EQUALITY

Equality and its demands on democratic Institutions 

One can understand the Pre-legislative Process to be an opportunity for people to re-engage with matters of governance and functions of the State in general. This is a welcome change from many of the more recent agendas of “good governance reforms” that absolve the State from its core duties of implementation by relying on private sector expertise to replace inefficient public sector functionalities

It is popular, both in current casual and serious discourse, to talk of a trust deficit in the interaction between the people and the state. The nature of a relationship between an institution called the State and its citizens can only be in the nature of a social contract. This definition and expectation of trust, is an act of faith and takes away from the equal, causal and rational relationship that democracy seeks to establish through its systems. If we look at some of the essential requisite of democratic institutional structures; to send representatives to panchayat, assembly and parliament, there is implicit in the election process an obligation for representatives to be accountable for their actions. We transfer our sovereignty under contract and constitutional obligation to perform in accordance with the promises made to us. The act of faith and trust seems a misplaced concept in the relationship between the citizen and the State. One quarrels even with Gandhiji’s dream of a just relationship emerging through ‘trusteeship’. It is not possible in any, but in an Utopian society. In the Indian political context of democracy and governance, skewed by caste, class, gender and religious prejudices, with layers of identities and divides, a concept such as trust would do well to be left alone - to individual and intimate relationships.

It is this growing recognition which led people to a serious assessment of the way governments function, and the nature of power relationships, influenced by feudal social norms, colonial administrative patterns and the emerging pattern of neo socio-political-economic vested interests. The demand for rights is the sum of the current understanding of this obligation of the State. It is under contract to its people through the vote, and promises made on assuming office. A people cheated of equality in the conception of policy, legislation and implementation, in the discharging of democratic and constitutional obligations often by an indifferent and often callous State; cannot but see the relationship with the State, as a contractual relationship, monitored by transparency and accountability, at every step of governance.

READ MORE >>

Challenge of Good Governance

The Challenge of Good Governance in India: Need for Innovative Approaches 

 

The need is to go for ‘million negotiations’ that would ensure that government, market and civil society work together for the poor 

 

Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of India, in his famous Tryst with Destiny speech of 15th August 1947 succinctly put the task before people’s representatives and the services in the following words; “….. to fight and end poverty and ignorance and disease; to build up a prosperous, democratic and progressive nation, and to create social, economic and political institutions which will ensure justice and fullness of life to every man and woman.” These works are still in progress. A deeper look at these tasks would clearly establish that these goals are entirely within the realm of governance. 

Meaning 

There is no accepted definition of governance. There is divergence of opinion about the meaning of governance between the conservatives and the liberals, between socialists and the communists.  

In recent years the word governance has become a very fashionable term and is being used in a variety of ways and that covers a large number of organizations both in public and private domains. 

For our purposes, however, we are confining governance only to public domain. We are concerned here with that form of governance which serves the citizens by safeguarding territorial integrity of the State and securing individual security, rule of law and the delivery of services ranging from education, health to livelihood and food security. 

READ MORE >>

Governance and Public Policy

Governance and Public Policy: Vertical Meeting Horizontal

 

The good governance comes out from the strong commitment of the government where all commitment is made keeping people as focus

                                                    

When I started writing this article on Public Policy and Governance, I was a bit puzzled as what to write and what not to write? Many pioneer works have been done in this area, in India and also globally. Almost all shades, of it, over the years, have been explored by various scholars and practitioners. And, my thoughts took me to an old time story written by revered writer Munshi Prem   Chandjee. This story is about a local leader who was very respectable and popular amongst the people. He, all through his life fought for the justice, equality and transparency. The leader had a very pretty and intelligent daughter with whom he used to share all his progressive thoughts and spiritual discourse. She was very impressed with her father and she always considered him as a role model. She had a lot of respect for him. She rather believed that only a person like him can give good governance and do justice to his people. Once, on the eve of a big festival, her father was invited by the local community to be the chief guest and to perform the special pooja in the temple which the community was organising and also requested him to give award and bless the youth who belonged to the same village who had done some commendable work for the society. The leader accepted the invitation and gave his consent to be the part of the special occasion. On the special day, the daughter also accompanied her father to be the part of the celebration. The special pooja was well performed and then for conferring award, the name of the youth was called for the award. The Youth came forward, touched the feet of the leader and got his blessings. His citation was read before everybody that how he helped educating people and fighting against any kind of discrimination, be it caste, class, creed, region, religion, belief etc. He was praised further about how he could bring change amongst them. The leader, in his speech, also had lot of praise for him. He admired him by saying that our country should have youth like him. He could be the role model for the whole society and generations to come. He then in his praise garlanded him and hugged him. The leader’s daughter was carefully listening to each word her father was saying in the praise of the youth and was feeling very happy within. The daughter, while returning home, was engrossed with her father’s speech and constantly thinking about her father. All the scenes were repeatedly flashing before her and reminding her again and again that how her father hugged the youth, knowing well that he comes from the lower caste. She became emotional and hugged her father and whispered in his ears, “Babujee ! I love you.” The father smiled, patted and hugged her. 
 

READ MORE >>

RTI-A Right to Good Governance

RTI-A Right to Good Governance

RTI act democratized the information and decentralized the power. Power no more remains confined to select few, rather it was made available equally to all the citizens

 

“That Government Is Best Which Governs Least.” - Henry David Thoreau

 

Good governance, in modern democracy, means democratization of governance. In participatory democracy people elect their leaders to govern them. But governance is not the monopoly of elected leaders. When governance becomes the privilege of select few or when the people who are governed are kept out of the affairs of governance, it degenerates into misgovernance and becomes a travesty of democracy.  

Good governance is characterized by transparency and accountability and the best way to ensure transparency and accountability in governance is through increased and informed participation of people. People are biggest stakeholder in governance, they have a critical and crucial role to play. So, it is imperative that people must have the right to know about the activities of the government.

 

In 2005, Indian Parliament passed Right to Information Act [RTI] which gave the common citizen the right to seek information regarding government projects, schemes and other activities. It was a landmark Act which came with the potentiality to change the very idea of governance and the power equation between common people and the government. The act was promulgated with the vision of democratization of governance and empowerment of common people Therefore, Right to Information has been given the status of a fundamental right under Article 19(1) of the Constitution. 

READ MORE >>

A COMMITMENT TO VOLUNTARY SECTOR

The National Policy on the Voluntary Sector is a testament of our commitment to encourage, enable and empower an independent and effective voluntary sector

As Member responsible for Voluntary Action Cell in the Planning Commission of India for seven years now, I have been part of the effort to bring people close to the planning process. Initially, we started a ‘Civil Society Window’ in 2004, in the hope that it would enable people to engage with the Planning Commission and offer the benefit of their field experiences. We managed to take some of the learning from there into the 11th Five Year Plan. This initiative crystallized within a year and is now part of the Planning architecture.

During the 11th Five Year Plan process we organized a regional consultation to get civil society feedback. Participation of Civil Society (CS) had thus already become a strong and robust element in the preparation of the Plan.

READ MORE >>