Mains Daily Question
Nov. 24, 2023

Q1. There is a view that Citizen Charter has failed to achieve their intended objectives. Lack of awareness among the public, outdated information and no legal enforcement are cited as reasons for the failure of citizen charters in India. Discuss.(10M, 150W)

Model Answer

Approach to the answer: 

Understanding and structuring the answer:

The question has two main parts – 1) Reasons for failure of Citizen Charters and 2) Measures to improve citizen charters.

Introduction:

Type 1: Give the definition of Citizen Charters and Type 2: Give the Objectives of Citizen Charter.

Body:

Heading 1: Reasons for failure: Give points mentioned in the question along with the reasons and examples.

Heading 2: Measures to improve: Give some potential solutions.

Conclusion: Highlight the importance of citizen charter and the need of a dedicated bureaucracy in implementation of citizen charters.

Answer: A Citizen Charter is a document that outlines the services provided by a government agency, along with the expected standards for service delivery and the rights and responsibilities of citizens. 

The objective of Citizen Charters is to improve the quality of public services and their delivery, increase transparency and accountability, and enhance citizen participation. However, citizen charters have not been able to achieve their potential due to some inherent issues.

Reasons for failure of Citizen Charters in India

  • Lack of awareness: Many citizens are unaware of the existence of Citizen Charters due to poor advertising by the government officials.
  • Outdated information: Citizen Charters often contain outdated information, which reduces their relevance and usefulness. 
    • For example, the contact information provided in the Charter may no longer be accurate, making it difficult for citizens to reach the government agency.
  • Lack of legal enforcement: Citizen Charters do not have any legal enforceability, which means that government agencies can ignore them without any consequences.
  • Bureaucratic Apathy: Often, there's a lack of genuine commitment from the bureaucratic machinery towards the effective implementation of Citizen Charters. This renders them merely a formality, rather than a practical tool for public accountability.
  • Inadequate Feedback Mechanisms: Many Citizen Charters do not have a robust feedback and grievance redressal system. Hence they fail to evolve and stay relevant to the public's needs.

 

Measures to improve Citizen Charters

  • Raise awareness: Government agencies need to undertake awareness campaigns to inform citizens about the existence and contents of Citizen Charters.
  • Regular updates: Citizen Charters need to be updated regularly to ensure that the information provided is accurate and relevant.
  • Legal enforceability: Citizen Charters should be given legal enforceability to ensure that government agencies take them seriously and are held accountable for their performance.
  • Citizen participation: Citizen Charters should be developed with active citizen participation, to ensure that the Charters reflect the needs and expectations of the citizens.
  • Feedback Mechanisms: Establishing robust feedback and grievance redressal systems ensures that the concerns and suggestions of the public are continually integrated into the charters.
  • Training for Officials: Continuous training and orientation sessions for government officials regarding the importance, implementation, and best practices of Citizen Charters can ensure its efficacy.

Citizen Charters needs a dedicated bureaucracy for its success. The civil servants should be guided by spirit of service and provide high quality public services to the citizens.

Subjects : Ethics
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