Good Governance Index 2021

In News 

• Recently ,the Union Minister of Home Affairs released the Good Governance Index 2021 on Good Governance Day at New Delhi.

About Good Governance Index

• Prepared  by: 
  • Department of Administration Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG).
• Indicators: 
  • Good Governance Index(GGI 2021) Framework covered ten sectors and 58 indicators. 
  • The sectors of GGI 2020-21 are: 
    • Agriculture and Allied Sectors
    • Commerce & Industries
    • Human Resource Development
    • Public Health
    • Public Infrastructure & Utilities
    • Economic Governance
    • Social Welfare & Development
    • Judicial & Public Security
    • Environment
    • Citizen-Centric Governance. 
  • The GGI 2020-21 categorizes States and UTs into four categories, i.e., (i) Other States – Group A; (ii) Other States – Group B; (iii) North-East and Hill States; and (iv) Union Territories.
• Objectives:
  • To provide quantifiable data to compare the state of governance in all states and union territories, enable them to formulate and implement suitable strategies for improving governance and shift to result oriented approaches and administration.

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• Findings:
  • Gujarat, Maharashtra and Goa top the composite rank score covering 10 sectors.
  • In the North-East and Hill States category, Mizoram and Jammu and Kashmir have registered an overall increase of 10.4% and 3.7% respectively over GGI 2019. 
  • In the Union Territories category, Delhi topped the composite rank registering a 14 percent increase over the GGI 2019 indicators.
  • 20 States have improved their composite GGI scores over the GGI 2019 index scores. 
    • The sector-wise scores attained by the States and UT’s indicate strong performance in one or the other sector. 
    • Analysis of scoring also suggests that there is a very marginal difference among the States in their composite governance scores

What is Governance?

• The concept of “governance” is not new. It is as old as human civilization. 
• It is the process of decision-making and the process by which decisions are implemented (or not implemented). 
  • Governance can be used in several contexts such as corporate governance, international governance, national governance and local governance

What is Good Governance?

•  It assures that corruption is minimized, the views of minorities are taken into account and the voices of the most vulnerable in society are heard in decision-making. 
• It is participatory, consensus ,oriented, accountable, transparent, responsive, effective and efficient, equitable and inclusive and follows the rule of law.
• It is also responsive to the present and future needs of society.

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• Challenges in Good Governance:
  • Criminalization of Politics
  •  Corruption
  •  Gender Disparity
  • Delay in Justice
  • Low levels of Awareness of the Rights and Duties of Citizens etc.
• Steps were taken for better Governance:  
  • Good Governance Index
  • National e-Governance Plan: It has the vision to “make all government services accessible to the common man in his locality, through common service delivery outlets and ensure efficiency, transparency & reliability of such services at affordable costs to realize the basic needs of the common man.
  • Right to Information Act, 2005: It plays an effective role in ensuring transparency in governance.
  • Other Initiatives: E-Governance, Vigilance Awareness Week, Decentralization, JAM Trinity for Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT), PRAGATI Platform, SVAMITVA Scheme, Mission Karmayogi, etc

Source:PIB