Good Governance

The concept of good governance is very nice, the features or attributes of good governance, the extent or level of their existence at the national and other lower levels are very vast. There are many reflected on the problems in implementing the ideals or goals of good governance, mainly posed by the population explosion, violence, terrorism, and corruption.

Meaning of Good Governance

Governance is concerned with power, strategies, policies, plans and projects that aim at improving the substance or quality of life. The people expect their government to proceed with its tasks in a way that maximum results follow with minimum cost or investment. Governance becomes good when the decisions & actions of the government are based on peoples’ consent, legitimacy, & accountability, good governance is concerned with high quality in governance.

The concerns of good governance have been very clearly voiced in Asian Development Basic report in the shape of the following questions:

  • Do people fully participate in governance?
  • Are people fully informed?
  • Do people make decisions, or can they at least hold the decision makers accountable?
  • Are the women equal partners with men in Governance?
  • Are the needs of the poor and disadvantaged met?
  • Are peoples’ human rights guaranteed?
  • Are the needs of the future generation considered in current policies?
  • Do people own their structures of governance?

Accountability

Accountability, implies that the bureaucracy should be answerable for what they do or do not do?

This is sought to be administered in a parliamentary system through questions, debates, discussions, budgetary approvals, committees, and such other methods by parliament.

An accountable system of governance presupposes the following functional and behavioural traits of the civil servants:

  • Achievement oriented behaviour.
  • Judicious use of authority.
  • Pursuit of happiness of the people.
  • Use of reason and experience as the basis of decision.
  • Shirking of work to be identified and punished.
  • Time bound implementation of Policies and Plans.
  • Strength of character, intelligence, perseverance, and extensity of civil servants.
  • Uprightness, friendliness, and firmness of devotion in dealing with others.
  • Capacity for doing a work which should be supplemented by the skill in-action and question for perfection.

The Governments have initiated several measures to see the actual operations of accountability in administration. A reference can be made to the following:

  • Management by Objective (MBO).
  • Machinery for the redress of public grievances.
  • Recognition of the Right to Information.
  • E Governance and Information Technology use.
  • Democratization & Decentralisation of power.
  • Empowerment of the marginalized groups, especially women.
  • Fair Competition between public and private sectors.
  • Review of several laws, rules, and regulations.

Corruption

Corruption is an illegal use of authority for personal gains. Corruption is a universal disease-causing harm to the people and government almost everywhere in the world, in India it has assumed the shape of a cancer.

Steps to control corruption

  • Breaking the nexus between politicians, bureaucrats, and criminals.
  • Ensuring a cost-effective administration of justice.
  • nepotism from government organizations.
  • Setting up of public interest litigation courts at the national, state, and local levels.
  • Making right to information more effective.
  • Strengthening law enforcement agencies in terms of autonomy, skills, attitudinal change, and awareness of the social problems.
  • Forfeiture of the properties of the corrupt immediately after the charges are framed.
  • Such a property can be released only after the person is proved innocent.
  • Improving bureaucratic functioning & simplification of rules and procedures of work.
  • Mobilizing the society to support the system of rule of law.
  • Putting an end to the system of patronage and nepotism from government organizations.

Measures to Establish Good Governance

Peoples Participation for Good Governance

People’s participation is given increasing priority in the scheme of governance. It is recognized that people’s involvement in decision making, & decision implementation would act as:

  • A check on indifferent and inefficient bureaucracy. In other words, people could act.
  • As pressure on administration to act and act in time.
  • Instruments for a responsive and accountable administration.
  • Medium of development administration & self government.
  • A mobiliser and user of local resources for local development.

Role of Computer & Information Technology (IT)

The use of computers and information technology is visualized as a very effective tool of good governance. It seeks to improve:

  • Delivery of services to the people at low cost.
  • Empowerment of people through dissemination of information.
  • Openness and transparency in the working of government.
  • Innovations and introduction of new ideas and concepts in the performance by the government and the people.
  • Effective linkages between citizens & the administration.
  • Comprehensive monitoring and assessment of the performance of the government.