Minimum Government, Maximum Governance

Optimizing government ownership of assets, employment levels, control over institutions, regulations, and other processes is what is meant by Minimum Government. To effectively translate policy into practise, these should be improved. 

A transparent, stable, and liberal policy regime can be used to achieve Maximum Governance, which entails the essential and effective regulation of institutions in the public interest, the promotion and nurturing of a development-friendly environment, and the efficient coordination of various players.

• The Government endorsed the idea as a guiding principle in 2014.
• The Government should play the role of a facilitator in businesses. The Gujarat government implemented this motto in Gujarat, which emerged as one of the prosperous states of India.
• It shows that an entrepreneur-friendly environment with a suitable justice delivery mechanism is possible, even with a small & less intrusive government.
• It also involves adherence to Gandhiji’s principle of Swaraj, i.e. every village must be empowered to deal with local issues. Decentralisation is the essential pillar in this model where adequate powers are given to people.

Steps to Achieve Minimum Government, Maximum Governance:

What can be done? – Government should do less in areas where the market works (or can work) and should do more in those areas where the market can’t be relied upon. These areas are:

• Establishing law & order.
• Investing in basic infrastructure.
• Maintaining macroeconomic stability.
• Delivering basic social services.
• Protecting the vulnerable.
• Protecting the environment.

Steps required to achieve minimum government and maximum governance with respect to the various types of Government Interaction:

• G2G (Reforming internal functioning):
• Downsizing the Government structure (we need less government and more governance).
• Reforming personnel administration (improving pay, performancelinked incentives, exposing them to competition; changing their mindset that they are not rulers (Maalik, Mai-Baap), rather servants, should be unbiased, have empathy towards vulnerable sections.
• Increase internal accountability while giving freedom to eliminate corruption and improving efficiency.
• Decentralisation up to the local self-governance.
• Use of e-governance for better service delivery.
• G2B (Dealing with the market):

• Speedy process for starting a new business or related to existing business (bankruptcy laws). Single window-clearance.
• Contract out tasks to them which they can do better.
• Infuse competition in the market so that quality service is provided at the least cost.

• G2C (Dealing with citizens):

• Focus on the client (focus on their needs, giving them a voice on what to provide them). Involving citizens in governance; allowing them to influence governments decision-making.
• Being accountable to them, improving transparency.
• Empower citizens to involve them in their own problem-solving.

The goal of  minimum government  and maximum governance in the twenty-first century is to close the gap between promise and performance as well as between the governor and the governed. Strong institutions, knowledge, technology, and skill are necessary prerequisite to achieve this.