upayukta-pariksha - Inspecting the officers and their activities

Having discussed the revenue department and treasury, now we go on to a more general regular inspection or performance appraisal process for state officials.

A regular review and inspection is essential for the appointed officials as only after acquiring the power, they start misusing it.

"chitta-anityatvAn-manushyANAm" - the human mind is naturally fickle.

Once appointed, officials should perform their own DUTIES as per the orders of the LEADER/KING. Only in emergency situations they should take their own decisions without informing the leader. In regular activities all deviations should have a prior approval.

When officials form a group within them, combined they get involved in the corruption. When officials have internal quarrels between them, they harm the overall objective of the work in hand.

Any official is spending more than his income, he is involved in corruption.

Any official underperforming and not meeting revenue target is causing the damage to the king's property. But if

Any official is over performing and collecting double of his target, is causing the damage to the people by making them overpay!

Any official is not spending as per the budget is not paying the people/suppliers of resources properly. This causes the damage of relationship with workers/suppliers.

So, an official should focus on getting the work done by right work force as per the quality criteria originally decided in time and only collect the prescribed fees and taxes from the subjects in a timely manner. (An inspection should consider all the aspects with due importance)

It is important to have multiple supervisors and non-permanent supervisors for supervising the activities of officials.

 “yathA-hi-anAsvAdayitum na Sakyam jivhA-tala-stham madhu vA visham vA; arthaH-tathA hi artha-carENa rAJnaH svalpO api na AsvAdayitum na SakyaH” – Just as it is impossible not to taste the nectar or poison that flows on the tongue, in the same way at least a little of money gets misappropriated by the officials who are handling it regularly.

As we can’t identify when the fish is drinking water, it is difficult to identify when the officials get involved in corruption. It may be easy to trace the path of a flying bird, but difficult to identify the ways of corruption carried out by appointed officials.

It is important to recover the damages of corruption from the officials. Transfer or demote the official depending on the cause of the corruption.

Honest officers only need to be made permanent. Only the honest officers keep up the dharma under the supervision of the righteous leader/King.

This brings us to the end of 9th chapter of book 2 of artha SAstra called upyukta-pariksha. This is the 30th chapter from the beginning of the SAstra.