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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