India stands at a powerful crossroad. A rising global economy, a tech-savvy youth population, and aspirations of becoming a global leader. Yet, despite all our progress, one glaring weakness holds us back: a systemic inertia across government departments and public-sector undertakings. The latest example? Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh’s blunt criticism of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for delaying the delivery of Tejas Mk-1A fighter jets.
This is not just about HAL. It’s a warning bell for all of India.
Tejas Delay: Not Just a Defence Issue, But a Governance Red Flag
The Indian Air Force had expected HAL to deliver 83 Tejas jets on a tight schedule. These jets are critical for modernizing the force and reducing dependency on imports. But the delays have frustrated the IAF’s top brass.
Air Chief Marshal Singh, speaking with rare candor, stated:
“Timelines must be sacred. If we want to become Atmanirbhar (self-reliant), we must deliver, not just plan.”
His words cut through decades of bureaucratic comfort zones. When the highest-ranking officer of the Air Force speaks out publicly, it reveals a deeper rot. What if these delays had happened during a critical security situation? What if our soldiers are left unarmed due to organizational complacency?
This is not about jets. It’s about systemic failure.
The Larger Crisis: Broken Accountability in Government Work Culture
Across departments—be it the Railways, Municipal Corporations, Public Health, or even Judiciary—we see a pattern:
- Projects that overshoot deadlines by years.
- Housing schemes that fail to reach the right beneficiaries.
- Clerks processing files at a snail’s pace.
- Corruption going unchecked.
Verified Cases of Corruption and Neglect
- The Adarsh Housing Scam: A housing society meant for war widows and heroes was taken over by politicians and bureaucrats.
- The Fodder Scam: Billions siphoned from Bihar’s treasury meant for cattle fodder. A shameful mockery of governance.
- Judicial Corruption Allegations: From allegations against judges to cash-for-verdicts controversies, even the judiciary hasn’t been immune.
- Tej Bahadur Yadav’s Complaint: The BSF jawan publicly exposed the poor quality of food served to soldiers. Instead of fixing the issue, the system chose to remove him.
These cases show that inefficiency isn’t just about time delays; it’s about real human suffering.
BPO-Style Metrics: How AI Can Revolutionize Government Work
India’s BPO industry succeeded globally because of quantifiable targets, review dashboards, and real-time feedback systems. We can bring the same to our government system.
Here’s how:
- KPI-Based Assessment: Government employees must be assessed on file processing speed, citizen satisfaction, cost efficiency, and task completion rates.
- AI Dashboards: Every department should use AI-driven dashboards that show live project status, employee efficiency, and bottlenecks.
- Monthly Scorecards: Like in top BPO firms, issue monthly scorecards to every employee. High performers get rewarded. Slackers are retrained or reassigned.
- Public Ratings: Why not let citizens rate passport offices, municipal services, or railway cleanliness just like they rate Uber rides?
- Automation to Cut Corruption: AI bots can monitor procurement, construction contracts, and land deals—reducing human intervention and thus corruption.
World-Class Lifestyle for World-Class Service
But performance can’t come from pressure alone. We must inspire performance by respecting our employees, especially lower-grade staff.
Key Reforms:
- Unified Housing Schemes: Remove the LIG, MIG, HIG divide. Grade 4 sanitation workers and officers alike deserve hygienic, well-maintained homes.
- Top notch quality Education and Hygiene levels across all government schools: Quality school access ensures dignity and generational upliftment for all children of India and using AI based Ed-Tech for cost optimization.
- Mental Health Support: Many lower-tier staff suffer silently. free Counseling, stress relief, and Yoga sessions must become the new normal. We want to be a truly developed country, right?
If we want a railway sweeper to keep stations spotless, we must ensure he returns to a clean home, not a slum. If we expect a clerk to serve with a smile, she must not be battling a healthcare crisis at home.
This is Not About HAL Alone
HAL’s delay should be the final straw. We should thank Air Chief Marshal Singh for his courage. His words must now lead to nationwide policy reform:
- A central Government Performance & Wellness Commission (GPWC) must be created.
- All departments must have live dashboards accessible to ministers, CMs, and the public.
- AI-based monthly reviews must become the new norm.
- Whistleblower protection must be reinforced with real safeguards.
India cannot become a superpower with 1990s governance systems. We can’t demand accountability without offering dignity. We can’t reward incompetence and hope for excellence.
The Final Word
“Don’t expect clean governance from a dirty system.”
We need a complete reset.
Let HAL be the turning point. Let Tejas be the spark. Let every government office—from the Panchayat to Parliament—be driven by performance, transparency, and respect.
Only then can India fly at the speed of her dreams.
