This refers to the editorial "The IAS flies abroad" (September 18). It used to be said there is a class of people in India that can write its own pay cheque, viz Members of Parliament (MPs). Now the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), too, claims this facility on the grounds that they are entitled to it because other privileged classes such as ministers and MPs enjoy this perk. Perhaps there are two standards - one for ministers, MPs and civil servants and another for lesser mortals. And this great bonanza is being given even as India is offering medical tourism. No wonder a British newspaper wrote a few years back referring on the one hand to Delhi's slick flyovers and state-of-the-art hospitals and on the other to its disadvantaged women giving birth to their babies unattended under those very slick flyovers. While the privileged IAS is seeking the grant of the benefits of a paid holiday with family for treatment abroad, what do they do to tone up the working of public hospitals? Precious little. Not a month passes without the news of infants dying soon after birth because of the absence of rudimentary sanitary conditions in public hospitals. Your call to stop this bonanza for the IAS should, therefore, be heeded by the government.
S Subramanyan, Navi Mumbai
Letters can be mailed, faxed or e-mailed to:
The Editor, Business Standard
Nehru House, 4 Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg
New Delhi 110 002
Fax: (011) 23720201 · E-mail: letters@bsmail.in
All letters must have a postal address and telephone number
