UPSC Mains 2018 · GS II · Q18 · 15 marks · 250 words

The Citizens’ Charter is an ideal instrument of organizational transparency and accountability, but it has its own limitations. Identify the limitations and suggest measures for greater effectiveness of the Citizens’ Charter.

हिन्दी में

नागरिक चार्टर संगठनात्मक पारदर्शिता एवं उत्तरदायित्व का एक आदर्श उपकरण है, परन्तु इसकी अपनी परिसीमाएँ हैं। परिसीमाओं की पहचान कीजिए तथा नागरिक चार्टर की अधिक प्रभाविता के लिए उपायों का सुझाव दीजिए।

Citizen Charters and Grievance Redress Transparency and Accountability

How a topper answered the closest question

Toppers wrote this one in a test series: “Critically analyse the role of the Citizen's Charters in ensuring transparent and accountable governance in India. Suggest measures to overcome the associated limitations and realise their full potential in the Indian context.”

Utkarsh YadavAIR 32 · CSE 2024 · 158 wordsTheir whole copy

Opening

Citizen's Charter (CC) is a set of commitments made by an organisation regarding standards of public service delivery.

Body

Role of Citizen's Charter (CC)

(1) Promotes timely delivery of services (2) Ensures accountability by laying clear standards and grievance redressal when standards not met. (3) Promotes transparent decision making and service delivery, reduce red-tape. (4) Promotes citizen's participation and enhances citizen's trust with quality service delivery

Associated limitations

(1) Not formulated in regional languages. (2) No consultative formulation → bureaucratic charters.

Diagram

(3) lack capacity to implement ↓ (lacks ← Others → (4) no legal awareness) backing

Measures to realise potential

(1) 2nd ARC: Give legal enforcement. Ex: Rajasthan model: Guaranteed Public Service delivery Act (2) wide spread consultation with civil society, NGOs, before formulation. (3) incentives and promotions based on charter implementation. (4) No one size fits all → separate department should have separate charter. (5) Sevottam model to benchmark charters.

The above measures will go a long way in improving Citizen's Charter and making them a tool of Citizen-Centric Governance.

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Source: UPSC, Civil Services (Main) Examination 2018, General Studies Paper II, Q18. The paper on upsc.gov.in. Themes and links to toppers’ answers are by UPSC Grade, not by UPSC.