Governance
Q1. Ensuring the direct delivery of welfare measures to beneficiaries contribute to transparency and accountability in governance. Critically Evaluate the statement. (10M)
Introduction
India is considered to be a welfare state and government bring schemes that play a crucial role in solving many socioeconomic problems in Indian society, however measures need to be taken to improve accountability and transparency in these schemes and ensuring that these schemes reached to intended beneficiaries.
Body:
Direct delivery of welfare measures contributing to transparency and accountability in governance:
Transparency:
- Intermediaries: Direct delivery of welfare measures reduces the involvement of intermediaries, minimizing the chances of corruption and favouritism.
- Targeted approach: promotes transparency by ensuring that benefits reach the intended recipients without any manipulation or diversion.
- Public trust: When beneficiaries directly receive the benefits, it creates transparency in the system and instils confidence that the government is working for the welfare of its citizens.
- This fosters a positive perception of governance and strengthens trust between the government and its citizens.
- For instance, Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) scheme, introduced in 2013, has significantly reduced leakages and improved transparency in the delivery of benefits like cooking gas subsidies, scholarships, and pensions.
Accountability:
- Enhanced Tracking and Monitoring: By directly transferring benefits to beneficiaries’ accounts, the government can closely monitor the utilization of funds and assess the impact of the welfare programs.
- g. Through Aadhaar-enabled Direct Benefit Transfer, government can authenticate the identity of beneficiaries and track the utilization of funds, ensuring accountability.
- Empowerment of Beneficiaries: When beneficiaries receive benefits directly, they become active participants in the process and have a greater stake in ensuring accountability.
- They can monitor the utilization of the benefits they receive, report any discrepancies, and hold the government accountable for the effective implementation of welfare measures.
- g. Direct Cash Transfer of Fertilizer Subsidy.
Challenges:
- Inclusion Errors: Implementing direct delivery systems may encounter challenges in accurately identifying and including eligible beneficiaries. Errors in beneficiary identification can lead to the exclusion of deserving individuals or the inclusion of ineligible ones, thereby undermining the effectiveness of the welfare measures.
- Infrastructure bottlenecks: Direct delivery often requires robust technological infrastructure and digital literacy among the beneficiaries.
- In countries like India, where there are rural and marginalized populations with limited access to banking services and digital facilities, implementing direct delivery mechanisms can be challenging.
- Service Quality and Grievance Redressal: If the quality of services is compromised, or if beneficiaries face difficulties in resolving issues or grievances, it can undermine the effectiveness and trustworthiness of the welfare measures.
Conclusion
With proper implementation and mitigation of the identified challenges, the direct delivery approach can significantly enhance the effectiveness of welfare measures, ultimately benefiting the intended beneficiaries and fostering a more accountable governance system.
Q2. Mention the recent inter-state disputes that have emerged between Indian states. Why is there a need for an effective institutional mechanism to address them? (15M)
Introduction
In a constitutional set-up based on the federal principle, sovereignty is divided between the federation and the units. Division of sovereignty implies the creation of boundaries, and this is bound to raise disputes, as to on which side of the boundary the matter falls.
Body:
Recent inter-state disputes that have emerged between Indian states can be divided into two speheres:
- Water disputes:
- Krishna water dispute: Andhra Pradesh and Telangana have had differences between the sharing of water resources post the bifurcation of the erstwhile state of Andhra Pradesh.
- Cauvery River Water Dispute: The states of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu have had a longstanding dispute over sharing the waters of the Cauvery River, which originates in Karnataka and flows through Tamil Nadu.
- Mahanadi River Water Dispute: The states of Odisha and Chhattisgarh have had disagreements over the sharing of water from the Mahanadi River, which flows through both states.
- Border disputes:
- Ladakh – Himachal Pradesh dispute: The Ladakh region, which was carved out from Jammu and Kashmir three years ago has inherited a dispute with nearby Himachal Pradesh’s Lahul and Spiti districts. The long-pending dispute at Sarchu falls along the strategic Leh-Manali highway.
- Gujarat and Rajasthan: The dispute relates to Mangadh Hill, located on the border of the two states. Gujarat claims half of the hill, while Rajasthan claims the entire hill is theirs. The issue had remained dormant over the past 40 years, but is rearing its head once again.
- Assam-Meghalaya: The dispute began when Meghalaya was carved out from Assam’s Khasi Hill district in 1972. Recently, the escalating tensions between two states – Assam and Mizoram – consumed the lives of six Assam police personnel.
- The Maharashtra-Karnataka border dispute: When state boundaries were redrawn on linguistic lines as per the States Reorganisation Act of 1956, Belagavi became part of the erstwhile Mysore state. Maharashtra claims that parts of Belagavi, where Marathi is the dominant language, should remain in Maharashtra.
- Mahajan Commission established in 1966, but its recommendations were rejected by Maharashtra.
- Off late, both states hardened their stance passing a unanimous resolution to support a legal battle to resolve the dispute.
- Assam and Nagaland are also at loggerheads over a village called The Nagaland government has refused to accept the 1963 border with Assam. The dispute witnessed major flare-ups in 1979 and 1985 when more than 100 people died along with scores of policemen.
Need for an effective institutional mechanism to address them:
- No constitutional resolution: The constitution makes no provision for a swift and binding decision of such disputes. Article 262 is on the adjudication of disputes relating to waters of inter-state rivers or river valleys. There is no comparable provision on disputes on land.
- Blow to federalism: The ugly and violent clashes between the states are against to the spirit of mutual coexistence and thereby a blow to Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat. E.g. Assam –Meghalaya
- Domino effect: Domino effect at other disputed borders or in other inter-state disputes such as river water, migration of people etc. due to trust deficit between states can emerge.
- More friction: Inter-state disputes need to be settled quickly and impartially to avoid them becoming lingering issues that can have negative consequences. If these disputes are left unresolved, they can fester and create friction between the involved parties.
Conclusion
Indian government has taken several measures to address inter-state disputes, such as setting up tribunals, establishing commissions, and facilitating negotiations between the concerned states. However, the effectiveness of these mechanisms vary depending on the complexity of the dispute and the willingness of the states to cooperate.
Ethics
Syllabus: “Emotional intelligence concepts, and their utilities and application in administration and governance.”
Q3. How do emotions influence attitude and behaviours of public servants in India? Discuss (10M)
Introduction:
Emotions drive our attention and perception. We form positive and negative attitudes because of the emotional intensity that we’ve attached to the event or experience.
Body:
Public servants aren’t devoid of these emotions too, they influence the in the following ways:
- Job satisfaction: emotions such as happiness, fulfillment, and pride can enhance job satisfaction; on the flip side frequent transfers or demotion make many officers leave this prestigious service.
- Motivation: emotions like enthusiasm and passion can drive individuals to go above and beyond their responsibilities. The 7th pay commission recommended introducing Performance Related Pay recognizing this.
- Decision-making: Emotions can impact decision-making processes. In 2019, A West Bengal cadre IAS officer courted controversy after a video surfaced in which he was seen roughing up a man in a police station for allegedly making lewd comments at his wife on a social media platform.
- Interactions with citizens: be more responsive to citizens’ needs, fostering positive citizen engagement.
- Ethical behavior: empathy and compassion can encourage ethical behavior and fairness in decision-making processes. VIP culture within in promotes an positive emotions towards attitude of entitlement, where in 2022 an IAS couple were seen closing a stadium early to walk their dog.
- Organizational climate: within public institutions that are supportive and harmonious instead of tension and negativity among colleagues. In February the government of Karnataka had to issue a warning to stop the public squabbling of two officers, IAS Rohini Sindhuri and IPS D.Roopa .
- Work engagement: Emotionally engaged public servants are more likely to be proactive, innovative, and committed to achieving organizational goals.
Emotionally intelligent officers can effectively manage their emotions and the emotions of others, leading to more constructive conflict resolution and collaboration.
Conclusion:
The ability to manage, access, and control one’s own emotions is important for civil servants orelse it would lead to negative attitude and negative work and public engagement.
Case study
Q4. Jose is a government school teacher in Imphal. He lives with his elderly parents in the city while the rest of their family lives in a village in the state. A boy of ten in Jose’s village loses both his parents in a road accident. His mother knew the boy’s family and wants to bring him home. Jose thinks it is a good gesture as a stop-gap arrangement before he is rehabilitated in any of his relatives’ house. He recovers from his loss after receiving care and affection at Jose’s house. But within few days of the boy’s arrival Jose finds that his mother has reduced the boy to a mere domestic help. She suffers from some ailments like rheumatism and having a helping hand around the house all the time is a great help for her. The family with its meagre earnings cannot afford a help. Jose is not sent to school despite Jose having admitted him in his school. Jose knows that his mother is committing a crime but his mother refuses to budge.
-
- Examine the options before Jose with their merits and demerits. As a conscientious citizen, what should Jose do?
- How can Jose resolve the conflict between the boy’s right to education and his mother’s health?
- What are some of the values that teachers must espouse in their professional and private lives?
Synopsis:
Options for Jose:
- Confront his mother:
Jose should consider confronting his mom directly if that doesn’t work he should try contacting an Ngo or gather community support.
- having sincere conversation with his mother, appeal to her sense of empathy and moral responsibility.
- He can try showing her movies such as “Tare Zameen Par” or ‘Stanley Ka Dabba’ which highlights importance if inclusive education and rights of children respectively.
- He can share stories from mythology, hindu- Eklavya (Equal access to education regardless of background.), Christian- Parable of the Talents (Utilize abilities, neglecting education hinders growth)
- How can Jose resolve the conflict between the boy’s right to education and his mother’s health?
- Mediation and Counseling: seek the assistance of professional counselors who can facilitate a constructive dialogue between him, his mother. Or try reaching out to other family or community members close to his mom.
- Community Support Network: They can collectively brainstorm ideas and potential solutions that consider the welfare of both the boy and Jose’s mother. He can try NGOs such as Child Rights and You (CRY), Save the Children India, Pratham, Bachpan Bachao Andolan (BBA)
- Start helping his mother in household work: As his mother can’t work for longer times. Jose should share the burden of household chores.
- Education Sponsorship: local NGOs or philanthropic organizations that offer education sponsorships or scholarships.
- Try creating a bond: Jose can take his mother and the boy to a trip or anywhere out in the city, so that a gradual motherly bond develops for his mother over the kid.
iii. What are some of the values that teachers must espouse in their professional and private lives?
- Community: Vivekananda preached the unity of all beings and promoted a sense of brotherhood among humanity, transcending barriers of caste, creed, or nationality. Jose should try broadening the mindset of his mother accordingly.
- Responsibility: Abdul Kalam once said when space launcher had failed ISRO chief Satish Dhawan took the blame within one year when they succeeded Dhawan asked Kalam to address the media. Jose should never forget that the boy is his responsibility.
- Honesty and respect: Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan advocated for ethical conduct and integrity in all spheres of life. Honesty and respect for everyone are basic ethics which one can expect from every teacher.
- Caring: Anand Kumar’s Super 30 program provided free coaching to poor students, showing care by nurturing their potential and helping them achieve academic success.
- Learning: As a teacher, its Jose responsibilities that he teaches the boy and makes sure his learning never stops during the phase of convincing his mother.
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