Yogi infuses new energy into administration
Adityanath Yogi, the new Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, has grabbed a great deal of attention ever since in office. Much criticism appears to be directed towards a series of decisions taken by his Government, which ranges from the clampdown on a number of illegal slaughter houses to chalking out guidelines for anti-Romeo squads. While these were promises made by the BJP in its election manifesto, which also found resonance in the many election campaigns in the State, they were not the only ones. The promise of inclusive development, faster growth, creation of employment, general upliftment of law and order and a non-discriminatory attitude that does away with caste and religion, were other assurances the party had given.
The overarching link to all these assurances was effective administration. It is here that Adityanath Yogi and his team have been focusing over the last week or so since taking charge. One week in office and he has taken 50 administrative decisions which are targeted at bringing a change in the mindset at the ground level. Among the many decisions, popular ones too, timely reporting of officials at offices, installation of biometric attendance, and the advice to his officers to work for 18 to 20 hours a day to give a new identity to the State, have caught the public imagination. Most importantly, the new Chief Minister has walked a different path altogether by belying fears that there would be a massive reshuffle of the bureaucracy and the police hours within taking oath. Instead, he asked all Ministers to declare their income within 15 days.
Probably this was due to two reasons. First, it had been a convention for past Governments to begin their stint by ordering a complete overhaul of the bureaucracy. Their version of bringing law and order in the State was by sacking people. For example, in 2007, when Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati became the Chief Minister, within 24 hours she ordered an overhaul of the police set-up and revamped the Chief Minister's secretariat by creating the post of a Cabinet Secretary and appointed two Principal Secretaries. The same was the case with Akhilesh Yadav, who, in 2012, within a week of assuming power either transferred many officers or asked others, who were seen to belong to Mayawati's close circles, to leave.
Adityanath Yogi has not done anything of this sort. However, this does not mean that he will not make changes at some stage. Adityanath Yogi does not want to act in haste. He wants to get a first-hand understanding of the problems. He appears in no hurry to undertake a bureaucratic rejig for the sake of punishing officials who have been associated with the previous regime. This is why he has asked various departments to prepare Power Point presentations to go to the root of the problem — whether it has to do with the leadership or if there is a systematic flaw. Critics,who have been harping over every single move taken by him ought to keep their pre-conceived notions aside and give him time as his policies and actions unfold. Nevertheless, much as the Yogi may try to avoid criticism, he will have to deal with the negativity despite the good work he plans to do. But that must not deter him. He must stick to the Prime Minister's agenda of ‘Sabka saath sabka vikas’.