rni no: utteng/2010/38507 ua/do/ddn/712/2011 · pdf fileprinted by dr. s.h. khan published by...

Vol. 2 Issue 10 November 2011

ACADEMYThe

The ACADEMY

IN THIS ISSUE

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

elwjh Memories............................................................ 11

Vision of LBSNAA

We seek to promote good governance by providing quality training towards building a professional and responsive civil service in a caring, ethical and transparent framework.

We welcome articles and write-ups from our readers and subscribers. These can be sent to the Editor.

Disclaimer : Views expressed by individual contributors do not necessarily represent the views or position of 'The Academy' and LBSNAA

Total Quality Management Cell

Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of

Administration, Mussoorie - 248 179

Uttarakhand (INDIA)

Tel. : +91 135 2632236, 2632489, 2632405

[email protected]

Please send address changes to the above.

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Jottings from the Editor

GOOD GOVERNANCE | QUALITY | TRAINING

Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration

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.

thThe Officers Trainees (OTs) of the 86 Foundation Course

(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 thour young idealistic OTs of the 86 FC. Happy reading!

thPhase 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

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

The Academy Team

Dr. S.H. [email protected]

RNI No: UTTENG/2010/38507

UA/DO/DDN/712/2011-2013

Dr. Moana [email protected]

Nidhi [email protected]

Dr. M. Kennedy Singh [email protected]

NOVEMBER 2011

RNI No: UTTENG/2010/38507

UA/DO/DDN/712/2011-2013

The ACADEMY The ACADEMY

32

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.

Induction Training programme: The participants of the th109 Induction training Programme resumed their training

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

Shivraj S. Chauhan, CM, Madhya Pradesh addressing the Phase V participants

The participants of the 109th Induction programme with the President of India Vignettes from the Athletic Meet

Sitar Maestro Shujaat Hussain Khan enthralling the audience

Glimpses of the A. K. Sinha one act play competition

Glimpses of the A. K. Sinha one act play competition

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

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.

News Sparks

continued from page 2

continued on page 3

! 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.

NOVEMBER 2011 NOVEMBER 2011

54


Research Centres in Action

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

Centre for Rural Studies (CRS)

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.

National Centre for Urban Management

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

the deliberations are convergence, financial inclusion, social

audit, labour budget, involvement of Panchayati Raj

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 officer-

trainees 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.

Centre for Disaster Management (CDM)

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, Geo-

informatics 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.

National Institute of Administrative Research

(NIAR)

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


Research Centres in Action


continued on page 5 continued on page 6

“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

Experience of Living in far Himalayas Lalit Jain*

76


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)


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 thday 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

continued on page 7

Experience of Living in far Himalayas Gopalpur Memories ...

continued from page 5 continued from page 6

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 thmates including me were staying here from 29 October to

5th November 2011. I also enjoyed celebrating my birthday thhere on 30 October walking around sugarcane fields,

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.

th thGopalpur Memories (29 Oct to 5 Nov, 2011)KVS Choudhary*

98


more remunerative and productive. On the other, skill

building of huge numbers of youth is needed for such non-

farm 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.



continued on page 9

Gopalpur Memories ...


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

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)

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 shell-

shocked 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

Bravehearts

A Day will Come

Roshni Apaarnji Korati*

Kush Verma*

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.

Bravehearts ...


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…!!


1110

The ACADEMY The ACADEMYNOVEMBER 2011 NOVEMBER 2011

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.

These tr ibes adopt survival mechanisms l ike 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.

Justice, Compassion and Civil Services: Harsh Mander th

(Impressions of a lecture during 86 FC)

K.V.S. Choudary *

Prabjot Singh *

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.


continued on page 11

Justice, Compassion and Civil Services : ...


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izse HkkbZ dks lquuh iM+rh Fkh [kjh&[kjh ---

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(* IAS Officer Trainee, 2010 Batch)

rni no: utteng/2010/38507 ua/do/ddn/712/2011 · pdf fileprinted by dr. s.h. khan published by...

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