Use what you manage or administer

These days I’m providing social media and Internet consulting service to an organization that supports rickshaw wallas and encourages people to use rickshaws instead of automobiles for shorter distances. On Saturday evening Nalin Sinha — the person who is strenuously working for the rickshaw wallas who are victimized both by the people and the state — came to my place to talk about the project.

After going through the details of the website I’m designing for them and the near-future social media strategy we started talking about the socio-political scene of the country. While talking Nalin gave a very interesting suggestion that he had also presented in the New Delhi municipality and administrative meeting around a year ago, and was laughed at. It’s about improving efficiency levels among bureaucrats and politicians.

He says whenever you are managing a civic service or a constituency you should be made to bear what other people have to go through. For instance, if certain government hospitals are under your administration, then you and your family can only get treated in those hospitals and nowhere else, and if you go to another hospital you should provide a valid reason. If you are in charge of a relocation drive then you should be ready to live in the newly settled colony and use the same amenities available to its residents. If some schools are under you then your kids have to study in those schools.

The gist is, whatever you manage, use it. This way you’ll make sure that things work properly. You’ll make sure the hospitals under you are hygienic (you can actually fall sick if you visit the general wards of AIIMS and Safdardjang Hospital) and the doctors come on time and are humane (right now they are nothing less then barbaric, not all of course), etc. You will want the schools to work properly. You will make sure amenities like electricity, water, roads, street lights are functional and the security of the air is actually present.

Wondering if such a thing can happen.