Health Care in a Casualty Mode?

In Krisnagiri (Tamil Nadu State) 75 percent say, they don't approach government hospitals when fell sick! A study covering 26 clusters in the state has found that majority of the patients do not trust government medical facilities citing poor treatment, lack of resources and corruption.

It must be true of government facilities in the health sector all over the state. Indeed a sad development and bad reflection on government functioning! Government doctors to take note of and ensure a better image to their employer in public interest! In some government hospitals things are certainly better depending on the attitude and working style of the head of the institutions.

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Beware of Asthma Attack

Melbourne City in Australia is suffering from thunderstorm asthma (spread by tiny pollen particles triggering this rare condition) with five people on life support and three in a critical condition. The world's first recorded thunderstorm asthma event occurred in Melbourne in 1987.

Asthmatic patients alone realise the extent of suffering one is forced to live with.

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STA (TOI) STICS.   (Times of India, Saturday 29, 2016)

China's journey from being poorer than India to 5 times richer

China's economic reforms have worked much better than india's. That is perhaps because before starting its reforms China ensured three things : land reforms, better access to education and slower population growth.

1978 when China started reforms, average Chinese was 26 percent poorer than an average Indian.

GDP per capita (current U.S. Dollar)

India : 210

China: 155

1991 when India started reforms 

India: 309

China: 331

2015 Chinese five times richer than Indian

India: 1582

China: 7925

In the running race for development India has failed miserably. Any particular reason for such a poor performance?

The reasons quoted by TOI group are relevant for discussion. Had India followed the same in 2-3 decades soon after independence, the situation would have been totally different. Our so called five year plans had not paid any serious attention to these issues despite the first prime minister of India following the soviet pattern of centralised planning. The politicians, the babus (including the entire government machinery) and the business community (including the industrialists) have been responsible for such a sorry state affairs. We the Indians seem to be good at talking but found to be bad in execution of plans and projects.

Let us reverse this trend and show our strength in the days to come

Earth or the species on its path to extinction?

Humans have wiped out 58 percent of wildlife in 42 years

Human appetites & activity have driven to extinction over half of all animals with a backbone - fish, amphibia, birds, reptiles and mammals, says the Living Planet Report by WWF- Zoological Society of London.

India

Around 70 percent of surface water is polluted.

About 60 percent groundwater will reach critical stage - where it cannot be replenished in the next decade.

About 25 percent of India's land faces desertification

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Old age

Preetu Nair (TOI October 28, 2016) says that the elderly is a fast growing demographic in Kerala, but the quality of life they enjoy is dismal.

Globally the population of elderly is growing by 2 percent each year faster than the population as a whole. 3 percent are in old age homes. Rest live with their spouses or children or alone.

One has to fend for oneself for old age. Else be at the mercy of others and live in a hell!

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Most unclean loos

A survey conducted by travel site HolidayIQ indicates that 25 percent of travellers voted for clean toilets at every 25 km on highways and 15 percent voted for hygiene around beaches.

The survey also mentions that Kolkata has the smelliest public toilets followed by Delhi, Chennai and Mumbai.

This news reflects the bad performance of people in charge of tourism and highways in India in contrast to the situation prevailing in other countries.

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Prominent Poets for a Committed Cause

Thiruloga Seetharam was a school drop out but highly admired, - by C.N.Annadurai, the founder of DMK party and its first chief minister of Tamil Nadu - as a poet, editor and Bharati scholar as well as a wonder man of Agraharam, a Brahmin street in a temple town of Tamil Nadu.

The documentary on Thiruloga Seetharam by writer  Ravi Subramaniyam throws light on this legendary figure.

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Jallikattu

S C 's ban on jallikattu (taming of bulls) imperils future of indigenous breeds. Naturalists also deny that violence is inflicted on Bulls during the sport.

(The Hindu, November 17, 2016)

The tug of war between PETA (People for Ethical Treatment of Animals) and the Tamils supported by the Government of Tamil Nadu before the Apex Court of India is little disturbing and shocking for want of clarity of thought on concepts and practices in human life, a superior species on this planet. Animals and humans are supposed to supplement each other's existence. An interaction between these species needs to be analysed and interpreted to their mutual advantage.

Finally let us hope for a better resolution of this sensitive issue with the intervention of apex judiciary.

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World Bank Study - a report titled "South Asia's Turn: Policies to Boost Competitiveness and Create the Next Export Powerhouse" and suggested a set of policy actions in four sectors. -- agribusiness, apparel, electronics and automotive. It expects India , in other words, to frame policies to reduce farm subsidies and cut import tariffs on cars and take steps to improve ports and logistics as an export powerhouse.

Reduction of farm subsidy is a major issue which needs thorough analysis before effecting it inasmuch as even the developed economies in the world find it difficult to resort to it despite pressure from global trade organisations including World Bank. Cutting of import tariffs on cars is easier said than done in view of the limitations expected in car population for some more time.

Well the improvement of ports and logistics is the need of the hour and lot of attention is required at the earliest in this direction.

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Promise V/s Performance

I agree with Michael D. Shear (The Hindu, November 9, 2016) that Obama's agenda remains incomplete. Look at his speech eight years ago in Chicago's Grant Park declaring "a new dawn" in U.S. history and promising the enthusiastic crowd of a quarter-million people that "we as a people will get there". It is easier said and claimed for performance than done in practice. Obama is no exception and Trump too will no doubt follow suit very soon.

All over the globe the leaders who capture power had awe-inspiring dreams but realised soon after capturing power that they had not done their home work sincerely or bluffed before the electorate knowingly. 

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Biggest and Boldest Decision by BJP Govt.

Demonetisation of 500 and 1000 rupee currency notes by midnight on Tuesday with the announcement of Mr Narendra Modi, the Prime Minister of India was indeed a historical decision to tackle the menace of black money and counterfeit currency in the country.

Such a decision must have been taken by taking into consideration all the implications both in the short term and long term with the least inconveniences to the common man, small vendors and small business men. There is no doubt that big sharks must have found ways and means by this time to escape from such a draconian measure to the extent possible. But that doesn't mean that the step taken was not right or done arbitrarily in a democracy. A disciplined democracy with bold decisions is the need of the hour. 

Her body on a pushcart, Telengana man takes wife to final abode"

Clueless System & Foolish People!

One should admire "the Hindu" for publishing this pathetic news of an Indian citizen on the first page of its edition dated November 7, 2016 instead of covering the childhood and adulthood love of a retired judge of the Apex Court openly expressing his deep love and passion towards an actress turned politician and now the head of a state government or than that of an actor couple divorcing within one year of their marriage.

This episode exposes the hollow nature of a governmental system and the foolish action of the individuals involved in it:

Hyderabad, the capital city of a progressive state (as commended by the World Bank and the Department  of  Promotion and Policy of the Government of India for its number-one position in the country for ease of doing business and investor friendly atmosphere) and its neighbourhood has been a witness to this episode. 

1) It appears the Telengana State has been very unsuccessful in looking after the leprosy couples in the state so far.

2) The husband Ramulu or the people collecting money for the ambulance and the last rites in her native village as also the police involved could have easily buried or cremated the body in a place near the site where they found him with his deceased wife's body instead of transporting it to the village only for the sake of burying. In all probability the villagers would have even opposed the burial in the allotted burial ground looking to the nature of disease they were suffering from.

System sometime or individuals many a time forget to follow a practical solution to an issue at hand!

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Big people commit biggest mistakes at times.

The biggest example was the decision of Mahatma Gandhi, the father of Indian nation and my childhood-adulthood hero ( I have been the staunch follower of Gandhiji all my life) had failed to follow the verdict/decision of a democratically elected Congress Party Committee to allow Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose to function as the Congress President and similarly allow Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel to be the first Prime Minister of this country.

This trend of decision making at the apex level perceived during the freedom struggle and thereafter in 1947 at the time of independence continues till date in the working of this national level political party.

Eight SIMI undertrials killed in a police encounter at Bhopal

As usual many doubts have arisen, many interpretations, many protests from opposition leaders have become the order of the day. Youths are weaned away under little or more brainwashing for the creation of an Islamic State through violence. 

It seems a particular thought and the believers of such a thought want to usurp the rights and lives of others just like that. Modern governments are expected to tackle such a menace at any cost. Let us all understand the event in all its ramifications, conclude and then pass judgments over it. It would finally help the governments and the people of this country.

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Is London losing its global hub status?

A definite fall out of Brexit in UK after a national referendum is the scope for intense competition among cities like Madrid, Paris and Bavaria(Germany) to attract businesses away from London sooner or later. Let us await and see what happens in the coming decade.

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Modern Mao Zedong or Daring Deng Xiaoping? - 

Xi Jinping is that modern but beneficial dictator in Communist China. I wish him long life and strength to continue with an incorruptible image! 

China was lucky to have had the first two leaders for the initial 5-6 decades after 1946. China is second only to USA in terms of economic strength and development with more practical and dedicated policies in the last 2-3 decades for the betterment of Chinese society. Nobody can stop China being the next super power going to rule the globe in just two decades. Credit goes to Xi Jinping and his team for the current situation.

When economy grows, its rulers and the government machinery tend to become corrupt and amass wealth. China too (like India) was no exception to this phenomenon. Mr. Xi has tried his level best to control corruption with a heavy hand but it is no doubt a Herculean task. Wish him good luck in his crusade.

The party plenum, by appointing Mr.Xi as the "core leader" has of late sent a clear message to the public that it stands by him and his policies.

India needs a similar core leader to revamp its economy and forge ahead with practical solutions to high sounding slogans and dreams!

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Deepavali, the Indian Festival of Lights atop the UN Headquarters in New York!

For the first time in its history, the facade of UN Headquarters  was found illuminated in bright hues and the words 'Happy Diwali' along with the image of a traditional Diya were projected on the building.

Great for the national pride!

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