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Be AusterePDFPrintE-mail
Friday, 16 October 2009 18:12
Written by Domarp
(1 vote, average 5.00 out of 5)

Austerity measure is new mantra these days hitting headlines of every newspaper, print media and television debates. A word of advice from Finance minister has started a new discussion; a request to his fellow colleagues to start traveling to Economy class instead of business doesn’t seem to be pleasant news to our so called public servants and politicians.

In wake of global recession where cost-cutting, economizing and rationalizing are the buzzwords this is nothing new, in fact corporate giants have saved extensively through these measures so it is high time government machineries too realize the importance of public money, another advice by our same minister again to few of his fellow colleagues to start using government accommodations instead of swanky and plush hotels. Not often such statements are made in public, categorically they are made with much thought and metaphorically it implies things aren’t going good. How can public servants stay in hotels charging exorbitant prices, a hotel suite costing 1 lakh a day? It soon followed array of debates and questions on the government management and their hefty perks.

Explanations given by ministers too seemed implausible, however it puts endless doubts in our minds that people who should serve examples are flushing the public money for their luxury and comfort. It is nothing but mere display of opulence and extravagance; in fact one of the ministers went ahead and said that traveling in Business class is a convenience not a treat with a plausible argument that due to paucity of time business class gives them facilities to carry their work and office with them. He has a point however; situations are not favorable and financial propriety is most fitting need of the hour.

At times such measures and statement as made by our Finance minister seems farcical and public gimmick simply because the trust they hold, it further reminds me of famous statement by Dr. Samuel Johnson “Politics is the last refuge of a scoundrel”, though at one point we might believe so but the truth is they are the people who are running the show as custodians and guardians of the Politico-administrative system, we need to trust and support them but not close our eyes for every act they do. Today things are open and transparent and instruments like Right to Information has empowered us to know everything about government, declaration of their assets by Judges  is welcome step in that direction. No doubt this austerity measure would further percolate down to system to state governments and local governments and such unprecedented would open a new area of more responsible and accountable governance.
 

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Last Updated on Friday, 16 October 2009 18:35
 
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