|
Dear Reader,
When the Covid-19 pandemic hit us hard, those on the frontline of the fightback – doctors, medical staff, Asha workers and public servants – were hailed as saviours and heroes, who helped to turn the tide against the killer virus.
These ‘Covid warriors’, in significant numbers, unfortunately, succumbed to the guiles of the merciless virus. Moved by their grit, grateful people and governments promised that their sacrifices would not go in vain and their dependents would be taken care of.
However, since the end of the pandemic, things have not transpired as promised. In Madhya Pradesh, for instance, the 'Mukhyamantri Covid-19 Yoddha Kalyan Yojana', committed Rs 50 lakh as compensation for frontline workers who gave their life to the public cause. But, as Article 14 reports, in a huge 78 per cent of the cases, despite the intervention of the High Court, the compensation to the families has been denied on flimsy and largely technical grounds.
The pandemic also surfaced the challenges and the abysmal state of the Indian medical infrastructure, especially in the far-flung hinterlands. Apparently, no lessons have been learnt from the episode. A report by मैं मीडिया from Kishanganj district in Bihar tells us that a thirty-six-year-old referral hospital has been closed down recently, depriving the citizens abutting the area a lifeline, especially in the case of a medical emergency.
As Delhi reels under a flood-like situation after incessant and unprecedented rains in recent days, The Probe brings us the story of the less than optimum sewage treatment plants (STPs) in the national capital. The facilities lag in technology and capacity with serious consequences for health and the environment.
And, the fine balance between autonomy and accountability for India’s central bank – the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) – has been a vexing question. Lately, the accent of the RBI has been seemingly towards accountability. Y V Reddy, the governor of the Reserve Bank of India between 2003 and 2008, argues in The India Forum that while there is no magic formula that prescribes the exact balance between the two attitudes, it is the public interest that should dictate the Bank’s stance.
For more such stories from the grantees this week, please read on.
Warmly,
Sunil Rajshekhar
IPSMF
|
