Having been in the Government set up for more than thirty four years, after getting engineering qualifications, from one of the top technical institute of the country-IIT Delhi, I have the following experience, to share with the readers & also to offer a view…
-Existing political & administrative system [bureaucracy] is not very fairly disposed towards merit, good performance & integrity-the hall mark of good-governance & thus better productivity. Good percentage of their actions is aimed towards promoting the interests of persons in their circles-near & dears, friends, et al. Sadly, there is no accountability of their actions/misuse of powers., while conduct rules for employees of the State, strictly prescribe the way administration is to be done. This has resulted in mis-governance in almost all the organizations.
Local bodies are badly affected too. The result of that is, ill-planned, ill-executed, development & municipal projects/schemes. This has affected almost all our cities. Mega cities are affected more, because of huge population & therefore growing attendant problems. Delhi is a typical example. Its colonies, markets, infrastructure are bearing the brunt of not –so-good governance. We all have to share the blame., for this situation?!
But within any administrative/political system, there are honest, committed , meritorious & dedicated officials, too. But, unfortunately they are are badly affected, if they do not toe the lines of establishment! All their honest intentions & zeal to bring about improvement in the System do not mostly get positive response! At times they are harassed & hounded by their seniors[unscrupulous ones]!
-Because of raw deal to their career interests, they run from pillar to post and then are constrained to knock the doors of the Courts.
Going the Court is a costly, nerve shattering experience and time-consuming process.
In a number cases, it is observed that honest & conscientious officials, suffer for years & their manipulative, colleagues network with unscrupulous senior officers/politicians, who abuse powers for personal gains & grant undue benefits in very unfair manner to tainted officials, at the cost of honest & committed officers.
Result-Country`s, cities/colonies works suffer. Development funds get wasted due to poor planning, design, award, execution, & monitoring of works, etc etc. Despite well staffed Law Deptts, certain organisations field top private lawyers of the country to defend their cases in the courts. This is done, as only State money/funds, are involved, for paying to those fielded private lawyers?!
This has resulted in-
– Abdication of duties by some of the senior officers, as they either take unfair decisions or delay the matters for years
-Clogging of Courts with lakhs of `Service Matters` cases.
-Govt spending huge money on private lawyers fees, even on service matters . On the other hand, haplessb[ at times honest,hounded but conscientious employees,]spend from their own meagre funds & go through nerve shattering experience
THIS IS UNFAIR .
It is therefore felt that-
In case the State loose the service matters case, despite fielding top private lawyers, then the state money spent on the LOST CASES, should be recovered from the personal funds of those officers who delayed the matters or did not take decisions, as per the laid down rules, thus forcing the employees to go to the Court. RTI can be instrumental in bringing out the facts about the way that particular cases have been handled by the establishment/concerned officers.
WHAT MAY HAPPEN?.
– It will send right signals in the administrative system
-Bring about accountability.
-Improve Governance
-Reduce no of cases in the courts, if we consider all India scenario/figures.
-Save thousand of crores of State funds per year, if these will be recovered from defaulting officers.
-Bring about efficiency in the system & development funds will be used in an optimum manner!
-Give encouragement & impetus to the honest officials.
-Development funds will be used in an optimum manner.
-Improve our cities/colonies.
What do you think about it?
Writer is a senior fellow – Institute of Social Sciences, New Delhi
& Ex chief Engineer[civil], New Delhi Municipal Council
Source: Dwarka Parichay News & info Services
