Tentative – even after ten years ?

 

 

Context :

Provisions of UPA-era Bill may see light of the day through a New Window  /  Eco Times – 01 Dec

Extract :

A key UPA era antigraft bill — Right of Citizens for Time Bound Delivery of Goods and Services and Redressal of their Grievances Bill, 2011— could make a comeback, albeit in a new avatar.

The first round of inter-ministerial discussions has explored a non-legislative route for building a new public response system for every department such as publication of citizens’ charters, ensuring ‘universal digital access’ on a single platform and strengthening grievance redressal systems further.

While the Modi government does not appear inclined on reviving the bill, it is looking at implementing its key elements.

The parliamentary panel has been reminding the government on the need for the UPA-era bill or such a scheme. “The committee reiterates its recommendation as it believes that passage and enactment of this bill will ensure time-bound delivery of goods and services and facilitate timely redressal of grievances,” the panel, chaired by BJP’s Bhupendra Yadav, said in its September report.

===================================================

I can appreciate why the government is not keen to revive the bill. When you pass a law, it is implied that the law contains “ specific punishments ” for the law-breakers

Now, if a certain “ Department – Division – Section – Unit – Agency “ of a government (including, Gram Panchayat/  Local Municipality / State Govt / Central Govt / A Statutory Body etc ), fails to,

Ø  Deliver a legally-obligated Service to a citizen ( even in absence of a Citizen Charter ), or

Ø  Fails to redress a legit complaint of a citizen ( for non-delivery / late delivery of a service ),

 

-       then, who can the law punish ? ( assuming that for a million such instances / occurrences DAILY , those aggrieved citizen file a million court-cases EVERY DAY )    

Obviously, a court cannot send to jail, a “ Department – Division – Section – Unit – Agency “ !

Is there a way out, which can bring about a speedy GRIEVANCE REDRESSAL, without passing a law ?

I think there is .

By evolving a mechanism ( a Digital Platform ), which will evaluate the DELIVERY PERFORMANCE of all govt departments ( in a transparent / quantifiable manner for everyone to see on a Government Portal )

Then Government ( Personnel Department ) using this QUANTITATIVE INDEX of PERFORMANCE, for internal rewards / punishments of persons considered responsible for failure to deliver / failure to redress the Citizen Complaints    

In my following blog / e-mail ( to Cabinet Ministers ), I had described a CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK of such a DIGITAL PLATFORM , in the shape of a Mobile App, called :

I SIN > < U SIN…………………….. ………………………… 29 Dec 2012 ]

Then , a few years later , I sent following e-mail :

Needed : a Service Liability Act ………………………..[ 12 June 2019 ]

Extract :

 

To hold every Public Servant “ accountable “ for causing hurt / damage to any citizen, what we urgently need is a “  Service Liability Act ( Govt Employees ) 2019 “ , which clearly spells out :

#   Extent of hurt / damage

     Minor injuries  /  Temporary-permanent Disabilities /  Deaths

#  Coverage

    Individual Citizen  /  Community  /  Entire Country

#   Time Frame

     Short term  /  Medium  Term  /  Long  Term

#   Economic Impact on the Sufferers

     Mild ( loss of money ) / Medium ( loss of assets )  /  Severe ( loss of earning capacity )

#  Cause

           Negligence ( abdication of responsibility ) / Indecisions on part of a Public Servant

           Poor but honest decisions

          Mala-fide decisions ( with pecuniary gains for decision taker )

 

Here is my Conceptual Frame Work for an Online Rating Form :

===================================================

                              SLAM  :  Service Liability Assessment  Matrix 

                         ( an online form / Mobile App , for rating by citizens )

===================================================

Dear Citizen :

Following news just got reported in Media . Please rate it by appropriate selection :

                         Metal staircase with live wires electrocuted 2 boys   

===================================================

Assessment Parameter	Weightage	Most (5)	Certain (4)	Possible(3 )	Negligible(2)	Least ( 1 )
Extent of Hurt	20 %
Coverage	30 %
Time Frame	10 %
Economic Impact	30 %
Perception ( Most likely reason for mishap )	10 %

 

TOTAL    :

{ Call it “ AQ = Anger Quotient “   or   “   WS = Wrath Score “ }

===================================================

Let the Service Liability Act ( Proposed ) , prescribe various levels of punishments ( for Govt Employee/s , determined responsible for the root-cause of this mishap )

A certain time period may be prescribed for the citizens to fill up the form for each mishap

If , my proposal sounds too REVOLUTIONARY / RADICAL ( even for our bold and decisive, PM ), then , to begin with, some NGO ( eg : ADR ? ) may consider implementing this on its own , to create awareness and to educate the public in airing their opinion / feedback , on what lapses they see around them , everyday

===================================================

Dear Members of

“PARLIAMENTARY STANDING COMMITTEE ON PERSONNEL, PUBLIC GRIEVANCES, LAW AND JUSTICE”

I urge you to :

Ø  Debate my proposals, and if convinced ( with whatever changes you deem necessary )

Ø  Circulate to Ministers ( Central + State ) / MPs / MLAs of State legislatures

You will succeed in convincing them that, a “ trial / experimental “ beginning can be made without having to pass any law

With regards,

Hemen Parekh / hcp@RecruitGuru.com  /  03 Nov 2020

===================================================

 PARLIAMENTARY STANDING COMMITTEE ON PERSONNEL, PUBLIC GRIEVANCES, LAW AND JUSTICE

================================================

		Members from
1	Andimuthu Raja  /  raja.andimuthu@gmail.com  a.raja@sansad.nic.in	Lok Sabha
2	Chavda Vinod Lakhamashi  /  chavdav.lakhamashi@sansad.nic.in  vinod5467@gmail.com	Lok Sabha
3	Choudhury Mohan Jatua  /  mj.choudhury@sansad.nic.in	Lok Sabha
4	Jasbir Singh  /  updesh.gill97@yahoo.com	Lok Sabha
5	Jyotirmay Singh Mahato  /  jyotirmaysingh111@gmail.com  Jyotirmay.singh@sansad.nic.in	Lok Sabha
6	Kanumuru Raghu Rama Krishna Raju /  Raghu@ibpil.com  Raghu.mp@sansad.nic.in	Lok Sabha
7	Kuldeep Rai Sharma  /  antccani@gmail.com  Kuldeeprai.mp@sansad.nic.in	Lok Sabha
8	Mahendra Singh Solanky  /  mahendrasinghsolanki379@gmail.com	Lok Sabha
9	Malook Nagar / malook.nagar@sansad.nic.in malooknagar@malooknagar.com	Lok Sabha
10	Manicka Tagore / manickamtagore@gmail.com	Lok Sabha
11	Mohanbhai Delkar / mohandelkardnh@gmail.com  Mohan.delkar@sansad.nic.in	Lok Sabha
12	Omprakash Yadav  /  opyadavmp@gmail.com	Lok Sabha
13	P.P. Mohammed Faizal / mohammed.faizal@sansad.nic.in	Lok Sabha
14	Pradan Baruah / baruah.pradan@gmail.com  pradanbaruah@sansad.nic.in	Lok Sabha
15	Pradeep Kumar / pradeepksingh.india@gmail.com  Pradeepkrsingh.mp@sansad.nic.in	Lok Sabha
16	Sandhya Ray / Sandhya.ray@sansad.nic.in	Lok Sabha
17	Suresh Pujari / sureshkpujari@gmail.com  Suresh.pujari@sansad.nic.in	Lok Sabha
18	Upendra Singh Rawat / upendrasinghrawat@gmail.com	Lok Sabha
19	Veena Devi / officialveenadevi@gmail.com	Lok Sabha
20	Venkatesh Netha Borlakunta / bvnpvnsiddharth@gmail.com	Lok Sabha
21	Abhay Bhardwaj	Rajya Sabha
22	Bhupender Yadav / bhupender.yadav@sansad.nic.in	Rajya Sabha
23	Deepender Singh  /  office@deepender.in	Rajya Sabha
24	K.R. Suresh Reddy / sureshreddy.kr@sansad.nic.in	Rajya Sabha
25	Naresh Gujral / nareshgujral@sansad.nic.in	Rajya Sabha
26	P. Wilson / p.wilsonmp@sansad.nic.in	Rajya Sabha
27	Rajendra Gehlot / Rajendra.gehlot@sansad.nic.in	Rajya Sabha
28	Shiv Pratap Shukla / spshukla.mp@sansad.nic.in	Rajya Sabha
29	Sukhendu Sekhar Roy / sukhendu.sekhar@sansad.nic.in	Rajya Sabha
30	Vivek K. Tankha / vivektankha.mp@sansad.nic.in	Rajya Sabha

===================================================

 

 

 

 

Congrats Smt Meenakshi Lekhiji

 

( mrs.mlekhi@sansad.nic.in  /  mlekhioffice@gmail.com )

 

Context :

We’ve not leveraged Advantage of Being World’s Largest Data Market  /  Eco Times – 30 Nov

Extract :

Ø  The interest of everyone is common, which is that we need to protect the interests of India, Indians and their privacy

Ø  Our only competitor is China, and they have not allowed the entry of big tech companies into their markets. They are controlling the technology, hardware and the AI.

Ø  We have not leveraged our advantages. It has been 20 years of the IT Act and there has been no result.

Ø  Why should India not be a hub of AI revolution and innovation?

Ø  Through this bill, the Committee wants to establish a rule-based open, just and transparent system for the good of the public

Ø  Indian engineers along with the enormous data are fantastic resources for the big technology revolution

Ø  Every clause is being discussed, every opinion is being considered, and every contrarian view is being debated for due consideration

Context :

JPC Split Over Draft Data Privacy Law, Govt Access  /  Eco Times – 30 Nov

Extract :

Ø  A senior member of the JPC from an opposition party suggested that Section 35 of the bill, which allows the Centre to exempt its agencies from some or all provisions of the bill for national security and public order, should be granted only if it is necessary, proportionate and when public interest outweighs breaching the right to privacy

Ø  Similar concerns were voiced by other members who said such processing of personal data should not be permitted unless it is authorized pursuant to a law, as recommended in the original draft of 2018

Ø  Some members want the section to be deleted, arguing that it can be subject to government abuse and it runs contrary to Puttaswamy judgement that deals with the Right to Privacy

===================================================

Dear Smt Meenakshiji,

Congratulations !

For

Ø  Dexterous handling of the deliberations of the JPC ( 30 meetings and counting ! )

Ø  Plain-speaking ( eg: China vs India )

Ø  Focusing on much broader aspect of “ Interests of Indian Citizen “ , rather than on narrow vision of “ Controlling of fake news / hate speech “ etc

Ø  Reposing faith in the capabilities of Indian engineers to pull off a “ big technology revolution “

Ø  Consensus-building by encouraging debate on “ Contrarian Views “

Ø  Wanting to establish a “ rule-based open, just and transparent system for the good of the public “    

===================================================  

My Take :

[ A ]  Section 35

As far as Section 35 is concerned, I urge Members of your committee to consider my following suggestion which will adequately satisfy the needs of the Government while protecting the privacy of the individuals, in a most TRANSPARENT way :

Who watches the Watchmen ? ……………………………[ 12 Jan 2019 ]

 

My proposal,

  

#  Gives a free hand to the Agencies to proceed with their investigations, without needing PRIOR PERMISSION

   

And

 

#  Ensures total TRANSPARENCY of their surveillance activities to the persons being investigated

    

This will assure the ordinary citizens (– and also “ vulnerable “ citizens such as politicians belonging to opposition parties ? )– that they are not being snooped upon secretly !

 

 

[ B ]   Good of the Public

 

The real issue here is :

Ø  Every time  I click on any website , “ I agree with your Terms / Conditions “ ( always without reading ), I am entering into a “ one – to – one “ legally binding contract with that site , enabling it to collect / compile enormous personal data about myself

( Eg : What permissions I gave to Google ? Read :

            How many Mobile Apps will you ban ?  ………………[ 24 Nov 2020 ]

Ø  Like me , some 400 million Indian users have clicked YES – and entered into such contracts with ( say ) 10 Social Media websites

             That adds up to 4000 million “ Individual Contracts “ ! Does Data Protection Law consider these valid ?

Ø  These sites are selling my PERSONAL DATA to advertisers and earning BILLIONS of dollars each year . I get nothing for my very own personal data ! I cannot demand any compensation ( as per contract )

Ø  If someone hacks into the database of these sites and steals millions of records, it is rarely reported . Even when reported, I have no clue that my personal data was part of that theft !

Ø  I would not be any wiser, even if I come to know that my data got stolen ( or got sold ) , since I have no resources to fight a court-case against that site ( even if I knew where to file a case. Under which law ! )

My suggested solution :

Ø  All of these 4,000 million ( individual ) contracts to be replaced with just 10 “ Sovereign Contracts “, to be entered into between GOI ( on behalf of Indian Users ) on one hand and those 10 websites on the other hand . You can see : - it is possible to defend 10 contracts in a court of law – but not 4000 million contracts !

Ø  By nullifying those 4000 million individual contracts – and through entering Sovereign Contracts, GOI will ensure that these Social Media sites, COMPENSATE the users for using / selling their PERSONAL DATA

Ø  My estimate is that this OVERARCHING FRAME-WORK / PLATFORM , will enable each Indian User to receive from Social Media sites ( by way of COMPENSATION ) , Rs 30,000 PER MONTH !

 

I urge the Members of your committee , to carefully study the elaborate details of my proposal at :

 Digital Dividend from Demographic Data [ 4 D ]…………………..... [ 14 Feb 2019 ]

 

 SARAL ( Single  Authentic  Registration for Anywhere  Login )…[ 10 Feb 2019 ]

 

Related Readings :

     Hurry / do not Hesitate ……………………………………………… .[ 18 Nov 2020 ]

    GAFA ( aka Monopoly V 2.0 ? ) ………………………………………[ 30 Sept 2020 ]

     A Greed-Ship named Facebook ………………………………………[ 21 Sept 2020 ]

     Time for the Next Step …………………………………………………….[ 15 Sept 2020 ]

     Only Answer : a Statutory Warning…………………………………..[ 10 Nov 2018 ]

===================================================

Dear Meenakshiji,

Ø  If Members of your Committee have any reservations in respect of the feasibility of my proposal, then I request you to forward these to the most respected technology experts of our country and ask them to depose before the committee .

 

Ø  As you rightly observed, ” Indian engineers along with the enormous data are fantastic resources for the big technology revolution “.

 

If given a challenge, they are capable of a solution which will be far better than what USA-UK-France-Germany-Australia etc have done so far

      

With regards,

Hemen Parekh / hcp@RecruitGuru.com / 30 Nov 2020 

==================================================

          Members of JPC for Data protection Bill

=====================================================================================================

Member Name	Party	E Mail ID
Meenakshi Lekhi	BJP	mrs.mlekhi@sansad.nic.in
P P Chaoudhary	BJP	ppchaudhary@sansad.nic.in
S S Ahluwalia	BJP	ssa@sansad.nic.in
Tejaswi Surya	BJP	tejasvi.surya@sansad.nic.in
Ajay Bhatt	BJP	ajaybhattlopuk@gmail.com
Col R Singh Rathore	BJP	rajvardhan.rathore@sansad.nic.in
Sanjay Jaiswal	BJP	drsanjayjaiswal@gmail.com
Kirit Solanki	BJP	kitit.solanki@sansad.nic.in
Arvind Dharmapuri	BJP	arvind.dharmapuri@sansad.nic.in
Dr Heena Gavit	BJP	drheenagavit@gmail.com
Uday Pratap Singh	BJP	uday.pratap@sansad.nic.in
Rajiv Ranjan Singh	JDU	lalanrrsingh@yahoo.co.in
Gaurav Gogoi	Congress	gaurav.gogoi@sansad.nic.in
S Jothi Mani	Congress	jothimani102@gmail.com
Prof Saugata Roy	TMC	saugata.roy@sansad.nic.in
Kanimozhi	DMK	kanimozhi@sansad.nic.in
P V Midhun Reddy	YSR Congress	midhun.reddy@sansad.nic.in
Dr  Shrikant Shinde	Shivsena	shrikant.shinde@sansad.nic.in
Bhartruhari Mahtab	BJD	bhartruhari.mahtab@gmail.com
Ritesh Pandey	BSP	ritesh.pandey@sansad.nic.in
Bhupendra Yadav	BJP	bhupendra.yadav@sansad.nic.in
Suresh Prabhu	BJP	sureshprabhu@sansad.nic.in
Rajeev Chandrasekhar	BJP	rajeev.c@sansad.nic.in
Ashwini Vaishnaw	BJP	av.odisha@sansad.nic.in
Jairam Ramesh	Congress	jairam@sansad.nic.in
Vivek Tankha	Congress	vivektankha.mp@sansad.nic.in
Derek O’brien	TMC	derek.ob@sansad.nic.in
A Navneethkrishnan	AIDMK	a.navkrish@sansad.nic.in
Ram Gopal Yadav	TRS	ramgopal.yadav@sansad.nic.in
Amar Patnaik	BJP	amar.patnaik@sansad.nic.in