in search of the truth...




THIS PAGE HAS MY WRITINGS TILL MARCH,2005.
MY WRITINGS SINCE THEN ARE POSTED AT:

Letters to a friend...- http://ayanletters.blogspot.com/

Saturday, March 12, 2005

Dr. Jalan's address

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Dr. Bimal Jalan was the chief guest at the convocation today. Nice structured speech...let me summarise the key points I gathered before I forget...

Three pillars which decide where a country stands in the comity of nations:
1. Politics
2. Governance and Administration
3. Economics

India has had great politicians, a bureaucratic structure which was the envy of many at the time of its inception, and some very great economists. Yet as a nation we seem to be constantly postponing our tryst with greatness. Why?

Economics:
We look at new pradigms through old frameworks. There is a significant minority whose interests the old framework serves, this significant minority promotes and ensures this blinkered vision. Recognize the deadweight of past thinking.

Politics:
Three critical issues to ponder:
1. Constitutional framers not visualisisng the the power and significance of small parties (virtual king maker/breaker currently)

2.Role of Parliament/Legislature:
Last year's budget passed without debate, is this episodic? Do the common citizens even care.
Are we true to the pricniple of "No taxation without representation"

3. Erosion of collective responsibility

Governance/Administration:
1.Clogging of administrative arteries
2. Corrution

Seven suggestions that Dr. Jalan said need reflection:

1. Keep Political authority and civil services at arm's length: We are no longer in Nehru's era when the civil services were conceived.

2. Trust the Citizens: Self-certification

3. Public services need to be outsourced: Govt owns and monitors facilities, the best in the industry delivers

4. The right to information

5. Reform working of Parliament/Legislatures

6. Reform working of Judiciary

7. Draw a line for tolerance of corruption.

His exhortation:

Don't become somnolent with complacency about our future.

Nobody can prevent us from moving ahead because we have immense innate talent.

In an open participative democracy, change can be delayed but not denied.

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This looks more like my class-notes and now you know why I get the scores I get :-)

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