In News

Public Affairs Index (PAI) for the year 2017 has been released which aims to rank the states of India objectively in the field of governance based on various focus subjects and indicators. iT is an initiative of the Public Affairs Committee (PAC).

Performance of various states

• Kerala and Tamil Nadu – secured first and second rankings for the second year.
• Gujarat gained two positions rising from five in 2016 to three in 2017 in public affairs index (PAI).
• Karnataka slipped from third position in 2016 to fourth in 2017 while Maharashtra stood fifth (4th in 2016) in governance indicators.
• Last four positions among large States. Like in the previous year, Bihar (18th), Jharkhand (17th), Odisha (16th) and Assam (15th)
• Among 12 small States (population less than two crore), Himachal has wrested the first rank, followed by Goa and Mizoram.
• Delhi from third position in 2016 to 9th position in 2017.
• Meghalaya (12th), Arunachal Pradesh (11th) and Jammu Kashmir (10th) are at the bottom of the table.
• Bihar (18th), Jharkhand (17th), Odisha (16th) and Assam (15th) are at the bottom of the table.
• Infrastructure : Punjab is the best performer among all States, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat secured second, third and fourth positions, respectively.
• Human Development : Kerala, Maharshtra, and Punjab are top of the table while Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Assam are the worst performers.
• Implementation of social protection policies : Kerala, Assam and Madhya Pradesh secured top three ranks in , while Telangana, Haryana and Punjab are lagging in execution of various State and Central government schemes.
• Women and children : Kerala topped the list followed by Odisha and Karnataka while Jharkhand, Haryana and Maharashtra are poor performers.
• Tamil Nadu secured first rank in maintaining law and order, delivery of justice and environment categories and secured last rank in transparency and accountability in the administration.
• Fiscal Management Telangana is the best performer while Andhra Pradesh secured last rank.
• Economic freedom : Gujarat secured top rank while  Bihar secured the last rank.

About the Report

• Public Affairs Centre (PAC) is a not-for-profit research think tank situated in Bengaluru, Karnataka.
• It works at improving the quality of governance in India.
• The institute conducts research activities in two major fields, public policy and participatory governance.
• The survey was based on 10 themes, 26 focus subjects and 82 indicators.
• Wide range of themes such as essential infrastructure, support to human development, social protection, women and children, crime, law and order, delivery of justice, environment, transparency and accountability, fiscal management and economic freedom.
• Public Affairs Index (PAI) is an attempt to bring together the states of the country which are culturally, economically and socially diverse, into a common data-driven framework, to facilitate an interstate comparison.
• A well-framed methodology backed by statistical data from government sources, have been included in the study to provide insights into the subject.

Source : The Hindu

GS II : Important aspects of governance, transparency and accountability, e-governance- applications, models, successes, limitations, and potential; citizens charters, transparency & accountability and institutional and other measures