Information flows

Local Government Level in Bangladesh

at

Findings of a Scoping Study

– Venkatesh Nayak

The World Bank Institute

commissioned by

Terms of reference

Scope systems creating information flows to people at Local Government level

Scope private sector / development sector initiatives to provide for people’s information needs

Recommend measures to increase transparency in Union Parishads (UPs). Area of emphasis = LGSP Unions

Recommend measures to build capacity at community level to meaningfully access information from UPs

Basics

Period of study visit : 29 January – 14 February 2008

: Union Parishads

Pourashavas

Land Office (Union & Upazila)

Sub-Registrar’s Office

Union Parishads Union Parishads

Pallitathya Kendras

Private bodies covered GrameenPhone CICs

Public bodies covered

:

LGD, NILG

Others consulted BARD, Comilla & RDA, Bogura:

CSOs – CARE, MJF, D-Net, GHAT

Findings : theory versus practice

: All documents &

records of UPs – public documents

Only public registers like birth, death, VGD registers accessible to people without Chairman’s authorisation

Budget documents & reports to be available in conspicuous place in UP office

: Few UPs have publicly displayed

budget docs. LGSP Unions perform better* *

UP docs to be easily accessible to elected UP members

: Studies indicate poor access

even for elected members let alone people at community level

LGD to prescribe reports & documents of UPs that will be made available to people

: Little work has been done to identify records & documents that can be made public

Findings : theory versus practice

: Information to be

displayed on notice boards to inform the public

Poor quality notice boards make the notices almost illegible

Transparency should be automatic :

Transparency exists due to individual initiative of Chairmen or because of strict requirements of LGSP*

Parties should have reliable access to records of village court cases

: There is no uniform system of

access

Right of inspection of land records for any person

: Many obstacles in practice –

access to one’s records only, lack of information about IPTT rates, corruption flourishes due to lack of awareness about rules & procedures *

Examples of proactive disclosure

Proactive disclosure in Shahpara Union (LGSP), Gaibandha

VGD families, development works, grants received, sanitation, fertilizer allocation data*

Examples of proactive disclosure

Proactive disclosure of budget & schemes - Shahpara Union (LGSP), Gaibandha

Examples of proactive disclosure

Proactive disclosure in Tongi Pourashava

Citizens’ charter of services provided by the Pourashava with costs and timelines

Examples of proactive disclosure

Proactive disclosure in AC Land Office, Bahubal Upazila, Habiganj

Services provided, fees payable & contact numbers of officials to complain about corruption

A typical notice board in a UP

IT based initiatives to manage information flows

:

Community information centres (CICs) serve people’s information needs

Palli tathya kendras, GrameenPhone CICs, GHAT, BRACNet, AMADER GRAM etc.

:

IT initiatives open up pent up demand for information and related services

:

CICs used for visa, exam results, admission to edu. institutions, pest problem,* livelihood options, computer training for unemployed youth, soil testing, health advisory services etc.*

:

Government initiatives have harnessed IT to create information flows

Initiatives of the Dept. of Agriculture for farmers, CPTU’s initiative on e-procurement etc.

CIC’s can be run on a self-sustaining & profitable business model

GPCICs, PKs and BRACNet have proven profitability even in semi-urban & semi-rural areas

TV is topmost source in both rural & urban areas

People’s sources of information

Major sources of information about government

Radio is popular in remote rural areas

Newspapers & books are least popular in rural areas

Trusted sources – village teacher, imam, local politicians, NGO workers, neighbours experienced in govt. dealings, dalals

Community / rural information centres & Pallitathya kendras run by CSOs and GrameenPhone

Chit chat in bazaars or neighbourhood – esp. women

Government offices rarely approached unless there is a dire need

Why improve information flows?

Connected to primary concerns of Government:

Eradicating corruption

Preventing wastage of resources

Improving efficiency of service delivery

Citizens have the right to know:

Workable scheme needed for entrenching openness

Increasing accountability of decision-makers

Information in a democracy:

Citizens: real owners public authorities: merely custodians

Based on the principle of equality – the fundamental basis of democracy

Transparency, accountability & participation in ADP & LGSP

Ensuring economical and efficient public spending

Recommendations for transparency in UPs

Low cost multi-modal approach required with sanction of LGD

Proactive / voluntary / suo motu disclosure

Information painted on prominent wall surfaces of UP office – eg. broad figures of grants received, projects approved, cost of each project etc.

Information displayed on UP notice boards– eg. notices of UP meetings, shortlist of schemes, VGD beneficiaries after fresh selection, other urgent information needed by people

Information displayed on Ward notice boards– eg. notices of Ward meetings, identified schemes, VGD beneficiaries after fresh selection, other urgent information needed by people

Information displayed on billboards – (LGSP requirement)eg. summary of funds received, projects approved and implements membership of SIC, SSC

Recommendations for transparency in UPs (contd.)

Low cost multi-modal approach required with sanction of LGD

Proactive / voluntary / suo motu disclosure

Information painted on display boards at work sites – eg. Description of project, summary of financials, wage rates, timelines etc.

Announcement with accompaniment of drumbeateg. notices of meetings & other important public announcements

Reading of documents in public meetings – eg. Resolutions of ward meetings and annual meetings of the entire UP, quotations evaluations sheet, award of contract etc.

Disclosure of information on demand

Information/ records accessible with Chairman’s approval – eg. Receipts, vouchers relating to schemes (LGSP), communication between UP & TEC relating to recommendation of award, documents relating to complaints about procurement processes etc.

Information records accessible without Chairman’s approval– eg. All types of registers, budget documents, audit reports, communications received from UNO & other offices, all documents where matter is complete

Recommendations for transparency in UPs (contd.)

Low cost multi-modal approach required with sanction of LGD

UP Secretary could maintain record of citizens’ requests for information

UP Secretary must be trained to comply with disclosure scheme

Combination of proactive disclosure & access on demand

Free inspection of records on predetermined day & date every month (at least 2 days) – eg. Almost all records belong to this category

Information uploaded on websites accessible through CICs– eg. Annual budgets, audit reports, list of approved schemes, list of VGD beneficiaries, list of vendors/bidders identified for RFQ method, muster rolls, contracts for medium & large scale schemes, membership of SIC/SSC/TEC

Recommendations for transparency in UPs (contd.)

The expanding CICs network (40,000 projected) can provide IT-enabled services to UPs in the long run

Low cost multi-modal approach required with sanction of LGD

Government could issue orders to all UPs for implementing records disclosure scheme recommended by the Study

UNO’s office could monitor implementation of disclosure scheme

to participate in the development planning process

Role of civil society

Real transparency possible when people can use the information

to take the lead in prioritising developmental activities

to take active part in the decision-making processes

to monitor the implementation of development projects

to audit the outcomes & impact of developmental activities

Civil society can build this capacity at the community level in UPs

Understand the ADP & EBG system thoroughly

Role of civil society

Develop training programmes for community level participation in & monitoring of developmental decision-making in UPs

Identify pilot areas to implement records mgmt. and disclosure scheme

Conduct training of selected community members / CSO workers to seek, obtain and verify information about schemes and spending in UPs

Conduct training of selected community members / CSO workers to monitor ongoing project works

Make use of grievance redress mechanisms in case of corruption and mismanagement of public funds

Simultaneously educate other community members to take active role in decision-making on development

Popularise the use of Right to Information Ordinance when enacted

Monitor compliance with project guidelines and report wrongdoing