Aunty,
Raju and the Shanbhag settled at the nearest eatery. Aunty started to gently
question the Shanbhag. The Shanbhag had become at ease with aunty now.
“Why
are you govt servants, always busy? Can't your work be organized?"
“Madam,
we are busy because, our priorities are changed daily. There is no set work. We
work as per orders from the Tahsildar or the DC sir.”
“Don’t
you have any written down work definition and allocation? Every day you
get orders on what you need to do for that day?”
“No!
We do have written down work allocation. But, over a period of time, the ad-hoc
work given to us from our seniors is double that of the routine work! We always
seem to be doing these ad-hoc work rather than our original work!
So,
we can’t plan our day. Even though we plan, it will be disturbed by ‘urgent
work’ that is imposed on us! So, we do the easiest thing: keep quiet and wait
for the day-to-day command from the top!
Although
there are more than 30 or 40 government departments, only five departments have
staff at village level. They are the Revenue department, the Forest department,
Rural development department, Agriculture department and the Education
department.
All
other departments’ piggy back on us for anything! May it be census,
registration of birth and death, pulse polio, election, you name it and we are
part of it!
Over
the last 100 years, population has grown almost 5 times, but administrative
divisions have not grown in proportion. Going by the ratio that was followed
while establishing districts 100 years back, we ought to have five districts in
place of one. Bifurcation has happened in case of some large districts only.
Thus, we are burdened with so much work, that we end up not doing any work
properly!
Indeed
madam, most of the public are not aware of these things. They don’t even know
their rights, leave alone laws and regulations! When government says that not
knowing law is not an excuse, I feel like laughing!
Because,
such assumption can be made only in a society where literacy rates are quite
high, say above 90%, and people can access information easily. Here, with just
30% of the population seeking and completing college education, and inadequate
attempt by governments to educate the public on the rules and laws, how can we make
people responsible for everything?
For
registration of voters, the public is responsible. For birth and death
registration the public is responsible. For everything the public is
responsible!
If
that is the case, why are governments not spending on educating the public?
Where are the innovative mass communication programmes? Why are government
systems still old and unable to cope with the demand? Why are governments
not responding to the public? Is it in the governments’ interest to keep the
public uneducated? Aren't we a democracy?!”
Shanbhag
stopped his long speech! He drank a glass of water.
Raju
was dumbstruck. He never knew so much! Suddenly, he seemed to understand how an
aged system is struggling to cope up with idealistic expectations of a modern
society! It looked like both the government and society wanted to win the race
using an old 1947 model car!
“Aunty,
why can’t we improve the system? Why can’t we make drastic changes in the
administrative set up and modernize it? Why are governments more interested in
giving individual benefits to people rather than bringing systematic changes? Is
that because such changes won't result in votes in the next elections? ”
“Raju,
you are right. Such systematic changes don’t fetch votes in the short period of
five years, thereby accorded low priority by the popularly elected governments!
The scarce resources are spent largely on popular vote garnering
schemes!!"
“But
then, who will do this important work? Who will bring in systematic changes?
Which government will invest on common infrastructure of education, health,
roads etc? And which government will take upon itself to educate and create
awareness amongst the vast population of this country? How can anybody continue
to run government with an aged and dilapidated system?”
“Raju,
it would require statesmen at the top, to go beyond electoral politics. And
that would also require the people to appreciate such efforts. May be somebody
has to start it somewhere. Else, one fine day the system will collapse! And
then it may lead to chaos everywhere or even civil unrest!"
Already
we are seeing breakdown of basic services and systems. We hear break-down of
law and order, non-functioning hospitals, dysfunctional schools, and unfriendly
government offices. What more we are waiting for?
If
anti-government movements like Naxalism are spreading fast, one reason is the
absence of good and responsive governance. Indeed the rise of the people
against corruption and such other issues in recent days are pointers to the
rulers that public won't tolerate things for long. The clock is ticking!"
"But,
aunty, why don't such movements last long enough to enforce a change?"
"Good
question Raju. That is due to the heterogeneity in our country, where people
are divided on all possible lines; race, religion, caste, language and what
not! These differences do not allow us to come together so easily! Even if we
come together, it doesn't last long! This has come as a blessing in disguise
for the leadership in our country to look at short term benefits and get away
with it! We need a government who can put national interest above political
interests!"
"But,
aunty, I guess things can't go on like this forever. We will have leaders who
will unite the people. We will demand our rights and get them! We will also
have good government!"
Vani
aunty smiled. "Yes, Raju, when I see you, I get that hope. The youth in
this country have to demolish those walls that separate us, and unite us. Then
the force unleashed will demand and get what it deserves, the best!"
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(I
must thank Srinand Kaushik for prodding me to continue this series of writing
about government and polity in simple language.)
