Speaking at the book launch of 'The Mavericks of Mussoorie' by M Ramachandran, Kant elaborated that there are several issues at the bureaucratic level that need urgent attention.
The most illustrious officers and distinguished cabinet secretaries have served in Uttar Pradesh. Why is it that the state continues to rank worst in almost all the social parameter, even today?
Amitabh Kant, CEO, NITI Aayog, raised this important question recently at an event, citing pathetic condition of one of India’s biggest state.
“The most backward districts of India are in the UP and the states fails miserably in almost all parameters. India can never grow at high rates without UP growing at high rates. Why is the southern and western part of India able to grow and do extremely well in physical quality of life? It is these 7 states and 221 districts that are pulling India backward,” said Kant.
He mentioned that the collapse of governance at the district level is very sharp and the country needs to start naming and shaming the districts and states to crack this problem.
“The business of making states compete will give huge results in future. In the first year’s ‘ease of doing business’ index, Gujarat topped but was beaten by Telangana in the second year, with Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh showing tremendous improvement. We are now doing similar indexes in water, health and other,” added Kant.
Speaking at the book launch of 'The Mavericks of Mussoorie' by M Ramachandran, Kant elaborated that there are several issues at the bureaucratic level that need urgent attention, including tenures.
“In my personal opinion, the whole system of governance has totally got politicised and unless you don’t de-politicised it and allow longer tenure for offices, India will never grow in long term. Also, there are way too many officers working in the secretariat and my view is that it will be very difficult to transform India until and unless we put officers on the field including project work,” said Kant.