The Hindu Business Line : Study highlights key factors for reform of public services

Key findings
Select failure of reform initiatives attributed to insufficient engagement of the political leadership in those cases, instability of tenure of the civil service and, in the rural areas, lack of adequate public awareness.
Almost all the cases involved initiatives spearheaded by IAS officers who remained in their posts for three years and, in some cases, even longer.

Kolkata , May 29

Greater political consensus on social development programmes, managerial autonomy and stability of tenure of the civil service, and greater civil society involvement in programme designing and monitoring have been identified as key factors that determine the success of public services reform in India.

These are the findings of a World Bank study on "Reforming public services in India - Drawing lessons from success" that was lead-authored by Mr Vikram K. Chand, Senior Public Sector Management Specialist at the World Bank.

Drawing lessons

Speaking at an interactive session with the media here on Friday, Mr Chand said the study examined 25 success stories in the country across sectors such as health, education, information technology and urban management. They include institutional reforms in primary education in Madhya Pradesh, transformation of the Stamps & Registration Department in Maharashtra, computerisation of land records in Karnataka, the e-Seva initiative in Andhra Pradesh and the improvement in human development outcomes in Tamil Nadu, among others. Through an in-depth analysis of important success stories, the study aims to build better understanding of the key factors which enabled these successes, and points to lessons that could well be replicated across the country.

"What emerges from these case studies is that the vision of political leadership, along with broad consensus across party lines, is the key to triggering service delivery reforms. Also, almost all the cases involved initiatives spearheaded by Indian Administrative Service officers who remained in their posts for three years and, in some cases, even longer", Mr Chand said.

According to him, consensus among stakeholders was crucial to the success of reforms. "India cannot reform by cutting jobs", he said, and attributed select failure of reform initiatives to insufficient engagement of the political leadership in those cases, instability of tenure of the civil service and, in the rural areas, lack of adequate public awareness.

Asked if government subsidies were acceptable to him, Mr Chand said it was okay as long it reached those for whom it was intended. For example, if in the public distribution system, the subsidies were administered well and reached the poor for whom it was meant, then it was okay, he said.

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