INDIA AFTER GANDHI BY RAMACHANDRA GUHA

PRINCIPLES OF ECONOMICS BY N GREGORY MANKIW

INDIA SINCE INDEPENDENCE BY BIPIN CHANDRA

THE EARLY HISTORY OF INDIA BY ROMILLA THAPAR

THE DISCOVERY OF INDIA BY JAWAHARLAL NEHRU

WHAT ARE THE SIGNIFICANCE OF 73rd AND 74TH AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA AND EXPLAIN THE CONCERNS AND INHERENT LIMITATIONS OF 74TH AMENDMENT ACT.

              73rd Constitutional amendment Act, 1992 added a new part 9th and also added eleventh schedule to the constitution of India and 74th Constitutional Amendment act 1992 has introduced a new part 9A and 12th schedule in the Constitution.

Significance :

• To strengthen the governance at the grass root level.
• To implement the directive principle mentioned in the article 40.
• It has provided Constitutional guarantee of self governing democratic institutions in rural ares.
• Main benefits are political education, local administration, skill development and self government
• It will be possible to prepare plans for economic development and social justice at this level.

Concerns with respect to this amendment:

• Elected representatives at the municipality level are rendered powerless by making them subordinate to the state government.
• In most muncipal corporations, the executive powers of the corporation are governed by state government appointed commissioner rather than elected representative. ie, mayor
• Creation of government agencies which are accountable only to the state government but not the local government. This dilutes the political role of muncipal corporations.
• New central government programs are further making local government powerless and depoliticised. Ex: creation of special purpose vehicle for smart city missions which will have operational independence and autonomy in decision making.
• Over reliance on semi representative bodies.

Inherent limitations in 74th Amendment:

• Many of its key provision are not mandatory for the state government. ex:Financial devolution - provisions.
• The functions listed under the 12th schedule do not include essential civic issues such as carbon transportation, housing or urban commons.
• Industrial township exception - a municipality need not be constituted in areas which are declared as industrial town ships.
• All these have resulted in urban local governments active disempowerment and depoliticisation.

 

AYUSHMAN BHARAT – NATIONAL HEALTH PROTECTION MISSION

Ayushman Bharat is an initiative to address health, holistically in primary, secondary & tertiary care systems covering both prevention and health promotion. The scheme aims to provide cashless benefits of Rs. 5 lakhs to Rs. 10 Crores for poor families in the country. It includes all the levels of healthcare delivery, from primary to tertiary.

 

It has two components namely-

1. HEALTH AND WELLNESS CENTRE [HWC]

• HWC'S will be upgraded form of primary health centers [PHC].The focus area includes non-communicable diseases and infectious diseases, along with neonatal and maternal care.HWC will primarily focus on early detection and prevention. This is significant;in a sense that the burden on secondary and tertiary health system will reduce if early detection takes place.Moreover, rural areas will benefit the most as HWC spreads across India.

2. NATIONAL HEALTH PROTECTION SCHEME [NHPS]

         NHPS is an insurance scheme which covers a family at a cost of upto Rs. 5 lakhs per annum. This scheme will cover primary and tertiary treatment for lower income groups, reducing the out of pocket expenditure and offering the choice for treatment at a private hospital.

Strategy of Scheme

a)    Establishment of Ayushman Bharat National Health Protection Mission Agency at National Level and State Health Agency, to ensure proper implementation of Scheme at National, State, and UT levels.

b)    The States and UTs can implement scheme through an insurance company or directly through Trust/Society. This would increase ambit of the scheme at ground levels.

Merits of the Scheme

a)    A Strong Network of 1.5 Lakhs Health and Wellness Centers across the Country would constitute the foundation of India's new healthcare system.

b)    It will cover more than 10 Crore Poor and Vulnerable Families in the Society.

c)     The support from trained nurses and health workers will increase the availability of proper healthcare facilities in the vicinity for residents of rural India.

d)   Vulnerable sections of the society would have access to healthcare for almost all medical and surgical conditions that can occur in a lifetime.

e)    Package rates decided by Government for private hospitals would help in keeping the costs low& affordable for many.

f)      It will generate employment, especially for women, also making them economically empowered.

Challenges

a)       Major Challenge would be Implementation and Governance of the Scheme.

b)      The Private Hospitals are based on profit motives and fixing rates of medical procedures would increase chances of hospitals neglecting poor patients.

The Healthcare is a Goal under SDG 2030 Goal-3 of Good Health. The Scheme would ensure Proper Healthcare Facilities for Most Vulnerable Sections of the Society.

Way forward

·        Providing insurance covers will help improve the health system in the country. Infact, there is a need for a robust healthcare infrastructure in the remotest corners of the country where all the people have an easy access to all the medical facilities. Also, budget allocation needs to be increased for fruitful implementation of the core purpose of the scheme.

WHAT LESSONS OF LORD BUDDHA ARE MOST PERTINENT TODAY AND WHY? CRITICALLY ANALYZE USING CONTEMPORARY EXAMPLES

The teachings of Lord Buddha remain relevant even after 2600 years since they were propounded. He stressed on the ideals of compassion, truth, peace and humanity which hold particular significance in today's geopolitical context where countries are fighting and killing each other for their greed and hegemony. The situation in Syria, Iraq,etc.& emergence of fundamentalist groups point to the urgent need for promoting tolerance, compassion and brotherhood to prevent spread of atrocities in the name of religion.

 

This is also explicit in the philosophy of 'Ashtangika marg' (8 fold path which involves right speech, right action, etc.) of Buddha to eliminate human misery.

Buddha talked about the concept of Interdependence which holds special importance in today's globalised world and his advice to follow middle path by avoiding extremes of luxury and austerity can be a powerful tool to bring about equity in an otherwise very unequal world where 1% of population holds 90% of the income.

His teachings of social conduct of not to covet property of others, indulge in corruption,commit violence etc. are the very qualities desirable in eliminating the ills of today's societies.

Buddha may have lived long ago but his teachings remain the guiding lights to wade through the darkness of the world even today. "The world is full of sorrow" so said Lord Buddha.

Lord Buddha was born 2600 years ago in India, which was free, open, secular and philosophical. He, upon seeing the miseries of life, left his home. After six years of profound meditation, he became the enlightened one or Buddha.

Buddha decried caste system; we see social conflicts in India. Buddha preached for right conduct; we see moral turpitude everywhere. Buddha laid great stress on love and compassion; we see hatred and crimes around us. Buddha preached for control over passion and non injury to living creatures; we see rapes, gender crimes. Buddha taught equanimity; we see riots, murders. He asked for truthfulness; we see corruption scaling new heights.

Our society presents a very sorrowful and contrasting picture from the teachings of the Lord Buddha. Ashok had recognized the value of the teachings of Lord Buddha. He propagated “Ahimsa” or non-injury, secularism, instilled love and compassion among his subjects. His reign is considered as Golden age, and he is regarded as “The Great Ashok” today. His message of love and compassion was propounded by the father of our nation, Gandhiji.

The teachings of Buddha are as relevant today, as it was during Ashok or during our freedom struggle. Love for one another is required today, Ahimsha or non-injury is required. Middle path is required for mental peace. “Sila” is required to have free, fearful India. Only then India can reap its rich demographic dividend.

Teachings of Lord Buddha can not be restricted to time and space; it has always remain relevant for the sake of humankind.