L E T T E R S    T O    T H E    E D I T O R

A small state with many districts

If a new district should be created on the basis of its glorious past, Hansi, Loharu, Charkhi Dadri,  Narwana, Narnaul, Pataudi, Bahadurgarh, Nilokheri, Meham, Pehowa in Haryana also deserve to be made new districts. Creation of Palwal district in Haryana has opened the Pandora’s box. Now people are demanding district tag for Gohana. How many districts can a state have?

Haryana is a small state. The number of districts at present is large in view of its population, area and topography. Therefore, instead of creating small districts, the focus should be on improving the delivery of services to the people and strengthening the infrastructure for maximum benefit.

Efforts should be made to provide transparent, responsible and accountable governance. Basic civic amenities, education, health care, good roads and electricity are more important than creating new districts.

PURAN SINGH, Nilokheri

Food security

I read the news-item, “‘Rabi procurement critical for food security’” (April 4). Eminent agricultural scientist Professor M.S. Swaminathan has rightly said that wheat procurement in Punjab and Haryana during this season is very critical for the country’s food security.

The Union Agriculture Minister issues similar comments every year warning that the food grain stocks are dropping to an alarming degree. If the situation is so grim on the food grain front, I do not understand why the government is delaying to claim the due levy share of rice meant for PDS from the traders?

On the one hand, the experts are warning about the ensuing shortfall and grave scarcity of food grain. And on the other, the private traders are minting money by selling the government’s rice share in the open market at a premium of Rs 500 a quintal.

To overcome scarcity and agriculture emergency, the government should immediately claim its due share of levy rice from the rice millers of Punjab and Haryana. This will help stabilise the dwindling situation on the food grain front.

ACHAL ANAND, Kapurthala

Plundering the govt’s coffers The pay and perks of MPs and MLAs have recently been increased manifold by a voice vote in Parliament and legislative assemblies. The Sixth Pay Commission has also recommended significant increase in the salary of all sections of government employees though a few departments are not satisfied with it. Expecting more than what has been proposed will be nothing less than plundering the coffers of the government. The question which may afflict the minds of many is whether any increase in salary will curb the menace of corruption that has crept in as a termite in the whole system. Here is what Mahatma Gandhi said in Navjivan (July 26, 1931): “There is very little connection between corruption and the size of salaries. Giving high salaries for fear of spread of corruption means that for preventing a man from taking a bribe occasionally, he should be paid a permanent bribe in the form of a big salary.” V.S. CHAUDHARI, IAS (retd), Karnal

Unborn daughters

Thanks to the latest technology, the girl child is not even allowed to be born today. The fear of the law has to be reinforced against sex determination tests which are conducted on the quiet. The proposal to make the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Technique (Regulation and Prevention of Misuse) Act of 1994 stricter is a must. There is so much of corruption that before a law is implemented, loopholes are dug out in advance.

The authorities must confiscate the testing equipment. Suitable punishment should also be given to the doctors and the staff. In the land of goddess worshippers, it is nothing less than a miracle to be born a girl and yet survive these days.

RANJANA BHARDWAJ, Panchkula

Gifted money

To indicate her claim as a Messiah of the deprived and the destitute, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati should donate the huge amount of gifted money to the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund. Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal has set a fine example by auctioning his gifts costing in lakhs and donating the sale proceeds to his relief fund.

The Central government should mull some legislative measure to declare all gifts given to ministers as public property. It will not only be a source of income, albeit insignificant, to the government exchequer but also a step towards narrowing down the gap between the haves and the have-nots.

AMARNATH THAKUR, Hamirpur