The Video Conference - Nothing Short of a Marathon
When we first joined the Chief Minister’s Good Governance Program, we were all thrilled to be working with the government so early in our careers. It is a rare opportunity to learn and create impact at the same time. However, as we began to familiarise ourselves with the work and the scope of this program, with excitement started seeping in apprehension and fear. We all had some understanding of the hierarchy within the government. All of us had studied some bit of it in school or college, although never had we imagined a system so extensive. There are so many departments, wings and designations that drive this complicated ever evolving machinery! Every fund available comes under innumerable heads and sub — heads. It is then that I realised that we hadn’t seen even the tip of the ice berg !
“Method in every stroke of madness”
While working within the system one will come across structures within structures that seem like an unending maze. There is bound to be confusion for the variety of work is not limited. There are times when the most powerful entity, supposedly exercising most authority feels trapped. There are occasions when the one lowest in the chain proves to be most effective. Thus, there are no hard rules to play by, but there is a system to be followed. As it was told to us repeatedly in guidance, “In the government there has to be a method in every stroke of madness”.
The PM, the CM & the DM
It is no secret that most impactful development initiatives require an approach that cuts across departments. In such projects impeccable coordination strengthened by regular communication is the key to determine success. Thus, working in silos is not an option. However, overcoming this challenge especially in a government setting seemed daunting to us. It was then that the CMGGA Programme Team introduced to us a concept as important as the Christianity’s Great Chain of Being (a strict hierarchical structure of all matter and life, thought in medieval Christianity to have been decreed by God). In the government it is the chain of the PM, the CM & the DM; the Prime Minister, the Chief Minister and the District Magistrate (known as the Deputy Commissioner (DC) in Haryana); that is most effectively felt and believed in by those inside and outside the system. A vertical hierarchy that controls, coordinates and administers all aspects of the government’s duties. There are many occasions in which we, as CMGGAs have had the opportunity to witness it in action. A VC or video conference is the most powerful example of such times.
It’s IT time!
One identifies the occasion of a VC with increased stress levels, partial attentiveness and long hours of sitting in a packed room, staring at the screen awaiting one’s turn to reply to the state level machinery’s questions. A VC is where the state level policy makers and the district level implementors are brought together using telecommunication technology to monitor and discuss the policy challenges and successes. It is a great tool to check our carbon credit and fill the communication gap between the policy makers and the implementors, of which the Indian bureaucratic system is often found guilty. Earlier for meetings such as these the officers were asked to rush to the capital, leaving behind a vacuum in their districts. However now e-governance is what’s trending and IT solutions have never been more in vogue!
The marathon begins!
A VC has been given many names in different districts of Haryana. However, my personal favourite is — ‘the marathon’. It is not because of its duration alone (lasting anything from an hour to four hours at a stretch), but the complete experience of it! There are multiple agendas of numerous departments addressed in a VC. They are structured in a well thought through chronology by those regarded as most sound for the job. While there are many departments and stakeholders present in the room, it is the DC who often speaks for the district to the representatives of the state. Often the DC is looked up to by the filed officers as he is the only one who could possibly shield them from the impending wrath of the state.
The sudden revelation in between the 200+ slides
As we leap from one agenda to another there is the stress of sailing through it without a suspension. In the government, we express our dissatisfaction without hesitation. Thus, when the ones at the apex do not find the performance of a field officer up to the required standards, and the person is unable to articulate well the conditions of his or her failure, the card of suspension is revealed to the table. This may come unannounced, as one would never know whether it was even in the deck when the meeting first began. However, what is assured is that to whomever this card is played, he or she would make it in the local daily’s headlines the very next day. Thus, as and when a topic gets completed there is a sense of achievement which can never go unnoticed. One starts counting the topics remaining from the 200+ slides that make the presentation for the VC. Every time the administration counts the number of slides they look at the associates with an expression of disdain, asking as to why we put them through this again and again. For times when the path seems long and tedious there are refreshments brought to the VC room, to rejuvenate the officers for there is no option but to complete the marathon.
At the same time it is an effective platform to celebrate good work and appreciate commendable effort . This way the best practices get shared across the state instantaneouly, and the officers get their due recognition.
The mike that must remain switched off
An extremely important exercise of routine, a VC is not always a boring event. It is accompanied by an amusing commentary that runs in the VC room, unique to the character of every district. However, to enjoy this, one has be assured at all times that the most important instrument in the room — the mike, is always exuding the soothing red glimmer, an indication that the opinions and ideologies of the district are safe and not out for contestation or controversy. There are secrets not to be revealed, discussions to be kept within the district and expectations of the capital to be said ‘yes’ to, no matter the skepticism on ground.
Conclusion
It’s the age of technology and lack of communication can no longer be an excuse for poor coordination, a problem that continues to the plague our governance system even now. The potential that a VC holds is undisputed. However, the distress it causes in due course for a greater satisfaction to be delivered later might not be so ‘saral’ to be comprehended by all. A video conference is a true delight for someone who wants to study or witness stakeholder management within the government.
