ONE YEAR OF MODI ADMINISTRATION

Dr. Charles Dias

The 2014 elections to Lok Sabha was a landmark one in the history of the Republic of India.  It saw the emergence of a dynamic leader in Sri Narender Modi.  Whatever the critics may tell about him, India experienced a leadership with firm voice.  No doubt, his actions are highly controversial.  He tried to do many things which are more  corporate-friendly  than provided welfare to the people.

The nuclear deal with US, the visits to many countries of Europe, Australia etc. were sweet revenges for Sri Narendar Modi, as they were apparently unfriendly earlier.  He pulled huge crowds wherever he visited, even though it is accused that in many places it was ‘manipulated crowd’.  Beating of Sri Rajdeep Sardeshai, senior journalist  at US was an unpleasant incident which revealed the real nature of the so called ‘crowd’.  Sri Modi’s effort to widen the scope of exports and commercial attempts were welcomed by people of India.  Modi was lucky that the price of crude oil in international market came down to 47 US dollars  from 134 US dollars during early 2014.

Smt. Sumitra Mahajan , Speaker , has to be congratulated for effectively running Lok Sabha  when compared to 15th Lok Sabha. The main promises of Modi or NDA  Govt. – promise of bringing down prices of essential commodities and bring back the black money deposited in Swiss banks.  The NDA had even promised that the black money so brought will be  distributed Rs.1500000/-  each to every  Indian.  What really happened ?

Prices cannot be brought down as promised by Modi or NDA; Petroleum prices were not reduced according to the reduction of crude oil; black money could not be brought back ; the prices of essential medicines were de-controlled which reasoned for heavy increase of price for essential medicines.  It created an impression that the Prime Minister of India India is more committed to protect the interests of corporates than common men of the country. India saw the worst form of attack on minorities in many parts of the country.

RSS , the real promoter of Modi Govt. rather than NDA Govt. has revealed its areas of interest.  The comments of RSS /VHP/Bajrang Dal leaders  about the minorities, especially Muslims and Christians have shown the real intentions of Hindu fundamentalists.  The Shiv Sena leader even commented that Muslims should be denied voting rights !  Mother Teresa was abused by VHP President as though her main intention was conversion of people to Christianity ! Even after attacks of several Christian churches, not even a single person was arrested !  Where is our police ?

It is pertinent to note that  Modi has no regard for Parliament.  His foreign tours while Parliament was in session;  controversial ordinances;  denial of the post of LOP  to Congress, moves to pass bills without proper  procedures, signing defense deals without taking Defense Minister into confidence etc. show this attitude.  The two Anglo-Indian Members  to Lok Sabha as per Article 331 were not nominated even after an year !   What is the attitude of people to Modi Govt ? -  look at Delhi elections !

Dr. Charles Dias Ex. M.P.
Courtesy: www.wisdomblow.com

Healthcare In India: A Paradox

Rabindra Kumar Jena

The fundamental problem in the government’s approach to healthcare is that there is no synchronization of the reality and the data at the most official level. This is obviously a problem, because if the government does not acknowledge that it is short of meeting its targets, the policies and measures taken by the government will also reflect the same.

India’s terrible healthcare apparatus also has other problems. Only about 68.7 % of women have received the mandatory three antenatal check-ups. Again whereas most women had received iron and folic acid tablets, only 31% of pregnant women had consumed more than 100 IFA ( Iron & Folic Acid) tablets. While we have managed to successfully get rid of polio, the National Health Policy 2015 admits that only 61% of children (12 -23 months) have been fully immunized.

The Ministry of Health and Family welfare has also done some significant work in AIDS control, where progress has been good with a decline from a 0.41 % prevalence rate in 2001 to 0.27% in 2011- but this still leaves about 21 lakh persons living with HIV, with about 1.16 lakh new cases and 1.48 deaths in 2011. In tuberculosis the challenge is a prevalence of close to 211 cases and 19 deaths per 100,000 population and rising problems of multi-drug resistant tuberculosis. Though these are significant declines from the MDG baseline, India still contributes to 24% of all global new case detection. Vaccination coverage in India continues to be low, and falls short of the target of 90%. Recommended vaccinations under EPI include DPT, polio, BCG, measles.

Measles continues to cause 30% of all vaccine preventable deaths, mostly in developing countries.Challenge is to increase the immunization coverage to the desired level.Also to develop newer vaccines and new modes of delivery.

There is also a huge shortfall of specialists in Rural Health Care. There  is  huge  shortfall  of  surgeons  (82.5%),  obstetricians  &gynecologists  (76.6%),  physicians  (82.6%)  and  pediatricians  (82.2%). Overall, there was a shortfall of 81% specialists at the CHCs vis-a-vis the requirement for existing CHCs. As per information furnished by Medical Council of India (MCI), the total number of doctors registered (allopathic) in the country till 31st July, 2011, is 8,56,065 out of which approximately six lac are presently active practitioners. The current doctor-population ratio has been worked out to be approximately 1:2000. This is the figure furnished by the government of India in 2011. In 2012, according to the World Bank, India had 0.7 doctors per thousand people. Which would imply about 2 doctors per 3000 people. Whereas United Kingdom (2012) has 2.8 doctors per 1000 persons, Sweden (2010) has 3.8 doctors per 1000 persons and China (in 2012), with a higher population and larger area than India has 1.8 doctors per 1000 persons. Moreover, these are India’s overall figures- the difference in the ratio between Urban and Rural India is increasingly alarming.

In this context, India faces the twin epidemic of continuing/emerging infectious diseases  as  well as chronic degenerative diseases. The former is related to poor implementation of the public health programs, and the latter to demographic transition with increase in life expectancy.

We know that Economic deprivation in a large segment of population results in poor access to health care. At the same time, poor educational status leads to non-utilization  of scanty health services and increase in avoidable risk factors.Both are closely related to life expectancy and IMR.

What is a matter of great concern that expenditure on health by the Government continues to be low. It is not viewed as an investment but rather as a dead loss!. States under financial constraints cut expenditure on health.

Amartyo K Sen has said  ‘Growth in national income by itself is not enough, if the benefits do not manifest themselves in the form of more food, better access to health and education’.

Given the scenario, Prevention, and early diagnosis and treatment, if feasible, are the most cost-effective strategies for most diseases. Promoting healthy life style from early life is a ‘no cost’ intervention which needs to be incorporated in school curricula. There is need for increasing public awareness of the benefits of healthy life style .

Components of healthy life style can be safely attributed to-

•          Abstinence from tobacco use

•          Regular physical exercise

•          Balanced nutritious diet rich in vegetables and fruits, and low in fats and refined sugar

•          Avoidance of pre & extramarital sex

•          Yoga and meditation

•          Avoidance of alcohol and substance abuse

Rabindra Kumar Jena, Member of Parliament, Loksabha , Balasore (Odisha)

 Courtesy: http://www.wisdomblow.com/?p=6010

Bihar’s Nitish Kumar in trouble

Dr. P Pullarao

Nitesh Kumar   is now friendless.  The proposed Janata Parivar merger is never going to happen. From the beginning, it was obvious that Nitish Kumar needed this merger to survive in politics   On the one hand Nitish Kumar broke ties with the BJP  not on personal issues, but on the  higher issues of self-proclaimed idealism and principles. Nitish  Kumar broke his alliance  with the BJP saying that he can never accept  Narendra  Modi as a leader of his alliance  and hence he  left the BJP. So far so good. . But such principles are very costly in Indian politics, as you will become dependent on un-principled politicians. So you end up being in trouble.

The 2014  Indian parliament elections showed that in Bihar ,in a triangular fight, BJP can triumph easily. Therefore simple arithmetic showed  that there must  be an alliance of all  anti- BJP “ secular forces’ . This meant that Nitish Kumar must  join hands  with his most persistent opponent  Laloo Prasad Yadav.  Laloo Prasad Yadav also faced a severe defeat  in the Bihar   2014 elections and has really nowhere to go. Logicall, Laloo  Prasad Yadav, Nitish Kumar , the Congress and the Left parties must  join together and   they would be in-vulnerable.

Logically, such an alliance w as ready for  the  forthcoming Bihar assembly elections in the next few months and `Modi  would be electorally finished .Suddenly, there sia  caneg in the entire picture.

1. Mulayam Singh, Laloo Prasad Yadav, Nitish  Kumar and others were to get together and form a grand Janata Party. The aim is to fight the BJP together in Bihar. But suddenly issues like symbol s and loss of separate identities in the states came up.
2. The long rivalry between Nitish Kumar and Laloo Prasad Yadav cannot be wished away. Such enemies come together when they hate a common enemy more.  But neither Laloo or Nitish cares  if Modi rules in Delhi as long as they rule in Bihar.
3. The other   factor in this equation is that neither does Laloo Prasad Yadav wants to see Nitish Kumar become the Chief Minister of Bihar again nor does Nitish wants to see Laloo or his family members become the Chief Minister again.  If Nitish Kumar is ready to agree that someone other than him will become the Chief Ministerial candidate, then Laloo might show enthusiasm for a joint fight. But Nitish Kumar does not show any enthusiasm to sacrifice his ambitions. Nitish wants to be chief Minister again. Laloo wants his own family to have the job or anyone other than Nitish Kumar. This is a fact of life which cannot be wished away. Herein lies the problem.
4. Mulayam Singh is now a relative of Laloo Prasad Yadav and there is no rivalry between them. Laloo has now limited ambitions and Mulayam knows he can never become the prime Minister. Mulayam Singh’s son is the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh. Laloo’s ambitious family is without any position of power.  Laloo’s family fully knows that  Laloo went to jail and their political drams were shattered only because of the enmity of Nitish Kumar.  Laloo cannot even contest elections thanks to the earlier enmity of Nitish Kumar.  Everyone in Bihar knows that Laloo’s family is dead set against allowing Nitish Kumar becoming the Chief Minister again. They know that will be the end of their political  ambitions.
5. Nitish Kumar still has a good 15 years of political life . He will be there longer than Laloo Prasad if one considers the fragile health of Lallo. Laloo’s children also do not seem to be cunning and shrewd enough to survive in Bihar politics. They cannot survive without their father.
6. In this cauldron of hate and friendship, we have former Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi. Nitish Kumar replaced him and there is enmity between them.  But Laloo keep saying that they must bring back Jitan Ram Manjhi into their front. This is un-acceptable to Nish Kumar. Laloo uses this as an excuse to embarrass Nitish Kumar.

Latest status:

Laloo Prasad he succeeded in his ambition totally humiliate Nitish Kumar. Nitish Kumar had to eat the humble pie and request Laloo for support to stay on as Chief Minister. This was  after a period of over 20 years of open hostility.  It looks as if Mulayam Singh and Laloo Prasad had only one objective and that was to make Nitish Kumar dependent on them and humiliate him. This have done very well.  Nitish cannot survive as Chief Minister if Laloo withdraws his support.

1. In all probability, there will be no formal merger between Laloo’s party and Nitish’s party.  Even an alliance looks difficult.
2. In all likelihood, it might even happen that Laloo  Prasad might decide that it is better to have an alliance with Jitan Ram Manjhi and the Congress  and  Left parties and  ensure that Nitish becomes a lonely man .  Laloo Prasad might feel that it is better to lose another election but ensure that Nitish Kumar is defeated and finished politically. The logic is that if Nitish becomes Chief Minister again, then Laloo loses permanently. So the better choice would be that Nitish lose. How does it matter to Laloo ?
3. Whatever Laloo might say publicly about  BJP and Modi, he cannot care  what happens to Modi. But he will prefer that Modi wins and Nitish Kumar loses. Laloo has no personal enmity with Modi. But he has personal enmity with Nitish Kumar who humiliated him.

A BJP victory in Bihar  is no worry for Laloo. The Minority voters will become even stronger supporters. But if Nitish wins, the minority voters will drift away to Nitish  and Laloo will have nothing. Laloo can never in public that he prefers the BJP winning. But if he wants to survive the BJP must defeat Nitish.

It is becoming more and more obvious that Mulayam and Laloo now want to end Nitish Kumar’s political life. They have brought him to their  corner with promises. Now they will abandon him. Nitish will have lost everything. That is what will happen. If the merger does not happen, then Nitish Kumar will look foolish before the entire country.

“Revenge is a dish best served cold “goes many proverbs. Imagine the pleasure of Laloo if he can make Nitish look like a fool before the entire country and also se e that he is defeated and isolated. Laloo has Nitish at his mercy. It might even happen that Laloo might withdraw support to Nitish  before the elections using some excuse.

All this does not mean that the BJP will have it easy in Bihar. The election in Bihar is a toss-up. Anything might happen. But the odds look increasingly that Nitish  might not emerge the victor in this election.

Nitish has already got the message. He is already distancing himself from Laloo to save some of his prestige.  Anything might happen in the future But right now, it looks difficult for Laloo and Nitish to contest the elections together as real  allies.

Dr P Pulla Rao is a Socio-political and Economic analyst

Courtesy: http://www.wisdomblow.com/?p=6010