Why AAP's promises of cheap electricity, swaraj are flawed

The manifesto of the Aaam Aadmi Party (AAP) for the Delhi Assembly Elections is a mirror to the nascent party’s erratic DNA. Like the party itself, the manifesto is a cocktail of sense and nonsense, all in the same place. It was only expected that AAP would put its interpretation of ‘Swaraj’ (self-rule) right at the top. The devolution of functional and financial autonomy in key governance areas is an eminently sensible idea, though hardly original. Still, it is difficult to find fault with the promise that decisions on development in any locality in Delhi would be taken by Mohalla Sabhas (presumably Residents’ Associations in several areas) and that funds would only be released by the Government of Delhi after such decisions were taken on the ground. It is equally sensible to suggest that the managements of dysfunctional government schools and decrepit government hospitals be supervised by Mohalla Sabhas rather than the Delhi Government secretariat. It will enforce accountability and improve performance. [caption id=“attachment_718956” align=“alignright” width=“380”]  Naresh Sharma/Firstpost[/caption] Unfortunately, AAP’s conception of Swaraj strays into anarchist territory when the manifesto suggests that Citizens’ Security Forces would be formed with a branch in each ward of the city to provide protection to women in particular. The creation of vigilantes in every nook and corner of the national capital ought to be a frightening prospect for every right thinking citizen. The duty of maintaining law and order (and the potential use of violence it hands the enforcing authority) should only be in the hand of the State. A civilized society cannot have ordinary citizens armed to the teeth, with a free licence to lynch (if not shoot). Instead of peddling this nonsensical idea, AAP would have been better advised to stick to its demand for full statehood for Delhi and for a reformed police force that is directly accountable to the Chief Minister of the state, and not the Union Home Minister. The only thing which obsesses AAP more than Swaraj is an electricity bill issued by a private distribution company (Discom). It has been AAP’s contention that Delhi’s discoms inflate bills and fleece Delhi’s consumers. AAP may be right, it may be wrong. Either way, it has at least one good idea to improve the state of electricity distribution in Delhi. Its manifesto seeks to end the monopolies of Discoms and to introduce genuine competition where consumers can choose their distribution company. This is an unobjectionable idea, one that should be implemented by any Government which takes office next month. Competition is the best way to ensure that consumers get the best deal. Unfortunately, AAP doesn’t stop at that suggestion. It suggests a blanket 50 percent cut in electricity tariffs. How has it come to the conclusion that 50 percent if the right figure? Governments are usually bad at figuring out the right prices. Competitive markets do a better job. Veiled threats to private discoms — special audits, potential cancellation of their licences – may scare away the private sector and take Delhi back to the bad old days of the state-owned DESU (Delhi Electricity Supply Undertaking), when tariffs may have been lower but there was no power for several hours in a day. Similar insanity finds its way into AAP’s proposals for water. The manifesto recognizes that 5 million people in Delhi do not get piped water in their homes. It accepts that the functioning of the Government-owned Delhi Jal Board is under par. It points out that that Delhi Jal Board is unaware of how much water it receives from each source and where it supplies it. The right solution would be to recommend privatization, because a government-controlled body with no notion of profit and loss will never have any incentive to correct its current lackadaisical methods. But AAP wants water supply in Government hands. Curiously, it wants to perpetuate the careless use of water by promising 700 litres of water free of charge (per day) to all households. It is critical to price water appropriately so that consumers use the precious resource rationally. AAP’s free water suggestion will only encourage the waste it claims to want to curb. AAP seems unable to resist the lure of leftist populism. In education, it promises to upgrade the quality of government schools to the level of private schools. Again, no one will object. Why then does it have to tread into the terrain of regulating fees (and capitation) in private schools? The goal ought to be more important than means. The objective is to get as many children as possible into quality schools. Private participation is necessary. Instead of regulating fees, AAP should encourage more private schools to open. Like in electricity, competition is the ultimate guarantor of low prices and high quality. The manifesto of Delhi’s “Third” Party certainly has novelty value. Now voters must decide if the manifesto, with all its promises and contradictions, makes AAP a party fit to govern India’s capital.