MyVoice: Views of our readers 21st January 2023

Extend sops to seniors in Union Budget

I make a few suggestions to the Union government to increase the preferential rate of interest for seniors from 0.5 % to 2.5%. They should increase the Deposit Insurance Cover from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 10 lakh at least. There is also a need to increase the income tax exemption limit from Rs 3 lakh to Rs 5 lakh. It is also pleaded that the government decrease the rate of taxation to 5% for Rs 5-10 lakh, 10% for Rs 10-15 lakh, 15% for Rs 15 lakh and above. They also deserve a cut in GST on health insurance from 18% to 5%. A subsidy should be extended to them on the premium paid for health insurance. Senior citizens are finding it difficult to survive the inflationary times, aggravated by the pandemic.

Kantamsetti LakshmanRao, Visakhapatnam

Ensure transparency in judges selection

Apropos 'Government impatient to make judiciary fall in line.' This refers to the Centre looking into serious, and avoidable lapses in the Collegium system in appointment of Judges in the Supreme Court. One feels that a trend has been established by the higher judiciary in the country to run its writ, with an intention to stand out and feel special and untouched by the legislature. A methodology is suggested by Union Law Minister Kiren Rejiju in his letter to CJI seeking to involve governments at state as well as at central level for their appointments of judges that is transparent. The coterie mindset of Collegium must give way to a broad-based appointment without sycophancy and lobbying within.

K V Raghuram, Wayanad

Ruinous politics over pension reforms

Apropos "RBI cautions states against reverting to OPS" (The Hans India, Jan 18). The return to the old pension scheme has been a long-standing demand of a large section of government employees in many states. So the opposition has sensed that it is a good issue to corner the BJP. But, most state governments face a precarious state of finances. With the life expectancy going up, the burden on the exchequer would stay on for a long, long time. Ironically, both the NDA and the UPA regimes have supported pension reforms. The Congress leadership, which prides itself on bringing reforms, shares the credit with the BJP for introducing the new pension scheme. Then, why does the Congress under Rahul Gandhi want to put the clock back for the sake of returning to power? Isn't prudent politics also prudent economics and vice versa? RBI and prominent economists have raised a red flag over the return to the old pension scheme. But our current politicians are on a sole mission to win elections. Will the coming generations pay the price for their mistakes?

N Sadhasiva Reddy, Bengaluru

The rich enjoy government patronage

Oxfam's latest report shows the unabated rising of economic inequalities in India. That the pandemic becoming a blessing in disguise for super rich, filling their coffers more at the rate of 121 per cent increase in wealth, while only it's a meagre 13 per cent for poor lot is surprising. That half of the Indian populace is having only 3 per cent of total wealth whereas the top 30 per cent rich holds 90 per cent of wealth is alarming. Still the government has no qualms to raise GST for commoners and decrease the taxes to rich. The irony is that 66 per cent revenue collected through GST is from the pockets of poor and middle class, only 3 per cent from the top billionaires.

Dr DVG Sankararao, Vizianagaram

Communication turning short, cryptic

This refers to Mohan Kanda's musings on words. Words are what distinguishes human species from other animals. Other species can only make sounds but humans have this unique ability to speak. Words are the means with which we communicate with others. A better vocabulary would help us convey our thoughts and ideas better. Many purists would complain how we are mutilating languages. The function of words is to communicate and if you can do it effectively with the new trendier version of the language, it's fine. However, some of the shorter forms of words are a bit difficult to understand. Okay becomes ok and in social media messages it has now been reduced to k. Worse still is M which is the shortened version of I am. Some such words have gained acceptability like capex for capital expenditure or forex for foreign exchange. It is said that 'Silence speaks louder than words,' but this is true only in certain cases such as in the presence of an angry housewife

Anthony Henriques, Mumbai