Theme/Relevant Ministry:

GOVERNANCE:
M/o IT; M/o S&T; PMDU; CM Office KP province; S&T and IT department KP

Project Brief:

This research attempts to investigate how digitization is affecting bureaucratic efficiency, transparency and inclusivity in public service delivery in education and health in KP. It attempts to do so from the perspective of public service providers, i.e., the bureaucracy and end users, i.e., the public (school and college students and hospital patients). The findings of the study suggest that significant digital interventions were made by the provincial government in both education and health sectors and the Covid emergency provided a big push to digitalization of government services. These interventions are driven by the desire to generate policies based on evidence-based data and to optimize efficiency, transparency and accessibility of services. However, the ICT induced impacts on service delivery varied depending on the nature and the context of digitization interventions, which resultantly had differing results. Most of the health and education e-initiatives focus on registering online complaints, applying for e-transfers, online admissions, or printing online forms, which makes it a managerial type of government measures that steered towards greater government control and less public participation in policy making. Additionally, the propensity of significant groups being left out, either due to the non-availability of resources, such as computers, internet, feedback booths or accessibility being limited to ICT literate population only, leaves the aspect of biased data a greater possibility. Since there is very little political deliberation and discussion in a ‘cyber virtual civil society’ group, therefore, the prospect of ICT governance being ‘participatory’ is even less visible. The findings also suggest that ICT induced transformations in bureaucracy’s organizational culture in terms of its values, expectations and practices also gives rise to bureaucratic resistance and skepticism of ICT introduced reforms.  Such limitations may prove a big stumble in the KP government’s vision to provide speedy, efficient, accountable, and inclusive services.

Public Policy Relevance:

This study investigated the use of ICT tools to improve efficiency, transparency, and inclusiveness in public service delivery by the provincial bureaucracy and making it undergo organizational and cultural changes.

Status:
COMPLETED 100%

Final Research Report, Policy Brief and Journal article can be downloaded from the link: https://pide.org.pk/rasta/publications-cgp-1-0/