Public Service Delivery in Nepal
1. Introduction
Public
- Created for the use of all, equally beneficial, governed by universal rules, systems, constructions, and usage.
- Related to all, concerning many, welfare activities provided without discrimination.
Service
- Worship, devotion, or reverence of deities through physical, mental, or verbal means.
- Respect for revered individuals.
- Work or employment at governmental or non-governmental levels for a salary.
- Voluntary work for public welfare or interest, as per one’s inclination.
- Regular practices for physical and mental health.
- Regular stay at places of pilgrimage, religious vows, or spiritual gatherings.
- Attendance or servitude.
Public Service or Government Service Delivery
Services provided to citizens directly or indirectly through government mechanisms. Per the social contract principle, it is the state’s duty to provide these services and the people’s right to receive them.
Delivery System:
- Directly: Through ministries, departments, regional, zonal, district, village, and ward-level offices, and public institutions.
- Indirectly: Through non-governmental organizations and private entities.
2. Characteristics of Government Services
- Intangibility: Intangible, invisible, only perceivable through experience.
- Heterogeneity: Diverse, covering needs from birth to death.
- Perishable: Cannot be stored or preserved.
- Always specified in law.
- Funded by public money (taxpayers).
- Tied to public accountability.
- Objectives determined by the government (politics).
3. Types of Public Services
- Security Services
- Welfare Services: For social security and social justice.
- Developmental Services: Education, health, sanitation.
- Recreational Services: Parks, theaters, music halls.
- Promotional Services: Research, promotion of industry and commerce, policies, programs, and private enterprises.
- Creative and Research Services
- Infrastructure Development Services: Agriculture, irrigation, forestry, transportation, communication, and basic needs (food, clothing, shelter).
- Information and Awareness Services: Right to information.
- Regulatory Services: Quality control, market monitoring, drug regulation.
4. Reasons for Ineffective Service Delivery
- No visible profit or loss (lack of market signals).
- Intangible nature.
- Over-regulated by excessive rules.
- Monopoly in service provision.
- Steep bureaucracy due to long hierarchical structures.
- Lack of innovation.
- Indirect accountability loops.
- Traditional culture.
5. Efforts for Improvement
- Right to Information Act and regulations.
- Good Governance Act and regulations.
- Civil Service Code of Conduct Regulations, 2008.
- Decentralization of offices and diversification of services.
- Citizen Charter with compensation provisions.
- Grievance redressal mechanisms.
6. Roles and Responsibilities
- Parliament: Enact clear laws.
- Government: Commit to implementing laws and delivering services.
- Administration: Provide swift services and seek new initiatives.
- Public: Exert pressure for accountability.
- Social Organizations: Support the government.
- Donor Nations: Provide training in new technologies.
Tags:
Subjective
