Revival of economy

Covid-19 has paralysed the Indian economy, with the GDP falling to unimaginable low figures. Those working in the unorganised sector have lost their jobs while those in other sectors are in danger of losing theirs. The sector-wise packages could help in the revival of the economy. Programmes such as ‘Make in India’ and skill development should get a boost. In this prime time, India should make use of its demographic dividend with proper measures of social distancing. MSMEs and self-help groups can be of help in fighting unemployment and making the revival of the economy possible.

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Sandeep Singh, by mail

Vulnerable sectors

The unorganised sector is in a critical condition with meagre resources. There will be losses in various areas like manufacturing, aviation, construction activities and numerous microenterprises in the villages post corona. These vulnerable sectors have greater threat from Covid due to the cramped spaces. The government must support the marginalised sectors with austere and integrated plans for job creation. This would give a push and mitigate our deficit economy to provide 0for buoyancy.

Chander Bose, Kurukshetra

Sustainable development

Apropos ‘Agriculture offers lifeline amid pandemic’ (April 22), the government should focus on the betterment of the agriculture sector and the rural economy. Farmers can be encouraged to set up small-scale food processing and agro-based units in the rural areas to generate employment for youngsters and landless labour. It will help to contain rural-urban migration as well as migration to other countries. But this can only be achieved by following a sustainable model of development, to maintain a balance between rural and urban development.

Karnalji Singh, Gurdaspur

Crop diversification

Apropos ‘Promote diversification, agriculture officials told’ (April 23), easy availability of certified seeds of cotton, maize and other water-saving crops, coupled with government assurance for procurement, may drive more farmers to opt for alternative crops. But due to the nationwide lockdown, labour shortage may occur for paddy transplantation. The Agriculture Ministry must tap this opportunity to increase the cover under less water-intensive crops. The recent decision of the RBI to provide Rs 25,000 crore to NABARD for refinancing regional rural banks and cooperatives has ample scope to eliminate any possibility of liquidity crunch for agriculture credit. All the departments concerned need to work in tandem to make farming a profitable and environment-friendly business.

Amrinder Singh Mann, Sangrur

Unfair to doctors

The editorial ‘Grave insult’ (April 22) is highly appreciable, for it reveals the true picture of happenings and mishappenings with doctors, and the double standards of our politicians and bureaucrats. Doctors are coming to the rescue of patients, putting their own lives at stake, and what treatment they are being meted out in return for their services is obvious from the recent assaults on them. The new Ordinance is a must for their safety, so that they can perform their duties fearlessly.

RC Garg, Kot Kapura

Security for health staff

Refer to the ‘Jail for assault on frontline warriors’ (April 23); even a single incident of violence against healthcare professionals could create a sense of insecurity in the healthcare community. The government should ensure that adequate security is provided to frontline professionals and action is taken against miscreants.

SANJAY CHOPRA, Mohali

Cover police, too

The new Ordinance to provide legal as well as financial shield to doctors, paramedics and other healthcare professionals in the backdrop of rising incidents of attacks on them is a welcome move. But the ambit of the Ordinance needs to be extended to the police department, which is also at the forefront. Our police personnel are equally vulnerable to getting affected with Covid as well as being attacked by contagion-wary citizens and unruly mobs. Coping with such an unprecedented crisis with lack of needful training is a daunting task. Laborious working hours, lack of the availability of PPEs and substandard working gears are issues of concern, adding to their woes.

UPANT SHARMA, PANCHKULA

Lapse intentional?

The article ‘Bounty hunt for Tablighis smacks of bias’ (April 23) rightly underscores the point that since the top leadership had announced on April 14 that all foreign visitors were being screened, how did the Tablighi

Jamaat enter India without screening? How come a congregation of over 2,000 delegates in the heart of the Capital go unnoticed? Was it deliberately ignored under some agenda or was it intelligence failure?

RM Ramaul, Paonta Sahib

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