“ Power to the People : Indicators for Accountability ” Presentation by Shailaja Chandra

1. “Measuring and Fostering the Progress of Societies”Second OECD World Forum on “Statistics, Knowledge and Policy” “Power to the People : Indicators for Accountability” Presentation by Shailaja Chandra Executive Director National Population Stabilisation Fund Government of India Istanbul, Turkey 27-30 June 2007

2. Presentation Highlights Power to the People : Indicators for Accountability The presentation is in 3 parts :- • The Government-Citizen partnership Bhagidari which empowered the public to hold Policy Makers Accountable. • How Right to Information improved Governance. • Measuring Inequity through GIS mapping and Census data.

3. Part-I Bhagidari : Government-Citizen Partnership Aims • To develop a democratic framework providing information to people to engage in collective action with the government. • To address the cynicism and apathy of citizens towards civic issues. • To enhance public scrutiny of government functioning • To make government responsive and participatory

4. Part-I Bhagidari : Government-Citizen Partnership Evolution of Bhagidari • Government felt the need to involve citizens in the planning process. • This was necessary because with three levels of political representation public awareness about responsibility and accountability was poor.

5. Part-I NATIONAL CAPITAL TERRITORY OF DELHI : LEGISLATIVE & ADMINISTRATIVE SET UP Population of New Delhi : 13.85 Million

6. Part-I Bhagidari : Government-Citizen Partnership Evolution of Bhagidari • Wide consultations were held with all stakeholders - Resident Welfare Associations, Market and Traders Associations and NGOs who were taught how government organisations function and to whom they are accountable. • Representatives of the Resident Welfare Associations were acquainted with the process for • viewing the status and • measuring physical outcomes of projects and services.

7. Part-I Bhagidari : Government-Citizen partnership Information provided at Sensitization Workshops • Organisational set up of each provider agency. • Departmental hierarchy. • Systems prescribed for grant of services. • Average time taken to provide service. • System for redressal of grievances.

8. Part-I Bhagidari : Government-Citizen partnership PROCESS • Each RWA was trained in the dynamics of governance. • RWAs became a focus for citizens issues relating to supply of water, electricity, sanitation and conservancy services, crime, women’s security. • More than 1800 Resident Welfare Associations were established.

9. Part-I Bhagidari : Government-Citizen partnership OUTCOME • The RWAs were shaken out of their apathy. • They questioned poor provision of services and insisted on improvement. • The movement forced service providers to become responsive.

10. Part-I Bhagidari : Government-Citizen partnership Recognition . . . • Bhagidari was awarded the United Nations Public Service Awards 2005 in the category of “Improving Transparency, Accountability and Responsiveness in the Public Service” from amongst 215 entries worldwide.

11. Part-II Delhi Right to Information Act, 2001 • Delhi enacted the Right to Information Act in 2001. • The Act provides every citizen the right to obtain information from government departments.

12. Part-II Illustrative cases coming under the Delhi Right to Information Act 1: Information about the maintenance of public parks, roads of MCD/NDMC and encroachment on public areas or public property. 2: Details about road construction, quality of material used, measurement books and award of tenders. 3: Work orders issued by agencies like MCD alongwith names of contractors, amount paid to them and names of supervisory officials. Date of completion of the work. Contd..

13. Part-II Illustrative cases coming under the Delhi Right to Information Act 4: Operation of fair price shops, availability, quality of commodities supplied. Action taken on complaints of diversion of stocks, non supply to genuine card holders. 5: Criteria followed for acceptance or rejection of applications for admission to institutions/ schools. 6: Deployment of sweepers, gardeners and sanitary inspectors in a specific area or colony.

14. Part-II Status of Delhi Right to Information Act, 2001 Application Received and Disposed off (Upto March, 2007) Source : Department of Administrative Reforms, Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi.

15. Part-II Bhagidari & Right to InformationSummary of Outcomes The combination of the Bhagidari movement and the Right to Information Act has helped the public to : • To speak out and bring up public issues in a united manner. • To insist on being heard. • To made participatory democracy the bulwark of urban governance.

16. Part-III Measuring Inequity through GIS Maps and Census Data India's Population Population growth is one of India's biggest challenges. Since 1951 the population of the country has increased from 361 million to 1 billion.

17. Part-III

18. Part-III

19. Part-III MAP OF INDIA Population of India is 1.03 billion. India has a federal structure with 28 states and 7 Union Territories.

20. Part-III Map of Madhya Pradesh state in India(One out of 28 states in India) Population of Madhya Pradesh is 60.35 million

21. Part-III Map of Jhabua district of Madhya Pradesh State(Out of 45 districts in the state) Population of Jhabua district is 1.4 million

22. Part-III Example - 1 USING GIS MAPS & CENSUS DATA MADHYA PRADESH STATE Contd..

23. Example – 1 Contd.. USING CENSUS DATA Part-III Village Name Village Name Village Name Village Name Total Population Total Population Total Population Total Population >10Kms Within 0-5 Kms 5-10 Kms Contd..

24. Example – 1 Contd.. Part-III State – Madhya PradeshDistrict - Jhabua

25. Example - 2 Part-III Map of Bihar state in India(Out of 28 states in India) Population of Bihar is 83 million Contd..

26. Example – 2 Contd.. Part-III Map of Araria district of Bihar State(One district out of 37 districts in the state) Contd.. Population of Araria district is 2.1 million

27. Example – 2 Contd.. Part-III USING GIS MAPS & CENSUS DATA BIHAR STATE Contd..

28. Example – 2 Contd.. USING CENSUS DATA Part-III Contd..

29. Example – 2 Contd.. Part-III State – BiharDistrict - Araria

30. What has been achieved • The amalgamation of GIS Mapping and Census Data has given district and sub-district level information in visual form. • The distances of villages from primary health facilities have depicted underserved areas with a high degree of specificity. • The bar charts representing key health and social indices have brought out inter district disparity.

31. CONCLUSION • It is vitally important to assemble and project indicators and information for public consumption. • It is important to orient people to view information in a way that affects them. • This can urge people including media and NGOs to raise questions about accountability. • The power of information can become a turning point for the electorate to demand change and insist on accountability.