State Welfare Schemes and Government Welfare schemes are addressed to take off some of the inequalities in the population of the state or the nation. This to my understanding is that taking off some of the inequalities would give the underprivileged a head start in the race to achieving a reasonable or good standard of living.
If the population themselves are expected to achieve these comforts or essentials, it might take a very long time and that person may never see the benefit in his life time. This is why the State or the Government Free Benefits should continue.
Then the state or the Government has to decide which are the essentials and in what priority they should be given. Throughout the World , the countries have been doing this free benefits in different models. We will take Health Care for Example.
In UK, the Government vows to provide good health care for its population by beefing up the government hospitals with facilities, technical expertise and so on. Hence if you have an emergency then you feel safer in a Government Hospital even if you are the Prime Minister of that Country. You can walk in to any Government Hospital in UK expecting a good standard of health care for free funded by the Government.
Whereas in USA, the private providers take up the majority of health care provision just like our country. However the Government does not want the underprivileged to be left with a bad deal. They provide health insurance for those who cannot afford themselves. So you can walk in to any hospital who accepts Government health insurance to get your health care for free, funded by the government.
When the Government decides to give health Insurance for people who cannot afford themselves, or cannot buy health insurance for themselves and their loved ones, then it is commendable act. When it decides to give more free benefits like an item like a Television or a Fan or a Grinder which they can use in day to day life, one starts questioning them.
But I feel the issue is not the free item which is given at present. Because to me and you who is reading the blog, a fan may be a comfort which we can acquire easily but not to everyone. What is more important however is "what is not given which is more urgent to the needy".
I had the opportunity to see Trichy from a different point of view. Point of View is quite true in its meaning in that i observed Trichy by foot as opposed to going in a AC car.
Working in a hospital in India, I was alarmed in the number of Gram negative infections in my patients. These are not just wound infections after surgery for example, but in chest infections where these organisms are found.
Where do these bugs come from? From the community outside and the air we breathe in. If the sanitation is so bad outside and you are going to get infected with these bugs, then what is the benefit of all the comforts you acquire either by earning for it or by the State Benefits.
What is the point of having a toilet built for public use and charging for the same. If I am one of those underprivileged, I would rather go and do my duties outside for free and avoid paying to do so in a public toilet.
If you do not get my point by now, then this is it. There is an urgent need for addressing the Sanitation and the Hygeine for the environment as a whole to improve the quality of everyone's life. If the Government decides to build free and many public toilets for example, then it could be the best initiative ever.
Then I am told this had been done before and not used in the villages nor in the towns commonly. But having walked for nearly three hours in Trichy where the so called underprivileged live, i noticed only on public toilet.
What the Government should do is
1.to ensure that there are these facilities everywhere and make them free.
2. There should be clear directions in every part of the city and the villages.
3. These facilities should be brought under the vigilance of the Health Department. The contractors who are maintaining these can be independent, but their annual quota of money allocated can be linked to the health department vigilance report on their status.
4. The Government should then advertise the facilities so heavily that anyone not using such a free facility will be frowned upon.
If you then find a member of public not using these free facilities, available everywhere,maintained to high standard but funded by the government, then one can start fining the public to ensure that the sanitation standards do not fall.
You cannot blame the common man for passing urine outside in India yet until the above facilities are in place. Until then the India which we know lives as two halves.
One where people can afford and pay for it and maintain good standards and enjoy comforts they want. The second would be the one where people not only do not have the essentials and do not have a choice in spoiling the environment for the first half as well as themselves.
This is exactly the reason why the first half should worry about the second half and not just walk over them. The second half do not need the pity but essentials in life to be provided to them until they can move up in the social ladder.
The most essential of all is the Sanitation and Hygeine and the so called underprivileged people will find ways to earn the rest. So back to Health care Provision for free, I hope to go to any city or village and able to do our essential morning duties for free, funded by our Government.
or will it be a John Lennon Song Imagine Scenario! Time only can tell us, Oh No, We do not have time, Remember time gone is already time lost. Read my previous blog on time and money.
Regards
Chockalingam
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