In recent years significant administrative reforms have been introduced by the Union Government, aiming to create a more efficient, transparent, and accountable governance system that’s free from corruption. The government’s aim is to minimise the size of the government while maximising the effectiveness of its governance. Let’s take a closer look at these reforms and their objectives.
Major Administrative Reforms
The Union Government has introduced several major administrative reforms in recent years, focusing on streamlining processes, increasing efficiency, and promoting transparency.
Mission Karmayogi
Mission Karmayogi is a National Programme for Civil Services Capacity Building (NPCSCB). It aims to reform the way capacity building is conducted at an individual, institutional, and process level, resulting in more effective public service delivery. With the help of the iGOT-Karmayogi digital platform, the programme leverages learning material from global best practices to build a future-ready civil service.
Lateral Entry Process
The Lateral Entry process allows individuals from the private sector to be appointed to administrative posts within the government. This brings in skilled individuals capable of improving public service delivery, contributing to a more efficient and effective public sector.
e-Samiksha: Online Monitoring System
e-Samiksha, a real-time online system, allows for monitoring and follow up actions on decisions made by the Government. It aims to keep track of the implementation of important government programmes and projects whilst keeping bureaucracy in check.
e-Office: Digitizing Governance
The e-Office Mission Mode Project (MMP) has been fortified to promote paperless operation and more efficient decision-making within Ministries and Departments.
Citizen Charters: Binding Government Commitments
Citizen Charters are mandated for all Government Ministries and Departments. They document the commitment of the service provider to addressing the needs of citizens.
Good Governance Index 2019
The Good Governance Index (GGI) assesses the state of governance and measures the impact of various interventions across states and union territories. It provides quantifiable data for comparison, encouraging results-oriented approaches to administration.
National Conference on e-Governance
The National Conference on e-Governance is a platform for the government to engage with experts from industry and academia to exchange experiences and knowledge on e-Governance initiatives.
Centralized Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System (CPGRAMS)
CPGRAMS, developed by the National Informatics Centre in collaboration with DPG and DARPG, is a web-enabled system that allows citizens to lodge grievances online and track their progress.
National e-Governance Service Delivery Assessment
This assessment measures the efficiency of e-Governance service delivery at the state, UT, and central ministry levels.
Administrative Reforms Commission (ARC)
The ARC reviews the public administration system and provides recommendations for improvements. There have been two commissions so far – the first in 1966 and the second in 2005.
Way Forward
To address new challenges in public affairs management, continued reforms are needed to enhance administrative capability. The focus should be on external accountability mechanisms such as citizen charters and social audits, along with cultivating result-oriented behaviors among civil servants. This requires an impartial Civil Services Board to oversee aspects like promotions, transfers, posting, and suspensions.
