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New way to measure backwardness

This refers to the editorial ‘Slicing the Central pie: Rajan formula effective, if no politics' (October 7). The Raghuram Rajan Committee has done a yeoman’s work by recommending a new index of backwardness of Indian states. It can play a positive role in removing regional disparities from our big country. The panel has studied very carefully the most important indicators for monthly per capita consumption expenditure, education, health, household amenities, poverty rate, female literacy and urbanisation rate, etc for measuring backwardness of different states. According to its findings, the most backward states are Orissa, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan.

The poverty rate in Orissa and Bihar is very high. Kalahandi in Orissa has hit the headlines of our national dailies very often for starvation deaths. Such backward states must get special packages for fighting poverty, unemployment and illiteracy. It is quite painful that millions of rural poor continue migrating from these states to developed states like Maharashtra, Punjab, Delhi and Haryana in search of greener pastures. This massive inter-state migration within India can be effectively checked by developing such backward states thoughtfully. Punjab and Haryana should also get more funds as they have been improving their performance in the fields of rapid urbanisation, female literacy and industrialisation. There should be no politics in Central fund allocations to different states.

RAJ BAHADUR YADAV, Fatehabad

Ill-timed pay panel The government recently gave its nod for the Seventh Pay Commission. Though it was unwanted and untimely, I am sure it will generate votes. If we compare the efficiency of government employees with their remuneration, we find the employees, especially teachers, clerks and bureaucrats, are grossly overpaid. They aren't worth half of what they get. The clerical staff are known for pushing papers, a root cause of sponsoring corruption. Academic results speak a lot about the efficiency of teachers. Bureaucrats are infamous for delays and bottlenecks. Our country’s financial health isn’t that sound to bear this huge burden. This proposal must be put on a back-burner for at least 10 years. In case it is impossible to revoke the decision, then freebies like free railway pass, fuel reimbursement, interest-free loans, free electricity and telephone calls up to specific units etc must be withdrawn. The money saved can be better used to set up a domestic armament manufacturing unit, which will lessen the dependence on foreign suppliers and provide employment. The government always looks after the interests of its employees and ignores the huge workforce in the private sector. The Minimum Wages Act needs amendments so that private sector personnel can come on a par with government employees in terms of remuneration. DEEPJOT SINGH THUKRAL, Ambala Cantt