3 broad aspects of good governance that PM Vajpayee brought in

The idea of an incumbent government seeking re-election based on its performance was not a deciding factor in elections in India till the mid-1990s. Till then the Congress party’s inherent advantage of being perceived to have spearheaded the freedom movement and the structural weakness of opposition parties to take advantage of anti-incumbency inoculated the Congress party in spite of a poor performance record. It was the liberalisation regime of the 1990s that led to a level playing field.

The democratisation of information access, the disintermediation of news with the advent of multiple platforms and a better awareness amongst citizens while making electoral choices compensated for the competitive advantage that incumbent political parties had by virtue of spending protracted periods of time in government.

It was in this period that Bharat Ratna Atal Bihari Vajpayee emerged as the torch-bearer of good governance. His language of good governance was nothing but measures by which an incumbent government’s performance could be measured. It is worth relooking at the three broad aspects of good governance that Prime Minister Vajpayee brought in — implementing a strategic vision, enhancing transparency and ensuring government accountability — that led to his birthday being celebrated as Good Governance Day.

Implementing a strategic vision: Leaders at the top, especially in a complex federal structure like India’s, need to put together visions that resonate with a large and diverse population. Prime Minister Vajpayee’s strategic vision led to a boost in infrastructure building. While the golden quadrilateral is a visible contribution, the effect of Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana on rural villages by boosting rural road connectivity and generating employment was equally transformative.

The idea of investing in human capital at an early stage led to the Sarva Siksha Abhiyan that ensured universalisation of primary education in a time-bound manner. India’s decision to conduct nuclear tests in Pokhran and then committing to a unilateral moratorium on further explosive testing can be attributed to Prime Minister Vajpayee’s strategic vision and thinking.

In the long run, the successful nuclear tests catapulted India into the nuclear high table culminating in the civil nuclear cooperation agreements between India and other countries. Transparency: It was not until 2002, under Prime Minister Vajpayee, that India had a law that made transparency a cornerstone of governance by ensuring that governments provided information proactively through voluntary disclosures.

The Freedom of Information Act, 2002, was the precursor to the Right to Information Act and mandated public information officers to provide the information requested within 30 days. Accountability: Prime Minister Vajpayee’s outlook towards accountability ensured taxpayers’ money was used and prioritised effectively for the most important programmes.

The passing of the Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management Act ensured that the government institutionalised fiscal discipline and committed to bringing down the deficit. Vajpayee’s ideas of good governance have significantly influenced the two terms of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. By passing laws such as Citizenship Amendment Act and effectively abolishing Article 370 — which was anti-women, anti-Dalit and anti-tribal — the PM has added an additional dimension to the Vajpayee doctrine of good governance by focusing on equity and rule of law.

Ideas such as Jan Dhan Yojana which were lampooned by the elite showcase the strategic vision of the PM. In this fiscal year alone, more than Rs 2.57 lakh crore has been transferred to more than 700 million beneficiaries directly into their bank accounts. The Direct Benefit Transfer programme has allowed the government to take care of the poorest of the poor during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The new National Education Policy is another example of the PM’s strategic vision. Accountability to the people and transparent administrative and legislative processes continue to be a cornerstone of this government. The Prime Minister’s call for ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas’ (everyone’s support, everyone’s development, everyone’s trust) is nothing but a rallying cry for good governance.

The writer is Union minister of state for home affairs