Shri Himanta Biswa Sarma talks about his role in the reform efforts in the state government of Assam over the previous decade. He talks about the financial reforms put in place to improve recruitment standards and salary payments, such as initiating a Value Added Tax program as a way of balancing the books to allow for further reform efforts, and overcoming the challenges associated with the these new reforms. He talks about dealing with different parts of society putting pressure on the government once the financial reforms were put in place and money became available to spend, and balancing competing interests. He also goes into detail about how the government of Assam dealt with the insurgency problem affecting the state through cease-fire negotiations, concessions and the establishment of tribal councils. He also offers his opinions on how decentralization and democracy can empower people and contribute to economic development. Finally, he discusses the need to stay up to date on all the relevant issues affecting the local community, to know the problems and stay in touch with the people to help build trust and advance the development process.
At the time of this interview, Shri Himanta Biswa Sarma was the minister of health for the government of Assam state in India, and he also ran the Guwahati Development Department. He held various positions and roles during more than a decade of service to the government of Assam. In 2002, he was appointed as the minister of state in charge of agriculture, planning and development before becoming the minister of finance in Assam in 2004.
Nitish Kumar was elected chief minister of Bihar, India's poorest state, in December 2005, when the state's government was weighed down by two decades of institutional decline. He inherited a paralyzed administration, an unmotivated bureaucracy and a state that could not adequately respond to the needs of its people. His program of administrative reforms loosened the political stranglehold on the bureaucracy, decentralized authority within administrative hierarchies and brought government closer to citizens. By 2009, Bihar was seen as a pioneer among Indian states in some areas of administrative reform, especially in improving government accountability by implementing citizens' rights to information. Two separate memos, "Coalition Building in a Divided Society" and "Clearing the Jungle Raj," describe Kumar's efforts to build a coalition for reform and to improve law and order in Bihar, respectively.
Rohan Mukherjee drafted this case study on the basis of interviews conducted in Patna, Bihar, in July 2009. Two separate case studies, "Coalition Building in a Divided Society" and "Clearing the Jungle Raj," describe Kumar's efforts to build a coalition for reform and reduce criminal activity, respectively.
Nitish Kumar was elected chief minister of Bihar, India’s poorest state, in December 2005, when the state’s government was weighed down by two decades of institutional decline, widespread lawlessness and a society deeply divided by caste and religion. Improving law and order was a major priority of his new government. The main challenges were rampant criminal activity that curtailed social and economic life, a short-staffed and under-motivated police force, widespread corruption in the ranks, and the poor image of the Bihar police. Using innovative measures, Kumar and his top police officers set out to rid Bihar of its so-called jungle raj, or law of the jungle.
Rohan Mukherjee drafted this policy note on the basis of interviews conducted in Patna, Bihar, in July 2009. Two separate memos, “Coalition Building in a Divided Society” and “Reviving the Administration,” describe Kumar’s efforts to build a coalition for reform and improve administration, respectively.
Rajiv Bora discusses some of the major issues and challenges the Assam government faced in terms of law and order, counterinsurgency, and illegal immigration. The Indian state has confronted demographic pressures stemming from the migration of people from what is now Bangladesh. The state has also witnessed several insurgencies, including the United Front for the Liberation of Asom and the Bodo minority. Bora describes his role in monitoring and implementing ceasefire agreements with these groups. He talks about government decentralization efforts as well as steps to secure the India-Bangladesh border. These efforts included constructing a border fence, increasing the number of border outposts, establishing tribunals for foreigners, and creating a national registry of citizens. Bora also outlines the objectives and outcomes of the recently implemented Police Act and the institutional steps taken to reduce police excesses. He describes several tribal and communal conflicts and how the government responded. He also highlights the debate about the effectiveness of offering rehabilitation packages for extremists who have surrendered.
At the time of this interview, Rajiv Bora was commissioner and secretary of the Home and Political departments for the government of Assam in India. From 1998 to 2003, he served as commissioner and secretary of finance, a position in which he dealt with state finances and managed fiscal reforms.