TOO AMBIGUOUS
    Date :03-Apr-2020

time n tide_1  
 
AT A time when uncertainty is ruling lives and income sources taking a big hit due to the coronavirus pandemic, a ray of hope had come through the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) moratorium scheme for borrowers from state-owned banks. However, it was nothing but a false dawn, shrouded in too much ambiguity. The moratorium scheme entailed a three-month suspension of EMI payments for loan borrowers which, in effect, should be suspension of interest accrued during the period. Unfortunately, it is not the case as the borrowers have been asked to pay accumulated interest on three months’ EMI after the suspension period ends. This has come as a double whammy for the borrowers whose income has been hit due to Covid-19 pandemic and loan amount interest is slated to surge if they opt for the moratorium scheme. The Centre was supposed to provide succor to the lower and middle-income group with a waiver of short-period interest on loans. The prevalent ambiguity will serve no purpose and make people desperate to go out for income.
 
CATCHING UP
 
INDIAN women’s cricket team has made quite a remarkable journey in the last few years to be counted among the top three teams in the world. The change was the end result of multiple factors, the first and foremost being the umbrella provided by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). It has acted as a propelling force as is evident from the place of pride some of the women cricketers have earmarked for themselves in India where men’s cricket is arguably the biggest thing in sports. In wake of this churn, T20I skipper Harmanpreet Kaur’s insistence on having a strong domestic set-up needs serious deliberations from the BCCI bosses. The biggest difference between India and two top teams, Kaur has pointed out, is fitness. It needs a cultural change which can come only through a healthy domestic structure, at par with men. Indians are not short on skills but fitness and mental toughness are still grey areas for the women. With Sourav Ganguly at helm there is hope that Kaur’s observations find a willing ear.