Letters: Boost for social security | Business Standard Letters

Letters: Boost for social security | Business Standard Letters



Business
Standard

Letters
December
28, 2015
Universal
social security*
This refers to Dilasha
Seth’s report “Govt mulls universal health insurance” (Business Standard, December
28). From financial inclusion to the present proposal to provide ‘universal
healthcare’ and several labour-friendly initiatives like improvements in
facilities like maternity leave and computing gratuity for employees in the
organised sector, the social security content in Centre’s approach to social
security concerns in general has been very encouraging during the year that is
coming to a close.
Measures like the one aimed
at universal health care will have a positive impact on the other human
development indicators also. At this stage, government need to think in terms
of a more focussed policy approach to social security.
Many initiatives in the
past aimed at supporting the poor to improve their living conditions have
suffered due to criticism about ‘subsidy’, pilferages at various stages before
the funds provided in the budgets reached the real beneficiaries and broadly a
lack of appreciation for and acceptance of the efforts by those outside the
targeted clientele.
A guidance from the top
(perhaps, NITI Ayog could study this issue and come out with the broad contours
of a policy that could be adapted and adopted by Centre and state governments)
integrating initiatives for poverty alleviation, universal education, universal
health care and universal pension may expedite action.
Government may consider
making this a national movement, ensuring government-public sector-private
sector participation and creating a National Social Security Fund, corpus for
which could come from budgetary provision, a portion of the ‘unclaimed’
deposits with organisations like LIC, EPFO, banks and other organisations
handling ‘public funds’ and a one time contribution from corporates(additional
to CSR).
M
G Warrier, Mumbai

*Submitted version. Please use the link for published version.






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