MyVoice: Views of our readers 13th July 2024

Revenue boost calls for multipronged approach

The Chief Minister of Telangana, in order to shore up state finances, has set monthly targets for revenue generating wings. Electricity department, road transport, municipal corporation, telecommunications, domestic gas supply and state public sector enterprises etc. can generate extra revenue if they are run efficiently as business units, the way they ought to be operated. But freebies, subsidies, concessions, compensations, overstaffing, obsolescence etc., in them are leading to losses, requiring government funding for their survival. Revenue can be increased by increasing taxes, but there is a limit and it can have political repercussions. Increasing borrowings leads to increase in debt servicing, the subsequent years. Austerity measures in government functioning can save money, but not substantially. Therefore, the government needs to adopt a multipronged approach to increase its revenue.

Dr O Prasada Rao, Hyderabad

A historic day in India’s maritime history

Vizhinjam has been an important port since ancient times, serving as a key maritime trade centre for the Kingdom of Travancore. It played a significant role in the spice trade, connecting Kerala to global trade routes. The arrival of first huge mother ship at the sea port, now owned by Adanis, which is India’s first deep water transhipment terminal, is historic day marking significant milestone India’s maritime trade sector. Road or rail connectivity to the port needs to be ensured on a war-footing.

B Veerakumaan Thampi, Thiruvananthapuram

SC undoes threat posed to Constitution

The Congress party, having to its dubious credit of passing a law in 1985 in overruling a verdict in the matter of a plea for alimony for the divorced Muslim women, has now no face to laud the latest Apex Court verdict delivered under Section 125 of the Cr PC. Once again it is vindicated as to which is the party that is threatening our Constitution. The Rajiv Gandhi government’s decision to enact a law to overrule an apex court judgment granting alimony to divorced Muslim women was one of the biggest threats to the Constitution as it gave primacy to Sharia, Islamic laws.

Seshagiri Row Karry, Hyderabad

Cong must emulate NDA govt efforts

Sub: Revanth, Rahul flayed for hoodwinking jobless youth (July 12, 2024). It was easy for the Congress to blame the Centre when it was in the opposition by raising the unemployment issue and rising prices in the country, in which Rahul Gandhi indulged unfailingly during his yatras and press conferences to lampoon the government. But, after coming to power in Telangana, the Congress is facing the same predicament; and similar questions are being posed to it by the BRS for not doing enough in this regard. The Congress government in the TS must also think in terms of helping the youth set up their own businesses as per their calibre and interest as the NDA government has been doing in several states, by way of self-employment in traditional and vocational fields. The comments by the BRS working president K T Ramarao, in this regard are worth poring over.

K R Parvathy, Mysuru

Enable industries to provide skills, jobs

Re: Editorial “Governments must walk the talk on poverty eradication”- 12th July 2024. The ‘Garibi Hatao’ slogan by Congress in the early seventies was only aimed to build vote banks by hoodwink the have-nots rather than uplift them from poverty level by creating employment opportunities. As this caught the fancy of every political party, they stepped in to draw them into their fold through freebies etc; as a result, the problem subsists even after decades. Centre and States should insist on industries, both big and small, to create more gainful employment by giving incentives and tax concessions. Poverty eradication cannot be done overnight after a discussion with all stakeholders or by roping in industrial organisations from far and wide through CSR.

K R Srinivasan, Secunderabad

Raise outlays for education sector

This has reference to the article on preparing the students for digital age. Probably, the article is from experienced software brains. Parallelly, there is a report in media that in Kothagudem only 2 teachers are there for 185 students. There is a famous quotation: Today’s children are tomorrow’s leaders. The parents try to do their part to inculcate some learning in children before sending them to schools. Stories are one way of raising curiosity of children and spur questioning by them. Unfortunately, in our country, several villages have no schools and many have no proper buildings, toilets, playgrounds, libraries, labs etc., in addition to sufficient number of qualified teachers. Under such circumstances, how does one expect our children to brace for the digital age education. Huge funds are to be allotted to develop uniform facilities for this digital age education.

G Murali Mohan Rao, Secunderabad