'Primary edu, healthcare-key to Better India'

Kolkata, Feb 14: Improving the quality of primary education and basic healthcare is the sole way to improving the condition of a nation, said Noble Laureate and eminent Economist Amrtya Sen.

Addressing a seminar on predicament of Indian children here yesterday, Prof Sen said we must work towards providing primary education to each and every children as they are the future of the nation.

''At present, the focus is basically on whether India will become a super power. I don't deny the fact that it is going to emerge as a super power by 2037, but where do we stand in terms of providing compulsory and quality education,'' the economist asked, adding that it is high time, that we came forward to improve the condition of the deprived children.

Though the focus of the seminar was on the plight of the children in Kolkata, Prof Sen preferred to talk on the Indian children as a whole.

''West Bengal has done pretty well in lowering the polio rates from 56 per cent to 36 per cent, which is a big drop. However, in terms of education the growth is not that dramatic. Children suffering from anaemia have, in fact, increased even further.'' ''The government is focussing more on steel and SEZs, which is good. I do not deny that. I just want to ask, how is it effecting the lives of the common people. Forty two per cent of the India population comprises of children and only three per cent of the total budget is spent on them. We cannot afford to neglect them.'' He stressed on the need for improvement in the condition of women saying that the predicament of women in India is closely knitted with the plight of the children.

He asked the government to allow foreign NGOs, working in the field of healthcare and education, to operate in India. "We cant think of economic growth if our foundation is not strong. It is only possible by assuring compulsory education to each and every child.

Every year the rate of enrollment in school is increasing. However, the enthusiam generally slacks after a few days. This should be considered as a serious problem by the government," he said.

Speaking on this occassion, CPM polit bureau member Mr Sitaram Yechuri said that there will an increased allocation of funds for education and healthcare facilities for children in the current fiscal.

UNI