New Delhi: Every year on December 25, Good Governance Day is observed in India. The day commemorates the birth anniversary of former Prime Minister of India Atal Bihari Vajpayee. This year’s Good Governance Day also marks the 100th birth anniversary of Vajpayee. Ahead of the day, Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh said that the governance reforms of the central government led by PM Narendra Modi included scrapping of around 2,000 obsolete rules which had lost relevance with the passage of time and were proving to be detrimental to ease of working and timely disposals.
Why is the Good Governance Day observed?
Since 2014, the central government has observed Good Governance Day every year to honour the legacy of former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee. It is celebrated to ensure that Indian citizens get equal treatment from the government and benefit from several government services. On this day, the public is informed about the government’s obligations and functions. If the government and the public engages in active engagement, then it will reduce the divide between them.
How is the Good Governance Day celebrated?
In 2021, during the 75th year of India’s Independence from the yoke of the British rule, the central government announced that it would observed Good Governance Week which is also known as Sushasan Saptah. The aim was to inculcate the value of good governance to every strata of administrations in the country.
This year, the Good Governance Week began on December 19 and will come to an end on December 25. Throughout the week, the government has undertaken several initiatives to show that it is dedicated to offering the people of this country transparent, accountable and efficient governance. Its aim has been to promote good governance throughout the country.
Atal Bihari Vajpayee: One of India’s greatest Prime Ministers
Atal Bihari Vajpayee was a politician and poet who was the Prime Minister of India at a time when the country was searching for a stable government. While his first term as the PM lasted for only 13 days in 1996 and then for 13 months from 1998 to 1999, he served full term in the office from 1999 to 2004. Notably, Vajpayee was the first non-Congress PM to serve a full term as the PM. Also, he was one of the co-founders of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and was a member of the RSS.
The political career of Atal Bihari Vajpayee
Atal Bihari Vajpayee was elected to the Lok Sabha 10 times and twice to the Rajya Sabha. He used to contest from the Lucknow constituency. He was a co-founder of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh and from 1968 to 1972, he was its president. The party was the precursor to the BJP. The BJS formed the Janata Party along with other parties and it won the Lok Sabha elections in 1977. In the government led by PM Morarji Desai, Vajpayee was the Minister of External Affairs, from which he resigned in 1979 before the Janata alliance collapsed. In 1980, the BJP was formed and Vajpayee became the first president of the party.
The tenure of Atal Bihari Vajpayee as the PM
India executed the Pokhran-II nuclear tests while Atal Bihari Vajpayee was the PM. He tried to improve bilateral ties with Pakistan and even travelled to Lahore by bus to meet with Nawaz Sharif, the PM of our neighbouring country.
The Kargil War with Pakistan in 1999 disrupted the relations between the two countries and Vajpayee tried to improve that via engagement with then President Pervez Musharraf who was invited to India for a summit at Agra. His government brought about many infrastructural and economic reforms in India, encouraged foreign investments and private sector, reduced governmental waste and encouraged research. In 2009, Vajpayee retired from active politics due to health concerns. In 2015, he was honoured with Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian award. He passed away on August 16, 2018, at the age of 93.
Good Governance Day, observed annually on December 25, commemorates former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s birthday. This year marks his 100th birth anniversary. The day highlights the importance of citizen engagement and government accountability, promoting transparency and efficient governance. knowledge Knowledge News, Photos and Videos on General Knowledge
