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Good news is closer than it appears

My sister and I were taking a stroll in the neighbourhood park. Ahead of us was another dog owner who had got their pug for easing out in the park. Just then something absurd happened which left me with mixed feelings.  A 11-yr old boy came up to the dog-owner and said, "Uncle, Modi ji toh jhaadu laga rahe hain aur aap ganda kar rahe hain.” We both stopped. I was ashamed because we would often get our own dog to the park. But, I was also glad that Mr. Modi’s speeches could mould the mindset of a young boy. We have actually come that far when children know as much about Mr. Modi as we do.
A glance through most dailies tells us that everybody expects our PM Modi to stay for a little more time in India than abroad! Most editorials recommend the PMO to now focus on domestic policy after foreign policy extravaganza in the last 365 days. But have we ever reflected on what all he achieved just staying in India for the “little” time he did? I am neither a Modi fanatic nor a propagator of Hindutva but as a citizen, I feel it is my duty to appreciate the work of a leader as much it is to criticise him for his faults. 
In an article on Economic Growth by a distinguished economist Daron Acemoglu, I read that education, GDP and  health services are not causes of growth, they ARE growth. What is the cause of economic growth then? It is the institutions and ideology which bring us closer/farther away from growth and development!
Women will get a chance to work if we encourage them to work. They won’t have to resist working in the night shift if surveillance was better on roads. Men won’t indulge in domestic violence, if they know how much they can earn doing productive things instead of beating their wives with leather belts! Children won’t get distracted by vices if they are strong in morals and know their bearings! You wouldn’t have to grease the hands of bureaucracy if you have everything online!
So it is the caterpillar-paced changes in social norms and thoughts that hastens the pace of development. And I would now substantiate why I think India is on the steep portion of the learning curve: slow yet steady!
Recently, a village panchayat organised a “Beti Bachao, Selfie Banao” contest in a state which is grappling with autocracies of khap practices. Many proud fathers and mothers have already sent their entries in multi-hued traditional dresses!
Only yesterday, I met one of my friends from college saying that till last year coming by train to Delhi was a horrifying experience because of the suffocating filth and crowd at the railway station. Continuing with a smirk, she says Modi’s magic has at last worked on the Delhi railway station which looks spick and span now.
The other day, I overheard a metro conversation where the man said, “Modi ji’s name entered the Guinness World Book of records after opening the maximum number of bank accounts on a single day but only 28% of the accounts are operational.” “Bhai, whatever it maybe it is because of that scheme that I could help my wife open a beauty parlour”, pat came the reply!
Another so pertinent Modi-effect has been the punctuality in arrival times of bureaucrats to their offices due to biometric attendance. The punctuality may not guarantee efficiency but it does give a slight blow to ‘chalta- hai’ attitude of government servants who don’t consider timely arrival a priority.While this e-attendance technology was implemented for Central Government employees, many state governments are also emulating this strategy.
So it isn’t only the dazzling razzmatazz that we all are witness to on all national holidays but it was also his clear thought of what he wishes to do and wants to do.
However, I add a disclaimer here. So far, so good! We have to make our institutions more smooth and transparent in their working. Privatization of sick units of the government like electricity, telephone could be a way out. Digitisation of records could help eliminate the middlemen who clog the benefits to their side. Most importantly, the poorest of the poor must know what all facilities he can take advantage of. For that, we must engage the local-level government in spreading awareness and gradually changing their orthodox thoughts.
No matter how small and slow the change is, we are definitely moving surely. And this reminds me of Charles Darwin’s words:
“It is not the strongest of the species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change.”

And if we keep looking ahead like this, all the good signs of growth will be closer than they appear in the puzzling statistics!

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