• Shubham Sharma

In a rapidly changing context where efficiency, effectiveness and competence of state institutions are being questioned, it is imperative for the state agencies to strive for improvement in performance. With the globalization of new techniques of administrative reforms, New Public Management and Good Governance agendas have been spread all over the world. John Major's introduction of the Citizen Charter (CC) in 1991 was intended to mark a revolution in the provision of public service delivery in the United Kingdom by promoting the objectives of responsive and accountable governance. Public Service Guarantee Act (PSGA) is regarded as a tool of good governance. The essence of PSGA was to empower citizens by mentioning their rights, privileges and duties; to make the administration less bureaucratic-dominated and more citizen-led. Hence the service delivery mechanism would be improved through the use of PSGA. It has attracted international attention as it has resulted in significant improvements in public service delivery in many countries. After the enactment of Jammu and Kashmir Public Service Guarantee Act, 2011, people have the right to know what services are available from a particular office, what formalities need to be completed, and what their timeframe is. Improving citizen’s access to such information and their participation in the governance processes would lead to greater accountability and transparency and there will be improvement in service delivery mechanism. This was the reason behind the establishment of Jammu and Kashmir Public Service Guarantee Act, 2011. The objective of this objective is to map whether this so called tool of good governance is successful in its intention. This paper defines the Charter programme and tries to evaluate its impact in terms of service delivery. Both primary and secondary sources of data were used to get comprehensive picture of the reality. The researcher contacted with different participants – DC Office officials and Citizens to gather information. Besides, officials’ records, documents and other secondary sources were utilized. Transparency in different procedures to get services through government will ensure the efficient delivery of services. But, even though the charter scheme is made mandatory in every public office, there is a danger that it remain as a paper-exercise only as this study revealed that the complaint mechanism is ineffective. Hence complaint mechanism should be made more effective. However, PSGA in DC Office, Jammu, seems to be very successful creating procedural clarity among the service seekers and helping in improvement in service delivery. From citizens perspective, this has been appreciated to a great extent which relieves them from traditional mode of functioning where information was hard to come by and there was no way of knowing in advance about formalities and other requirements in connection with receiving governmental services.

Jammu and Kashmir Public Service Guarantee Act, Public Service Delivery, Citizen Charter

"Implementation of “Jammu and Kashmir Public Service Guarantee Act, 2011”: A Case of Revenue Service delivery in office of Deputy Commissioner, Jammu", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.6, Issue 4, page no.343-372, April-2019, Available :http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR1904N50.pdf

"Implementation of “Jammu and Kashmir Public Service Guarantee Act, 2011”: A Case of Revenue Service delivery in office of Deputy Commissioner, Jammu", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org | UGC and issn Approved), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.6, Issue 4, page no. pp343-372, April-2019, Available at : http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR1904N50.pdf