MLC Kishore Kumar Puttur slams Karnataka govt over closure of Janaushadhi centres in hospitals
Kumar Puttur
has criticised the
Karnataka
government's decision to shut down
Janaushadhi
centres in government hospitals, calling the move 'an assault on the common man'.
Speaking to reporters,
Puttur
said the
Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Yojana
, a flagship initiative of the
Union Government
, had enabled access to affordable, high-quality generic medicines for millions of economically weaker patients across India.
'There are countless cases where people were forced to skip treatment because they couldn't afford expensive medication. Janaushadhi centres helped bridge this gap by providing essential medicines at minimal cost,' he said.
The legislator questioned whether government hospitals currently had 100% availability of essential drugs. 'If not, how can we justify removing a scheme that acts as a crucial support system?' he asked.
Calling the decision politically motivated, Puttur said the scheme had become a source of national pride and helped lakhs of people. He accused the state government of acting irresponsibly and demanded the immediate restoration of the centres.
'The right to affordable healthcare should not be denied to the poor. Instead of shutting down these centres, the state should cooperate with the Centre in opening more,' he added.
The
Janaushadhi Yojana
was launched in 2008 and expanded in recent years, with centres operating across the country to offer low-cost medicines as an alternative to branded drugs.
The state government has yet to issue an official response to the criticism.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New Indian Express
4 hours ago
- New Indian Express
Centre has no official data on nomophobia, Rajya Sabha told
NEW DELHI: The Centre on Tuesday said that it does not maintain any central data on patients suffering from nomophobia, the fear of being without mobile phones. In a written reply, the Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Prataprao Jadhav, informed the Rajya Sabha that a behavioural addiction clinic has been established at AIIMS, New Delhi, to manage various behavioural addictions, including internet and technology addiction. 'The data of patients suffering from nomophobia in the country is not maintained centrally,' said the minister in response to a question from Congress MP Phulo Devi Netam, who asked whether it is a fact that the number of patients suffering from nomophobia is constantly increasing in the country and whether a large number of these patients are young children and youth. Nomophobia is the fear or anxiety associated with being without one's mobile phone or the ability to use it. The minister said that to address the burden of mental disorders, the Centre is implementing the National Mental Health Programme (NMHP) across the country. The District Mental Health Programme (DMHP), a component of the NMHP, has been sanctioned for implementation in 767 districts. Support for this is provided to States and Union Territories through the National Health Mission. Facilities made available under the DMHP at the Community Health Centre (CHC) and Primary Health Centre (PHC) levels include outpatient services, assessment, counselling/psychosocial interventions, continuing care and support for persons with severe mental disorders, medication, outreach services, and ambulance services. In addition to these, there is a provision for 10-bedded in-patient facilities at the district level. Jadhav also stated that the government is taking steps to strengthen mental healthcare services at the primary healthcare level and has upgraded more than 1.77 lakh Sub Health Centres (SHCs) and Primary Health Centres (PHCs) into Ayushman Arogya Mandirs. Mental health services have been included in the packages of services under Comprehensive Primary Health Care provided at these Ayushman Arogya Mandirs. Under the tertiary care component of the NMHP, 25 Centres of Excellence have been sanctioned to increase the intake of students in postgraduate departments in mental health specialities, as well as to provide tertiary-level treatment facilities. Furthermore, the government has supported 19 government medical colleges/institutions to strengthen 47 postgraduate departments in mental health specialities. There are 47 government-run mental hospitals in the country, including three Central Mental Health Institutions: the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS), Bengaluru; the Lokopriya Gopinath Bordoloi Regional Institute of Mental Health, Tezpur, Assam; and the Central Institute of Psychiatry, Ranchi. Mental health services are also available at all AIIMS institutions. The minister added that the government launched the National Tele Mental Health Programme on October 10, 2022, to further improve access to quality mental health counselling and care services across the country. As of July 17, 36 States and Union Territories have established 53 Tele-MANAS Cells and have started providing tele-mental health services. More than 23.82 lakh calls have been handled on the helpline number. Additionally, the Tele-MANAS mobile application was launched on World Mental Health Day last year, on October 10. It is a comprehensive mobile platform developed to provide support for mental health issues ranging from overall well-being to mental disorders.
The Hindu
5 hours ago
- The Hindu
In over 90% of sewer deaths, workers had no safety gear: government audit
Over 90% of workers who died while cleaning sewers did not have any safety gear or personalised protective equipment (PPE) kits, according to a recent social audit commissioned by the Union Government to look into hazardous sewer and septic tank cleaning across the country. Even in the cases where they had some safety gear, it was limited to a pair of gloves and gumboots. In September 2023, the Social Justice Ministry commissioned a study into hazardous cleaning deaths, which analysed the circumstances surrounding 54 such deaths in 17 districts across eight States and Union Territories that occurred in 2022 and 2023. Government data shows 150 people across the country died due to hazardous cleaning in 2022 and 2023. The social audit, whose findings were made public in Parliament on Tuesday (July 22, 2025), investigated hiring mechanisms, the use of safety equipment, institutional set-ups, availability of PPE kits, rapid response readiness and equipment, and awareness of the law banning manual scavenging. No equipment or training In 49 out of the 54 deaths examined, the workers were not wearing any safety equipment. In five cases, they were wearing just gloves, and in one case, gloves and gumboots. In 47 instances, 'no mechanised equipment and safety gears for cleaning of sewers and septic tanks were made available to the workers', the audit report said. In fact, it was able to identify just two instances where this equipment was made available and only one where the requisite training was provided. The audit noted that in 45 of these deaths, 'it was found that there is still no equipment readiness on the part of the concerned Agency carrying out such work'. Awareness drives in the wake of the deaths were only conducted in seven cases, and were only 'partially' completed. Such drives were conducted in Chennai and Kancheepuram in Tamil Nadu, and Satara district in Maharashtra. No informed consent No consent was taken from workers in 27 cases, according to the social audit, which further noted that even in the 18 cases where written consent was taken from the workers, 'they were not counselled on the risks involved in the work'. The study found that in 38 cases, the workers were 'contracted personally/individually'. In five cases, the workers were employed by a government agency, and in three cases, they were employed by the public sector but were hired by private employers for the particular work they were doing when they died. These findings became public when the Social Justice Minister was replying to a question in the Lok Sabha by Congress MP Praniti Sushilkumar Shinde. In its response, the Ministry added that it has already launched the NAMASTE scheme for addressing the problem of hazardous cleaning of sewers and septic tank workers and waste-pickers in July 2023. Scheme to provide PPE kits This is in line with the government's declaration that manual scavenging has ended in the country, and that it is the problem of hazardous cleaning of sewers and septic tanks that now needs attention. So far, the NAMASTE scheme has identified 84,902 sewer and septic tank workers in 36 States and UTs across the country, of which a little over half have been provided with PPE kits and safety gear. Only in Odisha, all 1,295 such workers identified under the scheme have been given PPE kits and safety gear, thanks to the State government's Garima scheme, according to Social Justice Minister Virendra Kumar's response to another question in the House. As per this statement, capital subsidies worth over ₹20 crore have been provided under the NAMASTE scheme to 707 sanitation workers, while about 1,000 workshops have been held in the country on the prevention of hazardous cleaning. Under this scheme, the government has also identified around 37,800 waste pickers.
Indian Express
7 hours ago
- Indian Express
Explained: Kerala govt's plans to ‘euthanise' diseased stray dogs
The Kerala government will soon roll out mobile sterilisation units in 152 blocks and permit the 'euthanasia' of seriously ill animals, amid concerns over recent dog attacks on humans and rabies-linked deaths in the state. Local Self-Government Minister M B Rajesh said on Wednesday (July 16) that before the portable Animal Birth Control (ABC) units are deployed across the panchayat blocks, a pilot study will be conducted in Nedumangad. 'These portable units are more cost-effective than permanent ABC centres,' he told a press conference. The minister has invoked provisions under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Animal Husbandry Practices and Procedures) Rules, 2023, for allowing euthanasia. What do the rules say, and what is the situation in Kerala? Number of stray dog attacks in Kerala in recent years In the first five months of 2025, stray dogs (both vaccinated and unvaccinated) had bitten as many as 1.65 lakh people, and the attacks led to 17 deaths in Kerala. If the data is extrapolated for the year, it shows a consistent rise from 2023 (3.06 lakh cases) and 2024 (3.16 lakh cases). Last week, while considering a petition seeking compensation for a stray dog attack, the Kerala High Court had asked why it could not be declared a state-specific disaster. Overall, 37 lakh cases of dog bites were reported in India in 2024, according to a Lok Sabha response earlier this month. According to the 2019 livestock census, Kerala has 2.89 lakh stray dogs and 8.36 lakh domesticated canines. At 20 lakhs, Uttar Pradesh had the largest population of stray dogs in India. The Animal Birth Control Rules, 2023, notified by the Union Government under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, laid out ABC programs for sterilising stray dogs in the country. However, many states, including Kerala, have not implemented it effectively. The Kerala government has cited 'impractical conditions'' and people's resistance against establishing ABC centres as major hurdles. The state only has 15 ABC centres, and is attempting to set up 18 more in the coming months. Due to people's protests against such centres in their localities, not a single ABC centre was opened in the Idukki, Wayanad, Malappuram and Pathanamthitta districts. According to government data, in the last fiscal, only 15,767 stray dogs were sterilised and 88,744 vaccinated. Kerala has also been seeking an amendment to the ABC rules, saying that several conditions listed under them are impractical. For instance, a stray dog caught at a location for sterilisation should be released at the same place after the sterilisation surgery. Even the apex court had ordered that relocation cannot be permitted. Further, rabies-infected dogs can only be vaccinated or sterilised. The rules also mandate state-of-the-art operation theatres, post-operative care facilities, trained veterinary doctors and other staff. A sterilised dog should be put under observation at an ABC centre for six days, under the rules. What 'euthanasia' means for animals The state government stated that since there is no provision in the ABC rules for killing stray dogs, it invoked Section 8 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Animal Husbandry Practices and Procedures) Rules, 2023. The provision allows the Centre or state government to euthanise any diseased animal that can spread the disease. A registered veterinary practitioner is to certify that the animal is mortally injured or in such a physical condition that 'it shall be cruel to keep it alive.' Consent would have to be obtained from the owner or custodian of the animals in writing. It further details the procedure, including blindfolding the animal, and administering a sedative if found to be 'anxious or… if there are concerns over the safety of the animal or the handler'. However, the decision could come under legal challenge, as several animal welfare organisations have criticised such orders in the past. It also raises the question of consent in the case of stray dogs. Why the stray dog population growth remains unchecked According to experts in animal husbandry industries, the increased stray dog numbers can be traced to poor waste management. Although the state government has a well-oiled system in the Haritha Karma Sena for collecting non-biodegradable waste from houses and establishments, there is no foolproof mechanism for managing waste from poultry shops and slaughterhouses. Stray dog populations flourish by feeding on such waste, as well as food waste. Besides, many households began keeping pet dogs during the Covid-19 pandemic and lockdowns, only to later abandon them.
