Dear all Excellent observations. It is all due to the legacy of British Raj. Major reforms are urgently required in every sector of governance but not done due to ignorance or complicity of Rulers(politicians & bureaucrats) . When times has changed system should also change . Professionals(expert) are managed by Babus(clerks) which was the system followed by British due to obvious reasons(Babus were brought from Britain whereas professionals/experts were mainly Indians).But the same system is still followed in India even after 60 years of Independence. Regards, k k jha
On Fri, Dec 12, 2008 at 3:42 PM, Rajeev Ranjan <[email protected] > wrote: > > > > > *Dear Fauji Friend* > > *Last week Maj Gen Joshi called on me. He was an esteemed instructor > during our Degree Course days, and EME officers would remember him as one of > our finest engineers. Indeed, he spent most of his time with the DRDO. He > was commissioned in Jun 1960 and was in the Eastern sector during the 1962 > debacle. He has analyzed the event very systematically, and his study > reveals the following :* > > - *Pt Nehru, the architect of modern India suffered a severe stroke of > depression from which he never quite recovered. He died in May 1964 at the > comparatively young age of 73.* > - *VK Krishna Menon was removed from the post of Raksha Mantri for his > incorrect assessment of the situation.* > - *Gen Thapar, the COAS was sacked. The careers of Lt Gen Kaul and > scores of other military officers took a "U" turn.* > - *A few thousand soldiers died; many more were wounded and some were > taken prisoners.* > - *The psyche of the country received a severe blow. It was > considered a 'National Shame'* > > *The question he asked me was, **"Who was the Defence Secretary? And what > was the punishment meted out to him?" * > > *I have asked several friends and also surfed the Internet but I am unable > to find an answer. In all probability nothing was done to him, because he > had no role in this!* > > > > *Gen Joshi then took this discussion a step further. He observed that > during the recent attack on Mumbai, dozens of soldiers and policemen have > been killed. The whole nation is shaken. Mr Shivraj Patil has lost his > prestigious job. The CM of Maharashtra has been axed and several heads > in the government are likely to roll. **Can some one tell us as to > what action has been taken against the Union Home Secretary or the Chief > Secretary of Maharashtra? (Thomas tells me that they will all be "promoted" > soon though he does not know why).* > > > > *Having spent many years in and around the South Block, I marvel at the > way our government has been structured. The Civil Servants rule the roost. > In terms of promotions and status they are ahead of every one else by miles. > They are central in the Pay Commission and the Cabinet Secretary is involved > in every major decision making process. Yet, when things go wrong, they wash > their hands off so clean that one wonders how!* > > > > *A slightly closer examination reveals the secret. I have figured it out > this way:* > > - *They never do anything themselves. They always find some one else to > be the head, and they know how to reduce him to be a 'figure head'. (In the > Pay Commissions, they have a retired Judge). However they place themselves > in a spot which has the maximum opportunity to influence matters.* > - *After the event, they never face the Press or the Media. Their role > is amorphous.* > - *The senior amongst them rarely sign a letter or order. Our pension > letter is signed by a Director, who is not directly recruited IAS > officer. Only rarely do you find a paper signed by a Joint Secretary. * > *Officers above that level do not sign any document.* > - *They have a strong association. It protects the interests of its > members dutifully and diligently.* > > *So we have our Defence headquarters in which the postings, promotions, > rewards and punishments of all senior officers are controlled by the civil > servants; and they also have the final say in the process of procurement of > weapons and eqpt, but they are not "responsible" if things go wrong! It is > authority without responsibility. (For those who may not know, a lowly > officer in the MoD can have a Deputy Chief posted out, but a Service Chief > can not get even a Desk Officer moved)* > > > > *When Gen Joshi left, I found myself perplexed. What sort of system have > we evolved? And how has it survived all these years? It is a bit like a unit > in which the clerks are running the unit and the CO is so dependent on the > Head Clerk that he can not move without their help!* > > > > *Can some one give a cogent answer to the questions raised by Gen Joshi?* > > > > *Regards,* > > *Surjit* > > > > *PS* > > *Politicians wear the dress of the people they represent, to identify > themselves with the masses. Soldiers and Policemen wear uniforms. Can some > one tell what the Civil Servants wear? The answer came from the wag who > said, "**Civil servants wear thick skins"*** > > -- kishan
