Dear Honourable New Prime
Minister of India,
I am writing this a few
days before you will take the oath of the office of the Prime Minister of India. I wrote a blog on
May 11, 2014, a week before new prime minister took oath of office then. I am
not a regular blogger and an infrequent visitor on social media. However, this
occasion prompts me to put down my thoughts for the new Prime Minister.
People of India have very
high hopes from their Prime Minister. Like what I said in 2014, you will become
the representative of all Indians whether or not one voted for you or your
party during the elections. You will receive advice from diverse groups
covering complex topics of governing the Country. If you have run the country already,
you have a good handle on what works and what does not. While many items from my 2014
wish list are relevant today, there has been progress on items like enhancing
the tax base due to GST and de-monetization. here is my wish list for you for
2019 – 2024.
1. Reverse the bitterness
that exists: 2014 campaign was about hope for the
future and change in leadership. New prime minister in 2014 brought in new
hopes. Traditionally, political leaders have fought elections on issues and ideology but rarely has the level of election campaign gone so low. All
parties including the ruling party have been guilty. You need to take concrete
steps to reverse this and place the country back on positive thinking.
2. Taking stand on
national issues: The prime minister of India from 2004
to 2014 kept silence on many issues. The prime minister from 2014 to 2019 while
being vocal and articulate was surprisingly silent on some of the developments
that have divided Indian society in a dangerous manner. The divisive politics
has to stop. Please speak your mind on issues specially those that divide
the Indian society even if these come from your political affiliates.
3. Simplifying the Government: Governments of the day can enable growth or can
become a stumbling block. India has made serious progress since 1991 after liberalisation. One can find the country in top two to five ranks on most
indicators inspite of sub-optimal Government performance all these years. The
country needs not only a leader but systems and processes that are simple, have
fewer steps and are efficient. And these systems need to trust an Indian. Right
now its exactly opposite. All energy must be channelized to building growth. It
is not enough to be hard only on senior bureaucrats for work ethics, system has
to be disrupted all the way to the leaf node and current processes. I wrote about tenders, payment from Government, leaf node of the
Government etc. in my 2014 Agenda for the Prime
Minister. All of these need serious reform.
Simplifying the
Government should be very high on your priority list. Leaf node in the
Government is a serious blocker of growth.
4. Try changing the
mindset: Only barrier to growth of individuals,
organizations and nations is the mindset. For example, majority of Indians
think corruption is too deep and can not be removed; other actively help or
even promote corruption by paying bribes. Rooting out corruption should be your
top priority. Please expand the notion of Swachh Bharat to include clean
business practices targeting bribes.
5. Create Election Fund
of India: Funding of political parties can reduce corruption
significantly. Let each taxpayer contribute ~Rs. 500 to 1000 per year towards
this fund. As the tax base is going up, there will be enough money to fund
Central and State elections curbing corruption. You will have to create
awareness and initiate a national debate before implementing this.
