GS Paper 4
Kautilya in the ancient treatise “Arthashastra” writes:
“The happiness of the people is the happiness of the king; Their good alone is his, his personal good is not his true good; the only true good being that of his people: Therefore let the King be active in working for the prosperity and welfare of his people”
Pranab Mukherjee’s speeches on the occasion of the fourth UPSC foundation day lecture on “Governance and Public Service” and as a guest faculty for the “Public Policy for Inclusive Development of India” course at IIM-Ahmedabad in 2018 are value-loaded urges for good governance and spoke of the hurdles in bureaucracy that need to be rectified.
Importance of civil services in India’s development:
- Reinforcing our democratic values.
- Instrument of economic growth and social change.
- Assists the government in formulating and implementing policies for national development.
- Nation-building require close interaction and cooperation between the civil servants and the people
What are some best examples, which display the efficiency in governance?
- The Right to Information Act
- The Direct Benefits Transfer Scheme
- The Right of Citizens for Time Bound Delivery of Goods and Services and Redressal of their Grievances Bill, 2011 envisages the citizens to receive time-bound services
What has been the biggest challenge in governances and bureaucracy despite success?
- Corruption
- “Isolationism” –inculcated the habit of thinking in silos.
