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Retire non-performers
Endangered J&K shrines
It’s not about technology |
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Military matters deserve special care
Alive in memory
Marketing the police
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Retire non-performers FEW outside the bureaucracy may question the merits of the Centre’s directive to the states to review the functioning of IAS, IPS and Indian Forest Service officers who have completed 15 years of service. The laudable aim is to drop the deadwood. Job security tends to make a person complacent or a “passenger”. There may be officers who are neither civil nor servant, neither outstanding nor entirely incompetent but they muddle along due to patronage from above. As a class, bureaucrats stick together, promote own interests, rarely let any of their tribe come in harm’s way and court politicians to corner plum posts. Periodic reviews will not yield the desired results in states where politicians and bureaucrats scratch each other’s back. In Punjab, there are Akali bureaucrats as well as Congress bureaucrats. Personal and political biases can spoil promising careers. Also, the politician-bureaucrat nexus can use the “review” route to ease out an upright but inconvenient officer who refuses to bend the rules. A performance appraisal can be tricky, and work both ways if not monitored properly. To keep bureaucrats from straying, post-retirement postings should be done away with. There should be a cooling period before a retired civil servant can join politics or take up a corporate job. The recent spurt in scandals, controversial CAG findings, harsh comments from judges, misuse of the RTI Act and wild allegations carried by the media have unnerved bureaucrats, who have become risk-averse and stopped taking decisions. If decisions are not taken, governance suffers for which voters hold the ruling parties to account. Noticing the trend, the Prime Minister has observed that “a civil servant who does not take decisions might always be safe, but at the end of the day he or she would have contributed nothing to our society”. While there is need to protect the honest risk-takers and take a lighter view of mistakes made in situations where facts are inadequate but quick decisions are required, the non-performers have to be shown the door. This country has enough talent eagerly looking forward to join the civil services.
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Endangered J&K shrines THE large-scale damage caused to the famous Peer Dastageer shrine in the Khanyar area in Srinagar last week has brought into sharp focus the need for providing fool-proof protection to such monuments dotting the Kashmir valley. There are at least 100 shrines which may face what happened in the case of the Peer Dastageer complex, as admitted by the head of the Kashmir chapter of the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH). People are so attached to these symbols of their religion that they cannot see these structures getting destroyed due to any reason. When any untoward incident occurs involving these shrines, they express their feeling of disgust by indulging in violence or through the observance of bandhs, etc. While violence, as witnessed on June 25 soon after the news spread of the Peer Dastageer shrine having been engulfed in flames, is unacceptable on any pretext, the authorities, too, need to be sensitive to people’s sentiments and beliefs. It is surprising that there were no fire extinguishers in the Peer Dastageer shrine complex, which is the basic requirement for the safety of any structure from fire. That the over 250-year-old wooden structure had heritage status needed adequate arrangements to ensure that no harm came to it from fire or any such incident. It is surprising why no safety measures were taken when the original structures of two famous shrines —- Chrar-e-Sharif in central Kashmir and Khanquah Faiz Panah in the southern part of the valley —were destroyed in fire a few years back, leading to tension in different parts of the state. One hopes no more shrines would get destroyed in fires now that the Jammu and Kashmir government has woken up to the need for a fire-fighting audit of all religious structures in the state. But those found responsible for the gutting of the Peer Dastageer shrine must be given exemplary punishment after the outcome of the two enquiries ordered into the fire incident in known. This is one way to assuage the hurt feelings of the people, who in frustration blame the government for what happened to the Peer Dastageer shrine.
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It’s not about technology
Through
one more amendment to the PC & PNDT ( Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques-Prohibition of Sex Selection) Act, the government has restricted the number of clinics a medical practitioner can operate from within a district and has also raised the fee for the registration of ultrasound clinics. By a rough estimate, the country has 35,000 registered ultrasound clinics, which cater to the demand for aborting between 5 lakh and 7 lakh female foetuses every year. Then, there are thousands of mobile “on call” ultrasound clinics that operate discreetly, offering their services at the doorsteps of their ‘clients.’ This is a demand and supply scenario for which a foolproof mechanism is worked out, despite the intervention by several laws and Acts to check sex selection at several levels. Therefore, the first question the officials concerned should ask: “What is the conviction rate under the PNDT Act? At less than 5 per cent of the conviction rate, it is time the machinery in the Ministry of Health approached the issue from a different perspective. Perhaps, it needs to ask what makes the birth of a male child so desirable to young couples across the rural- urban and rich- poor divide. The think tanks in the government should come up with plans to make the birth of a girl child equally acceptable, if not desirable. In the past, some states like Andhra Pradesh had experimented with the mandatory installation of a silent observer (a software that keeps track of all scans) in ultrasound machines, but not much could be gained. Acts and laws have only a restrictive role to play in sorting out an issue woven into the social fabric as is evident by several facts. In states like Haryana where cash rewards worth lakhs of rupees were announced for reporting unlawful sex determination, not a single claimant came forward. Decoys turned hostile. The answer lies in educating girls and improving law and order for their safety, so that they are not treated as a liability.
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We still do not know one thousandth of one per cent of what nature has revealed to us. — Albert Einstein
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Military matters deserve special care
NOW that the dust has settled and the new Army Chief is in place, it is time to ensure that a sense of déjà vu does not prevail. The momentum generated by the recent happenings would indeed not be wasted if it leads to our seriously addressing the country’s core military concerns. The office of the Army Chief plays a crucial role in the defence of the country, a role not confined just to times of war. This office represents national military continuity and goes with high standards of integrity. However much the power of military may be constitutionally constrained, in times of peace the Chief is critical to matters of strategy, military organisation and planning, weapon policies and eventually national security. The Chiefs in India have a dual responsibility — they are effectively the Commanders-in-Chief of their respective Services, and they also perform staff functions as part of the government. Even if as individuals they are rarely perceived as public figures, they yet command a special niche in the public imagination. Indeed, it is fitting that the Chiefs consciously avoid engaging in public debates, as controversy only jeopardises their non-political public service role. However, this convention also presupposes that the political authority will speak for them and on their behalf and explain the position as well as uphold the reputation of the Chiefs. Viewed from this prism, the recent public disclosures of the outgoing Army Chief may be questioned. It is regrettable that issues that could have been resolved within the government had to go to court. That said, we do need to examine the compulsions that led to this extreme situation. The Defence Minister, to his credit, did indeed repose trust in the Army Chief, refusing to play into the hands of vested interests that went to the ridiculous extent of insinuating suggestions of an “army coup”, etc. Yet, the leakage of the Chief’s letter to the Prime Minister was a serious breach of security as were the allegations of corruption in defence deals. These must be investigated thoroughly and those found guilty punished. In India, civil-military relations are predicated upon a peculiar establishment: while the Services are responsible for operational planning and employment, vital tools of defence preparedness in terms of financial control vest with the Ministry of Defence (MoD). The inevitable casualty is accountability. The two sides see each other more as sparring adversaries in a typical “us vs them” syndrome. The recent controversy may have served to highlight this divide; hence my belief that hopefully some systemic solutions will evolve to cure the malaise. Indeed, the establishment has always backed the armed forces in times of crisis — be it the 1962 debacle or the 1999 Kargil war. That said, it is a case of “too little, too late”. A comprehensive action plan to achieve a state of constant defence preparedness is lacking. Alongside, the Integrated Defence HQ created to bring in synergy is still headless. Unlike most modern armed forces, we don’t have a Chief of Defence Staff. There is a need for more meaningful integration between the MoD and the three Services. These are imperatives of modern defence and can no longer be overlooked. It is hoped that the Naresh Chandra Task Force which has been assigned the duty of reviewing the national security apparatus finds feasible ways to create an efficient higher defence management structure. Also on the agenda are crucial issues with regard to human resource management, including the shortage of 13,000 officers. The crippling operational gaps and modernisation delays are critical. These essentially flow out of organisational infirmities and an inadequate decision-making matrix. It is ironical that the world’s third largest economy with a sound industrial base still imports 70 per cent of its arms and equipment. Going by current estimates, the bottom line requirement of the armed forces to fill the gap is approximately $ 154 billion, with the Army requiring $ 68 billion out of it. Going by this year’s capital equipment procurement budget of $ 12.85 billion, theoretically (at current price levels), it will take us another 12 years to fill the operational shortfall. Even if we suppose that the funds are available, there is no way that we can practically achieve it. This is because the required equipment is not available off the shelf. Supply entails long gestation periods and then it too is hostage to inter-governmental dynamics (including technology denial). The recently reported spurt in defence procurement has to be seen in this context. The solution eventually lies in the inevitable indigenisation of the defence industry. The 70:30 ratio between import and indigenous production has to be reversed. The Task Force on Self-Reliance and Modernisation in Defence is working on arms procurement reforms which include measures to make our military expenditure more economically sustainable. Our new Army Chief, along with the other two Service Chiefs, will need to pursue these issues with the government as also address in-house matters. With rumours about competing lobbies, factional feuds and corruption going around, there is bound to be disenchantment in the rank and file. General Bikram Singh has started off on a progressive note and given an assurance about not looking back. He is known to be fair, even handed, firm but large hearted — a man with broad shoulders who has a proven record of leading from the front and by personal example. Needless to say, well-informed public and political opinion will be crucial. The media must avoid sensationalism, politicisation, TRP-based hype and the perpetuation of half-baked rumours. In the ultimate analysis — while the defence of our motherland is the mandate of the toiling soldier, that soldier too needs to be shielded from unjust onslaughts. The defender must be defended. If we ignore this fundamental truth, we will do so at our own
peril.
The writer, a retired Lt-General, is a Distinguished Fellow at the Observer Research Foundation, New Delhi.
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Alive in memory AFTER schooling, my parents packed me off to a hostel at a prestigious college of Delhi University for my graduation. They felt that life in a hostel would turn me, a shy and a sheltered girl, into a rough n’ tough and independent person. Little did they realise that how homesick I would feel in the beginning. So, every weekend I would go to my local guardian, my maternal aunt, to spend the weekend with her, a practice that unfailingly continued for three years. A grand, dignified, vibrant and fashionable lady, she was generous to a fault, lending me emotional support. She was no less than a mother to me. Indeed, how truly, a maasi is described as maa jaisi! Life changes. We are only creatures of destiny. It’s with great anguish and shame, I confess, that though my maasi is living, I am awaiting her cremation. When will the day dawn when I get a phone call and rush to Delhi to consign her to flames to bid her a final farewell? I have a shattering story to tell. Undeniably, I love maasi intensely. She will soon turn 90. But for the last two years, she doesn’t recognise me at all. In fact, she doesn’t recognise anyone, not even her family members. Nor her surroundings. Bedridden with many ailments, she’s gone so frail. But, surprisingly, sometimes she, even at midnight, loudly recites from Granth Sahibji, that’s ingrained into her very being. With her mind gone blank, she is clinging to her faith, her only saviour. Only yesterday she called out aloud, “Main hon parampurukh ko dasa, dekhan aayon jagat tamasa.” She’s a victim of dreaded Alzheimer’s which makes a person a non-person, reducing him/her to a pitiable vegetable state. An eminent Indian doctor describes it as “silent tsunami.” Alzheimer’s disease is named after Dr Alois Alzheimer, a German psychiatrist and neuropathologist. It’s a common form of dementia (loss of brain function) affecting memory, thinking and behaviour. Unfortunately, there’s no cure for it. It’s degenerative, worsening as it progresses,
eventually leading to death. When I once visited my maasi, she just stared at me with a vacant and frightened look. She asked, “Where am I ?” I reassured her and calmed her down. “Do you remember Karan and Raman?” I once enquired. “The names are familiar but I can’t place them,” she admitted. It’s sad she can’t recall my sons. Often friends and relatives sit by her side, but she keeps quiet, without a flicker of recognition. As Alzheimer’s progressed, sometimes while sleeping, she tumbles down from her bed to the floor. I love her so much that I desire her to be freed from her misery. And death is the only answer. Ye jo rishte hain kaanch ke khilone hain…pal bhar me toot jaate hain. Though she has become forgetful, for me, she’s unforgettable and will always continue to live in my
memory.
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Marketing the police
Many
people feel that police work is a peculiarly distinct class of endeavour to which the basic rules of organisational management and socio-psychology do not apply. Many policemen are also given to the attitude that they are not salesmen and are paid to be policemen -- out to do pure and simple police work -- no frills, no explanation and no information. With this backdrop, marketing the police would appear to be an impractical exercise to undertake, even to the diehard optimists and pro-changers among the policy elite. Yet the opposite may be true, and an effort to market the police -- by putting the citizen at the centre of police planning and activities -- may provide answers to many of the problems the police faces today. The basic paradigm shift required in the approach of the organisation is to treat citizens as customers. Marketing is not just the publicity and the spin, it is the management process to identify and satisfy customer requirements profitably. And how is it relevant to policing? We can quite easily substitute the word customers for citizens, and replace the word profitability with service, greater reassurance and with safer society. Therefore, a combination of deftly and delicately improvised private sector strategies needs to be adopted in their application to market the police department. In place of competition, inappropriate for a compliance organisation like the police department in a monopoly situation, bench marks for performance management can be created for managed competition wherein the emphasis is on improving performance, increasing efficiency, cost control and accountability based on key performance indicators that can be measured.
Interactive marketing The police department's problems stem from a formidable and complex mix of weaknesses within the organisation and many concerns relating to the environment in which the police operates. The traditional external marketing plan cannot address all issues confronting the police organisation. Two more elements - internal and interactive marketing -- will be required to supplement the external marketing, in drawing a complete plan for the police department. Internal marketing:
The success or failure of a police organisation is spelled out by the individual conduct of its members. Many times an officer is alone and must determine his course of action in a matter of seconds on the spot. The propriety of his course of action may subsequently engage the attention of a court of law and the media for days, or even weeks. In order to achieve the target of citizen oriented policemen, there is a need to implant the idea of citizen-centric policing first among policemen and train them with professional skills of better citizen satisfaction. This can be achieved through internal marketing which can be an important 'implementation' tool for an organisation like the police. It aids communication and helps to overcome any resistance to change and motivates the employees. It informs and involves all the staff in new initiatives and strategies and promotes team work. The main differences are that customers in internal marketing are staff and colleagues from the police Interactive marketing: The conduct of field police officers creates a lasting impression on the minds of citizens. Whenever there is a sloppy job done by an officer, no amount of secondary promotion activity can help. The skills of quality police-citizen interaction are essential for policemen, as the perceived service quality depends upon the quality of this interaction. A police officer should be able to see the public as a client with emphasis on the notion of service. The attitude and behaviour of each individual agent is crucial for the image of the whole police department. The attitude, language and body talk of policemen are important aspects that influence an interaction in different practical situations. One negative incident can annihilate all positive experiences a citizen had before. A constable on the street is not an individual but a representative of the entire force as by his conduct and appearance the image of the police is formed in the eyes of the public. This is where the interactive marketing is very important for the police department.
Targeting stakeholders Based on this framework, the total marketing plan for the police would incorporate external, internal and interactive components. This can be achieved by strategies targeting different segments -- internal customers, citizens, politicians, media, judiciary, policy elites and the compliers. Citizens and service: The police department exists for the citizens and is duty-bound to provide quality service. There is a need to create a positive image of the police department, which has historically and inherently been dismal in India and to educate people about the services provided by police. The core philosophy of policing unmistakably should be citizen-centric. In that efforts should be that citizens must feel that the police and the criminal justice system put them first. Citizen-centric policing is a way of policing in which the needs and expectations of individuals and local communities are always reflected in police decision-making and service. Citizen-centric policing does not only apply to the public-facing parts of the organisation, but to everyone within all forces, at all levels, whatever their function. And that requires a cultural and operational change like proactive policing, customer empowerment, systematic identification of citizen needs and supplementing them with measures like Quality of Service Commitment and Citizen's Charter. Policemen & employees:
Another extremely important segment, the internal customers, would be the policemen in the department. Police managers and employees' bodies have exhibited a traditional resistance to organisational change to democratise the police, both in terms of their internal structuring and their external public interface, leave alone implementation of private sector mentalities and technologies aimed at increasing productivity. In order to motivate them and to achieve Total Quality Management, the five pillar template of Bill Creech can be very effective for policemen: trust them after training them; empower them with wide latitude; aim them with objectives and goals; measure them for feedback and comparison; and support them with resources. Politicians, media & other stakeholders: In the present environment, accountability of the police to people comes through the elected representatives, which makes them the most influential stakeholders. The police department swims in a sea of politics, and without a map for the future, the department is like a rudderless ship left to the mercy of currents of events and issues. The department should, therefore, have a vision which should be internally marketed to the policemen and externally to people in general. This vision should also be translated in terms that hold interest for politicians, for example, better satisfaction for people with the police will result in a more appreciative citizenry for the government. Additionally, it is also necessary that the police keeps politicians involved in reform activities so that they understand and also share a part of the credit of the good work done. Thus, a well developed vision, working in partnership, briefing and sharing the credit can be the key to a successful relationship with this segment. The compliers:
The primary customer of the police department is the community at large, represented by the elected officials. However, those it deals with day in and day out are the 'compliers' such as drivers, polluters etc and they are also important for the police. Then there are non-compliers: people and organisations that break the law. The police department has to pay attention to all these categories. It can use customer standards and customer voice to improve their service to the compliers as a means to improve their voluntary compliance. Many compliance organisations like the Madison Police Department in the US have used the approach of 'winning compliance'. Rather than concentrating on catching non-compliers, they have put more energy into encouraging voluntary compliance.
Positioning At present the department has mediocre performance and a poor public image with the public perception that the police is an oppressive tool in the hands of political masters. The objective of the marketing plan is to deliver high performance and a good public image. For this the police departments will have to get out of the colonial mindset and position themselves as agencies in the service of people, upholding the rule of law. Being marketing-orientated is not just about floating some marketing initiatives, it has to actually reflect on everything that policemen do and requires a well-developed and deep-rooted corporate philosophy that guides every part of the organisation in all of its activities. Understanding this core messages is central to marketing the police. Rohit Choudhary is an Inspector-General of Police in Punjab and author of the book 'Policing: Reinvention Strategies in a Marketing Framework'
citizens as customers
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