Queer Budgeting !
Annual government budgeting exercise often reminds me of more than three decades old incident of strange budget computations and predicament of a revenue officer, posted in not so lucrative tehsil. This officer, after release from army as Major, had been selected as Tehsildar and this event had excited his close relatives ,living in one of the most backward villages, to garland him profusely and to take him in a procession around the village piloted by a rural marriage Band. Everyone was wondering and guessing the astronomical income ,which their proud son will be earning while working as a revenue officer. After training of two years, which also included a year as full-fledged naib-tehsildar, the villagers had noticed perceptible transformation in the prosperity and the living style of the family. His first posting as Tehsildar, in spite of best efforts including political pulls, was on the sideline as Tehsildar on special duty. Since ,duty was of audit of tehsils, the lack of influence and corresponding no extra income, had not only dampened the spirit of the officer but also of the immediate relatives.
At long last, after a year of taking rounds of the politicians' houses, spending a lot on various other workers of the transfer and posting industry ,our 125 kg friend ,got posting as Tehsildar Anandpur Sahib. This highly scenic, beautiful, religious place was also a gateway to the most famous Bhakra dam. The very first week of posting saw visits of eleven dignitaries, which entailed heavy expenditure of rupees 20000,besides wastage of time and resultant harassment of public because of non-availability of officials/officers. Before joining the new station ,he had met his predecessor/s to assess the expected income at the new place. Even his discreet consultations with the tehsil officials on lucrative posts did not yield any encouraging dividends of expected illegal money. The officer was terrified. In the very first month the expenses on the high dignitaries and the state guests crossed one lac rupees. He had not only to spend the money but also had to be present to receive and see them off, as per the protocol. He wondered as to how these persons, who themselves had served the govt, could be so indifferent, apathetic and ruthlessly greedy, as not to spend a single penny on their luxurious and lavish stay at the mercy of the revenue officials. Govt provided only a fraction of the expenditure on the state guests, which was never claimed and reimbursed to the officials ,who generally spent it out of the bribe money.
After three months of posting, the debt on the Tehsil mounted to more than one lac, besides actual payments made of about 2 lacs. Tehsildar was worried that he had spent so much ,but in return no extra money was going to his coffers. He was restless not only on this account but also because of the visits of VIPs at odd times and also because of the off the cuff demands of their family members and accompanying staff. He wrote a letter to the financial commissioner revenue. ''Respected sir, i am indebted to your goodself for posting me as Tehsildar of important Tehsil and it is my privilege to serve the department under your dynamic and honest leadership. Anandpur sahib, being a world renowned religious place and Nangal Township being a gateway to Bhakra dam, lot many dignitaries visit the area frequently. Lot of money is to be spent to properly look after their boarding and lodging. There is no provision in the govt budget to incur such expenditure. No dignitary has ever paid even a single penny, even after fully knowing that they were not entitled for all the luxuries. So all the money is spent out of the fleecing of the innocent citizenry, in other words called' bribe money'. The area being very poor, even we fall short of this money, which is forcing us to resort to borrowing and getting things on credit. The income is much less than the expenditure. Sir, it is, therefore, requested that either the expenses must be borne by the govt or i may be transferred to some other Tehsil''. Financial Commissioner Revenue was about to mark the letter down without reading it, but it was written 'very very important' at its top in red ink. He was not impressed at the brazen impudent straightforwardness of the officer. He asked about the vacancy position of Tehsildars and immediately posted him as' Principal Patwar school Jalandhar'. My friend rued his tactlessness as long as he was in service as he had to languish as Principal for about 2 years, before he could get back lucrative post. The system has not changed a bit.
Surinderjit Singh Sandhu, Amritsar.
