Day 75 – Q 2. How is participative governance an integral part of good governance? Is it responsible for delay in decision making?
2. How is participative governance an integral part of good governance? Is it responsible for delay in decision making?
Introduction
According to United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP), Good governance has 8 major characteristics. It is participatory, consensus oriented, accountable, transparent, responsive, effective and efficient, equitable and inclusive and follows the rule of law. It assures that corruption is minimized, the views of minorities are taken into account and that the voices of the most vulnerable in society are heard in decision-making. It is also responsive to the present and future needs of society.
Similarly, World Bank has also included participative governance as an essensial part of Good Governance.
Body
Benefits of participatory governance:
- It helps in being responsive to the voice of all stakeholders including the government buisness and civil society thus leading to inclusive development.
- It ensure all decision are consensus oriented thus reducing the chances of disputes.
- It embodies the true sense of democracy I e government of the people,by the people for the people.
- It helps in ensuring accountability and transparency by reducing scope of maladministration and corruption for eg. Social audit.
- It helps in safeguarding cultural and traditional rights of tribal communities and forest dwellers such as PESA, role of gram sabha in 5th and 6th schedule area.
However participatory approach often causes delay due to following reasons:
- Conflicting aspirations and demands of various section of society.
- Delay in arriving at a consensus due to engrained difference among various community and failure of government to arrive at a compromise.
- Dispute leading to litigation.
However it must be noted that participative governance is not only factor behind delays in decision making. Bureaucratic delays or red-tapism, political interests of various parties and individuals, litigations and stays, resources scarcity and population pressure are some of the other reasons which also leads to delays.
Conclusion
It is hence necessary that proper steps be taken to disseminate information about government policies and their impact to various stakeholders and to establish an active feedback mechanism. Govt initiative like mygov.in and PRAGATi portal are step in the right direction. Social audits and EIA must be promoted. At the same time it is necessary to strengthen the panchayati Raj bodies especially gram sabha to ensure equitable and inclusive growth for all.
Best Answer: Point_Nemo
