Public Policy cycle

Public policy refers to the set of principles formulated by the government, considering public good and welfare. Public policies are often unwritten and codified after receiving approval from the appropriate law-making authority. It is always the properly formulated public policy and its exemplary implementation which makes a government work effectively. It gives the government a plan and layout that it shall follow to ensure its citizens’ welfare. Further, public policies are directly responsible for any nation’s social and economic growth. Therefore, the significance of public policy for a country’s overall development is paramount.

Public policy and governance

Public policy is the government’s plan of action, whereas governance is the process through which that plan of action is administered. Public policy and governance are two different concepts; however, they are interlinked and highly interdependent. There can be no smooth governance without a well-constructed public policy, and similarly, there can be no use of public policy without efficient execution.

The relationship between public policy and governance is based upon the understanding of the different public problems and deriving solutions in a way that aims for the most significant public interest. The government’s responsibility is to ensure that the population does not suffer from any complex problem; if it does, it is also the government’s responsibility to design solutions.

Therefore, the government analyses the public problems critically and forms policies that can lead to resolutions. For example, if the population suffers from bad air quality in their city, it becomes the government’s responsibility to take appropriate measures to curb air pollution. The government might make a policy directing that stubble burning in the area has to be stopped to ensure good air quality. Further, the government imposes a penalty on those who burn stubble or encourage it. This leads to a major decline in stubble burning, and thus, the city’s air quality improves. This is an example of sound public policy and effective governance.

Stages of public policy

Identification of Problems

The first step for making a public policy is to analyse and discuss the underlying problem with the population. There should be discussions leading to conclusions on the need for a policy to arrive at a solution.

Sufficient information about the same shall be gathered like the root cause, frequency, gravity and harms caused.

Setting of the Agenda

When a policy is considered for solving problems and issues of the public at large, the policymakers should evaluate the effectiveness of the viable options. They should ensure that the policy aims at the solution of people’s problems. They should also ensure that the policy inherently contains a well-designed and described plan of action.

Policy Formulation

The policymakers should prepare a proper plan of action and a set of strategies to address and solve the underlying problems and issues. They should ensure that such policy implementation is viable and take care of any difficulties in implementation beforehand.

Policy Adoption

Policies are adopted by passing them as a law or ordinance or as rules or instructions for the people. Adoption of policy means giving the government assent to the plan of action to solve a particular public problem.

Evaluation and termination of public policy

After adoption and implementation of the public policy, its effectiveness, consequences, results, dependability and other relevant implications of the policy are evaluated by the policymakers. They observe whether or not the policy has succeeded in solving the complex public problem, and if not, what issues have arisen during its implementation. They also assess its performance and ensure that the policy works for the public interest and welfare. If there is any trouble in its proper execution, they amend it to streamline the process of problem-solving. In cases where the public policy does good and benefits are experienced by the people at large, they renew the policy so that it continues to ensure people’s welfare.

However, the public policy gets terminated when it fails to solve complex public problems and no amendments can rectify its uselessness. It is also terminated when the public policy has done its job and is no longer relevant. Further, if the public policy exceeds the budget and puts an additional burden on the treasury, it may get terminated due to lack of funds and infeasibility.

Conclusion

Public policy is the set of actions taken up by the government, its officials and institutions to deal with complex public problems. It is a process of identifying the public issue and ensuring public welfare. The public policy-making process is efficient for smooth governance and management of the population. It has to consider the impact the policy might have on the lives of every citizen of that nation. A well-followed public policy cycle assures good governance and excellent quality of life for the citizens. It is a time-consuming process; however, it decides the fate of the entire nation and its citizens and, therefore, should be done with great caution and responsibility.