We veterans know that during OROP agitation at Jantar Mantar we wee demanding IZZAT also from the Govt. Capt Amrinder Singh , also visited JM Agitation being himself an ESM and registered important aspects of ESM demands.
The ESM of all states as a whole had always asked for Izzat from their governments and during the ESM agitation for `one rank one pension,’ Izzat was also a major issue. In demanding Izzat, ESM were often misled by asking for what they considered pecuniary privileges of reduced Vat in CSD canteens, toll free travel and such issues. These measures did not however give ESM Izzat in relation to village officials, bureaucracy or the police.
Capt Amarinder Singh along with Lt Gen TS Shergill and Late Maj Gen SPS Grewal formed The concept of the Guardians of Governance (GOG) was to provide ESM Izzat by creating an organisation at the grass roots level, using their military training and traits of honesty, integrity, hard work, discipline and impartiality to report on the optimum working of government schemes; being a volunteer organisation the GOG organisation could not and correctly be given executive powers. Through this Scheme, the undisputed fact is that ESM through the GOG, have been given Izzat and standing in government and society that no other State government in India has given so far. Do bear in mind it was not easy to introduce this Scheme as there was opposition from many sources not the least of which was budgetary support.
One of the objectives of the scheme indeed was to monitor whether a rupee released reached the desired destination however while it is difficult to monetise success, in recent analysis GOG have been able to establish and have saved several crores of rupees every month for the government. With feedback and surveys many initiatives have been suggested to the government including a bottom up method of budgeting so that every village gets the development it wants.
Though we may not have totally transformed the way of life in rural Punjab, but GOG have made a difference. The GOG is generally respected across Punjab; there are districts where people refuse to receive rations unless a GOG is present. However GOG org want to change Punjab for the better and our “Changiayi-di-Lehar” is one way to do so by increasing the believers for a better Punjab. Each GOG is told to initially influencing ten people, get them to influence ten more and thereafter, each person influences five to make five hundred. It is eventually the weight of opinion of right minded people that can change a society and how it works. This might sound highly idealistic and impractical however, many GOG have gathered impressive numbers of people
There was no better way to do this than in the present Covid crisis. Other organisations had restricted their personnel to carry out active duties if they were above 55 years of age, our GOG have carried out multifarious duties even though most of them are in the `vulnerable’ age bracket.
Their insistence upon best practices at rural wheat mandis has not gone unnoticed by the common man or their impartiality in distribution of rations to the needy. The individual GOG, Tehsil Headquarters, District Headquarters and even the CHQ have worked 24×7 during this period.
The Sr Vice Chairman Lt Gen TS Shergill,PVSM toured all districts and an additional twelve during the crisis meeting Distt Heads, Tehsil Heads, DCs, SSPs and visited mandis where our GOG were deployed. The GOG is a brotherhood, a baradari; this has been amply displayed and morale of the GOG organisation is at its highest. Which organisation would work intensively for 8 months without emoluments unless it had morale and faith in its leadership?
It has not been easy to create our baradari with various opposing influences and shortage of funds however, the baradari is proud of its honest work and new found position in society.
PUNJAB IS PROUD OF GOG SERVICES WHICH RESULTED IN OTHER STATES TAKING SERVICES OF EX-SERVICEMEN.
