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Centre for the Study of Social SystemsWeekly Seminar
Speaker:
Ms Shailaja Chandra (I.A.S, Retd.)
On
Bureaucracy and Society:
Challenges of Participatory Democracy in Delhi
Thursday, 26th August, 2010
Jawaharlal Nehru University
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Participatory Democracy
In Delhi peoplesinvolvementhasbeen managedin 3 ways:-
1) ThroughBhagidari - a CitizenGovernment Interface
to improve qualityof services, provided bythe MunicipalCorporation, Water Services, Police,& Revenue Authorities.
to involve al stakeholders Market Associations, NGOs,Industry, Corporate Sectorandstudents.
2) Throughthe Delhi Right to InformationAct, 2001.
3) Throughthe PublicGrievances Commission.
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Bhagidari : Government-CitizenPartnership
AimsAims
To develop a democratic framework providinginformation to people to engage in collective action
with the government.
To address the cynicism and apathy of citizenstowards civic issues
To enhance public scrutiny of government functioning
To make government responsive and participatory
Part - I
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Bhagidari : Government-Citizen Partnership
Part - I
Government felt the need to involve citizens inthe planningprocess.
This was necessary because with three levels ofpolitical representation public awareness aboutresponsibilityand accountabilitywas poor.
Evolution of Bhagidari
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Evolution of Bhagidari:
Government felt the need to involve citizens in theplanning process.
Consultations were held in January 2000 between theChief Minister, Cabinet Ministers, Department Heads and
Heads of civic agencies - to evolve a mechanism.
In the next phase wide consultations were held with allstakeholders - Resident Welfare Associations, Market andTraders Associations and NGOs.
Consensus built on developing a mechanism to bring the
citizens and Government officials together on a commonplatform.
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Special Challenges to Governancein Delhis Context
Delhi is the Seat of the Central Government andDelhi Government.
Public representatives comprising 70 elected
members of the Assembly in 70 constituencies and272 elected Municipal Corporators in 272 wardsservingthe same publicfor similar functions.
Multiplicity of authorities & agencies charged with
providingservices.
Spiralling demand for services / pressure oninfrastructure due to urban in-migration [500,000personsper annum]
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NATIONAL CAPITAL TERRITORY OF DELHI :NATIONAL CAPITAL TERRITORY OF DELHI :
LEGISLATIVE & ADMINISTRATIVE SET UPLEGISLATIVE & ADMINISTRATIVE SET UP
Part - I
Parl iamentaryRepresentative
s for Delhi
Nat ional CapitalTerritory of Delhi
Mun icipal Corpora tionof Delhi
7 Parl iame ntarySeats
Legislat ive Assem bly70 Elected Mem bers
27 2 Corporators
7 Mem bers of
Parl iament
70 Assembly
Constituencies
272 W ards
Population of New Delhi : 13.85 Million
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Bhagidari : Government-Citizen Partnership
Wide consultations were held with allstakeholders - Resident Welfare Associations,Market and Traders Associations and NGOs whowere taught how government organisations
function and to whom they are accountable.
Representatives of the Resident WelfareAssociations were acquainted with the process for
viewing the status and
measuring physical outcomes of projects and
services.
Evolution of Bhagidari
Part - I
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Bhagidari : Government-Citizen PartnershipPart - I
PROCESS
Each RWA was trained in the dynamics of
governance.
RWAs became a focus for citizens issuesrelating to supply of water, electricity,
sanitation and conservancy services, crime,womens security.
More than 1800 Resident WelfareAssociations were established.
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Bhagidari : Government-Citizen PartnershipPart - I
OUTCOME
The RWAs were shaken out of their
apathy.
They questioned poor provision ofservices and insisted on improvement.
The movement forced service providers to
become responsive.
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Recognition . . .
As a good governance init ia t ive Bhagidari hasa tt ra ct ed t he a tt ent ion of Gover nm e nt of I ndia andinternat ional agencies. The program m e has alsobeen circulate d by Govt . of I ndia for replicat ion byother sta tes.
Bhagidari w a s aw a rde d t he Unit ed N at ions PublicService Aw a rds 2 0 05 in t he cat egory of I m provingTr anspar ency , Accountab ilit y a nd Re sponsiv enessin the Public Service from am ongst 2 1 5 ent r iesw orldw ide. This is the first t im e that an ent ry fromSou th Asia ba gge d t he pr est igiou s a w a rd.
The Aw ard w as given by the Division for PublicAdm inist rat ion and Developm ent Managem ent( DPADM) of the United Nat ions Departm ent ofEconomic and Social Af fa irs ( UNDESA) .
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Delhi Right to Information Act, 2001
Par t- I I
Delhi enacted the Right to InformationDelhi enacted the Right to InformationAct in 2001.Act in 2001.
The Act provides every citizen the right toThe Act provides every citizen the right toobtain information from governmentobtain information from governmentdepartments.departments.
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Illustrative cases coming under the
Delhi Right to Information Act
Par t- I I
1 : I nform at ion about them a in t en an ce o f p ub lic p arks,roads of MCD/ NDMC andencroachm ent on publica rea s or p ub lic p rop er t y.
2 : Deta ils about roadconst ruct ion, quality ofm a te ria l u se d, m e asu rem e ntbook s a nd a w a r d of t en de rs.
3 : W ork orders issued bya ge ncie s lik e M CD a lon gw i th
nam es of cont ractors,am ount paid to them andnam es of supervisoryofficia ls. D at e of com p let ionof t he w ork.
Contd..
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Illustrative cases coming under theDelhi Right to Information Act
Part - I I
4 : Operat ion of fair priceshops, a vailability, qualityof com m odities supplied.Action taken oncom plaints of diver sion ofstocks, non supply togenuine card holders.
5: Criteria follow ed foraccept ance or rej ection ofapplications for admissionto institutions/ schools.
6 : D eploy m en t of sw e e pe rs,gardeners and sanitaryinspectors in a specificare a or colony.
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PUBLIC GRIEVANCES COMMISSION
Grievances can be filed against officials ofGovernment Departments, Local Bodies,Autonomous Organisations andOrganisationsfundedbythe GNCTof Delhi.
Commission makes recommendations tothe government and they are laid on thetable of the Assembly.
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Delhi Right to Information Act
Delhi enacted the Right toDelhi enacted the Right toI nform at ion Act in 2 0 0 1 .I nform at ion Act in 2 0 0 1 .
The Act provides every citizen t heThe Act provides every citizen t he
right to obtain inform ation fromright to obtain inform ation fromgovernm ent departm ents through agovernm ent departm ents through adesignated Compe tent Authority.designated Compe tent Authority.
The Public Grievances Com m ission isThe Public Grievances Com m ission isthe Appellate Authority under t hethe Appellate Authority under t he
Delhi Right to I nform ation Act.Delhi Right to I nform ation Act.
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Illustrat ive cases coming under theDelhi Right to Information Act
1 : I nform a tion about t hem aintenance of publicpark s, roads ofMCD/ NDMC andencroachment on publicare as or public propert y.
2 : D et ails a bou t r oa dconstruction, qua lity ofm ater ial used,measurement books andaw ard of tenders.
3 : Unaut horize d
constr uction in colonies -action tak en oncomplaints.
Contd..
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Illustrat ive cases coming under theDelhi Right to Information Act 4 : W ork orders issued by agencies
like MCD alongw ith nam es ofcontractors, amount paid t othem and nam es of supervisoryofficials. Date of com pletion ofthe work.
5 : Processes follow ed forregistra tion of docum ents &issue of certificates by Sub-Registrars.
6 : Opera tion of fair price shops,availabil ity, quality of
com m odities supplied. Actiontak en on complaints ofdiversion of stocks, non supplyto genuine card holders.
Contd..
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Illustrative cases coming under theDelhi Right to Information Act
7: Complaints about themanagement ofCoopera tive Societies andaction taken by t heRegistrar of CooperativeSociet ies on suchcomplaints.
9: Criteria follow ed foraccept ance or reje ction ofapplications for adm issionto institutions/ schools.
10 : Deployment of sw eepers,sanita ry inspectors in aspecific area or colony,
names of the em ployeesand those engaged onm uster roll.
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Outcomes ofRight to Information Act
The Act has becom e a usefultool for conducting social audit.
I t is possible to give legit imat einform at ion to the public in at ime bound m anner.
Has im proved accountability
and responsiveness.
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PUBLIC GRIEVANCES COMMISSION anotherADDITIONAL FORUM FOR PUBLIC INTERFACE
The Pub lic Grievances Com m ission w asestablished in 1 9 97 .
The Public Grievan ces Com m ission is anindependent forum .
The Com m ission is headed by Cha irm anand three Mem bers.
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PROCESS FOLLOWED BY THEPUBLIC GRIEVANCES COMMISSION
The Com m ission hea rsthe case in the presenceof the com plainant andthe departm entsrepresentatives.
Speak ing Orders arepassed on the m erit ofeach case.
The Com m ission laysspecial em phasis on th espeedy redre ssal of
public complaints.
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Types of cases entertainedby the Commission
W herever t he Comm ission issatisfied that t he grievance hasnot been attended to by theconcerned depart m ent ororganization in a fair, j ust andobjective m anner or a corrupt
practice appea rs to be involved,it t ak es up such cases fordetailed scrutiny.
The Com m ission also ta kes suom oto cognizance of mat terscoming t o its notice t hrough
newspapers/ magaz ines/ o therm edia channels or ver balcomplaints.
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Generic Issues also addressed
The hea ring facil ita tes theexa m ination of generic issues w hichcom e to the Com m issions notice,w hich call for system ic chan ges to be
made.
The Com m ission advises governm ent
on reform s w hich need to beundertaken by t he departm ents to
im prove responsiveness, efficiencyand t he quality of public ser vice.
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Participatory Democracy in DelhiConclusions
Democracy needs peoplesparticipation.
Peoples participation requires theirbeing empowered .
Knowledge about accountability isessential to enable public to raise
issues.
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Participatory DemocracyConclusions ( contd)
Public must understand the role of
the Political Executive and
the Bureaucracy to raise issueseffectively.
Public need independentinstitutions like InformationCommission and Public Grievances
Commission to gain knowledge andarbitrate
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Participatory Democracy(Conclusion.)
Public needs the support of civil
society,NGOs and the media to betaken seriously
Given the tools and the institutionalsupport, public can exercise their
rights successfully.