Total Quality Management Cell
Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of
Administration, Mussoorie - 248 179
Uttarakhand (INDIA)
Tel. : +91 135 2632236, 2632489, 2632405 tqmcell@lbsnaa.ernet.in
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Dr. Moana Bhagabati moana_bh@lbsnaa.ernet.in
Nidhi Sharma nidhisharma@lbsnaa.ernet.in
Dr. S.H. Khan shkhan@lbsnaa.ernet.in
Dr. M. Kennedy Singh kennedysingh@lbsnaa.ernet.in
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Disclaimer : Views expressed by individual contributors do not necessarily represent the views or position of 'The Academy' and LBSNAA
Printed by Dr. S.H. Khan Published by Dr. S.H. Khan on behalf of Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration and printed at
Print Vision, Rajpur Road, Dehradun and published at LBSNAA, Mussoorie Editor Nidhi Sharma RNI No: UTTENG/2010/38507
UA/DO/DDN/712/2011-2013
The ACADEMY
NOVEMBER 2011
RNI No: UTTENG/2010/38507
UA/DO/DDN/712/2011-2013
The
Vol. 2 Issue 10 November 2011
Even as winter began to envelop Mussoorie and the neighbouring peaks glistened with perhaps the second flush of snow, November continued to be a month of consolidation and winding down, in a manner of speaking.
Two long-term courses - the Mid Career Training
Programme Phase V and the 109th Induction Programme for
IAS Officers were wrapped up in the first fortnight. The
Union Commerce Secretary, Rahul Khullar delivered the final lecture of the programme at the valedictory session.
The last week of the Induction Programme was primarily devoted to group work and presentations after the participants returned from different corners of the country during the two-week Bharat darshan , which culminated with calling on HE the President of India, Pratibha Devisingh
Patil, and the Cabinet Secretary Ajit Kumar Seth.
(FC) spent the first week of the month in different villages in
Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Haryana. The
'village visit' is a significant component of an FC to sensitize the young trainees to socio-economic conditions in rural
India, through the study of demographic profiles, issues related to health, education, infrastructure, livelihood,
Panchayati Raj institutions and other State-sponsored development schemes.
Outside the class, the month was choc-a-bloc with open-air activities and cultural events and competitions hosted by participants of various courses as well by invited artistes of repute. Undoubtedly the most thrilling outdoor events, apart from many a court game played out between the course participants and the Academy parivaar , were the days of rafting down the Ganga at Rishikesh, and the Athletic
Meet hosted in the third week of the month. This Meet where
OTs participated with unbounded vigour also threw up a record in the high-jump event, one set after a gap of 17 years.
The Academy salutes the energetic achiever, Ingit Pratap
Singh! End of the month saw the beginning of end-of course assessments and exams, and the campus took on a solemn hue as the OTs were seen poring over books and lecture notes.
The month also saw host to a number of capacity-building workshops and training programmes - the week-long Joint
Training Programme on TQM in Governance, the Exposure
Programme on Micro-Finance and SHGs for IAS officers, the
National Consultation on Urban Modules, and workshops and training programmes conducted by the research centres under the National Institute of Administrative Research.
We bring you the details of the lively month gone by. In this issue we are also publishing a number of reflective pieces by
Phase V: The 5 MCTP Phase V that had commenced on 10
October drew to a close with the Valedictory ceremony on 11
November. In his valedictory lecture, Rahul Khullar, Union
Commerce Secretary, talked to the participants about
“Export led growth”. In the last fortnight there were sessions
News Sparks...............................................................
1
Research Centres in Action ......................................
4
Experience of Living in far Himalayas...................
5
Gopalpur Memories .................................................
6
Bravehearts ................................................................
8
A Day will Come .......................................................
9
Justice, Compassion and ... .....................................
10
Memories............................................................
11

2 on Total Quality Management, role of private sector in skilling the masses, internal security, Indian polity, India's fiscal future - goods and services tax & other ideas, understanding the black economy, power sector reforms, energy insecurity, public health challenges and global financial crisis. The participants also had the opportunity to listen to and interact with the Chief Ministers of Madhya
Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.
Shivraj S. Chauhan, CM, Madhya Pradesh addressing the
Phase V participants
Induction Training programme: The participants of the at the Academy after the Study Tour wherein, for the first time, the participants were exposed to the administrative systems in the neighbouring countries of Bhutan,
Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. While on the study tour the participants also called upon the President of India, H.E. Smt.
Pratibha Devisingh Patil. The last few days saw a cultural evening being organized by the participants, where the bonhomie among the participants and the joie de vivre was in full bloom. The Course concluded with the valediction on 11
!
!
November, wherein Padamvir Singh, Director, LBSNAA handed over the course completion certificates to the participants.
Foundation Course: November was an eventful month which called upon the OTs to bring out their best - be it culturally, physically or academically.
Village Visit: The first week of November saw the OTs experiencing the challenges of the hinterland, as they spent time in the villages of Haryana, Punjab,
Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh. They engaged in various PLA exercises with the village dwellers and prepared individual and group reports that were subsequently handed over to the Centre for Rural
Studies, NIAR for further analysis.
Sportive Spirits: There was excitement galore as the
OTs got together in the Polo Ground for the athletic
Meet on 19-20 November. Ranjan Dwivedi, Additional
DGP, Uttar Pradesh, the Chief Guest for the opening ceremony administered the oath. The event began with lighting of the torch and the march past by the various contingents. The teams that were as per the Counsellor groups competed with each other for the honours. Ingit
Pratap Singh won the award for the best male athlete even as he set a new record for the high jump with his
1.56 mts, as against the earlier record of 1.52 mts set by
Navdeep Singh Virk during 26-27 November, 1994.
Deepti Meena grabbed the honour of the best female
The participants of the 109th Induction programme with the President of India
The ACADEMY
Vignettes from the Athletic Meet continued on page 3
NOVEMBER 2011
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continued from page 2 athlete with her outstanding performance in the track events. 169 OTs also participated in the river rafting that was organized on 12-13 November in Rishikesh.
Artistically alive: November was a vibrant month witnessing a rich repertoire of artistic performances.
The renowned musician Shujaat Hussain Khan regaled even as he held the audience spell bound - quick on wit and a sitar maestro par excellence - in the sitar recital on
23 November. 'Dhanak' was the cultural evening organized by the OTs on 18 November as a part of the curriculum. The A.K. Sinha one act play organized on 24
November showcased the theatrical prowess of the OTs.
The prize winning plays included “Woh Bees Saal”,
“Aakhir Kab Tak” and “How she lied to her husband” . While speaking volumes for the talent and ingenuity of the
Batch, the plays also highlighted the schisms and imbalances in the society. The movie mania continued as the film society continued treating the viewers to a host of interesting and acclaimed movies.
Sitar Maestro Shujaat Hussain Khan enthralling the audience
Glimpses of the A. K. Sinha one act play competition
!
The Army Symposium was organized on 21 November where Major Gen. Raymond J. Noronha, GOC, 8
Mountain Division handed over the awards to the prize winning essays which were those by Tariq Thomas, Adil
Khan and Nilesh M Kshirsagar.
Vocational Training Centre: VTC at present affiliated to
Hiltron (UP Hill Electronics Corporation) under a MoU has been imparting various kinds of Computer training for wards of the Academy's employees. Padamvir Singh,
Director, LBSNAA handed over the certificates to the successful candidates for DCA programmes held in 2009-10 and 2011 in a simple function held on 16 November 2011 in
Sardar Patel Hall.
Total Quality Management: A joint training programme on
TQM in Governance was organized from 21- 25 November to expose the participants to the methods followed by the successful organizations to achieve zero error outcomes. 41 officers from IAS, IPS, IFS, IFoS & Defence Services participated in the program.
Glimpses of the A. K. Sinha one act play competition
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Dr. Amir Afaque Ahmad Faizi, an officer of Bihar
Administrative Service joined the Academy as Professor in
Center for Rural Studies. Dr Faizi has served in the Ministry of Rural Development as Additional P S to Minister RD, Dr
Raghuvansh Prasad Singh and as Consultant, NMMU,
NRLM later on. He has Masters Degree in Public
Administration, Rural Studies where he was awarded Gold
Medal and in Governance & Development from IDS,
University of Sussex, UK. He got his doctorate from K R
Narayanan Center for Dalit and Minorities Studies, Jamia
Millia Islamia on Self Help Group and its impact on marginalized communities. Many of his works have been published in national and international journals of Public
Administration and Rural Development.
Validation Workshop on “TNA and Review of Rural
Development and Land Administration Modules of the
IAS Training” was organized jointly by Centre for Rural
Studies, NIAR, LBSNAA and UNDP on 18 November at
India International Centre, New Delhi. Dr. N. C. Saxena,
IAS (Retd) Advisor, UNDP, Caitlin Wiesen, Country
Director, and Kush Verma, DG, NIAR participated in the deliberations.
Microfinance: The Exposure Programme on Micro-Finance and SHGs for IAS Officers was held from 14-16 November.
17 participants and 10 Resource Persons discussed the issues and concerns of Micro-Finance and SHGs.
The National Centre for Urban Management organised a consultation on 29-30 November with a view to consolidate the urban modules that form a part of the phased trainings held at LBSNAA for IAS officers. In particular, the aim of the consultation was to: (i) revise the Urban Modules for Phase I and III trainings (developed through earlier consultations);
(ii) validate a methodology and session plan for Phase-IV
(with LBSNAA's existing module and Janaagraha's methodology and session plan being the references) and (iii) develop an Urban Module for Phase V training.
In his keynote address, Padamvir Singh, Director, LBSNAA mentioned that Phase I, II and III trainings are very crucial for an IAS officer because these trainings have been strategically positioned at such a time in the officer's career when the officer is called upon to do a significant amount of executive and implementation work. Urban modules for these stages therefore cannot be too theoretical, but should actually focus on the specifics and the nitty-gritty of the officer's core functions related to governance and public service delivery. He emphasised therefore that the module's content should focus on the real issues and not generalities.
These considerations, he added, should also inform any possible suggestions around the subject areas to be focussed when the officers visit other countries on study tours.
Sanjeev Chopra, Joint Director, LBSNAA who also addressed and welcomed the participants in the in the
Introductory session emphasised that design of the urban modules should provide significant inputs to the officertrainees to be able to effectively deal with the new challenges posed by the growing urbanisation in India and the impact of globalisation on the cities on the whole.
CDM conducted a two-week training programme on
“Science for Rural Societies” for middle and senior level
Scientists working in the government sector from 31 October
- 11 November. The training programme was sponsored by
DST, Govt. of India, under the scheme “National
Programme for Training of Scientists & Technologists working in the Government Sector. The programme was attended by 15 scientists and technologists from different scientific organizations from various parts of India.
Sensing and GIS applications in ground water exploration and recharge studies, gender issue and S&T intervention in rural India, mainstreaming gender in hill agriculture, Geoinformatics applications in rural development were covered.
A five day visit to villages Kiyarki and Bawani in
Narendranagar Block in Tehri district and a visit to DST sponsored project “Himalayan Environmental Studies &
Conservation Organization (HESCO), Dehradun was organized for the participants.
Capacity Building Training Programmes first phase in three districts of Paschim Banga (West Bengal), namely, Uttar
Dinajpur, 24 South Pargana and Purulia and second phase in five districts of Bihar namely Begusarai, Khagaria,
Madhubani and Sitamarhi on formulation of effective
School education development plans for District Education continued on page 5
The ACADEMY NOVEMBER 2011
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continued from page 4
Elementary Plan were organized during November, 2011.
On 24 November, 2011 NIAR bid adieu to Alok Kumar, IAS,
1993, UP Cadre former Director (Research), NIAR and
Deputy Director (Sr.), LBSNAA. He has reverted to his parent cadre after completing five years tenure at NIAR and the Academy.
Two day State Peer Learning Workshop on Mahatma
Gandhi NREGA was organized on 24-25, November at
Indira Bhawan Campus, Mussoorie. The workshop focused on the achievement of better, improved and qualitative implementation of MGNREGA. The issues covered during the deliberations are convergence, financial inclusion, social audit, labour budget, involvement of Panchayati Raj
Lalit Jain*
“Unche pahad par, ped nahin ugte,
Paudhe nahin lagte, ghas nahin jamti,
Jamti hai to sirf baraf, jo maut ki tarah thandi,
Aur kafan ki tarah safed rehti hai,
Hey ishwar, mujhe itne unchayi kabhi mat dena,
Main gairon ko gale na laga sakun…”
(On top of a mountain, trees, plants and grass do not grow.
The mountains only grow ice that is as cold as death and white as a shroud. Oh God! Never give me such heights that I am unable to embrace others…”)
As I sat awestruck in the rickety bus of Gharwal Mandal Vikas
Nigam , I had not imagined the experience of living in far
Himalayas that stand like a sentinel on the northern frontier of my motherland. The mother India's lap goes no further, for it was the last village of Indian territory- Mana. It is said that Pandavas had dissolved into the “Baikhund” and become immortalized. I ended immortalizing the eternal memories of living on the edge; for me perhaps a trek, for others, a way of life.
The Group-15 had been sent to one of the remotest areas of the country - that of Chamoli district of Uttarakhand State.
While we sat playing Antakshari and discussing the “L-
Affairs” of the academy, the skilful driver had a challenge on every inch of the road. One eye on the falling landslide; another on the road, the journey took 16 hours, and finally we reached a sleepy town, Gopeshwar where we had to spend the next 7 days.
The town presented no paraphernalia of modern living. The so called “Hotel” was no better than a Dharamshala. A few shops selling essential items could be seen. The night was spent counting the stars, in poetic imagination. The next morning began the work, with the “Sarvodaya Ashram”, an
NGO that is associated with the legendary Chipko movement.
We were taken to the village Bandwara, as the name still reverberates in my ears. Our vehicle stopped at a corner of the road, from where we were to cross a river, and walk towards the village, which seems to be a marooned island.
The sound of the river filled my heart with melodies of a deep bond with this country. The smiling countenance of the women, working on step farms, welcomed us with “Pranam
Babu” , while for the little children wearing not so fashionable clothes, my appearance made them clutch their mother's attire. Only a few of the chocolates that I distributed broke the ice between us and they soon followed me making a harmony of exaltation.
On top of the mountain lay the village. When they learnt that some “IAS Babus ” had come, a dhol suddenly appeared and we were given a formal welcome. A room in a dilapidated building was opened, and we soon realised that the Sarva
Shiksha Abhyan had tried to reach this village, albeit in vain.
The wonder-stuck kids sat on the cold floor, while the continued on page 6
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Pradhan introduced us as demi-gods, who had come to change their destiny. “ Hazoor , if there is a little bridge to connect our village to the road, it will be a heaven for us,” the
Pradhan said, whose assertion was echoed with the nodding of heads by the villagers, who still had amazement in their eyes. Lo and Behold! A letter was prepared on spot in the name of the Collector, requesting him to consider the demands of the villagers.
Another memorable village was somewhat connected to the area and we were taken to a school to interact with students.
To our amazement, the children there were extremely aware of the country. We asked them 20 odd questions of general knowledge, and they answered all. A little digging into the school affairs made us realise how leadership can change the destiny of people. The school, though a government school, was run jointly by villagers and the red tape. The message was clear and loud. Give power to people and provide leadership, this land has the potential to rise like a phoenix.
As if the UPSC challenge was not enough, the lofty mountains of Garhwal were teasing us to try and conquer them. Soon, we set forth for the last village of the Indian territory, Mana, near Shri Badrinath Ji Dham. Every inch of the road was uncertain, the debris of numerous vehicles reminding us of the ultimate reality. But who could stop us?
We soon reached Badrinath Ji shrine, and paid obeisance before the Almighty.
Village Mana had a divine air. While we walked on the path where Pandavas are supposed to have left for heavens, notwithstanding the mythical aspect, I felt good like never before. I was amazed at the attempt by the Indian State to reach the every nook and corner of this country, for the BSNL tower lay right in front, connecting India to India. The village, which is habitable only for 6 months a year, shifts to the valley in winter. In their tiny huts, I saw smiling faces of men and women, happy with growing a few potatoes in a small garden. Though I had never seen them earlier or ever known their name, or even understood their language. But yes, they were telling me something very important through the media of human emotions. It does not require castles to bring a smile on ones face and satisfaction in the heart.
As I sit on this long awaited Sunday, I remember the placard in my father's room. “You only live once, but if you live rightly, once is enough”, it announces. I must admit that this trek experience has brought a new me to live life rightly.
However, I have miles to go before I really make a difference in the lives of my countrymen.
(* IAS Officer Trainee, 2011 Batch, Foundation Course)
th th
KVS Choudhary*
I got an opportunity to stay in a village after more than 3 years as a part of our Foundation Course Village Visit
Programme where all the Officer Trainees are made to experience the grassroots realities for a week. I would have been happier had the course authorities selected more backward districts. We were divided into nine groups and were sent to nine districts across four states (Bijnor,
Saharanpur, Bulandshahar districts in U.P., Haridwar,
Uddhamsingh Nagar (Pant Nagar) districts in Uttarakhand,
Bhiwani and Narnaul districts in Haryana and Sangrur and
Mansa districts in Punjab). I got opportunity to stay in
Gopalpur village of Bijnor district of UP. Four of my batch
5th November 2011. I also enjoyed celebrating my birthday visiting several households, understanding jiggery-making units, brick kilns, tube wells, buffaloes and enjoying the sumptuous hospitality of the villagers.
It was indeed memorable to have been in Gopalpur and it added to my list of pleasant village stay experiences earlier. I have vivid memories of my earlier village stays in Surat,
Dahod districts of Gujarat in the initial days of IRMA and later 45 days in Ondrajala village of Srikakulam district of
A.P. during IRMA fieldwork, Harrapura, Pipalpura and
Barra villages in Kesla block of M.P. when I was in PRADAN.
Though I did not stay continuously in one village in Jatara, I still remember the countless times I used to sleep in the open air counting stars in those villages where I used to go either to sell poultry birds or monitor brooding of chicks.
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Gopalpur - Microcosm of Colourful India
Gopalpur is at the borders of UP and Uttarakhand on the banks of Ganga river. The railway bridge on river Ganga near Balawali is only 2 kms away from the village. The old bridge constructed by the Britishers is still strong while the newly operational bridge has developed some cracks. The famous Ganga mela is held every year here on the full moon day after Diwali which we missed by few days (slated for 11
November). Though Gopalpur is far more developed than my PRADAN villages, it offered me new insights into rural
India where I experienced a multi-caste and multi religion village. It was heartening to see Muslims, Hindus (Brahmin,
Gujjar, Dheemar, Bunkar, Pal, Badhai, Harijan, Valmiki communities) staying together amicably for centuries.
Though different communities mostly stayed together (as I could make out after I drew the social map depicting the settlement pattern), we cannot easily draw an inference about the community by looking at the houses. Probably, the strong agricultural base of the village ensured relative equality. But, it was even more heartening to see everybody sitting in others' houses taking food and talking freely. I realized that the divisive politics taking the help of caste and religion only shatter the reality of one India where everybody mixes together so well. Education and economic opportunities are the real equalizers which must be promoted by the state more intensely.
Rural India in Transition
The village presented me the transitional phase of rural
India in several respects. There were government primary schools with full enrollment on paper and absenteeism on the ground in spite of reasonably decent midday meals.
There were also four private schools that charge roughly
Rs.50-100 per month per child with considerable attendance.
Though the quality of teachers and infrastructure were found lacking in these private schools, the parents prefer to send their male children here while they send their girl children to government school. However, the overall learning skills of the children were very poor everywhere. I kept telling myself that it is our society's shame not to let a child study and turn into a manual unskilled labourer.
The health condition also presented a similar picture. While the nearest Government Primary Health Center (PHC) had only few tables and injections, there were four quacks
(including two retail pharmacists who also offer medical advice) practising in the village. There is huge shortage of government doctors and support staff. I wondered how to ensure effective delivery mechanism when a Village
Development Officer (VDO) and Panchayat Secretary have to take care of more than 25 panchayats in a radius of 20-25 kms.
Ensuring Performance without Corruption
Similarly, the local police chowki had 3 constables who are expected to work for banks in the daytime, do gasti in the evening and do night duty as well in 18 villages nearby. I am puzzled about ensuring corruption-free administration when everybody such as the Pradhan with a salary of Rs.650, anganwadi worker with Rs. 1500 salary, PDS dealer with 50 paise per kg. commission, and other employees with no TA
& DA (though they keep travelling every day on official duties) think that it is legitimate to take bribe to cover their costs.
At the same time, making somebody a permanent worker also does not seem to ensure performance on the ground.
School teachers with sixth pay commission salaries and sweepers with decent emoluments are the most detested lot in the village for total dereliction of their duties. I am yet to find answers about the design structure and incentives needed to ensure performance without corruption.
Way ahead through Diversification
Gopalpur has a rich history in the form of Ganga Glassworks
Pvt. Ltd. (a factory that used to manufacture variety of glass products with pristine sand from the riverbed). The factory that was operational in 1923, used to employ around 3000 workers from nearby villages in its heydays. Unfortunately, it got shut down in 1995 due to union - management conflicts.
Gopalpur villagers recall how different it was when many were working in the factory ensuring additional economic activity.
The villagers kept telling us to impress upon the Collector for early commissioning of the 40 MW NTPC thermal power plant which was surveyed but later on cancelled. The villagers were also ready to accept lesser compensation for the land foregone with the hope of getting a few jobs and better power supply in contrast to the present dismal 6 hours a day supply. I realized that even in agriculturally better-off villages like Gopalpur, there are excess farm labours who want to move out given better opportunity. On one hand, diversification in terms of crops is required to make farming
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continued from page 7 more remunerative and productive. On the other, skill building of huge numbers of youth is needed for such nonfarm jobs to match their aspirations.
Gender Perspective
Looking at the discrimination of women, I realized that gender discrimination is a tougher nut to crack than even poverty. Though I had seen purdah system in Bundelkhand, it was starker here. I expected the presence of Pradhan pati .
But, I was shocked to see that women ward members never even attend panchayat meetings. They do not even know about the other women ward members. I was even more disappointed when I noticed in the school that all girls are made to study home science whereas boys study maths after
8th class. I got a sense in Gopalpur that we need to make it our special mission to ensure gender equality in all respects.
Nature's Fury
I was shocked to see the lateral erosion of Ganga banks that already had swept away few villages and continues to threaten many more. When large masses of land were being swept by water within few minutes in front of my eyes, I was wondering about solutions to nature's fury. Government constructed few embankments made of boulders. But, such piecemeal efforts could not withstand the fury of the mighty
Ganges. Similarly, continuous usage of land without any break led to soil erosion. Water intensive crops such as sugarcane and water sucking plants like poplar and eucalyptus also reduced the groundwater table to alarming levels. We need far greater imagination to shift to other remunerative and sustainable avenues without endangering present day farm economics.
Sweet Memories
I could not as freely interact with the villagers as when I was in PRADAN. The villagers were directed beforehand to treat the young babus well and our interaction was definitely coloured by the expectations and perception of the villagers about Officers. Moreover, the elaborate arrangements made for our stay and the contingent of government staff moving along increased the gap between us and the villagers.
However, I could get genuine responses when I went individually to some households in the evening and early morning. I would have loved to eat more number of times in their homes than in the community center where we were staying.
As a whole, the visit only reaffirmed my love for rural India. I feel as if my inner self beats for villages. I continue to derive tremendous energy whenever I interact with poor farmers, children, women there. I cannot finish my account without mentioning about the village Pradhan (Bramhapal Singh) whose wisdom, humility and affection made me gain valuable insights into village life. He reinforced my faith in
Panchayati Raj Institutions as real vehicles of local self governance in spite of many shortcomings. I look forward to visiting Gopalpur again in few years to see how it evolves and also experience the affection of villagers once again.
(* IAS Officer Trainee, 2011 Batch, Foundation Course)
Roshni Apaarnji Korati*
None of their peers in the 86th Foundation Course thought that these soft spoken IPS probationers would get this title.
Sameer Sharma has proved that his life is secondary when it comes to saving another's. Arun Thamburaj has displayed sheer grit and determination by completing a tough trek after tumbling down nearly a hundred metres on the hillside.
It was the 17th of September 2011, the day we all set out for the Lal Tibba trek, touted to be the toughest of the 'short' treks that we are to complete before embarking on the
Himalayan trek. The climb was steep and the harsh - sun was sapping up our energy. The lack of water after a point made the progress all the more tough.
Sameer was helping his friends cross a particularly steep stretch when Arun lost his balance and started rolling down the hillside. Sameer instantly started after his friend without giving a thought to his own safety. He held his balance without losing focus on Arun and finally held a shellshocked Arun who had hit some rocks.
Almost in a semi-conscious state, it took all of Arun's will power to pull himself together. He says seeing Sameer gave continued on page 9
The ACADEMY NOVEMBER 2011
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continued from page 8 him a lot of strength. His deep faith in the Almighty saw him through the ordeal and they both began their ascent again.
The only thought on Arun's mind was to forget the pain and get soon to where he could get some first aid. It was more of relief for Sameer as he had saved his friend's life.
The mishap has helped them develop a deep respect for each other while the entire batch has started looking at Sameer as a hero of sorts. Even our Course Coordinator Mr. Tejveer
Singh has expressed his admiration for Sameer by personally sending a message during our Fete. Keep going
Sameer and Arun! We are proud of you…!!
(* IAS Officer Trainee, 2011 Batch, Foundation Course)
Kush Verma*
A day will come when death embraces you as eagerly as does life,
Putting an untimely full stop to all its joys and all its strife.
A day will come to judge your dominant personality trait,
Whether you meekly submit to destiny or boldly battle Fate.
A day will come to check whether what you hate outweighs what you love,
You struggle in the mud below or reach out to the stars above.
A day will come when your stirring deeds of uncommon bravery,
Will be placed in contrast to acts that reeked of abject slavery.
A day will come when the troubled times you stretched out your hand in need,
Will counter the occasions when you paid others' debts in thoughts and deed.
A day will come when all the occasions you lent a helping hand,
Will count for little if against evil you never took a stand.
A day will come when your lofty promises to loved ones unkept,
Will be reckoned against your nights of toil when they blissfully slept.
A day will come when the promptness with when you heeded friendship's call,
Will balance the eerie silence when you did nothing at all.
A day will come when all your sacrifices for the human race,
Will be measured against the times you dragged its name into disgrace.
That day could come next week, tomorrow, perhaps this moment, my friend,
And yet you continue without a care, as though life will never end?
(* Director General, National Institute of Administrative Research)
NOVEMBER 2011 The ACADEMY

10
th
K.V.S. Choudary *
I felt so happy to listen to Harsh Mander when he came to
Mussoorie to deliver a talk on the topic 'Justice, Compassion and the Civil Services'. He is a soft spoken person with no airs about his achievements. He used very simple language, yet, his delivery was very powerful and the message that he conveyed was truly appreciable and relevant for every
Indian citizen.
He started by saying that three destructions in the last twenty years (demolition of Berlin Wall, the Babri Masjid and the World Trade Center) have greatly altered the way we live and relate to each other in this world. He also felt that there is change in the way we fundamentally look at the role of the State. From being viewed as the protector and benefactor of the disadvantaged sections, the government is now more looked up to facilitate markets and accelerate economic growth. This fundamental change in perceptions about government's role led to change in public expectations from civil servants as well.
He elaborated that though there is no inherent contradiction between economic growth and human development, the last few years has seen widening divide between 'India' and
'Bharat'. While we can see increasing number of Indian billionaires in Forbes list, there are also the largest numbers of illiterates, malnourished children in India among all the countries. Still, some of these burning issues of deprivation fail to occupy the center stage of political discourse.
Then he went on to dwell in detail about three issues that are close to his heart, namely, hunger, hate and homelessness.
Starting with hunger , he showed short videos on Musahar and Sahariya tribes and their struggle to get even two square meals a day. They are so desperate for food that they are forced to eat locally available grasses which many a time prove to be poisonous. Shri. Mander told that the toughest lesson that these mothers are forced to teach their children is to manage to sleep on empty stomach.
T h e s e t r i b e s a d o p t s u r v i v a l m e c h a n i s m s l i k e psychologically and physically adapting their bodies to be content with one meal or no meal in a day, eating locally available material like grasses, kernels etc. and forcing their children to take up work to earn few more rupees. Shri.
Mander clearly drove home the paradox of coexistence of rotting food grains and starving millions in our modern
India. He pointed out that we seem to have conveniently ignored their desperation while allowing lakhs of crores of corporate tax concessions but delay in coming out with a comprehensive universal Food Security Act. Rather than looking upon it as a matter of finances, it is our larger moral responsibility to ensure that no one goes hungry in our country.
Then, he discussed the issue of hate , i.e., injustices committed in the name of religion during communal disturbances. He showed few interviews of Gujarat riot victims and the deep emotional scars they bear. He insisted that unless there is active state complicity, no riot can go on beyond few hours. He narrated his personal experience as
Assistant Collector when he immediately called upon the
Army when the Collector and S.P. conveniently disappeared from the scene. He went on to stress that riots like those in
Delhi, Bhagalpur, Gujarat strike right on our firm constitutional belief that all the citizens irrespective of their religion are equal before the law.
He discussed how the law enforcing machinery like the police become active accomplices in these crimes. Firstly, they wanted to withdraw from the scene instead of standing up for protecting the minorities. Secondly, they let terror reign by putting innocent people behind bars and registering false cases against them. The FIRs filed have certain common elements like possible justification for the crime committed (close to eulogy of retribution), anonymous mob as the perpetrator and multiple incidents being clubbed together in one case. There is also systematic denial of criminal justice even later by closing the cases prematurely for want of evidence, filing counter cases to frighten the witnesses, continued detention of people under draconian laws without any trial, to weaken the morale of the litigants.
Shri. Mander felt that time has come to make the civil servants responsible for their lapses in checking the loss of valuable life and property. He feels that there is no need of any additional powers as some sincere officers have proven that everything can be controlled with will power and conviction (cited the example of Rahul Sharma in Gujarat who ensured zero loss of lives in his district at the same time).
Hence, Shri. Mander supported such Acts dealing with communal disturbances which makes it a legal responsibility of the incumbent officer to ensure complete peace. He felt that, ideally it should have been the moral responsibility of the officer and when it does not work, laws become necessary.
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He went on to discuss the third issue i.e. homelessness by showing a small video on homeless children in urban areas and how they get addicted to drugs and intoxicants. He feels that these homeless people are so easily noticeable in urban areas that it reflects the psychological distance that exists between us and the poor. If he were to describe the present
India from a historical perspective in future, he prefers to refer to it as such time period when the poor people have been exiled from the conscience and consciousness of mankind.
He quotes a Nobel Laureate saying that the absence of love is not hate but indifference. Indifference is the word that he chooses to describe the present societal response to hunger and homelessness in India. These children who grow up separated from their parents become rag pickers, learn to do petty crimes and become stiff in their attitude towards society. Still, he is hopeful that with proper care, these children can catch up with their counterparts. In fact, he is striving to start hostel facilities in government school premises to bridge the gap through basic courses initially, and finally integrating them into the mainstream.
Harsh Mander then stressed that only such economic growth is acceptable in India when we guarantee a basic minimum floor of rights like right to information, education, employment, food and health facilities etc. These legally enforceable rights show us the future direction which all of us need to follow.
He said that there are very few jobs in the world that give young people such tremendous opportunity to directly affect the lives and livelihoods of marginalized sections as the Indian civil services. He exhorted all of us to bear allegiance to none other than the constitution, the cause of the disadvantaged sections, and finally to our conscience. He emphasized that the old concept of political neutrality and mindless execution of political orders has become irrelevant.
The civil servants now need to be more imaginative and become the true servants of the unheard and the underprivileged.
(* IAS Officer Trainee, 2011 Batch, Foundation Course)
Prabjot Singh *
(* IAS Officer Trainee, 2010 Batch)
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