dr. gopakumar k thampi, public affairs foundation, bangalore citizen report cards an introduction

Dr. Gopakumar K Thampi, Public Affairs Foundation, Bangalore

CITIZEN REPORT CARDSCITIZEN REPORT CARDS

An IntroductionAn Introduction


Governance `Crises’Governance `Crises’

Poor Access to Public Services - Inefficiency

Indifference, Collusion with vested Groups - Non Responsiveness

Rampant corruption, Extortion by `Agents & Middlemen’- Weak Accountability


Why the Disabling Environment?Why the Disabling Environment?

Monopoly nature of public services

Overload on Government functions

Resource constraints

Substantial lag in the reform of legal & regulatory systems

Weak demand from civil society for reform


THE USUAL SUSPECTS!THE USUAL SUSPECTS!

SIMPLIFYING PROCEDURESSIMPLIFYING PROCEDURES

BUILDING CONTROL SYSTEMSBUILDING CONTROL SYSTEMS

INCREASING SANCTIONSINCREASING SANCTIONS

ATTITUDINAL CHANGESATTITUDINAL CHANGES

TOP-DOWN & EXTERNALLY TOP-DOWN & EXTERNALLY DRIVENDRIVEN


WHY TOP DOWN REFORMS FAILWHY TOP DOWN REFORMS FAIL

DEPENDS HEAVILY ON THE WILL OF DEPENDS HEAVILY ON THE WILL OF THE POLITICAL LEADERSHIPTHE POLITICAL LEADERSHIP

NO REAL OWNERSHIPNO REAL OWNERSHIP

VERY FEW INCENTIVES FOR VERY FEW INCENTIVES FOR OFFICIALSOFFICIALS

CALLS FOR COMPLEX CHANGES & CALLS FOR COMPLEX CHANGES & REFORMSREFORMS

HAS NO ROLE FOR THE CITIZENSHAS NO ROLE FOR THE CITIZENS


HOW THIS IMPACTS ON THE HOW THIS IMPACTS ON THE QUALITY OF PUBLIC QUALITY OF PUBLIC

SERVICES…SERVICES… Deteriorating Quality

Disabling Environment

- Lack of Exit Options

- Lack of Corrective Action

- Lack of Collective Action

Need to explore “Voice” mechanisms ”


How to Make a Change...How to Make a Change...

From Coping to `VOICES’ by Citizens

From `Shouting’ to `Counting’ by Activists

From Reaction to Informed Action

From confrontation to collaboration & partnerships

Need to Explore the Potency of `VOICE’ Mechanisms


Voice as an Aid to Voice as an Aid to Improve Quality of Improve Quality of

GovernanceGovernance

Experiences with Citizen Experiences with Citizen Report CardsReport Cards


A Simple Report CardA Simple Report Card

Name: Gopa; Class: IX

SUBJ ECT MAX. Marks

Actual marks

English 100 82

Maths 100 47

Science 150 91

Social Studies 150 115

Total 500 335

Rank in class: 12/30


USE OF REPORT CARDSUSE OF REPORT CARDS

SIMPLE EVALUATION TOOL

PROVIDES TOTAL FEEDBACK ON PERFORMANCE

STRUCTURED FOR SIMPLE COMMUNICATION

STARTING POINT FOR REFLECTION & CORRECTIVE ACTION

SCOPE FOR COMPARISON WITH PEERS


CRCs: Defining FeaturesCRCs: Defining Features

Pioneered by PAC in 1993

Credible user feedback on public services

Creates an effective diagnostic tool for service providers and encourage them to introduce citizen friendly practices

Creates opportunities for partnerships and opens up space for dialogues and discussions

Report always in PUBLIC DOMAINPUBLIC DOMAIN


What a Citizen Report Card What a Citizen Report Card can DO!!can DO!!

Converts widespread individual issues into Collective Issues

Quantifies, Classifies & Ranks Services/Agencies across qualitative & quantitative issues

Generates Benchmarks for Tracking Reforms

Provides information on Hidden Costs Launch practical ACTIONS


BENCHMARKING CIVIC SERVICES BENCHMARKING CIVIC SERVICES IN BANGALOREIN BANGALORE - The Satisfaction Scores (General Households)

PERCENT SATISFIED PERCENTDISSATISFIED

SERVICES /AGENCIES

1994 1999 1994 1999

Water SupplyBoard

04 46 46 08

Power Corporation 06 45 31 17

MunicipalCorporation

05 25 49 26

Telephones 09 30 28 11

Transport Office 14 18 36 26

DevelopmentAuthority

01 16 65 36


Agency ResponsivenessAgency Responsiveness(Households with a Problem)

Agency No. of visits % satisfied

Power Company 3 51

Water Board 4 54

Driving Licence 2 31

Urban Authority 8 15

Police 2 33


The Bribery MatrixThe Bribery Matrix (General Households)

Percent Claiming to have paid a bribe

Average payment per transaction in Rupees

SERVICES / AGENCIES

1994 1999 1994 1999

Water Supply Board 12 11 275 561

Power Corporation 11 09 206 1563

Municipal Corporation

21 52 656 3759

Telephones 04 26 110 245

Transport Office 33 57 648 637

Development Authority

33 35 1850 1653


Corruption & The Urban PoorCorruption & The Urban Poor

SERVICE /AGENCY

PERCENTPAYINGBRIBES

AVERAGEAMOUNT(RUPEES)

PERCENTCLAIMINGBRIBE WASDEMANDED

WATERSUPPLY

04 200 50

MUNICIPALSERVICES

34 270 73

ELECTRICITY 10 250 100

RATIONSHOPS

11 84 83

POLICE 46 4193 88

PUBLICHOSPITALS

53 640 63


Eg. RANKING OF SERVICES BY Eg. RANKING OF SERVICES BY CITIZEN SATISFACTIONCITIZEN SATISFACTION

(Survey in 1999)Agency Rank

Power Company 3Water Board 4Food rations 2Telephone Co. 1Driving License 6Urban Authority 7Police 5


5

41

73

6

47

94

4

42

73

9

67

92

34

78

1

16

85

32

96

0

20

40

60

80

100

BMP BESCOM BWSSB BSNL POLICE BDA BMTC

1994 1999 2003

CRCs MEASURES, BENCHMARKS CRCs MEASURES, BENCHMARKS & COMPARES& COMPARES

% S

ati

sfi

ed

agency

N/a N/a


CRCs TRACKS IMPACT OF CRCs TRACKS IMPACT OF REFORMSREFORMS

1823

11

0

10

20

30

1994 1999 2003

year

Perc

en

tag

e w

ho

paid

Corruption PhenomenonCorruption Phenomenon


POWER OF DIAGNOSISPOWER OF DIAGNOSIS

SECTOR Governance was better this year

Governance was worse this year

Cannot Comment

Farmers/ Cultivators

19 6644 17

Labourers 14 47 39

White Collar Workers

40 50 10

Entrepreneurs/ Industrialists

7744 19 07

Rural 20 60 20

Overall 24 52 24


OUTCOMES OF CRCOUTCOMES OF CRC

Strengthening Public Accountability

Stimulating Stakeholder Participation- space for Voice & Contestation – Citizens’ Manifesto

Increasing Public Awareness – from anecdotal to evidential

Enhancing Mobilisation & Partnerships – Social Capital

Local Innovations – People’s Charter

Influencing Reforms


Challenges Challenges

Sensitizing key stakeholders to issues of service delivery quality

Space & legitimacy for voice Proxy for political representation Locating existing networks &

campaigns to embed the approach Credibility & quality of CRCS


THANK YOU!THANK YOU!

Questions?

dr. gopakumar k thampi, public affairs foundation, bangalore citizen report cards an introduction

Documents

public affairs foundation

bangalore governance

quality of public services

reform slide

driven slide

impartiality slide

introduction slide

public hearings report