In recent days I woke up late to the realization that having a passport is necessary. For in 2014, if the incumbent government despite all its misgivings comes back to the seat, the nation is bound to be doomed, and I surely will be selfish enough to not be a party to it.
Hence, I started making inquiries about the passport. My brother then said me to check out the new passport procedure which has started online. Being addicted to net, it wasn't a big deal for me. So I went to the passport portal and browsed the entire site. I created my own account, followed the instructions, uploaded the documents and scheduled an appointed and hola !!!! It was done. No agent, no long queues, no bribery, no commissions. I am well on my way to an easy and hassle free way to submit the form for passport.
Now contrast this with the second step of the procedure ... the police verification process. This process, unlike the first is completely manual. The police in their flesh and corrupt form would have to be approached and a verification needs to be completed. Every Tom Dick and Harry knows the way ahead. The verification will not be completed, until the lowly-paid-men-in-uniform's hands were not greased with crisp notes.
The contrast very well lays out the arguments in support of I.T infrastructure in governance. When you have I.T. infrastructure in place, corruption automatically dwindles and efficiency automatically kicks in. I have experienced this first hand while filing my Income Tax Returns through their online portal. The entire process was as smooth as booking your weekend movie show. Just download a xls sheet , fill in the particulars, submit the scanned supporting documents and upload it. Everything is sorted out online, though yes you will also need to send the final confirmation by post. That is all. Withing a month, I received a confirmation from the I.T. department about my filing of taxes and finally I am proudly an honest tax paying citizen of the country.
Besides voicing my opinion towards ushering in a complete I.T. supported governance, I also quote the above to point out one simple fact : SIMPLICITY PAYS. You keep the rules and procedures simple and you will have people queuing up to do everything legally.
India, in its quest to accomodate the diversity of the nation, has created rules and procedures in X,Y and Z axes. Rules from 1800s are still prevalent and in force. The Bombay Police Act officially stipulates that crowding of more than 20 people is punishable by law. Keeping with the times of 2012, do they even make any sense ? In the age of discotheques and protests in a country with an unprecendented population boom, it is hilarious that such laws are still seeing the lights of the day.
It can be plainly understood, that where complex rules exist, corruption breeds, and the icing of the cake is, when such a system is wholly manned by humans, efficiency is an alien word. The local Road Traffic Offices or Octroi Nakas are living examples of such inefficiencies. In the new age India, of continuously shifting population, does it make any sense to have road taxes implemented across every other state ? If today I purchase a vehicle in Delhi and tomorrow I am shifted to Mumbai, what sense it makes to me to pay road taxes at both places ? And the fact, that the process has been designed to breed corruption, just makes me wanting to break the rules and drive illegally rather than working my ass off to get the vehicle legal.
But, as I said, the start has been made. Aadarsh, E-Filings, Railway Bookings, Passport issuance -- the government has truly made a small minute step in the right direction. And I believe that more measures are definitely sure to follow. I am awaiting the day, when every government work will involve 80 % online procedures --- from voting, to registrations to every other thing. You may argue that in a country with 70% basic literacy and negligible computer literacy, it doesn't make sense. I argue that, when a system is implemented, the people will automatically change. Don't believe me ??? Read this.
Well !!! India has always been a synonym for hope, I may never leave after all ... even if the incumbent government kicks in :)
Hence, I started making inquiries about the passport. My brother then said me to check out the new passport procedure which has started online. Being addicted to net, it wasn't a big deal for me. So I went to the passport portal and browsed the entire site. I created my own account, followed the instructions, uploaded the documents and scheduled an appointed and hola !!!! It was done. No agent, no long queues, no bribery, no commissions. I am well on my way to an easy and hassle free way to submit the form for passport.
Now contrast this with the second step of the procedure ... the police verification process. This process, unlike the first is completely manual. The police in their flesh and corrupt form would have to be approached and a verification needs to be completed. Every Tom Dick and Harry knows the way ahead. The verification will not be completed, until the lowly-paid-men-in-uniform's hands were not greased with crisp notes.
The contrast very well lays out the arguments in support of I.T infrastructure in governance. When you have I.T. infrastructure in place, corruption automatically dwindles and efficiency automatically kicks in. I have experienced this first hand while filing my Income Tax Returns through their online portal. The entire process was as smooth as booking your weekend movie show. Just download a xls sheet , fill in the particulars, submit the scanned supporting documents and upload it. Everything is sorted out online, though yes you will also need to send the final confirmation by post. That is all. Withing a month, I received a confirmation from the I.T. department about my filing of taxes and finally I am proudly an honest tax paying citizen of the country.
Besides voicing my opinion towards ushering in a complete I.T. supported governance, I also quote the above to point out one simple fact : SIMPLICITY PAYS. You keep the rules and procedures simple and you will have people queuing up to do everything legally.
India, in its quest to accomodate the diversity of the nation, has created rules and procedures in X,Y and Z axes. Rules from 1800s are still prevalent and in force. The Bombay Police Act officially stipulates that crowding of more than 20 people is punishable by law. Keeping with the times of 2012, do they even make any sense ? In the age of discotheques and protests in a country with an unprecendented population boom, it is hilarious that such laws are still seeing the lights of the day.
It can be plainly understood, that where complex rules exist, corruption breeds, and the icing of the cake is, when such a system is wholly manned by humans, efficiency is an alien word. The local Road Traffic Offices or Octroi Nakas are living examples of such inefficiencies. In the new age India, of continuously shifting population, does it make any sense to have road taxes implemented across every other state ? If today I purchase a vehicle in Delhi and tomorrow I am shifted to Mumbai, what sense it makes to me to pay road taxes at both places ? And the fact, that the process has been designed to breed corruption, just makes me wanting to break the rules and drive illegally rather than working my ass off to get the vehicle legal.
But, as I said, the start has been made. Aadarsh, E-Filings, Railway Bookings, Passport issuance -- the government has truly made a small minute step in the right direction. And I believe that more measures are definitely sure to follow. I am awaiting the day, when every government work will involve 80 % online procedures --- from voting, to registrations to every other thing. You may argue that in a country with 70% basic literacy and negligible computer literacy, it doesn't make sense. I argue that, when a system is implemented, the people will automatically change. Don't believe me ??? Read this.
Well !!! India has always been a synonym for hope, I may never leave after all ... even if the incumbent government kicks in :)
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