Whoever comes to power in 2014, should look afresh at issues of governance.If we follow the same old ways, we will continue to get the same results. In my previous blog,I discussed some of the issues of governance.Here are some more, dedicated to all those who laid down their lives to make us free.
[1].Ministries of Defense & Home should be merged to create one ministry for SECURITY, headed by a senior leader.Under this minister, there should be ministers for [a] Defense [b]Internal Security [c] Judiciary [d] Constitutional rights.[ including Parliamentary affairs]A holistic security architecture should be developed and managed by this single ministry.
[2].All ministries dealing with economy should be merged in to a single minstry of ECONOMY,headed by an Economist.Under this minister,there should be ministers for [ a] Finance [b]Revenue,[c] Commerce, [ Industry, internal/external trades][d] Energy [ all sources of energy] ,[e] Transportation [ different ministries for Air,sea,rail and road transports should be merged to create a single Transport ministry] [f] Agriculture [ irrigation, food,horticulture & civil supply ministries should be merged in to a single Agriculture ministry] and [g] Labour
[3].HUMAN RESOURCES, minister here should be a proven educationist, responsible for education, training, employment, R & D [ no need for separate minister for Science & Technology, R & D can oversee all aspects of scientific development ] and Human Rights.
[4].ENVIRONMENT ,ministry should be headed by a PHD, responsible for Forests,water pollution,air pollution,coastal zones across entire geography of the nation
[5] EXTERNAL AFFAIRS , ministry should be headed by a senior ,energetic, charismatic and very articulate person.He/she should head a very large ministry with desks for continents and important countries and adequate staffing in foreign consulates.Country can afford to have younger minsters of State here to handle specific policy issues/countries.This ministry needs complete make over in the light of our growing international influence.
The PRIME MINISTER should head the cabinet comprising of above five key ministers, while retaining sensitive portfolios related to security [ nukes].He should also keep General administration and Personnel depts under him.He should replace present I & B ministry with Ministry of COMMUNICATION and retain the same with him.He should be aided by NSA and an effective PMO as at present.
Such a small and effective government should be aided by several regulators, such as ,
CAG,CBI,ED, RI,TRAI,NIA,PLANNING COMMISSION,CVC,LOK AYUKTA ... all responsible to Parliament and not to any ministry.
This way , we can eliminate several ministries, many of which are redundant due to liberalisation[ eg ministry of steels, heavy Industry,Chemical....], We don't need independent ministries for Power, Petrochemicals, Telecom [!],Shipping,Corpotate affairs, minorities etc.Aforesaid five ministries can have junior ministers for such functions if required.
Governments at the center and in the states should follow this model.Then expand IAS,IPS,IFS cadres and start out sourcing clerical work with the aim of reducing/eliminating armies of clerks.
Time has come for all political parties to agree for abolition of the posts of Governors.We don't need them.Political parties should find other vocations for their superannuated leaders.High Court judges in the states are most qualified to double as representatives of the President, to report consitutional issues through a small cell of constitutional experts.After doing away with Governors, the Raj Bhavans with their lands and assets should be auctioned off and money placed with respective state exchequers.
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