New Ideas for Governance

Bikash Choudhury



Midnight announcement on Telengana State was either a strategic error or a tactical move to placate TRS. Off late, it seems ballooning turmoil in Andhra Pradesh must have some connection with the disaffection of YSR loyalist groups on leadership issue which was not foreseen by INC high command. The central idea of this article is not the current impasse at Hyderabad. However, through this event I wish to question the governance model which has outlived its time; and country needs one new collaborative model that would help the system to reach out to the last man on the street effectively.

In last sixty years the complexity of running this diverse country has increased manifold; however, the governance model and decision making system on broad policy still rests only with the Prime Minister. Keeping in view the competing demands for prime ministers time; it is extremely difficult for prime minister to give quality time to examine each issue of importance before taking his final decision. Therefore, now it is time to think of creating constitutional position of Dy. Prime Minister for each region; East-West & North-South. Each Dy. Prime Minister apart from running any of the four ministries like Home, Defense, Finance and External Affairs; must be responsible for development of all States of their assigned region. If this arrangement is suitably designed with the objective to free the CEO of the country to think about broad strategic issues having larger and long term impact on greater number of people and allowing the four COO’s to run their respective regions (profit centers) more effectively; then apparently the quality of central govt. decision would improve substantially. And further, the chief ministers of States can be held accountable more prudently for development of his or her State vis-à-vis central fund allocation and other plan and non-plan assistance. Again with this mechanism, working relations can be established with central govt. and chief minister of states; which can be used by centre to share perspective on State of Nation(Sri Jawaharlal Nehru, first prime minister of India used to follow the convention of writing letters to chief ministers of States on the state of nation once in a month) and consult CM’s on broad policy of the country pertaining to external affairs, finance, internal security ect., Every step forward towards better governance can’t be without its political backlash; however, INC, now has gained immense strength in terms of grass root support and critical mass in parliament to prudently choose structural change in the system of governance to again reach out to those ‘Aam Admi’ the slogan that has caught the fancy of the masses to weather any storm on the way.

Currently, UPA Govt. is well poised to effect necessary constitutional changes; because the undisputed leadership of Mrs. Sonia Gandhi has now been institutionalized in the Congress Party and moreover, the young gen-next leader Mr.Rahul Gandhi has firmly established his credential in last general election 2008.Further, Mr. Man Mohan Singh has been leading his govt. impeccably into his second term with his amiable manners but much more sure than in the last term; in spite of a few avoidable glitziest. And, again Congress party is filled with loyal stalwarts like Pranab Mukherji, Digvijay Singh, P.Chidambaram and A.K.Antony and many others. Why not give these gentlemen a chance to lead from the front towards a better living condition for this country? Congress party had promised for judicial reforms, Police reforms, public funding of election in its election manifesto in last general election and however, those issues are languishing without keen attention of competent political managers. Therefore, it is now left to the leadership of Congress party to make-up its mind about change or status quo.
Young people are genuinely interested in better living condition for themselves and their family and also understand that without structural reforms in governance; what they would console their family is with some incremental alteration which is neither sufficient nor just in comparison to even our Asian neighbors. How long Indian farmers would continue to commit suicide, Culprits of Ruchkia go unpunished, Maoist with a free run consistently destroys economic assets of the country and parallel economy keeps flourishing? Some day at some time and some one has to say enough is enough. Why not Mrs. G this time?