My Voice: Views of our readers 12th September 2020

Listing of LIC an ill-placed move

The central government has initiated the process of selling a part of its stake in the Life Insurance Corporation of India. Earlier there were reports that the limit will only be confined to 5 to 10 per cent of the total stake, but there are indications now that the government may even go up to 25 per cent in offloading its shares in LIC. The decision by the government in this regard as a part of its disinvestment policy is not well placed and will be harmful to the interests of the nation.

Since the nationalisation of the insurance industry through an amalgamation of 245 private companies and the consequent formation of LIC in 1956 with an objective of people's money for people's welfare, the public sector LIC has been performing in a splendid manner by contributing huge investment to the infrastructural projects and the country's five year plans. In turn, the LIC has emerged as the world class organisation by creating many records in claims' settlement and other key aspects.

In the light of this, the Central government's decision to list LIC in the stock market will endanger our economic interests and the nation as a whole. In any economy,the domestic savings play a vital role and the savings,mobilized from the policyholders in India have been utilized properly for the purpose of the nation's growth. Today LIC has become a backbone of our economy and moreover it has now turned a household name. The government's arguments in defending its decision are not convincing.

K S Lakshmana Rao MLC, A.P Legislative Council.

Prof.M.Venkateswara Rao, Chairman, People for India Forum, Guntur

V V K Suresh, Vice-Chairman,

People for India Forum, Guntur

SSR suicide case

The film industry, no matter Bollywood or Tollywood or Kollywood, is replete with such incidents of suicides from time to time, given the high stakes involved in both the spheres of riches and limelight.

Oddly enough, it is the turn of women's rights activists to take high moral ground and point out fingers at Rhea, accused in the Sushant Singh death by suicide case for reasons best known to them only. It is quite evident that each and every profession comes with certain hazards and film industry is no exception.

Seshagiri Row Karry, Hyderabad

The ongoing battle of Covid-19

This has reference to your editorial "Longer wait for corona vaccine" (Sept, 11). Pause in the UK manufacturing of vaccines is causing worry. Now over nine lakhs lives have been lost and over 25 per cent of the world population is inflicted by the virus.

India stands second in the list of infections with over 45 lakh people being infected. Daily more and more people are affected. The lockdown had paid no dividends but ruined our economy and resulted in job loss.

It is nearly a year since the pandemic existed first in Wuhan. Living people have become witness for the death of their kith and kin.

Many countries are said to be in the race of medicines. UK medicine is paused. No country has passed the phase three and four trials in the discovery of a medicine to the virus. So the world leaders and the WHO should see that a medicine to stop the further spread of the virus chain is made available to the public at least by this yearend so as to save many innocent lives.

Sravana Ramachandran, Chennai

IAF's master move

The formal induction of five Rafale fighter jets into Indian Air Force (IAF) at Ambala air base will surely prove a game changer for the country. The expected arrival of more fighter jets of the kind by the end 2021, should give more teeth to the IAF.

The location of the base for the fighter is so wisely chosen that they can reach and tackle the enemies on both the frontiers, in a very short time, to give a befitting reply in view of the advanced weapon system aboard these fighters, capable of firing missiles beyond visual range.

It can be confidently said that the thoughtful acquisition of these advanced and versatile fighters surely had their desired effect on China, while boosting the morale of India's defence forces.

K V Raghuram, Wayanad