No room for laxity

This refers to ‘Retail inflation dips to 5.2% in December’ (January 13).

It is strongly felt that the reported decline in retail inflation during December 2024, in mainly food products, could be more seasonal.

But we may still get to see usual demand for a repo-rate cut .

So too much should not be read from this falling trend.

Come March, this trend may start reversing, so let us not get swayed.

SK Gupta

New Delhi

Tax targets

This is with reference to the report ‘Direct tax mop-up may surpass budget estimates by ₹80,000 crore’. It is really laudable that tax evasion has decreased considerably with the rise in the number of taxpayers.

It is encouraging to see tax collections having surpassed the tax receipt estimates by around ₹83,000 crore due to simplification of tax rules, widening of tax base through technology measures/efficient tax administration.

At the same time there is need to further reduce the tax slabs to three stages commencing from ₹10.00 lakh annual incomes to give relief to tax payers hit by inflation.

Katuru Durga Prasad Rao

Hyderabad

Be prepared

Dr Soumya Swaminathan, former WHO Chief Scientist has cautioned that “the next health emergency is never too far away”.

Governments across the world stepped up to the produce or import vaccines and medicines and saved innumerable lives. India, in particular, handled the pandemic well.

That said, it is important for the Indian government to pay heed to Dr Swaminathan’s thoughtful advice of being always well-prepared for any health emergency.

S Ramakrishnasayee

Chennai

N-power, clean fuel

It is with reference to the news report ‘Why India should explore the idea of floating nuclear power plants’ (January 13).

Nuclear power plants are important for India because they are reliable and low carbon power source. Nuclear energy is a zero emission clean energy source that can help India contribute to climate change mitigation.

P Victor Selvaraj

Palayamkottai (TN)