What are 8 new ideas that 2014 batch IAS officers presented to the PM? A snapshot

One of the eight presentations

LAST Thursday, a few IAS officers of 2014 batch gave presentation to an audience that included Prime Minister Narendra Modi, among others. Why shouldn’t there be a satellite-based mining surveillance system when the number of illegal mining cases jumped to 97,149 in 2014-15 — an increase of 40%, from 2009-10? Also, why not having e-court system on a mission mode when there are 2.7 crore pending cases in lower courts alone? Here are the few ideas — DBT, e-Courts, health, MyGoV, satellite-based mining surveillance system, Swachh Bharat, tourism and waste exchange etc.— that the officers gave and PMO noted:

Two officers, Dhaval Jain and Johny Tom Varghese elaborated in a power-point presentation how satellite-based mining surveillance system could be developed to automatically detect unauthorized activities in mining areas and remotely measure the volume of minerals extracted. The officers said in their presentation that they were inspired to have this idea because of some basic statistics: The contribution of the mining sector in India’s GDP is expected to rise by 148% from 2016 to 2025.

Also, such surveillance is necessitated as the number of cases in illegal mining, as reported by the state governments, jumped from 69,316 in 2009-10 to 97,149 in 2014-15 — an increase of 40%.

In another presentation prepared and presented by two IAS officers— Riju Bafna and Akash P, e-court mission mode project was discussed. In the backdrop of 2.7 crore pending cases in sub-ordinate courts, there is a need to have e-court system on a mission mode, it was argued in that presentation.

The recommendations include online monitoring of courts and also use of technology such as video-conferencing to expedite the processes. How can video-conferencing help? The officers mentioned that cost of ferrying an under trial to court is about Rs 900, according to estimates by Maharashtra police. And also, why not creating a judicial call center? Parties should call and enquire status of a particular case, it was suggested in that presentation.

Another officer who is appointed as an assistant secretary in the ministry of defence, gave a presentation on direct benefit transfers in lieu of ration-in-kind for defense forces in peace stations.

After all, there are loss, wastage and pilferages, as the current operation of distribution of ration is huge. So, the idea is — why not adopting direct benefit transfers, as 65 to 70% of the forces are usually located in peace stations.

Then there was another presentation on how to effectively manage waste products. The officers who prepared the presentation — Nancy Sahay, Ajay Dahiya, Viswashree and Ravindra Singh — ended it with a poem: Waste is nothing but resourcesWe are not harvesting.We allow them to disperse because We have been ignorant of their value.Why to trash it……When you can cash it.