Coal Gate: The best
way- Confession and Rectification
No
doubt the blockade of parliament over coal scam is a bad sign for the
democracy. It is negative action but with a positive aim. Aim is to highlight
the issue democratically at the highest level.
In a series of scams, this is one of the biggest after 2G. It is
sensitive politically, economically and nationally.
Renowned
author S A Aiyar has provided an option to current deadlock. This option of not cancelling coal blocks and
levying heavy royalties sounds foul to help manipulators. This gives impression
of sponsored news to help a friend with opinion making and diverting the
attention which may not be true.
If
this proposal is accepted what will happen. It will promote manipulations, bad
governance, bad procedure, non-performers, and wrong big high profile
venders. It is also a try to cool down
the heat generated over the issue by justifying allocation over auction.
We,
public players, do the things with the sole primary aim to achieve public
welfare. Performance auditing of CAG has proved this aim as secondary rather
than primary in many cases. Current CAG Vinod Rai is a renowned civil servant
of India. On this ground, he got job as CAG.
He knows well what to report and how
to report. He also knows any minor mistake on his part will land him in great
trouble. It is also true that, he will not like to earn any discredit by any
wrong report what is his asset of life. Hence challenging him on mandate issue
sounds incorrect. His reports are well proved by documentary and circumstantial
evidences.
Politically
it is better to confess and rectify to put the issue to an end. In light of
many objections why allocation was preferred over auction? There is no
convincing justification. Saying some CMs opposed auction, it is not sufficient
to discharge the blame.
Veracity of Papers submitted by the companies was not
verified. The technical competencies and capacities were not checked. Unqualified,
non capable companies got the mining work. Why this soft corner with these big
companies. Is this not a corruption and manipulation in formalities to benefit
someone not deserving it? In the age of boundary less world, and net carrying
information age, public is now able to read between the lines and smells all
frauds fabricated inside the strong fort of
files and powers.
In
most economic activity both goal and means are important. In this case, we are
at wrong side of both. We adopted allocation as means in place of auction.
Auction is more transparent. It can bring more money. Hence, certainly it would
have been better if our means would have been auction in lieu of allocation.
Goal was to secure more and more
funds to promote public welfare. Allocations fetch fewer funds. So, less money
is available for development. Therefore desired goal to fetch more funds is not
achieved.
In
this economic activity, both goals and means are not in tune with rule of law.
This is the report of CAG. Hence, economically it will be judicious to correct
this manipulation by cancelling it for auction like 2G.
Legally
speaking, we must discourage bad governance, bad practice and procedure and
manipulations. Levying heavy royalties, ignoring all manipulations to avoid
action is not legal. Law doesn’t permit it. Money loss is one aspect among many
anomalies associated with it. Cancellation
is the only way to rectify all anomalies done manipulatively. The option
suggested is rectifying only one point that is of money recoupment none other.
Taking
heavy royalties will set a wrong precedent for future of a rotten system. If
not cancelled, corrupt forces will not discourage who are manipulating law of
land at the cost of nation. To teach lessons to such forces, to avoid such
repetitions, cancellation is the best way out among all options.
For
the aforesaid reasons, it is expedient politically, economically and legally to
cancel allocation for auction in a timely manner to avoid inconveniences. A
through probe is required to book the real culprits.
By
performance auditing, CAG has invited the attention of nation on 2G and coal
scam. This attention will help in finishing wrong practices. Shedding wrong
practices and adopting appropriate one will be conducive to achieving our goal
of a developed nation. Hence CAG reports are acting as catalyst in this
direction. Therefore, instead of
decrying CAG, we need to praise him.
Heera Lal
(Views are personal, based on different sources)
Ref:
6. http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/indias-silent-prime-minister-becomes-a-tragic-figure/2012/09/04/a88662c4-f396-11e1-adc6-87dfa8eff430_story.html
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/opinion/edit-page/Its-time-we-realised-Indias-mineral-wealth-belongs-to-its-people-not-to-the-politicians/articleshow/16301889.cms
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Secret-of-Jindals-success-Cheap-coal-costly-power/articleshow/16319069.cms
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/opinion/edit-page/Its-time-we-realised-Indias-mineral-wealth-belongs-to-its-people-not-to-the-politicians/articleshow/16301889.cms
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Secret-of-Jindals-success-Cheap-coal-costly-power/articleshow/16319069.cms
Nice!!
ReplyDeleteI think the time has come for politicians to act with transparency and honesty, though difficult for them but they have to if they donot want a situation like Egypt or else where which is in news. One can not go on fooling the public, if one thinks he can then I think he is the biggest fool. The Govt should not challenge the constitutional authority knowing the facts that they have committed blunders. I am with IAC with full support.
Deletethanks
All auditor always point out in all Audits. Has any one come across any audit with all is well kind report.This the bread & butter of Auditors.
ReplyDeletehttp://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-03-31/india/31265943_1_cag-reports-sewage-treatment-plants-untreated-sewage