This collection looks at processes of change and reform in public service delivery in a range of states and sectors, and over time spans. The first three essays examine reforms that have improved prospects for economic growth and poverty alleviation in Bihar; improved the functioning of public sector enterprises and the power sector, and initiated improvements in education in West Bengal; and the efficient delivery of economic services in Gujarat in order to pursue a high-growth agenda. The next two essays focus on regulation in infrastructure as well as the delivery of urban services. The question of balancing greater autonomy with accountability to improve public service delivery through the use of executive agencies is also analysed. The final essay discusses how India might absorb lessons for the effective implementation of the Right to Information Act (2005) from countries such as Mexico, South Africa, and Canada. The volume shows how reform is an ongoing process that depends critically on contextual factors. These include the history of reform ideas, the capacity of the state to execute reform, and the nature of the state itself and its relationships with key actors, such as the private sector and unions.

Public sector reform has moved on apace since the first of the Commonwealth Public Service Country Profile Series was launched in 1995 when the principles of New Public Management (NPM) were in an early stage of adoption. Since then, the various civil services described in the series have undergone radical change in scope, organization and approach rendering a revision timely. Now up dated and completely revised, these re-issued Country Profiles continue to be an accessible and valuable source of reference which attempt to both describe and analyze the often tumultuous and controversial public sector reforms which have taken place in contributing countries since 1995. Practicing bureaucrats, diplomats, political and academic audiences will find these new books invaluable in benchmarking best practice in public sector reform across Commonwealth member countries.

This book is about public administration in India, which is often synonymous with the role and performance of the Indian Administrative Service (IAS). The author stresses the indispensability of the civil service in a democratic polity like India and the decisive role it plays in assisting with the social and economic development of the country. He also examines the corruption in the bureaucracy and the question of ethics and morality and analyses elaborate and competitive recruitment process of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) of India.

Traces the history of public administration in india from ancient to contemporary times.Written in an easy and direct style, the book meets the needs of both the layperson and student. Aaalso a handy guide for aspirants entrants to the civil services.

This volume focuses on sucessful cases of innovative change in public service delivery and offers comment on initatives to continue change and further develop best practice.

This pioneering independent effort to assess the state of India's public services from a user's perspective brings together the responses of citizens from 37,000 rural and urban households on the delivery, quality, and responsiveness of public services. While the state's monitoring of service delivery seldom goes beyond tracking public expenditure and physical outputs, this study fills that gap and provides unique benchmarks with respect to five basic services: drinking water, primary health care, primary education, public distribution of food, and public transportation across the major states.

This book presents the first comprehensive review of all major government-supported health insurance schemes in India and their potential for contributing to the achievement of universal coverage in India are discussed.

The book presents an updated analysis of the public administrative system existing in India, covering different administrative structures as well as functions at the Central, State, district and local levels of our country. NEW TO THE SECOND EDITION • A thorough discussion on the structure of the civil services • Functions and roles of the— President, Prime Minister, Council of Ministers, Finance, Home and External Affairs Ministries, and Central Secretariat • Roles of the State administration with special emphasis on the—Governor, Chief Minister, Chief Secretary, State Secretariat, and District Collector • Thorough analysis of the local self governments at the rural and urban areas of India • Women's participation in the rural local self government. • Explain financial administration, welfare administration, citizens and administration, and major Indian committees and commissions • Discusses issues such as Personnel Administration, Administration of Law and Order, Information Technology, Human Rights, Globalisation and Civil Society, etc. • Detailed analyses of Kolkata Municipal Corporation, Changing Nature of Planning—NITI Aayog, MGNREGA, Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), NRHM, Gender and Administration • A new chapter on 'Some Recent Developments in the Concept of Administration' (Chapter 16). TARGET AUDIENCE Ø B.A. Political Science Ø M.A. Political Science Ø Civil Services Aspirants

The Palgrave Handbook of the Public Servant examines what it means to be a public servant in today’s world(s) where globalisation and neoliberalism have proliferated the number of actors who contribute to the public purpose sector and created new spaces that public servants now operate in. It considers how different scholarly approaches can contribute to a better understanding of the identities, motivations, values, roles, skills, positions and futures for the public servant, and how scholarly knowledge can be informed by and translated into value for practice. The book combines academic contributions with those from practitioners so that key lessons may be synthesised and translated into the context of the public servant.