It is heard over and over again that India must reform its labour laws for the economy do achieve its true potential (?Potential gains?, January 10). There is little doubt that India has one of the world?s most rigid labour markets. However, the organised sector represents only a small slice of all employment, and considering conditions in the economy as a whole, it is still not clear that these rigidities that prevent demand and supply from achieving easy equilibrium are wholly related to modern laws. Are we tackling the problem from the wrong end of the stick?
?Pritipal Singh, Chandigarh
Fatalists, eh?
It is good that Deep Fish has raised the agriculture alarm over global warming (?Shrinking monsoon?, January 10). But the problem is that the farm sector is also shrinking rapidly as a proportion of India?s GDP, and so it is becoming less and less of a worry for our economic policymakers. They assume that farmers, even if large in terms of electoral significance, are not going to hold anybody to account for anything, since they are fatalists. This assumption will be tested severely in time to come.
?Ratan Sood
Paradigm changer
The Rs 1-lakh car is not just an industry gamechanger (?Advent of the Nano age?, January 11) but a paradigm shift in our concept of luxury. In other words, it?s not low cost, but the concept of how low.
?J Anand Menon, Kochi
