In this article, Shankkar Aiyar writes on the quantum of taxpayer money wasted and the need for efficiency.

Excerpts below: 

"Wastage of taxpayer monies is validated by data on small and large projects. Last month, the government released data on large projects undertaken by the government. On Saturday, the government created a task force to draft the roadmap for the Rs 100 lakh crore infra plan. The task force must consult the report on delayed projects released by the government recently. Around 446 ‘mega projects’ costing over Rs 1,000 crore, and 977 major projects costing Rs 150 crore or more will cost over Rs 3.3 lakh crore more than it was first estimated...

There is an eerie sense of déjavu which shrouds the tragedies of governance—it is as if the blue book of development has scarcely evolved since the colonial era. Despite the spectre of failures, governments have conveniently avoided two words: administrative reforms. To expect growth without systemic efficiency is to live in delusive denial."

Read the complete article here.