A citizen charter is a proactive initiative by government to organize the actions of government agencies around an explicit and public statement of service standard and obligations. As a member of society, citizens are entitled to expect the state to perform its regulatory, tax and justice administration functions effectively, fairly and courteously. It is an explicit and public statement of service standards and obligations to serve as a guide for the government agency’s behavior.
Citizen charter was first introduced in the UK named “Service First” in 1991. It is part of the wider ‘Better Government’ program to transform and modernize public service. Its nine principles, aimed at improving service responsiveness, quality, effectiveness, and cross-sectoral cooperation, are-
- Set standards of service;
- Be open and provide full information;
- Consult and involve;
- Encourage access and the promotion of choice;
- Treat all fairly;
- Put things right when they go wrong;
- Use resources effectively;
- Innovate and improve;
- Work with other providers.
Read More: What is voice? Role of voice in Public Administration
Role of Citizen Charter
Citizen charter is a written, voluntary declaration by service providers that highlights the standards of service delivery. If successfully implemented, the charter can enable the following-
- Improved service delivery: Citizen charter raise service standards in the most appropriate way.
- Increase awareness of people: Citizen charter conscious people about their rights to government. It creates awareness among the people that they should get greater services from the government.
- Consciousness of duties of administration: It helps to realize the administrators that they are the service provider and welfare of the people should be ensured as it is the main duty of a administrator.
- Administrative reform: Citizen charter is the way to stimulate the government services according to the peoples expectations. Whenever administration unable to do this then govt. by reforming administration tries to coordinate with the people’s demand.
A case study: Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board, Chennai
The citizen’s charter of the Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board was issued on 16th April, 1998 with the approval of the Government of Tamil Nadu. With a view to ensuring that the assurances given in the citizen’s charter are adhered to by the board, a Consumer Committee named “Metro Water Citizen’s Charter Review” and Consumer Service Committee” was formed.
The committee has the following functions-
- To discuss, deliberate upon and review the subjects connected with “Citizen Charter”.
- To identify the problems of the officials in implementing the “Citizen Charter” and give suitable advice in overcoming it.
- To identify the lapses, if any, in adherence to the Citizen’s Charter and advice remedial suitable action.
- To identify the new items to be included in the Citizen’s Charter to make the document an ideal one to suit public requirement.
- Any other subjects connected therewith and entrusted to them by the board
The committee was initially set up for a period of one year. One of the findings of the committee was that 98.7 of the services of the Metropolitan Water Supply & Sewerage Board have been in conformity with the declared standards given in the Citizen’s Charter.
