A tender public approach is needed

A lot of recently launched schemes that were hailed as being of great help to the public are frequently seen to be struggling midway through. The situation is no different when it comes to the 'Aardram' scheme, which was launched in 2017 as the flagship project of the first Pinarayi government. A disagreement between the Health Department and the Local Self-Government Department over the scheme has now brought it almost to a standstill. The 'Aardram' scheme was started with the good intention of ensuring proper treatment of patients in government hospitals from morning to evening. It was started by upgrading primary health centres to family health centres. For this, the number of employees, including doctors, was increased.

The main speciality was that in addition to the services of the employees appointed by the Health Department, services of temporary doctors, nurses, pharmacists and lab technicians appointed by the local department will also be made available from 9 am to 6 pm. Under the scheme which was started with the aim of converting 886 primary health centres into family health centres, 683 primary health centres have already been converted. The scheme, which was going well, is now facing a crisis due to a recent order passed by the Local Self-Government Department. The new condition is that if the local bodies have to appoint employees for the 'Aardram' scheme, it has to be decided by the coordination committee chaired by the Local Self Government Minister himself. It is alleged that some officials who want to thwart the Aardram scheme are behind this new move.

The latest move makes an already simple procedure more complicated. This is the state of the project, which was going on smoothly with decisions being taken at the bottom level. Similarly, 27 months have passed since the distribution of the benefit of Rs 600 for the caregivers of bedridden patients came to a halt. This is the state of the Aswasakiranam scheme, which was launched in 2010 to offer financial support of Rs 600 per month to caregivers who tend to physically and mentally bedridden patients. The problem started when the government brought a condition that if the annual salary of the family of the bedridden patient is above Rs 1 lakh, the caregiver of the patient is not eligible for the benefit. Meanwhile, the parties and leaders of the LDF are continuing to examine whether there was anti-government sentiment against the front during the recent Lok Sabha elections.

There was no intervention from the government system to take care of the issues that directly affected the people and to solve even the minor problems caused by such issues. The truth is that the ministers paid no heed to any of these matters. It was the corrupt officials who took advantage of that situation. Although they are only a minority, it became easier for them to do things according to their will as there was no one to question at the higher level. When the government does not function for the welfare of the people, naturally the people will move away from it. They will then respond against the government through the election. There is no point in appointing a commission to realise this. The advice of the officials who do not know the will of the people often leads many of the administrators astray. As a result, even the good things done by the government are forgotten by the people.