From Apathy to Accountability

Rebuilding Governance in Punjab

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The time has come for Punjab to look inward-not in despair, but in determination. Governance is the bloodstream of a living society; when it falters, every aspect of life-from education to policing to infrastructure-begins to decay. Punjab stands at a turning point. The challenge is not merely financial, but moral and managerial. This deep-seated crisis affects collective morale, discourages investment, and erodes the social contract. We are not poor in resources, but poor in systems-and in will.

The government employee is the living link between the state and its citizens. Every teacher, patwari, or police constable represents the state in motion. When they work with dignity, the system breathes; when they lose faith, governance collapses into apathy. Ensuring timely salaries, fair pay commissions, and decent working conditions is not a favour, but an investment in the very machinery of the state. Neglect of employee welfare translates directly into public service failure. A demoralized workforce cannot build an inspired Punjab.

Yet fair remuneration alone cannot guarantee efficiency. Accountability must walk hand in hand with care. Files cannot sleep endlessly, nor can citizens chase approvals technology could deliver instantly. The cost of bureaucratic delay is immense, quantified in lost productivity, corruption, and public frustration. If a mobile app can track a parcel, why can't a citizen track a file? Public employment demands public responsibility. Every task must have a timeline, and every delay a consequence. Reward efficiency and penalize indifference. Governance improves only when it measures itself, shifting focus to metrics like average time-to-resolution for public grievances and transparent citizen satisfaction scores.