Debate over projecting IAS officer as CM candidate in Tamil Nadu

One young IAS officer by name U.Sagayam who had been responsible for the exposure of a big granite scam in and around Madurai town involving thousands of crores of rupees and benefitting many officials and nonofficials in the recent past in the state of Tamil Nadu is being tipped for the post of CM by a section of socitey in the coming elections in 2016. Follow up action on his voluminous report is awaited on the directions of Madras high Court in the days to come. His boldness in the job and simple living at the home front have earned him a good reputation in the last 5-6 years. The manner in which the political parties have conducted in the last 3-4 decades have forced the majority of voters to think in terms of an alternative party well suited for correcting the malady that has set in the governmance and administration of Tamil Nadu State. Hence the cry for an IAS officer to serve as the CM of Tamil Nadu like Arvind Kejriwal (an IRS officer) in Delhi.  

 

A mixed reaction both in favour and against an individual being projected for the post of chief minister has been discussed in detail by taking the opinions of former civil servants and a professor of Madras University in the Hindu edition dated December 27,2015. It was even quoted therein that honest and committed individuals like M.S. Udayamurthy, a social worker and R.Nallakannu, a CPI leader have failed to ensure success in the hustings at last.

 

Indian democracy is yet to mature and permit a group of highly qualified and  experienced with no family liabiltities to carry conviction with a workable agenda promising a clean and efficient government so that the present set up can be thrown away and the rule of law can be established for the general welfare and impartial administration. Officers like Sagayam should continue in service and serve as responsible and conscious Secretaries and chief secrtaries in the state in the days to come.

 

A group of experienced and committed officials either sitting or superannuated can collect themselelves for a common cause, form a political party and serve the state for a term as the founders and leave the mantle to the youngsters in a democratic way to rule this state for 2-3 decades and enable the state to regain its primacy in several fields of economic and social sectors.

Cheap popularity and damning strategy among the masses

It all started in 1967 in the state of Tamil Nadu ( previously called Madras state in the Republic of India ) when the DMK party headed by C.N.Annadurai ( a great scholar, writer, orator and an honest soul to the core and his early demise in office was a great loss to Tamil population) snatched the political power from the Congress party by promising distribution of rice at one rupee a measure (equivalent to about one and a half kilograms) to the ration-card holders. The first non-congress government came to power on the basis of such a promise on the eve of elections. As usual the election manifesto did hardly throw light on the financial as well as the possible adverse impact on the expenditure towards creation and maintenance of basic infrastructure ( at a great opportunity cost ) needed for economic development. The said promise was partially implemented but the original author of the scheme passed away very soon leaving the mantle of responsibility to his successor chief ministers both in DMK and AIADMK parties till date. The legacy of such freebies normally being announced on the eve of general elections has not only broadened in their sweep and numbers in the state of Tamil Nadu but also got extended to other parts and states in the country thereafter.

The budget for basic infrastructure and other economic services got reduced over a period of time with mounting deficits beyond the repaying capacity of those states as also serving the interests of their own employees growing in Lakhs and Lakhs. For instance no irrigation dam worth-noting came in existence in the state of Tamil Nadu in the last fifty years after the exit of K.Kamaraj, the C.M of repute in every sense  of the term. The result, the state has not developed like Singapore but has remained a poor developing economy still.

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Democracy means decentralisation of powers

It is unfortunate that even in the offices and institutions of Indian democracy, the powers and decision-making initiatives of authorities - both among elected and permanent executives have not been decentralised yet satisfactorily even after 68 years of independence from the British. It is certainly against the will of freedom fighters and the common man in the street. Any amount of justification to prove  the contrary will not hold good in the days to come. People can hardly be fooled forever.

The job of a Station House Officer (sub inspector / inspector of a police station) is done by the Superintendent of Police (the police chief of a district / county). The duty of a district police chief is performed by the chief of state police. Similarly the function of a Tahsildar is expected to be ensured by the district collector ( the civil / administrative head of a county). We painfully make a note of the fact that the collector's work is executed by the head of a state government (chief minister). Initiative of the concerned officials is no more visible with the result the welfare of the citizen is no longer the responsibility of the said person and the general public suffers in the end.

A platoon of officers and the staff are on the enrolment but in times of emergency the requisite relief and remedy are not forthcoming on time and in adequate measure. The educated and the elite in public service remain silent spectators to what is going on in the system of administration.  Survival and promotion of self interest alone have become the main motto of the entire government machinery. The biggest price paid by the Chennai citizens in recent floods during the first week of December, 2015 due to indecision or delayed decision or over-centralisation of powers at the apex level of state administration is the latest and costliest example. 

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Beauty

      

Beautiful thought on beauty comes only in late sixties

Can any one define beauty easily in absolute terms?

Can it be defined sans basing the same on an object

Beautiful look comes from a pleasant object in front.

Beauty is a thing which one beholds front and forth

But for beauty, poets and artists lose essence of life

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, they rightly say

Beautiful object is a source of attraction for all ever

Beauty may be seen in an infant of human or animal

Beauty attains progress as the object grows in stages

Beauty of a female is definitely a better picture to see

Beauty of a woman mesmerises even a saint in sleep

Taste of an individual on the job increases with beauty

Waist of a female figure is neatly chiselled by sculptor

Haste of a human being hurts one on the false identity

Tartlet to starlet everyone knows the value of beauty! 

Dr.P.Raghavan,

Raipur (India)

26-04-15

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Role of MLA (Member of Legislative Assembly in Tamil Nadu)

R.K. nagar is the constituency of Ms J.Jayalalitha, the CM of Tamil Nadu. The residents have complained that their areas ( V.O.C.Nagar) are flooded with sewage mixed with rain water for more than a month, but no action has been taken by the authorities. Hence a protest on the main highway forcing the police force to intervene. 

Sorry state of affairs. Despite the grievance expressed several times, no action! Residents are crying for help while their representative in the state Assembly has no time  to extend help in times of emergency. What will happen in other constituencies?

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