Is Kerala losing form like Sachin Tendulkar?
It is well-known that Kerala is India's Sachin Tendulkar when comes to progress in Human Development.
Over the last two decades it has made giant strides in human development and decentralized planning, which has been lauded both nationally as well as internationally.
The latest Human Development Report published by the Planning Commission in 2011 ranks Kerala as the first in this regard among all Indian states (Government of India: 2011).
The achievements of this small coastal state with high density of population are indeed inspiring.
Malnutrition deaths in Atapaddi Recently however there have been reports of children suffering from malnutrition in tribal areas and in Atapaddi area there have been several infant deaths due to malnutrition and hunger. The Kerala Human Rights Commission has also condemned the state government for poor performance in tribal areas.
Clearly all is not well in God's Own Country.
Violence against Women and girls A recent study coordinated by Dr. L. Thara Bhai on behalf of the Institute of Social Sciences, has raised a question mark regarding safety of women and girls in the state and has shown that violence against women is a matter of serious concern.
The report, titled "Women Victims of Crimes in Kerala 2012-13" has made some disturbing observations.
The respondents of the study have all agreed that crimes against women are increasing. • Many college going girls have said that they are afraid to step out of their houses. They have said that travelling in buses to their college is often a horrible experience because of the behaviour of the bus conductors. • Married women have to face violence at home and dowry related harassment. • Violence against the girl child is also increasing. • Alcoholism and drug abuse is rampant in Kerala and this is directly related to increase in violence against women and girls. 99.6 % of the respondents said that there is a positive correlation between alcoholism and crime against women. 87% of the respondents said that there is a positive correlation between drugs and crime against women. • The perpetrators of such violence are often protected by political leaders and the police are therefore not able to convict the criminals. • Victims of crimes against women often have to bear the pain all alone as their families try to cover up the issue, especially in case of middle-class families.
Plight of Migrant Workers According to a report published on 21 August 2013 in New Indian Express a study conducted by Gulati Institute of Finance and Taxation has raised serious concern about the condition of migrants in the state. Over 2.5 million workers, mostly from Uttar Pradesh, Assam, West Bengal, Bihar and Orissa, are employed in Kerala. They get reasonable wages but their living conditions are extremely unhygienic. They live in shanties and the State Human Rights Commission has received several complains that the labour camps where migrants live do not have basic amenities like toilets. The report quotes Mr. M K Appunni, retired additional district medical officer of Kozhikode and a study by Organisation of International Social, Cultural Advancement and says that diseases like faliciparum malaria, hepatitits B, typhoid, AIDS etc are increasing. (New Indian Express: 21.08.13)
Decentralisation and Public Health Finally we consider two aspects of Kerala in which it is world famous - its decentralization initiatives and its public health system.
We need Kerala to be the Sachin Tendulkar of 2000 rather Sachin Tendulkar of today.
It is well-known that Kerala is India's Sachin Tendulkar when comes to progress in Human Development.
Over the last two decades it has made giant strides in human development and decentralized planning, which has been lauded both nationally as well as internationally.
The latest Human Development Report published by the Planning Commission in 2011 ranks Kerala as the first in this regard among all Indian states (Government of India: 2011).
The achievements of this small coastal state with high density of population are indeed inspiring.
Malnutrition deaths in Atapaddi Recently however there have been reports of children suffering from malnutrition in tribal areas and in Atapaddi area there have been several infant deaths due to malnutrition and hunger. The Kerala Human Rights Commission has also condemned the state government for poor performance in tribal areas.
Clearly all is not well in God's Own Country.
Violence against Women and girls A recent study coordinated by Dr. L. Thara Bhai on behalf of the Institute of Social Sciences, has raised a question mark regarding safety of women and girls in the state and has shown that violence against women is a matter of serious concern.
The report, titled "Women Victims of Crimes in Kerala 2012-13" has made some disturbing observations.
The respondents of the study have all agreed that crimes against women are increasing. • Many college going girls have said that they are afraid to step out of their houses. They have said that travelling in buses to their college is often a horrible experience because of the behaviour of the bus conductors. • Married women have to face violence at home and dowry related harassment. • Violence against the girl child is also increasing. • Alcoholism and drug abuse is rampant in Kerala and this is directly related to increase in violence against women and girls. 99.6 % of the respondents said that there is a positive correlation between alcoholism and crime against women. 87% of the respondents said that there is a positive correlation between drugs and crime against women. • The perpetrators of such violence are often protected by political leaders and the police are therefore not able to convict the criminals. • Victims of crimes against women often have to bear the pain all alone as their families try to cover up the issue, especially in case of middle-class families.
Plight of Migrant Workers According to a report published on 21 August 2013 in New Indian Express a study conducted by Gulati Institute of Finance and Taxation has raised serious concern about the condition of migrants in the state. Over 2.5 million workers, mostly from Uttar Pradesh, Assam, West Bengal, Bihar and Orissa, are employed in Kerala. They get reasonable wages but their living conditions are extremely unhygienic. They live in shanties and the State Human Rights Commission has received several complains that the labour camps where migrants live do not have basic amenities like toilets. The report quotes Mr. M K Appunni, retired additional district medical officer of Kozhikode and a study by Organisation of International Social, Cultural Advancement and says that diseases like faliciparum malaria, hepatitits B, typhoid, AIDS etc are increasing. (New Indian Express: 21.08.13)
Decentralisation and Public Health Finally we consider two aspects of Kerala in which it is world famous - its decentralization initiatives and its public health system.
We need Kerala to be the Sachin Tendulkar of 2000 rather Sachin Tendulkar of today.
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