Govt depts next in line for quality certification

NEW DELHI: If you think that Indian standards such as ISI mark, Hallmark and Handloom Mark are confined to consumer items alone, think again. Soon, government departments including the PMO, finance ministry and home ministry may bear a quality certification logo: Charter Mark.

The initiative to accord Charter Mark aims at implementing good governance. The rating system is conceived to keep government departments on its toes. Spearheaded by the department of administrative reforms & public grievances, the initiative is similar to the UK government’s Charter Mark, a scheme launched in 1992 to recognise excellence in public service. Similar models exist in Malaysia, Australia.

Adorned by the Charter Mark, a government agency would now be committed to deliver a certain standard of service to the citizen.Involvement of NGOs and civil society representatives is expected to ensure objectivity and fair play in awarding it to various agencies.

“The Charter Mark is proposed to be awarded after assessment by an independent panel of judges. This would give a sense of achievement to the organisation and promote competitiveness among organisations that have issued Citizens’ Charter and generate awareness among citizens.

A prototype has been developed by the professional agency and is in the process of validation,” a source in DARPG said. The stamp of Charter Mark will make sure the government agency spells out its vision and mission statement clearly.It will ensure it makes its transactions public and sets up an effective grievance redress mechanism.