उपराष्ट्रपति श्री एम. वेंकैया नायडू ने आज जोर देकर कहा कि लोगों के प्रति कार्यपालिका की जवाबदेही सुनिश्चित करने के लिए सुशासन को ‘अच्छे विधानमंडलों’ की आवश्यकता है। उन्होंने कहा कि विभिन्न माध्यमों जैसे प्रश्न काल, कम अवधि की चर्चाएं, विधेयकों पर बहसों आदि का उपयोग करके निर्वाचित प्रतिनिधि सरकार से नीतियों के कार्यान्वयन, विभिन्न कल्याण और विकास परियोजनाओं के निष्पादन के बारे में प्रश्न कर सकते हैं। श्री नायडू ने कहा कि इसके लिए ‘अच्छे विधायकों’ की आवश्यकता है, जो लोगों द्वारा उनमें जताए गए भरोसे के साथ न्याय करने के लिए अपना सर्वश्रेष्ठ योगदान देते हैं।
श्री नायडू ने चिंता जताई की कि निरंतर व्यवधानों और जबरन स्थगन के कारण विधायिकाओं की निगरानी और जवाबदेही के कार्य अपेक्षाओं से कम हो रहे हैं। उन्होंने कहा, “अकार्यात्मक विधानमंडल समझौतापूर्ण शासन की ओर ले जाते हैं, क्योंकि विधानमंडलों में कार्यपालिका से प्रश्न किए जाने का कोई डर नहीं रह जाएगा।”
उपराष्ट्रपति ने कहा कि हाल ही में समाप्त हुए शीतकालीन सत्र के दौरान व्यवधानों के कारण राज्यसभा ने कुल प्रश्न काल का लगभग 61 प्रतिशत समय गवां दिया है। उन्होंने कहा कि यह सदन के महत्वपूर्ण निरीक्षण कार्य का गंभीर परित्याग है।
उपराष्ट्रपति ने जोर देकर कहा कि ‘अपने कार्यों का निर्वहन नहीं करने वाले सांसद या विधायक विभिन्न स्तरों पर कार्यपालिका से प्रश्न करने का नैतिक अधिकार गवां देते हैं।’
उपराष्ट्रपति ने दिवंगत पूर्व प्रधानमंत्री श्री अटल बिहारी वाजपेयी की 97वीं जयंती, जिसे ‘सुशासन दिवस’ के रूप में मनाया जाता है, के अवसर पर चेन्नई में उन्हें श्रद्धांजलि अर्पित की। चेन्नई के राजभवन से एक वीडियो संदेश में श्री नायडू ने कहा कि अटल जी अब तक के सबसे महान भारतीय नेताओं में से एक और भारत के राजनीतिक जगत के सबसे चमकते सितारों में से एक थे।
श्री नायडू ने स्मरण किया कि किस प्रकार अटल जी लोगों को विकास के एजेंडे के केंद्र में रखने में विश्वास करते थे और यह प्रदर्शित करते थे कि लोक-केंद्रित तरीके से सुशासन के माध्यम से लोकतंत्र को कैसे मजबूत किया जा सकता है।
Remembering the 'man of the masses', former Prime Minister, Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee on his Jayanti today.
— Vice President of India (@VPIndia) December 25, 2021
One of the tallest Indian leaders, #Atalji was an eminent parliamentarian, able administrator, prolific writer, mesmerising orator & above all, a great human being. pic.twitter.com/OecnIOd9Rs
यह देखते हुए कि सुशासन लोगों का प्रशासन में विश्वास बढ़ाता है और आर्थिक विकास को उत्प्रेरित करता है, श्री नायडू ने चिंता व्यक्त की कि राज्य सरकारों और स्थानीय निकायों के स्तर पर सेवाओं की प्रदायगी में ‘शासन का अभाव’ है। उन्होंने जोर देकर कहा कि इस तरह की कमी से समय और लागत बढ़ जाती है, सामाजिक-आर्थिक उन्नति का लक्ष्य जोखिम में पड़ जाता है और यह लोगों को सहभागी शासन से अलग कर देता है। उन्होंने आग्रह किया कि इस पर प्राथमिकता से ध्यान देने की आवश्यकता है।
उपराष्ट्रपति ने शासन में सुधार के लिए प्रत्यक्ष लाभ हस्तांतरण लागू करने, वित्तीय समावेशन के लिए बैंक खाते खोलने और निर्णय निर्माण में पारदर्शिता, जवाबदेही और नागरिक भागीदारी में सुधार लाने के लिए प्रौद्योगिकी को अपनाने जैसी विभिन्न पहलों का उल्लेख किया। उन्होंने शासन की दूसरी और तीसरी श्रेणियों में इस तरह की पहलों को अपनाने की अपील की।
श्री नायडू ने शासन की गुणवत्ता में सुधार के लिए सेवाओं के वितरण की समय सीमा निर्धारित करने वाले नागरिक चार्टर के बेहतर उपयोग का भी सुझाव दिया।
श्री वाजपेयी को पुष्पांजलि अर्पित करने के दौरान तमिलनाडु के राज्यपाल श्री आर.एन. रवि भी उपस्थित थे।
उपराष्ट्रपति के संदेश का मूल पाठ पढ़ने के लिए कृपया अंग्रेजी की विज्ञप्ति देखें:
“At the outset, let me pay my humble tributes to former Prime Minister, Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee on his 97th birth anniversary today. One
of the tallest Indian leaders ever and one of the most glittering stars of our political firmament, the charismatic former Prime Minister was an
outstanding parliamentarian, able administrator, poet, writer, orator par excellence and above all, a great human being.
Atalji was an exemplary champion of consensual politics, who, throughout his active political life demonstrated this spirit of understanding
and give and take. A reformist with farsighted vision, his tenure will always be remembered for ushering in connectivity revo lution and
citizen-centric governance. I am happy to know that a week-long ‘Good Governance Week’ is being observed since December 20th, 2021.
Atal Ji strongly believed in placing people at the centre of the development agenda and demonstrated how democracy can be strengthened
through good governance in a people-centric mode.
Governance is the process by which decisions are taken and the process of their implementation. Decisions are taken and implemented
through an elaborate institutional mechanism to serve the needs of the society. Ultimately, governance is aimed at improving the quality of
life of the people and enabling them meet their hopes and aspirations. Good governance is therefore, a measure of effective delivery of
goods and services of all kind that matter for the people. Timely and delivery of quality goods and services is the crux of good governance.
Good governance enhances the trust and confidence of the people in the administration and brings them together. Large sections of the
people feel that they are at the mercy of the government babus even though the citizens are supposed to be the masters for whose service the
administrative structures are conceived. This is a manifestation of the governance deficit. Such a deficit is a marker of the low credibility of
administrative agencies and jeopardizes the goal of socio-economic advancement besides alienating the people from participatory
governance. Governance deficit at the cutting edge of delivery of services like at the level of State governments and local bodies is a
particular matter of concern and needs to be addressed on priority.
Governance should inspire confidence among the people. Good governance catalyses economic growth by enhancing the confidence of the
investors. Investment flow is directly related to the quality of decision making and the culture of execution of projects. Inordinate delays and
the attendant cost and time overruns speak poorly of governance. Our country has fared poorly in this regard for too long a period.
Determined efforts have been launched in recent years to address this menace.
At the centre, execution of large scale projects languishing for several years is being regularly monitored at the highest level and this has
made a huge difference. Introduction of Direct Benefits Transfer has resulted in substantial saving of precious resources. Op ening of back
accounts on a large scale is ensuring financial inclusion. Technology is being harnessed like never before to redesign the architecture of
governance with visible impacts on transparency and accountability. Citizen participation in decision making and governance is being
promoted through technology adoption. Such initiatives need to be adopted at the second and third tiers of governance.
Citizens’ Charters prescribing time frames for delivery of services by ensuring timely decision making would help in improving the quality
of governance. Some efforts were initiated in this regard but are still to be placed on a firm pedestal. Ease of Doing Business and Ease of
Living are dependent on the quality and culture of governance.
Democracy is all about governance with the participation of the people in it through elected representatives. Having fought for freedom for
‘Swaraj’, the people of our country opted for democracy in one single stroke so that our people can govern themselves though the means of
parliamentary democracy. This implies that the people have vested the responsibility of ensuring good governance for their benefit in th e
legislatures. The representative, deliberative and oversight functions of our legislatures flow from the mandate of the people.
But unfortunately, at times our Parliament and State legislatures are betraying the trust imposed in them by the people. Legislatures are the
prime vehicles of good governance by discussing in detail the problems faced by the people; making necessary laws t o remove hurdles to
socio-economic development and ensuring the accountability of the executive to the people. But the functioning of our legislatures is falling
below the expectations and is a matter of concern. In the 75th year of our Independence, we find our nation lagging behind some of the
countries in the region who were behind us in the middle of the last century. To make up for the missed time and opportunities, our
legislatures need to function differently.
The function of ensuring the accountability of the executive to the people by the elected representatives has a lot to do with ensuring good
governance. Rules of Procedure of the legislatures offer a variety of instruments to effectively discharge this important oversight function.
These include; Question Hour, Short Duration Discussions, Calling Attention Notices, debates on Bills, Motion of Thanks to the Address of
President and Governors etc.
These instruments enable the MPs and MLAs to take the governments to task for omissions and commissions in all matters of governance
including implementation of policies, execution of various welfare and development projects etc. If the functioning of the legislatures is
derailed by persistent disruptions and forced adjournments, this important accountability function is seriously compromised.
Dysfunctional legislatures lead to compromised governance as there would be no fear among the executive of being questioned in the
legislatures. Steady decline in the sittings of legislatures and loss of functional time due to disruptions take the pressure off the executive and
the pattern of such disruptions would promote the habit of carelessness among the executive with serious implications.
The point is very simple. If an MP or MLA does not discharge functions effectively, he or she would have no moral right to question the
executive at various levels. We are aware of the nexus between the politicians and officers and other administrative personal at various
levels that results in compromised governance. It is the poor and weaker sections that are the worst sufferers of such poor governance.
Talking about the oversight function of the legislatures, Rajya Sabha has lost about 61% of the total Question Hour time due to disruptions
during the just concluded winter session. This is serious abdication of the important oversight function of the House.
The point that I like to stress on is that good governance needs good legislatures doing justice to all the three functions that I have earlier
referred to. Good legislatures need good legislators who live to the expectations of the people and give their best to do justice to the trust
reposed in them by the people. The need of the hour is such ideal legislators.
Good governance is too serious a matter to be taken lightly. Our country has been paying a heavy price due to governance deficit. In the
75th year of Independence, we need to take a solemn pledge to ensure good governance.
That is the befitting tribute we can pay to the late Shri Atal Behari Vajpayee on his birth anniversary as he dreamt of such good governance
and strived to ensure it in various capacities as a parliamentarian, minister and Prime Minister.
Thank You!”
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