Decision Making and the Bureaucracy -Inspired by Lockdown!
“Given the momentousness of the decision,
It is incumbent that it is guided by extreme circumspection and
informed by a clear-
eyed, realistic
cost-benefit analysis arising from our
own and global experience; so that we are not
caught in a proverbial chakravyuh from which
there is no exit.
Most importantly, any decision must be
preceded by the widest possible public consultation.
For, collective knowledge and reason
alone can illumine these dark times”
The above is an extract from an OPED column of a leading
newspaper in India. The author, if you have not guessed from the language, is a
former civil servant. Even more importantly it was published on 13 Apr20, on
the eve of a major policy decision on the extension of the lockdown policy to fight
COVID 19.
To a Military officer who tenders such advice, it would
invite a stern rebuke or if this was written by a mid-level officer being
trained at the Defence Services Staff College, or its sister organization
anywhere in the world, it would be painted in red colour to indicate that such
an equivocation to meet the extant exigencies deserves to be binned. Apart from
the author’s focus on linguistic skills and not on the quality of advice to the
Govt as a whole, it reminds one of the famous BBC serials “yes Minister “and
its sequel, “Yes Prime Minister”.
Let us analyse the profound advice contained
above.
Firstly, it talks about the “momentousness of the decision". Indeed,
this occasion is not different from fighting a war, and perhaps it is more
difficult than fighting a war merely because the enemy is invisible and
ubiquitous in nature. The enemy within makes it worse.
Secondly, the author goes on to say,” It is incumbent that it
is guided by extreme circumspection…” If it is the intention of the author to
imply that such decisions taken with possible adverse consequences to the
economy, health care and national security as a whole is less circumspect if
not “extreme”, it reflects on the entire decision-making body of our
bureaucracy. Is the bureaucracy not the cornerstone of the political decision-making
body.? Except that the bureaucracy is not accountable for failures but the
Politician is.
Thirdly, the widest possible public consultation could mean many things.
The Govt can and has inducted many experts. Video conferencing with many stakeholders has become a new norm. Technology has enabled meaningful interaction
without traveling to Delhi. This is a damn sight more than any consultations of
the past. Short of a referendum which is neither mandated nor even feasible in
a country with 1.3 billion people- a large percentage virtually illiterate-the
elected representatives of our democracy are expected to take decisions and
make laws too. That as of now is our democracy.
Yes, collective knowledge is helpful but not in the midst of
a war. That is akin to a General fighting a war, asking for all suggestions
from subordinate formations before he takes a decision. Our bureaucracy is
brought up to equivocate, philosophize and delay decisions, hoping for an ideal
solution.
Administrative reforms are as important as Judicial reforms.
Both have been stonewalled for decades.
Amidst clean air, sighting snow-peaked mountains, flowing
clean rivers, wildlife enjoying the liberty to move out of their “prisons”,
can Corona show us the way ahead?
