09-05-2005, 08:57 PM
World-class administration needed in country, says Veerappa Moily
Nagesh Prabhu
`We have rules as old as 1921 that govern the civil service. Those rules are unsuitable to the modern ethos of development'
BANGALORE: The United Progressive Alliance Government has chosen the former Chief Minister M. Veerappa Moily to head the Second Administrative Reforms Commission in recognition of his administrative experience.
Mr. Moily, who is 65, has over 30 years of experience in public service, policy making, governance and politics. Though committees on public administration headed by A.D. Gorwala and Paul Appleby were set up in the 1950s, the first commission, headed by the late Morarji Desai, who later became the Prime Minister, was set up in 1966. It was later headed by Kengal Hanumanthaiya.
Mr. Moily told The Hindu in an interview that the country's administration must sport a modern look to face current and future global challenges. The following are excerpts from the interview.
Question: Which are the areas of administration the commission will go into?
Answer: The commission will suggest measures to achieve a proactive, responsive, accountable and efficient administration for the country at all levels. It will focus on subjects such as organisational structure of the Government of India, ethics in governance, refurbishing personnel administration, strengthening of financial management systems, steps to ensure effective administration at the State and district levels, panchayat raj institutions, social capital, trust and participative public service delivery, citizen-centric administration, promoting e-governance, issues of federal polity, crisis management and public order.
Q: The general complaint is that administration is inefficient and is not responsive to people's problems. How is efficiency to be brought in?
A: Well, the country requires a world-class administrative machinery to meet the challenges of global competition. It should have well-equipped, world-class administrators. It is not necessary that the Government should be in command in all spheres. In some areas there is no need for any regulation.
Q: Are you in favour of adoption of private sector management practices in public administration?
A: Our goal is to strengthen the framework of the fragile administrative machinery and make it efficient, economical, sensitive, clean and objective. We have a hi-tech private sector but low-tech administration. Why not incorporate hi-tech administrative practices of the private sector in public administration. We have rules as old as 1921 that govern the civil service. Those rules are unsuitable to the modern ethos of development. Again we have the Official Secrets Act adopted in 1923. Without any baggage of the past, we are going to study issues in depth. We should have a modern outlook and a fresh mind. The administration should fulfil the requirements of today and tomorrow.
Q: In what ways can the scourge of corruption be tackled?
A: First of all, interaction between the Government and the public should be minimised. We must put a system in place. Reforms should bring about better performance. Reforms should not be half-hearted, patchwork and ad hoc.
Q: The deputy commissioner or collector continues to be all-important in the district administration and IAS officers exercise more powers than IPS officers at all levels of administration. What is your view?
A: A vertical power structure is not good. It does not help in improving the administration. Performance should be the criterion for all, and not seniority. Performance can be gauged. It is not exactly how many years of service you put in. We will work out a definite and concrete format for measuring the performance of each civil servant. One cannot expect accountability by giving 10 per cent authority. All these are interlinked.
Q: What role do you envisage for e-governance?
A: Information technology should percolate into public administration and funds should not be a problem for adoption of IT tools. The delay in movement of files has no meaning. Investing in the social capital of the administration will generate revenue and plug loopholes. More investment in social capital means more benefits to the people.
Q: When will the commission submit its report?
A: We are holding the first meting of the commission on September 8 in New Delhi. A one-year term has given to the commission to prepare the report. The six-member commission will submit its report as early as possible.
Nagesh Prabhu
`We have rules as old as 1921 that govern the civil service. Those rules are unsuitable to the modern ethos of development'
BANGALORE: The United Progressive Alliance Government has chosen the former Chief Minister M. Veerappa Moily to head the Second Administrative Reforms Commission in recognition of his administrative experience.
Mr. Moily, who is 65, has over 30 years of experience in public service, policy making, governance and politics. Though committees on public administration headed by A.D. Gorwala and Paul Appleby were set up in the 1950s, the first commission, headed by the late Morarji Desai, who later became the Prime Minister, was set up in 1966. It was later headed by Kengal Hanumanthaiya.
Mr. Moily told The Hindu in an interview that the country's administration must sport a modern look to face current and future global challenges. The following are excerpts from the interview.
Question: Which are the areas of administration the commission will go into?
Answer: The commission will suggest measures to achieve a proactive, responsive, accountable and efficient administration for the country at all levels. It will focus on subjects such as organisational structure of the Government of India, ethics in governance, refurbishing personnel administration, strengthening of financial management systems, steps to ensure effective administration at the State and district levels, panchayat raj institutions, social capital, trust and participative public service delivery, citizen-centric administration, promoting e-governance, issues of federal polity, crisis management and public order.
Q: The general complaint is that administration is inefficient and is not responsive to people's problems. How is efficiency to be brought in?
A: Well, the country requires a world-class administrative machinery to meet the challenges of global competition. It should have well-equipped, world-class administrators. It is not necessary that the Government should be in command in all spheres. In some areas there is no need for any regulation.
Q: Are you in favour of adoption of private sector management practices in public administration?
A: Our goal is to strengthen the framework of the fragile administrative machinery and make it efficient, economical, sensitive, clean and objective. We have a hi-tech private sector but low-tech administration. Why not incorporate hi-tech administrative practices of the private sector in public administration. We have rules as old as 1921 that govern the civil service. Those rules are unsuitable to the modern ethos of development. Again we have the Official Secrets Act adopted in 1923. Without any baggage of the past, we are going to study issues in depth. We should have a modern outlook and a fresh mind. The administration should fulfil the requirements of today and tomorrow.
Q: In what ways can the scourge of corruption be tackled?
A: First of all, interaction between the Government and the public should be minimised. We must put a system in place. Reforms should bring about better performance. Reforms should not be half-hearted, patchwork and ad hoc.
Q: The deputy commissioner or collector continues to be all-important in the district administration and IAS officers exercise more powers than IPS officers at all levels of administration. What is your view?
A: A vertical power structure is not good. It does not help in improving the administration. Performance should be the criterion for all, and not seniority. Performance can be gauged. It is not exactly how many years of service you put in. We will work out a definite and concrete format for measuring the performance of each civil servant. One cannot expect accountability by giving 10 per cent authority. All these are interlinked.
Q: What role do you envisage for e-governance?
A: Information technology should percolate into public administration and funds should not be a problem for adoption of IT tools. The delay in movement of files has no meaning. Investing in the social capital of the administration will generate revenue and plug loopholes. More investment in social capital means more benefits to the people.
Q: When will the commission submit its report?
A: We are holding the first meting of the commission on September 8 in New Delhi. A one-year term has given to the commission to prepare the report. The six-member commission will submit its report as early as possible.