Opinion Health Allocation

Claiming that the most immediate indication of the government’s true intent is this year’s budget,it states there was a significant decrease in the allocation for the national health mission. “There has been a mere 8.2 per cent increase in total allocation. This increase must be seen in several contexts. It needs to be contrasted with the promise in the 12th Five Year Plan that allocation for health,would be increased by 300 per cent over the allocation for the 11th Plan… The present increase,however,is barely enough to cover for inflation,meaning that there has been no actual increase proposed,” it says.

It also argues that adjusting for inflation,the 2 per cent increase for the National Rural Health Mission actually translates into a decrease in real allocation,despite the announcement that the NRHM shall now include two new components,a flexi-pool for communicable disease control and for urban health.

“It is an indication of the way the government… functions that it believes that it is perfectly rational to announce an expansion of a government programme,and at the same time actually propose a cut in the budget!” it adds.

PROTECTING THE PM

The editorial in the CPI journal New Age argues that the “admonition” the government received from the Supreme Court over the coal block allocation probe and the Congress’s failure in having at least a majority report from the JPC probing the 2G spectrum scam has put the government,particularly the prime minister,in the dock.

The government,it says,“tried to amend the investigation report just to defend the head of the UPA 2 government. Manmohan Singh held the coal ministry when the coal blocks were allotted at throwaway prices to cronies…”

“In the 2G Spectrum scam,the main accused,former communications minister A. Raja,has repeatedly asserted that all decisions he took were taken after the clearance of the PMO and prime minister Manmohan Singh and finance minister P. Chidambram were personally consulted… Similarly,in the coal block scam the attempt is to derail the investigations by the CBI ordered by the Supreme Court… Not only the law minister vetted the draft CBI report but two joint secretaries,one from the PMO and another from coal ministry were also present… These two cases certainly make Manmohan Singh the person who is presiding over the most corrupt regime,” the editorial says.

SARABJIT’S DEATH

The CPI(ML) weekly ML Update cautions against whipping up anti-Pakistan jingoism and war-mongering in India in the wake of the death of Sarabjit Singh. It says Singh’s case was a heinous instance of an extrajudicial killing and violation of human rights on part of the Pakistani state. The incident should be probed and the killers identified and punished.

“The incidents of lynching have underlined the vulnerability of Indian and Pakistani prisoners in jails in both countries,and the costs of the dangerous game of competitive communal jingoism… The attempts to whip up anti-Pakistan jingoism and war-mongering… must be firmly resisted in India,” it says.

The article criticises the UPA government for being “indifferent” to the threats to Singh’s life. “In spite of the killing of Chamel Singh earlier this year,the Indian government was apathetic towards pursuing the matter of rights and safety of Indian prisoners in Pakistan’s jails… [its failure to take precautions to protect Pakistani prisoners inside Indian jails following Singh’s death,led to the shameful assault on Sanaullah,” it notes.

Compiled by Manoj C.G.

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