The whole world, excepting Manipur of course, is now concentrating on fostering the knowledge component in the economy for that is the only competitive way to grow now. More than half the output of major OECD countries is explained by the knowledge base. The emergence of Asian tigers and India's vision to firm up her position in the global economy are all based on the knowledge content of their production.

In any case, bluff and casualness can no longer take any region any distance. The rat race today is about seriousness on how any Government endeavours to enhance the knowledge content of the society and economy it administers. It is in this context that transparency and accountability of governance is inter alia being emphasized.

But transparency is an enemy of the Government we have in this land of Manipur. While every institution and organization around the world is making every effort to ensure availability of her thoughts to the rest of the world in real time, the Government here is happy to keep everything to itself.

We understand that, as they claim themselves, the administration here is manned by 'super-competent' personnel who are 'miles above the rest of the people in the State'. We have no grudge with their superiority claims, but as superior persons they should not have any hesitation in sharing their documents with others in a true spirit of democracy and in keeping with recent global trends.

However the reality in Manipur is quite the contrary to this expectation. The State Government does not have any policy and habit of spontaneous sharing of documents at least with the concerned citizens. However concerned one may be in the State's development and welfare, one has to go in person and beg for the plan documents from the concerned department.

However involved one may be ion discussing the implications of budgetary policies of the State over the years, one will never be sent a copy of the budget documents and has to spare own time to visit the concerned department to procure a copy.

However concerned one may in the data related issues of the State, one has to spare time to visit the concerned department to collect the data related documents from the concerned department. This is how our super efficient administration manned by ultra competent personnel view her public and conducts governance.

Profiling in New York: It is tolerable so long as the display of conceited competence and efficiency of the State administration is confined within the territorial limits of Manipur. But once it crosses the seven seas, we cannot remain a silent spectator.

Here I would like to mention a few points relating to the recent visit of the head of the people of the State to New York. Well, what he presented and profiled was definitely not just himself but the entire land and her population.

Secondly, inviting investment is like courting a charming lady, difficult to win but wonderful to be with. So we have to be extra careful in trying to court investment.

Given these two conditions, we naturally presume that the entire administration of the State must have mobilized her resources for collective exercise of mind for profiling the State in the best way possible. But if we take the text the CM presented in New York both absolutely and comparatively, well we can conclude without wasting any time that, despite the claims made by themselves, our administration is manned by a bunch of non-committed and casual-indulgent sloggers.

First, the absolute appreciation. The text has, to begin with, thirteen paragraphs in its original numbering, what a count to have. The paragraphs have neither coherence nor convergence in isolation or in entirety. The whole text is a rich example of an exercise in casualness.

Now the comparative appreciation.

The Manipur text begins thus: It is heartening that the Ministry of DONER, Govt of India in association with Confederation of Indian Industry is jointly organizing the North East India Investment Conference in New York with an effort to attract private investors in the North Eastern Region.

It is important for us from the point of view of employment generation, sustainable development, raising incomes, and promotion of varieties of enterprises in different sectors.

The statement of the Chief Minister of Sikkim starts this way: I bring with me the warmest greetings of the people of our State Sikkim and country India to the people of the United States of America and the members of the Pravashi Bharatiya fraternity. Our greetings carry in them the fragrance of rhododendrons and orchids, serenity of the pristine Kanchenjunga mountain, holiness of priceless cultural heritage and affections of hill folks with rich social values.

The Chief Minister of Assam starts thus: I am indeed happy to be here amongst you once again. I came to the United States of America in the month of June, 2007 to meet you all. During my last visit I had received good response from many of the well-established and renowned investorsand entrepreneurs. Taking the cue from the positive feedbacks which I had received during my last visit in June, I have decided to come here again in the company of Ministers and officials of the Government of India.

The Sikkim approach is wonderful for first time courting while the Assam approach establishes immediate rapport. Well, in any case, no charming lady would fall for the Manipur proposal as dry as it is. The totality of the texts is much richer in the case of the other States Manipur does not even stand a chance of comparison in this.

The Upshot: The upshot of my argument is that the adminsitration of the State should show competence and commitment in as much as it betrays conceit.