It is common practice for government to ignore opinions of bodies of experts when the latter differ with what those in power want to hear. Think of all those commissions of inquiry. But if you believe it is only due to political reasons that the government rejects the findings of bodies it sets up, here i
In the season of scams, one more has come to the fore. This time, it is biggest of them all. According to the Hindu report, the CAG is investigating spectrum allocation of 70 MHz in the precious s-band to a private company, Devas Multimedia Private Limited, by the department of space (DoS), without auctioning. CAG’s preliminary estimate suggests a loss of Rs 2 lakh crore
“It is very much possible to write an RTI application in 250 words,” a lawyer friend recently told me. He even showed me a few applications that he had drafted. All within the stipulated 250 words, as mandated by a draft RTI rule proposed by the department of personnel and training (DoPT) for applications demanding information from government offices. It was discon
Lobbying and the individuals, some self-professed and others who have famously or notoriously earned the title of lobbyists, have recently been scorned at in India. Their existence appears to have astonished some. Their role in civil society and administration has been questioned by others. And their purported influence on the government machinery has left many shocked. Consequently, profession
‘March against corruption’ across several cities of the country last Sunday, which was spearheaded by RTI activist Arvind Kejriwal and in which anti-corruption crusaders like Prashant Bhushan, JM Lyngdoh, JF Ribeiro and Medha Patkar, among others, participated, makes two broad points. One that corruption is no longer a non-issue and that people are angry enough to come out to the st
Ahmedabad`s Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) is being widely hailed as a success story. And for perfectly compelling reasons. It is a case of a concept well executed, quite unlike its counterpart in Delhi. However, while Ahmedabad`s BRTS is routinely compared, and favourably so, with that in Delhi, there is another equally pertinent comparison that needs to be made if we want t
The United States reiterated earlier this week that India is a partner and not a target in curbing global proliferation. By removing several subsidiaries of India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) from the department of commerce’s so-called “entities list” barring export of certain dual-use technologi
The recent proposal of the Maharashtra government to create Maharashtra information and technology services (MITS) has again highlighted the need of dedicated IT professionals as required for various arms of central and state governments. Last year, Haryana had similarly proposed a cadre for IT services. The idea of building human capacity for e-gover
The top bestseller in France for a while is not thriller, not a romance, not a new novel by a literary superstar. It’s a slim volume (32 pages), titled “Indignez-Vous!” (roughly translated as ‘Be Indignant!’ but also something like ‘Protest!’ or ‘Cry Out’) by Stéphane Hessel. The crux of his essay is that the French people have forgot
Along with the spread of awareness about the Right to Information (RTI) Act, the threat on those using the law to expose corruption has also increased. Every time an RTI applicant seeks information which has the potential to unearth the wrongdoings of influential people, he or she is at risk. In some cases, the threat remains limited to phone calls and in others, it cost th
Dust kicked up from pounding paws racing across the Indian grasslands, a flash of spots and the white of a tail as a large cat speeds past, the thrill of chasing leaping blackbuck across fields of gold; all images closely linked to Indian royal heritage. Coursing cheetahs are as much a part of the rich tapestry of Indian Mughal art and culture as their architecture, which
Booming economies apart, India and South Africa have rampant corruption in common. While, in India, the UPA coalition and stooges have a host of scams to their shame, the African National Congress (ANC) is being widely pilloried for being headed by Jacob Zuma, a man who should have been tried for 700-odd charges of alleged corruption. In 2009, Zuma got all of these charges dropped
The recent cabinet reshuffle at the Centre, much-hyped and long-awaited, can be characterized by twin traits of adhocism and eyewash. Corruption, bad governance and impending assembly elections in five states are said to be the key drivers behind the reshuffle. Although prime minister Manmohan Singh undertook as many as 37 changes in the portfolios of his ministers and inducted three ne
At a symposium on `Evidence to action for reducing maternal and newborn mortality` at AIIMS recently, former health secretary Sujatha Rao marked her attendance, perhaps her first after retirement. After attentively listening to all speakers, including some heads of department at AIIMS and other dignitaries, it was her turn to take the dais. The gyneco
Ahead of the cabinet reshuffle, the rural development minister CP Joshi erred in judgment and erred big time, thus clearing the path of his own exit from the coveted, flush-with-funds ministry. He should have known that he was not just ignoring the advice of the National Advisory Council (NAC) but that of the Congress supremo Sonia Gandhi.
