Bhubaneswar: The report card on month-long statewide campaign on education and health issues of the state was released by Odisha Shramajeebee Mancha and Mahila Shramajeebee Mancha, Odisha here on Friday.
Shiksha Swasthya Ama Adhikar, Jabab Dia “Mo Sarkar” is a month-long public campaign on education and health coordinated by the people’s collectives Odisha Shramajeebee Manch (OSM) and Mahila Shramajeebi Manch, Odisha (MSMO), which is aimed at educating public about their rights and entitlements and to influence policymakers on ensuring implementation of Right to Education Act and ensuring healthcare for all in the state.
The campaign has targeted to tag #Mo Sarkar initiative the objective of which is to provide service with dignity to the people who are coming to government offices for different purposes with a 5T approach so that demands from the communities are heard and redressed with immediate effect.
This month-long campaign will witness active participation of nearly 10000 people across the state representing from Sangathans, civil society organizations, PRI members, MLAs/MPs and other like-minded individuals.
The first phase of the campaign will run within respective districts till 14th November through Bike Rally and second phase of the campaign will run through Cycle Rally where delegates from the districts will move towards the capital city Bhubaneswar to attend the culminating events and putting forth their demands before the government.
The report card highlighted that there are 306 schools in the state where there is no building.
The state government has also closed down 966 schools where the student strength is less than 10 in the current academic session which is a gross violation of the RTE Act.
According to the Niti Ayog’s School Education Quality Index (SEQI) report, not a single school in Odisha has adopted the transparent online transfer system for school teachers.
Nearly 25 percent elementary schools in the State failed to meet the teacher norms mandated under the Right to Education (RTE) Act.
Similarly, failing healthcare state of Odisha is also worrisome and need immediate intervention.
The state requires 6688 doctors in PHCs, but has only 1,326 sanctioned posts of whom as high as 409 are lying vacant.
There are 1094 doctors in position against the sanctioned strength of 1427 in district hospitals and 347 doctors against 567 posts in sub-divisional hospitals in the state.
For a state that grapples with poverty (32.6% as per Planning Commission 2013), especially massive rural poverty, has a large tribal population (62 tribes of 533 in India) bereft of health benefits, and has been in news for dire health parameters, these incidents are symbolic of the structural and policy gaps that need immediate intervention.
Considering the seriousness of the nature of such issues in education and health in the state, a data-driven interactive scorecard with each district’s performance will be prepared to promote public awareness, to influence elected representatives where their districts are failing short and to influence policy makers to action it with immediate effect.
It has been planned to highlight issues and spread awareness through bike rally with placards having campaign demands through village meetings, street plays and other programmes.
Former Finance Minister Panchanan Kanungo, convenor of Odisha RTE Forum Anil Pradhan, Sudhir Pattnaik, Editor, SamadrustiNational Manager, Actionaid Ghasiram Panda, Congress leader Sudarshan Das, President of Mahila Shramajeebee Mancha (Odisha) Shanti Bhoi, Convenor, Odisha Shramajeebee Mancha Anjan Pradhan were present on the occasion.
Comments are closed.