RBI and letters
This is the first time in the history of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), and for the same reason that any central bank has asked the RBI governor to recall inflation targets and prepare details, the RBI’s communication to the government when it is at 4%. (against the current mark of 7%, which is only expected to move further), will not be available to the public (“RBI says letter to Govt. on missing inflation target. Will not be made public”) ”, September 30). Within a very short span of four months (which is unprecedented) the repo rate has increased by 190 bps and the rupee is rising sharply to touch the 90 mark against the dollar (RBI’s Bar- To stabilize the sharply weakening rupee despite repeated interventions (costing India’s foreign exchange reserves), it is understandable why the RBI would want to keep its letter away. Perhaps the RBI wants, or wants, the country. Wants to be blunt in detailing the real reasons for the pathetic condition.
Tharsisius S Fernando,
Chennai
‘Study Tourism’
Readers, especially in Kerala, are amazed to read about Kerala government ministers going abroad on study tours! As far as finances are concerned, the state is in the red, with no money even to pay the employees of the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation. In other states, no one has come in governments, both near and far, sending their ministers on ‘study tours’ on one pretext or the other. The ruling party is considered the party of the poor. Aren’t such visits an additional financial burden?
Shivdasan N.,
Azhikode, Kerala
breakfast plan
The article, “Is TN’s Breakfast Plan Populist or Relevant? (OpEd, October 4), took me back to my school days. My formal schooling began in 1944. Since my father was in a transferable government job, I attended Government High School, Ballia, Government Jayanti School, Lucknow, Government High School, Mathura and Government Inter College, Faizabad – all in Uttar Pradesh. , Due to the war funding issue, the government was on a massive austerity campaign and strict food rationing until and after 1947. Although the British did not need votes to remain in power, we were given roasted, boiled and sprouted gram as a midday meal every day of the week. No one, including the media of the time, called it libertarianism or populism, nor considered it relevant.
Rajan Ugra,
Bangalore