Public Health System in India

Public health system in India suffers from many problems which includes insufficient funding, shortage of facilities leading to overcrowding and severe shortage of trained health personnel. There is also lack of accountability in the public health delivery mechanisms. These are some of the reasons which have placed India at the lowest rank in the Human Development Index. India however holds top position in migration of physicians to developed countries like UK and the US. According to Planning Commission the country has a shortfall of six lakh doctors, 10 lakh nurses and two lakh dental surgeons. This has led to a dismal patient-doctor ratio in the country. For every 10,000 Indians, there is just one doctor.
The much publicized National Urban Health Mission is yet to see the light of day. The scheme plans to monitor and improve the health of 22 crore people living in urban slums in 429 cities and towns. It was to be launched mid 2008 but the mission is yet to become functional.NURM is aimed at providing accessible, affordable, effective and reliable primary health care facilities especially to urban poor. Even for NHRM there is limited progress due to lack of standardization of medical facilities.
Female feticide continues to tarnish India�s image.The child sex ratio (0-6 years) was 945 (1991 census) and this declined to 927 girls per thousand boys (in 2001 census).The figures are alarming in prosperous states like Punjab(798),Haryana (819),Chandigarh (845),Delhi (868),Gujarat (883) and Himachal Pradesh (896).

Number of PHCs,CHC and SCs
Year	CHC	PHC	SC
2007	4,045	22,370	1, 45,272

Infant Mortality Rate
Year	Rural	Urban	Total
2007	61	37	55

Number of Health Care Workers
Year	Doctors at PHCs	Specialists at PHC	Health workers	Health workers
			Male	Female
2007	22,608	5,117	62,881	1, 47,439

Higher wages make Kerala the new 'Gulf' for migrant labourers

The high wages, Rs.250-300 a day, for unskilled labour in the construction sector seems to be the main attraction for migrant labourers, say officials and manpower recruitment agencies.The last study on 'Migration in India' by the National Sample Survey Organisation (NSSO) in 2001, estimated the number at one million.While there are around two million Keralites working in the Gulf and many in various parts of India and abroad, the state faces labour shortage in its booming construction sector and the traditional agriculture sector.It is this high wage rate that is attracting labourers here. Kerala is a 'Gulf' for them. In their native place many earn as little as Rs.50 as daily wages while it is Rs.250 or more here.
Migrant labourers from the neighbouring state of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka have been in the state for a long time. In recent years the state has been witnessing an increased influx of workers from Orissa and West Bengal.On Kerala attracting migrant labourers when the unemployment rate remains high, recruiters say the migrant labourers cost less than the locals.According to the labour department, the average wage fixed for construction workers in Kerala is Rs 232.63.There are different norms for different items of work in the construction sector.
The officials say it is extremely difficult to maintain a close surveillance on the employment of migrant labourers. The labour contractors are required to take a licence to deploy migrant labour. They also have to make a refundable deposit of Rs.1,000 - Rs.2,000 per labourer with the department. This would help us keep track of labour migration. But when migrant labourers come on their own, it is near impossible to know how many are employed here. So the migration is a serious thing that had to be considered by officials to solve this issue.

Trash and Recycling

PHILADELPHIA - Last year 4.7 million students and 1.1 million faculty and staff from 510 participating campuses collectively recycled or composted just over 69.4 million pounds of waste during the 10-week RecycleMania competition.This "friendly" competition pits colleges and universities in a contest with cross town rivals and schools across the nation to see who can reduce, reuse, and recycle the most campus waste. It offers bragging rights and special awards made out of recycled materials to the winning schools.Registration for the competition runs now through January 14, 2010 and is open to students, student organizations, staff, faculty or facility managers at degree-granting colleges and universities and runs now through January 14, 2010. Registration is fast and easy and can be done online at www.recyclemania.org or by contacting the RecycleMania helpline at (843) 278-7686.The contest begins January 17 and continues through March 27, 2010. RecycleMania uses the competitive spirit and campus rivalries to motivate students who might not respond to other environmental messages. Though many schools have had recycling and waste prevention programs for years, studies have found that large volumes of recyclables still end up in the trash. RecycleMania raises both awareness and, at in excess of 80 percent of participating schools, increases recycling levels.

HUGE ELECTRICITY GENERATION FROM SUNLIGHT

JAIPUR: The Clinton Climate Initiative (CCI), a programme of US-based William J Clinton Foundation, has joined hands with Rajasthan government to set up solar parks in the state. Each solar park will serve as a concentrated zone of solar development in Rajasthan and will included 3000 to 5000 Megawatts of solar generation as well as manufacturing over a period of time. “CCI will provide technical and other support to develop these parks. The project envisages an integrated solar city where in all the raw materials including glass and panels will be produced by them, bringing down the cost substantially. They are expecting to attract an investment of over Rs 50,000 crore from these project in next five years,” said a senior government official. Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot said that the agreement signed between State Government and Clinton Foundation would help the state to receive more benefits of Jawahar Lal Nehru National Solar Mission.“Rajasthan would be able to become leading state of the country in electricity generation from solar power in the coming years”.

Right to Walk.

Pedestrians in India are a neglected lot. The cruel ignorance for their rights is evident from the fact that there isn’t a single law, legislation, rule or code that voices their rights and gives them the much needed legal platform. This is not to say that a valid law will necessarily make a pedestrian’s battle against the authorities any easier. The time, the money and the effort that go into a legal battle, as is well-documented, do act as challenges for a pedestrian raising his/her voice against a denial of his/her rights.
So this is why we see pedestrians, choosing to risk their lives on a daily basis by walking alongside fast-moving cars and ominous buses instead of fighting for decent and walkable footpaths. The risk to life isn’t just a myth; statistics suggest that more than 45% of all accidents that take place in the city are pedestrian-related.
There are many aspects in the pedestrian environment that contribute to the overall concept of a walkable community. Walking could be a enjoyable activity and would definitely go a long way in reducing air pollution in our city. People walk everywhere – from home to work, to shop, to school, and to the park. Every trip by car or bus or other mode starts and ends with walking.
Is Walking a major mode of transportation? If this is so then the pedestrians also have the right to have a decent place to walk….

Shinto Varghese

PANCHAMI

Panchami is the name of the Self Help Group of the Scheduled Tribes in India. This is the first of its kind in India. With the help of the Central Government 700 crores will be spent for the pilot projects. Kerala Pulayar Maha Sabha (KPMS) which was friendly with Left government had turned to Congress party. They have decided to show their strength in the political bargaining.
The administrative office and training centre is coming up in Cherthala near bypass. The panchami will be divided into zones. They are planning to set up six super markets, food processing units, production units, IT centers, B.Ed and B.Fam schools, printing units, fourteen LPG centers, fourteen petrol pumps, 5 garment units, 10 medical stores, 5 automobile workshops, 10 coffee shops, beauty parlours, tourism heritage centers, 10 flats, apartments.
All these projects will be completed within five years. Ms. Sonia Gandhi has promised her support for the projects.
This is the era of self help groups. They have showed their power to build the community and empower them. With various reasons the groups have gained the bargaining power.
Good luck to PANCHAMI.

Shinto Varghese

The NGO has developed over 50 organic products

The National Centre for Organic Farming, under the Union Ministry of Agriculture, has selected an Angamaly-based non-governmental organisation (NGO), Sevashram, as a service provider under the National Project on Organic Farming.
Each service provider is expected to bring at least 1,500 farmers and 1,000 hectares of land under the certification mechanism.
Small and marginal farmers who associate closely with Sevashram are now being assisted under the Internal Control System (ICS) to obtain organic certification from INDOCERT, an internationally accredited certifying agency.
At present, groups of farmers willing to introduce organic farming practices are being organised in clusters in five places.
Sevashram has promoted a public limited company, Swasraya Organic Products Ltd., incorporated under the Companies Act, 1956. The share capital of the company is Rs. 25 million. All assets acquired by Sevashram over the years are converted as the share capital.
Sevashram has developed over 50 organic products. Kerasyam is its coconut-oil brand said to be free of carbon and sulphur. It is certified by the Quality Testing Laboratory of the Coconut Development Board of the Ministry. Extraction, filtering and packing without the use of preservatives ensures purity, says Sevashram president K. Mampally.
Sevashram has set up a Swasraya food park and developed a network of shops as outlets. The park at Angamaly has a food stall, organic food store and fresh-food parlour. This apart, Sevashram has developed a network of shops for the sale of its organic products.
At present, 200 shops are included in this marketing chain.
Sevashram is also developing a marketing network known as Jaiwa Sahodaryam. The objective of the scheme is to ensure availability of quality goods for everyday use at reasonable prices.
Sevashram is developing a network of five Swasraya gramams, with the one at North Thuravoor panchayat designed to operate as the hub. The others are at Vechoor in Kottayam, Maruthorvattom in Alappuzha, Cherai in Ernakulam and Cheruvaloor in Thrissur districts.