Incomes 'vanished' during Covid, 94.3% Indians seek universal healthcare, pension

Counterview Desk
Fight Inequality Alliance (FIA) India, of which Oxford India is a member, has said that while every 8 out of 10 Indians want a tax on the rich and companies profited during a pandemic, more than 90% of people demand social security, right to health, and prevention of gender-based violence from the Union budget.
Based on a survey it carried out, the FIA report says, “The Union Budget 2022-23 can potentially provide several measures to fight inequality. The stark inequalities exacerbated by Covid-19 have started a global wave of protests to make the rich pay their fair share. The Government of India can listen to the people and make provisions for social security, health, and well-being through the budget."

A note:

More than 80% of Indians support a tax on the rich and corporations who earned record profits during the pandemic, a nationwide survey by Fight Inequality Alliance India (FIA India) has revealed. The survey took inputs of total of 3231 Indians from 24 states ahead of the Union Budget 2022-23 on the expectations of common people from the government. More than 90% of participants demanded budget measures to combat inequality such as universal social security, right to health, and expansion of budget to prevent gender-based violence revealed the survey by FIA, an alliance of NGOs, civil society, environmental groups, trade unions and social movements to fight the growing crisis of inequality.
A global study by Fight Inequality Alliance showed that the wealth of Indian billionaires has more than doubled during the Covid-19 pandemic while 46 million people are estimated to have fallen into extreme poverty in 2020 (nearly half of the new global poor). This means the richest 98 billionaires own the same wealth as the bottom 40% of Indian society.
The economic and social disruptions caused by Covid-19 have further exacerbated inequalities in India. The Centre for Monitoring India Economy (CMIE) estimates that over 10 million jobs vanished in the second wave and 97% of households saw their incomes drop. The impact, while devastating overall, has been grossly unequal. While the wealth of Indian billionaires has more than doubled during the Covid-19 pandemic 46 million people are estimated to have fallen into extreme poverty in 2020, according to Oxfam India report. The stark inequality in India is disproportionately affecting marginalised communities such as Dalits, Adivasis, Muslims and women.
Anjela Taneja, lead, FIA, said, “The Union Budget 2022-23 can potentially provide several measures to fight inequality. The stark inequalities exacerbated by Covid-19 have started a global wave of protests to make the rich pay their fair share. The Government of India can listen to the people and make provisions for social security, health, and well-being through the budget.”
The survey by FIA indicates the need for progressive policy and budget allocations to provide relief to Indians who have lost lives and jobs.
Here are some findings and suggestions for the Union Budget in India from FIA pre-budget survey:

Where should the government allocate additional funds in the upcoming budget?

94.3 percent want the government to provide universal minimum social security including health and maternity benefits, accident insurance, life insurance, and pension to all unorganized workers. In the case of Scheduled Caste and Schedule Tribe, the percentage increases to 97.9 percent and 97 percent respectively
94.1 percent overall, 100 percent women and 96 percent STs want an Increase the budget for National Health Mission
96.6 percent of youth in the age group of 18-24 from the SC community and 89.1 percent of the overall respondents want an increased allocation for scholarships for Dalit, Adivasis, minorities, and women for their education and skill development. 98 percent STs demanded for the same.
91.4 percent wants the government to strengthen support services for the prevention of gender-based violence
90.8 percent demand increase in allocation for the opening of creches and other care facilities, percentage increases to 95.1 percent for Schedule Caste
89.3 percent wants the government to ensure that all schools provide additional academic support to students who experienced learning loss and roll NEP provisions like breakfast in schools; figure stands at 95.25 percent for Schedule Caste
88.3 percent of the respondents want the government to universalize PDS and continue providing free food grains to the poor in pandemic beyond the month of March 2022

What should the government do to increase the availability of the funds for social service:

89 percent of the respondents want the government to impose fines on private companies that do not fulfill environmental norms
84 percent wants the government to place a 2% COVID surcharge on individuals earning more than INR 2 crore per annum; 89.3 percent wants the government to impose a temporary tax on companies making massive profits during the pandemic
What should be the overall priority of the government in the budget
97.4 percent of respondents want the government to control inflation in prices of fuel prices and food
94.4 percent wants the government to Introduce a Right to Health
93.6 percent wants the government to expedite government recruitment to increase employment of youth; percentage as high as 98 for respondents from SC category
90.9 percent wants the government to provide COVID vaccination to be done free in both private and public health institutions
80 percent want the government to address profiteering by private providers in education and health

---
Click here for the survey report

Comments

Buddhist shrines were 'massively destroyed' by Brahmanical rulers: Historian DN Jha

Nalanda mahavihara By Our Representative Prominent historian DN Jha, an expert in India's ancient and medieval past, in his new book , "Against the Grain: Notes on Identity, Intolerance and History", in a sharp critique of "Hindutva ideologues", who look at the ancient period of Indian history as "a golden age marked by social harmony, devoid of any religious violence", has said, "Demolition and desecration of rival religious establishments, and the appropriation of their idols, was not uncommon in India before the advent of Islam".

Gyanvapi case: Use of 'illegal' lawfare to keep the communal pot simmering

By Venkatesh Narayanan, Bobby Ramakant, Manoj Sarang* With a steady drumbeat of bad news for the lives of ordinary citizens -- inflation at a multi-year high , rupee at an all-time low , negative job creation and when all forward indicators as seen by industry leaders point to recessionary clouds on the horizon , what’s a serially-incompetent government to do? Dust out their time-tested-citizen-distraction playbook. The Gyanvapi-Masjid case is all of this -- as a weapon of mass distraction. This zeitgeist of our times is best captured by a recent opinion piece : "The idea is to keep the pot on a perpetual boil, simmering at the top, whirling feverishly beneath. A restless society forever living precariously on the precipice arouses distrst, uneasiness, fear and discomfort, That is a toxic panoply for manufacturing rage, which can then be effortlessly mobilized at short notice. BJP is creating an eco-system of real-time instant delivery of hate-mongers. That is how we are sudde

Upholding labour rights, Nehruvian scientific temper, Rajni Patel opposed Emergency

By Harsh Thakor* Rajni Patel, who died 40 years ago, whatever his flaws, had one great quality: his human touch to offer selfless service and ability to galvanise or influence human beings from all walks of life. Few people would ever go out of the way to help someone or serve as selflessly without aim of personal gain. Rajni championed Nehruvian secular ideas and scientific temper. As a master in public relations he revealed utmost humility. As a barrister, he never appeared against the trade unions or workers. A Fabien Socialist he opposed liberal capitalism and radical socialism. Unlike most lawyers, he did not succumb to the lure of amassing wealth. Rajni was born in Sirsa, in Gujarat, on the very day Gandhi set foot on Indian soil, on 9th January, 1915. He gained his baptism through one of Gandhi's speeches calling for the boycott of foreign goods, which was the virtual turning point of his life. Rajni toed Gandhi to organise boycott of foreign goods. Rajni was able to cros

Targeting mosques, churches: 'Roadmap' for 2025, RSS' centenary year?

416 years old Our Lady of Health Church, Sancoale, Goa By Fr Cedric Prakash SJ* Fascists use manipulative strategies aimed at whipping up sympathy and support from the majority community, to which they normally ‘belong’. They do so in a variety of insidious and subtle ways. In the past few months, they have gone overboard in their efforts to denigrate and demonize minorities in India, particularly Muslims and Christians. They have spewed hate and divisiveness through their venomous speeches; incited people to violence and have effectively used officialdom to further their vested interests. The results are there for all to see: greater polarisation of the majority community in a country which prided itself for its pluralism and diversity. Their meticulously planned agenda is in order to gain absolute power of the country in the 2024 national elections. More so it is also a roadmap towards 2025 when the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) will complete one hundred years of its existence.

Vadodara violence: Fine Arts Faculty alumni raise fingers at Varsity's political appointee

Hasmukh Vaghela with PM Counterview Desk In a statement, alumni of the Faculty of Fine Arts (FoFA), Maharaja Sayajirao University (MSU), Baroda, Gujarat, referring to the “violence” by right-wing groups for displaying “objectionable” paintings that “hurt religious sentiments” at the one of India’s top fine arts institute May 5, have taken strong exception to “the assault and rustication” of one of the students, and lack of action taken against those who “violated” the institution and committed the act. Floated as an online petition seeking wider support, the FoFA alumni, in their statement, addressed to the vice chancellor, MSU, said, there should be “thorough” investigation in the whole incident and “immediate action” should be taken against syndicate member Hasmukh Vaghela, MSU, who sparked the assault, and “other co-conspirators” for breaching “university code of conduct and unlawful activities committed in broad daylight”. While the alumni statement doesn't say so, Vaghela

This varsity succumbed to extra-academic mobocracy, 'ignored' Hindutva archives

By Shamsul Islam* Open letter to Sharda University vice-chancellor Sub: Discarding a Question on Linkages of Hindutva with Nazism/Fascism is blatant Academic Dishonesty! Dear Professor Sibaram Khara Saheb, Namaskaar! According to your esteemed University’s portal: “The name of University, 'Sharda' is synonymous to 'Goddess of knowledge and learning-Saraswati'. She is identified with 'veena', an Indian musical instrument and the ‘lotus’, where she resides. The lotus in our logo symbolizes the seat of learning that the University is created for. "Variety of colours signify the variety of disciplines the university offers and the overlap between petals creating new colours demonstrate the ethos of collaboration between students and teachers of different programme, nationality, creed and colour working towards creating new knowledge…the University's cherished mission to provide education beyond boundaries and to facilitate the students and faculty to achie

Swami Vivekananda's views on caste and sexuality were 'painfully' regressive

By Bhaskar Sur* Swami Vivekananda now belongs more to the modern Hindu mythology than reality. It makes a daunting job to discover the real human being who knew unemployment, humiliation of losing a teaching job for 'incompetence', longed in vain for the bliss of a happy conjugal life only to suffer the consequent frustration.

A former Modi ally, Prashant Kishor wanted to enter Congress 'on contract, as trader'

By Anand Sahay* The Congress Party and the election campaigns specialist Prashant Kishor, whose company has done strategic communications for a host of political parties across ideology, should both count themselves lucky that they could not reach an agreement for Kishor to join the party. News reports suggest that the Congress rejected Kishor’s terms. This is not wholly unexpected. People join a party because they are attracted to it, and wish to serve it in any capacity that the party may see fit. But that isn’t Kishor at all. He gave the impression of entering into a contract, as a trader might. If news reports are to be believed, he sought freedom to report directly to party chief Sonia Gandhi, and sought untrammeled control over party communications. When such ideas did not find favour, the consultant withdrew. It is clear he has no particular love for the Congress, and its ideas, ideology and politics. In contrast, look at the key personae in G-23. They

Gyanvapi order suggests 'rot' that infests Indian judiciary, to 'facilitate' Hindu right

By Our Representative The Indian American Muslim Council ( IAMC ) , claiming to the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with chapters across the nation, strongly condemning the order of an Indian court to seal part of the historic Gyanvapi mosque in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, has said that the order “puts spotlight on the rot that infests the Indian judiciary, which is actively facilitating the Hindu rightwing’s project of converting India into a Hindu Rashtra. In a statement, IAMC said, on Monday, a lawyer commissioner Ajay Kumar Mishra, who was directed to survey the mosque — after a group of Hindu women filed a petition seeking permission to pray on the premises — submitted before the court that a Shiva Linga (an idol depicting the Hindu deity Shiva) was found in “wazu khana” (ablution tank) of the mosque. It added, the lawyers representing the Anjuman Intezamia Masjid Committee, which manages the Gyanvapi mosque, rejected the claim saying that the

Examples of support to Hindu temples, scriptures, saints by 'Muslim' rulers galore

Siya Ram coin issued by Akbar By Bharat Dogra* At a time when the country as well as the world are passing through very difficult times leading to more urgent need for strengthening national unity for meeting several big challenges ahead, unfortunately disputes relating to religious places have been allowed to raise their ugly head once again. It is well-realized by now by many people that it is not historical facts but narrow considerations of political gain and spreading of fanatic ideas of intolerance which are behind such mischief, but due to the increasing threat of mob violence and patronage available at higher levels to groups spreading intolerance many people are reluctant to openly and fearlessly express their views. Hence there is urgent need for broad-based peace committees with wider social support to spread the message of communal harmony and to appeal against the dangers of spreading false messages regarding places of worship which can ultimate

Counterview

Search This Blog