The Right to Public Services Delivery in India: A Paradigm Shift for Good Governance
| DOI | 10.1177/0019556120160208 |
| Date | 01 April 2016 |
| Published date | 01 April 2016 |
| Subject Matter | Article |
THE RIGHT TO PUBLIC SERVICES DELIVERY
IN
INDIA: A PARADIGM SHIFT
FOR
GOOD
GOVERNANCE
RAJVIR S. DHAKA
The emphasis
of
United Nations' Millennium Development
Goals
is
on sharpening the service delivery functions
of
state.
A gradual paradigm shift in the recent years has brought the
quality
of
public service delivery and delivery mechanisms as
touchstone
of
governance.
Jn
contrast to its traditional role
of
a ruling
and
controlling establishment, the shift is clearly
towards the citizen-centricity
of
governance.
All
over the
world, this centricity is the
prime
mover
of
administrative
and
governance reforms. The declaration
and
adoption
of
Citizen
Charter
or
Client Charter was a precursor to a better defined
and
rights-based approach.
An
acknowledgment
of
citizens'
aspirations
and
entitlements is the key observable aspect
in
the present quest
for
honing the quality
of
governance by way
of
upholding citizens' right, inter a/ia, to express their choice,
right to be heard, to be consulted
and
to
get
information
about public services
and
an equal
or
equitable access to
these services. The recognition
of
the citizens' right to public
services through legislation is an important landmark
in
India
:S
pursuit
of
governance reforms
and
optimum utilisation
of
public
resources. This article traces the stages in evolutio.n
of
this
paradigm shift in the state policy and discusses the changed
role
for
political executive, bureaucracy
and
other stakeholders
in the obtaining
of
service delivery scenario.
INTRODUCTION
THE CONCEPT
of
public administration has undergone a paradigm shift
in the last two and
half
decades. Instead
of
good government, governance
has become the buzz word. It has become citizen-centric from state-centric.
Therefore, the provision
of
a variety
of
public services to its citizenry has
become their basic mandate. Ensuring these within a stipulated time has
To continue reading
Request your trial