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Monday, April 11, 2016

Battling the machinery

The uphill battle continues. What really foxes me is the mess and the amount of indecision at all levels that must have gone into almost on a continuous basis to achieve the grand mess that we are saddled with today at the national carrier.

Yes it is true that the typical staid way of functioning must have helped a lot, as that alone guarantees maintenance of status quo and hefty premium on non-deliverance. Strange it may sound but in the PSU jungles, it is not the tiger who is the most feared but the cunning fox that surreptitiously appears out of nowhere to claim its prey.

Addressing the young budding management students at the legendary IIT Delhi recently, I was literally at pains to explain to them the unlimited bundle of power that a human being is, yet that power and the potential remains untapped almost forever, with rare exceptions of course. The system that everyone criticizes and mourns for, yet accepts and perpetuates has a tremendous crippling effect. Endless debates and deliberations and yet remaining indecisive over even petty matters is the hallmark of the system.

It is a fact that the new government is trying its level best to pull the nation out of the accumulated mess of almost seventy odd years. No new scam hitting the nation since the present dispensation took over is at stark contrast with the legacy that they inherited. There is stress on integrity and value systems and interference is almost absent. Honest intentions are also conspicuous by their shining presence. While we are indeed witness to good strides in governance and development, yet the fact remains that a quantum growth and improvement would be possible only if the machinery radically changes the way it has been working. If it keeps working in the way it has been all along in the past, we would keep on getting the results we had been getting in the past. A total overhaul is required. Simplification is the name of the game. Things have to be made simple to happen and they shall.

The role of the check-posts, namely the vigilance and audit setups has to be reviewed and drastically curtailed. Malafide has to be handled with an iron hand, mistakes need to be merely glossed over. Trust in human beings has to be brought back and also the realization that if mere punishments could reform, crime would have hit a new low in India by now.

The recent facebook post of the coal secretary in which he has laid the blame for the lack of initiative at the feet of the five C’s is like hitting the nail bang on the head. That the 5C’s including the CVC and the CAG have succeeded in curbing initiative is a statement of fact that I have been living almost all my life. Initiative for an officer working within the governmental machinery is a personal risk for which he may end up bearing the cross all his life. And many therefore ask - why risk it, when a life devoid of initiative provides the same personal comforts sans pressures and also keeps the door open for elevation to the highest levels. Premium is there, but only for doing nothing.

Process reform is the key. Almost everyone appreciates it but hardly understands the same. It is indeed all about simplification of the decision making and contractual processes that swamp the governmental machinery. Unfortunately over the decades, in the garb of transparency and curbing corruption, almost all processes have been complicated to ridiculous levels. And therefore most of us who are not satisfied with merely twiddling our thumbs, are often at a loss for how to proceed forward and do things. And having worked in almost all sectors of the machinery, I can say with the courage of conviction that this maze is omnipresent.

The maze has to lift for the jewel of the east to rapidly emerge from the shadows. 

14 comments:

  1. Sir If d decision is honest, straight foward and within d ambitt of d law.We dn't think you hv to worry.
    But kindky b weary of d persons around you .
    They will tend to disuaded u from tking honest and straight foward decisions .
    U r surrounded by wily ppl who hv their own carreer at hear nt d companies.
    All d best to u Sir .

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sir, This K.V.J. RAO much as u detest me for my honesty .Private operator's hv been in d bussiness for long.Further their employees don't think of looting d company.In Air India u hv officers who fatten their purses at d cost of d company dats d main problem .
      In fact u r considered a visitor on a 3 years Visa so the officers try to just pass time .
      U are aware dat ur corrective measures are dissected by 30 ppl from two diff organisations and mind set .
      They do not work for one company but hv loyalties.
      Further since u protect them they are not accountable . D MOST dat u can do is transfer them.So they r not bothered.
      For a while get a non partisan head and u can c how u r being taken for ride by ur officers.
      In front of u d cannot afford to open their mouth as it will open a Pandora box.
      Behind ur back d r remarks galore.

      Time is of d essence which u spend on d bickering from d officers of d two erstwhile organisation.
      Added to that v get upstarts from other organisations who want to bend a grown branch.
      Sir Vigilance is really a bogey and an useless appendage bcos d high and mighty get away with looting d organisation and they harass d small fry.
      If ONLY EVERYONE FOLLOWED D RULE RATHER THAN MISINTERPRETING THEM U WILL HV NO ROAD BLOCKS.

      FURTHER HAVING AN EXPEREINCED MINISTER WILL HELP BCOS MOST OF D TIME U R HOODWINKED BY PPL AT THE TOP AND BELOW YOU.

      Delete
  2. This is blog of dbl standard's.
    If There are stumbling blocks then remove them.
    wily is not only d fox but the hyenas also in d management .
    There hv been many such hyenas who hv taken d company for a ride at least in AIR INDIA which we hv read.

    All this could not hv been achieved without the tacit support of d then powers that be and the Vigilance dept did not flag it then.

    Just bcos one is honest it would be living in a fools paradise to belive that you are surrounded by honest officials especially of the earlier establishment who helped loot and bring them down.The Vigilance was then silent and is also now silent.If one really wants to send a strong signal then positive and corrective action is d need of the hour.

    Stating that no scams have happened today is also living in a fools paradise.
    Scams of the early Gov't was exposed after 5 years so that is d incubation period for d birth of exposure.

    So Mr. LOHANI rather than ruing the checks posts check who is manning d check post.
    If he does his job right then he has proved his worth.

    IF you think that the ppl of the earlier establishment will turn honest just bcos ur honest is once again living in a fools paradise.

    How you deal with honest employees and take corrective action will only reflect your true intentions.

    We also read ur blogs that the media only highlights the issues of Air India which is false.
    Sir the media today has been expsing with facts and figures and documents .

    We also read of the frauds and pilferage indulged in by some captains and attendants.

    what action you take and such offenders will b the bench mark of ur administration. We observe that it appears that actual offenders are let of scot free and sham of investigating being conducted to sheild such culprits.

    We read how ur own inner circle is filled with the wily hynea.

    Another issue that we also read of is ur relying on retired employees to run d company which is a huge drain on d company.

    also this could be a way of gifting largesse to sychophants who themselves were mute spectators to the loot scams and the downfall of the company .

    You as an astute administrator and All this could not hv slipped ur mind .

    You will agree that the bodies u r criticising r constitutional.

    So u r in fact questioning the wisdom of the legislation which does not behove a serving beaucrat.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Mr. Lohani, you are known to be upright & honest & therefore there are high expectations that you will take right steps in handling this massively derailed Airline. It is however quite strange that you continue to be surrounded by such of those officials who were mainly responsible in the demise of Vayudoot and thereafter creating mess in erstwhile Indian Airlines once Vayudoot was merged in it. They seems to be ruling the roost after Indian Airlined merger with Air India. You may perhaps not be aware that not a single recruitment in Vayudoot was carried fairly and on merit. Hence, pl beware & identify as to how such FOXES can deliver now. With regards.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Dear Mr. Lohani,
    Further to my comment dated 25th April at 7.15 PM, I am to add the following:

    Two of the current GM's who appeared in the interview for ED's positions are known FOXES Sorry HAYNAS. They are throughly corrupt, self serving and highly connected. They entered Vayudoot with their connection. One of them was caught burning documentary evidence of his corruption while posted in Vayudoot at Calcutta. He was charge sheeted and suspended but later managed with his connections. He was found transferring AI PAX to other airlines when posted in Indian Airlines at. Goa. How will people believe you & your intent if such people are elevated to such positions. Pl try to assertion these facts from independent sources if you have any doubt. Everyone in the airline know about them and their past deeds but don't speak due to fear of repression. Pl checkmate

    ReplyDelete
  5. You are sharing creative blog but needed some more information so please provide lot more content. thanks. hotel booking agent in delhi

    ReplyDelete
  6. Currption is going on but way is difrent

    ReplyDelete
  7. Young blood walk around out side and retired person are again join in air India, they can't do any work but take a lot of salary from company , where is ur management system sir ........pzzzz tell me

    ReplyDelete
  8. Helper promoted technician but who competed specific course AME they walk around them .....where is ur justis ........currption currption is going on

    ReplyDelete
  9. Dear sir
    If possible plzzz stop recruitment of GTE immediately , otherwise forward to pm narendra modi

    ReplyDelete
  10. Dear sir
    If possible plzzz stop recruitment of GTE immediately , otherwise forward to pm narendra modi

    ReplyDelete
  11. Helper promoted technician but who competed specific course AME they walk around them .....where is ur justis ........currption currption is going on

    ReplyDelete
  12. Young blood walk around out side and retired person are again join in air India, they can't do any work but take a lot of salary from company , where is ur management system sir ........pzzzz tell me

    ReplyDelete
  13. Currption is going on but way is difrent

    ReplyDelete