BENGALURU: This city needs government hospitals with state-of-the-art facilities. Full-time employment for staff (a good number of them are on contract basis, what a shame) and safety equipment for doctors and all the staff is also needed. Most of Bengaluru’s population cannot afford private hospital bills, which economically kill or destroy the poor. In times of the pandemic, just like the Spain model, the Indian government too should take over private hospitals till at least the end of the year.
In two to three years, I would like to see Bengaluru as a healthy city, devoid of bigotry being spread. I hope the middle class is forward-looking, open, secular, modern, reaches out to the needy and voices its concern for the underprivileged. We need to ensure living wages to all workers (most underpaid workers cannot afford good hygiene either). This could also encourage spending, which, in turn, helps expand businesses.
Bengaluru is a great city for education but it can get better. It should be one of the best in the world since it has the possibilities, resources and expertise. In the near future, I wish to see India as a country where democratic values are respected. A democracy where free speech is respected and press freedom is assured. We need to have respect for human rights, the will to realise the promise of preamble to the Constitution and to hold a belief that the lives of people matter. And finally, I’d like to see a government having concern towards the difficulties of people and not one that is more interested in selling its soul.
Solution: Bengaluru’s public sector industries must be strengthened – it is them who have built the strong middle class in this city. We also need to give good financial support to MSMEs, since they generate employment. To ensure these changes we need a proactive government and good policies, the rest will follow.