A balanced view of the economy

The cover story on the effects of the current demonetization policy in the December issue of your prestigious magazine provides an absolutely balanced assessment of our country's economic scenario. You have rightly said the Government's demonetization strategy has proved to be a disaster. In order to take care of the common masses our government should have put in place a fool-proof cash management mechanism before it clamped demonetization on the whole country.
In the absence of any such mechanism the ordinary citizens have suffered immensely across the country in conducting their day-to-day economic activities. Chief Justice of India has warned the Government against its disastrous consequences. The Government must take appropriate action to address the malaise in our system . Prime Minister Narendra Modi must realize sooner than later that he has been losing very fast the goodwill the people have had in his crusade against corruption and black money.
I would take this opportunity also to appreciate your articles on American President-elect Donald Trump . He has really projected himself as "an agent of change." Now it has to be seen how he honours the key promises held out to the working class on the jobs front and stagnant incomes. He has to manage the powerful bureaucracy in the State Department and the Pentagon . He has to manage also a few larger-than-life billionaires-- media moguls, high-profile philanthropists and serving cabinet members-- in America . They have so far guided and directed the American political thought process.
Besides, I would like to appreciate your piece on the impact of climate change in our national Capital. As you have mentioned , our national capital was once a leading green city in the world. But now the scene has turned disastrous . The Government would do well to take effective measure to address the problem . Our political parties must abandon their old blame game on an issue that is a matter of survival for the enhumanity .

Kaveri Mukherjee
Kolkata

Banning liquor outlets

The Uttarakhand High Court has done well to prohibit liquor outlets in the vicinity of some places of worship from April 2017. It has also banned tobacco products within a five-km radius of three gurdwaras. This should embolden the State government in taking more positive measures in the interest of public health. The State governments recently took measures to prohibit the sale of liquor in specified areas. The government's action is in harmony with Article 47 of our Constitution. This Article clearly says it is the duty of the state to raise the level of nutrition and standard of living of the people, improve public health, and prohibit the consumption of intoxicating drinks and drugs. Strangely, some analysts think the Court's ruling is in contravention of one's fundamental right to engage in any business. The liquor business cannot be considered a Fundamental Right.

Krishna Pant
Rishikesh

Tough times ahead

The legendary Cuban leader Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz is no more . He governed Cuba with an iron hand for long -- first as Prime Minister (1959- 1976) and then as President (1976 -- 2008) defying all intrigues , including those conspired by the world's mightiest power, the United States of America. During his regime Cuba attained remarkable feats in its socioeconomic development . His brother Raul Modesto Castro Ruz, Cuba's

Fidel Catro President since 2008, has hard time ahead . During the presidency of Barack Obama in the United States relations between Havana and Washington improved a lot. The Trump presidency seems to be all set to move in an antagonistic direction. It is to be seen how Raul Castro deals with the new occupant of the White House.

Apratim Mukherjee
Kolkata

Let's laud bank staff

The recent demonetisationhas proved our system has failed. It is, however, worth noticing that most of the bank employees have worked very hard to make money transaction easier for their customers. Let's give them a big hand.

A Citizen