THE use of the term ‘trust surplus’ by Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi while describing the current attitude of the common people in India indicates certain innovativeness of thinking at the highest levels of the Government. The Government is conscious of the good effect and positive impact of governmental policies on the popular thought and action. The term, thus, underlines something very positive and forward-moving happening in the country for the past few years. Against the background of the condition of what was described as ‘policy paralysis’ during the regime of Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh, the term ‘trust surplus’ shines in full brightness because of the intended meaning now dominant in public mood. When public sentiment indicates a high level of trust in official policies and people’s action in their accordance, what is visible is a matured democratic polity. A very welcome condition, so to say. It needs to be appreciated that the Prime Minister was accurate in choosing the term ‘trust surplus’ -- which contrasted sharply with the usual trust deficit that the common people had about the earlier regime. In the past 8-9 years during Mr. Narendra Modi’s regime, the people have noticed a clear emphasis on dynamic policy-making and a determined programme implementation.

 

The nation has heard the Prime Minister and his governmental colleagues stating proudly that projects are conceptualised and then actualised in a planned manner -- which has increased the proportion of implementation in all projects. The people know a long list of projects introduced by Mr. Narendra Modi and then also inaugurated by him. This has resulted into generation of what Mr. Modi described as ‘trust surplus’. The happy outcome of this is that the common people feel enthused more to make their own contribution to national progress. The Prime Minister has lauded this aspect of public participation in various governmental programmes and schemes. For a democratic polity, there could be nothing better or more meaningful than this condition. For, when the common people feel committed to completing the Government’s vision by their own hard work, the result is very positive. In his address at Pune while receiving the Lokmanya Tilak Puraskar, Mr Modi has referred to these twin phenomena -- ‘trust surplus’ and ‘people’s hard work’, for which we thank the Prime Minister. In a world of continually rising public expectations, it is generally hard for every government anywhere in the world to pay heed to the wide aspirational spectrum. In India, however, the Government has set the tone of policies and programmes in a dynamic manner. This has lent the larger Indian polity a unique confidence in itself and the Government. By any standard, thus, India is basking in the sunshine of good governance and efficient bureaucracy.

 

After lifetime of watching the country’s public affairs, we are in a position to assert that India had only rarely seen such a condition -- at least in the past 50 years. That is why we can recognise the merit of the usage of the term ‘trust surplus’ by the Prime Minister. The country is now enjoying a uniquely successful internal governance in which people are in a position to express complete faith in the Government’s ability to deliver the promised goods. We insist that this condition is not the outcome of politics. Much to the contrary, as we realise, this condition is the outcome of a vastly apolitical governance -- which is possible because the people in power have succeeded in separating political actions from welfare programmes. And good enough, the common people also understand this separation in clear terms. We are happy, therefore, to note that India is basking in genuine welfare era.