The concept of good
governance for a lay
man is getting all these essential services free from 'hassles' Besides, it implies citizen friendly delivery system absence of queue and dhaka- mukki. Adequate infrastructure (ergonomics), simple procedures (smart card), quick processing (single window delivery and adequate number of counters) are the hall-marks of good governance. Introduction of new technologies in delivery system or governance is meant to make the system more effective (accessibility and availability of information through electronic media), transparent, accountable, and economical (in terms of time and energy saving). The citizen demands better services even at a little higher cost. It should also be proactive and responsive to the needs of deprived and marginalised section of the society and to empower them to lead an enriched quality of life. Good governance calls for:
" There should be a 'Computerised and Tamper Free Model for Land Records'. To ensure accurate copying, the land records are to be verified at each level with manual records along with officials seal and signature. Once digitisation is complete, manual records are to be banned. The government should issue only computer generated records. There should be three -tier security system namely passwords, thumb biometrics, and digital signatures. The stamps and registration software is to be integrated with the Land, making manipulation more difficult. Before sale is registered, the Land database is to be queried to verify the claims of buyer and seller. It will save time, cost and energy. It would help indirectly in maintaining law and order by preventing land record manipulation.
" Make Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution System (CA&PD) work by eliminating middle-men and promoting community participation and transparency. Department should make the delivery system a well executed operation.
Technology and end - to -end computerisation of the PDS should be enabled to ensure the transparency and keeping track of the delivery i.e. procuring of food grains, transporting to ration shops and distributing rations from the ration depots on time. People at the gross- root should be involved to make the system deliver. The whole logistics of PDS should be reorganised in order to fulfil the guarantee of delivery of ration from the depots on the first week of every month. Moreover, publicly proclaim a guarantee of public service delivery. To back this commitment the government should also set up robust public grievance redressal mechanism.
" Good governance in education implies improved coordination, efficiency, and accountability. A change in governance structures does not deliver educational results on its own; it requires an infrastructure through which policy decisions can be translated into School and Classroom practice (Cohen and Moffitt, 2009).There are four areas which should be focused namely, 1) infrastructure, resource allocations; public accountability, interagency collaboration, stakeholder engagement and responsiveness. 2) Human resources operations and human capital strategies: including highly qualified science, math and language teachers, retention rate for effective teachers. 3) Academic plans: integration of curriculum and program specific focus into schools; grade progression and credit accumulation, 4) Student achievement: including a detailed description of student achievement that includes academic growth, proficiency, and non-academic values.
" Public trust on apex institutions namely, J&K Public Service Commission, the Public Accountability Commission, J&K State Service Recruitment Board, J&K State Vigilance Commission, J&K Human Rights Commission, and J&K Board of Professional Entrance Examinations should be restored. Person of 'High Integrity Index' should be the head of the institution. Transparency, accountability, trustworthiness, and authenticity should be the touch stones of efficiency of these institutions. There should be no pulls and pressures from politicians. Video recording of 'Interview' should be made mandatory.
" 'SMART CARD' containing scanned copy of all information - domicile, identity, residence, SB a/c No etc along with officials seal and signature of officer should be used for the getting electricity, drinking water, & LPG connections, ration card, driving licence, birth or death certificate, land records, state-subject, building permission, licence for registration of small scale unit. Processes involved in clearance of treasury bills, files in civil secretariat, cases of compassionate appointments, scholarship and pension should be simplified.
" In Jammu or Srinagar Municipal Corporation, 'Master Plan' should be adhered in letter and spirit. Procedures for granting building permission should be simplified. Documents required for seeking building permission should be limited to 'Original Land Documents, Certified Copies of Site and Building Plan and NOC from Nazool (Revenue Department) for residential purposes. For commercial building a certificate from the Chief Town Planner specifying that 'Area does not fall in Residential Colony'. In new colony, permission should be subject to provision of space for 'Park, Transformer, Parking and School' by the coloniser. Year-wise and plan-wise records should be computerised and stored. For monitoring illegal construction, Municipal Corporation should be divided into Seven zones; each zone should be under the supervision of the Chief Enforcement Officer. Software for searching illegal constructions should be devised and used for timely action. The manual system of records keeping has given birth to different kinds of malpractices and should be disallowed.. Manual collection of revenue should be replaced by e-collection. In order to make it more convenient for the consumers, sector-wise collection centres should be established. E-tendering should be made mandatory. Work executed should be got verified by the local committee. Contractor or middle man culture needs to be abolished.
At present there is no system of disposal of degradable, non-degradable and bio-medical wastes. Slaughter house is in the heart of city. These projects need to be taken up on priority.
We should have vender, social security, transport and parking plans. And what is more important is to devise ''Comprehensive Disaster Management Plan'.
" In order to fulfil the goal of inclusive growth, first, it is essential to create more job opportunities through establishing 'labour intensive enterprises'. However, the potential areas are tourism, handicraft and handloom, small and medium enterprise, horticulture, and floriculture. Second, provide skills training for poor workers such as trained child care, cooks, nursing aides, shop assistants, plumbers, electricians and carpenters, office assistants (type writing), account assistants etc. Short training courses (from a week to three months) certificate systems could help worker improve their skills and, thus their incomes. Third, give benefits directly to the poor. It would cut the leakage and corruption. Fourth, name one leader for each district to lead the important mission.
Just as more jobs, skills, innovation, and direct transfers of benefits empower the poor, it is sin qua non to empower leaders charged with executing these ideas. Good governance demands honest, mature, and committed bureaucracy, inspired political leadership and also a healthy social and cultural environment in order to ensure inclusive growth in Jammu and Kashmir. It is also essential to make governance Simple, Moral, Accountable, Responsive and Transparent (SMART).
DR.D.R.KAPOOR, KAS (retd)
[email protected]
09419109018 |
