INDEX

A.Governance
1.Goverance definition
2.relation between govt and governance
3.broad aspects of governance
4.primary purpose of governance
5.stake holders of governance

B.Good Governance (GG)

1.Definition+ intros
2.core characteristics of GG
3.strategies for GG
4.The Worldwide Governance Indicators project – World Bank
5.Goverance in india - 5 Dimensions
6.Governance issues in india
7. Necessary pre-conditions for GG
8.Barriers to GG
9.major initiatives taken to promote GG in india.

10.SOME OF THE INSTITUTIONAL MEASURES TO ENSURE TRANSPARENCY AND

ACCOUNTABILITY IN GOVERNANCE:

11.SOME OTHER STEPS TAKEN TOWARDS GOOD GOVERNANCE

12.ROLE OF PRI’S IN BRINGING GOOD GOVERNANCE

13.further measures needed to ensure GG

14.minimum govt maximum governance

Definition:
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), 1997, defined governance as

“the exercise of economic, political and administrative authority to manage a country’s

affairs at all levels. It comprises the mechanisms, processes and institutions, through
which citizens and groups articulate their interests, exercise their legal rights, meet their
obligations and mediate their differences.”

Simple def:the action or manner of governing state where state ,civil society, private sector
interact with eachother to form formal and informal rules to regulate public realm .

RELATION BETWEEN GOVERNMENT AND GOVERNANCE

• Government, as the infrastructure, establishes policies for equitable resorce allocation while
governance
ensures the participation of Citizens in decision making processes for socio-economic
development.

• The government is a body whose sole responsibility and authority is to make binding decisions
in a given
geopolitical system (such as a state) by establishing laws.

• Governance is the way rules, norms and actions are structured, sustained, regulated and held
accountable.

BROAD ASPECTS OF GOVERNANCE

The colonial view of the Government used to be as a ‘controller’ and ‘ruler’. However, with
Independence and
democracy, it changed to that of an enabler, coordinator and provider of certain services to
the citizens, just
like an organization is responsible for managing a value chain that leads to output.

PRIMARY PURPOSE OF GOVERNANCE

• Welfare of citizens: While one aspect of governance relates to safeguarding the legal rights
of all citizens,
an equally important aspect is concerned with ensuring equitable access to public services
and the benefits
of economic growth to all.

• Power and authority: Governance is a system of values, policies and institutions by which a
society
manages its economic, political and social affairs through interactions within and among the
state, civil
society and private sector.

• Resources efficiently: Formulate, implement, and enforce sound policies and regulations
and thus, boost
Government’s ability and capacity to effectively fulfill its mandate.

STAKEHOLDERS OF GOVERNANCE

Typically, the stakeholders of

governance at national level can
be categorised into three broad
categories – State, Market and
Civil Society.
1. The State includes the
different organs of the
government (Legislature,
Judiciary and Executive) and
their instrumentalities, independent accountability mechanisms etc. It also consists of
different segments of actors (elected representatives, political executive, bureaucracy/civil
servants at different levels etc.)
2. The Market includes the private sector – organize as well as unorganized – that includes
business firms ranging from large corporate houses to small scale industries/
establishments.
3. The Civil Society is the most diverse and typically includes all groups not included in (a) or
(b). It includes Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), Voluntary Organizations (VOs),
media organisations/ associations, trade unions, religious groups, pressure groups etc.
 Good Governance

GOOD GOVERNANCE(Efficient and effective adm n for development and welfare)

(ensure conducive environment for utillisation of full potential of individual.)

Kautilya: " in happiness of people lies king happiness"

• The World Bank described good governance in its study "Governance and
Development" published in 1992 and
as "the way power is exercised in management of a country's economic and social
resources for development."

Governance’ by itself is a neutral term while Good Governance’ implies positive attributes and
values associated with the quality of governance.

Governance -emerged from understanding of government

Good governance -from understanding process of governance.

Good Governance is linked to enabling environment -conducive to the enjoyment of

human rights and promoting the growth and sustainable human development.

Alternatively, we can define good governance with the help of Mahatma Gandhi's Vision of Ram
Rajya:
Mahatma Gandhi advocated the concept ‘Ram Rajya’ for India based upon the principles of
good governance
which necessarily meant dreaming of India as a welfare state where the necessities of the
down-trodden, the
welfare of the commoner and their progress through indigenous industries would become the
hallmark.

CORE CHARACTERISTICS OF GOOD GOVERNANCE:

United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) recognizes eight core characteristics of good
governance:

Participation: Participation of all section of society is cornerstone of good governance.

Important points
1.participation is essential aspect of democratic government, without which will be autocracy,
dictatorship.

2.participation of all sections of society including men,women, vulnerable sections.

3.participation can be direct or representative

.EX: parliamentary system in India.

4.In order to ensure participation of vulnerable sections strong civil societies are
required.
Presence of Civil societies -ensure participation informed and organised.

5.freedom of association and expression is necessary for

participation of people.

6.participation ensures - Accountability,legitimacy, responsiveness,effectiveness,and

ease of governance.
Ex.referrandum in south sudan in 2011 ended 22years civil war.

How people's participation ensure legitimacy?

If people opinions are taken,voices heared people trust the govt and give legitimate
power to govern them.
Farmers laws-people against to this,in the end govt repelled it.

o E.g. MyGov is an innovative platform

launched to ensure citizens' engagement in decision making by the Government.
The platform empowers people to contribute towards good governance through various tasks
and discussions

Here are some initiatives and examples taken to enhance citizen awareness and
participation:

1.Public Awareness Campaigns:

Swachh Bharat Abhiyan (Clean India Campaign): The Indian government launched this
massive public awareness campaign to promote cleanliness and sanitation. It encouraged
citizens to participate actively in keeping their surroundings clean. The campaign's success can
be attributed to the extensive awareness created through media and social outreach.

2.Community Engagement Programs:

Jan Sunwais (Public Hearings): In various states, public hearings or Jan Sunwais are
organized by theorganized by the government and civil society organizations. Citizens can voice
their grievances and feedback directly to government officials. These initiatives enable citizens
to actively participate in monitoring government services

3.Technology-Driven Initiatives:
Umang App: The Umang (Unified Mobile Application for New-age Governance) app in India
provides a single platform for citizens to access a wide range of government services. It has
simplified the process of engaging with government services, promoting participation and
awareness.

4.Right to Information (RTI) Act:

The RTI Act empowers citizens to seek information from government authorities, enhancing
transparency and accountability. Citizens can file RTI applications to obtain information about
government actions and decisions, ensuring that the government remains answerable to the
public.

5.Citizen Feedback Mechanisms:

Aadhar Customer Feedback System: The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI)
implemented a customer feedback system for Aadhar-related services. Citizens can provide
feedback and ratings, which helps in improving service quality.

6. Participatory Budgeting:
Several cities in India have adopted participatory budgeting processes. Citizens have a say in
allocating budgets for local projects, ensuring that their needs and preferences are taken into
account.

7.Citizen Charters:
Many government departments and agencies have adopted citizen charters that outline the
standards of service delivery. These charters are made public and serve as a commitment by
the government to deliver services efficiently and transparently.

8.Community Policing Initiatives:

Programs like the "Nagarik Mitra" (Citizen Friend) initiative in Mumbai involve citizens in
community policing. They work alongside police officers to improve safety and law enforcement,
fostering a sense of ownership and participation.

• Consensus oriented:
Good governance requires mediation of the different interests in society
to reach a broad consensus on
what is in the best interest of the whole community and how this can be achieved.

Majority vs consensus
Majority will not ensure democracy
Consensus - the true spirit of democracy lies in it.
1.it is about what is in the best interest &How to achieve it.
2.it requires understanding of historical,cultural, social context of given society.

o E.g. Decentralization of the decision-

making process through Gram sabha and social auditing provisions.

• Rule of Law:(it prevents govt from taking arbitrary actions.)Good governance requires fair
legal frameworks that are enforced
impartially
1.Rule of law - involve the presence of fair and legal framework to ensure harmony in society.it
ensures that the decisions taken by govt are founded in law &citizens are protected from
arbitrary decisions.
2.in order to ensure impartial enforcement of laws- impartial and incorruptable police force along
with independent judiciary needed .
3. It ensures protection of human rights in the society.

• Transparency:( Information is key)

(It refers to the grounds the decision taken and the processing of the decision are open )

1.Transparency means decisions are taken and enforced in a manner following rules
&regulations and information regarding such decisions are made open.
2.it is not just decisions but also the grounds on which decision made .
3.information should be - complete and correct
. should be freely available and in easily understandable manner
3.Benefits of transparency for the govt.
People will have greater trust on transparent govt and they are most likely to understand if a
country is placed in difficult situation.

(Transparency refers to how decisions are made and how they are implemented by laws
and regulations. It also implies that information is readily available in easily readable
formats and is available to
those who will be impacted by such decisions and their implementation. )

o E.g. RTI Act -ensures transparency.

• Accountability:( brings efficiency)
1.It involves - Answerability& Enforcement.
2. Answerability is the obligation of govt to provide information about their
decisions and justify their decisions
3.Enforcement(punishable)
ensures that public are institutionsions of accountability and can sanction the
offending party or remedy the countervening behaviour.

Why it is imp?
To ensure that public bodies are functioning to their full potential and to make the
govt responsive to community.

To ensure Accountability - we need transparency (why? -through this we can

come to know about issues) and rule of law

Difference between Responsibility and Answerability

R- here no obligation,no solution there,if not doing job.

Different types of accountability

1. Horizontal Accountability:
Executive: legislative: judiciary
2.vertical Accountability:
Btw different levels of govt (adm n Hierarchy)
Ex: Govt executive:voters
Ex: Elections, social audit - (MGNREGA)

**Transparency and accountability are twin brothers**

Transparency can exist without accountability but overall idea of transparency is complete with
accountability.

Accountability is theacknowledgment and assumption of responsibility for actions,

products, decisions, and policies.
• The components of accountability are answerability, sanction, redress
and system improvement.

E.g.: RTI Act, Citizen charter, E-governance initiatives, civil society movements etc are a few
mechanisms
to aid accountability among others.
• Responsiveness: Good governance requires that institutions and processes try to serve all
stakeholders within a reasonable timeframe.

• Redressal of citizen grievance, citizen orientation, citizen friendliness and

timely delivery of services are key component of responsive governance.

(Respond in a reasonable time frame)

• Effective and Efficient: (Effective+Efficient=productivity)

If work is not effective - there is no use of efficiency.

Efficient - achieving sth with minimum input+less time

Effective -producing intented results is effectiveness.

Good governance means that processes and institutions produce results

into the optimum use of resources at their disposal.
• Thus it also covers the sustainable use of natural resources and the
protection of the environment.

• Equitable and Inclusive: People should be given the chance to improve or preserve their
well-being. This
necessitates providing opportunities for all groups, especially the most vulnerable, to enhance
or sustain
their well-being.

Equity is the means to achieve end goal of equality.(we need equity to acheive equality
in lond run because certain sections need extra push)
Ex- Reservation

While equality is treating Everyone equally,equity is about fairness and just.

Inclusiveness is to make all the members feel that they have a stake in society's well
being & not excluded from the main stream of society.

***9th principal is " strategic vision"***

● Is to have a broad and long term perspective on GG and human development.
Strategies for good governance:

The justification for the existence of government is its fundamental pledge to fulfil the
fiduciary role given to it by the people
The strategy rests on five pillars of Good Governances
e.g. i) Open Government&Transparency;
ii) Public Service Delivery;
iii) Citizen Participation;
iv) Performance & Accountability; and
v) Ideas, Innovations & Technology.

* The strategy is aimed to bring about a positive change in governance at the grass-root level.

*In India the objectives of state are clearly highlighted in constitution through DPSP, preamble.

*Strengthening state institutions

*Enhancing Civil Services capacity through appropriate reform measures that matches
performance and accountability

*Introducing appropriate reforms in the functioning of Parliament and increasing its effectiveness

*Provision of social safety nets for the poor and marginalized

*Evolving policies which are beneficial to stakeholders Ex: MGNREGA

*Evolving a new framework for government-business cooperation.

The Worldwide Governance Indicators project – World Bank

‘The Worldwide Governance Indicators project’ – By World Bank ranks more than 200 countries
on six key indicators of governance. The six indicators are:
1. Voice and Accountability
2. Political Stability and Absence of Violence
3. Government Effectiveness
4. Regulatory Quality
5. Rule of Law
6. Control of Corruption
These aggregate indicators combine the views of a large number of enterprise, citizen and
expert survey respondents in industrial and developing countries.
*WGI play a key role in deciding sovereign credit rating of any country. India is losing its
sovereign credit rating due to low score in WGI parameters.

*Various reports on which India’s WGI ranking based on-

Economist Intelligence Unit

Varieties of Democracy Project

Heritage Foundation Index of Economic Freedom

Freedom House Report(USA based human rights watchdog Freedom House, which is
largely funded through USA government grants, has been tracking the course of
democracy since 1941.)

What are the Major Incidents Which Hugely Affected India's WGI Rank?
Kasmir was partly free from 2017 to 2019 but in 2020 its freedom was again curtailed.
Considering these circumstances, the following scores were provided:
Political Rights: 8 out of 40
Civil Liberties: 20 out of 60
Total score: 28 out of 110
US State Department mentioned the following:
Harassment of Activists: Activists, lawyers, human rights defenders, and journalists
have been harassed and persecuted.
Sedition and Counterterrorism Laws: These are used to suppress free speech.
Misuse of Foreign Funding Regulations: Misuse of regulations were prevalent to
target NGOs that were critical to government policies or conduct.

Governance in India
* Dimensions of Governance in India
Department of Administrative reforms and Public grievances (DARPG) in its report “State
of
Governance – A framework of assessment” has broken down governance into five dimensions
viz. political, legal& judicial, administrative, economic and social &environmental dimensions.
1. Political Dimension
Political dimension being the most essential aspect of governance looks at the quality of political
contestation, conduct of individuals and institutions representing the people, use
and abuse of political authority, decentralization of powers and citizen’s faith in the political
system.
It has four key components:
• Exercise of franchise
• Profile and conduct of Political Representatives, Political Parties and the Political Executive
• Functioning of Legislature
• Political Decentralisation

2. Legal & Judicial Dimension of Governance

This dimension seeks to measure whether the state’s exercise of power is within its
boundaries. Also its ability to effectively maintain law and order, safeguard human rights and
enable access to & delivery of justice.

It has four basic components:

• Law & Order and Internal Security
• Safeguard of basic rights
• Police Administration and Citizen‐friendliness of the Police
• Access to Justice and Judicial Accountability

3. Administrative Dimension of Governance

This dimension determines the ability of government to deliver basic services to citizens by
efficiently managing the human and financial resources. It also includes performance of the
State on vigilance and anti‐corruption
matters as well as responsiveness and transparency
in administration.

It has following four components:

• Citizen Interface and Engagement
• Managing Human, Financial and other resources
• Basic Service Delivery
• Corruption Perception, Vigilance & Enforcement
4. Economic Dimension of Governance
The economic dimension pertains to the ability of the state to ensure macro economic stability
and create conducive climate for economic activity to take place across different sectors of the
economy.
Economic Governance is also reflected in the state’s ability to provide support to the primary
sector.

It has three basic components:

• Fiscal Governance
• Business Environment
• Support to the Primary Sector

5. Social and Environmental Dimension of Governance

The social dimension pertains to the ability of the state to take care of the vulnerable sections of
the society.

It also seeks to assess governance by examining the role and quality

of the civil society and media.

Environmental management as a separate component is also included due to its increasing

importance in governance.

This dimension has three key components:

• Welfare of the Poor and Vulnerable
• Role of Civil Society and Media
• Environmental Management

Governance Issues in India:

India faces a range of various governance related issues in political, economic, administrative,
social and legal domain.
Some factors attributable to poor governance are:

• Political Issues:
*Criminalization of Politics
*Misuse of political power *Decentralization more in letter less in spirit
*Lower voter turn out
*Identity politics
*Excessive use of ordinance
*Lack of democracy inside
political party

• Legal and Judicial issues

* Delayed justice, issue of under trials
*Lack of accountability in Judiciary
*Threat to life and personal security
*Pendency of cases
*Vacancy in judicial posts
*Lack of judicial infrastructure
*judicial overreact

***
A. custodial deaths
B. More cases of preventive detention
C.extra judicial killings
D.arbitrary use of UAPA
E.increase in orgnised crime and mafia

• Administrative issues
* Lack of sensitivity, transparency and accountability in the working of State machinery - leading
to corruption and abuse of power.

* Bureaucratic Delays

*Red tapism

* Resistance to changes which promote transparency and accountability

• Economic issues
* Poor management of economy
*Persisting fiscal imbalances
* Regional disparities

• Social and Environmental issues

* Denial of basic services to a substantial proportion of the population
*Marginalization and exclusion of people on account of social, religious, caste and
gender affiliation
* Existence of a significant number of voiceless poor with little opportunity for
participation in governance; and
* Deterioration of physical environment, particularly in urban areas.

NECESSARY PRE-CONDITIONS FOR GOOD GOVERNANCE:

• A sound legal system and Institutional mechanisms that are sound and efficient in
ensuring that laws are correctly implemented are in place.

• Policies that are effective and competent enough to manage human resources and
institutions, delegation, decentralization, and transparency strategies that work.

BARRIERS TO GOOD GOVERNANCE:

• While the laws of the Legislature may be sound and relevant, they are very often not properly
implemented
by government officials. This acts as a roadblock in the path of achieving citizen-centric
administration. The
2nd ARC in his 12th report “CITIZEN CENTRIC ADMINISTRATION: The Heart of
Governance” identifies
the following barriers to Good Governance.

• Organizational barriers:

o Lack of Accountability: At most levels, authority is divorced from accountability, leading to a

realistic
and plausible informant system.

o Red-Tapism: Bureaucracy is expected to abide by the rules and procedures of,well, important
for good governance. But the cumbersome nature of these laws and the non-risk-taking attitude
of civil servants cause policy paralysis.

o Ineffective Implementation of Laws and Rules: A weak implementation can cause a great
deal of hardship. Fifteen years after the Right to Information (RTI) Act came into force, more
than 2.2 lakh cases are pending at the Central and State Information Commissions, which are
the final courts of appeal under
the transparency law.
o Change in the mindset of government employees is necessary as it becomes a great
hindrance in the
process of ensuring transparency and accountability in governance structures in India.

o Limited digitalisation of government offices and inadequate infrastructure has further

been a stumbling block in ensuring effective transparency and accountability measures.

• Issues with Indian political structure:

o PRIs: Local governance institutions need to be empowered to make them effective and build
ground-
level governance capacity.

o Lacking Electoral reforms and decentralization of power: Electoral democracies have

become infected by the disease of funding political parties and elections, people are not bribed
to vote, which is illegitimate.
Lokpal and Lokayuktas would not eliminate the root causes of corruption in politics and
government.

o Continuing with archaic laws: The traditional outlook cannot satisfy modern market-oriented
citizens.

• Institutional barriers:

o Institutions are subject to damage and erosion: Legal and regulatory institutions are not
yet robust and efficient enough to support thriving modern challenges.

Public institutions like CBI, CVC etc not able to work and deliver as promised. Their inefficiency
is a hurdle in achieving governance.

o The internal organization of the judicial system, namely the manner in which legal
proceedings are
conducted and lawyers and judges are educated, also remains largely unreformed, as does the
bureaucracy.

o Low levels of Awareness of the Rights and Duties of Citizens: Inadequate awareness of
their rights
prevents citizens from holding erring government officials to account.
To make people aware every year,
the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) observes Vigilance Awareness Week during the
week of Sardar
Vallabhbhai Patel's birthday (October 31st).

MAJOR INITIATIVES TO PROMOTE GOOD GOVERNANCE(taken)

• Decentralization: Local governments have been strengthened by 73rd and 74th Constitutional
amendments
that mandate the establishment of Panchayats and municipalities as elected local governments.

• Right to Information: The Right to Information Act, 2005 which marks a significant shift in
Indian democracy and ushered in a new era of empowerment of the common man in India.

o Through this act one can examine, audit, review and assess the government works and
decisions to
ensure that these are consistent with the principles of public interest, integrity and justice.

• Greater responsiveness: The greater the access of the citizen to the information, the greater
would be the
responsiveness of the government to community needs.

• Promote openness: Right to information therefore promotes openness, transparency and

accountability in administration by making the government more open to public scrutiny.

• Without information, the common man cannot adequately exercise his rights and
responsibilities or make
informed choices.

• E-Governance:E-Governance effectively delivers better programming and services in the era

of newly
emerging information and communication technologies (ICTs), which herald new opportunities
for rapid
social and economic transformation worldwide.

• National Centre for Good Governance: It was set up in 2014 under the Ministry of
Personnel, Public
Grievances and Pensions to work in areas of public policy, governance, reforms, and capacity
building of civil
servants.
• Mission Karmayogi: The National Programme for Civil Services Capacity Building has been
rolled out to
transform capacity building in the bureaucracy through institutional and process reforms.

SOME OF THE INSTITUTIONAL MEASURES TO ENSURE TRANSPARENCY AND

ACCOUNTABILITY IN
GOVERNANCE:
* Public Services Bill,

*Citizens Charters,

*e-Governance,

* e-Bhoomi,

*e-Choupal,

* e-procurement,

*DBT (Direct
benefit transfer)

*Centralised Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System (CPGRAMS).

SOME OTHER STEPS TAKEN TOWARDS GOOD GOVERNANCE:

• Good Governance Index:

*Provide quantifiable data to compare the state of governance in all states and Union
Territories,

*enable states and Union Territories to formulate and implement suitable strategies for
improving governance and shift to result from oriented approaches and administration.

• Criminal justice reforms: The Central Government has scrapped nearly 1,500 obsolete rules
and laws with
an aim to bring about transparency and improve efficiency, filing e-FIRs etc.

• Ease of Doing Business: To improve business conditions including legislation meant to

improve the country’s business environment and policy ecosystems.

• Others: MCA21,

online Income tax return,

Pro-Active Governance and Timely Implementation(PRAGATI),

Digital India mission etc.

ROLE OF PRI’S IN BRINGING GOOD GOVERNANCE

Mahatma Gandhi
“The voice of the people is the voice of god, the voice of the Panchayat is the voice of the
people,”.

ROLE OF PRI’S:

• Good governance depends on the effective working of local institutions. The Prime Minister in
2017 had
said, “Panchayats are effective ways to fulfill the aspirations of people in rural India.

• They are playing a vital role in India’s transformation, and they are transforming the face of
governance.
How?

o Bringing services at the doorstep: The 2.5 lakh Gram Panchayats in the country have been
entrusted
to provide basic services in the villages and plan for local economic development.

o Practice of direct democracy: Gram Sabha is a channel to include the less privileged
section of society and ensure their participation in the village level governance and fulfillment of
their developmental
aspirations.

o Ensuring resource efficiency:

Pimpri Gavali in Maharashtra State achieved water security through watershed development
activities with the participation of Gram Sabha.

o Inclusive growth and poverty reduction:

Gariba Gram Panchayat in Bihar improved infrastructure in villages by engagement of local
folks and providing them the opportunity to work.

o Women empowerment:
The Kudumbashree system of Kerala, which encourages women to form self-
help groups, acts as an organized civil society with collaboration of the panchayats.

CASE STUDY
• Odisha state delegated sarpanchs with the powers of a district collector to impose quarantine
at a village
level.

• Andhra Pradesh, came up with village volunteer system. They have conducted a survey to
help the state
trace people with travel history to foreign countries and prevent the spread of COVID-19
infections in the
state.

COVID MANAGEMENT AND PANCHAYTI RAJ INSTITUTIONS:

• The Health Ministry’s ‘Micro Plan for Containing Local Transmission of Coronavirus Disease
(COVID-19)’ has
placed panchayats at the forefront of increasing community mobilization and ensuring active
surveillance.

• Panchayat as Nodal coordination agency: Many states have made panchayats the nodal
agency for
coordination from ensuring health activities, information dissemination, and determining that all
vulnerable
communities have access to food supplies.

FURTHER MEASURES NEED TO ENSURE GOOD GOVERNANCE:

( way forward)

*This may involve regular communication between lawmakers and their constituents,
* a shift in bureaucrats' attitudes, professional administrative leadership,
* the constructive position of political parties, and the restriction of government to make it more
democratic and sensitive.

• Promoting transparent decision-making systems and openness: Governance is not well

measured by terms such as “maximum,” but by indicators of outcomes and efficiency, and by
measures of accountability.

• Encourage use of RTI: By reducing pendency under RTI and avoiding delays in appointment
of information
commissioners.

• Being responsive: The “Ideas Box on Good Governance Practices in a Pandemic” has been
launched. It will solicit ideas for good governance from the public.

• Public accountability vital for ensuring good governance: Accountability is both vertical
and horizontal.
A round table discussion was held on the topic of “Satark Bharat, Samriddh Bharat” (Vigilant
India,
Prosperous India).

• Compulsory enforcement of citizen charter and provisions of social audit.

Minimum Government, Maximum Governance

• It means a citizen friendly and accountable administration.

• It is done by simplification of procedures, identification and repeal of obsolete/archaic
laws/rules, identification and shortening of various forms, leveraging technology to bring in
transparency in public interface and a robust public grievance redress system.
• This will greatly reduce time and effort on the part of the both citizen and government officials
in public offices.

• On these lines, Digital India has helped Ministry of Panchayati Raj move to 100% e-office.

• Ease of Doing Business’ also focuses on ease of governance. The emphasis has been on
simplification and rationalization of the existing rules and introduction of information
technology to make governance more efficient and effective.

• mygov@nic.in and india.gITov.info are two citizen centric platforms to empower people to
connect with the Government and contribute towards good governance.

• PMO website also seeks expert advice from the people, thoughts and ideas on various
topics that concern Indi

KEY PHRASES FOR MAINS

Geopolitical System

Controller,
Accountability
Responsiveness
Red-Tapism
E-Governance

Citizen charter

INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND

Definition:
• A Citizens’ Charter is basically a set of commitments made by an organization regarding the
standards of service which it delivers.

It evolved in the United Kingdom in 1991 under the UK PM John Major.

• 2nd ARC in his 12-report calls it an instrument which seeks to make an organization
transparent,
accountable and citizen friendly.

• The term 'Citizen' in the Citizen's Charter implies the inclusion of clients or customers whose
interests
and values are addressed by the Charter. Therefore, it encompasses not only citizens but also
all
stakeholders, such as customers, clients, users, beneficiaries, other
Ministries/Departments/Organizations,
State Governments, and UT Administrations.

Citizen centric administration :

It provides an environment - in which all citizens irrespective of class,caste,gender - can
develop to their full potential.

*It is based on- putting citizen at the center of services

*In order for Citizen centric administration -govt shall follow following 4 pillars of GG
1.Ethos(character )- of service of the citizen (with this character govt should function)
2.Ethics(honesty, integrity, transparency)-with these it should function
3.equity- treat all citizens alike with empathy for weaker sections.
4.Efficiency-involve speedy Android effective delivery of services without harassment.

*Citizen charter is intiative under citizen centric administration.

COMPONENTS OF CITIZEN CHARTER

A good Citizen's Charter should have the following components:

• Vision and Mission Statement of the Organisation
• Details of Business transacted by the Organisation.
• Details of 'Citizens' or 'Clients'
• Statement of services including standards, quality, time frame etc. provided to each Citizen/
Client group
separately and how/ where to get the services.
• Details of Grievance Redress Mechanism and how to access it.
• Expectations from the 'Citizens' or 'Clients'
Additional commitments such as compensation in the event of failure of service delivery.

SIX PRINCIPLES OF CITIZEN CHARTER

1. Quality: Improving the quality of services
2. Choice: To be offered wherever and whenever possible
3. Standard of service delivery: Clearly specify what to expect and how to proceed if
expectations are not
fulfilled.
4. Value of the public’s purse
5. Transparency: Citizen Charter clearly explains procedure and grievance redressal
mechanism
6. Accountability: Individuals as well as Organisations.

SALIENT FEATURES OF CITIZEN CHARTER

• Set of standards for service delivery: The Charter should provide clear service quality
standards so that people know what they should expect from service providers. These
standards
should be appropriate, reliable,
observable, precise and in a time bound
manner.

• Openness and information about

service delivery: Users have access to
accurate and succinct information at the
right time and in the right place. The
Charters should provide complete and detailed details about the resources available in
layman's terms.

• Choice and communication with users: Wherever possible, the Charter should offer
consumers a choice
of services. Users of the service should be consulted on a frequent and systematic basis to
establish service
expectations and ensure the consistency of service delivery.

• Fairness and supportiveness in service delivery: The Charter will aid in the establishment
of a culture of
friendly and attentive public service.

• Provision of redress of complaints and grievances of citizens: There is a close correlation

between providing high-quality service and managing complaints effectively. The reasons for
complaint can be minimized by encouraging and reacting to complaints. The service provider
can address structural and persistent issues by recognising "trends" regarding complaints.

*Critical examination of
implementation of citizen charter in India
 *Progress of citizen charter movement in India:
* It was introduced during the conference of chief ministers, in 1997, where a decision to
formulate the
Citizen charter was taken, especially in those sectors that have a large public interface.

• Legislative step: In 2011 a legislative step was initiated to give statutory backup to citizen
charter in India
through
o The Citizens Charter Bill of 2011 aims to provide a framework for ensuring timely delivery of
goods and
services to citizens.
o It mandates that any public authority publish a citizen charter within 6 months of the Act's
implementation, and it imposes a penalty of up to Rs 50,000 for failure to do so.

• Government platform: The Indian government has created and launched a detailed platform
for citizens'
charter, it contains the Citizens' Charters issued by different Ministries, Departments, and
Organizations of
the Central Government.

• The Ministry of Panchayati Raj released a Model Panchayat Citizens Charter. It has been
developed for
the delivery of services across the 29 sectors, aligning actions with localized Sustainable
Development Goals
(SDGs).

Evaluation of Citizens Charters:

The Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG) appointed a

professional agency to develop a standardized framework for the Internal and External
Evaluation of Citizens’ Charters more effectively.

Key Findings of the agency were:

*In major states, charters were not formulated through a consultative process.
*Most Service Providers are unaware of the philosophy, objectives, and main features of the
charter
*No adequate publicity was given to the charters. In most cases, the charters were only at the
inception stage and partially implemented.
*No funds have been earmarked for awareness generation, orientation, or any other factors in
that case.
Indian Institute of Public Administration 2008 conducted another study on the Evaluation
of the Citizens’ Charter, sponsored by the Department of Administrative Reforms and
Public Grievances.

Highlights of the study were:

*Not all Ministries/Departments adopt the Citizens Charter.

*Lack of Precision and Standards
*Little to no involvement by organizations in adhering to the charter protocols
*Poor Planning on the communications front thus throttling the commitment to effective service
delivery
*Many charters have frozen in time since inception
*Lack of accountability and review mechanisms
*Effective performance mandates participative mechanisms,

SHORTCOMINGS OF CITIZEN CHARTER

• Poorly designed and organizational incapacity: Vital information such as service timelines,
grievance
resolution processes, and so on is lacking.

• Lacking public awareness: Public education and communication efforts have been
ineffective.

• Adequate groundwork: In terms of assessment and reforms in internal processes, while

formulating and
revising the citizen charter is lacking.

• End-users and civil society: Stakeholders are not consulted when

charters are drafted.
• While drafting charters, the interests of elderly people and the disadvantaged are ignored.
Resistance to
reform stems from the agency's and staff's behavior and attitude toward citizens.

• Lack of knowledge: On the philosophy, goals and main features of the Charter among service
providers.

* Citizen Charter has still not been adopted by all Ministries/departments.

*Lack of commitment and precision on standards and delivery of services in many cases by
service
providers.
• Efficient and adequate grievance redressal mechanisms: Lacking an aggrieved party
generally not
provided information in vernacular language.

• Lack of interest: Organizations are often uninterested in carrying out the CC's commitments
because there
is no incentive or desire to impose them on their personnel.
*Given the centrality of Citizen Charters to good governance, it is pertinent to take measures
to address
the shortcoming and various challenges.

Limitations of citizen charter:

The Citizen's Charter is a valuable tool for improving government services, but it has certain
limitations, particularly in the context of the UPSC (Union Public Service Commission) and
government services in India. Here are some key limitations:

Lack of Legal Binding: Citizen Charters are often non-legally binding documents, which means
that they do not have the force of law, making it challenging to enforce the commitments
outlined in them.

Limited Awareness: Many citizens are not aware of the existence of Citizen Charters, which
limits their effectiveness in promoting accountability and transparency in government services.

Inadequate Redress Mechanisms: While Citizen Charters may set service standards, they
often lack robust mechanisms for citizens to seek redress in case of service failures or violations
of the Charter.

Bureaucratic Resistance: The implementation of Citizen Charters may face resistance from
bureaucratic and administrative systems, as they can be seen as additional paperwork or
accountability measures.

Ambiguity and Vagueness: Some Citizen Charters may have vague commitments or
language, which can lead to ambiguity in their interpretation and implementation.

Limited Scope: Citizen Charters primarily focus on service delivery aspects and may not cover
all aspects of governance and administration.
Lack of Regular Updates: Citizen Charters may become outdated over time, and their
non-regular review and update can render them less relevant.

Resource Constraints: Ensuring the full implementation of Citizen Charters may require
additional resources and infrastructure, which might not always be available.

Cultural and Regional Variations: India's diversity in terms of culture, languages, and regions
can make it challenging to create a one-size-fits-all Citizen Charter that effectively
addresses the needs of all citizens.

Political Interference: In some cases, political influences and changes in government

leadership can impact the adherence to Citizen Charters.

To address these limitations, it is essential to strengthen the legal framework surrounding

Citizen Charters, raise awareness among citizens, and establish effective mechanisms for
monitoring and redress.

MEASURES TO MAKE CITIZEN CHARTER EFFECTIVE: 2ND ARC RECOMMENDATIONS:

• Standardization: The charters should clearly spell out the remedy penalty compensation
in case there is a
default in meeting the standards spelt out in the charter.
• Wide consultation process: Citizen Charter should be formulated after having advocate
consultation within organization and between organization and civil society.
• Adequate grievances redressal mechanism: In case of default Citizen Charter should
clearly lay down the
relief the organization is bound to provide if it defaults on the promised standards of delivery.
• One size does not fit all: The capability and resources and responsibility among government
organizations are not equivalent and there is a need to implement Citizen Charter significantly
across the country.
• Firm Commitments: Citizen Charter should be precise and expel commitments of service
delivery
standards to citizens in quantifiable terms whenever possible.
*Hold officers accountable for the results
• Periodic evaluation: The citizen’s charters should be reviewed and revised regularly.
OTHER MEASURES
• Statutory guarantees: The citizen charter needs to include statutory guarantees for the right to
delivery of
services.
• Establish IFC: The Bill required every public authority to establish information and facilitation
centers for
efficient and effective delivery of services and redressal of grievances.
• “A citizen’s charter in every department will send a clear message that the government
is determined to
prevent and control corruption”.

Sevottam Model

What is Sevottam Model?

Sevottam is a generic framework for achieving excellence in public service delivery and
was proposed by the 2nd Administrative Reforms Commission (ARC)

The Sevottam model has been developed with the overarching objective of improving the quality
of public service delivery in the country.

*It is a combination of two words Seva (service), Uttam (excellence).

The model prescribes seven steps:

1. Define services and identify clients.
2. Set standards and norms for each service.
3. Develop capability to meet the set standards.
4. Perform to achieve the standards.
5. Monitor performance against the set standards.
6. Evaluate impact through an independent mechanism.
7. Continuous improvement based on monitoring and evaluation.

*Organizations adopting Sevottam model for service delivery need to comply with seven steps
and ensure formulation of three modules.
SEVOTTAM MODEL HAS 3 MODULES:
1. Citizen Charter(implementation, monitoring, review):

Requires effective charter implementation, which creates a mechanism for people to

provide feedback on how organizations decide service delivery requirements.
2. Public Grievance Redressal Mechanism
(receipt,redress,prevention):
Needs a good grievance redress mechanism that, regardless of
the final judgment, leaves the citizen more comfortable with how the organization relates to
grievances.
3. Services Delivery Capabilities(customers, employees, infrastructure):
Organisation could have exemplary service delivery efficiency only if it
manages the key components for successful service delivery well and builds its own capacity to
boost
delivery continuously.

Significance of the Model

• It is a Quality Management framework applicable to the activities of public service delivery
organizations at the point of interface with service recipients.
• The framework is a tool in the hands of implementing organizations.
• It guides them through systematic initiatives for sustainable improvements in service
delivery
• The framework enables implementing organizations to undertake a systematic, credible and
authenticated self-assessment (or ‘gap analysis’) for citizen-centric service delivery.
• Using this analysis, practical solutions are gradually and systematically incorporated into the
organization’s day-to-day routine thereby ensuring sustainable results.

**Implementation of Sevottam framework in the government departments was started in 2009.

Later, Sevottam has been launched as a certification scheme which provides for the award
of the Sevottam symbol of excellence to public service organizations that implement and are
able to show compliance to a set of management system requirements that have been specified
in a specially created standard document. This standard, known as IS 15700:2005, was
developed
by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) based on the objectives of Sevottam.

**Time Bound Delivery of Services

To ensure Right of Citizens for Time Bound Delivery of Goods and Services, “the Right of
Citizens
for Time-bound Delivery of Goods and Services and Redressal of their Grievances Bill,
2011”, was
introduced in the LokSabha in 2011, but it lapsed with the term of the last House.
The need of the hour is to identify delivery of services as a matter of right and bring legal
provision for time bound delivery of services.

**Highlights of “the Right of Citizens for Time-bound Delivery of Goods and Services and
Redressal of their Grievances Bill, 2011”:
• Every public authority was required to publish a Citizens Charter within six months of the
commencement of the Act.
• A citizen may file a complaint regarding any grievance related to:
a) citizens charter;
b) functioning of a public authority; or
c) violation of a law, policy or scheme.
• The Bill required all public authorities to appoint officers to redress grievances.
• Grievances were to be redressed within 30 working days.

• The Bill also provided for the appointment of Central and State Public Grievance Redressal
Commissions.
• A penalty of up to Rs 50,000 to be levied upon the responsible officer or the Grievance
Redressal Officer for failure to render services.
but a Central law is required to provide an overarching framework across the country.
Example:
Madhya Pradesh is the first state in India to enact a law on Public Services Delivery
Guarantee.
The act came into force in 2010.
It is the first-of-its-kind in the country guaranteeing the delivery of public services to citizens in a
stipulated time frame.
The act considered a reflection of the state’s commitment to achieving good governance.
Madhya Pradesh government created the Department of Public Service Management to
coordinate between government agencies and implement the new legislation soon after
the formation of the Public Services Delivery Guarantee Act.
Practice questions on citizen charter for upsc mains

1."Citizen charters play a vital role in promoting transparency and accountability in

government services." Discuss the significance of citizen charters in ensuring
citizen-centric governance with suitable examples from India.

Ans.
Citizen charters indeed play a vital role in promoting transparency and accountability in
government services, thereby ensuring citizen-centric governance. Here's a detailed
discussion along with examples from India:

Enhancing Transparency:
Citizen charters provide a clear and concise description of the services offered by government
agencies, the timeframes for service delivery, and the expected standards. This transparency
ensures that citizens are well-informed about what to expect from government agencies. For
example, the "Passport Seva Project" in India, with its citizen charter, clearly outlines the
timelines for passport issuance, making the process more transparent.

Accountability:
Citizen charters set specific service standards and delivery timelines. If these standards are not
met, it becomes easier for citizens to hold government officials and agencies accountable. An
example is the "Janani Suraksha Yojana" (a maternal health scheme) where the citizen
charter clearly defines the services provided and the timeframes, holding health centers
accountable for service quality and timeliness.

Empowerment of Citizens:
Citizen charters empower citizens by giving them a tool to demand their rights and services. For
instance, the "Right to Public Services (RTPS) Act" in various Indian states has enabled
citizens to seek compensation if services are not provided within the stipulated time, thereby
empowering them to hold the government accountable.

Reduction of Corruption:
When service standards are clearly outlined, there is less room for corrupt practices. An
example is the implementation of citizen charters in the issuance of income certificates or
land records, where fixed timelines reduce opportunities for bribery and extortion.

Improving Service Delivery:

Citizen charters act as performance benchmarks for government agencies. For instance, the
"e-District" project in India, which includes citizen charters, has streamlined various services
such as income certificates, caste certificates, and ration card issuance, leading to improved
service delivery.

Feedback Mechanism:
Citizen charters often include mechanisms for citizens to provide feedback and seek grievance
redressal. The "Swachh Bharat Abhiyan" (Clean India Campaign) has used citizen
feedback through mobile apps and social media to monitor the cleanliness of public spaces
and ensure accountability.

In conclusion, citizen charters are instrumental in transforming government services into a more
citizen-centric model. They provide a framework for accountability, empower citizens, reduce
corruption, and ultimately improve the quality and efficiency of public services. India has seen
numerous instances where the introduction of citizen charters has positively impacted the
delivery of government services.

2."While citizen charters are a step towards good governance, their effective
implementation remains a challenge in India." Analyze the challenges faced in the
implementation of citizen charters and suggest measures to overcome them.

Ans.
Challenges in Implementation
1.lack of awareness
2.inadequate monitoring
3.bureaucratic resistance
4.capacity constraints
5.political interference
6.complexity and lengthy charters
Measures to Overcome Challenges:
1.
Measures Taken:
1.Awareness Campaigns: The government has initiated awareness campaigns to educate
citizens about their rights and the existence of citizen charters. For instance, the "Digital
India" campaign includes awareness initiatives regarding e-Governance services.

Stakeholder Engagement: Some states have adopted a collaborative approach, involving

citizens and civil society organizations in the formulation and monitoring of citizen charters. This
approach enhances accountability and ensures that citizens are active participants in the
process.

Training and Capacity Building:

Government officials and agencies are provided with training and capacity-building programs to
help them meet the service standards outlined in citizen charters.

ICT Integration: Integration of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in service

delivery, as seen in projects like "e-District" and "e-Governance," has streamlined the
implementation of citizen charters.

Legal Frameworks: Certain states have introduced legal frameworks such as the "Right to
Public Services (RTPS) Act," which not only sets service standards but also provides for
penalties in case of non-compliance, encouraging effective implementation.

Potential solutions
1.strengthening greivance Redressal
2.Regular audits and evolution
3.citizen feedback platforms
4.capacity building
5.performance incentives

Addressing these challenges requires a combination of top-down and bottom-up approaches,

along with sustained efforts to ensure that citizen charters lead to improved governance and
service delivery.

3."The Right to Public Services (RTPS) Act in various states has been instrumental in
ensuring the delivery of public services within stipulated time frames. Examine the
impact of RTPS Acts on improving service delivery and the challenges involved."
4."The success of citizen charters depends on citizen awareness and participation.
Discuss the role of civil society, media, and technology in promoting citizen engagement
in the monitoring of government services."

Role of Civil Society:

1.Public Hearings and Social Audits: Civil societies oraganised them.
the Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan (MKSS) in Rajasthan has pioneered the use of social
audits to scrutinize government schemes, ensuring transparency and accountability.
2.Advocacy and Awareness Campaigns-about citizens rights and responsibilities.
The Right to Information (RTI) Act movement, led by activists like Aruna Roy, empowered
citizens to access government information and hold authorities accountable.
3.Community Mobilization:
The Chipko Movement, led by environmental activist Sunderlal Bahuguna, saw villagers
come together to protect forests. This kind of grassroots movement is a prime example
of citizens taking charge of preserving their environment and resources.

Role of Media:

Investigative Journalism: Investigative journalism in India, as seen in cases like the exposure of
the 2G spectrum scam by journalists like J. Gopikrishnan, has played a critical role in bringing to
light corruption and irregularities in government services.

Information Dissemination: Media outlets provide a platform for citizens to access information.
Initiatives like "Digital India" have been promoted through various media channels, which inform
citizens about government services and digital platforms.

Citizen Journalism: Citizen journalism has gained traction through social media. Platforms like
Twitter and Facebook have allowed citizens to report and document issues they encounter,
creating a more participatory approach to monitoring government services.

Role of Technology:

Online Portals and Apps: The "MyGov" portal in India enables citizens to participate in
governance by giving their suggestions and feedback on government policies. Mobile apps like
"Umang" provide access to a wide range of government services and information.

Blockchain for Transparency: In states like Andhra Pradesh, blockchain technology has been
used for land title registration, ensuring transparency and reducing fraud. This technology allows
citizens to have secure, tamper-proof records.

e-Governance Initiatives: Programs like "Digital India" have pushed for the digitization of
government services. This has streamlined processes, makingit easier for citizens to access
services, reducing corruption, and promoting transparency.
5."Compare and contrast the concept of citizen charters in India with international practices in
ensuring citizen-centric governance. What lessons can India learn from global experiences?"

6."Effective complaint redressal mechanisms are a crucial component of citizen charters.

Analyze the existing mechanisms for grievance redressal in India and suggest improvements to
make them more citizen-friendly."

7.Certainly, the role of civil society, media, and technology is pivotal in promoting citizen
engagement in the monitoring of government services. Let's discuss each of these
components:

1. Civil Society:

Civil society comprises non-governmental organizations, community groups, and individuals

who play a crucial role in engaging citizens in the monitoring of government services.

Advocacy and Mobilization: Civil society organizations can raise awareness about issues and
mobilize citizens to actively participate in the monitoring ofgovernment services. They act as
intermediaries between the government and the citizens, facilitating dialogue and cooperation.

Social Accountability: They promote social accountability mechanisms such as public hearings,
social audits, and community-driven initiatives. These activities empower citizens to hold
government agencies accountable for their actions and spending.

Capacity Building: Civil society organizations often provide training and support to citizens,
helping them understand their rights, access information, and navigate government processes.
This capacity building is vital for effective citizen engagement.

. Media:

Media, including traditional and digital platforms, serve as the fourth estate and contribute
significantly to citizen engagement in monitoring government services.

Investigative Journalism: Media outlets conduct investigations, uncover corruption, and expose
inefficiencies in government services. Investigative journalism often prompts government action
and public accountability.

Information Dissemination: Media serves as a primary source of information for citizens. They
provide news, data, and analysis on government policies, services, and performance, enabling
citizens to stay informed and engaged.
Promotion of Public Discourse: Through opinion pieces, debates, and discussions, media foster
public discourse onon government policies and services. This encourages citizens to voice their
opinions and engage in dialogues about their expectations and concerns.

3. Technology:

Technology has revolutionized citizen engagement by providing tools and platforms for easy
access to information and interaction with government services.

Online Portals and Apps: Governmentwebsites, mobile apps, and online portals make it
convenient for citizens to access information, submit complaints, and track service requests.
This promotes transparency and efficiency.

Social Media: Platforms like Twitter and Facebook facilitate real-time interactions between
citizens and government officials. Citizens can report issues, seek assistance, and express their
views, increasing accountability.

Data Transparency: Technology enables the publication of government data and performance
metrics online, allowing citizens and watchdog organizations to analyze and monitor
government services' effectiveness.
Conclusion:
In summary, civil society, media, and technology are essential pillars in promoting citizen
engagement in the monitoring of government services. They enable citizens to access
information, voice their concerns, and hold the government accountable. The synergy among
these elements fosters transparency, responsiveness, and ultimately, better governance.

Social Audit

What is Social Audit?

Social audit is a process in which details of resources used by public agency for
development initiatives are shared with people often through public platforms,
which allows end users to scrutinize the impact of developmental programs.

*Social audit serves as an instrument for the measurement of social accountabilityof an

organization. It gained significance after the 73rd amendment of the constitution
relating to Panchayat Raj institutions.

A conventional financial audit focuses on financial records and their scrutiny by an external
auditor following financial accountancy principles.

Social audit covers a wide horizon of stakeholders as its reports revolve around ethics, labor,
environment, human rights, community,
society and statutory compliances

Origin of Social Audit in India

1.The first organisation in India to conduct social audits was Tata Iron and Steel Company Ltd.
(TISCO), Jamshedpur, in 1979.

2.It gained significance with the 73rd amendment to the constitution, which addressed
Panchayat Raj institutions.

3.The 9th FYP (2002-07) approach paper laid a strong focus on social audit for the efficient
operation of Panchayat Raj institutions and gave grama sabhas the authority to perform Social
Audits in addition to their other duties.

4.The National Rural Employment Guarantee Act of 2005 stipulates that “Social Audits” must be
conducted on a regular basis to maintain the program’s accountability and openness.

Objectives of Social Audit

1.Prevents the misuse of both funds and authority.
2.Moreover, it strengthens an organization’s social performance.
3.Proper financial management in accordance with the budget.
4.To make the development programme more successful and efficient.
5.To promote both organisational and public participation in social programmes.

Need of Social Audit

The investment of large amount of funds and resources by the Government of India and various
national and international agencies, since independence in social development programmes,
has not been justified by the impact it has made.

The major focus by the Government hitherto has been in the supply side of the Programme
Delivery System. While improvement of the SUPPLY SIDE is a long term process strengthening
the DEMAND SIDE, may be a short run process, which will improve the effectiveness of the
total delivery system much faster.

There is a need to strengthen the DEMAND SIDE on a priority basis through:

a) Creating a culture of Social Audits of Development Programmes, and
b) Strengthening the Gram Sabhas, the closest institution to the Beneficiaries.

Significance of social audit

1.social accountability.
2.strengthen gram sabha
3.make citizen aware of scheme
4.enhance participation
5.mechanism of taking feedback:it helps policymakers to understand needs of stakeholders m
6.target beneficiaries effectively:of developmental schemes
7.can identify loopholes/problem areas: challenges in implementation of schemes
8.increase trust in govt
9.it provide participatory governance
10.increase accountability and reduce corruption.

*******In recent years due to the steady shift in devolution of funds and functions to the local
government, the demand for social audit has grown.
In flagship schemes such as MGNREGA,
the Union Government is promoting social audit to check corruption.

Similarly, various state governments such as Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh have taken the
initiative to incorporate social audit as part of their monitoring systems through Gram Sabhas
and in partnership with a consortium of NGOs

Limitations of Social Audit

• The scope of social audits is highly localised and covers only certain selected aspects.
• Social audits are often sporadic and ad hoc.
• Monitoring is informal andunprocessed.
• The findings of social audit cannot be generalised over the entire population.
• Individual programs present their own unique challenges. For example literacy
program for adults require data on migration.
• Several problems require a package of programme to be implemented
simultaneously. For example, rural health requires convergence between water
supply, education, sanitation, nutrition etc. Social audit may therefore need a more holistic
approach.
• Absence of trained auditors.
• Lack of action on audit reports and findings.

Challenges Associated with Social Audit

1.Rules not followed: In several states, Gram Panchayats are not required to provide Social
Audit Units with records pertaining to work completion and expenditures, and Gram Sabhas are
not provided with social audit reports in their native tongues.

2.Lack of Independency: Many governments do not adhere to the transparent selection

procedure for the director of the Social Audit Units as specified in the requirements. Several
Social Audit Units do not have enough personnel to cover all of the panchayats even once a
year.

3.Not Institutionalised: Auditors are subject to implementing agencies that face resistance and
intimidation and struggle to even get access to original data for verification because the
government has not regulated the institutionalisation of Social Audit.

4. Lack of Stringent Penalty: Because there are no fines or legal repercussions for breaking
rules and guidelines, Social Audit is a pointless endeavour.

5.Inadequate Knowledge: Due to unawareness, members of the Gram Sabha are unaware of
their legal entitlement to social audits.

6.Lack of an Intelligent Information System: Government agencies rely on an ambiguous and

imprecise system of referencing government accounts and government reporting methods to
track the progress of a plan, making it challenging for auditors to take stock, accelerate,
decelerate, or implement corrective actions.
7.No Incentive to Participate: The lack of participation in village activities is a result of people’s
worries about their livelihood.

Steps To Be Taken

1.Creating Citizens Groups: The political administration and implementing agencies must be
held to account by citizens’ groups, who must fight for the improvement of social auditing.

2.Establishing an Expert Group: A group of social audit specialists should be established to

instruct the social audit committee members.
3.Conduct Training Programmes: It is important to create training programmes on social
auditing practises like
conducting and writing reports, as well as presenting at Gram Sabha.
4.Participation in Civil Society: It should be promoted that individuals, including students from
various universities, take part as Village Resource Persons. As an illustration, Jharkhand
established a formal system by inviting well-known members of civil society to join the Social
Audit panel.
5.System Institutionalising: For the system of social audits to become an institutionalised
structure that cannot be challenged by vested

Way Forward
• For empowerment of the Demand System, investment in education and awareness of Public/
Gram Sabha members is required.
• Institutional capacity need be increased at PRI, Block, and DRDA level, in terms of information
Storage and distribution mechanism
• Support may be provided to committed and competent NGOs to play the catalytic role
including conducting Social Audit.
• Media need be more Rural and
Development focussed
• Recognise and Reward the members who have contributed to the process of strengthening
Demand System and improved service delivery
• Develop an INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK for, organising PRI Accounting Audit and Social
Audits and putting them on the INTERNET
• Promoting proactive disclosure of information to facilitate social audits.

Role of civil services in a Democracy

Evolution of Civil Services in India

The Indian civil service system is one of the oldest administrative systems in the world. In India,
It had its origin in the Mauryan period.
*Kautilya's Arthashastra lays down the principles of selection and promotion of the civil servants,
the conditions of loyalty for appointment to the civil service, the methods of theirperformance
evaluation and the code of conduct to be
followed by them.

The genesis of modern civil services can be traced back to the British Raj.
• During the period of Warren Hastings, the institution of collector was created in 1772. The
main duty of district collector was collection and management of revenue.
• Lord Cornwallis is known as the father of civil services in India. He reformed and organised
civil services. He separated revenue administration from judicial administration. The collector
was made head of revenue administration of the district.
• Prior to Lord Macaulay’s Report of the Select Committee of British Parliament, civil servants
were directly nominated by directors of the East India Company.
• The Charter Act of 1853 provided for open competition to civil services. But the Indian Civil
Service was divided into covenant and non-covenant with Indians being restricted to
non-covenant posts of lower bureaucracy only.
• In 1854, on the recommendations Macaulay’s report, Civil Services Commission was set up to
recruit civil servants. Initially examination was conducted only in London with minimum
and maximum age being 18 and 23 years respectively.
• Despite syllabus being heavily favored towards EuropeanStudies,Satyendranath Tagore
became first Indian to become a civil servant in 1864.
• Aitchinson Commission (1886) recommended the re-organization of the services on a new
pattern and divided the services into three groups - Imperial, Provincial and Subordinate.
The recruiting and controlling authority of Imperial services was the ‘Secretary of State’ and
for provincial services, it was states.
• The british government setup Indian Civil Service in 1911, primarily with the objective of
strengthening british administration.
• Though Indians petitioned for reforms for years, it was only after first world war and
Montagu Chelmsford reforms that changes were brought in the selection process.
• From 1922 onwards, examination was conducted in India as well. First in Allahabad and
then in Delhi with setting up of Federal Public Service Commission.
• The Government of India Act 1919 divided the Imperial Services into All India Services and
Central Services. The central services were concerned with matters under the direct control
of the Central Government.
• This Act also provided for the
establishment of Public Services Commission in India. But the
establishment was delayed till 1926 when Lee Commission strongly recommended to establish
the commission.
• Further, the Government of India Act, 1935 envisaged a Public Service Commission for the
Federation and a Provincial Public Service Commission for each Province or group of
Provinces. Thus this act made Public Service Commission, Federal Public Service
Commission.

Police Services
• Imperial Police prior to Independence was appointed by Secretary of State through competitive
examination.Entry into Imperial Police was thrown open to Indians only after 1920 and the
following
year examinations for the service were conducted both in England and India.
• Despite recommendations of the Islington Commission and the Lee Commission, Indianisation
of police services remained slow with 20% of total posts in 1931.

Forest Services
• In 1864, Imperial Forest Department was set up. Imperial Forest Service was constituted in
1867. From 1867 to 1885, the officers appointed to Imperial Forest Service were trained in
France and Germany.
• In 1920, it was decided that further recruitment to the Imperial Forest Service would be made
by direct recruitment in England and India and by promotion from the provincial service in India
With the inauguration of the Constitution of India in January 26, 1950, the Federal Public
Service Commission came to be known as the Union Public Service Commission, and the
Chairman and Members of the Federal Public Service Commission became Chairman and
Members of the Union Public Service Commission by virtue of Clause (1) of Article 378 of the
Constitution.

After independence, the civil servants were no more expected to perform the role of a police
state. The welfare of the Indian subjects was viewed as the central task to be performed by the
Indian state and hence they were to be an instrument to carry out welfare functions which,
among other things, included the settlement of refugees and providing minimum conditions for
their day-to-day living, safeguarding the national borders from external aggression and
promoting conditions responsible for internal peace.

The ethos of the civil service in independent-India changed from welfare-orientation in the late
1940s to development-orientation between the 1960s and 1980s, and finally to facilitator's role
in the 1990s, as dictated by the environmental challenges, collective choicemechanisms
reflected in the manifestos issued by the various political parties during the 1996, 2000 and
2004 general elections, and the challenge of meeting the democratic needs of the teeming
millions