? Do they work within their own capabilities? No, not in the case of life and death. They can, and must, collaborate with others.
Is a Maruti of inferior quality to a BMW? No, not at all. The specifications are different, but quality is same, again within the constraints of the workers employed.
Goans should be happy that the govt. is sparing no cost to procure ‘quality’ equipment to fight the pandemic/!Procurement personnel from Fortune 500 companies cannot be compared with others. Especially when it comes to capital purchases. If you told them that an equipment purchased by the Central Govt. for Rs 2.8 lakh is being quoted at Rs 8 lakhs to others what would they do? They are able to get 90 days extended credit, extended 5 years warranty, and an additional critical spares for another 3 years. All with on site repairs within 48 hours – by undergoing RT-PCR test at their costs. You cannot get into a Fortune 500 Company by mere votes. The capital equipment in the Market is the same for all. The pandemic is the time for humility: a quality that can be available in greater measure in non-Fortune 500 Companies.
R Fernandes, Margao
Govt yet to get its act together
With the COVID-19 cases mounting by the day, the Goa Government has yet not got its act together in dealing with the raging pandemic. The politicians should have laid their hands off and left it to the experts to chart the road ahead.
There are increasing complaints about lack of proper facilities and the pathetic state of the Covid hospitals and care centres. Every COVID patient needs to be getting the best possible care and attention. The poorest of the poor is entitled to get all the due medical assistance even it has to be at the private hospitals. Free and specialized treatment cannot be the privilege of just the politicians and that too at tax-payers expense. That the authorities failed to plan a proper strategy over the last few months and are now running helter-skelter with no vision is condemnable.
Chief Minister and the Health Minister should be in the frontline while dealing with the pandemic which has now sadly reached a point of crisis. As ‘Bhivpachim Kainch Goroj Na’, they should themselves regularly visit the COVID hospitals and care centers to see for themselves the sordid plight of the patients. They need to talk less and prove their mettle by action on the ground.
If Pramod Sawant and Vishwajit Rane are incapable of leading from the front they should gracefully step aside and make room for someone more sensitive, competent and dedicated to take over.
The abundant funds earmarked for dealing with COVID-19 must be judiciously and scrupulously utilized to ensure that every patient gets the due medical care. There should be no room or devious attempt to pocket this money. It would be an unpardonable crime.
Aires Rodrigues, Ribandar
Launch OTS for all public sector banks
State Bank of India (SBI) long back in the year 2012 had launched One-Time-Settlement (OTS) scheme for distressed SBI loans with Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) whereby loans of upto Rs 10 crore lying dead as Non-Performing-Assets (NPAs) could be settled by paying 25 per cent of original loan-amount (without interest and other charges) in six months of settlement without interest. Extra 15 per cent discount on settlement-amount was offered on payment of settlement-amount within one month of settlement.
With many MSMEs and traders facing financial crunch as after-effects of demonetisation, introduction of GST and other such factors resulting in economic slow-down, such an uniform One-Time-Settlement scheme for all public-sector banks for loans having been converted into Non-Performing-Assets (NPAs) as on Dec 31, 2019 has become necessity now with further worsening of trade-situation after lockdown and still on-going corona-pandemic.
Department of Financial Services (Banking) and Reserve Bank of India (RBI) should devise some similar OTS scheme for all banks (private and public-sector) and Non-Banking-Financial-Companies (NBFCs) to mentally relieve traders and others in crisis. However those availing any such scheme may be barred from taking any loans from banks and NBFCs in future. Such scheme will be beneficial for banks and NBFCs also because it has become extremely tough now to recover loans and Equated- Monthly-Instalments (EMIs) from defaulters. At least such OTS scheme must be implemented for all public-sector-banks if not for NBFCs and private banks.
Madhu Agrawal, Delhi
Raina’s retirement
Former Indian cricket captain MS Dhoni announced his retirement from international cricket on August 15, India’s 73rd Independence Day. However another Indian cricket star Suresh Raina also announced his retirement on the same day which went almost unnoticed.
Raina represented India in 18 Tests, 226 ODIs and 78 T20 in an international career spanning 13 years. Besides being an attacking batsman, Suresh Raina was a useful bowler and an exceptional fielder. At the age of 33 cricket lovers may have felt that Raina announced his retirement a bit too early as he seemed to have a lot of cricket left in him. To announce a retirement is always a hard decision, but it is also a personal matter Suresh Raina probably felt that it was the proper time to step down along with his former captain MS Dhoni and make way for the younger players to step into his shoes. Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid rich tribute to the dashing cricketer by reportedly saying that the former Indian batsman never played for personal glory but for the glory of the team and the country.
Adelmo Fernandes, Vasco
