Kamal Haasan re-imagines India for 'post-COVID world', calls for 'epide

Actorturnedpolitician Kamal Haasan on Monday reimagined India for the postCOVID world and suggested measures across different sectors including an epidemic preparedness budget for the health sectorWhile there are concerns its worth praising how this crisis is setting a precedent with state governments coming together and cooperating with each other as well as with the Centre I sincerely hope this becomes a norm and help overcome perennial battles like the water crisis pollution migrants woes womens safety communal violence healthcare etc Haasan said on his Twitter accountThe last fullscale war India fought was almost half a century ago but poor healthcare is an everyday war leading to 16 million deaths annually Yet year after year our Defence budget overshadows the healthcare budget Haasan stated and added that its a pity that India continues seeing Defence as a more newsworthy proposition compared to healthcareHe suggested that India needs to earmark an epidemic preparedness budget with immediate effectWe are under threat a lot more from within than from outside our borders Our priority towards Health needs to be reimagined with a handsome budget to match Haasan saidThe Makkal Needhi Maiam MNM President later went on to talk about the Agriculture sector and said that India requires a Green Plus revolution that firstly converts part of our agricultural land for an allied enterprise like processing logistics etcSecondly we need to accelerate productivity maximization on a war footing Boosting agro based MSMEs will help retain youth in the sector and build a sustainable and prosperous future for farming This will also solve the problem of seasonal lack of work for farmers Haasan saidHe also suggested bringing Indias vast informal sector into the formal foldBringing Indias informal workers under the formal fold must become the biggest national exercise that the government needs to undertake in the near future Other than boosting the morale of this segment and paving way for its growth it will also mean enhanced tax collection a lot of which can be ploughed back to improve infrastructure and offer welfare to the same workers Haasan saidThere is also a need to change our outlook towards the vast majority of women who toil their lives away under the status of housewife Women engaging in housework must be accorded job status They have little or no savings and a Universal Income Guarantee will give a boost to their savings Savings always help during any kind of crisis he addedHaasan even suggested correction in income inequality and poverty alleviationHe added COVID19 has shown us that poverty still remains Indias most critical challenge In a crisis the rich will take a hit but they will not starve to death Our leaders must learn to integrate the poor mans life in how they plan the running of the country Relief measures are mere afterthoughtsIn conclusion Haasan said Its time we reinvent the word superpower Indias pipe dream for decades Lets be a universal thought leader to put it in parlance a VishwaGuru and for all the right reasonsCatch up on all the latest Crime National International and Hatke news here Also download the new midday Android and iOS apps to get latest updates MidDay is now on Telegram Click here to join our channel middayinfomedialtd and stay updated with the latest newsThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever