Citizen is king

It's raining goodies and we aren't complaining. Now, for the delivery

It may just have been a fortuitous coincidence or perhaps an attempt to distract citizens from the rampant air pollution across most of North India but both the Centre and Delhi State Governments chose Thursday to make some major citizen-friendly announcements. For residents of Delhi, the State's Deputy Chief Minister announced, 40 services including issuance of driving licence, marriage/domicile/caste certificates and other such will be made available at their homes via call centres manned by “mobile sahayaks” who will be issued biometric devices and cameras to ensure all formalities can be completed at one's home. Not to be left behind, the Union Finance Ministry said Cabinet clearance had been given for setting up a five-member anti-profiteering authority under the new indirect tax regime to ensure that the benefits of GST rate cuts are passed on to consumers. The Union Cabinet also approved the increase in size of flats under the PM Awas Yojana that will provide potential buyers more choice in housing solutions on offer from various developers at more or less the same price. All in all, the citizen was king, if only for a day, on Thursday. It is to be commended that the BJP Central Government is being responsive to citizens' feedback and needs, amending decisions where required. In the case of Delhi, the AAP scheme to take governance to citizens' doorsteps, literally, goes a step further and is a fine innovation. Critics pointing to elections as the trigger for such governance-related moves miss the point: It is an excellent thing that Governments are worried about public reaction at the hustings; that's what brings about accountability in democracy and more power to it.

Yes, there are issues of gestation period and, crucially, implementation. And the way to keep the pressure on Governments is to ensure regular audits of various schemes promised and those launched. So, for example, the Delhi Government has launched some schemes that have worked really well of which the Mohalla Clinics are a good example as are the various merit-cum-means scholarships for students which have really helped those that need help the most. However, other schemes such as the installation of and ensuring the working of CCTVs across the Capital or efficacious preparations to deal with air pollution have not. Similarly, the Central Government can be proud of the implementation of schemes such as the Jan Dhan Yojana, Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, Atal Pension Scheme and Digital India and even the new bankruptcy law it has brought in. But issues remain with the implementation of schemes such as Skill India and the Smart City Project. The purpose of elected governments is not to rule but govern; on balance, voters do tend to punish or reward various political parties vying for their votes on the basis of a mix of ideological affinity and on-ground performance in terms of implementation of the schemes showcased by the respective parties. The Indian professional/upper middle class has very little time for many of these schemes as its members have limited interface with governments outside of core governance areas such as finance, law and order and liveability issues. But, as every politician in India knows, public welfare schemes and their competent implementation are an integral part of the matrix that go into answering the question voters ask themselves before casting their ballots: Did the Government make my life better in all aspects over the past five years?