SYNOPSIS- IASbaba’s TLP 2017 [7th April] – Day 59

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1. Utilisation of public funds in a democracy must adhere to the principles of transparency and efficiency. Do you agree? Analyse.

In Indian democracy, ‘We the People’ are the highest authority. A healthy democracy is the one in which the participation of people is high. And one can expect a positive involvement of population when it is informed. For this transparency and information is empowerment.

Public pays for the Public funds in the form of taxes and cess. They have the right to know how and where there money is being used. This makes accountability of bureaucracy very important. More transparency would mean more confidence in the governing authority.

Transparency will also increase accountability and make government more responsive to the needs of the people. The scope of corruption will reduce and authorities will understand that they are answerable to the public. This in turn will increase the efficiency. The money spent in welfare schemes and growth initiative will find a proper route to its target and there will be less inappropriation.

This will ascertain economic and social growth and will make the institution of democracy stronger.

The constitution of India has created the office of CAG to audit the public accounts and the RTI Act has been landmark legislation in this regard.

 Best Answer : Abhiskedrwt 597

As a developing and a welfare state oriented Democracy, india has undertaken multiple social infrastructure responsibilities. However, funds released for such activities are often misused or appropriated. There is thus a pressing need to ensure greater accountability and efficiency in their use:

1)Democracy is the rule of the people. Thus elected representatives in a democracy have a much greater obligation to ensure that the funds are spent for the purpose decided, and inform the people about how the funds are spent(Transparency) keeping in mind the welfare of those who elect them.

2)Further, democracy substitutes as the next best thing for SELF RULE. By definition, this means that LAST MILE delivery of services, and INCLUSIVE COVERAGE are necessities to ensure the legitimacy of the govt in power. This requires efficient usage of funds.

3)The money being spent is largely down to tax collections. Thus, citizens have the right to ask where their money is being spent.(Transparency)

4)Inability to spend efficiently leads to duplication of functions, greater resource wastage,etc. (inefficiency) This leads to misery for the people and violates the SOCIAL CONTRACT (Rousseau) between the people and the state.

Public funding is a scarce resource. The govt mus ensure that it is utilised in the best way possible.

2. Corruption has reduced, only its reporting has increased. Do you agree? Examine.

It is an opinion based question hence there can’t be one model approach.

An ideal answer would be the one which is based on facts and tackles both the sides properly i.e. how the reporting has increased and how the corruption has come down (or not).

The answer can be backed by the Corruption Perception Report released by the Transparency international.

http://cdn.tradingeconomics.com/charts/india-corruption-rank.png?s=indiacorran&v=201704031308t

The current ranking of India is 79 out of 176 countries which was 76 in 2015. This data shows that it has slightly increased. But if we compare it with early 2000s, it has drastically improved.

Indian Civil Society and RTI activist has played a very important role in unearthing many scams which has increased the reporting of corrupt cases in recent times. This has definitely increased the accountability of the public authorities and created an atmosphere of fear in corrupt officers.

Best Answer: None

Since the answers that you have written are not based on facts, we have not selected any best answer.

3. Corruption can’t be addressed at institutional level alone. It also has to be dealt at individual level. Discuss.

Introduction:

Write a brief introduction.

Body:

1. Corruption beside institutional factors, is also due to absence of A STRONG ETHICAL CODE OF CONDUCT. Even if present, this isnt emphasised enough, nor internalised by the employee. This causes corruption.
2. Values integral to public service like integrity, honesty, transparency in functioning, need to be taught so that Mental fortitude is developed that helps desist from corrupt activities.
3. Singling out corrupt practitioners (name and shame) and praising honest employees helps other identify with them and develop an INTERNAL VALUE SYSTEM that mirrors those of the honest employees.
4. Corruption at an individual level, comes down to making a choice. Preventing a wrong choice from being made requires improving an individual’s decision making ability, highlighting the dangers of indulging in corruption etc.
5. increasing transparency in government and political functioning, which will leave little room for hiding behind the loopholes and political patronage.
6. Role of our educational institutions should be increased in propagating high moral principles.

Conclusion:

Write a brief conclusion.

Best answer: abhishekrwt597

While institutional measures to curb corruption are required, such initiatives often miss out on emphasizing enough on the ethical perspective behind corruption. The ethical argument against corruption requires focussing on the individual level as:

1)Corruption beside institutional factors, is also due to absence of A STRONG ETHICAL CODE OF CONDUCT. Even if present, this isnt emphasised enough, nor internalised by the employee. This causes corruption.

2)Values integral to public service like integrity, honesty, transparency in functioning, need to be taught so that Mental fortitude is developed that helps desist from corrupt activities.

3)Singling out corrupt practitioners(name and shame) and praising honest employees helps other identify with them and develop an INTERNAL VALUE SYSTEM that mirrors those of the honest employees.

4) Corruption at an individual level, comes down to making a choice. Preventing a wrong choice from being made requires improving an individuals decision making ability, highlighting the dangers of indulging in corruption,etc.

4.Should public fund be utilised for fighting defamation cases against government representatives? Give your opinion.

Introduction:

Write a brief introduction.

Body:

Effective public fund utilization is one of the core area of governance. It faces a dual challenge of under-utilization and mis-utilization that severely inhibits the outcomes of developmental goals.

Nobody can insist that public money be mis-utilized for illegal, private and personal activity on behalf of an individual.

Taxpayer’s money should be use for public development works not for a private and personal dispute because defamation/slander, making wrong statements, maligning anybody is totally a personal offence or a personal civil case,

Personal cases of all public figure have to be fought either by their personal funds or from party finances, if the political party is a party to the case. Otherwise it makes little sense to spend crores of rupees on personal cases, that have been gathered by taxing the rich and poor alike.

If the cases are of criminal nature, the judiciary will itself provide a free lawyer, or charge minimum fees, bills running in crores of rupees is unjustifiable and completely unethical.

Conclusion:

Write a brief conclusion.

Best answer: yuyutsu-curious to fight

Effective public fund utilization is one of the core area of governance. It faces a dual challenge of under-utilization and mis-utilization that severely inhibits the outcomes of developmental goals.

Nobody can insist that public money be mis-utilized for illegal, private and personal activity on behalf of an individual.

Taxpayer’s money should be use for public development works not for a private and personal dispute because defamation/slander, making wrong statements, maligning anybody is totally a personal offence or a personal civil case,

When any one do an illegal activity in a personal capacity, then government exchequer or public money can’t be utilized to pay for a private issue,

State has advocate general of the state,who is chief law officer of the government in the state,he performed duties of legal character against state. If case was made against the state then advocate general of state should discharge the functions conferred on him by the constitution or any other law.

In recent case, it was not a fight between Finance Minister(GoI) and the Chief Minister (Government of Delhi), it’s between two individuals. Here, political remarks were made on his personal capacity and it’s not state’s position. So exchequer’s money can’t be used. Stealing public money for his personal gain, This is a clear case of misuse of public funds and of public position.

5.Anti Romeo squads is a necessity but entails repercussions that might loosen the social fabric. Critically comment.

Introduction:

Write a brief introduction.

Body:

The so-called ‘Anti-Romeo Squads’ work outside the purview of law and threaten women’s freedoms.

Protecting women is the primary responsibility of the government, this has to be done by keeping in mind the rights of all the people involved, creating a force that works outside the purview of law, that hardly differentiates between husband and wife and a man teasing a stranger woman, not only creates fear among the people, but is also very dangerous precedent.

The youth that have been employed in the anti-romeo squads do not possess any legal knowledge, and are ready to use violence at the drop of the hat. The primary responsibility of punishing any criminal lies with the state, and not with the mob.

Personal grudges and enmity can be taken out in the name of so called anti-romeo squads, and if anyone can stop a boy and a girl walking in the road and ask what their relationship is, then there is a genuine fear of Moral policing, and targeting of minorities and outsiders who will have to constantly have in fear

These “squads” impose their own aggressive and arbitrary code through moral policing. It has already come to light that in many cases, these “Anti-Romeo Squads” have become an even greater source of harassment and fear for women and men

The term ‘traditional code’ is ambiguous and not defined which once again allows police and public interference into the people’s privacy and the excesses thereof.

Conclusion:

Write a brief conclusion.

Best answer: Guest- Civil Services Aspirant

Anti romeo squads recently created by the UP govt are not a part of regular police but a group of people assigned with a job to keep check on the unscrupulous activities of the road romeos. It serves the purpose in the following way

1) harassment of girls on the roads will stop
2) Punitive actions for the culprits will serve as a deterrent for road romeos & will bring down the incidents of eve teasing.
But there is a downside as well

1) Since some couples are genuinely either married or are engaged so it makes no sense if anti romeo squad catch hold of them without enquiring.

2) every couple needs to prove their identity if they confront anti romeo squad which makes it more of a moral policing than being helpful.

These anti romeo squads need to act wisely & arrest eve teasers only when they see somebody eve teasing or harassing girls on the streets,this way their job will be much appreciated.