MyVoice: Views of our readers 1st February 2020

Mamata's arrogance costs TMC dear

If the Ministers, leaders and members of the TMC are regularly trooping out into the BJP camp, it is only due to the despotic and repugnant ways of its supremo Mamata Banerjee.

Consequently, desperate and wild, she is resorting to narrow parochialism in the name of Bangla culture, and is shattering the pan-Indian, if not global, ethos to which Bengali legends like Swami Vivekananda, Subhas Chandra Bose, Ishwar Chandra Vidya Sagar, Rabindranath Tagore, Aurobindo Ghosh and Syama Prasad Mukherjee had immensely contributed.

Thus, the belligerent Mamata Banerjee is dispossessing West Bengal of its due importance and place in the overall scenario of the country.

Smitha V, Hyderabad

Vivekananda, Modi visualised same idea of Hinduism

Even though, Swami Vivekananda is to be credited for shaping our secularism, he has also made an impregnable mark in various other sectors. Indeed, it is the religious farsightedness of Swamiji that has helped the policymakers to reimagine the idea of India and frame several crucial policies related to education and foreign affairs.

Swamiji is also the firm inspiration behind two popular most weapons of 21st century of our country namely cultural diplomacy and soft power politics. The present Prime Minister has also become a staunch supporter of the Vedantic concept of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam and has been striving towards bringing the secret of oneness of everything as propounded by Swamiji.

Not to ignore, it is the Prime Minister who has put forth several issues of universal relevance like the International Solar Alliance and the International Day of Yoga in front of the world order.

Moreover, both Swami Vivekananda and the Prime Minister Narendra Modi visualised the same idea of Hinduism in which the light of knowledge falls more on a Moorkha and a Daridra enabling them to realise their true potential and also helps to contribute their lot for societal development but not the radical Hindutva as has been followed by many others in the society.

Satish Reddy Kanaganti, Tipparthy, Nalgonda dist

Healthcare sector needs utmost attention

At last, the need to focus on people's health is receiving its attention, at least, in the Economic Survey tabled by the Finance Minister. In fact, Covid-19 has abjectly exposed all the faulty systems in the healthcare policy and programmes prevailing all over the world.

Even in countries known as the developed ones, the healthcare system in vogue has miserably failed to address the crisis effectively. Private sector is playing its dominant role in the healthcare sector. Having converted health as a commodity meant to be traded for profit and as an exclusive privilege of the affluent to access it the have-nots are destined to adjust with the public healthcare services that is lingering with insufficiencies in every sphere.

The survey recommends 2.5 to 3% of GDP to be spared for healthcare sector. In a way, even the recommended quantum is too insufficient compared to the magnitude of even the barest minimum requirements. Moreover, besides increasing the quantum of allocation how the fund is likely to be utilised is yet another vital question. Because merely increasing the allocation does not solve the crisis.

There are developed countries sparing more than 10% of their GDP to health. Even in these countries, Covid-19 has played havoc claiming lives, crippling livelihood and exposing the hollow systems.

In India, the schemes introduced by States and the Centre as popular healthcare programmes have benefited private corporates in the field and the private insurance companies to reap good harvest.

In crisis like Covid-19, these schemes had no role to play at all. Therefore, increasing the allocation substantially to health sector is an imminent need and investing in improving the public healthcare system is all the more important, which need to be borne in mind by all the concerned.

After all, spending for enhancing the health status of the people is a viable investment as it enhances the productivity of the nation in turn.

A G Rajmohan, Anantapur, AP