The railway budget (?Lalu chants modernisation mantra?, Feb 27) is a populist election budget. New Garib Rath and other trains have been introduced. But Garib Rath offers no link to Saurashtra or Kutch in Gujarat. Nor does Shatabdi. Nor Rajdhani. The budget can be called a success only if Lalu Prasad makes sure that his words on innovation, cleanliness, safety and passenger amenities are followed up by action.
?Mahesh Kapasi, New Delhi
Whimsical talk
Lalu?s budget rhetoric can?t obliterate the fact, as pointed out by Rajiv Kumar (?Indian Railways as a global player?, Feb 27), that populism is at the expense of infrastructure development. Just Rs 15,000 crore over seven years for network upgrades makes modernisation talk whimsical.
?J Anand Menon, Kochi
Clarification
In response to the FE report ?Avesthagen terminates JVs with French firm?, that appeared on February 22, Avesthagen has clarified that the said JVs are in existence and not terminated by Avesthagen. Ties between the companies are being restructured on mutual consent. Both companies will continue to share an R&D relationship. Also, Cee Kay Seeds has been purchased by Atash Seeds, not Ava Seeds. Avesthagen and Limagrain are bound by a framework agreement of 2006 that?s still in force. Avesthagen had said there is no ?conflict of ideas? with Limagrain, and that it values all the JVs. The partnership model, in the company?s view, is indeed well suited to R&D companies that want to deliver value to their investors on a global scale, and it is pleased with it.
