Saturday, May 7, 2011

Staying the Course on M&E

editorial:
The Chief Minister will be moving out on a month-long “Sikkim-bhraman” shortly. This tour, projected to reach every corner of the State, is, in the CM’s own words, his move to confer directly with the people, check ground realities for himself and plan the course ahead in consultation with the people. The tour will definitely accrue some political benefits by allowing people to vent their frustrations against their representatives and government officials directly to the Chief Minister and thus effectively keeping them within the fold and hopeful. But more than that, it is the clear focus on reconnecting with the real Sikkim that makes the prospects of this tour exciting. Responsibilities of the State can keep the person at the helm of affairs busy, and over time, the finger on the pulse of the people, which keeps successful politicians ahead in the game, sits lighter. While the CM addresses party meetings and official functions across the State on a regular basis, these venues allow only one-way conversations of the leader informing the janta of the plans and successes. On other times, only people with access and individual needs and demands get to meet the CM. A focussed road-trip of the State will allow for a more casual, and thus also more intimate interaction with the people when the real complaints, genuine instances of denial and the ugly instances of public privations induced by private profit will be confronted. This is an important initiative because after 17 years in power, the present government no longer has the luxury of blaming previous regimes for problems which continue to confound in Sikkim and with the fourth term now nearly two years old, the delivery promised ahead of the polls will need to have start manifesting.

The ruling party, in its pre 2009 poll campaign, had approached voters with an appeal to return it to power so that it could complete the developmental works initiated by it and round off the process with quality delivery. The people gave the party a complete mandate, leaving no room to blame distracting politics of the Opposition. Now, if delivery comes up short, only the party in power can shoulder the blame. One hopes that the nearly two years which have already passed have warmed up the new team to the task. It is a no-brainer to suggest that Monitoring & Evaluation are the governance essentials if the expressed aims and objectives are to be met. This much everyone realises and accepts, but routinely, and consciously, decides to ignore. This aspect of governance should now be elevated to a hierarchy it deserves – right at the top. The CM’s decision to tour Sikkim extensively and the substantial, and remarkably bold, administrative reshuffle which preceded it, has one hoping that M&E is finally being prioritised. Too many doles, projects, funds and sponsorships have been invested in Sikkim without a scientific appraisal of how far the buck travels here. Frankly speaking, monitoring & evaluation is a simple science. Funds get allocated, the release of payment requires numerous NoCs and clearance certificates to attest that the work was done – that’s monitoring. People look at roads carpeted last winter disintegrate with the first showers – that’s evaluation. Well, at least that’s the thumb rule. When it comes to the complicated processes by which projects get sanctioned, work orders issued and payments made, a slight refinement will be required, but the basics remain the same. The new crop of MLAs should, by now, be familiar with the street-appraisal of ongoing schemes. They know what the people believe to be wrong and what aspects of development have been endorsed by them. What they need to do now is to approach the concerned departments with these grassroot appraisals and seek explanations. This is not about confrontation, but communication. There may be genuine reasons compromising quality, and it will be only through such deliberations that the executive and the legislative arms can confer, discuss, evaluate and resolve the hindrances that challenge delivery in Sikkim.
Ahead of the elections, the CM had picked a new team, now he has installed a young set on important positions in important departments; a promising process has rolled out, now to stay the course...

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