Some of the reasons are: the failure in the implementation of plans and programmes, the deterioration of economic growth, the soaring prices, corruption, red-tapism and other maladies of administration have created dissatisfaction and disillusionment in the minds of the people. One of the important defects of the Goan administration is the lack of administrative response to the citizen, who often does not know what has happened to his request he has made. If the administrators have negative attitudes towards the common man they cannot deliver. Public administration of any state is considered ‘good’ if it can mobilize the citizens in favour of its programmes and policies and if it can satisfy them by its efficient performance of services.
The foremost challenge to good administration comes from within the administration itself. Many a times the persons responsible in carrying the day-to-day administration are not capable in handling their duties. This has happened because at the time of appointment, these persons are chosen not on merit but due to political influence and other considerations. Unfortunately the best ones are not appointed. Thus mediocre and less competent people occupy places of responsibility. The administration is bound to suffer.
There is no transparency in our administration. If the administrators believed in transparency in administration Right to Information Act would have never come up. It was only because the administrators – bureaucrats and politicians – indulged in rampant corruption, did not care to the sentiments of the people and considered themselves as ultimate decision makers, there was no other alternative but to have a weapon for the common man to know what is happening in the administration of which, as per the democratic principle, he too is a part. This weapon is the RTI Act. Unfortunately, inspite of RTI Act, the administrators tries to put all available blocks to stop dissemination of correct information to the interested citizens. There are not only threats to lives of the RTI activists but some of them are brutally murdered elsewhere in country. This is a very sad state of administration.
Unemployment is another serious challenge to our administration. Population growth is one of the important factors of unemployment. The way birth control policy is willingly implemented in the state of Goa, there should have been a marginal increase in Goan population. But unfortunately the population of Goa has increased from six lakhs at the time of Liberation to over fifteen lakhs after 53 years of Liberation. This is mainly because of the influx of people from neighbouring states to Goa. If the present trend in the growth of population continues, the coming decades will present serious challenges for public administration in the state of Goa. The figures of educated unemployed people are increasing every day. There is an urgent need to co-ordinate educational, industrial, Tourism and IT policies so that required type of man-power is created to supplement the requirement of industrial growth in times to come.
Maintenance of law and order has become a major issue in the recent times. Assaults, murders, rapes have increased. We may deny it, but the use of drugs among the youth particularly during the so called ‘grand’ parties is no secret at all. There is indiscipline among the youth. This is also due to deterioration of value system in our families. Besides, concerted attempts are being made by some religious and political leaders to strengthen the sense of communalism in the mind of individuals. This is only in order to achieve their selfish goals. The citizen of today has become more conscious of his religion, region, caste, language, etc. These are all divisive signs in our society and hence serious and harmful to the peace and harmony of our society. If such a state of affairs continues Law and Order problems are likely to be aggravated in times to come. Thus there is an urgent need to arrest all evils that are creeping in our social lives.
Health is the barometer of the quality of life in any state. Health can be good or excellent only if there is adequate clean water supply, proper power supply, good infrastructure, etc. Poverty too contributes to bad health. There is no doubt a lot has been done in this sector. 108 Ambulance service has really given hope to the accident victims to get prompt medical attention. Primary Health centers have shown a lot of improvement. Yet much more can be achieved. The poor, the sick, the orphans and the widows must get essential help from the government. Goa being a tiny state we can really achieve these goals easily.
Yet another challenge that the state administration faces is corruption. They say that corruption has become a way of life in our country. It is rampant both in the political and administrative fields. Because it is ‘a way of life’ and because it is ‘rampant’ in other parts of the country, does that mean it should be ‘a way of life’ and ‘rampant’ in the state of Goa too? Can Goa not be different from others in this respect? Yes we can be different provided every citizen, who is the ultimate power in democracy, elects his/her representative who is honest, sincere, selfless, upright and a social worker in the true sense of the word.
Our administration of today is facing more serious challenges and strains than at any time after Liberation. Necessary precaution should be taken to recruit meritorious and dedicated administrative personnel upon whom rest the responsibility of giving effect to the ideas which the state sets for itself. Our administration should be ‘action-oriented’ rather than “control and procedure-oriented”. If we can take care of all these drawbacks with sincerity and dedication, our administration is bound to be efficient – that will be the beginning of building a ‘Greater Goan Society’
(Tomazinho Cardozo is a former Speaker of Goa Legislative Assembly)
