Day 11 – Q 2. It is argued that having a large number of ministries good impedes governance. But it can also be argued that it brings in efficiency by decentralising decisions and accountability? What do you think? Share your views and arguments. (10 Marks)

2. It is argued that having a large number of ministries good impedes governance. But it can also be argued that it brings in efficiency by decentralising decisions and accountability? What do you think? Share your views and arguments. (10 Marks)

यह तर्क दिया जाता है कि बड़ी संख्या में मंत्रालय होने से शासन में बाधा आती है। लेकिन यह भी तर्क दिया जा सकता है कि यह निर्णयों और जवाबदेही को विकेंद्रीकृत करके दक्षता लाता है? आप क्या सोचते हैं? अपने विचार और तर्क साझा करें।

Approach

Students are expected to write about the different government model in the introduction then simply highlight the both side of arguments also give the suggestion to be followed by large ministry setup for good governance. 

Introduction

Minimum government, maximum governance refers to reducing the role of government where it is in excess (minimum government) and umaking a citizen friendly and accountable government (maximum governance). The objective is to make government efficient and inclusive, reduce red-tapism thereby improving ease of doing business etc.

Body

Large ministry decentralized governance:

• Reduces the burden on top executives: This reduces the time at the disposal of top executives who should concentrate on other important managerial functions.
• Facilitates diversification: A centralised enterprise with the concentration of authority at the top will find it difficult and complex to diversify its activities and start the additional lines of manufacture or distribution.
• Executive Development: Experts will get the opportunity to develop their talents by taking initiative which will also make them ready for managerial positions.
• Better control and supervision: As a result they have thorough knowledge of every assignment under their control and are in a position to make amendments and take corrective action.

Issues in having multiple ministries and departments:

• Problem of Co-Ordination: More ministry of authority creates problems of co-ordination as authority lies dispersed widely throughout the organisation. Currently Almost full strength (78/81) of the Council of Ministers with the recent reshuffle. Inefficiency as the work doesn’t gets demarcated clearly. This results into lack of accountability. Lack of coordination results into delays and red-tapism.
• Require Qualified Personnel: Number of ministry becomes useless when there are no qualified and competent personnel. Duplication of work
• More Financial Burden: Decentralisation requires the employment of trained personnel to accept authority, it involves more financial burden and a small enterprise cannot afford to appoint experts in various fields. Wastage of public money. More Capital Expenditure than Revenue.
• Uniform policies not Followed: Hinders the process of service delivery to citizens.
• Overstaffing at the headquarters for most institutions and ministries, and shortage at the field level. Lack of mobility between different arms of the civil services. 

Way forward 

• Reduce the decision making layers to the minimum while allowing for faster means of information sharing/dissemination.
• Simplification of procedures. 
• Leveraging technology to bring in transparency in public interface. 
• Accountable methods for effective delivery of goods/services.
• A robust public grievance redress system.

Conclusion

The overall objective should be to reduce duplicity, streamline the work process, improve synergy, through exchange of information/data, between various departments within a ministry. The bureaucrats too need to work in tandem so that the coordinated efforts result into productive results. Departments and ministries with overlapping jurisdiction should be merged, but it should not be the only agenda.