Sunday, April 8, 2018

Are Administrative Reforms Dead?


The Administrative Reforms Commission (ARC) Reports are important documents from the UPSC civil services exam perspective, says the site https://byjus.com/free-ias-prep/arc-reports-for-upsc-mains-exam , but what about comprehensive, public  discussion of administrative reform issues from the nation’s point of view? Don’t we need it every year?
There have been two Administrative Reforms Commissions in India. They have produced a series of reports, which have received Government Consideration. Some recommendations have been implemented. All that was long ago.
Now, there seems to be a Dept of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances https://darpg.gov.in/about-arc
However, there seems to be no public report of any action related to Administrative Reform after 2011. 
The one exception I could find was a blog post by Amitabh Kant of Niti Aayog. 
https://blogs.economictimes.indiatimes.com/et-commentary/administrative-reforms-rebolting-the-steel-frame/

Discovering that there is a Ministry of Administrative Reforms  reminded me of something that Dr Kirit Parikh said in a public talk over two decades ago. It was about a gardener who was taking care of a small piece of lawn in the economics department of JNU. One day, the gardener goes to the Chairman of the Dept. and says that they have to find another gardener. “Why?” says the Chairman, “Are you leaving?” “No”, says the gardener, “I have been made permanent!”
Don’t we need to review our administrative practices regularly? Don’t we need to make visible improvements to them, and tell the country about it? 
Srinivasan Ramani



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