Implemenation of new public management: A critical perspective from India

In the post-Wilson and post-Weberian phase of public administration, New Public Management emerged as the new paradigm in the field of public administration with three major characteristics like efficiency, economy and effectiveness. As it focused on entrepreneurial government in the era of liberalization, privatization and globalization (LPG), India does not need more government; India needs better government and more precisely India needs better governance.1 This paper analyses the extent to which developing country like India has taken up new public management (NPM) reforms and the causes of non-implementation in the whole scale. It also assesses the problem of corruption from the side of political executives and low administrative effectiveness of the bureaucrats. In this context pruning of bureaucracy, reducing the functional burden of bureaucrats, speedy delivery of service, result orientation and accountability soon become buzz words. Finally the government of India can learn the experiences of other countries who have successfully implemented New Public Management in their local level.