PARALLELS WITH A WELFARE STATE: TALE OF KERALA IN THE TIMES OF COVID19

By Tressa Maria Joseph 29 Minutes Read

Introduction

The history of mankind is shaped by events on a variety of levels that each of them have a profound impact on history. Wars, globalisation, epidemics and pandemics across centuries have changed the course of history and have led to many positive and negative changes. The world right now is facing a great challenge posed by a life-threatening virus which is scientifically called the SARS-CoV-2. The virus which originated in Wuhan, China has been spread to almost all countries across the world which has brought the world down to its knees. Leaders across the world are planning and formulating policies and strategies to combat with a crisis which the world has not encountered in almost 100 years. Owing to the widespread infection of the virus and its intensity, the World Health Organisation declared a pandemic and issued a set of instructions to all countries to follow to mitigate the consequences of the virus.

India is the third most populous countries in the world and has put up a vigilant battle against the pandemic in the country. Despite many policies and strategies implemented by the central government targeting at the educational and service sectors, the number of cases with respect to the virus have not seen a dip. Several states such as Maharashtra, Gujarat and others have more than a hundred cases reported every day. Experts point at the incompetence of the central authorities by not taking precautionary measures at the right time. At the same time, the south western state of Kerala has showcased remarkable progress in combatting the virus. Kerala, which initially had the highest number of cases, has less than a thousand cases now. The State coupled with an effective public health care machinery was able to formulate significant measures which when implemented resulted in effectively reducing the number of cases.

The Constitution of India envisages the State to be a welfare state rooted in a socialist democracy where the Directive Principles of State Policy (DPSPs) are followed and practiced by the state machinery. DPSPs were incorporated into the Constitution with the purpose of providing a solid foundation for building the country as a welfare state. In this article, I shall examine as to how the State of Kerala under the leadership of CM Pinarayi Vijayan and Central Government under the leadership of PM Narendera Modi are functioning as a welfare state with reference to the present pandemic crisis due to COVID19.

Measures taken by Central Government to combat COVID19

Narendra Modi’s second tenure as the Prime Minister has faced acclaim along with criticism before completing one year of governance. It is of no doubt that the present corona pandemic is the toughest challenge faced by the right-wing government which has focused on building the economic stability of the country and strengthening India’s international relations. Prime Minister Modi has portrayed strong leadership in combatting the pandemic in the country by taking measures such as imposing a strict nationwide lockdown, easing mandatory requirements by banks and many others. The Central government imposed a nationwide lockdown on 25^th March 2020, two months after the first case of corona was reported. There were no measures taken on a national level to deal with the initial covid cases which were reported from several parts of the country.

The Central government announced relief packages for migrant workers and small-scale businesses. The Ministry of Finance had issued instructions to banks and other institutions to implement measures to infuse maximum liquidity into the economy by easing norms on loans and relaxing terms of payment. Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced a Rs 1.7 lakh crore relief package for the weaker sections of society. Modi was the first world leader to give the call to all nations to unite against Covid-19 and took the initiative of hosting a video-conference of all SAARC country leaders. This resulted in a combined regional approach. A unique G-20 leaders’ meet done by video-conference was also the brainchild of PM Modi.[1]

PM Modi has focused on addressing the general public from time to time with speeches that intend to dispel information about the state of corona virus cases in the country but often is caught up with a variety of poems and references to religious texts. He urged the citizens to follow ‘Janata curfew’ and asked them to come out on their balconies to praise the efforts and commendable work carried out by the health care sector. His leadership during the time of pandemic has been globally praised, with the director of the World Health Organisation lauding his efforts and work. At a time when the paucity of global leadership is palpable across the world, Modi has been one leader who has managed to bring his domestic requirements and global responsibilities in sync.[2]

There are a plethora of apparent issues and problems which have not been dealt with by the Central Government. PM Modi created the PM Cares Fund and urged citizens to contribute for the purposes of formulating policies to mitigate the pandemic. To this regard, the Ministry of Corporate Affairs issued a statement stating that contribution to the PM Cares Fund can be claimed by companies as Corporate Social Responsibility in their official accounts whereas any contribution to State Relief Fund cannot be claimed as CSR. This move by the MCA was criticised since several States are facing a major cash crunch owing to the minimal amount of funds awarded by the Central Government. Such a measure would demotivate businesses to contribute funds to the State Relief Funds while States continue to find themselves involved in an economic crisis. Many States have called out against the failures on the part of the Central Government to equip the state machineries with enough resources which has imperative repercussions on the Central State relations, presently and in the long run.

The nationwide lockdown which has been extended presently to 17^th May, has derived a major proportion of citizens their access to basic human needs such as food, shelter and others. The migrant workers across different states in India are bearing the brunt of this lockdown which has restricted them to travel to their home states. Many have been laid off their jobs which was their only source of income and they are trapped in a vicious cycle of poverty and unemployment. The Central Government has failed to address the issues and problems faced by migrant workers who are now leading lives filled with misery and uncertainty. There are some states which have relaxed their respective labour laws intending at the daily wage and migrant workers. The leadership of PM Modi has gravely failed with respect to the issues of the migrant workers who are battling this pandemic tooth and nail which has robbed them of their only source of income. It is rather a sad state of affairs since no conclusive policy has been formulated at the national level to deal with the problems of the migrant workers during this lockdown. In the wake of these problems, an economic package worth 20 lakh crores aimed at providing a solid base for the Indian economy to recover and grow during this pandemic. This delayed move promises to deliver positive financial and economical results for all sectors of the economy. Experts have expressed their doubts and apprehensions over the success of this package which has promised to address the present issues of migrant workers.

MEASURES TAKEN BY GOVERNMENT OF KERALA TO COMBAT COVID-19

State of Kerala

Kerala, often referred to God’s own country, is one of the south western states in India and is the most literate state in the country. It has recorded high rates of different indexes of social development owing to its strong Communist welfare roots. A majority of its income is derived from foreign remittances since a substantial chunk of the population often migrate to Middle Eastern and European countries for employment. The Kerala Model is often portrayed as a successful example for states to follow in areas of social and human development. Experts have failed the achievements of Kerala in fields of literacy, human development among others. The famous economist Amartya Sen once said,

“In respect of certain variables like average levels of literacy, life expectancy, infant mortality etc. conditions in India are enormously adverse compared with China, and yet in all these respects, Kerala does significantly better than China.”[3]

Kerala’s success is given to development which was driven by enlightened state policy and public action rather than market-led, individual initiative.[4] The governments in Kerala, from time to time, have focused on incorporating and implementing policies to increase social and economic welfare in the state. The state has long been a Communist party stronghold, although its policies remain moderately social-democratic.[5] The state government authorities have shown exemplary leadership in helping the state overcome many crises which had befallen upon it. The Nipah outbreak in 2018 and massive floods in 2018 followed by floods in 2019 were major disasters that had put the lives of the citizens in the state in misery. Early and right actions in the right direction on the part of the State Government helped various public authorities to be major crusaders in the face of such disasters. The efforts of the health care authorities, equipped with necessary knowledge and training to deal with a public health emergency, cumulated in success were hailed by many global healthcare experts.

How did Kerala combat Covid-19?

The first reported case of corona was of a medical student in Kerala who had returned from Wuhan, China on 30^th January 2020. Another two cases were reported from other districts of Kerala of two medical students. The state has screened all arrivals at its four international airports, and immediately hospitalized or quarantined suspected cases. On February 4, Kerala declared COVID-19 a state-level disaster, and shut schools, restricted public gatherings, and instituted lockdowns in early March.[6] The general public were instructed to adopt self-isolation, quarantine and physical distancing measures. The State went into a lockdown weeks before a national lockdown announced by the Central Government. Kerala has maintained regular communication with the public about health risks, broadcasting precautionary messages through official channels to dispel fake news.[7] The public were regularly informed about the steps taken by the public health care authorities regarding testing and other procedures in the press conferences held initially by Ms. Shailaja, the State Health Minister and later taken over by Pinarayi Vijayan, the Chief Minister of the State.

Under the leadership of Pinaryi Vijayan, expert committees and teams were set up which traced the contact history of confirmed cases of corona in the State. The Kerala state government invited religious leaders, local bodies and civil society organizations to participate in policy design and implementation, considering its specific socio-economic conditions, including urban slum environments.[8] They set up 18 committees to get to work and held daily evening meetings to evaluate their actions; a key feature of the work was the daily press conferences after these meetings, where Shailaja calmly and rationally explained what was going on and what her department was doing.[9]

Individuals who were suspected to have come in contact with infected persons were tested and put under quarantine. A famous campaign called the ‘Break the Chain’ was propagated by the police forces and the health authorities to educate the public about the importance of social distancing and hand washing techniques to protect themselves from the virus. A video with few policemen demonstrating how to wash hands thoroughly with a soap or a sanitizer was widely circulated and received much acclaim and appreciation nationwide. Facilities for washing hands were set up at various public places such as bus stops and instructions were issued in different languages taking into consideration a majority of migrant workers hailing from other states of the country. Children who depended on mid-day meals in school were delivered food packets by government authorities after the schools across the country were shut. Within a period of three months, with the help of timely necessary precautionary measures, the Kerala government spearheaded by the communist leader Pinarayi Vijayan was able to successfully flatten the curve in a state which once had the maximum number of covid cases.

PARALLELS OF THE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT AND KERALA GOVERNMENT WITH A WELFARE STATE

India being a country with high rates of social and economic inequalities has always strived to function as welfare state which seeks to maximise the social and economic welfare of the masses. A welfare state is one which undertakes the responsibility of the welfare of the public. It was the vision of the constitution framers that India must function as a welfare state by doing justice to the practice of parens partriae where the State is regarded as the guardian of the public who functions in a manner which is favourable to the interests of the public. As quoted by a political scientist, a welfare state means

“The welfare state is the institutional outcome of the assumption by a society of legal and therefore formal and explicit responsibility for the basic wellbeing of its members. Such a society emerges when a society or its decision-making groups become convinced that the welfare of the individual (beyond such provision as may be made to preserve order or provide for common defence) is too important to be left to custom or informal arrangements and private understandings and is therefore a concern of government.”[10]

The concept of welfare state under the Constitution of India has its roots in democratic socialism. This means that the State will focus on eradicating discrimination based on social and economic grounds which would ensure that all citizens enjoy the fruits of equality, justice and liberty. The Directive Principles of State Policies incorporated in the Part IV of the Constitution are a guiding light to the Union and the states to carry out its functions and duties as a welfare state. Articles 36 to 51 contain the DPSPs which are the fundamental rules to be followed by the State in its governance coloured with economic and social justice. DPSPs are not enforceable by any court of law and impose positive obligations on the State to perform functions as a socialist democracy to maximise the welfare of the public. These Principles give directions to the legislature and the executive in India regarding the manner in which they should exercise their power.[11] The Union government and the State Governments formulate laws and policies in tandem with DPSPs. The validity and objectivity of laws are scrutinized on the basis of these positive principles. The Supreme Court of India has insisted that these Directive Principles seek to introduce the concept of a Welfare State in the country.[12]

Article 41 and 47 of the Constitution

Article 41 provides that the State shall make provisions for the right to work, to education and public assistance. Article 47 provides that the state has a duty to raise the level of nutrition and standard of living and improve public health. Educational policies formulated by the Kerala government under the leadership of CM Vijayan have focused on maintaining the high literacy rates that Kerala has already achieved. There have been instances during the pandemic where pregnant women and other people who needed assistance had food packets and other necessities delivered to their homes by police officials. The State government ordered the opening of community kitchens to provide meals to those individuals who did not access to food. This move resulted in a tremendous success as many individuals from different sections of the society joined hands to ensure the smooth working of these kitchens. The State has adopted a diversity of policies aiming at promoting the social and economic welfare which has helped to raise the standard of living of people in the State.

On the other hand, under its Ujjawala scheme, the government is providing free LPG refills for the next three months to over 8.3 crore poor women. Under the National Social Assistance Programme, Rs 1,400 crore has been disbursed to about 2.82 crore old age people, widows and disabled people. The last date for filing income tax returns for the financial year 2018-19 has been extended to June 30, 2020. The interest rate on delayed income tax payment has been decreased to 9% from 12%.[13]It has to be noted that during the pandemic the Central Government has not promulgated any policy which has ensured citizens of the continuity of their employment or regarding educational facilities. India has recorded an unprecedented increase in the rate of unemployment during the pandemic when companies are forced to lay off its workers. No policies have been implemented at the national level to safeguards the interests of the public with regard to employment or education. The situation of migrant workers across many states have not been dealt with by the Union government and millions of them have been out of work without any access to basic necessities. Most of them are stranded and transport facilities have been arranged for these workers which are not safe and hygienic. The Union government has turned a blind eye to the pathetic conditions of these helpless migrant workers.

Article 43-B

Article 43-B provides that the State should undertake policies to promote the formation and functioning of co-operative societies. Kudumbashree is the one of the most successful self-help group formed by women which provides various opportunities to its members including marketing services for the products manufactured by its members or other groups. The Kerala government has from time to time adopted policies promoting the growth and expansion of operations carried out by this group. During the pandemic, the government implemented policies which have provided various Kudumbashree units across the state with resources to cope up in these times of uncertainty. The government has asked these units to manufacture cloth carry bags for the food kits on a large scale. The free food kit comprises 17 items including sugar, tea, salt, chickpea, coconut oil, rava, sunflower oil and black gram[14] which will be distributed to various ration shops across the state through which it will be made accessible to the public. Hence, it can be said that such policies have been successful in promoting activities of these self-help groups which have become forerunners in ensuring welfare of the masses.

The Finance Ministry under the Central Government proposed reduction in taxes for cooperative societies to 22 percent from the present 30 percent. This tax reduction will definitely help the societies to ensure continuity of operations without a cash crunch. There have been relaxations in housing loans provided by housing cooperative societies which has served as a boon for these organisations. Many housing cooperative societies have been asked to issue instructions to its members to adopt precautionary measures. It can be inferred that the Central Government has taken measures for the purpose of helping cooperative societies with their business operations and financial matters.

CONCLUSION

From the analysis of the parallels of the Kerala Government and Central Government with a welfare state, it is evident that the state of Kerala fares well as a welfare state than the Central Government. The state government has adopted policies by estimating and analysing the difficulties and issues faced by the public and hence the policies have been successful to a large extent in increasing welfare of the masses. The policies implemented by the Central Government are commendable but these have been delayed due to procedural drawbacks and hence the results of it are yet to be determined. It is imperative that authorities learn to recognise a threat much before it turns into a global disaster. The Kerala Model as a welfare state is being hailed and used as an example by different countries to combat the onset as well as preparedness against the pandemic and it is time that the Central Government gathers cue from it in the same direction in order to flatten the curve which can be possible only with a major reduction in the number of cases across the country.

[1] Abhishek Mishra, PM Modi has shown decisive leadership in fight against coronavirus: BJP youth leader, The Print (14 10:30PM) Source Link

[2] Harsh V. Pant, Leadership in the time of Corona, Observer Research Foundation (14 May 2020, 11:00PM) Source Link

[3]  Kurien J, The Kerala Model: Its Central Tendency and the Outlier, Social Scientist, Vol 23, 1995

[4] Ibid

[5] Oommen C Kurian, How the Indian state of Kerala flattened the coronavirus curve, The Guardian, (14 May 2020 08:50AM) Source Link

[6] Shashi Tharoor, The Kerala Model, Project Syndicate (13 May 2020, 09:40PM)

Source Link

[7] Ibid

[8] Anis Chowdhury, Jomo Kwame Sundaram, Kerala Covid-19 Response Model for Emulation, Inter Press Service News Agency (14 May 2020, 09:00PM) Source Link

[9] Vijay Prashad, Subin Dennis, Kerala is a model state in the Covid-19 fight, New Frame, (14 May 09:20PM) Source Link

[10]Girvetz H, Welfare State, International Encyclopaedia of the Social Sciences, Vol 16, 1968

[11] Constitutional Assembly Debates VII, 476, 493-4

[12] Pachim Banga Khet Mazdoor Samity v. State of West Bengal, AIR 1996 SC 426.

[13] 20 days, 20 steps: A look at government’s measures against Covid-19 amid lockdown, Hindustan Times (15 May 2020, 05:20 PM) Source Link

[14] Kudumbashree sews success in times of Covid-19. The New Indian Express (15 May 2020, 05:30 PM) Source Link

Tressa Maria Joseph

I am a fourth-year law student studying at Symbiosis Law School, Hyderabad. I am passionate about writing and am always ready to learn and grow. I have always believed in the power of a pen to change history and I aspire to make a mark with my writing skills. I hope you can have great takeaways from the articles penned by me.