Delhi free water – 5 things wrong with it

Delhi government under Arvind Kejriwal has kept its first promise, while media is watching it closely. Or is it another way round? – Since the press is watching Delhi government kept its early promise?

Nothing will change for these, who actually need water (image credits to indianexpress.com)

By free water and cheaper electricity, as I understood, as supposed to be achieved through the efficiency through bringing down corruption, fixing wastage, suppress mafia and improve operations scientifically. Apparently answer is none of the above. Instead, it’s a socialistic populist freebie.

I am not impressed so far, in fact, I am worried about what’s coming next. Here, let me list down 5 things which, I think, are wrong by the way it is implemented.

Delhi water problem
Nothing will change for these, who actually need water (image credits to indianexpress.com)
  1. Some detailed, the money for free water is taken out of from the profits made by Delhi Jal Board in past years. The Idea is, profit out of public funds, should go back to the public, for free! Remember India 40-50 years ago? Never_dream_of_profit policy? This is version 2.
  2. What happens after this profit in coffer wears out? They either will have to stop the free-water flow or raise money through taxes. Either way, won’t be free anymore!
  3. What about houses which aren’t in the water grid? They don’t have free water now anyway, later point these guys need to pay for something they aren’t precisely benefitting from. Double trouble!
  4. One of the features least thought about is, If a meter consumes even a litre more than ‘free’ limit, total consumption is charged! There are no slabs. This means Dilwale Delhi people can no longer host any guest who baths daily.
  5. Free-water does not translate to availability of it. Honestly, I still wonder, what is the bigger problem in Delhi? Not having water round the clock? Or paying for the service which brings it to you?

A tick on free water, electricity next. Without even an audit, a 50% tariff reduction is written on stone. Let’s see how they mess this up?

28 thoughts on “Delhi free water – 5 things wrong with it

  1. Transferring Cancer ?

    Arvind Kejriwal’s order to transfer 800 officers of Delhi Jal Board to other departments , is like trying to cure cancer by transferring it from one part of the body to another part !

    At worst , these officers will end-up spreading their corrupt practices to those other departments

    At best , those other departments now will have , twice to thrice the number of tables to push the files around !

    Their current departmental efficiency / productivity of 10 % will further go down to 5 % !

    Perhaps , in the short term , Arvind had only this alternative to send out a message

    What should he do next ?

    Here is a suggestion :

    > Invite National Productivity Council to carry out TIME & MOTION studies
    and WORK-SAMPLING studies , to set STANDARD TIMES for all activities
    / processes

    > Get IIT -Delhi , to monitor the individual and departmental efficiencies
    ( Ratio of Actual Times / Standard times )

    > Publish findings on Delhi Government web site

    > Get IIM-A , to develop / install , a Performance Appraisal System based
    on ANNUAL OBJECTIVE SETTING exercise for each officer
    ( MANAGEMENT BY OBJECTIVES )

    > Incorporate , elements of ” Self Appraisal ” / ” Superior Appraisal ” and
    ” Peer Appraisal ”

    > Serve ” Show Cause Notice ” to those officers whose productivity is less
    than 80 % of the standard in any quarter

    > In Service Rules incorporate a clause to terminate the service of a officer
    whose productivity falls below 50 % for two consecutive quarters

    Over the next 12 months , this exercise should be carried out for all the departments of Delhi government

    This is a pre-requisite to the introduction of Guaranteed Delivery of Services Bill

    DEAR ARVIND

    Cancer cannot be cured by transferring it from one part of the body to another

    The affected part must be amputated !

    * hemen parekh ( 14 Jan 2014 / Mumbai )

    Like

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