Reflection on citizen's charter in India
- 2000
- p.85-91
- Jul-Sep
In India, the Citizens' Charters patterned on the U.K. model consist of the Citizens' entitlement to public service, wide publicity of standard of performance, quality of service, access to information, simplifying of procedure of complaints, time bound redressal of grievances, and a provision for independent scrutiny of performance. This initiative of government towards citizen orientation of administration is a welcome step. However, the empirical evidence suggests that even after two years of their existence, the Charters have not made any dent on the quality and delivery of public services. In order to reap the benefits of the Citizens' Charters on sustaianed basis, it is suggested to make the citizens aware about the Charters. The officials of public organisations particularly, the front line staff also needs both awareness as well as an orientation towards Citizens' Charters through nationwide series of workshops, rewards and penalties in case of achievements and failures of announced standards of service be made an integral part of the Charters. - Reproduced