Is Good Administrator Possible?

Is Good Administrator Possible?

Entrepreneurs, technocrats, management professionals are words of complements but bureaucrats, babus and neta are not the same in present days India. Red tape, dependency on government, corruption have changed the perception of people.

Babu a title of affection and respect for Babu Rajendra Prasad, Babu Jagjivan Ram, Babu Jai Prakash Narayan; is now a word for criticism. Title Netaji suited to Netaji Shubhas Chandra Bose is now used for fingering a politician for doing wrong.

India is moving from Socialism to a market driven objectives of growth. Growth for development has been shifted. Whether government to govern or to facilitate, is a new debate on a path of "minimum government maximum governance".

Each one is passing through phases of swa hitay, swajan hitay, parjan hitay and bahujan hitay. Bureaucrats and politicians are no exceptions. One watches seniors, peers and subordinates and use rules to earn. Politicians need funds for elections and political survival.

All believe to become "good administrator" but follow differently in practice. Due to wish for desired postings, timely promotions and post retirement assignments; bureaucrate has lost to speak up and speak out.

Where the Great Ashoka saying, please reach to me..in the Royal Harums to say the bitter truth; or a Weaver Saint Tiruvallur guiding for keeping "Royal ears" to listen bitter words; the present day masters are only happy listening tunes that they play. And the force that has to come within die in its childhood.  With frequent transfers, family hassles and children's sufferings in education; the good administrator die in early years of service and a babu born out of that ash, that simply pass files with one more signature in a series of 9 signatures.

Many perform within the system with diplomatic wisdom, maintaining position in the team. But the hardcore good administrators retire in sideline, leaving murmurs of sympathy from the colleagues. 

Don't be passimist. Be a diplomat. Deliver a good governance with coordination with political executives. Take a helicopter view, add experience, and give outcome based government. Come out of "Sir Culture" and make people free from dependence of government. 

A good administrator must be decisive, decide timely, own responsibilities, move forward, finding solution of a problem by going into the root cause of the problem, prioritise and implement time bound, delegate powers, work as organic team and deliver with integrity. Integrity beyond finance terms.

And the "Political Masters" in turn will give stability of tenure, reward for meritorious work and an environment to work for giving back to the society. 

We the AIS officers are Good Administrator and shall continue to be Good Administrator.

Punamchand, '85, Gujarat
10/11/14 Mussoorie Ph-5