When is Good Governance Day celebrated in India?
Good Governance Day 2024 is celebrated on Wednesday, December 25th in India.
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Why is Good Governance Day celebrated?
Good Governance Day is celebrated each year in India to honor the legacy of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and promote the principles of ethical and effective governance. The observance underscores the importance of accountability, transparency, and citizen-centric policies in governance. It is a reminder for governments to strive for unbiased and development-oriented practices that ensure equitable access to public services.
This day also highlights the role of technology in governance through initiatives like e-Governance, enabling efficient delivery of government schemes and fostering greater citizen participation.
What is the theme for Good Governance Day 2024?
The theme for Good Governance Day 2024 is “India’s Path to a Viksit Bharat: Empowering Citizens through Good Governance and Digitalisation.”
It highlights how good governance and the use of digital tools can help India move toward becoming a developed nation (Viksit Bharat). The focus is on making government services more efficient, transparent, and accessible to citizens, empowering them to play an active role in building a stronger and more progressive India.
Who initiated Good Governance Day in India?
Good Governance Day in India was initiated by the newly elected administration of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2014 to honor the birthday of Atal Bihari Vajpayee, one of the most respected leaders and the 10th Prime Minister of India. This observance was to celebrate Vajpayee’s legacy of leadership, ethical governance, and commitment to democratic values.
Atal Bihari Vajpayee was known for his integrity, inclusivity, and vision for a modern and strong India. His government emphasized developmental initiatives, including infrastructure projects like the Golden Quadrilateral and social schemes like Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, which aimed at universal education. The day serves as a reminder to prioritize transparency, accountability, and citizen-centric governance in India.
How to celebrate Good Governance Day?
Good Governance Day is an occasion to promote transparency, accountability, and efficiency in governance. Individuals, educational institutions, and organizations celebrate it in various ways.
- Educational Activities: Schools and colleges can organize debates, quizzes, essay-writing contests, and seminars focusing on governance, transparency, and leadership.
- Workshops and Campaigns: Government and non-government organizations can host workshops to discuss how governance can improve citizens’ lives.
- Community Engagement: Volunteering for local initiatives, such as community cleaning or digital literacy drives, embodies the spirit of good governance by improving public spaces and empowering individuals.
- Promoting Technology: Highlighting the role of e-governance in making administrative processes more accessible and efficient can be another focus.
- Tributes to Leaders: Paying homage to Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s contributions and his vision for India’s progress is integral to the day.
How can students participate in Good Governance Day activities?
Students can participate in Good Governance Day activities by engaging in various meaningful and educational initiatives that promote awareness, leadership, and community involvement. Following are some ideas:
- Organize Awareness Events: Students can collaborate with their peers to host workshops, debates, or talks about the principles of good governance, such as transparency, accountability, and citizen participation.
- Volunteer in Local Communities: Participating in community service projects, such as environmental clean-ups or literacy campaigns, allows students to contribute to society while understanding governance at the grassroots level.
- Engage in Leadership Roles: Joining student councils or other leadership opportunities at school or college fosters civic responsibility and governance skills.
- Digital Campaigns: This might include sharing posts about inspirational leaders, governance success stories, or infographics on citizens’ rights and responsibilities.
- Essay and Art Competitions: Schools and colleges often hold competitions on themes like “How Good Governance Shapes Society.” Participating in these helps students explore governance concepts creatively and critically.
What are the eight principles of good governance?
The eight principles of good governance are essential guidelines that help ensure the effective management and operation of organizations, both public and private. These principles include:
- Transparency: Transparency fosters trust and accountability within an organization, ensuring that decisions and operations are clear and open to public scrutiny.
- Responsiveness: It ensures that governance structures remain adaptive to changes and able to make decisions in a timely manner.
- Equity and Inclusiveness: This principle ensures that all groups within the organization, including the marginalized and underrepresented, have an equal opportunity to benefit from governance processes.
- Rule of Law: Governance should be grounded in the legal framework, ensuring that policies and decisions are made based on the rule of law.
- Efficiency and Effectiveness: This principle stresses the need for optimal use of resources to achieve goals.
- Accountability: This principle refers to the duty of individuals and organizations to report, explain, and be answerable for the consequences of their decisions and actions.
- Participation: Effective governance involves the active participation of stakeholders in decision-making processes.
- Consensus Orientation: This principle ensures that decisions are inclusive and reflect the interests of the whole community, rather than just the most powerful groups.
How does Good Governance Day promote transparency and accountability?
Good Governance Day promotes transparency and accountability by emphasizing the principles of open governance, participatory decision-making, and efficient service delivery. It encourages public officials to maintain high standards of accountability by providing clear, timely information to citizens about government policies, actions, and financial decisions. This transparency helps reduce corruption, enhances public trust, and ensures that governmental activities are open to scrutiny and criticism.
What are some government schemes launched for good governance in India?
Government schemes launched for good governance in India aim to enhance transparency, efficiency, and accessibility in public services. These schemes include:
- Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY): Ensures financial inclusion by providing bank accounts to every household, promoting a cashless economy and ensuring direct benefit transfers.
- Ayushman Bharat: Aims to provide free health coverage for the poor, enhancing accessibility to healthcare services across rural India.
- Digital India: Promotes digital literacy and e-governance, facilitating online services and reducing the need for physical paperwork.
- Ease of Doing Business Reforms: Simplifies regulations and processes for starting and operating businesses, promoting transparency and reducing red tape.
- e-Governance Projects: Initiatives like the Common Service Centres (CSCs) bring government services closer to the rural populace.
- Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT): Aims to minimize corruption by directly transferring subsidies and benefits to recipients’ bank accounts.
- Mission Antyodaya: Focuses on improving the quality of life in rural areas by implementing various developmental schemes.
- National Digital Health Mission (NDHM): Ensures that healthcare is digitized and accessible to all citizens across the country.
What is the role of digital initiatives in promoting good governance in India?
Digital initiatives play a crucial role in promoting good governance in India by leveraging technology to enhance transparency, efficiency, and citizen engagement. The Digital India initiative, launched in 2015, aims to transform India into a digitally empowered society through improved digital infrastructure, government services on demand, and increased digital literacy among citizens.
These initiatives facilitate the electronic delivery of government services, enabling citizens to access essential services like education, healthcare, and banking online. This not only saves costs associated with physical infrastructure but also improves accessibility and reduces bureaucratic delays.
For example, the introduction of Aadhaar has streamlined benefits delivery, such as subsidies for LPG, by linking them to the unique identification number.
What are some examples of good governance practices in modern India?
Good governance practices in modern India focus on ensuring transparency, accountability, and efficient service delivery. Key examples include:
- e-Governance Initiatives: The introduction of digital platforms like the National e-Governance Service Delivery Assessment (NeSDA) and Good Governance Index (GGI) helps measure the effectiveness of state and central government services, enhancing transparency and responsiveness.
- Citizen-Centric Policies: Initiatives such as Aadhaar aim to create a unified identity system, which simplifies service delivery and prevents duplication of benefits.
- Ethical Governance and Accountability: The acceptance of recommendations from the Second Administrative Reforms Commission (ARC) has promoted a citizen-centric approach, emphasizing accountability through mechanisms like social audits for schemes like MGNREGA.
- Public Participation: Programs encouraging citizen feedback, such as through grievance redressal portals and apps, ensure that the government remains responsive to the needs of the public.
- Transparent Financial Management: Initiatives like the Government of India’s Public Financial Management System (PFMS) and the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) help ensure financial transparency and reduce leakages.
- Responsive Disaster Management: The response of Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA) played a pivotal role in Kerala’s flood, exemplifies good governance in ensuring timely and efficient responses to crises.
