Why Indian Bureaucrats See Inaction as the Safer Choice

The article says some government officials are afraid to make decisions.

They worry that a decision could later be criticized or investigated, even if it was made honestly.

Waiting or sending a file to another office can feel safer than signing it.

This can make permits, projects, and services take much longer.

OP Singh calls the cost of these delays a “fear tax.”

He says the problem can hurt citizens, businesses, and India’s economic growth.

Singh believes officials should be judged more for results than for following every process mechanically.

He also says honest mistakes should be treated differently from carelessness.

The article argues that government needs to make responsible action safer than doing nothing.