Parallel Governance

I presume that you must not hear this term before and so like to take credit of the coinage of this term. But, you must hear the similar terms frequently regarding the Economy, Waste management and Public food distribution system.

Economist called the specter of Black money in the Indian economy as the "Parallel" economy in India. CAG in their report equates the leakage of kerosene with the "Parallel" market existing with the real market. Likewise, "Parallel Governance" is the Existence of the informal governance with the Formal governance simultaneously. This Parallel Governance is informal, Unaccountable and opaque.

You must come across the incidents or events where government official uses the whatsapp and face book for the public work. They are using it widely as its easier way to communicate but for the citizen, this trend is dangerous. Govt official use WhatsApp to take an update of the projects, order subordinate to give priority to some work etc. but, all these process/steps/actions are not formal. Bank directors send a message to their managers through whats app group. There might be whats app group of collectors, ministers etc. that I don’t know. It might be a convenient way for the communication but it's opaque as a citizen cannot access the app chat through RTI. Let me exampling things further with the example,

There is a friend of mine who passed some competitive exam and so became eligible to get a scholarship of Government of Gujarat. He completed all formalities and submitted the application form. While submitting the form,

He asked the officer that - How and when will he get a scholarship?

Officer replied - This is my phone number - I will add you in Telegram group (similar to what's app) and you will get all updates there.

My friendly said that he has not a telegram account.

Officer replied - then you have to make telegram account.

My friend - But sir I have a Major exam just in next 60 days and so I am not using such platforms.

Officer - then I cannot help, you may leave now.

(He got a scholarship but he spends days in uncertainty and anxiety)

Now the issue is that -Scholarship money comes from the public revenue, It is given by the Government but for the government, the recognized method of the communication is either letter (post) or emails.

If you think that this is a small issue of the scholarship and it cannot consider as the existence of the parallel governance, if so then let me give you an example level pertaining to Indian Image. 

You must hear about the Passport controversy of the Mrs. Shushma Swaraj. She is quite active on the twitter. Not only she but also rail ministry, telecom department and many others are also active there.  There are two issues are there:-

Though these ministers use their twitter handle for the official purpose, they block some people which go against the article 14 of the constitution of the equal treatment to all. these ministers/officers use these account as personal accounts through use for the public purpose. 

But this is a small matter, the larger thing is - How to make these minister accountable for their actions on this platforms? As we know that the Letterhead of the Minister of external affairs considered as the voice of the 1.2 billion people. Through RTI we can get copies of the all letters which written by the MEA. But In case of Twitter, consider a hypothetical case that - Mrs. Swaraj write to American ambassador or the world bank president through her Private message service on Twitter, How can we come to know about that? It’s also considered as the voice of the 1.2 billion by American ambassador and WB president.

This might seems hypothetical example to you if so let me give you a practical example. Today we have a number of Municipal commissioners, Collectors and secretaries those are tweeting at least 20 times during their office hours and about their work. Some kind of own promotion. I have no objection about that but when they are all doing the public activities on the cost of the public fund they must have to transparent and non bias. When they are doing such activities there shall be a guideline about whom to follow, whom to retweet, whose status to like etc. Mind that Data the s new oil. There is monetary value of each of your tweet and number of followers. So there must be transparency and also accountability in that.

If you want a practical example - let me give that also that help you to understand better. Suppose there is Your City's municipal commissioner ( MC) is there in twitter and tweeting about public things like traffic , drainage , road , flood etc.  Then he must not retweet or like the Public rally of the PM, CM or ministers as it's the political activity and not public activity. MC should not follow his/her friends and relative through his/her account which he/she use for the public work.

I am a citizen and not an officer so I write up Just only those things which I experienced. I have no insider view. But, I know that these platforms are being widely used by the Govt. official for the official work. "Informal" thing in "formal" affairs is always dangerous.

For an example, we all read about high profile "informal" meeting between PM Modi and President Xi in China. As it was an informal meeting there was no joint stamen. But just a few days after that, there was news that India thinking to allow the Chinese banks to open branches in India, India postponed the Building up of the maintaining striking corps. Are these development linked to that 'informal' summit?

( I like to leave you with a big question mark with the hope that You raise the demand of the more transparency )