Administrative Reforms Commission

The Administrative Reforms Commission { } or ARC is the

committee appointed by the Government of India for giving recommendations for
reviewing the public administration system of India. The first ARC was
established on 5 January 1966.[1] The Administrative Reforms Commission
was initially Chaired by Morarji Desai, MP, and later on K.Hanumanthaiah, MP
became its chairman when Morarji R Desai, MP, became the Deputy Prime
Minister of India.[2] The Second Administrative Reforms Commission (ARC) was
constituted on 31.08,2005, as a Commission of Inquiry, under the Chairmanship
of Veerappa Moily for preparing a detailed blueprint for revamping the public
administrative system.[1]

First Administrative Reforms Commission

The first ARC was constituted by the Ministry of Home Affairs under Government of India
by resolution no. 40/3/65-AR(P) dated 5 January 1966. In the resolution, the composition of
the ARC, the mandate of the commission and the procedures to be followed were described.[3]
Mandate

The Commission was mandated to give consideration to the need for ensuring the highest
standards of efficiency and integrity in the public services, and for making public
administration a fit instrument for carrying out the social and economic policies of the
Government and achieving social and economic goals of development, as also one which is
responsive to the people. In particular the Commission is to consider the following:[3]
1. The machinery of the Government of India and its procedures of work;
2. The machinery for planning at all levels;
3. Center-State relationships;
4. Financial administration;
5. Personnel administration;
6. Economic administration;
7. Administration at the State level;
8. District administration;
9. Agricultural administration; and
10.Problems of redress of citizens grievances.

Exclusions

The Commission may exclude from its purview the detailed examination of administration of
defence, railways, external affairs, security and intelligence work, as also subjects such as
educational administration already being examined by a separate commission. The
Commission will, however, be free to take the problems of these sectors into account in
recommending reorganization of the machinery of the Government as a whole or of any of its
common service agencies.[3]
Recommendation Reports

The Commission submitted the following 20 reports before winding up in mid-1970s:[1]

1. Problems of Redress of Citizens Grievances (Interim)
2. Machinery for Planning
3. Public Sector Undertakings
4. Finance, Accounts & Audit
5. Machinery for Planning (Final)
6. Economic Administration
7. The Machinery of GOI and its procedures of work
8. Life Insurance Administration
9. Central Direct Taxes Administration
10.Administration of UTs & NEFA
11.Personnel Administration
12.Delegation of Financial & Administrative Powers
13.Center-State Relationships
14.State Administration
15.Small Scale Sector
16.Railways
17.Treasuries
18.Reserve Bank of India
19.Posts and Telegraphs
20.Scientific Departments

The above 20 reports contained 537 major recommendations. Based on inputs received from
various administrative Ministries, a report indicating implementation position was placed
before the Parliament in November,1977.

Second Administrative Reforms Commission-5 August 2005

The Second ARC was set up with a resolution no. K-11022/9/2004-RC of the Government of
India as a committee of inquiry to prepare a detailed blueprint for revamping the public
administration system.[4]
Composition of the Second ARC

Veerappa Moily - Chairperson

Dr. A.P. Mukherjee - Member

Dr. A.H. Kalro - Member

Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan - Member

Vineeta Rai - Member-Secretary

Veerapaa Moily resigned with effect from 1 April 2009. V. Ramachandran was appointed
chairman. Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan resigned with effect from 1 September 2007.
Mandate

The Commission was given the mandate to suggest measures to achieve a proactive,
responsive, accountable, sustainable and efficient administration for the country at all levels
of the government.[4] The Commission was asked to, inter alia, consider the following :
(i) Organisational structure of the Government of India (ii) Ethics in governance (iii)
Refurbishing of Personnel Administration (iv) Strengthening of Financial Management
Systems (v) Steps to ensure effective administration at the State level (vi) Steps to ensure
effective District Administration (vii) Local Self-Government/Panchayati Raj Institutions
(viii) Social Capital, Trust and Participative public service delivery (ix) Citizen-centric
administration (x) Promoting e-governance (xi) Issues of Federal Polity (xii) Crisis
Management (xiii) Public Order

Right to Information
Unlocking Human Capital
Crisis Management Ethics in Governance
Public Order
Local Governance 1 | Local Governance 2 | Local Governance 3
Capacity Building for Conflict Resolution
Combating Terrorism
Social Capital Refurbishing of Personnel Administration

Promoting e-Governance Citizen Centric Administration Organisational Structure of Government of India

Strengthening Financial Management Systems)
State & District Administration