Narendra Modi tells India's inefficient bureaucrats 'it's time for work'
The new premier's habit of working long hours means his underlings are too
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Narendra Modi hasn't yet been in office 100 days, but India's new premier has already taken on the nation's famously inefficient bureaucrats, known as babus.
Modi started by summoning about 70 of Delhi's top civil servants. He gave them his personal phone number and email address, and told them it was time for work. A circular appeared the next day with what have been called Modi's "11 Commandments", which include a clean-up of work spaces and a filleting of old files.
Workers have been throwing out broken furniture and mounds of paperwork from the previous administration's decade in power, when India's inefficient, corrupt bureaucracy became a symbol of the country's stalled progress. When the Home Ministry cleaned its cabinets of 150,000 files recently, the Times of India reported, workers found documents dating back to British rule, which ended in 1947.
Modi has also performed spot-checks and called ministers to see if they are at their desks. His habit of working long hours – he's up at 5.30am most mornings for yoga, and works into the night – means his underlings are working 18-hour days, too. Many government employees are now expected to come in on Saturdays.
The state has three million employees, but the privileges accorded the 5,500 elite officers of the Indian Administration service – the babus – is a source of resentment.
Washington Post
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments