We do not know much of other States how their administrative relations with the Centre are. But in the case of our own State, we have often come across many instances that indicate lack of proper cohesion between the State administration and various agencies of the Union Government aiming at improving economic development of the State and accounting for the same for further guidance. In normal course of things, this is a simple relationship emanating from the motive of improving the lot of people. The ultimate purpose of good governance also converges on same motive. But what shall one have to say when one finds that there is deliberate unwillingness on the part of actors to perform the act with purpose and conviction.
We have a case in sight. The Union Cabinet Secretariat has constituted an agency called Performance Management Division. It has been entrusted with the task of judging the performance of various departments of the Government in meeting the guidelines conveyed from time to time in regard to timeline of the projects, schemes and plans that have been floated and are in the pipeline. The Union Cabinet Secretariat agency, PMD has been at work at the State level for last two years. Two years ago when the extension of the task assigned to the Performance Management Division to our state was agreed to, the Chief Minister spoke in a meeting of State bureaucracy and fully explained how implementation of the Result Framework Document (RFD) programme of PMD would be useful in monitoring the progress that has been made of various projects and how its benefits would percolate down to the general masses of the people.
But it appears that there is either lack of proper understanding of the initiative of the Union Government or there is utter slackness among the State functionaries to implement the scheme. The State Government is reported to have issued instructions in regard to the preparation of the RFD but strangely Departments haven’t taken it seriously. Reflecting dispassionately on the idea of having RFD after every financial year, one can say that it is a good mechanism to record the future guidance the achievements made and targets hit during the past financial year. It would also make things clear about what are the loopholes and what snags in the schemes or developmental projects should be plugged. Unfortunately the attitude of the departments has not been helpful and cooperative in larger sense. There are many schemes of the Union Government specifically framed for the J&K State in view of some harsh realities on the ground. Ours is a hilly State with peculiar topography and other features. The State Cabinet has always to run to New Delhi for seeking financial assistance in many ways for various projects. The Planning Commission has its own norms that it would like to stick to in any case. But when some important economic, developmental and administration oriented schemes are floated by the Union Government, the normal reaction from the State Government should be affirmative in essence. Of course if there are certain ambiguities or incongruities, these can be discussed and resolved. But the right way is that such projects are received with a positive note and the implementation agency in the State is advised to strictly adhere to the norms and procedures stipulated. We feel bad when we find that the state administration takes a lackadaisical attitude and even hostile one to the schemes. The simple issue is that the agency at the centre that is extending liberal grants for schemes would want to know the end result of these schemes. It would want to know if the benefits of the scheme have percolated down to the ordinary citizens of the country and the State. After all it is the timeline that matters. Each incumbent Government whether at the Central or State level has a specific period of time at it disposal within which it must demonstrate the progress it has made and the quantum of delivery it has attained. This is what the Result Framework Document is about. The impression has been created that some sections of officials consider it hurting of their ego when they are asked to reflect on the achievements of their respective departments. This is not healthy attitude and the Government cannot and does not go by the whims and wishes of functionaries but by the needs and priorities of the people at large. Public servants are not supposed to impose their will and then rationalise it by making an official stand. The departmental head has to reconcile the entire subject of development to the satisfaction of the representatives of the people. That is the right attitude.
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