Hi Friends,

Even as I launch this today ( my 80th Birthday ), I realize that there is yet so much to say and do. There is just no time to look back, no time to wonder,"Will anyone read these pages?"

With regards,
Hemen Parekh
27 June 2013

Now as I approach my 90th birthday ( 27 June 2023 ) , I invite you to visit my Digital Avatar ( www.hemenparekh.ai ) – and continue chatting with me , even when I am no more here physically

Friday, 22 December 2017

HOW TO ENCOURAGE HONEST OFFICERS


Wiser after #2gScam ?

 

-----------------------------------

 

Economic Times ( 18 Dec ) carries following news report :




“ Ex-PMO Official Deposition Sealed Ex-Coal Secy’s Fate “



In the coal scam case , CBI court awarded 3 year sentence to ex coal secretary , H C Gupta , saying :



·         He actively , deliberately and consciously , concealed facts from the then Prime Minister



·         Neither was it alleged by the prosecution nor any such evidence was available to show that Gupta obtained allocation of a coal block for the accused company by any corrupt or illegal means


·         Prosecution is required to prove only that in order to obtain either for himself or for any other person , any valuable thing or pecuniary advantage , the public servant abused his position


{  Astute readers would find subtle similarities in the observations made by the CBI Court this afternoon , in its 1582 page verdict , acquitting all accused in the 2011 , 2G Scam ! }



While pressing for a lenient sentence, Gupta said that as per the prosecution case itself , there has been no allegation against him of any nature whatsoever that any financial gain was obtained by him





The news report carries quotes from Anil Swarup ( HRD Secretary ) and Parmeshwaran Iyer ( Sanitation Secretary ) , talking highly about Gupta being an honest officer



Earlier Amitabh Kant ( CEO – NITI Aayog ) had voiced similar sentiments about Shri Gupta



All this is “ water under the bridge “ !  Irreversible  !



But , if the government wants to encourage honest officers to take “ Bold / Out of the Box “ policy decisions, without being afraid of “ getting their necks chopped off “ , then it should waste no further time to implement my following suggestion :


( - and without waiting for the Government to advise them , what is holding up Central IAS Officers Association , to initiate this, on their own ?  )





Friday, 20 June 2014



To err is human



To forgive is divine ( provided it was a honest error )


All of us keep making errors , all the time


But rarely same " mistake " twice


Often , decisions taken at a point of time , turn out to be " poor " , with passage of time


Reasons are simple :


*  
We never have all the information - relevant to the problem we are trying to solve –
    available with us , at the time of taking a decision


*  
Even when most of such relevant info is available , we may not have the capacity /
    competence to " process " such info


*  
As humans , we have our biases / prejudices , based on our previous experiences ,
    which influence our decisions


*  
Quite often , and often against our own better evaluation / judgement of a given
    situation , we are wrongly influenced by our peers / bosses / subordinates or even
     voters - all of whom have different expectations / vested interests !


*  
Additional - and more relevant - information surfaces , AFTER we have taken a
    decision ( happens all the time  !  )



To encourage Babus and Ministers to take FAST decisions , Shri Narendra Modi must insist that they carefully " Record " on the files :


*   
What info / data he wished was available for a better decision


*  
What different " views / opinions " were presented to him for consideration


*  
What " Data / Views " he would have obtained if he had more time


*   
Who all , the decision might offend


*   
What is the likely " Cost " of postponing that decision


And finally a declaration :


This decision is not likely to benefit any of my near relatives / friends , directly or
   immediately



After all of this , if the decision appears to be " Wrong " in hindsight , it must be " forgiven " and treated as an honest error


To err is human  !


21  Dec  2017




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