Write a letter to the minister of health highlighting three negative effect
the couid-19 pandemic on
a Cihana
citizen and suggesting at least
tance Ways of solving these
Problem.

Refer to the editorial ‘Over to the CMs now’ (April 28); there appears to be a trust deficit between the Centre and states as only a few CMs attended the virtual meet of the PM with regard to the lifting of the lockdown and for evolving strategies to revive the economy of the country. The Centre must give funds to the states on equitable and need basis, otherwise, there will be political turmoil. The Punjab Chief Minister has repeatedly asked for previously pending GST share for the state, but nothing has come of it. Punjab is also effectively implementing the lockdown, despite the fact that wheat procurement operations are also to be kept in place.

Brij Bhushan Goyal, Ludhiana

Dual policy on charity

The Centre should not have a dual policy for charitable organisations in this hour of their need. The FCI has been ordered to supply wheat to the NGOs and charitable organisations at the open market rate of Rs 2,135 per quintal, but to the SGPC and the DSGMC at the PDS rate, i.e., Rs 200. On the one hand, the government wants that the NGOs should come forward to help the poor, and on the other, it discourages them by charging the market rate, that too when its godowns are overladen by 27% and the new wheat crop has already arrived. It should also publish the names of those providing grains, as well as the quantity of food stocks, at PDS rate, so that the poor are made aware that the food supplied to them is not alms, but a part of their money as contributors of society. During any disaster, the poor should not be made to feel that they are being given alms and their photographs should not be allowed on social or print media.

Kumud Ghai, Ludhiana