Maharashtra Board Class 12 Political Science Chapter 5 Contemporary India Good Governance PDF Download

Contemporary India: Good Governance

In this chapter we will explore the concept of good governance and citizen centric administration which has become an important aspect of changing nature of public administration particularly in the era of globalisation.

Let us begin with few questions. What is government? What is governance? What should be the role of government in citizen administration? Should they play any role and how they can play that role?

We as citizens come in contact with the government's administrative machinery on a daily basis. For instance, you may need a birth certificate, death certificate, Aadhar Card, PAN Card, Ration Card etc. We may have complaints against the local government for not repairing or maintaining roads, clearing the garbage, etc. How the government's administrative agencies respond to these various demands, need and requirements of citizens will determine the success or failure of the government administration.

Since early 1980s there has been an increasing focus on the performance of the public administration institutions. To ensure performance it is necessary that values like accountability, responsibility, transparency and citizen's feedback need to be introduced in the realm of public administration.

What is the role of the State towards its citizens? In the 11th standard we saw the role of public administration. We saw that there was a 'narrow' role described as POSDCORB and a broader role that included all the three branches of the government.

We also saw how the concept of development administration brought in changes in this traditional role. We noted that in development administration the citizens play an important role in public administration.

Today, besides the government, various non-state actors (Non-Governmental Organisations and Voluntary Organisations) play an important supportive role in public administration. The word used to describe this cooperative effort of the government and non-governmental bodies in public administration is 'governance'. This is a broader view of public administration. Thus governance is broader than government. It includes not only the formal institutions of government (E.g. Legislature, Executive, Bureaucrats, etc.) but also informal institutions (E.g. NGOs, Civil Society Organisations, Private sector organisations). The concept of governance also aims to improve the performance of public institutions with a focus on citizens.

Teacher's Note

Good governance means the government works for people. When our local ward member fixes a broken road quickly, that is good governance.

Exam Trick

Remember: Governance is bigger than government. Government = only officials. Governance = officials + NGOs + people all working together.

Points to Remember

Good governance is about serving citizens.
Transparency means showing how government works.
Citizens should participate in government decisions.
Accountability means government must answer for its actions.

Evolution and Meaning

Several changes took place in the world in 1990s. These changes include the following:

(i) Globalisation of the world economy: Globalisation had several dimensions: (a) The technological revolution in the sector of communication brought in the internet, mobile communications, TV, etc. These developments and the growth of social networking brought in instant connectivity and transparency in the administrative system. (b) International economic relations changed, trade and investment became an important economic issue. This made international funding agencies more influential.

(ii) International Institutions: There is a growing influence of international funding agencies like International Monetary Fund, World Bank, Asian Development Bank, United Nations Development Programme, United Nations Environment Programme, United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund etc. These donor agencies now influenced the policies of the Third World countries. They wanted reforms in the traditional administrative setup of the countries that were seeking aid.

(iii) Non-state actors: Voluntary Organisations and Non-Governmental Organisations started to play a greater role in public administration.

These changes brought in a rethinking in approaches to public administration. It was felt that the traditional approaches of public administration would not satisfy the requirements of the citizens. This brought in a shift from public administration as an approach to governance. Governance approach is a break from the traditional model of public administration.

These reforms sought to revamp the traditional, archaic, elephantine sized public administration riddled with delays, red tape, and corruption. It aimed to replace these old systems with responsive, responsible, participative, equitable public administration. The new model is popularly called as 'Good Governance' model. This model also looks at the inter-linkages between state (government), and civil society. This model wanted to make administration citizen centered and not rule bound.

Teacher's Note

In the 1990s, technology changed how government works. Now we can apply for Aadhaar online instead of going to an office.

Exam Trick

Remember: Good governance came after 1990s due to globalisation. Before that, government was slow and had too much red tape (delays and rules).

Points to Remember

Globalisation brought new technology to government.
International agencies wanted countries to change how they work.
NGOs started helping government.
Good governance is citizen-centered, not rule-centered.

What Is Civil Society?

Civil society refers to a wide range of organisations. They include community groups, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), labour unions, indigenous groups, charitable organisations, faith-based organisations, professional associations, foundations, etc.

Following chart gives us a clear idea of the values that are part of this model.

Maharashtra State Good Governance Framework

Right to Information Act and Rules, 2005

Maharashtra Public Records Act, 2005

Maharashtra Prevention of Delay in Discharge of Official Duty Act, 2005

Maharashtra Guarantee of Services to Citizens Act, 2015

In the following section we try to understand the core values of good governance.

Values of Good Governance:

Participatory:

It is one of the most essential aspects of good governance. Effective functioning of any democratic system requires people's participation. It ensures that voices and choices of people are heard. People get an opportunity to participate in the process of decision making and its implementation.

Rule of law:

The supremacy of the law of the land i.e. constitution, is another core value of good governance. The constitutional values are the guiding posts for the administration. All are treated equally in front of the law. It ensures a just and fair polity where rights of the people are safeguarded.

Transparency

The culture of secrecy has been challenged by the value of transparency. This enables the people to keep the government under public scrutiny. In India since 2005 the Right to Information Act has been giving the citizens the right to seek information related to the functioning of the government.

Responsiveness

Good governance requires that institutions and processes try to serve all stakeholders within a reasonable timeframe. The government is prompt in taking decisions and specially pays heed to the problems and designs the policies accordingly.

Consensus Oriented

There are several view-points in a given society. Good governance requires a dialogue between various segments of the society. This can help to reach a broad consensus on what is in the best interest of the whole community and how this can be achieved. It also requires a broad and long-term perspective on what is needed for sustainable human development and how to achieve the goals of such development.

Equity and Inclusiveness

A society's well-being depends on ensuring that all its members feel that they have a stake in it. No one should feel excluded from the mainstream of society. This requires all groups, but particularly the most vulnerable, have opportunities to improve or maintain their well-being.

Effectiveness and Efficiency

Good governance means that processes and institutions produce results that meet the needs of society while making the best use of resources at their disposal. The concept of efficiency in the context of good governance also covers the sustainable use of natural resources and the protection of the environment.

Accountability

Accountability is a key requirement of good governance. Not only governmental institutions but also the private sector and civil society organisations must be accountable to the public and to their institutional stakeholders. Who is accountable to whom depends on whether decisions or actions taken are internal or external to an organisation or institution. In general an organisation or an institution is accountable to those who will be affected by its decisions or actions. Accountability cannot be enforced without transparency and the rule of law.

Teacher's Note

These eight values help government work better. When a police officer listens to a poor person's complaint, that is participatory and responsive.

Exam Trick

Remember the 8 values: Participatory, Rule of law, Transparency, Responsiveness, Consensus, Equity, Effectiveness, Accountability. Use the first letter to make a word.

Points to Remember

Participatory means people have a say in decisions.
Transparency means government must be open and honest.
Responsiveness means government must answer quickly.
Accountability means government must take responsibility.
Equity means fair treatment for all.

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