Citizen Charter

What is it?

  • The citizen’s charter is a document that outlines a government department’s or organization’s commitment to providing services to residents.
  • It acts as a platform for transparency and accountability, defining the service delivery standards, the time range for which services can be expected, and the grievance redressal processes available to citizens.
  • The goal is to improve the quality of government services and make government agencies more responsible to the public.

Characteristics of Citizen Charter

  • Quality: The Citizens’ Charter aims to improve the quality of services provided by departments and requested by the general public.
  • Choice: The government should provide individuals with a variety of options so that they can access services based on their priorities and preferences. 
  • Standards: The Citizens’ Charter outlines the requirements for various services, making people aware of the services that the government will provide.
  • Value: For the taxpayers’ money.
  • Transparency: The Citizen Charter covers procedure and grievance redressal mechanisms in detail.
  • Accountability: Individuals and organizations are both held accountable.

Salient Feature of Citizen Charter

  • Set of Standards for Service Delivery: The Charter should establish explicit service quality standards so that people understand what to expect from service providers. These requirements must be suitable, dependable, observable, exact, and time-bound.
  • Openness and Information About Service Delivery: Users get access to accurate and concise information at the proper time and place. The Charters should provide thorough and detailed information about the resources accessible.
  • Fairness and Supportiveness in Service Delivery: The Charter will help to foster a culture of friendly and attentive public service.
  • Choice and Communication with Users: The Charter should provide customers with a choice of services whenever practicable. To define service expectations and maintain consistency of service delivery, users of the service should be consulted on a regular and systematic basis.
This entry was posted in General Studies 2, Governance. Bookmark the permalink.