Rediff On The NeT: UP Chief Minister Mayawati's panacea for better governance

Better administration will restore faith in bureaucracy: Mayawati

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati on Saturday expressed concern over the erosion of people's faith in government departments. Effective administration, she said, must be provided to restore the people's faith in the bureaucracy.

Addressing the chief ministers conference, Mayawati admitted that the people's faith in government had eroded because they faced a lot of difficulties in small matters of public services.

She said the UP government had given all departments strict instructions to improve public services. She also supported the proposed legislation on the right to information which seeks to provide more information regarding public welfare schemes to the people so that the administration is more transparent.

Mayawati said her government had already taken steps to speed up disposal of public grievances. A computerised public grievance directorate had been set up for this purpose, she said.

She sought that the 73rd and 74th Constitutional amendments regarding decentralisation and delegation of powers to local rural and urban bodies be implemented soon. She said that in view of the state's economic situation, the central government should also give funding for local bodies.

The chief minister said a popular government was constituted in UP only about two months ago. She claimed this government was trying to set right law and order and make administration transparent, dynamic and responsive. She said her government was also trying to free the administration of corruption and serve the people better, especially the poor and weaker sections.

For speedy disposal of public complaints, district magistrates had been instructed to hold janata adalats (people's courts) where officers of all departments would be present. Grievance committees had also been constituted at the district and division level, she said.

Honest and dedicated public servants would be encouraged, she said, adding that the corrupt would be punished. It was necessary to clearly define relationships between civil services, the judiciary and the legislature to keep up the morale of the officers, she said.

"When we talk about the subject of effective and responsive governance, it is necessary to think about some basic issues like political environment values, national character and political and administrative leadership," Mayawati said.

The chief minister expressed confidence that her government would be successful in making the administration transparent,, sensitive and sympathetic towards the poor.

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