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| “The servant” has become the “Master” | | A Look Through the Mist But still in a democracy A Government Servant has to be provided Special social Security • Retirement Pension need be restored to those appointed after 2003 /2009 • Elder Government Employees must pursue the cause of the New e | | Daya Sagar | 6/28/2011 8:05:33 PM |
| The political pressures on the government servants could only be reduced by making the politicians more responsive to the real needs of the poor and this could be done by taking the socio political awareness programmes to the RURAL India. Ofcourse this would also make the government servants to realize that they are only social facilitators and not the masters.
In very recent times questions on the integrity of persons occupying the positions of even Chief Vigilance Commissioner India and Chairman Human Rights Commission have been raised. The incumbents did not step down on their own even on moral grounds. The political bosses too did not show that worry in this regard. So need has arisen for working out / designing some hard reins for keeping a check on the public servants.. The political bosses have gone so daring that they even question the Comptroller and Auditor General of India on technical issues .Corruption in the civil society has always been there. Had not been so there would have been no thief, no criminal, no cheat. But it does not mean that the growth of the corrupt order need not be checked. Government in a democracy is the largest social organization that works for the management / preservation / use of common resources, development and maintenance of social / material infrastructure for the members of society and collection / management / use of the funds contributed to the common pool by the members of the society.
In a democracy the people to manage / plan the resources / systems are drawn out from the same society. They are paid a compensation for the services rendered to society by the society as could be afforded. But the most important thing that the public “servants” are given by society is the authority to govern the same “PUBLIC” and exercise checkl over the wrong doer from amongst those who ‘ appointed” him.. To quote imagine the salary the CBI officer who summoned and questioned Anil Ambani in connection with 2G Scam must be getting ? Would the salary of CBI officers be any where near to what Anil Ambani may be paying to even his distantly placed manager ? No surely not. No doubt what I am saying here is known to all . But the point I want to make here is that as on date it appears that the Common Indian Citizen as well as the “ Public servant” do not appear carrying such concepts with concern.
The government servants are retained by the society to manage the infrastructure raised for providing social and material security to the society. In simple words the job involves collection of contributions made to common pool in terms of taxes / levies, encashment of natural resources, spending the state funds on the security/ health/ education/ infrastructure / research/ security from the external enemy . But this day it is the corruption on the common resources / direct / indirect wealth that has gone so worry some for the society. This corruption could even be named as a theft by the “ watch man” on the wealth of his “ land lord”.
The government servants in principle were debarred from doing any trading / business for their person so that they may not themselves commit economic / criminal offences. And in return (i) special job security (ii) lifetime pension / family pension was kept for them after retirement. The Govt Servant has been provided near ultimate job security through constitutional provisions. It was done so for saving him from undue pressures of political masters, criminals, economic offenders etc .Government of India has discontinued pension wef 2004 and J&K Govt has done so wef 2010. This action of the government is not correct. But one thing still can be inferred from this action and that is , that, these days surely all appear to have forgotten the real meaning of Government “Servant”. It could also be said that even the most superior service class ( I A S) too has not carried the principles of civil “SERVICE” conceptually. Had it not been so the officers from this class ( IAS) would have surely suggested to political bosses not to discontinue pension. Those who were already in service in 2004 ( India ) / 2010 ( J&K) were not affected with the pension discontinuing order . Many who would retire in 2040 would still get pension that is why no government employees association or union agitated against the pension discontinuation orders. The commitment levels have already fallen. The new entrants in government services too would not find any thing special in their duty and placement.
The pension has still been kept for the defence personnel, one would ask , if not for others ,why this exception ? May be politicians see a very large vote bank in the ex service men.
Some argue the pension has been replaced by Employees Contributory provident Fund . They are wrong , CPF can not compensate for pension. There are many retired government employees who are today getting pension more than the pay they were getting on the date of retirement. The provision of pension and job security surely provides enough strength to government servant to stand against challenges since over the long service career he has to stand against many odds like undue pressures of the politicians / superiors and financial allurements. So, Government servant has to be treated differently.
No doubt it is also a fact that now the conditions have gone so bad that may be need has come to even suspend some basic rights and job security to government servants. The money use efficiency of the state funds has gone very very low. The infrastructure maintenance and replenishment costs are unduly high since the quality of inputs to the infrastructure is generally alleged to be low due to heavy corruption on the funds allocated. The work quality / service delivery particularly in the rural areas and suburbs is very very poor. The special job securities provided have been misused by the majority. People have lost faith in the government servants. But in a democracy the Government Servant has to stay as the pivot of the public infrastructure and are also the supporting arms of democratic system. Government servants need be made to answer for follies but simultaneously have to be ensured security of service and security to their families.
Even agencies like CBI are being accused of working under the pressures or choice of political masters Even the commissions / committees have gone non yielding although in most of the cases very senior officers ( serving / retired) are appointed on the commissions. It is a common allegation that the commissions are often proving rehabilitation centers for retired officers. The commissions mostly over run the time schedules and still do not yield purpose in most of the cases.
But in a democracy we have to continue with the system of commissions and committees. And for this services of the senior people from judiciary / civil services will be required. We have to make use of the people only from the lots available with us and work out solution with the circumstances in had . Ofcourse apparently an easier choice for filling the elder positions could lie more in experienced and retired persons from different public institutions and surely though less, good people are still there . But a government servants should be considered for reemployment ( particularly on statutory bodies / commissions ) not earlier than one year after his .after retirement. But the political bosses have to be forced make choice out of the real good and not those could win material favours for them. Efforts have to carry on with commitment for the common cause for improving the social order.
{ Daya Sagar, Social Activist, Sr. Columnist on Jammu and Kashmir Affairs [email protected]}
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