DAILY QUESTIONS & MODEL ANSWERS
Q1. It is asserted that good governance is the technology and the Citizen’s Charter is the tool for citizen centricity. Focusing on the assertion, describe how the Citizen Charter might revolutionize Indian governance. (250 Words)
Paper & Topic: GS II – Governance-related issues
Model Answer:
Introduction:
- A citizens’ charter serves as a representation of an organization’s commitment to consistent, high-quality service delivery that is delivered on time, a grievance system, transparency, and accountability. A Citizens Charter would formalise the mutual trust that exists between service providers and their patrons.
- The Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances of the Government of India began the process of organising, establishing, and implementing Citizen’s Charters (DARPG).
Body:
- Giving residents more control over how public services are delivered is the major objective of the Citizens Charter.
The Importance of the Citizen’s Charter in the Governance of a Growing Nation Like India:
- to make the government responsible to the people and responsive.
- to ensure transparency.
- should take steps to improve customer service.
- to employ a stakeholder-based approach.
- to save time for both the public and the government.
Problems with the Citizens’ Charter’s implementation:
- the propensity for all offices inside of the parent company to use the same CC. However, not every Ministry or Department has adopted CC. This disregards local issues.
- Operations in silos: Usually lacking participatory techniques and not created through a process of collaboration with cutting-edge experts who will finally implement it.
- Non-Dynamic: Charters are one-time activities that are stuck in time because they are infrequently changed.
- Poor design and content, such as the absence of clear and pertinent CC and the exclusion of crucial information that would enable end users to hold agencies accountable.
- Public ignorance: Because there have been very little efforts to inform and educate the public about the standards of delivery promise, relatively few end users are aware of the commitments made in the CC.
- Among the stakeholders who are not consulted when CCs are drafted are end users, NGOs, and civil society organisations. Since a CC’s fundamental objective is to increase the focus of public service delivery on the needs of citizens, stakeholder consultation is essential.
- Because that quantifiable performance standards are rarely specified, it is difficult to verify whether the needed level of service has been provided.
- Poor adherence: Lack of desire on the part of the organisations in keeping its CC. because if an organisation fails, there is no framework in place to compensate citizens.
Moving ahead:
- Method of thorough consultation: CC will be created after careful internal discussion and a thoughtful discussion with civil society.
- Participatory strategy: Involve civil society to improve the Charter’s content, ensure its observance, and educate the public about the importance of this key document.
- Clear guarantees must be made: The CC must, whenever feasible, be clear and give residents and customers strong assurances on the standards of service delivery.
- Redressal procedure in the event of a default: Clearly outline the relief that the organisation must provide if it has failed to meet the standards for the service it had promised.
- As no two people are alike, CC formation should be a decentralised process with only the most fundamental guidelines coming from the head office.
- updating the CC on a regular basis, ideally through a third party.
- Fix specific responsibility in instances where there is a failure to follow the CC. Make officers accountable for outcomes.
Conclusion:
- The Citizen’s Charter has transformed the nature of charters from non-justiciable to justiciable and established penalty measures that will make it more effective and citizen-friendly in order to provide “minimum government and maximum governance.” One common model for providing services in citizen-centric governance is the Sevottam model for public service delivery proposed by the 2nd Administrative Reforms Commission.
Q2. Digital technologies will undoubtedly be necessary for any transition to a low-carbon future, notwithstanding their growing carbon footprint. Detail (250 words) (250 words)
Paper & Topic: GS III – Science and Technology
Model Answer:
Introduction:
- The fight against climate change and reducing CO2 emissions are two of the many benefits of the digital transformation. Yet, using, making, and moving data via digital devices emits more CO2 than one may think. These emissions are referred to as having a “digital CO2 footprint” or “digital carbon footprint.”
Body:
Background: The carbon impact of digital technologies is rising:
- Every online action we take has an impact on the environment. Every time we browse the Internet, use social media, or send an email, a tiny amount of carbon is released.
- Digital technologies increase annual energy consumption by 9% and contribute 4% of greenhouse gas emissions (GHG).
- The internet generates 1.6 billion tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions annually.
- By 2025, 20% of all electricity used worldwide will be used in the communications industry.
- The generation of e-waste is expected to rise by 8% annually and exceeded 50 million tonnes in 2019 alone.
New technologies to cut carbon emissions:
- In order to reduce global carbon emissions by up to 15%, or one-third of the 50% reduction required by 2030, solutions in the areas of energy, manufacturing, agriculture and land use, buildings, services, transportation, and traffic management might already leverage digital technologies.
- Rechargeable and self-driving automobiles, trucks, and other vehicles will fundamentally alter the field of play. Driverless cars will swiftly replace the outdated economic model of automobile ownership in favour of mobility and transportation as a service.
- As a result, fewer people will own cars and will instead order shared rides from driverless electric vehicles or use a driverless bus.
- Industry insiders assert that technologies like artificial intelligence could help increase the efficiency of electric transmission systems.
- Thanks to blockchain technology, concerned citizens may be able to track corporate carbon emissions.
- Satellites can be used to better monitor environmental changes, such as illegal mining, forestry, and rubbish dumping on land and at sea.
- The requirement for business travel and travelling to the office has already been reduced by work from home opportunities and online meetings. Emissions have greatly lowered.
- The next technologies are 5G, AI, IoT, and drones, which all rely on connectivity and open up new opportunities. With the right regulatory frameworks and strong climate leadership, these technologies will play a critical role in steering society towards a circular and lean economy that focuses on boosting service value while minimising waste and pollution.
Conclusion:
- Speed and scale are necessities that can only be satisfied by digital technology if we are to achieve the kind of severe reduction in emissions that we need to see within the next ten years. In order to reduce dangerous metal emissions, it is also vital to recycle and reuse the generated e-waste. When considered as a totality, this will call for nothing less than a global economic reorganisation and leadership on the subject of climate change from all levels of cities, nations, and companies.
