The Ministry of Finance has imposed a maximum investment limit of Rs. 3 million (30 lacs) on saving certificates of the National Savings Schemes. That means an investor cannot invest more than Rs 3 million even if he/she wants to. Even more stupid than this is the government restriction on Behbood Savings Certificates, a high-yield instrument reserved only for widows and orphans. These certificates (of no more than Rs 3 million) are issued only after the death certificate of a husband and a declaration on a court stamp paper of Rs. 50 is submitted along with CNIC to NSS centres. No other country of the world, except Pakistan imposes such counterproductive, non-serious and ridiculous limits on investment. They only have the minimum investment limits. The government need to rethink its strategy regarding the NSS investors who provide the maximum finances to the government in difficult times like we have today when an economic meltdown is on the anvil. The NSS investors provide the bulk of finance to fill the gaping hole in the budget at very low rates of return on their investment. The government loans accrued from other national and international monetary organizations are often at a much higher rate of interest with added costs of financial fees and commissions. Very often than not, these loans also bring strict terms and conditions in their wake too. -ATIF SATTAR ARAEEN, Lahore, July 28.