Why a Government which could handle Art. 370 & Ram Mandir Failed in Railways?-A Fundamental Analysis
As with persistent diseases, reform resistant railways need deeper analysis. We have been turning to theory to understand why #IndianRailways (#IR) has been what it is ! We analysed the forced #Emotional-Intelligence screening by a foreign company in past. We also conclusively established that how #KMG is nemesis of all and every minister. We have in following articles introduced the fundamental problems as seen by #psychologists and organisational #theorists-sadly #UPSC recruited civil servants who take pride in their knowledge of #Social-Sciences failed to see this and advise the ministers in all these decades. Perhaps it will take this humble #journalist’s efforts to discover these reasons by interacting with academics and management consultants. #Railwhispers is indebted to senior officers who have given access to their family members who are leading consultants and academics.
And, this advice comes free to our L-16/L-17 leadership. Only #expectation is to make IR great again, again a #beacon of hope and pride for its employees and its users.
Ideal #bureaucracy sees regular #churn & #rotation, but we identified how Khan Market Gang (#KMG) the elite of elites, ensure that they are constants. This made #rail-bureaucracy nemesis of all political parties-this is conclusion of our detailed #KMG series.
We know that in a #programming-language or any #formula used in #physics, #chemistry, #economics or #engineering there are constants, parameters and variables.
In an ideal bureaucracy, chairs or positions are parameters with occupying babu being fungible. But #KMG has been constant while ministers are variable. This raises a rather disturbing question. Why a government which could tackle issues like lateral entry in ministries, #Ram-Mandir and #Article-370 failed before #KMG and got gamed royally by the #cabal? We analysed from basics of organisational theory and economics why in ten years of resolute #NaMo Govt, its ministers wilted before #KMG. Why?
“The KMG ensures that the priorities of the Indian Railways are aligned with their own needs, rather than the needs of the political leadership”. This is Principal Agent Conundrum as we analysed in an earlier article- “Indian Railways: The Principal Agent Conundrum!”
Given issues of #safety, hands on operation, #KMG takes advantage of the reliance of political leaders on the babus of #RailBhawan, who have control over information creation & transmission-creating information asymmetry. This creates ideal situation where the rent-seeking babus game political leadership. Ideal stage got set for #PrincipalAgents to rule. Another problem is the #monopoly railway officers have over their system. This adds to the information asymmetry before which every #Minister has failed.
The Thief Having Keys to the Mint
There have been spate of cases by #CBI/#ED and one particular department is in focus. We traced this to the imbalance of financial power created by the #rasputin in name of #transformation. Voices which questioned it were labelled as old guard and brushed aside. Instead of reviewing the #Corruption enabling rules and connecting dots, the person who engineered this rose to become #Executive-MR. Entrenchment thy name is #KMG. Railway services has become circus & officers gladiators.
Principal Agent Rules as Political Executive Watches
Despite massive #investments, the #KMG has imposed their own #agenda onto the Indian Railways, leading to cases of #Corruption and #accidents. The needs of common citizens have been neglected, and the average #speeds of #trains have #decreased despite #electrification, #highpower and #highspeed #rollingstock.
The #demotivation at the top level of the organisation and the #shortage of #Assistant and #Senior-Scale Officers at the bottom pose significant challenges for the smooth functioning of the #railways. These issues need to be urgently addressed. Prepare for a 5 year gap (2 year training after 3 year gap in #recruitment).
Moral Hazard-Deciding With No Skin in the Game
The #failure to #rotate positions and the lack of #accountability for decisions made by soon retiring officers is a significant failure of the political leadership. The #moral-hazard created by these babus who take long term decisions on basic structure of IR with few months of service must be addressed to ensure the survival of the Indian Railways-
“Moral Hazard and Principal Agent Problem of Indian Railways!”
Decision Needed: Modiji-Trust Us-Its not as tough as abrogation of Art. 370 Revocation
Instead of eliminating #recruitment of #engineers and knee jerk integration of services, #Modiji please take these decisions which would truly #transform railways in India. Reducing the number of #zones, merging #RBSS with #CSS, reducing number of services as first step instead of eliminating them in one go are true bold #reforms-not renovation of 3rd Floor or mega #tenders. Railways reason of existence is to serve poor and serve the #economy, not to dole out mega tenders for items which are not needed in tendered numbers.
Hold #elections for #unions, bar retired employees from being office bearers, #rotation of office bearers are other reforms which cannot be delayed. With #HRMS, #IPAS concept of lien of #Group ‘A’ & ‘B’ officers is redundant-rotate across zones and geographies every 3-5 years, rotate group ‘C’ & ‘D’ beyond one division as rule. Except for #locopilots, no other #category is trained and required to work in fixed geography.
Political Executive’s Responsibility
It is crucial to address the Principal Agent problem and Moral Hazard within the Indian Railways to stop organisation from being becoming killing machine of people it carry and career of its own officers. To identify challenge of Moral Hazard & Principal Agent Problem is the #responsibility of #Political-Executive.
Time they pay greater heed to our #KMG Series.