In IIM-Ahmedabad report, 80% respondents were ‘satisfied with Rupani govt’s handling of Covid-19’

In a latest report, the Indian Institute of Management - Ahmedabad (IIM-A) has lauded the Vijay Rupani-led Gujarat government for its handling of the Covid-19 pandemic in the State and highlighted administrative efficiency of the government in managing issues including migrants’ return besides ensuring unobstructed supplies of essentials during lockdown.

A team of researchers, led by Principal Investigator Ranjan Kumar Ghosh, surveyed random samples totalling 2,387 respondents including 1,265 citizens, 642 administrative staff and 480 health workers from 16 districts of Gujarat.

The online survey findings revealed that over “80% of people surveyed expressed satisfaction” in Chief Minister Vijay Rupani’s leadership during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The report titled Management of Covid-19 Pandemic in Gujarat - Understanding the governance initiatives, leadership processes and their impact “aims to provide an overview of the Covid-19 situation in Gujarat and the dynamic yet effective strategies adopted by the Government of Gujarat (GoG) with a caveat that the pandemic is far from being over,” a note said.

Divided into four sections, the report heaps praises on the government for its proactive holistic approach, which was “instrumental in curbing the spread of infection to a great extent.” These included measures such as Mobile Medical Vans, (Dhanvantari Raths), creating Covid-19 bed facilities within days of the outbreak, among others.

Covid-19 cases in Gujarat

The State has reported total 55,822 Covid-19 cases till July 26 with 2,360 fatalities and 40,365 recoveries with one of the highest recovery rates at 72.3 per cent. But test positivity ratio remained higher at 9.4 per cent on average for July so far.

The report also highlighted that there is an improvement in awareness for sanitation and hygiene for self and the community “as a result of the efforts made by the State government.”

On the migrant labour front, the report hails the government’s efforts of massive mobilisation of labourers and workers through Shramik trains. “In May, over a span of 15-20 days, Gujarat arranged over 1,000 Shramik trains for 14.8 lakh migrant workers, made possible through mobilising an extensive network of local administrations, NGOs, police, and social groups,” it said, adding that the administration’s management of safe return of the migrant workers to their native places is a case worth a study for public administration.

Migrant workers’ plea

Notably, in May, the migrant workers working at a construction site inside IIM-A had destroyed vehicles and other private properties as their demand for return to their native places in Jharkhand and West Bengal during the lockdown period but was not attended to by the construction company roped-in for the construction.

Police had detained about 300 workers for vandalism and rioting. A legal notice for alleged ‘violation’ of human rights of the migrant workers was also served to the IIM-A Director.

The academic circles have questioned the outcome and timing of the report, which gives brownie points to the State leadership right ahead of the bye-polls and 8 municipal corporation elections due later this year.