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PRE-CONCLAVE

SPECIAL

A QCI Publication QCI

18 INDIA SPEAKS

EMINENT

INDIANS AND THEIR VIEWS ON

QUALITY

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MOHAN

EYE INSTITUTE FACILITIES AVAILABLE

ON PANEL

GOVT. ORGANISATIONS BSES, CGHS, DGEHS, DVB, DTL, DJB, DTC, DU, ESI, IPGCL, MCD, NDPL, NDMC.

PUBLIC SEC. ORGANISATIONS AAI, BSNL,DTTDC, EIL, FCI, GAIL,MTNL, OIL, ITDC, NTC, PFC.

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MOHAN

EYE INSTITUTE FACILITIES AVAILABLE

ON PANEL

GOVT. ORGANISATIONS BSES, CGHS, DGEHS, DVB, DTL, DJB, DTC, DU, ESI, IPGCL, MCD, NDPL, NDMC.

PUBLIC SEC. ORGANISATIONS AAI, BSNL,DTTDC, EIL, FCI, GAIL,MTNL, OIL, ITDC, NTC, PFC.

Phacoemulsification Glaucoma Surgery Squint Surgery Vitreo - Retinal Surgery Corneal Transplant Orbital and oculoplastic Surgery Refractive Surgery

SPECIALISED SERVICES

MORNING

8.00 AM — 1.00 PM

EVENING 2.00 PM — 7.00 PM

Digital Fluorescein Angiography A & B Ultrasound Humphreys Field Analyser Photo-Slit Lamp Ultrasonic Pachymetry & Biometry Argon Green Laser Yag Laser Endo laser Lasik surgery Topography OCT

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Future of Quality

MONTEK’S

MANIFESTO In the 12th Five Year Plan States will be expected to focus on: 9 Enhancing the capacity for growth 9 Upgrading skills for faster generation of employment 9 Managing the environment Make markets efficient and inclusive More decentralisation and empowerment Better technology and innovation 9 Securing the energy future of India Accelerated development of transport infrastructure Rural transformation and sustained growth of agriculture Managing urbanisation 9 Improved access to quality education 9 Better preventive and curative heatlh care (Courtesy: Business Today)

Quality is a timeless concept. It has been an inherent part of human society, right from their creation. Somewhere down the line, we began to formally identify quality only with the manufacturing sector and accordingly link quality evolution with industry. Today, the clock has taken a full circle and quality is an inseparable entity in everything we do; hence, it has truly become a way of life.

Quality can be attributed to a product, a process, a system, an organisation or to entire nation. The future of quality undoubtedly belongs to how nations come up to expectations of their citizens. The Human Development Index (HDI) is one way of estimating how close a nation is in terms of taking care of its citizens. We have a long way to go in catching up as India is ranked 134 out of 182 countries in HDI. India has a score of 47 per cent on regulatory quality, 45 per cent on control of corruption and 54 per cent on government effectiveness.

Government of India has adopted a development strategy, which is based on inclusive growth. It needs to focus on productive employment rather than mere income redistribution and this is where quality comes into play. The fact is that around 58 per cent of the population earns its livelihood from agriculture and allied activities, while this sector is contributing only 18 per cent to the GDP. Here again we have a huge gap. Ideally speaking, three sectors -- agriculture, manufacturing and services -- should contribute equal value to the economy.

Each sector needs to develop the others to ensure sustained/inclusive growth.

I had a chance to read an article in Business Today (February 6, 2011), which has an interesting conversation with Mr Montek Singh Ahluwalia, Deputy Chairperson, Planning Commission, and Mr Arun Maira, Member, Planning Commission. The 12th Plan is going to be different. The Commission has identified 12-key strategy challenges, which look like a corporate business model aimed at inclusive growth and move the nation

Dr Girdhar J. Gyani is the Secretary General, Quality Council of India and editor of Quality India. He can be contacted at sg@qcin.org.

upward on HDI. Quality Council of India with its mission: “Quality for National Well Being” is very actively engaged and will prove to be a proud partner with the Planning Commission in some of these strategies (See Montek's Manifesto: highlighted in red). To cite a few examples, one of the objectives of QCI is to develop apropos capacities at the level of government, institutions and enterprises for implementing and institutionalising continuous quality improvement. QCI is closely working with a number of ministries and even some state governments in designing and even operationalising quality and regulatory schemes. The other important area is skill development. QCI has signed an MoU with the Ministry of Labour for comprehensive capacity building in ITIs and associated infrastructure towards compliance of the PMO's advisory to have 500 million skilled technicians by 2022. On the education front, QCI has come out with a simple criteria aimed at improvement of school governance and is working with CBSE and a number of state governments to bring about improvement in school governance at the primary and secondary levels of the schools. QCI has developed all important criteria on behalf of the Ministry of Environment and Forests, for accreditation of consultants engaged in preparing environment impact assessment. In healthcare, QCI is helping number of state governments in capacity-building to incorporate standards on patient safety.

Besides building capacity, QCI has initiated work on the principle of third party assessment, incorporating objectivity and transparency, which in the larger context is referred to as Minimum Government and Maximum Governance.

The contribution in quantum may be tiny but is going to be high in spirit, something like what that small squirrel did in building the Ram Setu for Lord Rama. It is a pleasant co-incidence that Mr Arun Maira, in the capacity of Chairperson, QCI, will be guiding us on this important mission.

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GIRDHAR J. GYANI

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LETTERS A QCI Publication

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QCI leads with its mission of promoting prosperity through quality

QCI

Asian moves n ANQ Co

i 20 Delh gress

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on Quality Heralding Asia’s rightful role in the world socio-economic order, India takes the lead to host the Asian Network for Quality Congress with focus on

QUALITY

FOR INCLUSIVE

GROWTH

QUALITY MEANS PEOPLE FIRST

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Quality India met Chief Ministers, Ministers, Members of Parliament and Bureaucrats to find out how the government is bringing in governance. While governance focuses on the approach in which decisions are made, government focuses on the approach in which these decisions are carried out.

IT's bright future ahead (October, 2010) interestingly talked about the future of IT industry in India.

There is no doubt that the IT-BPO sector has become a premier growth engine and has played a central role in putting India on the global map. As a matter of fact, the software industry in India is advancing in leaps and bounds.

According to Nasscom, the IT industry in India will grow at $225 billion by 2020. Nasscom expects the domestic IT-BPO services sector to grow at a compounded annual growth rate of 14 per cent over the next two years to $16.7 billion in financial year 2011 from $12.8 billion in 2009.

Reema Sahai Chandigarh The story, Quality moves bring salutary changes in healthcare (October, 2010) was an eye-opener. As a matter of fact, there is a rapid progress in healthcare technologies for better healthcare facilities in India.

Every day, new sensors and devices are being researched with new sensing materials to render better healthcare systems. On the contrary, our primary healthcare system today has not been responsive to the demands and needs of the people. It looks as if only those who can afford it have the right to be freed from diseases by gaining access to the highly specialised modern medical care.

Ram Manohar Mathura

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Contents C ecia p

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A QUALITY MOVEMENT

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Quality professionals gathered just a year ago to discuss ways to empower the masses. Quality India presents vignettes from the last Quality Conclave.

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AWARDING QUALITY P10 D L Shah had envisioned the concept of enhancing organisational profit through quality initiatives. His trust, in collaboration with QCI, is promoting quality awareness through QCI-DL Shah National Awards.

ACCOLADES FOR QUALITY P14 QCI confers organisations for maintaining quality in their process and production. A look at the conferred conglomerates that have rendered exceptional quality services to the nation.

LETTERS

“Improve our own quality”

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Arun Maira, Chairperson, Quality Council of India, has a broad agenda for quality. He would like to see quality wherever the aam aadmi goes, he told Quality India.

Quality initiatives for technology p103 Technical and qualitative workforce needs to be kept abreast with the changing technologies to be on the top. QCI will play a major role in accreditation.

Technical education in India has got a greater push as discussed in the story, Quality in technical education for global competitiveness (October, 2010). Recently, the Centre has allowed companies registered as non-profit entities to establish technical institutions.

Gyan Prakash Agra

Quality Council of India

STRATEGIES FOR QUALITY P122 The Quality Council of India has been entrusted by the Government to bring in quality in our lives.

A look at how World Quality Day was celebrated.

Manufacturing industry has gained momentum as rightly illustrated in the story, Where do Indian companies stand in the practice of quality-based management? (October, 2010).

India is aiming to become an international manufacturing hub and the National Manufacturing Policy has been charted in this direction: the policy aims to create world class industrial infrastructure, a conducive business environment, an ecosystem for technological innovation — especially in the domain of green manufacturing, institutions for industry relevant skill upgradation and mechanisms for easy access to finance for entrepreneurs.

Vatsal Sethi Mumbai

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Regional endeavour p114 In order to establish a credible and transparent accreditation mechanism for accreditation of Vocational Training Providers in Karnataka, a MoU has been signed.

Institution of Engineers Bldg., 2 Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, New Delhi 110 002 Tel / Fax: 011 2337 9321 011 2337 0567

Designed, printed and published by Newsline Publications Pvt Ltd. D-11 Basement, Nizamuddin (East), New Delhi -110 013 Tel: +91-11-41033381-82 on behalf of Quality Council of India (QCI) at Nutech Photolithographers, New Delhi 110 020 Editor: Girdhar J. Gyani For private circulation only.

Sharmila Ghose and Nandu Manjeshwar contributed for this special edition of QUALITY INDIA.

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Minimum Government: Hamid Ansari Vice President We must question whether the search for quality has remained an essential characteristic in our society

Maximum Governance SECRETARY GENERAL GIRDHAR J GYANI ON THE KEY ROLE OF QUALITY COUNCIL OF INDIA IN USHERING IN GOOD GOVERNANCE. uality Council of India (QCI) was set up jointly by the Government of India and the Indian Industry Associations to establish and operate national accreditation structure and promote quality through National Quality Campaign. QCI is registered as a non-profit society with its own Memorandum of Association (MoA). QCI is governed by a Council of 38 members with equal representations from government, industry and consumers.

Chairman of QCI is appointed by the Prime Minister on the recommendation of industry to the government. Keeping in view the

Q

T MOVE TO GLOBAL STANDARDS: Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh chairing the UIA of India Council Meeting, in New Delhi on August 12, 2009. On the dais (from left to right) are Chairman of UIDAI Nandan Nilekani; the Prime Minister and Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee.

mission, “Quality for National Well Being”, the Council is playing a pivotal role at the national level in propagating, adoption and adherence to quality standards in all important spheres of activities including education, healthcare, environment protection, governance, social sectors, infrastructure sector and such other areas of organised activities that have significant bearing in improving the quality of life and well being of the citizens of India.

The key objectives of QCI as provided in the MoA:

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To develop, establish and operate National Accreditation programme in accordance with the relevant international standards and guides for the conformity assessment bodies; To develop, establish and operate National Accreditation Programmes for various service sectors such as education, healthcare, environment protection, governance, social sectors, infrastructure sector, vocational training, etc.; To build capacities including development of appropriate quality accreditation mechanism for other emerging areas that have significant bearing in improving the quality of life and well being of the citizens of India; To encourage development and application of third party assessment model for use in government, regulators, organisations and society; To build capacities in the areas

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of regulation, conformity assessment and accreditation to overcome TBT/SPS constraints.

To lead nationwide quality movement in the country through National Quality Campaign aimed at creating awareness amongst citizens, empowering them to demand quality in all spheres of activities, promoting and protecting their well being by encouraging manufacturers and suppliers of goods and service providers for adoption of and adherence to quality standards and tools; To develop apropos capacities at the level of governments, institutions and enterprises for implementing and institutionalizing continuous quality improvement; Promoting the establishment of quality improvement and benchmarking centre, as a repository of best international/national practices and their dissemination among the industry in all the sectors; To promote quality competitiveness of India's enterprises especially MSMEs through adoption of and adherence to quality management standards and quality tools.

To encourage industrial/applied research and development in the field of quality and dissemination of its result in relevant publication including and trade journals; and, To facilitate effective functioning of a National Information and Enquiry Services on standards and quality including an appeal mechanism to deal with unresolved complaints.

itself. It was also realized that many of the services covered under QCI's accreditation programmes especially in health and education sectors, are provided by the government and its institutions and the challenge is in evaluating these organisations and motivating them in implementing accreditation standards.

Keeping the above two in mind, QCI initiated a programme on providing technical assistance to the government and its institutions under the National Quality Campaign assigned to QCI at the time of its establishment.

Regulatory bodies The basis of technical regulation worldwide is the standards prescribed under regulation and checking compliance to the prescribed standards. In an environment where there is a widespread dissatisfaction with the prevailing regulatory framework in India and which is compounded further by the depleting resources with the regulators, accreditation of conformity assessment bodies represents an attractive alternative especially considering that the use of accreditation also brings the regulatory framework to international standards.

The Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB)

Manmohan Singh Prime Minister The strength of a nation is determined by the quality of its collective knowledge, the productivity of its working people and the dedication of its professional work force

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T STEP FORWARD: Dr Girdhar J Gyani, Secretary

General, Quality Council of India, addressing the national workshop on “Food Safety and Standards Act” held on July 15, 2010, in New Delhi.

QCI - Promoting Good Governance It was realised that accreditation of conformity assessment bodies by QCI can play a key role in improving the regulatory quality in India and thus the quality of governance

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EMERGING STRUCTURE Government (to enact legislation) Regulatory Bodies (to enforce the law) Accreditation Body (Technical competence of CABs) Conformity Assessment Bodies (CABs) (support regulation – voluntary certification) Manufacturers and Service providers Common man – recipient of goods and services

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was the first regulatory body to take a decision for relying on third party conformity assessment bodies, accredited by QCI, in enforcing its regulation. Likewise the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 embraced a provision for use of NABL accredited laboratories and subsequently, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has decided to rely on QCI accreditation of certification /inspection bodies in its regulatory framework. In case of both these regulators, QCI is actively assisting them in drafting appropriate regulations incorporating the concept of accreditation and third party conformity assessment.

Infrastructure projects The Central/State Governments are making huge investments in infrastructure projects and monitoring quality in such projects is a key concern.

The accreditation of third party inspection bodies specializing in areas such as construction, oil and gas installations, and water supply and power projects provides a ready solution to the need for independent quality monitoring. There is a possibility of accrediting consulting organisations on the lines of the scheme for accreditation of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) consultants operated by NABET which has recently been made mandatory by the Ministry of Environment and Forests, and initiating a contractor certification programme to help build quality into infrastructure projects.

This is in tune with worldwide emerging trends, wherein Government is restricting its role in enacting of legislations and appointing autonomous professional regulators in enforcing of legislation. Further, in order to bring total transparency, regulators rely on third party conformity assessment bodies (CABs) to verify compliance of regulations. Here again role of

accreditation comes in establishing competency of CABs. In most of the cases regulators get into MoU with QCI to ensure that CABs are under constant surveillance to enforce regulation in letter and spirit.

QCI - Responding to Voluntary initiatives There is a worldwide increase in use of standards — for products, services, practices and systems. The standards could be enforced by law i.e. technical regulations or be driven by market demand i.e. voluntary standards.

As per provisions of the WTO Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT Agreement), member nations have a responsibility to protect health and safety of their populace and can impose standards by law on grounds of national security, safety, health, environment, and deceptive trade practices. These are called technical regulations and India, like most other countries in the world, has its own share of such regulations — be it electrical appliances or food or drugs.

Some of the well-known voluntary initiatives, driven by market demand are management systems standards of ISO like ISO 9001 for Quality Management Systems, ISO 14001 for Environment Management Systems, ISO 22000 for Food Safety Management Systems, etc.

India has a number of certification bodies in the market operating these certifications to international standards and these certificates are acceptable worldwide through the multilateral mutual recognition arrangement of the International Accreditation Forum (IAF). The National Accreditation Board for Certification Bodies (NABCB) of the QCI is a proud member of this international equivalence and industry can seek an internationally equivalent certificate right at its door-step.

In addition to the above, there are a number of stakeholder-

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driven initiatives around the world where Indian stakeholders do not seem to have a voice. Some of these are: Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) for food safety related initiatives Global Gap for good agricultural and animal husbandry initiatives World Business Council for Sustainable Development for GHG accounting standards Global Organic Textiles Standards Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and Programme for Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) for sustainable forest management WRAP certification in textiles India does not have any institutionalized framework to participate in these initiatives primarily because voluntary standards development has remained in the governmental domain with attendant restrictions in responding to what are considered as 'private initiatives' and the Indian stakeholders, the industry bodies, the NGOs, despite commendable work being done by them, have still not reached a stage where they could provide a focal point for India's response.

Given the above scenario, QCI made a modest beginning by signing a MoU with Global Gap in May, 2008 to create a National Technical Working Group and undertaking the task of preparing a national interpretation of the Global Gap standards. It proposes to engage with other international bodies owning voluntary schemes to provide an Indian voice. In the foreseeable future, we should not be surprised to see an Indian food safety initiative benchmarked

by GFSI! Back home, some of the ministries/regulating bodies/government agencies have begun to realise the need for putting in place voluntary initiatives to encourage Indian industry to demonstrate

compliance to standards and their world class capability. Notable among these are the following: Department of AYUSH's initiative for voluntary certification of AYUSH products through AYUSH Standard and Premium marks Food Safety and Standards Authority of India's 'Tasty food, Safe food' initiative for grading of eateries based on food safety practices as Platinum, Gold, Silver and Bronze National Medicinal Plants Board's initiative for certification of medicinal plants based on good agricultural and collection practices QCI has not only helped design these initiatives but is also managing these schemes on behalf of the 'scheme owners'. FSSAI is now proposing similar initiatives in HACCP certification and GAP

certification in which QCI is actively involved. There are other ministries/agencies like Ministry of New and Renewable Energy and National Horticultural Board or Development Commissioner (Handicrafts), who have or are intending to engage QCI for similar initiatives.

Thus, QCI is poised to play a key role as a hub of voluntary initiatives, both national and international, aimed at supporting good governance.

Pranab Mukherjee Finance Minister For any organisation to work efficiently and effectively, it is of utmost importance that it has: well trained and motivated manpower. Better office ambience plays an important role in delivery of quality services.

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S SHOWING THE WORLD OUR MED -

ICAL CAPABILITIES: A surgery in progress — Indian healthcare is in great demand from overseas patients.

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a visionary for ‘Made in India’

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AS A ‘QUALITY GURU’, DL SHAH HAS LEFT AN INDELIBLE MARK. AN INDUSTRIALIST OF REPUTE, PHILANTHROPIST AND A MAN OF VISION, HE MADE A TREMENDOUS CONTRIBUTION TO INDIAN INDUSTRY IN GENERAL, AND THE MACHINE TOOL INDUSTRY IN PARTICULAR

BY SETTING AND EVEN RAISING BENCHMARKS OF QUALITY. Quality is not an act, it is a habit.

Aristotle There is a quote for every occasion — be it manufacturing, be it services or be it governance — on quality. In any occupation “quality” is inborn and cannot be either thrust from the top or induced from the bottom.

There have been many quality gurus, in the past century hailing from many countries, while some have left indelible mark on the “quality canvas” — Dr Edwards Deming, Dr Joseph Juran, Dr Kaoru Ishikawa, Dr Genichi Taguchi and many more. Each one has contributed one significant aspect that collectively contributes to achieving quality in totality. However, Armand Feigenbaum sums up through “3-steps to quality” in which he emphasises: Quality leadership, modern quality technology and an organisational commitment to quality. This holds true even today.

It has to be admitted that we are late starters and our entrepreneurs, with malice to none, were occupied with shortterm gains over the long-term benefits. Sheltered by all kinds of “Raj systems” our entrepreneurs were ensconced comfortably till the globalisation took effect. Once again it has to be admitted that IT industry and IT-enabled services were the first movers. They had the vision to go global. And for others it was almost cataclysmic from insular comforts to global challenges.

In any seminar or a conference it is fashionable to quote Deming or Juran or Ishikawa but one

seldom hears about our homegrown quality guru DL Shah. At a time when the word quality was not fashionable, it was DL Shah who plodded along the narrow path practicing and propagating quality to those who would listen to him. As a successful businessman he could have easily practiced what he preached in his workplace; instead, he was keen that India too produce quality products and services. He was a visionary. He wanted “Made in India” products to be synonymous with quality.

DL Shah made a tremendous contribution to the Indian industry in general and the machine tool industry in particular. His quest for quality knew no bounds and remained restless till he achieved his target.

And this he did till he breathed last in 1999, at the age of 92. It is unfortunate that only posthumously DL Shah’s contribution towards quality promotion and propagation is being recognised. In his lifetime though Shah never sought accolades for his efforts and work, he went on tirelessly in spreading awareness on quality and in creating conducive atmosphere in achieving quality in the country.

Before independence India was dependent on imports and Shah started importing goods required by the industries in 1920s. After independence, foreseeing the need of a strong industrial base and modern machine tools in a developing nation, he founded Perfect Machine Tools Company (PMT) and represented several European manufacturers of machine tools.

In mid-1950s, he represented German company Traub and subsequently in the 1960s entered into collaboration with Traub for manufacturing their machine tools in the country.

To be self-reliant and selfsufficient is more important, Shah believed, for growth than relying on imports. His company entered into several collaborations with

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DL Shah Trust: Promoting research and excellence OBJECTIVES The Trust set up during his lifetime, DL Shah was clear about its objectives: ¾ Encourage and promote fundamental and applied research efforts on continuing basis in the field of science and technology, arts, philosophy and social science in India. ¾ Interact dynamically and

synergistically with the academic community and research bodies on one hand and industry and commerce on the other, enhancing their interface between the two. ¾ Promote research and other

activities related to the preservation, protection and improvement of the ecology and environment. ¾ Promote the development and use

of environment-friendly industry process and water management. ¾ Promote and foster the movement

of quality consciousness and quality awareness as regards products and services provided in India. ¾ Promote research and development

as to safety measures and practices followed in industrial concerns. ¾ Make “Made in India” label

European manufacturers for manufacturing various kinds of machine tools within the country.

His efforts, undoubtedly, gave Indian industries a boost in acquiring quality machine tools at a cost lot lesser than the imported ones.

Apart from being promoter of his own company in the machine tools industry, his stature was

synonymous with "Quality of Excellence".

He was not satisfied with merely laying down objectives and expected people—industrialists, businesspersons, academics —to work towards the introduction of systems, methods, mechanisms and practices to the betterment of the overall Quality of life in India. In doing so; make Quality of dealings and business ethics to inspire confidence and faith among all public. In equal measure he emphasised in inculcating the spirit of “scientific temper with a human and humane face” amongst our citizens.

The research need not be confined to industrial applications only, but also in arts, culture, history and philosophy.

Shah was deeply concerned with environment and ecology. Progress and preservation ought to move hand-in-hand and cannot be in conflict. He was particularly enthusiastic in promoting education and research in conservation of flora, fauna, water, soils and natural resources of the country, its environment and prevention of all kinds of pollution.

With a view to furthering this objective the Trust has initiated a major activity in association with The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) in the field of education and its management for teachers.

The pilot programme is already completed.

The Quality Council of India’s

(QCI) theme “Quality for National Wellbeing” synergises with the objective of DL Shah Trust. It is a natural progression that two organisations joined together in recognising that quality, and quality alone, is the way forward in improving the “Quality of Life” as envisioned by DL Shah that encompasses every walk of life.

The purpose of QCI-DL Shah Award is to highlight: ¾ Profit enhancement is possible through quality initiative. ¾ Award recognises successful

projects that have given tangible savings.

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¾ Recognise achievements in

continual improvement through quality management. ¾ Motivate organisations apply quali-

ty tools and techniques. ¾ Promote quality awareness within

the industry.

QCI-DL Shah is unique as it is given to projects. QCI is an autonomous NGO setup by the Government of India and the Indian industry (represented by ASSOCHAM, FICCI and CII). The DL Shah Trust’s support is for QCI-DL Shah National Award on “Economics of Quality”, awarded each year.

that of a mentor. He also held the post of President of the Indian Machine Tools Manufacturers Association and Machine Tools Marketing Association of India. A typical character of Shah was that he would advice and help fellow machine tools manufacturers, irrespective of whether they were his competitors or not, in advising to improve quality. Such

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The Reliance Consumer Finance team receiving the QCI-DL Shah National Awards from Prof Masaaki Imai.

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was his passion and worked tirelessly, not only for the industry segment he represented, but for the overall good of the country.

There is another angle that many never knew in his lifetime and that is philanthropy. He created institutions certainly not to perpetuate his personal legacy but a legacy that lasts human frailty — that is quality. He founded DL Shah Trust for Applied Sciences, Technology, Arts and Philosophy in 1994. The objectives of the Trust are quite wide; some of which are evident from the Trust’s name. Through activities engaged in diverse fields, the ultimate endeavour being to improve the “Quality of Life” of fellow humans. Along with like-minded and reputed industrialists, he set up National Centre of Quality Management (NCQM). He was also instrumental in setting up CMTIPMT Trust for promoting research and development in the field of machine tools, manufacturing technologies and to encourage design talent in this specific filed.

It is most befitting that CMTIPMT Awards are given at every IMTEX exhibition and is considered to be one of the most prestigious awards in the industry.

Shah also helped in setting up the ‘PMT Centre for Quality Management’ at Bhagubhai Mafatlal Technical Institute at Vile Parle, Mumbai. After his demise, the DL Shah Trust for

Applied Sciences, Technology, Arts and Philosophy came under the guidance of distinguished trustees who are all achievers in their respective fields: The notables being HK Taneja (former Chief Executive of Indian Registrar of Shipping), Rohan Shah (an eminent advocate in Mumbai), Gautam Doshi (Managing Director of Reliance ADA Group), SM Pathania (former Director General of Police, Maharashtra State), and KK Nohria (former CMD of Crompton Greaves Limited). The Trustees have carried forward the objectives and mission left by DL Shah.

A philanthropist to the core DL Shah was a generous donor during his lifetime. He bequeathed his personal property for ‘D L Shah Trust' in order to continue his mission for a better India in all walks of life. The Trust has published a number of books on Quality, Productivity and ISO Standards for Quality and these have been distributed free-of-charge to educational institutions and professionals.

Over the years, thousands of copies of such books have been distributed and forms a valued trove for the recipients.

The Quality Council of India (QCI) in collaboration with DL Shah Trust has instituted QCI-DL Shah National Awards on Economics of Quality. It provides an opportunity for the companies to showcase and share their success stories. That the Awards have become popular, at the National level, is only an understatement. But what is significant today is that entrepreneurs have understood the “Economics of Quality”.

If DL Shah was alive today, he would have been brimming with joy that his lifelong mission and also his vision have turned into reality and more importantly “Made in India” products or services are symbols of quality, globally. Indeed, QCI is carrying forward that noble mission for the “National Well Being”.

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Accolades for the quality-conscious QCI confers organisations for maintaining quality in their process and production. The conferred conglomerates have rendered exceptional quality services to the nation.

OUTSTANDING CASE STUDY

CATEGORY A - PUBLIC SECTOR

National Thermal Power Corporation Limited

HCL Limited

Bharat Electronics Limited

National Thermal Power Corporation Limited (NTPC), set up in 1975, is India’s largest power generating organisation. The total installed capacity of the company is 32,694 MW, including joint ventures, having 15 coal-based and seven gas-based stations located across the country.

NTPC’s Vindhyachal Super Thermal Power Station (VSTPS) is the largest power station in the country and torchbearer of Six Sigma initiatives in Indian power sector. It is the belief that excellence is an ever moving target and in pursuing its journey is to make available sustainable power for the development of the nation. In that pursuit, the Team VSTPS has been creating over higher benchmarks for others to emulate. The Team VSTPS uses multiple quality tools and methodologies such as Six Sigma, Lean, seven Quality Circles and benchmarking. The Unit is certified with ISO 9001, ISO 14001, OHSAS 18001 and 5S.

Back office operations are an inflection point in India. They are expanding from simple rule-based processes to those that are complex and requiring decisions and judgments.

This is more in the cases if insurance policies when policyholder’s claims are rejected.

These usually are not open-andshut case and complex insurance claims require decisions and judgments with justifications.

Such cases, in the back office need to be handled by experts with domain knowledge.

Therefore, decisions and judgments should match those made by experts and it is a huge intellectual challenge.

Then the client expects the team work in ‘clean room’ where pen, paper, phone and internet are banned. Three sets of tactics were launched: First, to avoid claustrophobia of ‘clean room’, two executives were placed in a box with four monitors where all databases could simultaneously be referred and discussed between the two; second, tasks were segmented and finally, the “excellence with human face” concept was harnessed.

Applying the concepts of “rapid cognition”, “thin slicing” and “stored set of patterns” gleamed from Malcolm Gladwel’s Blink, it was established that, like any expert in any industry HCL’s team slowly moved forward to solve cases much faster with lesser parameters.

Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) was established at Bengaluru in 1954, under Ministry of Defence, to meet the specialised needs of Indian defence forces. Over the years, it has grown into multiproduct, multi-technology and multi-unit conglomerate serving the needs of customers in India and abroad. It was conferred “Navratna” status in 2007. BEL’s vision is to be a world class enterprise in professional and sophisticated electronics.

Traditionally, the development and preparation of the training material has been the responsibility of the trainers. In such a scenario, trainers need to collect, arrange and integrate the information in trainee’s perspective. With the onset over increasing sophistication and complex equipment, it is beyond the trainer to grasp in entirety the complex functioning of equipment.

Thus the onus falls on the manufacturers to develop training manuals (or training aggregates) that ranges from charts, slides, brochures, work modules, videos or computer based training. The training aggregate, while it explains usage of equipment threadbare, needs to be cost effective too.

BEL used Six Sigma methodology in designing, developing and supplying cost effective and customer-centric training aggregates. Using quality tool, including Six Sigma, BEL was able to save `2,745,833.

Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (Ranipet) Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) is one of the oldest and largest state-owned engineering and manufacturing enterprise in the energy-related and infrastructure sectors-which include Power, Railways, Transmission and Distribution (T&D), Oil and Gas sectors and many more. It is the 12th largest power equipment

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manufacturer in the world. Setup almost 50 years ago, ushering in indigenous heavy electrical equipment industry in India. The company is one amongst nine largest public sector undertakings (PSU) and truly a “Navratna”.

The QC (Quality Check) tools such as brain storming, root cause analysis, and Pareto Analysis were the techniques used to overcome the problem. After brain storming 52 problems were identified which were categorised as A, B and C.

National Thermal Power Corporation — (Sipat Plant) National Thermal Power Corporation Limited (NTPC), at Sipat, is one of the 15 coal-based power generation complexes in the country. It is located 22 km from Bilaspur in the State of Chhattisgarh.

The Sipat Super Thermal Power Station (SSTPS) has the generation capacity of 2,980 MW consisting 1,980 MW (3x660MW) in Stage 1 and 1,000MW (2x500MW) in Stage II. Its Stage I units are the first Supercritical technology plant in the NTPC family.

Mill reject handling system is an essential sub-system in a steam generator. The main function of this system is to safely deposit the hot, corrosive pyrites rejected by a coal mill. The mode of disposal is either manual or pneumatic. The pneumatic type mill reject system, since its commissioning, suffered from poor reliability, low availability and operational problems and due to these problems, the plant had to resort to manual operation.

Pareto analysis was used as a tool for the project. Through cause and effect diagrams, problems afflicting the system were identified.

As a result, the gross saving was to the tune of ` 1,557,783.

CATEGORY B1 Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) is one the largest private sector organisation in India, it

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continues to be featured in the Fortune Global 500 list of the “World’s Largest Corporations” and ranks 117 in terms of profit. RIL’s businesses include textiles, polyester, fibre intermediates, polymers, petrochemicals, crude oil and gas, refining, retail and life sciences. RIL has greenfield manufacturing sites at Naroda, Patalganga, Hazira and Jamnagar. It has further strengthened its position in the market through acquisitions, such as IPCL units at Baroda, Nagathone and Gandhar; polyester units at Hoshiarpur, Lucknow, Allahabad, Nagpur and Baulpur.

Cracker plant, at Hazira, manufactures ethylene, propylene and other high value chemicals through cracking naphtha in ultra selective cracking furnace. Over a period, the heat transfer co-efficient of all convection section banks got deteriorated, resulting in decrease of furnace energy efficiency and increase stack temperatures. This lead to considerable “energy penalty” and limited the production throughput.

The company preferred to develop innovative solution for convection coil cleaning to improve furnace efficiency. The project’s requirement was identified through global benchmarking carried out by M/s Solomon Associates and subsequent Gap analysis. During the same period, in one of the benchmarking results published by M/s Solomon Associates, indicated that cracker plant of RIL-Hazira was slipping in its global position on account of its high energy index. Thus, in this project the focus was equally on energy conservation.

Through several analytical sources, it was deduced that furnace coil cleaning, through combination of hot water and chemicals, was the most appropriate solution. The overall project implementation yielded impressive results. As against `1.25 cr investment, the throughput gain `6.51 cr and importantly the thermal energy cost savings was `5.23 cr annually.

Banaskantha District Cooperative Milk Producers’ Union Limited Banaskantha District Cooperative Milk Producers’ Union Limited, popularly known as “Banas Dairy”, is the largest dairy cooperative in India under “Amul” group of dairy cooperatives. Banas Dairy is located in Palanpur, Gujarat.

Late Galbabhai Patel initiated cooperative milk union in 1966 on Amul Model to alleviate economic situation of the people. In 1971, 122 acres of land was acquired near Jagana village to setup a dairy plant under Operation Flood scheme. A month later in February, the dairy started functioning, and processing 1.50 lakh litres of milk.

In the initial stages, due to poor infrastructure like lack of connectivity and chilling facilities, the milk carried by farmers in traditional cans soured by the time it reached collection centres. In 1999, Hoshin Kanri Workshop, Japanese for policy deployment, was introduced through large scale interactive process with villagers.

At the backend, total quality management (TQM) was introduced to all 1,300 employees. Modern quality management tools like Kaizen, QC Circles and Six Sigma were introduced. The objective being clean milk production keeping highest quality standards and was supported by National Dairy Development Board.

Simultaneously, large numbers of bulk milk chilling units started coming into India that helped to sustain the objective. The overall impact has been tremendous and the quality benchmark as cooperative movement in the country has been `126.35 cr.

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Essar Steel Limited Essar Steel Limited (Essar) is global producer of steel with a footprint in India, Canada, the USA, Middle East and Asia. At Hazira, Gujarat, Essar produces five million tonne per annum (MTPA), and it is the

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world’s largest gas-based sponge iron plant in single location. The plant provides raw material for the company’s state-of-the-art 4.6 MTPA hot rolled coil (HRC) plant, the first and largest of India’s new generation steel mills. Essar is a $15 billion conglomerate.

At Hazira, Essar also has 1.5 MTPA plate mill manufacturing widest plate in the world. In addition, it has a combined capacity of 0.60 MTPA of helical submerged arc welded and longitudinal submerged welded steel pipes, along with internal and external coating facilities of upto two million square meters per annum. At the other end, the value chain downstream facilities include a 1.4 MPTA cold rolling complex compromising two pickling lines of two 1.4 MPTA capacity.

Define, measure, analyse, improve and control (DMAIC) principle, along with cause and effect diagram, was in determining the cause of bottlenecks and solutions. Why-why analysis showed high reversal time due to bar stopping too far from roughing mill; it happened due to slow deceleration of roller table and delayed stop command. The software was modified to take care of these glitches. Apart from other checks operation, shift crew critically analysed the reasons for gap between actual and targeted coils per hour. Thus, the plant managed to produce an extra coil each hour thereby accruing `75 cr per annum.

Ayurvet Limited Ayurvet Limited, a public limited company, entered into animal health business: with the objective of improving health by providing innovative, scientific and proven solutions for the animals’ health problems. The company was established in 1992 as Dabur Ayurvet Limited, and it is leading player of animal care specialising in 100 per cent natural and safe herbal products. The world population is growing, food supply is shrinking,

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water supplies are becoming more limited and in this context, food production is competing for land.

Under these circumstances, hydroponics is the latest plant growing technology, meeting the needs of the human population while reducing the pressure to clear precious habitat to grow crops.

However, many are not aware of hydroponics agriculture.

The cost advantage for producing 500 kg fodder, between conventional method and hydroponics, is `11,192 and that is every seven to eight days. That aside, what is important is that the conventional method requires 4,356 sq ft area compared to 265 sq ft required in hydroponic system.

CATEGORY B2 Wipro BPO

R

Wipro IT business, a division of Wipro Limited, is among the largest global IT services, BPO and product engineering companies.

Wipro was tasked by an international hardware major, a Fortune 100 company, to improve revenue per call. Wipro BPO adopted DMAIC (define, measure, analyse, improve and control) to find the solution.

The annualised benefit for the client worked out to $2,50,16,628 and Wipro’s accrual was $1,05,775.

Max New York Life York RYMax C1 New - MICRO

Life Insurance Company Limited is a joint venture between Max India Limited, one of India’s leading multi-business corporation, and New York Life International, the international arm of New York Life, a Fortune 100 company.

Max New York Life experienced a unique problem, in Punjab, termed by the company as business leakage. Business leakage is policies getting cancelled prior to enforcement and post enforcement. This results in revenue loss and higher operations cost to the company. It

also results in lower conversion ratio of applied business to paid business. Punjab’s contribution is 53 per cent while contribution to leakage 67 per cent. The annualised business in Punjab works out to `14.40 cr. Subsequently, DMAIC methodology was adopted. The project achieved 137 per cent reduction in business leakage.

Finally, in financial term the business impact has been `21.80 cr.

Capgemini Capgemini, headquartered in Paris, operates in more than 35 countries with over 1,00,000 people working in North and South America, Europe and Asia Pacific regions. The company’s catchphrase is consultingtechnology-outsourcing. In India, Capgemini is close to 30,000 people strong and services 400 clients globally and in Indian market.

Project Pragathi — journey towards excellence — undertaken by Capgemini focused on master data management (MDM) for one of the largest beverages giant in the world.

Objective was to improve new customer master creation process.

Before initiating the project was at 60 requests per person per day. As result of the project the average productivity improved to 120 requests per person per day. However, during transition of process from client to Capgemini it was agreed upon to raise to 96 requests per person per day.

The project used Lean (value stream mapping) and basic tools such as cause and effect and Pareto, to perform the root cause analysis and finally FMEA to confirm the effect of new process.

The results were on the target.

The utilisation of resources reduced significantly — 49 per cent less resources deployed than before (43 headcounts as against 85 headcounts).

Convergys Convergys India is the Indian division of Cincinnati-based Convergys Corporation, the global

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leader in sectors such as customer relationship management, consulting, learning, development, billing, HR and self-care technology.

The Corporation has nearly 75,000 employees and clients in more than 70 countries, speaking more than 35 languages, from 85 sites across North America, Europe, the Middle East, India and Asia Pacific region. India operation’s contribution has been consistently on the upward graph.

After going through various phases and action programmes, Convergys was able to deliver sustained performance on key performance measure (CTQ), accuracy and schedule attainment.

The hard work finally paid off and financial accrual was $5.21 million (till September 10) and also helped to get two new quality monitoring businesses raising the revenue earned to $6.11 million (till September 10).

CATEGORY C1 Susira Industries Limited Chennai-based Susira Industries Limited commenced operations as a proprietary concern and later converted into a joint stock company in 2006. It gradually transformed itself from a job-shop to a full fledged manufacturer of engine valve push rods and related valve train components. Through extensive commitment to quality and reliability, the company has catapulted itself to number one position manufacturer of products in its portfolio, both in India and abroad. Susira supplies its products to all major commercial vehicles and diesel engine manufacturers in the country.

The company had to improve productivity in induction, hardening to meet the customers demand of 1,00,000 pushrods per months, within three months time and to achieve that target, the company would require twice the numbers of machines as against presently installed. That meant twice the

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number of workforce too. A team was constituted from key department, including induction hardening processing operators and machine manufacturer. On brainstorming, the team identified 16 work related problems.

The tangible benefits were productivity increased from 1,200 to 6,200 per day. Saving on each induction hardening was `3.03. The annual saving was `2,729,032.

Importantly, subcontracting was totally eliminated.

Abilities India Pistons & Rings Limited The Delhi-based company Abilities India Pistons and Rings Limited was established in 1966. Its production facilities include piston foundry shop, piston machine shop, piston ring foundry shop and piston ring machine shop. The company’s key customers are Husqvarna (in Italy, the USA and China), Yama Group (in Italy and China) Chinook (in Italy) and Emak (in Italy); in domestic market, it supplies to TVS Motor Company and Greaves Cotton Limited. Eighty per cent of its production is exported.

The company faced a predicament when Husqvarna (USA) projected a demand for 10,752 pistons (PO-414) per week whereas the current production was only 5,000 per week. The quantum change of 115 per cent was a tremendous challenge to the company to meet the requirement and deliver on time, every time defect free quality products.

Takt time, a function of customer demand, was used to assess net available time per shift as against customer demand per shift. Through Takt time, the net time available was 376 minutes. The customer demand of 10,752 pistons per week meant that the company had to manufacture 597 pistons per shift.

This meant 37 seconds to manufacture each piston.

Through Kaizen, it was observed that the line became unbalanced because of improper alignment of work. This situation created

imbalance with respect to operators working. Based on Kaizen, finding line imbalance was modified and in the process, instead of 11 operators, only six were required. Many breakthroughs achieved in productivity improvement and the major benefits being:

100 per cent increase in productivity.

100 per cent adherence to customer deliver schedule.

92 per cent inventory reduction.

97 per cent reduction in manufacturing lead time.

45 per cent reduction in workforce.

The cumulative net financial benefits for the company were `43.62 lakh.

Json Polymer Private Limited Mumbai-based company Json Polymer Private Limited is into manufacturing of rubberised products such as mounting rubber bonded with metal parts, reinforced matting, reinforced pads, hoses, O-ring, bridge bearing pad, sheeting, gear shifter bellow, extruded components, speed breaker cover, cork packing gasket, sponge rubber, ebonite, plastic moulded parts and rubber compound.

The company was concerned about in-house moulding rejection, and it was around 7.74 per cent of product MR-161. Now, to understand the manufacturing process of this product related to customer schedule is compound planning mould, status supplier production, department product, deflasher final product inspection and packing despatch. The in-house rejection needed to be brought down from 7.74 per cent to 1.5 per cent; similarly in deflashing, rejection to be brought down from 1.53 per cent to 0.5 per cent.

The benefits accrued from this project:

Annual saving of `60,000.

Increase awareness in standardisation.

Awareness of quality.

Team unity in solving problems.

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BSCIC is directly accredited by Dubai Accreditation Centre (DAC),Dubai Municipality, Govt. of Dubai for ISO 14001 (Environmental Management System), ISO 22000 (Food Safety Management System) and OHSAS 18001 (Occupational Health and safety Management System) Certification.

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th

JANUARY- FEBRUARY 2011

QCI

Quality Council of India

National Quality Conclave ‘Leveraging Quality for Good Governance’ February 11-12, 2011 at Hotel Le Meridien, New Delhi

Day 1 : February 11, 2011 0800 - 0930 hrs :Registration 0930 -1110 hrs :Theme Session- Future of Quality- The National Agenda Session Moderator: Dr Girdhar J Gyani Secretary General, Quality Council of India Perspective on Education Sector by: Dr S K Chakraborty Founder, Management Centre for Human Values, Indian Institute of Management, Calcutta Perspective on Healthcare Sector by: Padmashree Dr G Bakthavathsalam Chairman, K G Hospital, Chennai Perspective on Industry by: Dr N Ravichandran CEO, Lucas-TVS Perspective on Industry by: Mr Hardev Singh Kohli Executive Director, Reliance Industries Ltd.

1115 - 1145 hrs : 1145 -1330 hrs :

Networking Break Inaugural Session

Welcome Address Dr Girdhar J. Gyani Secretary General, Quality Council of India Address by Guest of Honour Mr Arun Maira Member, Planning Commission & Chairman, Quality Council of India Address by Chief Guest Mr Montek Singh Ahluwalia Dy. Chairman, Planning Commission

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Award of Fellowships—Distribution of QCI-D.L. Shah National Awards on Economic of Quality and NABH Hospital Accreditation Certificates to Hospitals Release of QCI Publication Concluding Remarks by

Mr K C Mehra Chairman, National Board for Quality Promotion

1330 hrs - 1430 hrs

:

Lunch Break

1430 hrs - 1730 hrs

:

Concurrent Sessions

QUALITY IN HEALTHCARE

QUALITY IN EDUCATION

QUALITY IN INDUSTRY

Session Chairman: Dr Narottam Purl, Chairman, National Accreditation Board for Hospital & Healthcare Providers (NABH)

Session Chairman: Dr K B Kushal, Chairman, Education Committee, NBQP

Session Chairman: Mr A K Jain, Principal Advisor, QCI

Role of Clinical Governance in delivering Quality Healthcare Dr Anil Kumar Mulpur Narayana Hrudalaya Clinical Audit; Why, When & How: Dr Anand R, Professor, Dept. of Pulmonary Medicine, Kasturba Medical College Hospital Simple Tips to Overcome Most Common obstacles in Preparing for NABH Accreditation: Dr Murali Srinivas, Manipal Hospital.

1545 hrs - 1605 hrs

Quality Paradigms in Education: Dr K B Kushal Nurturing Quality Climate: A Case Study: Mr Sanjay Maplani/Ms Alka Vaidya Innovative Curriculum Management: Ms Anita Makkar.

Quality Strategies that works: an Industry experience: Mr Ashok Sharma, Mahindra Tractors Ltd. Quality beyond compliance - the role of conformity assessment bodies in improving the effectiveness and efficiency of management system: Mr M V Vishwanathan, LRQA Business Assurance CRM practice in Asian Countries: Mr Prem Narayan, IRCTC.

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: Networking Break

QUALITY IN HEALTHCARE

QUALITY IN EDUCATION

QUALITY IN INDUSTRY

Session Chairman: Dr Y B Bhaitya, Member, NABH

Session Chairman: Dr Y S Rajan

Session Chairman: Mr Hari Taneja, D.L. Shah Trust

Building Excellence In Nursing Services: Ms. Ajitha PS, Chief of Nursing, Fortis Healthcare Ltd. Introduction standard on Primary care Covering Dispensary / Clinics / Polyclinics: Dr Arati Verma, Max Healthcare Pulmonary Medicine, Kasturba Medical College Hospital NABH Accreditation for AYUSH Systems of Medical Practices in meeting the Challenges of 21st Century: Dr Niranjan Murthy, Managing Director & Head of Technical Activities, Pentacare Ayurpharma.

Quality Governance in Education: Dr Y S Rajan Quality Teaching and Learning Processes: Dr Vijayam Ravi Best Practices In School Education: Mr G Balasubramanian Quality Elementary Education: Ms Reeta Sonawat

Presentation of QCI - D.L. Shah National Awards Winning Case Studies ¾Large

Public Sector, Bharat Electronics Ltd. ¾Large Manufacturing Sector, Reliance Industries Ltd. ¾Large Service Sector, Wipro Ltd. ¾MSME Sector, Susira Industries

Day 2: February 12, 2011

0930 hrs -1100 hrs : Concurrent Sessions (CS): QUALITY IN HEALTHCARE

QUALITY IN EDUCATION

QUALITY IN INDUSTRY

Session Chairman: Dr R Karanjekar, Chairman, Healthcare Committee, NBQP

Session Chairman: Mr Sharda Prasad, lAS, DGET

Session Chairman : Mr B Venkataram, CEO,NABCB

Quality Dashboard: A Quality Initiative in Healthcare:

Dr Sanjeev Singh, Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences

Integrating skills with school edu ca tion : Scotland Experience

Cluster approach for improving quality: A success story: Dr. Sumit Roy, Counsellor, Business Process Improvement & TQM

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QUALITY IN HEALTHCARE Key indicators for Measuring and Improving Radiology Department: Dr. Uday Patil, Adjmct Professor, Dept. of Radiology and Imaging, Kasturba Medical College.

Importance of Quality Water (Endiotoxin/pyrogen free) in hospitals specially for patient undergoing dialysis: Jeff Hovis, Global Head, Lonza Quality in Healthcare - A Practical Approach: Dr. Rajiv Mohan, Mohan Eye Institute

1100 -1130 hrs 1130 -1300 hrs

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QUALITY IN EDUCATION Personnel accreditation through ISO 17024: USA Experience India 2022 Quality in Vocational Education: Govt. perspective

QUALITY IN INDUSTRY Operational Excellence through ‘Intuition’: Mr B Viswanathan, HCL Quality in Service Sector with special focus on Food Supply Logistics: Mr Vinod Asthana, IRCTC

Networking Break

Plenary Session I: Panel Discussion on Quality Strategies in India: Past, Present and Future — Manufacturing, Education, Software & Services Welcome by Session Moderator: Gen. H. Lal (Retd.), Past Chairman, NABCB Panellists: Dr Aditya Shastri, Vice Chancellor, Vanasthali University Mr Rakesh Kulshrestha, Executive Director (CP), SAIL Dr Keshav Nori, Professor, IIIT Mr SK Sharma, Head, Business Excellence, Bharti Airtel Mr G Sundararaman, Head - Quality and Sustainability, JCB Ltd Concluding Remarks by Session Moderator

1300 - 1400 hrs

: Lunch

1400 -1530 hrs Plenary Session II- New development In the area of conformity assessment and quality promotion Session Chairman: Dr T Venkatesh, Principal Advisor, QCI (i) Presentation on National Board for Quality Promotion (NBQP): Mr Avik Mitra, Advisor, NBQP (ii) Presentation on National Accreditation Board for Laboratories (NABL): Mr Anil Relia, Director, NABL (iii) Presentation on National Accreditation Board for Certification Bodies (NABCB): Mr Anil Jauhari, Director, NABCB Concluding Remarks by Session Chairman

1530 - 1535 hrs : Break 1535 - 1635 hrs : Valedictory Session Welcome Address by Dr Girdhar J Gyani, Secretary General, Quality Council of India The need to Preserve & Nurture our National Values: Moving Forward with Indian Ethos by Swami Nikhilananda Saraswati, Chinmaya Mission Conclave closure address by Dr Girdhar J Gyani, Secretary General, Quality Council of India

1635 hrs

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:

Closures and High Tea

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Speakers at the conclave A brief look at the best brains managing and practicing quality, who will be seen at the Sixth National Quality Conclave.

MONTEK SINGH AHLUWALIA

Montek Singh Ahluwalia, currently Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission, is a familiar persona in any major economic policy forums in the country and his measured and articulated speeches are always listened to in rapt attention. A Rhodes Scholar from the University of Oxford, he received BA (Hons) and later M Phil in Economics from the same University. He also received an honorary Doctorate of Civil Law from Oxford. He was also the president of the prestigious Oxford Union.

After Oxford, Montek Singh Ahluwalia joined the World Bank and served during the tenures of Hollis Chenery and Robert MacNamara. He was said to have become the youngest “Division Chief” at age of 28 in the World Bank's bureaucracy. He returned to the country after several years to become lateral entrant into the Indian Administrative Service.

Prior to taking up his position at the International Monetary Fund, Ahluwalia was a Member of the Planning Commission as well as a Member of the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister. In addition, he had served as Finance Secretary, Secretary at Department of Economic Affairs and Commerce Secretary. In 2007, he became a member of the influential Washington-based financial advisory body, the Group of Thirty.

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DR G BAKTHAVATHSALAM An alumnus of Madras Medical College, Dr G Bakthavathsalam obtained an MS from the same college and later did his postgraduate training in surgery in Mount Sinai Hospital, Chicago. An clarion call from his father beckoned him back to India to serve the poor countrymen in the field of healthcare. Initially a 10-bedded hospital was built and now has grown into 550-bedded multi and super-speciality and post-graduate medical centre. Today, KG Hospital shines as a “Centre of Excellence” both in India and abroad.

He believes that a doctor has to be compassionate. Affectionately called Dr GB, he leads a team of doctors and PGs each morning around the wards to find first-hand patient’s needs. He never fails to mention his fellow team of doctors to be compassionate, honest in all interaction, approachable, introspective and willing to self-criticise. Yet, beyond his amazing surgery skills, he is most admired for his sensitive touch with people of all ages particularly towards underprivileged. He is Fellow of Association of Surgeons of India, International College of Surgeons (USA) and GI Endoscopy (Tokyo University).

DR Y S RAJAN

Dr Y S Rajan can aptly be described as a “thinker and doer”. He combines a unique ability for original and innovative thinking with strong implementation skills. He has made key contributions to space research, technology and applications since 1964 and continues to be an important expert on space matters. As Scientific Secretary, Indian Space Research Organisation ISRO), he was responsible for a combination of scientific, technical, administrative, planning, policy and matters related to international cooperation. His contributions in shaping ISRO from its initial experimental phases into a major service delivery organisation have been remarkable. In the process, he has also been a creator of many institutions and sustainable mechanisms between ISRO and its end-users.

While holding various positions of responsibility related to science and technology between 1998 and 2002, he has shaped key policies and implemented several successful R&D projects with industry participation. He has been responsible for creating a series of documents related to Technology Vision 2020 for India, which culminated in a book on a roadmap for socio-economic development for India called India Vision 2020. He is currently Dr Vikram Sarabhai Distinguished Professor at ISRO headquarters.

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N RAVICHANDRAN

N Ravichandran, currently CEO at Lucas-TVS, realised the importance of perfection and processes during a trip to Japan in 1984-85. In India, quality used to be an accident, then it came by way of inspection, assurance, prevention and perfection. He emphasises that the need of the hour is quality by way of creation.

“We need an inner spirit which will lead to invention. Indians have been great inventors in the past, but we have lost that trait,” laments Ravichandran. He believes that as the world sees India as a place of action again, it is time for us to focus on creativity through passion, the mind, facilities and structure.

He has been honoured with the rank of “Academician” by the International Academy for Quality, USA, an independent body established in 1966. He is the second person from India to be elected to this elite 50-member club after Janak Mehta who has contributed immensely for Asian Network for Quality. The recognition comes for Ravichandran’s contribution to science, technology, economics and the management of professional quality. His book Stochastic Methods in Reliability Theory is well received.

S K CHAKRABORTY

Shitangshu Kumar Chakraborty has the distinction being “first-ranker” in his studies at Calcutta University and later at the Institute of Cost and Works Accountants of India. As a Common Scholar he obtained his Ph D in management and social sciences from Liverpool University. He started his working career at Calcutta University teaching post-graduate students and later was with Indian Institute of Management Calcutta till retirement in 2003. While at Indian Institute of Management, he founded the Management Centre for Human Values.

His knowledge and expertise took him to several educational institutions and universities in India and abroad, the notables being Liverpool, Stockholm, Darmstadt, California Institute of Integral Studies and Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology. In addition to teaching at the various institutions, he was invited to participate in numerous conferences and travelled to Guangzhou, Kuala Lumpur, Manila, Geneva, Madrid, Tokyo, Edinburgh, Toronto and Washington DC amongst many. He is also a prolific writer and has written thirty four books either as a sole Writer/Editor or as joint Author/Editor.

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ARUN MAIRA

Arun Maira, Member of the Planning Commission, has the onerous task of facilitating the shaping of policies and programmes related to industrialisation, urbanisation and tourism. He has a combination of hands-on leadership experience, consulting experience to leadership teams internationally, and thought-leadership as an Author and Speaker on the subjects of leadership and organisation transformation. A prolific Writer he contributes thought-provoking articles in business dailies and journals. He has authored several books, the notable being Shaping the Future: Aspirational Leadership in India and Abroad, Remaking India: One Country, One Destiny, Discordant Democrats: Fives Steps to Consensus and Transforming Capitalism: Business Leadership to Improve the World for Everyone.

He was a member of the Tata Administrative Services and worked in several senior positions in the Tata Group in India and abroad for 25 years, till 1989. He later worked with Arthur D Little, USA an international management consultancy till 1999. During this period he was Managing Director of Innovation Associates, an Arthur D Little subsidiary. In addition to his current appointment in the Planning Commission, he is Chairman of Quality Council of India.

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SWAMI NIKHILANANDA SARASWATI

Swami Nikhilananda, a disciple of Swami Chinmayananda, believes spirituality is in leading a highly rational, value-based and active life culminating in selfknowledge. While studying for a Masters degree in Geology at St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai, Swami took momentous decision of changing the direction of his life. Following an inner calling, he quit his formal education and joined the Vedanta course at the Mumbai ashram of the Chinmaya Mission in 1984. He spent two and a half years in intense study of the scriptures under the guidance of Swami Tejomayananda. He also had the good fortune to study the entire Bhagavad Gita, several Upanishads and other Vedanta text directly under Swami Chinmayananda.

He first began working as a spiritual teacher at Ahmedabad. Apart from Chinmaya Mission Centre in New Delhi he also served in the Mission Centres in Goa, San Jose (California) and Dallas (Texas). Fluent both in Hindi and English, he conveys the deep philosophical truth of the Upanishads, the Bhagavad Gita and the Ramcharitamanas with clarity, originality and ease accompanied by wit and humour. He speaks at management institutes, schools, colleges and medical forums with equal ease and expertise.

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Arun Maira, Chairperson, Quality Council of India, has a broad agenda for quality. Though QCI started with areas that are “technical”, it has moved into institutions that affect the lives of all citizens. He would like to see quality wherever the aam aadmi goes and that is why he is keen to ensure that “we have to improve our own quality” first, as he told Quality India. Excerpts from the interview:

“FIRST, WE'VE GOT TO IMPROVE

OUR OWN QUALITY”

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My sense of quality is that it should do these two things. It should perform most efficiently at the least cost which is the fitness for use side. The other is that it should also satisfy the user. Some things like nails, you may well say, are just to be fit for use. Therefore you should produce a nail which is sturdy, strong and sharp at least cost.

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What, according to you, sir, is your concept of quality?

I’m going to give two definitions.

One is a lovely one called, “I know it when I see it”. When I was working with Tata’s (at Tata Motors - then known as TELCO) factory in Pune, Mr. Sumant Moolgaokar, the Chairman, one of the greatest industrial leaders that we had in this country — circulated to us all, this little book by an Italian evangelist for quality, titled I know it when I see it. It’s a story about someone in a pencil factory, talking about the quality of pencil production.

The second definition of quality that is fitness for use.

Now, ‘use’ can be defined in a very technical way. All parameters measured, and as in a Mercedes car you can say that since great engineers have designed everything, the car must be fit for use. It is safe; it will accelerate and so on. But then we have things like the feel of the car, the aesthetics of the car. You can’t measure them mathematically or make a blueprint for them but these are also aspects of quality.

Therefore, I’m combining these two, i.e. I know it when I see it.

And the other, fitness for use.

That’s my definition, my impression of quality.

My sense of quality is that it should do these two things. It should perform most efficiently at the least cost which is the fitness for use side. The other is that it should also satisfy the user. Some things like nails, you may well say, are just to be fit for use.

Therefore you should produce a nail which is sturdy, strong and sharp at least cost. But consider a hammer which you use with a nail. I love going to hardware stores because I may find a hammer — for example, a Stanley hammer — which feels good, and looks good too. It’s like a Swiss army knife — it’s not just a good knife to cut things with.

Very few “quality” things can be described only in one term or the other. It’s really a combination of both.

What has been your experience of setting benchmarks of quality?

Let me go back to the factory in Pune and Mr. Sumant Moolgaokar.

As I was taking charge of this big factory in Pune, I saw that the quality of our products was not very good. I had earlier run a Tata truck factory in Malaysia where our products were being compared with the products of Germans and Japanese. In terms of fitness for use, ours were the best.

There was no question about that.

The operators said that they earned more income by using a Tata truck than a Japanese truck. It was reliable, robust, it could keep running, which is what brought the commercial operator his income. So, it was the best but nevertheless people wouldn’t pay us the same price as they would pay for something else, which was perhaps less fit for use. The fit and finish of Japanese trucks was much better, and so, even though they were less robust, people would pay for that other aspect, the aesthetic aspect.

So, when I came back to India and I shared this story with Mr. Moolgaokar, he reminded me of the story of the pencil factory: ‘I know it when I see it’. He said: tell the people who work for you, that their product’s quality is not good.

They will say, let us prove to you it is okay. We have measured it, checked it. It is 100 per cent. I would tell them, doesn’t look okay.

Every morning I would go to the area where finished trucks were lined up for delivery, after being certified by our whole quality system that they had met every specification. I would open the door of a truck cabin and shut it.

And if the door did not shut with that gentle push — with that ‘thunk’ sound — then I’d say that this truck should be rejected. They would reply, but the door shuts.

Someone would open the door and bang it hard to prove it shuts. But that’s not good quality. Every part of the door had met its specifications but I said it doesn’t feel good!

In India, we have a very

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We have a national agenda to get people to appreciate what quality really is. By thinking about quality in every aspect of their lives.

Each of us values quality in different things. We must demand quality. And thus compel providers of services and products to deliver quality.

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important challenge: in many cases we are not meeting the fitness for use criterion, which means products are not produced or services are not delivered accurately. For the first part, fitness for use comes out of accuracy — fit exactly as prescribed for each component.

We are not accurate about things.

We are terrible about time accuracy! Doing things on time is part of quality as far as I’m concerned because there are many processes, which are about timeliness such as hotel services.

Or, for that matter, a flight leaving on time.

We’ve got things, which someone will produce accurately, like the trucks I was talking about but don’t look good, feel good. On the other hand, we have things that feel very good like Indian ‘hospitality’ that is not too concerned with punctuality (i.e. accuracy in time). We have a national agenda to get people to appreciate what quality really is.

By thinking about quality in every aspect of their lives. Each of us values quality in different things.

We must demand quality. And thus compel providers of services and products to deliver quality.

Each of us is a customer of quality in many things: but each of us is also a producer of some products and services for others.

Therefore, we must demand quality from each other and also provide quality to each other. Thus we will become a “quality” nation.

We must distinguish between an engineer’s definition of quality and a customer’s definition of quality. Engineers must understand what customers appreciate. When Honda entered the US car market, its engineers wondered what US customers want in their cars. Of course, they want their cars to start and drive safely and be economical.

However, Honda engineers found out that US customers also want to drink their coffee in the car on their way to work. So they designed and added convenient coffee cup holder to Honda cars.

Now, the production of the holder for the coffee cup must be done very accurately because it has to mate with the specifications of another system: the production of coffee cups. So, either you change the size of the cup or you change the size of the holder. Thus we come to the subject of national standards, which enable many producers’ products to fit accurately together and thus provide a high quality experience to the customer.

We need standards in society because people are producing different things and if they are not conforming to some standard which will enable their products to connect with others, then the users are not going to have much joy.

As a nation, are we qualityconscious?

In some ways we are extremely quality-conscious. A musician in India who plays on his musical instrument— the ustads— they are so finicky about their instruments and music. But the same person will spit — and even an ustad may do it — which from another perspective is not a “quality” thing to do.

We need to be conscious about quality in everything. Because we are part of large systems, we must have similar standards and each perform with respect to others’ expectations in areas they consider important. That’s how we will become a quality society.

But does quality come with education? We have a huge middle-class that is educated…

Education. Yes, I am “educated”. I went to a school, I was given some information which was in a book or the teacher gave it to me. I digested it, I was able to, at the very least, repeat it back. Maybe with the ideas I got I was able to formulate some more propositions and write some essays. That’s what I got educated in. Now, when I am talking about quality, I’ll say what has that got to do with the way I will show up on time when I go somewhere. Or, when I use

ENGINEERING GROWTH: Engineers at work in an automobile production unit.

The second aspect of quality is respecting others’ needs. I was taught in school that if you’re made a prefect, you are made a prefect to ensure that the weakest boys in boarding school are not bullied by the bigger boys.

Your position is not for your own aggrandizement; it is for fulfilling the needs of the weakest people. This is the essence of quality in governance .

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something in my own house, will I put it back where I got it from and not create a clutter for others by leaving it where it suits me? So, “education” in a class is not necessarily teaching me quality. I was lucky to go to a school where two basic qualities were taught to me. One was this matter about respecting public property and this is where we Indians fail. Public property is where other people’s needs are to be respected. It is a common space, which is affected by many things working, many systems interacting there.

If you want to know if the country is a quality country, look at its public spaces. That is where all citizens come and different systems are supposed to work. So, I could say, therefore, by that criterion, India is not a quality country yet. But we have to make it that. I learnt in school — a boarding school — that if you noticed a piece of paper lying on the floor, you picked it up because it was spoiling the beauty of a public space. You had to find a place into which to put that piece of paper. The school provided that.

When I went into the Tata factory in Pune, we said we’re going to make our factories cleaner than hospitals. Why should a factory be cleaner than a hospital?

And, why not? Let’s make it so. It was the same thing. If there was a piece of paper or cotton waste, I would pick it up and the supervisor would say, ‘Sir, give the

paper to me or the cotton waste.’ I would say, ‘No, no, I want to hold it till I find a proper place to put it’. Then he would say, ‘Sir, these people come from the village. We train them in a technical school.

But they don’t live like in this “quality” way. So I would to pick the cotton waste and say, ‘Look, I think he’s thrown it down on the ground because he doesn’t know where to put it. He has to be on the machine — you expect him to be productive. So we’re going to walk, you and I, till we find a place to put the cotton waste.’ And then the supervisor would feel embarrassed because his job was to provide proper places for cotton waste near the workers. So, by putting systems in place we can enable people to be quality people and create quality systems. Thus we can improve the quality of our public spaces.

The second aspect of quality is respecting others’ needs. I was taught in school that if you’re made a prefect, you are made a prefect to ensure that the weakest boys in boarding school are not bullied by the bigger boys. Your position is not for your own aggrandizement; it is for fulfilling the needs of the weakest people. This is the essence of quality in governance .

We talk of institutions of governance. If you look at our Indian institutions of governance, I say they are not quality institutions from that regard. An institution’s purpose is supposed to be to look after and enable the weakest members in the system.

But if the heads of institutions are using their positions to aggrandize themselves and also the people just around them, then it’s not a quality institution to my mind.

Good quality systems provide quality to everyone. People say to me now: “Fly on Air India. Now that you are in the government, they look after you very well. It is a great quality experience.” I ask, if I travelled at the back (in the economy class) and paid my own money, would they look after me that well? And if they don’t do that, then it’s not a quality organisation.

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CRADLE OF QUALITY: An inside view of a monastery in India.

The QCI can establish standards that apply to all.

Institutions that are certified to the QCI standard should be more desired by people.

Thus the ‘demand’ pull will cause providers — private and government — to improve their quality.

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What is the agenda that you wish to set for the Quality Council of India?

Our agenda for quality is broad: improving quality of institutions in the country. We must work towards achieving that. We have started with areas which are “technical” areas and are moving into institutions that affect the lives of all citizen. I am so happy that the Quality Council of India is getting into schools and hospitals for that is where the aam aadmi goes. If you improve the quality of those places then people will benefit from high quality. They will also learn what quality is about… experiencing it, enjoying it and also learning how to do it. The people who teach in schools and the nurses who work in hospitals do not come from the elite class that has been through expensive education in India or abroad. I mean they have got education but it’s done in places where they don’t experience and learn quality in their daily lives, by concentrating on institutions of public service we can create a quality culture for the whole country.

How will you go about creating a mindset for quality among the people of the country?

I have explained the broad approach we must take. But we can’t do everything overnight. So we have to focus on some areas. In addition to schools & hospitals let

us focus on urban public services such as sanitation, water supply and solid waste disposal. These are services that even the poorest people in the city need. They affect the lives of the rich also. The Urban Development Ministry has established benchmarks of quality of water services and also for sanitation and solid waste disposal. And they have taken the assistance of international organisations that work in urban areas: the Japanese, the Germans and the United Nations people.

They have developed ways to measure the quality of something which is not only ‘technical’. There are intangibles associated with public service. How does one measure these things? We must learn that, then measure the quality of our own cities and then compare ourselves with others, to find who’s better and what one can learn from them. That is how you stimulate and grow a “movement” to improve quality in public services.

Perhaps the QCI doesn’t need to work in areas in which others are already doing good work now.

But there are other public services like education and health. In which there are private sector provider and government institutions too. The QCI can establish standards that apply to all. Institutions that are certified to the QCI standard should be more desired by people. Thus the ‘demand’ pull will cause providers — private and government — to improve their quality.

How will the Council begin the quality awareness campaign?

Competition with one’s peers is a great stimulus. It can be competition between the states or competition on smaller scales. If within a city three/four clinics in the same area are rated to be higher than others, and if someone who doesn’t know the rating goes inside and feels the difference, and then is told that it is a clinic to QCI standards, the value of the QCI standard will be enhanced. People will choose such places. So, the

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competition induces institutions to improve themselves because then they get more customers, and get more recognition.

As for the QCI, we know how to architect such a movement and there are certain tools that are required like standard measurements. We can also teach the ways to improve the standards.

Thereafter, we could be evaluators.

We must be objective and we must never dilute our ratings. If people are defaulting, then we must help them improve. But if they do not, we must not allow them to use our certification. This will require courage on our side.

As for the QCI, we know how to architect such a movement and there are certain tools that are required like standard measurements. We can also teach the ways to improve the standards. Thereafter, we could be evaluators. We must be objective and we must never dilute our ratings. If people are defaulting, then we must help them improve.

What role do you see for QCI in the future?

The QCI needs to become an institution which is recognised by the aam janata. It has to be something, which is going to help improve India. The Commonwealth Games raised a whole stink about the standards at which things are done in our country. The money was there, but the ‘quality’ was not. We must take advantage of the people’s frustration with the poor quality of work and institutions and show them how quality can be improved. If things collapsed, it means technical standards weren’t met. And, weaknesses in the quality of institutions were very visible. The people in charge looked after themselves. So the quality in both those regards was violated.

Such crises make people desirous of changing things in the country and so in QCI, we have an opportunity and a responsibility to deliver. Our agenda is two sided. On one side to help institutions improve their quality and, on the other, to make people conscious about and demand quality.

Some ideas we have discussed include competitions about cleanliness amongst cities and mohallas. So, if people start to compete for this prize, and the best places get recognised, their attractiveness will increase. How

would people benefit? One is pride. The second is a better life for themselves. The third is investments will come in. Others will want to live in that area and buy property in that area. So there’s an economic benefit also of being recognised.

We are thinking creatively to say, what if you could have a QCI award for the best mohalla in a city? Or QCI awards for the best doctor’s clinics. By ratings and awards in such areas, I think we could spread around the awareness of what quality is and how one brings it about, since people must themselves participate and make the quality product — which is their own surroundings.

What then are the priorities to achieve quality? For QCI? The Planning Commission?

First, we’ve got to improve our own quality. This includes the accuracy of our work and the timeliness of our work. And how convenient we make it for others to work with us. Also the cost efficiency of our work. We are working on these aspects of our quality. Second, we must help other improve quality.

In the Planning Commission all the divisions are reaching out to citizens’ groups. That’s the new way we are going about the approach to the Twelfth Plan. The groups we must reach out to more purposefully are those who feel insufficiently included: whether they are Dalits, or rural poor, or urban poor or poor women or youth or children — who don’t have houses and live on the streets. We have been meeting them. And of course, we are meeting the ‘included’ people that one hears from anyway. We want to know what the citizens’ expectations are. What would they say is a good quality life for them?

We will convert that feedback into how we may change the system to deliver more what people need.

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Interviewed by K Srinivasan

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THE NABCB, WITH REPRESENTATION FROM ALL MAJOR STAKEHOLDERS, HAS BEEN ACTIVE THROUGH THE WHOLE OF 2010. WHILE IT HAS BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN DEVELOPING NEW ACCREDITATION PROGRAMMES, THE BOARD HAS ALSO BEEN APPROACHED BY ETHIOPIA, BANGLADESH AND NEPAL TO CONDUCT TRAINING AND ASSESS CERTIFICATION PROGRAMMES. he National Accreditation Board for Certification Bodies (NABCB) represents the interests of the Indian industry at international forums through certification and by active participation. With the main objective of becoming a signatory to multilateral and mutually recognition agreements with other countries, NABCB continues its agenda of developing new accreditation programmes based on market demand The Board offers accreditation to the certification bodies for the Quality Management Systems (ISO 9001), Environmental Management Systems (ISO 14001), Food Safety

T STRONG TEAM: Newly-appointed Chairperson of NABCB, S Sandilya, along with the members of NABCB.

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Management Systems (ISO 22000), Product certification and inspection bodies. The accreditations offered

by NABCB are according to relevant international standards.

NABCB has recently announced its accreditation programme for certification based on OHSAS 18000 standard.

The present chairperson of NABCB is S Sandilya, Chairman of Eicher Group of companies. The NABCB Board has representation from all major stakeholders including certification bodies.

MEMBER OF IAF AND PAC The Board is a member of International Accreditation Forum (IAF) and Pacific Accreditation Cooperation (PAC). IAF is an association of the accreditation bodies of different countries of the world and PAC is the association of the accreditation bodies of the Asia-Pacific economies. Membership of these organisations has helped in achieving the status of Multilateral Arrangement (MLA) of mutual recognition of the accreditations granted by NABCB by other members of IAF and PAC who are signatories to the MLA. NABCB, at present, provides the IAF Chairperson for Developing Economies support Committee and is also a member of the IAF Executive Committee. At the regional level, NABCB provides the Vice-Chair of Pacific Accreditation Cooperation and also the chairperson for the PAC Developing Programs Committee As on December 31, 2010, the number of accreditations operational is 35 for QMS certification, 12 for EMS certification and six for FSMS certification. In addition, three inspection bodies and one product certification body

have been accredited.

INTERACTION WITH ORGANISATIONS NABCB has closely interacted with regulators to propose solutions for effective implementation of regulations using the conformity assessment infrastructure in the country. The Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board and the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India are two such regulators who have decided to use accredited inspection/certification bodies for checking compliance to the standards prescribed by them under their regulations.

It has also worked with the Department of AYUSH and the National Medicinal Plants Board for developing voluntary product certification systems for AYUSH products and medicinal plants.

NABCB has contributed to the harmonisation of global accreditation practices by actively participating in the technical forum of PAC and IAF and also in the peer assessment process. NABCB participates in the IAF and PAC Executive Committees and provides leadership in these bodies for support to developing nations.

REQUEST FROM ETHIOPIAN ACCREDITATION BODY The past year has seen NABCB being recognised as a leader in accreditation in the region. The newly set up Ethiopian Accreditation body had requested NABCB to organise a training programme on ISO/IEC 17011.

NABCB designed and delivered a programme, meeting the needs of the Ethiopian Accreditation body.

NABCB along with NABL (National Accreditation Board for Laboratories) celebrated the World Accreditation Day on June 9, 2010, by organising a seminar on "Global acceptance of conformity assessment results". The seminar was well attended.

NABCB has been pioneering the move to improve the credibility of accredited certification and is actively

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NBQP: The journey so far Realising the need that the country requires establishment of quality culture to support economic growth, Quality Council of India began the National Quality Campaign in 1999. Initially it was decided that a few key ministries/departments would contribute funds for the campaign with the following broad objectives: Capacity building within Indian industry through awareness programmes, training, workshops, etc.

Conduct survey/studies in the field of quality.

Promote quality through various media including bringing out Quality magazine.

Till the beginning of the XI Plan period, on an average 50 programmes and five studies were conducted and Quality India magazine was published. A national-level Quality Conclave was also started during the period. At the beginning of XI Plan period, Quality Council of India re-organised its campaign activities by forming a National Board for Quality Promotion. The Board has a Chairman and 25 members representing national level industry associations, manufacturing and service sector associations as well as quality professional bodies. The Board submitted a detailed plan of activities which it wanted to implement through support plan fund. The emphasis of the campaign is to: Enable suppliers to understand and apply quality standards and best practices.

Empower consumers to demand quality.

National Board for Quality Promotion plan for the coming years is broadly into four activities: Plan fund activities to carry out National Quality Campaigns; Membership activities are to include invited lectures, round-table, quiz competition, essay competition, quality walks and regional conclaves; Knowledge centre will have quality portal and emphasis on quality journal. Benchmarking centre's activities would be: Acquisition of international database.

Establishment of information system for e-benchmarking.

Formation of community of practices for identified sectors (in which members will participate for benchmarking reports).

Preparation of benchmarking reports.

Mediation of contacts with various international benchmarking centres.

Best practice study visits.

Regular best practice management brief reports.

Development of benchmarking promotion literature and tool kits.

Development of self-assessment tools.

Research request services.

Regular e-mail newsletters.

Conduct of benchmarking awareness seminars.

Organising benchmarking events.

engaged in the working groups/ task forces set up by IAF on the subject.

REQUEST FROM BANGLADESH AND NEPAL Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institute (BSTI) and Nepal Bureau Standards and Metrology had requested NABCB to assess their product/system certification programmes.

Under the leadership of S Sandilya, NABCB plans to continue its agenda of developing new accreditation programmes based on market demand.

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Under the leadership of S Sandilya, NABCB plans to continue its agenda of developing new accreditation programmes based on market demand and actively engage in the international forum to influence the shaping of policies in this field.

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Three-pronged approach to attain quality WITH THE GROWING NEED FOR COMPETENT PERSONNEL AND CREDIBLE SKILLED MANPOWER IN VARIOUS INDUSTRY SECTORS, NABET HAS DEVELOPED A NUMBER OF PROGRAMMES THROUGH THE LAUNCH OF ITS PERSONNEL, TRAINING AND CONSULTANCY ACCREDITATION SERVICES, IN ASSOCIATION WITH THE INDUSTRY AND GOVERNMENT.

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he accreditation services of NABET are in line with the appropriate international standards like ISO 17024, ISO 29990 etc and necessary linkages have also been built with international bodies to provide advantage to the accredited personnel and organisations.

Some of the accreditation programmes are being operated for: » Vocational Training Providers » Skill/Personnel Assessment Bodies » Environment Impact Assessment Consultant Organisations » Consultant Organisations in the area of Hospitals (NABH), Conformity Assessment (QMS, EMS, Food Safety etc) » Training Organisations (Conformity Assessment, Six Sigma, Environment etc) The NABET accreditation programme for Quality School Governance was launched to provide a framework for effective management and delivery of holistic education programme aimed at overall development of students.

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SOURCE OF INSPIRATION: The then President A P J Abdul Kalam at the Quality Conclave in 2007 where he set out an agenda for Quality Council of India. It is on his recommendations that NABET has forged ahead to bring in school governance. Here the then President is seen giving an award during the Third National Quality Conclave.

QUALITY SCHOOL GOVERNANCE Quality Council of India (QCI) has a major contribution in promoting schools and their quality. And in this direction, their sole vision is to be an organisation without borders,

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individuals and other bodies, for an improvement of all aspects in school education for lifelong learning, towards equity and excellence across the nation, for contribution of value to society.

To serve this purpose, in January, 2008, the Quality Council of India (QCI) developed and released the Accreditation Standard on Quality School Governance by its National Board for Education and Training (NABET), on recommendations of the then President Dr A P J Abdul Kalam.

This accreditation standard has been developed with a view to developing quality consciousness among interested parties involved in school activities, enhance their involvement and level of satisfaction related to the school educational services, and provide a basis for assessing the effectiveness of the school’s educational management system.

Since there are a wide variety of children in different locations, the specific needs and expectations — of the students, parents, other regulatory bodies and interested people associated with the performance of the school — also vary from school-to-school. All requirements of this standard are generic in nature and are intended to be applicable to all schools, regardless of type, size and nature of educational service provided. The standard can be adapted as a selfimprovement tool, for third party accreditation, and by statutory/regulatory authorities in the country.

QCI's aim is to provide holistic education and facilitate the overall development of students, and the continual improvement in all that is being done in the school towards creating lifelong learners and citizens to contribute value to society and

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Be a self-learner, confident, well motivated with high human values; » Possess a comprehensive range of fundamental transferable skills; » Be equipped to participate as citizen of a modern democratic society; » Have the skills, aptitudes and adaptability required to contribute productively in advancing the economy; » Be enterprising; and, » Have a clear regard for sustainability.

A student's focus in the school means that it must adequately address the following student requirements: » Physical needs through activity, relaxation, and stimulation of sensory organs; » Emotional needs through love, hope and security; » Intellectual needs through knowledge and creativity; » Social needs through peer relationships, parent-child relationship, neighbourhood relationships; » Self-development and satisfaction through recognition, appreciation, respect, self-esteem, through higher qualities, evolution, discipline and independence; and, » Inculcation of sound human values should be woven into the school culture through all school activities.

In line with the Vision, NABET organised 32 one-day awareness programmes on the accreditation that were held in over 20 locations including New Delhi, Ahemdabad, Pune, Vadodra, Nashik, Amritsar, Aurangabad, Cochin, Lucknow, Kolkata, Jaipur, Jammu, Kanpur, Allahabad, Bhopal, Jabalpur, Bhubneshwar, Silchar, Patna, Mohali, etc on the standard to spread quality consciousness to about 1900 interested parties in school activities.

In addition, 21 three-day programmes were held on preparation for implementing the standard in schools reaching out to about 400 individuals associated with school education.

Moreover, NABET has also conducted 13 three-day training workshops covering about 260 individuals on assessing schools.

Seventeen schools have been accreditated and another about 48 schools are currently in the process.

The schools are from a wide spectrum ranging from private unaided schools, schools run by Corporate Social Responsibility wings of Industry, schools run by philanthropic trusts, municipal society-run schools to central government-run schools etc. These are also spread over different regions covering NCR, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Rajasthan, West Bengal, Puducherry, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka. The schools also are affiliated to different boards including CBSE, ICSE, IB, and different State Education Boards.

QCI longs to continue in this direction of improving quality, therefore, further initiatives are planned for accreditation process. To keep up this work, talks have been initiated with different state governments to formally adopt the standard in their own states and create their own resources for accreditation of their schools with required training and guidance

by NABET. Government of Maharashtra has conducted statewide programmes related to NABET School Accreditation and trained 96

APPRECIATING QUALITY: Representatives of Navyug School, Jor Bagh, receiving certificate of accreditation of NABET from Arun Maira, Member, Planning Commission.

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Talks have been initiated with different State Governments to formally adopt the standard in their own states and create their own resources for accreditation of their schools with required training and guidance

by NABET.

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Education Officers including Deputy Directors in the state. In addition to this, two programmes in each region, i.e. Mumbai, Pune, Kolhapur, Nasik, Aurangabad, Latur, Amravati, Nagpur were held for the school community.

NABET has felt the need to develop an accreditation mechanism for EIA consultants, so that capable organisations could be listed out and the project proponents could approach them for developing EIA reports, addressing the needs comprehensively.

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EIA After a long wait, India's growth story has finally picked up momentum. While the country marches towards taking its rightful place in the comity of nations, the process of development needs to be inclusive for its people and sensitive to the needs of environmental preservation.

Most of the development projects in the country require environmental clearance from the central or the state level environmental authorities. The process includes development of a detailed report called the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), which brings out the probable impacts on the environment from the project and also recommends mitigation measures to keep such impacts at the minimum level. The environmental clearance procedure goes through a process of public consultation. The contents of the EIA report in draft form are put in the public domain so that all stake holders could give their views before the report is finalised and placed to the authorities for clearance.

EIA reports are multi-disciplinary efforts requiring inputs from experts, having domain knowledge of the development project as well as the environmental aspects connected with it. Till recently, there were no documented requirements of capabilities of consulting organisations who could take up preparation of such highly specialised reports.

NABET has felt the need to develop an accreditation mechanism for EIA consultants, so that capable organisations could be listed out and the project proponents could approach them for developing EIA reports, addressing the needs comprehensively. In this process, NABET involved all stakeholders including academicians, regulators, industry associations, consulting

organisations and NGOs representing the civil society. The process of developing the accreditation mechanism took almost four years, starting from 2005 and in December, 2009 the Ministry of Environment and Forest made it mandatory.

The scheme identifies in depth, the educational requirements and experience of experts who can take up EIA work, the systems and procedures that need to be put in place by the consultants and the requirements of developing reliable base line environmental information based on which EIAs are to be developed.

Accreditation Scheme for EIA Consultant Organisations Progress on the current scheme Applications received by September 30, 2010 : 265 (Deadline set by MoEF) Break up of applications being processed Applications eligible of assessment : 105 (60 through AC + 45 in process) Applications not eligible : 165

Initial accreditation process is likely to be completed by June 30, 2011 as desired by the Ministry of Environment & Forests (MoEF).

The basic objective of the EIA Accreditation Scheme is to improve the quality of EIAs. To assess this, the following two mechanisms are being introduced.

To track the outcome of the meetings at central and state Government levels, where EIA reports are being considered by government agencies, from information available in their websites. This would help NABET develop a database on the positive & negative comments on the EIA reports prepared by accredited consultants, thereby providing a broad indication of the quality of EIA reports prepared by them.

To provide an option in the QCI website for public to comment on the reports being prepared by the accredited consultants. It may be

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noted that all EIAs are to be placed on public domain prior to the process of public consultation.

There are no structured courses available in our country specifically addressing the requirements of preparing EIA reports. NABET proposes to work on short-term training modules, using the expertise of experts in the field, for 10 days and one month duration for various aspects of EIAs. It then proposes to invite various institutes / organisations to take up such courses. A market is likely to be developed for such courses once the accreditation Scheme is implemented and all the consultants are required to have qualified and knowledgeable experts as EIA Coordinators & Functional Area Experts. NABET may accredit such courses keeping track of quality of training being given by institute/ organisation under this programme.

Rating of EIA consultants The current accreditation Scheme recognises EIA consultants broadly in two categories namely A and B to carry out EIAs for category A or B projects as defined in the MoEF notification. These are very broad classification and do not fully reflect the capability such as what maximum size of projects they can handle, how many EIAs they can handle simultaneously etc.

A rating system is proposed to be developed in future stating the sector size and number of projects that can be handled by a consultant depending on the quality & strength of human resource, facilities, systems and procedures in place etc.

As EIA Consultant Organisation Accreditation Scheme takes root, a demand is coming up for accreditation of individual experts who contribute to developing EIAs. NABET may consider taking up a project on this so that there is a region-wise data base available in country of qualified experts capable of developing quality EIAs. As of today there is no credible system available in the country to assess the capabilities of consultants working in the field of environment beyond EIAs. There are many areas

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like CDM control of pollution, retrofitting of pollution equipment, waste management, operation and maintenance of effluent treatment air pollution and other plants, biodiversity conservation, R&R studies etc. on environmental consultancy required by the industry, government, and other organisations. Scheme of accreditation of such consultants will be quite helpful in identifying and cataloguing such agencies.

SKILL DEVELOPMENT In order to spread the skilled manpower, vocational training and skill development of the youth is necessary. NABET has not ignored this aspect and has worked extensively in this direction too. As we have the largest population of

young people in the world, we need to invest adequately in their education and employability to become the largest pool of technically trained manpower in the world.

With a consistent growth rate of eight to ten per cent in GDP, India is one of the fastest-growing economies of the world. India has demographic dividend by being a young country. As per estimates, by 2020, the average Indian will be only 29 years old compared to 45 in west Europe, 48 in Japan and 37 in China & US. The Prime Minister of India has put up an objective that India should have 500 million certified and skilled technicians in the

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ENSURING FOOD SAFETY: The then Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Food Processing Industries, Subodh Kant Sahai launching the ‘2008-09 Year of Food Safety and Quality’ at the National Seminar on “Food Safety and Quality Management Systems — from Farm to Fork”. Also seen on the left QCI Secretary General Girdhar J Gyani.

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country by 2022. Recognising the importance of the imminent imperative, a National Mission on Skill Development has been announced under the PMO. The National Skills Development Mission envisages certain structure, processes and procedures for implementing the plan. It aims at bringing a paradigm change in handling of skill development programmes and initiatives.

One of the main objectives of the Mission is to establish a "Credible Accreditation System" and a guidance framework. The institutes involved in the certification process of skills imparted need to be accredited under an internationally acceptable mechanism.

Although, India is a fastgrowing economy, there is a rising demand for skilled workforce with

INTERNATIONAL LINKAGE: (L-R) Sibi George, Counsellor (Commerce) Embassy of India, Washington; Vipin Sahni, Director, NABET, QCI, India; Banashri B Harrison, Minister (Commerce), Embassy of India, Washington; Ajay Shankar, the then Chairman, QCI, and Secretary, DIPP, Ministry of Commerce and Industry; Lane Hallenbeck, Vice President, ANSI; Roy A Swift, Senior Director, ANSI; Elsie Owen, ANSI; and Vijay Krishna, Programme Manager, Personnel Certification Accreditation, ANSI at ANSI headquarters in Washington DC USA.

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focus on enhancing efficiency and flexibility of the labour market, reduction of skills bottlenecks and improvement in mobility and productivity. As on date, there are 8687 institutes (2189 government ITIs and 6498 private ITCs) in the country. The gross seating capacity is around 12.14 lakhs in 116 trades National Accreditation Board for Education and Training (NABET) as per its mandate is creating suitable accreditation mechanism to ensure the international acceptance of the trainings and skills assessment of the students. NABET is a member of the National Council for

Vocational Training (NCVT).

NABET has established accreditation mechanisms for: a) Vocational training providers including ITIs and ITCs b) Skill Assessment Bodies c) DGET Field Institutes NABET has also developed a mechanism for certification of examiners of assessing bodies with respect to competency required for a particular skill sector.

NABET has developed an Accreditation Mechanism as per ISO 17024:2003 for skill assessment bodies.

ISO 17024:2003 Requirements For Bodies Operating the Certification Of Persons, is the new globally accepted benchmark for personnel certification and focuses on the defining and examining of competence of personnel and the competence of the examiners of personnel.

ISO 17024 introduces the requirement for a scheme committee to develop competency criteria that are examinable and measurable. The resulting product of ISO 17024 is an accredited, certified person.

Across a great number of industry sectors, personnel certification validates public confidence in the services on which our lives and economies depend. In turn, accreditation ensures that the certification programme is engaged in continuous review and improvement of its quality and is accountable for achieving what it sets out to do. Accreditation through an internationally recognised framework and evaluation system will confirm that a certification body has conformed/met all of the requirements identified in the standard.

INTERNATIONAL LINKAGES The international linkages include mutual recognition arrangements with Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA), International Register of Certificated Auditors (IRCA), RABQSA International Inc and membership of International Personnel Certification Association (IPC).

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assessment of that organisation's level of performance in relation to the standards.

NABH is currently offering accreditation to Hospitals, Small Healthcare Organisations, Blood Banks and Transfusion Services, Primary/Community Healthcare Centres, Wellness Centres, Allopathy Clinics, AYUSH Hospitals, Dental Centres, Oral Substitution Therapy Centres and Medical Imaging Services.

The main objective is to enhance health systems, promoting continuous quality improvement and patient safety, at national and international levels. The board is structured to cater to much-desired needs of the consumers and to set benchmarks for progress of health industry. The board while being SHARING KNOWLEDGE: One of the speakers putting forth his views at the third NABH Assessor Conclave.

NABH takes major strides THE YEAR THAT HAS JUST GONE BY—2010 -- HAS BEEN A FRUITFUL YEAR FOR NABH. WHILE INITIATIVES WERE TAKEN TO START ACCREDITATION PROGRAMMES, NABH ALSO SAW THE APPOINTMENT OF A NEW CHAIRMAN AND A MAKEOVER OF THE BOARD MEMBERSHIP.

NABH provides accreditation to healthcare organisation in a non-discriminatory manner regardless of their ownership, legal status, size and degree of independence. NABH standards are equally applicable to both government and private healthcare organisations.

ational Accreditation Board for Hospitals & Healthcare Providers (NABH), a constituent board of Quality Council of India (QCI), was set up by the Government of India and the Indian industry in 2005, for running a national accreditation programme for healthcare organisations in the country.

Accreditation is a public recognition by a National Healthcare Accreditation Body of the achievement of accreditation standards by a healthcare organisation, demonstrated through an independent external peer

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supported by all stakeholders— industry, consumers and government—has full functional autonomy in its operation. NABH provides accreditation to healthcare organisation in a non-discriminatory manner regardless of their ownership, legal status, size and degree of independence. NABH standards are equally applicable to both government and private healthcare organisations.

The standards focus on all aspects of service delivery like patient/customer rights and education, infection control practices, trained and experienced staff, infrastructure, regulatory compliances, and environment safety. The applicant organisations are evaluated on the laid standards and honoured by a Mark of Excellence, if found compliant.

Accreditation would ensure safe and good quality of care being provided to patients through the healthcare organisations, and the patients can choose a right organisation based on

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this scheme. This will further encourage the other organisations to benchmark and improve their services.

The year 2010 has been a very productive year for NABH. There were certain accomplishments carried over from 2009 which have been completed successfully.The activities NABH is engaged in requires continuous change and can only be completed over time. There were many new initiatives in terms of starting of accreditation programmemes, appointment of new Chairman and a makeover of the Board membership to include more stakeholders and widen its ambit.

Board and Committees Dr Narottam Puri, Adviser, Fortis Healthcare Limited, was appointed Chairman of NABH in July 2010. The Board composition was discussed and revised as per advice of the Board Members. The new members who joined the board are from the Department of AYUSH, Ministry of Tourism, Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS)-MoHFW, Drug Controller General of India, Indian Health Care Quality Forum and Dean, Maulana Azad Medical College, Delhi.

The Executive Board has approved the composition of revised Accreditation Committees for the Hospital and Blood Bank programmeme, the Technical Committee for Hospitals and Blood Bank programmeme, and Appeals Committee.

The year 2010 has been a very productive year for NABH. There were certain accomplishments carried over from 2009 which have been completed successfully.The activities NABH is engaged in requires continuous change and can only be completed over time.

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Report for Assessor Training One of the most important components of external evaluation mechanism is the competence of the assessment team. Team members must follow the set protocols to produce the desired and correct outcomes. It can only be achieved by providing required information and training to the Assessor. Therefore, it is essential to lay down the competency requirements for the assessor. Five-day training course has been designed to impart knowledge of the accreditation standards, assessment process, techniques and other NABH requirements to these

experts. It comprises continuous evaluation of the participants by the faculty and a written exam at the end of the course. Participant has to qualify both in continuous evaluation as and in written exam.

One such programme for hospital and SHCO was conducted at Delhi during February 13-17, 2010.

After the completion of this programmeme, NABH has about 450 trained assessors for the hospital and SHCO programmeme. An assessor training course for blood bank programmeme was conducted at Kolkata during August 9-13, 2010.

After the completion of this programmeme, there are now 94 trained assessors for the blood bank programmeme.

International Linkages and Achievements NABH participated in the meeting of the Accreditation Council of International Society for Quality in Health Care (ISQua) held in Amman, Jordan in June 2010. Representatives from Malaysia, Australia, Jordan, The Netherlands, France, United States, Canada, Denmark, India and ISQua attended the meeting to review the International Accreditation Programmeme (IAP) current activity and plan future directions.

Improving present IAP methodology, surveyor competencies, surveyor identification, memorandum of association, ISQua research site, forthcoming conference and preconference symposium were some of the many points discussed.

Council members also participated in a conference, "HCAC 2010- Quality Health Care" on the theme "Good, Better, Best: Moving towards Quality in Health Care in the Middle East" hosted by Health Care Accreditation Council (HCAC) Jordan. Dr BK Rana, Vice-Chairman, ISQua Accreditation Council, made a presentation on the Indian Health Care Accreditation Programmeme specifying challenges, strategies to overcome these challenges, strength and achievements of the programme and the way forward.

Dr Rana led a three-member ISQua survey team for the evaluation of Taiwan Joint Commission on

Health Care Accreditation (TJCHA), Banciao City, Taipei County, Taiwan during July 12-16, 2010.

Dr Narottam Puri, ChairmanNABH, Dr GJ Gyani, CEO-NABH and Dr BK Rana, Dy. Director-NABH attended the annual conference of ISQua at Paris during October 10-13, 2010. The delegation was involved in: Designing and conducting preconference Accreditation Symposium, Chairing technical sessions, Served on International Review Panel for the ISQua International Conference, Attending Accreditation Council meeting, and Attending ISQua Executive Board meeting.

Dr BK Rana, Deputy Director, was elected Vice-Chairman of International Accreditation Council of ISQua (2010-2012) and President of Asian Society for Quality in Health Care (ASQua) (2011 and 2012).

Requests from overseas Accreditation Bodies/ Foreign countries (Dubai, Philippines, Nepal) requiring NABH support Request from Dubai Accreditation Department to help develop accreditation standard, as well as request from Philippines to extend NABH accreditation in that country, also request from Government of Nepal in collaboration with WHO was received to help set up accreditation programmes. NABH signed an MoU with Philippines to extend its support.

NABH INTERNATIONAL The Board has approved the creation of NABH International (NABHI) in its meeting held on July, 27, 2010. NABHI will help and support overseas countries in general and SAARC countries in particular in setting up accreditation programmes as well as accrediting healthcare facilities using NABH standards and resources.

Support to MoHFW/ State Health Departments There has been continuous support offered to CGHS-MoHFW and several other State Health

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Departments for inspection of private hospitals and diagnostic centres for empanelment as well as to facilitate accreditation by NABH. The states include Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Jammu and Kashmir, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Madhya Pradesh.

GOING GLOBAL: Members of NABH delegation and Philippines HealthCORE seen with H E. The Indian Ambassador in Philippines Yogendra Kumar (third from right) and Ashok Warriers, Second Secretary (Commercial) and Head of Chancery (fifth from right).

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Promotional Activities Several awareness seminars for hospitals, nursing homes, blood banks, imaging centres, AYUSH hospitals, and wellness centres were organised in different parts of country. Special three-day Implementation Programme for Hospital Standards has been designed and 35 such programmes were conducted across the country to help hospitals in understanding and implementing the standards in their hospitals.

Accreditation for AYUSH Hospitals NABH has launched Accreditation Programme for AYUSH Hospitals in association with Department of AYUSH, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in January 2010. Quality standards for Ayurveda, Homeopathy, Unani, Siddha and Yoga, and Naturopathy hospitals were established, taking in consideration their special needs and requirements as the Indian system of medicine. Two kinds of standards were established- Accreditation Standards and Structural Standards.

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and programmes. The first NABH assessors' conclave was held in 2009 to address all the key issues. In 2010, the trend has been maintained, and the 2nd and 3rd NABH Assessors Conclaves were organized in 2010·

TOWARDS FIRST STEP: QCI Secretary General Girdhar J Gyani along with the representatives from Ayurvaid hospital. The hospital became the first Ayurveda hospital in India to receive NABH accreditation.

Accreditation standards measure the quality and safety aspects of the care delivered to the patients. Structural standards deals with infrastructural requirements to help the organisations deliver the quality care. Recently, first Ayurveda (Ayurvaid) hospital received NABH accreditation and five more Ayurveda hospitals are in various stages of accreditation.

Accreditation for Clinics The first interaction point of a patient, for common ailments, is the local community doctor's clinic.

Accreditation for clinics is especially for allopathy clinics which are either standalone or may be located in the community or in the premises of an organisation, such as school, factory, etc. It was launched on January 2, 2011 in Mumbai in a conference organised by Indian Medical Association.

NABH Assessors Conclaves There has been rapid development and expansion of the existing hospital accreditation programmeme since its launch in 2006. We have 63 accredited hospitals and more than 450 applicant hospitals in our list. Many new accreditation programmes have also been initiated under NABH like for blood banks, OST centres, AYUSH hospitals, medical imaging centres, dental centres, primary/community health centres and private clinics. The main challenge is to maintain uniformity in different assessments, locations

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Launch of Accreditation Standard for Allopathy Clinics A sensitization workshop on NABH accreditation standards—for clinics, polyclinics, and dispensaries—was organised by FEQH and Indian Medical Association, Mumbai on January 2, 2011. Accreditation Standard for allopathy clinics was launched in the conference.

Seminar on Reshaping Nursing Profession This year, the first national seminar on "Reshaping Nursing Profession in Indian Hospitals," was held at Global Hospitals and Health City (GHHC) Auditorium, Chennai on January 6, 2011 First Nursing Core Committee Meeting, QCI The Nursing Core Committee Meeting saw a decision being taken on the title of the initiative -"National Accreditation for Nursing Excellence" -- and the members unanimously decided that Dr RV Karanjekar would be the patron while Ms Abanti Gopan would be the Chairperson of the Nursing Core Committee, QCI. At the meeting, Dr. Karanjekar, Chairperson, requested Dr. Girdhar Gyani to preside over the meet. Dr. Gyani welcomed the gathering and declared open the meet and mentioned that accreditation within nursing will greatly enhance nursing competency. Accreditation would accelerate and monitor set standards to benchmark nursing in India. He suggested that if the nursing community goes for Magnet Status, it can be an integral part of NABH as a separate chapter. However, the committee members unanimously decided that an exclusive accreditation programme for nursing within QCI would be more appropriate.

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PEOPLE FIRST CHIEF MINISTERS

In 1863, Abraham Lincoln gave his legendary Gettysburg address using the now famous phrase, ‘A government of the people, by the people and for the people’. In other words, a government that is constructed of people and elected by the people, should represent the people. People, or citizens, then become the government’s priority.

Governments are specific institutions that donate to governance. While governance focuses on the approach in which decisions are made, government focuses on the approach in which these decisions are carried out.

QCI’s Chairman, Arun Maira, recently said: “India@75 will build people; and people will build India through quality and governance. Quality will always say is the fitness for its purpose, and our purpose is inclusive development in a democratic country.”

The theme of the last quality conclave was “Leveraging quality for good governance”. The objective was to provide a forum for sharing new ideas, deliberating on issues, challenges and the road ahead that would attempt to change the quality of average Indian’s life. Taking on from there, Quality India met some Chief Ministers of the country to find out how they are bringing in quality for the lives of those in the state.

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“Knowledge is power and our biggest asset” ASSAM BELIEVES IN NATIONAL WELL BEING AND CHIEF MINISTER TARUN GOGOI HAS LED FROM THE FRONT. THE STATE BECAME THE FIRST ONE IN THE COUNTRY TO ENSURE THE RIGHT TO HEALTH TO ITS PEOPLE. IN THIS INTERVIEW, THE CHIEF MINISTER DETAILS HIS TWOPRONGED APPROACH TO ACHIEVE HIS 2025 VISION: MAKE ASSAM ONE OF THE MOST PROGRESSIVE STATES IN THE COUNTRY.

What is Vision 2020 all about and how is your state administration working to achieve this?

It isn’t just Vision 2020. Assam is one of few states that had prepared a Vision 2025 document as early as 2002. The document is about optimizing Assam’s assets—her manpower and resources—to make her one of the most progressive states in India (our per capita income, in fact, was higher than the national average in 1950). It is about

all-round development and inclusive growth, empowering those at the bottom of the social and economic pyramid in the remotest of areas, and ensuring everlasting peace.

Our state administration has adopted a two-pronged approach for achieving the 2025 target — traditional and cyber. The traditional method entails legwork for officials; they take the government to the people’s doorsteps. The cyber approach entails touching lives through e-governance.

What are your ideas about improving the legal system at least at the lower levels and digitizing the government delivery systems to ensure transparency?

We have always believed the legal system should be accessible to all, distance from the courts and financial status notwithstanding.

Since we came to power in 2001, the legal system in Assam has witnessed constant improvement at the district and block levels.

Digitizing the government delivery systems is part of our greater e-governance plan, and we have made rapid strides in this regard.

In order to empower women, you have introduced some schemes.

What are "Baideu" and "Nabou" all about? How are these schemes beneficial for women in Assam?

No state or society can progress by ignoring their womenfolk, who by virtue of comprising half the population have equal rights to everything on earth. The position of women in Assam is considerably better than that in other parts of the country but gender bias is a reality and the society is often insensitive to underprivileged women who have to wage a lone battle for survival. This was the reason why our government launched two schemes in 2010 aimed at extending financial help to unmarried women

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In order to impart education in the remote areas of Assam, what is the role of ‘Jnan Taranga’ — the first community radio service which you have launched in the region?

Mass communication tools have tremendous impact, and are a handy tool for imparting education. TV channels and Internet have grown in Assam but radio still continues to be a powerful medium of communication. We decided to promote community radio after Krishna Kanta Handique State Open University (Guwahati) aired its first radio programme on January 28, 2009. The university went on to formally launch the first community radio service in the Northeast with a frequency of 90.4 MHz on November 2, 2010 and named it Jnan Taranga.

We envisage this community radio service to go a long way in educating students of Assam in various disciplines.

You have introduced some selfemployment schemes for the tea growers, to help build their socioeconomic structure. How has this helped the small tea growers in Assam?

We have never raised false hopes of

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providing government jobs. From the very beginning, we have made it clear that the government has its limitations and Assam’s wealth is in the hands of its people. So selfemployment is the way forward. We have accordingly worked out packages and schemes in agriculture and small-scale sectors.

One of the biggest success stories in the past decade has been that of the small tea growers (STGs).

A recent survey done by the Department of Industries and Commerce has revealed that the number of STGs is 68,465 and growing. Many hitherto unemployed youth have turned the perceived elitist industry into a common man’s dream maker.

You have launched the Morigaon Model District Health Project and have stated that the project would also address the issues like nutrition, water and sanitation, among others. How do you think this project has worked in Assam?

No society or state can forge ahead without according top priority to health as well as education sectors.

We have made a conscious effort to improve on these counts, and the launch of the Morigaon Model District Health Project underscores our commitment. We are proud that Morigaon, one of our newer but backward districts, was chosen for this ambitious project between the State Health Department and The Earth Institute, Columbia University and Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. This project isn’t just about providing proper, affordable healthcare; it is about nutrition, clean water, sanitation and other aspects that determine both individual and public health.

It has been a few months since the Morigaon model was launched, and though it is yielding results, we need a bit more time to assess its overall impact. But we hope that the model health project would aim to reduce infant and maternal mortality rates not just in Morigaon but in other districts of Assam as well by 2015. Other than this, we have taken a slew of initiatives in the health sector, but there are miles

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uality moves

Two major schemes launched to provide modern healthcare facilities to the people living in far-flung riverine areas and also for the tea garden communities.

Fixed deposit certificates to economically weaker sections.

A pension scheme for unmarried women aged 45 years or more.

Most of the unutilised government waste land brought under Social Forestry Plantation with the objective to provide fuel wood, fodder, fruits, small timber for construction of huts and agricultural implements to the rural people.

The MOROM Scheme extends financial support to patients admitted in general wards of government health institutions as compensation for wage loss during hospitalisation and post hospital expenses.

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above 45 years and widows living below the poverty line. The schemes are named Baideu (elder sister) and Nabou (sister-in-law) respectively, and they entail an annual financial support of `3,000 for women of economically weaker sections falling in these two categories.

The twin scheme was preceded by another for the girl child and her mother in a bid to usher in radical changes in the area of maternal and child care. The one for the girl child is named Majoni (little girl) and for the mother Mamoni. Under Majoni, a girl child born in a government or charitable hospital gets a fixed deposit of `5000 that can be encashed only after she turns 18 and remains unmarried before that age.

Mamoni for women in rural areas and belonging to economically weaker sections entails `500 each for check-ups in government hospitals after conception.

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uality acts

Panchayati Raj Amendment Bill, 2010 paves the way to enhance women's reservation from the existing 33 per cent to 50 per cent and use of electronic voting machines.

The Assam Land Grabbing (Prohibition) Bill, 2010 checks land grabbing taking place in the State.

The Assam Mobile Theatre (Regulation and Artistes' Welfare Fund) Bill, 2010 regulates the growth of mobile theatres which has been one of the most popular forms of entertainment in the state and protects cultural standards and artistes.

The Assam Rajiv Gandhi University of Cooperative Management Bill, 2010 has established the state's first such university exclusively for the cooperative sector.

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uality achievements

37,209 farmers benefited under Crop Insurance Scheme.

Improving state roads and interstate connectivity covering 56.23 km.

6,28,949 aged persons provided with monthly pension.

Accredited Social Health Activists scheme (ASHA).

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to go to achieve the desired results.

GARNERING LAURELS: Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Assam, Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma and the Mission Director, NRHM Assam, Dr. J B Ekka in the presence of the Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Ghulam Nabi Azad receiving the award from Vice President of India Shri Mohammad Hamid Ansari in 2010. NRHM Assam secured 1st position amongst all North East states for outstanding performance over the past five years.

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Assam has become the first state in the country to ensure the right to health to its people. For this you have even introduced the Assam Public Health Bill 2010. What is this Bill all about and how has it helped the people of Assam?

As I have said earlier, health is more than wealth for us; it is a right every citizen, whatever his or her social or economic status, must have. Since 2001, we have had taken many initiatives to ensure the people of our state do not suffer because of lack of access to prompt and proper healthcare. This commitment resulted in Assam becoming the first state in India to table the Public Health Bill 2010, which was passed in the Assembly in March last year.

The Assam Public Health Act makes healthcare facility a basic right of every citizen. The Act makes it compulsory for all hospitals in Assam, both government and private including nursing homes to provide free healthcare services maintaining appropriate protocol of treatment for first 24 hours to an emergency patient of any kind. The public health approach also makes it mandatory for all new development projects to carry out a health impact assessment study.

This landmark legislation kicked off a quiet revolution toward a healthier India, leave apart Assam.

The statute seeks to bind the state Health and Family Welfare

Department legally to meet its obligations through coordination with other departments concerned and providing people with minimum nutritionally adequate essential food, adequate supply of safe drinking water, sanitation through appropriate and effective sewage and drainage systems and access to basic housing facilities.

Again, like the Morigaon model health project, the impact of this right-to-health legislation has to be studied over a longer period. These are still early days but the feedback we are getting is positive.

Healthcare delivery system in the state hospitals is not up to the mark. What are the state’s health services doing in this regard?

There was a time when the media in Assam hardly considered deaths in hospitals as news; they were quite commonplace. In the past few years, even a minor case of wrong diagnosis or denial of proper healthcare in the remotest of areas has been commanding prominent space. This is a good sign; more than underlining the growing health consciousness, it highlights the materialisation of our commitment to ensuring health and healthcare facilities across the length and breadth of Assam.

The Assam Public Health Bill, as discussed above, is one example of our thrust on health. We made it mandatory for MBBS students to serve a minimum number of years in rural and semi-urban areas after graduation in order to qualify for higher degrees and specialisations.

We also started a course to ensure an assembly line of rural doctors— the media referred to them as Munnabhais — besides giving preference to medical students from rural areas who would be more likely to serve back home.

Moreover, we included registered homeopathic and Ayurvedic practitioners into our greater healthcare scheme so that people are not denied care and treatment.

There have, of course, been the usual steps such as increasing the number and capacity of PHCs and CHCs, equipping them with

The Quality Council of India’s National Accreditation Board for Hospitals and Healthcare Providers (NABH) has been set up under the national accreditation structure to establish and operate accreditation programme for healthcare organisations. Is the state planning to tie up with the Quality Council of India to bring in healthcare quality?

Yes, we are. We don’t want any opportunity to ensure healthcare quality to go by. Healthcare, after all, is one of our priority sectors, and we have come a long way in providing better infrastructure and services.

The primary school dropout rate in the state is a staggering 26.5 per cent, which accounts for approximately nearly 60,000 children. What is the Right to Education Act all about and how is the state committed in implementing the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act? Over the years, we have taken up several measures to enhance the standard of education in Assam. The Right to Education entails free and compulsory education all students up to 14 years of age, and our commitment to implementing it cannot be questioned. Our performance in education hasn’t been as good as in health, but we have overcome many constraints to make some difference.

Yes, dropout has remained a problem area but the Annual Survey of Education Report 2009 by the Union Human Resources Ministry says there has been an increase of 3per cent enrolment in government schools since 2008 while private schools witnessed a corresponding increase of 2 per cent. The rest of the figures — such as 8.6 per cent outof-school students in Assam compared to 5.3 per cent nationwide and drop in attendance of teachers and students in 2009 compared to 2005— aren’t flattering. But then, the problem is more in char (sandbar)

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areas and tea estates, which pull down the performances in other areas when taken in totality.

However, these problem areas are being given attention.

Education in government schools — both primary and high schools— are not in the best shape. There is often a shortage of teachers and many of them are often negligent.

How is the state planning to tackle the quality of teachers in the state?

When we came to power in 2001, we were burdened with many liabilities left behind by the earlier government. The education department too had contractual, short-term teachers and political appointments to deal with. Things have been streamlined to a great degree, but a lot remains to be done.

The Quality Council of India has an accreditation programme for schools. Is the state thinking of asking the Quality Council of India to usher in accreditation to schools to enhance the quality of teaching?

Why not? We would definitely be interested in weighing this option.

Tarun Gogoi Assam is one of few states that had prepared a Vision 2025 document as early as 2002. The document is about optimizing Assam’s assets—her manpower and resources—to make her one of the most progressive states in India.

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E-governance initiatives in the state has already resulted in computerisation of the National Register of Citizenship (NRC) creating databases to store all the information contained in the manual NRCs in the original language. How will this help in a sensitive region like Assam where citizenship has long been an important factor?

Assam, as you are aware, has been in the focus for illegal influx-related issues. Despite border fencing, policing, stringent laws and various other checks, it is difficult to detect and deport foreigners. There has been a long-pending demand for updating the NRC, and the process has been undertaken at a time when the digital revolution has gripped Assam. The computerised database for NRC would not only help maintain a register of genuine citizens, but will set to rest other issues related to linguistic and religious victimisation.

Interviewed by Sheela K

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“Bihar is preparing data of human development indices” NITISH KUMAR, WHO SPEARHEADED THE DEVELOPMENT OF ONE OF INDIA’S POOREST STATES, WANTS TO ENSURE FAST GROWTH OF HIS DEVELOPMENT AGENDA AND HAS ON THE ANVIL SOME PATHBREAKING INITIATIVES.

In your address at the Governance Forum on “Bihar on the move” you said ‘by providing good governance, we are not doing any favour to the citizens of the country.

We have been elected to serve the people and hence we are accountable for what we do.’ You had also mentioned that your

emphasis was on governance as the first, second and third priorities.

What is governance according to you? Is it also human development?

Yes, it is my firm opinion and belief that in a democracy, people have the supreme power to elect their representatives, be it for the Legislative Assembly or the Parliament. Therefore, it becomes the duty of all elected representatives to serve the people with their best of capabilities and be accountable to them.

It is true that my emphasis has been on good governance ever since I was elected as Chief Minister of the NDA government in Bihar five years ago and it continues to remain at the top of my priority list even in the second term. People are well aware of the law and order, economic, social, educational and administrative conditions prevailing in Bihar when our government was constituted at the fag-end of November 2005. We had resolved to establish the rule of law, peace and social harmony, to usher in development with justice and to establish good governance. It is my firm belief that without establishing peace and order in society, social transformation cannot take place.

Therefore, it was the first priority of my government to establish the rule of law in the state. As a consequence peace and social harmony were ensured and the writ of the state was affirmed. Thereafter, necessary steps were initiated for all-round development of the state and my government is determined to make Bihar a developed state by 2015.

Human development is an integral part of good governance. A report is being prepared for the first time in the state to prepare a district-wise data of human development indices.

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` 3,000 crore sanctioned for setting up sewage treatment plants in 19 Bihar towns in the next five to six years under National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA).

Modernisation of police force: Recruitment of 10,000 police personnel in the future.

Rural Road Sector Investment Programme for the construction and upgrading of roads.

Bihar Kosi Recovery Project mooted to help Bihar's flood-affected people by supporting the reconstruction of about 100,000 houses, and the rebuilding of 90 bridges and 290 kilometers of rural roads.

REACHING OUT TO PEOPLE: Nitish Kumar listening to the people at ‘Janta Ke Darbar Mein Mukhyamantri’ programme.

You also say that governance means empowering women as well. How are you doing that?

No state can prosper without involving its women population in the development activities. Women empowerment has been a priority agenda of my government. Soon after assuming power, my government made necessary amendments in the Panchayati Raj act to provide 50 per cent reservation to women in the Panchayati Raj institutions and also urban civic bodies. Impressed by its outcome, the Central Government later recommended other states to follow the same. We are also providing money to buy books and school uniform for the girl students besides a bicycle for the girls studying in high schools. This had resulted in a big increase of girl students in high schools. We also provided 50 per cent reservation to women in appointment of primary school teachers. Around two lakh teachers were appointed in the primary schools during the last five years. My government has been encouraging women to participate in politics as well.

During the election campaign for the Assembly polls, you had promised to keep a strict check on corruption. How are you going to do that?

Yes, I have promised to initiate steps to check corruption. My government had already enacted a new legislation by the name of “Bihar Special Courts Act 2009” to ensure the confiscation of property and assets amassed by the government officials through corruption. As a matter of fact, steps had been already initiated against 13 such officials including a senior IAS and retired DGP rank IPS officer to seize their palatial houses built in the state capital. My government plans to open schools in these buildings after they are seized. We also plan to get special courts constituted for conducting speedy trial of corrupt officials so that they can be terminated from service as early as possible.

We understand that you want to bring in the Right to Service Bill.

What is this Right to Service?

Yes, we are already working on this Bill, which is likely to be tabled in the assembly during the coming budget session. People have rights for certain services from the government agencies like getting a caste certificate, certificate of domicile, new electricity connection etc. It has been found that they are made to run from pillar to post to get them from the concerned authorities and many a times they have to grease the palm of

Bharat Nirman Programme- Phase 2, to cover uncovered and quality affected habitations: 2,820 quality affected habitations have been covered in 2010.

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Bihar Special Courts Act, 2009 to check corruption by pursuing cases against corrupt officials.

Right to Service Bill (likely to be tabled in the assembly during the coming budget session) envisages a stipulated time for services to citizens, such as issuing a ration card, power connection and birth and death certificates.

Bihar Agricultural Land (Conversion for Non-Agricultural Purposes) Bill 2010, which provides legal sanction for conversion of agricultural land for industrial and commercial use.

Amendments in the Panchayati Raj Act to provide 50 per cent reservation to women in the Panchayati Raj.

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New farming technique, SRI (System of Rice Intensification) was introduced for increasing foodgrain output.

State government distributed over 14,000 acres of land to 30,000 women (among the poor and landless) in the last three years.

Two lakh teachers appointed in the primary schools.

Special schemes like 'Uthan Kendras' and 'Taleemi Markaz' for the socially and economically deprived sections of Mahadalits and Muslim minorities.

Bicycles distributed in all districts among girl students.

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AGENDA SETTING: Nitish Kumar presiding over a high-level review meeting of Food and Consumer Protection Department in C M Secretariat.

Nitish Kumar Appointment of a large number of teachers in primary schools had resulted in an improved student-teacher ratio. Mid-day meals, free uniforms, books and bicycles had resulted in a marked increase in school going students.

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government officials for obtaining it.

The Right to Service Bill will have provisions for providing these services within a stipulated time frame failing which there will be provisions for punishment to the guilty government employee.

There is a feeling that if every state shares its best practices with each other, we can have a fair delivery mechanism. Do you agree?

Yes, I fully agree with this concept that we should help one another in whatever way we can. Bihar was the first state to constitute a ‘Special Auxiliary Police’ (SAP) by recruiting fully trained ex-service men who had just retired from service.

Appreciating this innovative idea, many states followed suit. Under the provisions of Right to Information Act, Bihar was the first state to set up a call centre for the citizens to seek information over phone under its scheme named “Jaankari”. This effort of ours was not only lauded at the national level but other states were advised to emulate it. When we launched “Akshar Aanchal” scheme aimed at women literacy, in August 2009 in Bihar, the Centre implemented a similar scheme “Sakshar Bharat” in October 2009 with emphasis on woman literacy.

Your ideas on improving healthcare, education standards, improving the legal system at least

at the lower levels and digitising the government delivery system to ensure transparency?

We have initiated several steps for expanding and strengthening the rural medical facilities. Right from primary health centres to state level hospitals had been upgraded by providing them modern equipment, medicines and other items besides doctors, nurses and paramedical staff. Ambulance services and mobile medical vans had been provided across the state. The ever- increasing numbers of patients, both outdoor and indoor, in government hospitals bear testimony to the fact that people were getting better facilities in government hospitals. There has been a qualitative improvement in education sector as well.

Appointment of a large number of teachers in primary schools had resulted in an improved studentteacher ratio. Mid-day meals, free uniforms, books and bicycles had resulted in a marked increase in number of school going students.

Special schemes like ‘Uthan Kendras’ and ‘Taleemi Markaz’ for the socially and economically deprived sections of Mahadalits and Muslim minorities had also been quite encouraging.

What about the Public Distribution System (PDS)? What are your plans for improving that to raise the quality of lives of the people of the state?

Ever since our government came to power we have been asking the Centre to reassess the number of people living below the poverty line in the state. The Centre provides subsidised foodgrains and kerosene for only about 68 lakh BPL (Below Poverty Line) families, whereas our assessment says that there were 1.20 crore BPL families in the state. Since the Centre has not been taking cognizance of our demand as yet, we plan to provide foodgrains and kerosene to the additional number of families from our own resources through the PDS. We have introduced a food and kerosene coupon system for the BPL families and the result has been quite

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encouraging. We are quite impressed about the PDS system adopted by Chhattishgarh government and we are examining it to implement the same in our state.

But as Bihar is a much bigger state than Chhattishgarh, the numbers of PDS dealers are much more.

Therefore, we are examining the feasibility of the system.

Your government has improved law and order in the state. How far has it improved?

Law and order being the foremost criterion for any development activity, the agencies responsible for maintenance of law and order in society have to remain on constant vigil. Our efforts and persuasion for conducting speedy trial of hardened criminals yielded the desired results and more than 50,000 criminals were convicted during the last five years.

The result is that the common man in Bihar today does not fear the criminals; rather the criminals fear the law now. People with their families work and shop till late in night. Kidnapping for ransom that had taken shape of a prosperous industry has vanished from Bihar.

Bihar has been in the news for development work. What is it that you have instituted for this change?

We have not only built roads and bridges across the state but also built bridges of trust in society. People of Bihar were convinced by our appeal to rise above caste and community and vote for development. And the result is for everyone to see. Our government also made widespread reforms in administrative and financial management in order to provide good governance. As a result, the plan size and plan expenditure of the state have increased manifold. Bihar is well and truly on the road to economic transformation. Our resolve is to see it as a developed state by 2015.

The 13th Finance Commission report has recommended more assistance to states lagging behind in education and health infrastructure. But it also made it conditional on certain parameters.

What are your thoughts on this?

I have been constantly saying that India cannot become a developed country without developing Bihar that comprises about 10 per cent of its population. During the last five years, since our government came to power, I can say with conviction that the pace of Bihar’s development has been obstructed not only by natural calamities like floods and drought but also the negative attitude. Our persistent demand for according a special category status to Bihar as it meets all the parameters had gone unheeded.

The Finance Commission recommendations are made as per a formulated policy and it is for every state. I would like to reiterate it that gone are the days when parties took people for granted. Now people understand everything and they know who is doing what for them.

GREAT LEVELLER: Infrastructural development (especially development of roads) has fuelled Bihar's economy under Nitish Kumar's leadership.

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You promised to implement the recommendations of D Bandopadhyay Committee report on land reforms. What has happened to that?

I had never promised to implement the recommendations of D Bandopadhyay Committee on land reforms. Our government had constituted this committee to seek its opinion on Land reforms in the state. The Committee had given its report and another committee of the state government led by a senior IAS officer was looking into the feasibility of its recommendations.

Interviewed by Shashi Singh

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“Quality in governance would mean responsiveness” WELL INTO HER THIRD TERM AS DELHI CHIEF MINISTER, SHEILA DIKSHIT IS CREDITED FOR USHERING IN THE INTERNATIONALLY ACCLAIMED INITIATIVE ‘BHAGIDARI’, I.E. PEOPLE’S PARTICIPATION IN THE PROCESS OF GOVERNANCE. IT WAS AS A RESULT OF THIS OPEN AND RESPONSIVE SYSTEM OF ADMINISTRATION THAT DEVELOPMENT — SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC — HAVE TAKEN PRECEDENCE OVER OTHER ISSUES. IN THIS INTERVIEW, THE CHIEF MINISTER, SPEAKS ABOUT HER IDEA OF QUALITY.

What is your idea of quality?

If you look at the larger perspective and you bring in aesthetics into it — personal aesthetics — then you know you may like an X car; I may like a Y car. The same would run through the kind of clothing we wear, the kind of shoes we wear.

Now, these kinds of consumables, even food, (will fall into this category). I may like a particular kind of food, you may like (another kind). So, you see that is one way of looking at quality. It becomes somewhat personalised.

Then there is general quality.

That general quality is primarily that whatever product is made, it is a truthful product. It is truthful in the sense that it represents what it says it is. For instance, it could be a piece of furniture. You might buy me a

piece of furniture and tell me that it’s bamboo and it doesn’t turn out to be bamboo, it turns out to be something else! So, that is not quality. Quality is a polite word to ward off the other rather crude and insensitive word called cheating. That is how I understand quality and it is (evident) from morning to night: the quality of the sleep you have, the quality of the work you are doing, the quality of the company you are keeping, the quality of the reading you are doing — it (quality) encompasses our entire life.

What about quality in governance?

If you look at governance and put the word ‘quality’ as meaning governance or good governance, I would say it would be akin to responsiveness. The word ‘responsive’ means everything. This is my entitlement as proclaimed by any policy or the rights by the Constitution. Then, unless it’s a responsive government, it can be a callous government. We know you have the right to get twenty kilos of wheat every month, at the personal level one can say I don’t care whether you get it or you don’t. But if it is a government which makes a promise and then delivers on that promise of making sure that the person who is entitled to twenty kilos of wheat gets it, I would say the quality of that government is very good.

How has your government been working to achieve quality through governance?

One of the first steps we took was to involve citizens into governance — we called it Bhagidari. Now that was the first step to make citizens aware of governance, and those who govern aware of the citizens. So, you bring them onto a platform where the idea is not to wish each other away but to say, alright I need a street light more than I need a tap.

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Would you see that I get a street light because I have a tap? This is a quality rule. That is the work of civil society. It’s vociferous and it says it.

But sometimes you find that the government says, ‘No, in my plan it is this.’ So you know that first, you have to bring them together.

Second, you go a step further by making the government more open, more transparent; making the government not just rule-bound but human-touch bound. In that way modern technology of access through the websites has helped a great deal. We have just initiated one most recently: the SLA system or the Service Level Agreement.

Now, this SLA means that you come to me as a citizen. I’m supposed to give you a driving license within a week. If I don’t give it, you can say, ‘Alright, I did not get it within a week’. So, I am asked for an explanation (for the delay).

How does it work?

It works through the computers. We will have an Act eventually but right now we have started this (on the web). You ask the person or the department, why did this (delay) happen? Now the person can come up and say, you didn’t have the relevant papers or you didn’t bring the proper signature. But suppose that the person says, “No I caused the delay.” So, there is that coming together. You being answerable as a civil servant and I being aware that

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this is my right. Why should I have to go tramping round? I think we’ve covered forty departments and we need to do fifty more. These are departments which are cutting-edge departments which deal with the people.

When do you think you will be able to cover all the departments?

Certainly by March 2011, we are getting that Service Level Agreement in place. But we are getting these Acts (the ones being initiated by states like Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra) as a model and seeing what we can do.

What made you go for SLA? The strongest (feedback) that came back to me was: Ignition of people’s desire — yes we do want it; and also invocation of people’s feeling that ‘It is my responsibility also because I am the one who pays the tax and I (want to) keep drubbing that in’.

The government doesn’t have money of its own. It’s your money which has to go back to you. It’s a two-way street and I think the satisfaction levels came up particularly in a small city-state like Delhi where the input and the output is visible.

Now, if you say you’ve built a Metro, a person sitting in Lucknow may not know whether Gorakhpur has got a Metro or not. But here you can see it. Or, the green buses and the red buses, or the bus stands we

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W Stree Shakti programme - entails capacity building among women especially those belonging to weaker sections of the society by providing healthcare, training in different streams and financial aid for selfemployment W Samajik Suvidha Sangam enabling the marginalised, vulnerable and the needy to effectively access welfare entitlement schemes offered by government departments.

W Mission Convergence - identify the most vulnerable people and help them benefit all the welfare schemes under a single window system.

W Laadli girl child - social welfare scheme for child.

W The Bhagidari initiative - ensuring active participation of citizens.

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W Delhi Excise Act 2010 has made Delhi the first state with its own Excise Act that makes drinking in public and creating nuisance a punishable offence attracting a fine and/or jail term.

W Draft Delhi Cycle Rickshaw Act, 2010 will remove current restrictions on cycle rickshaws to move in residential areas and enable them to move all over the city, except National Highways, No Entry zones and the Ring Roads. These will be ideal to reduce pollution.

W Delhi government has come down heavily against touts who harass tourists through the Prevention of Touting and Malpractices Bill.

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W The Laadli girl child welfare scheme has proved to be a big success.

W 16 flyovers completed, 44 under construction.

W 1200 citizen groups — RWAs, MTAs and Industrial Associations in ‘Bhagidari’ scheme with Government.

W ‘Stree Shakti’ campaign launched for the empowerment of women.

W (Stree Kosh) Gender Resource Centres established at Shahbad Daulatpur.

W Construction of Under Ground Reservoirs (UGR) and Booster Pumping Stations.

S TAKING STOCK: Sheila Dikshit overseeing the developmental programme under

Bhagidari scheme.

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made or the widening of roads — anything at all — the visibility is here and I think it helped us enormously. Now, there are different levels of demands. The rich want good, wide roads so their cars can zoom around. Then the poor says, ‘At least let me get a shop so that I can earn my livelihood.’ The poorest says, ‘Get me a home at least.’ So, the levels are different.

But we’ve had this ‘Bhagidari’ at all levels and we interact with everything. We get the feel and let them also get the feel.

For instance, everybody I think now in Delhi knows there is a multiplicity of authorities. But still they think, ‘Well, you are the face; you are the one I elected. So you fight my battles, whether with the DDA (Delhi Development Authority) or with the MCD (Municipal Corporation of Delhi) or with the Government of India, you are the one who has to do it.’

S REAPING FRUITS: World class infrastructure

has been put in places all over Delhi. Seen in the picture is flyover near Delhi Airport.

Any examples to illustrate your point?

I’ll tell you — when our government came, our schools were very bad. I made a small group to study the situation. We found we were spending `900 per child whereas the best public school was only spending `800 per child. We pay the teachers well. The teachers are good.

The books are given free and uniforms too, to a large extent. So,

what was it that was lacking? Then, we started these Vidyarthi Kalyan Samitis or the Student Kalyan Samitis. We went to a neighbourhood and we asked 5 or 6 people to go to a school. They would see that the school opened on time, that the windows are all intact, the toilets are okay and the children got their books. Are the teachers absent?

How many are absent and so on…?

Now, that has evolved into something which today I can very proudly speak about. We also give these samitis a grant of `5 lakhs a year. For instance if the wall cracks or the window pane breaks or the toilet flushes do not work, then they can do (the repairs) themselves.

What we want them to do is not depend on the PWD…. We said, You take it (on the job yourself). The Principal is the Chairperson and the Convener (of the Samiti). Now this has worked wonders because we found that our pass percentage went up from 36 per cent in 1999-2000 to today’s 87-89 per cent. And it is .01 per cent more than public schools.

Then we got confidence and started environment and eco clubs… as well as the dances that you see the children doing at the Republic Day parade.

Has the success of these Samitis prompted you to move into other spheres?

We have been very successful (in the schools). Now we are doing this to the hospitals with our Rogi Kalyan Samitis to see that medicines are there in the hospitals, that the machines are functioning, that there is a person there to operate the machines.

These samitis also see if the staircases are kept clean and the signages are good.

How have you raised the quality of teachers?

We did a very simple thing. We said, ‘Don’t let a teacher travel more than 15 or 20 kms.’ Now, if I have to travel 40 kms, then it is four hours a day (I will spend travelling). So, we did that and, of course, the result has been encouraging. Also, I don’t encourage anybody to come to me

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(for transfer of posting).

You have been using the Quality Council of India to provide the quality framework for schools run by the NDMC (New Delhi Municipal Corporation) as well as hospitals in Delhi. How has been the experience and what next?

The experience has been very good with the Quality Council .but we are also looking at our social sector services. The Trishakti GRC centres where we train women, where we’ve got 120 or something like that, get them to learn, speak, read, write and train them enough to be able earn `5,000-7,000 even on their own is one good example Have the hospitals improved?

Yes, they are better, but still I wouldn’t say that our hospitals are very good. There are too many problems in hospitals; in the sense, the government systems are very bad. There is a backlog of teachers, backlog of technicians, technologists so on and so forth and, of course, there is a rush at our hospitals where 30 per cent of our patients are from outside Delhi, you know. You see, whenever there is an accident, say in Noida, they all come to my hospital here (in Delhi). They don’t go there. So we cater to 30 per cent more of the population than we are supposed to. Our beds have risen from 1000- 2000 by several times.

Now, today we have 17,000 beds.

How did you get the Bhagidari system to work?

See in the Bhagidari system, the officers were involved just as much as we were. The police, the District DC, the Commissioner, the Chief Secretary would come, as would the Fire Department, Water Department...For two or three days when we had the workshops, the interaction was there, so the officers also got to know (what we wanted).

The Commonwealth Games ended and brought in its wake a whole lot of allegations…

In the Commonwealth Games, there was a huge multiplicity. The Indian Olympic Committee, was doing its

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work, the various Federations were doing their’s. We were doing the infrastructure - at least a part of the infrastructure was by us, part of the infrastructure was by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, part of it was by the CPWD (Central Public Works Department), part by the L&DO (Land and Development Office). So, you see it got divided. Now, there was panic because there were unusual rains, there were delays.

For instance, I can tell you we couldn’t build two of the most modern roads we have done today the Barapullah Nallah and Salimgarh because it took months on end, almost a year, two years, before we got all the clearances. So you see it is not that we are living in isolation. I think this huge multiplicity needs to be removed: the systems of allocation of work to even a contractor have to become less cumbersome.

Sheila Dikshit One of the first steps we took was to involve citizens into governance — we called it Bhagidari. Now that was the first step to make citizens aware of governance, and those who govern aware of the citizens.

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You seem very disappointed with the municipal operations in Delhi?

It’s very bad, I must tell you.

There is no accountability in them.

For instance, they have no system of accounting for what they have been given. They say, ‘Give us money for X number of streets’ and they go and spend it on something else. You give them for labour, and then they say we spent it on something else. You see there isn’t that kind of discipline.

How do we change it?

Auditing. Absolutely audit them for quality and delivery of services.

Why don’t you do it?

We have. Yes. In our own work, yes we do. Certainly we do. But we have no hold over all the bodies including the corporation. No, all that we do is give them funds.

Funds are routed through us.

That’s about all and as I said, I may have given them fund for a chair and they went and bought a horse.

If all agencies are bound together it will make for a better delivery of services?

Yes. I think so.

Interviewed by K Srinivasan

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“Gujarat has made systematic efforts to commit to standards” CHIEF MINISTER NARENDRA DAMODARDAS MODI OF GUJARAT HAS BEEN HEADING THE STATE SINCE OCTOBER 2001. KNOWN FOR HIS AGGRESSIVE STYLE OF FUNCTIONING, THE CHIEF MINISTER SAYS FRANKLY THAT ALL HE TRIES TO DO IS SOW A NEW DREAM EVERYDAY IN THE EYES OF 55 MILLION GUJARATIS IN THE STATE. “WE CAN’T WAIT FOR THINGS TO HAPPEN IN 2050. I WANT TO SEE GUJARAT AT PAR WITH THE DEVELOPED REGIONS OF THE WORLD; I WANT GUJARAT TO BE THE STRENGTH TO FREE INDIA FROM POVERTY AND ILLITERACY,” HE HAS SAID. IN THIS INTERVIEW WITH QUALITY INDIA, THE CHIEF MINISTER OUTLINES HIS PLANS TO USHER IN QUALITY IN THE STATE. EXCERPTS: It has been recognised the world over that good governance is essential for sustainable development, both economic and social. The three essential aspects emphasised in good governance are transparency, accountability and responsiveness of the administration. How is the state planning to take a Citizens’ Charter initiative?

Gujarat’s quality in public service is founded on exemplary good governance. Recently, my office won the United Nations Public Service Award (UNPSA) for ‘Improving Transparency, Accountability and Responsiveness in Public Service’. A few countries win the UN Public Service Award, yet the Gujarat administration has successfully managed to win this award twice in recent years. The UN award recognises our success in guaranteeing delivery of services to the people. Gujarat is proactive with Citizens’ Charters, with systematic efforts to commit to standards, information and most of all a commitment to end outcomes for the public.

In Gujarat, our approach has been through use of advanced technology to revolutionise our systems. The State Wide Attention on Grievances by Application of Technology (SWAGAT) initiative considers grievance cases of applicants directly through multivideo conferencing with all our 26 districts and all 225 taluka offices.

SWAGAT is outcome-focused and cases are redressed on the same day or in a time-bound manner.

According to the Planning Commission, Gujarat has been advised to focus on improving female literacy, vocational and higher education. What are your views on that?

India will soon become the world’s largest source of employees: this will be our nation’s gift to the globe.

By investing in our youth we will serve the society of the world with expertise, intellect and passion for a better future. Our education initiatives are vitalising every aspect, from primary education to world-class higher education institutes. Vigorous annual school enrolment campaigns known as Shala Praveshotsav and Kanya Kelavani are reaching 100 per cent success to make every child literate, especially girls. Computer literacy will be our next achievement. Our Vanche Gujarat campaign was pioneered to inculcate a reading habit throughout society. The initiative led to books being exchanged, reading competitions held and a thriving knowledge society is being awakened.

The demands for a world-class education are high for today’s job market. In Gujarat, we have focused on expanding and establishing new education institutes to develop our youth for the future of the country.

Today, people are studying at the only Forensic Sciences University in India, as well as at the new Gujarat National Law University and Pandit Deendayal Petroleum

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University. The recently-established Raksha Shakti University is the first of its kind in India, conducting diploma and degree courses in public science and internal security.

Seats at medical colleges are being increased from 1,200 to 4000 per year to take care of requirement for more doctors.

Education in government schools —both primary and high schools -is often not in the best shape.

There is often a shortage of teachers and many of them are often negligent. This when the pay scale is far superior to the private sector teachers. How is the state planning to tackle the quality of teachers in the state? How are you also looking at the virus of transfers and postings in schools that is the bane of most states in India?

In 2009, we began the Gunotsav annual quality education campaign, in which the Government including 3,000 Ministers and officers spend three days in villages to raise quality in all areas of school education. After the intensive assessment, special coaching classes were given in 23,000 schools. After continuous efforts across the year we have observed the significant improvement in quality education after a second assessment in 2010.

In Gujarat, the Children’s University will be the core research and training centre to enrich institutions, leaders and teachers responsible for the development of all our children. The state reformed the system of postings in schools some years ago by introducing transparency and fairness. We have reduced the volatility and frequency of transfers and balanced the staffing in schools across the state.

The Quality Council of India has an accreditation programme for schools. Is the state thinking of asking the Quality Council of India to usher in accreditation to schools to enhance the quality of teaching?

The Gujarat government is planning a Gujarat School Quality

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W Jyoti Gram Yojana- to provide 3-

phase, 24-hour, uninterrupted power supply to all 18,065 villages and also to the 9,680 suburbs attached to these villages.

W Evening Courts- a system which enables the common man to seek justice without wasting his working hours during the day.

W Nari Adalat- informal judicial forums in order to redress the grievances and cases of women through consultation and negotiation W State-Wide Attention on Public Grievance by Application of Technology (SWAGAT)- innovative concept that enables direct communication between the citizens and the chief minister.

W Chiranjeevi Yojana - a novel scheme involving private gynaecologists in providing services related to safe delivery of pregnant women.

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SWAGAT has dealt with over 100,000 cases and over 90 per cent have been resolved since the facility was launched in 2003.

Our plans are to further systemise our priority services to transform the lives of the people with the least. Gujarat’s e-Mamta software system registers and tracks pregnant women and children 0-6 yrs. We have already registered over four crore individuals of which, five lakh are expecting to be mothers. Parents of infants will be getting SMS alerts for vaccinations.

A similar message is given to local family health workers to ensure necessary healthcare is given.

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uality policy

IT Policy W Teachers participate in the

Interactive Training Program and they get to watch and listen to eminent scholars as well as academicians as well as interact with them.

Education Policy W ‘Education for All’ — major project

to promote Literacy, reduce drop out rates, focus on Girl Education, Teachers’ Training.

W Vidhya Deep Yojna — this Insurance scheme is for children where the premium is paid by the Government to ensure financial assistance to parents in case of untoward incident.

Disaster Management Policy W Establishing necessary systems,

structures, programmes, resources, capabilities and guiding principles for reducing disaster risks and preparing for and responding to disasters and threats of disasters in the state.

Tourism Policy W Creating adequate facilities for

budget tourists.

W Identifying and developing tourist destination and related activities.

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Narendra Modi The Gujarat government is already a role model for total quality management in hospitals. Gujarat was the first state in the country to register 24 district-level hospitals across the state under the (NABH).

dPROJECTING GROWTH: The launch of Swarnim

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Accreditation Council (GSQAC), a body that will rate schools based on a streamlined procedure and will provide an accurate assessment of academic achievement. GSQAC will evaluate systematically the performance of schools as well as teachers and will be responsible for accrediting schools according to the set standards. Our focus will be on management, quality teaching and maximising achievements.

You have evolved an enhanced healthcare programme for the masses in collaboration with the QCI. What is you assessment of its delivery to the people in terms of improved medicare.

The Government of Gujarat has signed an MoU with the Quality Council of India (QCI) to improve the quality of services of 1000 primary health centres and about 270 community health centres across the state. We aim to upgrade the standards of the health centres through focal points like patient’s clinical safety, rights of the patients and improving the quality of care.

Across the next couple of years we are expecting a robust and complete improvement in standards of healthcare facilities in closest proximity to our rural population.

The Quality Council of India’s National Accreditation Board for Hospitals and Healthcare

Providers (NABH) has been set up under the national accreditation structure to establish and operate accreditation programme for healthcare organisations. NABH is an institutional member of International Society for Quality in Health Care (ISQua). Is the state planning to tie up with the Quality Council of India to bring in healthcare quality?

The Gujarat government is already a role model for total quality management in hospitals. Gujarat was the first state in the country to register 24 district-level hospitals across the state under the National Accreditation Board for Hospitals and Healthcare Providers (NABH).

These accreditation standards have necessary approvals from the International Society for Quality in Health Care (ISQua) which means the NABH-accredited hospitals will have international recognition.

What are the measures being taken by the Gujarat government to root out corruption in the state?

Our country requires a serious revolution to address the vast leakage of Government funds that has diseased the possibility of upliftment of the poorest. In 2010, the Government of Gujarat held Garib Kalyan Melas across the state for 100 per cent of funds to reach 100 per cent of intended beneficiaries through an efficient mass-scale system benefitting an estimated 10 million Gujaratis.

Through an initial 50 Garib Kalyan Melas, `1500 crore of funds were directly distributed including cheques, auto and cycle repairing kits, sewing machines, cycles for the disabled, etc. A second round of 292 Garib Kalyan Melas was held in all districts, nagarpalikas and talukas where over `1995 crore of benefits were distributed.

Gujarat has emerged as a global investment destination over the years. In your opinion, what are the key areas that would be benefitted by the investments and how can it lead to poverty alleviation in the state?

Our development model has been

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You recently penned a book on climate change which details the steps taken in Gujarat to meet the challenge. Do you think that Gujarat can set an example for other states to follow when it comes to mitigate climate change and if yes, then how?

The challenge of climate change will not remain tied to any one state in India, or to any one country in the world. Our global requirement is that we all work together to reduce carbon emissions, increase efficiency and transform our processes for longterm sustainability. Gujarat is pioneering with solar power parks attractive for investors and for a greener future. Ahmedabad has drawn international experts to study our award-winning Janmarg bus rapid transport system, which is reducing carbon emissions as well as increase business efficiency and comfort of our people. By sharing best practices across the country and across the world we can dynamically modify damaging practices and all benefit from the short-term savings as well as invest in a beneficial future for the long-term.

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Infrastructure development in Gujarat would get a big boost in future according to the vision statement released by you. How will the people of Gujarat benefit from it?

The people of Gujarat are already benefitting from exemplary infrastructure development. The award-winning Jyotigram Yojana has supplied 24-hr electricity and connected 100 per cent of our villages since 2006. This innovation has delivered a quantum improvement in quality of life in rural areas including increased working hours for rural industry and increased hours of home study for our school children. Gujarat’s radical port development has meant that the state now handles 35 per cent of the country’s cargo, energising our economy. We also have India’s first LNG gas terminals and pipe gas directly to homes and industries with the country’s only gas-grid.

cUSHERING IN BUSINESS: Gujarat Chief Minister

Narendra Modi at a meeting to project Gujarat as a global business hub. Such efforts will bring in its wake prosperity and well being.

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born from our nation’s philosophy of ‘good of all’, sarve bhavantu sukhinah. This is the Indian model of harmonised growth and inclusive development. Our stupendous success at Vibrant Gujarat Investor Summits is creating new employments that will transform income levels and quality of life in Gujarat. Already our per capita income levels have increased phenomenally. Gujarat’s per capita electricity consumption is now almost twice the country, average, which highlights the quality of life our people are enjoying. As we expand industrial growth and opportunities we are establishing world-class institutes of learning and training to prepare the new workforce. Our double platform of international investments and global education opportunities will launch Gujarat into a new phase of futuristic development.

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The Quality Council of India has evolved a set of standards—a citizen’s charter—for the delivery of public services by the government. Are you working with the QCI to evolve these standards for your state?

We welcome further opportunities to work with the QCI to reach even higher standards of service for our people.

Interviewed by Lakshmi Singh

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“The betterment of the common man is our prime objective” IN HIS SECOND TERM AS CHIEF MINISTER OF HIMACHAL PRADESH, PREM KUMAR DHUMAL HAS BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN FORMULATING INITIATIVES THAT WILL NOT ONLY TAKE THE STATE ON A GROWTH PATH BUT ALSO ENABLE THE CITIZENS TO HAVE A BETTER LIFE. IN THIS INTERVIEW WITH QUALITY INDIA, THE CHIEF MINISTER OUTLINES HIS TOP PRIORITIES. EXCERPTS:

The government has been concentrating on six ‘S’— Sadak, Shiksha, Swasthya, Swarojgar, Swablamban and Swabhiman (Roads, Education, Health, Selfemployment and Self-reliance).

What are the initiatives that you have undertaken and what are the targets that you wish the state to achieve to bring about a qualitative change in the life of the people?

Yes, you have rightly stated, we are concentrating on six ‘S’.

‘Sadak’, ‘Shiksha’ and ‘Swasthya’ are the three sectors which have been given top priority by our government while ‘Swarojgar’, ‘Swablamban’ and ‘Swabhiman’ is our motto. Roads, Education and Health, these three sectors concern the common man in the state and the betterment of common man is our prime objective.

Himachal Pradesh has hilly terrain and roads are the lifeline of the people in the state as other modes of communication are limited. We have formulated a plan to provide road connectivity to all the villages in the state having a population of 250 and above in the next two years. After that, we will provide connectivity to the areas we have left out comprising sub villages, etc.

We have taken various steps to make Himachal Pradesh an ‘educational hub’ for which educational institutions of par excellence are being opened. In the last three years, 11 new universities have

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MW of power by the end of next five year plan i.e. 2017.

Similarly, we have taken various new initiates to boost up the tourism development activities in the state. For highend tourists, we have introduced heli taxies. Adventure, rural, nature and historical tourism has been given big boost. ‘Home Stay’ scheme has been introduced last year which is gaining popularity day-by-day. We are creating infrastructure to facilitate the tourists. New circuits are being developed for the attraction of tourists. Pollution-free and environment-friendly industries are being encouraged. Peaceful environment, best law and order situation and abundant supply of electricity, these are some of the advantages which entrepreneurs enjoy in the state. To facilitate them, Single Window Authority had been set up under my chairmanship where all clearances are given for settingup of industrial units.

Entrepreneurs had not to go from pillar to post for getting clearances of various kinds.

Healthcare delivery system in state hospitals is far from satisfactory across India including Himachal Pradesh.

The number of beds in the public sector is almost four times that in the private sector.

What is the state’s health services doing in this regard?

I do not agree. We are providing the best healthcare facilities to the people in the state. Himachal Pradesh had been adjudged the Best state to register maximum BPL families under National Health Insurance Scheme and has been given national award for this. We have introduced ‘Atal Swasthya Sewa’ scheme under which free ambulance services is being made available to the patients in emergency. Similarly, free institutional deliveries are being done in the hospitals in the state, besides they are being provided `600 (from urban areas)

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Diagnostic LaboratoryCum-Exhibition Unit of Chaudhary Sarvan Kumar Krishi Vishwavidyalaya, Palampur, in collaboration with Indian Council of Agriculture Research to the farmers launched.The Mobile Unit would solve the problems of the farmers at their door steps and provide them expertise advice.

PDS: Consumers asked to register complaints on phone if regular supply of food items and gas was not being made under Public Distribution System.

Ban on storage and use of non-biodegradable disposable plastic products i.e. plastic cup, plate and glass etc. from August, 15, 2011 in an effort to make state polythene free.

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been established including a technical university. Besides, a central university was set up in the state last year along with the setting-up of Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT), Food Craft Institute and various other educational intuitions like medical colleges.

Engineering colleges are in the process. We have set up ‘Atal Shiksha Kunj’ in Solan district where renowned houses are setting up universities and other professional and technical institutions.

Our third priority is Health so that better healthcare facilities are available at the doorsteps of the people. We are strengthening existing medical colleges and hospitals by introducing specialised services and educational programmes and equipping the health intuitions in far-flung areas of the state by providing men and material. We have started ‘Atal Swasthay Sewa’ on December 25, 2010 that envisages providing of free ambulance services to patients in cases of emergency within 35 minutes. Free institutional deliveries are being done in government hospitals. Besides these mothers from urban areas are being provided `600 and those from rural areas `700 as to and fro expenses.

To achieve the motto of ‘Swarojgar Swablamban, and Swabhiman’ we are generating maximum employment and selfemployment opportunities. Our endeavour is to make Himachal Pradesh self-reliant by harnessing the natural resources expeditiously. Himachal Pradesh has immense hydro power, tourism and industrial potential.

All these three areas had been given added priority to achieve the objective of self-employment, self-reliance and self-respect.

Himachal Pradesh has identified hydel potential of 23000 MW out of which 6657 had been harnessed so far. We have prepared a plan to harness 1700

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The government has raised annual income limit for social security pension from the existing `17,000 to `24,000 amending Himachal Pradesh Social Security (Pension/Allowances) Rules, 2010.

Himachal Pradesh Private Educational Institution (Regulatory Commission) Act passed in 2010 making it the first state to pass such an act to regulate quality of private institutions.

Himachal Pradesh Private Clinic Establishments Registration and Regulation Bill has made registration of all private medical centres and clinics mandatory.

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With the addition of facilities and doctors in the last three years, the Indira Gandhi Medical College and Hospital, Shimla has emerged as the premier health institution of the country.

Instant ambulance service available (108 ambulances would be positioned in different parts of the state) free of cost by dialing toll free number 108.

NGOs provided grants to take on Skill Development Initiatives (SDIs) for capacity building of people in rural areas looking for wage employment , both in group mode or individually.

State Level Single Window Clearance & Monitoring Authority (SLSWC&MA) under Chairmanship of Chief Minister grants approval to new and expansion proposals of industrial units generating employment.

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Prem Kumar Dhumal, We are providing the best healthcare facilities to the people in the state. Himachal Pradesh had been adjudged the Best state to register maximum BPL families under National Health Insurance Scheme.

GOVERNANCE FOR THE PEOPLE: The Chief Minister hearing public grievance in Kangra as part of his Prashashan Janta Ke Dwar move .

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and `700 (from rural areas) as to and fro expenses as stated earlier.

We have appointed 600 MBBS doctors and hundreds of nurses and para-medical staff in last three years and posted there in far-flung areas of the state, 85 Ayurvedic doctors have also been appointed and 175 more are being appointed soon so as to facilitate the people in the state.

We have strengthened the medical institutions by adding super specialties at various levels.

Himachal Pradesh has enacted a law to regulate private universities to maintain quality and standards, becoming the first Indian state to do so. What does this entail?

We want to maintain high standard of education in the state so this legislation. Himachal Pradesh Private Educational Institution (Regulatory Commission) Act was passed in 2010. Himachal Pradesh has become the first Indian state to pass such an act to regulate quality of private institutions.

The CM said the law “would show the way to the rest of the country as it's a landmark legislation to maintain the quality and standard of education in private institutions”.

The Quality Council of India’s National Accreditation Board for Hospitals and Healthcare Providers (NABH) has been set up under the national accreditation structure to establish and operate accreditation programme for healthcare organisations. Is the state planning to tie up with the Quality Council of India to bring in healthcare quality?

We are looking into it.

Himachal Pradesh was the first state to launch state Wide Area Network in the entire country.

How far has the work on egovernance been done and what has been its achievements? What is your vision for using IT as a medium for growth?

Our achievement in e-governance has been appreciated at national level. This is the reason that this scheme of the state government has been shortlisted for award at national level. Our performance in redressal of public grievances and quick response to problems and complaints of the people had been very good. I am of the view that IT is the most effective medium for growth in the present globalized and liberalised scenario. We have been adopting IT in a big way and also plan to set up an IT park in the state soon. Most of the public services had been covered under the IT fold to deliver the goods.

Could you elaborate on quality moves in the social sector?

We have given priority to agriculture and allied sectors in the state. we have earmarked 12 per cent of the total plan budget of the state for this vital sector, which is perhaps highest percentage in the country. We have started `353 crore ‘Pt. Deen Dayal Kisan Bagwan Samridhi Yojna’ in the year 2009. Eighty per cent subsidy is being provided to the farmers for construction of poly houses and for minor irrigation under the scheme. For BPL families the quantum of subsidy for

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Various surveys have consistently given Himachal Pradesh high marks in various sectors. What is the mantra to achieving this?

This has been possible due to sincere and consistent efforts made by the government and the people for accelerating the pace of development in the state and implementing and starting various welfare schemes for the benefit of the people by the government. We will not only maintain our achievements but try to achieve new heights. Not only ‘State of the States’ award has been given by the India Today Group but also the state has been conferred various other awards by different agencies for our outstanding achievements like ‘Diamond State Award’ by Outlook and IBN-7 for Environment Conservation, Employment Generation and Women Empowerment. ‘State

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Agriculture Leadership Award 2010’ has been given by Agriculture Today Magazine after having been found at number one in a nationwide survey. In the latest survey by Infrastructure Development Finance Co. Ltd. Himachal Pradesh had been adjudged as Most Developed State.

Education in government schools-both primary and high schools—is not in the best

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constriction of poly houses had been raised to 90 per cent.

Diversification of farming and promoting organic farming has also been given added attention and a project worth `340 crore had been posed for implementation with the assistance of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

Government is also working on a plan to ensure vermi compost unit for each farmer in the state.

3.54 lakh vermi compost units had been established so far. 3.17 lakh soil-testing cards had been distributed to the farmers. The government is also implementing Market Intervention Scheme for apple, citrus fruits to ensure remunerating prices to the growers. The work on most modern market yard being set up at a cost of `100 crore had been started in the recent past and one more such market yard is also being set up. A `85 crore apple replantation scheme had also been stated from this year under which quality apple plants are being given to the growers to replace the old ones.

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BRIDGING THE GAP: Prem Kumar Dhumal unveiling Diagnostic Laboratory-Cum-Exhibition Unit of Chaudhary Sarvan Kumar Krishi Vishvavidyalaya, Palampur.

shape. There is often a shortage of teachers and many of them are often negligent. How is the state planning to tackle the quality of teachers in the state?

We have given approval for filling up of more than 19,000 post of teaches in last three years out of which 12,000 have been filled in and the process to fill up the remaining is going on and all these posts will be filled very soon. We are ensuring teachers in each and every school in the state.Himachal Pradesh is better placed in the country in this respect. We have also framed Anti-Ragging Act. Interviewed by Jasleen Kaur

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“Delivery of services to people has to be streamlined” RAJASTHAN AS A STATE BELIEVES THAT FORWARD MOVEMENT IN QUALITY IS POSSIBLE ON THE BASIS OF QUALITY PARADIGMS AND IT WOULD LIKE TO SET ITS OWN BENCHMARK ACROSS VARIOUS DISCIPLINES IN CREATING A SOUND QUALITY WHILE ENSURING DELIVERY OF SERVICES TO THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE. IT HAS BEEN THE ENDEAVOUR OF CHIEF MINISTER ASHOK GEHLOT THAT DELIVERY OF THE SERVICES TO THE MASSES SHOULD NOT ONLY BE EFFECTIVE, BUT QUALITATIVE TOO. EXCERPTS FROM AN INTERVIEW WITH THE CHIEF MINISTER:

What is your own philosophy on quality?

At a personal level, quality is the ability to reach out for the best in anything that we do. It is to aspire for a high degree of cleanliness; to aspire for good health; to aspire for good education; to aspire for a happy and contended family life.

On a larger plane, in terms of Government, quality would mean providing services to the people of the State in the most efficient and quickest time possible. Let me give you an example. If a citizen in any of our districts falls ill and goes to a hospital and he is treated immediately and that helps him recover in good time, then it would mean a good delivery of service by that state. While health is one example, there is a variety of other services that citizens require on a day-to-day basis and my philosophy is that we should be able to provide these services efficiently, honestly and in a timebound manner to the people of the state.

We have ensured that the BPL families get the best of health services. In case the kind of medical attention that is required is not available in a government hospital, he could be referred to any referral hospital anywhere and the state government would reimburse all the expenditure. The government also meets the expenditure involved in the travel of the patient along with an attendant. There have been instances when a senior doctor of a government hospital has been punished for not taking proper care of a BPL patient. The action was taken on the complaints made by the BPL patient.

Do you think that the Government has the capacity to provide quality services?

The Government is nothing but a collection of people on behalf of the

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State who have been given the responsibility of delivering services through various departments. It’s an “Aam Admi” government and the government is a mere custodian. If you look at the history of the State and compare one decade to another you will find that invariably services have improved year after year. What it reflects is that the people who are responsible for providing these services are committed and are aware of their unique responsibility to the people of the State. The problem is that sometimes the numbers are so large and the facilities are not adequate that one would expect to provide and then it gets diluted. This is not a problem unique to Rajasthan. These are issues faced by governments the world over: how to manage the money available and the services that the people demand? I think here quality plays a vital role in our ability to judiciously identify sectors that can provide the highest common good like in education, health, rural development, infrastructure, farming, etc.

Bihar and Delhi have adopted laws to provide for time-bound services to people. Are you contemplating anything along those lines?

You do not require an Act or a Law to ensure speedy and timebound delivery of services. Let me give you an example: We have examined the problems that an investor faces when he approaches the government for setting up an industrial unit. We have started a single-window system under which total transparency and the commitment of the official would ensure quality delivery. This quality service would make Rajasthan an investor’s destination.

However, as a Government, we have stated time and again that delivery of services to people has to be streamlined and provided in a time-bound period.

Where such services are not available, we have tried to find out the reasons and improve the delivery mechanism.

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Women welfare and women empowerment are at the top of your government’s agenda?

Rajasthan is a state where women were kept under the veil and were deprived of education for generations. It has been the endeavour of all the Congress governments in the state to improve the lot of the women. Yes, it’s true that the women are getting a lot of attention. Atrocities on women, cases related to dowry, old age and problems of the war widows have been grave. We have set up women-controlled police stations in five districts and have launched special housing schemes for war widows. The women who possess properties in their own name would pay less by way of stamp duty on sale or purchase of land and instead of five per cent stamp duty they would pay only four per cent.

Our government had announced reservation of 50 per cent in the election for local bodies and for the panchayats. It was the biggest gift to women relating to empowerment.

The government has launched schemes to encourage safe delivery of children in government hospitals and for the first such delivery, any BPL woman would be given incentives. There are also incentives for the marriage of the BPL families’ daughters.

Has the reservation of seats for women in Panchayati Raj institutions (PRIs) led to the overall empowerment of rural women in Rajasthan?

The reservation given to the women in not only in the Panchayat Raj institutions, but in local bodies also there is a move to empower women by urging them to actively participate in development.

Reservation would mean that contesting an election would be hassle free and women would get a better chance of becoming representatives of the people in the reserved domain for women. I foresee a qualitative improvement in services because of the involvement of women in governance.

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Aapni Yojana scheme districts of arid Rajasthan-water and health committee in every village responsible for fair distribution of water, conservation, health education, payment for services and sanitation Prashasan Gaon ke Sang campaign initiated to offer solutions to problems faced by the people in villages.

Work on Jaipur metro rail started.

Rajasthan implements Continuous and Comprehensive Evaluation (CCE) as a pilot project in 60 schools.

Sahbhagita Awas Yojna - affordable housing policy launched.

Special scheme to promote women's participation in agriculture right from their childhood by offering to incentives during school, college and technical education.

Women pursuing doctorate in agricultural studies will get an incentive of Rs.10,000 annually for three years.

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Akshat Yojna for unemployed graduates provides for grant of allowances to unemployed graduate students of Rajasthan whose family income does not exceeded Rs one lakh per year

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Bill for setting up women's panel "to protect and promote the interests of women against violence, deprivation and discrimination"

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Release of water policy for better water management Water supply in drought affected 21,000 villages through tankers Initiatives on employment - one lakh jobs created. Of the 67,500 posts already approved, 50,000 are of teachers. e-Governance project in health sector Women empowerment: Reservation of seats for women in Panchayati Raj institutions Special housing schemes for widows

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subsidized food grains were not delivered to them by the dealer.

We have ensured that the dealer opens his shop between the 15th to the 20th of each month and in the presence of government officials, the BPL families are given food grains.

INCLUSIVE GROWTH: Rajasthan C M Ashok Gehlot talking to a woman while unveiling low floor bus service exclusively for woman.

To save the girl child, how has the scheme “Beti ek anmol rattan” served its purpose?

The declining sex ratio had become a constant concern to everyone bringing about a change in the demographic profile and the social consequences thereof.

With a majority of interventions addressing the female population, in one way or the other, we hope to somehow make a palpable dent in the gender balance of the total population. The elimination of women is not entirely new in the Indian socio-cultural context. The neglect of the girl child in terms of nutrition, education, healthcare and her overall development is just one facet; a more cruel practice against females is female infanticide and female foeticide. The obvious result is a sex ratio that is increasingly adverse to women. Our endeavour was to see that the girl child also gets the same importance as a male child. Several welfare measures like offering the girl child incentives in education, etc. would bring good results.

Why have you paid so much attention to the BPL sections?

It’s because they have been the most deprived class. Quality apart, they were leading a very poor life and were distanced from the basic facilities that the state provides. It was found that the BPL families were not getting qualitative PDS services. Often,

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How has the Support to Training and Employment Programme for Women (STEP), promoted women in Rajasthan?

STEP is a programme of training for skill upgradation to poor and asset-less women in traditional sectors like agriculture, animal husbandry, dairying, handlooms, handicrafts, khadi and village industries. Financial assistance is provided under this scheme for empowerment of women. Women dairy projects are being encouraged in the state and under STEP, we have been promoting Women Dairy Cooperative Societies (WDCSs) and we are very satisfied with the results. This has gone a long way towards empowerment of women and also making them self reliant.

Women are happy with these benefits which are reflected in higher intake of quality food, improved health conditions, better clothing, enhanced savings and finally leading to increased status.

Perturbed by the adulteration in food and milk products, you launched an anti-adulteration drive, “Shudh Ke Liye Yudh”, where the district administration and the civil supply department conducted raids and arrested those people and milk sellers who were involved in adulteration.

This drive not only created awareness about adulteration, but also exposed the people who were cheating people. This campaign is on and has curbed adulteration considerably. I want to give an example: when raids against adulterators were conducted, people came to know about the adulterated milk products they were consuming. It was our endeavour to make people aware

about quality food and milk products. The result of the campaign was that during Diwali the consumption of sweets reduced considerably. People understood that the sweets they were consuming were adulterated.

This was the awareness created for quality food.

What is the role of e-Mitra in the development process in the state?

This is an information age and access to state government documents have been made easier and affordable through e-Mitra.

Good governance is possible only through e-Mitra. Under the Rajiv Gandhi e-Sewa Kendra scheme, 9174 gram panchayats were connected. The state government records and documents that were available only at the tehsil and at the district headquarters have been made available through eMitra at the panchayat level. It is an integrated project to facilitate the urban and the rural masses with the maximum possible services related to different state government departments through Lokmitra-Janmitra Centres. The Lokmitra is a one-stop, citizenfriendly computerized service delivery centre that provides a wide range of citizen-friendly services under one roof so that citizens do not have to run around various departments. It is basically an urban-centric project with more thrust on utility payments. e-Mitra has helped in better and qualitative delivery.

Healthcare delivery system in the state hospitals is far from satisfactory across India including Rajasthan. What is the state’s health services doing in this regard?

The healthcare service delivery system in Rajasthan should be compared at the national level.

Rajasthan cannot be a standalone state and claim that we are the best, but I would like to say that we are trying to evolve a system by which the rural people would receive medical assistance at their doorsteps.

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India is at the bottom of the list even among developing nations in healthcare and within the country, Rajasthan is lagging behind. But in the coming years, you will see the difference. We are trying to improve the system.

Rajasthan was awarded the best prize under the National Rural Health Mission for qualitative services provided in the rural sector. The “108” ambulance services is efficiently run in the state. Anybody can dial 108 and summon an ambulance to take a patient to the hospital.

We have taken the services of eminent heart surgeon Dr Naresh Trehan to provide bypass surgeries in government hospitals at Bikaner and at Jodhpur. In Jodhpur, Dr Trehan has trained doctors and the para-medical staff on conducting bypass surgeries.

It’s only a beginning. More such innovations would improve the health services.

How has Swasthya Mitra — a telemedicine network — in extending healthcare services to far flung areas, benefitted the State?

It’s again the use of technology for better and qualitative delivery.

Swasthya Mitra, a network connecting 31 district hospitals and six medical colleges, is under implementation with the support of ISRO. This would pave the way for specialised treatment from specialists at various district headquarters and would be a pioneering effort in the healthcare sector.

Several State Governments including Delhi, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh are working with the Quality Council of India to upgrade services in their hospitals and educational institutions. Is there any such proposal from Rajasthan?

QCI has been doing good work across various sectors. We shall also look how to collaborate with them to improve services across various sectors.

Interviewed by Prakash Bhandari

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Ashok Gehlot This is an information age and access to state government documents have been made easier and affordable through e-Mitra. Good governance is possible only through e-Mitra.

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“We are committed to ensure better education to our people” UTTARAKHAND CHIEF MINISTER RAMESH POKHRIYAL ‘NISHANK’, CONVERTED UTTARAKHAND INTO ONE OF THE BIGGEST REVENUE-GENERATING TOURISM VENUES IN THE COUNTRY. WITH HIS LARGE-SCALE DEVELOPMENT PLANS, HE HAS BROUGHT IN A HIGH RATE OF LITERACY BY CREATING SEVERAL HUBS OF EDUCATION IN THE VALLEY. HE SPOKE ABOUT HIS FUTURE PLANS AND DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS IN THE HEALTH SECTOR TO QUALITY INDIA. EXCERPTS: Tourism remains the biggest revenue-generating sector of the state. What steps have been taken to further boost the sector and improve the quality?

We are very desperate to promote the tourism sector. We have made the tour of Char Dham more convenient by connecting it through air services. When the state was constituted, the total investment on tourism sector was only `34.76 crore but we have increased it to `111.23 crore. The impact on IT is reflected with the increase in the number of tourists. Domestic tourists in totality have increased from 50 lakh to 231 lakh in 2010-11 and similarly the number of foreign tourists has increased from 55,000 in 2001-02 to 1.18 lakh in 2010-11. The Kumbh Mela, an important tourist destination, was also one of our achievements. We have organised it so well that it turned out to be a great success. Today, with this Kumbh Mela, we are appreciated worldwide. Even, the Chicago Business School has called it the biggest-ever management exercise of the world and also decided to do research on it. The successful management of Kumbh has attracted tourists extensively.

Uttarakhand achieved nearly 100 per cent enrollment of students in the age-group of 6-14 years. How far do you think this has benefitted in enhancing the quality of education in the state?

Yes, we have achieved the target of 100 per cent enrollment of students and it is appreciated nation-wide.

We have also made it available to the people free of cost. We have

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uality moves

Uttarakhand government sets target of creating 50,000 jobs this year.

Launching of the Atal Adarsh Gram Scheme that has identified 670 villages where banks have been directed to provide basic banking services.

Focus on green power through micro hydel projects in the wake of growing environmental concerns.

BETTER TOURISM FACILITIES FOR PROSPERITY: Chief Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ at the inauguration of facilites for the Kumbh Mela.

developed several hubs of education. We are also providing the MBBS degree in a nominal fee of `15,000 only.

The Quality Council of India has an accreditation programme for schools. Is the state thinking of asking the Quality Council of India to usher in accreditation to schools to enhance the quality of teaching?

We are committed to ensure a better education to our people. If the accreditation to schools will enhance the quality of teaching, we will definitely think over it.

For empowering women, the Uttarakhand government reportedly increased the gender budget by nearly `200 crore for 2010. How far do you think have women been benefitted and how far has the standard of living gone up?

We have not only increased the budget, but also prepared some policies and projects to benefit Matri Shakti. Nanda Devi Kanya Yojna and Gaura Devi Kanyadhan Yojana are few of them. We have also ensured their 50 per cent participation in the governance at panchayat level.

Healthcare delivery system in the state hospitals is far from satisfactory across India including Uttarakhand. The number of beds in the public sector is almost four times more than the private sector.

There have been numerous instances of poor care, inadequate facilities, unnecessary interventions and insufficient information that have called for a closer look at the

healthcare delivery system. What are the state’s health services doing in this regard?

This is not true. In fact, our most important achievement is in the health sector where we have succeeded in establishing ‘108’, medical facility. It has set an example not only in our country but also for the world. It has saved the life of more than 1.6 lakh mothers and infants during a short period of two years. It may also create a world record that during these two years, more than 2,000 children have been born in a mobile ambulance. It means that their life was so much in danger that if the ‘108’medical facility was not there to help; they would not be able to go to hospital.

Along with ‘108’ medical facility, we are also running mobile hospitals.

The Quality Council of India’s National Accreditation Board for Hospitals and Healthcare Providers (NABH) has been set up under the national accreditation structure to establish and operate accreditation programme for healthcare organisations. NABH is an institutional member of International Society for Quality in Health Care (ISQua). Is the state planning to tie up with the Quality Council of India to bring in healthcare quality?

As I have already mentioned it, we are here for the betterment of our people. If any kind of scheme or planning is meant for their betterment, we will definitely plan to adopt that.

Pahal, an initiative of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, will provide school education to never enrolled and dropout children in the age-group of 6-14 years belonging to vulnerable sections of society living in urban slums.

Health smart cards to the Below Poverty Line families of the state, government employees and pensioners for accessing hassle -free medical facilities.

Home Stay Development Scheme along trekking routes in upper Himalayas to promote tourism and provide employment to local communities in the region.

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uality acts

Adopted Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Begging Act, 1972 to end begging.

Uttarakhand Agriculture Produce (Development and Marketing) Act seeks to promote new reforms as well as private investments in the agriculture sector. It contains provisions for setting up private mandis, enabling contract farming and constitution of regulatory authority to ensure a level playing field between the government-controlled and private mandis.

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uality achievements

Uttarakhand achieved nearly 100 per cent enrollment of students in the age-group of 6-14.

The service of helpline number 108 has saved the lives of more than 1.6 lakh mothers and infants during a short period of two years.

Encouraging sports: Government to build a large skiing training centre.

Interviewed by Ravi Shankar

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quality movement

Blueprint for a

Quality professionals gathered just a year ago to discuss ways to empower the masses of the country at the Fifth National Quality Conclave. Leading from the front was the QCI with a simple message: Quality for National Well Being. Since then, the movement to usher in quality has gained strength and followers. This year's conclave will discuss key elements of the quality framework that will be needed to build a quality nation. The meet will challenge old paradigms of quality and stimulate new ideas that will emerge in a blueprint for the way forward. Quality India takes pleasure to present vignettes from the Fifth National Quality Conclave.

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IMPROVING PERFORMANCE IN GOVERNMENT

Moving from vision to action

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THE GOVERNMENT'S VISION FOR PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT IS TO CREATE A RESULT-ORIENTED MACHINERY THAT DELIVERS WHAT IT PROMISES. IN ENSURING THIS VISION, THE GOVERNMENT IS NOT ALONE: IMPROVING GOVERNMENT PERFORMANCE IS PART OF A GLOBAL TREND. MOST PROGRESSIVE GOVERNMENTS IN THE DEVELOPED AND DEVELOPING COUNTRIES HAVE BEEN REFORMING, REINVENTING AND RE-IMAGINING THEIR GOVERNMENT ON A CONTINUOUS BASIS. THE MOVE, THEN, IS TO CREATE A GOVERNMENT THAT NOT ONLY DOES THE RIGHT THINGS BUT DOES THEM RIGHT THAT IS MORE EFFICIENTLY AND EFFECTIVELY. SPEARHEADED BY CABINET SECRETARY KM CHANDRASEKHAR, THE INITIATIVE HAS STARTED BEARING RESULTS. IN THIS ARTICLE, THE CABINET SECRETARY FOCUSES ON HOW PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT CAN BE BROUGHT ABOUT IN THE COUNTRY'S ADMINISTRATIVE SET-UP.

I

believe that performance management in government is a key determinant of economic security and hence I have decided to focus on this aspect of economic security. I have also decided on this topic because improving performance of government is one of the major initiatives of this government.

The importance of performance management in government is now treated as a self-evident truth. No civilised society can function effectively without an effective government. This statement was as true for Chanakya in the 3rd Century BC and for Sher Shah Suri in the 16th century AD as it is for us today. While talking of performance of any entity, be it government or a private enterprise,

we are talking of a dynamic process. At no stage can we say that we have reached the end of this process and that we have in place a system that meets all situations and all contingencies. As history unfolds, there are new requirements and new challenges that emerge. Government has to undergo a process of constant reinvention to meet each situation and each phase in history.

All countries use government as a mechanism to provide services that benefit all citizens: police, judicial services, national defence, and municipal services.

Government serves as a means of making some of the most important collective decisions: nature of the health system, education system, water and sewage system, roads and highways system.

Our work on performance management is inspired by our belief that returns from improving effectiveness of the government are immense. Further, we believe that the majority of these benefits will accrue to the socially and economically weaker sections of our society. Hence, we do not believe that there is a tradeoff between efficiency and equity.

Enhanced government effectiveness not only affects the welfare of citizens in the short run but also in the long-run. In the increasingly globalised world, government effectiveness is the key determinant of a country's competitive advantage. Experts agree that in the long run, the race

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ENSURING INCLUSIVE GROWTH: Prime Minister

Dr Manmohan Singh launching the Aadhaar Number under Report of the Second Unique Identification Authority of India, at Tembhli village, Administrative Reforms Nandurbar, Maharashtra on September 29, 2010. The Commission. In fact there is a Governor of Maharashtra, K Sankaranarayanan, the Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Ashok Chavan and the full chapter devoted to Chairperson, National Advisory Council, Sonia Gandhi are performance management. This also seen.

Report is available on the Cabinet Secretariat's website dealing with Performance Management (www.performance.gov.in).

This preoccupation with improving government performance is also part of a global trend. Most progressive governments in the developed and developing countries have been reforming, reinventing and reimagining their governments on a continuous basis.

The idea of reinventing the government may seem audacious to those who see government as something fixed, something that does not change. But in fact governments constantly change. At one time no one expected the governments to take care of the poor; the welfare state did not exist until Bismark created the first one in the 1870s. Today not only do most governments in the developed world (and many in developing world) take care of the poor, they pay for their health care and retirement pensions also.

To understand the current status and changes that are needed, we must start by having a shared understanding of the concept of performance management in government.

A complete system for

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among nations will be won or lost not on the basis of comparative advantage arising from resource endowment, but by the competitive advantage created by effective governments.

Having established the importance of enhancing performance of government, I want to divide the balance of my comments into four broad categories: First, I would like to share our long-term vision in this area. Second, I want to discuss the current status of performance management in government and look at our strengths and weaknesses, our opportunities and the threats that we face. Third, I would like to outline the broad contours of our emerging performance management strategy.

Finally, I would like to share some important initiatives that we have launched to implement this strategy.

Our vision for performance management is to create a resultoriented government machinery that delivers what it promises. We seek to create a government that not only does the right things but does them right that is more efficiently and effectively. We want a government that works better and cost less. Indeed, I want to see the day when private sector would look up to our systems to improve their performance management.

While I am confident we can realise this vision in not too distant a future, there is a perception that the gap between our vision and current reality is rather wide.

We may not like it, but there is a perception that the government at all levels can do better, indeed, do much better. Fortunately, there is also near unanimity among all sections of our society that the government must do better.

This concern for improving performance of government is neither new nor unique. There has been a succession of high-level committees and commission that have examined the barriers to performance in the Indian government and recommended changes. The latest being the l0th

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performance management in government should consist of three interrelated systems: (a) Performance Information System; (b) Performance Evaluation System and (c) Performance Incentive System. Let me describe each of these three subsystems briefly.

not automatically guarantee a sound evaluation system. As we will see later, many of the existing evaluation systems in India are conceptually flawed. Hence, no amount of success in gathering information can allow us to manage performance effectively.

PERFORMANCE

PERFORMANCE INCENTIVE

INFORMATION SYSTEM Without proper information regarding the activities of the government departments and agencies, it is impossible to even begin to evaluate performance, much less improve performance.

However, an adequate performance Information system does not imply collection of huge amounts of data. A thoughtfully designed information system allows evaluators timely access to necessary information in an appropriate format. Often, a properly designed system reduces the data overload on agencies.

When evaluators are not sure about what matters most, they tend to collect as much information as they can to insure against the risk of not having the necessary data when required.

SYSTEM Civil servants, like most other people, respond to incentives. No matter how sophisticated an information and evaluation system you may design, if you do not link the evaluation of government departments to the welfare of the government managers, you cannot expect to improve the performance of government departments. I hasten to add that it is not necessary for the incentives to be monetary, but it is necessary to have incentives. Good performance or lack thereof must have some consequences.

While all three subsystems are necessary for designing an effective performance management system, an evaluation system provides the necessary platform to design an appropriate incentive system and an adequate information system.

The other two systems can be designed once the government is clear about what it is that it wants to achieve. The answer to this is provided by the evaluation system.

PERFORMANCE EVALUATION INITIATIVES FOR GOVERNANCE: President Pratibha Devisingh Patil inaugurating an 'Exhibition of Innovations', at Rashtrapati Bhavan recently. The Minister for Food & Public Distribution, Prof. K.V. Thomas is also seen.

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SYSTEM Once we have the necessary information, it is possible to design an effective evaluation system.

Availability of data, however, does

EXISTING PERFORMANCE

MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS IN GOVERNMENT Let me now turn to the existing systems of performance management in Government of India. The major instruments for performance management in the Central Government include the following: Outcome Budget, Annual Reports of the Ministries, Performance Appraisal Reports for civil servants, Performance Audits

by CAG, and Memorandum of Understanding for public enterprises. Let me describe them briefly.

OUTCOME BUDGET

The "Outcome Budget" is an

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PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL

REPORT Let me now turn to the system of Performance Appraisal Reports in the government. While Outcome Budget focuses on the performance of the ministry/department, a performance appraisal system is meant to evaluate the performance of individual government officials.

Individual performance appraisal systems can be categorised into two broad categories. There is the conventional closed system of Annual Confidential Reports with which you are familiar and the significant feature of which is secrecy both in process and results.

Then, there is the more open performance appraisal system, practised in the frmed forces and more recently in respect of the All India Services on the basis of recommendations of a committee constituted under the chairmanship of Lt. General (Retd.)

Surinder Nath in 2002. This involves a numerical grading system, introduction of a penpicture of the appraised officer and sharing the entire report with the officer. In my view, we need to further redesign our system of performance appraisal. The performance appraisal format must be the foundation on which career progression is built. We need to spend far more time on

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performance appraisal in order to ensure that performance is properly assessed and rewarded.

ANNUAL REPORT

The other instrument of performance management is the system of producing Annual Reports. All ministries/departments are required to publish an annual report. The annual reports have two main objectives: ¾ First to enable the members of Parliament to evaluate adequately their own performance, besides making debates in the Parliament better informed, which in turn, could help the departments in better policy formulation and program execution. ¾ Second to serve a wider purpose of supplying wellarranged information about government's activities to the public as a whole.

KM Chandrasekhar Our work on performance management is inspired by our belief that returns from improving effectiveness of the government are immense. Further, we believe that the majority of these benefits will accrue to the socially and economically weaker sections of our society .

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endeavour of the government to convert the "outlays" into "outcome" by planning the expenditure, fixing appropriate targets, quantifying the deliverables in each scheme and bring to the knowledge of all, the "outcomes" of the budget outlays provided for each scheme/ programme.

Outcome budgets have been an integral part of the budgeting process since 2005-06. At the Centre, they have replaced Performance Budgets that were introduced in 1975-76. Similarly, the concept of Zero-Based Budgeting introduced in the mid1980s has also been largely abandoned by most departments.

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PERFORMANCE AUDIT Performance auditing is an independent assessment or examination of the extent to which an entity, programme or organisation operates efficiently and effectively, with due regard to economy. CAG India has been carrying out performance audits over many years on a variety of subjects across all sectors of public sector programmers in the Central and the state governments.

Performance auditing is an independent assessment or examination of the extent to which an entity, programme or organisation operates efficiently and effectively, with due regard to economy. Performance audit is concerned with the audit of economy, efficiency and effectiveness.

MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING (MOU) Finally, let me describe the MoU system. MoU stands for Memorandum of Understanding. It is the main instrument for managing performance of public enterprises. It is essentially a negotiated performance agreement between government and the

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KM Chandrasekhar There is a strong determination to enhance governmental performance.

In fact, over the years, we have experimented with many systems to achieve this objective, such as Zero Based Budgeting, Performance Budgeting and more recently the institution of the Outcome Budget.

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management of public enterprises.

It specifies the expectations and responsibilities of both parties and once the MoU is signed, the government is expected not to interfere in the day-to-day operations of the enterprises. This system improves accountability and enhances autonomy. The first set of MoUs was signed in 1987-88 based on the French system, which only pointed out whether a particular target was met or not.

Later MoUs adopted the Korean system, which is also called the Signalling System. This system assigned weights to targets to derive composite scores based on the performance of the enterprise on a number of parameters.

The current system of performance management has several strengths. First, there is a near consensus on the importance of improving performance of government ministries and departments amongst government and non-government observers.

Second, there is a strong determination to enhance governmental performance. In fact, over the years, we have experimented with many systems to achieve this objective, such as Zero Based Budgeting, Performance Budgeting and more recently the institution of the Outcome Budget. Thirdly, since we have had experience of implementing management innovations in the Government of India, we are relatively comfortable with the idea of change.

While the performance management systems in Government of India have several strengths listed above, unfortunately our systems are not perfect. I now turn to some of the weaknesses of these systems. First, many of the key performance management systems are implemented as a routine procedure and consequently do not have the intended effect. Secondly, there is fragmentation of institutional responsibility with departments being required to report to multiple principals who often have multiple objectives, not

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always consistent with each other.

Thirdly, several important initiatives have fractured responsibilities for implementation and hence accountability for results is diluted. Fourth, some of the systems are selective in their coverage and report on performance with a significant time lag, as in the case of Performance Audit Reports of the CAG. Fifthly, different systems provide information on performance from particular points of view rather than in a holistic manner. Sixthly, incentives for improving performance in Government are weak or non-existent. Finally, as I have mentioned earlier, we have a serious problem with the performance evaluation methodology. Performance in government is largely undefined and nebulous. We tend to chase too many objectives without a clear sense of priorities. We rarely apply ourselves to the task of defining our own objectives and the manner in which we need to apportion our time and our resources to achieve the maximum impact.

We need to leverage our strengths and eliminate our weaknesses to achieve success in performance management. We have the well-considered recommendations of the Second Administrative Reforms Commission with us today which we could use effectively to bring about changes. I may mention that one of the significant recommendations of the Commission is to put in place a sound performance management strategy. We need to ensure clarity regarding the goals and objectives of Departments. We need to devise a uniform performance evaluation methodology. We must focus on all three sub-systems of performance management mentioned earlier information systems, evaluation systems, and the incentive system.

The President of India referred to the need for governance reform in her Address to Parliament last year (2009). She said, "An area of major focus for my government would be reform of governance for

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agreed results in the prescribed format. This report will be expected to be finalised by May 1 each year.

The Results-Framework Documents (called RFDs) and the corresponding performance results against the commitments made in RFDs will be put on the respective departments' websites.

It was decided that in Phase I of implementation 59 ministries/departments out of a total of 84 will be covered under this system. All 59 ministries and departments have prepared a Results-Framework Document for the remaining last quarter of 20092010. These documents reviewed by an independent group of experts are available on the web.

The generic name for ResultsFramework Document is Performance Agreement. In the

words of Second Administrative Reform Commission: "Performance agreement is the most common accountability mechanism in most countries that have reformed their public administration systems."

Often, in the government we are so busy doing what we do that we never pause to think about the final results. That is, we tend to focus on the "means" and not the "ends". However, the citizens of India are primarily, if not exclusively, interested only in the "end results" and not in intermediate "procedures" and "activities". Thus, it is imperative that all of us in the government become more results-oriented both

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effective delivery of public services.

Reports of the Administrative Reforms Commission would guide the effort. Reform of structures in the higher echelons of Government, increased decentralisation, inclusion of women and youth in governance, process reform and public accountability would be key areas for focused action." One important area of immediate action that she identified was the establishment of mechanisms for performance monitoring and performance evaluation in government on regular basis.

Pursuant to the announcement made in the President's Address to both Houses of the Parliament on June 4, 2009, the Prime Minister approved the outline of the Performance Monitoring and Evaluation System (PMES) for government departments on September 11, 2009. The essence of PMES is as follows: Under this system, at the beginning of each financial year, with the approval of the minister concerned, each department will prepare a Results-Framework Document (RFD) consisting of the priorities set out by the ministry concerned, and the action programme as defined in government announcements through the President's Address, Budget Speech and policy directions of the Cabinet and the Prime Minister. The minister incharge will decide the inter-se priority among the departmental objectives.

After six months, the achievements of each Ministry/ Department will be reviewed by a Committee on Government Performance and the goals reset, taking into account the priorities at that point of time. This will enable us to factor in unforeseen circumstances such as drought conditions, natural calamities or epidemics.

At the end of the year, all ministries/departments will review and prepare a report listing the achievements of their ministry/department against the

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NEED OF THE HOUR: Proper functioning of government departments forms the basis of performance management in India.

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BULWARK OF PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT: The Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) continues to drive the performance management in India.

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individually as well as collectively.

The Performance Monitoring and Evaluation System seek to facilitate this transformation towards a results-oriented government. It builds on our previous attempts to enhance results-orientation in the government, such as the "performance budget" and the "outcome budget". Like any other discipline, public management is constantly evolving in response to lessons of experience. ResultsFramework Documents (RFDs) are an outcome of this evolutionary process.

I believe that the essence of this system is simple. It seeks to address three basic questions: (a) What are the main objectives of the government department for the year? (b) What actions are proposed to achieve these objectives? and (c) How would we know at the end of the year the degree of progress made in implementing these actions? That is, what are the relevant success indicators to measure progress in implementation?

While the concept of the Results-Framework Document is indeed simple, its proper execution required a rigorous methodological approach. We studied many similar systems around the world and have come up with a system that is not only analytically sound but also

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adapted to the Indian context.

In launching the ResultsFramework Document, we are not alone. Rather, we are part of a distinct global trend in public management of a clear movement away from the so-called Administrator Model to the Management Model. The Management Model represents an internal culture of making managers manage, as opposed to the Administrative Model which values compliance to predetermined rules and regulations.

It requires the managers to assume greater responsibility, while, at the same time, giving them greater operational freedom and holding them accountable for results. Many countries, including Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Netherlands, Denmark, the United Kingdom, the United States and Finland, have made significant progress using such techniques with New Zealand being clearly the leader of this pack.

Now that we have a fair, objective and comprehensive way to measure performance of government departments, we are working on linking it to a performance-related incentive scheme. As you may be aware, the Government of India has already accepted the Sixth Pay Commission recommendation to implement such a scheme.

We are hopeful that this will happen soon.

Having a way to measure overall performance of a government department will also allow us to better align the Performance Appraisal Reports of individuals to departmental performance.

All elements of a good performance management system seem to be falling in place. I am very optimistic and hopeful of achieving our vision of creating a result-oriented government machinery that delivers what it promises.

(Extracts from an address by K M Chandrasekhar, Cabinet Secretary, Government of India, at the National Defence College, New Delhi)

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“Accountability for results is trickling down” FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THE HISTORY OF INDEPENDENT INDIA, WE HAVE CITIZEN’S CHARTERS THAT DEFINE THE QUALITY OF SERVICE. WHILE THESE CHARTERS WERE THERE EARLIER, THE DIFFERENCE THIS TIME IS THAT THEY WILL BE MEASURED. ALONG WITH CITIZEN’S CHARTERS, DELIVERY OF SERVICE AND GRIEVANCE REDRESSAL COMPRISE A COMPLETE PACKAGE THAT CONSTITUTES QUALITY. ALL THIS, OF COURSE, IS LINKED TO PERFORMANCE. PRAJAPATI TRIVEDI, SECRETARY (PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT), GOVERNMENT OF INDIA, BELIEVES THAT PERFORMANCE HAS DIFFERENT INTERPRETATIONS AND THERE ARE A NUMBER OF APPROACHES TO MEASURE THE PERFORMANCE OF A GOVERNMENT AGENCY. TO TOP IT ALL, THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS THE CORRECT APPROACH. IN THIS INTERVIEW, HE POINTS OUT THAT QUALITY IN GOVERNMENT IS ALL ABOUT DELIVERY AND DETAILS HOW 62 DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS IN THE GOVERNMENT ARE BEING APPRAISED FOR DELIVERY. What is your definition of quality?

Quality is doing everything right and doing the best you can and doing it enthusiastically, It’s a consequence (of your action), not something new. So, quality is in everything you do.

What about quality in governance?

Well quality in government is all about delivery and as you might know that we have a policy of Results-Framework Document known popularly as RFD, and quality is an essential part of that. These documents cover 62 departments. Every department commits what results they are going to deliver to the nation in a particular year. These documents are expected to cover both the quantitative and well as qualitative aspects of promised results.

Is there constant evaluation?

Not constant but regular evaluation and it is all on the web. Now the important thing is that in government, quality can only follow quantity. If there is no school then it is better to have school first and then ensure that it runs well. So, our first attempt in the Results-Framework Documents (RFDs) is to ensure that quantity is there and then we go to quality. And the way we do quality management is in many ways straightforward. We believe that what gets measured gets done. To say you must have quality, you must be able to measure quality. Otherwise, you will never know whether you are improving quality or its becoming worse. So our view is just saying that we want quality in government is not enough, unless you can measure it. Truly we have experienced that what gets measured gets done. You can only have quality if you are able to “quantify” quality. And so we have tried through the ResultsFramework Documents (RFDs) to quantify as far as possible qualitative aspects of departmental performance.

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How will you measure that?

For each department first we figure out what is it that they are supposed to deliver and then we try to figure out what are the quality dimensions or aspect of delivery.

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GoI department gets ISO 9001 Certification THE NATIONAL AUTHORITY FOR Chemical Weapons Convention (NACWC), a part of the Cabinet Secretariat, has been commended by the premier world body, the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), on getting ISO 9001:2008 Certificate.

The award is in recognition of the highly successful performance of the National Authority. India’s Ambassador to the Netherlands Ms. Bhaswati Mukherjee presented a copy of the certificate to the Director General of the OPCW at a function in Hague some time ago. The Director General of the OPCW, Ahmad Uzumen, said that the Indian example was a role model for other countries.

The ISO 9001 Certificate makes the National Authority for Chemical Weapons Convention (NACWC) the first among all 188 member nations of OPCW to attain this distinction.

It is also the first Government of India department to have qualified for ISO 9001:2008 certification.

This is part of Prime Minister’s efforts to enhance administrative efficiency and accountability of government departments. The Cabinet Secretary, K M Chandrasekhar, who is leading the reform effort in the government, has asked other government departments to follow the example of his department. In fact, the Indian delegation has been approached by several countries including Japan, Sri Lanka, Italy, Kenya, Uganda, etc. for information and technical assistance for obtaining similar certification for their respective national authorities.

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Have there been obstacles in the road to quality?

Frankly I’m amazed at the lack of roadblocks. They were conspicuous by their absence. You know that these are not technically very difficult issues. In fact, people who reach the top echelons of government are very smart people and are fully aware of the value of quality in government operations.

They often wonder how come it is so commonsensical and yet people have not thought of it. There is a fallacy of composition. When the system tries to do it as a whole — and our approach is indeed systemic not individualistic— then it becomes easy. That is what may be difficult for one individual to do is easy for the group as a whole to implement. And since the Performance Monitoring and Evaluation System is initiated by the Prime Minister and the Cabinet Secretary, it was not an issue. Most Secretaries to the government—we only deal with 62 Secretaries to the Government of India — were very enthusiastic about the proposed changes in the evaluation methodology. We have had a very participatory and inclusive process.

We have always listened to our stakeholders to understand their concerns about quality in their operations. In any event quality can not be separated from the entire operations. Hence RFDs embody qualitative dimensins of performance.

So, I think the biggest challenge — you could say there was no road block but a challenge — in getting this policy through was training.

Because our approach was (different)… we didn’t have any single outside consultants, no highsounding studies. The basic approach was to teach them how to fish and then let them fish. We did not give them the fish. We said here is the way to ensure quality in operations, here is what you have to do. We simply said, these are the principles of good management.

You figure out what’s relevant for you. You’ll know it. Most senior officers have been in this business for 25-30 years. So we provided a

framework for performance management and quality management and they came up with the rest. We trained about 900 people in 24 workshops in 18 months in different departments and I think that was the single biggest challenge: how do you get your message across, make sure people understand you and ensure there is uniformity in preparing these documents.

How have the results been?

This is the answer everyone is waiting for. See it started in 2009-10.

But that year was an experimental year because this is the first year and we did this exercise only for the last quarter. And evaluation has taken place and the results indicating overall good performance have surprised some people but not us. When senior Secretaries to the Government of India commit to something they tend to do it. It’s just that often we have such huge expectations that we feel the government departments are not delivering. But given the resources, once they make a commitment, departments tend to deliver promised results. That explains why we had a very high number of departments meeting their targets in RFDs for 2009-2010.

How do you measure it?

It is delivery of service and the way it is delivered and on top of that, the way grievances are handled. In fact, in our view, manner of delivery of service is important. I’ll give you an example. From Delhi to Mumbai you have five airlines or more; they all deliver the same result—they take you from Delhi to Mumbai. But you prefer one airline. Why? Because you have a better experience there.

So (it is with) quality — one of our weaknesses in the government is that the interface with the citizenry is not as good as it should be. Therefore, we are solving that problem; for the first time in the history of independent India we have Citizen’s Charters, which will define the quality of service. They were there previously. The

Is it the same package for all the departments?

Every department has a different package. Tourism has different stakeholders and customers and clients and the Rural Development department has different. So while all departments must specify the three elements — results, citizen’s charters, grievance redress mechanism,— their specific contents will be, of course, different. Well, by February, we will have all of them in place.

How did it really start?

First, it derives its legal standing from the Prime Minister’s Office. It started with the second UPA government coming to power and the President, in her opening statement to the Parliament, said that within hundred days the government will have a system to monitor and evaluate the performance of the government (departments). So that commitment was converted by the Prime Minister into a Performance Monitoring and Evaluation System known as PMES and details of it are available on our website. It derives its sanctity from the Prime Minister’s order. Under this system, every department is required to prepare a Results-Framework Document explicitly mentioning their Vision, Mission, Objectives, Success Indicators and Targets for the year. The remarkable thing is once (it was implemented), 100 per cent of them are doing it.

Won’t you have an Act for it?

We have laws for everything, but have they worked? I mean law is one thing; in administrative reform, the experience is (that) it (the law)

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doesn’t matter, it’s the mechanism.

Can you say that I am passing a law (that) everyone has to be efficient?

How do you define efficiency, what do you do? These things require (a mechanism). So what we have done is not rocket science, but we have solved that problem. We have created the missing bottom-line in the government. For the first time, we have been able to monitor and evaluate the performance of various government departments on a scale of 0-100 and that has been the key contribution of the new system.

Taking your point about Act, it is indeed one of the plans of the government. It will be codified as part of the Civil Services law. It has been put into the draft already. The Prime Minister’s order has been put into a draft of the civil service law, which is now called Civil Services Standards, Performance & Accountability Bill. So, future governments will be obliged by law to do what we (have started).

Prajapati Trivedi You can’t do miracles and you are to work within the constraints of the Constitution...the Secretaries to the Government of India are not simply officials — they are the champions of that sector.

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difference this year is that they will be evaluated and there are specific targets for that: how many days you will take to respond to letters and complaints and then there is also the grievance redressal mechanism. So, I think delivery of service along with Citizen’s Charters and Grievance Redressal is a complete package, which constitutes quality in governance.

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What about feedback from the people?

Well, they should be consulted.

DOPT is piloting this Bill and I would have hoped that there is nothing secret, and that they should put it on the website and invite comments from people. I think if they are not already doing it, I’ll suggest that.

What about the states?

Two things. First, you can’t do miracles and you are to work within the constraints of the Constitution (many subjects are dealt with separately by states). Second, the Secretaries to the Government of India are not simply officials — they are the champions of that sector. So, states in some ways are also independent, autonomous units within the Union and in certain areas they have their state subjects.

But it is the duty of the Secretaries to champion those things.

And they have.

But you see it being adopted over time?

There is a lot the Central Government can do: the vision, the

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Prajapati Trivedi If we have an efficient performance management system in the Centre, it will trickle down to states. And we are seeing results: Maharashtra and Punjab have already decided to adopt the system

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making of the framework. So, we deal with the Central Government right now and I think if we have an efficient performance management system in the Centre, it will trickle down to states. And we are seeing results: Maharashtra and Punjab have already decided to adopt the system and made some very impressive progress. And we’ve got requests from several states (who want to adopt this model).

Is that what you are doing similar to the UK Model?

We are doing the same sort of fthing though conceptually this is ahead of UK. They call it the Public Service Agreements; we call it the Results-Framework Document (RFD). We believe currently we are arguably ahead of any other country in terms of the design and implementation of this policy.

There are many areas, like the judiciary, that has been left out?

We haven’t left it. To be honest, I think, given the time, the staff, one must do an excellent job of what one is doing and there are lessons to be learnt from all sectors.

Judiciary, legislature but you can’t take up everything: it limits your capacity to do a quality job.

How long has this been on?

It has been on for less than two years and we have done a decent enough job. For the first time in the history of independent India the Cabinet Secretary has written individually to Secretaries outlining their performance score on a scale of 0-100 per cent and indicated wheter their performance was below or above average for all Secretaries. This is a huge beginning.

All this is on the web …

It’s a completely transparent system, everybody agreed to it.

Our job was really to have these 62 Secretaries agree to the rules of the game, play the game and deliver the results. When the results were declared, no one complained...

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Does it outline the leadership each person provided?

Absolutely. That is exactly what this is supposed to capture: the quality of management. As I said there are some people who just write memos. There are others who actually go out, train, provide technical assistance, figure out what are the reasons for the bottlenecks and solve the problem.

Another key dimension of quality consists of taking a longer strategic view of departmental performance and not a short-term view. Thus, developing a long-term strategy is essential for quality operations.

What about the PSUs and other bodies?

The change cannot start at the bottom and that’s why we have started with the Secretaries and we are finding that accountability for results is trickling down. The Secretaries are holding the Joint Secretaries accountable. Now, this year, we have asked departments to sign Results-Framework Documents with the subordinate offices, attached offices and autonomous bodies under them and thus about 800 such responsibility centres have been covered under this policy.

Will it bring about an attitudinal change?

Absolutely. And we are already seeing it. As I said, thousand organisations when they change, I think you’ll find some impact. And furthermore as I said, we are already focusing on the interface through Citizen’s Charter. So we are not just focusing on delivery and not worrying about the interface.

The attitude is the thing. The Citizen’s Charter will change it.

Why call it a Citizen’s Charter?

Well, Citizen/Clients Service Charter because it deals with the interface with the citizens, people. It’s about interface. So, RFD contains things that affect the class of citizens.

Citizen/Client Charters affect individual citizens. It deals with issues such as - ‘My application, my telephone call didn’t get answered’.

Where does the QCI come into all this?

Well they have been very helpful. I am also Chairman of National Authority for Chemical Weapons Convention and we are the only national, central government body to have got full ISO 9000 certificate.

Like the International Atomic Energy Commission, our counterpart is the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons. They have 188 member countries and all of them have national authorities like ours.

However, we are the only national authority to have the ISO 9000 certification. Recently we presented our case to the 188 member states in The Hague. It was the most gratifying experience when advanced countries came to us asking for technical assistance: how did your national authority get ISO 9000? The Quality Council of India helped us a lot. Dr Girdhar J Gyani (QCI Secretary General) was very supportive. Of course, the Cabinet Secretary had wished and wanted this. But Dr Gyani ensured that we got the required technical support to achieve this ISO 9001 certification.

He provided the technical support to get us there. So that has been our interface with QCI and we hope, now that the Cabinet Secretary has seen the results and he is excited about the potential of ISO for reforming government, that through the RFDs we will make ISO 9000 a requirement for all government departments. So that a change in quality consciousness takes place— that you have to do things systematically, codify your procedures, have standard operating procedures, prepare quality manual and follow it—all that is bound to have an impact on the government.

What about using the QCI for your processes?

The QCI has made Sevottam

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standard and we are using part of those standards already. So, the Citizen’s Charter and Grievance Redress Mechanism prepared by 62 departments of the Central Government have to be Sevottam compliant.

What is your bottomline?

Irrespective of which government is there, this is a central issue: improving government efficiency and performance and my brief is to ensure that we have the best system in place and that this becomes part of our standard way of doing business in government. Good management should not be an event; it should be a process which we take for granted and I believe that now this is not an event any more, it’s becoming part of our routine business. Good management and good governance should be routine. Not a sensational thing, not an exceptional thing. The revolution is on.

Prajapati Trivedi Irrespective of which government is there, this is a central issue: improving government efficiency and performance and my brief is to ensure that we have the best system in place

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That attitude has to change. So a combination of these two, we believe will shape up and we believe, the perception of government will dramatically improve.

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Is this your first time in government?

No, no. I was Economic Advisor in the Government in 1991-94 . In fact we implemented a similar policy in the government called the Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) when Dr. Manmohan Singh was the Finance Minister and I worked on MoUs in the Department of Public Enterprises (DPE) as Economic Adviser. The MOU system has worked beautifully. In fact, if history be told correctly, the improved performance of public enterprises via MOU system was a key factor in India’s turnaround story in the 90s. Some say it was only liberalisation, but informed observers will tell you that the surplus profits generated by public enterprise fuelled and enabled the liberalisation of the country on a sustainable basis.

We hope that a few years from now we would say the same thing about RFDs. They will, I believe, play a critical role in taking India to the next level of growth trajectory.

Interviewed by K Srinivasan

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“We have set the ball in motion for development”

PRAFUL PATEL HAS BEEN ARGUABLY INDIA’S MOST SUCCESSFUL CIVIL AVIATION MINISTER. SOON AFTER THIS INTERVIEW, HE WAS PROMOTED AS A CABINET MINISTER IN CHARGE OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HEAVY INDUSTRIES AND PUBLIC ENTERPRISE. SOME EXCERPTS FROM AN INTERVIEW ON THE TWO SUBJECTS: How would you define aviation in India?

I have said this many times and am happy to repeat myself: more people travel by Indian Railways in a day than they do by plane in a month! At one it was equivalent to a year, but as air travel has grown exponentially, it has come down.

But there is still vast scope. If just ten per cent of Indians travel by air that would be close to 13 crore passengers a year. And we are some way away from that number.

India’s aviation sector has seen phenomenal growth under your leadership. How do you ensure that a 20-30 per cent year-on-year growth in this segment does not see a drop in quality?

Aviation by its very nature has to be fail-proof, in other words, every flight that takes off has to land safely. That means that you require the highest standards of safety in place to ensure that our skies are safe. And when the goal, day-afterday, month-after-month and yearafter-year, is a blemish-free cycle of flying; it has to adhere to the highest standards of quality to be able to provide these services.

Therefore, quality is intrinsic to the business of flying.

How do you make sure they are monitored regularly and the highest standards of safety, security and quality is maintained?

I would say that aviation is one of the most well-monitored sectors. At every stage, you have parameters that need to be fulfilled. There are several aspects to flying and each

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one of these segments has its own stringent set of standards to ensure quality and, thereby, safety. The most important of these is the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). The DGCA sets the template for all civil aviation operations in India. No aircraft can fly in or fly out of the country without being registered with them or their approval. They lay the ground rules that govern every aspect of operations: from the guidelines that governs pilot training, examination, and certification, medical to the final licensing of a commercial pilot.

And, mind you, there are no shortcuts or compromises in this programme. In fact, recently the DGCA suspended the licenses of several pilots who had faked their flying records and police action was initiated against the flying school that was responsible for this illegal activity.

Similarly, the DGCA has issued stringent guidelines against pilots reporting to work after consuming alcohol. The DGCA has ruled that if a pilot or a member of the cabin crew is found drunk before a flight — and is a second-time offender — his/her licence will be cancelled for five years. The first offence would mean suspension of the licence for three months.

Similarly, there are safety audits for aircraft and there are mandatory checks that all planes have do go through after a certain number of flying cycles. The DGCA is stringent in its monitoring of all aircraft registered in India to make sure that they are maintained as prescribed in the guidelines. All airlines have what is known as an air operator’s permit (APO) and unless they fulfill every guideline of the DGCA including welldefined operating manuals, they are liable to have their APO suspended.

Apart from all this, the DGCA also undertakes safety audits on a regular basis to make sure that there have been no lapses in following the regulations. We have set up the Civil Aviation Safety Advisory Council to ensure that

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there is a continuous process of safety in Indian aviation. This committee meets regularly to review events and trends and advise the government with meaningful suggestions.

What about our airports? Millions of passengers traverse through them every year. How do we make sure they adhere to the highest standards of quality?

Every airport in India is licensed and they cannot operate unless they adhere to the stringent guidelines as laid down by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). While they follow the guidelines, the airports are inspected and certified by the DGCA.We have undertaken a remarkable process of modernizing and upgrading our airports to provide not just for safer and better flying, but to make the entire experience enjoyable and hassle free for the people who really drive

this sector in the end, the passengers.

Could you elaborate?

Broadly speaking, if a flight is late then the passenger is liable to be reimbursed and taken care of.

There are considerable details on this available with the airlines and on the DGCA website. Now one of the spinoffs of this directive is that airlines make sure that they take off and land on time barring weather or technical issues. So, the on-time performance across the aviation sector has gone up remarkably.

Airlines are now conscious of their

Praful Patel We have undertaken a remarkable process of modernising and upgrading our airports to provide not just for safer and better flying, but to make the entire experience enjoyable and hassle-free for the people who really drive this sector in the end.

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FORMIDABLE FLEET: Planes lined up at Indira Gandhi International Airport.

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Growing with finesse

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On January 12, Indian low-cost carrier (LCC) IndiGo signed a $15 billion deal with European aircraft manufacturer Airbus for buying 180 A320 aircraft, the biggest ever

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BUSY TRAFFIC: Number of air travellers in India are increasing at a fast pace. A scene at Mumbai airport!

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single firm order for large jets in global aviation history. The deal is reflective of the sort of steps that Indian aviation has taken in the last few years.

From just two carriers — Air India for global operations and Indian Airlines for the domestic

segment — Indian aviation has now expanded dramatically. There are several carriers that vie for passengers' attention across India including high quality low cost carriers that have caught the imagination of the people. Not just that, the number of destinations and connections have more than quadrupled in the last six years and even the interiors are now connected to major metros across India.

It was something that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh alluded to when inaugurating the brand new T3 terminal at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport. He said: "An airport is often the first introduction to the country. A good airport would signal a new India, committed to join the ranks of modern industrialized nations."

However, one major issue that could hamper the dramatic growth of civil aviation is the shortage of trained manpower. As more aircrafts are ordered, more airports open, the need for more staff is telling. That is one area we still have to ramp up our efficiencies.

responsibility to their passengers.

Similarly, as the process of improving our airports through modernisation and building of new terminals has taken off, the options available to the passengers in terms of F&B, passenger comfort, amenities have improved enormously. In fact, some of our metro airports are now ranked routinely in the top ten. This is a testimony to the rapid strides that this key area of transportation has taken in the last few years.

We have set the ball in motion for the development of the Indian aviation sector and soon we will be ranked third or fourth in the world.

We are also committed to make aviation safer and cleaner and a reliable transportation mode for the people of India.

Your first thoughts on your new portfolio: Heavy Industries and Public Enterprise?

I wonder whether PSUs should continue with businesses, ranging from salt to scooters. Within the Ministry of Heavy Industry, somebody (public sector unit) is making tea, somebody is making salt and somebody scooters. Should we continue with this business or we should go for paradigm shift?

Also, there are loss-making companies that have closed down.

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CONTROLLING TRAFFIC: Officers managing traffic of flights at Air Traffic Control room.

There is an absolute case for such companies (closed ones) to be privatised.Within a span of six months to one year, we have to come out with new guidelines (on all these issues).

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On industry and bureaucracy A number of PSUs need to be restructured and very successful companies like BHEL (Bharat Heavy Electronic Ltd) need to become real global players while existing players need new teeth.

They need a policy framework without being shackled with lengthy restrictions. Multiple agencies for heavy industries in India has to be reduced.

On personnel The most qualified and best people do not want to join the public sector and therefore they should be attracted by offering incentives comparable to the private sector.

Interviewed by K Srinivasan

TERMINAL 3: File picture of the state-of-theart integrated terminal at Indira Gandhi International Airport symbolises India’s aviation future.

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“We have a framework within which quality can be addressed” UNION HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT MINISTER KAPIL SIBAL BELIEVES STRONGLY THAT ATTAINING AND MAINTAINING QUALITY IN THE EDUCATION SECTOR IS NOT A ONE-TIME TASK, BUT RATHER AN ONGOING PROCESS. HIS MINISTRY, HE TOLD QUALITY INDIA, IS ALL SET TO BRING ABOUT A SEA CHANGE IN ALL FACETS OF EDUCATION — ELEMENTARY, SECONDARY OR HIGHER EDUCATION — AND IS MOVING AHEAD FAST.

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You said that there are three general principles that any institute of higher education needs to embrace: providing educational access to those who desire and need it; affordability by reducing financial barriers; and, building quality and accountability. Do you think that it’s happening?

Change cannot happen overnight.

It’s a huge task ahead and what is of utmost importance is the need to put systems in place. In the last

sixty years, there is no system in place. For example, if we pass the Accreditation Authority Bill, every institution will have to be accredited for quality. Once that process is in place, institutions, which are not quality-conscious, will automatically become qualityconscious because they won’t be accredited. That’s why there is legislations with the Standing Committee, which need to be passed as quickly as possible. Once that is done, we have a framework

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within which quality can be addressed. Without that framework, quality will not be addressed. In a way, there is a long haul for things to materialise.

The enrollment is 15 per cent at the higher educational level. Don’t you think this is very low?

True. It is very low. My dream is that by 2020, our Gross Enrollment Ratio must move to 30 per cent, though it is a very tall order. But if pursuant to the Right to Education Act and if we are able to retain children in schools right up to Class XII, then there is scope to automatically achieve Gross Enrollment Ratio of 30 per cent. So the foundation has been laid by passing the Right to Education Act. So it is all about implementing it properly and ensure that children go to school regularly and that there are no dropouts between the middle school and the secondary school.

In India, we exist in a federal polity wherein the Centre cannot interfere with the state affairs. So how do you think you are going to transcend that barrier?

Since the time I have taken over as the Education Minister, I have been meeting the State Education Ministers regularly, they will tell you, never in the history of India has the Central Minster met the State Education Ministers so often.

I can honestly tell you, no State Education Minister, no matter which political party runs the state, has ever said that will not cooperate with me. It’s an amazing support system that I have managed to develop, just by reaching out to them and saying this is a national endeavour; it’s a national commitment. It is about your children and our children and therefore we cannot destroy the future of our children by bringing politics into education.

What are your plans for the curriculum?

First of all, I never wanted to have a common interest. What I wanted

was a core curriculum, which has been agreed to both on science and commerce. And I am thinking of a common examination based on the core curriculum, which means each State Board can be separate. But they will teach the core curriculum on the basis of which you can have one test for children. So we are thinking in terms of doing that by 2013-2014.

GLOBAL FOOTPRINT: Union Minister of Human Resource Development and Communications and Information Technology, Kapil Sibal at the launch of the international curriculum of Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), in UAE.

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What about the textbooks?

When you say core curriculum, the textbooks must match the curriculum. That leeway is given to the state governments. We are not interfering in those processes at all.

So, to respect the federal structure, bring quality into the federal structure and persuade the state governments to actually move towards quality through a common core curriculum.

While it seems easy to push your progressive agenda with schools, there seems to be problems with the higher education, for instance, the universities seem to be very reluctant to accept the semester system.

No, take Delhi for example. We got a New Vice Chancellor and everything is okay in Delhi. What has happened is in the old universities where the Executive Councils and the Academic Councils, especially Executive Councils are entrenched with certain diehards who will not

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allow the system to change. It is very difficult because under the setup that we have, we can’t interfere in the university processes. We can’t appoint people on the Executive Council.

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So how do you think change will take place?

That change will come through pressure from the student community because when they see other universities through the semester system moving forward, the pressure from within will intensify and they will come up with the stand ‘you change your system, otherwise we’ll go to some other university’. It’s a slow process.

It’s going to take its own time. But for new universities, it is now part of the statute. All central universities must have a semester system. So there is no option for them. And semester system means mobility.

Mobility means greater flexibility to the student community, greater choice, and so that’s what the student community wants.

STRATEGIC MOVE: Union Minister for Human Resource Development and Communications and Information Technology, Kapil Sibal inaugurating the information kiosk on 'Right to Education'. At extreme right is Minister of State for Human Resource Development, D. Purandeswari.

Politicians control a lot of academic institutes in our country.

Many of them may not like the radical changes that you are bringing in this system. How do you cope with that?

There is no question of coping. The fact is that we have to bring-you see we have to give that opportunity to our children.

Whoever controls these institutions,

must believe that these institutions are only a vehicle for empowering our country’s children and therefore they must come on board.

And in any case now these legislations are in place passed by Cabinet and the Group of Ministers, well we are going to have them. And once they are passed, people will have to come on board.

The government teachers are paid more than the public school teachers. But still the standards are abysmal.

Yes, so that way we need to go through a whole new training process. So our Teacher’s Training Program must be strengthened. We are trying to spend much more money on it. We are also trying to bring the private sector to support us on that. So let’s see how it moves but I think that’s the biggest challenge we have.

How is skill development going to help in this?

Well you know, for skilled development, for example, there is a Skill Development Mission, which is now hosted in the Finance Ministry—they are going to help us on some of this and of course we want to take our Teacher’s Training Program forward. So we are expecting some money from the Finance Ministry, let’s see how it works out.

Don’t you think that the frequent transfers of teachers would hamper the teaching system?

Now at least in the CBSE system and the Kendriya Vidyalaya system, we have a policy in our transfers. See, this again is not under my control. Like the salary of teachers too, I can’t do anything about it. Transfers and recruitment are also not under my control.

How can this change happen?

That systemic change will only come about through pressures from civil society and from parents.

After all, there is a pressure within the state also. If you really look at what’s been happening, in the last

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six months, you’ll find that states like Bihar are moving forward.

States like Punjab are moving forward also. Why? Because there is pressure from within. After all, children, when they grow up, need jobs and if the state is not able to give jobs, what are they going to do? So the pressure is on the political establishment and that pressure is going to work. We need an environment through which that pressure can bring quality into the system but that pressure is going to come.

There is enormous difference in standards amongst schools and institutions across the country.

What steps have been taken to rectify this?

There again, core curriculum is the answer. State Boards must embrace that core curriculum and through the meeting we have an unanimous agreement on that. So that’s the only way to move forward. Now under the Right to Education Act, the core curriculum and the academic authority is going to be under the Right to Education Act, along with the NCERT. They are the academic authority. So therefore those standards will also be set.

Over a period of time, there seems to have been some sort of politics happening in terms of books.

What is your agenda on this?

We are trying to persuade everybody to use the NCERT books. Because there are state variations, diversity, the states are actually using those books, but adding onto them. And I think some states have done a good job.

But I think that the kind of quality, children deserve is really not being given. Some way but I think that we will change. We are also discussing those issues with states.

With the Class X board examinations being exempted, do you think that the people have accepted it?

Now people have accepted it— people across the country. I mean I know when I walk anywhere in

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this country who are the people who greet me with a big smile— both the children and the parents.

Thank God for it!

As far as education goes, what is your agenda for 2011?

Vocational—that’s my biggest agenda now. National Vocational Qualification Framework because about 150 million students will have to be given access to vocational training and I’m going to start all that from class 9,10,11 &12. And I’m building a whole new national framework for them and by making a tie-up with AITIs at the higher level and through the AICTE with the universities can gives enormous flexibility to students in the long run. So children must be prepared for skills. So those who don’t want to do a Doctorate or want to go to university should be able to get a job. And if the Prime Minster talks about $1 trillion in infrastructure, imagine the amount of jobs that will be created. We need all kinds of technically skilled personnel. So I’m having separate meetings with different industries like the automobile industry, the telecom sector, the construction industry, etc so that they make a syllabi which can be incorporated into our school syllabus.

Kapil Sibal My biggest agenda now is National Vocational Qualification Framework because about 150 million students will have to be given access to vocational training and I’m going to start all that from class 9,10,11 &12

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How are you going to do this?

I intend to prepare a framework first. Unless you have a standard you can’t move forward.

Who is going to set the standard?

We are doing everything within the system. We are preparing it by consulting everybody including the states. I’ve called two meetings already. That standard will be applied to every institution and school. If you want to give credit for vocational institutes, say 50 hours of this particular thing of a particular discipline and then it’s outcome-based system. Then you get a certificate for that. You get a credit for that. So the employer knows that this is what you have done.

Interviewed by K Srinivasan

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“There should be involvement of communities in healthcare” MINISTER OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE, GHULAM NABI AZAD, IS CLEAR ABOUT HIS PRIORITIES TO ENHANCE THE HEALTHCARE SECTOR IN THE COUNTRY. INITIATING MOVES TO EXPAND THE NATIONAL RURAL HEALTH MISSION, THAT HAS MOBILISED HALF A MILLION HEALTH WORKERS ALL ACROSS INDIA, THE MINISTER WANTS TO LAUNCH A SIMILAR NATIONAL URBAN HEALTH MISSION. HIS MISSION: TO BRING ABOUT TOTAL QUALITY HEALTHCARE FOR EVERYONE IN THE COUNTRY. IN THIS INTERVIEW WITH QUALITY INDIA, HE OUTLINES HIS PRIORITIES. EXCERPTS: According to your opinion, what is the basis of good healthcare system in India?

The healthcare system in India should be able to provide to the people universal access to quality healthcare especially by the vulnerable groups like women, children, elderly, socially and economically disadvantaged and protection against financial hardships while accessing healthcare. There should also be involvement and ownership of the communities in provision of healthcare through participation in all aspects of public health specially preventive and promotive.

Public expenditure on health in India is still abysmally low as compared to other countries?

Don’t you think that it’s high time that India should increase financial support to the health sector?

We are trying to increase the outlay in the health sector. The Central government expenditure for health sector has gone up from `2300 crore in 01-02 to nearly `23,000 crore now, a tenfold increase. We shall strive to achieve a public health expenditure equivalent to 23 per cent of the GDP. The rural poor in India are still being deprived of quality healthcare. What are the steps being taken to improve the access of quality healthcare especially with regard to rural poor?

Though health is a State Subject, the government of India launched the National Rural Health Mission to support the state governments to strengthen the public health system in order to provide quality healthcare to the people in rural areas especially in the remote and inaccessible region. In order to improve access to health services, several initiatives have been undertaken. They include improvement of health infrastructure, augmentation of human resources, ensuring regular supply of drugs and equipments, maintenance of buildings and equipments, facility-based monitoring, involvement of community, free referral transport, mobile medicare units and so on.

The primary healthcare facilities

In comparison to international standards, India fares very poorly when it comes to non-availability of skilled and trained human resources pertaining to healthcare.

In your opinion, what steps should be taken to improve the skills and training of people?

No doubt, the availability of skilled and trained human resources is not to the desired level. We have initiated several measures to improve the position. We have introduced several reforms in medical education to increase the availability of doctors and specialists. They include rationalisation of norms for settingup of new medical colleges and increase capacities in existing medical colleges. We have also increased the post-graduate seats by rationalisation of the teacherstudent ratio to ensure availability of larger number of specialists. We are also supporting the state sovernments to improve infrastructure in the medical colleges and increase the admission capacity, besides opening new disciplines. We have also started a new programme to set up 239 GNM (General Nursing and Midwifery)/ANM (Auxiliary Nursing and Midwifery) schools especially in backward districts where no training schools exist at

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present. Multi-skilling of the doctors by training them in basic emergency obstetric care, comprehensive emergency and obstetric care and life-saving anesthesia skills has also been taken up to overcome the shortage of specialists at the sub-district levels.

BASTION OF HEALTHCARE: AIIMS attracts patients from every nook and corner of the country.But should the institute be dealing with coughs and colds or be an oasis of specialised treatment?

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are available in rural areas to serve the vulnerable section of the society, through a network of nearly 1.46 lakh sub-centres [SCs], 23500 Primary Health Centres [PHCs] and 4500 Community Health Centres [CHCs]. In order to facilitate access to health facilities for institutional deliveries, cash incentives schemes like Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY) is available for the under privileged sections of the community. The ministry has reasserted its commitment to ensure free delivery services to pregnant women in public health facilities so as to curtail any out-ofpocket expense, availability of referral transport, good infrastructure and consumables as well as services for new-born care and advised states to ensure this.

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The Planning Commission recently constituted a high-level expert group to develop a framework to provide universal health coverage to the people in the 12th Five year Plan. When will it come into effect and what benefits will it entail for the poor?

I am informed that the High Level Expert Group set up by Planning Commission is expected to give its report by June 2011. its recommendations would definitely be useful in refining the strategy for health sector during the 12th Five Year Plan. It will also help fine-tune the current implementation process and improve the healthcare delivery system so as to benefit the people in general and the poor in particular.

Accreditation programmes for healthcare organisations in India need a push to improve quality of healthcare. Is the Health Ministry taking any initiative in this regard?

Under the Clinical Establishments Act, there is a provision to register all private healthcare facilities.

Later, this would be extended to provide for voluntary quality

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accreditation of all healthcare organisations. In order to ensure universal accreditation, states have to legislate the Clinical Establishments Act in their states because such accreditation is under the purview of the states. Making a minimum level of quality mandatory for a healthcare facility is an option for states to consider while framing their rules.

The Ministry has issued various guidelines and standards to meet the challenges of standardisation of service delivery across States/UTs. The States/UTs are encouraged to plan and upgrade health facilities to conform to Indian Public Health Standards. Operational Guidelines on Maternal and Newborn Health, Standard Treatment Protocol are in place to ensure uniformity in case management and standard services across health facilities. Health institutions are now going for accreditation by ISO and NABH as well.

THE NEXT BIG STOP: India has emerged as the Medical tourism hub over the years. It is big business, but requires top quality delivery of medicare.

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Government hospitals are still lagging behind when it comes to infrastructure — better equipment and trained personnel. Are there any plans to improve the situation?

Yes, under the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) we have made it one of the important priorities. States are allowed to spend under NRHM up to 33 per cent (in high focus states) and 25 per cent (in non-high focus states) of the available resources on health

infrastructure. Most states have carried out facility surveys, which identify gaps in infrastructure, equipment and trained personnel, and initiated measures to close these gaps under NRHM. Substantial progress has been made to close such gaps over the last five years. The infrastructure has improved, nearly, 100,000 contractual healthcare providers, which include doctors, nurses, ANMs and paramedics have been added to the system and equipment has been procured for all prioritised facilities.

According to the World Health Organisation, more than 1.4 mn Indian babies die annually before they complete the first year of life due to malnutrition. What are the steps being taken to fight malnutrition by the Health Ministry in India?

Malnutrition is not a major cause of infant deaths in India. The main causes of infant deaths are asphyxia, hypothermia, sepsis, congenital anomalies, pre-maturity, diarrhoeal diseases and acute respiratory infections. The major government programme to combat malnutrition is the ICDS programme, administered by the Ministry of Women and Child Development. It provides supplementary nutrition to children below five years. It also includes supplementary nutrition to pregnant and lactating mothers until the baby is six months and “take home rations” for children between six months and three years. The MoHFW (Ministry of Health and Family Welfare) ensures the following: Good antenatal care and counselling for improved nutrition during pregnancy to reduce the chances of low-birth weight babies.

Promotion of early initiation of breastfeeding and exclusive breastfeeding till six months through the Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs), Anganwadi Workers and ANMs. Prevention of common illness

What are the steps being taken to improve overall quality of healthcare systems in India?

The Ministry has notified the Indian Public Health Standards (IPHS), which define quality of care for all levels of public health facilities.

Under NRHM, funds are provided to the states to upgrade the facilities to meet the IPHS standards. Untied Funds, Annual Maintenance Grants and Rogi Kalyan Samiti Grants are provided to the health facilities to improve quality of services.

We are also encouraging states to establish Quality Assurance Committees at the district levels for oversight and guidance to quality improvement in health facilities.

India’s healthcare challenges are exacerbated by lack of overall coverage of health insurance services. What are your views?

Providing financial protection for illness shall have to be through an efficient public health system.

Insurance schemes can supplement for certain types of care and for specific categories of people.

Several health insurance schemes have been launched in the recent past. Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana (RSBY) launched by Government of India to provide coverage to workers in the BPL category and in the unorganised sector is the important one. Till December 2009, 22 states and Union Territories have introduced

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the scheme across 172 districts covering 2.98 crore households.

Many state governments have also initiated health insurance schemes for the BPL population like the Rajiv Arogyasri Health Insurance Scheme (Andhra Pradesh), Kalaignar Insurance Scheme for Life-Saving treatments (Tamil Nadu), Suvarna Arogya Suraksha Scheme (Karnataka), and Mukhya Mantri BPL Jeevan Raksha Kosh (Rajasthan). The focus of these schemes is to cover diseases requiring tertiary care which involves lot of expenses.

The paucity of doctors in rural areas has long been an area of concern. Are there any special measures being taken by the Ministry in this regard?

Ministry is addressing this problem through following measures: Augmentation of human resource is a major thrust area under NRHM. States are allowed to engage doctors and specialists at the Primary Health Centres and the Community Health Centres on contractual basis. Nearly 10000 doctors and specialists have been engaged at PHCs and CHCs on contract by states under NRHM to fill in critical gaps. We are also permitting financial incentives to encourage doctors to work in rural and difficult areas. We have also allowed additional marks in post-graduate entrance examinations for rendering services in rural areas.

Mandatory rural posting of fresh MBBS graduates, preference for post-graduate course for service in rural areas and other HR incentives are also introduced by states to improve availability of doctors in rural areas.

We plan to introduce a Bachelor of Rural Health Care Course to create a new cadre of mid-level service providers, who would be recruited from rural areas and trained to provide a package of services that is required at sub-center level.

Ghulam Nabi Azad Providing financial protection for illness shall have to be through an efficient public health system. Insurance schemes can supplement for certain types of care and for specific categories of people.

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and prompt care for the sick children which is a major cause of malnutrition. This is done at the community level through health education and homebased newborn care through the ASHA, and ensuring full immunisation of children.

Use of Village Health and Nutrition Days under National Rural Health Mission every month to provide nutritional counselling and preventative health services at the Anganwadi Centres.

Setting up Nutrition Rehabilitation Centres for sick and severely malnourished babies.

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“We can show the world what health is all about”

MINISTER OF STATE FOR HEALTH DINESH TRIVEDI IS ELOQUENT AND STRAIGHTFORWARD, AS HE OFFERS HIS NARRATIVE ON THE INDIAN HEALTH ENVIRONMENT. IT’S A CONVERSATION THAT DOESN’T FOCUS ON THE HEALTH MINISTRY, BUT WHAT HE BELIEVES IN: THE NEED TO LIFT THE MEDICARE SYSTEM IN INDIA AND TAKE IT TO THE PEOPLE ACROSS THE BOARD AND ALL OVER THE COUNTRY. EXCERPTS: How do we improve the quality of our health services?

I personally feel that we need big ticket reforms in health. Unless and until there is a huge, reform in health, we would be just filling up small potholes here and there.

We need to redo the entire carpeting of the roads and the highways. And to do that you need huge ideas and I have no hesitation in saying, with the present set of system, which we are following, I am afraid, we will not go anywhere close to any kind of reform in health. This has nothing to do with people or government, it’s an attitude Can you elaborate?

You see the present system is too faulty. First of all we’ll have to redefine what health is. We are not a health ministry — we are into sickness ministry. Health is a total package. Health means that you ensure people don’t go to the hospital. It is holistic. At the moment what we are addressing is what happens after people get diarrhea. We are not doing anything to ensure that people don’t get diarrhea. There’s a huge difference between the two. There will be drop of 50 per cent of both

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How do we change it?

We may go to Qutab Minar and say that our flagship (agenda) is health and education. But by (mere) saying, people don’t have good health. If you want to sustain and I’m going into economics now— a growth rate of nine per cent — it cannot happen without health and education. So, health of the country for economy, you ensure that you have a labour which is healthy. If you have many man hours lost because people are not healthy, if you have productivity going down because people are not healthy, you have schools which are not run because the teachers are sick, if you have schools where students don’t come because they have diarrhea, what is the future of the country?

If I have my say, I’ll spend 30 per cent of the budget on water alone and when I say, water, it is water management. You have drought, you have flood, you have vectorborne (diseases), you have water-

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borne (diseases). All require nothing but water mass management. And you need money, let’s face it. Less than one per cent of the budget, of the GDP you are spending on health — we need a holistic approach.

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GOVERNMENT HOSPITALS: Routine nursing round in the ward at the goverment hospital in Rajpipala in Gujarat.

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patients and the need of doctors or nurses will go down if you talk about basic. And what is basic?

Anything that is life-sustaining like water, food, environment, etc.

If we just address, let’s say only water, I can guarantee you that you will have surplus capacity of doctors. So today what is happening is (that) a doctor is busy taking temperature, he is measuring your pulse and blood pressure. That is not the job of a doctor. This is the job of any technician with four months and he’ll do the same thing. So we are, I think, mixed up as to what a doctor is supposed to do and what a medical technician is supposed to do. So health in India is sickness care and we are catering to only 20 per cent of the rich people in the city. And I have no hesitation again in saying although health is a state subject — we are just neglecting 70 per cent of the population — and if we do not have health, then we do not give basic dignity to human beings.

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It’s a paradox, we are one of the largest manufacturers of pharmaceuticals, we have medical tourism and here we are crying out for good health?

Because we do not have a holistic approach. In fact, we don’t need branded medicines. We need generic medicine and if you see the price difference between generic and branded, there is a lot of difference. And if you have a turnover, the advantage of largescale, the prices of drugs, medicines will still go down. But preventive care is just not there when we are the best country for that — you have yoga, meditation, Unani, Ayurveda, everything. And our system is best suited for traditional medicine. So let’s have a combination of both.

But it’s for the ministry to address it…

I think health should be somewhat like the railways. Why do I say like railways, because you cannot have a bureaucrat — although bureaucrats have good training and I am not against them— coming from Sports Ministry to Health, again going to Commerce

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Dinesh Trivedi Health is not just a stop-gap arrangement, health is commitment. Health is 24X7, like railways. So any officer, right from the beginning of his career, if he likes health, he’s dedicated to health

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then going to Finance. Health is not just a stop-gap arrangement, health is commitment. Health is 24X7, like railways. So any officer, right from the beginning of his career, if he likes health, he’s dedicated to health, because this requires devotion (and) to the last day till his retirement, he stays in health. So we are talking about a different cadre altogether. Like we have the railway cadre you have a health cadre.

Are you thinking along those lines?

I am thinking, I have thought of a lot of things. I wanted a national health portal. Nothing is happening because here people will tell you why it can’t happen.

Nobody comes and tells how it can happen. So that is why you need committed officers. Why is there disappointment? Because India can do it. We have the best of doctors, best of medical staff, best of pharmaceutical companies, best of research. This is a country which can show the world what health is all about, how health can be taken care of.

We are not doing it?

The tragedy is we are not thinking. The doing comes after you think. I don’t think we are thinking and I have no hesitation in saying it.

T CREATING AWARENESS: Community health

programmes are quite popular and help bring in better healthcare standards

Are you happy with the state of our hospitals?

Our government hospitals by and large have problems and the problem is demand and supply. Ek anaar, sau bimaar. And to address that I think we have to start into a PPP mode and there has to be a cross subsidy. You cannot have All India Institute of Medical Sciences-like (AIIMS) institution — which is supposed to be a referral — have people with cough and cold going there which is what is happening. No patient can be turned out which is the right thing to do but why should the guy living in a remote district, come to the city? You should have the facility there. Every district must have at least three hospitals. Every municipality must have about a 70-100-bedded.

It need not be five-star, it need not be air-conditioned, it should be functional where small surgery can be done, deliveries can be done, emergencies taken care of. I think we can do it. You look at technology and this is where I have been talking about using electronic medical health records.

Every child when he’s born should be given an e-health card and that e-health card will have entire history and whenever the child goes to a doctor or gets a medicine, it should be incorporated. So wherever he goes he doesn’t have to repeat his history. You punch a button and the doctor knows everything and that could even act as your birth certificate. And from that you can have your passport.

Are you happy with private hospitals?

Private hospitals are state-of-the art, many of them. But the problem with the private hospital is that they are too commercial. I am telling you, I am very proud of AIIMS. Most of my friends, who can afford any hospital in the world, come to me and say that they want to go to AIIMS. So, if AIIMS would not have been there, none of these private hospitals would have been there because AIIMS is still the mother of all the hospitals. It’s like if Air India

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would not have been there, no private airline would have come.

So, AIIMS is the jewel in the crown. That is what India is all about and if you give encouragement—AIIMS-type institutions are very few in the world—we can do it.

Any silver lining?

I think in the south, whether it is Tamil Nadu or Kerala, they are doing very good work. They are also integrating Ayurveda and a lot of medical tourism is taking place on Ayurveda itself. So I think south is doing very good work and their parameters are relatively better. Kerala is doing good. But we have to have this across the board.

The South and the West have such fine medical infrastructure because of medical colleges, why not elsewhere?

Now, obviously medical colleges and hospitals go hand in hand.

But the fact is why should you wait now? Let’s do it and if I were to do hospitals, AIIMS-like institution, I would tell the Prime Minister, let’s not go through this procedure of L1 and all those things, let’s get the best in the world, who have got the reputation. have total transparency on each and every penny spent and tell them this needs to be done in eighteen months. And that’s it. Otherwise what will happen is, it will take ten years. . It doesn’t work in health. Health has to be priority.

We can’t wait. There cannot be right to life without right to health. The shame is today bottled water has standards but ordinary tap water has no standard.

The Quality Council of India has a standard for hospitals. Your view on enhancing hospital quality through standards like the QCI has done?

You know there has to be definitely standardization. There has to be uniformity, there has to be protocol. But all these things

T QUALITY FOR NATIONAL WELL BEING: Providing have to be very transparent; It quality healthcare to the people is another facet should be more objective than of governance. subjective. So even giving certification to medical colleges and hospitals, I think this has to be done using technology. And that is where if you had national health portal, then sitting at home you would know, okay, this hospital is coming up for recognition, these are the staff, this is the patientdoctor ratio, this is the campus— everything is online. So you can take a virtual tour of the hospital.

You can Google the thing. Unless and until you have technology, we cannot get into—leave aside second generation reform—not even the first generation of reforms.

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Is health being a state subject, an issue in providing delivery of services?

State subject… I tell you, you can get the state around. If the state is not doing, then you have a PPP mode. My constituency in Barrackpore, although we are not in power in Bengal, but I’m going to have seven hospitals. I’m going to private sectors. Yes, seven municipalities I have, I’ll give it to the private sector. And what I have said is, if there are fifty beds, make it hundred beds.

So (for) fifty beds you are going to charge the same; for the rest of the fifty reasonable charge. So there is a cross-subsidy. But the quality of service should be the same for all.

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“I want to open the naadawali file: let the public see it” SATYANARAYAN GANGARAM (SAM) PITRODA, TELECOM GURU AND ADVISER TO PRIME MINISTER MANMOHAN SINGH, BELIEVES THAT TRANSPARENCY WILL BE THE KEY IN TRANSFORMING GOVERNMENT AND GOVERNANCE. IN THIS INTERVIEW WITH QUALITY INDIA, HE ALSO SPEAKS ABOUT HIS VIEWS ON WHAT CHANGES HE WOULD LIKE TO BE BROUGHT IN TO ENSURE BETTER LIVES FOR THE PEOPLE OF THE COUNTRY.

After helping integrate information technology into India’s public health, work, justice and other services, what is your agenda to bring about quality changes?

I agree that the first phase of the telecom revolution in India is beginning to end and the second phase is about to begin. This really relates to how we use telecom, IT, IT infrastructure to really democratise information. If you look at the history of India public information is locked up in the naadawali file that was designed by the British for a different (purpose) of control and command and information was power that not many people wanted to share. Now that we have and brilliant connectivity and a million kilometres of optical fibre in the country, how do we really open that naadawali file and create a movement of that file so that it creates openness, transparency and accountability and really democratizes information? It’s a complex sort of process Today, you have the naadawali file and you have the RTI. Fortunately, we have RTI; it’s a big big step for India.

Though it will take time, it will take a broad ten years to fine tune, it will have lafda-jhagda — all that all will happen. So you have RTI, but you really don’t have the information infrastructure in place to respond to RTI. So, the task at hand is first really connect 2,50,000 panchayats to optical fibre, equip the panchayats with modern infrastructure and a couple of young people. Train young, bright, honest, educated and capable people at every panchayat and they will begin to change how information is used, shared and distributed to really empower people.

Simultaneously, also connect through optical fibre to 2,500 municipalities. Give them hardware and software , though it will take

time to equip, will take time to train and assess them—it is all part of the process… this is not going to happen overnight, go back and see what we did in telecom, it took 30 years. This will also take time, but we have to start the process now.

So, the one piece (of the jigsaw) is to connect to all local governments.

What next?

Then get our seven platforms that we really need to set up - and this is the broad vision that I have-which is very different from the vision that other countries have had. With broadband connectivity all this 3G, 4G, and all this is going to be easier with the several million kilometres of fibers, all the gains we have — telecom, software, young talent, economic liberalisation, all of that makes easier to have efficient systems. So, create a broadband platform, create a UID platform, so every citizen has some kind of an ID, electronic ID, but it also depends on how we use it. We have to be conscious of citizen’s rights, privacy, all of that.

Then we have to create GIS (Geographic Information System) platform where we tag the physical aspects of hospitals, schools, then we create a platform for data, there is a lot of government data which is not open on infant mortality, rate of literacy, government spending, government programmes all of that data should be available to public so that they can begin to understand what it means to be in a democracy.

Then another platform for payment and procurement… all procurement should be on electronic media — so we know what people want, at what price they want, it’s public money. Another area where want to create another platform which is for applications, NREGA, distribution, pension programme, etc. These platforms and the corresponding portals is part of the vision of the public information infrastructure going forward.

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What you say is an enormous vision and it will surely take some time to put in place. What I would like to know from you is that in the short term and medium term, while putting all this in place, how are we going to improve delivery of services to the people of this country?

First of all, you can’t improve delivery of services without good information infrastructure, which is open and transparent .You cannot change the character of the people overnight which is what we have given (them) — a system where people want to extract from the poor and not add value to the poor.

So from what you say, it is very clear and apparent that unless we quickly move forward and have a national grid or a national network of information structure in place, we really will not been able to make much progress?

I wear a set of glasses which only look through information and communication technology. I look at this world through my set of glasses.

I believe it is very important to democratise a nation, empower people and open up the system. I know how to do that. We are fortunate that the Prime Minister and the UPA government has put in the right kind of funding to make this happen.

First of all we are not going to solve all problems. If you have information about health at that level — how many TB cases, infant mortality, female literacy, immunisation, etc. — which will be open, which will be transparent, so what we will get is good information about public health that we do not have today. We know how many doctors are there in the lab, how many compounders, what kind of medication we need, we create some kind of health information grid which will allow good people to get good information to do good for public. Today, even if you have good people, you don’t know what to do and where to do because information is not reliable.

As a Chairman of the Knowledge

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Commission, you said that there is a lot that is wrong with higher education. What do you think is to be done to improve the quality of higher education? Some of the recommendations have been implemented.

We have already recommended, it’s all documented on the website. The question is: how do we implement it? Who is going to implement it and when? We have financial resources but I think we lack men and women with courage to implement these kind of bold initiatives. Everybody wants to fight you, water it down, be careful about this and about that and in the process you loose the real change that we need to make.

But if we don’t have enough men and women, how are we going to achieve what we want to achieve?

That has been the problem. How to achieve what we wanted to achieve in atomic energy? Because of Bhabha. In space, because of Vikram Sarabhai, milk because of Varghese Kurien, M S Swaminathan and others in agriculture, Pitrodas of the world in telecom, Nandan (Nilekani), N R Narayana Murthy, S Ramadorai and others in IT. You need thousands and thousands of people like that in water, sanitation in power, roads if you need things to get done.

Sam Pitroda The task at hand is first really connect 2,50,000 panchayats to optical fibre, equip the panchayats with modern infrastructure and a couple of young people. Train young, bright, honest, educated and capable people at every panchayat.

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One of the recommendations has been the setting up of high speed data communication network to connect 1500 universities and research institutions, which will be completed by December 2011. Do you think this is a first step moving towards a world-class higher education system in India?

That is one piece of the puzzle, not the only one. By connecting our institutions with broadband database facility will allow us to use technology in a different way. By connecting our R&D institutions to our educational institutions will allow us to do distance learning effectively, video programming different. That programme is already on, Dr P Chidambaram is heading the project… he has done a great job and 200 nodes have already been

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connected. It’s on track. The fact that the Government of India and the Manmohan Singh cabinet approved $1.5 billion to do this is a great achievement. They deserve the credit that they had the vision and they are backing up this vision with the funding required. There aren’t many countries in the world who would put that kind of money in IT and connectivity. We have a great team right now, little bit of capital in hand and the determination to get it done.

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One of the key drivers of the Indian growth stories has been innovation and entrepreneurship. However to compete with the world we need to promote quality skills? How do you think this can be achieved?

These things are (part of) long processes. The country does not depart innovating overnight, we have set up this process now, the fact is that the Prime Minister of India decided to set up an office of innovation, give it a cabinet rank,

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don’t expect results in 12 months.

I remember I was talking to the former Vice Chancellor of the UP Technical University and he was telling me that 80 per cent of his graduates are unemployable for two reasons: the teachers are bad, the curriculum is bad and we are just producing numbers…

I agree with him. I think there is some truth in it. We have to change our education system, we have to respond to the new realities of the 21st century.

Do you think at any point in time we will be able to have a very fine and skilled set up of manpower which will make Indian a manufacturing hub or global manufacturing powerhouse?

India has to focus on manufacturing.

A country of 1.2 billion people cannot just rely on services. At the end of the day, manufacturing of goods creates jobs, whether you manufacture furniture locally, whether you manufacture electronic hardware locally, auto parts locally, we cannot rely on imports saying it is cheaper and is little better because if you look at it with those eyes somebody is always making BRIDGING COMMUNICATION GAP: Old rural woman talking on mobile. something better than we are. Does that mean we implies that there is a focus on should not do it? I think you have to innovation. Now we can’t expect the create jobs. One of the problems we PM to innovate on everything, we have in US right now is that they have to now mobilise human have got rid of all of their resource from universities, from manufacturing jobs. industries, young talent in our R&D labs to solve India’s problem using You have been dealing with the the Indian model and that’s what we bureaucracy in India for a quarter are trying to do right now. We want century now. One of the hard to mobilise it in innovation — statements one consistently hears sectoral innovation, venture funds for that there is no change of attitude, innovation, but we want to focus on no change of mind. How is it that the Indian model of innovation — the the steel frame of India hasn’t bottom of the pyramid — affordable changed its attitude and how are we solutions, sustainable solutions, I going to improve this country? think the process is on but again

The problem is there are things on which I have control and there are a few things on which I have no control. Somebody asked me: what is your answer to corruption? All I can tell you is that I am not corrupt. I can’t worry about the bureaucracy to change, I can do my bit, I can set an example. I would say that I cannot make any change on which I have no control. For example, I cannot try to change the world because I am not capable. I can only assure that I do my job. I want to do it because it needs to be done.

Some states in India are now creating acts to provide for delivery of services, they are creating a Citizen’s Charter. Quality Council of India is working on it. What is your own take on this?

Unless and until we look at the large picture (little is going to change). Egovernance is going on for years… ask every citizen what have they got of e-governance and the answer is: not much. Because everybody is doing their little thing: hardware, software. Unless and until you have a larger, very well thought-out plan with standards with commonality from the pre-engineering (things will not move). Lots of these things are readily available, but how do you start the conversation? We do really need process re-engineering.

Everything we do today is obsolete: how will you get admission in school? How will you open an account in bank? How will we get our pension? Everything is obsolete.

So, how do you improve public services? And I go back to the naadawali file: it is a symbol of the Indian management system, Indian information system. It is locked up.

Symbolically, I want to open that, moving at electronic speed, make it open, transparent and let the public see it. Of course, there is some information which is confidential, national security all that we understand, but 90 per cent of it should be available to public.

What is your philosophy of quality?

Quality is a way of life. I am fanatic about it.

Interviewed by K Srinivasan

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WITH INDIA’S GDP GROWING STEADILY, TECHNICAL AND QUALITATIVE WORKFORCE NEEDS TO BE KEPT ABREAST WITH THE CHANGING TECHNOLOGIES TO BE ON THE TOP. QCI WILL PLAY A MAJOR ROLE IN ENSURING THAT ACCREDITATION SYSTEM WORK IN A MANNER SO THAT INDIA CAN HAVE WORKFORCE OF INTERNATIONAL STANDARD. ndia’s GDP is steadily growing around nine per cent and has become cynosure of developed economies while many of them have been looking for bailout to sustain their governments.

The assessments of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund are in consonance with our growth trajectory. Many mandarins in power are predicting that growth rate might go up a tad higher in the coming years.

Broadly speaking, industrial services and agriculture sectors have to perform brilliantly, keeping in mind, the cyclical ups and downs in growth. And to sustain that growth, qualitative, skilled and technical workforce is needed. At the moment, country has nearly 2,000 government-run technical institutes (ITI) and technical centres (ITC) and four-times that number is in private sector providing vocational training.

Are the students emerging out of the portals of these myriad institutes employed effectively and efficiently? The refrain from industry captains suggests otherwise. “We have outdated teaching techniques, outmoded tools and machinery and above all teaching staff who have not

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kept abreast with changing technologies. So, where is the quality?” the principal of a technical institute makes a candid remark.

Technical skills are the backbone of any country’s progress be it industrial, service or agriculture sectors. And those technical skills have to be qualitatively good to sustain the growth in a meaningful way. “The Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, has stated that by 2012, 15 per cent of international technical work force should be from India.

India is already dominating in IT and IT-enabled services and likewise in other technical areas too, India should dominate, is the view of the PM,” said M. Chandra Sekhar, Director, Achievement Lab’s Management Systems Institute (MSIN). “There is a misplaced notion that technical skill means workforce employable in manufacturing industry alone. There are several areas, agriculture or sericulture or handicrafts, where technical skills are equally important,”

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T QUALITATIVE TRAINING: Technical

workforce and qualitative skills are essential in the industrial services and agricultural sectors.

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Training System Around the World Australia The Australian system allows transitions between the vocational and tertiary education systems. Employers play a key role in the management of the vocational system

Japan The Japanese system may have the simplest design. Students on completing basic education enter general secondary education and from there, they either enter firms that provide entry-level training or go on to tertiary education.

France In French system, students enter vocational courses at the secondary level.

Students in vocational courses are prepared for entry into the labour market and those in the humanities/science streams are prepared for higher education.

Germany The German system is based on a long tradition of apprenticeships. In a diminishing level of secondary school students, instruction consists of school-based general instruction and firm-based occupation-specific training (the "dual" system). The system, regulated by guilds, has a set of qualifications that provides broad equivalency between graduates of the academic and the dual subsystems.

North America The North American system has no "streaming" until after secondary education and it relies on postsecondary education to facilitate transition to work. Students completing secondary education go to community colleges and polytechnic institutes, which provide vocational/technical instruction for short courses, and to universities, which provide both general and professional training.

Latin America The Latin American training system is a hybrid of the French and German models. For students completing basic education: (a) it relies on autonomous vocational training institutes for those proceeding to the labour market, (b) on general humanistic/scientific education at secondary level for those proceeding to tertiary education, and (c) on school-based vocational education for others.

(Source: DeFerranti)

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mentioned R.K. Chugh, Deputy Director General (training), Directorate General of Employment and Training (DGET).

“Each ITI has specific subjects (or trades) and curriculum to follow. Since there are so many trades under vocational training programmes a single institute cannot have all of them. As for the training part of it we have not suffered from either lack of funds or competent teaching staff,” mentioned Shashi Vasudeva, PArincipal, ITI Arab ki Sarai, New Delhi.

Indu Goyal, Director, ICI Industrial Training Centre in Habibpur, Greater Noida, said, “I raised this institute without any external funding. We also have to follow all the norms under National Council for Vocational Training. That said, today a private institute, which follows NCVT in letter and spirit, cannot optimally deliver the desired skills simply because of funds crunch.”

There are several shades of views ranging from government funded institutes to privately run institutes. As of date, there are 8,486 vocational training providers out of which 1,976 are under the government. There is no gainsaying that private institutions have come up, due to philanthropy or altruism. “It is an open secret that educational institutions are commercial ventures. The moot question is whether these institutions are imparting necessary skills that meet international standards?” opined a senior officer in the Ministry.

Skill development is on everyone’s lips today. The Finance Minister in his budget speech last fiscal year mentioned, “There is a compelling need to launch a world class skill-development, programmed on Mission mode that will address the challenge of imparting the skills required by a growing economy. Both the structure and the leadership of the Mission must be such that the

programme can be scaled up quickly to cover the whole country.”

The government’s ambitious plan is to create a skilled workforce of 500 million by year 2022. This resulted in establishing National Skill Development Corporation of India (NSDC) with an aim to promote skill development by catalysing creation of large, quality, forprofit vocational institutions. It provides viability gap funding, to build scalable, for-profit vocational training initiatives. Its mandate is also to enable support systems such as quality assurance, information systems and train the trainer academies either directly or through partnerships.

Is it possible to achieve this target? “Yes, of course. India as a fast growing economy should not depend wholly on government funding. The objective of NSDC to contribute significantly to the overall target of skilling/upskilling 500 million people by fostering private sector initiatives in skill development programmes and providing viability gap funding,” mentioned Dilip Chenoy, CEO and MD of NSDC. However noble the plan might be, scepticism pervades amongst private vocational training providers. “The doubts are not about intention but implementation. I am, as well as many of us, doing this for national cause. Everyone demands quality output, it is only possible when input too is of quality,” opined Indu Goyal.

The “input” is euphemism for fee collection, or notorious as `capitation fee’, from students, since those affiliated to NCVT have to follow the norms. “There is a reason behind this. The government’s focus is on providing skills to underprivileged sections of society and backward regions of the country who cannot afford to pay enormous fees to institutions,” said Dilip Chenoy.

The government is equally

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want to have a skilled workforce?

I agree with you that real estate sector has not covered itself with glory on quality front. Unlike in manufacturing industry, where the entire workforce works within a confined area, it is easy to implement quality in each step of productivity. Infrastructure, per se, is spread across the nation and quality can only be attained if the supervisors, managers and contractors are quality conscious,” opined Dr P.R. Swarup, Director General, Construction Industry Development Council. This malaise is not confined to infrastructure sector alone, it pervades in many other sectors too. As one principal of vocational training provider stated that the present push on training quality skilled workers is aimed at export-oriented industries.

It is incorrect as NSDC has formed 21 sectors covering every aspect and topic from auto and automotive component industry, to IT and IT-enabled services, electronics and IT hardware, healthcare services industry to even unorganised sector where youth could be skilled and are employable.

The disagreements are bound to be there. “The handicraft sector may be clubbed under unorganised sector but let us not forget that under this sector largest number of people earn

Shashi Vasudeva, Principal, ITI, Arab Ki Sarai, New Delhi.

Each ITI has specific subjects and curriculum to follow. In the training part, we have not suffered either lack of funds or competent teaching staff.

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concerned with the present state of affairs. The Directorate General of Employment and Training (DGET), under Ministry of Labour and Employment, through Skill Development Initiative Scheme (SDIS) is ensuring a level playing field both for those undergoing formal courses and those wishing to upgrade skills through part-time attendance. It is called Modular Employable Skills (MES).

“The objective is to train two sections of students: First, for the unskilled students, there are formal classes and the training ranges from one to three years.

The second is for those who are skilled but have not come through formal training schemes as in ITI or ITC and are not certified,” mentioned the director in DGET. The one fact readers would agree is that in India there is lack of skills and millions of them acquired skills through hands-on working, mostly in family’s traditional occupation. Yet, in employment market their skills are not recognised since they do possess certificate that is universally recognised or accepted. This is the largest group habiting length and breadth of the country. The solution is MES devised by DGET wherein skilled workers can undergo training and on successful completion acquire the certificate.

The Quality Council of India (QCI) has played pivotal role in educational sector in providing processes and systems and more so in vocational training sector.

The foremost is vocational training institutions need to have quality processes and systems to offer quality training to aspirants in acquiring skills that is recognised in the job market. The assessment and accreditation systems will ensure quality both in training methods and testing methods of candidates by the assessing bodies. Fair play is uppermost in mind and quality is the cornerstone.

“Which employer does not

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Levels and Distribution of Educational Attainment (Ages 25 years and above) Country

India Argentina Brazil Chile Korea Malaysia Mexico Singapore Australia Norway

Average Years of Schooling 4.90 8.50 4.60 7.90 10.80 7.90 6.70 8.10 10.60 11.90

No Education 51.00 5.80 21.30 5.30 8.00 13.90 12.40 12.60 1.70 1.20

Proportion of Adult Population with: Some Some Primary Secondary 31.60 11.70 49.60 24.90 56.80 13.50 42.90 36.00 26.60 47.40 35.60 43.00 47.30 29.00 28.30 48.50 21.10 38.60 11.50 62.50

Some Tertiary 5.70 19.70 8.40 15.80 25.80 7.50 11.30 10.60 29.80 24.80

(Source: World Bank database)

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Government’s Effort in upgradation

500 ITIs are being upgraded into Centre of Excellence.

1,396 ITIs are being upgraded through public-private-partnership (PPP). The objective of this Scheme is to improve the quality of vocational training in the country and make it demand driven so as to ensure better employability of the graduates.

Each ITI taken up under PPP Scheme will have an Industry Partner to lead the process of upgradation. An Institute Management Committee (IMC) headed by the Industry Partner will be constituted and registered as a Society.

A Memorandum of Agreement will be signed among the Central, State and industry partner to define the roles and responsibilities of all stakeholders concerned.

An interest-free loan upto Rs 2.50 cr will be given directly by the Central Government directly to the IMC on the basis of Institute Development Plan prepared by it. The loan is repayable by the IMC in 3 years, with a moratorium of 10 years and thereafter in equal annual instalments over a year period of 20 years.

Under this Scheme, the IMC has been given financial and academic autonomy to manage the affairs of ITI. The IMC is allowed to determine upto 20 percent of the admission in the ITI. The industry partner may provide financial assistance as well as machinery and equipments to the ITI. It shall arrange to provide training to instructors and on-job training to trainers.

State Governments remain owner of the ITIs and continue to regulate admissions.

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their livelihood in our country. In the last financial year, handicrafts export stood at $ 2 billion, notwithstanding economic downturn in the Western countries,” stated R.K.Srivastava, Executive Director, National Centre for Design and Product Development (NCDPS).

Iqbal Perwaiz left his lucrative job in a multi-national retail chain to work among the underprivileged. At NCDPS, he was teaching young women about fashion, trends, colour schemes and marketing. “These young girls have talent and skills, and what they need is guidance to understand the trend in fashion street and most importantly, marketing. I am positive about the fact that their products would be readily accepted by retail chains,” averred Perwaiz. He also added that the present retail business is around $300 billion and these talented women could have piece of that pie.

There are several organisations such as NCDPS under different ministries providing skills to millions in the country though dubbed as ‘unorganised’ or ‘informa’ sector and may not occupy top-of-mind recall to the planners. The government, however, has a clear

W QUALITY MOVE: Young women are trained in fashion designing conducted by NCDPS.

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vision regarding the vocational educational training realising that the system is outdated and resembles a closed, centrally planned system for a centrally planned economy.

The World Bank observes, “Government is keen to reform the system. It is clear that major reforms are needed before any thoughts are given to expanding the system. What is needed is the development of a system where the government plays a key role in policy development, standards setting, financing and monitoring and evaluation, while engendering greater competitiveness and accountability by training providers.”

Recently in a joint press conference in Germany, our Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, alongside German Chancellor Angela Merkel, emphasised, “In 2007, we had identified science and technology as a central pillar of our partnership. We have agreed today to continue to enhance our cooperation in the fields of higher education and renewable energy and energy efficiency.”

The most notable statement in Prime Minister’s briefing was, “Vocational and skill development has emerged as a high priority for our Government.

It is critical for the success of our socio-economic development plans. We have chosen Germany as our preferred partner in this field and I am happy to announce that we have agreed significantly to scale up our cooperation in this sector.”

Despite government’s enthusiasm and energy in reviving technical education, there are many road blocks that have to be cleared to train millions of skilled people. Some of these are:¾ Abysmally low literacy rate.

The country has the largest uneducated population in the region. (See box). ¾ Even those entering schooling stream the dropout rate from

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once again reiterated, “Though some industry associations have partnered for improving ITIs and developing skills of youth, much needs to be done to have a visible impact of such efforts.”

Recently at the two-day international conference on Skill Development in the Context of a Technology-driven Society, organised jointly by the Rural Education and Economic Development Society (REEDS) and the Minister of Labour and Employment, former President APJ Abdul Kalam called for new ways to harness rural entrepreneurship and he was clear — Create Job Creators and Not Job Seekers. “Grassroots innovators come up with creative solutions out of experience and necessity.

These need to be integrated with appropriate technology to make them marketable and competitive,” he added.

Of course, let us be assured, that we have not reached cul-desac. The Prime Minister’s message is strong and unmistakably clear to all stakeholders to get their act together. NSDC will play a crucial role in future to ensure PPP model benefits skills development. More importantly, QCI will have a major role in ensuring that assessment and accreditation system works in a manner that India can truly have a skilled workforce of international standard.

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role in ensuring that India can truly have a skilled workforce.

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primary to secondary to tertiary is alarmingly high. ¾ The preferred occupation of educated Indians, even those with middle level education is a non-manual job in the organised sector. ¾ On the other hand, ITI/ITC heads have little freedom to fill student places to capacity, replacing training courses with new ones, and ensure that students receive quality training. ¾ In ITI/ITC, most courses are lacking basic industrial trades, wherewithal to offer more marketable industry-oriented sector trades. ¾ Lack of coordination or interaction between vocational training institutions and employers to upgrade training programmes due to rigid syllabus and norms laid, by the Central and State governments. ¾ Vocational education enjoys unfavourable comparisons to academic qualifications. ¾ Poor quality and technical ability of teaching staff.

‘Teaching the teachers’ concept is lacking to upgrade teacher’s knowledge and ability to teach.

There is no gainsaying in pinpointing fingers at various stakeholders. The onus is on industry as much as it is with the policy makers in the governments. The aim is one — to have 500 million skilled personnel by 2022. The time is too short to develop and deliver a mechanism to achieve this aim and hence all stakeholders have to collectively charter the course and not leave it on a single organisation.

Until recently, it had been hard to detect the hand of industry in the vocational training. It is in the industry’s interest to have close links with vocational training institutions.

As suggested, public-private participation (PPP) is inevitable albeit it is limited currently. PPP arrangement would help every one from large to micro enterprises. The Prime Minister

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“Quality is about staying true to a certain philosophy of consistency” ONE OF THE YOUNGEST MEMBERS OF THE CURRENT LOK SABHA, SOUTH MUMBAI'S MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT MILIND DEORA BELIEVES IN FINDING SOLUTIONS TO POOR GOVERNANCE. THE MILIND DEORA INITIATIVE (MDI), THAT HE HAS SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED FOR HIS CONSTITUENCY IS AN EFFORT TO EMPOWER CIVIL SOCIETY IN INCLUSIVE WAYS. THE MDI IS PREDICATED ON A SIMPLE BUT EFFECTIVE PREMISE — AN EMPOWERED AND INFORMED CITIZENRY CREATES A MORE ACCOUNTABLE AND PARTICIPATIVE DEMOCRACY AND HELPS BRIDGE THE ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND CULTURAL DIVIDE. IN THIS CONVERSATION WITH QUALITY INDIA, THE YOUNG MP SPEAKS ABOUT HIS IDEAS OF QUALITY AND HOW TO ACHIEVE. EXCERPTS:

What is your own philosophy on quality?

I think my personal philosophy is … quality to me means really striving for the best. When I think of the word 'quality' — whether it's a product, whether it's an approach to life, whether it's dealing with relationship — it's really trying to do your best and that to me is what improvement and quality is about.

As an MP that must be your attitude towards your constituents?

Well, that's the way I approach it. I remember, for example, being a business student in the United States and studying about quality control and processes relating to quality control and operational management and things like that. I think although that's something which might be very specific to perhaps workplaces and factories and where products are made, I really think even in other professions like my own I really try and apply those principles. When I think of quality in my profession, I think, for example, listening to my constituents' problems, the attention I give them to listen, irrespective of how easily I'm able to solve it or not, how attentive I am hopefully tells them there's quality in their representative's attentiveness to the problems.

To me quality means: Am I a better quality candidate than someone else contesting against me? That means what is my background, what do I stand for, what do I represent? As a Member of Parliament and a politician, the biggest part of quality really comes in the fact that today, in politics it's very easy to make a headline and say something very sensational and controversial. But I think that is an anti-thesis of what quality is about, it is exactly the opposite. It's about steering clear from distractions, from trends, and staying very true to a certain philosophy of consistency and that is what quality is to me in my profession.

Health and education are two key indices of a nation's health. In India, both politicians and civil

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One is asking this because the delivery of services in these sectors is really poor?

I think that sometimes in India the amount of political interest an issue gets and the delivery sometimes is not co-related because you might give a lot of attention as a political community to an issue, but sometimes delivery fails and that may not be our fault.

Civil services too are abysmally poor in India. Would you agree with this take and if not what's your view?

You know one is definitely governance, at a local level, is not as good as it is at the federal level. I think there is more vigilance and greater scrutiny at the federal level.

So, there's more attention to what happens in the defence sector than there is to what happens in municipal and housing corruption in the states. And as a result, in the state government, corruption involving land and things like that is much greater.

You are an MP, but do you think the political classes as a whole are serious in their intent to deliver services to the people of this country? Are they quality conscious and committed or is it just another club?

I think there are parts that think that it might be a club like there is in every sector in the world. You know good journalists go to clubs also, so I think that is not unusual, there's nothing wrong really. That's the way it works. But I think in the end if you are an elected representative, whether in the State or in Centre or anywhere, in the end the incentive is already in-built for you to want to deliver to your people. Now what you want to deliver differs from

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person-to-person, constituency-toconstituenc and region-to-region.

And what one person wants to deliver is found irrelevant to the other person. So to a person in some state maybe he wants to deliver and he doesn't see some illegalities as a bad thing and I see that as a very weird thing. I have a sort of international level of development as my agenda. But that person says, what are you talking about? I come from a place where they want me to allow illegal things to flourish. So, I think that in the end is a reflection of the people not of the politician because I think we are ultimately, loved or hated, really a reflection in the mirror of the people of India.

When we talk about corruption, ultimately you can blame politicians, but ultimately, the individual can't put his or her hand on his/her heart or say that I've not done anything wrong in my life that has worsened this problem. Nobody can do that.

Everyone has contributed in some way. I think similarly with politicians and elected leaders, I'm not saying we shouldn't change and shouldn't oppose even if it is a popular trend, but ultimately the reform will have to happen with people.

Do you think the people of India are quality conscious?

Not really. Sadly, we are not a very quality conscious nation. I don't think even the most affluent, educated sections of society, be it the biggest businessman, are necessarily quality conscious to international levels. Not only at a corporation level or an organisational level, but even in their personal lives. In terms of their moral values, in terms of their ethics, the people of India in terms of what they want, in terms of quality of life, in terms of quality of environment, I don't think they are a very quality conscious nation, sadly. That's my personal view.

Milind Deora When we talk about corruption, you can blame politicians, but ultimately, the individual can't put his or her hand on his/her heart or say that I've not done anything wrong in my life that has worsened this problem.

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servants have it low down on their priority?

I don't necessarily agree with that. I think health and education are big priorities for politicians and bureaucrats because they are very important developmental tools that have very powerful effects on the voting, for example.

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T SHAPING YOUNG MINDS: As part of the MDI,

Milind Deora has been bringing school and college students from South Mumbai constituency to meet important political leaders across the spectrum and appreciate the cut and thrust of policy making at the highest level. Photo shows students with the Speaker of the Lok Sabha, Meira Kumar, and Milind Deora

We seem to accept mediocrity?

In every field we do in some ways, yes.

Interviewed by K Srinivasan

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“A pizza reaches faster than an ambulance over here” NEVER THE ONE TO MINCE WORDS, NAVJOT SINGH SIDHU WHO WAS A STALWART OPENING BATSMAN FOR INDIA IS NOW A MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT FROM AMRITSAR. IN HIS THIRD TERM IN PARLIAMENT, SIDHU DISCUSSES HOW QUALITY DRIVES HIM AS A PUBLIC SERVANT OF THE PEOPLE OF HIS CONSTITUENCY.

Your personal philosophy on quality?

A drop of honey catches more flies than a gallon of vinegar. Quality and not quantity is my measure. You see if you are always adhering in giving quality to people, it enhances your reputation, it enhances your credibility and ultimately it restores the faith of the masses in your ability. That, to me, is the biggest treasure anybody can cherish for: the faith of the people, because ultimately the charter says, a government by the people, for the people, and if the people believe in you, you immediately become an achiever and the image of the ugly politician has to be encountered by restoring their faith in the system and that can come with quality.

How are you imparting quality in your endeavour as a MP from Amritsar?

I have won the Amritsar seat three times in five years. The first time you win was as a celebrity. I went there, 11 days I campaigned and I became an MP. With 15 lakh people in your constituency, it is not easy to sustain that name: I was the first MP in Amritsar’s history to ask for a blueprint for Amritsar.

That blueprint has finally come into proper perspective and then there were so many things that needed to be settled in Amritsar as far as development was concerned. The infrastructure, a proper plan and side-by-side development. The four-lane road from Delhi has been built till Atari. I got about `200 crore from the government by selling a very prime piece of land in Amritsar, got all the roads properly made, got a solid waste management plant to Amritsar. Those things people sit up and watch and then say: this is something for

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the people. And you know a good example is the best sermon that you can preach and it was a startling example of how someone did not make too many promises but whatever he said, he fulfilled. I have seen people go gaga with their golden drums. They make a lot of noise, promise 250 things and then they fall like Humpty Dumpty and you can’t put Humpty together again.

So I think basically any MP who will give the people development and make a difference in their lives is living up to quality.

Civic services throughout the country are abysmal. Would you agree with that if your city were to be a reference point?

Totally right. They are bad because they are not self-sufficient and because most of the governments in today’s India work on populist politics. They don’t put enough of user charges, they want free services, they want everything free and don’t want people paying for anything and because of that economic policies suffer. Every corporation in India has to be self-sufficient and it has to work on good economics.

How are you doing it in Amritsar?

In Amritsar, we’ve put in a lot of user charges. When I took over as MP, our Municipal Corporation was totally bankrupt. Now we are self-sufficient, we are collecting taxes. You know it’s like a rain-bearing cloud. It takes water from the sea but it returns manifold to the creatures of the world. So, we are returning those taxes manifold to the people of Amritsar and people can see all that.

Are they happy to pay for it?

Oh yes. If you provide them with the services, they are happy to pay for it but if you don’t provide them with services and you tax them, then that overburden will always be telling. Janata se sarkar ko bhawrey ki tarah hona chaiye, woh phool ka raas bhi le le aur phool ko kuchch ho bhi na (the government should be like a bee

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when dealing with people, it should suck the honey and yet the flower should bloom). All the taxes should be exacted like that.

Even the delivery of services like health is believed to be bad to poor in many areas of India. Would you agree?

Absolutely right. See in Punjab, 99 per cent of the students are dropouts after (Class) XI. Only 0.3 per cent go to technical colleges. People like our Prime Minister, Mr Manmohan Singh, who came from a middle-class family, studied in these DAV Colleges and then acquired jobs. That was quality education. Today, we have no skill development plans …there are some poor who have skills but they don’t get jobs out of those skills. Skill development is the most important thing as far as I am concerned. More than education, it is that skill development, which will take India forward. That skill development has to be the pivot around which all developments take place as far as education is concerned.

Are you doing something about it?

I have asked almost 4000-5000 youth - the government of India gives `10,000 for employing one youth after developing his skills. We have taken people past Class VIII , Class X, Class XII, got their skills developed--in various fields—in a three-month training course and then you know corporate job melas have (have hired) about 3000 boys who have been employed by developing their skills which the government of India adheres to.

What about health?

The delivery of health services is very poor. I think it will take a long, long time for us to really provide proper health services. When I look at America, when I look at all the foreign countries, the basic influx is on health.

A pizza reaches faster than an ambulance over here. If that would happen in America, they would sue them for millions of dollars. Nothing is more important than saving a life and quality hospitals are only there for the rich. Health has become a big business in India but it does not cater

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to the genuine people. The bane of Indian society is that merit is ignored.

Those who are rich go to the big hospitals and that includes me also, but those who are poor and that includes about 60 per cent of India, do not get quality service. I’ve seen people not get good, potable water in the entire country. Now we need to supply safe, drinking water and almost 30 per cent of India is lying with GI tract diseases, which come from impure water. So, you know these are the basic facilities that we have to provide to our country: one square meal a day, drinking water, a ‘chhaat’, which we have failed to provide.

How do we upgrade it and give better quality?

We’ve done so much in Amritsar to improve. The Health Minister is also very, very stringent. She has taken very tough measures and is punishing those who will put chemicals in milk and lot of other adulteration. She’s (Ms Lakshmi Kant Chawla, Health Minister, Punjab) gone on that campaign.

Are the hospitals getting better in quality and delivery of services?

They are improving, yes. And you know I feel there is an economic crisis when it comes to making new quality hospitals but the old hospitals are being revamped. I don’t think the poor are getting the proper facilities that they need to get but it’s improving. And the biggest room in this world is the room for improvement Many states in this country have now set up delivery of public services Act. Why not such an Act for Punjab?

Good intentions die unless they are executed. The biggest Act that came my way in the last one or two years is NREGA, which guarantees employment to the poor and it’s come a cropper because people, who want that job, are not getting the money … today, the government cannot turn around and say it is demand driven…jitni demand hai poori kar denge, because the money fails to come. Demand is

Navjot Singh Sidhu Quality and not quantity is my measure. You see if you are always adhering in giving quality to people, it enhances your reputation, it enhances your credibility and ultimately it restores the faith of the masses in your ability.

far more and the money is almost 3040 per cent of the demand. So where is the guarantee?

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So, Acts won’t work unless implemented?

Absolutely. Good intentions die unless they are executed. That’s what I say and more important you know, when you look at the poverty line -- the Arjun Sengupta Committee Report says that 79 per cent of the people living in rural India, are earning below Rs 20 a day and the Kelkar Committee Report says that almost 40 per cent living in urban India, are living below `50 a day. My question is: If `50 is below poverty line, then what about those who are earning `16, 17,18, 19 or 20?

Do you think we are quality conscious as a nation?

Not really. That is one thing that we’ll have to inculcate in our system. Sixtyseventy per cent of the people in India do not have the basic facilities. There is no drinking water. So what do you talk of quality? How can you talk of quality? When you talk of education, can you tell me one district where you can get quality education for the poor?

There is no point in harping about quality until and unless we can execute good intentions.

Interviewed by K Srinivasan

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“Benchmark of a MP’s quality is delivering development” MANISH TIWARI, MP AND OFFICIAL SPOKESPERSON OF THE INDIAN NATIONAL CONGRESS, IS OUTSPOKEN. TRAINED AS A LAWYER, HE DOES NOT MINCE HIS WORDS. IN THIS CONVERSATION WITH QUALITY INDIA, HE SPEAKS ABOUT WHAT CONSTITUTES QUALITY FOR A MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT. EXCERPTS:

What is your idea of quality?

My own philosophy about quality is that you should, in a very commercial sense of the word, get value for money.

If you were to extend that argument into the government or the public domain, it is tantamount to the efficient delivery of goods and services in the minimal possible time, which brings satisfaction to the person to whom the services have been delivered and eventually plays a role in maximising happiness.

As a Parliamentarian, how would you bring in quality?

Well, I think as a lawmaker, essentially you have two or three very clearly delineated functions. The first function is that you are supposed to make better laws but unfortunately because the whole process of lawmaking is still a very bureaucratic exercise, and given the rigours of the Tenth Schedule, you do not find very much participation by Parliamentarians, in the lawmaking process. So, therefore, I think Parliament as a whole really fails to deliver on quality lawmaking: the inputs, the best practices, the research which should go in to make better laws for people of this country. I think that is an area which needs a huge amount of working upon and the greatest evidence of this is that whenever government Bills are debated, it is at 2 o’ clock in the afternoon when you find hardly 50 MPs on an average, present. Therefore, there is a problem of quality out there.

As far as your responsibility to your constituency is concerned, I think the ability not only to address personal grievances, which, of course, occupies most of your time, but on a macro level to be able to deliver development to your constituency, I think that should be the benchmark of what a Parliamentarian’s test of quality is.

Therefore, would you say that MPs are not totally aware of their duties…

Well, yes in the sense that Members of

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Parliament are not conscious of the responsibility which their electorate puts on them, would be an incorrect statement to make. They are conscious but how much of that consciousness gets translated into actual action is an area of concern.

How does one make MPs aware?

Well, I think the responsibility is both ways: To say that it is because of the systemic structure that you are not able to deliver would be oversimplifying it.

To some extent it has to be personality driven also. It depends upon your drive and to a larger extent it depends upon your ability to work within the system and see how you can get the best out of it.

You see the real problem of governance in this country — and when you talk about quality — is that the last-mile governance is missing: Whether it is in the delivery of law and order, whether it is in the delivery of justice, whether it is in the delivery of public distribution system, or whether it is in the delivery of even social development schemes. The time when a scheme or the time when an initiative leaves the door of the government and goes to the people — somewhere in that gap — you know the entire effort just disappears. And till the time we do not reform our last-mile linkages on the delivery of governance and services, I’m afraid we are really not doing justice to our jobs.

Would you agree that health and education remain problem areas in our country?

I would tend to disagree with you because I was also under this impression that the delivery of education and health is abysmal. On health, I would agree with you because our primary health centres, to a large extent, are non-functional. Doctors do not go and attend to those centres. At times you are not able to find doctors ready to go the rural areas.

But in education, after the Sarva

Shiskha Abhiyan and the midday meals scheme have been launched, even in the government schools there has been a qualitative change. I see it in my constituency. You have children who are mostly from scheduled caste and other backward classes (coming to school). They wear clean uniforms, attendance levels are almost 80-100 per cent. The food cooked in the schools along with the participation of the communities, is wholesome. Teacher attendance is fairly good. Whenever I’m in my constituency, I make it a point to go to one or two schools, you know during the day, and generally chat. Nobody knows when I am going to come and I have found by and large, contrary to my own perception, that the delivery of education it is not that bad. On health, yes, there is a lot that needs to be done.

Even the delivery in the judicial system is not up to the mark…

Delivery of services is poor in the case of justice. You see justice is at the heart of democracy. If you cannot give people a rule-based judicial dispensation in a certain fixed timeframe, you know you are failing and I think that is the biggest failure that we have that, slowly and gradually, people have completely lost faith in our judicial system.

The other area of services which has failed completely, I think, is law and order. Today, an average citizen even in Delhi, you know which is the national capital, is scared of entering into a thana to register an FIR because of the kind of treatment he would get: you know, at times, the victim is turned into an accused. Therefore, I think if there is one area which the Indian state needs to concentrate upon, it is the delivery of law and order and it is the delivery of justice. Otherwise, it is going to become a peril for democracy.

Do you feel that our bureaucracy is cynical?

I think the one thing that you need to do is completely junk the Indian Administrative system as it stands constituted. You know it is a totally archaic system. Essentially it operates on the Peter Principle that you take one exam and then rise to the level of your

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incompetence. I think there is a need to completely and absolutely reform the administrative structure like you have in the National Defence Academy… the permanence which you have given to your bureaucracy in the name of the so-called steel frame, actually breeds the worst kind of inertia.

Are we a quality-conscious nation?

Well, it depends on which India you are talking about because there is a part of India which lives in the 18th century and there is a part of India which lives in 22nd century. Therefore, it depends upon what you are talking about. Yes, that India which lives in the 22nd century, you know the so called middle class, is absolutely quality conscious but in so far as the very poor are concerned, I mean for them the struggle is still to make two ends meet at the end of the day.

Are your constituents quality-conscious?

Well, I have a very affluent constituency and notwithstanding at the fact that we have the highest number of Mercedes cars, 56 per cent of my constituency has no sewage coverage. So, therefore, you see that is the paradox and the real challenge lies in not only meeting the aspirations of the so-called upwardly mobile but actually trying to reach out to those, you know, who are completely marginalised and outside the mainstream.

Manish Tiwari The real problem of governance in this country — and when you talk about quality — is that the last-mile governance is missing: Whether it is in the delivery of law and order, whether it is in the delivery of justice, whether it is in the delivery of public distribution...

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Do you feel that the RTI will change the way we act?

Absolutely. I’m a very enthusiastic supporter of this Act, like the Right to Information. Split the opaque skull of the Indian state open for the people to see the working of the innards.

Similarly, I think a Right to Services Act which has a very high premia in terms of punishment for non-delivery, is something which this country requires.

The very fact that you require a Right to Services Act, essentially means that your state as it stands constituted is non-functional because otherwise you won’t require a right to service. I think service is the responsibility of the government.

Interviewed by K Srinivasan

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QCI’s first-ever regional endeavour for accreditation In order to establish a credible and transparent accreditation mechanism for accreditation of Vocational Training Providers in Karnataka, an MoU that will see the opening of the first-ever regional chapter of NABET in Bengaluru, has been signed. n a historic step towards operating an independent, credible and transparent regional accreditation mechanism for accreditation of Vocational Training Providers (VTPs) in Karnataka, which is both nationally and internationally recognised, an MoU has been signed between Department of Employment and Training (DET) and Karnataka Vocational Training & Skill Development Corporation Ltd. (KVTSDC) with its office at Bengaluru and National Accreditation Board for Education and Training (NABET), a constituent board of Quality Council of India (QCI), an autonomous body under Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion, Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

The MoU was signed by S R Umashankar, Commissioner, DET and Managing Director, KVTSDC, and Dr Girdhar J Gyani, Secretary General, Quality Council of India, in the presence of B N Bachegowda, Labour Minister, Government of Karnataka, Ramesh Zalki, Secretary to the Government, Department of Labour, Dr Vishnukanth S Chatpalli, Executive Director, KVTSDC and other senior officials.

The MOU is intended to establish guidelines and principles of agreement between DET, KVTSDC and QCI for annual

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(L-R, on the dais) Dr Vishnukanth S Chatpalli, Executive Director, KVTSDC, H A Keshavmurthy, Deputy General Manager, KVTSDC, Ramesh Zalki, Secretary to the Government, Department of Labour, B N Bachegowda, Labour Minister, Government of Karnataka, Vipin Sahni, Director, NABET. The MoU was signed by Dr Giridhar J Gyani, Secretary General, Quality Council of India and S R Umashankar, Commissioner, Department of Employment and Training & Managing Director, Karnataka Vocational Training & Skill Development Corporation Ltd.

evaluation of Vocational Training Providers in Karnataka. This would entail the existing and prospective bodies offering Vocational Training services to undergo an assessment process, thereafter annual surveillance assessment for seeking accreditation from NABET. To mark the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on January, 25, 2011, B N Bachegowda, Labour Minister, said in his address, “As many as 62 different trades have been included in the newly-formed State Council for Vocational Training (SCVT),

established on the lines of the National Council for Vocational Training, for providing training to all youngsters aged above 14 years in different skills and technical courses.”

The minister added: “SCVT in collaboration with QCI would provide training to all youth of 14 years and above, starting from SSLC and even those who have failed for learning new courses and up gradation of their skills consisting of different durations ranging from six months to one year and upto two years. These

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training programmes would cover Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) and Industrial Training Centres (ITCs).”

Pointing out that the state government would provide office space and infrastructure facilities to the first-ever regional chapter of NABET (QCI) in the city for operating credible and transparent local accreditation mechanism to the vocational training providers, he said that the state government was very keen on ensuring that the unemployed youth were provided with adequate job opportunities.

He went on to add: “The B S Yeddyurappa regime during the last 30 months had organised 22 job melas in different districts and had taken steps to provide training to as many as 2,81,868 persons, of whom as many as 1,89,510 had been provided jobs so far. We will strive to fulfill the government's target of creating 10 lakh jobs over a period of five years.”

Dr Girdhar J Gyani, QCI Secretary-General, in his address, praised the pro-labour attitude and proactive policies of the Yeddyurappa regime in coming forward to establish the first-ever state chapter of NABET under the Department of Employment and Training and felt the regional centre in the state would become a role model for all other states in the country.

He underscored the need for restructuring the industrial training institutes with good curriculum, qualified teachers and other facilities. Dr Gyani suggested that the state government should adopt a similar approach to upgrade and restructure the school infrastructure in order to improve the status and standards of government schools and raise them to the level of Kendriya Vidyalayas.

As per the provision of the MoU, KVTSDC will announce the mandatory accreditation of the private Vocational Training providers from July 2011.

Thereafter all new VTPs will be required to first seek NABET accreditation, before affiliation with Karnataka government.

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NABET to develop standards with SQA In what can be considered an achievement, NABET has signed an MoU with the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA). The MoU will enable to develop professional and academic accreditations and also build mutual partnerships between both the countries. ndia has an established and respected place in training and education worldwide and its emergence as a knowledge-based economy has led to significant and ongoing growth in its education and skills sector. Rapid economic growth has resulted in an increasing demand for skills development. The gap between demand and supply of skilled personnel is widening. To bridge the gap, National Accreditation Board for Education and Training (NABET), a constituent body of Quality Council of India (QCI), recently, signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) to develop professional and academic accreditations and qualifications.

The MoU was signed by Vijay Thadani, Chairman, NABET, and Dr Janet Brown of SQA in the presence of Kapil Sibal, Minister for Human Resource Development and Alex Salmond, MSP, First Minister of Scotland, to develop professional and academic accreditations and qualifications. NABET and SQA have recognised the scope for the two organisations to build on their strengths and current achievements by working in partnership for mutual

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benefit.

The areas of collaboration entail that both partners explore opportunities in working together in key areas of NABET's activities as an accreditation body. These would include NABET's responsibility for: ¾ Accrediting qualifications. ¾ Accrediting schools. ¾ Approving awarding bodies. ¾ Auditing awarding bodies. ¾ Approving and monitoring the approved centres of learning.

Support, develop and share best practices and would focus on: ¾ The systems, processes and procedures that support accreditation functions. ¾ Development of quality assurance systems and processes. ¾ Development of relevant industry specific qualifications. ¾ Engagement with key stakeholders.

A detailed working plan to support the areas of collaboration would be defined in accordance with ongoing discussions and agreement between NABET and SQA to enable and ensure a clear understanding of the scope, priority and resources required to achieve the aim of the MoU.

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Minister for Human Resource Development Kapil Sibal (third from right) with Alex Salmon, First Minister of Scotland at the MoU meeting where Vijay Thadani, Chairman, NABET, Dr Janet Brown of SQA were also present and (extreme left) participants attending the meeting.

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QCI to evaluate vocational training MoU between DGET and QCI will establish guidelines and principles for Industrial Training Institutes/Centres and DGET Field Institutes. n MoU was recently signed between the Directorate General of Employment and Training (DGET) and Quality Council of India (QCI). The MoU is intended to establish guidelines and principles of agreement between DGET and QCI for annual evaluation of Vocational Training Providers and assessing bodies, industrial training institutes/centres and DGET Field Institutes. This would entail the existing and prospective bodies offering any or both these services to undergo an assessment process thereafter annual surveillance assessment and thereby seek accreditation from National Accreditation Board for Education and Training (NABET), a constituent board of QCI. By this scope of cooperation, DGET will direct all existing Vocational Training Providers (VTPs), Assessing Bodies (ABs), Industrial Training Institutes/Centres (ITIs/ITCs) and DGET Field Institutes and new applicants to apply to NABET for the following processes: ¾ Assessment of VTPs and ABs, ITIs/ITCs and DGET Field Institutes to verify compliance with DGET (National Council for Vocational Training) and State Government requirements for registration.

of the current DGET norms as well as other accreditation requirements as applicable. This checklist would be useful for inspection, verification and in preparation of assessment report.

The country is woefully short of a skilled workforce. Further, those coming out of the technical institutions lack the desired skills over the industries for gainful employment. On one hand, the teaching staff lacks latest

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Students working on a lathe machine at one of the ITIs. ¾ Assessment of VTPs and ABs, ITIs/ITCs and DGET Field Institutes for NABET accreditation covering requirements on structure, systems, processes, controls and performance monitoring. ¾ Assessment of ITIs/ITCs against parameters set by National Council for Vocational Training (NCVT).

QCI, on its operational modalities, will prepare and devise an assessment checklist, both for affiliation and accreditation in conformity with all the requirements

technical advancements to impart the knowledge to the students and on the other hand, the institutions lack technical tools to enable students to learn the desired knowledge. The government and QCI are seized of the problem. QCI has developed assessing and accreditation criteria to establish nationally accepted benchmark. QCI by working closely with DGET is aimed at a structured process wherein all stakeholders achieve success through competence in skills development.

Three Chennai hospitals get NABH accreditation hree of Chennai’s hospitals — Apollo Specialty Hospital, Global Hospitals and Frontier Lifeline — received the National Accrediation Board for Hospitals and Healthcare Providers (NABH) accreditation recently.

On this occasion, Dr Girdhar J

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Gyani, Secretary General, QCI, pointed out that every hospital claiming to offer world-class healthcare facilities and infrastructure should strive to get Global Hospitals and Frontier Lifeline receiving the NABH accreditation from Dr Girdhar J Gyani, Secretary General, QCI.

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“Accreditation to technical institutes will ensure quality” Sharda Prasad, IAS, Director General Employment and Training (DGET) speaks on skill development A lot of changes have taken place in the past one year. How would you look at the progress?

It is like the analogy whether the glass is half full or half empty. Yes, of course a lot of changes and improvements have taken place. Again the pace of improvements in certain States needs to gather pace. Industries are showing a lot of interest in technical skills provided by ITIs (Industrial Training Institutes) and ITCs (Industrial Training Centres). This is a good sign and industry participation will only get better in future. I am aware of cases where certain industries have absorbed 100 per cent students from a few ITIs and ITCs. Of course, I do admit this phenomenon is not spread across all the States but where industrial presence is strong, for example, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Delhi.

Yet, compared to the Western countries our industries have not shown as much interest in skill development. Why is it so?

It is not fair to compare the West with India. Industrial revolution in the West started more than 200 years ago and naturally industries needed skilled workforce. Historically, most of these countries then were ruled by emperors, kings, dukes or princess and for them

pomp and panoply was more important than skill development. So why would they spend money on skill development? Thus, the onus was on the industry to spend money to create technically skilled workforce to meet their requirement.

Was there industrial revolution in India comparable to that period? It was our

first Prime Minister who had the vision to create institutes to impart technical education for the future. Keeping in view, the extent of industries in the country, after the independence, these technical institutes met the demand of the industries of that era. Here, I would like to point out the major differences.

In India, ITIs are funded by the government whereas in the West it is funded by the industries.

There is wide disparity in the quality of technical education imparted from one State to another. Why?

NABH accreditation. He added, “Hospitals should not shy away from being assessed for quality. A kind of complacency has set in among hospitals and they are afraid to undergo quality checks. NABH standards are not difficult to meet and more hospitals should come forward and get themselves accredited. Accreditation benefits both patients and hospitals and

Earlier all ITIs were under the central government but this arrangement changed sometime in the mid-80s.

Thereafter it came under the State governments. We do provide funds and but I will not comment on how the funds are spent by the States.

It is only after liberalisation in 1991, our industrial development picked speed.

But our ITIs were not attuned to corresponding rapid development.

The equipment, machinery, teaching techniques and above all teachers' proficiency lagged behind to meet the challenges of 21st Century.

We have also introduced public-private partnership where government will provide seed money and the private partner will manage the technical institutes. This will be a win-win situation both for industry as well as technical institutes, importantly to the student who pass out and looking for jobs. In addition, we are taking the help from Quality council of India to improve the present system.

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In what way would Quality Council of India help to revamp technical education?

As on date there are 8,687 institutes, out of which 2,189 are government run ITIs and the rest in private sector. We needed an independent body like the Quality Council of India to assess proficiency of these institutes. In fact, it is a nationwide study to assess the ground reality to make an effective long term policy.

make the hospitals more accountable.”

Stressing on the need for a good peripheral support mechanism, Dr Gyani stressed that in any hospital only 35 per cent of the processes were clinical while the rest involved non-clinical and managerial processes. “It is important to integrate all the processes and add value to the hospital,” he said.

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Voluntary Certification for medicinal plants launched In a move that will raise the quality standards of medicinal plants, the Quality Council of India and the National Medicinal Plants Board recently launched a voluntary certification scheme for medicinal plants. he National Medicinal Plants Board (NMPB), in collaboration with the Quality Council of India (QCI), has launched a voluntary certification scheme for medicinal plants based on good agricultural and collection practices to enhance confidence in the quality of India’s medicinal plant produce and make available good quality raw material to the AYUSH industry.

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practices finalised by the TC were ratified by the SC in January, 2010; and, finally, the certification related documents finalised by the TC in May, 2010 were ratified by the SC in October, 2010, and the scheme became operational. The finalised

EVOLUTION OF THE SCHEME NMPB and QCI will be the joint owners of the scheme. The scheme was finalised in four stages: first, NMPB constituted a Steering

Under the scheme, any producer/collector/group of producers/collectors can obtain a certification from a designated certification body (CB) and will be under regular surveillance of the certification body.

Committee (SC) under the chairmanship of Secretary (AYUSH) to guide the development and operation of the scheme; second, the actual drafting of the scheme was undertaken by a Technical Committee (TC) set up by NMPB with secretariat in QCI; third, the standards for good agricultural practices and good collection MEDICINAL PLANTS BEING GROWN: QCI and NMPB have worked out a scheme to raise quality standards.

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Photo courtesy: www.greenearthgreenpeople.blogspot.com

documents have been placed on the websites of NMPB (www.nmpb.nic.in) as well as QCI (www.qcin.org).

OPERATION OF THE SCHEME Under the scheme, any

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producer/collector/group of producers/collectors can obtain a certification from a designated certification body (CB) and will be under regular surveillance of the certification body. An option of getting a lot inspected and certified has also been made in the scheme.

It also allows certification of intermediaries like traders who may source certified medicinal plant material and supply further after. QCI will initially provisionally approve some CBs for the Scheme but ultimately the technical competence of such CBs would be established through the

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internationally recognised concept of accreditation. The National Accreditation Board for Certification Bodies (NABCB) under QCI, as the national accreditation body, is already operating a scheme for accreditation of Product Certification Bodies as per applicable international standard, ISO Guide 65, and will provide certification bodies accreditation as per the applicable international standard and competence to operate the medicinal plant certification scheme. Similarly, NABL accredited labs will be used

under the Scheme. These measures are designed to facilitate acceptance of the Scheme in international market in the future. The certification process in general would cover following steps: Registration of application; evaluation(s) at the site; testing of sample(s); grant of certificate; periodic surveillance evaluation; market sampling and renewal of certificate.

WHO WILL BE BENEFITED? Medicinal plants producer/ collector/group of producers/collectors, societies, traders, manufacturers of herbal medicines, AYUSH operators, and pharmaceutical industry and AYUSH consumers will get benefit due to the assured quality of the medicinal plants/ herbs.

Medicinal plants producer/collector/group of producers/collectors can get certified their produce and will be able to sell their produce at

premium price to national or international buyers. The other benefits are: reduced risk of recall/rejection; assured legal compliance and assured sustainable collection.

LAND OF HERBS According to the website of NMPB, India has 15 agro-climatic zones and 17000-18000 species of flowering plants of which 6000-7000 are estimated to have medicinal usage in folk and documented systems of medicine, like Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani and Homoeopathy.

About 960 species of medicinal plants are estimated to be in trade of which 178 species have annual consumption levels in excess of 100 metric tonnes.

Medicinal plants are not only a major resource base for the traditional medicine and herbal industry but also provide livelihood and health security to a large segment of Indian population.

The domestic trade of the AYUSH industry is of the order of `80 to 90 billion. Indian medicinal plants and

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Medicinal plants producer/ collector/group of producers/collectors, societies, traders, manufacturers of herbal medicines, AYUSH operators, and pharmaceutical industry and AYUSH consumers will get benefit due to the assured quality of the medicinal plants/ herbs. their products also account for exports in the range of `10 billion, the website reckons.

The website also states that there is global resurgence in traditional and alternative health care systems resulting in growing world herbal trade which stands at $120 billion and is expected to reach $7 trillion by 2050. Indian share in the world trade, at present, however, is quite low.

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t was for the first time in India that QCI has taken up a project to upgrade Ayurveda Hospitals as per standards. Under Quality Assurance Programme QAP programme, QCI is in process of preparing around 100 public allopathy hospitals in India as per NABH standards. It is a step towards improving the quality of public health services provided to the common man.

Under the Quality Assurance Programme (QAP) for Public Hospitals, QCI signed a MoU with the Central Council for Research in Ayurveda and Siddha (CCRAS) to do Gap Study in five Ayurveda Hospitals on October 6, 2010. This will enable the existing level of healthcare delivery with reference to NABH accreditation standards for AYUSH Hospitals and to indicate the gap in the terms of manpower, equipment and facilities. The MoU was signed by Dr. Girdhar J Gyani, Secretary General, QCI and Dr. Ramesh Babu, Director General, CCRAS from CCRS in the presence of Dr. Bhawna Gulati, Assistant Director NABH and Dr. Paddhi, Deputy Director, CCRAS.

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The five Ayurveda Hospitals are: Ayurveda Mental Health Research Institute (20 beds -- located at Nandanwan, Nagpur).

Advanced Centre for Ayurveda in Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (20 beds — located at NIMHANS Campus, Bengaluru) Ayurveda Regional Research Institute (25 beds — located in Jammu Tawi).

National Research Institute for Panchakarma (63 beds — located in Thrissur district, Kerala).

National Research Institute for Ayurveda-Siddha Resource Development (located in Government Ayurvedic Hospital, Gwalior).

Ayurveda is a tried and timetested ancient medical system of India and, perhaps, the world. Around 2,500 BC two schools emerged: Atreya, the School of Physicians, and Dhanvantari, the School of Surgeons.

Two millennia ago, Sushruta not only wrote a treatise on surgery but

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A boost for traditional healing methods The laudable efforts of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, in association with the Quality Council of India, to provide certification to AYUSH service providers will go a long way to establish confidence in the ancient holistic healing systems. performed as well. However, the knowledge was passed on from generation to generation by word of mouth, unlike the documented form as in the Western world and it lost out to the more precise Western medical system.

A course correction, however, is underway through intensive efforts by the Department of AYUSH — Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy — under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. This will help in reviving the ancient holistic treatment system.

Ayurveda and other traditional systems did not vanish but lacked S(TOP) QUALITY APPRECIATION:

S Gandhiselvan, Minister of State Health & family Welfare, S Jalaja, Secretary, Department of AYUSH and Dr Girdhar J. Gyani, Secretary General, QCI at the presentation ceremony of Accreditation Certificate; (Right) S Gandhiselvan, Minister of State Health & Family Welfare inaugurating the first accredited hospital in India.

official patronage. Now the system is being institutionalised in a more scientific and documented form since there is a growing tendency among people to opt for an alternative system of therapy.

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S (Top) A patient receiving holistic medical treatment. Standing from left to right with the Accreditation Certificate are Dr Bhawna Gulati, Assistant Director, NABH,QCI, Dr Ramesh Babu, Director General CCRAS, Dr Girdhar J Gyani, Secretary General, QCI, Dr Paddhi, Deputy Director, CCRAS.

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Yoga is already popular in the West. The Western world is drawn towards Ayurveda and holistic medical treatment. The real efficacy and efficiency of any healthcare provider is the quality in service delivery and patient care.

The results of the initiatives taken by AYUSH was evident when the AyurVAID Hospitals, India's largest chain of inpatient Ayurveda hospitals, received NABH (National Accreditation Board for Hospitals & Healthcare Providers) certification making it the first Ayurveda hospital in the country. The hospital at Domlur in Bangalore took eight months to achieve the quality standards defined by the NABH. The NABH, a constituent board of Quality Council of India (QCI), has recently launched the “Accreditation for Ayush Hospitals” in association with the Dept of Ayush, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. The NABH accreditation is a quality benchmark which ensures critical patient benefits — essentially, safety, efficacy of outcomes, and informed care.

After the Accreditation, the hospitals focus on all aspects of service delivery such as patient rights and education, infection control practices, trained and

experienced staff, infrastructure and environment safety, and are almost identical with NABH standards of Allopathy hospitals.

“Accreditation is demonstration to the patients that healthcare organisation conforms to global benchmarks on patient safety and quality of care”, stated Dr. Girdhar J Gyani, secretary general, Quality Council of India at a press conclave here.

According to him, there are 2,400 Ayurveda hospitals in India.

Currently, another six hospitals of which five in the government space in the Ayurveda sector have applied for NABH accreditation. There are already 500 hospitals in the modern medicine space which have bagged NABH certification. In addition, there are an additional 95 hospitals which have applied for the certification. This shows the awareness among the hospitals to gear up to certify their quality practice adherences, he added.

According to Rajiv Vasudevan, Managing Director, AyurVAID Hospitals, the NABH accreditation is proof that Ayurveda as a medical science is capable of meeting the rigour, standardisation, and patient safety expectations of the 21st century.

AyurVAID Hospitals focus mainly on chronic diseases, classical Ayurveda para-surgical procedures such as Kshara Karma, Kshara Sutra, Agni Karma, Rakta Mokshana are performed under strict protocols. The hospital spread over Cochin, Bangalore, Mumbai, Chennai, and Hubli offers insurance by Third Party Administrators enabling cashless facility for inpatient Ayurveda medical care.

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Programme in Manila One-day Awareness Workshops for Accreditation Programme for Wellness Centres and Accreditation Programme for Hospitals were held recently under the aegis of NABH International. The workshops were launched in Manila, the capital of the Philippines. This was the first overseas launch of an awareness programmes by the recently launched NABH International.

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Strategies to usher in quality The Quality Council of India has been entrusted by the Government to bring in quality in our lives.

Dr Girdhar J Gyani, Secretary General, QCI, highlighted the moves the Council has taken to spread quality in the country. he second Thursday of November every year is celebrated as World Quality Day throughout the world. In India too, it is celebrated at various centres. In Delhi, the Indian Science Congress Association along with the Indian Association for Productivity, Quality and Reliability organised a seminar on three important principles of quality, productivity and reliability where Dr Girdhar J Gyani, Secretary General, Quality Council of India, was the chief guest.

Dr Gyani started with a statement that quality is driven by passion and not by education alone. Quality, he pointed out, is a continuous journey and not a destination.

It was in 1996 that a decision by the Government of India was taken to set up an organisation to promote and propagate quality nationally. Thus the Quality Council of India (QCI) was born. A fully autonomous body, it has three major industry bodies CII, FICCI and ASSOCHAM partnering it. QCI also has a 17-member governing body, basically for setting policies. The Chairman of the Council is appointed by the Prime Minister with the current Chairman being Arun Maira, Member, Planning Commission.

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T K Sahu, Prof. S P Mukherjee, and Dr Girdhar J Gyani at the World Quality Day.

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The objectives in forming the QCI were: ¾ The international message at that time was that each country was to have a body to conduct an accreditation programme for the conformity assessment agencies.

The conformity assessment agencies are basically either testing agencies, inspection bodies or accreditation bodies. These have an important role in international trade, as their assessments are accepted the world over. And QCI oversees the competence of these assessing bodies and subsequently accrediting them. ¾ Another impetus was the National Quality Campaign mooted at that time with the objective of promoting quality in all walks of life.

Thus, the role of QCI is twofold: Awarding accreditation, in consonance with world standards, and promotion of quality.

For the first role QCI has the following boards namely: (a) National Accreditation Board for Certification Bodies (NABCB): Accreditation awarded by NABCB is globally accepted. (b) National Accreditation Board for Education and Training (NABET): The Board works closely with the Ministry of Human Resource Development (HRD) and Ministry of Labour. Based on the inputs given by NABET, Ministry of HRD will implement the governance model in all schools following CBSC standards. Likewise, Ministry of Labour will upgrade competence of ITIs/ITCs and this includes students as well as teachers. (c) National Accreditation Board for Hospitals and Healthcare Providers (NABH): This Board assesses and accredits hospital and healthcare providers and so far only 60 hospitals, in a country, of our size, have been given accreditation. This includes an Ayurveda hospital in Bengaluru.

One may ask, why accredit a certification body? Take the example of ISO 9000; it is neither driven by a regulator or the government.

Importers, mostly in the West, insisted on ISO 9000 certification for entry of

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“It is good to listen to people who know about quality”

Prof SP Mukherjee, an experienced quality professional, believes that we cover up our deficiencies rather than correcting them.

My feeling has been one has to be sincere in whatever one is attempting to raise the quality of products, the services rendered or the processes carried out. An important aspect in achieving quality starts with owning up of deficiencies, listening to the advices from the peers to improve the quality.

In India, we still have to go a long way. One of the reasons I found has been covering up the deficiencies rather than correcting. It is always good to listen to people knowledgeable in the field of quality and to others who have been practicing the same. The other aspect is that people are guided by immediate short-term benefits and give quality a go-by.

The approach is to start from the shop floor; the workforce has to be educated on the quality and its benefits and long-term benefits. On the other side, students in engineering and management schools have to have quality as one of the subjects since they would be leading after leaving their studies. The teachers who teach these students have to be trained and only then would they be able to impart properly. products and services. As a result, a large number of manufacturers and servic providers opted for this certification since it was a good business opportunity. Two decades ago, India did not have qualified certifying bodies; hence, many foreign certifying agencies set up offices in the country since it was a big business opportunity for them too. They even offered franchises.

It is little wonder then that certification bodies mushroomed all over the country. These were not under any supervision and conjoined with intense competition the true spirit of

certification was lost. So did the quality. It was then that the government realised that this unfettered operation by certification agencies did more harm than good and needed a national accreditation body to check this malaise. Thus NABCB came into being.

It is often said that quality is driven by market forces. In other words, consumers need to be empowered.

This will only happen if consumers are aware of quality requirements for products and services. However, considering the low literacy level in the country it is unrealistic to expect

(From left) T K Sahu, Prof. S P Mukherjee, Dr G J Gyani and Harish Banga.

that consumers would force either the manufacturers or service providers to enhance the quality in products or services.

In the absence of empowered consumers the onus falls on the government and the regulators, more so in the developing countries, to take the quality initiative. This happens even in developed countries to ensure quality in areas like health, food safety and education as these three help in wellbeing of the citizens.

Many major and large companies have realised that quality improves their economics, bottom line on balance sheet. This is a recent phenomenon. There is a perception that private and corporate sectors initiated the quality movement in the country. Dr Gyani reminded the audience that on the contrary it was the government’s organisations that initiated quality movement way ahead of others. Indian Space Research Organisation and Bhabha Atomic Research Centre started quality movement way back in 1960s. Close on heels were Steel Authority of India Limited and Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited. Many such government organisations were contended with their achievements rather than blowing trumpet in public.

It is unimportant whether one publicises it or not but quality can be attained by travelling on the quality path continuously.

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Solar energy standards promoted in India The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy has signed up with the Quality Council of India to design standards certification and testing framework for solar energy applications. half a dozen certification bodies, mainly with international linkages and experience, have approached QCI to be part of the system.

The project also envisages identification and upgradation of laboratories in India to equip them to test as per the standards finalised by MNRE and get them accredited as per international standard, ISO 17025.

MNRE has embarked on an ambitious mission to promote offgrid applications of solar energy (both SPV and Solar Thermal) to meet the targets set in the National Solar Mission for Phase-I. These would include hybrid systems to meet lighting and power, heating and cooling energy requirements currently being met or to be potentially met by use of diesel and other fossil fuels.

It is aiming to create a paradigm shift needed for commoditisation of off-grid solar applications. This is necessary since the up OLAR CELLS TAPPING SOLAR ENERGY: QCI will be SO scaling can only be reached promoting standards for the solar industry with the Ministry of through market mode.

New and Renewable Energy.

Further, the commoditisation can only happen if implementation and certification. the approach of delivery becomes MNRE has already set up technical service-oriented and there is room committees for the solar thermal and for competitive forces to drive down photovoltaic areas to identify and/or cost and promote innovation. The frame the standards for its project would assure quality of solar programmes. systems available to the common Under the proposed system, the man for domestic use. certification would be undertaken by QCI has already assisted the certification bodies duly accredited as Department of AYUSH in launching per international standards by the a voluntary certification scheme for National Accreditation Board for AYUSH products and the Food Certification Bodies (NABCB), a Safety and Standards Authority of constituent of the QCI and part of the India in designing a restaurant international system operated under grading and certification system the aegis of the International based on food safety.

Accreditation Forum. Already, over he Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has signed up with the Quality Council of India (QCI) to design a comprehensive standards, certification and testing framework for solar energy applications in a bid to ensure quality in its ambitious drive to promote the use of solar energy under the National Solar Mission.

The project envisages that standards for products, systems and installation practices would be laid down by MNRE keeping in view the international best practices customised to Indian environment which would then be available for the industry for

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Rare honour for Dr Thuppil Venkatesh r Thuppil Venkatesh, Principal Advisor, Quality Council of India (QCI), heads the National Referral Centre for Led Poisoning in India (NRCLPI) became the first Indian to win the prestigious “Science, Honor and Truth” award recently conferred by the Zubeita University, Lapaz, Bolivia. Zubeita University, in order to spread its belief and practicing principles every year, recognise and honour distinguished scientists and educationists with this prestigious award.

Dr Venkatesh led a team from QCI and the NRCLPI that was invited to present a paper on the “Comparative study on creativity in human population (High Landers) living under chronic hypoxic conditions in Tibet and Bolivia and exposed to lead”. He also delivered a talk on the effect of lead on the creativity of millions living in highaltitude conditions, that he co-authored with Professor N Shashidhara, Advisor, NRCLPI. Often referred as the “Lead Man of India”, Dr Thuppil Dr Thuppil Venkatesh receiving the award.

Venkatesh has done pioneering work in the area of lead poisoning in India. Along with the Quality Council of India, NRCLPI has been instrumental in creating lead awareness programmes in schools and colleges.

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Indian interpretation of GlobalGap standards initiated Certification by GlobalGap for the agriculture sector in India has become mandatory to ensure good agricultural practices. QCI has finalised an Indian interpretation of GlobalGap standards for crops and, once endorsed, will facilitate certification in Indian conditions. n order to facilitate certification to the internationally accepted GlobalGap standards for good agricultural practices in India, the Quality Council of India (QCI) has finalised an Indian national interpretation of GlobalGap standards for crops which are being forwarded to the GlobalGap secretariat in Germany for their endorsement. Once endorsed, the document would become a requirement for GlobalGap certification in India and facilitate certification in Indian conditions.

GlobalGap (earlier EurepGap) is a voluntary initiative which has gained worldwide acceptance and many Indian exporters are facing a demand for GobalGap certification. It is necessary that India gives a suitable response to this initiative .EurepGap has changed its name to GlobalGap (the Global Partnership for Good Agricultural Practices. Think Global Act Local) keeping in view the present situation, where EurepGap is no more limited to European countries but extended to over 80 countries covering about 80,000 certification worldwide.

GlobalGap sets out voluntary standards for the certification of agricultural products. It establishes and harmonises standards for Good Agricultural Practices around the globe.

Since in each country the cultural practices may differ, GlobalGap has provided in its regulations for establishment of what is called the National Technical Working Group (NTWG) in each country to align the country-specific practices with the GlobalGap. GlobalGap seeks to gain qualified inputs from National Experts in their own language. The establishment of NTWG is an important step towards this goal. Any interpretation guidelines as applicable in their respective countries developed by NTWG are

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placed before GlobalGap for approval.

Already over 17 countries including Argentina, Brazil, China, Japan, Kenya, Thailand etc. have established their NTWGs and benchmarked their respective countries’ GAP’s to new GlobalGap. India has as much as 16, 20,388 sq km of agricultural land and has a great untapped potential to enter international markets in agricultural produce sector. India needs to establish a conformity assessment infrastructure aligned with GlobalGap requirements.

QCI, through its National Accreditation Board for Certification Bodies (NABCB) has already put in place a scheme for accreditation of certification bodies as per ISO Guide 65, which is the basis for accreditation under GlobalGap and has already granted first accreditation to M/s Foodcert India Limited, a Hyderabad-based certification body to certify as per GlobalGap standards.

NABCB has three more applications from certification bodies for accreditation to ISO Guide 65.

Keeping this in view, QCI had signed a MoU with GlobalGap to establish a NTWG in India in May 2008. Dr Mangala Rai, the then secretary (DARE) & DG ICAR was appointed to chair the NTWG which has various stakeholders like concerned ministries, retail chains, industry bodies and certification bodies as members.

Agricultural exports have to adhere to the standards set by GlobalGap.

The three Task Forces formed under NTWG are: TF-01: Interpretation of provisions of GlobalGap Standards as applicable under Indian situation (crop domain) TF-02: Identification of legal and regulatory provisions applicable to farm practices and farm produce in India for compliance for implementation of GlobalGap Standards TF-03: Interpretation provisions of GlobalGap Standards as applicable under Indian situation (animal domain) NTWG met four times in the last one-and-a-half years to deliberate on the national interpretation before finalising the draft made by TF-01.

NTWG has finalised the India interpretation document on crop-based modules and initiated work on India Interpretation covering animal domain.

At the request of Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) the Committee has initiated the development of IndiaGap standards in two modules, these are: Entry level GAP module covering minimum base level requirements for implementation by small farmers IndiaGap module compatible with GlobalGap requirements The entry level standard has been drafted and placed on QCI website for comments. The second module of IndiaGap is intended to be benchmarked with GlobalGap standards. This will harmonise industry-based GAPs being developed in the country.

FSSAI intends to create a voluntary certification framework in partnership with QCI to enable the food industry to source its raw materials from GAP-certified producers.

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Delhi Code

Airport

011

Rockland Hospital

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Radio Taxi Services

Automated IVR Airline information Domestic Flights

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Quick cabs

45 333 333

International Flights

25602999

Easy cabs

43 434 343

Airport Helpline

25661080

Meru cabs

44 224 422

Blood Banks Services

Airlines Indian

25652050

Deptt. of Transfusion Medicine, Escorts Heart

Jet Airlines

25675504

Institute & Research Centre

Kingfisher Airlines

25674865/ 25674841

26825011

Blood Bank, Moolchand Hospital

2000000

Max Blood Bank, Max Heart &

Indian Railways General / Central Enquiry

131

Reservation

131

Vascular Institute

26515050

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1345/ 1335/ 1330

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Bus Services

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Delhi Transport Corporation

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Local and interstate

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Hotels

Head office

26817806

Hotel Taj

Interstate enquiry at Kashmiri Gate

23865181

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Interstate enquiry at Sarai Kale Khan

24638092

The Imperial

Interstate enquiry at Anand Vihar

22152431

Shangri-La

41191919

ITC Maurya

26112233

Metro Service

26110202/ 23026162 23710101 23341234 / 41501234

Helpline

24369912

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24363030

Chief Public Relation Officer

24365202

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26791234

The Park

23743000

The Ashok

26110101

Hospitals AIIMS

26588500/26588900

Dr RML Hospital

23743769

G. B. Pant Hospital

23233001/23314242

Safdarjung Hospital

6165060/6165032/6168336

Max Super Speciality Hospital Moolchand Hospital

26515050 42000215

Help Police

100

Fire

101

Ambulance

102

Tourist Enquiry Delhi Tourism and Transport Development

Escorts Heart Institute and Research Centre Sir Ganga Ram Hospital

Corporation (DTTDC) 26825002/03 42251779

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The Government of India/ Tourist Office 23320005

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23324910

Himachal Pradesh

23325320

and Research Centre

22618675

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22042479

Firtis Flt. Lt. Rajan Dhall Hospital

2776222

Punjab

23343055

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30653184

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23383837

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23319835

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