The politicians should thank Anna Hazare for providing an outlet for
people to express themselves in a constructive way through a peaceful
movement. Now the government should accept the challenge to provide
good governance. There is an urgent need to change the whole
administrative system to deal with corruption in all its
manifestations and dimensions.
The recent scams have exposed the ugly face of corruption at the
highest political level. People face it everyday when they have to get
some service or the other from the minions of the government – 'small
men in brief authority'. Whether it is a birth certificate or marriage
certificate, ration card or passport, school fee or registration fee,
nothing moves without speed money. This has to change. The public
service act in Madhya Pradesh and now, in Bihar, ensures all
government services within a prescribed period with a penalty for
dereliction of duty. This should be extended all over the country.
Lokpal at the centre and Lokayukta in the states should deal with
corruption at the bureaucratic and political levels. They should be
empowered to receive complaints from citizens and, if there is a prima
facie case, pursue it with full enquiry and punish the guilty.
Priority should be given to all criminal complaints against MPs and
MLAs to avoid criminals becoming the law makers. CVC and CBI should be
as independent as the CAG and the Election Commission.
The government websites of various ministries should publish all
decisions including government procurements for citizens to
participate and to scrutinize decision-making in a transparent manner.
The discretionary powers of the ministers should be exercised on the
basis of prescribed norms. Oral orders and illegal orders of ministers
should not be accepted or executed by the government servants and this
should be part of the service rules. If they do, they should be held
accountable along with the ministers. Most of these suggestions are to
be found in the reports of the administrative reform committees of the
government. If there is a will, they could be implemented within a few
months. People are waiting for a response from the governments. Good
governance is the birthright of every Indian.
August 23, 2011.
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