Strengthen public health rather than rely on insurance scheme

Refer to ‘Fraud and flaws mar Ayushman Bharat scheme’; India should strive to strengthen public health and medical education rather than rely on a insurance scheme. Such schemes are ultimately a medium to pass on public money to private players without reducing the out-of-pocket expenses of the poor and deprived sections of society. Still, if the government insists on a mix of strengthening public healthcare as well as a public-funded insurance scheme, it should have a very strong surveillance mechanism to detect fraud and ensure the culprits are put behind bars.

Vitull K Gupta, Bathinda

Fraudsters need to be booked

With reference to ‘Fraud and flaws mar Ayushman Bharat scheme’; the Ministry of Health needs to strengthen the regulatory mechanism to ensure that unscrupulous elements are not able to indulge in malpractices like submitting fake bills or commit fraud, possibly in connivance with the authorities. In today’s times, advanced technology can help keep tabs on fraudulent activities. The government needs to augment infrastructure in secondary and tertiary hospitals. Streamlining the regulatory mechanism and clearing bills of private hospitals after checking and cross-checking claims will make the system transparent.

Ravi Sharma, Dhariwal

Together we can

Apropos of ‘Punjab economy a victim of neglect & populism’; the primary reason appears to be a significant reduction in the development budget. This drastic cut has led to investors shying away from the state. The burden of freebies and subsidies is draining the state exchequer. It is essential to generate employment opportunities that align with the aspirations of the youth. Underemployment is another pressing issue that needs to be addressed. Ultimately, a strong political will and bureaucratic vision are necessary to bring back Punjab’s glory. The cooperation of the people will be of valuable help.

Bir Devinder Singh Bedi, Sangrur

Smart steps to lessen tariff impact

Refer to ‘Tariff overload’; we must look for smarter measures to overcome the tariff stigma. One possible solution is to divert a significant portion of the exports to alternative global markets such as the European Union, ASEAN, Africa and Latin America, which could help absorb 30-60 per cent of the pressure. Secondly, rather than try to offset the entire loss through traditional incentives, the government should implement a smart, liquidity-based, time-bound incentive scheme based on the exporters’ past performance. This will give businessmen room to adjust, diversify and maintain their competitiveness without burdening the fiscal system or distorting future pricing. The focus should be on providing exporters with cash flow, flexibility and stability.

Amit Gupta, Ludhiana

Opportunity in high tariffs

Refer to ‘Tariff overload’; the tariff policy of the Trump administration to safeguard American interests has triggered a crisis, but also created an opportunity. The 1965 monsoon failure compelled India to achieve agricultural self-reliance by working towards the Green Revolution to sideline the ‘ship-to-mouth’ system of aid from the US. India can respond by diversifying export of textiles, leather, footwear, gems, jewellery and chemicals to over 40 countries offering much-needed assurances. India must continue to engage with the US, reduce its deficit with China and strengthen its ties with Russia.

Vijay Kumar Katial, Panchkula

No need to increase infra

Hill stations and religious places are not the places to mint money. We are converting these places into tourism spots to maximise profits. There is no need to widen roads and increase the infrastructure at places like Vaishno Devi and hill stations in Himachal, Uttarakhand and Jammu and Kashmir. If we keep interfering with nature’s bounty for our cheap economic interests, then we should be ready tomorrow to face a greater wrath of the resilient mountains and rivers.

Parveen Kumar, Ambala