This has reference to the news report ”Govt targets 1 cr consumers to give up LPG subsidy”(Herald Mar 30,2015). First let MPs give up their privileges before they ask the common man to give up subsidy!
India’s MPs have given themselves a threefold hike in salary, now earning 68 times the country’s average salary. But no conditions of service have changed. In India, the average assets of 304 MPs who contested in 2004 and then re-contested in 2009 grew 300%! On August 27, 2010, Indian Members of Parliament voted themselves a threefold hike in their basic salary, from Rs 16,000 to Rs 50,000 and doubled the constituency and office expense allowances to 40,000 each.
MPs will thus receive an assured income of Rs 1.3 lakh (a salary of Rs 50,000 plus constituency allowance of Rs 40,000 and office or stationary allowance of Rs 40,000) a month. An MP’s wage is tax-free and comes with additional perquisites such as free petrol, free telephone calls and free housing, some of it in the most expensive real estate in the country’s capital. Most household expenses – furniture, electricity, water, laundry – is also paid for by the State. MPs can travel anywhere in the country by rail, first class, and get 34 free air tickets for themselves or a companion a year. Spouses of MPs can travel free by air from their residence to New Delhi eight times a year when Parliament is in session and unlimited number of times by rail.
The belt that the Sarkar urges everyone to tighten is never the one around its own ever-expanding waistline but is always the one worn by the taxpayer. now please define well-off.
DC Dias, Taleigao
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Big achievement
Saina Nehwal is the first Indian woman to be ranked world No 1 in badminton. Her performance will be an inspiration for budding players . Her male compatriot 22- year old Kidambi Srikanth’s meteoric rise to world No 2 is no less inspiring. Srikanth achieved this ranking by winning the Indian Open Super Series– a double whammy for India.
The achievements of Saina Nehwal and Srikanth Kidambi must be given due recognition as a stupendous performance considering that there are 176 badminton playing countries affiliated to the BWF. By contrast, the International Cricket Council (ICC) has just 10 full members and another 38 associate member countries!
Prof Robert Castellino, Calangute
Helmets compulsory
The Goa government has decided to make helmets compulsory on all roads in the state from April 1. According to the transport director 70 percent of deaths in two-wheeler accidents are due to head injuries for not wearing a helmet.
Such steps had been taken by the government in the past but due to lack of conviction the drive had fizzled out. This time the government needs to be more strict in implementing the rule.
However it is observed that sub-standard helmets, which do not have the ISI mark, are being sold by the road side at several places in the state. Such helmets are not effective in preventing head injuries as a result of an accident. Not long ago the authorities had confiscated a huge haul of these sub-standard helmets.
With helmets becoming compulsory more such sub-standard will probably enter the state which will be sold to the unwary customers at a price lower than the standard helmets. It must be said that two-wheeler companies and distributors give away sops, discounts and other gifts for those purchasing the vehicles. Why don’t the distributors of two-wheelers offer helmets with ISI mark to all their customers free of cost? This will go a long way in instilling the habit of wearing the head-gear in the case of two-wheeler riders.
Adelmo Fernandes, Vasco
Helmet rule
The theory of Arun Dessai, the transport director and Mr Sudin the transport minister, that the helmet protects the head from head injury, if he/she wears a helmet while driving is wrong. If it is so then how the lady from Curtorim Mrs.Valia Cardozo died with a head injury in spite of wearing helmet?
I want an answer from Mr Dessai in this regards. This is not only a case of Mrs Cardozo, so many riders died on the road even after wearing helmets. I request Arun Dessai not to pressurize the riders to wear helmets even on internal and village roads from 1 April.
The Chief Minister should intervene into this scam of the RTO and stop making the helmet rule compulsory on all roads. We do not mind wearing helmet only on highways even that is not necessary if the riders follow the Motor Vehicle rules properly.
Whiterose, Carmona
