MyVoice: Views of our readers - 24 Jan

Issue notification to recruit teachers in govt schools

With dreams of a separate Telangana, millions of people struggled, fought and succeeded in getting the State. Since the inception of the new State of Telangana, the administration has been playing a vital role under the agile leadership of K Chandrashekar Rao. The main motto of the Telangana State is to perform and to deliver the best to the people.

Among the requirements are water, funds, employment and better life. During the Telangana movement, several youngers sacrificed their lives for illustrious future of new generation. Unemployment has been a major issue since 2014 and many educated ones – graduates – started preparation for competitive exams in the various places for four years in the hope of getting a job to lead decent lives.

Unfortunately, Chandrashekar Rao seems to be not serious about providing employment to Telangana's educated youth. The fact is Telangana State is very backward in literacy because of lack of teacher recruitment and an apt education system. In view of providing holistic education to students, the Chief Minister has initiated gurukuls. This is undoubtedly a notable development in education system, but they are being run under contract based, hourly based and outsourcing system.

B Ed, PG, degree and Inter candidates have been eagerly waiting for notifications for teachers' recruitment in gurukuls. After the last notification appeared in 2018, there has been no notification and the aspirants who borrowed money, sold properties and left the family have been hoping against hopes to get a teaching job in these institutions. The people of Telangana who dreamt of becoming independent are just dependent even now.

Dear Chief Minister, it is the right time to pay much attention on gurukuls and issue notification to recruit teachers for the next academic year. We hope the honorable Chef Minister on the momentous occasion of Republic Day, will issue notifications for the same.

Anil MA, B Ed, Warangal Rural

A farce called elections!

It is a great democracy in India where elections are almost taking place throughout the year. Apart from the elections for the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, there are elections for the State Legislative Assembly. Then, there are elections for State Legislative Councils (MLCs), conducted in only six of the 28 States of India. Finally, the panchayat level elections and the corporation elections.

The last just finished with much fanfare in the State. It all looks great in theory that an average citizen and his surrounding society have such representation and say in matters of polity. Unfortunately, each election is a massive exercise in propaganda, money usage, enticements, nepotism, and an all-pervasive corruption. With such an adequate representation at all levels, one would expect all the issues of the country sorted out by now.

The roads, the health systems, the sanitation, for example, stay shattered. Does it make anything easier for the ordinary citizen? Each contract and each law in the government is a means for making money. It is sad that despite so many elections and checks, quality has always been in a compromise mode. Do we need so many elections? The feeling one gets is the same when one sees shining cars and shining malls standing on broken and pot-holed wonders once called roads.

Dr Pingali Gopal, Warangal

Economic future of the country looks bleak

As the Union government is working out to present the new budget, financial experts cannot foresee anything better in store. Even as all look towards demand support in the upcoming budget, the government does not have the wherewithal for pleasing booster shots. Over-optimistic revenue projections would erode credibility, as happened last July. Raising taxes in one segment to finance a stimulus for another part will be counter-intuitive in a slowing economic context.

Moreover, fresh taxation could invite backlash, further depress sentiment in a replay of last year's budget. Under these resource-scarce circumstances, public expenditure would have to slow down, which would be a weakening force. Rising inflation is the next spoiler. The RBI eased policy rates by 135 basis points last year, devoting equal policy attention to ensure that the borrowers benefit from its pass-through via banks and are encouraged to spend more.

But the inflationary expectations of households have adjusted quickly to food prices that are rising since mid-2019. Retail food inflation galloped from 3 per cent last August to 14 per cent in December, pushing up overall retail inflation, on which monetary policy is based, to 7.4 per cent. These developments, along with some other factors such as hikes in telecom tariffs, fuels and liquefied petroleum gas, possible fiscal expansion in the forthcoming budget, have injected caution in the otherwise softer interest rate environment.

The RBI rested its easing cycle last month, turned more watchful. The bond market has reacted with higher inflation risk premium, keeping the 10-year yield — benchmark for banks' loan rates elevated. Let's wait and watch what awaits the country.

Dr Madhavi Pulluru, Secunderabad