Digital technology can improve health care in Bihar: TK Arun

Politician economist and former IAS officer who in conversation with TK Arun on ‘Reforming Bihar’ at the Times LitFest on sunday, said that by talking about the Ban on Alcohol in the state from the next financial year, Nitish Kumar is in a sense answering to the concerns of the women in Bihar , his commitment to them and that he is "trying to balance out between morality and social commitment that he has made and the economics”
Talking about the scope of growth in Bihar he said that Growth is a necessary but certainly not a sufficient condition for cohesive growth of societies in orderly way but there is no escape for growth.That is why is deliberately i use the figure 15%, that 15% Bihar will take twenty years to reach all India average which would have changed anyways in an upward direction.So what kind of a policy instrument is needed to get the 15%? Otherwise you will really find Bihar not becoming a bright spot but becoming a dark spot because I agree that absence of opportunities to value added contribution will lead to aberrations which would be disorderly to social cohesiveness.” he said
He also acknowledged how Bihar’s tourism capabilities have not been exercised to the fullest as an income generating sector.“Bihar’s tourism is one area that is underdeveloped. There's so much it can gain from the buddhist tourist circuit which has been a part of Bihar’s and Nitish Kumar’s integrated package. But the kind of air connectivity it has considering it is a state of 110 million people is a matter of concern.” he said
He also acknowledged that Sugar cane cultivation in Bihar is an area of huge possibility and said that it ceased being the sugar bowl of the country because of the inability to alter technologies and regulatory issues like use of electricity.
On improving rural health care he emphasized on the use of digital technology.
“What we have done in terms of the reach of technology particularly digital and the use of it to improve health outcomes particularly primary health sector is something that has been very under explained and if the commitment of the government of India is correct that Bihar will become a digital Bihar in terms of the ambitious programme then certainly I would say one of the priorities is harnessing digital technology to improve health and digital outcomes.”