Context:
Good Governance Day, observed on December 25 to honor former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, emphasizes that governance is about improving the lives of citizens, not just administration.
- The government celebrates Good Governance Week (Sushasan Saptah) from December 19 to 25 to reinforce its commitment to transparent and accountable governance. The week aims to spread the concept of good governance from districts to villages.
- In India, the idea of good governance is rooted in tradition. Ancient Indian kings followed Rajadharma, which emphasized justice and the welfare of the people.
- Good governance, as defined by the UN, includes participation, equity, transparency, and responsiveness. It ensures that decisions benefit all sections of society, especially the most vulnerable.
- The Good Governance Index Report defines good governance as an efficient decision-making process focused on improving citizens’ well-being. It involves resource allocation, establishing formal structures, and creating rules and regulations to achieve this goal.
About Atal Bihari Vajpayee
- He was born on December 25, 1924, in Gwalior, and was a poet and politician.
- Vajpayee first became Prime Minister in 1996 for 16 days, but his 1998-2004 terms had a lasting impact, making India a nuclear power, improving relations with Pakistan, and initiating major welfare projects like Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan and PM Gramin Sadak Yojana.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the new “Good Governance Day” in 2014, there were two primary reasons:
- To honor Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s legacy and commemorate his contributions to the nation.
- To promote awareness of government services and accountability among citizens, encouraging civil servants to practice “good governance” for fair treatment and delivery of services.
Good Governance Index (GGI)
- Launched in 2019, the GGI is a tool that evaluates the level of governance in states based on various parameters to guide future development.
- It is used to assess governance status and the impact of interventions by state governments and Union Territories.
- The GGI evaluates states across 10 sectors, including agriculture, commerce, human resources, public health, infrastructure, economic governance, social welfare, security, environment, and citizen-centric governance.
Worldwide Governance Indicators (WGI):
- The World Bank’s WGI ranks 215 countries/territories based on six governance dimensions: Voice and Accountability, Political Stability, Government Effectiveness, Regulatory Quality, Rule of Law, and Control of Corruption.
- As of 2022, India had a percentile rank of 63.2 in governance effectiveness, meaning it was equal to or better than 63.2 percent of countries.
- India’s percentile rank in controlling corruption has seen a modest improvement, increasing from 39.9 in 2014 to 44.3 in 2022.