Union Budget

THE Budget for 2011-12 pretends to tame the twin threat of inflation and mass deprivation (Cover Story, March 25). It is nothing but a farce. The Finance Minister has offered retail trade to foreign investors on a platter. India being an agrarian major, the basic task should be to strengthen rural infrastructure and ensure that agricultural credit reaches impoverished farmers.

The BJP has criticised the Budget proposals, but it tacitly supports the same economic policies pursued by the United Progressive Alliance government.

S. Murali Vellore, Tamil Nadu

IT appears that the Budget is all about giving incentives to the highly influential and powerful business community and pressure groups. The Budget will neither enable growth nor encourage middle and lower middle class people to save for the future.

Cash transfers will only create a society of dependents. Subsidies should be given in such a way that people will be able to stand on their own feet.

S.A.S. Sarma Hyderabad

BUDGET 2011 misses the killer instinct required to take on pressing issues like inflation and bridge the growing divide between the rich and the poor. The warmth provided to the wealthy and affluent sections of society in the form of tax concessions is substantial compared with the allocation for social sectors. The agriculture sector requires a proactive approach from the government.

India has to follow the example of China and Brazil in investing heavily in developing new agricultural techniques and practices.

Ettirankandath Krishnadas Palakkad, Kerala

THIS is a fairly good Budget. The increased tax exemption limit for senior citizens is welcome. Citizens above 80 should have been totally freed from the rigmarole of filing returns.

K.P. Rajan Mumbai

THIS is in response to the Editorial Callous, contentious. The Budget has failed to fulfil the expectations of the corporates. But, in the name of social welfare and securities, it has set aside a significant portion of total Budget outlays for education, health, women and children, affordable housing, Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes, and minorities.

One disappointment is that the Budget has not spelt out even a single effective measure to keep inflation under control and also to unearth black money which are posing a threat to economic growth. The cut in fertilizer subsidy might impact agricultural production negatively.

The announcements with regard to individual income tax are hailed, but the concern is, will not all these push inflation up further?

Deepa Durai Cuddalore, Tamil NaduCivic sense

I TOTALLY agree with Bhaskar Ghose (Illiteracy redefined, March 25). The mobile phone has become a menace in the hands of irresponsible youngsters. They play music loudly at public places. Some people talk nonsense on buses and trains. Every local train is a garbage dump. Tossing banana peels on roads from buses is a regular sight. We Indians have become technology-savvy, but the civilities associated with it have been totally ignored.

Niamul Hossain Mallick Burdwan, West BengalDRDO

THE DRDO has unfortunately been criticised by a section of the media for delays and escalating costs in developing new technologies. So it was a pleasant surprise to see the Special Feature (Hi-tech & Indian, March 25), and the efforts taken by the DRDO in developing the Light Combat Aircraft Tejas; surface-to-air missile Akash; 3D surveillance radar Rohini; weapon-locating radar; robot soldiers, and so on.

It is ironical that India aspires to be a superpower but depends on imports for its critical defence needs. We have a robust industrial base, public sector undertakings in defence production, and a number of ordnance factories, which can make us self-sufficient in the manufacture of high-tech weapons, combat aircraft/helicopters, warships and ballistic missiles.

What is needed is the right policy initiatives from the government and harnessing of talent.

Deendayal M. Lulla MumbaiPlachimada

THE article Cola Bill (March 25) brought out a glaring injustice of denying the basic needs of the people for the success of business organisations, particularly multinational corporations.

The Kerala government's action of passing The Plachimada Special Tribunal Bill, 2011, is fully justifiable.

B. Rajasekaran BangaloreLibya

THE article Colonel in his labyrinth is about Libya, but the author does not miss a chance to criticise the West (March 25).

As a permanent member of the Security Council, China should act more responsibly.

N. Dang Guwahati, Assam

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