(PYQ GS paper II Mock Answer: Polity governance) - Citizens Charter

Q. The Citizen’s Charter is an ideal instrument of organisational transparency and accountability, but it has its own limitations. Identify the limitations and suggest measures for greater effectiveness of the Citizen’s Charters. (15 Marks)

Answer:

A Citizens’ Charter is basically a set of commitments made by an organization regarding the standards of service which it delivers. The Citizens’ Charter is an instrument which seeks to make an organization transparent, accountable and citizen friendly.

Limitations of Citizens Charter: 

• The term Citizen’s Charter has become a misnomer because in every govt dept it is prepared by bureaucracy without involving stakeholders. 
• Since it’s a voluntary commitment to implement Citizen’s Charter, these are never taken seriously.
  
• Absence of awareness among citizens esp. in rural areas about Citizen’s Charter.
  
• Citizen’s Charter doesn’t define services & standards in an objective & quantifiable term so that performance can be evaluated. As described by 2nd ARC, Citizen’s Charter are nothing but “pious Statements with noble intentions having no practical significance”.
  
• Performance of bureaucracy in implementation of Citizen’s Charter has no impact on their career advancement. There is no motivation for bureaucracy to implement it.
  
• Most of the Citizen’s Charters are in English language which becomes difficult for people from rural areas to understand it.
  
• Recommendations of Social Audit Committees which help in preparing Citizen’s Charters are only advisory in nature & not taken seriously.
  
• High levels of corruption in implementation as there is no accountability & improper grievance redressal mechanism.
  
• Colonial attitude of bureaucracy due to which it has failed to understand the importance of Citizen’s Charter in empowering of citizens.
  

Measures needed to improve effectiveness of citizens charter:

• Making consultation with citizens mandatory while framing citizens charter. 
• Real time updation of info on the govt websites especially regarding allocation of finances.
  
• Citizen’s Charter can be formulated in vernacular languages.
  
• Citizen’s Charter should clearly specify outlays, time & output.
  
• Quality of services should be defined in objective terms. These should be defined on the basis of global standards. 
• Civil Services Code be amended to include effective implementation of Citizen’s Charter as one of the parameters upon which their career advancement would depend.
  
• Proper accountability & Grievance Redressal Mechanism.
  
• Citizen’s Charter should come under purview of Lokpal.
  
• Proper implementation of Whistleblowers (Protection) Act.
  
• Citizen’s Charter should be further expanded into People’s Charter or Precariat Charter.
  

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