Opinion Off the tracks

— Bal Govind

Noida

Indian Railways seems to be going through one of its worst phases. The practice of using the railway minister’s post to appease coalition partners has proved disastrous. The railways should spend on much-needed safety equipment,and raise money prudently by increasing fares. Sadly,successive railway ministers have refrained from raising passenger fare.

— Ravindra Agnihotri

Kanpur

The government should invest more on the safety of train passengers. The railway ministry should not be used,time and again,as a means to appease coalition partners. It is high time we introduced new and modern techniques for rail safety.

— Krishnakant Singh

Noida

Reform or perish

This is apropos Ila Patnaik’s ‘Turn in the India story’ (IE,July 11). The gains of our reforms are being squandered with irrational policies,inefficient administration and a skeletal infrastructure. Ironically,instead of devising ways to sustain our high growth,the government has become complacent. It cannot blame coalition compulsions for everything that has gone wrong. It should look ahead and strategise.

— Ved Guliani

Hisar

Ila Patnaik’s ‘Turn in the India story’ should be a wake-up call to the powers that be. We have basked in the glow of high growth. But we cannot be complacent about it. India needs,as Patnaik says,a “rapid transformation of the state”. If this does not happen,our glorious growth days will most likely be behind us.

— Shatrunjay Mall

Pune

Small change

The UPA,beset by scandals and scams,has been trying hard to restore its credibility. The cabinet reshuffle is another attempt by the UPA government to save its image by making minor,cosmetic changes. While Manmohan Singh has been careful not to disturb the four key portfolios,it remains to be seen whether change on such a limited scale will be enough to revitalise his government.

— Syed Khaja

New Delhi

Ill defined

M.K. Venu’s ‘Neo-liberalism,old slogan’ (IE,July 12) rightly points out that the term “neo-liberal” cannot be used to define the Indian economy. After liberalisation,we have a complex,dynamic economy and it will be limiting,if not plain erroneous,to describe it by one maximalist term.

— Kaustubh Saurkar

Pune