Events & Issues
New
Delhi, 7 July 2014
Modi’s 10-Point Agenda
CALL FOR ALL WORK AND NO PLAY
By Dr. S.Saraswathi
A man of action Prime Minister Modi has
given ten-point Framework for Good Governance to his Council of Ministers in
his second Cabinet meeting soon after assuming office. Called the Ten Commandments
it lists the priorities vis-à-vis the
current state of the economy and the earnestness with which actions are initiated
to fulfil these along-with its coverage.
The 10-point framework for “suraaj”, good governance, consists of
the following : One, building up confidence in the bureaucracy, two, giving
priority to education, health, water, energy, and roads, three, setting up a
mechanism to deal with inter-Ministerial issues, Four, addressing concerns
about the economy, five, maintaining stability and sustainability in Government
policy.
Six, encouraging innovative ideas and giving independence to bureaucrats to work without
pressure, seven, providing transparency in governance and promoting e-auction
in tendering and Government works, eight, reforming infrastructure and
investments, nine, implementing programmes
in a time-bound manner and putting in place a people-oriented system and
laying stress on addressing people’s problems.
Further, Modi asked all the
Ministers to prepare a 100-day agenda for follow up. Truly, in the model of a good task master!
Importantly, a glance through the
Prim Minister’s 10-point agenda makes it clear that it is not an altogether new
policy document. Instead, it is an outline of the action plan to meet
commitments as listed in the BJP’s election manifesto along-with some lavish
promises by various leaders in their election speeches.
Certainly these points are just the minimum
requirements for “good governance” which any good Government must be familiar
with. If Modi succeeds in pushing these, he can boast of a Government with a Difference!
Distinct from the previous regime in work ethics and management style. A good beginning indeed!
As a logical sequence, the Prime
Minister has followed these diktats by
instructions to the bureaucracy on certain practical steps to spruce
administration and facilitate operation of the plan of action. Notably, an 11-point directive was issued to
all Departments in the Government for improving the work culture to ensure
efficiency, speed and integrity.
A circular issued by the Cabinet
Secretary carried underscore the importance of efficient and speedy
decision-making in a transparent manner.
These include: Repeal of archaic rules and procedures, shorten identify
forms which are vague wherever possible, into one page and avoid unnecessary or
irrelevant information, reduce decision-making to a maximum of four layers,
weed out files and papers in accordance with rules including digitization
wherever necessary within three-four weeks, work out modalities for fulfilling
promises made to the people and ensure
effective and timely resolution of public grievances monitored by concerned
Departments’ Secretaries .
Analyze the goals set for the period
2009-14, their present status and provide information to the Prime Minister,
seek the Cabinet Secretary’s intervention or the Prime Minister’s Office on
unresolved issues, use information technology and e-governance in the Ministries
functioning, emphasize lean and hygienic environment in offices and
create a positive work environment, keep Government buildings, work spaces, passages,
and staircases clean and free of all obstruction and remove cupboards and office materials in
these places. Also, take decisions and avoid procrastination and allowing
matters to lapse
However, there is no gainsaying that
these edicts do not contain any novel ideas or imply radical administrative
reforms. But, they do demand a new work
ethic. Points pertaining to repeal of outdated laws, weeding out files,
simplifying procedures, and physical reorganization of offices are not policy
innovations waiting for change of guards.
They are routine administrative jobs which have been left undone by
sheer lethargy and indifference. The
importance of this apparently simple directive would be evident if one visits Government
offices at the Union and State Government
levels.
For a bureaucracy caught in politics
which cripples freedom of thinking, destroys the ability for initiatives and encourages
sycophancy and corruption for status elevations, the above Commandments are a
new opening. These underscore faith in
the efficiency and sincerity of officials, team work, bureaucratic independence
and people-friendly Administration. Towards that end, the Prime Minister held a
meeting with Secretaries and top officials of all Departments that would go a
long way in improving the work culture in Government departments.
Pertinently, Modi completed 30 days
in office last month and seems to be quite satisfied with his Government’s performance
even as he admits there is scope for improvement in some areas. As it stands, the first month of any
Government is a hectic period without a break in work and sans the proverbial
“honeymoon period” of celebrations of victory.
Besides, streamlining procedures to
facilitate speedy decision-making is the focus of his Government. Modi has also
scrapped the mechanism called Group of Ministers (GOM) and Empowered Group of
Ministers (EGOM) to resolve issues caught in controversies between Ministries,
instead allowed direct access to all
senior officials to the Prime Minister.
Secretaries have been asked to call
or send an e-mail to the Prime Minister directly providing suggestions and seeking
intervention in controversies. This might
directly help cut red tape and administrative delays. Thanks to team spirit shown by BJP Ministers
and their NDA partners.
Predictably, the critics have picked
holes in the BJP-led NDA’s policy/programme and are searching for omissions
rather than the implications of what changes these Commandments might usher.
They cite a report by some Brookings Institution (India Center)
scholars that the Government has not displayed any policy priority towards
issues concerning women and is silent on status of women.
Arguably, these two matters pin-point
Modi’s plans for the future and are consistent with one another. They represent the earnestness of the new Government
to accomplish its electoral promises and
great expectations of “Achche Din”
(good days ahead)
In sum, one hopes that these changes
might lead to a New Public Management (NPM) era that is Indian in content and
style. Many countries have been undergoing
a wave of NPM since the 1980s due to severe financial problems and redefining and
restructuring its Government functioning.
The object is to strengthen democratic principles in governance and
improve Government performance ---- towards a regime of “less Government and
more governance”.
Undeniably, Modi’s NPM must not
remain stagnant and keep changing with changing needs and technology of service
delivery. It must keep its momentum and be an intellectual force combining
responsibility, accountability and transparency. The traditional lessons of economy and
efficiency, and speed, of course, continue to be the core values of good
governance.
Above all, the implementers of the
10-point agenda who are elected political appointees along-with bureaucrats
with the 11-point administrative directives have to accept to work with
missionary zeal to show results.
Notwithstanding, the hard reality that
decades of cobwebs in the public sector set-up cannot be removed
overnight. Any change will produce a chain
reaction. However ideal the directives might
be, its implementation will encounter many obstructions. Even a simple question of clearing office corridors
might get blocked by space constraint and demand an enquiry into usage of Government
buildings.
Clearly, reform of public administration
is long overdue. A period of “all work,
and no play” is badly needed.
(Copyright,
India News and Feature Alliance)
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