Day 65 – Q 1. The tools of accountability strengthen governance and empower citizens. Do you agree? Substantiate your views. (10 Marks)

1. The tools of accountability strengthen governance and empower citizens. Do you agree? Substantiate your views. (10 Marks)

जवाबदेही के उपकरण शासन को मजबूत करते हैं और नागरिकों को सशक्त बनाते हैं। क्या आप सहमत हैं? अपने विचारों की पुष्टि करें।

Approach

Candidates need to define the accountability in introduction. And write about the tools of accountability in body part first and then explain how tools of accountability strengthen the governance and empower the citizens. 

Introduction 

Accountability can broadly be defined as the obligation of those holding power to take responsibility and be held answerable for their behaviour and actions. Further Holders of public office are accountable for their decisions and actions to the public and must submit themselves to whatever scrutiny is appropriate to their office.

Body 

Tools of accountability:

• Central Vigilance Commission
• Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG)
• Lokpal and Lokayukta etc

Tools of accountability ensures empowerment of citizen and strengthen governance:

• Accountability result in answerability (the duty of an individual or organisation to answer to their decisions and actions) and punishments in case of malpractice.
• Clear delegation of roles and responsibilities with commensurate powers and resources. In the absence of this, delegation could end up confounding rather than strengthening accountability.
• Accountability lead to the obligation of an individual or an organisation (either in the public or the private sectors) to accept responsibility for their activities, and to disclose them in a transparent manner. This includes the responsibility for decision-making processes, money or other entrusted property.
• Social accountability have been highly valued to curb corruption with empowering cirizen, especially in countries with a systematic problem of corruption and weak institutional systems. Therefore the social audits in MGNREGA and other services have made bureaucracy more accountable.
• It helps in improving the delivery of public services, measuring performance and providing incentives to achieve targets and sanctions in case of non­-performance.
• It empowers citizens and aids their development through citizen-centric policies. Development through citizen-centric policies.
• Accountability is important in good governance to keep the public servants tuned to the right perspective. It ensures judicious use of public funds and resources and hence, infuses the efficiency in governance.

Conclusion

The Indian democracy remains procedural democracy. The well charted tools of accountability seems effective in their structure but lack tooth when it comes to the actual implementation of the acts. Lack of political will and lack of awareness among people are the reasons for the ineffectiveness. The superstructure of procedures in the acts will fail to bring the expected results unless they are provided with the necessary infrastructure and the spirit to work in a free environment.