Government bureaucracy

 I spent another futile afternoon today trying to sort out and bring to conclusion an issue about the property tax of one of our institutions.  It has been rolling around and never making much headway for the past 10 years.  

The assessment was miscalculated in 2016. This error was pointed out to the GHMC then itself. They officially, in writing, acknowledged their mistake and assured us that the correction would be done.  Then covid happened.  Two years later we got a fresh tax invoice with the old miscalculated amount - only this invoice also contained the penalty for non-payment, and interest on it too.  

We later found out that the file never made it to the Collector's office, where the final signature was to be affixed to confirm the correction.  So much for Indian bureaucracy!  

Now the tragedy is that for the failure of the government servants, we are to pay the hefty fine.  For the past four years, every month of March, there is some offer from the municipality and they raise our hopes that this issue would be addressed and we get to clear the backlogs - what we rightly need to pay.  The only consolation this year was that the official explaining to us was polite and honest to say that nothing can be done about the correction now.  Last year the official was rude and shameless, demanding that we pay up because 'you have money!'.  

The sad part of this kind of bureaucracy is that irrespective of who does the mistake or delay, the citizen has to bear the brunt of it all, in its totality. 

Work outside the office

 One common sight outside and around Government offices in India is the multiple photocopying shops. Outside any and every government office and even courts, there invariably mushroom numerous shops which basically claim to be photocopying or printing documents.  In reality everyone knows they are basically agents or mediators who facilitate the work for citizens.  

This task of mediation, middlemen doing the running around and seeing to the documentation, and approval of various needs, is a very amusing task - as long as it is not your task that is being done.  Watching these men - and at times, women - glide through the various desks of the actual officials who are appointed by the government to do the job is no less an entertainment than watching a movie in a theatre.  These men and women know the nitty-gritties of the task, the person whom to approach, the procedure that needs to be followed, the amount to be paid (officially and unofficially), the duration (goes without saying that money always speeds up the process) and in a way actually decide the final outcome of one's petition.  

It is interesting to note that these 'agents' know well the officials and the officials know these people too.  Going by oneself, without the aid of the agent, through the process is an option, but the final outcome is not guaranteed or duration never calculable.  Even when the whole process is made digital or online, the tasks of these middlemen is no less or reduced. 

In a true sense, the official work of the governmental offices is carried out outside in these petty shops and in the bylanes surrounding the office.  All said and done, what actually culminates the whole process is the seal and signature of the official inside the office!

Politicking

The past two weeks have been nothing less than a solemn celebration in the villages across the state. It was the case in the neighbouring villages too.  Thanks to the panchayat elections, scheduled for tomorrow, there is free food, booze, clothes and money flowing in the houses of every person whose name appears in the voters list.  Every person contesting, either as sarpanch or ward member, is doling out gifts and cash to every voter, irrespective of his or her allegiance.  Naturally in the process - for once, at least - the voter is rich, because he or she is being given money by all those contesting!

I asked our driver, whose wife too is contesting, as to the need for giving this money.  His straight reply, "Nothing moves without money or gifts!" I asked, what of honesty and service... is that not worthy enough a criteria for electing people to public posts?  "Not anymore," was the immediate reply! Besides this cash and kind, delivered at home, all those who agree to rally behind a contestant for a day - one needs only to walk behind, say a few slogans or carry a banner or flag, nothing more - are given lunch (a packet of chicken biriyani), one quarter bottle (that needs not explanation to an Indian), and Rs 250/- and of course, some snacks and drinks along the walk.

The spy network too is quite interesting. Each contestant appoints some guys, real good for nothing guys, as 'check-posts', to keep him or his lieutenants informed if any other contestant is entering the village or distributing somethings.  Our dhobi is a real sample himself.  He was chosen by one contestant and - here's the best part - by his opponent too!!  So he kept guard for two nights at the entrance of the village watching out for 'the other', and earned Rs 2,000 from both the sides!

The ones I pity most, are the people themselves.  They literally and gladly are 'prostituting' themselves today, and loosing their right to demand in the long run.  None of them asks the one distributing cash and kind, as to where did he or she get so much money to throw it about.  Barely does anyone realise that once elected to power, the politician rules and today's 'king' will be fleeced and stripped of everything he or she owns and has. 

Inappropriate titles

Here are a couple of most inappropriate titles...

• Civil servants

It stands for a person in the public sector employed for a government department or agency (Wikipedia). He is supposed to be the facilitator between the government machinery and the common man. However experience mostly proves otherwise. Most often these people are neither civil nor servants!

• Spontaneous groups

Groups that emerge or are formed as per the requirements and mood of the present time. But here in the seminary, they are groups that have been from ... eternity!