One weakness in our governance is the incapacity to institutionalize the best practices from our own country and elsewhere. A conscious effort not only to identify and document best practices but also build policy and create new structures and institutions to allow mass replication needs to be made.
The communications revolution sweeping across India offers us a great opportunity to innovate and replicate. Many models of improved use of technology for better governance are now available to us. But again convergence of many services at the citizen’s doorstep, with greater citizen power and local control are critical for the future.
The impressive postal network with its high efficiency and citizen-friendly approach, and the railways with their vast reach and proven track record offer us great opportunities for convergence of a variety of services in the next decade. Our scientists and technologists have the proven ability to meet the challenges of a modern economy. We need to harness their skills to make real improvements in governance possible in real time.
Governance is admittedly a weak link in our quest for prosperity and equity. We have an impressive governance infrastructure and significant successes to our credit. But we need to refashion the instruments to suit the emerging challenges.
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Unemployment and discrimination are two malignant factors afflicting our society, and militating against the principles of equality of opportunity enshrined in our Constitution. Our governance process must be redesigned to combat these two scourges, so that the productive potential of our people is liberated. The political system has the resilience and capacity to mobilize public opinion and transform our governance. What we need is the will and painstaking effort and energy to innovate, design and reform.