In The Service Of Republic
The experts in policymaking bring out the known and the unknown stories in this four-hundred-page guide
Features
Image: Penguin Books
Mahadevan K V
Bangalore: Have you ever wondered how it feels to be in a hall full of veteran civil servants, economists and scholars? Those who attended the discussion, “In the Service of Republic”, at Bangalore International Centre recently, gave people a first-hand experience.
The book is a vital guide for civil servants helping them for effective policymaking. Written by two veteran civil servants Vijay Kelkar and Ajay Shah, the book talks about the high growth of the economy during 1991 – and its decline since 2011. Both the authors have wide-ranging experience in policymaking and implementing it from ground level. Mr. Kelkar, who served for Finance Secretary for a short while, joined hands with Shah, who was then a consultant for Department of Economic Affairs, in bringing out this book.
The event started by introducing the book to the audience and an inaugural speech by Nandan Nilekani, co-founder of Infosys and the donor-member of Bangalore International Centre. The panel discussion was moderated by C B Bhave, former senior executive director of SEBI. The other panellists were KP Krishnan, the incumbent Chairman of the Committee constituted recently by the Government of India, and Govind Rao, member of the fourteenth finance commission.
They discussed the policies that the government officials formulated and the lack of implementation at the grass-root level. “If somebody thinks that this book is for bedtime reading, please forget it, it is too heavy. There are 400 pages. So, you will have to sit at the dining table, read, and then discuss with your friends,” said Mr. Rao.
