Stand firm on good governance norms

Stand firm on good governance norms

It is welcome that the government did not back down on the decision to switch over to tougher emission norms codified as Bharat Stage IV (BS-IV) for automobiles. This changeover was announced years ago and industry had plenty of time to switch production lines and be compliant by the deadline. If it thought it could game the system and blackmail the government with tales of inventory build-up that would be a dead loss, it thought wrong.
This is all to the good. When the time comes for the automobile industry to switch over to BS-VI, on April 1, 2020, industry will know that the goalpost would not shift and will be ready with compliant vehicles probably ahead of schedule. A similar stand has been taken for tighter emission norms for power plants as well.
For too long, the Indian approach has been to frame laws and observe them more in the breach than otherwise. For long, governments have succumbed to threatened shocks to the system, such as a spurt in unemployment and opted to let implementation slide. That governments, central and state, are moving away from that model is welcome news.
To set norms to ensure health, address environmental concerns, protect workers, etc, is good for all stakeholders — those who work in these sectors, the general public, and for the sector as well. Often, tighter norms pave the way for innovation to improve processes. The government is supposed to be the one place where the interests of all groups are addressed. Laws and regulations are an instrument that ensures the well-being of diverse stakeholders.
Fear of a backlash from one section should not lead the government to compromise the interest of others.
However, it is important for the norms that are to be enforced to be evolved after consultation and negotiation with all stakeholders, that there should be reasonable time for transition. Besides, the governance structure needed to enable the transition must be put in place. If qualified food inspectors must certify all food sold, for example, a large enough army of food inspectors must be ensured before that norm is enforced.