Ties bound by respect

India and the United States share strong diplomatic and economic ties, but recent incidents expose double standards and disrespect towards India. While Indian professionals contribute immensely to the U.S. economy, cases of racial remarks, humiliating visa procedures and unfair treatment of Indian students continue to surface. At the same time, America expects India to support its strategic interests and trade priorities.

True friendship between nations must be based on mutual respect, not superiority. The U.S. should understand that today’s India is a rising global power with talent, technology and economic strength.

T. Kailash Ditya,

Hyderabad

Missing children

May 25 was “International Missing Children’s Day”, yet there was not a word about it on most platforms. Greater awareness is needed about this grave and sensitive issue, especially when thousands of children go missing around the world.

Sreelekha P.S.,

Secunderabad

A letter of advice to the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister

I write this letter as a retired IAS officer. I currently serve as the Chairperson of the Telangana Education Commission, Government of Telangana. Over the past four decades, I have worked extensively within government administration, specializing in rural infrastructure, rural development, education, healthcare, poverty alleviation, and general governance. Additionally, I have served as a consultant for the UNDP, an Advisor on poverty alleviation to the Government of Laos, and an adviser on education to the Government of Andhra Pradesh.

Dear Mr. Vijay,

Congratulations on becoming the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. The people have placed their trust in you with the hope of clean, effective and people-centric governance.

The greatest challenge before a Chief Minister is not only administration, but also deciding whom to trust and whose advice to follow. New Chief Ministers often depend heavily on IAS and IPS officers. While people assume these officers possess a strong social commitment, my experience as a retired IAS officer suggests otherwise in many cases.

Broadly, IAS and IPS officers may be classified into three groups: first, honest, committed and proactive officers genuinely dedicated to public welfare; second, status quo-oriented officers who are generally inactive — some may be honest while others may be corrupt; and third, manipulative officers who are often deeply corrupt but outwardly appear polite and efficient. It takes time for political leaders to correctly identify these categories.

Officers may also be classified by administrative mindset. Category 1 consists of regulation-oriented and rule-driven officers. Category 2 includes welfare-oriented and people-centric officers. Category 3 comprises officers who adapt according to the department and assignment. Some IAS and IPS officers frighten Chief Ministers and Ministers on issues that favour people. The majority are status quoists. Postings should therefore be based on both integrity and administrative mindset. Regulation-oriented officers may suit the Revenue, GST and Electricity departments, while welfare-oriented officers may be more effective in Education, Health and Welfare departments.

I would also suggest focusing on 10 major interventions during your five-year tenure.

Quality public education: Tamil Nadu still has many single-teacher and multi-grade schools that cannot deliver quality education. Government schools should be upgraded to standards comparable to reputed private institutions. The government may identify six to eight schools in each block, preferably with adequate land, and develop them into modern English-medium schools from nursery to Class 12, with standardised infrastructure, qualified teachers, adequate PETs, laboratories, libraries, sports facilities, digital learning tools and strong academic monitoring. Similarly, one degree college in every Assembly constituency may be upgraded with standardised infrastructure, quality faculty, laboratories, hostels and skill-development facilities so that students from ordinary families can access quality higher education. Skill-based employability training should be integrated into the curriculum.

Public health-care reform: One government hospital in every Assembly constituency may be upgraded into a super-specialty hospital with modern, standardised infrastructure, qualified doctors, specialists, nurses and equipment comparable to leading private hospitals. This would reduce the need for poor and middle-class families to travel to Chennai for advanced treatment and prevent many families from falling into poverty due to medical expenses. Specialist doctors should be paid competitive salaries, while affordable fees may be collected from patients for sustainability.

Employment and skill development: Youth unemployment requires urgent attention. A centralised “skill bank” may be established to register unemployed educated youth in Tamil Nadu, along with their qualifications and skills, so that industries can recruit directly. Graduates from engineering, pharma, nursing, agriculture and other streams should receive four to six months of industry-oriented employability training, including communication and life skills. Training must align with domestic and international job opportunities. A dedicated department or agency may oversee skill development, employment generation and employment facilitation. This intervention alone can potentially create millions of jobs in sectors such as manufacturing, IT, healthcare, textiles, teaching, construction, pharma and agribusiness, exclusively for Tamil Nadu youth.

Agriculture: Farmers continue to face problems such as poor-quality seeds, inadequate storage facilities, lack of cold chains and exploitation by middlemen. The government should establish warehouses, cold storage facilities, procurement systems and food-processing industries, while strengthening cooperative societies. A long-term Farmers Development Fund may be created to systematically address agricultural challenges and improve farmers’ incomes.

Police reforms: Police stations must become citizen-friendly institutions where every individual, especially women and the poor, is treated with dignity. Important reforms include online and CSC-based complaint submission systems through Arasu e-Sevai centres, later to be converted into FIRs by the police department; transparent FIR monitoring mechanisms; CCTV cameras in all police stations as directed by the Supreme Court; separation of law-and-order and investigation functions; reduced political interference; fixed tenure for police officers; stronger forensic and scientific investigation systems; independent police complaints authorities; community policing initiatives; better welfare, counselling and working conditions for police personnel; increased recruitment of women police officers; and transparent transfer systems free from political influence.

Anti-corruption reforms: Corruption is one of the root causes of poverty, injustice, unemployment, criminalisation of politics and administrative inefficiency. The State should strengthen the DVAC and Lokayukta through stricter laws, fast-track courts and stronger punishments for corruption. A statutory Anti-Corruption Commission with reputed retired officials and civil society members may be established to identify corruption-prone sectors and monitor reforms. Annual asset disclosure by all public servants and elected representatives should be made mandatory. Aadhaar-linked property registrations and digitisation of government transactions can significantly improve transparency.

Eradication of extreme poverty: Around 5%-7% of families remain ultra-poor and struggle with hunger, homelessness and unstable livelihoods. A targeted mission may be launched to eliminate extreme poverty within five years through basic housing, free electricity connections, subsidised LPG, Antyodaya ration cards, health coverage, livelihood grants for petty businesses and residential schooling for children.

Industries and infrastructure: Industrial growth is essential for employment and economic development. The government should prepare a 10-year infrastructure master plan covering roads, airports, railways, electricity and industrial corridors. Industrial hubs around Parandur, Hosur, Ramanathapuram and Neyveli may be developed with seamless infrastructure and green-energy support. A transparent single-window clearance system should be established to attract industries without corruption or bureaucratic delays. The government may also study successful industrial models from countries such as China, Japan and South Korea.

Smart villages and smart cities: At least 10% of villages and municipalities should be transformed into model Smart Villages and Smart Cities during your tenure. These areas should have 24X7 water supply, underground electricity and drainage, pothole-free roads, clean streets and waste management, citizen-friendly government offices and police stations, quality schools and hospitals, public transport and parks, CCTV surveillance and transparent governance. These model projects can become templates for future Statewide development in your next tenures.

Women empowerment: Self-Help Groups (SHGs) remain one of the strongest instruments for women’s empowerment. The government should strengthen SHGs through easy credit access, skill development, market linkages, auditing, livelihood diversification and support for ultra-poor women. Loans and subsidies should primarily create productive assets rather than debt burdens, thereby promoting sustainable incomes and contributing to GDP growth. SHGs should also be facilitated to participate actively in village development and local governance.

Governance suggestions: A Chief Minister’s tenure is brief — roughly 21,900 hours (five yearsX365 daysX12 hours). Every hour is important for a Chief Minister. Use your time carefully and focus on outcomes and results rather than attending ceremonies and inaugurations of private properties. Identify honest and proactive IAS officers for key departments. Constitute expert commissions for the above 10 priority sectors. Spend the first six months creating a detailed implementation roadmap. Conduct regular performance reviews of IAS and IPS officers. Monitor implementation regularly rather than assuming instructions will be followed. Provide structured training for Ministers and MLAs. Retain full control over IAS and IPS postings rather than listening to Ministers or vested interests. Introduce biometric attendance systems for all government employees, including IAS and IPS officers, linking attendance to salaries and leave management so that they remain available to people and people’s representatives. Strengthen public grievance redressal systems.

Tamil Nadu possesses immense human potential, administrative strength and industrial capability. With clean governance, effective implementation and people-centric reforms, your government can create a historic model of development and dignity for the people of the State.

Wishing you success in your leadership and service to the people of Tamil Nadu.

Akunuri Murali,

Hyderabad