Abstract
This paper discusses the concept of good governance
and its relations with the electoral politics in Indian context. It highlights the
various strategies employed by the government and related agencies for the growth
and development of the country. Major reforms pertaining to the country’s infrastructure,
IT, administration, economy and public services are a few areas that have been explored
in this paper.
Introduction
Good governance refers to the method of handling
society’s resources, exercising of political authority, and having control over
the society for societal and economic development. It includes the characteristics
of a state’s institutional and structural arrangements as well as its decision-making
procedures. It also encompasses formulating policies, implementing capacity, information
flows, and an effective, visionary leadership, and the nature of the relationship
between the government and its citizens. Governance, therefore, is concerned not
with just the integrity, efficiency, and economy of the government but also the
effectiveness of its government organisations and activities in meeting the needs
of the people.
Good governance helps to foster economic development,
social cohesion, and brings political stability. It is not limited to the public
sector but also applies to private organisations and civil society. Many international
organisations and governments promote the principles of good governance as a means
to achieve sustainable development and ensure the well-being of their populations.
Good governance refers to the principles and practices that ensure the effective,
transparent, accountable, and responsive management of public affairs by governments
and institutions. It is a concept that emphasizes fairness, equity, rule of law,
participation, and inclusiveness in the decision-making process. The goal of good
governance is to promote the well-being of citizens and create an environment conducive
to sustainable development. Each individual and organization, including the government,
is bound by the law and accountable for their actions. The legal system must be
open, just, and uniformly enforced.
In good governance, information should be accessible,
and decisions made by public officials should be open and easily understandable.
This helps to build trust among people and ensures accountability. Public officials
and institutions must be accountable for their actions. There should be mechanisms
in place to hold them responsible for their decisions and performance. Citizens
must be given opportunities to take part in the decision-making processes that impact
their daily lives. Participation that is inclusive guarantees that a variety of
viewpoints are taken into account. Moreover, decisions and policies
should be fair and just, and resources should be distributed equitably. This helps
in preventing discrimination and social injustice. Institutions should be effective
in delivering public services and efficient in using resources for common good.
This ensures that government functions are carried out with the best use of available
resources. Therefore, good governance involves having a long-term vision and planning
for the future which helps in guiding policies and decisions to achieve sustainable
development.
In the recent past, the issue of good governance
has taken center stage in discussions about development. India has recognised the
urgent need for administrative reforms to strengthen the ability and proficiency
of the administrative systems in accomplishing objectives for social and economic
growth in order to promote good governance.
It has been pointed out that one of the major barriers
to the successful implementation of development goals and priorities is the shortcomings
in the administrative capacity and apparatus. The growing complexity of modern life
in an age of globalization, rapid technological, social, and economic changes has
increased the role of the government, particularly in the provision of service delivery
for the poor and vulnerable sections of the society. During the last decade, a number
of initiatives have been taken to strengthen the institutional capacity and also
reduce corruption. Therefore, to promote good governance, there has been an emphasis
on ethics and morality. A number of mechanisms have been put in place to ensure
that public servants discharge their services in an ethical manner.
Good Governance Election
Milan Vaishnav in his paper published in 2015, argues
that 2014 polls were widely heralded as India’s “good governance” election. Prime
Minister Modi campaigned explicitly on this theme, delivering repeated assaults
on the mis governance and malfeasance of the incumbent UPA government, while continually
touting the “Gujarat model” of development. The stewardship of the economy and the
administration of the nation’s affairs were clearly key drivers of the Modi wave.
His campaign tag line was “Achey Din Aayenge”
For starters, Indian voters might value leaders who
are honest, upstanding, and effective, but at the end of the day they are selecting
local candidates who will be charged with looking after their interests. Given the
realities of state weakness and the real and perceived distance between the state
or national capital and the places where most Indians actually reside, within their
own constituencies voters might be inclined to put their faith in someone who is
willing to use whatever means are at his disposal to get things done. Secondly,
voters are not rewarding politicians with criminal reputations because they have
an interest in rewarding mis governance; rather, they are doing so precisely because
they perceive, rightly or wrongly, that such candidates can actually use their no-holds-barred
reputations and skills to provide the very governance that has been absent. Until
the quality of the state improves or “clean” politicians can convincingly demonstrate
that they can deliver, even well-informed voters might have good reasons to seek
the assistance of candidates who try to pass off their criminal records as signs
of their competence.1
In promoting good governance Prime Minister
Modi has given the mantra of ‘Minimum Government, Maximum Governance’ to create
such a system where administration and good governance are run without unnecessary
interference. During the last decade India has taken a number of initiatives to
promote good governance both at the policy level as well as the operational level.
In an exclusive interview with Aaj Tak, Prime
Minister Narendra Modi said that the country still doesn't know the real meaning
of minimum government and maximum governance. PM Modi said that the sad thing about
this country is that we don't research about these things. Explaining the concept
of minimum government and maximum governance, Prime Minister Narendra PM Modi said,
"Earlier my Cabinet note would take six months to reach the entire Cabinet.
But now it takes only 15 days. This is what minimum government and maximum governance
is. Same number of people but the result is more. Earlier, we had to travel abroad
to sign an MOU. I said nothing doing, just do a video conference and we'll only
go once it's finalised." "Till now, I have cleared projects worth around
Rs 12 lakh crore in just an hour. These projects were pending for over 30-40 years.
This is what minimum government is. I maintain that it's not government's responsibility
to run a hotel, you might have seen that we are doing disinvestment slowly,"
Prime Minister Modi added.2
Strategies for New India @75
According to an article published by Niti Aayog in
September 2021, the 'Strategy for New India @ 75' had three key messages from the
Prime Minister for New India. First, development must become a mass movement, in
which every Indian recognizes his/her role and also experiences the tangible benefits
accruing to him/her in the form of better ease of living. Second, development strategy
should help achieve broad-based economic growth to ensure balanced development across
all regions and States and across sectors. Third, the strategy when implemented
will bridge the gap between public and private sector performance. The strategy
is an attempt to bring innovation, technology, enterprise and efficient management
together, at the core of policy formulation and implementation.3
Policy paralyses were one of the major criticisms
during the UPA regime which led to serious consequences on decision making and resulted
in mal administration. Therefore, we must first understand what a policy is. A policy
basically refers to a framework or strategy that guides the conception, execution,
and evaluation of all the actions taken to achieve a goal. Consequently, goals related
to the general welfare of the public fall under the scope of public policy. Policy
making values critical thinking, systematic action, and objective assessment. A
policy goes through five major stages. These include; identifying a problem, formulating
a policy, adopting the policy, implementing the policy and monitoring and evaluating
the policy outcome. The focus of the NDA government was to strengthen the policy
making arena by setting up NITI Ayog as a think tank. This resulted in formulating
and implementing a large number of people centric polices in various sectors.
Goal of Development Policy
The main goal of development policy is to raise each
citizen’s standard of living by creating sustainable improvements. One of the many
development objectives pertain to raising the per capita income of all citizens.
Raising living standards is the general goal, but it also includes a number of
more focused objectives, such as improving people's health and educational prospects
and enabling everyone to engage in public life. For sustainable
development, institutions of good governance that are transparent, participatory,
and encompass partnerships with the government and other elements of civil society
are a prerequisite. The last seven decades have been marked by a mix of pessimism
and optimism about prospects for development. India has a large bureaucracy to effectively
implement plans. However, it was not able to show the desired results because a
well-run civil service and an efficient judiciary are prerequisites for efficient
government action. It is in this context that Mission Karamyogi has to be seen.
It’s an effort to change the civil service from being rule-based to becoming role-based,
dedicated, innovative and citizen-friendly.
Focus on Infrastructure Development
Over the past ten years, India has
experienced significant progress in a number of areas. Due to the
tremendous efforts of the current government, India’s GDP has skyrocketed to 7.4
per cent, making
it the fastest growing among large economies in the world. One of the major sectors
that contributes to the overall development of the country is infrastructure, which
until recently, was lacking to a large extent due to rampant corruption in developmental
projects under the UPA government. Therefore, NDA government aimed to revolutionise the
country's infrastructure landscape, which would help in economic growth, enhancement
of connectivity, and improvement in the quality of life.
For this, the government has launched various initiatives,
which focused on modernising transportation networks, upgrading urban amenities,
and expanding digital infrastructure. Atal Tunnel—the world's longest highway tunnel,
and the Chenab Bridge—the world's highest railway bridge, are a few significant milestones by
the government as part of the infrastructural development. India
has also set records by building iconic landmarks such as the Statue of Unity – the
world’s tallest statue and has planned to create Asia’s longest tunnel, the Zojila
tunnel for all-weather connectivity in Ladakh.
The progress of national highways in India has been
remarkable in the last 10 years, reflecting a significant increase in budget allocation
and construction pace. Since 2014, there has been a 500 per cent increase in the
road transport and highway budget allocation, leading to a substantial enhancement
in infrastructure development. The speed of highway construction reached an impressive
37 km/day in 2020-21, marking a record for the fastest highway construction in India.
Moreover, the National Highway (NH) network has expanded by 60 per cent from 91,287 km
in 2014 to 1,46,145 km by the year 2023. The length of 4-laned NH has increased
by 2.5 times, from 18,387 km in 2014 to 46,179 km, as of November 2023. The average
pace of NH construction has also seen a remarkable increase, rising by 143 per cent to 28.3 km/day
from the baseline 12.1 km/day in 2014. With a comprehensive network spanning 1,46,145
km, national highways play a crucial role in connecting regions and spurring economic
growth across the country, complementing the extensive state highways spanning 1,79,535
km and other road infrastructure spanning 65,45,403 km.4
The Bharatmala Pariyojana was launched with the primary focus
on optimising the efficiency of the movement of goods and people across the country.
The key components of the Pariyojana are Economic corridor development, Inter-corridor
and feeder routes development, National Corridors Efficiency Improvement, Border,
and International Connectivity Roads, Coastal and Port Connectivity Roads and Expressways.
25 Greenfield high-speed corridors have been envisaged for development under Bharatmala
Pariyojana. Out of which, 20 are completed or under various stages of implementation.5
34,800 km of National Highway length
was planned for development under Phase-I of Bharatmala Pariyojana. As of Dec-2023,
26,418 km (i.e., 76% of 34,800 km) have been awarded for construction with completion
of about 15,549 km.6
The Vande Bharat trains represent a significant advancement in
India's railway infrastructure, boasting enhanced safety features, faster acceleration,
and improved passenger amenities. Equipped with Automatic Plug Doors, Reclining
Ergonomic Seats, and Mobile charging sockets for every seat, these trains offer
a comfortable and convenient travel experience. As of January 31, 2024, more than
100 Vande Bharat train services are operational across the Indian Railways7,
with an impressive overall occupancy rate of 96.62 per cent during 2022-23.8
Further, on March 12, 2024, Prime Minister flagged off 10 new
Vande Bharat trains. During his address, he informed that that not only most of
the states have got Vande Bharat trains but the century of Vande Bharat Trains has
also been hit.9
The expansion of India's Metro Rail system has revolutionised
urban commuting, with the network set to increase from 248 km in 2014 to an impressive
945 km by 2024. This significant growth reflects the vital role of Metro Rail in
providing ease of transportation to urban populations, with approximately 1 crore
passengers benefiting from the system daily. From just 5 cities in 2014, the Metro
Rail network has expanded to serve 21 cities across the country, with 919 km of
lines under construction in 26 additional cities. 10
The PM GatiShakti — National Master Plan, with an estimated investment
of INR100 lakh crore and bringing 16 Ministries together, is truly a transformative
moment for India. Seamless coordination between different government departments
is expected to bring in significant efficiencies in delivering projects. For the
telecoms sector in India, the PM GatiShakti National Master Plan will be instrumental
in boosting the digital infrastructure rollout. The GatiShakti Sanchar Portal has
brought together all central ministries and states/union territories under one platform.
It is one of the best examples of a coordinated approach to improve efficiencies
and quicken decision making. There is a significant decline witnessed in the average
number of days to dispose of RoW applications. Disposals are keeping pace with the
increase in applications received.
Aatmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan is the mission started by the Government
of India on 13th May 2020, towards making India Self-reliant. The Hon'ble Prime
Minister, Shri Narendra Modi announced an economic package of INR 20 lakh crore
as aid to support the country in the times of pandemic. It is focused on 5 components
– Economy, Infrastructure, Systems, Vibrant Demography and Demand.11
Digital Economy
The International Trade Administration, in January 2024, published
an article on their official Website highlighting that “India aims to grow the Information
and Communication Technology (ICT) sector to $1 trillion by 2025, or 20 percent
of predicted GDP. According to the National Association of Software and Services
Companies (NASSCOM), India’s technology industry is expected to cross $245 billion
in 2023 based on an 8.4 per cent annual growth rate. All subsectors of the technology
industry, including IT and business process management, IT-enabled services, engineering
research and development, hardware, software products, and e-commerce recorded double
digit growth in 2022.
The Indian telecommunications sector is the second largest in
the world by subscribers, with 1.2 billion wireless and fixed-line subscribers.
India’s mobile economy has been driven by widespread adoption, with wireless subscriptions
representing 98 per cent of telephone use. According to Deloitte, India is expected
to reach 1 billion smart phones by 2026, from 770 million currently. India has also
emerged as the second largest manufacturer of mobile handsets in the world. India
also has 856 million broadband subscribers. India scored 51.19/100 in the Portulans
Institute’s Network Readiness Index, improving its ranking from 67 in 2021 to 61
in 2022 out of 131 countries surveyed.
To advance India’s 5G telecom infrastructure, in July 2022, the
Department of Telecommunications auctioned 51,236 MHz out of 72,098 MHz spectrum
across 10 different bands (600 MHz, 700 MHz, 800MHz, 900 MHz, 1800 MHz, 2100 MHz,
2300 MHz, 2500 MHz, 3300 MHz and 26 GHz). In October 2022, the Indian Prime Minister
launched 5G services in India to enhance digital connectivity and improve network
infrastructure and access to high-speed internet. The rollout of 5G in India has
been the fastest in the world.12
Public Service Reforms
Delivery of public services has been a major problem in India
leading to not only harassment of the citizens but also resulting in corruption.
The intended beneficiaries never received the benefits which were cornered by the
middlemen. With the changing role of the State, the public services have been under
tremendous pressure, which calls for the very restructuring of the public services
itself, because building a more responsive state requires working on mechanisms
that increase openness, provide a large number of incentives for participation in
public affairs and where appropriate lessen the distance between government and
the citizens. Now with the use of information technology and a number of process
reforms, the delivery of services is being done in an efficient and cost effective
manner. DBT is a novel method to reach the unreached.
To enhance the capacity and capability, the role of the government
and its functions has been redefined. The real focus is to serve the public effectively
and ensure efficient and cost effective administration. Governments have to demonstrate
a clear vision of the future, based on values that are widely shared in society
and leadership qualities. Setting priorities and attainable, realistic goals, creating
a team to manage change in government operations, and maintaining political commitment
have all changed to a large extent. Reforms, to be effectively implemented require
a holistic approach, integrating the multiple human resources, financial, technical
and structural factors involved within a demanding environment.
Policy formulation and institutional mechanism building
for a capable public sector is essential to enhance State effectiveness. Poor systems
can be very difficult to remove once they are established. Even though the status
quo is inefficient and unjust, strong interests grow in preserving it. Good policies
by themselves can improve results, but the benefits are magnified where institutional
capability is also higher — where policies and programmes are implemented more efficiently
and where the citizens have greater trust about government’s future actions. Therefore,
the focus has been to strengthen the institutional frameworks for the policies to
function efficiently. PM GatiShakti will
ensure coordination between different government departments and is expected to
bring in significant efficiencies in delivering projects.
Like in any democracy in India also politicians play
a major role in development by setting goals and broad strategic directions. But
sound institutional arrangements can determine whether the vision of political leaders
get translated into effective policy priorities or not. In order to prevent political
influences from impairing decision-making and producing unfavorable results, the
rules established in the policy-making process should be carefully designed. In
our system the politicians also have major say in implementation of the policies
leading to various kinds of undesirable influences.
The problem is that if adequate care is not taken,
the best-designed policy can achieve very little if it is not implemented properly.
Poor quality, high cost, waste, fraud, and corruption will affect the delivery of
services. This problem can be traced back to the belief that the government ought
to be the dominant, if not the sole provider, of services. But today, with liberalization
and globalization of the economy, this concept has undergone a change; the state
to a large extent plays the lead role of the facilitator instead of the provider.
These reforms also entail actively intervening within
the bureaucracy to bring about modifications, energize and redesign authority and
functional relationships between individuals as well as the bureaucratic structure.
It underscores the fact that there are problems or bottlenecks in the administrative
system, which impedes the performance of the Government. In the given context, the concept of administrative
reform or civil service reform includes both the structural and behavioural changes as well
as institutional and attitudinal changes. This is one of the stated objectives of
Mission Karamyogi. Changes in the administrative apparatus generally rest on the
assumption that there is always a better alternative to the status quo. Therefore,
in the process of implementing deliberate and planned social actions, the established
administrative system is transformed to achieve maximum efficiency, organisational
effectiveness, and responsiveness in the delivery of services to the people as well
as attainment of development goals.
Service Excellence: Measuring Quality of Services
India of 2024 is very different. It is aspirational
India; the citizens of today are more aware, demanding, and informed as compared
to earlier times. Hence, service provision has become critical. Government is promoting
service excellence in all sectors, which, if adopted by organisations, would help
them become more productive and competitive. Officials should be motivated and competitive
and improve their attitude to provide happiness, comfort and a memorable experience
to the citizens. Today, the economy is customer-centric, and it is essential to
foster a positive environment where every individual feels needed and important.
In the realm of service delivery, we are still aiming for a ‘satisfied customer’
whereas worldwide organisations are moving towards a ‘delighted customer.’
Rapidly Advancing Technology
Today’s public administrators can analyse data and
trends more efficiently due to the increased capabilities of today’s software and
hardware. They can learn about best practices from colleagues around the globe,
and develop policies and procedures to streamline operations and provide more transparency
to stakeholders. One of the many benefits of technology is that it has helped to
decrease the costs to do business for both organisations and their customers. With
compact and energy-efficient computing systems, there is less demand for tangible
resources such as paper and file storage facilities have decreased. Effective application
of e office has resulted in a more responsive administration. However, the advancement
of technology also calls for the need to protect sensitive information. Public Administrators
need to be alert and aware of any applications intended to breach computer serves
to steal confidential or personal data. To guarantee information security and public
confidence, they need to use the most recent systems.
Digital Governance: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
In the past couple of years, India has experienced
a major technological revolution, thanks to the efforts of the current government.
Smart phones and tablets are some examples of emerging technologies that are making
a significant impact on how governments and organisations connect with their stakeholders.
This not only helps to find and share information, connect with each other, but
also helps in finding real-time solutions to problems, anytime and anywhere.
With this increase in digitisation, it has become
extremely important for government agencies to focus on prioritising diversity,
equity, and inclusion. To ensure this, various organisations are now concentrating
more on the underlying causes of systemic inequalities and examining how their policies
are produced, implemented and reviewed. The
Government of India plans for re-engineering of governance by using IT to simplify
the government processes, and to ensure efficient and effective delivery of public
services from various ministries/departments. The e-governance caters to all stakeholders
in the society namely:
·
Government to Government (G2G)
·
Government to Citizen (G2C)
·
Government to Business (G2B)
·
Government to Employees (G2E)
With this, the importance of e-governance has also
come to the fore. India’s focus on e-governance has helped them leverage information
technology and consequently, enhance efficiency, transparency, and accessibility
of government services with regards to the general public. Following the passage
of the Digital Personal Data Protection Act 2023, all the government, institutions,
and organizations must adhere to the new data protection regulations.
Electoral Politics and its Impact on Development
Elections to a large extent impact both governance
as well as the development. In a democracy elected representatives are the real
power centres both at the centre and the states. They must be committed to integrity
and honesty and also be innovative, dynamic and forward looking. India’s constitution provides for parliamentary
form of government and our parliamentary model is predominantly based on the British
system. The concept of universal franchise was extended in India from the very beginning
in 1947. We are a democracy in which each citizen has the right to choose their
own representative, who is subsequently in charge of governing the country. Therefore
it is important that citizens who want to enter politics must have a strong reputation
in addition to ethical values.
To conduct free and fair elections, we have the Election
Commission headed by the Chief Election Commissioner. Even though various attempts
to reform the electoral process have been attempted by the highest levels of the
judiciary, criminal elements have not been kept out of the system. This kind of
electoral politics still remains a major cause of concern for our democracy.
Criminalization of politics, money and muscle power
to obtain votes and perform unethical activities, siphoning off development funds
by elected representatives, rampant corruption, strong connection of political parties
with bureaucracies and criminals that have great influence, are some of the examples
of how this nexus can prove to be extremely dangerous for the nation’s growth and
progress. This promotes vote bank politics based on caste, region, religion and
community. Such elected politicians use public resources to only strengthen their
vote bank.
It is a well-known fact that politicians having ties
with corrupt or criminal activity often hold political office. The percentage of
criminal candidates in the Indian Parliament is significant and still raising, even
in the face of free elections.
One must note that money power plays a significant
role in elections. Financial superiority translates into electoral advantage. In
India, booth capturing, employing goons and inciting fear in voters are not new
practices. Threats are often used to coerce voters into voting for a particular
candidate. Furthermore, the India’s allocation of various governmental resources
is highly politicized.
Undoubtedly, the Election Commission tries to keep
vigil through its expense monitoring mechanisms against efforts at mobilizing votes
for money. However, this is not sufficient. The public is of the opinion that the
expenditure incurred by candidates during elections far-exceeds the officially set
spending ceiling. Statutory laws about their violation should be made stricter and
deterrent and these ceilings must be reviewed and amended to make them more realistic
and consistent with ground realities. The political parties themselves too must
establish criteria for clean candidature policies.
As per the 244th Report on Electoral Disqualifications
of the Law Commission of India; “disqualification upon conviction had proved ineffective
in preventing the criminalization of politics. Disqualification at the stage of
framing of charges, accompanied by other legal safeguards could be an effective
means to curb such criminalization. It also recommended that the punishment for
filing of false affidavits be enhanced to minimum 2 years imprisonment and such
an offence must also be made a ground for disqualification. Accordingly, in all
such cases trials must be conducted on a day-to-day basis so as to ensure the necessary
conviction that precedes disqualification.13
According to Association of Democratic Reforms, of
the 8,337 candidates in Lok Sabha Elections 2024 1,643 (20 per cent) have declared
criminal cases against themselves. Out of the 7,928 candidates in the Lok Sabha
Election in 2019, as many as 1,500 (19 per cent) had declared criminal cases against
themselves. Out of 8,205 candidates analysed during the Lok Sabha elections in 2014,
at least 1,404 (17 per cent) candidates had declared criminal cases against themselves.
Of the 7,810 candidates analysed during the Lok Sabha elections in 2009, 1,158 (15
per cent) candidates had declared criminal cases against themselves, according to
the ADR. The influence of muscle power in politics is growing, as seen in the rise
of candidates with criminal cases from 2009 to 2024. This trend shows how candidates
with tainted backgrounds have a strong chance of getting a ticket to Parliament
in the world’s biggest democracy. In 2009, about 15 per cent of candidates had criminal
cases against them. By 2024, this increased to 20 percent.14 In coming days efforts should be made to
reduce the influence of money and muscle power and ensure honest politicians are elected and have a vision for
the development of the nation. Politicians with criminal background will only cater
and patronize their vote bank to win elections.
Conclusion
During the last one decade India has made substantial
development in various sectors particularly infrastructure and also making the administration
more citizens friendly. This has been possible due to a stable government under
a visionary leadership promoting the principles of good governance and curbing corruption.
Administrative procedures and processes have been changed through institutional
reforms by the application of technology. There is need to focus on electoral reforms
and eliminate the influence of money and muscle power from our elections. Such elected
representatives use the public resources for their own benefit or the benefit of
their henchmen. The implementation of programmes and policies will be much better
if these criminal elements are eliminated from the system.
References
1.
Milan Vaishnav; Understanding
the Indian Voter; Carnegie Endowment for International Peace Publications Department
1779 Massachusetts Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20036 2015
2.
India
Today Web Desk New Delhi, updated: Apr 27,
2019
3.
https://pib.gov.in/PressNoteDetails.aspx?NoteId=151870&ModuleId=3
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https://pib.gov.in/PressNoteDetails.aspx?NoteId=151870&ModuleId=3
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https://pib.gov.in/PressNoteDetails.aspx?NoteId=151870&ModuleId=3
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https://pib.gov.in/PressNoteDetails.aspx?NoteId=151870&ModuleId=3
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https://pib.gov.in/PressNoteDetails.aspx?NoteId=151870&ModuleId=3
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https://pib.gov.in/PressNoteDetails.aspx?NoteId=151870&ModuleId=3
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https://www.ey.com/en_in/telecommunications/how-digital-infrastructure-rollout-will-transform-india
https://profound-information.com/when-was-atma-nirbhar-bharat-started/
https://www.trade.gov/country-commercial-guides/india-information-and-communication-technology
12.
Law Commission of India 244th
Report on Electoral Disqualifications (2014). Feb 24, 2014, India.
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The Yamuna is a tributary of the holy Ganges. The main stream of the Yamuna River originates from the Yamunotri Glacier at Bandar Panch (38°59'N, 78°27'E) in the Mussoorie Ranges of the lower Himalayas, at an average altitude of about 6387 meters above sea level in the Uttarkashi district (Uttrakhand) increase.
The issue of governance has received serious attention of researchers, policy makers, administrators and the national as well as international community. The New Public Management (NPM) concept is focused on service, quality, performance management and risk management of governance processes.
The government provides services including healthcare, education, social support, and financial inclusion to the public. However, villagers and citizens in remote areas often struggle to access these services due to several constraints including inadequate infrastructure and inaccessibility.
Digital governance, in the context of the digital era, involves the use of information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) to enhance and transform the delivery of public services, improve government efficiency, and engage citizens in decision-making processes.
Since the majority of India's population relies on agriculture for their living, the sector dominates the country's economy. Agriculture only makes up less than 20 per cent of the nation's GDP (Ministry of Finance, 2018), emphasizing the sector's low-income production.
E-commerce and digital technology have transformed the way people spend and save. There is an evident technological growth in the world of finance which is referred to as financial technology or fintech. Financial technology (Fintech) refers to the technological innovations that assist in enabling or improving the access to financial services digitally through the internet, smartphones or computers.
Today we are living in an era of the ‘regulatory state’. The expressions ‘regulation’, ‘regulatory governance’ and ‘regulatory institutions’ have become the buzzwords of governance and are spread across social systems as well as state organisations and government strategies.
Participatory planning involves the intensive participation of local communities in analysing their current situation, envisioning a long-term collective future and attempting to attain this vision through collective planning of development interventions that would be implemented by different state agencies area.
Intrinsically, India is a republican country that is organised as a federation with a parliamentary democracy. Similar to the United Kingdom, the President serves as the head of state in name only; in contrast, the Prime Minister is the de facto executive, or real head of the government.
With over eight thousand years of experience and intellectual growth (Cameron (1968), Edwards (Gadd, 1971), Hammond (1971), Eisenstadt (1963, 1993), Olmstead ( 1948), etc.), public administration has undergone numerous changes and transformations over its long history, but it has never been so challenged as in the last thirty years.
A paradigm represents a framework, viewpoint, or collection of concepts that serves as a lens for understanding various subjects. In disciplines like science and philosophy, paradigms encompass specific theories, methodologies, and principles defining valid contributions within a field.
The field of public administration is experiencing a dramatic and rapid change. Locally and globally, some of the most significant trends that will have the role and function of public administrators is rapidly evolving as the needs and demands of citizens, governments and organisations influence their ability to create and implement policies.
Public administration in the 21st century is undergoing significant transformation, not just in advanced countries but also in various regions of the developing world, as the calls for transformative change grow louder. These changes are propelled by globalisation, liberalisation and the diversification of service provision.
In an era where administrative agility defines the efficacy of democratic governance, this chapter, “Techniques of Administrative Improvement”, offers a comprehensive exploration of transformative tools, methods, and strategies that are reshaping public administration in India and globally.
The rapid pace and interdependence of global, political, social and economic developments have necessitated a critical need for improved efficiency and effective public institutions, administrative procedures and sound financial management to confront challenges for sustainable development in all countries.
The evolution of Indian administration reflects a historical continuum shaped by civilizational values and transformative changes. Spanning the Mauryan, Mughal, and British eras, each phase contributed distinct institutional structures and governance philosophies.
As an initial output of the joint research between the Korean Institute of Public Administration (KIPA) and the National Academy of Governance (NAOG), this article provides overviews of the Korean and Mongolian legislative environment, governance and characteristics of the anti-corruption policies.
Administrative improvement is a strategic necessity in a fast-paced world. Techniques like O&M, Work Study, management aid tools such as network analysis form the cornerstone of efficient governance. MIS, PERT, and CPM tools equip administrators with the ability to anticipate challenges, and drive organizational success in an increasingly complex environment.
Street vendors are an integral part of the urban informal economy in India, providing essential goods and service that cater to the diverse needs of city residents. They operate in various capacities, from food vendors to artisans, and play a crucial role in enhancing the vibrancy and accessibility of urban life.
This paper examines the critical role of communication in driving India's economic growth within the context of its diverse societal structure and the rapidly evolving information age. It argues that effective communication is not merely a tool for disseminating information but a fundamental force shaping development trajectories.
One often wonders ‘what the government does’ and ‘why the government does what it does’ and equally importantly ‘what it does not do and why so’. According to Thomas R. Dye “public policy is whatever government chooses to do or not to do”, implying that government's actions and inactions both come into the realm of public policy.
Access to safe drinking water is not merely a fundamental human right; it is a cornerstone of public health, economic development, and social equity. In rural India, where water scarcity and inadequate infrastructure pose significant challenges, the quest for reliable water supply becomes even more critical.
This paper outlines the century-long history of Mongolia’s civil service training institution, the National Academy of Governance (NAOG), which plays a crucial role in meeting the contemporary needs of training and developing human resources within the civil service sector.
India stands at a crucial juncture in its quest for inclusive development that will bring prosperity across the spectrum. Large amounts of public funds are spent to address these issues, but their implementation and the quality of services delivered leave much to be desired.
India has committed to achieving developed nation status by the centenary of its independence, leveraging cutting-edge technologies including AI tapping into its vast human capital, and implementing policies that foster high growth while addressing enduring social and economic inequalities.
This article explores the value and statehood of Mongolia by utilising Woodrow Wilson’s categorisation of “Judging by the constitutional histories of the chief nations of the modern world, there may be three periods of growth through which government has passed in all the most highly developed of existing systems, and through which it promises to pass in all the rest.
This paper examines India's economic trajectory through the lens of its demographic dividend a substantial youth population exceeding 50% under age 25 within its 1.4 billion citizens. While this demographic advantage offers unprecedented economic potential, its promise is threatened by systemic challenges including inadequate education access, limited skill development, and employment scarcity, particularly in rural areas.
Remarkable technological and scientific progress has made the modern democratic State not a mere watch-dog or a police institution but an active participant interfering in almost every sphere of individual and corporate life in society in the changed role of a service state and a welfare state
Since the reform and opening up, China’s leadership training has experienced three stages of development: the initial stage of leadership training and development in the early period of China’s reform and opening up to the world (1978-2002), the rapid growing stage of leadership training and development in the period of fast growing economy and society (2002- 2012) and the innovative…
Accountability and control are essential for efficient, ethical administration in public and private sectors. Accountability ensures officials answer for actions and resource use, while control involves mechanisms to monitor compliance with laws and goals, promoting responsibility and preventing misconduct.
Healthcare in rural India presents unique challenges and opportunities. While global health metrics emphasize indicators like life expectancy, mortality rates, and healthcare infrastructure, they often fail to capture the socio-cultural nuances of rural communities
The “Internet plus” government service reform in China has progressed through three stages, namely one-stop service, one-window service, and companion service. This reform has become a significant example of reshaping the relationship between the local government and the public.
This paper explores the evolution of Indian welfare philosophy from Gandhi's nonviolent resistance to contemporary governance. It traces how the sacrifices of Indian revolutionaries fostered Sarvodaya and Antyodaya ideals, examining the philosophical underpinnings of these concepts in Advaita and dualistic traditions.
Like most other countries around the world, after the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic, Bangladesh's education system has undergone a radical change from the beginning of March 2020 onwards. The study attempts to analyse teachers’, students’ and parents’ perceptions and experiences about the online education in the COVID-19 pandemic at the school level.
Health is a fundamental human right and a critical indicator of development. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development emphasizes the importance of ensuring health and well-being for all individuals. A key objective of this agenda is to guarantee favorable health outcomes, underscored by the endorsement of a new declaration during the Global Conference on Primary Health Care held in Astana,…
In this article, published reports have been used for analysing state-wise status of SDGs achievements and their correlations with attainments in areas of poverty-reduction and other developmental indicators. Also, progress made by GPs on various metrics related to SDGs has been corroborated with other relevant metrics
Loss of governance reform efficacy is an identified entrenched institutional problem in systems. Reform, anywhere, is a sticky material because holders of powers and their cronies have rarely shown altruistic intentions of relaxing their profiteering grips over resources.
On September 1, 2023, a committee headed by former President Ram Nath Kovind explored the possibility of something called One Nation, One Election in India and ever since this thing has come out in public, political parties all across the country have been fuming with anger.
This paper examines various initiatives taken by Government of India to promote collaborative governance in various sectors. With increasing needs and aspirations of the community for public services and the limited capacity of government to provide the same, the involvement of various stakeholders to deliver these services becomes important and necessity.
In the vast and diverse landscape of India, regional disparities in development have long posed significant challenges to achieving equitable growth and social justice. Recognizing the urgent need to address these disparities, the Government of India launched the Aspirational Districts Programme in January 2018.
A dynamic interaction between the recognition of human complexity in organizations and the pursuit of structural efficiency has shaped the evolution of administrative philosophy. The foundational works of Frederick W. Taylor, Max Weber, Mary Parker Follett, Elton Mayo, Chester Barnard, Rensis Likert, Chris Argyris, and Douglas McGregor are critically examined in this essay, which charts the shift from traditional administrative…
In India, National Training Policy was formed in 2012, replacing the old policy of 1996. This was needed two reasons, new areas of administration given in the reports of second administrative reforms commission setup in 2005 and changing environment in different spheres of governance and new challenges of administration being faced by the civil servants.
India's emergence as a global services powerhouse in the 21st century marks a profound and transformative shift. This evolution, far from a mere economic change, is a strategic leap driven by its demographic dividend, technological advancements, and the burgeoning global demand for specialized services.
Public administration, as the executive arm of the state, has tremendous responsibilities to match the needs and aspirations of the citizens of the state. The systems have evolved over the years in almost every country as the politico and socio-economic environment of the respective country have changed.
Public administration is the cornerstone of modern governance. It refers to the organization, management, and implementation of government policies and programs, carried out by public officials and institutions. As a vital mechanism of the state, public administration not only ensures the effective delivery of services to citizens but also upholds the principles of accountability, transparency, and rule of law.
Tribal Sustainable Development through Evidence-based Policy and Planning: A major issue in post-Independence India has been a misreading of demands of tribal communities. What they have been demanding pertains to choice upholding their traditions and customs and having ownership over natural resources
As the Idiom of technological advancement takes its toll. The paper highlights a few poignant and emerging factors in the International Relations theorization. It was conservatively maintained by the defense strategists and the political leadership across the Global polity that foreign policy and the Diplomacy are greatly determined by the “given” of Geography and terrain
With the deepening of democracy, increased decentralisation, increasing social and political awareness, digital penetration, shifts in demography, demand for quality services by common citizens has been accelerating at a faster pace. In such a scenario, the role of State is critical for promoting equity in access to services.
"Accelerating India's Development" holistically looks at India’s growth trajectory since gaining independence – it rounds up all where it has done well including unity, upholding the integrity of its constitution, retaining democratic values at its core. It also does not mince words to convey where all the nation has faltered such as falling short in delivery of public services including…
Income and Employment Intensive Growth Agenda for India: The paper examines income and employment status in the Indian labour force to identify policy attention and follow up. The macroeconomic policies taken during last one decade are yielding positive results leading to expansion of manufacturing and services and structural transformation in the economy.
An Analysis of India's Social Welfare Programs: In a democracy, the state's role is to promote societal welfare. According to Aristotle, the state should not only ensure its survival but also improve the quality of life for its citizens. The state has a moral responsibility to its citizens. Modern views agree that the state should provide essential services like education,…
Digital Innovations in Social Protection: Trends, Challenges, and Solutions: The integration of digital technologies into social protection systems represents a transformative shift with profound implications for the delivery of welfare services. This chapter explores the evolving landscape of digital innovations in social protection, contextualising these developments within the broader framework of universal social protection and a systemic approach to welfare.
One of the most crucial aspects of our society is law enforcement, which deals with issues of law and order nationwide. It is an essential component of the state's legal system. The British government introduced a Police Act in 1861, which is still very relevant and based on policing.
India’s Vision for 2047 aims to transform the nation into a developed country, with healthcare being pivotal for this progress. Achieving universal health coverage and modernising healthcare infrastructure are essential for fostering a healthy productive population, which in turn drives economic growth and reduces poverty.
Several challenges linger in the Indian education system, like rote learning, the non-existence of practical skills among students, and disparities in access to quality education. To deal with the criticism for excessive curriculum and unreasonable focus on rote learning, this chapter examines the strategies comprising the building blocks to reform Indian schools.
Social development is expected to promote holistic improvement of individuals, institutions and their surrounding environments. Looking at the pace of development in India, the economy of most states requires strategic prioritization to accelerate improved well-being of the people. Accessibility to health, school education and public security are critical to the edifice of social development.
India is the largest democracy in the world inhabited by about 1.36 billion people over an area of 3287 thousand square kilometers according to an estimate for 2021 based on Census 2011. The Indian economy is characterised as a middle-income emerging market economy. In the last three decades the economy has faced three major crises, i.e., balance of payment crisis…
Neoliberal policies pursued by India since 1990s have created a space for private enterprises hitherto occupied by the state entities, unshackled the existing enterprises and introduced reforms to facilitate private initiative. This chapter looks into the ecosystem of the private sector in general and the developments in three specific sectors- urban mobility, water supply and housing, to draw lessons for…
This Chapter highlights the gradual transformation from Personnel Administration to Strategic Human Resource Management over the years in Government of India. However, there is still a long way to go. In this Chapter an attempt has been made to delineate the criticality to move towards Strategic HRM in Government of India to achieve India’s developmental goals.
Robust statistical data forms the cornerstone of an informed governance system. This paper studies the statistical system and data dissemination in the Centre and State governments in India, and the measures put in action to accelerate the data dissemination process. Arguing that the availability of high-frequency statistical data is a necessary condition for good governance, the first section of the…
In the Amrit Kaal (golden period) of independent India, the ‘citizen first’ approach guides public governance by deepening the outreach of service delivery mechanism so that international standards could be achieved in India@100. The goal can only be achieved by all inclusive governance involving stronger and effective local self-governments both panchayats and municipalities.
In modern societies, with the increasing role of the state in social and economic fields, emphasis on the quality of its governance is of prime concern to all. Indian bureaucratic system of governance is founded on the principle of rule of law, as the state power is divided amongst three chief organs, each has the its own quality under a…
With the Indian government’s vision to transform India into a developed nation by 2047, marking hundred years of independence, it has become of highest importance to learn from the past, tenaciously work in the present and step towards the future with complete efficiency. In its 77 years of becoming a democracy, India has soared high with continuous transformations marked by both…
The vision of Viksit Bharat can be realised through Viksit States, and that the aspiration of Viksit Bharat should reach the grassroot level i.e. to each district, block, and village. For this, each State and District should create a vision for 2047 so as to realise Viksit Bharat @ 2047.