The Administrative Reforms Commission (ARC) was created by the Indian Government and first led by Shri Morarji R. Desai. Established on January 5, 1966, it aimed to improve the administrative system in India during Nehru’s time. The commission provided management advice and helped implement policy reforms. Its main task was to review Indian public administration and suggest necessary changes. Other members included K. Hanumanthaiya, H.C. Mathur, G.S. Pathak, H.V. Kamath, and V. Shanker, who served as the member secretary.
Administrative Reforms Commission History
The administration is a body that controls how well residents’ needs are met in the provision of services. To achieving the socioeconomic development of the nation, the administrative structure is crucial. The administration system is a dynamic process that necessitates ongoing modifications to address deficiencies in current systems and keep up with new advancements. The goal of administrative reform is to establish and implement the modifications that are required for a government’s administrative units to successfully carry out public policy.
The transition from colonial rule and British law to democracy and the Republic of India represents the country’s first administrative reform. Since independence, numerous commissions have been established to recommend changes to the administrative system.
Administrative Reforms Commission Major Committees
Many commissions and committees were established such as:
Gopal Swami Ayyangar Committee (1949): The Gopalaswamy Ayyangar promoted the creation of agencies, including the bureau of trade and industry.
Gorwala Committee (1951): This committee was established to supervise the creation of the administrative framework and the implementation of national reforms.
Paul H. Appleby Committee (1953): This panel recommended the establishment of a “organisation and management division” to enhance the nation’s administrative practises and procedures after conducting a survey.
Administrative Reforms Commission (1966-70): The purpose of this commission is to examine India’s administrative system and provide important suggestions, such as the creation of the Lokpal and Lokayukta.
Administrative Reform Commission Importance
The major goal of Administrative Reforms Commission in India is to increase administrative capability in the new environment, which is a clear response to the new issues facing the state association handling public affairs. The focus needs to be on mechanisms for external responsibility such social audits, resident alliances, and educating public workers on the result method because they answer to political leaders.
First Administrative Reform Commission
To implement fundamental reforms in India’s governmental administration, the first ARC (1966) was established. This Commission produced 20 reports on administrative reforms in India and made 537 suggestions. The primary topics that were addressed in the first ARC’s report were:
Financial, personnel, district, agricultural, and economic administration;
Centre-State Relations;
Government Machinery Procedures
Every administrative level has a planning system.
Service and Central Government job recruitment and training.
Issues with the redress of citizen complaints
The requirement for government administration specialization.
Before disbanding in the middle of the 1970s, the Commission delivered 20 reports. The initial ARC for Administrative Reforms in India’s recommendations are:
Suggestions on center-state relations
Transferring the Ministry of Law’s high court judge appointment process
The interstate council will determine the parameters for the governor’s latitude.
Encourage the creation of a Central Direct Taxes Administration to handle issues connected to the imposition and collection of direct taxes.
Planning equipment (Final).
Posts and telegraphs;
The small-scale sector.
Reserve Bank of India;
Life Insurance Administration.
Public Sector Organisations;
Finance, Accounts, and Audit;
Scientific Divisions
Second Administrative Reforms in India
The second ARC, which was held in 2005, sought to better public administration. The Personnel and Administrative Reforms Department of the Government of India was promoted as a result of the submission of 15 reports and 1500 recommendations. The mandate topics addressed and prioritised in this ARC’s report were:
Strengthening the infrastructure for financial management;
Effective administration at the State and District levels.
Disaster management, e-government promotion, ensuring ethical behaviour in public service, and Indian government regulatory framework planning.
These were the second Administrative Reforms Commission’s most important proposals:
Introduce crisis management;
emphasize how the right to information is a crucial component of good governance;
emphasize human capital management
Promotion of citizen-centric administration;
Improvements to the administration of personnel;
Recommendations for maintaining public order.
Reducing Terrorism
Strengthening Financial Management Systems.
Promoting e-Governance….
Mandate of Second ARC
The ARC worked to reform India’s then-existing public administration system. It also made various proposals for such reform and development. [3]The Second ARC was tasked with recommending methods to achieve a trustworthy, strong, competent, and innovative administration at all branches of government throughout India. The commission was given specific tasks to complete. They were as follows:
- To develop a better financial management system.
- To modernize personnel management.
- Measures to ensure a strong state and local self-government.
- To manage the Natural Disasters.
- To support E-Government.
- Administration with good morals.
- To enhance Indian government’s regulatory system.
Recommendations of Second ARC
The second ARC produced 15 reports and provided suggestions depending on the topics they were allocated to look into. On the reports it produced, the commission offered about 1500 recommendations. The majority of the suggestions were aimed at state governments (SGs). The commission proposed that district administrations serve a double role: one of those as a executive and secretariatin in Councils of Districts, and another as an agency to the SGs. The suggestions are divided into two categories.
One is the administrative modifications that must be made, as well as the processing and techniques that must be applied. The other is the work that needs to be done by the Indian government in order to resolve the issues. Strong political will and proper guidance are required to execute the Commission’s recommendations and overhaul the public administrative system.
First Report
This is on right to information which covered 21 themes and included 21 recommendations. The discussed issues were governmental privilege in evidence, the oath of secrecy, exempted organisations, Official Secrets Act, The Manual of Office Procedure, The Central Civil Services Rules, and so on. It was suggested that the Official Secrets Act be repealed.
Second Report
This is on human capital unlocking which identified 36 subjects, including monitoring mechanisms, transparency, the Right to Information Act, with the use of information technology in many industries, among others.
Third Report
This is on risk management which made recommendations on 40 areas, including pandemics and the breakdown of key services, among others.
Fourth Report
This is on governance ethics which advised that specific problems be addressed, including the media’s role, the implementation of the False Claims Act, the enhancement of investigation and trial, and so on.
Fifth Report
This is on public order which addresses issues such as the Secretary of State and the police, the division of investigation from other bodies, and police establishment committees, among others.
Sixth Report
This is on local governance which looks at how local governments may be reorganized and run more efficiently.
Seventh Report
This is on conflict resolution which capacity building addresses concerns coming from SCs, STs, and other groups.
Eighth Report
The government has yet to deliberate on and examine this report which is on counter-terrorism.
Ninth Report
This focuses on social capital in order to get a new legislative framework for charities and other non-profit organizations.
The government has still yet to make a decision on the forthcoming report on personnel administration. Other reports, meanwhile, focus on making recommendations to reorganise and improve the country’s efficiency.
Implementation of Second ARC
Government reform is an ongoing concept in which the government strives to improve the effectiveness and working procedures of its departments. Several plans have been put in place to carry out the proposals of the ARC reports. [4]All prior reports have been evaluated by the government, with the exception of the eighth report which is Combating Terrorism. Eleven hundred and eighty-three of the fifteen hundred and fourteen suggestions made in the 14 reports were approved. Only 228 people were turned down.
Other discussions were assigned 21 recommendations for evaluation. Those proposals that were approved have been forwarded to the appropriate agencies and ministries for implementation. Many projects, such as E-Governance, Digital India, and Swacch Bharat Abhiyan, have been adopted to help the country flourish.
Impact of Second ARC
The Commission was founded with the goal of making suggestions that would help the government function more efficiently and effectively. Both commissions proposed a new approach based on the reports wherein they proposed reformative measures that were divided into two categories. Those proposals either advised amending, repealing, or amending some legislation, or changing the government’s structure or method.
The government responded positively to these recommendations by implementing them through various initiatives and regulations. The influence of its execution may be seen in the nation in terms of how big of a difference it has made. Although not all of these recommendations have been implemented, there has been a noticeable change in the govt’s working procedure and framework. The government should put the proposals into action that will benefit it.