GOOD GOVERNANCE

While launching an Integrated Credit Portal ‘Jan Samarth”, Prime Minister said that India is moving ahead with the approach of Citizen-Centric Governance, which is the fundamental aspect of Good Governance, leaving behind the government-centric approach.
The portal, an initiative of the Ministry of Finance, is a one-stop gateway for over a dozen of the government’s credit-linked schemes directly connecting beneficiaries to lenders.
The portal will act as a single platform for loan application and processing under Credit-Linked Government Schemes.
The portal will improve the lives of students, farmers, businessmen, Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises entrepreneurs and will also help the start-up ecosystem.
The idea behind launching this portal is to encourage inclusive growth and development of several sectors.

Good Governance

Governance is the process of decision-making and the process by which decisions are implemented (or not implemented).
Governance can be used in several contexts such as corporate governance, international governance, national governance and local governance.
Good Governance is defined as “the manner in which power is exercised in the management of a country’s economic and social resources for development”
The concept of good governance existed even during the days of Chanakya.
He had mentioned it elaborately in Arthashastra.
Citizens centric administration lies on the foundation of good governance.

Need for Good Governance

Improving governance is a part of the development process.
It is argued that corruption can be curbed by systematic changes in governance through introducing participation, Governance, Transparency & Accountability in the administration.
The right to good governance is considered as an essential part of the citizens’ rights.
Reports have shown that substantially enhanced public sector outlays for education, health, water, sanitation, rural employment, etc. have not resulted in the desired outcomes. At the centre of an answer to this paradox is the issue of ‘transparent and accountable governance’.
Without good governance, no amount of developmental schemes can bring in improvement in the quality of life of the citizens.
Poor governance generates and reinforces poverty and subverts efforts to reduce it. There is growing evidence that the fruits of economic reforms have not been equally distributed, regional and socio-cultural disparities have only increased.

Challenges to Good Governance

As per the 2nd ARC report Civil Servants have become inflexible, self-perpetuating, inward-looking.
Very rarely disciplinary actions are initiated against delinquent officers. There is no performance evaluation structure.
Bureaucracies have to adhere to rules and procedures which are important for good governance, however sometimes these rules and procedures are ill-conceived and cumbersome and they do not serve the very purpose of their existence.
Awareness of rights and duties would ensure that officials and other citizens discharge duties effectively and honestly.

Way Forward

There is a need to reformulate our national strategy to accord primacy to the Gandhian principle of ‘Antyodaya” to restore good governance in the country.
India should also focus on developing probity in governance, which will make the governance more ethical.

SOURCE: THE HINDU,THE ECONOMIC TIMES,MINT

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