DEBATE(1)

Polticians and bureaucrats, both try to exploit each other  but ultimately bureaucrats succeed.

Girja Shankar

(DEBATE 2)

More than two millennia back, the master of statecraft Chanakya aka Kautilya aka Vishnugupta stated “नैकं चक्रं परिभ्रम्यति” which translates as "you cannot move a chariot having a single wheel." The Constitution of India unambiguously reflects the noble objective of the founding fathers who clearly laid down that the legislature, the executive and the judiciary must function like components of a well-oiled machine for the proper functioning of our democracy. However, present-day India is radically different from what it was in the initial decades post-Independence. Idealism plummeted in the political sphere and now almost anyone with deep pockets can don the mantle of a parliamentarian or legislator. Politicians are not "all bad" but it is often observed that they pressurise the bureaucracy to have things done their way. In such a situation, an honest officer's choices are certainly not easy - either ignore, buckle or protest at the cost of transfer or suspension! A babu who acts like a puppet will definitely have the advantage of his or her other mistakes or graft being 'pardoned' but that hardly augurs well for public welfare.

Abhijit C. Chandra

Is Finance Minister Listening ?

Banking services is one of the important services for the economic growth of the country. Banking services specially PSU banks requires serious thinking about the deplorable services. The working can easily be understood by their balance sheets specially NPA. It is reaching nearly 10%, even after this there is no accountability. It is being said that their salaries is directly proportional to NPA and inversely proportional to customer services. Customer services are completely neglected by banks. In Board, there is nominee from Govt. normally Joint Secretary from Ministry of Finance and one from Regulator i,e, RBI but no one looks what services are being provided to the customers. Country is passing thru a pandemic situation last one year and advisories are being issued on regular basis to remain inside and avoid rush. Every customer after close of FY is looking following five services which can easily be provided on line by banks to avoid rush in banks: 1. Bank Statement for FY 2. Interest Certificate 3. Submission of 15g/15H forms 4. TDS certificate 5. Form 16A for pensioners Can anyone from the Govt. or Regulator look how many PSU banks are providing these services on line? This is not a big job or requires Rocket Science but can be done easily by taking proper initiatives and making CMD of Banks directly responsible to provide these services on line thru net banking or mobile app to customers in specified time frame failing which action can be initiated. Govt. is giving required tax payers money to banks in the form of recapitalisation and banks should deliver the results. In case they are not, the right step should be disinvestment. Bank employees are being given rise in their salary, perks, pensionary benefits and number of holidays. Let them provide good services to customers and good earnings to Govt. as private banks. As situation in country due to Covid-19 pandemic is not conducive, Ministry of Finance should allow the submission of Form 15H later may be in month of July, 2021 and consider the same Form 15H submitted in FY 2020-21 is applicable for Q1 FY 2921-22. These small steps can be taken by the Govt. to ease the problems of Sr. Citizens when they are not allowed to come out and submit the Forms. Let us move to digital era in providing customer services on line as far as possible considering we have best software engineers in the world and can develop any software required by the Banks. Let us put 15 days time in providing above five services to customers on line by every PSU banks.

Naveen