Mihir S Sharma's column "Not so frank, after all" (Ticker, May 25) is a pungent, but realistic, assessment of Indo-China issues. To cover its inefficiency in dealing with China, our government has been underplaying the gravity of the situation. A 19-kilometre-deep inroad into Indian territory just ahead of the Chinese premier's visit cannot be called a "localised" matter. As for the assumption that trade interests will induce China to be more friendly, it is worth recalling that India ranks quite low in China's global trade. In 2012, China's total trade with India was $66 billion; it was $546 billion with European Union nations, and the US ran a deficit of $315 billion with it.Also, China's close relationship with Pakistan will become stronger - and at the cost of India. Keeping the India-Pakistan border on the boil and Kashmir issue alive serves China well in tying down India in the region. Finally, China's co-operation with India will always be limited by the former's perception of I

Letters: Tread with caution

Business Standard

The editorial "SBI heads downwards" (May 28) is very well intentioned. State Bank of India's (SBI's) poor financial results this year are a matter of worry and a warning signal for a host of Indian public sector banks. There is a need for introspection, particularly in the area of credit delivery and management, NPA management and, more importantly, HRD policies and practices. Let us not chase the numbers and push for growth alone; it's time to focus on quality consciousness and delivery of business results.I K Kilam, FaridabadLetters can be mailed, faxed or e-mailed to:The Editor, Business StandardNehru House, 4 Bahadur Shah Zafar MargNew Delhi 110 002Fax: (011) 23720201  Â·  E-mail: letters@bsmail.inAll letters must have a postal address and telephone number

Letters: Beyond numbers

This refers to your editorial "SBI heads downwards" (May 28). It's true that the recent performance of State Bank of India (SBI) and other public sector banks, particularly in terms of non-performing assets (NPAs), is not on expected lines. However, it is unfair to treat pubic sector banks on a par with private sector banks on the NPA front; public sector banks are burdened strictly with priority sector and agricultural lending. It's no exaggeration to say that most of the agricultural advances are NPAs ab initio. Moreover, it has been proved that there is no dearth of talent in public sector banks since they have been a favourite hunting ground for private sector bank's middle- and senior-management cadre.Ravi Kant, MumbaiLetters can be mailed, faxed or e-mailed to:The Editor, Business StandardNehru House, 4 Bahadur Shah Zafar MargNew Delhi 110 002Fax: (011) 23720201  Â·  E-mail: letters@bsmail.inAll letters must have a postal address and telephone number

Letters: On unequal terms

Water levels across 84 reservoirs across the country were "sufficient" at 120 per cent of the average storage in the last 10 years

Green shoots tracker

Reflects the troubles of public sector banks

SBI heads downwards

N Srinivasan's commitment to corporate governance is shaky

Losing the day job

The editorial "Dropping the cost" (May 23) suggests that the natural gas pricing should be linked to coal on a calorific value of 5,300 kilocalories per kg (based on the calorific value of Indonesian coal). What will favour natural gas even more is that the power plant efficiency for natural gas is generally higher than coal. A number of factors have distorted the traditional relationship between coal and natural gas prices to unsustainable levels. Gas turbine is an old technology. Most of the energy is wasted as exhaust heat. It is inefficient compared to coal-fired steam turbines. But it has an advantage: it can be brought on line quickly to cover peak loads. The current drop in gas pricing is mainly owing to shale gas. But shale gas, despite its triumphal reputation, faces substantial uncertainties. If methane emissions from fracking turn out be as bad as some of the high-end estimates, there could be serious environmental regulations coming down. In that case, the price of natural

Lettrs: Controlling gas pricing

This refers to the report "Delhi HC rules out pay parity between regular & contractual workers" (May 26). We cannot expect a humane approach from courts whose core function is ensuring the rule of law, and thus blame a bench of judges for interpreting law and observing hence: "There cannot be complete parity between contractual employees and those who undergo selection process and are appointed as regular employees. On the principle of 'same work same pay', if there is complete identity of work between contractual employees and regular employees, a court can direct same basic salary and allowances to be paid. But with reference to one set of persons not having undertaken the selection process and the second set having undertaken the selection process, the court could deny the benefit of increments." However, those responsible for policy formulation should take note of the disparity in prices, wages and incomes, which are relevant for a class that is rich and powerful and, therefore

Lettrs: Pay scale disparities

A member of Parliament is busy fielding the media these days on the ongoing spot-fixing controversy at the Indian Premier League. Even as a steady stream of journalists heads to his office-cum-home, to get his bytes filled with cliched idioms, his staff members are busy with something more interesting. One of them is writing letters addressed to the Railways' commercial department, recommending the release of emergency quota for the minister's friends and followers embarking on long journeys in the summer rush. "Chotu, call that aunty and ask her what name she has given on the ticket and her destination," an order flies across as journalists wait.

The summer gravy train

The United Progressive Alliance (UPA) likes to see its rural employment guarantee scheme (known as the MGNREGA) as a big game-changer in the 2009 elections. But even its votaries admit that it has many problems accurately identifying beneficiaries or diverting payments being the principal ones. But the chief minister of a UPA-affiliated hilly state added a new dimension to the issue. His state, he pointed out, was frequented by residents from neighbouring countries, mostly Nepal, who immigrated for short-term jobs and then left. Since most of these migrant jobs comprise daily wage work, the MGNREGA could not get much traction in the state.

MGNREGA's 'migrant' problem

In a bid to cut costs, ailing Haldia Petrochemicals Ltd has cut directors' fees for every board meeting by 50 per cent to Rs 10,000. The company's Chairman Partha Chatterjee claims this will save some money, which can be used to invest in the company. Despite this, high tea arrangements for the board meetings are still being sourced from Park Street's famous Flury's.

Making the cut

StatsGuru-27-May-2013

Every Monday, Business Standard analyses one family's finances and suggests a suitable way forward

Case study

A price index for agri commodities: A Business Standard and Indicus Analytics initiative

Indicus price monitor

Can no-claim bonus (NCB) be transferred with a motor policy?Yes, when an owner sells his car, he can transfer the motor insurance to the buyer/new owner. If there is any accumulated NCB, that can also be transferred with the policy. The new owner will not be required to pay any premium for the policy till renewal.Is it necessary to transfer NCB  with motor plan? No, it need not necessarily be transferred. The car seller can take a certificate for NCB at the time of selling the car and transferring the motor cover. If a car is sold and the owner has had a no-claim history, he can utilise it at the time of buying a cover for his new car, both in India and abroad.

Tipping point

Apropos the book review "Whose land is it, anyway?" (May 23), the name of the book The Price of Land: Acquisition, Conflict, Consequence is quite interesting, and reminds me of the time I flew with American town planner and professor Lyues Lyubka in 1977 from Mumbai to Vadodara. Looking down from the aircraft window, he said, "The small patches of land are so small that tilling it with tractors will be very uneconomical. Your agriculture-dependent country should have big farms. Unfortunately, the long chain of family inheritance has reduced them to small economical holdings." Former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri gave India the slogan "Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan", envisioning India's self-reliance in defence and agriculture. Again, Indira Gandhi brought land reforms with the motto "land belongs to those who till". Have our administrators acted in the right spirit?Dushyant Nathwani, VadodaraLetters can be mailed, faxed or e-mailed to:The Editor, Business StandardNehru House, 4 Bahadur Sha

Letters: The fate of agriculture

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's decision to acquire two of the Saradha Group-run channels seems to be making one of her ministers happy:  Industries Minister Partha Chatterjee. "Now that Didi has acquired the two channels, more television cameras will be present at our press conferences," he said, elatedly. "This would be similar to Jaya TV of south India, which is a state-run channel," he added. Maybe he has forgotten that the channels will face strong competition from many private sector channels.

Didi's own channel

The depth of Union Labour Minister Mallikarjun Kharge's disappointment at losing out on the chief ministership of Karnataka can be gauged from his reaction to Chhattisgarh Labour Minister Chandrasekhar Sahu's well-meaning compliment. Speaking at the Indian Labour Conference, Sahu showered praise on Kharge and said he felt grateful that Kharge remained at the Centre and had not been sent to Karnataka after the recent Congress victory. At this, Kharge recited a verse to the effect that he was better off with enemies rather than friends who wished him to remain at the Centre.

With friends like this...

Despite being an integral part of India, the northeast and its states remain an amorphous mass for most mainland Indians, who often also mistake the nationality of people from the region. This was embarrassingly evident at the recently concluded Indian Labour Conference, where Manipur Labour Minister Hemochandra delivered a fiery speech. Later, a trade union leader referred to him as a minister from Nagaland. The young minister immediately corrected the leader. Then, Labour Secretary Mrutyunjay Sarangi interjected and made the somewhat politically incorrect joke that Hemochandra  should be grateful that the leader did not mistake him to be from China, thereby turning the conference into an international event.

Business Standard

Business Standard

Page 728 - Business Standard

Letters: Tread with caution

Letters: Beyond numbers

Letters: On unequal terms

Green shoots tracker

SBI heads downwards

Losing the day job

Lettrs: Controlling gas pricing

Lettrs: Pay scale disparities

The summer gravy train

MGNREGA's 'migrant' problem

Making the cut

StatsGuru-27-May-2013

Case study

Indicus price monitor

Tipping point

Letters: The fate of agriculture

Didi's own channel

With friends like this...

China syndrome

Appointing regulators