p>Our honorable Prime Minister has called upon our corporate honchos to cut on their drawings and increase their commitment towards social responsibility. As several writers have already talked about it already, that’s a very timely suggestion and it’s about time too. Or is it ?

Indian corporates have always been humble over the years. They’ve also have had some ideas of social responsibility. But, nevertheless the government has been totally distrustful of the private sector and have taken it upon themselves to better the lot of the people.

Of course, there are several interpretations as how to improve the common man. But the government almost always has botched up every opportunity, except for only a few instances. Our Prime Minister realised this two decades back, and started involving the people (private) in the business of running the country. Unfortunately, some took it too seriously, some didn’t and many others celebrated the return of cerebral politics.

This too was short lived. The government created partners in the form of middlemen, brokers, allowed every rule in the book become redundant and promoted the greatest aristocratic enterprises (read property dealers and cos). The government, in all it’s wisdom procures land and allows the industry to do whatever they want, on the land. Even setup entertainment centers, recreation places (ok! it’s needed. but on fertile farmland ?)

As the prime minister says “But unless the governance of the economy is improved, even further liberalization – which is sorely needed – will be insufficient to sustain growth“. How is the governance going to improve ? Move it to the e-sphere ? eGovernance ? And how to adopt eGovernance ?
Just having a look at a concept papers and working papers from the government’s standardization website – http://egovstandards.gov.in/ gives other ideas. Most of the papers speak at a very high level, just cite academic theories.

“The world has enough to meet everyone’s need, but not everyone’s greed” – M.K.Gandhiji