I am highly obliged to Anna Hazzare ji for awakening lazy public representatives from their so called deep slumber of ignorance. AAM ADMI (general public) has become a real AAM (mango) being enjoyed by corrupt officials and representatives.
This season of AAM (Mango) is coinciding with the election in Assam, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal. There are several lucrative offers being made to the voters except real good governance.
GOI boasts of having several social welfare schemes for the needy, but most of them are falling short of more than 50% of the desired target.
What is the reason behind it? Let’s take a deep dive to find out the reason for the same.
Lack of standardization of processes
Officials in charge for dispensing these social schemes have their offices either at block or district headquarters, and the person who really needs social welfare scheme are either too old or illiterate or handicapped; incapable to run to block or district head office every now and then. Even if the intended beneficiary dares to visit the concerned office then there will be a day long exercise session to get the right form, as there is hardly any standard format being recommended by state or central government.
Local middleman
If the person is lucky and intelligent enough, then the correct and complete form is assured, but the remaining journey will not be a cruise without middlemen, who charge its share in the pound of flesh.
Due to these small but obvious problems like the two mentioned above.
I think this Jan Lokpal bill will not bring a sea change as expected by many of us, but will be just another bill and will not eradicate the problem of petty corruption flourishing at grass root level.
Nice one but made me confused. Connecting lack of standardization of processes with corruption seems a bit far fetched. Assuming that the processes has its loopholes can lead to non-utilization of money but that does not allow corruption, which I consider a personal characteristic and can be controlled by A strong judiciary.
ReplyDeleteAlso, Mr. Anna Hazare's efforts are in the direction where this bill does not become "another bill".
@ Vikas: We are living in a scoiety where you use to charge for the knowledge that you have and in return for that we ideally receive a salary.
ReplyDeleteBut this lack of standardisation creates the problem of information assymetry, which are being encashed in the form of petty corruption.
2nd: Look how the Jan lokpal bill will be excuted at ground level as being known through media. We will be having one person at the district level, how the person concerned can cater to the n number of problems being generated.
But yaa it will plug the bigger loop holes which will be beneficial for the society in the long run but no significant difference in short or medium run.
I agree! but see it from a different perspective. The power assigned is equivalent to that of High court and it has been brought down to districts. This shows decentralization of power. Again there will be benches who looks after no. of cases. Adding to it, appointment of Lokpal doesnot mean the functions of session court or other judiciaries have been seized. Thus, Lokpal will be another addition.
ReplyDeleteI feel standardization is not a problem but real culprit is information asymmetry. Even the processes are well designed but if not known to public may leave a hole.