OIOP December 2011 issue

Cutting the red tape

If one has to nominate one institution which has held the country together in the first 60 years after Independence, and contributed most to its progress till now, it would be the ‘higher civil services’. Unfortunately, now, corruption and malpractices have allegedly seeped into the system in a big way, eroding some of its credibility. Even in this whirlpool, we can count many who have stood steadfast to their ideals and have served the country with honesty and integrity.

One of the common villains identified by civil society organisations for the all pervasive corruption in governance is the bureaucracy. Corruption in our country is perceived to be a vicious cycle starting from political corruption, which flourishes thanks especially to corruption in the bureaucracy which is hand in gloves with the corrupt political leaders. Therefore the need of the hour is to revamp the bureaucratic apparatus to give this country good governance. The first step to bureaucratic reforms should begin with the right kind of training of young recruits opting for civil services and the curriculum should focus more on honesty, integrity and efficiency. Though the credibility of bureaucracy has taken a severe beating with large scale corruption seeping into the system, all is not lost. There are many, who still hold on to their ideals and serve the country with honesty and integrity.

One India One People has ‘Bureaucracy’ as its theme for December 2011 under the cover title ‘Cutting the red tape’. We are fortunate to get seasoned bureaucrats to share their views, opinions and offer suggestions to get bureaucracy back on the track. 

In the lead article ‘Getting bureaucracy back on the track,’ Mr. E. A. S. Sarma, former Secretary to Government of India and Principal of Administrative Staff College of India in Hyderabad laments that the Indian civil services are caught in the vicious cycle of increasing corruption in the country’s electoral system and the consequent pressure from the politicians to facilitate the generation of black money. If this situation is allowed to continue any longer, it will cut the roots of our democratic system and allow the resources of our country to be frittered away, he warns.

Former Central Vigilance Commissioner, Mr. N. Vittal in ‘2T for good governance,’ explains how the ‘2T principle’ suggested by him can ensure a clean system over a period of time.  He emphasizes on transparency in selecting the right people for the right posts.

In ‘Redesigning the bureaucratic apparatus,’ Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan, Founder of Lok Satta Party, writes that empowering local governments, putting an effective system of accountability in place, redesigning the bureaucratic apparatus and redefining the role of the State are four important measures that need to be swiftly adopted in a sustainable manner to make the bureaucracy an effective instrument in a democratic society.

In ‘Bureaucracy needs a makeover’, Mr. N. Ramarao, IAS (retd), advocates the urgent need to revamp bureaucracy and the first step, he says would be to change the recruitment procedure. Let us develop in our young recruits a sense of self-esteem and self-confidence, so that they can serve the country with their heads held high, he says.

Mr. T. S. R. Subramanian, former Cabinet Secretary to the Government of India and former Chief Secretary to the government of Uttar Pradesh, writes that despite political interference and stories of corruption seeping into the system, members of higher civil services perform brilliantly; many stand out to take on major responsibilities on their shoulders, and help keep the system going. The country owes a debt of gratitude to the unsung heroes, he says.

           

In ‘Plots and Plans to end corruption,’ Mr. S Shankar Menon, IAS (retd.) and former Additional Chief Secretary to the Government of Maharashtra (1995-99),  draws out a blueprint to weed out corruption in the country by proposing a new scheme called the Sardar Patel Yojana.

Mr. Prakash Bal Joshi, senior journalist and artist, in ‘The Powers that Be,’ writes that ‘Committed Bureaucracy’ has no place for neutrality in civil services, as more often than not, bureaucrats are expected to toe the official line of the political executive in power. 

In ‘Face to Face’ Pamela Philipose has a tete-a-tete with Aruna Roy, founder member of the National Campaign for the People’s Right to Information (NCPRI) and the Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan (MKSS). She traded a promising career in the bureaucracy for an activist’s existence in 1975, and is presently intensely involved in the crusade against corruption.

Know India Better features Agra, the city on the banks of the River Yamuna in Uttar Pradesh, which achieved fame as the capital of the Mughal emperors, is one of the most favourite tourist destinations in India, because of the many magnificent historical buildings, most notably the legendary Taj Mahal, an architectural marvel. The Agra Fort and Fatehpur Sikri too are impressive and etched in history for the power struggle of the Mughal kings as well as their love for art. All three structures are UNESCO World Heritage sites, putting the city on the global radar. Text and Photographs by Dr. M. A. Haque

Great Indians profiles:

Nain Singh Rawat (1830 - 1895) - At a time when there were no vehicles or maps to take you to far off places, Nain Singh Rawat, mapped the trade route to Tibet through Nepal, found the altitude of Lhasa and also mapped a major section of the  River Tsangpo.

Chaudhary Charan Singh (1902-1987) - Charan Singh was one of those rare politicians and a leader of the farmers, who regarded nation’s interests above everything else. He was also a social reformer who brought much notable development in the country.

 

Vice Admiral N Krishnan PVSM DSC (1919-1982) - It was his wise plan that saved INS Vikrant. A colourful and engaging personality, Vice Admiral N Krishnan’s formidable legacy continues to this day.

Also read our guest column by Nagesh Kini, a Chartered Accountant and activist, and regular columns on culture, vedic mathematics and rural concerns! To order a copy, call 022 – 2353 44 00 or mail to oiopsub@fouressindia.com