MCD and other government agencies in India are in dire need of privatization?

Hi friends,

I am writing out this hub today to share my personal experience with you about the staff of Municipal Corporation of Delhi (Karol Bagh Zone). I would like to share over here the carelessness and negligence of the staff of MCD.

Actually, I booked a MCD hall in East Patel Nagar in September 2008 for the date October 6, 2008 which is the date on which my daughter was born. It was raining at that time of the season and I did not wanted to take chances at that time of celebrating my daughter's birthday in a tent in front of my home, so I though that it would be better to book a MCD hall in my area, as there would not be any problem for me and my guests if it would be raining outside and food would also be safe.

The hall booking fees was 3700 INR and the refundable security kept by the MCD was 3000 INR amounting a total of 6700 INR. All remained well at the time of my daughter's first birthday and after that, except the problem with the security kept for the hall.

At the time of booking of this MCD hall, I was told by an employee of MCD to mention my bank account number where I wanted my security check to be transferred. The time limit for refund of security check was three months after the booked date that means January 6, 2009.

I was waiting for my check to be received from the MCD until January 25, 2008 as I am a Delhite and already know that the MCD system is very slow. But then it was a long wait for me and then I visited the MCD department located at Anand Parbat on January 26^th where I was told by the same employee, whom I met when I initially booked the hall, to wait for another 10 days as the check is already delivered at your home address and you will be receiving it shortly.

I waited for another 10 days and today February 5^th, I again visited the MCD office where the same employee found out my check from a bunch of checks. He told me to provide this booking slip which I provided and he took my sign on the booking slip and a register as a receiving of the check by me. I had a look on the check and found that everything else was all right but my bank account number written on the check was not correct. I asked the employee to correct it so that I can deposit my check in my account for getting the refund.

Now what. The employee told me that you have to visit the chief accountant of this department in order to get that corrected. I asked the room number and name of the authorized person and he gave me the same.

Now, all the interesting game of MCD staff started which ended after around 3 hours.

I visited the concerned person who after looking at my check told me to visit the administrative officer on the third floor at room number 302. The chief accountant told me that you need to write an application with this check and get that signed by the administrative officer upstairs. I wrote the application and visited his room. There was no one in the room. I searched different other rooms asking for him that where he is? After searching for around 15 minutes, I was told by his peon that he is absent today and will be joining the office tomorrow, so please come tomorrow or visit room number 307 of a veterinary officer who can help in this regard if it is urgent for you to get this done. I visited the VO (veterinary officer) and he was there and told me that get this application and check registered through the registration room of MCD.

I was a lot of frustrated by that time but it was not over. I visited the registration office where two staff people were sitting and told them that VO Sir has told me to get this application and check registered from this room of the office. To my surprise, after reading my application and check, they told me that we could not register this application, as we do not know in whose name it is to be registered. Instead they told me that AO is not absent today and go visit his friend on fourth floor who is a very good person and can call him up so that your application could be signed and attested.

I was so tired at that time but then also managed to visit his room. Again to my surprise, there was no one in the room. The staff outside told me that he has gone somewhere and we do not know. At this time, I lost hope and visited the chief accountant at the ground floor who told me that AO has come today. He does like this all the time. He is never on his seat and roams from here to there, which according to my knowledge does not come in his job requirement.

Again, after two hours of going here and there, I finally thought that let myself give one more try and then I visited AO's friend at the fourth floor again. He was there, his friend was not there but the AO was there. I thought how lucky I am. He had a look on my application and check and told me to come downstairs at his room and also collect the booking slip from the ground floor.

I took the slip and again visited this person. He after taking around 15 minutes read all the things and while talking to another person in his office signed that application to correct the account number. I said him "THANK YOU VERY MUCH SIR" and visited the ground floor office of chief accountant (CO) who cut the wrong account number and wrote down the write account number and signed it off at the corrected section.

I was so happy when I got my check with the correct account number but at the same time I was really angry and frustrated with the disorganized system of MCD.

These were the questions, which came to my mind at that time.

1. Why peon of the AO was lying that he is absent today?
2. Where was AO at the time of his work hours?
3. Why it takes so much long time in government departments in India to get through a simple public dealing?
4. Why the MCD or other government systems are so negligent and careless?
5. Do these people do not know to run the system in an organized manner. Do these so responsible looking elderly but good for nothing people need to be taught how they have to work?

I was very frustrated but at the same time controlling my anger. I wanted to myself look at how these people do work. There was a person who was in much more bad condition than me. His security refund check was dated 17 July 2006 and he was wondering around MCD office for the last two and a half years. At last, when he received his check today, it was of no use. It was already expired and need to be reissued and he was writing an application for the re-issuance of the check.

After three hours in the MCD office, which were a total waste of time, I got inside my car and saw a poster on the wall regarding a petition of MCD staff against privatization of MCD. I thought at that time that government should not agree with their request and not only MCD but most of the government organizations should be privatized.

Yes, it is true not only me but millions of people like me here in India want that:

1. Government offices in India are in need of privatization just like DELHI ELECTRICAL SUPPLY UNDERTAKING converting into BSES Yamuna and BSES Rajdhani. There is a lot of relief. The situation of electricity was very bad at the time of DESU which was a government organization. But Delhites are very happy with the DESU being removed and BSES being started. There is no problem with electricity supply, as the supply is constant. The staff at their office is really polite and hard working.
2. MCD offices are in dire need of privatization. After privatization, the staff will be young and talented. Also, the office premises will be managed in a proper manner. All public dealings will be completed on time.

Life of people will be really really good if the government agrees with doing privatization of MCD and other government offices, as we need young blood and highly-skilled hardworking people inside the system instead of the present good for nothing, careless, negligent and tired people.

If Delhi or India as a whole wants to improve, the first step should be privatization and converting these old systems into new ones.

Jai Hind,

Rajinder Soni

PS: I am very sorry if you have found this hub to be very long but I could not control myself from writing on this, as I live in a beautiful country, India, and being a true Indian, I cannot tolerate a bunch of careless staff or government employees ruining the name of my country.