Good governance
We need a basic level of transparency in our political process. Utilising the Right to Information Act, NGOs can monitor the bureaucracy and make a significant difference
India is a multi-speed country. Every state is either governed well or badly. In recent times, magazines have started ranking states in terms of good governance. What are the factors which shape the quality of governance?
Different states have different forces shaping them. When the state of Gujarat, for example, was carved out of the erstwhile Bombay on May 1, 1960, it not only included portions of what was called British India, which had the tradition of governance under the British, but also nearly two hundred small states in Saurashtra which were formed into a B state after independence and Kutch which had a unique position as a part C state with a different history. History and traditions shaped the attitude of the bureaucrats and political leaders who played a part in the governance of the state. Gujarat today is one of the better governed states with a chief minister who focuses exclusively on better governance in spite of the flak he is receiving in the English media. Apart from the historical factor, there are some other factors which are common to all states, thanks to the Constitution of India which is the basic frame-work for governance. The three pillars of governance legislature, executive and judiciary shape the broad parameters of governance in every state. The judiciary particularly in every state is significant in laying down the boundary conditions for legislation. From the point of view of governance, perhaps, the most important factor is the 2004 decision of the Supreme Court which ruled that candidates to elections have to declare details of their criminal record, wealth and educational qualifications. This has laid the foundation for a basic degree of transparency in our political process.
To what extent can this transparency be leveraged to reduce the scope of corruption in public life depends on another important factor, namely, the nongovernmental organisations and the citizens themselves. Non-governmental organisations represent a growing significant element in the dynamics of better governance in our country. In a backward state like Rajasthan, the activism shown by Aruna Roy and her Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan (MKSS) have made the Right to Information (RTI) Act a significant element in checking and monitoring programmes affecting the public. The national Rural Employment Scheme, perhaps, is best monitored in that state thanks to the tradition of MKSS activism.
An interesting aspect was highlighted by a visiting American professor, Sussman, an expert on the Freedom of Information Act in the United States, who has been studying the implementation of the Right to Information Act in India. He found that in West Bengal, the bureaucracy was very defensive, making access to information as difficult as possible. All applications have to be made on a Rs 10 stamp paper, which most of the time is not available. On the other hand, in Bihar, he found that the government and the media were going out of the way to introduce jingles and advertisements to educate the public about the right available to them under the RTI Act. In Tamil Nadu, the information commissioner is optimistic that in due time, this Act may turn out to be effective in empowering the people by bringing greater transparency in the system.
Yet another factor in the dynamics of governance is the nature of the bureaucracy. Some states have the tradition of efficient bureaucracies. There are some notorious for corruption and inefficiency. In the days to come, the bureaucracy is going to play an important role in deciding the level of governance and in this way, an effective check on the bureaucracy can be provided by the NGOs. Currently, we are moving towards a situation where instead of merely criticising the government or the favourite whipping boys, the politicians, people through NGOs can play a role in shaping the quality of governance in their state. Ultimately, it is the bureaucracy which delivers the results. Using the Right to Information Act, active NGOs can effectively monitor their performance and ensure that there is greater transparency and less corruption. This is the formula needed for good governance.
Citizens can play a role in shaping the quality of governance in their state
In the last decade, N Vittal, the former CVC, emerged as the voice of our collective conscience. This is his weekly take on public life in India