Total Quality Management and Local self government

Total Quality Management – a magic potion for achieving good governance in Local Self Governments in Kerala.

Biju S K*

1. Introduction

By adopting a ‘Big Bang’ approach to decentralization, Kerala is clearly the front- runner in India. Kerala pursued and adopted a wide range of reforms, including setting up a fiscal transfer system that assigned 20 percent of the state capital budget as the vertical share of local governments[1]. Derived from various legislative Acts, rules and bye laws, several efforts were taken by the government of Kerala and capacity building initiatives from KILA, good governance is still remain a gray area in Local governance system. In Dr. Satya Brata Sen Committee report on decentralization, one can find the highlighted need for good governance. RTI, ombudsmen, and the like are the amble evidence for the need of good practices in LSGIs. By observing the true spirit, Government of Kerala did a string of efforts. The priorities of 9^th and 10^th plan guidelines were relating to development sectors viz. agriculture and allied sectors, education, health and sanitation, development of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, etc[2]. But there have been a gradual shift towards good governance with the premise is that the effective performance of development sectors can be ensured only through improving governance. One of the priorities in the plan guideline for the 11^th five year plan (2007-2012) is good governance. The preparation of good governance plan is also made mandatory in the plan guideline.

Inefficiencies in service delivery has been identified as one of the issues of Local Self Government Institutions (LSGIs) in the 11^th Five Year Plan guideline, issues and challenges, states that based on the lessons learnt from the experience of the last two five year plans it is necessary to address the data need, quality of participation in gramasabha, best experts in preparation of plan documents and improving the quality of public services. The document clearly states that “as regards to the type of plan, the focus has to shift to bring about local economic development and improving the quality of services………………”[3]. The document on Kerala Local government Service Delivery Project of World Bank (KLGSDP) also says that financial control frame work lacks rigor and oversight. In its effort to cope with the increasing funds handled by the panchayts, the State of Kerala issued several regulations on the use of funds which have resulted in an overly complex system[4]. Report of the committee on evaluation of decentralized planning and development, Govt. of Kerala, also pointed out that the services delivery mechanism of LSGIS need significant improvement[5]. Now the challenge for the State now is to simplify, consolidate and institutionalize the various rule and operating procedures into a fully encompassing legal and institutional frame work, updating and modernizing many of the service delivery mechanism, archaic accounting and reporting system to support decision making and good local governance. In this juncture an efficient management tool is necessary to improve the service delivery of the local self governments and to clinch good governance. This is Cheruvannur-Nallalom Grama Panchayat (now this panchayat is a part of Calicut Municipal corporation) that displays unbelievable commitment to what a public institution is meant to be; speedy and satisfactory service delivery to people without delay or embarrassment by following the philosophy of Total Quality Management (TQM), the buzz tool in corporate sector.

2. Stages in initiating TQM

. The initiation process of TQM in the LSGIs needs to face the following different stages:

• Conceiving Stage: Homework based on the requisites of TQM and envisioning the concept are the pre-requisites.
• Convincing Stage: Convincing the major stake holders’ viz. the Panchayat President, Elected Representatives and Staff in person and in groups.
• Officialising Stage: Making appropriate decisions in the Panchayat Steering committee, Finance Standing Committee, and Panchayat Council to implement TQM.
• Implementing Stage: Staff meetings, training the staff (on Manual Office Procedure, Accounting, and Good Governance), responsibility mapping and formation of quality circles, benchmark fixation, and launching TQM.

3. Areas to be concentrated to attain the dream.

The implementation of TQM in the LSGIs should result in the following courses of action to improve the quality of service delivery.

• Citizen’s Charter: One of the mandatory documents to be published by the local governments is Citizen’s Charter (Pauravakasa Rekha), which is a promise of the LSGI to deliver services in a time bound manner with the modus operandi. Now the preparation of the Citizen’s Charter is for citizen’s charter sake, just to comply with the Govt order to do so. If the philosophy of TQM is initiated, the Charter can be prepared in an organic manner with the participation of the Staff and Elected Representatives. The document should be discussed in the Village Assembly (Grama Sabha). Copies of the Charter can be widely circulated and make available to all the transferred institutions of the LSGIs and the public at large with confidence. Apart from that, the abstract of the contents of the Charter can also be displayed in front of the LSGIs office on cine board.
• Display of Functional Map: A functional map of personnel, showing their designations and responsibilities should be prepared and displayed. The functional map preparation should be done through participatory process. This ensures the ownership of staff in the process and made them more responsible.
• Open File Movement Register: Opening of file movement register will helps to trace the current status of files, reasons for any delay, the responsible person for such delay, etc. This can reduce the evils of bureaucracy and red-tapism.
• Office Attendance Made Public: The office attendance should be made public through display board. Hence whoever approaches the LSGIs office will be able to know the details of attendance of the staff viz. present, leave, on other duty, etc. This avoids the practice of ‘absentee-attendance’.
• Establishment of Officials’ Identity: Name boards of administrative staff to the level of LD Clerks can be displayed on the table of the officer concerned. This is a process of establishing and recognising their identity in this way helped to make them better aware of their identity and their duties and responsibilities.
• Open a Service Counter: An active front office counter should be opened to ensure smooth service delivery. The officer at the counter receives the applications from the clients and issues acknowledgement receipt showing the appointed date of delivering the service.
• Fix Bench Marks: In order to improve service delivery, bench marks of various services should be fixed. This exercise must be done through participatory process. In the monthly meetings, the performance of each functionary is to be assessed to measure his/her actual attainment with reference to the benchmarks.
• Open Record Room: The records and files of many LSGIs are now keeping in a haphazard manner, resulting in difficulties in tracing the needed records. The first step to resolve this pathetic situation by sorting out all the records, open a separate record room, and systematically arranging and indexing them.
• Right To Information (RTI): Creating an environment for easy access to information by complying with Section-4 of the RTI Act that makes proactive disclosure mandatory is another important step initiated as part of TQM. Updating and widely disseminating Citizen’s Charter, display of functional maps, making public the office attendance, installing name boards, etc are examples of proactive disclosure. Record management, the pre-requisite for RTI, can ensure speedy disposal of RTI requests. The provisions of RTI can be discussed in the Grama Sabha meetings. The names of PIO, APIO, and Appellate Authority should be displayed in the LSGIs office.
• Office Arrangement: The office arrangements of different LSGIs are in such that the interface between the staff are curtailing and affecting smooth service delivery. The office should be rearranged in such a manner that to ensure the interface between the staff and also between the staff and clients.
• Accounts should keep up to Date: The updating of the accounts of the LSGIs is the herculean task, but the introduction of SAANKYA (accounting software going to use in Kerala) may solve the problem.
• Cleanliness: The office premises were dusty and unclean earlier. It is now cleaned and maintained well.
• Waiting Space for People: Waiting space and seating must be provided to visitors in the LSGIs office.
• Monthly Staff Meeting: Monthly meeting of the staff can be convened to review their performance.
• Meeting Calendar: The LSGIs should prepare a Meeting Calendar specifying the dates of monthly meetings of Steering Committee, Standing Committees, and LSGIs Council. As the meeting dates are pre-fixed, the members of these fora can keep the day free for the meeting.

4. The Ambience may Change, Quality superior

Through the introduction of TQM, the magic potion for good governance, an order can be maintained in the LSGI’s office. The realistic outcome are - budgets can be made realistic, updated accounts , record management is in place, diary system for staff is in practice, movement of files is recorded, and office appearance is improved. These steps would result in improving the morale of the staff, elected representatives, and the clients. The evils of bureaucracy and red-tapism can be brought down. The LSGIs will be able to ensure quality and timeliness in delivery of services. Objectivity is also assured in the delivery of services.

5. Towards Good Governance

The implementation of TQM in LSGIs can be envisaged as a stepping-stone to good governance. After this the LSGIs should think of improve further the TQM within the office and introduce it in the transferred institutions so that good governance can be ensured in toto. Also, computerization of the LSGIs and connecting transferred institutions through LAN are other major tasks in the future. . What is more important is the attitudinal change and willingness of the members and other functionaries towards TQM.

References

1. Financing of PRI in World Bank financed operation, March 31, 2008

2. Planning commission of India, 9^th, 10^th and 11^th plan document.

3. Project Implementation Manual (PIM) of KLGSDP

4. Total Quality Management in Local Governments: -Dr.J.B.Rajan

5. Report of the committee for the evaluation of decentralized planning and development

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[1] Financing of PRI in World Bank financed operation, March 31, 2008- Document of the World Bank p(iii)

[2] Planning commission of India, 9^th and 10^th plan document.

[3] Government of Kerala, 11^th plan guide line P 1

[4] Financing of PRI in World Bank financed operation, March 31, 2008- Document of the World Bank p(iii)

[5] MA Ooman committee March-2009