Social Responsibility of Manipur's Private Business Enterprises

Yenning *

Mother's Care Children Hospital & Research Centre at Sagolband Moirang Leirak, Imphal, stands out as a remarkable private undertaking that delivers healthcare to the infants. Unlike other similar ventures in Manipur, it is not loud and expensive. Dr. Ratan, a soft spoken, patient and efficient paediatrician, who is also the Chief of the hospital, provides free medical treatment (10 children daily) without demanding BPL cards on a first come basis on the working days throughout the year. He says, "BPL cards are mostly held by the influential and rich. There is no point in demanding the same." Although a private enterprise, it does not keep a dead body under ransom.

But Mother's Care remains only an exception in the strife-torn state. Such a healing human touch is something others lack. Call it social responsibility or giving back to the people, its ethics are something professionals in other walks of life ought to emulate. Dr. Ratan plans to open an old age home in Manipur. According to him, "Children and elders need special care. The prevailing political turmoil in the state seems to have numbed our consciousness and empathy especially with regard to the elders. I propose to start one free of cost and accommodate anyone irrespective of caste, creed and religion."

Yenning must be forgiven for singing the praises of a private enterprise. But this is a deliberate attempt not in terms of building business for Mother's Care but an honest appreciation of a man's vision and the ethical personification. Let's look around us. Although from the 1970s Manipur had been having its tryst with stability (sic. stable Government), with Congress at the helms, as we do today, it has surprisingly fail to cater to the rising expectations of the people.

Indifference and apathy are the apt words to describe the Government failings. Cryonism, culture of impunity, uncertainty and Government apathy are the characteristic features of Manipur. Such practices have led to an increasing gap between those who hold the reins of power and the common people. Social spending or spending on social sectors particularly health and education as a result have deteriorated to such an extent that they are passing issues but regular fodders for the political class in meetings and public speeches. Or otherwise, what should be rightfully given to the people are reserved as "gifts" only meant to be "presented" to the people during the election times.

The neglect has led to the mushrooming of private enterprises. In fact, health and education have become fertile soil for private firms to grow. Thus, today we see all around us private schools and private clinics/hospitals; they have become more congested than a swarm of flies around a rotten beast. Just like the rotten Manipuri society on which the capitalistic parasites must feed.

Private-Public-Partnership Model

Just as the larger Manipuri society remained quiet when Manipur was forcefully annexed by India through the instrument of Merger Agreement, especially the first generation educated elites, the present educated elites are remaining quiet when the Government proposed a P-P model in the sphere of health delivery system. Today, Shija and Babina are taken as role models.

Contradiction is, majority of the specialist providing services in these health centres are Government employees. PPP model (particularly the district hospitals) that the Government of Manipur is talking about does not relate to sharing of resources. Such as move imperils the growth public health and at the same time, turns a blind eye to the irregularities of the private sector in terms of building code, parking space, capital investment, etc.

The manner in which profiteering health care providers operating within Imphal exploit the public space can be discerned from the lack of own parking spaces. Public as well as the Government is silent on this issue. Violation of such building code is not taken as a serious crime. The outcome is inconveniences caused to the common people. The RIMS road that passes from Nagamapal to RIMS Hospital is like a parking lot. VVIPs including the CM of Manipur turn a blind eye to this menace. Perhaps, this is on account of MoUs undertaken between the two parties or perhaps the under-table dealings, which allow occupation of the public space by the private firms.

On the other hand, the Government has been treating the Imphal street vendor like insects in the name of encroaching the public space. Very often, we witness CDOs, traffic police and VDF, etc. kicking around the street vendors who have come to sell a few from the kitchen garden to run a family. These two very different approaches occur within the zero kilometre of Imphal city. The street vendors are intimidated, while the private health providers are encouraged not only to occupy the public space but also be a part of the Look East Policy.

The pattern is the same as far private education sectors are concerned. Majority of the schools do not possess a play ground, go against the building codes, and exploit the teaching community. Even transport services meant for students are being attempted to be usurped by the school authorities and the conspicuous absence of parking lot is a matter of public nuisance.

The logic of introducing school transport is for the safety of students but what they fail to do is to allot a space for the transport system within their school areas. The cases of Millennium Institute of Science and Sishu Nistha Niketan, both located at Kwakeithel Mayai Koibi at a distance of 100-150 meters between the two schools, are real eye openers.

Both the schools occupy public space as parking lots and create inconvenience to the local people. In addition to occupying and dirtying the community space, it has created insecurity to the local people in terms of accident or any other road congestion incidents. So far, the community of the localities have failed to intervene effectively.

Modus Operandi

The modus operandi of the enterprises in the two sectors is more or less the same. Principal focus is to suck as much profit as possible from the common people. Three strategies that they employ can be mentioned here. And uncannily enough, the strategies are devised by oligarchs who have access to sources of power.

The three strategies can be regarded taking place at three levels: at the individual level, level of clinic or coaching centre and at the level of the hospital and school. Although, Government bans private practicing if they are Government servants, these norms are violated. Say for example, Government doctors are paid non-practicing allowances and Government teachers are given academic grade payment to deter from earning money through private practices or tuitions, these have become hum-bugs. Moreover, the private practices are carried out at residential areas and create nuisance to the locality. The localities have to bear the brunt of these profit enterprises.

The second level is at a little higher level where they provide their services at clinics/hospitals or coaching centres. Imagine Director-in-charge indulging in coaching centres and surgeons operating at private clinics/hospitals. The above issues remain the same: no parking lots and complete disregard for noises and disturbances. The exact simulation is produced at the highest level. And at the same time, can be considered to be providing required manpower and recommendations to patients/students to choose their respective business. Referring service is the key word in this level.

Contribution of the state to these partnerships is conspicuous by the fact that none of the government machineries have intervened in these profit seeking enterprises. In fact, they can be termed as the collaborators. Take for instance; many of the private schools begin their journey in rented house with no land in the name of the school, which is a prerequisite for getting affiliation. Similar trend is witnessed in the establishment of private health firms.

Social Responsibility

The government has failed to strengthen the health or education system. They seem to be keen only on the centrally sponsored schemes and that's too particularly on the construction-related activities. They do not bother to investigate why the government institutions are not functioning in spite of the stability tag that the government enjoys. This can only mean that government has contributed to the growth of these sectors.

However, the contribution of these sectors in an institutional way is yet to be seen. Instead of paying back, the schools have started a new initiative of buying meritorious students so as to increase the reputation of their schools, coaching centres and tuitions run by the school. The growth of private health sector from a merely clinic to a hospital or directly from individual level to hospitals is an indication.

We cannot demand the private enterprises to take up social responsibility. But if they do, then, it shall certainly contribute towards the betterment of the society. Mother's Care perhaps is an exception, and so, some other schools that introduce fee-waivers and others. However, the concern is, these limited initiatives have not been institutionalised or as policy of the enterprises. Enterprises in these sectors should come forward to create a policy of institutionalizing their social responsibility services. They should be responsible enterprises.