Indian bureaucracy needs to have a finger firmly on the nation’s pulse—that seems to be the sum and substance of a recent letter by the Cabinet Secretary addressing senior central government officers.
The country’s top bureaucrat, T V Somanathan, has encouraged secretaries in all ministries and departments to meet non-government officials and other representatives to gain “insights into the actual state of affairs in the field”.
Somanathan has asked senior officers to be accessible to non-officials who seek meetings in connection with the work of their departments, even to those “under a law enforcement action or investigation” or with a contractual dispute with the department.
This, he wrote, would help the government clarify any miscommunication regarding policies, facilitate more direct exchange of ideas, and provide an opportunity to correct errors. The letter also addresses bureaucrats’ disinclination to meet contractors, NGO representatives, trade union leaders, and political party workers.
Importantly, it outlines the appropriate protocols for such meetings—they should be held in official settings, not at social venues such as clubs or hotels, and that another officer could be in attendance if such precaution is warranted.
The letter comes at a time when the grouses with governance are growing. Honest answers and lasting solutions are hard to come by when infrastructures crumble, citizens are denied official help on technicalities, or cities feel helpless in the face of extreme climate events. People are feeling a strain on their purses even when the official inflation figures are dipping.
Businesses are still complaining of red tape and project delays. All these point to the gap between policymakers and public expectations widening. The Cabinet Secretary’s letter is a call to bridge that gap between the officers responsible for implementing projects and the ground realities.
The country’s top bureaucrat advocating for greater accessibility to non-officials is a progressive move. The humane touch he has urged should foster greater accountability and transparency in governance.
While some bureaucrats do engage with non-government stakeholders, the frequency and diversity of such interactions need to increase. This openness should be extended to meeting journalists as well. Most importantly, the guidance should not remain confined to the upper echelons of the central bureaucracy—it must percolate down to the state and local levels, too.