I admire the moves and steps being taken from time to time by the Government of China in several matters. The latest in the series is the move to get rid of railway ministry by splitting it in two parts. Its administrative and regulatory functions have been given to the Ministry of Transport. The operations side of railways has been turned into a commercial company suggesting a move to reduce the role of bureaucracy.
As a matter of fact the railway ministry had been criticized for fraud and wasting funds. Former railway minister Liu Zhijun was sacked in 2011 and is facing corruption charges.
Similarly a few more changes have been introduced in other ministries and departments too keeping in view the need of streamlining the government working for better and quicker results without the scope for corruption and nepotism as far as possible.
It is gratifying to note this development as a sequel to the earlier reforms when more than 40 ministries and commissions in China were cut down to just 29. Let us contrast this with our position in India. We just started with a dozen portfolios soon after independence. It went up to 42 by 2004. It is now a whopping figure of 53. What about reforms on our side? It is in a reverse direction unfortunately.
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