An Effort to get the Cutting Edge to Deliver: Shivpuri Vikas Express

By far the best article that I have read on Chowk !

Also, a refreshing change from the defence of dictators and the scorn of ``illiterate == stupid`` people who do not deserve democracy so often expressed in this forum (e.g., ``He had no choice``,

``In defence of benevolent dictators``, etc.).

-arun gupta

xxx

Veeresh:

Shhhh shhhh. Why did you make this public?

If our provincial governments get a whiff of this they may actually become efficient.

You must have broken some laws. In Pakistan it is actually a law not to DO anything to alleviate suffering or ameliorate governing.

One can write, yell, speak, raise a ruckus. That is cold shouldered or tolerated. But to act----no sir, that`s a no no.

keep breaking such laws,

rgds

t

By virtue of being frequently booted out by my employers, I have worked in Surat, Bombay, Hyderabad and Bangalore in the last five years or so.

I have been struck by how upbeat the economy in these places has been; and how government control is, as it were, increasingly decreasing.

I have also noticed rapidly improving infrastructure, especially in Hyderabad and Surat.

Three of the five states being discussed -- Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh -- have recently returned incumbent governments, and that is as good a sign as any that I am not alone in feeling a little satisfied.

This is a great example of how public service can live up to it`s name (service to the public). It is also a very timely article, given that one of the stated goals of the current government is to strengthen local governments. Some key features of what has been implemented in Shivpuri, namely transparent processes, immediate rewards and punishments, focus on outputs rather than inputs, community participation - make a lot of sense. I think we need to (a) send this article to Musharrif or someone close to him whom we may know; and (b) suggest that we cannot create a ``sister district`` in Pakistan where something along the same lines is done and where people can share experiences with those in Shivpuri. Good article.

This is more than just a ``good article``: this is a sign of life.