TNew Delhi : The survey data on toilets and family health did not sit well with the Centre, meaning somebody somewhere has to pay. And that somebody is : KS James, the Director of International Institute(IIPS). He was been sent on surprise suspension, in what is an unprecedented move from the Centre. Incidentally, the formal reason cited for suspension is irregularity in recruitment.
Family Health Surveys reports are prepared by IIPS under the Ministry of Health - an establishment that works on behalf of the Central government. According to reports in “The Wire”, the central govt earlier had asked James to resign on his own owing to its displeasure on some of the survey data he presented. However, James refused to resign on that ground and hence the suspension letter handed to him on Friday evening. “The Wire:” report says the suspension memo cites irregularity in recruitment as basis for suspension.
The Health Ministry is irked on survey data which it considers will, neither put the central govt in good light nor help with the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. For instance, the IIPS report says 19 percent households in India lack toilet facility and that their members defecate in the open. This contravenes with the Modi govt claim that the country has all its houses fitted with toilet facility.
Further, the IIPS survey puts more than 40 percent homes as not having access to cooking fuel - a figure that casts serious doubt on Ujjwala Yojana scheme’s proclaimed success. 57 percent homes in rural areas lacked access to LPG or natural gas, the report said. Also, as part of its National family Health Survey, IIPS stated that anemia was spiking around the country.
Time Perfectionists
This government has quite a record when it comes to timing revelations. In January of 2019, the unemployment data was kept under wraps and not released until after the General elections were over. The incident saw resignations from a few members of the National Statistical Commission.
The decennial census due in 2021 has not been carried out yet. This is the first time in 150 years that census has been put off.
