Implementation
holds the key
The ‘Modi touch’ in the Budget is quite evident. Focus on domestic manufacture through massive investments is a pointer. Robust allocation to the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) is a big step. Defence, health and railways are three key areas that have rightly received a boost. The proposed seven high speed railway corridors speak volumes about the Centre’s keenness to prop up common man’s lifeline. That some important anti-cancer chemotherapy drugs and lifesaving medicines would be cheaper has made huge headlines but the practicality of the decision is subject to ifs and buts. While the untouched income-tax slabs has evoked mixed reactions, one girls hostel in every district is a salutary decision. All this said, the feasibility of implementation of big-ticket projects is questionable.
Ganapathi Bhat, Akola
Few thoughts on Budget
On February 1, after a spoonful of sugar and curd fed by the President, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced the Budget. A Union Finance Minister has a huge responsibility and his/her task is not easy since the people, corporates, manufacturers, defence, education and other sectors need to be apparently pleased. For the efforts the Finance Minister either receives accolades or a censure. Two issues rankle when listening to a budget. Firstly, often the Finance Minister keeps saying, ‘I propose’, during the Budget presentation. Budget preparation being a teamwork by several people and involves the Union government and inputs given by various stakeholders hence, it would be pleasant to hear ‘We propose’. The Finance Minister could share the credit instead of being an ‘I’ specialist! Moreover, all the proposals may not satisfy the people unless there is an assurance of their implementations. Secondly, the Finance Minister could make the major Budget statements while a portion of the speech could be delivered by the Minister of State for Finance.
Sridhar D Iyer, Caranzalem
Nuisance along highways
I wish to draw the attention of the authorities concerned to the growing menace of advertisement hoardings along highways and the alarming absence of proper signboards and traffic signals, which ultimately lead to road accidents. Huge and unauthorised hoardings distract drivers and obstruct visibility. Due to these hoardings, stretches near them have become accident prone zones. Tourists, in particular, face severe difficulties due to the absence of signboards, milestones, and traffic signals, making travelling confusing and unsafe. While the government strictly enforces fines for not wearing helmets or seat belts, it is disappointing that little attention is paid to the root causes of road accidents. Poor road conditions, illegal hoardings, stray dogs and cattle, and the lack of proper signage continue claiming innocent lives every day. Road safety cannot be ensured by penalising citizens alone while ignoring these fundamental issues. It is high time the government woke up from its slumber and took immediate precautionary measures.
Evaristo Fernandes, Merces
Don’t overburden villages
At a meeting held at Chandor, former chief justice of the Allahabad High Court Justice (Retd) Ferdino Rebello called on the government to conduct carrying capacity studies of villages in the state before granting approvals for new development projects, warning that unchecked construction could irreversibly damage the state’s ecology. Carrying capacity refers to the maximum level of population, construction, tourism, or economic activity that an area can support without causing irreversible damage to its natural resources, environment, infrastructure, and quality of life. It should be systematically applied at the village level, rather than reacting after damage has already occurred. How much development can a village absorb without damaging its ecology, culture, and basic services? Unplanned and excessive development often outpaces a village’s ability to cope, leading to water crisis, traffic congestion on village roads, overburdened sewage and waste systems, flooding due to the loss of natural drainage, the loss of agricultural land and green spaces and the erosion of village character and cultural identity.
Adelmo Fernandes, Vasco
Tennis renewing itself
Carlos Alcaraz scripted history as he became the youngest player to complete the Career Grand Slam by defeating Serbian legend Novak Djokovic at the Australian Open. What sets him apart is not just the breadth of surfaces he has conquered, but the manner in which he has done so. Power blended with touch, aggression tempered by tactical intelligence, and a maturity that belies his age have become his trademarks. It may not be out of the way to mention that while Federer gave tennis its artistry, Nadal gave it its mythology on clay and Djokovic built the most complete resume of all, elite return, elastic defence turned offence, and a mental game that thrived in the longest, tightest matches of the era.
Gregory Fernandes, Mumbai
