Total Quality Management: Contextualised Innovation in Service delivery of Local Government Institutions
Total Quality Management:
Contextualised Innovation in Service
delivery of Local Government Institutions
Abstract
The central and state governments were made a heap of efforts for good
governance and to improve the quality of service delivery to citizen in
particular. The modernization of Governance Programme (MGP), Right to
Information Act, Citizen Charter, Right to Service bill, Social Audit, the
proposed Right to Grievance Redressal Bill etc are some among them. But the
efforts for effective service delivery are not yet fruitful because of a myriad
of reasons. It is the duty of each and every government to create a flawless
service delivery mechanism to provide services to citizen with maximum
satisfaction. TQM is an innovative tool to achieve good governance through
better service delivery in LSGIs if contextualized properly. The effort made in
Cheruvannur- Nallalam GP underlines the fact, through the successful
implementation of this management tool, airing the suitability. The GoI in her
12th Five Year Plan Guideline, suggest TQM for better service
delivery. If
we can apply the TQM elements like Citizen focus, Top management commitment, Involvement of Officials and
people, Process approach, Systems approach to management, Continuous
improvement, Fact-based
decision making, and Mutually
beneficial transferred institution relationship, the LSGIs can achieve good
governance without much sprain.
Key words: Local Self
Government Institutions, Total Quality Management, Quality Circles, Citizen
Charter, Continuous improvement.
1. Problem definition:
Democracy
has meaning and relevance only if citizens are empowered to understand the
systems of governance analyze them and
challenge them and make them instruments of their development. There is no
dearth of innovative ideas at the level of Central Government for empowering
the citizens in relation to public service
delivery. Total Quality Management (TQM) is a suggestive, intelligently
conceived, participatively implemented and sustainably continued quality service
delivery tool, is an excellent tool for the empowerment of citizens, Equity, inclusiveness,
Rational,
Efficiency, Effectiveness,
Transparency, Accountability, Responsiveness,
Grievance
redressal, People centeredness and a potent
instrument for good governance. Excellent practices in good governance are
exchanged rapidly at global level and adapted innovatively and translated into
central government plan guidelines. But the central policies fail in
consummation if implementation at local levels is tardy.
2. Significance of the study:
. The priorities of 9th
and 10th plan guidelines were relating to development sectors viz.
agriculture and allied sectors, education, health and sanitation, development
of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, etc (Government of Kerala, 1997 &
2002). 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 11th
five year plan (2007-2012) is good governance (Government of Kerala, 2007). The preparation of good governance plan is
also made mandatory in the plan guideline.
The 12th plan guideline of
central government suggests TQM as a tool for improving service delivery of Local
Self Government Institutions (LSGIs) in India (Government of India, 2012).
Implementation innovativeness is crucial for implementation viability. This
deserves equal significance as innovations
in policy framing. Just as good practices at macro level are globally adapted,
good practices at local level can be gainfully picked up at global level
and then locally contextualized. The importance of micro dynamics can be
ignored only at the peril of jeopardizing citizen centeredness of governance
and their holistic development through rightfully accessing government
services. The experience of Cheruvannoor- nallalam[1]
Grama Panchayat (GP) in Kerala, implemented TQM for her effective service
delivery, the buzz word in corporate sector. This effort was appreciated by
several agencies like, centre for good governance, Hydrabad, KILA, UNICEF and
Ministry of Panchayati Raj Government of India (Rajan,J B, 2009). Thus, the confusion in connection with
the applicability of the TQM, as a tool for improving the service delivery
mechanism of LSGIs gone to vacuum. Hence an analysis about the activities of
the GP to convert the dream into reality is a germane spot to think.
3. Background:
The
concept of TQM was first introduced in manufacturing sector. Then it becomes an effective
quality guaranteer in service sector and government sector. As a local
government the LSGIs should ensure quality in service delivery to citizen.
During the 10th Five Year Plan period the Government of Kerala (GoK)stated
that government and its departments should provide services to citizens having
some quality based on the principles like Equity,
inclusiveness,
Rational, Efficiency, Effectiveness, Transparency, Accountability, Responsiveness, Grievance
redressal, and People centredness
(G.O (P) No 260/2004/GAD dated 20/9/2004). The
Prime Minister approved the outline of a “Performance Monitoring and Evaluation
System (PMES) for government departments” vide PMO I.D. No.
1331721/PMO/2009-PoIdated 11.09.2009. Under PMES, each department is required
to prepare a Result - Framework Document (RFD). A RFD provides a summary f the
most important results that the department expects to achieve during the
financial year (Government of Karnataka, 2010). Through TQM it is intended to
empower the LSGIs to provide services with these principles and requirements.
4.
Elements of TQM for better service delivery.
For
better service delivery the LSGIs should create an environment which suits for
TQM. To convert the existing grass root government to citizen friendly
government following the principles of quality governance the following TQM
elements should be implemented.
1.
Citizen
focus. As the cutting edge level government, the LSGIs should provide services
with the expectation of citizens and therefore, should understand current and future citizen needs, should meet citizen
requirements, and strive to exceed citizen
expectations.
2.
Top
management commitment. Top Management establishes unity of purpose and gives
direction to the panchayat’s activities. Their responsibility is to create an internal environment that
can facilitate achievement of the panchayat’s
objectives.
3.
Involvement
of Officials and people: This principle stresses that officials at all levels
are the essence of a panchayat and they should be involved for the panchayat’s
benefits.
4.
Process
approach. A desired result is achieved more efficiently when activities and
related resources are managed as a process.
5.
Systems
approach to management. Identifying, understanding, and managing interrelated
processes as a system contributes to the panchayat’s effectiveness and
efficiency.
6.
Continuous
improvement. A permanent objective of the panchayat should be continuous improvement
of its performance.
7.
Fact-based
decision making. Useful decisions are based on the analysis of data and information.
8.
Mutually
beneficial transferred institution relationship. An panchayat and its transferred
institutions are interdependent and a mutually beneficial relationship enhances the
ability of both to create value
5.
Areas of concentration
The High Power Committee
(HPC) on Government Performance chaired by the Cabinet Secretary decided that
all RFDs should include citizen charter for bench marking, a quality management
system for proper planning and implementation and Grievance Redress Mechanism
for grievance handling (Government of Karnataka, 2010). These orders and
initiatives are not properly functioning because of the absence of human
factor. The implementation of TQM in the LSGIs should result in the following
courses of action through organic process to improve the quality of service
delivery.
- Citizen’s Charter: One of the mandatory
documents to be published by the local government 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 Government 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.
The Karakulam GP and Nellanadu GP in Trivandurm District ( Suhrthkumar K,
2006 ) and the Cheruvannur - Nallalam GP in Kozhikode District were made a
good effort by following a participative approach in this regard ( Rajan J B, 2009).
- 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.
- Display of Office Attendance: 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’. The public can avoid the in the
offing for officials in front of LSGIs office.
- 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. The present front office counter fails to give services in
time because of the absence of involvement of officials. If TQM is
implemented the Quality Circle[2]
handle this situation smoothly by involving all officials through
teamwork.
- 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. This bench
marks should be the base for citizen charter and try to reduce the service
delivery time period and ensure satisfaction of citizen.
- Computerization of Records: 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. Computerize the records, which will help in easy search and
avoid the loss and deterioration of records. It also helps e-governance
and virtual office set up and citizen can receive many of the services and
certificates online. SOOCHIKA[3],
is a file tracking system that can be effectively used by the LSGIs for
better tracing of files and records.
- Right To Information
(RTI): Creating an environment for easy access to information by
complying with Section-4 of the RTI Act 2005 that makes proactive
disclosure mandatory is another important step that can be 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. Now it is arranged by
opening a small hole like the ticket counter of a cinema theatre, or a
part of ventilation opened for receiving applications to avoid the entry
of citizen into the office. The face to face communication; doubt
clearance, enquiry etc are not possible through this front office. The
ambiance should be changed; the front office must be friendly office.
- Accounts should keep up to
Date:
The updating of the accounts of the LSGIs is the herculean task, but the introduction
of SAANKYA[4]
may solve the problem.
- Status of Arrangements for the
public and Cleanliness: Many of the office premises of GPs are dusty and
unclean. The notice board looks like dumping yard of papers. The
writing desk for public may be under the custody of middlemen who is
filling application for the visitors of GP or filled with gum and wax. The
chairs may be scattered, the drinking water pots are empty, pen with our
ink, gum bottle with our gum etc are the present arrangement for the
public. If TQM is implemented it is not a force but the involvement of GP
officials in each and every decision making process create a feeling of be
the owner of the activities and be proud of providing good service to
citizen.
- Waiting Space for People: Waiting space and
seating must be provided to visitors in the LSGIs office. It should be
keep in clean, safety and good drinking water should be available at any
time, pen and other stationery should be in usable form. The writing desk
should be clean and available to public.
- Monthly Staff Meeting: Monthly meeting of the
staff can be convened to review their performance. Here the working of QC,
neatness of office, status of facilities arranged for public, facilities
arranged for staff and elected representatives should also be reviewed.
- Meeting and Training Calendar: The LSGIs should prepare
a Meeting Calendar specifying the dates of monthly meetings of Steering Committee,
Standing Committees, and LSGIs Council and the date, time and subjects of
training. As the meeting dates are pre-fixed, the members of these
floras can keep the day free for the meeting. As the training times are
pre-fixed, the officials can complete the work in advance.
- Quality Circle: The quality circle should be
formed, which will make arrangement for training, monitor the status of
each and every job, make arrangements for completion of pending jobs,
create unity and positive attitude in the LSGIs office, review and repot
the status of arrangements made to the public etc. The QC should meet once
in a week, and the tenure of convener can be fixed for two/three months.
It will create a positive competition to do the work completely and effectively
during the tenure of each convener. Proper recognition should be given to
convener and officials for their better performance. The meeting of
finance standing committee[5]
should give specific time to the convener to present the report of QC and
also fix responsibility of standing committee members to assist the QC.
6.
Conclusion
As per Government Order (P) No. 189/95, LSGD dated
16/09/1995, the Government of Kerala (GoK) transferred 13 institutions to the
Panchayats along with their movable and immovable properties and staff. The
heads of many of these institutions are
professionals like medical doctors, veterinary doctors and Agricultural degree
holders. These government officers heading these offices have as their Departmental
bosses at District level and State level. They draw their salary from these
Departments and will have to report to their departmental bosses regarding
technical matters. In Kerala, about 25-30% of Plan Funds of the State are
transferred to the Panchayats and the planning for this amount can be done by
the Panchayats along with the help of the officials of the transferred
departments. Besides this the officers have to implement Departmental schemes
as well as the schemes of the centrally
sponsored schemes (of Central Government). Often the officers experience the
dual control dilemma – control by Panchayats and by the
Department. The administrative control is with the Panchayats and the technical
control is with the Departments. So many orders and directions are given by the
GoI and GoK for the betterment of governance. If we can apply the TQM elements
like Citizen focus, Top management commitment, Involvement of Officials and
people, Process approach, Systems approach to management, Continuous
improvement, Fact-based
decision making, and Mutually
beneficial transferred institution relationship the LSGIs can achieve good
governance without much sprain. The efforts made in Cheruvannur-Nallalam GP for
TQM assure the suitability of the corporate tool in local governance. The 12th
five year plan guide line also suggests this tool for better service delivery.
So we can say that TQM is an innovative tool if contextualized to suit the
needs and aspirations of local governance to deliver effective service.
References
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Barrie G. Dale, 2007: Managing
Quality, Quality and Reliability Engineering International.
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John Pulparampil, 1999: Managing quality
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Dr. Rajan J B,
2009: Total Quality Management in Local Governments, Kerala Calling,
Trivandrum.
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1994: A Framework for Quality Management Research and an Associated Measurement Instrument. Journal
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5.
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6.
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of India , 2012: Planning commission of India, 12th
plan Guideline.
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Philips, Susan D, 2006: The Intersection of Governance
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[1] Is
not existing as a GP now, but merged with Kozhikode municipal corporation
[2] Quality Circle is a
small group of workers (4-10), organized within the same office or workshop,
participate to improve their work, work procedures and QC on a
“voluntary” basis
[3] A software developed by the Information
Kerala Mission (IKM) for LSGIs in Kerala for file tracking
[4] Software developed by the Information Kerala
Mission (IKM) for LSGIs in Kerala on Accrual Based Double Entry (ABDE) system
of accounting. 80% of GPs in Kerala are now using this soft ware for their
accounting purpose and expected to a totally computerized accounting state from
2013 onwards.
[5]
Finance Standing Committee have the responsibility of Public Administration and
charge of GP office, so the reporting of QC should be made in the meeting.
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