Who said Bihar was best governed? Not Appleby
Pranava K Chaudhary
[ Sunday, June 18, 2006 02:17:59 amTIMES NEWS NETWORK ]


PATNA: Haven't we heard so many times of Paul H Appleby's landmark
remark that Bihar was the most well-governed state in the 1950s? It's
high time we got our facts right. Appleby's report in 1953 didn't
mention anything specific about Bihar -- good or bad.

Appleby, a consultant in public administration, was sponsored by Ford
Foundation, to record his insight into social and governmental
problems. The report was written for Indian ministers and
administrative officials. During the compilation of the report, he
interviewed hundreds of ministers and officials.

"The study took me on tours across India covering over 9,000 miles by
road, rail and air. This permitted very brief visits to 10 states
outside Delhi," he said in his brief introduction to the report.

Appleby brought out a second 59-page report in 1956, entitled: "A
re-examination of India's administrative system to administration of
government's industrial and commercial enterprises". The report was
submitted to Parliament on August 13, 1956.

"The reports did not discuss anything specific about Bihar's
administration. It was a myth created by few 'ignorant' politicians of
the country," said Saibal Gupta, member secretary of the city-based
research organisation, ADRI.

ADRI has procured a copy each of the reports. "We have decided to
reproduce the Appleby report in a book form along with a detailed note
on the 'myth of good governance in Bihar' by the end of this year,"
Gupta told TOI.

Politicians and intellectuals, in their writings and speeches, never
tired of referring to Appleby report. The report was compiled when the
Congress was in power in Bihar.

Congress leaders in their speeches made a mockery of successive state
governments by referring to the Appleby report eulogising Bihar as the
best administered state during Congress rule. "But politicians do not
do their homework before making statements, do they? asked a
bureaucrat.