27 senior Administrators came to Asia Plateau 1-5 December 2008 for a conference on “Ethics in Public Governance”. They came together in a genuine search, for a deeper understanding to the challenges facing them when taking crucial decisions.

Moving through swirling clouds, enveloped in misty rain 27 senior Administrators from Maharashtra, UP, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and New Delhi came to Asia Plateau 1-5 December 2008 for a conference on “Ethics in Public Governance”. They came together in a genuine search, for a deeper understanding to the challenges facing them when taking crucial decisions.

The Course Director, Arun Wakhlu, is the founding Chairman of Pragati Learning System (P) Ltd., a spiritually inspired management training and consulting firm based in Pune, India.

The venue was the sylvan surroundings of Asia Plateau, in Panchgani, the conference center for Initiatives of Change in India.

R. D. Mathur, founder Trustee of IOFC, in an eloquent plea said, “The people gathered here are awesome. In this time of crisis, could we reorient our thinking, tread ethically, bring wholesomeness in family life, restore rectitude in work experience, light the lamp of wisdom and dispel darkness?”

Our founding fathers, while drawing up the constitution, had in their sagacity laid the foundations for a democracy which has sustained and given momentum to us as a free nation.

Leadership, R. D. continued, is swimming against the tide. It is transparency in implementation of policies. “We have inherited the collective strength of a generation that has sacrificed their lives for our freedom. There is an obligation to leave a legacy for future generations.”

Prabhat Kumar, former Cabinet Secretary, in his opening remarks said, “This is an unusual program in an unusual place. IC Centre for Governance (ICCFG) was approached by DOPT (Department of Personnel and Training), Govt. of India to create a program for serving IAS officers. Systematic training and exposure have grounded the administrators in concepts of Accountability and Management of Economic Reforms.

ICCFG, through continuous discussions, and a process of consensus distilled a Course of Ethics in Public Governance. This program he said would have a strong beneficent influence in the bureaucratic delivery system of the country.

Pratayush Sinha, Chief Vigilance Commissioner, is responsible for overseeing right conduct within the services. He asked the participants to be aware that they are a privileged section of society. The services he said may not have the aura of the erstwhile ICS or IAS of the years immediately following independence, yet the iron structure is in place and has a profound influence in the running of the country.

Ethics and Governance go together; they mutually influence and reinforce each other’s inherent strengths. A strong ethical foundation ensures permanence in institutional structures.

Sinha continued, “The British ruled India for over 200 years. We have inherited systems of governance that are competent and effective – a strong overseeing edifice which was put in place to maximize their gains as colonial masters by exploiting the use of their position; greed eventually took over and finally led to the collapse of their rule.”

Argentina is the sixth largest economy in South America with a thriving middle class. In 1973 it had a per capita income of $ 2,000. Over the years with the degradation of values and sweeping corruption, the per capita has now dropped to an all time low of $500.

Most African countries gained their independence in 1963/64. They were given an administration that was robust and efficient.

Gradual erosion of discipline has led to a breakdown of administrative mechanisms undermining the efficiency in systems.

India has an annual growth of 7% - 8%. However there are large pockets in the country where the benefits of economic acceleration have not permeated. Corruption is perceived to be endemic. Malfeasance at many levels in government has reached abysmal proportions; more so, at the cutting edge of public delivery systems. This is in fact a “Tax on the poor “whose dependency is most acute.

We have many virtues and flashes of brilliance. During Pratayush Sinha’s stint with the Commonwealth Secretariat, he came across Indian serving officers who tended to be cynical about the state of Governance in the country. This, he continued, is unfortunate and an abdication of their responsibility as civil servants.

“We are a privileged lot & have the opportunity to be to fair and just in resolving intractable issues and overcoming challenges that are ever before us.”

In 1979, he had served in Ranchi, (Bihar) as a Deputy Commissioner responsible for 17 districts. The State had a reputation of being a paragon of virtue. Its image has changed over the years, but the excellent model it once had, has been emulated by other States.

Mr. E. Sreedharan, the then Managing Director, Delhi Metro was responsible for completing the mass transit system in record time.
This effective example, he continued, can be a template of excellence for future endeavors undertaken by the Government.

A clear demarcation of roles between the politician and the executive would create an atmosphere that is not vitiated by interference and short term gains, thus enabling the bureaucracy to draft policies and implement projects that are contributory for all round prosperity.

The individual said Pratayush Sinha can make a ‘Difference.’ In this changing milieu and dynamic environment, change can come in incremental stages, leveraging technology, offering disciplined service, and addressing issues of governance.

Kiran Gandhi, a corporate training consultant facilitating the module on Inner Governance said, “Silence is the precursor to listening. Jamshedji Tata is known to have spent a minimum of 1 hour daily in silence. Some of the most momentous decisions came out of this disciplined time. They included the genesis and incorporation of Tata Steel.

Spontaneous responses came in from the participants:

• Silence and activity are not contradictory. Silence lowers the decibels, recalibrates values, bring in clarity of thought, inner peace, harmony and good decisions.

• We must change from an ambiguous frame of mind, to becoming more intuitive than cognitive (Madan Gopal).

Shanti Narain, a former member of the Railway Board said the Civil Service has been the bedrock of human values. “Surrounded by failed states, they have carried forward the process of development with aplomb. The stellar contribution made towards strengthening of the steel frame of India has been exemplary.”

M. K. Kaw, a senior IAS officer (retd.) queried “What is the malaise?” According to him, the general hypothesis was:

• Officers cannot make a difference.

• The politician always wins and it is best not to enter into a conflict. There can be great damage to you and no one will protect you.

• We have compromised with politicians.

Deepak Mullick underlined the importance of a growth and a transformational strategy for the developing world. The following points were stressed by him:

• Financial outlays under the Panchayati Raj meant for grass root level projects are siphoned off due to ‘systemic inefficiencies’

• They trickle down to the final beneficiary, receiving a bare 30%-35% of the stipulated amount.

• The prevailing culture of an organization is as important as the success of the enterprise.

• Shared values, team work and excellence are vital ingredients for growth and sustainability.

In a 2-hour presentation, Prof. R Rajagopalan, a former IIT Professor covered the global and national environmental crisis. He raised and answered questions such as the following:

• How did we end up with such a huge crisis in environment and natural resources?

• How did some ordinary people, including a few IAS officers, contribute to environmental conservation through their extraordinary deeds?

• What can each one of us do to heal the planet?

Human beings and the natural world, Prof. Rajagopalan underlined are in a collision course. “It is,” he stressed, “our obligation to strive and work towards reducing our ecological footprint.”

Mrs. Meenakshi Ghosh, Chairperson – Public Grievance Commission, urged the participants to see problems from all perspectives, think positive and have a role.

The Government has through legislating RTI, given protection to whistle blowers. The officials are more accessible and there are instituted procedures for speedily redressing injustices.

In the end, Prabhat Kumar urged the serving officers to be impartial, feel the pulse of the people, strictly adhere to legal authority, give right advice and faithfully implement policy decisions. He called for a healthier ‘genetic synergy” between the elected politician and the executive.

Suresh Mathew