←
Sachivalayam General Studies Add-ons (Part B Common) · Chapter 2

Public Policy, Governance Reforms and E-Governance

What to remember

  • Public policy is a decision of the government to solve a public problem. It moves through stages: agenda setting, formulation, adoption, implementation, monitoring and evaluation.
  • Good governance means a government that is transparent, accountable, responsive, participatory, fair and effective. Laws such as the RTI Act 2005 and the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act 2013 support it.
  • E-governance uses digital tools to deliver services and information. AP's village and ward secretariat system (2019) is a major local example of taking services to the doorstep.

1. Public policy: meaning and stages

A public policy is a goal, plan or rule adopted by the government, for example a food security law, a scheme for pensions or a ban on plastic. Policies are made by the Legislature (laws), the Executive (rules, orders, schemes) and sometimes through Court directions.

StageWhat happens
Agenda settingA problem is noticed and accepted for action
FormulationOptions are studied, committees consulted, draft prepared
AdoptionCabinet, Legislature or Parliament approves
ImplementationDepartments and field staff carry it out
Monitoring and evaluationResults are checked; changes are made

Key bodies at the national level: NITI Aayog (set up on 1 January 2015, replacing the Planning Commission) works as a policy think-tank and promotes cooperative federalism. In the States, the Planning Department and the Chief Minister's office coordinate policy.

Why policies fail: unclear goals, weak field staff, corruption, lack of funds, delay, and lack of citizen awareness. Why policies succeed: clear targets, local ownership, regular review, and trained staff.

2. Good governance

The commonly listed features are:

  • Participation and rule of law
  • Transparency and accountability
  • Responsiveness and effectiveness
  • Equity and inclusiveness
  • Consensus-orientation

The term good governance is widely used in international development discussions. In India, it is advanced by administrative reforms, citizen rights and technology.

3. Administrative reforms

  • First Administrative Reforms Commission (1966): first headed by Morarji Desai and later by K. Hanumanthaiya. It recommended the creation of Lokpal and Lokayukta.
  • Second Administrative Reforms Commission (2005): headed by M. Veerappa Moily. It made many reports on topics such as right to information, ethics in governance, local governance, and e-governance.
  • Citizen's Charter: a document in which an office lists its services, time limits, and the way to complain. The idea came from the UK and was promoted in India from the 1990s.
  • Sevottam: a model for service delivery quality in public offices.
  • Seva guarantee or time-bound service delivery laws in various States make a service a legal duty; if the official delays, a penalty may be applied.
  • Local self-government: the 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendments (1992, in force 1993) made Panchayats and Municipalities constitutional bodies with Gram Sabhas and regular elections.

4. Transparency and accountability laws

LawMain idea
Right to Information Act, 2005Citizens may ask for information from public authorities; a reply is due in 30 days; first appeal and Information Commission
Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013Lokpal at the Centre and Lokayuktas in States to inquire into corruption complaints against public servants
Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988Punishes bribery and corruption by public servants
Whistle Blowers Protection Act, 2014Protects those who report corruption
Public Services Guarantee lawsTime-bound services

Social audit: public verification of work and spending in a village. AP has been a leader in social audits of rural employment schemes through an independent society; the Gram Sabha is the forum where the findings are read out.

Grievance redressal: AP has used a public grievance programme through which citizens can complain at the district and secretariat levels; the Collector reviews pending complaints. Check the latest official release for the current name and process of such programmes.

5. E-governance

E-governance means using information and communication technology (ICT) for government services. It has four types of interaction:

  • G2C: government to citizen (certificates, pensions, bills)
  • G2B: government to business (licences, tenders)
  • G2G: government to government (inter-department data sharing)
  • G2E: government to employee (payroll, service records)

National programmes:

  • National e-Governance Plan (NeGP), 2006: common service centres, state data centres and the SWAN network.
  • Digital India (2015): broadband for all, digital infrastructure, services on demand, and digital literacy.
  • Aadhaar is a 12-digit unique identity number issued by the UIDAI; the Aadhaar Act is from 2016.
  • Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) sends subsidies directly to bank accounts. The trio of Jan Dhan accounts, Aadhaar and mobile is called JAM.
  • UPI gives instant mobile payments.
  • DigiLocker stores digital documents; UMANG gives many services in one mobile app; GeM (Government e-Marketplace, 2016) is the online portal for public procurement; e-Courts and e-Office bring technology to justice and files.
  • MyGov is a platform for citizen participation.

Andhra Pradesh experience:

  • e-Seva service centres in the early 2000s, in the Hyderabad period, gave utility bill payments and certificates in one place; MeeSeva was a later single-window service system in the combined State.
  • Janmabhoomi (1997) was a mass programme for community participation.
  • Village and Ward Secretariats were started on 2 October 2019, putting a group of functionaries in each village or ward to provide a large number of government services. From 2019 to 2024 each was supported by Volunteers (about one for every fifty households) who delivered pensions and other benefits; since July 2024 pensions are delivered door to door by secretariat staff and the volunteer system has been wound up.
  • Real Time Governance uses dashboards and data from field staff to monitor service delivery.
  • Rythu Bharosa Kendras and digital attendance of staff are other field-level tools.

Benefits: speed, transparency, lower cost, less corruption, and doorstep services.

Challenges: digital divide (no internet or devices in remote areas), low digital literacy, privacy and data security, power cuts, language barrier, and staff training.

6A. Welfare delivery and policy tools

Governments use several tools to turn a policy into action:

  • Laws and rules (for example, an Act of the Legislature and the rules framed under it).
  • Schemes with funds, targets and a department in charge: Centrally Sponsored Schemes share cost between the Centre and States; Central Sector Schemes are fully funded by the Centre; State schemes are funded by the State.
  • Subsidies and cash transfers, which are now sent through DBT to reduce leakage.
  • Regulation and licensing, which control private activity in the public interest.
  • Awareness and incentives, such as campaigns on sanitation, health and education.

Policy evaluation asks four questions: Was the goal reached (effectiveness)? Was money used well (efficiency)? Did it reach the poor and weak (equity)? Will it last (sustainability)? Evaluation may be done by the department, by an independent agency or through social audit.

Federal angle: subjects are divided into the Union, State and Concurrent Lists in the Seventh Schedule; local governments handle subjects in the Eleventh and Twelfth Schedules. Many welfare subjects, such as health and education, are shared, so policy needs coordination between levels of government.

Ethics in public service: integrity, impartiality, honesty, courtesy, and putting public interest first are the core values of a public servant. Conduct rules for government employees prohibit taking bribes and misusing office.

6. The role of a secretariat functionary

A functionary should: know the services and time limits; keep records and acknowledge each application; use the correct portal; treat citizens politely; maintain data privacy; avoid taking money for services; and guide the villager to the right appeal if a service is denied. Good governance in a village is mainly about everyday behaviour at the counter.

ConceptLink to a secretariat
TransparencyDisplay of beneficiary lists and notice boards
AccountabilityTime-limits and appeals
ParticipationGram Sabha meetings
ResponsivenessQuick grievance replies
E-governanceApplications by mobile app or portal

Exam traps

  • NITI Aayog replaced the Planning Commission; it is not a finance body.
  • RTI Act is 2005; the Lokpal law is 2013; the Prevention of Corruption Act is 1988.
  • Lokpal works at the Centre; Lokayukta works in States.
  • NeGP (2006) is different from Digital India (2015).
  • Aadhaar is an identity number; it is not a citizenship proof.
  • G2C means services to citizens; G2B means services to business.
  • Village Secretariats began on 2 October 2019; the earlier Janmabhoomi was 1997.
  • The first ARC suggested Lokpal; the second ARC (2005) was chaired by Moily.

One-liners

  • 1. Public policy goes from agenda setting to evaluation.
  • 2. NITI Aayog was formed in 2015.
  • 3. The RTI Act of 2005 gives a 30-day reply time normally.
  • 4. The Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act is of 2013.
  • 5. 73rd and 74th Amendments made local bodies constitutional.
  • 6. NeGP was launched in 2006.
  • 7. Digital India was launched in 2015.
  • 8. DBT sends subsidy directly to bank accounts.
  • 9. GeM is the government e-procurement portal.
  • 10. Village Secretariats started on 2 October 2019.
  • 11. Social audit means public verification by the community.
  • 12. A Citizen's Charter lists services and time limits.

Practice questions

  1. The Right to Information Act was passed in

    1. 2016
    2. 2013
    3. 1988
    4. 2005
    Answer

    D. 2005

    The RTI Act is of 2005.

  2. Which body replaced the Planning Commission?

    1. Inter-State Council
    2. NITI Aayog
    3. Finance Commission
    4. National Development Council
    Answer

    B. NITI Aayog

    NITI Aayog began on 1 January 2015.

  3. G2C in e-governance stands for

    1. Government to Company
    2. Government to Court
    3. Government to Citizen
    4. Group to Cabinet
    Answer

    C. Government to Citizen

    G2C covers services delivered to citizens.

  4. Village and Ward Secretariats in AP were started on

    1. 26 January 2015
    2. 2 October 2019
    3. 15 August 1947
    4. 1 November 2014
    Answer

    B. 2 October 2019

    They were launched on Gandhi Jayanti, 2019.

  5. Statements: 1. Lokpal works at the Centre. 2. Lokayukta works in States. Which is/are correct?

    1. 1 only
    2. 2 only
    3. Both 1 and 2
    4. Neither 1 nor 2
    Answer

    C. Both 1 and 2

    The 2013 Act provides for both.

  6. The first stage in the public policy cycle is

    1. implementation
    2. evaluation
    3. audit
    4. agenda setting
    Answer

    D. agenda setting

    A problem must first be accepted for government action.

  7. A Citizen's Charter mainly lists

    1. services, time limits and the way to complain
    2. tax rates
    3. court judgments
    4. salaries of officers
    Answer

    A. services, time limits and the way to complain

    It makes an office answerable for its services.

  8. Who headed the Second Administrative Reforms Commission?

    1. Morarji Desai
    2. K. Santhanam
    3. M. Veerappa Moily
    4. B. R. Ambedkar
    Answer

    C. M. Veerappa Moily

    Moily chaired the Second ARC formed in 2005.

  9. Aadhaar is a

    1. 12-digit unique identity number
    2. passport
    3. land record
    4. voter list
    Answer

    A. 12-digit unique identity number

    Issued by the UIDAI.

  10. Statements: 1. Aadhaar is proof of citizenship. 2. DBT sends subsidies directly to bank accounts. Which is/are correct?

    1. 1 only
    2. 2 only
    3. Both 1 and 2
    4. Neither 1 nor 2
    Answer

    B. 2 only

    Aadhaar is an identity number, not proof of citizenship.

  11. The Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act was passed in

    1. 2005
    2. 1988
    3. 2019
    4. 2013
    Answer

    D. 2013

    The Act is of 2013.

  12. JAM trinity consists of

    1. Janmabhoomi, Aarogyasri and Mee-Seva
    2. Justice, Authority and Morals
    3. Jobs, Agriculture and Markets
    4. Jan Dhan, Aadhaar and Mobile
    Answer

    D. Jan Dhan, Aadhaar and Mobile

    JAM links bank accounts, identity and mobile phones for DBT.

  13. Which Amendments made Panchayats and Municipalities constitutional bodies?

    1. 42nd and 44th
    2. 73rd and 74th
    3. 86th and 91st
    4. 61st and 62nd
    Answer

    B. 73rd and 74th

    They were enacted in 1992.

  14. Social audit means

    1. audit by RBI
    2. income tax audit
    3. verification of work and spending by the community
    4. audit by a bank
    Answer

    C. verification of work and spending by the community

    It is public verification of village works, held at the Gram Sabha.

  15. The National e-Governance Plan was launched in

    1. 2006
    2. 2015
    3. 2020
    4. 1996
    Answer

    A. 2006

    NeGP began in 2006; Digital India came in 2015.

  16. Which is the online portal for government procurement?

    1. UMANG
    2. DigiLocker
    3. MyGov
    4. GeM
    Answer

    D. GeM

    Government e-Marketplace serves procurement.

  17. Statements: 1. NeGP was launched in 2015. 2. Digital India was launched in 2015. Which is/are correct?

    1. 1 only
    2. 2 only
    3. Both 1 and 2
    4. Neither 1 nor 2
    Answer

    B. 2 only

    NeGP began in 2006.

  18. Janmabhoomi, a community participation programme in AP, began in

    1. 2019
    2. 2014
    3. 1997
    4. 1956
    Answer

    C. 1997

    It was a mass programme launched in the late 1990s.

  19. Which of these is a challenge in e-governance?

    1. Digital divide
    2. Lower cost
    3. Faster service
    4. Less paperwork
    Answer

    A. Digital divide

    Lack of devices and internet in remote areas limits e-services.

  20. Match: which pair is correct?

    1. DigiLocker - storage of digital documents
    2. UPI - land records
    3. GeM - pension payments
    4. UMANG - weather forecast
    Answer

    A. DigiLocker - storage of digital documents

    DigiLocker stores documents; UPI is for payments; GeM for procurement; UMANG gives many services.

  21. A first appeal under the RTI Act goes to

    1. the President
    2. the Lok Sabha Speaker
    3. the Supreme Court directly
    4. a senior officer in the same public authority
    Answer

    D. a senior officer in the same public authority

    The first appeal is departmental, then to the Information Commission.

  22. The normal time to reply to an RTI application is

    1. 3 days
    2. 30 days
    3. 1 year
    4. 6 months
    Answer

    B. 30 days

    A reply is due within 30 days in general.

  23. Statements on good governance: 1. Transparency and accountability are its features. 2. It excludes citizen participation. Which is/are correct?

    1. 1 only
    2. 2 only
    3. Both 1 and 2
    4. Neither 1 nor 2
    Answer

    A. 1 only

    Participation is a core feature.

  24. The 'Prevention of Corruption Act' was enacted in

    1. 2013
    2. 1950
    3. 1988
    4. 2005
    Answer

    C. 1988

    It punishes bribery by public servants.

  25. Which idea of service delivery originated in the UK?

    1. Gram Sabha
    2. Lokayukta
    3. Citizen's Charter
    4. Social audit
    Answer

    C. Citizen's Charter

    The Citizen's Charter idea came from the UK.

  26. The Whistle Blowers Protection Act aims at

    1. audit of banks
    2. protecting those who report corruption
    3. fixing prices
    4. land reforms
    Answer

    B. protecting those who report corruption

    The 2014 law protects whistle-blowers.

  27. The commission that first recommended Lokpal and Lokayukta was the

    1. Sarkaria Commission
    2. Kothari Commission
    3. Mandal Commission
    4. First Administrative Reforms Commission
    Answer

    D. First Administrative Reforms Commission

    The first ARC (1966) made the recommendation.

  28. In e-governance, G2B refers to services for

    1. boys
    2. bureaucrats
    3. banks
    4. businesses
    Answer

    D. businesses

    Examples are licences, tenders and permits.

  29. Statements: 1. Each Village Secretariat is supported by volunteers. 2. Volunteers deliver pensions at the doorstep. Which is/are correct?

    1. 1 only
    2. 2 only
    3. Both 1 and 2
    4. Neither 1 nor 2
    Answer

    C. Both 1 and 2

    Both are features of the system.

  30. Which factor most often causes a good policy to fail?

    1. Weak implementation
    2. Clear goals
    3. Local ownership
    4. Regular review
    Answer

    A. Weak implementation

    Poor field implementation weakens many policies.

  31. Which is an element of policy evaluation?

    1. Whether the file is old
    2. Whether the benefit reached the poor
    3. The number of offices
    4. The colour of the form
    Answer

    B. Whether the benefit reached the poor

    Equity is an evaluation question.

  32. Centrally Sponsored Schemes are

    1. funded only by banks
    2. funded jointly by Centre and States
    3. funded only by Panchayats
    4. funded only by donors
    Answer

    B. funded jointly by Centre and States

    Cost is shared between the two levels.

  33. Which one is NOT an e-governance tool?

    1. Online portal
    2. Mobile app for services
    3. Digital payment
    4. Handwritten ledger
    Answer

    D. Handwritten ledger

    A handwritten ledger is manual.

  34. The Gram Sabha is the forum where

    1. taxes are fixed
    2. Parliament meets
    3. the findings of a social audit are read out
    4. the High Court sits
    Answer

    C. the findings of a social audit are read out

    It brings villagers together to review works.

  35. Statements: 1. RTI Act applies to public authorities. 2. RTI Act gives right to ask questions only to ministers. Which is/are correct?

    1. 1 only
    2. 2 only
    3. Both 1 and 2
    4. Neither 1 nor 2
    Answer

    A. 1 only

    It covers public authorities, not only ministers.

  36. DBT is mainly intended to

    1. reduce leakage in subsidies
    2. increase prices
    3. close banks
    4. increase paperwork
    Answer

    A. reduce leakage in subsidies

    Money reaches beneficiaries directly.

  37. Which Schedule of the Constitution lists the subjects for Panchayats?

    1. Seventh
    2. Ninth
    3. Twelfth
    4. Eleventh
    Answer

    D. Eleventh

    The Eleventh Schedule is for Panchayats; the Twelfth is for Municipalities.

  38. A villager complains that his application was not acknowledged. The best action by the functionary is to

    1. refuse the application
    2. give a receipt and tell the time limit
    3. ask for money
    4. ask him to come later
    Answer

    B. give a receipt and tell the time limit

    Acknowledgement and clear time limits are good governance.

  39. The Sevottam model relates to

    1. defence
    2. elections
    3. quality of service delivery
    4. highways
    Answer

    C. quality of service delivery

    It is a framework for service quality in public offices.

  40. Which is the first ARC's year?

    1. 2005
    2. 1947
    3. 1966
    4. 1992
    Answer

    C. 1966

    It was set up in 1966.

  41. Statements: 1. Real Time Governance uses dashboards for monitoring. 2. Dashboards reduce the need for field data. Which is/are correct?

    1. 1 only
    2. 2 only
    3. Both 1 and 2
    4. Neither 1 nor 2
    Answer

    A. 1 only

    Dashboards use field data; they do not replace it.

  42. Under the federal arrangement, health and education are mainly

    1. only Union subjects
    2. only local subjects
    3. shared between Centre and States
    4. not governmental subjects
    Answer

    C. shared between Centre and States

    They are items on which both levels act.

  43. Which law gives a legal basis for e-records and digital signatures?

    1. Lokpal Act, 2013
    2. RTI Act, 2005
    3. Aadhaar Act, 2016
    4. IT Act, 2000
    Answer

    D. IT Act, 2000

    The IT Act recognises electronic records.

  44. The word 'responsiveness' in good governance means

    1. delay
    2. quick and proper reaction to citizens' needs
    3. secret decisions
    4. rigid rules
    Answer

    B. quick and proper reaction to citizens' needs

    Responsive offices serve people on time.

  45. Which is the best sequence of the policy cycle?

    1. Agenda - formulation - adoption - implementation - evaluation
    2. Adoption - agenda - formulation - evaluation - implementation
    3. Agenda - adoption - formulation - evaluation - implementation
    4. Formulation - agenda - implementation - adoption - evaluation
    Answer

    A. Agenda - formulation - adoption - implementation - evaluation

    The standard order of the cycle.

Page 1 of 1
‹
›