Wednesday, March 5, 2008

Its not all about MONEY HONEY!!

Budget and its implications!! The short sighted view has had an impact. The share market saw its lowest trend and i am not so sure if farmers really know what is being offered to them, but banks for sure have an astrologically bad time. While the government is very pro in hitting the right chords when it comes to making emotional people happy, it fails to sustain the happiness for long.
Sometimes i wonder, with the best of brains in country serving as civil servants, is forming a right kind of financial policy so difficult? Don’t they know that charity is old fashioned now, enablement is the key. I am not saying that good things do not happen, i have seen employment cards scheme started by government, i have seen good interest shown by big corporates in procuring rural products, i have also been told that a big retailer is looking at a huge tie up with airline fleet for transferring products across for its stores, so yes, the need for the day has activated many brains. I also know that millions of dollars flow in India in the name of upliftment, but unfortunately, with so much of resource at hand, the outcome is negligible. So, it is really not a lack of resource for us anymore, it is the lack of connection between demand and supply.
What needs to get going is- Infrastructure, education, technical know how, corporations in each village to disseminate knowledge and connect with demand side in cities and places abroad. They are forbidden world. They have power to work and act, but they don’t know which direction is the world outside moving into. With such intelligent civil servants at our nation's disposal, we fail to form a smart governance policy. (They don’t have to slog in fields, they just have to show direction and hand hold. I believe sitting in one village is a waste of time for a civil servant, his job is to plan a strategy and delegate, there are teams which can be hired to implement. )
Since childhood, i have come across many civil servants and year on year my conviction is strengthened, that no one can challenge their intelligence. They go through rigorous selection process, they are all well read and they can create smart business models, but they don’t; because politicians don’t use them. I am just left wondering today, politicians in every country are supposed to be politicians, infact even in normal job, there are politicians. Civil servants can not be thrown out of job by anyone other than a president, and that has not happened in the history of this nation. They have power and brain to tweak around the system, keep everyone happy and still do good for nation. Lalu has got a railway system running with the help of these brains, then why do others fail? You can remain as bad as you are, still do good for nation, every progress will mean an addition in your capacity to receive bribe.
And then, it’s not about money, it is just a resource. A resource without proper utilization is garbage. Give away crores if that keeps people happy, but create a system underneath to ensure that it solves the problem at hand. Why don’t we incorporate analytical techniques when coming up with budgets? Have the problem statements, goals, solutions. Once we have the roadmap, incorporate the emotional factor (say 25% weightage) for vote banks and roll out the governance plan. I am not saying hit your pockets, you are politicians for a reason, but make use of resources you have (civil servants, corporate influence) and do something which makes you feel proud of your own power and improves your earning capacity in future.

India always had more brain than money. Use what you have more, leniently and be a bit stingy with what is not your strength. All nations have politicians with similar characteristics, because that is the kind of skill set needed for being one. Beaurocrats were meant to compliment the politicians, but the education system is faulty, they are just books with zero convincing and “marketing” capabilities, may be. Politicians have done a great job (hit the emotions), civil servants have failed(Right governance and progress goals) . System has been failing for investing so heavily on dormant brains for years in this nation. In the end, it’s not all about money honey, there is something called brain which ensures that money is given its right place.

The Budget is not BAD, but this is not the kind of budget a nation seeing transformational economic progress expects.

3 comments:

Ravikant Pandey said...

Hi Garima,
well u've made a very idealistic and valid point...no doubt.
Infrastructure, Education et al are absolutely the long term solutions for a sustainable economic growth...but the point is this...These investments have a longer gestation period and, u know, may not play to the doer's advantage.
Fortunately or Unfortunately, we aren't a setup like China wherein the Govt. can go ahead and take some bold and long-term measures.

Garima Ganeriwala said...

The problem is, idealism does not constitute support for bribery and vote bank, but then i am ok with it. :) Its about smart marketing skills by beaurocrats which support short term goals and yet lay a foundation for long term improvments. I still dont think India is that unfortunate. Its just that our machinaries dont work.

Rishit Jain said...

You have raised many issues in your post. There are many reasons why things are as they are. But, ultimately, any society's current situation is a direct function of the kind of political leadership it has had till now. India, hasn't had the right kind.