Reimbursement of Engineering College fees and Reimbursement of Medical expenses under 'Arogyasri' scheme are two important schemes of the Andhra Pradesh Government. Under these schemes White Ration Card holders (BPL families) can aspire for Engineering education free of cost and likewise they can also aspire for superior medical treatment at Corporate hospitals. Very laudable indeed.

But a closer look gives away the real intention and working of these schemes.

It is public knowledge that the number covered by White Ration Cards exceed the populations in several villages and towns and despite threats to weed out bogus cards, newer cards continue to be issued. All political parties are united in their resistance to the weeding out exercise.

The reimbursement is not made to the beneficiary but to the Engineering College or the Corporate Hospital. What fudging takes place no one can say. For example, there have been reports of people in their sixties and seventies enrolling for Engineering degree! There are reports of Corporate hospitals inflicting unnecessary trauma on people by subjecting them to avoidable surgeries.

Government hospitals are inefficient, unhygienic, under staffed, under equipped; all due to lack of funds. But there is plenty of money with government to fill private coffers.

Last year it is estimated that more than eight hundred crores were paid by government to Corporate hospitals under this scheme. Imagine how many Government hospitals could have been set up. Government's action in washing away is hands of the responsibility of health has become a cash cow for private players.

With permissions given indiscriminately for establishment of engineering college in AP, there are hundreds of these without proper infrastructure or faculty and naturally nobody opting to join them. Last year more than 50,000 seats remained unfilled. For these colleges, this reimbursement is a manna from the heavens. With practically no competition, anybody can be enrolled as student and reimbursement availed.

When the government stopped reimbursement as its treasury was empty, all parties without exception agitated till it was restored. Such is the power of these lobbies.

In executing a scheme or a project, the net result appears to be transfer of public money into powerful private hands, may be with a little incidental gain to public. Government instead of abdicating its social responsibility of providing education and health facilities should rethink.

…ponder