Different Songs & One Symphony

“DIFFERENT SONGS & ONE SYMPHONY”

AGENDA FOR NATION BUILDING

 

 

INVOCATION

One India One People is a powerful message. When I saw that title, my mind was full of the roaring Tamil poem by the great national poet Subramanya Bharati which came from him during October 1908 about 100 years ago. Its English translation as given in Bharati Padalgal published by The Tamil University, Thanjavur. Part extracts are given below.

“Three hundred million

Her faces are;

But all, all of them

Throb with one vibrant life

Eighteen are her languages

That she speaks;

But animating them all

Is only one thought”

This translation by a great English & Tamil scholar is beautiful. Original Tamil is very powerful. This poem has fired my imagination since my age of 10.

This poem was sung before partition of India. Now in the India as it is now as a nation, there are one plus billion faces and fifteen languages (and a few hundreds of dialects, though many of them are slowly dying out).

But can we assert now like Bharati in 2009 that all the faces are throbbing with one vibrant life? And there is only one animating thought ?

 

REALITY CHECK

A few latest statistics flashed by media from the Central Statistics Organisation (CSO) inform that the monthly per capita income of an Indian has gone up to Rs.3000. The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) has gone up to Rs.14 lakh crores and population is now around 1160 million (going up daily).

Economic growth news is good considering worldwide downturn. Still let us pose a question: per capita monthly income means Rs.36000 per year per person. Assuming a family of five, an Indian family will get about Rs.160000, that is Rs.1.6 lakhs. If every Indian family even at the bottom can get this amount, do we have poverty? There are millions of Indians whose family income is around Rs.25,000 per year. That too through daily struggles for jobs and meager incomes – right from childhood through their old age. Not that post-independence India did not achieve a lot, but it has been too slow for most Indians.

It is a fact that about 100 million Indians are superrich by Indian standards. About 400 million Indians are in the middle class driving the economic growth and driving themselves towards some level of prosperity; their lives are full of stresses in all walks of life. They have dreams of becoming rich. But only a very few can climb up; most others struggle and get some rewards. Rest 700 million Indians struggle for day to day existence – as a marginal farmers, agricultural labourers, migrant workers, domestic servants, casual workers, petty traders, crafts persons, mechanics, etc. Some amongst them are better than others; they aspire to move upwards towards the middle class and join their ranks. The lower parts of the 700 millions still have some hopes of better lives (despite oppressive poverty over 60 decades of independent India) as is demonstrated by their participation in voting. They try changing their elected representatives in the State and at the national levels, hoping that something will change for good. Many politicians promise a lot to get votes and some of them become powerful. They run governments. A few things change. Many things turn from bad to worse too !

But the poor Indians have realized that the key to their better life comes from the governance – not merely through the elected government but also through the permanent structure of State apparatus – the administration, judiciary etc.

GOOD GOVERNANCE

There are hundreds of scholarly treaties on this subject : about efficiency; effectivity; transparency; accountability etc. But perceptions of what is meant by good governance varies depending upon which economic class one belongs to and what one is looking for.

An investor is very happy and will praise the governance system if she/he gets quick approvals with no hassle afterwards. She/he hardly cares whether the approval mechanism is corrupt (she/he will pay it as a part of the business plan !) or whether rules are violated. A middle class person’s attitudes and expectations are different depending on the stage of life he/she is. While a student she/he desires easy admissions and jobs with good salary after passing exams. Further wants to be able to acquire good things in life soon like motorbike, car, domestic appliances etc.; it does not matter if they have to be obtained through loans. After marriage, one expects easy admission to an excellent nursery school for children; is ready to pay extra money through loans ! …. The older person looks for pensionary benefits, lower cost medical check up, jobs for children, being able to travel by air to see sons and daughters….

If a middle class person is assured all such items hassle free with very minimum taxation, she/he thinks that the governance system is good. They don’t care if the government is corrupt, whether many other Indians suffer or Indian security is compromised. They may read media flashes and breaking news; all these become “infotainment” as long as it does not affect their lives. If huge garbage dumps grow outside their sight, then no worry !

What about the poor Indian who mostly is working in unorganized sector or is self-employed. It is a day to day living for them. Can I get my income for the day or for week or for the month. Can I get food supplies? Education of children etc are luxury or something which are not related to their existence. They often think that it is a dream beyond their means. Then another worry is when they fall ill; they need to access a cheap doctor and cheap medicines for quick relief. It is their functioning body that gives them work. They don’t have leave pay; they don’t have medical allowance; provident fund etc. Often medical expenses and the loss of income from an earning member of the family, push many families into poverty. Agricultural income is becoming a nightmare. Govt. enters only to ensure cheap food supplies to cities and towns as otherwise the middle class will get vociferous and media will scream on onion prices! Govt. stops exports, and imports food grains or onions to reduce prices. Such actions do not help the rich or poor farmer.

Thus perception of governance varies even among the poor. But one thing will be common. Most persons will be happy to do full honest day work and get some minimum assured income to live in dignity. Then they will worry about building the future of their children through education and better health.

FAST ECONOMIC GROWTH : FIRST TASK OF GOVERNANCE

To assure most of the above expectations to different classes : rich inventors, upward mobile middle classes (middle and lower) and assorted groups of poor persons etc., it is essential to have a fast economic growth.

At this point of Indian history, to emphasise economic quality is an unrealistic dream. The rich and superrich will not part with their money. High taxation regime in India, created only black Indian money abroad ! So let the governance systems be such as to allow these rich and superrich from India and abroad to invest more and more in India. But let the direction be such that it is not just a financial jugglery in the stock markets. Those who develop GREENFIELD projects on the ground – agriculture, manufacturing or services – should be preferred in the economic reforms. That will create more jobs for the middle class and poor persons.

Let us be courageous to accept that over past several decades, all the powers – that – be have accumulated lots of black money through corruption and other illegal and criminal actions. This “dark money” is in India and abroad. In an effort to be pragmatically clean up this huge reservoir of money, which distorts Indian governance systems and politics, let us as a nation and as a people allow this money to flow into the country especially for the rural India and for the 5000-odd tier 3 and tier 4 towns and cities. Let us not penalize those who invest in select sectors. (See my website www.ysrajan.com for more details of select sectors under the section Articles).

Spurring fast economic growth is vital for sustainable good governance.

SECOND TASK OF GOVERNANCE : SIMPLIFY RULES AND PROCEDURES

The second task will be to simplify the plethora of government rules and procedures which choke the delivery systems. Media projects only the Bills enacted and policies announced. But nothing reaches because of archaic rules and procedures based on suspicions. Good governance for more people will mean good delivery : a working hospital with reasonable changes (govt. or private); a good school which charges reasonable fees only; reasonable electric power; reasonable roads; etc. Delivery is choked in India because of procedures built up over years under the false pretext of accountability. A good honest government executive is always in trouble : there will be an audit objections and vigilance cases waiting. With RTI there are more problems for honest govt. servants.

SIMPLIFY GOVT. RULES AND PROCEDURES. Then ask for transparency.

THIRD TASK OF GOVERNANCE

Decentralise execution. Let the elected representatives in Centre and State approve programmes and broad allocations. Ministers also may get into one further level project formulations. Beyond that, let empowered executives at the district level execute / implement projects (WITH SIMPLIFIED RULES AND PROCEDURES). They may be at the level of Joint Secretary to Govt. of India or above but with full authority to execute without reference to State Capitals/Centre.

They should compulsorily have monthly consultative meetings with local community, not just the local leaders but ordinary citizens including minorities and women. They should openly declare projects, start date, completion date etc. Otherwise, they will have full authority to execute. They should not be transferred for 5 years by any govt.

All districts big or small shall have this system, with full authority and local information wise accountability.

CORRUPTION

If the above mentioned measures are implemented (it will require lots of understanding and cooperation from civil society and media, to help the transition) corruption will disappear over a period. Complicated rules and costly elections are the root causes of corruption. Now since lots of black / dark money – much bigger than Govt. budget – has accumulated over the past several decades, a new factor has crept in : it is GREED AND EGO ! I have so much money. Money helps to do anything: getting a parliament seat to fame to awards !

So it will be foolish to expect corruption to vanish instantly. If we allow the accumulated dark money to flow without penalties and simplify rules and procedures and decentralize execution, then it is possible to bring corruption to a very low level – almost eliminate at operational levels. A few high level cases may remain !

CIVIL SOCIETY

Beyond thinking of oneself, the middle class and media may concentrate on the issues of poor : One National GOAL can be : have reasonable income through productive work for all Indian families. Anything that helps it, should be pursued. If 700 million persons get better incomes, GDP will shoot up; middle class will get more than the present; rich will also become richer !

Is it UTOPIA? No ! This one single goal and pragmatic approach (not uniform solutions please !) can make it happen. For that CIVIL SOCIETY has to change. Media has to move away from current fads and petty topics, to this one single national task.

If civil society desires it, works for it then all other items will fall in place be it legal system, police, or government. One good thing about politicians is that they change with nanosecond speed, if they sense that the popular mood has changed. Let the 400 million middle class build up a broad coalition with the poor 700 million Indians and create conditions for better incomes at the bottom.

Then the NATION WOULD HAVE BEEN BUILT !

YES, WE CAN, IN ABOUT ONE – AND – HALF DECADES !

Then 1400 million faces will hum different songs but as ONE SYMPHONY !

 

Y S Rajan

1/06/09