Karnataka

Governance Reform in Karnataka

Vikram K. ChandWorld Bank

April 26, 2004

Karnataka

The Context

Reformist Government elected in late 1999.

Pressures from below for change in system.

Legacy of highly skilled civil service.

KarnatakaKey Challenges

Improving the quality of services.

Reducing political interference.

Combating corruption.

Karnataka

Bangalore’s Service Delivery Miracle

Dramatic improvements in service delivery.

Report cards issued by the Public Affairs Center (PAC).

Survey commissioned by the Bangalore Agenda Task Force (BATF).

Karnataka

Improvements in Satisfaction: Public Services in Bangalore

 

5 6 49

25

1

14

4147

42

67

34 34

16

32 32

73

94

73

92

7378

85

96

77

n/a n/a0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

City c

ounci

l

Elect

ricity

Wat

er s

upply

Tele

phon

es

Public

hos

pita

ls

Polic

e

Land

aut

horit

y

Public

bus

es

Tran

spor

t aut

hority

Agencies

% s

atis

fied

1994 1999 2003

Source : PAC

Karnataka

Large Decline in Corruption

Corruption across Three Report Cards

14 9

3219

22

25

0

20

40

60

80

100

1994 1999 2003

Year

% w

ho

pa

id

General Households Slum

Source: PAC

Karnataka

Trends: Services in Bangalore

8

7

4

2

21

19

15

4

65

64

66

66

6

10

15

28

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

July 2000

Feb 2001

Sep 2001

Feb 2003

%

Worsened Remained the same Improved Improved a lot

Source: BATF

Karnataka

Computerization of Land Records

20 million land records computerized.

Results: Steep reduction in bribes Faster delivery times Fewer errors

Travel to Taluq offices still necessary.

Karnataka

Enhancing Transparency in Government

Transparency in Tenders and Procurement.

Model law on Right to Information (RTI).

RTI adopted despite stiff resistance.

NGO’s push for RTI implementation.

KarnatakaFrequent Civil Servant Transfers

Market in buying and selling of posts.

Politicians use transfers for patronage.

Frequent transfers hurt service delivery.

KarnatakaOverall Transfers/Karnataka

Bangarappa

Moily

Devegowda Patel

Krishna (current)

KarnatakaControlling Transfers

Cadre management committees.

Quantitative caps on transfers.

Computerized transfer process.

Mass transfers reduced – sustainable?

Karnataka

Anti-corruption Enforcement

Strongest Lok Ayukta (Ombudsman) in India.

Investigates corruption/maladministration.

Budget US$1.6 million; five hundred officers.

Activist Judge appointed in June, 2001.

Karnataka

Lok Ayukta: Focus on Service Delivery

Investigations: Drug adulteration Public hospitals (absenteeism, exploitation) Transport and registration departments. Corruption in municipal government

Volume of complaints triple in one year.

Wide publicity may be the best way to check corruption when courts don’t work...

Karnataka

Lok Ayukta In Action

Karnataka

Key lessons from Karnataka

Political commitment crucial for reform.

Administrative reformers empowered.

Civil society stoke pressure for change.

BATF: Model of public-private partnership.

Synergy among key actors in Karnataka.

Karnataka

The Role of the World Bank

Reinforce local initiatives through SALs.

Focus: first fiscal, expand to governance.

Time-table for home-grown reforms.

SALs strengthen reformers in government.

Efforts not uniformly successful.

Karnataka

Future Challenges

Replicating Bangalore model.

Extending service delivery gains to rural areas.

Sustaining political commitment.