Help at hand
Sir — Technology has revolutionised lives. Be it a luxury car, an ordinary taxi or even an auto or a scooty, most things are now available at one’s fingertips through various apps. Yet, not everyone can make full use of these services. The elderly, for instance, have trouble getting on to bikes or autos and do not need cars to travel short distances. Could there be a case to book a helping hand on these transport services as well? The elderly could then book someone to walk short distances with them, help them carry things or even cross roads. This would also provide them with crucial company, which most old people lack.
Priya Dasgupta, Calcutta
Diffuse the tension
Sir — West Asia is turning into a hotbed of religious and political tension (“Flames rise further”, Aug 3). This is evident from the killings, in quick succession, of the Hezbollah commander, Fuad Shukr, and the Hamas political chief, Ismail Haniyeh, last week in Beirut and Tehran, respectively. Unless the United Nations and countries put diplomatic pressure on all warring leaders, the situation may escalate to a full-fledged war soon. Perhaps the Indian prime minister, Narendra Modi, can use his proximity to Benjamin Netanyahu to diffuse the situation.
K. Nehru Patnaik, Visakhapatnam
Sir — It has been almost a year since Hamas attacked Israel and the latter launched a full-blown genocide of Palestinians in Gaza. Nearly 40,000 Palestinians have been killed since then. Israel assassinated the political chief of Hamas, Ismail Haniyeh. This is extremely ill-advised. Such misplaced bravado will spawn worse conflicts in the future.
R. Narayanan, Navi Mumbai
Premium service
Sir — It is laudable that the Union minister of road transport and highways, Nitin Gadkari, has urged the Union finance minister, Nirmala Sitharaman, to waive the 18% goods and services tax on premiums for life and health insurance policies. Most senior citizens and pensioners find it difficult to pay insurance premiums even without the GST. The middle class is extremely upset with the budget. This is a golden opportunity for Sitharaman to assuage their anger.
Tharcius S. Fernando, Chennai
Sir — Besides Nitin Gadkari, the chief minister of West Bengal, Mamata Banerjee, too has requested the Union finance minister to remove the 18% GST on life and medical insurance premiums (“Didi writes to FM on insurance GST waiver”, Aug 3). This tax imposes an unfair burden on people and will disincentivise these vital policies. Levying a hefty tax on insurance premiums leaves people vulnerable. The insurance industry itself has long advocated for a reduction in GST to enhance the appeal of its products. Lowering the GST rate would not only make insurance more affordable but also stimulate its uptake, contributing to broader financial security and health coverage. As per data from the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority, insurance penetration in India is relatively low — around 3.2% of the gross domestic product comes from life insurance and 0.94% from health insurance. The tax is thus inconsistent with the government’s objective of promoting social welfare and economic stability.
Khokan Das, Calcutta
Powerless lot
Sir — In his article, “Spectral proletariat” (July 31), Uddalak Mukherjee vividly portrays the phantasmal labour force that works behind the glamorous facade of Artificial Intelligence. Given the human penchant for creating insentient beings equipped with extraordinary intelligence, AI can, before long, overpower its creator. But before we find ourselves trapped in a ‘matrix’ governed by AI, effective action must be taken to ensure peaceful coexistence with these technological Frankensteins so that they are coded to be humane.
Sharanya Das, Calcutta
Sir — We are in the middle of a hype cycle in which companies are racing to integrate AI tools into a variety of products, transforming everything from logistics to manufacturing to healthcare. However, the data work that is essential for the functioning of the products and services we use is often deliberately concealed from view. Without data workers creating datasets that can teach AI the difference between a traffic light and a street sign, autonomous vehicles would not be allowed on
our roads.
Vishalkumar P.C., Chennai
Sir — The root cause of the problems encountered by data workers, as underlined by Uddalak Mukherjee in his article, is the power imbalance between them and the institutions they serve. Historically, when social movements have achieved lasting change, it has often been through organising a critical mass of people to push for policies that address systemic inequalities. But the jobs that data workers undertake are relatively easy to shift to another side of the planet in case they organise and demand better pay. In a world where unemployment is rife, workers can hardly risk taking such a step.
Sujit De, Calcutta