As the general elections in India are drawing near, the momemtum in the country is picking up with a large number of NGO's or forums asking the registered voters to come out and vote. This is one opportunity that the common man gets once in 5 years to determine who will represent them in the legislature and form the next government.
The terrorist attack in Mumbai on 26/11 was the rallying point when the common man realised that their voice was not being properly heard by the power that be and that something had to done to change the situation. Since corporate India was the worst affected by the attack, the initiative was naturally taken by the corporate India.
One such initiative was launched by Lets Vote (www.letsvote.in) at Hyderabad by a group of professionals. “Let’s Vote” initiative is aimed at helping the citizens of the nation to find their voice, exercise their right, and contribute to positive development outcomes. Within a few weeks, the lets vote initiative has spread to other cities like Bangalore, Ahmedabad, Vishakapatnam and Vijaiwada.
Lets Vote has actively and effectively coordinated with the Chief Election Officer of Andhra Pradesh in getting thousands of employees of companies and students of schools in Hyderabad to get registered as voter. It also organized several events in Hyderabad and other cities to popularise the concept to vote. It is organizing a 5K walk on 5th April to motivate people to come out and vote.
Lets Vote's volunteers are actively propagating in companies the importance of vote and encouraging employees to go and vote. From informal gatherings around water coolers, overflowing with conversations underlining the importance of one’s right to vote, to mailers being sent out to demystify the electoral process, all attempts are being made to encourage employees to cast their votes during the upcoming general elections.
As per statistics, only 10% of the youth vote. There are an estimated 43 million first time voters this time. The intention is to mobilise as many as possible to vote so that democracy actually wins.
Let us vote and become the agent of change.
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
MY EXPERIENCES AT THE PASSPORT OFFICE
Passport office in India is one such place where any normal Indian would dread to go. The brokers who throng around the passport office scare you to such an extent that it makes you feel that without their assistance, it may not be possible to get the work done at the passport office.
Sometime back, I had an opportunity of going to the passport office for re-issuance of my passport which was about to expire. I went on the passport website and found out the necessary documents to be submitted along with the application form under the Tatkaal scheme. After arranging the documents, I registered online. I was given a time and date to submit the application form at the Hyderabad passport office. On the allotted date, I reached the passport office 15 minutes before the scheduled time. The security guard guided me to a gentleman who was allotting the serial no. and the counter no. I walked and sat down at the counter, waiting for my turn. After around 10 minutes, my turn came. I showed my documents to the concerned passport department official. He went through it quietly and found them in order. Then he dryly said,"get all 36 pages of the old passport photocopied and fill these two pages..your name here (pointing to the place on the paper) and the name of the person who has issued the certificate,here”. “But”, I protested,”your department website says that photocopies of only 4 front pages and 4 back pages of the passport are to be submitted, which I have done.”. “Listen”, he said ”get all 36 pages photocopied. I am not bothered what is mentioned on the website”. And saying this, he waved to the person standing behind me to show him the application. Reluctantly, I went out of the office and got all the 36 pages of the old passport photocopied. Then I filled up the form, which, should have been done by the passport official. The form is a verification letter sent to the government authority issuing the certificate, seeking confirmation of issuance. I went back again to the counter. I found that the concerned passport department official was not on his seat. He was busy helping out a person in getting the application form signed by some senior official and then carried the file to the cash section for making payment. Since the concerned official at the cash section was busy, he waited and got the payment made out of turn and then after chatting with the gentleman whom he helped, he came back to his seat. This lasted for around 5 to 10 minutes, when the entire crowd in the qeue was waiting for his return.
After return, he again looked at all the documents I had submitted with the application form. He glanced at me and asked in what business I was? “Private service”, I replied. “In which company?”, he asked. Unable to understand why he wanted this information and trying to avoid any possible demands from his side, I replied,” and Indian company in Punjagutta”. “OK”, he said glancing at me, “take these documents and tie these together ”. He then pushed the entire application form along with the supporting documents in a folder and gave me a screwdriver like instrument and a bunch of thread. Since everyone ahead of me had done it, I did it, although reminding him that this was not my job. He looked at me and smiled and told me to go to the cash counter to deposit the necessary fees.
At the cash counter, something else was brewing up. The concerned passport official, although deputed to accept payments, was busy in scrutinizing the application form of some lady who had come to him through a broker. I could infer this since he talked at least 3 times in 10 minutes to the broker, informing him the documents required for issue of the visa. Ultimately, he advised the lady to wait and he will get back to her after talking to his boss. After waiting for around 15 minutes, the payment was accepted.
Three things I would like to bring out:
First, the department needs to update it’s website about the number of pages of the old passport for which photocopies are required – 4 front and 4 back or the entire 36 pages.
Second, they can attach the verification form along with the application form to prevent delay in handling of the application form by the passport officials. It was noticed that everyone who had applied under Tatkaal scheme was being asked to fill in the verification form and till that time, others in the qeue had to wait.
Thirdly, the passport officials dealing with the general public should be trained to be polite and behave properly with them. They are doing any favor by issuing a passport, rather they are paid by the government for that work.
Sometime back, I had an opportunity of going to the passport office for re-issuance of my passport which was about to expire. I went on the passport website and found out the necessary documents to be submitted along with the application form under the Tatkaal scheme. After arranging the documents, I registered online. I was given a time and date to submit the application form at the Hyderabad passport office. On the allotted date, I reached the passport office 15 minutes before the scheduled time. The security guard guided me to a gentleman who was allotting the serial no. and the counter no. I walked and sat down at the counter, waiting for my turn. After around 10 minutes, my turn came. I showed my documents to the concerned passport department official. He went through it quietly and found them in order. Then he dryly said,"get all 36 pages of the old passport photocopied and fill these two pages..your name here (pointing to the place on the paper) and the name of the person who has issued the certificate,here”. “But”, I protested,”your department website says that photocopies of only 4 front pages and 4 back pages of the passport are to be submitted, which I have done.”. “Listen”, he said ”get all 36 pages photocopied. I am not bothered what is mentioned on the website”. And saying this, he waved to the person standing behind me to show him the application. Reluctantly, I went out of the office and got all the 36 pages of the old passport photocopied. Then I filled up the form, which, should have been done by the passport official. The form is a verification letter sent to the government authority issuing the certificate, seeking confirmation of issuance. I went back again to the counter. I found that the concerned passport department official was not on his seat. He was busy helping out a person in getting the application form signed by some senior official and then carried the file to the cash section for making payment. Since the concerned official at the cash section was busy, he waited and got the payment made out of turn and then after chatting with the gentleman whom he helped, he came back to his seat. This lasted for around 5 to 10 minutes, when the entire crowd in the qeue was waiting for his return.
After return, he again looked at all the documents I had submitted with the application form. He glanced at me and asked in what business I was? “Private service”, I replied. “In which company?”, he asked. Unable to understand why he wanted this information and trying to avoid any possible demands from his side, I replied,” and Indian company in Punjagutta”. “OK”, he said glancing at me, “take these documents and tie these together ”. He then pushed the entire application form along with the supporting documents in a folder and gave me a screwdriver like instrument and a bunch of thread. Since everyone ahead of me had done it, I did it, although reminding him that this was not my job. He looked at me and smiled and told me to go to the cash counter to deposit the necessary fees.
At the cash counter, something else was brewing up. The concerned passport official, although deputed to accept payments, was busy in scrutinizing the application form of some lady who had come to him through a broker. I could infer this since he talked at least 3 times in 10 minutes to the broker, informing him the documents required for issue of the visa. Ultimately, he advised the lady to wait and he will get back to her after talking to his boss. After waiting for around 15 minutes, the payment was accepted.
Three things I would like to bring out:
First, the department needs to update it’s website about the number of pages of the old passport for which photocopies are required – 4 front and 4 back or the entire 36 pages.
Second, they can attach the verification form along with the application form to prevent delay in handling of the application form by the passport officials. It was noticed that everyone who had applied under Tatkaal scheme was being asked to fill in the verification form and till that time, others in the qeue had to wait.
Thirdly, the passport officials dealing with the general public should be trained to be polite and behave properly with them. They are doing any favor by issuing a passport, rather they are paid by the government for that work.
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