M A I L B A G

Farmers happy with debt waiver

I have just visited my village in Fatehabad district of Haryana. I met most of the village people as I do during my leave to interact with them and help out where I can.

I specifically asked them about the waiving of farm loans. Poor people were in unison in heaving a sigh of relief and thanking the government as their crops had suffered due to a severe winter. And a large number of them had taken loans from rural and cooperative banks rather than money-lenders.

I also took a feedback on the implementation of government schemes for the poor. The people were happy with the administration and actually getting benefits. And what is most heartening is that I found the village people, particularly youth, highly aware of various government schemes and their rights.

Of course, they had more demands. They wanted better government teachers, a hospital and  employment. I was convinced rural India is alive and on the move. Let’s maintain this momentum of good governance and focus on the real India. Then India will shine all over.

Col R.D. SINGH, Ambala cantt 

II

The Oped page cartoon (March 10) tells the real picture of farmers in India. The farmer avoids spending on his family and children so that he does not become a bank defaulter.

But what has the central government done for that poor farmer who pays all his dues in time? Only 2 per cent farmers in Haryana will benefit. If the Central government wants to get political benefits from this scheme, it is very difficult because the remaining 98 per cent farmers have not got the benefit of a single paisa.

SAJJAN SINGH, Ladana Chakku (Kaithal)

School admissions

The Chandigarh Administration is biased in giving admissions in pre-nursery classes of government model schools only to those children who are residents of Chandigarh. Children from Mohali and Panchkula are denied admission. Many students, who are residents of Chandigarh, study in Punjab and Haryana, especially in various technical and educational institutions around Chandigarh.

Nobody debars residents of Chandigarh from becoming SGPC members, MLAs and from running their liquor business in the suburban area of Chandigarh falling in Punjab.

Similarly, the Chandigarh Housing Board has debarred residents of Punjab from applying for flats under some housing schemes. The Punjab and Haryana governments should either take up this matter with the Governor of Punjab before the date of sale of admission forms i.e. March 17 or debar residents of Chandigarh from getting facilities in Punjab and Haryana.

HANS RAJ DHIMAN, Kharar, and SULTAN SINGH, Panchkula

Power supply

Whenever there is a talk on privatisation of the state electricity in Punjab, the union leaders raise a hue and cry and pressurise the government to postpone the move. There seems to be vested interest in such protests. The electricity department people well understand that by remaining in government service they are free to do what they want.

If they are truthful, can they say they perform their duties honestly? Do they check the theft of power? Do they undertake repair work promptly when a defect is reported?

Do not they deliberately delay it expecting gratification? They ask for “chai pani” when repair work is done as if they have done a favour to the public.

If some major repair is to be undertaken it is their duty to inform the people of the area before hand. But they never do it. When lubrication oil is to be replaced in the transformer, they ask the public to contribute for it. When money is collected, they immediately do the work and later on pocket the amount taken from the government.

SUSHIL BANDOPADHAYA, Ludhiana

II

With the continuous ban on the use of power for 48 hours from Sundays till 8 am on Tuesdays small units in the industrial estate, Patiala have been badly affected. Daily power cuts to the industrial estate have resulted in heavy expenses on diesel.

It has become difficult for the units to face competition. Consequently, the enterprises are suffering heavy losses. The electricity board should provide regular supply for five days as is being provided in the Focal Point. Else, the two days power restrictions (Sunday, Monday) should be lifted.

NARINDER SINGH, President, Patiala Industrial Estate Welfare Society (regd), Patiala