Rental bids for chemist shops in hospitals needs to be moderated..... Kulwant Kaur Sandhu

Public servant nomenclature had its own conceptual in-built meanings and after the transfer of political-administrative Power from the British Crown to Indian-made public political representatives from 1947-50's onwards, the meanings stood diluted & changed to a great extent. The Old engine of Governance rules ran on polished old tracks in an identical old model for about 50 years and by the end of 2022 stood well oiled for production of being India made controller-operator for public utilities, but quite different from British Times.

New India in reality is almost centrally controlled through "Indian Avtar Services" as mystically stated by late Sh Vajpayee, on platforms being; IAS/IFS/IPS/IRS. The serving individuals for the public posture get pictured as of to be under respective state political governance systems but their first loyalty /Sincerity remains with cadre controllers, as Union Home Ministry from time to time. The services of certain officers get loaned out to states of New India but their first answerability for compliance otherwise remain with New Delhi.

The nomenclature "PUBLIC SERVANT" was brought out in British Indian Era & had its own purpose for colonial applications being foreign invader civilization. They had different values practice norms being controller -regulator but after their exit culturally groomed under different value systems from state 2 state became the controllers with changed priorities. The results may have been good for certain subjects or certain areas or in certain times but the damage noticed or appeared been reported much larger over a period of times by conceptual dilution in approach for; Justice, welfare, equality, fairness, sensitiveness among system operators and are also under regular criticism being not fair to the interests of allocated state cadre. 

A large number of them allegedly maintain their first loyalty towards controlling cadre authorities, and many among them ordinarily don’t care much for the long term interest of the states or its people but get deployed on key positions for delivery of state public services.   

The spirit above may not get applied to many those being in fair & square while delivering justice to the consumers being individual or state but the larger part is believed to have turned in care free in the absence for accountability and serving on permanent- cemented -steel barricaded safe jobs for life times. Let us take one of those activities where public generally agitate poor or none delivery-affordable quality public utility services. 

Hospital services are part of the basic human needs from ages and every political dispensation promises the sky level quality of services if brought to the seat of governance but once they get elected, invariably found in insufficiency while handling ground delivery for public promises and seen to be caring more for fulfillment of personal agendas & concerned for the next plan, personal safety in economics etc. They invariably are found to be compromising basic ethical values which were earlier not practiced by their past predecessor's governance role models.

India, in post British era has made achievements in many a fields but general worry is that the basic fundamental approach is not getting moderated on many new needs of humanity and the system handlers prefer to continue working on old conventional road map ideas. Many an activities require structural change in their approach in public interest by deletion or amendments in end product to be higher revenue or affordable public services & satisfaction.The first and principal example on above out lived working road map of bureaucracy culture is the continuity of system for RENTING out medical shop premises of the hospitals & catering shop contracts on Bus stands. The PGI is premier Institution in Chandigarh and has a number of chemist shops out let opportunities. 

The medical bureaucracy in consultation with other administrative bureaucracy invites BID for higher- highest rentals for shops for specific time frames. The PGI reportedly getting a sum of about Rs 2 cr monthly rent form all shops and they may be spending this sum on administrative hospital needs. This sum is forced to be taken out from the pockets of poor/middle class patients and is exploitative in absolute terms!

The highest rental revenue BID system qualifies to be amended in favor for indirect relief benefit to the patients. The formula need to be that which firm agency will offer highest -maximum discounts on medical purchases from them. They ordinarily extend discount of about 10 to 12% but this could be around 40% to 60% if the BID system is changed in favor for consumer patients. 

The administrative authorities may have worries for explanatory answers to their own audit systems but policy change parameters may change the basic concept and they may not then be found on wrong side of governance. The patient may be able to manage treatment cost with almost half of what they are forced to be spending.

There are so many similar opportunities locked when a Food & Beverages serving canteen/catering on Bus stand / Railway station/Colleges/Schools etc are to be leased out and the administrative controller unconsciously tries adding higher rental than his/her past predecessor but fail to realize that higher the RENT of public premises, higher the looting /exploitation/ compromised quality standards and LOSS to common citizens -general Public. 

The tender can be by fixing rates for basics, although snack or drinking water bottle producers bring out MRP on demand from the manufacturer but such a consumer cheating/ fraud is not under scrutiny for reasons best known to the system operators' civil servants!

Hence, the Public servants may have to take a call for fresh change for better economical affordable delivery of quality public services when they are paid from the taxes collected from public in direct or indirect manner? Political & permanent bureaucracy need to be consciously accountable to them without waiting ideas of junior bubudum jumble ups.

The old office handlers invariably may continuously be making ritual presentations that audit may say so & so etc but when the Govt is to take humanly pro peoples welfare decision, it may never be misread, but appreciated by majority Republic of India. 

The improvement in quality of public services many a times is noticed quite late but those never go unnoticed, neither forgotten. The administrators, especially in cadres for IAS/IPS are expected to be delivering basic public services in an exemplified quality & consistency by regularly updating ignored conceptual levels of objectives. Hence the public dreams that permanent governance representative to be more on their side for better & higher creativeness for public utilities so as to prove better bureaucrats than British India times. 

The NGO humbly appeal, especially those operating the Health/ Transport/Education with GOI or in the states for discontinuity highest rental bids formula for Chemist Shops/Catering canteens /scooter parking sheds in Hospitals &Educational Institutes and seek bids for reducing cost burdens of consumers with introduction necessary changes in the policy being peoples benefit approach?