question_answer 6)

Here are some challenges that require political reforms. Discuss these challenges in detail study the reform options offered here and give your preferred solution with reasons. Remember that none of the options offered here is 'right' or 'wrong'. You can opt for a mix of more than one option, or come up with something that is not offered here. But you must give your solution in details and offer reasons for your choice. Doctors' Absenteeism      

Doctors' Absenteeism Challenge	Political Funding Challenge
Uttar Pradesh Government got a survey done and found out that most of the doctors posted in the rural primary health centres are simply not there. They live in a town; carry out private practice and visit the village where they are posted only once or twice in the entire month. Villagers have to travel to towns and pay very high fee to private doctors even for common ailments.	On an average, every candidate who contested the last Lok Sabha elections owned a property of more than Rs one crore. There is a fear that only wealthy people or those with their support can afford to fight elections. Most of the political parties are dependent on money given by big business houses. The worry is that the role of money in politics will reduce whatever little voice the poor have in our democracy.
Reform Proposals •The government should make it compulsory for the doctors to live in the village where they are posted; otherwise their service should be terminated.	Reform Proposals • The financial accounts of every political party should be made public. These accounts should be examined by government auditors.
• District administration and police should carry out surprise raids to check the attendance of the doctors.	• There should be state funding of elections. Parties should be given some money by the government to meet their election expenditure.
• Village panchayat should be given the power to write the annual report of the doctor which should be read out in the Gram Sabha Meeting.	•Citizens should be encouraged to give more donations to parties and to political workers. Such donations should be exempt from income tax.
• Problems like this can be solved only if Uttar Pradesh is split into several smaller states which can be administered more efficiently.

 

Answer:

1. Doctors' Absenteeism Challenges (a) Private Practice by doctors. (b) Low salaries of doctors working in rural areas.   Reform Proposals (i) Doctors should be penalized if they are found indulging in private practice.                         . (ii) Doctors should be paid extra allowance per day for the number of days that they work in the villages.   Reasons The extra allowance will act as an incentive and the penalty for private practice will act as a disincentive. 2. Political Funding   Challenges (a) Money and muscle power have a role in elections. (b) The poor people cannot fight elections.   Reform Proposals (i) Impose a ceiling on party funding for elections with election expenses being audited. (ii) A certain percentage of funds for elections should be contributed by government, especially for candidates who can prove that they are poor.   Reasons The government funding will act as an incentive for more poor people to contest elections. The ceiling on funding and expense auditing will reduce the power of money in elections.