Early in the morning, I received a mail. It was a comment on my previous story which really pissed me off. The story was about our government’s dependence on the revenue generated by tobacco industry. The comment said that a country is better left in rut rather than employing such revenue for the upliftment of poor.

Few months back, our group suggested an idea: Helping people help others, help people who are unable to make a healthy living and those who indulge in careers that not only affect the body but corrodes their souls also.

I will give you a broad example. This idea is not exhaustive. I am sure that you can think of much better methods, if you are willing.

We all know that the Western New Year is celebrated with much hype in India. Though it is not part of the Indian culture, people spend a lot on booze, dance, music and parties, in a single night. I do not say that it should not be celebrated. But if you are able to spend thousands in a few hours, you can also spare INR 1 for social cause, for your country.

India is a country having more than 100 crores on population charts. Even if each person gave INR 1 for the cause, it will fetch more than 10 crores annually, considering the fact that not everyone can be contacted. This money can then be used for gaining social causes: housing, education and employment of the socially downtrodden. These people would have, in turn, carried out the task of making the Indian society, a better place to live in: a place where none sleeps on sidewalks, none goes to bed hungry, where people need not commit crime just to eat.

However, this seemed impractical. People were hard to be convinced: Why would people get into mess by involving themselves in social causes. What is the guarantee that the money will go to the poor? And, how do you define poor?

Anyways, society is the headache of Indian government and NGOs. This is what the government is paid for. It is the job of government to take care of each and every person in India. On the other hand, if the government takes some relief measures, we ourselves will point out loopholes. We will blame each and every step of the government. I do not find it wrong if these people spend 50 cents on itself, provided they dedicate the other 50 cent on social cause.

Can we come forward to commit some nominal time and effort for the upliftment of our fellow humans on this earth? If no, then what right do we have to criticize government’s way of operations? Whether it generates revenue by way of utilizing the tobacco industry or it legalizes prostitution to earn income tax, we have lost the right to question it!

Bottomline: There are many things that we can do to eradicate poverty and unemployment. The point is, why should we be dependant on a select few to achieve what we want. Why should we waste our time shouting slogans against the government, when we can take the other way round to help ourselves? I am sure that there are many who want their society to be free of all illness.