With reference to the “In critical condition” (March 4), it is disheartening to note the present state of abysmally low doctor-patient ratio in India as against the benchmark WHO norms. For long, with few government and aided medical colleges only in existence, the seat pool was very minimal and only meritorious students were securing admissions. With the increase in the number of private medical colleges, the supply of seats has marginally gone up, paving the way for more students to join this noble profession. However, the mounting college infrastructure costs forced some of the private institutions to openly sell the unreserved seats at exorbitant rates compromising merit and quality. More than infrastructure issues, safety and security of the doctors working in remote areas is becoming a challenge. With the demand for medical practitioners set to increase, merit-based and good quality education are the need of the hour.

Bengaluru

It is really unfortunate that some of the Congress party leaders are bent upon questioning the credentials of IAF’s recent air strike on JeM terror camps in Balakot in Pakistan. Politics in the country has stooped to a new low. What else could explain Navjot Singh Sidhu, a minister in Captain Amrinder Singh-led Congress government in Punjab has now sought clarifications as to whether the IAF had actually targeted the terrorists or only some trees? Sadly even senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal too is demanding proof of destruction of the Jaish camp.

Perhaps, the best course for the Congress party’s ‘proof seeking brigade’ would be to gainfully utilise the well known friendship of Sidhu with Pak PM Imran Khan as also his very cordial relations with its Army Chief Gen Bajwa to count the devastated trees and/or see the dead bodies of the slain terrorists by personally visiting the spot at an early date.

In all fairness, politicians must never question the credentials of our brave security forces by subjecting them to their malicious political propaganda.

New Delhi

The latest estimates of the Central Statistics Office point to a deepening of the slowdown of the economy. It is evident from the government projections which were lowered from 7 per cent to 6. 6 per cent. The reasons can be attributed to trouble in the farm sector, forestry, and fishing which slowed down sharply from 4.2 per cent in July-September to 2.7 per cent last quarter. The consumption spending data show that growth in manufactured products like two-wheelers to tractors has been eased out from 9.8 per cent to 8.4 per cent.

The latest index in industrial production figures slowed down drastically from 8.7 per cent to 2.7 per cent during the last 12 months. It remains to be seen whether RBI’s rate cut would help increasing demand for credit. Adding to the woes of banks is the government’s insistence on banks fulfilling the targets of MUDRA loans despite their poor recovery and frauds in disbursement in some cases. As already warned by the previous RBI governors, MUDRA loans can become a drag on the banking system as well as the country’s economy. Thus the Indian economy appears to be heading for a period of uncertainty which may last till the formation of the next government.

Bheemavaram (AP)

With reference to ‘Time to upgrade internet banking’, when internet banking was introduced it was a boon for millions of bank customers who got to transact from the comfort of their homes or offices. The writer has hit the nail on its head when he mentions about how annoying Captchas and SMSs are. Hence banks have to constantly upgrade their internet banking facilities for the benefit of their customers. And banks have the capability and technology to do that as shown in some of the functions like choosing our preferred denomination of currency in ATMs, etc.

Noida