History of Administrative Reform in India: 1st and 2nd ARC

The history of administrative reforms in India dates back to January 5, 1966, and was consolidated by the Government of India to ensure a transparent and efficient system. These reforms have played a pivotal role in eliminating corruption and prejudice. The government forms a body of representatives who study the various aspects impacting the country’s development and then prepare a report to suggest reforms that have a positive impact. In recent years, the reforms have been revamped at all government levels as per need, which led to the 2nd ARC. The administration needs to be proactive, efficient, and responsive while addressing issues concerning Indian citizens with maximum governance and assistance.

The 1st Administrative Reforms Commission: An Outline

Post-independence, the country required a well-defined framework to ensure development at a fast pace. This called for administrative reforms that would lead to a uniform system across all states and districts. The first commission was constituted in 1966, and a mandate was designed to define the machinery of the government bodies and public services. The bodies were responsible for implementing economic and social policies, ensuring the development and growth of the citizens. The commission submitted a total of 19 reports concentrating on different verticals. Officials were supposed to work extensively at all levels for integrity and efficiency. Below are a few major components of the mandate:

• ·         A mechanism for the Government and local bodies at all levels

• ·         Centre and state Government relationship

• ·         The economic and financial administration framework

• ·         District and personnel level administration

• ·         Administering agricultural framework

• ·         Address citizens’ grievances and render solutions as per the Government policies.

• ·         Public sector undertakings

• ·     Small-scale sector

• ·         Administration of central direct taxes

• ·         Government treasuries

• ·         Indian post and telegraph services

• ·         Administration of the life insurance industry

Even though the mandate covered all major modules of the country’s machinery, some components were excluded from the commission. Separate commissions were appointed for them to ensure integrity at all levels. These were:

• ·         Defence administration

• ·         Security and intelligence agencies

• ·         External affairs

• ·         Education

Under the leadership of Shri Morarji Desai, the history of administrative reforms in India was written aiming at the nations and its citizens’ growth and development. K.Hanumanthaiah later took over this commission as Morarji became the Deputy Prime Minister of the country.

The 2nd Administrative Reforms Commission report: The Upgrade  

Since the 1st ARC, India grew and progressed fast, which led to the need to revamp the reforms in accordance with the current needs. The 2nd commission report was prepared under the leadership of Shri M. Veerappa Moily. This report suggested upgrades and amendments in the 1st commission for better administration. The report was submitted on August 31, 2005.

Apart from the initial mandate, 15 reports concentrated on different aspects. The reports were prepared as per the requirements of present India. The country has grown since Independence, and policies need to be updated to improve the governance and framework. Below are the few major points that the committee considered important and wanted to highlight.

• ·         RTI: Right to Information serves as a powerful tool in democracy. Here, people from all sections get the right to demand and know the government policies. This leads to an awakened and informed society and, therefore, a better quality of life. A transparent, dynamic, accountable, and conventional system lays the foundation for good governance.

• ·         Political ethics: For the first time in the history of administrative reforms in India, politics was under the scanner. The report highlighted the need for an unbiased framework for electoral bodies and politics. This included aspects like background check of candidates, disqualification in case of criminal record, a delegation of central armed forces at poll centres, etc.

• ·         E-Governance: The 2nd administrative reforms commission stated that the application of technology at all government levels is the need of the hour. The report suggested focusing on using information and technology in all possible ways to provide public services to citizens. This would ensure transparent and equivalent services to all classes of society.

• ·         Financial Management: The report emphasised the need for financial discipline and discretion to develop an efficient and responsive framework. Appropriate usage of resources with time management is the key for all government bodies for better results. Every department is expected to work on budgeting, funds flow, capacity building, accurate accounting system, audit, and use of technology to report every development to the government.

• ·         Combating terrorism: Terrorism poses a great challenge for the government and the ministry of home affairs.

• ·         Social capital: The report suggested laying out a framework for the social capital of the country. This involves the trusts and charitable institutions, and foreign contributions to such trusts. The report stated that SHGs in rural and semi-urban areas should be encouraged. An intensive policy needs to be constituted to ensure proper functioning even at district administration levels.

• ·         Exclusions: The commission kept all the mandates excluded in the 1st ARC as these were already governed by other bodies and were matters of national importance.

Work on the 2nd ARC

After an intensive study of the report submitted and suggestions given by the members, the Government of India decided to work on all the aspects. The machinery is now way more transparent and corruption-free, leading to flourishing businesses and, thereby, a better life. Since submitting the 2nd ARC report, several reforms have been introduced at district, state, and Central Government levels. These reforms have boosted the confidence of citizens and businesses in the Government, which has led to further development. Various portals are designed to help individuals, businesses, and corporations that demanded physical presence or documentation earlier.

The government has published all the reports on the official website for its people. It has been rigorously working on improving the functioning of public services and departments, making the best use of technology.

Conclusion

The history of administrative reforms in India is a broad topic that involves legal documents and reports. It becomes necessary to read through these documents to understand how the government machinery works. Every district body is connected to the central agency, and every development needs to be reported. The progress at the district level allows governments to understand if the policies are effective and beneficial for their citizens in the long run.