We all talk about corrupt and inefficient bureaucracy. How
many times do you think, talk or compliment those honest and efficient officers,
who against all odds try to do their job. It’s only when their life is lost or
comes in danger that these officers get recognition in the media and in the eyes
of the public.
In January this year, the additional collector of Malegaon in
Maharashtra was burnt alive when he noticed mafia stealing oil and tried to call
other government officials to the site. The gruesome murder made news. Till then
he and his work were unknown.
Just a few days back Krishna, an IIT graduate, who was the
district collector of Maoist hit Malkangiri in Orissa was abducted along with a
junior engineer. The 30-year-old IAS officer had reportedly done excellent work
in the area and had gained the appreciation, respect and confidence of the
locals. Fortunately, he and the junior engineer have been released, but not
before the State government conceded to the demands of the Maoists.
Few years back Satyendra Dubey, an engineer employed with the
National Highway Authority of India and working on the Golden Quadrilateral
Project was reprimanded, received threats to his life and eventually murdered
when he wrote to the Prime Minister exposing financial irregularities in the
Project.
These are only a few cases of officers who did their duty in
an environment where honesty and efficiency is often rewarded with their
resistance, reprimands, departmental enquiries, frequent transfers and in
occasional cases death. Such officers may be a minority, but they do exist and
in a good number doing their duty silently. So let us not paint all bureaucrats
with the same brush. There will be many officers who, given a chance and
motivation would rather be honest and efficient. We need to recognise this and
appreciate the good work of officers. Maybe that will encourage many more
officers to muster up the courage to resist corruption and opt for a different
path.
A few days back I had an opportunity to make a presentation
to young IRS recruits at the National Academy of Direct Taxes in Nagpur. These
young officers would be joining the field force in the next few months. Like
these young recruits, the youth joining various civil other services are a
bright and intelligent lot having passed a tough entrance examination after
graduation. They, in a sense, are the cream of the society. I see hope in them.
Let us endeavour to see that they don’t become victims of the system. If we
citizens while condemning corruption, also appreciate good work and honesty, we
will certainly have a better bureaucracy.
By the time this issue of the Journal reaches you, the Union
Budget 2011-12 and the Finance Bill will have been presented before the
Parliament. With the Direct Taxes Code and the Goods and Service Tax on the
horizon, one wonders if the Finance Minister will want to do substantial
amendments to the Income Tax Act or the law relating to the Service Tax. May be
there will be retrospective amendments, as usual, to nullify some court
decisions!
Following the Budget, there will be meetings, lectures,
seminars, workshops to analyse the provisions of the Finance Bill. At the same
time, the World Cup matches will also be on. Let’s see what the Finance Minister
does. Will he succeed in weaning the tax professionals and citizens at large,
from watching the World Cup matches?
