Sunday 19 May 2019

Points for consideration of the Honourable New Prime Minister of India


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.

10 comments:

  1. Well said, Pls add my wish list too
    1. Sustain govt for next 5yrs
    2. Encourage full use of education cess which is accumulated so far
    3. Create amalgamation of major rivers, no state, no farmer needs to be dry
    4. Force out corruption by empowering the office bearers, and incentivising them profusely towards compliance.

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  2. Exixtance if bitterness is due to very sensitive issue and vote bank politics of one major political party which rules country for most of the time. And there has been a good change in the mind set of the people. Another reason for bitterness is the frustration among the other political party due to popularity of existing PM. GST was a major step taken by outgoing government toward simplification. We should not forget the size and complex nature of our country. I am sure this government has done good job towards this. This government should not be blamed for divisive politics, as congress openly did this since independence and presence situation os result of that. In all I do endorse ur view point but this outgoing government has performed to the expectations.

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  3. "Trust an Indian" !!!
    I would put this as the highest priority for mindset change. It is downright painful to note that we were procuring defence supplies and railway items from outside because "Indian firms cannot be trusted - either technologically or security-wise!".
    This has changed in the last five years and more is needed.

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  4. Thanks Mr. Deshpande to adress many issues to our new PM.
    I would also like to include some expectation mainly are
    - Development of the under priveledge people not based on cast but based on social status.
    - Education to reach to all level as educated India will grow further.
    - Tax structure to be looked upon as very low % people are paying tax mainly salaried people.
    - Bring india into travel map where world see India as preferd location for tourism.
    - Stop Brain drain to foreign countries.

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    1. Very valid points Mradul.
      Education and Tourism seems to be the lowest priority for past 8-10 years and it needs quick course correction. I wish that, more than 5% of GDP is spent on education by upcoming government, and also we should put ourselves in Top 5 countries in tourism, as that generally would create large no. of jobs.

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  5. I don't agree with first two points and other 3 points are excellently put.
    I feel first two points are based on media mentions. The major problem is media has become extremely diagonally biased so we don't get clear picture.
    There are people who are unnecessarily in favour of the current PM just because of name and there are people opposing just because of the name.
    I would like to put in this way. Having proven previous govt people guilty and those are coming together means they are getting disturbed because of somethings. Now are these SOMETHINGS visible to me? If answer is yes then govt is working for the people.

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  6. All five points are well said and equally important. I believe that, all need attention by new prime minister.
    For point 1, If there is positive approach towards all people, automatically, people would start participating in growth of India. We must take all people together and move forward with consensus. There is no other way of looking at it.
    Point 2 is even more important. We need a prime minister who speaks on all issues which harm India's growth and image.
    Point 3, is pending since 20-25 years, and time is running out for India now. Many government processes are out dated and need major simplification and restructuring. I always wonder why government offices look still as they were in 1980(s)? We need modern outlook, simple processes, every person at high level in government offices accessible to common man through appointment system, approval through emails, direct communication between common man and top government officers. Using technology will make this happen, if there is a will.
    Point 4, Swachh Bharat should include not only clean roads, railway stations, bus stands, but also clean practices with efficient processes at all government and private organizations. We should avoid people in queues in all government offices, and reduce turn around time.
    Point 5, current anonymous donations encourage crony capitalism and should be replaced with simple and transparent systems.

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  7. Sir I feel you have spoken my mind. I agree on all the points mentioned above. Especially the negative/hatred phenomenon and the efficiency of bureaucracy/govt offices. I think you should continue to write to highlight important issues from time to time.

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  8. Thank You all for your comments. We need sustained campaign to bring toe Government our view points and work with them to make changes. Government is at the end set of people and PM is elected by us.

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