If the people do everything, what is the government for?

Across Nagaland, a common pattern in many towns and villages is that roads are often built or repaired through the contributions of residents and colony councils. When potholes appear, it is frequently the collective effort of the community that fills them. Landslides that block roads are cleared by local volunteers and colony authorities before any official machinery arrives.
Streetlights are installed through the initiatives and donations of residents. Streets are cleaned by well-wishers who simply refuse to let their surroundings deteriorate.
Community members organize drainage cleaning before the monsoon, repair broken footpaths and retaining walls, contribute towards water supply projects, build waiting sheds, install dustbins, and even raise funds to support local schools, churches, and community halls.
In many places, it is the people, not the government, who step forward first whenever there is a need. Somewhere along the way, we have become so accustomed to doing the government’s work ourselves that we hardly notice it anymore.
The willingness of people to come together for the common good is admirable.
It demonstrates responsibility, unity, and a strong community spirit. However, it also raises an uncomfortable question: if citizens are funding, organizing, and carrying out so many essential public services themselves, what is the government doing?
I couldn’t agree more with sister Ivy Jungi’s recent post, “The Basics Morphed into Luxury Acknowledgement.” She highlighted a reality many of us have quietly accepted.
We have gradually let the authorities off the hook by treating basic public services as privileges instead of expectations.
Over time, we have become so accustomed to filling the gaps ourselves that we rarely stop to ask why those entrusted with these responsibilities are not being held accountable.
Nagaland receives financial assistance from the Central Government for development and public welfare.
Citizens naturally expect these funds to translate into better roads, reliable infrastructure, effective public services, and visible improvements in their daily lives.
Yet in many places, people continue to rely on their own contributions to provide even the most basic civic amenities.
This gap between public expectation and what people experience on the ground deserves honest discussion.
Community participation should complement government efforts, not replace them. A government should welcome an active and caring citizenry, but it should never depend on citizens to carry out its fundamental responsibilities.
When residents voluntarily improve their neighborhoods, it should be seen as a partnership and not a substitute for governance.
When such efforts become the primary reason basic public services exist, it raises legitimate questions about governance, planning, and accountability.
Government departments receive public funds, and development budgets are allocated with the expectation that they will be used effectively for the benefit of citizens.
If ordinary people are repeatedly compelled to build roads, repair infrastructure, install streetlights, clear landslides, maintain public spaces, and finance community necessities on their own, it is only reasonable to ask where the intended public investment is being reflected.
This is not a criticism of community spirit. On the contrary, it is a celebration of citizens who refuse to wait for change. Their willingness to act when needed is inspiring. But their dedication should never become a substitute for the government’s core responsibilities. The people can complement the government, but they should never be expected to replace it.
A healthy democracy depends on both responsible citizens and accountable governance. Communities should continue to care for one another, but governments must also ensure that public funds produce visible, measurable, and lasting improvements in people’s lives. Public trust is built not by promises but by results that people can see and experience every day.
When citizens are routinely doing the work they believe their government should be doing, one question naturally remains: If the people are doing everything themselves, what even is the government for?
Imna Lkr
Pedagogy & Educational Practices MU Aligarh