1Asst. Professor of Political Science & Development Administration. Gandhigram Rural Institute-Deemed University. Gandhigram
2Full Time Research Scholar in the Dept. of Political Science & Development Administration. Gandhigram Rural Institute-Deemed University. Gandhigram
Online published on 20 June, 2019.
The future of public service delivery, particularly to the poor, has been an issue of contention in the developing countries, at the level of national and sub-national governments, international financial institutions, development organizations and social movements. The contention is so intense that, in recent years, we have seen major shifts in global policy paradigm for public service delivery, from state provision of the services, to market oriented reforms in 1990s, to introduction of ‘democratized governance’ in service delivery system during the current decade. In all these paradigms however, the quest has been towards improving efficiency and effectiveness in service delivery. The current paradigm of democratic governance in service delivery emphasizes on ‘decentralization’ and ‘participation’ of service users. To many citizens their local government is the most tangible form of government, it is also the layer of government with which they have most contact in their everyday life. This applies to the individual who has chosen a residence, but also applies to the entrepreneur who seeks a place of business. The power of local administration is that it represents ordinary citizens. People eat, drink, work, sleep and have neighbours in a village or a city. The garden, the balcony, the natural green environment round the house or apartment all tend to come under the direct influence of what local government is doing. The layout of the residential environment, the feelings that people have when they are home of contentment and safety are partly determined by ideas and decisions that emanate from municipal councils. In assessing the citizen's opinion of government, this proximity and the fact that it concerns very basic matters for citizens is critically important. Against this backdrop, attempt is made in this article to reiterate the importance of institutions of local governance and their functionaries in service delivery with particular reference to Drinking Water in Aalarmarathupatty Village Panchayat, Aathoor Block in Dindigul District Tamil Nadu.
