After the Covid dip the focus of the public debate and discussion won’t shift to just revival of the economy but also to the life style of the people which took a big hit after the breakout of the pandemic in Jammu & Kashmir like other parts of the country . If all goes well the focus of the government will now inevitably shift to both the economy and as well as the life style of people and the battle to revive the lives and livelihoods of the people will surely continue for years to come. Since the surveys on the ‘lifestyle diseases’ have revealed that life style issues claim more lives than the spread of the pandemic, the government has to change it’s strategy with focus on fight against pandemic. While surveys have shown that urban congestion, poor diet ,hygiene, lack of exercise and as well as climate change are some of the factors that have put the life of the people at greater risk in Jammu & Kashmir like several other parts of the country, the government in Jammu & Kashmir does not address the issues of climate change, urban congestion and hygiene with the intensity required to reduce the increasing stress on the hearts and minds of the people . Covid will remain a challenge as it has remained so since last two years but what matters is the greater focus of the government on the issues concerning accessibility of people to basic social services. To facilitate the accessibility of people to basic social service the government has to ensure robust investments for upgrading basic social services both in Kashmir valley and as well as Jammu division. The ideas of reliable supply chains and efficient health care facilities have to be conceived and implemented on the ground as well.
The focus on lives and livelihood would also result in reviving both the economy and life style of the people even if the waves of pandemic don’t change the way government plans to changes them for the purposes of reducing the public anxiety and growing economic stress across Jammu & Kashmir.
To ensure this the possibilities of the engagement of private players have to be also explored for the purposes of reducing the increasing stress on the heart and minds of the people. Some of these measures if implemented according to plans with greater focus and commitment would reduce the level of human anxiety and increase the access of people to healthcare facilities and other basic social services in Jammu & Kashmir. The focus on lives and livelihood would also result in reviving both the economy and life style of the people even if the waves of pandemic don’t change the way government plans to changes them for the purposes of reducing the public anxiety and growing economic stress across Jammu & Kashmir.
