Skype Meeting w/ Mr Manivannan

SB,

Count me in.  I will log in at 9:25.  Have sent you my skype ID already.  I would say the scope should go beyond electoral rolls.  We need to engage with him to understand what Mysore is doing to avoid going the Bangalore way.

Srivathsa

I will join

Only today I got skyped.  My tests show that I am partly successful. Some problem with network in this part of Mysore?  I will try ..if it is a disturbance to others, I will control,alt.del.

Murali Sir, thanQ

skype ID: vasanthmysoremath

Vasanthkumar Mysoremath 

Dear All

In order to improve and make the discussions meaningful, my submission is that we must stick to the main topics floated by Mani Sir so that whatever he has in his mind, matters most for us since he may be planning his thoughts within the available 'employable skills' of the manpower within his officialdom.  Our inputs would be necessary to improvise his thoughts.  We may have any number of thoughts for improvisation but they have to fit into the modalities of workable solutions:  Please consider:

(1) How to make the voters list 'near perfect' - MAIN SUBJECT

we know the system has not been able to do this due to many reasons - need of the hour is -  how citizens can become proactive and enter the scenario of helping the admin to deliver results that can be touched and felt by the common man - this is not meant to say, as many have felt, that we should not volunteer to do their job but make them do their job satisfactorily because they are paid for it.   This is a valid point - but time has come to recognise the fact that top authorities are helpless in such a scenario.  So, let us extend a helping hand now that it is being sought - CIVIL with GIS is a solution with "success story of a street committee in Mysore'.  Can this be improved?  Upto you guys...

(2) We may help the authorities with our personal contribution of time, energy, knowledge and technical support, to get data from grassroots level for them (street-wise) to feed and prepare a module with a futuristic ambience for a nation wide campaign - what kind of pilot project can be undertaken, how NGOs/RWAs/Concerned Citizens can spare how much of their time and when are to be dealth with.  A proforma/format for eliciting informn. on vote related issues has already been handed over to Mr.Mani Sir as also a GIS sample - Prajas may improve on that pl.

(3) GIS may also be taken up simultaneously (suggestion) in order to avoid going to the same door steps once again for this purpose.  This, in brief, is an effort to plan our menu for filling our stomach with our money being held by the authorities through our tax payments.  It is our money, we need certain things to be provided in our street, plan the budget accordingly, take action, ensure quality and quantity (citizens will be looking over the shoulders of the officials), do not embark on substandard service or civil works, reduce corruption or do not compromise etc.

(4) Citizens efforts will surely help in getting themselves form STREET COMMITTEES for participatory democracy for-

- creation of near perfect voters list

- issuance of a National Security ID Card

- paving the way for scientific renumbering of houses

- GIS for planning infrastructure/civil works, garbage disposal, water supply, budgeting, man power deployment etc., for realistic achievements

- GIS of flora and fauna - planning for parks, public utility service points like bill payment counters etc., in available government lands in the area that are being encroached upon by people in the absence of watch and ward - citizens can ensure this by keeping a watch

- 'my street' feeling will pave the way for 'my city'/'my nation' holistic thought minus cynical bullet shots

- a feeling of 'togetherness' will develop in the minds of urbanites who are even shying away from smiling at their neighbors

- in times of distress / natural calamities, unity in diversity will be a great healer

- Street Committee members and their family members can get together, create plans of action, approach the authorities in government, in a collective manner, for getting trainings arranged at their door steps in first aid, fire fighting, emergency gas leakage handling, disaster management, terrorist attack emergencies (if terrorists are hiding in a street, citizens GIS will help the security to understand my street, plan action to ensure our safety, etc.,)  - A copy of our street plan with photos/video coverage, if available at the local Police Stations, it will be a boon to authorities.

Realistic thoughts? Yes..  I for one believe that all these are well within our reach, achievable, replicable, sustainable, economical and modules with a futuristic ambience of a better world to live in,  even though all of us will be busy with our own struggles for survival and existence.

- Pardon me if I have uttered too much..  I am an old man in a hurry. 

- Prajas will always have better thoughts and may help with their add-ons.

- Vasanthkumar Mysoremath

Sorry for the delay in posting the minutes - I was expecting the convener (SB) to do it. But, he's now away on a rejuvenation trip in order to get into full action mode on return (but during the trip, he'll not be accessing PRAJA or even regular mail).

Being the first skype meeting organised using the limited facilities available at individual homes, there were quite a few technical problems. So much so, SB, who was the anchor, was more or less full time into connecting back people who were repeatedly getting disconnected. Whatever, he appears to have diagnosed the problem, and hopefully we can have interruption-free discussions in future.

Like it had been stated in the agenda, this first meeting was largely to hear out what Mr Manivannan had to say, on

1) Unsatisfactory state of the Electoral roles - Here, Manivannan gave us details of the processes and people involved, their roles & responsibilities, etc, more or less on the lines of what he has stated       here       &       here        . He admitted that the weakest link was the enumeration process thrust on unwilling school teachers for some pittance of an allowance. In response to my specific query about out-sourcing (check        this      ), he agreed it was a good idea, but was worried about the costs involved. To my counter that the price whatever would still be very small compared to what a democracy pays for poor accuracy levels as obtaining presently, he responded positively. The other point I had raised, questioning the need to go enumerating door-to-door, I could not pursue because of the poor connectivity.

2) Upper House - His proposal is to include the Ward Committee members into this. The new city Commissioner, Mr Raiker, IAS, is very supportive of this idea, and it is now making good progress in collaboration with Mysore chapter of CII.

3) JUSCO deal - With all the interruptions, it was quite late by the time we switched to this topic. Mr Manivannan offered to post a write-up summarising the latest position.

Meeting concluded with a vote of thanks by SB.

Others may lease add their individual notes.

Muralidhar Rao

Source: Star of Mysore 19-6-09

Rightly so.  Can we revive CIVIL with GIS and help the MP from grassroots level?

- Vasanth Mysoremath