'RAFALE' or Flood relief, Jobs and Health infra? What India need the most?

This article will help you understand how you are being distracted from the core issues in the country. More than 3 crore people lost their jobs due to pandemic. There is a huge downfall in the income level of common man. The economy is below the level in the past some decades. Bihar and Assam are in the floods, and West Bengal is still facing hardship due to the recent Amphan cyclone. We are very well aware of the Poor Health infrastructure in the country. Despite all this, the govt is leaving no chance in distracting the people of the country. We are being distracted through the Rafale fighter jets and the Temples.

The government maintains distance from core issues in the country by rather focusing on the way Rafale jets are being escorted. This clearly shows the priorities set before the authorities.

With a burgeoning population of 130 crores, India becomes the largest democracy in the world. This, though might sound great, yet comes with its own set of challenges. There are problems that people face and the ‘elected government’ has to deal with them. Because, this is what democracy is - a government that is ‘of the people’, ‘for the people’ and ‘by the people’.

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Today, India might have a government that has been elected ‘by the people’ but is it working ‘for the people’?

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The present government has been successful in distracting people from issues that they need to be aware of. The COVID cases have now crossed the 15 lakh mark. However, no one seems to be taking it seriously. After looking into your locality you can have an idea about the health infrastructure we have. Cases are breaking daily records everyday. But the govt is leaving no chance to distract people from the core issues they should be concerned.

People in Bihar and Assam continue to suffer every year, but the government is focussing more on the height of Lord Ram statue. Similarly, the government maintains distance from core issues in the country by rather focusing on the way Rafale jets are being escorted. This clearly shows the priorities set before the authorities.

All this and much more, yet the people get swayed away by what the government says. The present situation thus demands for active citizens that question the authorities and robust media that is critical to the government.  

The States of Assam and Bihar experience floods almost every year. The riverine system is such that the problem seems inevitable. However, if prior steps are taken, the damage can be controlled. But the present situation is a clear reflection of the mismanagement of the authorities.

According to PTI, almost 12 districts in Bihar have got flooded till date. The death count stands at 11 whereas almost 38 lakh people have been affected. The Darbhanga district has been hit the worst with almost 11 lakh people getting affected. Similarly in Assam, till date, 107 people have lost their lives due to floods. Whereas, 17 lakh people have been affected. Further, the Kaziranga National Park has been hit again with 129 animals falling prey to the disaster. It seems that the authorities will wake up only after the damage is done!

‘Ache Din Aayenge’ was the tagline of the government. But the unemployed youth is still waiting for those ‘Ache Din’. Today, the unemployment rate stands at 7.6% and the educated youth has been hit the worst.

According to a report by the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE), during Sep-Dec 2019, people in the age-group of 20-24 years had an unemployment rate of 37%. And for graduates belonging to the same age, the unemployment rate stood at 60%. The report further states that for graduates in the age group 20-29, the unemployment rate was of 42.8%. Similarly, for Post-graduates, the rate of unemployment remains 23%.

India is known as a young country, because of its growing young population. This population can drive the economy of the country to great heights. However, the government does not seem to be taking any steps in this direction.

The Coronavirus pandemic has shown the condition of the health sector in the country. According to The Print, as of March 2020, when only a few COVID cases were reported in the country, the total number of ventilators available was just 40,000. And most of these belonged to the private sector. States like Tamil Nadu and Madhya Pradesh had 1500 and 1800 ventilators respectively. The number was even low for Bihar, where now, cases are continuously rising. According to The Quint, as of May, almost 28 out of 38 districts in Bihar did not have a single ventilator.

The question here arises that in a population of 130 crores, how could there be only 40,000 ventilators in the country? Not only this, but the unavailability of beds and the kind of treatment given to COVID patients also showed the unpreparedness of the government.

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