What Can You & I Do?

Improving the delivery of public services and the quality of public goods for the common man is the single most pressing reform essential to fertilize all others, and to improve inclusion and equity. The government is ours and is run by people like us. But poor systems have perverted incentives in governance. Public servants are also often unhappy in a stagnant and dysfunctional system. Reform to improve these systems is happening, slowly.

But what can we do to improve matters?

First, take a vow never to pay a bribe. With more alternatives available now, it is possible to live and work without having to bribe anyone. This is the only way to create a critical mass and break the norm of corruption that has set in.

How has a society that used the power of truth to defeat a colonial power become known today for corruption? Returns to corruption rise as a function of the number of corrupt in any society or organization, and can even exceed those to honesty. Even if returns to honesty are high initially they fall as the percentage of corrupt rise. So initial returns to corruption are low, but they rise at an increasing rate with the percentage of corrupt, before falling as corruption decreases activity. Initially society maybe at a low-level of corruption but an exogenous shock or organizational decay that raises the returns to corruption can lead to an escalating increase so that the majority becomes corrupt.

Corruption becomes the difficult to remove norm, and modes of sharing extra-legal payoffs become standard. Such shocks probably occurred in India around the seventies. First, political fragmentation weakened the government, and multiple power centers developed. Second, user charges were not raised in the face of large cost shocks, as populism increased. As public sector undertakings found it difficult to meet costs, salaries were also squeezed, encouraging extra-legal means of making money. The disease spread from the top. A former cabinet secretary has noted in his memoirs that as politics became a lucrative business with few checks and controls, political leaders could force civil servants to collude with them for mutual benefit. Service rules and procedures were progressively adapted to make this possible.

Second, we need to work to strengthen horizontal democracy for efficient delivery without corruption. Vertical democracy has survived in India, with regular elections and changes of government. But more continual engagement, or horizontal democracy, is required to create those missing checks and balances. Working with NGOs and using the RTI to force more transparency, showing more civic responsibility and participation in public life in our own local areas are ways we can contribute. It is important also to recognize and thank those who do good work in Government.

Third, politicians do respond to our demands, since they have to win elections. Finally, we get the government we deserve. So we have to send the right signals to them. We must stop asking for subsidies and sops, or responding to divisive slogans based on religion, caste and class. We must ask for a good infrastructure, schools and colleges, hospitals, clean air, which will allow each of us to work to our maximum potential. We must take voting seriously, go out in large numbers, select and reward those who work

and deliver.

by

Ashima Goyal

February 11, 2009

India Lies In You

INDIA LIES IN YOU is a sincere effort to make every individual aware of our own nation. It is an approach to make us realise that our country is colourful paraphernalia of different culture, races, ethnicity and religion and we have certain responsibilities towards it which we have forgotten. It urges us to reshuffle ourselves so that we can take the Herculean task of shaping our nation.

It is an answer to certain rhetorical questions which we as a youth often ponder upon. We are nation builders indeed, but do we care? Are we concerned about all the happenings in our country? Are we dreaming for a better India? A definite YES would be the answer. But, the biggest question is, are we doing something? Are we converting our ideals into actions? Does everyone hear our clamours for change, our clamours for solutions? NO! It is depressing indeed to see that we have turned so apathetic towards our own nation. So this is the time to get rid our apathy and wake up. India lies in you is a initiative taken for garnering, motivating and empowering each one of us to contribute actively in nation building effort as well as upliftment of society.

Sarah.

About India

India is a 34,000 years old country with a rich legend and history and it was way ahead of its time as compared to others. When many cultures were only nomadic forest dwellers over 5000 years ago, Indians established Harappan culture in Sindhu Valley (Indus Valley Civilization). Algebra, Trigonometry and Calculus are studies which originated in India. The world's first university was established in Takshila in 700 BC where students from all over the world studied. The University of Nalanda built in the 4th century was one of the greatest achievements of ancient India in the field of education. Ayurveda, the earliest school of medicine known to mankind was consolidated 2500 years ago.

But today despite being one of the most ancient civilizations the largest democracy in the world and the 6th largest Country in the world, India is struggling to come out of the status of a developing country.

According to a 2005 World Bank estimate, 42% of the total Indian population was living below the global poverty line of $1.25 (approx Rs 60) per day. This means that a third of the global poor reside in India. Sixty three years after independence, many rural areas are still surviving without the basic infrastructure facilities like sound and safe roadways, reliable electricity, clean water and basic sanitation. About 70% of the Indian population lives in rural areas and a majority of this population is dependent on agriculture for its livelihood and accounts for about 37% of the national income. Still the agriculture is in backward condition in our country and it’s a matter of great concern.

No doubt India has been able to achieve economic growth but it has been highly uneven benefiting the skilled and wealthy disproportionately. Many of India’s rural poor are yet to receive any tangible benefits from the India’s economic growth. There is a huge disparity between high technology companies thriving in the global market and a large percentage of the population who maybe earn just enough to eat. There is a serious need to address these disparities and to deal with issues that hold back India from emerging as a developed nation. The tag of a developed nation may not be the most important thing but it is essential to draw the people out from below the poverty line in order to uphold the human values of equality and brotherhood and to achieve a balanced growth. There is no why India can’t get back to the status it could once boast of. The only way we can do it is by being sensitive to the situation and taking responsibility to bring about the change.

by Imran

SSIMS

"INDIA LIES IN YOU"

The concept of India Lies In You is very unique and subtle. India Lies In You is a trumpet that makes us consciously aware of the multitude of unconscious association with India. It is not a call for the social worker or a dry reminder of our social responsibilities. It is not for only those who have passion to do something in life. It is for common people like “YOU” and “ME”. It is to make us aware that Indian culture and heritage is what we are made up of. Each one of us represents everything associated with India. Every second and every action of our life portrays every aspect of India- the diversity, the variety, the bond, the magic of India. India is the only civilisation that has survived the plunders of conquest, war and degradation. We are the representative of the dynamic forefathers who had helped in keeping the thread of Indian civilisation intact in the modern times. Our life is the culmination of all the great changes and wonders of the past. We are the representative of the diversity in language customs culture or simply life! India lies in you awaken the sense of awareness as to what we are. It makes us realise the richness of our culture and society- the dynamic diversity. The realisation of what we are makes us appreciate the great nation more intimidating us from the evil acts that threaten to snap the thread. It compels us to work toward the upliftment of the society to next level- to create all inclusive India where caring nourishes the bloom.

Come join hands to appreciate, serve and rebuild the great nation...........

Kanchan Lata
SSIMS