Challenges to Good governance

Published on 29 Jan 2025

Issues Concerning Good Governance in India

• Political Issues 

• Criminalization of Politics: According to data from the ADR, the number of candidates with criminal charges elected to Parliament in India has been on the rise since 2004

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• Example: In a petition filed in Feb 2023, it was claimed that there has been an increase of 44% in the number of MPs with declared criminal cases since 2009. 

• Corruption: Corruption erodes trust in government institutions, hampers public service delivery, and diverts resources away from essential services.

• Example: According to the Corruption Perception Index 2022 India ranks 85 among 180 countries, which indicates the country’s score has remained stagnant over the past decade. 

• Political Polarization: Divisive political rhetoric and polarization can undermine good governance by hindering constructive dialogue and cooperation among different political parties.

• Example: The rise of polarized political movements and debates on issues like religion and caste can sometimes overshadow governance priorities.

• Social Issues 

• Inequality: Social disparities, including caste, gender, and economic differences, can obstruct the equitable distribution of resources and opportunities, impacting the fair implementation of policies.

• Example: According to World Inequality Report, in India, the top 10% of the population earns 57% of the national income.  

• Gender Disparities: It is unfair that women are underrepresented in government institutions given their over 50% demographic share.

• Example: An Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and UN Women report, ‘Women in Politics 2017’ reports that Lok Sabha have 64 (11.8%) and Rajya Sabha 27 (11%) women MPs.

• Economic issues

• Economic Disparities: The gap between the rich and the poor, as well as between urban and rural areas, poses challenges to inclusive economic development and effective governance.

• Example: Green Revolution benefited northern states but eastern states were still dependent on subsistence agriculture.

• Unemployment: High levels of unemployment and underemployment, especially among the youth, are pressing economic issues.

• Example: According to the Centre for Monitoring the Indian Economy (CMIE), the unemployment rate in India stands at 7.95%

• Administrative issues 

• Infrastructure and Resource Constraints: Insufficient infrastructure and resources limit the government's ability to deliver services effectively, especially in remote and underserved areas.

• Example: According to the India Inequality Report 2022 by Oxfam, only 31% of the rural population uses the Internet as compared to 67% of the urban which hinders digital governance. 

• Data Management and Information Accessibility: The quality and accessibility of data and information for decision-making can be a challenge, affecting effective governance strategies.

• Example: According to the Shanta Kumar Committee, there is a 66% exclusion error of beneficiaries and only 33% of farmers are covered under government beneficiary programs. 

• Capacity Building and Training: Insufficient capacity and skill development among government officials can hinder the successful execution and management of programs.

Challenges towards Achieving Good Governance in India

• Administrative Challenges 

• Inefficient Bureaucracy: Bureaucratic complexities and procedures make it difficult for a citizen as well as civil society to navigate the system for timely and quality delivery of services.

• Example: The Mumbai coastal road project faced delays due to environmental clearances and bureaucratic hurdles, leading to cost escalations and delays.

• Lack of Accountability: Weak mechanisms to hold officials accountable for their actions, decisions, and resource allocation can lead to mismanagement and inefficiency in governance.

• Example: The NREGA has faced issues related to corrupt practices, including fake job cards, delayed payments, and mismanagement, affecting the program's accountability.

• Lack of Transparency: Inadequate transparency in administrative processes can create ambiguity, fostering mistrust among citizens and hampering their participation in governance.

• Example: Delays or denial of information under the RTI Act by various government departments can hinder transparency, limiting public access to crucial information and impeding oversight.

• Misuse of Political power: Political influence often disrupts the autonomy and effectiveness of institutions, leading to biased decision-making and hindering the impartial execution of policies.

• Example: This has been observed in various scams like the Bofors scam, Commonwealth Games scam, Coal scam, and Spectrum scam.

• Red Tapism: Due to red-tapism, most of the time, the problems of citizens remain unresolved, which leads to dissatisfaction and a sense of loss of trust in the government’s process.

• Legal and Judicial Challenges 

• Ineffective implementation of laws: Hasty and ineffective implementation of laws and policies has led to hardship for the common man and even led to a lack of trust in the government.

• Example: Over 2,000 obsolete rules and laws were scrapped in the last 9 years. Many more obsolete laws are still operational. 

• Judicial delays: The most severe challenge relates to the complexity of adjudication as legal proceedings are lengthy and costly and also judiciary lacks the logistics to deal with these matters.

  
  

• Example: Overall, 3 crore cases are pending in the Indian judiciary where 50000 are pending in the Supreme Court itself.

• Institutional Challenges 

• Ineffective decentralisation of powers: Local Governments in India are facing issues like lack of staff, insufficient funding and delayed elections.

• Example: Though the 73rd and 74th Amendment Acts have been enacted, only a few states like Kerala, West Bengal have taken steps to empower local bodies.

• Lack of strong institutions of governance: Weak institutions become a challenge to good governance because of unethical background pressure, illegal activities, misuse of power etc. 

• Example: Irregularities in the distribution of schemes like the PDS due to lack of oversight result in the diversion of subsidized goods meant for the poor, leading to inefficiencies and corruption.

• Complex Regulatory Framework: Overlapping and complex regulatory frameworks, as well as outdated laws, can create confusion and obstacles in implementing effective governance.

• Example: Multiple and complex regulatory requirements in sectors like real estate and manufacturing lead to confusion and delay in impacting project timelines and investments.

• Weak Civil Society: Limited involvement and engagement of civil society, NGOs, and citizens in the governance process can impede the oversight and accountability mechanisms.

Tags:
Polity

Keywords:
Governance Good governance Challenges to good governance

Syllabus:
General Studies Paper 2

Topics:
Governance and Transparency