Cm Leads by Example When Yogi Can, Why Can’T We?
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LUCKNOW l TUESDAY, APRIL 6, 2021 l Pages 12 l 3.00 RNI NO. UPENG/2020/04393 l Vol 1 l Issue No. 115 CM LEADS BY EXAMPLE WHEN YOGI CAN, WHY CAN’T WE? Vishal Srivastav llaying fears per- taining to indige- nously developed Covid-19 vaccines, Chief Minister Yogi A Adityanath took his first shot on Monday at the Shy- ama Prasad Mukherjee (Civil) Hospital in Lucknow. While vaccine may hold im- portance, discipline to follow Covid-19 guidelines has urgen- cy of its own. And when great leaders lead by example, they practice what they preach. In the past few months or so, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has always been seen wearing a face mask. The huge white cloth mask, that covers more than half his face, is never off him. With cases of vi- rus-borne disease soaring and bug- ging the country, it is imperative that the state takes a leaf out of Yogi Adity- anath discipline- book. Not only in terms of his personal pro- tection, the leader has also managed to con- tain Coronavirus spread in the state to a great extent. Even the World Health Organisation (WHO) patted Yogi for his all-round approach in containing the virus spread in a state which has more population than many established nations around the globe. The kind of resil- ience Uttar Pradesh has shown under the leadership of Yogi Adityanath, has be- come a trendsetter for not just India but for the whole world to follow. For UP, Adity- anath is syn- onymous to the Sun that lights oth- ers! Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath getting his fi rst dose of indigenously developed Covaxin at Shyama Prasad Mukherjee (Civil) Hospital in Lucknow on Monday. Promoted by First India News International Pvt. Ltd. PERSPECTIVE www.firstindia.co.in I www.firstindia.co.in/epaper/ I twitter.com/thefirstindia I facebook.com/thefirstindia I instagram.com/thefirstindia LUCKNOW | TUESDAY, APRIL 6, 2021 02 IN-DEPTH Corruption, poor implementation failed CLIMATE SAFETY NETS all poverty eradication progarmmes LACK OF VISION, INTEGRITY, AND TRANSPARENCY LED TO FAILURE IN THE IMPLEMENTATION FOR ALL OF GOVERNMENT SCHEMES TO UPLIFT THE POOR PEOPLE s preparations for this year’s COP26 climate summit in Glasgow VS intensify, attention is focused on PANDEY efforts to prevent a future catastro- A THE WRITER IS phe. But real-time climate catas- trophes already are playing out in the lives of FORMER SECRETARY TO millions of the world’s poorest and most vul- GOVERNMENT OF INDIA nerable people. What will COP26 offer them? Stick a pin in a map of global humanitar- ince the 1970s, almost all the po- ian emergencies, and you will most likely litical parties have been riding to land on a crisis that has been caused or ag- power in the name of poor, back- gravated by droughts, floods, and storms. In ward, and downtrodden sections 2019, extreme weather events pushed more of our population. What these than 34 million people into hunger and food political parties and their lead- insecurity. In the 55 countries with food-inse- ers then did for these sections of curity crises, 75 million children under the S the population, is another story. age of five are chronically undernourished The “Garibi Hatao” slogan of and face higher risks of diarrhea, pneumo- 1971 ensured massive victory for nia, and other killer diseases that accompany Indira Congress but “garibi” still droughts and floods. defines this country. Save the Children is responding to these Similarly, all the political emergencies. In the Horn of Africa, our nu- parties have been beating their their own chosen heroes has mum of twenty-five thousand in trition programs are treating the children of chests for these very poor peo- been going on unabated ad nau- a year, an amount which is the farming families devastated by successive ple for decades but only ended seam. It is ironic that after 74 bare minimum to barely survive. THE BALL IS FIRMLY IN droughts, floods, and the worst desert locust up gobbling up billions for years of independence, the Cen- Unfortunately, never has any THE PEOPLE’S COURT- TO infestation in a generation. In the Sahel re- themselves leaving behind even tral government could only government made any sincere CHOOSE ONLY THOSE gion, we are working with communities hit larger numbers of people below think of launching the Mahat- WHO ARE HONEST, effort to eradicate poverty, in by drought and displaced by increasingly the poverty line. This is amply ma Gandhi National Rural Em- CAPABLE, AND TRUTHFUL the real sense. All these pover- deadly conflicts over water. But humanitari- clear from the fact that nearly ployment Guarantee Scheme, AND NOT THIS ty alleviation programmes, if an efforts are being overwhelmed by the scale 70 percent of our population another version of RLEGP with NEFARIOUS BAHUBALIS implemented honestly, could of the crisis – and worse is to come. had to be provided coverage un- such fanfare, claiming it was go- THRIVING ON BLACK have helped the poor to some COP26 is one of our last opportunities to der the Food security net, even ing to change the fate of rural MONEY, MUSCLE POWER, extent but corruption and poor lock in the measures needed to keep temper- today, despite tall claims of India, remove rural unemploy- AND DIVISIVE AGENDAS. implementation doomed them. atures within the 1.5º-2º Celsius ceiling set in helping the poor, made by suc- ment and prevalent poverty. AS SARTRE APTLY SAID, Further poverty cannot be 2015 by the Paris climate agreement. But even cessive governments ruling the How have these programmes WE ARE CONDEMNED BY eradicated only by providing 1.5ºC of warming would have disastrous im- centre and states. It is impera- fared? Have they succeeded in OUR CHOICES. LET US daily wage-earning employ- plications for poverty and malnutrition in tive to at least now question- reducing poverty or not? The ELECT WISELY ment or providing meager eco- the poorest countries. The evidence from cli- when every government has answers to these questions are nomic assets, as has been the mate science points overwhelmingly toward claimed success in reducing self-evident. The current pan- approach all these years. Pov- less predictable rainfall, more extreme, fre- and eliminating poverty then demic exposed the brutal real- erty is basically deprivation of quent, and protracted droughts, and more why is still more than half of ity of all-pervasive poverty proper education facility, destructive storms. Meanwhile, the World Unfortunately, our population living below the which is everywhere now. With scheme. How bad things have be- health services, proper habita- Meteorological Association anticipates a never has any poverty line even today, though the return of millions of mi- come for the poorer section of the tion with civic amenities, suit- government made long-term decline in food productivity in Af- as per the world bank definition grants workers to their villag- population will become clear able income generation oppor- any sincere effort rica, the world’s most food-insecure region. of poverty line this number is es, following the outbreak of from the fact that the total num- tunity and justice. On all five to eradicate Rich countries are already investing heavily much more -nearly two-thirds the Covid-19 pandemic and the ber of people, who availed of this criteria, we as a nation, have poverty, in the real in adapting to climate-change threats. When of people in India live in pov- consequential national lock- scheme, had been in the range of failed our people. This was the sense. All these down that followed last year, disasters strike, their citizens can fall back on poverty alleviation erty: 68.8% of the Indian popu- 6.21-7.88 crore between 2013-14 job of the governments who elaborate safety nets, well-financed health sys- programmes, if lation live on less than $2 a day the condition of the poor has and 2019-20. These statistics pre- ruled or are ruling the centre tems, and insurance policies covering loss and implemented and over 30% even have less worsened with crores joining sent before us the depressing sce- and states, but none showed the damage to assets. Flood defenses are being honestly, could than $1.25 per day available. the ranks of those who survive nario of joblessness in our coun- vision or the intent or capacity strengthened across Europe, and America’s have helped the For the past several decades, on subsistence schemes like try, particularly in rural areas. to deliver and provide honest current Farm Bill includes a $39 billion fed- poor to some extent governments in power imple- MGNREGS. As per the latest of- Ironically, in 2020-21, the number governance. Unless we chose eral insurance program to protect heavily sub- but corruption mented their own brand of pov- ficial data, over 11 crore people of households that completed governments whose leaders sidized producers against crop losses. and poor erty alleviation programmes, had no other option left to them 100-day employment also reached have the vision, integrity, and Contrast that with the situation facing Afri- implementation like Food for Work, Antyodaya, but to work under the scheme an all-time high of 68.58 lakh, an ability, our country will con- ca’s farmers. When extreme weather events doomed them. Integrated Rural Development during the financial year 2020- increase of 68.91 percent from tinue to suffer. The ball is firm- destroy crops, kill livestock, and drive up food Further poverty Programme (IRDP), National 21, the first time since its incep- 40.60 lakh in 2019-20.