Failures Of Prime Minister Narendra Modi

Prof N.K. Singh

Former Chairman International Airports Authority of India

It appears odd to write about what seems to be out of fashion when everyone is singing paeans of glory to three years’ triumph and achievement of Modi Sarkar. There is no denying the fact that Prime Minister has touched many new and laudable goals which no prime minister could do. But even in bright sunshine, there are deep shadows that we must not ignore for his future preoccupation and relentless forward march. I have highlighted five major areas where Modi government has not done enough although volumes could be written about what he has done in other fields.

* The government itself is defeating the purpose of Modi’s less government more governance maxim. Red tape is still red and not turned green

First glaring area is red tape and prevailing lethargy in bureaucratic practices, especially in rural areas. The government itself is defeating the purpose of Modi’s less government more governance maxim. Red tape is still red and not turned green. It starts from the appointment and training of the cadre based and no cadre government employees. Those who are in government still maintain command and control outlook. The government servants have not still become public servants. Modi taking over reins of the government with avowed declaration of a pradhan sevak of the people has not succeeded in reforming the administration to adopt the sevak attitude of work. Result is the governments everywhere, especially in states, are not people friendly but aloof and snobbish acting as rulers – the attitude that is legacy of colonial regime. The red tape continues which I experienced when a petty job of license renewal took four months for me as the file was just lying on the table of ADM. Prime Minister wants to promote solar energy and I wanted to install in village. But after talking to officials I gave up as no one gave helpful advice.

After PM’s direction that ministers attend office on time and work fast, I expected states to follow him or for him to ensure compliance to them. PM did say that officials should treat public with courtesy but nothing happened on ground. I also expected that he would end the virtual monopoly of administrative service to take all vital decisions including decisions about their own appointments etc. I expected a new system of recruitment and training to be ushered in but the same old colonial system continues with cosmetic changes. Once I asked a British author why they gave such a service to us, he had a hearty laugh with words “We gave it to you so that we rule as monarchs but we do not have such system in Britain”.

When Margret Alva was minister for Personnel, she appointed a committee to change the training of administrative services so that it becomes more professional. I was also on the committee but soon when she was transferred my name was dropped to avert radical change is brought in. There are excellent persons in the service but they learn to remain aloof to keep their distance from ‘subjects’ words a Collector used for public. Can Modi convert these little Napoleons to up-pradhan sewaks? This will vastly change ease of doing business and ease of doing work in rural welfare.

Second Area is Education where the government has bought some changes but the rot has set in so much that minor steps would not give results. It is not enough for the governments to talk about IIMs, IITs and AIIMS. They give better results not because government has done to ensure it but because the very selection out of thousands gives to any institute cream of the talent. And that is bound to do better than others. Just increasing replicas of these institutes in states will not give same results unless faculty is of high caliber and research is given priority. The fact is that there are not enough qualified teachers and if there are, no search efforts to identify them as the system screens them out.

Many such bodies are headless or short of teachers. Controlling bodies have completely failed in ensuring standards. AICTE, University Grants Commission or Medical Council are rife with rigid red tape and corruption complaints. Instead of controls by the government, peer control by the body of Deans would usher in self-control and given a proper channelization serve as indicating bodies of talent and standards. Higher education would take a volume to write its blind spots but first let us understand the very base of school education that is in quandary. In UP, I have authentic reports of mass copying and so is the case of Bihar. Other states too are not far behind. In UP, I learnt that there are fixed amount of under the table payment for the centre fixation and copying permission. If school is left to rot what will happen to higher education?

(To be continued)

Bus Stand

First Passenger: Why there are schools and students in Himachal but no teachers although recently announced by the government?

Second Passenger: The government counts the number of schools for progress, education does not matter.

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