The media misquoted me on this subject. I had merely stated that the funds could have been better utilised for ensuring a better sporting future for Indian children by providing them sports training. This is something I have been repeating for several years. Just imagine if the amount spent on the Commonweatlh Games — ` 35,000
crores — had been spent on providing training to the children All I had told the media was that I would be unhappy if the games were successful and this was blown out of all proportion. In that context, I had mentioned that I was very very happy with the rains as it would ensure the nation and the farmers received a major boost. I also said that if the CWG proved successful, they would lead to the holding of other events.
But what has pleased me immensely is that what I have been saying for such a long time is now being discussed across the country and the globe. I therefore think that with everyone talking about it, I should not say anything more and have decided to keep my mouth shut and will open my mouth only after October 15.
I am not under a gag order. The party high command did not tell me anything but I also have my own career to think of. I do not have anything more to add on my earlier comment that the Olympic association of every Commonwealth country was given $100,000 of that this money should not have been paid to countries like Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and Britain since they did not need it. Nor have I said anything about corruption in the Commonwealth Games. I am not going to make any further comments at this stage. If evidence is produced, I shall talk about this once the games get over.
On the issue of why I have not spoken on corruption in other social sector schemes like NREGA, I would like to say, it’s not an aspect I know anything about. I’m trying to find out whether this is being run as a central government scheme with budgetary requirement or as a statutory employment guarantee with provisions of employment.
My comments are more broad based and are looking at a system of governance which is almost entirely bureaucratically run. Inclusive growth demands inclusive governance. Unless this systemic correction is made, I am afraid we will continue to stagnate at a position of 134 of the UN Development Index as we have done during the last fifteen years.
Unfortunately, we are stuck with a system of governance by the bureaucracy, of the bureaucracy and for the politicians. Rajiv Gandhi tried to correct this with his path-breaking constitutional amendments but alas, it did not happen.
There is certainly a consensus on devoting a very large and increasing share of the central government budget to the social sector schemes and poverty allieviation programmes which over the last 15 years have raised the central government outlays by 15 times from approximately ` 7500 crores in 1994 to ` 1,35,000 crores in the current budget. But because all this money is being delivered through mutually insulated bureucratic cilos which absorb 85 paisa from every rupee on administrative costs, outcomes bear no relationship to outlay
That India’s system of governance is such that money spent on village development is considered wasteful while thousands of crores for the Commonwealth Games is considered vital. As I have said many years ago, every five years, the masses decide who will govern the country and during the five years in between, the classes decide how the government will be run. The classes rule all the time, the masses get a look-in every five years. That is what is happening even now.
(as told to Rashme Sehgal)