27.12.19

Good Governance Index

Tamil Nadu has come first in the ‘good governance index’ ranking of states released by the Union department of administrative reforms and grievances.

The state, which secured an overall score of 5.62 in the 10-sector index, was the top performer in creation of public infrastructure and delivery of justice and providing public security.

While TN stood second in healthcare and public welfare, it fared poorly in commerce and industry sector where it was placed 14th.

The index, which is a common tool to assess the status of governance and impact of various schemes implemented by state governments and Union territory authorities, rates performance in agriculture and allied sectors, commerce and industries, human resource development, public health, public infrastructure and utilities, economic governance, social welfare and development, judiciary and public security, environment, and citizen-centric governance.

The states and Union territories have been divided into three groups — big states, northeast and hill states, and union territories — for the rankings.

“Tamil Nadu’s strong infrastructure and maintenance of law and order helped it secure the top position,” said a senior official of the department of administrative reforms and grievances.

A strong bureaucracy has been a pillar of strength for the state, said the official.

Availability of round-the-clock power, connectivity to rural habitations, access to potable water and growth in power consumption have catapulted Tamil Nadu to the top position in public infrastructure. Better conviction rate, availability of police personnel and speedy disposal of cases by courts and consumer courts have helped it perform well in judiciary and public security category.

Despite being a manufacturing state, Tamil Nadu’s rank in commerce and industries was 14.

In the public health sector ranking,Kerala is at the top position followed by Tamil Nadu and Goa among the big states.

The state has been ranked first in the public infrastructure and utilities sector, followed by Gujarat and Punjab among the big states. Under the economic governance sector, Karnataka has got the first position followed by Maharashtra, Telangana, Gujarat and Tamil Nadu.

Tamil Nadu has received not less than 100 awards. It is a big achievement as many big states like Maharashtra are behind us.

The Union territory of Puducherry has topped the list of seven UTs in the country in the good governance index.

Puducherry scored 4.69 points in GGI, followed by Chandigarh (4.68), Delhi (4.39), Daman & Diu (4.33) and Andaman & Nicobar Islands (4.12). Lakshadweep (2.97) fared poorly and was placed at the bottom of the table. Dadra & Nagar Haveli scored 3.12 points.

The department evolved a uniform tool, GGI, to assess the status of governance and impact of various initiatives taken up by state governments and UTs. The index was based on the performance of the states and UTs in 10 broad sectors.

Puducherry finished first in four areas – human resource development, public health, judiciary and public security and environment. It came second in agriculture and allied sectors, third in public infrastructure and utilities and fourth in commerce and industries and economic governance and fifth in social welfare and development.

The index aims to furnish quantifiable data to compare the state of governance in the states and UTs and enable them to formulate and execute plans to improve governance. It also aims to encourage states and UTs to shift to result oriented approaches and administrative practices.

The ranking in agriculture and allied sectors was based on the growth rate of food grain production, horticulture produce, milk production, meat production and crop insurance, while ranking in commerce and industries was mainly based on ease of doing business. The human resource development ranking focused on quality of education, gender parity and retention rate at elementary level (grade one to eight).

Ranking in the public health sector was done primarily based on infant mortality and maternal mortality rates, while public infrastructure and utility ranking was done based on supply of potable water and growth in per capita power consumption.

Lieutenant governor Kiran Bedi, expressing happiness over Puducherry emerging as the best governed UT, thanked all who contributed to it. “But, we have a long way to go. We know the areas demanding attention,” she said.

The department grouped the states into three categories — big states, northeast and hill states and Union territories

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