Every year on the 25th of December, India commemorates Good Governance Day. This day is significant as it falls on the birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, a highly respected figure in Indian politics. The primary aim of this observance is to enhance citizens’ awareness of accountability within their government.
Understanding Governance
Governance can be broadly defined as a process involving decision-making and implementing those decisions. It is not limited to any one sector but spans across various contexts such as corporate, international, national, and local governance.
The Pillars of Good Governance as per United Nations
Good governance, as defined by the United Nations, rests on eight essential characteristics: Participation, Rule of Law, Transparency, Responsiveness, Consensus Orientation, Equity, Effectiveness and Efficiency, and Accountability. These principles emphasize the importance of public involvement in decision making, the impartial application of legal frameworks, easy access to processes and information, efficiency and result-oriented institution activities, and holding decision-makers accountable.
Obstacles to Good Governance in India
Despite the outlined principles, achieving good governance in India often faces significant challenges. These include:
1. Women Empowerment: Women’s representation in government and related sectors remains lackluster.
2. Corruption: Widespread corruption is a prevalent hurdle that degrades governance quality.
3. Delay in Justice: Several factors contribute to delays in justice, such as insufficient personnel and logistics.
4. Centralisation of Administrative System: Effectiveness at lower governmental levels is constrained due to inadequate resource allocation and power distribution.
5. Criminalisation of Politics: The illicit ties between politicians, civil servants, and business sectors negatively impact public policy and governance.
Proactive Steps towards Better Governance
To tackle these challenges, several initiatives have been launched:
1. The Good Governance Index (GGI) has been developed to assess governance status and evaluate the effectiveness of various interventions.
2. National e-Governance Plan intends to make all government services accessible, efficient, transparent, and reliable.
3. Right to Information Act, 2005, plays a crucial role in promoting transparency in governance.
4. Other initiatives include setting up NITI Aayog, Make in India program, Lokpal, etc.
Remembering Atal Bihari Vajpayee
Born on December 25th, 1924, in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s political career began during the Quit India Movement of 1942. He worked as a journalist before joining the Bharatiya Jana Sangh in 1951 under the influence of Syama Prasad Mookerjee. Vajpayee served as the Prime Minister of India twice in 1996 and 1999, respectively. As a parliamentarian, he earned significant accolades, including the Pandit Govind Ballabh Pant Award for Best Parliamentarian in 1994. His contributions were recognized with India’s highest civilian honor, the Bharat Ratna, in 2015 and the second-highest, the Padma Vibhushan, in 1994.
