Letters to The EDITOR: Finance that fits Assam

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Finance that fits Assam

Assam’s farms cannot flourish on one-size-fits-all finance; our agrarian landscape is too variegated, flood-prone and intricate for such a blunt instrument. The State Finance Minister’s call for region-specific agricultural financing therefore deserves attention.

Nearly 40–46 per cent of Assam’s workforce depends on agriculture and allied activities, while the sector contributes about 18 per cent to GDP. Yet tenant and leasehold farmers, cultivators of government land, forest dwellers and small growers face a credit labyrinth because of land-title constraints. A uniform financial architecture may leave the most vulnerable out in the cold.

Financial institutions must devise calibrated credit windows reflecting local production patterns, cropping cycles, geography and climate risks. The distribution of Farmer IDs should be scaled up and dovetailed with institutional credit. Imperative is an end-to-end value chain—from cultivation and primary processing to cold storage, warehousing, transport, marketing and exports—so farmers can reap better and more predictable returns.

Assam’s high-value products, including agarwood, Kaji Nemu, Bhoot Jolokia, indigenous rice, and hill-grown ginger and turmeric, need specialised processing, quality certification and dedicated export linkages. Streamlined clearances and international air-cargo facilities could help these products enter markets.

Flood-, drought- and pest-prone areas also require rapid-response mechanisms and assistance. Financing must not merely plug today’s holes; it should build tomorrow’s resilience. The government and financial institutions must join hands and turn this vision into an implementable framework. If finance reaches the farmer at the right place, right time and right scale, Assam’s fields can become engines of prosperity rather than reservoirs of unrealised potential.

Dipen Gogoi,

Jorhat

Assam’s musical legacy

We become nostalgic when we listen to the evergreen Assamese songs of Bhupen Hazarika, Jayanta Hazarika, Birendra Nath Dutta, Dilip Sarma, Khagen Mahanta, Dwipen Baruah, Dipali Barthakur, Sudakshina Sharma, Archana Mahanta, Anima Choudhury and many others, as well as the Hindi songs of Mohammed Rafi, Kishore Kumar, Manna Dey, Mahendra Kapoor, Lata Mangeshkar, Asha Bhosle, Usha Mangeshkar, Suman Kalyanpur and many more in international and regional languages. The first thing inherent in their songs is their lyrics and tunes, which have an everlasting impact on our mindset. Most modern songs lack these prime necessities, and nowadays, many singers immerse themselves in making sounds and dancing to the pleasure of younger generations.

But there are also modern singers like Zubeen Garg, Papon, Tarali Sarma and others who bridge the past and the present through their choice of songs. Modern lyricists also add to the vulgarity perceived in modern songs, contrary to the works of renowned lyricists like Jyoti Prasad Agarwala, Bishnu Prasad Rabha, Bhupen Hazarika, Keshav Mahanta, Nabakanta Barua, Hiren Bhattacharyya, Nirmal Prabha Bordoloi and many others, most of whom were poets as well.

We must not resist the inevitable changes in the cultural history of Assam, but we will have to be well versed in the works of the stalwarts of the music industry and leave a mark on the cultural map of India.

Benudhar Das

(dasbenu2018@gmail.com)

Non-functional solar lights

Through the columns of your esteemed daily, I would like to draw the kind attention of the concerned authorities to the poor condition of several solar-powered lights installed at public places, including public squares, namghars, gosaighars and temples in different areas.

Solar-powered lights were installed at various important public locations with the objective of providing illumination during the evening and night hours, particularly in places where conventional electricity supply may not be readily available. Such installations were expected to improve public safety, convenience and the overall appearance of these locations.

However, many of these solar lights have reportedly remained non-functional for a considerable period. In several places, the lights do not switch on at night, while in some locations, the batteries, solar panels or other components appear to require repair or replacement. As a result, the intended purpose of these installations is not being fulfilled, and the public resources invested in them are not being utilised effectively.

Public places such as squares, namghars, gosaighars and temples are frequently visited by local residents, particularly during the evening and on various religious and community occasions. Proper lighting is therefore important for the safety and convenience of people visiting these places. Non-functional solar lights also create an unpleasant and neglected appearance in public spaces.

The concerned authorities may kindly conduct a survey of the solar lights installed in different areas and identify those that are non-functional. Necessary repairs, replacement of damaged components and regular maintenance should be undertaken without unnecessary delay. A proper system of periodic inspection and maintenance would also help ensure that these installations remain functional for a longer period.

I hope the concerned authorities will look into the matter and take appropriate steps to restore the non-functional solar lights at the earliest in the public interest.

Heramba Nath

(herambanath2222@gmail.com)

Maritime collective responsibility

The International Maritime Organisation (IMO), a United Nations (UN) agency that has addressed the issues facing global shipping for the past eight decades, observes "World Maritime Day" (WMD) on September 24. Shipping remains the most efficient and cost-effective driver of international trade. Naturally, maritime transport accounts for 80 per cent of global trade. Therefore, it is incumbent upon stakeholders to secure not only vessels, cargo and crew but also other critical maritime assets. Maritime expansion is linked to the UN's sustainable development goals (SDGs) 9, 13, 14, and 17.

At the same time, it has encouraged "green shipping" and closely monitors carbon emissions from sea vessels. The theme for the first biennial WMD is "Powering Maritime Excellence: From Policy to Practice". Global nations must respect the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which establishes the legal framework for the use, conservation, and management of the world's oceans, to ensure an overall conducive maritime environment.

Dr Ganapathi Bhat

(gbhat13@gmail.com)