Tech Led Process Improvement & Delivery Measurement – out of agenda
By: Amit Bhushan Date: 11th Sept. 2016
One of the core areas the political parties and leaders seem to be conspicuously silent, while getting into fray for the upcoming poll battles; this is about Technology led process improvement and measurement of delivery and outcomes (transparency). The silence of some erstwhile parties presumed to be the natural choice for governance and the tech-lethargy depicted by them has given a leg-up to some other parties. The natural outcome is that the parties are high on noise using a mix of media tools(read commercial news media), social media with all possible supportive optics (like public rally), rather than substance. What's mouthed is lack of 'selfies' with selfie friendly netas rather than lack of sanitation, hygiene, health and education facilities, anyone's guess about the kind of rapport being struck, but for the city dwelling and internet-friendly netas.
What is conspicuous is that the party which laid foundation of UIDAI, RTI or even ‘mobile phones’ to be claimed etc. is trying hard to remain fixated to ‘socialist’ credentials claiming issues like lack of farm loan waivers to be principle issues. This is so because though it performed well in ‘theory’ (like laying foundations), its track record in application of the theory like Direct benefit transfers or relationship with activist, tariff of mobiles etc. was at best a mixed bag, if not downright failure. The party it seems is yet to come to terms with the cause of its defeat which some of its ‘mass leaders’ may blame of these very factors rather than their own vigilantism ‘against progress’. It is quite curious that such ‘mass leaders’ of the party have a rather healthy track record of near total collapse against ‘caste warriors’ which might be against stated the ‘principles’ of the party, however the entire party would rather hop on the caste leaders during early phase and subsequently these leaders would break away to create their own dynasty along with some break away netas from the party, a saga which repeats over and over again and a western state is the current case study. There is considerable doubt, if the story won’t repeat itself although the ‘leaders’ can remain in denial.
What the Commercial news media and parties seem not to have learnt is that dependency on farming of the rural folks is declining. And there seems to be nothing on offer for the non-farm dependent rural folks which are significant now. These people yearn for jobs or say year round jobs, however the cottage industry in the villages doesn’t have such jobs. There seems to be a complete lack of plan for the cottage industry with any party. The media for some curious reason seems not to be interested in ‘knowing’, that how many of these village based business units are faring on the loan schemes. It won’t mind blaring out on back money and farm loan waiver on one side and the loan schemes and e-rickshaw distribution on the other side to keep its kitchen fires burning; thus discharging its duties and impact elections in India’s states and union.
The political parties seem to be making Bijli and Sadak as big issues around which display of achievements are being targeted, while totally ignoring primary healthcare and education, where lot of dust was raised to dispose off the previous party in power in a crucial election bound state. The commercial news media it seems is also not too keen to revisit the issue. Lack of irrigation facilities in the drenched areas, potable water or effectiveness of the sanitation drive seem to being given a pass, condoning 'all' parties that should have been held accountable. While there has been noise about police and jail reforms, the impact on ordinary public seems to be zilch given the hooliganism by goonda elements and riots which have been unchecked. The focus to improve public services in the state, has been limited and comparable statistics vis-à-vis with other states seems unlikely to be provided by either the government or by commercial news media, as a matter of policy, it seems. With the above as backdrop, the trained eyes in politics should understand which way elections in the crucial state are headed although that may be sans any merit of the winner though. However a four cornered contest might lead to somewhat fragmented verdict. It may be noted that failure to ride factors such as RTI might only lead the party often credited to be choice of natural governance to become rather a toothless supporter or opponent of secular/non-secular formations in most states rather than having impact as a wholesome unit, some netas though may continue to play some roles on their own merit with the backing of some other netas. The commercial news media however can continue to have a different take.