Dr. Vijayanand Sharma's Manifesto for IITK Alumni Elections 2016-18

डा. विजयानन्द शर्मा

Dr. Vijayanand Sharma

(MT / MME / 1978)

For Vice President, Alumni Association IITK

Service to IITK Students/Alumni

·        As an M.Tech. student at IITK I worked as a student member of the Senate Post Graduate Committee (SPGC) and was Chairman of the PG Students Academic Affairs Committee (PGSAAC). Cocurrently I worked as Chief Students’ Counsellor for PG students at the Institute Counselling Service.

·        Based on information collected through private communication, during visits to IITK campus and meeting all concerned and through RTI Act I helped IITK take corrective measures in matters of transparent management of Alumni donations, reduction in students’ suicide and accidental death of workers on work site in addition to impressing upon the IITK on the need of granting more autonomy to students in Hall management and cost control in Hall Mess and Canteens.

·        Since inception, I have been the moderator of the two Yahoo Groups: IIT Global Discussion Group and IIT Global Save IIT Forum.

Professional Service

·        Served as Secretary (2 years) and as President (8 years) of the Association of R&D Executives and Association of Steel Executives, Ranchi, Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL).

·        Represented the SAIL Executives for over 10 years as Member, Vice-Chairman (2 years) and Chairman (2 years) of Steel Executives’ Federation of India/ SEFI (for Public Sector Steel Executives), a professional Body comprising of over 25000 Executives from all the SAIL Plants/ Units, MECON & RINL, Vizag.

·        As Member of the Co-ordination Committee of the Federation of the Executives’ Associations of Central Public Sector Undertakings (CPSUs) I represented them in Pay and Perks revision negotiation with various ministries / departments of the Govt of India in 1989-1991.

Service to Society/Community

·        Science Popularization: Worked as Member (1982-85) and President (1985-1992) of Science & Technology for Society of Jharkhand, Ranchi. It later became Jharkhand Unit of Bharat Jan Vigyan Jatha, Ranchi and remained its Founder President (1992 - 2000). It was succeeded by Jharkhand Vigyan Manch of which I continue to be the Chairman since the year 2000. Objectives of these organisations is Science Popularization and enhancement of creativity amongst students and rural and semi-urban population.

·        Right to Education: As Organisation Secretary of the All India Forum for Right To Education (AIFRTE) (2009-2012) I worked for improvement in the system of both School and Higher Education and introduction of Common School System to be operated under Neighbourhood Schooling mode (CSS-NS). For this a rally of over 10000 teachers and students from Ramlila Ground to Parliament Street was organized on 24^th Feb 2010. I took lead in organizing a demonstration on the various issues related to Higher Education in front of Shashtri Bhawan (HRD Ministry), New Delhi on 27^th July 2010.

·        As founder Convenor of the Editorial Board I organized the publication of education related quarterly newsletters तालीम की लड़ाई in Hindi and Reconstructing Education in English on behalf of AIFRTE

·        Welfare of Ex-SAIL Employees: Since 2002, as a founder President of SAIL Ex-Employees Association (SEEA) I work for the welfare of its members. As a founder Chairman of the Federation of Retired SAIL Employees (FORSE), with over a lakh of retirees spread around the country, I look after the welfare of the retirees such as financial assistance, emergency needs and pension as well as healthcare schemes through SAIL Plant Hospitals and Mediclaim Insurance Policy. I interact with various ministries of the Govt of India like Finance, Social Welfare, Health and Steel on regular basis for changes in Policy towards Senior Citizens and PSU Retirees. 

Academic Involvement

·        I am an adjunct faculty and subject specialist with the National Institute of Foundry & Forge Technology, Ranchi (NIFFT) and colleges of Ranchi and Birsa Agricultural Universities in the area of Environment, Waste & Water Management. 

Why VOTE for Me for Vice President, Alumni Association

I would like to bring my 40 years of leadership experience in corporate and community service sectors –as an individual and as a team man - to transform Alumni Association to better serve students, alumni and alma mater. I will work towards involving alumni:

ü in establishing relationship with prominent universities around the world where IITK alumni occupy key positions so that IITK faculty and students can be involved in cutting-edge research in the area of Science and Technology

ü in attracting top JEE rankers and improving student placement

ü in achieving better learning experience (ABLE) to physically disabled students

ü as visiting faculty and adding practical content to their education

ü in establishing innovation and incubation centers for developing products to meet societal needs

I will also strengthen Alumni Association office and its activities so that it can serve alumni in their hour of need and serve community in and around campus for overall improvement in their quality of lives. Fighting for social justice for the marginalized section of society is my passion.

Seeking your Vote & Support

e-mail: vnsharma@iitkalumni.org

(Pic. of IITK days)

CV

Total Solar Eclipse Video March 20 2015 from BBC

श्री नारायण देसाई का देहावसान

महान गांधीवादी, दार्शनिक और आज के जमाने के आदर्श पुरुष श्री नारायण देसाई के देहावसान की खबर दुखी कर गयी. आज जब ऐसे व्यक्तित्व विरले ही बचे हैं तो उनका जाना सबसे अधिक चोट पहुंचानेवाली घटना है. वह सिर्फ गांधी जी के सचिव स्व महादेव देसाई के पुत्र ही नहीं थे बल्कि अपने आप में एक विलक्षण और धनी प्रतिभा के मालिक भी थे. अब से कुछ पांच वर्ष से अधिक हुए जब 2009 की मई महीने में हम उनके साथ 'दांतेवाड़ा न्याय एवं शांति यात्रा' में (संलग्न चित्र में मध्य में नारायण देसाई)  लगभग चार दिनों तक उनके साथ रहे और जीवन और समाज के  मूल्यवान दर्शनों को सुनने जानने का मौक़ा मिला। आज की परिस्थिति में तो उनकी सख्त जरुरत थी पर प्रकृति के नियमो के आगे हम विवश हैं. 

Re: A COMMUNIQUE ON THE ONGOING AGITATION at IITK by THE DAILY WAGE MESS WORKERS

Dear Sir,

A.  I went through your narration of the Mess Workers agitational approach and your Appeal which is in a standard language and format coming from any Establishment any time anywhere. It raises several questions to which the great intellectuals present in IITK for all the 55 years with ever changing generations could not find a solution. It must be a shame on the competence of the Managers of IITK which includes Academics too.  

The country believes and expects IITs and other Institutes of Higher learning to solve all the problems of all varieties of the present and future. IITK fails to solve a perennial problem of Mess Workers who will continue to be part and parcel of the IITK establishment ever. 

• How can IITK claim to provide consultancy and solution to issues outside world? 
• Where are all the theories of HSS and all the models and curves of Management and Engg. theories gone on this issue? 
• Does it mean that the Learned men of IITK have proved to be incompetent? 
• If the standard techniques used by IITK faculty to evaluate students are used the whole set of Administration of which Faculty forms a part seem to have crumbled. 
• Naturally you cannot do better than threatening the striking Mess Workers with dire consequences and .......in your last para. 

It is clear that no serious attempt has been made to reduce the conflict interface as there are variety of Mess Workers in different Halls with variety of service conditions. Something funny? It is also clear that IITK believes in giving surface touch to the issue and greater publicity to hide their incompetence.

 B. Quality of Food served to students in Hall Mess has a number of variants, some of them are as follows: 

1. Quality of purchased Raw Food material
2. Level of Facilities for storing and processing the Food items in Cooking area
3. Process of recruitment of the Mess Workers incl their past experience, specialisation in Food preparation, serving etc.
4. Training and counselling of the hired workers
5. Level of corruption between the Contractors and people responsible for Hall mgt.

It is clear that with respect to the bad quality food served to students in the Mess the contribution of Workers responsibility is not much.  

C.    All the story of Permanent Mess Workers not working/ serving is a hoax created by the incompetent people. If the permanency is questionable the same should apply to Faculty and Administrators 

A long term stable answers to this issue hanging for lifetime since the beginning of the IITK could be found only if the vested and corrupt interests inside the IITK allow searching for it by looking / trying for Out of the Box solution.

1. by recognising the Workers as Human Beings as much as any of the Faculty or Administrators
2. by democratising the system and involving the Workers in running the affairs of the Mess
3. by incorporating same and similar service conditions in terms of pay, safety, job security, allowances, medical facilities, residences, schooling for their children for all the Workers as their whose job is of perennial nature
4. by making all attempts to reduce conflict interface.

All the Best, 

Note: I am copying this to IITK faculty and e-groups and FB

--

डा वी एन शर्मा / Dr.V.N.Sharma

url: http://bit.do/drvns

M: 9431102680, Ph 06512441524

-------- Original Message --------

Subject:	[All] Communique on the Ongoing Agitation of the Daily Wage Mess Workers
Date:	Wed, 4 Feb 2015 22:18:50 +0530
From:	Prof. N.N. Kishore
Reply-To:	registrar@iitk.ac.in
To:	all@lists.iitk.ac.in

             *INDIAN INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY, KANPUR*****

      /A COMMUNIQUE ON THE ONGOING AGITATION /

        /OF THE DAILY WAGE MESS WORKERS/

As the campus community may be aware, the Daily Wage Mess Workers (DWWs), numbering 60 are agitating demanding regularization of their services in the Institute and in pursuance there of they have staged a hunger strike at the main gate of the Institute.It may be recalled that earlier inSeptember 2010 also they had carried out an agitation demanding regularization of their services in the Institute. Finally, on 04.09.2010 a compromise was reached between the group of wardens and the representatives of DWWs, according to which they were accorded certain facilities and concessions, such as, medical facilities, provident fund facilities, festival advance, admission of their wards in the campus
school, review of their skill levels and food in halls. It was also a condition of the said compromise that this arrangement will continue
till the DWWs in messes attain the age of 60 years or otherwise withdraws from this arrangement provided DWWs shall be expected to be
medically fit, obedient, punctual and devoted to the task that may be assigned to them. However, in the event any conduct of a DWW is found to
be wanting, appropriate disciplinary action shall be taken by the HECs. This compromise was reached as the final redressal of all outstanding grievances of DWWs in messes. However, they have reneged on their part of the obligation and again went on an agitation.

The Institute in this regard had constituted a high level committee comprising two Deans and a Head of Department.This high level committee has made sincere and bonafide attempts to bring about an amicable settlement in the matter. Even the Director and the Dy Director along with some of the Deans of the Institute have held lengthy discussions with them advising them to desist from carrying out this agitation, but so far the representatives of DWWs have been frustrating all such attempts.

Needless to mention, the Institute is still trying to dissuade them from continuing with their agitation and requests all stake holders to
cooperate with the Institute in maintaining peace and tranquility on the campus. If all attempts to maintain discipline and peace through negotiations fail, the Institute would apply the available instruments to prevent disruption to normal functioning within the Institute premises, as per rules.

N.N. Kishore
Professor-In-Charge (Administration)





*************************************************
Prof. N.N. Kishore
Professor-in-Charge (Admin)
Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur
Kanpur - 208016
(Off.)0512-259 7808, 6434 (Fax)2590465 (R)8793
*************************************************

Happy New Year 2015

Dr.V.N.Sharma / डा वी एन शर्मा

For further detail: https://tinyurl.com/vns-brief  

Contact details:

M:9431102680; Ph: 06512441524

e-mail: vnsharma@iitkalumni.org  

Address:
A 100, SAIL Satellite Township
Ranchi-834004, Jharkhand.

रंजीत कोहली उर्फ़ रक़ीबुल हसन के कारनामों की नागरिक समिति के द्वारा इसकी जांच

प्रभात खबर के ३१ अगस्त के अंक में रंजीत कोहली उर्फ़ रक़ीबुल हसन के कारनामों की 'दर्शक' द्वारा की गयी समीक्षा http://epaper.prabhatkhabar.com/c/3411749 और http://epaper.prabhatkhabar.com/c/3411768 में पढ़ी जा सकती है. इसे आम नागरिकों के दिलो दिमाग में उत्तर जानेवाली विश्लेषण के साथ प्रस्तुत की गयी है. लेकिन सर्वप्रथम इस पूरी घटना से सम्बंधित खुलासों के लिए हम तारा शाहदेव नामक युवती की हिम्मत और अडिग रहकर इस पूरी घटना को इस अंजाम तक पहुँचाने के लिए उसका धन्यवाद करना चाहेंगे. तारा के इस संघर्ष में जिस तरह उसके परिजन - भाई और पिता - खड़े हुए उसकी भी प्रशंसा होनी चाहिए। तारा की यह लड़ाई तो सचमुच तारा बनाम 'राज्य' का है पर यह उन युवतियों और महिलाओं लिए एक पूरी किताब की तरह है जिसमे विवाह के पूर्व वे किस तरह ग़लतफ़हमी और ब्लैकमेल की शिकार होती हैं और बाद में दहेज़ और अन्य कारणों से प्रताड़ित होकर अपनी जीवनलीला समाप्त करती हैं. इस बीच महिला पक्ष के बहुत सारे लोग 'जो हो गया उसे भाग्य मानकर स्वीकार करने' की सलाह देते हैं. आशा है कि इन महिलाओं तथा उनके परिजनों को तारा से गलत को सही करने की और सरकार और समाज से संघर्ष करने की सीख अवश्य मिली होगी. वैसे तो झारखण्ड, विशेषकर रांची के नागरिक, रोज रोज बहुत नजदीक से देखते हैं कि  राज्य में शासन और प्रशासन किस तरह चल रहा है पर अगर किसी प्रमाण की आवश्यकता थी तो वह भी मिल गयी है. 'कानून अपना काम करेगा या कर रहा है' इसका वास्तविक अर्थ तो यही है कि सरकार, दलाल या भ्रष्टाचार की वृद्धि में योगदान करनेवाले लोगों का कुछ नहीं बिगड़नेवाला। मेरे विचार से सीबीआई की जांच तो इसे ठंढा करने की और लम्बे समय तक लटकाने की कोशिश मात्र है. तारा की मुहिम का एक भाग यह भी है कि जिस न्यायदाता के पास हम न्याय की आस लगाकर जाते हैं और उनके आगे सर झुकाकर उनके न्यायादेशों का पालन करने को मज़बूर होते हैं और पूरी जिंदगी सही न्याय पाने के लिए एक स्तर के न्यायालय से दूसरे, तीसरे स्तर तक दौड़ लगाते हैं, उनमे बहुतेरे न्यायमूर्ति किस तरह की कमीनी हरकत करने के लिए आतुर हुआ करते हैं. उन्हें भी न्याय के प्रति कोई जिम्मेदारी महसूस नहीं हुई. पैसे और लड़की के लिए दलाली और पैरवी करनेवाले दागदार न्यायमूर्तियों के दम चलनेवाली न्यायव्यवस्था जो रंजीत कोहलियों के फ्लैट से बरामद कोर्ट के दस्तावेजों के आधार पर चलती है यह कैसे बता पाएगी की किस फैसले में न्याय हुआ और किसमे अन्याय और इस तरह के आदेशों के आधार क्या थे, यह व्यवस्था कैसे और कब चिन्हित करके समाज के सामने कौन फैसला सही और कौन गलत को अलग कर पायेगी। 'शक का लाभ आरोपी को मिलती है' इस आधार पर खड़ी  न्याय व्यवस्था उन गलत फैसलों पर किस   आधार पर अपने इन न्यायाधीशों को किस तरह दण्डित करेगी। इस पुरे मामले का निष्कर्ष यह है की पूरी शासन व्यवस्था सड़ गल चुकी है. इसमे अब राजनीतिज्ञ, मंत्री, संत्री, पुलिस एवं प्रशासनिक अधिकारी कर्मचारी का ही गठजोड़ नहीं है न्यायमूर्तियों ने भी अपने को उसी स्तर तक उतार लिया है.  यहां मैं यह भी स्पष्ट करना चाहता हूँ कि इस पुरे आकलन को किसी विशेष राजनीतिक पार्टी के पक्ष या विपक्ष में देखना अनुचित होगा क्योकि व्यवस्था में उपजी यह सड़ांध कई दशकों में फली फूली है जिस रास्ते पर भिन्न भिन्न राजनितिक दल अलग अलग समय में चलते रहे आम आदमी के जीवन को कष्टकर बनाने में यथोचित करते रहे. इसलिए अब समय आ गया है जब प्रबुद्ध नागरिकों का हस्तक्षेप आवश्यक हो गया है. इसलिए प्रभात खबर या 'दर्शक' या कोई अन्य समूह को निष्पक्ष और स्वतंत्र दिखनेवाले नागरिकों की एक समिति के द्वारा इसकी जांच कराने की प्रक्रिया शुरू करनी चाहिए। लोकतान्त्रिक समाज में यह एक नूतन पर अतिआवश्यक एवं समसामयिक प्रयोग हो सकता है.    

   

दल-बदल के दर्शन

दल-बदल के दर्शन

डा वी एन शर्मा

पिछले कुछ महीनो में या यों कहें कि हाल के संसदीय चुनावों के ठीक पहले संसद और विधायिका के बाहर दल-बदल ने महामारी का रूप धारण कर लिया तो अतिशयोक्ति नहीं होगी।  राजनीति के खिलाडियों में कुर्सी पाने की लालसा सबसे मज़बूत होती है जिसका परिणाम दल-बदल के रूप में सामने आता है. नीचे की पंक्तियों में हम भारत में दल-बदल के संक्षिप्त इतिहास और कारणों की समीक्षा करेंगे.            

भारत की राजनीति में दल-बदल ने 1967 के आम चुनाओं के बाद गंभीर रूप धारण किये जिसका नतीजा यह हुआ कि उत्तर भारत के लगभग नौ राज्यों में से कुछ में कांग्रेस को बहुत कम अंतर से स्पष्ट बहुमत मिली लेकिन बाकियों में तो बहुमत मिली ही नहीं। उस समय भी आज की तरह ही आम जनता बढ़ती महंगाई और भ्रष्टाचार से निजात पाने के लिए तड़प रही थी जिसका नतीज़ा था 1966 -67 के दौरान समाज और  देश में सीमित अराजकता। इसका परिणाम यह हुआ कि चुनावी प्रक्रिया के शुरू होने के पूर्व से ही गैर कॉंग्रेसवाद की जड़ें जमने लगी और चुनाव में जनता स्वतः स्फूर्त तरीके से कांग्रेस-विरोध को खुलकर हवा दे रही थी. चुनाव परिणाम आने के बाद जब सरकार बनाने की कवायद शुरू हुई तो बेमेल गठजोड़ उभरकर सामने आने लगे. कुछ कांग्रेस के नेताओं ने कुछ चुनिन्दे समर्थकों को साथ लेकर नए दल या समूह की स्थापना की और कुछ हेराफेरी, कुछ लेनदेन करके मुख्यमंत्री बन बैठे। संयुक्त विधायक दल या यूनाइटेड फ्रंट के सरकारों की स्थापना के साथ साथ अनैतिक गठबंधनों का दौर भी यहीं से शुरू हुआ. हर कोई अपने को उच्च कोटि का नेता बताने लगा और सरकार का मुखिया का पद हथियाने के लिए साजिश रचने में लग गया. यही दौर था जिसमे आया राम - गया राम की एक नयी प्रजाति का प्रादुर्भाव हुआ. हर कुछ महीनों में सरकारें गिरने और बनने लगीं। इसका सीधा सम्बन्ध अस्थिर सरकारों के बनने बिगड़ने से जुड़ गया, यहां तक की सिर्फ चार दिनों के लिए भी सरकारें बनी और गिरीं। 

एक दो साल के इस असफल प्रयोग से जनता में यह सन्देश स्पष्ट रूप से गया कि इस तरह के सुबह शाम के जोड़-तोड़ के गठबंधन की सरकार से कुछ लालची नेताओं का भला हो सकता है आम जनता का तो कतई नहीं। इसका फायदा कांग्रेस को मिला। तमिलनाडु छोड़कर शायद वह उन सभी जगहों में ताज़े चुनाव के बाद बहुमत लाने में सफल रही। इस तरह गैर कॉंग्रेसवाद कुछ दिनों के लिए गर्त में चला गया. वर्ष 1975 में इमरजेंसी की घोषणा के बाद कांग्रेस विरोधी पुनः एक मंच पर आये, 1977 में केंद्र तथा कई राज्यों के चुनाओं में बहुमत हासिल किये और सरकारें बनायी पर दो वर्षों के अंदर फिर वही ढाक के तीन पात. 1980 के आम चुनाव में कांग्रेस पुनः सत्ता में वापस आयी. यहां यह बता देना जरुरी है कि तबतक दल-बदल की चलन सिर्फ संसद और विधायिका के सदस्यों के बीच ही सीमित थी क्योंकि इसका सीधा सम्बन्ध सरकार के बनने बिगड़ने से था और इसके पीछे मंत्रिपद पाने की इच्छा और उससे उपजे व्यक्तिगत फायदे पर नज़र होती थी. लेकिन तबतक राजनीति के खिलाडियों को यह भी समझ में आ गया कि अगर आमजनों में राजनीति के प्रति सुचिता का दिखावा ही सही होना है तो सांसदों और विधायकों में सिद्धांतविहीन दल-बदल के बढ़ते हुए नासूर का इलाज़ होना अति आवश्यक है.  दल-बदल के शुरू से अबतक के इतिहास में एक बात जो रेखांकित करने लायक है वह यह कि सिर्फ कम्युनिस्ट पार्टियां या मार्क्स के दर्शन से प्रभावित पार्टियों के सदस्य ही इस राजनैतिक अनैतिकता के खेल से बाहर रहे . 

इस सोच का अगला कदम यह था कि इंदिरा गांधी की हत्या के बाद के 1984 के चुनाव में राजीव गांधी के नेतृत्व में कांग्रेस को लोक सभा में 402 सीटें प्राप्त हुई और दलबदल विरोधी क़ानून भी उसी समय बना जिसमे दल-बदल की शर्तों को थोड़ा कठिन किया गया. यह क़ानून आज भी लागू है पर यह भी सिर्फ संसद और विधायिका के सदस्यों को नियंत्रित करने में क्रियाशील है. यानि एक पार्टी से दूसरी पार्टी में जाने वाले राजनीति से सम्बंधित लोगो पर इस क़ानून का कोई प्रभाव नहीं होता। 

समय के साथ साथ दल-बदल की स्थिति में परिवर्तन हुए और राज्य सभा के चुनाव में दल-बदल किये बिना भी विधायकों के धन प्राप्ति का योग बना. इसके लिए अन्य कानूनो के तहत कार्रवाई तो हो सकती है और कुछ विधायकों पर मुकदमे चले भी लेकिन क़ानून निर्माताओं ने इसे दल-बदल विरोधी क़ानून से बाहर रखा. 

जैसा की प्रारम्भ में कहा गया संसद के बाहर दल-बदल एक गंभीर समस्या के रूप में हाल के संसदीय चुनावों के ठीक पूर्व खड़ी हुई लेकिन उसके बाद तो यह दिन बदिन राजनीतिज्ञों की नैतिकता को नीचले पायदान पर धकेल रही है. हर हाल में चुनाव जीतने कि इच्छा ने दल-बदल को हाल साल के दिनों में संसद और विधायिका के अंदर से बाहर ला खड़ा किया है. कांग्रेस और उसके समर्थक दलों के भ्रष्टाचार और निक्कमेपन की कहानियों के अलावा भाजपा के अकेले दम लोक सभा में बहुमत पाने और अपने संगी दलों के साथ मिलकर सुरक्षित बहुमत तक पहुँचने के कई मार्ग दल-बदल के माध्यम से भी बने और बहुत सालों बाद भारत की राजनीति को एकतरफा होने का मौका मिला। चूँकि इस देश में हर वक्त कहीं न कहीं कोई न कोई चुनाव की प्रक्रिया चलती रहती है दल-बदल का कारनामा भी अनवरत चलता रहता है.

संसद के चुनाव के परिणाम पर बहसें अभी चौक चौराहों पर खत्म नहीं हुई कि विधान सभा के उपचुनाव हो गए. अब तैयारी है कुछ विधान सभाओं के चुनावों की जिससे साथ में जुडी है दल-बदल की सरगर्मी भी. हर पार्टी और हर संभावित उम्मीदवार आँख मिचौली के खेल में व्यस्त है. एक दल बदलू का नयी पार्टी के कार्यालय में स्वागत भाषण हो रहा होता है उसकी त्यक्ता पार्टी प्रेस कांफ्रेंस में 'कुछ असर नहीं पड़नेवाला' बयान देती है. स्पष्ट रूप से इसमें न तो दल बदलू के न नयी या पुरानी पार्टी के राजनीति का कोई सिद्धांत आड़े आता है. छोटी पार्टी, बड़ी पार्टी, राष्ट्रीय पार्टी, क्षेत्रीय पार्टी, गम्भीर सिद्धांत या छिछोरी सिद्धांतों पर खड़ी पार्टी में सभी अंतर समाप्त मान लिए गए हैं. अब अधिकतर उम्मीदवार हर हाल में चाहे कुछ भी हो, कैसी भी तिकड़म करनी पड़े चुनाव का पार्टी टिकट और जीत ही लक्ष्य के रूप में देखते है. सही भी है जन सेवा संसद और विधायिका में बैठे बिना नहीं हो सकती क्योंकि जनता को व्यक्तिगत या सामूहिक रूप से कुछ मदद पहुंचा सकने की स्कीम उन्ही के माध्यम से फलित होती है. तो फिर सिद्धांतों का क्या काम? इसके बावजूद भारतीय मानसिकता में आदर्श की बची हुई पुट किसी भी तरह के दल-बदल को अनैतिक मानती है और इसे पचा नहीं पाती क्योंकि वह इसमें व्यापार प्रबंधन के गुणों से संचालित बदलती राजनीति को जिसमे आदर्श विलुप्त हो जाता है और सिर्फ और सिर्फ लाभयुक्त परिणाम पर निगाहें टिकी होती हैं के परिपेक्ष्य में ठीक से मूल्यांकन नहीं कर पाता.

राजनीति में हो रही इन मुलभुत परिवर्त्तनो को मान्यता न दे सकनेवाला समाज का वह तबका ऐसे राजनीतिज्ञों  के चरित्र और उसके राजनीतिक दर्शन पर उंगली उठाती है तथा उसे गिरी हुई निगाहों से देखती परखती है. आमजनों में ऐसे नज़रिये का उत्त्पन होना कोई अनहोनी नहीं है. वे जिन्हे भाग्यविधाता मानकर शासन की बागडोर देने के लिए मत देते हैं उसे ठोक पीटकर पहले देख लें यह तो एक जागृत समाज का लक्षण होना चाहिए। लेकिन दल-बदल का पूरा कृत्य पैसे के दम पर होता है जिसमे समाज के ऊपरी धड़े के लोगों का वर्चस्व होता है. तो दल-बदल से आहत लोग शायद मध्यम वर्गीय समाज में ही बचे हुए हैं. आर्थिक रूप से विपन्न समाज में बहुत कम ही व्यक्ति ऐसे बचे हैं जो सिद्धांत विहीन राजनीति का विरोध करते हों. क्योंकि उनके लिए मतदान का आधार सिर्फ उम्मीदवार या दल नहीं होता, तात्कालिक आर्थिक लाभ भी होता है जो गरीबी के क्षणिक निदान को मत में परिवर्तित करने में मदद करता है.   

Economic and Environmental costs of Declining Governance

Published in: JANATA, July 20, 2014, pp 9-12

Economic and Environmental costs of Declining Governance 

by

V.N.Sharma

For quite some time the people, especially the elder ones including the Freedom Fighters, have been found quite appreciative of the Rule of the British Raj in India in comparison to the one handed over to us by the post-independence Governments. The statements, made thus, may be swept under the carpet by some government spokesperson or those from the political class as coming simply out of individual frustration. People in power have a habit of projecting themselves as blind creatures. They fail to see the insincerity of their class in most of the purposes of governance in almost all locations, which speak volumes about the state we are in. Those, of late forties/ early fifties generation, had a chance, all through as a toddler to the end of adolescence, to see the governance in India as an extension of the British Rule. The ones from the rural background were more fortunate to see the Govt. officials from the public dealing departments like land revenue, water tax, health workers, police, Electric supply, Education etc. near their doors on different days. It used to be a two-way communication between the villagers and the visiting officials. Results used to be solution to at least some of the grievances right at the spot and positive assurances for the remaining ones. Health workers’ visited mostly during the monsoon for spreading bleaching powder in rotting garbage locations and treating wells with disinfectant to control spread of cholera or to organize vaccination programmes in the concerned village. The school located in the village was visited by the Inspector of Schools or his deputies every now and then-almost every quarter without fail. Such visits were a kind of fixed phenomena, though declining in quality and frequency, until mid-sixties. Police is the only government department which continued with its visibility all through to investigate crimes and complains of different variety though not with fair intentions, lately, in majority of the cases. Being closer to the seat of government officials and agencies, people in the urban areas smelt the government nearby in their breath. This indicated to the urbanites that there was a Government which worked for them.

Post sixties saw a major but exponential decay in the system of governance. The visits of the government officials, except the police, stopped and for every problem or simple routine issue people were asked to visit concerned offices in the Block or district headquarters and submit formal request. The urban population too sensed, like their rural counterparts, that they were farther from the ‘gods of public administration’ and almost in the same basket.  Inefficient and ineffective functioning by the bureaucracy or delayed response by the Government offices forced people either to compromise with corruption operated through middle men or brokers or take to law courts in search of justice or a decision. Thus was created a heavy demand on travel to long distances by too many citizens, very often too many times, which caused loss of valuable man-days as also addition to the undesirable consumption of the natural and mineral resources. Quite naturally the productivity per capita decreased. Now even weekly or fortnightly Janata Durbars by the CM or Ministers or bureaucrats in the State or district or block headquarters do not infuse much confidence.  But nothing moves, nobody is specifically questioned for inaction. It appears that such announcements are just played to the gallery for public consumption. Till about the end of eighties an extended courtesy by the Ministers and ministries used to be acknowledgement of letters addressed to them related to personal or social issues.

It is not quite an issue if the history of the civil administration in India is known to individual citizens or not but what they should get, as a matter of right, under a constitution guaranteeing it is a good governance. The citizens are in working mode as long as they deal with each other. The moment a third party called Government enters into the arena it becomes a flop show. There is no fixed time delivery by arms of the Govt. including judiciary. A delayed supply of material or submission by a citizen is punishable but nobody in the system of governance can be touched even if an individual employee has not done the assigned work. Their pay, perks and life with comfort are not questionable even if hundreds and thousands die outside.

Role of technology 

Availability of efficient information and communication technologies (ICT) like e-mail, mobile etc. in government offices has not changed the mechanics of administration and its decision making capabilities. The downward journey of political will and administrative lethargy visible since early sixties is taking newer and newer dips in larger spectrum of governance and public administration. The officials - big or small – from the Government secretariat located in the capital city to the Block level offices continue to work from their offices from the comfort of their office chamber. The usual comment made by such officials to the Media nowadays about a disaster, a scam in road making, money transaction, and corruption in an office, death of a patient in hospital due to absence, negligence or wrong treatment by the doctor is that this would be looked into when the issue comes to him. It is as if none of these happenings belong to his area of job description and for sure he does not have a responsibility to look outside his comfort zone. (Railway Ministers/ Officials are the only exception to this Rule though in a limited way only.) To add to that, if the sufferer or the relatives or the general populace make disturbing noise they can be put behind bars for ‘obstructing the office work’ clause of the law. Hiding behind such obnoxious laws and rules of administration the officials desire that the people should take every wrong doing by the Government men silently lying down even if mazdoors under MNREGA are not paid their wages, municipal services are not upto the mark, government or municipal schools do not conduct classes or educate children, hospitals remain without doctors-on-duty etc. More often than not, it appears that the government is on long leave. The political or administrative officials become visible individually or collectively only in press conferences or on TV screens during exposure of the scams related to them individually or collectively. It is beyond comprehension that the same ICTs incorporated in the Business sector works so well but fails at home in the Govt offices. This, in nut-shell, tells the story of inefficiency, ineffectiveness, intentionally bad or wrong approach to Governance, corruption and inclusion of middle men and commission agents in large numbers in functioning of the Government.

Environmental Damages

At the same time this also puts unnecessary demand on the basic infrastructure like roads, means of communication and transport, power etc. The rapid development in urban India has also resulted in a tremendous increase in the number of motor vehicles and in some cities this has doubled in the last decade. This is the main source of air pollution and poor ambient air quality impacting millions of dwellers. In 2005-06 there were 8.9M vehicles sold and in five years this number has scaled to 15M (in 2010-11). Cars and trucks are estimated to produce about 314 million metric tons of carbon dioxide in one year, and this number is going up each year. Cars are responsible for 72% of nitrogen oxides and 52% of reactive hydrocarbons in our atmosphere. Vehicles in major metropolitan cities are estimated to account for 70% of CO, 50% of HC, 30-40% of NOx, 30%of SPM and 10% of SO2 of the total pollution load of these cities, of which two-thirds is contributed by two wheelers alone. These are estimated to raise the earth’s temperature over 2 degrees centigrade, unleashing climate catastrophe. Such a working arrangement forced by the declining Governance tells negatively upon the socio-economic development, loss of valuable agricultural fields for more and more road making, ever decreasing forest areas, and ultimately upon the deterioration in the quality of Environment, increased burden of global warming, climate change and clean air and water availability. Governance in India, thus, is yet to match its steps with the incorporation and assimilation of newer technologies in their routine functions, especially where public related issues-individual or collective- is concerned.

Road accidents

The frequency of traffic collisions in India is amongst the highest in the world. A National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) report revealed that every year, more than 135,000 traffic collision-related deaths occur in india. In New Delhi, the capital of India, the frequency of traffic collisions is 40 times higher than the rate in London, the capital of the United Kingdom. Traffic collision-related deaths increased from 13 per hour in 2008 to 14 per hour in 2009. More than 40 per cent of these casualties are associated with motorcycles and trucks. The most accident-prone time on Indian roads is during the peak hour at afternoon and evening. According to road traffic safety experts, the actual number of casualties may be higher than what is documented, as many traffic accidents go unreported. Moreover, victims who die sometime after the accident, a span of time which may vary from a few hours to several days, are not counted as car accident victims.

Economic Cost

The Planning Commission in its 2001–2003 research estimated that traffic collision resulted in an annual monetary loss of $10 billion (INR 550 billion) during the years 1999–2000. In 2012, the International Road Federation (IRF) estimated that traffic collision results in an annual monetary loss of $20 billion (INR 1 trillion (short scale)) in India. This figure includes expenses associated with the accident victim, property damage and administration expenses.

Need of a Citizens’ charter

A government or its agencies cannot collect taxes and refuse to provide service. It would make an interesting study of why minimum facility like clean drinking water supply, well maintained roads, improved health care service or quality education cannot be provided to the populace by the government. Why all these are not done and responsibility is left with irresponsible non-government agencies and organization remains a mystery. The end effect is public anger and frustration against the system of public and political administration leading to turmoil, and not without reason.

It is clear by now that the major share of the various costs and damages mentioned above are caused by bad and inefficient governance because of increased uncalled for transportation and loss of man days to constructive activities. A dynamic society must define the parameters of effective and efficient governance afresh in a citizens’ charter and its frequent evaluation and re-evaluation.The way to tackle the problems arising out of declining Governance is to change the service rules and methods of evaluation of the Govt. employees by incorporating public-on-the ground- evaluation, increased inclusion of ICT and other Technologies and building up of social and political will to make the Governance efficient as the Task and target number one.

Literature Used:

http://www.ipcbee.com/vol33/009-ICEEB2012-B023.pdf http://www.siamindia.com/scripts/domestic-sales-trend.aspx

http://www.lth.se/fileadmin/tft/dok/KFBkonf/1HoglundNiitymeki.PDF 

http://www.environment.gov.au/system/files/resources/73c55f4c-9b4f-4ae8-a09e-d089a703d29a/files/vehicle-pollution.pdf

http://www.environment.gov.au/system/files/resources/73c55f4c-9b4f-4ae8-a09e-d089a703d29a/files/vehicle-pollution.pdf

http://www.ask.com/question/how-much-pollution-does-a-car-give-off

http://www.downtoearth.org.in/content/dangers-letting-cars-dictate-city-design

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traffic_collisions_in_India

रांची में २५ अगस्त के अनावश्यक बंद के परिणाम

रांची बंद किये जाने के लिए जो कुछ भी कहा गया और रांची बंद के दौरान शहर के रोड रास्ते में जिस तरह की गुंडागर्दी की गयी वह इस परिकल्पना को स्थापित करने में सफल रही  कि भाजपा की नीति 'कहीं पे निगाहें कहीं पे निशाना' के तौर पर काम कर रही है. विज्ञानं के नियमो को अगर  आधार माने तो लगता है की इस देश के लोगों को भाजपा और मोदी से जितनी जल्दी उम्मीदें बंधी थी उतनी ही जल्दी मायूसी के दर्शन भी होने लगी। विरोधी पार्टी के मुख्यमंत्रियों की  उन्ही के राज्य में मंच पर प्रधानमंत्री की उपस्थिति  में उन्ही की पार्टी के लोगों द्वारा हूटिंग और बेइज़्ज़त करने की क्रिया को 'अतिथि देवो भव' के इस देश में कभी स्वीकृति नहीं मिलेगी और मध्यमवर्गी समाज तो इसे ज्यादा जल्द ही अनुभव कर लेगा और अपनी कार्रवाई भी शुरू करेगा. बिहार में आज भाजपा को मिली पटखनी वैसे तो सरल अंकगणित का मामला था पर सुशील मोदी इसी फेसबुक में जो अनाप शनाप बयान लगातार दे  रहे थे उससे वे एक अपरिपक़्व नेता का व्यक्तित्व पेश कर रहे थे. इस देश की जनता वैसे तो सरकारों पर भरोसा करना कब का छोड़ चुकी है फिर भी रांची बंद जैसी गुंडागर्दी को स्वीकार तो नहीं करती। ऐसे हुक्मरान पहले भी आए गए जो अपने फायदे के लिए इस तरह के विचार और हथकंडे अपनाते रहे हैं. उन्हें जनता ने धूल चटाने की पहली पाठ शुरू कर दी है. अब यह बात मोदियों पर है कि उनके अगले कदम में कोई परिवर्तन होगा क्या।      

My comments: Crony capitalism a big threat to countries like India

Aug 23 2014

Pl. read 'Crony capitalism a big threat to countries like India, RBI chief Raghuram Rajan says' (complete text of his speech in Hindi) in 

http://epaper.prabhatkhabar.com/325170/RANCHI-City/City#page/13/2

or Report below in English

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/Crony-capitalism-a-big-threat-to-countries-like-India-RBI-chief-Raghuram-Rajan-says/articleshow/40076743.cms

My comments:
In development matters it is the money which is talked about since this is what counts in every sphere of life-be it National, International or local. Even after Marx & Engels propounded their theories to justify the contribution of Labour what remained on the surface, in quantitave and visible range was the money in the form and name of Capital.  Easily available for changing hands and exchange of commodity the call of Capital was heard loudly by all. So intellectuals esp those dealing with this business of money became important in due course and later became the guiding force of the State but these forces were colluding underhand with those who had a lot of money or who knew how to make money just by playing a few tricks here and there. This gave birth to crony capitalism. In a fully messed up system of governance in India this flourishes by leaps and bounds. Laws look the other way because people with money have the law in their pockets. From the very beginning of our sovereign democratic socialist republic we were guided always by somebody from the US -it could be Indian or NRI or a converted citizen of the US. Even if the prescriptions could be appropriate for the US or other developed countries it cannot be panacea for ills of all the countries or a part of it. Our so called democracy is not a democracy in the real sense as it has no democratic values. Any election for any institution gives an output, an elected representative even with 10-15% of total voting-winning candidate with 7-8% vote gets to a ruler's chair. Also Vote is a saleable material these days. In the lihght of this more stringent laws wrt voting is under consideration by the ruling class.