Opinion Prime reason
This is in response to the editorial Towards inclusion. The old benchmark prime lending rate worked only to the advantage of corporates.
This is in response to the editorial Towards inclusion (IE,July 1). The old benchmark prime lending rate worked only to the advantage of corporates. Smaller borrowers used to be at the receiving end when bargaining about the interest rates. Sometimes rates of 15 and 20 per cent were charged from them. On the other hand,rich businessmen were able to get the same loan at the rate of 8 or 9 per cent.
In this scenario,priority sector lending norms attempted to secure some balance. However,their implementation was neglected and sidestepped by banks and financial institutions alike. It is the continued financial neglect of the areas like agriculture and small industries that led to lopsided growth.
Mohammed Furquan
New Delhi
CRPFs problems
The blatant use of force by the CRPF in Kashmir is bound to further complicate the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir. The much-publicised photograph of a policeman being beaten up by some Kashmiri youths is too weak a justification for this irretrievable loss of human lives.
Even a cursory comparison between the CRPFs handling of unarmed Kashmiri protesters and heavily-armed Maoists is more than sufficient to expose a double standard. It is pertinent to point out that the number of casualties among CRPF personnel is almost negligible in comparison to the hundreds of our policemen killed at the hands of Maoists during this summer. Still we always have a stick for Kashmiris,and a carrot for Maoists! The result of this dichotomy is there for everybody to see that the government is losing its credibility on both the fronts.
Nabeela Bano
New Delhi
The recent major incident of major CRPF casualties and the follow-up statements by ministers and even some retired generals is alarming. An attempt is being made to pin all blame on the CRPF for not following laid-down standard operating procedures,or SOPs. While this was obviously the case,those in power need to answer whether it was humanly possible to follow the SOPs. The men seem to be so overstretched and overworked,lacking in basic facilities and small team dynamics that SOPs seem like a cruel joke. Those who expect them not to visit villages have a duty to make all facilities available in the camp itself. Those who expect them to remain vigilant must ensure that they are adequately rested.
The state has utterly failed to equip them for the task entrusted. Someone other than Naxalites must be held responsible for their deaths. The prime minister says he saw the Naxal threat as Indias largest problem three years back. If he couldnt prepare a force in three years to tackle what he saw as a major threat,the less said about our leadership,the better.
Alok Asthana
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