reconstruction of T

The dream of three core people of Telangana will be a reality on 2 June 2014. It is the result of people’s sacrifice especially more than 1500 young people who gave away their lives for a separate Telangana state, civil society, academics and employees. Of course the TRS and its leadership should be given its due credit for attaining T. The leaders of Telangana belong to all parties have to take the responsibility and blame for all the mess created since 1947. One can’t just blame Andhra leaders because right from 1956 Telangana leaders were all part and parcel of successive governments till 2014.

Any government should work for the betterment of community and society not individuals or vested interested groups. People of T have lots of hopes and aspirations on the new government on governance, equity in political and economic distribution and a society where the government is facilitator in creating choices for people and giving real freedom of democracy and self-esteem but not so called welfare state rolling out doles for beggars.

In order to build a new T, we need to deconstruct our old values, feudal way of life, education, health and governance in order to reconstruct a strong and inclusive state. For the new government there may be so many issues to be resolved but I put the following on the top of the agenda for inclusive growth and development ofa vibrant and dynamic Telangana state.

• School education
• Primary health care
• Land rights
• Prohibition

School education

One need not elaborate or argue on the importance of school education. It is essential and nonnegotiable agenda for social development. In the present state of AP, the school administration is totally disoriented and plagued by inefficiency and corruption. The structure of the department itself is faulty one. For example, Department of school education has the overall control but work is divided between Rajiv Vidhaya Mission (RVM)which runs classes from I- V /VIII and Rajiv Madhyamika shishaAbiyan (RMSA) controls classes 9 and 10. The two wings are headed by an IAS who has no clue about education or training. The division is unmindful and breeds high inefficiency and personality clashes. Present mess is largely due to this.

Current scenario of School education (Source: Educational Statistics 2012-13, School Education Dept. AP)

Schools in Telangana (class 1- 10)

Govt Pvt Total

31,000 (71%) 12,944(29%) 43,659

Teachers in Telangana

Govt Pvt Total

119,810 (54%) 102,623 (46%) 222,433

Enrollment in Telangana

Govt 31,70,317 (52%) Pvt 29,59,067 (48%) Total 61,29,384

The above figure tells us that 50% of the schools education sector is already in the hands of private sector (this figure could be more than 60%). Today 95% children who go to government schools are from SC, ST and OBCs. These groups have already been discriminated for centuries and now they are being discriminated in this new form. There is no level playing field. The challenge for the new government is how to reduce this gap significantly in the next five years.

Telangana Teacher unions need agitate for quality improvements in school programme delivery for academic achievements apart from fighting for their legitimate rights. Teachers have to be sensitized about their role in the reconstruction of Telangana by developing a huge pool of human resources with new skills. Otherwise it makes no difference to new geographical Telangana.

There has to be a single department for school education for better coordination and programme delivery. There is plenty of money for school education, there is no dearth of funds but still we are unable to utilize. Where is the problem?

Primary Health Care

New Telangana will have at least 20 districts (at present 10) with nearly 8000 villages in 461 mandals. The primary health carein the state is totally defunct. The successive governments are responsible for this callous attitude towards rural and primary health care. This sector like school education has gone into the private hands in the name of Arogyasree etc. 60% of health related issues can be resolves and tackled at the Mandal level and rest can be at the district level. The new government should publish a white paper on Health and Arogyasree etc. to deconstruct and build a healthy Telangana..

Land Issues and ownership rights

This is the most critical and core issue to continue in new Telangana. The landless people of Telangana fought Nizam and his cronies during Telangana Armed struggle (1945- 1951). But it did not give any benefits to the poor and landless because Roomali topi has transformed into Gandhi Topi like a chameleon. The patels, patwaris and karanams of Telangana have fudged land records and created a mess. Today people have paatas but no land, if some has land no pattas. The new government also should publish a white paper on who owns land and how much by village wise, It is no big task as we have IT infrastructure to deal with this issue but one should have the will and courage to do this.

Once we know this, we can decide what kind of irrigationsystem we need: major, minor and micro etc. instead of planning unachievable projects like PranahitaChevella. This will also facilitate easy bank loans, seed distribution, crop patterns and subsidies etc. This is not a naxalite issue but people issue indeed.

Prohibition/ Liquor sales

Sadly the successive governments in AP were running on liquor sales. During 2003 excise income was 3000 core where as in 2013 it is 30,000 cores which has increased by 10 times. No other social indicator will match this fantastic growth. What a shame?! Normally a country or state boasts off its image by giving figures for access to drinking water, access to a school or PHC. In AP or Telangana, people in remote areas have access to liquor and coca cola but not to drinking water.

What a great achievement. In rural areas almost every family is badly affected by this menace. Hence, the new government in Telangana should declare that the state budget is not dependent on liquor sales. I am not suggesting a total prohibition which will never work but restrict the access seriously.