Why delay in implementing Rajasthan health rights law?, asks Jan Swasthya Abhiyan

By A Representative
The Jan Swasthya Abhiyan (JSA) Rajasthan chapter, in a letter to Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, endorsed by more than 70 organisations and networks, has demanded framing and notification of rules to the Rajasthan Right to Health Act 2022, wondering why the law has not yet begun being implemented.
JSA regretted, a high level committee under the chairpersonship of Dr SK Sarin, director, Institute of Liver and Biliary Science, was constituted by the government in July this year to frame the rules, “yet there has been no progress in this regard.”
Expressing concern regarding delay in framing and notification of the rules for the Act, putting to question the State government’s intent to implement the Act in its true spirit, JSA demanded that the process be expedited and the rules be framed at the earliest, as in the absence of it the Act remains only on papers and people continue to remain deprived of the various rights and provisions stipulated under it.
It said, the rules must be framed and notified before the code of conduct for the upcoming elections come into being.
The State health rights Act made Rajasthan the first State in India to give every resident the right to avail free Out Patient Department (OPD) services and In Patient Department (IPD) services at all public health facilities. Additionally, similar healthcare services are sought to be provided free of cost at selected private facilities.
Critics said, the Act does not mention whether private healthcare professionals will be reimbursed by the government. Claimed non-profit PRS Legislative Research, "If the government does not reimburse the cost, the private establishments will have no revenue, and would likely shut down.”
Critics also said, implementation of the Act would increase the expenditure of the State budget as no additional arrangements to cover the costs have been made by the government.
Sections of Rajasthan doctors said, the Act will increase the incidents of violence against doctors. They added, the Act does not appropriately defining the term emergency.
While the State government was accused of using the Act to win elections in the upcoming 2023 Rajasthan Legislative Assembly elections, it was passed in the State assembly amidst protests by healthcare professionals.
Opposing the provisions of the Act, the Indian Medical Association called for country wide protests and threatened to shut countrywide services. The All Rajasthan In-Service Doctors Association also called for shut down of healthcare services in the State. The protestors met with government opposition. Police used water cannon and baton charge against the protestors.

Comments

When democracy becomes a performance: The Tibetan exile experience

By Tseten Lhundup* I was born in Bylakuppe, one of the largest Tibetan settlements in southern India. From childhood, I grew up in simple barracks, along muddy roads, and in fields with limited resources. Over the years, I have watched our democratic system slowly erode. Observing the recent budget session of the 17th Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile, these “democratic procedures” appear grand and orderly on the surface, yet in reality they amount to little more than empty formalities. The parliamentarians seem largely disconnected from the everyday struggles faced by ordinary exiled Tibetans like us.

Study links sanctions to 500,000 deaths annually leading to rise in global backlash

By Bharat Dogra International opinion is increasingly turning against the expanding burden of sanctions imposed on a growing number of countries. These measures are contributing to humanitarian crises, intensifying domestic discord, and heightening international tensions, thereby increasing the risks of conflicts and wars.

Civil society flags widespread violations of land acquisition Act before Parliamentary panel

By Jag Jivan Civil society organisations and stakeholders from across India have presented stark evidence before the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Rural Development and Panchayati Raj , alleging systemic violations of the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (RFCTLARR) Act, 2013 , particularly in Scheduled Areas and tribal regions.

Beyond the island: Top mythologist reorients the geography of the Ramayana

By Jag Jivan In a compelling new analysis that challenges conventional geographical assumptions about the ancient epic, writer and mythologist Devdutt Pattanaik has traced the roots of the Ramayana to the forests and river systems of Central and Eastern India, rather than the peninsular south or the modern island nation of Sri Lanka.

Alarming decline in India's repair culture threatens circular economy goals: Study

By Jag Jivan A comprehensive new study by environmental research and advocacy organisation Toxics Link has painted a worrying picture of India's fading repair culture, warning that the trend towards replacement over repair is accelerating the country's already critical e-waste crisis.

Dr. Ram Bux Singh: Biogas pioneer’s legacy gains urgency amid energy crisis

By A Representative In an era defined by a global energy crisis and a desperate search for sustainable solutions, the visionary work of an Indian scientist from the mid-20th century is finding renewed, urgent relevance. Dr. Ram Bux Singh , a pioneering figure in biogas and renewable energy , is being posthumously honored by the Government of India, even as his decades-old innovations provide a blueprint for today’s challenges.

Captains extraordinaire: Ranking cricket’s most influential skippers

By Harsh Thakor* Ranking the greatest cricket captains is a subjective exercise, often sparking passionate debate among fans. The following list is not merely a tally of wins and losses; it is an assessment of leadership’s deeper impact. My criteria fuse a captain’s playing record with their tactical skill, placing the highest consideration on their ability to reshape a team’s fortunes and inspire those around them. A captain who inherited a dominant empire is judged differently from one who resurrected a nation’s cricket from the doldrums. With that in mind, here is my perspective on the finest leaders the game has ever seen.

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.

Protesters in UK cities voice concerns over alleged developments in Bastar region

By A Representative Demonstrations were held across several cities in the United Kingdom on March 28, as groups and activists gathered to protest what they described as state actions in India under the reported “Operation Kagar.”

Search This Blog