Apropos of the news story “NRB likely to apply brakes on auto loans” (THT, February 9, Page 1), this is indeed a very good move. Lines after lines of autos on the potholed and ragged streets of the Newar Valley create transitional smoke screens on the fact that we are one of the poorest nations on the face of this planet. This has got to stop. Nepalis should live within their means. Now NRB must also stop financing of land plotters and share investments in which financial honchos work hand in glove with Nepal’s new bourgeois: the dalal. It is possible that the dalal fraternity is peopled by politicians who can put pressure on banks to sign loan cheques indiscriminately.

If NRB does not put overbearing pressure, the politician bankers are also unlikely to fulfil the mandatory capital requirement of eight billion rupees before the end of the fiscal year. It is commendable that NRB is sticking to its guns on capital requirement and if it faces undue pressure it should seek help from the World Bank and the IMF to thwart undue local political intervention.

Manohar Shrestha, Kathmandu

Policies

This has reference to the article by Prience Shrestha “Good intention, bad policy” (THT, February 5, Perspectives, Page 3). I totally agree with his opinion while he writes about the bad side of our plans and policies. Of course, effective implementation of plans and policies will always give positive results while implementing those plans and policies. In developing countries like Nepal, most of the times our plans and policies are not going to be implemented in an effective manner. This is the reason why the common people are facing hardships. As per the law people cannot buy alcohol after 8pm. However, in Kathmandu and in other parts of the country we can see most of liquor shops are freely selling alcohol. Is this making any sense when we talk about our plans and policies with louder voices? Similarly, some time ago, the government banned smoking in public places. Unfortunately, it was not implemented. The law enforcing agency stopped monitoring smoking habit in public places after some time. I think which is against the law.

So, as a commoner, I think the country should follow tightened plans and policies so that the common people are also compelled to follow laws. The policies and plans are usually sketched on paper but never put into practice and, even if they are implemented, they are done only for the short term, just like imposing a ban on smoking in public places. This is because of poor governance and monitoring and a lack of strong willpower of the powers that be.

Therefore, good policies and their effective implementation are the need of the hour for the betterment of the country.

Saroj Wagle, Bara