1.12 Public Service Charter
1.12 Functional Scope of Public Services 🏛️📋
🏛️ Public Service
Definition: Activities and services provided by the government and its delegated bodies for the fulfillment of the needs that the society requires is collectively known as public service.
Historical Context:
In the 1980s, campaigns for making public service effective, public-oriented, efficient, and responsive began.
British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher developed the Next Step Agency in 1982 for efficient, effective, responsive, and citizen-centric public service delivery in the UK.
British Prime Minister John Major implemented the Citizen Charter in 1991 in the UK.
In the early 2000s, the concept of New Public Service (NPS) came into the limelight, embracing principles of new public management and good governance.
Nepal's Context:
The concept of Citizen Charter came into practice in 2056 B.S. and was legally provisioned in the Good Governance Act, 2064.
The concept of Mobile Public Service evolved in 2060 B.S..
After the People's Movement of 2062/63, citizen-centric, responsive, transparent, accountable, and inclusive public service delivery gained importance.
📘 Nepal National Governance Survey (NNGS 2017/18)
Defines public services in the total cycle of 'design and delivery' of public commitments through public provisioning.
Argues that people judge the quality of governance through the quality of services they receive from the public sector.
Uses the general definition of public service as:
"Service provided by the government to people either directly or through any other provision."
Considers public service as an entitlement of citizens and uses the following as bases for measuring citizen experience and perception:
Accessibility
Efficiency/Cost
Behavior of service providers
Citizen's level of awareness towards rights and entitlements
Capacity of providers
🎯 Government's Role in Public Service Delivery
The government delivers public service to play the following roles:
Regulation
Distribution
Redistribution
Facilitation
🌟 Significance of These Roles:
Establishing a cozy relation between government and people.
Ensuring & promoting public trust.
Promoting public ownership and participation in the governance system.
Maintaining social justice and social security.
📜 Characteristics of Public Service
Provided by government and its delegated bodies.
Obligation of the State.
Non-profit oriented.
Civil rights of people, associated with human rights.
Impartiality and equity in service delivery.
Service provided as per law.
Equal access to all.
🗂️ Types of Public Service
Mandatory
Maintaining law & order
Police services
Emergency
Rescue from natural disaster, epidemic, pandemic, etc.
Disaster relief, ambulance
Promotional
Promote public welfare
Education, health, training, employment
Infrastructure-based
Basic infrastructure services
Drinking water, electricity, irrigation, roads, communication
Business Services
Finance, banking & insurance
Banking, insurance, credit services
Welfare Service
Service for weak & marginalized communities
Free health service, allowances for elderly & differently-abled
Regulatory
Implementing laws, rules, and regulations
Licensing, compliance monitoring
⚖️ Principles of Service Delivery
Sovereignty: People/citizens are the sovereign power; the government is just an agent to serve them.
Principles of Subsidiary: Services should be provided by agencies as close to the people as possible.
Demand-led Service Delivery: Service delivery should be as per the demand & expectation of the general public.
Non-discrimination in Public Services: Public service should be equally available and accessible to all.
👥 Role of People in Public Service Delivery
Being aware about service delivery.
Developing the trend to receive public service as the right of people — Right-Based Approach.
Choosing the best of the best service alternatives.
Discouraging irregularities and corruption in public service.
Monitoring, evaluation, and feedback of service delivery.
🇳🇵 Public Service Delivery in Nepal
📜 Legal & Institutional Framework:
Constitution of Nepal (Article 51):
Guarantees good governance by ensuring equal and easy access to state services.
Mandates clean, competent, impartial, transparent, accountable, and participatory public administration.
Civil Service Act, 2049:
Pledges to make civil service competent, progressive, service-oriented, and participatory.
Good Governance Act, 2064:
Provides legal provisions for ensuring good governance and effective, efficient delivery of services.
Other Key Acts:
Local Government Operation Act, 2074
Nepal Police Act, 2012
Local Administration Act, 2028
🏢 Responsible Bodies:
Various ministries
Secretariat of National Planning Commission
Local bodies
Public enterprises
NGOs
Community-based organizations
Private sectors
🔧 Mechanisms for Better Service Delivery:
Citizen Charter
Mobile Services
Public Hearing
Social Audit
Integrated Service Centre
Grievance Redressal Mechanisms
📋 Service Campaign Operation Directive, 2065:
Implemented to ensure public satisfaction by providing public service in an efficient, accountable, and transparent manner.
🌍 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs):
SDG Goal 17 exclusively sets a target to improve public service delivery and measure it based on citizen satisfaction.
🔄 Shift to Federal Structure:
The government is firm in its commitment to improving accessibility and quality of public service. Key efforts include:
Shift from a unitary to federal structure.
Holding local governments more accountable in delivering vital public services.
⚙️ Factors to Consider in Public Service Delivery
Identification of service need/service mapping (based on geography, class of people).
Prioritization of services (e.g., fire control, ambulance, rescue, epidemic control).
Standards of service delivery (fees, legal processes).
Allocation of responsibility.
Provision of resources.
Developing institutional capacity.
Public participation.
Inter-agency coordination.
Provision of grievance handling and public hearing mechanisms.
📚 Legal Basis for Service Delivery in Nepal
Directive Principles, Policies, and Obligations of the State
Job Allocation Rule of the Government of Nepal & Provincial Governments
Local Government Operation Act, 2074
Good Governance Act, 2064
Right to Information Act, 2064, and Rules 2065
Periodic Plan, Annual Budget, Policies, and Programs
Service Campaign Operation Directive, 2065
Civil Service Act, 2049, Civil Service Rules, 2050, etc.