Monday 31 March 2014

What I want from the New Government – a few thoughts in March 2014

Polity:

The incumbent government must take into confidence the opposition party/ (ies) on all important issues and create conducive environment in whole of the country to make things happen.

Unity must be seen amongst the polity in global perspective. Even oppositions’ intellectually important and likeminded leaders should be given adequate respect and importance in decision making.

Bureaucracy:

Make bureaucracy take candid bonafide decisions in the interest of public and public policy, without fear of retribution.

Any bureaucrat or other government servant procrastinating issues or requests from general public relatable to such government servant’s assigned role; and, shunning away from decision making be taken to task.

Financial Inclusion through Banking:

Take banking to the excluded masses and ensure financial inclusion of the last person. Non availability of banking facilities to large population even in the urban areas makes them financially vulnerable. Thus, ponzi companies and other similar unregulated entities take advantage of the gullible poor.

Industry:

Promote small scale and cottage sector, which generates employment for large number of people. Regulate import of finished consumer products that are non essential. Import of cheap goods from overseas has ruined our small industry. Industrialists are turning into real estate investors and traders, thereby robbing potential of value add in the raw materials we produce within the country.

Make available the finance to SME sector. In the pretext of avoiding NPAs the bankers do not take calculated risks even with safeguards well in place. The bankers now want to avoid risks and save their jobs, which is not a good sign for the development of small and cottage industry.

Institutions like SIDBI too take highly guarded positions despite of the fact that they are there to promote SME sector. The relevance of such developmental financial institutions be made well placed. A bonafide decision of the banker should be well protected from unwarranted onslaught by the higher-ups.

Right to Life through Panchayati Raj Institutions/ ULBs:

Like Right to Education and Right to Food there should be Right to Life too available to the homeless. It should be made a moral, official and legal duty of the Sarpanch in Panchayats and CEO/ Mayor in Urban Local Bodies to ensure no person dies of extreme and grueling winters in their respective jurisdictional area. 

Needless to say, that these bodies must be empowered immediately as has been envisaged in 73rd and 74th Constitution Amendment Act (CAA), 1992 that gave constitutional recognition to the Panchayati Raj Institutions and urban local bodies respectively, along with the constitutional right to exist.

Job Quotas for SC, ST and OBC

Only for entry level employment:

For the purposes of promotions to next higher level, the basis must be meritocracy and not caste, creed or religion.

Not in Private Sector:

No quota should enforced in Private Sector though the private sector should be encouraged, motivated and incentivize to employ the SC, ST and OBCs. In any case, private sector does not go into such details while employing. Otherwise also private sector must be employing large numbers from this segment. Government need to take a well researched decision after assimilating data of present state.

Quota for EBC (Economically Backward Classes):

Appropriate steps must be taken to work out the modalities to put in place the quote for EBCs.

Empowering Women:

Woman Reservation in polity must be implemented immediately. Tokenism in their empowerment must be avoided.

Tourists Safety:

Tourism police must be made a reality. India has taken a heavy beating due to higher number of rape and molestation cases especially of the foreign tourists in the recent past.
Private Tourists Offices must display prominently that they are the private businesses. It is often seen that these tourist operators display their insignia and signage that may indicate governmental patronage.
                                                                                                                     ...wish list continues....