What were Nehru’s views on Public Administration?

Nehru on public administration:

Nehru was a politician of superb order. He had very well felt the necessity of public administration to run the machinery of the country smoothly. His model of public administration is as follows:

Retaining British model:

With the achievement of India’s independence, Nehru never wanted an abrupt change in the bureaucratic set-up. Of course, a change was introduced in the examination pattern of Indian Civil Service but the British pattern of bureaucratic model was retained by Nehru for the successful running of government in India.

Foresight and deep vision in administration:

Nehru told that the bureaucracy in India should be an enlightened one. The officers should have delved deep into the problems of Indians. They should possess a foresight and deep vision in the administration of India. They should not passively carry out the orders, rather they should give their valuable suggestion on any matter whenever their opinion is sought. This will promote the administration in India.

Parliamentary form of Government:

Nehru was firm believer in parliamentary democracy of western models. His belief in ruling party, role of opposition, press, judiciary, public opinion etc. were included in it which formed a part of public administration.

Establishment of area development authorities etc:

Nehru gave vent to the establishment of public sector enterprises throughout the country in the field of industrial production. Further, new forms of organizations emerged t-o. Undertake multipurpose development projects.

Nehru ordered for the establishment of area development authorities, urban development authorities and special purpose bodies. These organizations were granted autonomy and freed, from the clutches of bureaucracy. This put a check on the monopolistic design of the Indian bureaucracy.

Decentralization of power:

For facilitating public administration, Nehru put emphasis on the decentralization of power. In his words – “We have progressively coming to the conclusion that too much centralization of our authorities is not a good thing. You cannot have creative impulses dealt with routine, methods … “, thus, by giving autonomy to different institutions, Nehru wanted to free public administration from the clutch of red-tapism.

No interference of Centre in State-owned, enterprises:

Nehru emphasised that Centre should not intervene in State-owned enterprises. The intervention of Centre will curtail the autonomy of State and will further a tug of war between the Centre and State. This was the right choice of time which Nehru took up.

Emphasis on Panchayatiraj and community development:

For the effective implementation of the administrative machinery in micro level, Nehru put emphasis on Panchayatiraj and community development ‘ programme. He envisaged that Panchayatiraj should be the vehicle of public administration associating the mass with the programmes of the government. By this, he meant a three-tier system, Panchayat at the grass-roots, Block Semites and Zillah Parishads at the district level. Community development programmes included communication, housing, health and sanitation.

Education, social welfare etc. where the rural people got chance to associate themselves with the day-to-day administration.

These were Nehru’s view on the public administration. By reforming bureaucracy, by granting autonomy to different organisation, by introducing Panchayatiraj and community development programmes, Nehru set new milestones in the field of public’ administration in India.