Ronojoy Sen | TNN
The grainy images of poorly armed policemen, captured on close circuit TV at Bombay's Victoria Terminus, were a cruel comment on the state of governance in India. The Indian police was trying to match the terrorists’ firepower. In the process, it exposed the Indian state's basic shortcoming — its inability to provide security to its citizens. The right to security means the right to live. This right was violated when heavily armed terrorists walked through the busiest parts of India's commercial capital, wantonly shooting people.
For some time now, India has had the dubious distinction of being one of the world’s terror-struck hotspots. In the past three years alone, more than 800 people have died in terrorist attacks. It may not be possible to put an end to such attacks, but surely, better intelligence inputs and coordination on terrorist groups is doable? A start has been made with plans to set up a federal body — the National Investigation Agency (NIA) — with wide-ranging powers to investigate terrorist crime. But the government has to ensure that the NIA does not become yet another talking shop. It should also consider merging the CBI and NIA as there is likely to be an overlap in responsibilities of both central agencies. Particularly shocking, during the Mumbai carnage, was the lack of police preparedness. Its lathis and antique rifles must immediately be replaced with modern weapons if the police force is to prove a match for terrorists.
The security establishment’s inability to tackle the terrorists was perhaps the starkest example of the failures of the Indian state. But the state has fallen short in other ways too, notably bijli, sadak, paani, which is shorthand these days for governance in India. Our roads are a case in point. They are the backbone of any economy. But India’s highways account for only 2% of India’s vast, 3.3-million-km road network. Only 12% are double-lane highways. At the head of the 2009 agenda must be the completion of 47 projects in the second phase of the North-South-East-West corridor. Of these, first priority should be given to 17 projects, which are more than 75% complete. Work must also begin on the 1,500-km road and rail network linking Delhi to Mumbai. The Japanese government has promised aid for this. It is up to us to meet the 2013 deadline.
Urgency is needed to deal with the shortage of electricity. The government’s target of adding 90,000 MW by 2012, which works out to a little under 20,000 MW a year, might well be a pipe dream because only 7,000 MW was added in 2007. But the government must raise the $600 billion needed over the next 10 years to ramp up power generation. State electricity boards must be reformed if private investors are to enter power projects in a big way. Power theft — 35% of the electricity India generates is stolen— has to be curbed and free power for farmers phased out.
The year ahead can bring real change if we deal with the parlous state of education and health. The UNDP’s Human Development Index (HDI), which provides a composite measure of health, education and income, ranks India 132 among 179 countries. But there is a glimmer of hope. Several surveys have shown that India’s poorest families aspire to sending their children to school and enrolment has risen more than 90% even in rural India. But the quality of education provided is poor and students are unable to acquire even the most basic skills. On any given day, more than 50% of teachers in state-run schools are absent. This can be tackled if local panchayats are given more powers over local schools and there is greater involvement of parent-teacher committees.
Ramachandra Guha has coined the term “phipty-phipty” democracy to describe India. While India remains a rare example of a functional democracy in the developing world, its infrastructural problems drag it down. The answer is not authoritarian leadership, as some suggested after 26/11, but greater accountability. And as the state is strapped for cash, it must look for more public-private partnerships.
For some time now, India has had the dubious distinction of being one of the world’s terror-struck hotspots. In the past three years alone, more than 800 people have died in terrorist attacks. It may not be possible to put an end to such attacks, but surely, better intelligence inputs and coordination on terrorist groups is doable? A start has been made with plans to set up a federal body — the National Investigation Agency (NIA) — with wide-ranging powers to investigate terrorist crime. But the government has to ensure that the NIA does not become yet another talking shop. It should also consider merging the CBI and NIA as there is likely to be an overlap in responsibilities of both central agencies. Particularly shocking, during the Mumbai carnage, was the lack of police preparedness. Its lathis and antique rifles must immediately be replaced with modern weapons if the police force is to prove a match for terrorists.
The security establishment’s inability to tackle the terrorists was perhaps the starkest example of the failures of the Indian state. But the state has fallen short in other ways too, notably bijli, sadak, paani, which is shorthand these days for governance in India. Our roads are a case in point. They are the backbone of any economy. But India’s highways account for only 2% of India’s vast, 3.3-million-km road network. Only 12% are double-lane highways. At the head of the 2009 agenda must be the completion of 47 projects in the second phase of the North-South-East-West corridor. Of these, first priority should be given to 17 projects, which are more than 75% complete. Work must also begin on the 1,500-km road and rail network linking Delhi to Mumbai. The Japanese government has promised aid for this. It is up to us to meet the 2013 deadline.
Urgency is needed to deal with the shortage of electricity. The government’s target of adding 90,000 MW by 2012, which works out to a little under 20,000 MW a year, might well be a pipe dream because only 7,000 MW was added in 2007. But the government must raise the $600 billion needed over the next 10 years to ramp up power generation. State electricity boards must be reformed if private investors are to enter power projects in a big way. Power theft — 35% of the electricity India generates is stolen— has to be curbed and free power for farmers phased out.
The year ahead can bring real change if we deal with the parlous state of education and health. The UNDP’s Human Development Index (HDI), which provides a composite measure of health, education and income, ranks India 132 among 179 countries. But there is a glimmer of hope. Several surveys have shown that India’s poorest families aspire to sending their children to school and enrolment has risen more than 90% even in rural India. But the quality of education provided is poor and students are unable to acquire even the most basic skills. On any given day, more than 50% of teachers in state-run schools are absent. This can be tackled if local panchayats are given more powers over local schools and there is greater involvement of parent-teacher committees.
Ramachandra Guha has coined the term “phipty-phipty” democracy to describe India. While India remains a rare example of a functional democracy in the developing world, its infrastructural problems drag it down. The answer is not authoritarian leadership, as some suggested after 26/11, but greater accountability. And as the state is strapped for cash, it must look for more public-private partnerships.
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