Today is a big day as all of us are today celebrating 73rd Independence Day. Independence or aazadi is the most sought happiness among all the creatures. We work for it and die for it. Today, on this auspicious day , I wish to self-introspect what we have done and how we feel. I was born in independent India in a village and grew in there with my pals. And one of my nearest was my cousin Bhakati Sharma.We have spent a lit of our early days together. Unfortunately, the struggle for living have separated us and we still are far from each-other. This is the one part of life.
Another is the alienation from my native village. Today, my native village is much more uplifted than what it was seven decades ago. And not only this village, but all other including interior or Seraj areas have connectivity. electricity, drinking water,schools and other basic amenities. People are much better off. That's tells the story of India since independence. I have been to most of the countries and can vouchsafe, Himachal Pradesh, despite being a hilly areas, has done much better than may other states. The apple economy has given a big boost to the upper areas of Himachal. Today, Himachal is known as "Apple Garden" of India. Tourism activities including religious have immensely uplifted the entire state.
So far so good. Despite having done well in building strong infra-structural and providing basic amenities, we still suffer from institutional mismanagement and heavy cost of governance. Piped water supply is there but no regular supply. Water supply is restricted to just one or two hours and during summer there is acute water supply crisis. Most of traditional water sources have dried up with found water table receding gradually. The traditional water source at my village home has almost dried up and the tapped water supply is too scary. It may not come for days. Electricity is there but its not regular. Frequent unscheduled power cuts are regular feature of rural Himachal. This is despite state being declared as power surplus state. Its a tragedy that We sell power to others but cant ensure 24X7 power supply to our people. In education and health sectors, Himachal is better placed than other states but lacks quality of services.
Corruption is a big issue. And my experience is revenue department is the most corrupt one in the state. I have personal bitter experience. Recently, I had to execute an deed and went to tehsil office in Nagrota Bagwan. The deed was executed but the revenue officer took Rs 500 under the garb of Red Cross. However, I wasn't given any receipt. Apparently, the official pocketed it and he was not afraid at all. Some time back, I needed a demarcation of my plot in Mandi but the patwari didn't budge until his palm was greased. The revenue officials are so thick-skinned that they are not afraid of any one.
In neighboring Punjab and Haryana, a fee of 2 percent is added to registration process over and above the prescribed fee. Ad if you refuses to pay this 2 percent fee, your registration will be blocked. Its an open secret that a major part of this "illegal gratification fee " goes to top functionaries. In Himachal. its muted but still prevalent. And you can't seep police help until and unless cops palms are greased. Under the garb of traffic violations and checking, motorists are made to pay for cop lust. Its a routine process for collecting money to meet royal expenses of policewalas.
Another major concern is the burgeoning expenses on salary, pension and interest crippling the development in almost all the states. Its worse in Himachal as salaries, pension and interest payouts make up 40 per cent of a state's total expenditure. Its increasing gradually and days are not far off when major part of state's income will have to be used for paying out interest, salary and pension.
You can recount hundred of such instances and each time we recall our them, we are led to infer that independence has bestowed upon us more of 'sour" fruits than the "sweet" ones. So friends, "manufactured sufferings" can't make us happy. But still I love my country and miss my village.