The editorial, "A good start" (September 10), makes some relevant points about the need to conduct government-industry meetings with expanded participation.
Whenever there is an interaction with the government at the highest level at any forum, we see similar faces: Mukesh Ambani, Cyrus Mistry, Kumar Mangalam Birla and Gautam Adani. There are two big disadvantages to this. One, business and industry in a broader sense do not find themselves involved. Two, the same people give the same kind of advice almost every time. This closes the window for fresh ideas. Relatively smaller industrialists would be open to radical ideas.
Looking at a photo of the meeting, it appears dominated by government functionaries. If it is necessary that a large entourage of government functionaries listens to deliberations on a real-time basis, let most of them sit in an adjoining room and view the event on a local area network. Let the available seats be filled by more industrialists and businessmen. Participation from women and youth is also called for and could be a welcome change.
Shiva Kumar Mumbai
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