Date:
13th November,2007
Venue: Press Club, Lucknow
Introduction
Nine is Mine is a Children’s Campaign
to ensure that 9% of GDP is allocated for education and Health as
promised in The National Common Minimum Program. This Campaign has
been initiated by Wada Na To do Abhiyaan (Keep The Promises Campaign)
which is a National Coalition of over 900 organization working to
ensure fulfillment of Millennium Development Goals, National Development
Goals and Common Minimum Program. UPVAN, a network of 261 organizations
across U.P. is an active partner in Nine is Mine campaign ast year
our network had mobilized 1-lakh children of Uttar Pradesh as part
of the Signature campaign conducted by Wada Na To Do Abhiyaan to
advocate for this cause.
Highlights
of the Day
On the eve of Children’s Day the summary
of The Report on Ensuring Universal Access to Health and Education
in India formulated by Wada Na To Do Abhiyaan was released in Uttar
Pradesh by children in front of Print and Electronic media. Dr Vimla
Ramchandran and Prof Imrana Quadir have authored the Report. Prof
Imrana Quadir has authored the Health chapter and Dr Vimla Ramchandran
has written
the Education chapter of the report. Center For Budget and Governance
Accountability
has also contributed in bringing out the budgetary aspect of health
and education in India.
Dr.
Chandra Shekhar Vyas addressed
the media. He threw light on the intervention
of UPVAN with respect to Wada Nibhao Abhiyaan. Wada Nibhao Abhiyaan
is the state
partner of Wada Na To do Abhiyaan , which is a National Coalition
of over 900
organizations working to ensure fulfillment of Millennium Development
Goals. He also
highlighted the status of U.P in health education. Uttar Pradesh
has one of the highest
Maternal Mortality ratios of 517 per lakh live births and Infant
Mortality rate of 74 per
thousand births. Access to health services is bleak. There is a
shortage of Health Staff
(5825 ANM and 2281 sub centers have yet to be staffed with 14,789
health workers).
Funds on health have also not been utilized. Similarly in Sarva
Shiksha Abhiyaan 3008
crore was allocated for Fiscal Year (2006-07) and the actual expenditure
till date is 2239
crore. Coordinator of UPVAN Mr Diwakar Bhatt also expressed his
views on this
occasion.
The Report could not reach UPVAN at the Scheduled time; hence the
major
issues coming out of the report were presented through power point
presentation. Hand
out of the summary of the report was distributed among media representatives.
However
representatives of media were assured that the report would be dispatched
to them as
soon as it is made available to UPVAN.
Delegation to the Honorable Minister of Secondary Education,
Mr Rang Nath Mishra
Objective
of the Delegation
To advocate for increase in budgetary allocation
in education (6%of GDP) in Uttar Pradesh.
Highlights of the day
A Policy delegation comprising of representatives
of Civil Society Organizations and INGOs (OXFAM) having intervention
in Education carried a Policy Delegation to the Honorable Minister
demanding increased allocation for education and health in State’s
Budget.
The Minister was presented the Report on Ensuring Universal Access
to Health and Education In India; along with it a Memorandum (attached
as annexure) on the present scenario of Secondary Education in the
state and an Appeal (attached as annexure) to increase budgetary
allocation on education and health was also presented by children
representatives of the campaign in U.P.
According
to the Honorable Minister the demand for increase in budgetary allocation
in education and health to ensure access to services is partially
admissible because merely allocating higher proportion of the GDP
does not guarantee adequate access to health and education. However
there is a need to invoke will power among teachers who play truant
from schools.
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