Impact of the Local Government (Union Parishad) Act, 2009 on the Local Governance in Bangladesh: A Focus on People’s Participation and Accountability

Seminar on PhD Dissertation on

Room No.373, Rabindra Bhaban16 March 2014, 11:00AM

Supervisor

Dr. Pranab Kumar Panday ProfessorDepartment of Public Administration University of Rajshahi

Presenter

Mst. Shuvra ChowdhuryPhD Fellow (Session 2011-12)Department of Public Administration University of Rajshahi

Union Parishad(UP)

Upazila Parishad(UZP)

Zila Parishad(ZP)

The central Government alone cannot meet the needs of its citizens. So, decentralized LGIs with democratic practice is essential for overall development of any country There are three tiers of local government in Bangladesh.

INTRODUCTION

Statement of the Problems

Lack of ownership of assets and inadequate access to institutional finance.

People remained outsider in the traditional planning and budgeting process. Corruption such as nepotism, bribery and biasness of UP functionaries.

Ineffective Justice System and Improper Audit

Perspective plan

Sector wise

Top Down Approach

Accountability Mechanisms

Public Accountability Mechanism

Social Accountability Mechanism

The social accountability measures enable direct engagement of citizens with government.

UNDP(2010) defined it as “a form of accountability that emerges through actions by citizens and civil society organization(CSOs) aimed at holding the state to account, as well as efforts by government and other actors(media, private sector, donors) to support these actions”.

Social Accountability Tools

Participatory Public Policy Making

Participatory Budgeting

Public Expenditure Tracking

Citizen Monitoring and Evaluation of Public Service Delivery

Following Provisions in the UP Act, 2009 have been considered as social Accountability mechanisms:

Ward Shava

Open Budget Meeting (OBM)

Citizen Charter

Right To Information

Clause 4 and 5 of the UP Act of 2009 states that a ward shava (ward meeting) should be constituted in each ward consisted of all the voters enlisted in the voter lists. Elected member of the ward would act as the chair of the ward shava while the elected women member would act as the adviser.

Ward Shava

Open Budget Meeting (OBM)

Clause 57 of the UP Act of 2009 provides for finalization of the UP’s yearly budget in an open meeting which is commonly referred to as open budget. .

Section 49(4) of the UP act, 2009 states that in circulating Citizen Charter it must include the following:Correct and clear description of each service;Cost of service;Terms and procedure for claiming and receiving services;Specific time for providing services;Responsibilities for citizens regarding services;Assurance for service delivery;Procedure for grievance resolution regarding service delivery;Consequences for refusing the undertaking of charter of service.

Citizen Charter

The UP Act, 2009 with its section 78, 79 and 80 assure that anyone can seek required information from UP and the information providing authority is liable to provide specific information and explanation for not providing information (if any) covered under the law.

Right To Information

Core Objective: To explore the impact of the Act of 2009 on the governance of UPs with particular focus on the people’s participation and accountability.

1.To review the existing legal framework of UP that offers the scope for direct engagement of citizens and holding the UP functionary’s accountability for their actions i.e. Social Accountability.

2.To observe participation of people in the Ward Shava and Open Budget session and to explore whether participation is spontaneous or induced.

3.To explore the extent of success of Citizen Charter and Right to Information as social accountability mechanisms for ensuring accountability of people’s representatives for their actions in WS and OBM.

4.To observe responsiveness of the UP functionaries to the needs of the citizens and to explore the effectiveness of social accountability mechanisms through civic engagement.

5.To identify factors affecting people’s participation and accountability in the UPs and to suggest remedial actions to overcome those.

Specific Objectives

1.What is the process of involving people in the Ward Shava and Open Budget Meeting?

2. To what extent Ward Shava and Open Budget Meeting have enhanced participation of people in the planning process of UP?

3. How people are holding their representatives accountable for their action through CC and RTI?

4. To what extent Ward Shava and Open Budget have enhanced responsiveness of UP functionaries and to what extent CC and RTI have managed to hold people’s representatives accountable for their actions?

5. What initiatives are necessary to overcome exiting problems of people’s participation and accountability in the functioning of UPs?

Research Question

• The study will add some new dimensions in the experiment of social accountability mechanisms in the context of Bangladeshi LGIs .

•For the very first time, efforts have been made to combine both people’s participation and accountability in a single research within the country context after enactment of the Act of 2009. • impact of CC and RTI would add some interesting findings regarding answerability and responsiveness of the UP functionaries.

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

• Finally, it would come up with some suggestions.

• This research will provide new insights to academics and researchers.

Theoretical Understanding: Policy Impact Study

Types of policy Evaluation Study:

Process evaluation

Impact evaluation

Policy Impact Study: Comprehensive Evaluation

•To determine whether the process of a definite policy has been implemented by the predetermined guidelines or not.

•Whether the changes have been occurring with its predetermined outcomes or not.

Theoretical Understanding: Policy Impact Study

Impact Study

Process

Change

Input Process Output

System Theory

FEEDBACK

ENVIRONMENT

Input Process Output

Peoples' Participation & UP Functionaries'

Accountability

•Participatory Planning •Participatory Budgeting

•Dissemination of CC •Seek RTI

WSOBM

CCRTI

Feedback

L-O-C-A-L G-O-V-E-R-N-M-E-N-T E-N-V-I-R-O-N-M-E-N-T

Systemic View of Participatory Planning and Budgeting

Participatory Planning at WS

Formation of Ward CommitteeUP member/ Female reserve seat women member as Convener (2)School TeacherSocial WorkerFreedom FighterGeneral Public

WSAll voters of concerned Ward will place their demand

Thirteen SC (Formation)the UP functionaries, UP women functionariesco-opt members, experts general peoples

UDCC(Formation)The UP membersAll UPZ officers UP officers Representatives from social workersNGO officials school teachers

UNO for approval

WS

WC

SC

UP Planning

Committee

OBM

UDCC

Participatory Budgeting at OBM

Charter of Services

Development program and infrastructural programs

Finalize beneficiary list of various government programsPublic welfare activities such as street light, safe water , public health etc

Social activities such as campaign against dowry, early marriage, polygamy and drug addition

Self employment programs, local peoples interaction in cultural and sports activities, interaction with school and guardians

Right to Information

WS and OBM Meeting Time & Place

Various Allocation from Go & NGO

Right to Ask/demandPrioritized demands of WSFinal Budget Information

Other LGIs within which

UPs Work

Factors that directly affect UP Planning

and Budgeting

Planning and Budgeting

Process against UP act 2009

itself

Local Government Environment

Feedback

Deviation of ProcessInput

Feedback

People’s Participation and Accountability

Dependent Variable

Participatory Mechanisms at WS and OBM•Access to Participation Mechanisms•Ability to Participate

•Access To Information

•Participation at Agenda making

CC and RTI as Accountability Mechanisms

•Managerial Ability and Administrative Skill

•Leadership Ability

Responsiveness and Answerability

Transparency and Openness

Independent Variable

Research Method Case Study

Types of Data Qualitative Quantitative

Sources of Data Primary Secondary

Focused Group Discussion

Documentation Review

Study Area 6 UP from three different district

METHODOLOGY...

Questionnaire Survey

Direct Observation

District Upazilla Union

Parishad

No of Wards Sample frame

for WS

SirajgonjRaigonj Ghurka 9 3 (1,4, and 7

No)

Ullapara Hatikumrul 9 3

RajshahiPaba Hariyan 9 3

Godagari Gogram 9 3

LalmonirhatAditmari Vadai 9 3

Kaligonj Kakina 9 3

METHODOLOGY

Study Area Selection

METHODOLOGY...

Unit of Analysis

Participation at WS and OBM)Gender (male/female) UP functionaries (both elected and government) responsible to render services

WC, WS, OBM, SC, UDCC

Individuals Institutions

Documentation Review

WS ResolutionEstimated BudgetReal Income Expenditure StatementVarious GO/NGO AllocationService Recipient List

Data Collection Tools

Direct Observation

WS

OBM

Category of Respondents Total No of Respondents in each ward (No 1, 4, 7)

No. of Respondent to be Selected

Respondent per UP

Total

UP chairmanN/A

1 (100%) 6

Ward member 1 1 3 (33%) 18 (6x3)Reserved seat for Female member

1 (from each three wards)

1 3(100%) 18 (6x3)

General people participated at WS and OBM

The member will be collected through WS resolution and OBM participant list

4 (2 male and 2 Female from each ward)

4x3=12 72 (12x6)

PIO One from each Upazilla 6

Others (Subject to their availability)

Ward Committee members, UDCC members, ex-chairmen and members of UPs, Chairmen and Vice-chairmen of Upazila Parishad, Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO), Local Political Leaders, DDLG, DF of LGSP-II and others.

5 30(5x6)

Total 150

Questionnaire Interview

METHODOLOGY

Category of Respondents

No. of FGD per Ward

Number of people per FGD and (total respondent in ward)

Respondent per UP

Total

General people did not participate at WS and OBM

2 6-8 (12-16) 36-48 216-288

Focused Group Discussion

Chapter One: Introductory Discussion

Chapter Two: Conceptual Framework Chapter Three: Methodology of the study Chapter Four: Local Government Reforms in Bangladesh: past and present initiatives

Chapter Five : State of People’s Participation at the local level: Role of WS and OBM

Chapter Six: State of the accountability at WS and OBM: Role of CC and RTI

Chapter Seven: Conclusion and Recommendations

CHAPTER OUTLINE

Planning and Budgeting are two important elements for smooth running of any institution.

Participatory planning and Budgeting can play very important role through CC and RTI in local development process.

CONCLUSION

Hence, the impact of the proposed study would add some interesting feedback for further study of participatory planning and budgeting i.e social accountability mechanisms of LGIs.

Thank you