Are we taking advantage of the opportunities available aplenty is the billion-dollar question

The country’s top medical institutes are struggling to provide beds, medicines and hassle-free treatment in OPDs and emergencies to their patients. It is a challenging opportunity for those who dream to make India a healthy nation. If every district hospital in the country is transformed into a hub of reliable secondary and tertiary healthcare, there will be a kind of revolution in the country. Unfortunately, this great opportunity is not being capitalized on by any stakeholder

Discussing problems in a country like India must never be construed as an act of pessimism or mere criticism. It should rather be taken as an eye-opener for all stakeholders to introspect and fill the gaps through corrective measures, wherever it calls for. As we make concerted efforts to build a more inclusive and resilient Bharatvarsh by 2047, we must show magnanimity in conceding the areas of concerns and suggesting solutions accordingly. Luckily, we know well where our shoe pinches and the possible remedy as well. No one will deny the rampant corruption prevalent in civic and panchayat projects across the country.

Construction of roads raises many eyebrows every time and everywhere. It does not surprise one if a newly constructed road develops patches in a few days, weeks or months. The collapse of bridges and flyovers, especially those under construction, keep jolting us from time to time. Ensuring zero corruption in the utilization of public funds while carrying out public works is a huge opportunity for the country. It will be a momentous transformation if the rot in construction works in public and private sector is curtailed or brought to nil but how to go about it is the billion-dollar question, haunting the nation that is celebrating Azadi Kaa Amrit Kaal.

Similarly, India is perhaps the only developing nation of its size, both in terms of economy and population in the world, which is spending a colossal amounts on various welfare schemes meant for the poor people along with the intent to make affordable and quality health, education and justice available to all.

The standard of health and education in the public sector varies from institute to institute, and state to state. It is not uniform. Perhaps efforts have also not been made to realize the goal of a ‘one of nation, one education’ system for school, college and university learning. Fees too vary from course to course. Hostel facilities have not been streamlined for decades in countless colleges and universities.

On the other hand, top institutions in the private sector remain beyond the reach of poor students. Most of them are virtually reserved for children of haves and ultra-rich. Affirmative measures like quota for different social groups are not being uniformly implemented but who cares. It remains a big question but throws up multiple opportunities for those who wish to contribute to building a vibrant and inclusive Bharat.

Our health sector is an ocean of opportunities. From the emergency sections, OPDs, labs to providing beds, affordable medicines and implants – there is hardly any area, be it primary, secondary or tertiary care, which does not offer a scope for meaningful engagement for those who wish to be a partner in making India a role model of affordable and ethical healthcare in the world. Today, the country’s top medical institutes are struggling to provide beds, medicines and hassle-free treatment in OPDs and emergencies to their patients. It is a challenging opportunity for those who dream to make India a healthy nation. If every district hospital in the country is transformed into a hub of reliable secondary and tertiary healthcare, there will be a kind of revolution in the country. Unfortunately, this great opportunity is not being capitalized on by any stakeholder. Health facilities in the private sector, on the other hand, are nothing short of a pipedream for the vast masses. Though some empanelled hospitals under some government insurance schemes are within the people’s reach, choices remain limited and inadequate.

Justice is an area where there is no dearth of opportunities. Given the huge pendency of cases in various courts across the country, the stakeholders in the judiciary can work wonders if they ensure that there is minimal or no pendency of cases where there are no critical elements of crime and bail can be granted. Similarly, there is a widespread concern over the judiciary not being inclusive in terms of recruitment of judges in higher and the highest courts of the country. It also offers an opportunity to make our judiciary more inclusive, representing diverse groups. The need for a mechanism which delivers swift and affordable justice is perhaps one of the top opportunities to be grabbed by all stakeholders before it is too late. Instead of shedding real or crocodile tears over the pendency of cases or lack of inclusivity in judiciary, efforts should be made to convert the problem into an opportunity, which will serve the national interest in the real sense of the term.

Given the vibrancy of our private sector, no one can deny the great opportunity they have in giving employment to students from weaker sections proportionate to their population. If they start setting aside a few vacancies for those who are the first graduates or postgraduates in their families, though we got independence in 1947, just imagine the kind of push they will get. Their degree needs to be celebrated. In fact, the implementation of affirmative measures in the private sector will revolutionize the idea of last mile development. The moot question is who will take the lead?

It is an opportunity, which most titans from the private sector do not want to grab, which is both unfortunate and agonizing. But for how long will they be passive onlookers of the lopsided development where haves are becoming richer and have-nots continue to live with leftovers. It is not a healthy situation at all.

Opportunities to empower the marginalized sections of society by making quality education and health facilities accessible to them will become a pleasing reality if they are enabled to have their share in quality jobs in private and government sectors as well, but will someone take the lead remains a point to ponder over.

In order to achieve a resilient Bharat, we need to end discrimination and exclusion in any form. It is certainly not an ordinary opportunity but one which requires the best of will power and unwavering commitment to the cause of true nationalism, which rejects in totality the idea of so-called merit-based hegemony of a miniscule per cent of people among us.

Merit is a God’s gift, which every human being has in abundance, but the majority of poor people do not have the wherewithal and resources to make the most of their merit. Agreed, all fingers cannot be equal but each of them has to be equally strong and well respected.

For centuries together, our forefathers indulged themselves in acts of discrimination on the basis of caste and religion and many others sacrificed their lives in fighting against such evils and societal stigmas but our struggle as a nation continues even today.

Our struggle must now bring a palpable change in our outlook and approach to take things forward in an inclusive manner.

(The writer is a senior journalist, columnist and author. The views expressed are strictly his personal)