Saturday, September 6, 2008

Of Infrastructure and Capital Statements II

(extending the discussion with Raju Narisetti, the Editor of Mint, my views on the bad quality of the infrastructure is extended thru ths discussion. http://blogs.livemint.com/blogs/romanticrealist/archive/2008/09/01/killer-roads-in-india-and-rethinking-the-death-penalty.aspx?CommentPosted=true#commentmessage )
Hi Raju
Capital Punishment is a compelling thought. However is that a panacea of the corruption evils? Hardly! In my views, i tend to agree with Arm Chair guy. The bad quality of roads is just the precuror. From environment to poverty to health care, education and business and more... bad governance prevails everywhere.Corruption is omnipresent! To take the points i suggested a little further
1. As a corporate executive i have metrics, tolls, reviews and score card. I am evaluated on the basis of that.
2. For a business as large as 1 billion people and a trillion dollar economy, where are these management/administration fundamentals? Who does the check? Where are the audit reports
3. Media has been up in arms trying to go after such issues, but that is more from a sensationalizing stand point.Good media is impartial and we seriously need media to start educating the millions.
4. There is this office of the president/governor.That to me is a complete drain on the exchequer unless they can take the position, of safeguarding the public interest. Can they do the audits?
5. I again come back to my previous claims. Socially responsible people need to review and evaluate the government and the officials...Media is to be the voice of the people / neutral medium and the enabler is to be the gubernatorial offices.
I know the constitution doesnot provide any framework on this.. But then we need to start some where.
Finally on the roads infrastructure front, extending Arm Chair guy's thoughts... If a Samsung can Guarantee its TVs, the road contractors must guarantee the quality of their work. If it fails within the guaranteed time, they need to redo without being paid... Manas