Cyber Quiz: Article Review-10: Moddie, A.D. (2005): Problems of
Governance: Prime Minister's Concern For The Elusive Goal

In this valuable contribution* to governance in India, A.D.Moddie,
formerly of the Indian Civil Service, has drawn attention to the
various problems of governanace in India in the wake of Prime
Minister Dr Manmohan Singh's continued concern with the problems
of governance. The author would like to draw attention to wider
environment of governance and makes a categorical assertion that
"85 per cent of the people are dissatisfied with all public
services" but does not give any basis for his figure.

Interspersed with personal knowledge, anecdotes and historical
perspectives, the experienced author rightly claims "So
representative democracy is no substitute for participative
democracy." Similarly his prescription "So there is no
alternative to the widening and deepening of meaningful participatory
governance at all levels from village and town, to state and
centre" is indisputable but the way in which this lofty ambition
can be actualized in practice has not been indicated by him.

Dr D.C.Misra
January 1, 2005.
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*Moddie, A.D. (2005): Problems of Governance: Prime Minister's
Concern For The Elusive Goal, The Statesman, New Delhi, January 1,
Saturday, Op Ed, p-1, http://www.thestatesman.net/page.news.php?
clid=3&theme=&usrsess=1&id=64592(accessed: January 1,2005).