Former Union Minister and Congress leader P Chidambaram has rightly pointed out that the primary problem hindering India’s public works is ‘not a lack of funding, but poor execution’. He was speaking in the context of the debate between industrialist Kiran Mazumdar Shaw and Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivkumar regarding Bengaluru’s pot-holed roads. Since the comments were basically about conditions in a Congress ruled state, they were not ‘political’ as they would have been if the BJP was involved. However, this fact applies to almost all parts of India.
The best projects can be prepared from the planning point of view but there are serious shortcomings regarding the outcome. This is because there are major flaws in the traditional implementation practices. The primary flaw is with the corruption involved at every stage, from allocation of projects to the actual construction. The recent cases of huge amounts of money and other assets being discovered in the homes of government authorities from the junior-most to the seniormost levels reveal how much of the funds continue to be siphoned away. The company or contractor tasked with the actual construction is forced to take shortcuts regarding quality of materials and manpower. The payoffs continue till the project’s completion to various quality inspectors and other petty officials.
There is no doubt that despite all the stringent methods adopted by the Union Government, the corrupt have found their way around them.
Chidambaram has suggested a ‘private-public partnership model to improve project execution and ensure accountability’. This would involve private sector supervision once the contractor is selected through the usual tender process. Under this system the supervising private entity would be held accountable for the quality and timely completion of the work. Financial penalties would be imposed on this entity if there are any shortcomings.
It is interesting that the Congress, which has so vehemently opposed growth in the role and scope of the private sector under Rahul Gandhi’s leadership, is being forced by circumstances to adopt such a position. Prime Minister Modi has faced enormous flak for creating space outside of the public sector for mega-projects aimed at expanding India’s infrastructure.
It is important to realise that everything is not just about winning elections. If this is done without keeping the larger picture in mind, India’s growth story is bound to be affected. Making comparisons with China and other South-East Asian Tigers is then completely pointless. If certain leaders of the Congress are waking up to this fact, nothing could be better.
