The five-day Second
Specialised International Conference of the International Institute
of Administrative Sciences (IIAS) being held here from November
5 to 9, 2002 has a special focus on key issues to enable government
functioning in a transparent, efficient, accountable and honest
manner. During the Conference, over 300 administrators from more
than 50 countries are participating in the sub-groups’ discussions
on several papers to emphasize the empowerment and autonomy of
the bureaucracy as core concerns of the State, notably in its
technical role of participation with politicians and society and
in formulating and implementing public policies. Papers also suggest
that departments/ministries that draw up policies are separated
from those that implement these policies, adoption of the cumulative
controls on agencies, direct social control through transparent
information and participation in advisory boards.
The case studies
on ‘Sustainable Development’ lay stress on stakeholder, community
and public participation in development projects. Governments
require more credibility than other participants in sustainable
development strategies. Netherlands Study recommends lesser rules,
which lead to more standards. The Chinese papers on reforms focus
on the core changes in political ideas concerning Chinese civil
servants and on the effects brought about by new political ideas
relative to political powers. After China carrying out market
economy, the allocation of economic resources has been transferred
gradually from the control of political administrative power to
the control of the market. Thus the political concepts of civil
servant will change according to the objective situation. Civil
service changes provide a basis to improve public sector performance.
In Italy it means flexible norms and a review of the classic bureaucracy
model to motivate4 civil servants to be proactive and productive.
In China and in African countries, the changes seek to introduce
new public sector rationality, combining the legal-instrumental
rationality with the citizen-oriented directive.
At the inaugural
session, the Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances
and Pensions Smt. Vasundhara Raje has called upon the Administrators
to change their mindset and cultivate necessary skills, patience
and tacts required for dealing with the voices of democracy in
the new era of governance. Stressing the utmost need of transparency
in government functioning, Smt Raje asked the administrators to
break down the barriers, create new procedures and adopt transparent
system of functioning so that the people feel that their governments
exist not to serve themselves but to serve the people. Acknowledging
the need to reduce government presence as direct player, Smt.
Raje said that the government from now onwards would be a facilitator,
a coordinator, an arbitrator and regulator to ensure a level playing
field for everybody. Administrators have to develop appropriate
skills to establish the new regulatory systems and operate them.
Smt. Raje urged the Civil Servants to assert the traditional civil
service values of neutrality, integrity, objectivity and professionalism,
which, she said, is the only way that they can function effectively,
and at the same time, not be buffeted around by the political
winds of change.
She hoped that the
Conference would make suggestions on the capacity enhancement
needs of civil service to tackle the new challenges and on the
code of ethics that has to be developed for the civil services.
