By Anonymous on Thursday, November 23, 2000 - 11:43 pm: |
RIGHT ON, MR. NAIDU!
HYDERABAD: The concept of E-Governance being pursued by Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu has been praised in an article, 'Wiring the Villages' published in the special edition of "Newsweek".
Describing Naidu as young, cool, confident and peaceful revolutionary leading a quiet revelution" in a three page feature in July-September special edition, Sudip Mazumdar says 'Naidu leads his state into the future of the information age' an official realease said here today.
' Naidu, busy computerising his state's government promoting efficiency and championing high-tech projects as the key to prosperity, says "I want to make Andhra Pradesh totally literate and in 10 years eradicate poverty totally. "Andhra Pradesh will be a model state with the use of information technology", the release quoted from the article.
Naidu is changing the way politics and politicans are perceived in India Naidu is trying to use technology to modernise India's feudal system of government, too. In May, Naidu introduced the idea of E-Governance in his state, this enabled the viallagers sitting 200 miles away from Hyderabad spoke of their problems in a video conference with Naidu and his minsiter and officials, the article said.
The feature also speaks of the Vision-2020 document which aims at a simple, moral, accountable, responsible and transparent (smart) government, the release said.
By Anonymous on Wednesday, August 16, 2000 - 09:23 pm: |
Red Tape and Paper Chasing can be significantly reduced by E-governance. NDA govt is rightly emphasizing on this idea.
E-governance basically records all transactions electronically. The action taken (or lack thereof) is also recorded and is visible to everyone with access to INTERNET. No beureaucat or politician wants to be seen to be corrupt/lazy/incompetent in formal records.
I bet actions will happen, a lot of them wrong ones. The wronged party, however, will have chance to appeal immediately, again on record. And, a new action will be mandated.
All the queries that have not been resolved within a certain time period (say 2 weeks) will automatically go 'red'. The larger the number of 'reds' against an officer, more he will be in the media (in a negative sense). He will quickly learn to act fast, so as to avoid media humiliations.
Annual CR shall be tied to these 'reds' too, and that would also be a big incentive for the officer to try to avoid reds.
Of course, the real problem will be many ordinary citizens who would never be satisfied no matter how efficient an officer is. They will keep appealing, and generating 'reds', just for fun, as lotsa people have lotsa free time in India, to indulge in mischiefs.
To avoid this latter problem, a committee should look at persisting reds and decide whether there is really some merit in the complainant's case, or whether he/she should be told to take a hike. It should also be made a punishable offence to deliberately misuse E-governance facilities.
By Anonymous on Tuesday, August 15, 2000 - 04:26 pm: |
Regarding the complaint about having to re-register one's bike in Tamil Nadu again, I went through a similar experience here in Canada. In 92, I moved from a province called Ontario to another one called Quebec. I can assure you, Mr Deshpande, my attempts to re-register my car in Quebec opened my eyes to the fact that India is not the only place in the world where red-tape exists. I finally gave up and continued driving with Ontario license plates. Once I was caught by police and had to pay a 50 dollar bribe to get out of that mess (including jail threats).
Needless to say, I moved back to Ontario as soon as I could find a job there. I will never ever venture into Quebec anymore!
By Anonymous on Friday, August 11, 2000 - 04:40 pm: |
Now that Internet Revolution is happening well, how about the others:
1. A clean bathroom within a Km of each home (if not within the home). The bathrooms can be run exactly on the model on which PCOs and Internet Kiosks are run, i.e, government takes a share of the income generated by the owners.
2. At least 90% of the roadways to be divided single/multi-lanes. Introduce tolls to recover costs.
3. Educate people that first impressions matter. That they may have lakhs of rupees in bank but if they don't dress up well, on international media, they would still be perceived as illiterate and poor.
4. Widen tax-collection base
5. Reduce the amount of 'black' money in the system to about 30% (the Italian way)
6. Covered drains and sewers
7. Sacrifice the old style open-drainage system of carrying dirty water (at least when planning new localities)
8. Improve balance between water-abundance areas and water-starved areas by building canals. One simple link could be from, say, Ganges in Bihar to Chambal in M.P. Keep Punjab out of this loop as Punjabis are too protectionistic of their assets. Investigate that age-old concept called Ganga-Kaveri canal.
9. A serious devotion to research on solar energy
10. A serious devotion to Battery-Operated vehicles
11. 100% privatization of Electricity Generation and Supply
12. Ban manufacture of new bullock-carts and manually driven rickshaws. This is the only way to kick people off their centuries-old addictions to these outmoded and highly-inefficient modes of transportation. Rickshaw chalaks should be encouraged to go through training and become Internet-Kiosk owner/employees. Bullock-Cart guys should be encouraged to switch over to tractors ( give interest-free government loans if necessary).
By Vaibhav Deshpande on Wednesday, February 09, 2000 - 01:23 pm: |
This is regarding the red tapism. As a Indian citizen who needs to travel different indian states, I think I need to highlight this problem. I'm basically from Pune, Maharashtra and currently working in Madras, Tamilnadu. Though I'll be in Madras for limited period, I need to carry my two wheeler to Madras. But due to existing laws, It's far more difficult to use my bike ( which is registered with Pune RTO) in Madras. I need to do lot of things for that. To avoid this what people ( from other states) do is that they use their bikes as it is and whenever traffic police catch them they just bribe them to avoid penalty.
I don't know why I can't use my bike which is registered in Pune RTO, in Madras? After all, I have paid all the taxes and registration fees their. At the most they can take some fees depending upon the period of my stay in other state and they should issue me a temperory reciept.
Some revolutionary changes must be done in the existing laws in this regard to reduce the corruption and to reduce the trouble of common citizen.
I should be able to use my vehicle anywhere in india.
By Anonymous on Friday, August 06, 1999 - 03:22 pm: |
Indian bureaucracy is exactly like the following British Joke:
The following letters are taken from an incident between a London hotel and one of it's guests. The hotel ended up submitting the letters to the London Sunday Times.
Dear Maid,
Please do not leave any more of those little bars of soap in my
bathroom since I have brought my own bath-sized Dial. Please remove the six
unopened little bars from the shelf under the medicine chest and
another three in the shower soap dish. They are in my way.
Thank you, S. Berman
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear Room 635,
I am not your regular maid. She will be back tomorrow, Thursday, from
her day off. I took the 3 hotel soaps out of the shower soap dish as
you requested. The 6 bars on your shelf I took out of your way and put on
top of your Kleenex dispenser in case you should change your mind. This
leaves only the 3 bars I left today which my instructions from the
management is to leave 3 soaps daily. I hope this is satisfactory.
Kathy, Relief Maid
Dear Maid,
I hope you are my regular maid. Apparently Kathy did not tell you
about my note to her concerning the little bars of soap. When I got back to my room this evening I found you had added 3 little Camays to the shelf under my medicine cabinet. I am going to be here in the hotel for two weeks and have brought my own bath-size Dial so I won't need those 6 little Camays
which are on the shelf. They are in my way when shaving, brushing teeth, etc.
Please remove them.
S. Berman
------------------------------------------------------------
Dear Mr. Berman,
My day off was last Wed. so the relief maid left 3 hotel soaps which
we are instructed by the management. I took the 6 soaps which were in
your way on the shelf and put them in the soap dish where your Dial was. I put the Dial in the medicine cabinet for your convenience. I didn't
remove the 3 complimentary soaps which are always placed inside the medicine
cabinet for all new check-ins and which you did not object to when you
checked in last Monday. Please let me know if I can be of further assistance.
Your regular maid, Dotty
------------------------------------------------------------
Dear Mr. Berman,
The assistant manager, Mr. Kensedder, informed me this morning that
you called him last evening and said you were unhappy with your maid service. I have assigned a new girl to your room. I hope you will accept my apologies for any past inconvenience. If you have any future complaints please contact me so I can give it my personal attention. Call extension 1108
between 8AM and 5PM.
Thank you.
Elaine Carmen, Housekeeper
------------------------------------------------------------
Dear Miss Carmen,
It is impossible for me to contact you by phone, as I leave the hotel
for business at 7:45 AM and don't get back before 5:30 or 6PM. That's the reason I called Mr. Kensedder last night. You were already off duty. I only asked Mr. Kensedder if he could do anything about those little bars of soap. The new maid you assigned me must have thought I was a new check-in today, since she left another 3 bars of hotel soap in my medicine cabinet along with her regular delivery of 3 bars on the bathroom shelf. In just 5 days here I have accumulated 24 little bars of soap. Why are you doing
this to me?
S. Berman
------------------------------------------------------------
Dear Mr. Berman,
Your maid, Kathy, has been instructed to stop delivering soap to your
room and remove the extra soaps. If I can be of further assistance, please call extension 1108 between 8AM and 5PM. Thank you,
Elaine Carmen, Housekeeper
------------------------------------------------------------
Dear Mr. Kensedder,
My bath-size Dial is missing. Every bar of soap was taken from my
room including my own bath-size Dial. I came in late last night and had to call the bellhop to bring me 4 little Cashmere Bouquets.
S. Berman
------------------------------------------------------------
Dear Mr. Berman,
I have informed our housekeeper, Elaine Carmen, of your soap problem.
I cannot understand why there was no soap in your room since our maids are instructed to leave 3 bars of soap each time they service a room. The situation will be rectified immediately. Please accept my apologies
for the inconvenience.
Martin L. Kensedder, Assistant Manager
-----------------------------------------------------------
Dear Mrs. Carmen,
Who left 54 little bars of Camay in my room? I came in last night and
found 54 little bars of soap. I don't want 54 little bars of Camay. I want my one bar of bath-size Dial. Do you realize I have 54 bars of soap in here. All I want is my bath size Dial. Please give me back my bath-size
Dial.
S. Berman
-----------------------------------------------------------
Dear Mr. Berman,
You complained of too much soap in your room so I had them moved.
Then you complained to Mr. Kensedder that all your soap was missing so I personally returned them. The 24 Camays which had been taken and the 3 Camays you are supposed to receive daily. I don't know anything
about the 4 Cashmere Bouquets. Obviously your maid, Kathy, did not know I had returned your soaps so she also brought 24 Camays plus the 3 daily Camays. I don't know where you got the idea this hotel issues bath-size Dial. I was able
to locate some bath-size Ivory which I left in your room.
Elaine Carmen Housekeeper
------------------------------------------------------------
Dear Mrs. Carmen,
Just a short note to bring you up-to-date on my latest soap
inventory.
As of today I possess: On the shelf under medicine cabinet -- 18
Camay in 4 stacks of 4 and 1stack of 2. On the Kleenex dispenser -- 11 Camay in
2 stacks of 4 and 1 stack of 3. On the bedroom dresser -- 1 stack of 3 Cashmere Bouquet, 1 stack of 4 hotel-size Ivory, and 8 Camay in 2 stacks of 4. Inside the medicine cabinet -- 14 Camay in 3 stacks of 4 and 1 stack of 2. In the shower soap dish -- 6 Camay, very moist. On the
northeast corner of tub -- 1 Cashmere Bouquet, slightly used. On the northwest corner of tub -- 6 Camays in 2 stacks of 3. Please ask Kathy when she services
my room to make sure the stacks are neatly piled and dusted. Also,
please advise her that stacks of more than 4 have a tendency to tip. May I suggest
that my bedroom windowsill is not in use and will make an excellent spot for
future soap deliveries. One more item, I have purchased another bar
of bath-sized Dial which I am keeping in the hotel vault in order to
avoid further problems.
Thank you, S. Berman
By Anonymous on Thursday, February 22, 2001 - 01:50 pm: |
Can anyone please post a message on how the indians are being treated at germany and does racial bias exists there? How safe would be for an Indian to work there?
By Piyush on Wednesday, February 21, 2001 - 05:10 pm: |
Yes decentralization will help the Indian admistrration. The question is cities are considered as engines of economic development here i am intresyed to know who is rideing the engine the old buraucrat or professional. Only decentralization will be efective when we will encourage professionals into this field. I mean to say more emphasis on professional entry in buracracy rather civil service.
By Anonymous on Tuesday, December 12, 2000 - 08:00 pm: |
FIRE ALL THE SO-CALLED GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES. THEY DO NOT WORK, THE ARE FULL OF CORRUPTION---! THEY ONLY SIT AROUND AND WASTE TIME. IT'S A WASTE OF SO MUCH MONEY TO PAY THESE PEOPLE. THEY SHOULD BE SENT TO HELL.
By Anonymous on Thursday, September 07, 2000 - 05:13 pm: |
I think population is a convenient excuse! India's population density is still in the same bracket as that of many European countries (including UK), and much lower than that of, say, Singapore.
India's rate of population growth has come down significantly in the last decade (from 2.2% to 1.6%). The projection is that population will level off by 2040, at about 1.5 billion, and then will start declining. A similar scenario is predicted for China too.
The filth on Indian streets is due to poor garbage disposal habits. Population certainly amplifies the problem, but is not the root cause. If all Indians were wrapping their garbage in bags (like in the US) and taking it to proper places where it would be picked up for disposal, the country would look a lot more cleaner. China has already proved this point.
By Vivek Narayanamurthy on Wednesday, August 30, 2000 - 05:35 am: |
India is headed for disaster. The population explosion must be contained. This is possible only by declaring a POPULATION EMERGENCY, modifying the constitution, curtailing the rights of citizens to breed(!) and adopting a FORCIBLE one-child policy.
India would do very well if the population was 300-400 million as opposed to the filthy count of 1 billion.
By scud on Tuesday, August 22, 2000 - 09:00 pm: |
can someone please give me some points to the topic 'Greater autonomy to the states in India is a cure for india's political ills'.
By S. Balasubramaniam on Saturday, August 12, 2000 - 07:50 am: |
In 1962, the DMK party came to power in Tamilnadu on the promise of taking the state out of India if it won. It was going to do just that when a stern warning from the central government made it change its stand. The fact that that party won solely on the basis of that promise, and the numerous other secessionists struggles in the country, should indicate to those in power the state of mind of the various ethnic groups within India.Decentralization should thus be given more thought.
By Prof.Chatterji on Sunday, April 02, 2000 - 04:00 am: |
How disgruntled the different ethnic groups are at the domination of the upper-caste Hindi speakers can be seen in the ever increasingly improved performances of the various regional parties.The United Front and BJP governments have been dependent on regional allies to win and stay in power.The present BJp government too is made up various parties most of them regionally and ethnically(and even caste) based.More and more of the states are being governed by regionally-based parties.Of course, Tamilnadu has always been ruled by one or another regional party.The sense of belonging to one nation is slowly but surely evaporating.So,decentralization,if not autonomy, is the right step in ensuring the various regions and peoples that their rights are safe and protected in an Indian union.
By A.K. Iyer on Thursday, March 30, 2000 - 03:40 am: |
I think India needs more than decentralisation of power.It needs to give each state autonomy.Most countries as diversified and huge as India have been and are divided into autonomous states and regions.The former USSR was made of numerous autonomous republics.The USA is made up of 50 states, each with a great degree of autonomy.Even Canada has resorted to giving autonomy to certain regions -like the newly created Nanavut.Autonomy to states has many advantages but the most important is that it will allow and encourage faster development of the country.As it is the central government has to be responsible for a very large area and with its limited resources it can`t give full attention to the whole of it.Thus development is retarded.With autonomy each state government will be responsible for a smaller area and thus will be able to give greater attention to it.And development will get a boost.The central government will be able to lessen the burden upon its shoulders and be able to concentrate on such things as foreign relations-which presently are at their worst-and defence.Autonomy will also satisfy the aspirations of the various ethnic groups-like Kashmiris, sikhs, Nagas, Tamils, Maharastrians, Gujeraties, etc- who now feel themselves to be victimised and discriminated against by the Hindi speakers of the Northern states.There are many other advantages in giving autonomy to the states.Perhaps the government should give it a thought and in the process take India out of the poverty which its people have been living in since ages.
By stalin on Friday, October 15, 1999 - 06:33 pm: |
all communist parties and lobor unions must be immediately outlawed.
any issues related to abuse of individuals will be dealt with in regular courts.
any redflag protestors interrupting a manufacturing, transport activity should shot on site and compensation should collected from the nearest kin for disruption-related losses.
By zeta sogani on Saturday, January 16, 1999 - 12:29 pm: |
Decntralisation is more effctive as far as local problems are concerned. we have started the process but the implementation has been hafl-hearted.
effective administration needs more than just structual change. it needs people's involvement. that is the key to effective ad. for people's invo. people need to have information about what decions are taken about & for them, the premises of taking the decision, how would it be implemented etc.
the govt's recent steps of citizen's charter is a small yet positve step in the right direction. hope it doesn't flater..
By Anonymous on Thursday, January 21, 1999 - 01:17 am: |
it will take a collective efforts of a group of people or parties to mass educate people and reduce corruption. at this time i many times wonder, with parties keeping so busy with their own fighting, we are wasting valuable time to keep with fast racing of world. we need a multi point approach. we should control proliferation of political parties. we should not have one man keeping whole country hostage. we have pracically no law and order.
By Editor (Admin) on Thursday, March 18, 1999 - 04:45 pm: |
Know of a corrupt official? Just tell us
Ever tried logging into http://www.Actiongroup.8m.com ? It will take you to a
website with a difference. It has information which, not long ago, was
restricted to the top echelons of the IAS in Uttar Pradesh.IAS Action
Group, which has been “fighting against corruption in high places”, now has
a website of its own.The site has been artistically created and bears the
mark of a professional. The officers behind the creation of the site have
been for the last couple of years been “exposing” their “corrupt”
colleagues by mobilising public opinion through the print media.
The idea
apparently is to provide details of all major corruption cases in the state
that made headlines in the recent past. An online journal is also being
planned.
For starters, the website presents scores of Press clippings from
the English and language Press. The site is the brainchild of IAS Action
Group convenor Vijay Shankar Pandey. It is said to be the first of its kind
in the country, though it is modelled on existing international ‘sites of
fraud’ on the Internet. Surfers are welcome with the declaration that
‘Action Group’ is “a non-governmental organisation presently active in
India”. The group is dedicated “to increasing government accountability,
eradicating corruption in all areas of governance and promoting highest
standards of public and personal morality among bureaucrats”. The group has
adopted a pro-active role. It is to “actively and aggressively support
honest and upright officers of every service who have shown courage in
taking up the cudgels against corrupt practices, share information
regarding instances of corruption affecting public interest, exhort
authorities to check corruption and work as a pressure group to advocate
the cause of clean and better administration.” The group has also provided
the format of a membership form which seeks support from people who can
support its cause. Surfers are invited to join the campagin by providing
information of dubious deals by the bureaucracy.
An interesting but wordy section is titled “Know a corrupt official? Just
tell us.” It goes on to say: “If you know someone who is indulging in
corruption or know a corrupt activity and you are sure that it is harming
the people and the country at large or otherwise, just tell us of the
person or the instance of corruption. You do not even need to sign up (you
may remain anonymous). We shall find and check the same and ensure that it
stops and the guilty are punished."
By Anonymous on Friday, April 02, 1999 - 07:34 am: |
Dear sir.
I hope you all know that all govt depts.
are centre of corrpution and noida phone
dept. or sales tex dept are somehow
leader of our corruted system.
phone shifting charges 1000.00
sale tex regestion 5000.00
assement of sales tex 5000.00 per year for
sto and extra 1500.00 for steno etc.
can anybody can do anything ? or we just
can sit and watch all these ?
By Anonymous on Friday, April 23, 1999 - 09:44 am: |
Dear Sir ,
Nursing homes in Rampur Gardens , Bareilly (U.P.) are being constructed after bribing corporation engineers , BDA officials & Regional Officer - UP Pollution Control Booard. All building & pollution norms are being flouted . Pl. do something tangible. Best wishes for your efforts
By krishan on Saturday, July 10, 1999 - 12:36 pm: |
KRISHAN KHANNA 52nd Anniversary of India's Independence
Receipient - National Citizens Award 1995-96 July 1999, Version No.1203
Presented by the Hon'ble Prime Minister of India
Subject: How to make INDIA - A WORLD-CLASS COUNTRY ? or
How to ensure GOOD GOVERNANCE & GOOD ADMINSTRATION ? or
How to DIFFUSE the BIGGER BOMBS in our BACKYARD ? or
Protection to 3% of the Population, AT THE COST OF THE NATION - Why?
1. 1.As you are a very important part of the Indian economy, I write this letter to share my thoughts with you. If we wish to make India into a world-class country, something which we have NOT been able to accomplish during the last 51 years of Independence, the one and only objective should be to make our Human Resource World Class, especially of our ORGANISED SECTOR. India must Benchmark versus the Best, in the world.
2. After 51 years of freedom, India's per capita is US$360/yr vs. China's $840 and USA's $35,000, WHY?. Poverty Line, as per GOI, at US$ 90/yr, as per World Bank, $1/day or $365/yr. Market Capitalisation of Indian quoted companies at US$ 115 billion (only Microsoft US$ 414 billion). India's Free Reserves are US$32 billion vs. China's $145 billion, WHY? In 1998, FDI into India was US$ 2 billion vs. US$ 45 billion into China, WHY? China's Literacy Rate is nearly double of India, WHY? Tourist Arrivals into China are nearly 25 times more than India, WHY? If one visits Beijing or Shanghai, every thing looks "Spic & Span", in comparison, Bombay & New Delhi look like "Garbage Dumps! WHY? China's World Trade is 7 times of India's, WHY? India's share of world trade dropped from 2.8% (1947) to 0.45% (1998), a negative growth of 600%. WHY? One needs to analyse India's poor performance. In short, Indians are extremely poor, by World Standards! As per World Bank's defination, more than 75% of Indians are below the Poverty line!
3. Unless we can manage our "Organised Sector", which is responsible for every part of the economy, to "World Class Standards" there is very little hope of the country's fast and rapid economic growth in the short, medium and long term. Effective, good administration and governance is possible only by high quality personnel.
4. India has had 51 years of holidays! In a poor country like India, some people are protected for the wrong reasons and paid for not working! The organised sector, 3% of the population (from CEO to Coolie), "which is not the vote bank" has been pampered to such an extent that the entire country's economy has been completely crippled in all areas. There is no fear of doing anything wrong, because there is no fear of loss of job.
5. The "Engine" which supposedly drives India, is the "Organised Sector". "which touches every part of the economy". Out of the total population of 1000 million, this sector employs 30 to 34 million people. We need to make this "Engine" World Class. Then only can the "Train" i.e. the Indian Economy, move with rapid progress into the next century. India has 300 million "unemployed", 380 million "below poverty line" and 350 million in the "unorganised sector"!(these sectors overlap) Only a healthy economy can benefit them.
6. Investments of money and technology will flow automatically into the Best Organisations, Best Cities, Best Villages, Best Districts and Best States of India. Everything else is secondary !
7. The employees in the "organised sector" are the privileged lucky few, 3% of the population, who are very well to do, in a very poor nation. Only 2% of the Indians are tax assessees, mostly from this sector. These employees are not the "vote bank" and have to understand and realise that they cannot continue to behave irresponsibly (eg. always fighting for their rights, but not their duties) since they are part of the Top 10% of India's population, in terms of per capita earning. Only Performance can Protect the Right to Employment.
8. We should PROTECT employment, but NOT the employees, who do not work and who are corrupt. CORRUPT and INEFFICIENT employees should be FIRED and REPLACED with HIGH QUALITY new employees.
9. In 1947, India had hundreds of small kingdoms and probably 500 Maharajas. The common man now feels that India has "Millions of 'Mini' Maharajas", especially employees of the State and Central Government, on whom the entire Nation looks up to "Set an Example & a Pace", for Good Governance & Good Administration.
10. A} India needs a "Fire and Hire" NATIONAL POLICY but without any retrenchment.
B)VRS, Exit Policy, Downsizing, Retrenchment etc. should be left to the individual organisations.
C)"Work Ethics" and "Work Culture" include "Fear of Loss of Job". EMPLOYEE LAWS need change, ASAP.
11. The biggest impediment, to India's Globalisation, is Article 311 of the Indian Constitution, which protects employees of the State and Central Govt. We should compare this with the ones in UK, USA and China and also amendments made in the last 52 years! ("Employee Laws" include all "Labour Laws").
12. You may like to include this point for Economic Reforms, since Healthy and Vibrant Organisations create jobs.
13. Protection to 3% of the population, at the cost of the nation! Why? India is entering a "Black Hole", of its own making. Why should the nation's balance 970 million people, pay the heavy price of Payment without Performance & Accountability, and for Go-Slows, Strikes & Agitations? India needs to put its house in order.
14. The only one thing "constant" in life is "change". Is India going to change? It depends upon you!
(Krishan Khanna is an IIT Kharagpur, B.Tech (Mech.) 1961 Batch and has 38 years experience in Industry and Business).
How to make INDIA - A WORLD-CLASS COUNTRY ? or
How to ensure to GOOD GOVERNANCE & GOOD ADMINSTRATION in INDIA?
How to DEFUSE the BIGGER BOMBS in our BACKYARD ? or
Protection to 3% of the Population, AT THE COST OF THE NATION - Why?
On the 51st Anniversary of India's Independence, I humbly submit to the citizens of our great nation, an analysis and solution to most of our country's problems. We can easily put India in its rightful place in the league of nation's by bringing in World Class Management of our Human Resources.
1. THE MAJOR INGREDIENT FOR THE SUCCESS OF A NATION.
If we wish to make India into a world-class economy, something which we have not been able to accomplish during the last 51 years of Independence, the one and only objective should be to make our human resource world class, in the shortest possible time. Investments of money and technology will follow automatically into the Best Organisations, Best Cities, Best Districts, Best Villages and Best States of India. Everything else is secondary !
The "engine" which supposedly drives the Indian Economy, is the segment under the heading of "organised sector", which touches every part of the economy. In this Sector about 30 to 34 million people of India are employed, out of the total population of 1000 million. We need to make this "engine" world class. Then only can the "train" i.e. the Indian Economy, move with rapid progress into the next century. In the "train", the passengers consist of 300 million unemployed, 380 million below poverty line and 350 million in the unorganised sector (sectors overlap)! Only a healthy economy can benefit them.
2. THE PROBLEM - INDIA IS A VERY POOR COUNTRY - WITH 300 MILLION UNEMPLOYED, 380 MILLION LIVING BELOW POVERTY LINE AND 350 MILLION PEOPLE WORKING IN THE UNORGANIZED SECTOR.
India is a very poor country, where nearly 40% of the people are below the poverty line. The present definition is for people who earn less than Rs.10 to 11 per day (as per Government of India, poverty line for urban areas is Rs.296 per month and for rural areas Rs.276 per month). As per GOI, this amount will buy food equivalent to 2100 calories per day. At this level of earning, even in a poor country like India, survival on Rs.10 per day is a nightmare! This actually translates to Rs.3650 per year or US$ 90 per year. On what basis have our planners decided this definition of "Poverty Line"? Does it mean that the person will get enough food to stay alive? What about Education, Housing, Health Services, Clothings, ...... and other basic necessities? Are we supposed to live on pavements and sleep under trees from Birth till Death?
If we take the definition of poverty line as per the World Bank (WB), it is US$ 1.00 per day or $365/year/capita, probably 70-75% of the country's population i.e. nearly 700-750 million people will be below the poverty line! The number is staggering as well as frightening. None of the political parties, in any of their agenda's, have publicly recognised this gigantic problem. They just do not talk about it. Like family planning and population control, this is not an issue and does not figure on the "action agenda" of any political party. 51 years of decadence, in the thought process of our country's leadership, has pushed India to becoming one of the poorest nations on this planet.
As many a Foreigner has remarked, after visiting India, 'quote' -
"One does not need to read Government Statistics, to know about the level of poverty in India. One need only to look at the faces of the Indian people in the villages and semi-urban areas of the country, where nearly 80% of the population live and one can see "Poverty" written across the faces of the lovely and simple people of India" - 'unquote'.
India's GDP at US$ 360 billion is only two times the turnover of General Motor Corp. USA! India's per capita income is US$ 360 per year. India's GDP is hardly 0.5% of the world's GDP, but India has 20% of the world's population.
Between 1947 to 1997 our market share, in world trade, dropped from 2.8% to 0.45%. A negative growth of 600%! India with 20% of the world population, hardly figures on the world economic map! Only 2% of our population are tax assesses!
India's 300 million "unemployed" and a large percentage of the 350 million in the "unorganised sector's" (Agriculture, Construction, Marginal and Cottage Sectors etc. do not even earn minimum wages!) only hope, of a better future, lies in the "organised sector" (the sector which touches every part of the economy) becoming world class and a cash generating, maximum efficiency machine, which will "trigger-off" massive expansion and investments in all areas of the economy.
INDIA IS NOT ABLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF LOW-COST AND HIGH QUALITY HUMAN RESOURCES, BECAUSE OF VERY OUTDATED AND DEFECTIVE LAWS, GOVERNING EMPLOYMENT, WHICH HAVE BEEN FOLLOWED DURING THE LAST 51 YEARS. THEREFORE, CHINA ATTRACTS 22-25 TIMES MORE "FDI" AND EVEN "TOURISTS"!
3. THE REASON FOR THE PROBLEM - PROTECTION TO 3% OF THE POPULATION, AT THE COST OF THE NATION - WHY ? ARTICLE 311 OF THE INDIAN CONSTITUTION NEEDS AMENDMENT.
Article 311, of the Indian Constitution reads as follows: (1) No person, who is a member of a Civil Service of the Union or an All-India Service or a Civil Service of a State or holds a civil post under the Union or a State shall be dismissed or removed by any authority subordinate to that by which he was appointed. (2) No such person as aforesaid shall be dismised or reduced in rank. WE NEED TO STUDY THE SAME FOR UK, USA & CHINA & THEIR AMENDMENTS IN THE LAST 52 YEARS!
These laws protect 30 to 34 million employees, or 10% of the Total work force in India, that is, the so called "organised sector", the sector which is responsible for every part of the economy. This sector constitutes employees in the "public sector", the "joint sector" and the "private sector" whose earnings are probably more than 20 times of the poverty line levels and at least 3 to 15 times above the minimum wages. These 30 to 34 million people constitute 3% to 3.4% of India's population and definitely do not form part of the so called "vote-bank" of Indian politics.
YET FOR REASONS BEST KNOWN TO THE LEADERSHIP, AT THE CENTRE AND STATE LEVELS, THESE 30-34 MILLION PEOPLE ARE PROTECTED, AS IF WITHOUT THEM, THE COUNTRY DID NOT HAVE ANY ALTERNATIVE AND A RESPONSIBILITY TO THE BALANCE POPULATION OF 970 MILLION INDIAN CITIZENS !
How can a poor country like India, afford the luxury to continue to support sub-standard & low efficiency employees (at all levels i.e. from Chairman to lowest level) of loss making, sick and below par organisations, when 380 Million of its people are below the poverty line, 300 Million unemployed & 350 Million partly employed (in the unorganised sector). Lets learn from the experience of the last 51 years ! We seem to be protecing the Strong and neglecting the Weak!
4. HOW OTHER COUNTRIES HAVE ADDRESSED THIS PROBLEM - "FEAR OF LOSS OF JOB", IS PART OF "WORK ETHICS" AND "WORK CULTURE".
Study of the world-class developing economies, such as the South East Asian Tigers of Taiwan, Hongkong, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, etc. and even that of China, which has a population of one billion, clearly shows that certain levels of "work ethics" and "work culture", "including fear of loss of job", are necessary ingredients to a healthy economy.
People of this world of different religions and faiths pray to the Almighty. All these people are basically "God Fearing". Let us ask ourselves, would we pray and respect the Almighty, if we did not fear him? Our great leaders have always said that "work is worship", we need to ensure that this aspect is fully implemented.
High quality human resources are the most important ingredient for generation of wealth and not materials and money. USA and Europe are classic examples ! Just look at the economies of Japan and Germany after the second world war, and later on countries like South Korea, Taiwan, China, Malaysia, Singapore, etc. and one will easily conclude that high quality Human Resource was the single largest factor for their success.
5. THE TWO FACES OF INDIA'S FREEDOM - the BEAUTIFUL and the UGLY !
THE BEAUTIFUL FACE OF INDIA'S FREEDOM - The beautiful side of our freedom was dreamt by our leaders in the 20's, 30's, 40's and 50's. Freedom of religion, speech, expression and the press. Equal rights for men and women, freedom from bonded labour, freedom from caste, creed and colour. Freedom to vote, for any Indian citizen above 18 years of age, nonalignment of our Foreign Policy, etc.
Our past leadership drew out the Indian Constitution, which we were supposed to implement. It gave the necessary direction to support and protect the weak and down trodden, to fight for the poor, to uphold the law....... the contents are unending. Many other laws and procedures have been compiled but not fully implemented. Recently the country's economy has at last been liberalised and globalised and rapid economic growth is bound to follow.
THE UGLY FACE OF INDIA'S FREEDOM - The organised sector is constantly fighting for its rights but not its duties. There is payment for services but no guarantee of getting it. In the Organised Sector, whether one works or not, one is paid. We have the freedom now not to go to work, but get paid. In many organisations people are marked present even if they are not there, they are paid for not doing work! True to 'Deshi' form, 'goodies' are dished out by the 5th pay panel. What is the poor nation of India going to get in return? Some say, that India used to have 500 Maharajas before 1947, now we have millions of "Mini" Maharajas (employees of the organised sector), on whom the Nation looks up to set an example for Good Governance and Good Administration of the country. Does the "Organised Sector" Deliver?
51 years of freedom, for example, have given the freedom to drivers of cars, trucks and other vehicles to cross the red light as they please, to drive on the wrong side of one-way roads, to cut lanes, make U-turns and park whenever and wherever they please and to argue that they are doing the right thing! The same Indian drivers when they drive in USA, Germany or Dubai dare not even think of doing any of these wrong practices, since they will be served with so many fines and penalties, that just the fear of the thought of breaking of rules, keeps them within the law.
51 years of freedom have supposedly given the right to some women workers, in the organised sector, to do their knitting, their personal work and other chores in the office time. Many employees read their newspapers and other personal reading in the office time, because it is accepted, it is the done "Indian Thing". The late arrival of employees for work and early departure has become more or less standard practice, inspite of the 5 day work week. The lunch break is like a India-rubber band, half an hour could stretch to two hours! If there is a test cricket match or some thing else of national importance then advance sick leave is applied for and the same is granted in order to maintain good harmony between the Boss and the employee. Such understanding Indian 'Barra Sahibs'!
51 years of freedom, has given us the right to report sick every year for 21 days and get paid for it. Most of the employees of the Organised Sector have been constantly sick, every year, for the last 51 years for 21 days per year and not 20 days or 22 days per year! No prizes for guessing what happens in organisations where sick leave is two or four weeks. Are these people robots or humans ? What calibre of management is allowing such mismanagement ? Can India become World Class by turning a blind eye to such practices when nearly 700 million people are living below poverty line.
51 years of freedom have given the right to the citizens of this country to burn, break, steal, sell, deface, destroy, and last but not the least, to gift public property and get away with it, for some flimsy reason and cause. Sometimes it seems, that the plundering and loot of the Motherland, is the one thing, which is very well organised!
51 years of freedom have given us the right to stop work, whenever we want, or stop an organisation, stop a state or even the country. In a country, which is struggling to feed and clothe its 1000 million, a handful of 3% of the population makes the rest of the nation 'Dance to its Tune'. Can they do this in China, USA, Germany, Singapore, Malaysia, Taiwan and get away with it? The same Indians working in these countries are the "Best Employees", and also the best and most successful ethnic group in many countries. Can they dare behave like this in those countries, like they do in their own Motherland? In U.K., when Margret Thatcher took a tough stand against the striking coal miners strike, did the message go out loud and clear, either work or make way for others! In U.S.A., when the Air Traffic controllers threatened to Strike, President Ronald Reagen, called for a meeting of his chiefs of staff and others, and using National Security, as sufficient reason, sacked all the 30,000! In India, only 850 air traffic controllers, closed down the country's commercial airports for 10 days, causing a severe blow to exports, commerce, tourism, business, an unforgivable situation, for a poor couintry like India, especially when 90% of our airports are manned by the Airforce and Navy, and if ordered could have taken charge, with or without the help from friendly countries!
51 years of freedom have given the right and freedom to our leaders, bureaucrats and employees to stick to their seats of power, whether they can perform in their job or not. Many jobs are unofficially auctioned to the highest bidder so that he or she can plunder the country once he or she is in that job.
51 years of freedom have given the freedom to the so called strict, religious, vegetarian, leaders, bureaucrats and employees who do not eat meat, fish or eggs and are busy in a number of religious practices, such as "daan", "havans", "puja", "thirith-yatra", etc, but do not even blink an eyelid when they "gobble-up" millions of poor peoples rights and assets and have become, "Vegetarian Blood Suckers".
51 years of Freedom has given us the right not to pay or collect our electricity bills, telephone bills, sales tax, income tax and other state and government taxes. We do not care since no action is taken against the offenders. Many political leaders, bureaucrats and employees of the organised sector do not vacate their official residence even after their retirement from active duty. This is in complete contrast to what happens in other countries, where on the mid-night of the day of retirement, the person concerned, leaves his official residence for his next colleague. We do not care since no action is taken against the offenders. Infact it is a "Fashion Thing" to say that "I got raided", "I went to jail", and that "I have never paid any Government taxes in my life", "I am still staying in number ........ although I retired in 1971!" The list of malpractices is unending.
51 years of freedom have given the freedom to employees of various organisations and political parties to take bribes. Even if they are caught red-handed there is nothing to fear, this is not China where they would be executed. This is Free India, where at the most there will be some form of judicial enquiry which can carry on for 20-30 years, meanwhile the employee or the person concerned could get transferred to another assignment and then get promoted later on!
51 years of freedom have made a handful of the country's population, only 3%, the so called "Organised Sector", the apparent and rightful owners of our land and all its assets right from Kashmir to Kanyakumari. To make it happen, a handful of politicians are also intricately entwined in the set-up, to loot and plunder the Motherland.
51 years of freedom have made the "organised sector" so powerful that they have even brought the Hon'ble Prime Minister and his Cabinet Ministers to their knees where they have started making public statements that they are powerless to stop corruption, etc. (This list is only a small representation & can be further expanded to cover thousands of pages).
A) IS THIS THE TYPE OF FREEDOM WHICH WE REALLY WANT FOR OURSELVES, FOR OUR CHILDREN AND GRAND-CHILDREN ?
B) IS THIS THE INDIA OF LOK MANYA TILAK, RABINDRA NATH TAGORE, SRI AUROBINDO, SWAMI VIVEKANAND, SARDAR VALLABHAI PATEL, MAHATMA GANDHI, DR. RAJENDRA PRASAD, ZAKIR HUSSAIN, NETAJI SUBHASH BOSE, JAMSHEDJI TATA, DR. RADHAKRISHNAN, JAWAHARLAL NEHRU AND OTHER STALWARTS?
C) IS THIS THE INDIA FOR WHICH PEOPLE LIKE BHAGAT SINGH BECAME MATYRS?
D) IS THIS THE INDIA FOR WHICH FUTURE GENERATIONS WILL GIVE THEIR LIVES TO CHERISH AND PROTECT?
6. THE SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM - FOR INDIA'S SURVIVAL IN THE WORLD ECONOMY.
Some analysts, feel that India has had 51 years of holidays, as there was no "fear" of "loss of job". All our "Bhavans" in the states and centre and the public and private sector, are fully manned. But how effective and accountable, are these critical human resources? Therefore, the first essential step is
(1) To have a "Fire & Hire" NATIONAL POLICY, but without any "retrenchment", so that India can "upgrade" its
"quality level of human resources" without reducing the number of people, as employed, today.
(2) VRS, Exit Policy, Downsizing, Retrenching etc. should be left to the individual organisations.
(3) "Work Ethics" and "Work Culture" include "Fear of Loss of Job". EMPLOYEE LAWS need to be amended, ASAP. For every vacant position, there would be hundreds of applications, from the vast reservoir of India's human resource.
The biggest problem, facing change of "Employee Laws", is Article 311 of the Indian Constitution, which protect employees of the State and Central Government, this then spills over to all Employees of the "Organised Sector". We need to investigate as to what is the present position regarding protection of employees of the "Organised Sector", in other countries such as U.K., U.S.A. & CHINA, and what amentments have been made, during last 52 years? In short, there can be no more "free lunches".Only perfromance can protect the right to employment.
Healthy and Vibrant organisations create jobs, something which the people of India need very badly. Unhealthy organisations and sick units are a drag on efficiency and bring down the economy.
This is a "golden key" by which we can turn the Indian economy from the "present low-class level" to a "high-class world economy". We must remember, that only one thing is "constant" in a healthy growing economy and that is "change"!
In the last few thousand years, India has given a lot to the world eg. the number "zero", some say Buddhism has been one of our greatest "exports", the list is unending... From the top ten countries of the world, 51 years ago, we are nearly at the bottom of the list. We need to put "our House" in order. We can do it and we shall achieve, only if we bring in our "best people" in the "organised sector", the sector which touches every aspect of our economy and which is "the engine" which will drive our economy to the heights of excellence !
P.S. : This note is also available in regional languages. Please contact at the address mentioned in the covering letter.
CURRICULUM VITAE
A. GENERAL INFORMATION
1. Name : Krishan Khanna Tel # +91-22-3806832
2. Address : 305, Olympus Fax # +91-22-3856782
Altamount Road Email krishan@vsnl.com
Bombay - 400 026
INDIA
3. Educational Qualification : B.Tech (Hons.) in Mechanical Engineering, First Place,
1961 from I.I.T. Kharagpur, India.
B. JOINT-VENTURE EXPERIENCE
1. HOGANAS INDIA LTD., - Vice Chairman - Since 1987.
Co-promoted this Indo-Swedish Joint Venture with Hoganas AB, Sweden, HIL, Manufactures Iron Powder.
Auditors : Price Waterhouse. Company listed on BSE and NSE.
2. TITANOR COMPONENTS LTD., - Director - Since 1990
Co-promoted this Indo-Italian Joint Venture with DeNora Permelec S.P.A., Milan, Italy, TCL. Manufactures plants for caustic-chlorine, Electrochlorinators and impressed current cathodic protection equipment.
Auditors : KPMG. Company listed on BSE & NSE.
C. SOFTWARE RELATED EXPERIENCE
1. CONSORTIUM OF INDIA SOFTWARE COMPANIES - 1997
Formed a consortium of Five Indian Sfotware Companies with a total 500 software engineers i.e. Intec Software Services, Futurescape Netcom, Tandon Software Solutions, Indicos Software & Sysman Software - for Export of software servcies to Europe & USA.
2. INDO-ASIAN BUSINESS GROUP - Chief Representative India - 1997
To promote Joint Ventures between German & Indian Companies in the filed of Software.
3. EUTECH - ASIA SOFTWARE CONSORTIUM - Director Supervisory Board - 1997.
Joint Consortium of Software Comapnies - Asia Pacific Region with a total of 3300 software engineers with Head Office in Singapore. Healthcare & Intelligent BMS Software Solutions.
4. ASIAN COMPUSOFT LTD. - Director - 1997.
A wholly owned software house promoted by Asian Electronics Ltd., only for ERP for manufacturing and other industries.
5. SYSMAN COMPUTERS LTD. - Chairman - 1998.
A SoftwareHouse devoted only to Banking Software and Computer Security Systems.
D. WORKING EXPERIENCE
1. MTZ INDIA LTD., - Chief Executive - Projects & Intl. Div. - 1992 - 1994.
A 100% Indian Company manufacturing Zinc Oxide, Silica, Chemicals and trading in bulk commodities.
2. PRECISION FASTENERS LTD. Chief Executive - 1978 - 1992.
An Indo-American Joint Venture with SPS Technologies, Jenkintown, USA. PFL manufactures high tensile standard and special fasteners.
3. NEW INDIA EXPORTS LTD. - General Manager. 1976 - 1978.
A 100% Indian Export/Trading company.
4. SPECIAL STEELS LTD. - Different Assignment - 1964 - 1976.
SSL is a 100% Indian Company manufacturing steel wire rods and steel wires. Worked as Manager- Overseas Project, R & D, Marketing, Manufacturing and Planning.
5. GEORG MULLER KUGELLAGERFABRIK AG - Planning Engineer - 1963 - 1964
A ball bearing manufacturing company in South Germany.
6. ESSO STANDARD EASTERN LTD. - Sales Engineer - 1961 - 1963.
Part of Standard Oil Company of New Jersey, USA. Worked in Calcutta, India.
E. AWARDS
Recipient National Citizen Award 1995-96, presented by the Hon'ble Prime Minister of India.
F. LANGUAGES
English, German, Hindi and Punjabi.
By Anonymous on Tuesday, July 13, 1999 - 09:58 am: |
india's problems :
the root cause of all our problems are corrupt and mismanaged govt bodies and not having right person for the right job. the best person available is often sidelined either due to reservation quota system or due to manipulation by the self seekers.
Technology is at the root of progress of all top nations of the world. Japan decided its priorities in the right order and soon became prosporous. govt of india also set up an advisory body in the form of "planning commission" in order to decide its priorities. it should have been packed with technologists and specialists from different fields relevant to india's interests. instead, it never had even one right person in it say like "shyam patroda".
the so called scientific advisors were never from the applied fields and could never give the right directions. the result is lop sided development.
we should have gone for large scale manufacturing of integrated circuits in india which forms the heart of electronic development. we could have engaged our own iit students in the industrial revolution in india who are mostly working for the US.
those who sit in our parliament and decide our country's fortune must be well enlightened individuals. it can only happen if the system is geared up to be quality conscious. short cuts to prospority in the form of cast and community based reservations must be done away with. those who try to exploit cast based sentiments of the innocent public must be declared as criminals and punished.
By Anonymous on Friday, August 06, 1999 - 10:59 am: |
Good news fellas !!!
Corruptnath Rai (sorry kalpnath Rai) is dead.
Time to celebrate the death of the idiot.
By Democrat on Saturday, August 07, 1999 - 04:43 pm: |
Why do we need these bureaucrats anyway ?
Agreed that bureaucratic rule makes for much what is wrong in our country. We have got to trust people. Not offcials slected out of any exams.
Suggestions:
1) The most states are far too big to be governed effectively. So make Districts centers of adminstration. Give each District sole power over its Police, electricity, water, roads, forests, education etc.
2) Each district to be ruled by directly elected District Council and a directly elected District President. So we dont need IAS, IPS, IFS (forest) etc. All advanced countries have self-rule at this level and maybe this is the reason of their advancement.
3) Remove offical secrecy at the District level--- There are no defense or nuclear secrets at District level obviously. So the secrecy only helps corrupt. Make compulsory Public Record Offices in each district where copies all all publicly relevant documents be kept for free public viewing. Like what public works are in progress, how much money is spend of a particular head.
4) A drastic proposal to clean up National politics
The essential problem of the national politics is the Size. Each MP is responsible to approximately 20 lakh people. Such a size difference makes for a large gap between a MP and the common people. Also huge money has to be spent in elections. So we need to make this electrate smaller, if possible naturally.
The rural country is divided into Panchayats. Let them be extended into cities too. Say out of every 1000 population we elect 5 persons. These nation-wide Panchas can mediate between government and common people easily and do a lot of work low- and middle- bureaucracy does now. Less need for expensive government when elected Panchas can do it for free !
Now we restrict the voting right at the national elections only to these elected Panchas. So the national electrorate is reduced naturally by a factor of 100. Thats would be great saving in elections. Plus we gain a great advantage. The Panchas can be supposed to be more politically aware than a common voter. So at the national level we have a more mature electrorate which can be expected to judge more wisely.
5) Another drastic proposal to clean up bureaucracy.
Appoint boards of Panchas overseeing the bureaucratic instititions. Like the electricity company, City development authority, road transport company etc. These boards need not interfere in day-to-day running but could help in Lok Adalats etc.
By rahul on Sunday, August 22, 1999 - 11:22 pm: |
SOMEBODY MENTIONED ON THIS SITE THAT THERE ARE MILLIONS OF INDIANS LIVING ABROAD AND ARE DOING WELL IN ALL SPHERES OF LIFE. SOME OF THESE PEOPLE MUST BE WORKING WITH AGENCIES WHICH HELP IN PLANNING FOR INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT, MAYBE IN THE TAX DEPARTMENT, THE ANTI CORRUPTION DEPARTMENT. CAN THESE PEOPLE COME FORWARD AND CONTRIBUTE SOME OF THEIR TIME . FOR EXAMPLE MAYBE SOMEBODY IN THE ANTI CORRUPTION DEPT COULD SUGGEST WAYS IN WHICH CORRUPTION IS KEPT UNDER CONTROL IN HIS/HER ORGANISATION AND THEN SHARE. INDIA DOESNT NEED RHETORICAL STATEMENTS.IT NEEDS SOLUTIONS. PRACTICAL, WORKABLE ONES. SINCE INDIANS LIVING ABROAD ARE EXPOSED TO GOOD WORKING PRACTICES, THEY WOULD DO WELL TO SHARE THE INFORMATION WITH THE INDIAN GOVT. WRITE TO THE INDIAN MAGS, DAILIES.GIVE SOLUTIONS, NOT RHETORICS.
By democrat on Thursday, September 23, 1999 - 08:59 am: |
An Analysis of IAS/IPS rule
The question is of the form of administration at the local levels i.e.
village, town and the district. Most people, for most of the time, are
concerned with municipal roles of the government only. A permanent
bureaucracy is necessary at higher levels, no doubt. After Independence
we retained the old forms of the administration. And only in 1987 the
panchayati Raj bill was passed allowing for some changes.
Now I would make some observations
1) The bureaucratic type of administration --- by which I mean that
districts and towns are headed by Commissioners appointed by a higher
govt; similarly police headed by a police superintendent, forests
governed by a forest officer, hospitals by a health officer ---- without
the ruled people having any say or choice. This is what we discuss.
2) Now this form of government is peculiar to 1) colonial states and 2)
dictatorships. No advanced democratic country, whom we want to emulate
so much, has this form of government. In democratic states, local
government is always elected. In USA, police is organized by counties.
And the police-chief (sheriff) is always elected. Though police chief is
not elected in UK but the elected City Councils are rarely dissolved or
suspended by the higher government. People are trusted and they repay
the trust. Naturally, ruled people are not to be trusted in a colonial
state or a dictatorship.
So India retained the colonial set-up in 1947 which sets people against
government by its essential nature. Now maybe it was justified then.
Maybe people were not experienced enough to rule themselves. But it
can't certainly be justified now. People can rule themselves and hence
we have no need for expensive civil servants at the district levels.
3) Now a practical question. How is a bureaucratic administration to be
checked. Checked means 1)checked against corruption and 2) against
mistakes. What can an ordinary man or even the whole population of a
town or a district do faced with a wrong-doing on part of a high level
bureaucrat. He is not responsible to them He is only responsible to the
state government or to the courts. But which state government has time
to deal with each single town. An elected district administration is
automatically checked the the regular procedure of elections. This is
the basic point of democracy and if we don't agree we might as well stop
having elections and content ourselves with IAS administration even at
Center.
4) Local elections and administration are the best training to make
people democratic. Democracy in countries like UK or USA or Germany
developed from local levels, mostly towns. Our democracy, though not
fragile anymore, still needs support. Many people have dictatorial
fancies. They think that our ills can be cured easily by Army rule of a
fascist administration. The IAS/IPS/IFS rule is the direct model for
such governments and encourages such ideas.
By Anonymous on Tuesday, October 05, 1999 - 07:10 am: |
Just some thoughts on growth (out of my economics textbook).
The only way to reduce poverty will be economic growth, which, as a look to all the former Eastern-Block states shows, only can be delivered by the private sector.
There isn't, and will never be, a state-owned enterprise that can compete against a private-owned enterprise on equal terms. Reason is the difference in motivation: An enterpreneur just lives for his company. He is motivated by the wish to build himself an empire, by the wish to climb in social rank and, yes, by greed. Only the fittest entrepreneurs survive, the others are wheated out by the market.
Compare this to a civil servant: He is hardly motivated at all, failure isn't punished.
So the civil service should do only these things that can't be done by the private sector: Courts, police, education, defence, health.
These civil servants should be picked carefully and be paid well, so that there is no need for them to take bribes.
As known from Parkinson, administration tends to grow out of itself, independent on how much work has to be done. So care has to be taken that the civil service is kept lean and small. Or, don't let it be responsible for things that others can do as well.
The private sector, or (as called in this column) the 'unorganized sector' must be encouraged. It will organize itself, given, that there is a anti-trust commission protecting consumers from being ripped-off by monopolies.