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Modi’s 10-Point Agenda: CALL FOR ALL WORK AND NO PLAY, By Dr. S.Saraswathi, 7 Jul, 2014 Print E-mail

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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