Citizens’ Charter

A Presentation by

S.Krishnan, Director,Consumer Coordination Council

20th August 2004

In 1947 we became Independent

In 1952

We Declared Ourselves to be a

Sovereign Secular Socialistic

Democratic Republic

In1997We Celebrated the Golden Jubilee

of OurIndependence

****************************

In1997We Celebrated the Golden Jubilee

of OurIndependence

****************************In 2002

We Celebrated the

Golden Jubilee of

Our Republic

In 2002

We Celebrated the

Golden Jubilee of

Our Republic

BUT WHAT HAVE WE AS CITIZENS GOT IN

THESE 50 TO 57 YEARS?

Let us first askWhat is Democracy?

It is defined as Government

•“OF” the people

•“BY” the people &

•“FOR” the people

Let us answer some further Questions.

Is our Democracy “Of” the people?

Answer can be “Yes” because our election system is fairly good.

Is it “By” the people?

For the same reason the answer can be again “Yes”.

Is our Democracy”For” the people?

Looking at the state of our Public Utilities & Govt. managed Services

across the country an honest

answer to this question cannot be an unqualified and categorical

“Yes”

This is NOT because

Government is inherently

apathetic or lacks concern for the people.

On the other hand it has innumerable programmes for the

benefit of the people

It is because

Little effort has been made either by Government or by organised groups of Citizens to make the

Governmental Machinery

More Citizen Friendly

Or perhaps it is becauseThe Citizens have not been able to overcome their inherited Colonial

passivity, fear & cynicism.

MORE IMPORTANTLY

They think they do not have the power, knowledge and initiative to demand better service and public

accountability.

In the meanwhile

The Governmental Machinery has become so impersonal, in

its approach,as to appear unresponsive to the

needs of the people

. There is no Accountability or Transparency

. There has also been little or no Public participation in the Formulation of Policies by Government

What the Citizens need therefore is

An organised attempt to:

• Build public opinion

• Bring the Citizens together on these issues &

• Make those in authority appreciate the needs of the

Citizens

So, what should be done to make theGovernment really ‘FOR” the

people?

The Answer lies

In

CITIZENS’ CHARTER

What is Citizens’ Charter?

• It is about giving more power to the Citizens

• It is not a Recipe for more State action

• It is a testament to the belief in the People’s right to be informed and choose for themselves

Citizens’ Charter emphasises that“Far too long, the Provider

has dominatedNow it is the turn of the User”

and thatInstitutional level systemic changes

are required-Not Ministerial announcements.

It is seldom realised that Government too has customers:

• Who pay for all Public Services through taxes

• They have therefore every right to expect quality service-responsive to their needs-which are provided efficiently at a reasonable cost

It is therefore time to change,It is also time to shift from top down bureaucracy,To an entrepreneurial Government:That empowers citizens & communities and encourages them, To participate in the decision making process.

There should be a Comprehensive Performance

AnalysisThrough a participative programme

betweenPublic Utilities, Governmental

Agencies themselves and The Citizens who use them

• Performance should be judged against well laid down and well publicised basic minimum standards involving various categories of users

• Citizens’ Charter therefore sees Public Utilities & Services through the eyes of those who use them

• Citizens’ Charter is meant to be a tool kit of initiatives and ideas to raise standards,in the way most appropriate to each service.

• It believes that, there is a well-spring of talent,energy,care and commitment in our Public Services & Utilities

Citizens’ Charter aims to release these excellent qualities to

ensure services in which the citizens can have confidence and the Public servants &Managers

can have pride

Citizens’ Charter DemandsI. Accountability:

1. It is the answerability of the “man behind the counter”

2. He should not be anonymous. Every employee whose duties involve public contact must wear a name badge

3.It holds both individuals and organisations responsible for performance, measured objectively

4.It applies equally to all levels of Govt.-viz.the Centre, State, District, Local Bodies and Panchayats, as also other agencies delivering Public Services to Citizens

Citizens’ Charter DemandsII.Measurement of Performance:

1.By setting Standards-Citizens must know what service standards are & be able to act if service is deficient or unacceptable

2.By ensuring Quality- And a commitment for improving Quality of Public Utilities &Services

3.By providing Choice- Choice wherever possible between competing providers, is the best spur to Quality improvement.4.By providing Value-Citizens have a right to expect that Public Services & Utilities give Value for Money, within a tax bill, the Nation can afford

Citizens’ Charter Demands III. Transparency:

1. Through availability of relevant information in understandable and simple language

2. Providing easy access to such information

3. Simple rules and procedures

4.Efficient and well publicised Grievance redressal system5.Names addresses with telephone numbers. who can be approached if things go wrong6.Streamlined Complaint handling system with provision of immediate acknowledgement and time bound reply

To Sum UpThe Basic Principles

ofCitizens’ Charter

can be identified as indicatedin the subsequent

slides

1.Set Standards of Service:Set clear standards of Service that users can expect;monitor and review performance;and publish the results, following independent validation where possible to instill confidence in the users.

2 Be open and provide full information:Be open and communicate clearly and effectively in plain language and provide full information about services, their cost and how well they perform.Respect Right to Information and be ready to respond positively

3.Consult and Involve:Consult and involve present and potential users of Public Services as well as those who work in them;and use their views to improve the Service provided.

4.Encourage access and the promotion of choice:*Make Services easily available to every one who needs them, including using technology to the full, and offering choice wherever possible continued-----------

Continued from previous slide

*Promote easy physical access to physically handicapped*Provide signage and directions that can be easily understood*Have flexible hours to suit users*Make more use of telephone to answer queries and deliver services*Make full use of modern Internet facilities

5.Treat all fairly:Treat all people fairly regardless of race,religion,sex,age or ability; respect their privacy and dignity;be helpful and courteous; pay attention to those with special needs

6.Put things right when they go wrong:*Put things right quickly and effectively;learn from complaints; have a clear,well publicised easy to use complaints procedure with independent review*Complaints must be encouragedand not feared continued--------------

Continued from previous slide

*Complaints provide valuable information regarding performance and in identifying potential weaknesses and problems*All complaints should be dealt with promptly and redressal monitored *Complainants must be informed on action taken

7.Use resources effectively:*To provide value for money for tax payers and users*Balance between efficiency and effectiveness-Quality must not be sacrificed for savings*Share information with users in case of constraints

8.Innovate and Improve.*Continuously look for ways to improve the Services and facilities*Encourage creativity and the pursuit of excellence by inviting suggestions from front-line staff and feedback from users*Continuously strive using new technology

Some further thoughts:*Public Services are generally monopolistic*In the absence of Choice Citizens must use their Voice*An aware Citizen will help drive out the bad and encourage the good*Don’t view consumers as mere complainants

*Things do go wrong and if Citizens don’t complain confusion will prevail, inefficiency will go unchecked, errors will remain uncorrected, official arrogance will continue unrestrained and injustice will become accepted.

Some Basic Principles of effectiveComplaints Systems:*Easily accessible and publicised*Simple to understand and use*Speedy & effective with time limits*Fair with impartial investigation*Confidential handling*Effective in providing redress*Provide correction for future

Three things stand in the way for change:*Fear- Of recrimination*Apathy- Getting ones own work done some how or the other and not bothering about the system*Cynicism- Lack of confidence in the system;nothing will happen even if complaint is lodged

*In the present system neither good work can be rewarded nor sloppy work or deficiency punished*Our system does not provide easy fixing of responsibility for lapses*There are no bench marks for judging performance*Even if complaints are made there is no feed back on action taken

Three Suggestions for Immediate

Action to Establish

The Bonafides of the Delhi Government

For Implementing

The Essential Principles of

The Citizens’ Charter-

Suggestions which do not cost any money

Declare that with immediate effect:

• All Citizens’ Letters shall be acknowledged within a week

• All Citizens’ Letters will be replied within one month or say at most 45 days.

• Every Official who has public contact shall wear a name badge

• It has to reach and be accepted at the Cutting Edge level of delivery of services.

• Attitudinal changes and Motivation must be inculcated from top to bottom.

Continued---

However framing of Citizens’ Charter is not the end of the exercise

• Evaluation procedures have to be put in place

- both internally and

- Externally through regular feedback from the public

• Benchmarks of Performance need to be identified for every service

- both for individual Performance &

- Collective achievementContinued---

• Charter mark system based on overall Performance have to be developed for each Organisation

• Results of periodic Performance w.r.t. to targets should be made public

• Standards as fixed should be continuously monitored for improvement

• Above all there must be a commitment from top to bottom in each Organisation for successful implementation of Charter Principles.

Thank youI am now open

toQuestions