Prunning bureaucracy
Sir,
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh during early stages of his taking over the reign of the Govt had very categorically stated that inorder to make Government working more transparent efficient and prompt, there was need to streamline the role of bureaucracy. Now when the overall scenario is of depression, recession and gloom the need to overhaul the system acquires more significance.
The Indian civil service which helped the British rulers to run the Government was converted into Indian Administrative Service after independence. In the initial stages it might have worked well, when most of the ministers were not suitably qualified and our democracy was in infancy. But now when the situation has drastically changed and things are moving at a very fast pace at national as well as international level, there is need for quick decisions, implementations and immediate results, our bureaucracy does not seem to be coming up to the expectations. In this age of globalisation and the country striving to become one of the leading economies of the world, general feeling is there, that license raj bureaucratic hurdles are coming in the way of desired pace of progress. Many foreign companies have also shown their dismay over the decision making process in vogue in the country. It looks as if bureaucracy instead of working as a functionality of brain has become the backbone of Indian governing body. This is evident from day to day functioning of the Government machinery.
As for example, the funds alloted as per budgetary provision, under various schemes by Govt of India remain unutilized for months together, due to procedural delays. A file / letter originating from the office of administrative head moves down to the Junior Assistant or record keeper level take weeks or months. In its upward journey, climbing all rungs of bureaucratic ladder, with lot of noting it may again take months before reaching its final destination. The methodology is such that even a clerk with typical babu penchant can detain a file for a number of days on one pretext or the other. Does this tedious process involving so many officials suits our already work culture lacking development techniques. Executve heads of various departments who are qualified and trained in their respective sphere of activity are seen rubbing off their shoes in the corridors of Civil Secretariat, for approvals.
Further a district head who is mainly concerned with district administration including maintenance of law and order when has to depict his specialisation in the technical works of electrification, water supply, road and building and other development activities (by virtue of his being District Development Commissioner) the methodology gives birth to a sort of new contraption. Executive heads have to be at the mercy of DC and as without his consent funds can’t be released and developmental activities can’t be taken up. All this goes in the name of ‘single line administration’. Perhaps this suits the ministers also but does this not happen at the cost of decentralisation of powers, efficiency and promptness.
We should have learnt lessons from the experience gained during past six decades. The result shown by private companies have been far better with minimum work force and time bound strictly. Not only this concentration of resources and decision making with the bureaucracy is a big reason of our panchayats being rendered inefficient. If we are really serious of Panchayat Raj, the funds should be directly made available to Panchayats and monitoring and accountability should be the responsibility of the concerned department. Funds flow should be through electronic system and all stake holders be kept abreast of the nitty gritties.
In short there is dire need of over hauling the decades old system by pruning bureacracy and empowering executives, technocrats and lower most elected body to boot.
Yours etc….
Harjinder Singh
(DFO Retd)
Nanak Nagar
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