LUCKNOW: Uttar Pradesh is set to release its first-ever District Good Governance Index (DGGI) soon, in an attempt to trigger healthy competition among the districts across the state.
Under this initiative, all 75 districts across UP will be rated and ranked on the basis of their performance in a number of key government sectors. As per highly-placed sources, through the initiative, which is likely to become an annual practice, the authorities concerned would identify the strengths and weaknesses of districts in terms of governance, to push them to improvise administration and make it more citizen-centric.
At present, the Indian Institute of Public Administration (IIPA) is busy finalising the report of analysis of the relevant data received from the departments, which is compiled for 2019-20, 2020-21 and 2021-22, said the sources. Sources claimed that the report was expected to be released jointly by the Centre and the state government as the initiative was conceptualised by the Centre and asked to be executed by the Uttar Pradesh government.
Significantly, the decision to release the first DGGI was taken at a high-level meeting chaired by Chief Secretary DS Mishra, a fortnight back. The Centre, which releases the Good Governance Index (GGI) for states, shared the concept with the states asking the respective governments to develop a similar comprehensive District Good Governance Index encompassing administrative, economic, social, environmental, judicial and other criteria to make the administration more responsive and people-centric.
Notably, a similar report on good governance in 20 districts across Jammu and Kashmir was released by Union Home Minister Amit Shah in January 2023. While J&K is the first ever Union Territory in the country to have rated its districts on the good governance index, many more states are also working on the proforma to evaluate their respective districts with the same parameters, said the sources.
Agriculture and the allied sectors, industry, public health, public infrastructure and development, public safety, judiciary and financial inclusion in UP are among the sectors through which the districts will be ranked with nearly 60 performance parameters. Each sector will have different criteria for evaluating the districts. For example, in the health sector, the districts would be rated on parameters including the availability of the number of hospital beds per 1000 people, operationalisation of health and wellness centres, availability of doctors at PHCs, the maternal mortality rate (MMR), etc.