Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues and problems of implementation

Meaning of Public Policy

• Are goal oriented
• Are outcome of the government’s collective actions
• It is what the government actually decided or chooses to do
• Is positive in the sense that it depicts the concern of the government and involves its action to a particular problem on which the policy is made
• Distinction between policy and goals; policy and decisions

Characteristics of public policy making

• Is a very complex process
• Dynamic process
• Comprises of various componenet
• Policy structure makes different contributions
• Decision making
• Lays down major guidelines
• Results in action
• Directed at the future
• Mainly formulated by governmental organs
• Aims at achieving what is in the public interest
• Use of best policy means
• Involvement of various bodies/agencies

Components of public policy

• PP is purposive and deliberately formulated. It must have a purpose or a goal
• Is well thought out and is not a series of discrete decisions
• PP is what is actually done and not what is intended or desired
• PP also delineates a time frame in which its goals have to be achieved
• Follows a defined course of action: formulation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation

Types of public policy

• Substantive: concerned with the general welfare and development of the society
• Regulatory: Concerned with regulation of trade, business, safety measures, public utilities etc
• Distributive: meant for specific segments of the society
• Redistributive
• Capitalisation: financial subsidies given by the Union govt to the state and local govt

In a parliamentary democracy, the legislature or Parliament is the most appropriate site for policy making as well as the site for evaluation and monitoring for its implementation. Parliament of India exercise control over executive through its Committees. The most important Standing Committees of Parliament are those that exercise control over the finances: the Public Accounts Committee, the Committee on Estimate and the Committee on Public Undertaking.

Policy implementation is of critical importance to the success of Government. No policy can succeed if the implementation does not bear relationship to the intentions of policy adopters.