GOOD GOVERNANCE INITIATIVES IN CIVIL SERVICE
There is as such no definition of good governance, however it is a type of performance calculator of a government of a country on the basis of certain parameters of a government functioning that protects and encourages human rights in a country. As specified by UNESCAP those parameters are - whether the governance of a country is participatory, consensus oriented, accountable, transparent, responsive, effective & efficient, equitable & inclusive and follows the rule of law.
The World Bank has identified three discrete aspects of governance which needs to be emphasized for reform: “i) the form of political regime; ii) the process by which authority is exercised in the management of a country’s economic and social resources for development; and iii)the capacity of government to design, formulate and implement policies and discharge functions." This again establishes the close link between democracy, economic development and good governance.
So now,as we can see from the above that civil services is a very pivotal part of good governance and so civil services reforms are a part of Good Governance. There have been many reforms as such :
i) Right to Information Act
ii) E- Governance , National Knowledge Commission
iii) Committee on civil services reforms ( P.C. Hota Committee) - emphasized the use of information and communication technologies (ICT) to transform Government by making it more accessible, effective and accountable. It stressed on the need to recognize that e-governance is about discarding old procedures and transforming the process of decision-making and that technology is merely a tool and a catalyst for such transformations. Significantly, the concept of public-private partnerships has been recognized as a guiding principle to that end.
iv) Prime Minister's award for excellence in the field of Public Administration
v) Citizens Charter
vi) Increase in pay through sixth pay commission
vii) First Administrative Reforms Commission- Recommended especially on recruitment, recruitment agencies, training, promotion, service conditions, etc. &
Second Administrative reform Commission - Headed by Veerappa Moily has recommended that the subject of Public Administration/Governance be made mandatory for aspiring civil servants, besides setting up National Institutes of Public Administration and the Central Services Authority. The Government of India has come up with a draft Public Services Bill (2007) that aims to change the nature of the civil services as well as face the challenges to governance in the context of complex global challenges. This paper presents an overview of the changing nature of civil services in India in the post-Independence period with emphasis on the reforms and the challenges ahead.
viii) Aadhar or Unique Identification Authority of India
ix) Many Election reforms through the Election Commission
x) Expenditure Reforms Commission - that emphasized on a drastic downsizing of the government staff strength for securing modern and professional governance and also reducing the increasing salary bill of the Government of India.
xi) The D.S. Kothari Committee Report on Recruitment Policy and Selection Methods, 1976,interalia recommended a major change in the examination system. It recommended a two-stage examination process – a preliminary examination followed by a main examination. This Committee also suggested changes in the training pattern for the civil services.
The Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances has proposed a framework for good governance in the form of a Code of Governance. The main components of this Code are: (i)improving service delivery; (ii) development of programmes for weaker sections and backward areas; (iii) technology and system improvement; (iv) financial management and budget sanctity; (v)accountability and transparency; (vi) public service morale and anti-corruption
CIVIL SERVICE NEUTRALITY:
One of the foundational pillars of an effective,competent and corruption free civil service is for it to be neutral & fearless in its approach & faithful to the Constitution(the people) while carrying out their duties , and not soliciting for patronage from any party for vested interests.
The founding fathers of the Constitution wisely provided, by making provisions in Part XIV of the Constitution, for apolitical and independent civil services, with requisite
protection for service matters that pertain to both the Union and the states.
This is enhanced through the Constitution of India through the practice of Ministerial accountability to the Lok Sabha for administrative action.
The concept of neutrality has three implications: (i) public confidence in the non-political character of public service, (ii) confidence of ministers belonging to any political party in the loyalty of the permanent subordinates, and (iii) high morale of public servants based on the confidence that promoting would be made not on the basis of political considerations but on merit. This was developed in Britain Switzerland and other countries that follow British pattern of administration.
Unfortunately, political interference and administrative acquiescence has severely dented the professional fibre of the service,reason being civil servants being in fear of regular transfers if not giving into the political masters and the politicians not allowing these civil servants to do their jobs due to their vested interests and initiate unnecessary disciplinary actions and transfers and using them as a tool against honest and upright civil servants who do not bow down to their unholy demands.
Still, the solution to this rests upon the Public servant's shoulders more. Civil Servants have to bring a new orientation to rules by which the everyday conduct of public affairs has to be regulated. Civil servants have much to contribute to the shaping and not just implementation of the policy.They should remain upright with full integrity and perform their duties even if it means a transfer. And if wrongly charged,then approach the grievance redressal mechanisms(legal as well as constitutional) and courts in the proper protocol and fight against the injustice,because in the end the truth alone will triumph.
Complaints to CVC(which is only an advisory body and requires permission of the respective Ministry/department for direction to CBI to investigate),CBI,Police or Lokayuktas can be done regarding erring Bureaucrats or Ministers, however all these organisations come under the control of the Centre/Union and states and therefore this is the big lacunae causing people to fear consulting it.
These organisations need to be made independent of political functioning in order to have an effective anti-corruption machinery in India.
However, one should not lose hope and approach these as and when required,because if one is persevering then justice can be achieved.
A strong Lokpal Bill will also bring in a lot of hope,but unfortunately this too is being dilly-dallied due to vested interests.
A good Whistleblower Protection Bill is the need of the hour to ensure civil service neutrality as well as civil service activism. The Whistleblower protection Bill has been in consideration since a long time by the Union Cabinet,however it is yet to get a face.
There is as such no definition of good governance, however it is a type of performance calculator of a government of a country on the basis of certain parameters of a government functioning that protects and encourages human rights in a country. As specified by UNESCAP those parameters are - whether the governance of a country is participatory, consensus oriented, accountable, transparent, responsive, effective & efficient, equitable & inclusive and follows the rule of law.
The World Bank has identified three discrete aspects of governance which needs to be emphasized for reform: “i) the form of political regime; ii) the process by which authority is exercised in the management of a country’s economic and social resources for development; and iii)the capacity of government to design, formulate and implement policies and discharge functions." This again establishes the close link between democracy, economic development and good governance.
So now,as we can see from the above that civil services is a very pivotal part of good governance and so civil services reforms are a part of Good Governance. There have been many reforms as such :
i) Right to Information Act
ii) E- Governance , National Knowledge Commission
iii) Committee on civil services reforms ( P.C. Hota Committee) - emphasized the use of information and communication technologies (ICT) to transform Government by making it more accessible, effective and accountable. It stressed on the need to recognize that e-governance is about discarding old procedures and transforming the process of decision-making and that technology is merely a tool and a catalyst for such transformations. Significantly, the concept of public-private partnerships has been recognized as a guiding principle to that end.
iv) Prime Minister's award for excellence in the field of Public Administration
v) Citizens Charter
vi) Increase in pay through sixth pay commission
vii) First Administrative Reforms Commission- Recommended especially on recruitment, recruitment agencies, training, promotion, service conditions, etc. &
Second Administrative reform Commission - Headed by Veerappa Moily has recommended that the subject of Public Administration/Governance be made mandatory for aspiring civil servants, besides setting up National Institutes of Public Administration and the Central Services Authority. The Government of India has come up with a draft Public Services Bill (2007) that aims to change the nature of the civil services as well as face the challenges to governance in the context of complex global challenges. This paper presents an overview of the changing nature of civil services in India in the post-Independence period with emphasis on the reforms and the challenges ahead.
viii) Aadhar or Unique Identification Authority of India
ix) Many Election reforms through the Election Commission
x) Expenditure Reforms Commission - that emphasized on a drastic downsizing of the government staff strength for securing modern and professional governance and also reducing the increasing salary bill of the Government of India.
xi) The D.S. Kothari Committee Report on Recruitment Policy and Selection Methods, 1976,interalia recommended a major change in the examination system. It recommended a two-stage examination process – a preliminary examination followed by a main examination. This Committee also suggested changes in the training pattern for the civil services.
The Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances has proposed a framework for good governance in the form of a Code of Governance. The main components of this Code are: (i)improving service delivery; (ii) development of programmes for weaker sections and backward areas; (iii) technology and system improvement; (iv) financial management and budget sanctity; (v)accountability and transparency; (vi) public service morale and anti-corruption
CIVIL SERVICE NEUTRALITY:
One of the foundational pillars of an effective,competent and corruption free civil service is for it to be neutral & fearless in its approach & faithful to the Constitution(the people) while carrying out their duties , and not soliciting for patronage from any party for vested interests.
The founding fathers of the Constitution wisely provided, by making provisions in Part XIV of the Constitution, for apolitical and independent civil services, with requisite
protection for service matters that pertain to both the Union and the states.
This is enhanced through the Constitution of India through the practice of Ministerial accountability to the Lok Sabha for administrative action.
The concept of neutrality has three implications: (i) public confidence in the non-political character of public service, (ii) confidence of ministers belonging to any political party in the loyalty of the permanent subordinates, and (iii) high morale of public servants based on the confidence that promoting would be made not on the basis of political considerations but on merit. This was developed in Britain Switzerland and other countries that follow British pattern of administration.
Unfortunately, political interference and administrative acquiescence has severely dented the professional fibre of the service,reason being civil servants being in fear of regular transfers if not giving into the political masters and the politicians not allowing these civil servants to do their jobs due to their vested interests and initiate unnecessary disciplinary actions and transfers and using them as a tool against honest and upright civil servants who do not bow down to their unholy demands.
Still, the solution to this rests upon the Public servant's shoulders more. Civil Servants have to bring a new orientation to rules by which the everyday conduct of public affairs has to be regulated. Civil servants have much to contribute to the shaping and not just implementation of the policy.They should remain upright with full integrity and perform their duties even if it means a transfer. And if wrongly charged,then approach the grievance redressal mechanisms(legal as well as constitutional) and courts in the proper protocol and fight against the injustice,because in the end the truth alone will triumph.
Complaints to CVC(which is only an advisory body and requires permission of the respective Ministry/department for direction to CBI to investigate),CBI,Police or Lokayuktas can be done regarding erring Bureaucrats or Ministers, however all these organisations come under the control of the Centre/Union and states and therefore this is the big lacunae causing people to fear consulting it.
These organisations need to be made independent of political functioning in order to have an effective anti-corruption machinery in India.
However, one should not lose hope and approach these as and when required,because if one is persevering then justice can be achieved.
A strong Lokpal Bill will also bring in a lot of hope,but unfortunately this too is being dilly-dallied due to vested interests.
A good Whistleblower Protection Bill is the need of the hour to ensure civil service neutrality as well as civil service activism. The Whistleblower protection Bill has been in consideration since a long time by the Union Cabinet,however it is yet to get a face.
