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ANDHRA
PRADESH Millennium ExerciseThe state's cyber-savvy chief minister sends his ministers back to classroom -- to learn policy making and hone their minds and bodies for better governance. By Amarnath K Menon There is no machine yet designed, or ever to be
designed, that has more excitement or more majesty than the human body. This toast to the human form could well have graced the wall of the biology lab of a school. It is actually one of the posters on physiology put up to inspire a motley group of men in Hyderabad who have been sent back to the classroom -- not to learn the three 'R's but to study the basics of governance. The 36 members of the Andhra Pradesh Cabinet had barely finished an orientation course on their rights and responsibilities as ministers, when last week Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu virtually ordered an even more surprising regimen for them -- yoga and meditation sessions. The young chief minister obviously feels that to deliver the goods in today's politics, a sound body is as important as a sound mind. Orienting ministers -- many of them senior politicians -- towards their task is an arduous job. Some have impressive credentials in garnering grassroots support, others may be good party functionaries but a majority of them lack understanding and clarity on how to give direction to government policy, even after several years as ministers. Naidu has set out to change all that -- in keeping with his image of a chief minister of the next millennium. Initially the response to the yoga classes, conducted by the Bihar Yoga Bharathi was rather lukewarm with only a few ministers turning up and even those present having a tough time. On the first day, the women were conspicuous by their absence. Naidu of course is not the one to tolerate such truancy among his ministers. All it took was a not-so-gentle reminder from the chief minister's office to the errant ministers. They not only fell in line but say they have even begun to discover the virtues of yoga. Gushes Home Minister T. Devender Goud: "The breathing exercises enhance stamina and personality development sharpens communication skills." Says Swami Vignana Chaitanya, the yoga teacher: "All we have done in three sessions is to focus on relaxation and show the ministers how to release pressure from their spine." As with everything else associated with Naidu, this exercise too was chalked out in detail. It began with a series of 12 lectures, including a two and a half hour audio-visual presentation by Naidu himself where the ministers were informed about the intricacies of the relationship among the legislature, executive and judiciary. The ministers were bombarded with suggestions and advice from all quarters, beginning with Andhra Pradesh Governor C. Rangarajan who flagged off the innovative programme. He cautioned the ministers that though they were the ultimate powers in decision-making "they must let the bureaucracy speak its mind". It set the tone for the learning process. "We have been made fully aware of the powers of ministers, the secretariat administrative structure, decision-making within the departments and how we can use it to go about our work," says state Agriculture Minister V. Sobhanadreeswara Rao. It's not just the fitness of the body that the chief minister wants for himself and his Cabinet -- he also wants the well-being of the spirit. A series of lectures and interactive sessions have been organised with the help of the Mount Abu-headquartered Prajapita Brahma Kumaris. "Our programme covers moral, social, human and spiritual values besides meditation techniques including rajayoga because it enables one to be a master of oneself," says instructor Asha Ben, who conducts the mind training and stress management courses. The slew of programmes was initiated because Naidu felt that ministers were often unable to communicate the Government's programmes and policies effectively to the people. His own presentation focused on people's participation and on reducing the gap between the Government and those governed. "We need to develop a comprehensive strategy to face the challenge of living up to the expectations of the people," says Naidu. The ministers, apart from facing difficulties in practicing yogic postures, have nothing to complain about in their new roles -- partly because of Naidu's interest of course. "Stress and feeling dull are occupational hazards of a politician in power and there is no better way to overcome it than through mind and body training," says Finance Minister Y. Ramakrishnudu. Adds Irrigation Minister Mandava Venkateswara Rao: "It improves our personality and we get some time that we can really call our own." The Opposition Congress of course sees it as another Naidu publicity stunt. "Gimmicks garu is back in business," says G. Muddurkrishnama Naidu, the party spokesman, caustically. Recalling how Naidu dropped many from his first batch of ministers after putting them through similar training at the Administrative Staff College of India a few years ago, Muddurkrishnama Naidu says, "The seemingly innovative programme is only to give the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief's personal image a further boost around the country." For Naidu, this is all part of the package to hone the skills of his colleagues to enable them to sell his ambitious reforms agenda to the people and put it into practice. But he is not confining it to ministers alone. Keen on ushering in a new work culture, he is making legislators and civil servants go through similar phased training programmes. Some secretaries have already undergone a stress-management programme. "Unless officials and ministers have the right mental attitude, their work cannot really benefit the people," says Naidu. With the TDP's emphatic victory in the recent elections, Naidu has already tightened his hold on the party and the Government. Even though critics call him "gimmicks garu", the new initiatives could be the tonic to work wonders for the chief minister whose eyes are set on the next millennium. |
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