Set up permanent Standing Committee on Comprehensive Administrative Reforms: Manish Tewari

Congress MP and party spokesperson Manish Tewari on March 1 suggested setting up a permanent standing committee on comprehensive administrative reforms in the country, saying it is an idea whose time has come.

In a letter to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Tewari said time has come for parliament to set up a permanent Standing Committee on the issue of Comprehensive Administrative Reforms, which should be headed by the Speaker or jointly with the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha.

He said it should consist 30 members just like any other Standing Committee of Parliament with the mandate to examine reports of both the previous administrative reform commissions, take evidence, hold broad-based consultations with experts and come up with detailed recommendations as to how India's archaic administrative system can be holistically overhauled.

Tewari maintained that despite two administrative reforms commissions set up earlier, there has been no attempt or effort in the past seven decades to reform the "colonial administrative paradigm bequeathed to us by our erstwhile Imperial Masters".

He said governments irrespective of their political colour have been completely inept at taking any initiative in this regard.

At the same time, the Congress MP cautioned the government may strongly resist any such proposal to set up a permanent standing committee. Besides, he added, there is also a huge vested interest ably led by the bureaucracy that will go to any length to stymie any such effort.