Good Governance | Current Affairs & Hindu Analysis: Daily, Weekly & Monthly - UPSC PDF Download

Introduction

• At an event commemorating Good Governance Week 2022, Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba stressed the importance of good governance in advancing a nation's progress, particularly in achieving a New India by 2047.
• He noted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has emphasized the principles of "Minimum Government, Maximum Governance" and a Whole of Government approach. To realize this vision, the government has implemented various measures to ensure a participatory, accountable, transparent, and responsive administration that serves the people within the constitutional framework. 
• Gauba also highlighted the significance of delayering, delegation of power, and digitalization in governance.

Governance

• Kautilya, in his book Arthashastra, outlined the qualities of a good ruler, emphasizing that the happiness and welfare of the subjects should be the ruler's top priority and that they should not pursue their own interests. Good governance is associated with effective administration in a democratic setting.
• Governance refers to all the processes involved in governing a social system, including those undertaken by the government, market, or network, and can be carried out through laws, norms, power, or language. Good governance serves to fulfill people's aspirations within the constitutional framework.
• The United Nations Development Programme defines governance as the rules of the political system used to resolve conflicts between actors and make legal decisions. The second Administrative Reforms Commission suggested various measures to improve governance, including responsive, accountable, sustainable, and efficient administration at all levels, as well as transparency, accountability, rule of law, subsidiarity, and putting citizens first. 
• For example, the delivery of services such as PDS should be fast, free of intermediaries, and available to even the most marginalized people at minimal cost.

Good governance consists of various components, including the ability and effectiveness of managing the public sector, holding individuals accountable, establishing a legal framework that promotes development, providing access to information and promoting transparency, encouraging consensus building, and ensuring equity and inclusivity.

Components of Good Governance

The ability and effectiveness of managing the public sector, holding individuals accountable, establishing a legal framework that promotes development, providing access to information and promoting transparency, encouraging consensus building, and ensuring equity and inclusivity.

Some of the good governance measures undertaken in India

• Several good governance measures have been implemented in India. Initiatives such as PM Gatishakti, PRAGATI, capacity building through Mission KarmYogi, and a focus on simplifying procedures and reducing compliance burdens have broken governance silos and improved the delivery of public services.
• Transparency, responsiveness, and other aspects of good governance have been strengthened through the implementation of the GST, labor codes, the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, the New Education Policy, Mudra, PM Awas Schemes, and the seamless faceless resolution of tax disputes. 
• As a result of these efforts, India's Ease of Doing Business rank has risen from 145 in 2015 to 63 in 2020. Additionally, the Global Innovation Index ranking has improved from 81 in 2015 to 46 in 2021.

Way forward

• In order to achieve good governance, it is important to promote positive values of administration and eliminate any dysfunctionalities.
• This will make the government more effective, credible, legitimate, and citizen-friendly. 
• Several measures can be taken to enhance good governance, such as implementing the Right to Information Act, social audits, and public service guarantee acts in various states.
• It may also be necessary to bring in outside consultants to encourage the organization to consider workable alternatives. A top-down approach should be taken, with bosses leading by example to facilitate change at all levels.
• Effective multi-generational teams should be established in an environment that fosters ownership of the vision. Change may be slow within a bureaucracy, so it is important to create a phased implementation that the organization can handle.
• Resistance to change should be combated through constant communication and education about the benefits of technology.
• A transparent and objective performance assessment system can help keep staff motivated, and accountability towards decision-making should be instilled in the organization. 
• It is important to strengthen social audits by educating and raising awareness among the public.