Reshuffle and all

This refers to the editorial, ‘All about politics’ (July 6). The most significant thing is shifting Smriti Irani from HRD to textiles. It is hoped Prakash Javadekar will do a better job of upgrading the education system. Clearly, the large Cabinet is due to political compulsions. In the last two years, there have been no spectacular achievements. The only consolation is that the Government has not been involved in corruption charges. We need good governance as well as more job opportunities. Also, the prices of essential commodities must be kept under control.

Jayant Mukherjee

Kolkata

The BJP has realised its errors, and for this, the PM deserves credit for taking corrective action. It shows he’s not an egotist.

Ashok Jayaram

Bengaluru

It is not a demotion for Smriti Irani because with a ₹6,000-crore package planned for the textile sector, it is going to be very important ministry in terms of the economy. There is a clear message that Modi means business and his choices have prevailed. Having completed two years, time is running out for the Government which has to deliver on tall promises made in 2014. The upper age limit has not dictated the appointments, so the Government needs to be careful about such promises.

Bal Govind

Noida, Uttar Pradesh

Crops and rain

This refers to ‘A good monsoon is a mixed blessing’ by Shivendra Bajaj (July 6). It is unfathomable why farmers in Maharastra prefer sugarcane cultivation when the returns on their investment are not good. Besides sugarcane is a water guzzler, which complicates matters in times of drought. The Centre, State governments, stakeholders and experts should sit together and frame a suitable policy for crop cultivation. Also, the Government should not shy away from importing commodities such as sugar and pulses during years of deficit rainfall.

K Ashok Kumar

Kolkata

Builders bully buyers

The warning given by the National Housing Bank to housing finance companies not to disburse loans without linking the same to the stages of construction of housing projects is valid. In fact the builders of apartments are getting maximum profits with minimum efforts.

The quality of construction has deteriorated and costs are escalating year on year. Builders are getting away after handing over the flat to the buyers. The regulator of housing finance companies should also ensure the quality of construction; sometimes they even leave the apartments incomplete. The buyers deserve justice.

TSN Rao

Bhimavaram, Andhra Pradesh

Pay farmers fair

The interest subvention approved by the Government for 2016-17 is a whopping ₹18,276 crore. This amount is earmarked for short-term loans up to ₹3 lakh. Assuming that the average scale of finance is ₹20,000 per acre, the total area under crop loans will be 1.65 lakh acres. Total cultivable land was 125.16 million ha in 1998-99, which moved up marginally to 126 million ha in 2013-14.

With more urbanisation and industrialisation, the extent will shrink further. But total food credit which was ₹173.36 billion has jumped to ₹968 billion. With almost the same extent of land, the increase in food credit is around ₹800 billion.

A major portion of agricultural short-term loans will represent gold loans. The beneficiaries are not farmers but money lenders and business persons most of the time. Instead, the Government can use this amount to enhance the presence of the National Agricultural Market so that benefits reach farmers. Our farmers do not need loans or subsidies. They need fair prices for their produce.

S Veeraraghavan

Coimbatore

Unnecessary exercise

Can changing the name of High Courts (Madras to Chennai, Bombay to Mumbai and Calcutta to Kolkata) bring down the backlog of cases? Paradoxically, the courts which give verdicts, have no say in naming or renaming the courts.

S Ramakrishnasayee

Ranipet, Tamil Nadu

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