Right to Information: A Tool to Good Governance through Transparency

1. Right to Information:A Tool to Good Governance through Transparency Dr. P.K. Mohanty Joint Secretary & Mission Director (JNNURM) Ministry of Housing & Urban Poverty Alleviation, Government of India, New Delhi pkmohanty_ed@yahoo.com

2. Governance: Three Key Actors State: Creating a favourable political, legal & economic environment Market: Civil Society: Creating opportunities for people Mobilising peoples’ participation

3. Employer Organizations, Trade Unions, etc. NGOs, Cooperatives, etc. State Market Civil society Private Voluntary Organizations etc. Governance: Interplay of Multiple Interfaces State: Legislature, Executive & Judiciary Market: Private Sector Civil Society: Peoples’ Institutions

4. Addressing Governance Governance: “Exercise of political, economic and administrative authority in the management of a country’s affairs at all levels, including social and economic resources.” “Comprises mechanisms, processes and institutions through which citizens & groups articulate their interests, exercise their legal rights, meet their obligations and mediate their differences.”

5. Dimensions of Governance • Exercise of authority: political, administrative and • economic • Use of inputs - resources: social, economic, human • Outcomes: social, economic, human development • Delivery mechanisms and processes • Institutions: formal and informal • Participation of citizens and groups • Mediation and conflict resolution mechanisms • Institutional and managerial capacity to govern

6. Strategic Vision & Consensus Orientation Participatory Accountable Good Governance Transparent Rule of Law Effective & Efficient Responsive Equitable & Inclusive The Good Governance Paradigm Good Governance

7. Service Delivery: Three Key Elements Policy-making Assessment Implementation

8. Improving Service Delivery:A Framework • Adopting a Holistic Approach • Enhancing Accountability • Focusing Governance on the People • Improving Performance • Targeting the Poor & Disadvantaged • Ushering in Transparency

9. SITUATION STRUCTURE STRATEGY STYLE SKILLS SHARED STAFF VALUES SYSTEMS & PROCESSES Improving Service Delivery:Adopting a Holistic Approach

10. People First: Centering Governance on People • Consultation: People should be consulted regarding service levels & service quality • Service Standards: People must be made aware of what to expect in terms of level and quality of services • Access: People should have equal access to the services to which they are entitled • Courtesy: People should be treated with courtesy and consideration • Information: People must receive full and accurate information about their services

11. People First: Centering Governance on People Contd….. • Openness and Transparency: People should be informed about the operation, budget and management structures of government departments • Redress: People are entitled to an apology, explanation and remedial action if the promised standard of service is not delivered • Value for Money: Public services should be provided economically and efficiently

12. The Customer is Right Rule No. 1 The customer is always right. Rule No. 2 If you find the customer is wrong then return immediately to Rule 1. Stew Leonard

13. Dimensions of Accountability Adherence and conformance to legal and administrative rules, code of conduct etc. Meeting specified performance standards and targets based on verifiable indicators Legal Accountability Financial Accountability Performance Accountability How responsive and accountable are power holders to their clients and citizens Public Accountability How power holders manage public funds

14. Enhancing Public Accountability: Nurturing & Sharing Values Selfless Ness Leadership Integrity Probity Honesty Objectivity Openness Account- Ability

15. Improving Performance “Government is famous for endless figures and forms. To an outsider, it seems like an industry that pays an enormous amount of attention to numbers. People in government are always counting something or churning out some statistical report. But most of this counting is focused on inputs; how much is spent, how many are served, level of service each person receives. Very seldom does it focus on outcomes, on results ” David Osborne and Ted Gaebler; Reinventing Government, 1992

16. Why Measure Performance? What gets measured gets done. If you don’t measure results, you cant tell success form failure. If you can’t see success, you can’t reward it. If you can’t reward success, you are probably rewarding failure. If you can’t see success, you can’t learn from it If you can’t recognize failure, you can’t correct it. If you can demonstrate results, you can win public support. Osborne & Gaebler, 1992

17. Performance Measurement Framework: Outlay-Output-Outcome Linkages EXTERNAL PROCESSES OUTCOMES INPUTS OUTPUTS EXTERNAL

18. Instituting Performance Management Planning Process Development Priorities & Objectives Draw Lessons Key Performance Indicators Community Participations Community Participation Measurable Targets Report Improve Performance Monitor Performance Review & Measure Performance Community Participation

19. Importance of Knowledge

20. Right to Information Act 2005:Promoting Good Governance through Transparency • Any body owned, controlled or substantially financed directly or indirectly by Government’ – defined as a public authority • Information includes that “relating to a private body which can be accessed by a public authority under any other law for the time being in force” • Section 4 (1)b of RTI Act – Suo motu Disclosure on 17 Items • Disposal of Information Requests • Central & State Information Commissions • Information Commission’s Report to Legislature • Annual Disclosure by all Public Authorities

21. Role of ICT in Information Management & Good Governance • Demystifying Opaque Government Processes and Procedures • Effective Information Management for Decision-making & Implementation • Promoting One Stop-shop Service Delivery & Reducing Direct Interface between Service-providers and Citizens • Improving Tracking of Performance, Enhancing Accountability and Transparency

22. Right to Information: A Central Piece in Good Governance Form Conform Perform Inform Reform Transform

23. Thank You