Page 82 - Abhivruddhi

Health and Sanitation
Under healthcare services, there have been initiatives in the right
direction like setting up Urban Primary Health Centres (UPHCs), the
recently introduced Urban Health and Wellness Centres (UHWCs),
renewed focus on vector-borne diseases like dengue, malaria etc.
Immunization has also seen a new vigour.
The urban healthcare services need a continued focus on outreach.
Most of the urban poor work on a daily-wage basis. They cannot leave a
day’s work to access healthcare facilities. Hence, proximity of these health
services to their worksite becomes a critical link between availability and
delivery of services.
Bringing more and more workplaces (like real estate developers, small
manufacturing units etc.) under labour health insurance (government or
private) should be the priority focus area. Private healthcare facilities are
readily available in urban areas. This health insurance cover will bridge the
accessibility gap.
Most cities in India are striving towards the Open Defecation Free
(ODF) status. Space for individual toilets in slum areas or areas where the
poor reside is limited. Public/Community toilets should be focussed upon.
The safe disposal of excreta and liquid waste requires more attention.
Many cities have experimented with Faecal Sludge Treatment Plants
(FSTPs), which have turned out to be an instant success over Sewerage
Treatment Plants (STPs). STPs are more capital intensive and have higher
maintenance costs.
For effective economic growth, the workforce needs to be fit and healthy.
Hence, better healthcare and sanitation facilities form the backbone of
economic growth.

Education
There are a large number of private schools which operate in urban
areas but the rule for reservation of seats for economically disadvantaged
in these schools is hardly implemented. Avenues for night education (for
daily wage earners) and adult education are also few. The urban poor need
bridging courses which are also far and few.
Technology can be exploited to provide education for daily wage
earners. Online education in mother tongue will be helpful.
There are a large number of different schools like municipal schools,
district schools, schools under education department, madarsahs etc.
Effort should be made to have a single nodal authority for all coordination
issues thereby maintaining similar education standards in all institutions.
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