The country faces many challenges in improving its education and health indicators. But these challenges are not insurmountable. There must be political will in the first place. Everything else will then fall in place
Recently, India created a Guinness world record when 1,21,653 Indians, who happen to be Sahara India Pariwar employees, gathered in lucknow to sing ‘Jana Gana Mana’. The record is for the highest number of people singing the National Anthem at one place and in the same uniform. The fact that we have beaten Pakistan, the previous record-holder, and that too by a huge margin, only adds to our pride and joy.
Having said that, it occurs to one that there are yet many more records for our country to break, if only we apply ourselves with a will. Sadly, there are areas where we lag miserably behind the world standard. let us take the three key aspects of poverty, education and medical care. Did you know that India has been ranked lower than its neighbour, Pakistan, in the United Nations’ multi-dimensional poverty indexIJ A United Nations Development Programme report says that 53.7 per cent of Indians suffer from poverty, as compared to 49.4 per cent in Pakistan — a fact that should embarrass any self-respecting Indian. According to the Economic Survey 2011-12, India is still the poorest among the G-20 nations. The country’s annual production of foodgrains is a healthy 200 million tonnes, but thousands die of poverty and malnutrition. India ranks among the top foodgrains exporters of the world, so cannot it ensure two square meals for its own hungry millionsIJ
The answer is: Yes, it can. Take the example of Amma Canteen, which is an initiative of the J Jayalalithaa-led Tamil Nadu Government, where basic, nutritious meals are served to the poor at highly subsidised rates. Hundreds of kitchens across the State serve fresh, hygienic food at prices between one rupee and five rupee a plate. The food is prepared in hygienic conditions, under proper supervision and with regular inspections to ensure quality.
While the main idea is to feed the hungry poor, the scheme also provides employment to the hundreds of women who manage these kitchens. While a large portion of the cost is recovered through sales, the balance is absorbed by the Government. Surely, this simple and effective plan can be replicated across other States, irrespective of the party that rules there.
Another critical area of concern is the national literacy rate. The Rajya Sabha was recently told that India has the largest number of illiterates in the world. Moreover, there is a wide gender disparity in the literacy rate in India. In 2011, it was 82 per cent for men and 65 per cent for women. The low rate of female literacy has in turn had a drastically negative impact on family planning and women’s health in India, besides leading to an adverse sex ratio (one of the lowest in the world).
Now let us look at the bright side. Kerala has one of the highest literacy rates, and more than 90 per cent of the rural population of the State has access to a primary school within one kilometre of their residence. Kerala’s campaign for total literacy, started in the 1980s, was the combined effort of the State administration, voluntary groups, social activists and others. The result of this integrated management is that today, Kerala enjoys nearly 100 per cent literacy. If a State like Kerala can achieve near total literacy, why cannot the rest of the countryIJ After all, similar and, perhaps better administrative machinery is available to other, larger States.
The third critical area which no country can afford to neglect, is medical care for its people. The United States has 2.6 doctors and 3.1 hospital beds per 1,000 people. India, on the other hand, has a mere 0.6 doctors and 0.9 hospital beds per 1,000 people. In case you are wondering why we should compare a rich country like the US to a poor India, it must be remembered that India’s population is 1,200 million as compared to the US’s 300 million. By the way, even Pakistan has 0.8 doctors per 1,000 people.
let us not hide behind the excuse that India’s problems are insurmountable simply because the country is too vast and the resources too few. Where there is a will, there is a way. To remedy a lack of hospitals in the remote areas of Assam, an NGO is running 15 boat clinics, across 13 districts of the North-Eastern State, covering about a million people. These ‘floating’ hospitals, ferrying both doctors and equipment, take healthcare to thousands of poor people who would have been otherwise deprived of it. If far-flung Assam can solve its own problems, so can the rest of the country.
Just as one patriot, Subrata Roy, took the initiative to enhance India’s prestige in the world, let us take some inspiration and create many other records — for the most literate, the most healthy and the most prosperous nation of all.