INTRODUCING CITIZEN CHARTER IN MUNICIPALITIES IN NEPAL: DOES IT MATTER TO IMPROVE SERVICE DELIVERY

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1 INTRODUCING CITIZEN CHARTER IN MUNICIPALITIES IN NEPAL: DOES IT MATTER TO IMPROVE SERVICE DELIVERY Ministry of General Administration Government of Nepal Kathmandu, NEPAL

2 1. Background Citizen s charter is taken as one of the recent administrative innovations to improve the service delivery system. It focuses on the stakeholder approach and ensuring transparency for efficient and effective service delivery.

3 Issues Do the municipalities improve the service provision after introduction of citizen charter? Are people satisfied with local service provision? Do they register any marked improvement after the introduction of citizen charter? Are there any best practices observed in the implementation of CC?

4 2. Methodology Questionnaire survey conducted in ten municipalities out of 58 municipalites. Total respondents 1,156 (988 citizen (beneficiaries) and 168 municipal employees.

5 Sample municipalities Total no. of municipalities 58; Sample municipalities 10 Kathmandu Capital of Nepal Sample municipality Ilam Biratnagar Lahan Janakpur Dhulikhel Kathmandu Pokhara Butwal Surkhet Mahendranagar

6 Characteristics of sample (citizens) Sex Characteristics of Respondents (citizen) Number % Male Female Education Illiterate literate School Level Higher Secondary Graduate and above Occupation Working Self Employed Unemployed Retired Student House Wife Source: Field Survey, 2008

7 Characteristics of sample (municipal Employees) Holding of current position Number % Mukhiya or equivalent Kharidar or equivalent Nasu or equivalent Section Officer or equivalent Under Secretary or equivalent Joint Secretary or equivalent Work Experience of the sample employees in concerned municipality Total Below 5 year yrs yrs yrs Above 21 yrs Total

8 Local governance in Nepal Central Government: District level LAs: DDC: 75 - Municipality (58) /VDC (3915)

9 Citizen Charter in Nepal Civil Service Act, 1993: Article 54 ga specifies the bottom lines to meet while coming across service seekers Guideline for Making Effective the Governmental Services, 1998 display of service details publicly that are available supposedly to deliver to service seekers; fixation of mode of complain, if not fulfilled the promises; recognition of public officials who perform extraordinarily in service delivery; and arrangement of institutional mechanisms for execution, monitoring & evaluation of the charters. 'Governance (Management and Operation) Act, 2005: arranging public a list of services and also a list of responsible focal personnel to contact to by service seekers; making public procedures, time, cost and other essential conditions to be followed by service seekers while applying for services; giving reasons to service seekers, if not delivered any expected services; and managing a few provisions about compensation against cases failed to meet promises made.

10 Citizen Charters in the Municipalities of Nepal since 2004/5

11 KMC W#16 Secretary signing in a file to provide service

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15 Citizen s perception toward municipality employees (N = ) Perception (in %) Prompt and efficient 72 Friendly 67 Helpful 60 Serve their personal interest 58 Treat all equally 54 Corrupt 34 Source: Field survey 2008

16 Perception of Citizen towards the delivery of services (N = ) Clientele groups Citizen s opinion (%) Service provider themselves 55 Rich and well off 55 Citizen in general 52 People of special area 51 Some interest groups 47 Some ethnic groups 36 Poor and have nots 22 Source: Field survey 2008

17 remarks towards the usefulness of citizen charter Citizen s remarks No. (%) Quite useful Litle useful Never get the service Very useful Total Source: Field survey 2008

18 Time dimension of municipal services (citizens perception) Time for service delivery Number (%) A little longer than stipulated As stipulated in charter Too long time Total Source: Field survey 2008

19 Implementation of Citizen Charter (Employees knowledge on citizen charter) Level of knowledge Number (%) Clearly knowhow Partly knowhow Quite knowhow Not known 6 4 Total Source: Field survey 2008

20 Opinion of people after introducing the CC in the respective municipalities (Beneficiaries) Figure in percent Disagr ee Agree Don't know N Citizens understanding have become more clear Provided adequate information Awareness to their right has increased Service provisions have become more punctual More citizens have access to services Citizens have excess to more services Citizen's access to officials have become easier Citizen's confidence have increased Responsiveness to citizen's needs has increased Citizens pay more charges than before

21 Opinion contd. Figure in percent Disagree Agree Don't know N Charter promises lot but difficult to implement All is show off Some middle man run the services Very hopeful about the changes brought by charter I should also have a say what contents to be included I feel optimistic about quality of services after introduction of charter My trust on municipality has increased

22 Quality of after the implementation of Citizen Charter Figure in percent Deteriorat ed Neither improved nor deteriorated Improv ed Don't know N Garbage removal Maintenance and construction of roads Vital registrations Sewage and local sanitation Maintenance of culverts/bridges Allowances for senior citizens Recommendations Relation Certification Permission for building construction

23 Employee s remarks on application of Citizen's Charter? Disagree Agree Don't Know N Just follow supervisor's direction Too ambitious Practices will take shape in passage of time Insufficient budget Insufficient resources Sort of

24 Employee s remarks on the role of different responsible persons to implement citizen charter Actors Number (Response %) Leadership Political leaders Colleague at work People/beneficiaries Myself first Source: Field Survey 2008

25 Employee s agreement or disagreement with the following statements Disagree Agree Don't Know Total Useless This is all gimmick Hopeful that it will bring change I should have a say in what is included in charter I feel honoured as i see it Best instrument to bring people closer We can become role model in service delivery To ensure proper compliance, need to introduce reward and action Adequate compensation to implementers are necessary

26 Implementation of CC need (priority given as 1 st, 2 nd, and the 3 rd by the employees) Need for First Priority Second Priority Third Priority Reorientation training Good Leadership Better Salary and allowances Delegation of authority Logistic Supports other N

27 Best practices of the citizen charter benchmarking the municipal services, time management, customer satisfaction, and awareness building among service receivers about right to services.

28 Conclusion Improvement in performance capacity for the service delivery at local level 1. improvement in service provision 2. increased work productivity 3. reduced waiting time for services 4. improvement in the treatment of customers by staff, and 5. Sensitization of service provider and the service receiver

29 Some issues how to make CC as sustained and built-in in the regular service mechanism, how to introduce change orientation, how to make it replicable, how to produce quantifiable and quality results, and how to make customer friendly

30 If any queries Thank you