The Hindu : CS: a great political administrator

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Thursday, Jan 30, 2003

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Opinion - News Analysis

CS: a great political administrator

By K. S. Subramanian

Bharat Ratna C. Subramaniam — C.S. as he was popularly known — lived a full and meaningful life. His life span of 90 years was a veritable microcosm of India's own political and developmental history during the 20th century, particularly from the late thirties.

CS has a well-deserved reputation as one of the most successful political administrators of free India. "What little success I have had," he used to say with modesty, "I owe to the lessons I learnt as Rajaji's disciple". These were the prime lessons C. S. internalised:

— A Minister should learn the content of his job by detailed discussions with professionals concerned and through a serious study of related literature.

— He should learn about the Government administrative structure, inter-relationships among parts and the broad procedural and processual framework. Otherwise, he will lose his way in the bureaucratic jungle and the officials will draw circles around him.

— While retaining the leadership firmly in his hands, the Minister should involve a cross-section of his colleagues, officials and other stakeholders in the decision and implementation processes.

— Personal and group interests should not be permitted to cloud judgment or compromise optimal decision.

— He should have the courage and the good sense to admit mistakes; correct them, if possible, and learn from them. He should not repeat mistakes.

— The devil is in the details. He should not shy away from details, but always keep the larger picture in view. A keenness and capacity to learn, a resultant sound knowledge base, commitment to excellence, ability to weld and energise the right team, determined leadership, effective articulation of his case and a rare ability to generate a sense of ownership among the participants — these fine traits were at the heart of CS' success stories. Here are some outstanding examples:

— Primary and secondary education in Tamil Nadu took a quantum leap under his watch during 1952-62. Choice of a live-wire Director of Public Instruction in N.D. Sundaravadivelu; the Finance Department under his leadership playing a positive lead role, instead of the customary obstructive role; energising the civil service into commitment; co-opting local communities as vigorous participants in the school expansion, upgradation and mid-day meals programmes; and specially nursing the needs of the deprived and backward social segments — these factors contributed to the success of the massive education project.

— CS is rightly hailed as the father of India's Green Revolution. From its precarious ship-to-mouth existence, India was upgraded to a level of food self-sufficiency. This was made possible by an objective assessment of the technological options; detailed and meticulous planning; strong and persuasive advocacy; assiduously clearing the intellectual and ideological cobwebs; winning the support of his Cabinet colleagues through detailed documentation and personalised lobbying; and motivating an army of scientists, a host of administrators and millions of farmers. It was a Herculean task and a Himalayan achievement. With warts and all, this was one of the great success stories in planning and implementing a massive public programme, indeed a piece of social engineering. Minister-bureaucracy relationship can make or mar the performance of a Ministry. CS was one of the few political leaders in India who could optimise the efficiency and effectiveness of this relationship. He made it clear to his officials that they were not employed to tell him what he wanted to hear. Fair and objective analysis, and fearless and considered counsel was their responsibility and right. The prerogative to decide was his and also was the concomitant responsibility.

As a greenhorn Finance Minister of Tamil Nadu, C.S used to spend an hour a day for several weeks, listening to his favourite Finance Secretary, T. A. Verghese. He used to recall gratefully that this interaction was enormously educative and foundational. CS had a sixth sense to spot talent and the doggedness to ensure access to it. Many officials gratefully acknowledge how they had benefited from and grown with their association with him. But he did not spare himself or them against exacting demands of quality and quantity of work.

A regimen of appropriate support price to farmers was an important element in the architecture of agriculture policy put in place by CS. 1972 found a bumper wheat harvest and a surplus of about six million tonnes of wheat. There was a chorus of disapproval from the Planning Commission, Ministry of Finance and Reserve Bank against the procurement of surplus wheat. They painted a gruesome picture of a resultant inflation. As Minster of Planning, CS stood firmly for procurement at the pre-determined support prices.

Any other action would be a betrayal of a solemn covenant with the farmers, a cruel blow to the incentive for increased agricultural production and a shortsighted trifling with the base of food security. He was able to carry his view through and ensure the procurement. Interestingly, enough a bad drought visited the country next year and the buffer stock came as a boon.

In an era of considerable amateurism among many Ministers in the country, the professionalism, sense of purpose, financial responsibility and personal rectitude which animated CS' career stand out as a beacon light.

(The writer is a former Manager, Asian Development Bank)

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