Friday, April 29, 2011

The New Government in Kerala-2011-2016-How should it work?

Kerala has completed the polling process and they have elected their representatives who should dicide our destiny for the next 5 years.On the 13th of May the electronic voting machines will show our preferences .
      I write this without any prejudices or preferences regarding the choices made by the enlightened voters of this State.But I do feel that much of what can be and should be done depends on the attitude of the elected representatives on whom we have reposed our faith.
   Whatever parties that come to power have to seriously decide on the major programmes to be initiated and implemented on a priority basis . This should be done by each Ministry by setting up an expert committee that should formulate the programmes .the draft of this should be put on the internet .the public should be given a chance to give suggestions  which also should be considered while finalising the action plan.
   No major decisions should be taken by the ministers without going through the expert committee route and public participation through the internet.
     Implementation shold be taken up on a quarterly basis and proper review should be done regarding the timely progresss of the projects under implementation.this will avoid the cumulation of the works during March and the subsequent inferior quality and widespread corruption.
     All appointments to the institutions run with salary payments by the state exchequor should be done through the PSC only.Members of the personal staff of the ministers also should be from the state govt service.This will eliminate the entry of partymen into govt service through the personal staff route.
   Appointment to the Universities also should be through the PSC.
There should be periodic ( half yearly ) evaluation of the working of the ministers by the public by internet voting .The results of such evaluation should be available to the public to see.
      The new govt should take urgent steps to ban all lotteries including the Kerala state lotteries.
Those rendered jobless should be paid through the MNREGA by involving them in the developmental activities in the agricultural sector.This will help in increasing the purchasing power of the poor together with rich contribution of the human labour in the nation building process.
 Food subsidies should be given only in a graded manner.Those in the BPL group should be given 10 kg pm free of cost.Those in the APL ( upto Rs 15000 pm ) should be given 15 Kg  pm  at Rs 3.Others ( upto Rs 25000 pm )should be given it at RS 10 per Kg.
     Government should take very urgent steps to legalise the contract farming system to enable those who have a genuine aptitude in agriculture to get the required land on lease from the land owners.This will result in the use of lakhs of Hectares of  barren land for cultivation of vegetables ,flowers and fruits as also grass for cattles.
 IF THERE IS A WILL THERE IS a WAY