Introduction

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 concept of Good Governance also refers to optimal management of a country's resources and affairs in an open, accountable, equitable and responsive manner. For accomplishing the objectives of good governance, Electronic Governance (E- Governance) has emerged as an essential component and considered as the important facilitator for good governance. 

The development of post-New Public Management advocates a more holistic strategy and attempts to coordinate public policy-making and service delivery across organizational boundaries through hybrid administrative systems. Major concepts under post-NPM are Neo-Weberian State, Digital-Era governance, Public Value Management, New Public Governance, and New Public Service. These concepts are neither exclusive nor new, but national and global scenarios have given them fresh impetus. The adoption of digital technology for public service delivery can shift the model, from being reactive to citizens’ needs, to becoming proactive in knowing what their needs will be in future. It can provide a better platform for the participation of all stakeholders, and especially, allow for the reflection on citizen preferences in the policymaking process for public services.

Governometrics is the latest term first used by Sangeeta Sharma and Pankaj Nagar from Department of Public Administration, University of Rajasthan, Jaipur through their article published in the International Journal of Information Communication Technology and Human Development in 2012. It is the application of quantitative and statistical methods for excellence in governmental practices. This in turn would help the institutions of public governance to strategize policy making by understanding the intricacies of policy dynamics. It also provides a road plan to resolve simple and complex policy conundrums by studying the data patterns on every single minutest dimension of policy (Sharma & Nagar, 2012, p. 60).

The Digital India program is instrumental in the field of present-day governometrics scenario and especially in public service delivery with the objectives of citizen-centric concept. In the big data driven world, artificial intelligence offers great potential for public governance and service delivery to its citizens. It affects citizen’s rights and duties, augments governmental action and politics and touches on key values of our democracy. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is also supporting proactive service delivery through managing the big data and automation of the public administration ecosystem. Enactments of Right to Service (RTS) Delivery statutes by various governments have given power in the hands of citizens. ICT is a great facilitator in fulfilling RTS timelines. 

Relevant Review of Literature

Bose, Arnab (2021) has addressed the key issues and challenges of public service delivery in India like issues of access to services and redressal of grievances, unawareness among citizens, technical problems of poor connectivity, server speed etc. The study is oriented to the analysis and review of the legislative provisions for delivery of public services in six states (Bihar, Delhi, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Rajasthan). Vachhranjni et al. (2021) have conducted their study with the objectives of comparing the accountability and transparency, efficiency & access as well as major gaps of public service delivery in twelve states of India (Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Delhi, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh).

Khasnabis et al. (2021) have conducted primary data-based study and attempts to understand the citizen’s experience of the public service delivery system in Haryana, examines the process difficulty felt by citizens and availability of information accessible for public service delivery, explains the concept of service delivery gateway with different names in Indian states particularly SARAL centers in Haryana. Kundu (2021) has explained the characteristics of citizen-centric governance, principles of service delivery and citizen-centric system, components of citizen centric administration, citizen charter development cycle, grievances arising factors and their management. 

Negi (2020) explained the provisions of Himachal Pradesh Right to Public Service Guarantee Act, 2011 and their implementation. It also discussed the initiatives of Jan Manch flagship programme as grievances redressal mechanism.

Pareek & Sole (2020) have highlighted the national and international perspectives of public service delivery as well as evolution of time bound service delivery innovative practices, and suggest measures for reliable public service delivery. Singh & Kapila (2020) have evaluated the citizen’s attitude and their level of readiness to accept the practices in online service delivery in Punjab, support for proper infrastructure and behavioural changes in citizenry, apathetic attitude of government and e-governance literary & education motivation through the empirical study. Blair (2018) has talked about the three routes to accountability for public Service Delivery i.e. long route-citizen-civil society advocacy-providers, Short route-citizen-providers. World Bank Group (2018) has pinpointed the conceptual framework for citizen-centric service delivery indicators, performance of public institutions and quality of public services, customizing the service delivery instruments and citizen survey and administrator checklist etc. Afridi (2017) has synthesized the relationships of public service delivery and economic growth, key challenges of governance deficit in public service delivery like lack of transparency, state incapacity and ignoring the civil servants’ incentives, non-informing the key policies to stakeholders.  PwC (2015) has pinpointed public service delivery and development of citizen-centric government models as well as best practice studies in Georgia, India, Estonia, Netherlands and Azerbaijan initiatives across people, process, legal, technology and others.

Kumar et al., (2013) have considered technology involvement like virtualization, consolidation and cloud computing for enhancing the accessibility of services and cost effectiveness in e-governance applications. Voogd (2007) has highlighted the general challenges of e-services, prerequisites for e-service delivery, possible structures and methods, information architecture and software, organisational culture and digital infrastructure for e-service delivery implementation process.

Sharma & Nagar (2012) have developed the term of governometrics as a neologism to understand the governmental dynamics for policy syntax. This article tries to explore the writing of policy syntax on the basis of moral values for improving the quality of services. The focus of this paper is to design the conceptual frame of Governor Metrics to optimize the governance. It also emphasises the application of statistics in the realm of values and service quality. Its utility additionally lies in identification of variables, computing co-variability, finding out the policy regressor which can help the government in defining the most appropriate sub-domains where action is required. This concept is more seminal in the times of moral meltdown where public service quality is to be ascertained. The above literature pinpoints the conceptual issues of e-public service delivery and AI application in public service delivery in India as well as foreign countries. It lacks comprehensive and empirical studies on right based e-public service delivery in the North-West Regional States and UTs of India.

Status of Legislative Provisions for Public Services Delivery in Indian States

The time bound Public Service Delivery is one of the core functions of the State Government and the quality delivery of services is one of its major objectives. The State Government of Sikkim felt it expedient and necessary to have a law for timely and quality delivery of public services in a transparent, efficient and time-bound manner to the eligible persons and to bring transparency and accountability in the departments and agencies of the Government and other public authorities which provides services. 

The Chief Minister, also the Minister-in-Charge of the Home Department, introduced the Sikkim Public Services Delivery (Right to Service) Bill, 2022 (Sikkim Herald, 2023, p. 4). The DMK Manifesto for the 2021 Tamil Nadu Assembly election promised a “Right to Services Act to streamline the public distribution services including provision of community certificate, birth/death certificate, income certificate, residential certificate, pension benefits, etc”. But administrative reform to make government departments and services more responsive to citizens’ needs has made slow progress in Tamil Nadu, in spite of a long history of e-governance initiatives (The Times of India, November 14, 2022). The Nagaland Voluntary Consumers’ Organisation (NVCO), during the consumer awareness on ‘Public Services Delivery’ held on December 22, 2019 stated that Nagaland State Government is yet to enact the Right to Public Services Act/law “which is found to be very much applicable to the state and to clean up the system to ensure smooth delivery of services to the people and crack down on erring officials” 

(https://www.morungexpress.com). The details about the status of legislative provisions for public services delivery in Indian states is given below in Table 1

Table - 1

The Table 1 reveals that except two states (Nagaland and Tamil Nādu), all the Indian states have enacted their respective public services delivery legislations as a right to their citizens. Madhya Pradesh is the first state which enacted its Right to Public Services Act in 2010 followed by eleven states in 2011, four states in 2012, three states in 2013, only Haryana in 2014, two states in 2015, two states in 2016, Andhra Pradesh in 2017, Manipur in 2019, Meghalaya in 2020 and Sikkim in 2022. 

Status of Voluntarily and Mandatory e-Public Services Delivery in Indian States

In a voluntary system, citizens have the option to use electronic channels to access government services. Citizens can choose whether or not to engage with e-services based on their preferences or convenience. The government provides online platforms or applications, but citizens are not obligated to use them. In a mandatory system, the use of electronic channels for accessing public services is compulsory for citizens. 

The government enforces the adoption of e-services to streamline processes, improve efficiency, reduce paperwork, and enhance overall service delivery. Citizens are required to use electronic platforms for specific transactions or interactions with government agencies. Below table-2 expresses an overview about the total number, e-services and mandatory e-services delivery in Indian states.

Table-2

Table 2 shows the status of total public services, e-service delivery and mandatory e-service delivery in India. The Kerala, Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh states are the leading states in delivering total and e-public services above 1000 and 730 e-services respectively. Manipur, Sikkim and Nagaland states are touching bottom providing below 76 and 51 total and e-public services respectively in this regard. 

In case of mandatory e-service delivery, 13 states have made provisions for delivering above 50 services followed by seven states in the range of 40 to 50 services, six states in the range of 30 to 40 services and four states below 20 services.

Status of Public Services Delivery in Indian Union Territories

Public services delivery in Indian Union Territories is primarily managed by the respective administrators or lieutenant governors appointed by the President of India. A detailed states in this regard is highlighted in Table 3 below.

Table-3

Table 3 pinpoints the public services delivery status in Indian UTs. Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Puducherry and Chandigarh UTs are delivering above 200 services while the mandatory e-service delivery provisions are in the range of 30 to 40 services. Ladakh and Lakshadweep are at the bottom with 31 and 32 e-services respectively in this regard. Lakshadweep is the only UT among all which did not make a provision for mandatory e-services.

Status of Right Based Public Services Delivery Legislations and Online Platforms in North-Western Region of India

In India, the Right to Public Services (RTPS) legislation aims to ensure timely and hassle-free delivery of public services to citizens. Many states in India have implemented their own versions of the RTPS Act. These acts typically include provisions for service delivery timelines, accountability mechanisms, and the right to appeal if services are not provided within the stipulated time. Online platforms and e-governance initiatives play a crucial role in the implementation of these acts. Various states have developed online portals where citizens can apply for services, track the status of their applications, and provide feedback. These platforms are designed to bring transparency, efficiency, and accountability to the delivery of public services. The table-4 point-outs about the Right Based Public Services Delivery Legislations and Online Platforms in North-Western Region of India.

Table-4

Table 4 depicts that all the states and UTs except Haryana (2014) have legislated their Right to Service Delivery Acts in 2011 but Haryana has the highest rate of delivering e-public services i.e. 768 services through Antyodaya Saral Kendra/ Antyodaya Saral portal. Every state and UT has its own name of e-service delivery platform as per their acronym.

Status of Right Based Public Services Delivery in North-Western Region of India

Right-based public services in India are often associated with the Right to Public Services (RTPS) Acts that have been enacted by several states. These acts aim to ensure the timely and transparent delivery of public services to citizens. Citizens have the right to receive specific public services within a stipulated time frame, and the concerned government department is obligated to provide those services. Below table-5 highlights the current status of right based public services delivery in Norths-West Region States and Union Territories (UTs) of India.

Table-5

Table 5 explains about the status of right based public services delivery legislations and online platforms in North-Western Region of India.  Haryana state is at the top of delivering 768 e-services followed by Himachal Pradesh and Punjab. Jammu and Kashmir is the leading UT in delivering with 482 services and 445 e-services followed by Chandigarh (total 257 services and 231 e-services) and Ladakh (31 e-services). 

Result and Discussion

Table 1 data shows a fluctuating pattern in the number of states affected by legislation each year. The distribution of legislation seems to vary across different regions and years. Some years have more significant legislative impacts than others, as evident from the variation in the number of states involved. As of the latest information, legislation is pending for two states i.e. Nagaland and Tamil Nadu.

As per Table-2, the total number of public services delivered varies across states, ranging from a minimum of 22 in Manipur to a maximum of 1218 in Kerala. Uttar Pradesh, Kerala, and Madhya Pradesh seem to have a relatively high number of public services compared to other states. 

• The total number of e-services delivered is generally close to the total public services, indicating a comprehensive adoption of electronic means in service delivery. Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, and Karnataka are notable for having high numbers of e-services. 

• The number of mandatory e-services varies across states, with a range of 5 to 56. Punjab, Tamil Nadu, and Rajasthan are leading in the adoption of mandatory e-services.

• States like Kerala, Haryana, Karnataka, and Maharashtra show a high level of integration of e-services into public service delivery. States such as Manipur, Mizoram, and Arunachal Pradesh have relatively lower numbers, indicating potential areas for improvement.

• Northern states like Haryana, Punjab, and Jammu and Kashmir appear to have embraced e-services more extensively. Southern states like Kerala, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu also show strong performance.

• States with lower e-service adoption might need to focus on increasing their digital infrastructure and awareness. High-performing states can share best practices to facilitate improvements in states with lower adoption.

The overall trend suggests a positive shift towards e-governance, with many states actively incorporating electronic means into public service delivery. The variations between states present opportunities for collaboration and knowledge exchange to enhance e-service adoption nationwide.

According to table 3, the Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Puducherry, and Chandigarh have a high total number of public services, with a significant portion being delivered electronically. Dadra & Nagar Haveli has a lower total number of public services, and the majority are delivered electronically. Lakshadweep has a relatively low total number of public services, and the information about mandatory e-services delivery is not specified. Ladakh has a limited number of public services, and a notable portion is mandatory e-services delivery.

• The high number of electronic service deliveries suggests a significant focus on leveraging technology for public service delivery in these Union Territories. The variation in the total number of public services may indicate differences in the scale and complexity of governance and administration in these regions. The presence of mandatory e-services in some UTs underscores a push towards digitisation and ensuring that specific services are delivered through electronic means.

• Further analysis could explore the types of services covered under the electronic delivery, the efficiency of the e-service systems, and the impact on citizen accessibility and satisfaction. Understanding the reasons for the variability in the total number of public services and the extent of mandatory e-services could provide insights into the governance priorities of each Union Territory.

As a result, the provided data highlights the extent of electronic service delivery in various Union Territories and suggests a trend towards digital governance. However, more detailed analysis and contextual information would be needed for a comprehensive understanding of the implications and effectiveness of these services.

Table-4 highlights that all the mentioned states and union territories have enacted specific legislation to guarantee public services.

• Each region has its own electronic platform for service delivery or a dashboard. These platforms, such as Antyodaya Saral Kendra, Lok Mitra Kendra, and E-District Sewa, aim to streamline and provide access to a variety of services from multiple departments.

• The number of services offered varies, with Haryana offering 768 services, Himachal Pradesh offering 356 services, and Punjab offering 328 services. This indicates a commitment to providing a broad range of services to citizens.

• The platforms cover services from multiple departments, ranging from 15 to 55, indicating a comprehensive approach to service delivery.

• Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, being Union Territories, seem to share a common platform for service delivery under The Jammu and Kashmir Public Service Guarantee Act, 2011.

• The effectiveness of these initiatives would depend on factors such as the efficiency of the platforms, awareness among citizens, and the overall implementation of the Acts.

• The focus on electronic platforms and dashboards suggests a move toward a more citizen-centric approach, making it easier for individuals to access government services.

In summary, these Acts and e-platforms reflect a commitment by these regions to ensure timely and efficient delivery of public services to their citizens through electronic means. The extent of their success would depend on the actual implementation and ongoing efforts to address any challenges that may arise.

In Table 5, the "Total Public Services Delivery" column indicates the overall number of public services provided in each region. The "Mandatory E-Services Delivery" column represents the subset of public services that are required to be delivered through electronic means. The "Total E-Service Delivery" column shows the total number of public services that are actually delivered electronically.

It is observed that in some cases, the total number of public services delivered electronically is less than the total number of mandatory e-services. For example, in Himachal Pradesh, the total e-service delivery is 356, which is less than the mandatory e-services (42). The discrepancy between mandatory and total e-service delivery could be due to various reasons such as the implementation status of electronic services or the nature of services that can be delivered electronically. Haryana seems to have successfully implemented electronic delivery for all public services, as the total e-service delivery matches the total public services delivery. In summary, further investigation into the reasons behind the variations in the implementation of electronic services across different regions would be necessary to provide a more detailed analysis.

Conclusion

Every citizen has a right to claim delivery of services in a prompt, efficient and time bound manner. The proposed research will help in simplifying the administrative procedure, time saving, economical, hassle free, control over corrupt practices, efficient and effective access to public services. When the administration feels relaxed then it leads towards societal satisfaction for citizen’s welfare. The study of right-based electronic public service delivery is highly relevant for society for several reasons. Electronic public service delivery ensures that citizens have access to basic services such as healthcare, education, social welfare, and government information. This is particularly important for marginalised and vulnerable populations who may not have easy access to physical government offices. Electronic public service delivery can accommodate people with disabilities and living in remote areas. In times of crisis, such as pandemics or natural disasters, electronic service delivery can be a lifeline for citizens. It allows governments to continue providing essential services while minimizing physical contact. Electronic service delivery empowers citizens by giving them more control over their interactions with the government. In conclusion, the aspect of right-based electronic public service delivery is relevant because it can lead to more equitable, efficient, and accountable government services that empower citizens and contribute to the overall well-being and development of society.

The present paper finds its relevance in the modern-day context when the expectations of the citizens are much elevated. ICT can enhance the standards of the public service delivery by aiding the government with essential tools and mechanisms. Every government recognizes the prominence of good governance to appease the populaces and provide basic services with efficacy. A paper on right-based public service delivery can have significant relevance for policy making in various ways like:

• Policymakers can use this paper to develop training programs and capacity-building initiatives for public service providers. This helps ensure that service providers are aware of and capable of upholding citizens' rights.

• Policymakers can use the paper on rights-based service delivery to evaluate the effectiveness of these measures and make necessary adjustments. Ultimately, the aim of a rights-based approach is to improve the quality and accessibility of public services. Policymakers can use it to design policies and programs that enhance service delivery, leading to better outcomes for citizens.

References

1. Afridi, Farzana. (2017). Governance and public service delivery in India. International Growth Centre, reference number:S-35407-INC-1.

2. Blair, Harry. (2018). Citizen Participation and political accountability for public service delivery in India: Remapping the World Bank routes. Journals of South Asian Development, 13(1), 1-28.

3. Bose, Arnab. (2021). The right to public service delivery in India: A review of six states. Rajiv Gandhi Institute for Contemporary Studies.

4. Khasnabis, Sampurna RajMohan, Swati Maheshwari, Sparsh & Shelke, Apurva. (2021). Journey towards a citizen-centric public service delivery system: Antyodaya saral, a case study from Haryana. Journal of Governance and Public Policy, 11(1), 1-28.

5. Kumar, Puneet, Kumar, Dharminder & Kumar, Narendra. (2013). Improved service delivery and cost-effective framework for e-governance in India. International Journal of Computer Applications, 74(2), 20-33.

6. Kundu, Rajesh Kumar. (2021). Public service delivery as a citizen centric governance model: A theoretical perspective. The Indian Journal of Political Science, LXXXII (1), 19-30.

7. Negi, Baldev Singh. (2020). Public service delivery and grievances redressal initiatives: A case study of Himachal Pradesh. Indian Journal of Public Administration, 66(3), 380-389.

8. Pareek, Urvashi & Sole, Nagendra Ambedkar. (2020). Delivery of time-bound public services to citizens: Indian experience. Indian Journal of Public Administration, 66(3), 343-355.

9. Polyxeni. (2023). What do citizens think of AI adoption in public services? Exploratory research on citizen attitudes through a social contract lens. Proceedings of the 56th Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences, 4472-4481.

10. PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC). (2015). Best practice report/select case studies for public service delivery. UNDP, October.

11. Sharma, Sangeeta & Nagar, Pankaj. (2012). Governometrics: A Quasi-Quantitative Policy Syntax for Optimal Governance. International Journal of Information Communication Technology and Human Development, 4(3), 56-61.

12. Sikkim Herald. (2022), August 23, 4.

13. Singh, Harpreet & Kapila, Renu. (2020). Public attitude towards e-governance practices in developing societies: A case study of suwidha project in Punjab. Indian Journal of Public Administration, 66(3), 356-370.

14. United Nations. (2009). People matter civic engagement in public governance. World Public Sector Report, 26.

15. Vachharajani, Khush, Adhikari, Anindita & Swamy, Rakshita. (2021). Scoping study: The right to public service delivery acts of twelve states. Social Accountability Forum Action and Research.

16. Voogd, Mark. (2007). E-service delivery: A manual for delivery e-services as a local government in the digital information society. VNG International Netherlands.

17. World Bank Group. (2018). Indicators of citizen-centric public service delivery. International Bank for Reconstruction and Development.

18. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/95502192.cms?utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst

19. https://www.morungexpress.com/nagaland-govt-yet-enact-right-public-services-act-nvco