Among the smaller states, Himachal is the best- so let’s rejoice

                                              And on this would you not like to hear this maverick blogger’s voice!?

                                              If yes then please read, share, and feel free to comment on my post

                                              And vow to do your bit for the state’s good, as you raise your toast

                         Shabash Himachal!

                    

Shabash  Himachal! Among the smaller states, ‘you’ are the best governed state says a recent survey. The reasons are obvious: We Himachalis are basically a friendly, law-abiding and non-violent people. Population density is small- of which middle class comprises the largest part.  Poverty and hunger are relatively low. Literacy rate is high. Employment wise, we are better off than many states. All these parameters put together make us a low-crime state.  Gender/caste discrimination does exist but doesn’t assume frightening levels of honour killings as in khap-dictated villages and towns of Haryana and Rajasthan. City-bred vices such as rapes and murders do often besmirch HP’s fair face and disturb its peace and tranquility but fortunately the rate and the degree are not alarmingly high. Corruption too, though extant, is limited in scale and proportion.

Further, we are a politically stable state with a two-party system- a change of government after every term having become almost a predictable and a set pattern. Most of our politicians are educated. The end of hegemonic Virbhadra’s regime, and another dynast Dhumal’s giving way to a young new leader Jai Ram Thakur, has come as a whiff of fresh air…a welcome relief. After initial hiccups because of being a new hand, I feel he is coming to grips with how to give good, accountable, efficient, people-responsive government to Himachalis.  

Needless to say, Himachal has all that a state needs to grow and prosper. It has a diverse climate, varied topography, unexplored tourist places, pilgrim-centric attractions and much else waiting to be rationally and sustainably harnessed to boost growth and development.

On the flip side, our education and health sectors are in bad shape. The successive governments – both Virbhadra-led and Dhumal-led, have a lot to answer for the present mess. Both these leaders face allegations of having made  back-door entries  in schools through ‘chits’ and whatever, stalling  fair, merit-based front-door entries for the legitimate claimants registered with the state employment bureaus. They recruited ‘vidya upasaks’, ‘parateachers’ etc. to appease party workers while the qualified ones ended up grinding out livelihoods in the exploitative and under-paid environment of public schools. Further, Dhumal, in his wisdom, made it a free-for-all for private universities without robust regulatory mechanisms for quality control. A huge overhaul is now needed at least in the school education sector. Likewise, we have poor infrastructural set-up for games and sports. One cricket stadium is not enough. We need quality coaches, playgrounds, swimming pools, synthetic turfs, tennis/badminton courts to groom young talent of which there is no dearth in Himachal. In the recently held Junior Chess championships at Tumkur near Bangalore Himachal had a very poor representation and the 3 candidates who participated would have done a lot better had they had access to good coaching. All credit to the parents of Gaurvika for travelling long miles and helping Himachal bag a trophy for the ‘youngest player of the tournament’!

Despite tall claims, health department still suffers from several infirmities. ‘108 has’ been a boon, no doubt. But we need more and better hospitals, trauma centers and medical infrastructure in the state ensuring healthcare access to remote parts of the state so that the depressing sights of critical patients being ferried on cots and carts do not recur.

And one thing more. We must preserve our ecology and environment come what may. Let there be no more Shimlas, Manalis, Kasaulis and McLeodganjes- choking and dying every day with congestion and pollution and posing a threat of mass destruction waiting to happen any day. We have to make Himachal a green model state- an oasis of serenity, purity and natural beauty at its best.

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