While the Government would have failed to infuse confidence among citizens vis-à-vis policies made for social sector schemes it has found support from noted development economist Jean Dreze who believes that various ongoing schemes are harbingers of better days in future. Dreze was addressing a gathering on human develo pment in India.
Speaking on the occasion, Dreze praised social sector schemes like Mid-day Meal (MDM), Public Distribution System (PDS) and employment opportunities provided under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) besides the recently passed Food Security Bill which is projected to feed millions of starved Indians.
Dreze said, “MDM provides biggest employment opportunity in the world” and it provides employment to poor women in rural areas which is remarkable. Aimed to encourage education among poor section of the society Dreze asked people to shun the negativity around MDM as he himself has verified that what has been promised under the scheme is being delivered by the authorities.
Dreze added, “Just a few kilometers away from Ranchi I have seen school authorities serving eggs in the MDM. Although the quantity was less but it is proportionate to the budget” that has been earmarked under the scheme. Incidentally, under the ambitious scheme, Government provides Rs 3.51 per student up to class-5 and Rs 5.25 per student up to class-8.
Interestingly, Dreze also lauded the concept of Auxiliary Nurse Mid-wife as an effective mechanism for providing medical relief in the rural areas and the PDS system which is central to government’s objective of providing affordable food grain to people especially below poverty line. Dreze however emphasised streamlining the system to make the benefit reach the last beneficiary and improving the immunization figures in the country.
“It will take democratic struggle to improve the situation (in the PDS),” maintained Dreze adding “It is pity that the Government today spends only one percent of its GDP on health services.”
Nonetheless, the activist behind MNREGA lambasted Government’s policies which according to him attached too much importance to economic growth and turned a blind eye to human development and pointed out blind spots in the growth model. Notwithstanding the progress made since independence India is said to be lagging in key development indicators compared to other developing countries, claims Dreze.
“India has done well in GDP growth but it lags behind in human development. Countries like Bangladesh has performed better than India in terms of human development,” conceded Dreze.