Delhi governance is turning a joke

Every day there is one more trick played by the Government of Delhi and it has gone to an extent to turn Delhi into a laughing stock. The Chairperson of Women Commission is appointed by Arvind Kejriwal and she goes to office to find it locked. Same happened to Head of Anti Corruption Bureau when appointee of one or other found the room locked. We have also seen how the appointment of Chief Secretary that was officiating in nature was turned into political muscle flexing by AAP. Lt Governor has made it clear that all appointments are within his purview but it has no effect on AAP despite clearing Home Ministry circular and Court order to clear appointment of Meena the nominee of the LG and also refusal to stay the circular of Home Ministry. Court too is doing piecemeal justice but what is needed is to make it clear who is who in the capital of India. No salaries were being paid to cleaning workers of Delhi as AAP did not release funds for the Municipal Corporation that was controlled by BJP. Delhi witnessed most unclean conditions and finally court ordered to release funds and clear the junk.

AAP if suffering from delusion that after their thumping victory in election they are all powerful and that is why Kejriwal recognizes people not less than Narender Modi. He should also see the plight of Modi who has similarly a thumping majority in Parliament after election but he is finding himself at receiving end as he has to work within a Constitution. He cannot say I have been voted by majority and I don’t recognize others who did not get mandate. The problem of democracy is that it is not one man show. Within his own political party Kejriwal can act as dictator as he did in throwing out Prashant Bhushan and Yogener Yadav etc but when it is dealing with duly elected central government he has to work within a constitutional framework. Sometime one wonders if he has read the constitution under which he took oath and was expected to safeguard.

The problem is that our Constitution has become obsolete in many ways but in this case it has become the hurdle in the way of Kejriwal exercising his will. There was no problem in managing Delhi as a Union terriroy as other 5 others are being managed besides Pandichery that has the same provision as Delhi but no problem. In the same provision 69 amendment enacted to the Constitution Delhi was given along with Pondicherry a special privilege to be a hybrid –mid way between the full statehood and the union territory: a kind of quasi or semi state that had powers in many fields to manage the city except in regulating land, law and order and central officers. Like unlettered men Kejriwal and his followers pose that such provision does not bar them from still exercising these powers. Many governments since 1991 have ruled in Delhi including by BJP when Congress was in power in Centre but there was no problem as they knew they have to operate within the law.AAP refuse to act under the legal umbrella and that is why there is charge that they are anarchists which some of them do not deny. But using a democratic framework and getting elected under the same they refuse to abide by it when it does not suit them. His dilemma is also that he is chief minister yet he is not due to fragile constitutional balance.

Recently an ad compaign for enhancing image of Kejriwal worth more than 560 crores was released where it says’woh preshan karte rahe/ham kam karte rahe . A case if filed against him and Supreme Court has asked centre’s response. But interestingly the petitioner says who are  Woh?  Court who have jailed his ministers or opposition or who? Such self promotion is done by other CMs too and that needs to be curbed strictly as it wastes public money. If Delhi becomes full state and police is under him any day a central minister could be raided for a flimsy charge. The national capital of the country must remain under the central government otherwise it could be destabilization of the Republic itself. It is high time to abolish article 69 concerning special provision for Delhi .

Bus Stand

First Passenger: Why AAP says ‘woh preshan karte rahe hum kam karte rahe?

Second Passenger: It is better if they change it to ‘Woh preshan hote rahe / Hum sab se larte rahe ‘

---Prof N.K.Singh former Chairman International Airports Authority of India.

Modi ushering in knowledge revolution unless officials scuttle it

The changes in technology were initiated by Rajiv Gandhi and many strides were taken by India in the field of information technology. But never before an organized large project to cover entire country with its links to rural areas was undertaken. The Digital India project launched by the Prime Minister is so vast that it covers the country and all professions to bring transformation. It is bound to change the face of the country. A large population is still not aware of this project and there is need to communicate it to all up to grass root level in local languages and pictographs so that ordinary people and masses understand these as these are bound to touch and change their lives. Salient features of this project are given below to make it simple enough for every one too understand.

It is a large umbrella which covers many subprojects and it can be gauged from this fact that it will create 18lakh jobs by investing 4.5 lakh crores in various tasks and activities. Finally DI will create 5 crore jobs when complete.Top business men like Chief of Reliance, Wipro, Tata  and other corporate who were present at the time of launching have committed to put in the money and manage their own areas .

Basically the project and subprojects will give unlimited access to information to the citizens. For enabling it 2.5 lakh villages will be provided broad band access,2,5 lakh schools and universities will have wi fi connections.National fiber network will be laid in 7 lakh Kilometer. One crore students will be trained to work on Business process outsourcing projects and hence BPO will open up jobs in the hinterland and rural India as the jobs that are done in cities with high cost can be done on cost effective manner in rural side where costs are low.Moreover vast network being available where there is no access it will give total connectivity to villages.

I will give three examples to explain how it will benefit common man.

First case is that villagers have to go to Government officials’ time and again and produce ID, Land certificate, ration card etc. There will be a locker in the programme where everyone can store these documents including passports. No paper will need to be produced as any document could be checked on the mobile of the user. For various job with government it will be possible to do e business through digital access rather than running after government offices time and again. It will save harassment of the people and everything could be processed electronically.

Second example is My governance project that will enable anyone to participate in Government decision making and give suggestions which will be considered by the officials and action taken. It will encourage innovative ideas and participation making country truly democratic. Even grievances and complaints will be processed in this manner without running to the functionaries.

Third example is marketing and agriculture uses. When any crop is being sold prices can be checked to the advantage of the farmer. Even advice of experts on farm production can be sought. Recently I saw a video on the net when one could see villagers who  a windmill locally made by following the principles of toy of fan type used by children. This wind mill without electricity is drawing water from well to irrigate the fields. This inexpensive innovation could be replicated by hundreds of farmers but they, not having the access, cannot see it . When internet connectivity is available they can see it and make it.

It is, however, highly dependent on officials of different departments and BSNL functioning effectively which has to provide large network and efficient working of its apparatus. It is very doubt ful if ehy can do it looking to their existing performance standard and sarkari type working. PM will have to use drastic step to make them efficient otherwise whatever the plans if there is no working tele services it will fail. I will quote personal experience when living in remote village I wanted Wi fi connection and BSNL promised to provide me. I deposited my money but after one and hald year they told me that it is not possible as their contractor has run away on nonpayment and I was given half the money I deposited. When questioned they told me that other half has been spent on their labour. When the job was not done why charge me? I asked but was told that is their rule. If this goes on how will digital India work?

It is very ambitious and laudable project and first time such a project at massive scale has been launched and it can do a lot of good to elevate our living. But the biggest hurdle will be the bureaucracy and its red tape as even when ther is transparency if basic things don’t work it could collapse like house of cards. I am sure necessary safeguard are being taken but the scale of operation is so huge that unless some one like Azim Premji takes charge of things at infrastructure level other thing would not work.

Bus Stop

First Passenger: I am working so hard for my political party but it is very difficult in Himachal Pradesh to be famous.

Second Passenger: It is easy; let your enemies make a CD of your gossip you will instantly join list of top ten leaders of the state.

---Prof N.K.Singh former Chairman International Airports Authority of India

How I barely escaped arrest in Emergency

Emergency is again in news though I had developed forced amnesia for it as it was a harrowing experience and I wish we do not face it ever again in future. When emergency was declared I happened to be in Delhi and had a meeting with Secretary steel  Wadud Khan a power ful head of the steel ministry who had many fresh ideas to reform the entire steel production and I worked for Steel plant of Bhilai. Mr Khan was known as Steel Mughal and his  house was virtually in  backyard of the Prime Minister Indira Gandhi at 1 safdarjung lane whereas Mrs Gandhi lived in 1 Safdarjung Road. He graciously offered me a toast and tea but asked me as to what we can do to implement twenty point programme. I was just not prepared for this and it took sometime when he asked me that I should meet Mohammed Yunus who was Special envoy of the PM and try to arrange some programme for Sanjay Gandhi. There were some good points in the programme and I liked the discipline punctuality etc as also the tree plantation . Even Vinoba ji called it anushasan parv. Khushwant Singh and JRD Tata had supported it. Next day I walked into South block and faced an awe inspiring office of the Special Envoy, who sat a few rooms away from PM. Yunus was a tall man with aquiline nose resembling Abdul Ghaffar Khan known as frontier Gandhi . I heard he was related to him. He asked me if we can do a big programme on the twenty points that was the bible of emergency. I had given it some thought and told him that we will plant one lakh trees on the high way and invite Sanjay Gandhi to open the plantation. He asked me if we can do something on family planning etc but I got out with one commitment and he agreed.

When I returned to the steel plant , as I alighted from plane in Raipur, I was told that a non bailable arrest warrant under Defence of India Rules was issued and  waiting to be served on me .I learnt that as I was Personnel Manager of Steel plant I was ex officio President of an employee cooperative which had unauthorisdely stored rice. It was raided and sealed and warrant issued against me.  I merely headed as PM of the plant in ex officio capacity and since I  had responsibility of welfare of the employees I held the post. Rice was stored for 50,000 workers of the plant in case of drought and scarcity. I did not even know it but it was meant for employees and not me. I was advised by legal officers of the plant that I should escape to Delhi as no bail is possible and try to wriggle out of it. I also learnt that District officer whose nephew had been rejected by me for not meeting merit was the cause of teaching me a lesson. This is how whatever Sanjay Gandhi did, many officials exceeded the limits to settle personal score.

I became a fugitive during those days and checked in Lodhi Hotel in New Delhi and I was advised not to reveal my address to people in the steel plant otherwise a police party could trace me. My two children and wife were at Bhilai town and suffered agony and anxiety although they knew that I had done no wrong and will finally be free. But the night mare of those days sometime haunts me still as you did not known what could happen to you under the draconian regime. Everyday arrests were being made and all leaders of opposition and even social activists were jailed.

I met again Wadud Khan who was surprised and told me it is state matter and not in central government sphere but he will speak to CM Shyama Charan Shukla. I promptly headed to him as he happened to be camping in Delhi. Shayma Charan was a swab and decent politician who after hearing the story was angry and issued orders to withdraw the case. I suffered in this episode and lost sleep of many nights but developed good friendship with Shukla family and could forget my program of felicitating Sanjay Gandhi. If emergency meant arbitrariness of power I quietly exited from joining the campaign

When I returned to steel town the news had spread like wild fire that I was no longer a wanted offender. Some of my friends laughed but I had suffered sleepless nights and on the top of it the concerned district official called me very politely and asked me if he could just meet me any time that I agreed although I did not want to see his face. He came and said he had to do it as emergency orders needed the action on illegal storage of food products. I did not want to contest him and told him to forget it but remember that we work in democracy and not autocratic regime.Greatest draw back of emergency was unfettered powers were misused by many to meet their own ends

--Prof N.K.Singh former Chairman International Airports Authority of India