FM’s empty boast

With crores of rupees left unpaid as arrears of revised pay and pension of state employees and pensioners and divesting state university and college teachers of UGC scales and harming the career prospects of hundreds of new entrants and research scholars into higher education jobs by availing the UGC junior research fellowship scholarships, it is time to call the Finance Minister’s bluff of leaving zero pending bills (‘From empty coffers to zero pending bills)’. Do the pending arrears of revised pay and pension from 1.1.2016 to 1.1.2021 not amount to pending bills? Let the minister with a poetic disposition read this Punjabi couplet: ‘Yaar meray nay bhaji bheji which bheji kasturi; jay tolan tan ghatdi javay, na tolan tan poori.’

Kulwant Singh, Mohali

Why were funds not used? 

Refer to ‘From empty coffers to zero pending bills’; the rosy picture may look encouraging, but the increment in revenue through allotment by the Finance Commission and other collection sources have hardly shown any development in the state. Farmers, industrialists and employees were on roads till the last day of the election code of conduct. The figures of revenue given by the Finance Minister may be correct, but its expenditure for the welfare and development of the state and the people was missing. The announcements of various projects, schemes and freebies during the past three months of tenure have also created doubt that either the funds were available and not spent on time, or were kept aside to announce just before the election to get political mileage. The highly qualified minister could have done much better than offering justification at this stage.

Wg Cdr Jasbir S Minhas (retd), Mohali

Not always accurate 

Refer to ‘Exit polls: 2017 on mind, Punjab wary’; there have been several instances in the past when exit polls went way off the mark and proved wrong. Owing to the growing interest in electoral results, exit polls have become quite popular. Experience suggests that exit poll predictions of some pollsters are generally right when there is a direct contest between the two parties, but when there is a multi-cornered contest, the chances of predictions going wrong is high. But before the actual count starts, exit polls do give some discussion points to the people and are a great TRP for media debates for the next few days.

K Kumar, Panchkula

Troops under stress 

Refer to fratricide in the armed forces; the recommendations made by the Defence Institute of Psychological Research are relevant to relieve mental stress of troops, who are always ready to sacrifice their life for the safety of the country. It is the mandatory and moral duty of the authorities concerned to ensure the implementation of these recommendations in true spirit to save the lives of our soldiers. 

NK Singhal, Panchkula

Care for soldiers

Gunning down of own colleagues in Amritsar by a BSF jawan without any direct provocation is shocking. Recommendations of the study of the Defence Institute of Psychological Research must be followed for the psychological wellbeing of our forces, particularly in lower ranks. Society too should take care of the families of soldiers back home. Job reservation as well as school/college admission priority to the children of serving soldiers must be increased and ensured. There must be a dedicated helpline at the district level for their families. 

Brij B Goyal, Ludhiana

Unhealthy food 

Children are the future of our country, but sadly, the fast food they eat takes a heavy toll on their health  (‘Junk food ads & kids’). We must make all efforts so that they do not choose junk food over homemade food. Junk food is very oily, spicy and full of calories. Adding to their waistline, it makes them fat and lazy. Advertisements promoting junk food should be banned on TV and in magazines, and parents and teachers should discourage kids from savouring them. School canteens should not sell junk food. 

Sunil Chopra, Ludhiana

Uncertain prospects

Refer to ‘Cost-benefit study of MBBS degree abroad’; uncertainty looms large on the minds of students studying medicine in Ukraine. Commenting on the request to absorb them in local medical colleges, the IMA vice-president says that since they had low ranking in NEET, it would be an injustice to local students. Many foreign degree holders are unable to clear FMGE. This shows the poor standards of medical education there. This lays bare the use of pursuing MBBS in countries like Ukraine. India’s first priority is to safely evacuate all students. A way should be found to help them so that their career is not ruined. 

WG CDR CL SEHGAL (RETD), JALANDHAR

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