FIXING OF RESPONSIBILITIES

One of the distressing aspects in service is passing the responsibility of fixing the problem to someone else.This is a perennial problem of government service in India.Surprisingly and distressingly this attitude is creeping rather rapidly in private sector also.


The reason why this attitude is creeping is simple.No action is taken for passing on the buck and no real encouragement is given for persons who strive hard to solve the problem at their end.


I shall illustrate this by a few examples:


1 A person comes to a ration supplier for changing address so that he can get the services of the ration shop nearby his new residence.This is a simple job requiring deletion of the name from existing shop,giving details of card holders particulars in a form ,communicating this information to the new ration shop and thereby the consumer getting ration facilities within a single day.The ration shop should communicate the change to the regional ration office.In this age of fax ,email etc this process can be done in no time,in fact in real time (instantly).In reality because the responsibilty is tranferred to regional office this process takes a minimum of ௧. month.

2. The service of banking is an example how decentralisation and encouraging single window operation has benefitted the customers.A decade ago getting a draft involved several steps in the bank and as a result one applying for draft at 10 O'Clock would be expected to get it by 3 O'Clock.Now with single window operation you can get the draft made in 5 minutes!
I feel this type of single window operation is possible in most situations.
In certain situations like patient care also this single window scheme is possible but in a modified way.The person comes in contact with a doctor for a problem;it is the responsibilty of this first doctor to arrange for appropriate consultation and to follow up the patient.This in effect will be single window scheme for patient care.This doctor cannot and should not be allowed to pass on the patient to another doctor just like that;he should be made accountable to the patient forever.This will ensure that he shows adequate interest in the welfare of the patient.
iN SHORT WHAT I SUGGEST IS THAT RESPOSIBILTY SHOULD BE FIXED ON THE FIRST PERSON WHO HANDLES THE CASE.

EVER PRESENT PROBLEM OF SHORTAGE OF STAFF-SOLUTOINS

DEAR FRIENDS

ONE OF THE MOST PRESSING PROBLEMS FACED BY GOVERNMENT IS SHORTAGE OF STAFF.

IT TAKES AGES TO FILL THOSE POSTS;IDENTIFYING THE VACANT POSTS,ADVERTISING,CALLING FOR INTERVIEWS AND SELECTION OF A SUITABLE CANDITATE ARE THE STEPS INVOLVED.

FOR A VACANT POST OF MEDICAL SPECIALIST IN OUR PUBLIC SECTOR(GOVERNMENT) HOSPITAL THIS PROCESS TOOK 3 YEARS AND 5 MONTHS.FOR ALL THIS TIME ,I AS THE ONLY SPECIALIST HAD TO SHOULDER THIS ADDITIONAL RESPONSIBILITY.THAT MEANS I WAS PERFORMING THE JOB OF 2 SPECIALISTS WHILE MY ORGANIZATION PAID ONLY MY USUAL SALARY ie I WAS DOING THE ADDITIONAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR FREE.WHEN THIS WAS POINTED TO THE HEAD OF THE ORGANIZATION AND WHEN I DEMANDED SUITABLE COMPENSATION FOR THIS EXTRA WORK ALL I GOT IN REPLY WAS A GIGGLE AND A STATEMENT THAT THIS IS NOT PERMISSABLE UNDER RULES.

THIS EXTRA BURDEN HAS CAUSED MEDICAL PROBLEMS LIKE CERVICAL SPONDYLOSIS,LUMBAR SPONDYLOSIS,PERI ARTHRITIS OF MY RIGHT SHOULDERetc;BESIDES IT HAS KEPT ME on call 24HRS A DAY FOR ALL THE 365 DAYS OF EACH YEAR FOR THE LAST3+ YEARS.THIS WHEN TOLD TO THE AUTHORITIES ONLY EVOKED THE RESPONSE THAT THIS IS PART AND PARCEL OF THE JOB.

IN EFFECT I HAVE TOILED FOR THE ORGAISATION BECAUSE I WAS CONSCIENTIOUS OF MY DUTIES BUT THE ORGANISATION HAS NOT OFFICAILLY RECOGNISED MY THIS SENSE OF DUTY CITING INABILITY BECAUSE GOVERNMENT RULES DON'T PERMIT EXTRA PAY.

ON THE OTHER HAND ,IN THE SAME ORGANISATION CLERKS AND NON MEDICAL EMPLOYEES DO NOT HAVE THIS ATTITUDE OF CONSCIENCE OF DUTY. WHEN THERE IS SHORTAGE OF STAFF IN THEIR CADRE,THEY AS A RULE DO NOT SHARE THAT ADDED RESPONSIBILITY;LEAVE ALONE TAKING ADDED RESPONSIBILITY FOR LONG PERIODS AS I DID FOR 3+ YEARS,THEY DO NOT DO IT FOR EVEN A SINGLE DAY.EACH EMPLOYEE KEEPS HIS FILE UNDER LOCK AND KEY AND ONLY AFTER SOMEONE JOINS THE POST WILL THEY OPEN THE KEY AND AFTER A LAG PERIOD SLOWLY START WORKING.THIS APATHETIC WORK ATTITUDE IS ACCEPTABLE TO THE ORGANISATION ;MY DEMANDING RECOGNITION FOR THE EXTRA EFFORTS IS NOT WELL TAKEN AND DUE RESPECT FOR THIS EFFORT IS NOT FORTHCOMING.

I SUGGEST THE FOLLOWING REMEDY TO THIS PROBLEM:

WHEN A POST IS VACANT FOR MORE THAN 3 MONTHS,THE PERSON WHO IS TAKING UP THAT RESPONSIBILTY SHOULD BE GIVEN THE MINIMUM BASIC PAY OF THE VACANT POST.IF SEVERAL PERSONS ARE SHARING THAT ADDED RESPONSIBILTY,THAT BASIC PAY CAN BE EQUALLY DIVIDED AMONST THEM.

FOR EXAMPLE IN MY CASE I SHOULD BE GIVEN AN ADDITIONAL EQUAL TO THE MINIMUM BASIC PAY FOR A SPECIALIST ie Rs10000/ only per month.

ANOTHER EXAMPLE:3 STAFF NURSES OF A DEPARTMENT SHARING THE REPONSIBILTY OF A VACANT 4th POST OF STAFF NURSE WOULD BE ENTITLED TO RECEIVE 1/3 OF THE MINIMUM BASIC PAY OF THE VACANT POST.

THE GOVERNMENT WILL BE SPENDING MUCH LESS THAN FILLING UP THE POST(IT WILL SAVE THE GOVERNMENT THE ALLOWANCES AND OTHER PERKS).IT WILL HONOUR THE STAFF WHO ARE TAKING UP THE EXTRA RESPONSIBILTY.IT WILL THEREBY BOOST THE MORALE OF THE CONSCIENTIOUS STAFF.IT CAN EFFECTIVELY REWARD THE RESPONSIBLE STAFF.