Evaluating policy impacts is something that is largely confined to select academia circles with much of the boarder society glued up as targeted eyeballs for sexed up debates churned out by news television networks.
For a nation with the largest democratic base in the world, sadly, one hardly hears of any constructive policy debate in parliament.
The discourse in parliament has touched such low levels that sometimes entire working sessions are washed out because the opposition does not want to hear anything and the government feels more secure in governing a hapless nation without being accountable to parliament.
NewsYaps initiative to critically evaluate major policy decisions at a time when the UPA has had a 10 year run in office should stoke a healthy debate whether the country under Dr Manmohan Singh has moved forward as a more efficient economy or regressed back into a non performing welfare state tied down in red tape.
Beyond the topics listed out for debate, the police decisions on agriculture, food security and employment should also be part of this debate.
The thrashing of major UPA’s policy decisions at a time when the nation heads into a very important election, should also enable the government in waiting to chalk out a course correction, so that the benefits of a vibrant democracy help the nation to finds it just place in the comity of nations.
As Editor, Ravinder Makhaik leads a team of media professionals at Hill Post.
Spanning a career of over two decades in mass communication, as a Documentary Filmmaker, TV journalist, Print Media journalist and with Online & Social Media, he brings with him a vast experience. He lives in Shimla.
