Not a holiday

The drift in UPA 2 has become palpable politically,causing it to transform into a sluggish,slow-moving target for popular anger. The strange stasis into which UPA 2 has plunged itself extends to its inability to get moving on crucial policy and staffing decisions.

The dilution of responsibility that has come with the Group-of-Ministers culture the government has promoted tends to,of course,reduce the incentive for any one ministry to get its work done. But it also appears that few ministers take GoMs seriously enough to ensure they meet on time,and get their scheduled work done. The Cairn-Vedanta deal was held up by a GoM that agonised over a decision — and,even though it has finally met and come up with recommendations,the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs still has to discuss it. Meanwhile,the GoM on coal production met for nearly two hours,failed to come to a discussion and postponed meeting again all the way to next month. The question of coal availability has become urgent; because of a shortage of coal,new power plants are operating at only 42 per cent efficiency,and the power-generation industry has repeatedly warned that plants have practically no coal stock in hand. Action cannot be postponed inevitably,as the GoM seems bent on doing. Meanwhile,the empowered GoM on fuel prices has postponed its meeting from May 11,and the government continues to duck out of rationalising fuel pricing. It has not met since June last year.

In the midst of this,important shoes are going unfilled. India’s most profitable company,the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation,still doesn’t have a permanent chairman,a state of affairs that’s continued for months. The post of chief of India’s Integrated Defence Staff lies vacant. And,of course,there still isn’t a replacement for P.J. Thomas as Central Vigilance Commissioner. Yes,it’s hot in Delhi. But the Union government cannot go on a summer holiday. Besides,this is no seasonal affliction for the UPA,but a terminal illness. It must cure itself of its inability or unwillingness to take decisions,and fast.