…and the big one

Continuing from yesterday (Two short stories, and a big one)

As a common Indian household, I face three key issues in my daily life. From my discussions with several other common people, and observations during my travels across the country, I understand that I may not be alone in facing these issues. In fact, a large number of common households may be facing similar issues. These issues are –

1.    A conspicuous lack of the “service orientation” in our public servants. A large proportion of public servants usually act like entitled feudal lords and treat the common people as their underprivileged subjects. Even where a public servant is not extracting a fee (bribe) for his/her services, he/she ensures that the recipient of service feels deeply obliged to get, which was his/her right in the first place. The elected representatives put on hoarding (many times at public expense) to thank themselves for basic services done by civic authorities (like cleaning a choked drain, repairing potholes etc.), as if they have done some task extraordinaire. There is inexplicable contempt for accountability, transparency, and empathy – traditionally considered quintessential for any public service institution.

2.    Constant struggle in daily life, notwithstanding the convenience of 10-minute delivery and cashless payments (UPI). Poor roads; encroached pavements; garbage littered around; traffic jams; parking challenges; road rage by aggressive but untrained drivers; poor civic service standards; inadequate public health and education infrastructure; total disregard for public safety, especially women and children; stray animals; lack of empathy in the fellow citizens; overburdened and complex justice delivery system – virtually much of the things that affect the daily life of a common household are either wrong or inadequate.

3.    Constant or diminishing living standards. Real wages for a large majority of common households are either stagnant or diminishing. Notwithstanding the low CPI inflation numbers flashed on media screens frequently, the lifestyle inflation for common households is much higher. The average real wage growth in India during the past decade has been almost zero or negative. Consequently, the living standards of these households are either stagnant or gradually diminishing. Their houses are getting smaller and weaker. Education and skill quality of their children is deteriorating, making wealth and income disparity more permanent. Average health of a common household is deteriorating, even though the average life expectancy is rising, causing a significant rise in healthcare expenses over lifetime. They are being driven to fraudulent people masquerading as saints or religious preachers, in search of solutions to their routine problems, only to be fleeced. This is damaging the scientific temperament of the society, promoting superstitions and quackery and materially straining household finances as more money is being spent on fake rituals and unnecessary journeys.

Unfortunately, the governments are functioning more like shopkeepers in a flea market. They do not mind fleecing unsuspecting citizens in the name of service charge, toll tax, and other taxes; disregarding whether service standards are congruent with the charges/taxes. Even elections have become like a trade, buying votes for free ration etc.

In my view, this strategy to make the relationship between the government and citizens purely transactional, rather than based on mutual trust and accountability is the biggest problem our country is facing presently. “Unless this trust-contract is rebuilt, India risks remaining a nation where citizens endure services rather than receive them.”