Governance Reform in Karnataka

Governance Reform in Karnataka

• Vikram K. Chand

• World Bank

• April 26, 2004

The Context

• Reformist Government elected in late 1999.

• Pressures from below for change in system.

• Legacy of highly skilled civil service.

Key Challenges

• Improving the quality of services.

• Reducing political interference.

• Combating corruption.

Bangalore’s Service Delivery Miracle

• Dramatic improvements in service delivery.

• Report cards issued by the Public Affairs Center (PAC).

• Survey commissioned by the Bangalore Agenda Task Force (BATF).

Improvements in Satisfaction: Public Services in Bangalore

Large Decline in Corruption

Trends: Services in Bangalore

Computerization of Land Records

• 20 million land records computerized.

• Results:

• Steep reduction in bribes
• Faster delivery times
• Fewer errors

• Travel to Taluq offices still necessary.

Enhancing Transparency in Government

• Transparency in Tenders and Procurement.

• Model law on Right to Information (RTI).

• RTI adopted despite stiff resistance.

• NGO’s push for RTI implementation.

Frequent Civil Servant Transfers

• Market in buying and selling of posts.

• Politicians use transfers for patronage.

• Frequent transfers hurt service delivery.

Overall Transfers/Karnataka

Controlling Transfers

• Cadre management committees.

• Quantitative caps on transfers.

• Computerized transfer process.

• Mass transfers reduced – sustainable?

Anti-corruption Enforcement

• Strongest Lok Ayukta (Ombudsman) in India.

• Investigates corruption/maladministration.

• Budget US$1.6 million; five hundred officers.

• Activist Judge appointed in June, 2001.

Lok Ayukta: Focus on Service Delivery

• Investigations:

• Drug adulteration
• Public hospitals (absenteeism, exploitation)
• Transport and registration departments.
• Corruption in municipal government

• Volume of complaints triple in one year.

• Wide publicity may be the best way to check corruption when courts don’t work...

Lok Ayukta In Action

Key lessons from Karnataka

• Political commitment crucial for reform.

• Administrative reformers empowered.

• Civil society stoke pressure for change.

• BATF: Model of public-private partnership.

• Synergy among key actors in Karnataka.

The Role of the World Bank

• Reinforce local initiatives through SALs.

• Focus: first fiscal, expand to governance.

• Time-table for home-grown reforms.

• SALs strengthen reformers in government.

• Efforts not uniformly successful.

Future Challenges

• Replicating Bangalore model.

• Extending service delivery gains to rural areas.

• Sustaining political commitment.