A Five Point Program for Good Governance

Ask all government employees to stand in line and get a certificate from ten common citizens about their conduct on the job. Give all those who score less than 60% a one year warning to shape up or..

Put all rules on the web, pertaining to any government permission, license, permit etc. and ask the citizen to print the stuff, stick a picture if needed, and post a copy to the government official concerned (maybe a scan). If you don't hear from him in three days, the citizen is deemed to have got the certificate/license/permit. Then the burden shifts to the official to prove that the citizen should not be carrying that.

Remove all subsidies on gas cylinders. It does not help a household anyway-too small an amount. Instead, cut the inefficient supply chains and make gas available on demand. It will help shut down all the inefficient dealers. And bring prices down. Even if the prices don't go down, people will be willing to pay for efficiency and lack of time-wastage. Even better, supply piped gas and get rid of ALL dealers -and cylinders.

Collect fines on spitting and littering at a small rate, say 10 or 20 rupees an offence. Municipal bodies will be rolling in money for some years. Use the money to build roads, or subsidise public transport. That will reduce pollution and traffic.

Audit all election promises (make promises compulsory) every six months, and disqualify candidates with less than 70 percent unfulfilled promises. This is for the election commission.

Sit back, relax, and watch the country flower into a new, improved Republic.

Making Tea in a Rice Cooker

Whoever said a rice cooker is only for cooking rice? On the lookout for new ways to make tea since my only gas cylinder got exhausted and while I waited for the replacement to arrive, I focussed on 'what I have' rather than 'what I don't have' (this is deep,.... think).

And came up with the bright idea. Make chai in the cooker. So here is the recipe. Put water mixed with a little milk in the electric cooker. Put it on cook. Cover. Wait 10 mins. Take out mixture and pour over tea in a strainer into a shallow bowl so the tea can interact with the hot water/milk mixture. Pour remaining hot water in the drinking cup. After a minute of soaking, pour the red mix from the shallow bowl into the cup. Add sugar if you need it.

You have got yourself a nice cup of tea, and saved some gas-though not electricity. Helps clear some cobwebs (the tea, and in the brain).