The Prime Minister, Tshering Tobgay, recently announced that Bhutan will start the Government Performance Management System (GPMS), soon. A steering committee has already been established with Lyonchhen as its chair. A task force has also been set up.
Lyonchhen had reiterated the plan during Dr. Prajapati Trivedi’s talk on Government Performance Management System on Thursday. Dr.Prajapati Trivedi was asked to come to Bhutan to help the task force establish the system.
Dr. Prajapati Trivedi spoke about the Results Framework Document, an instrument for improving the government’s performance. He also talked about how the system works in India. GPMS started in India in 2009 with Dr. Trivedi as its Secretary. The system presently extends to 80 departments and ministries and some 800 Responsibility Centers. Responsibility Centers are the attached offices, subordinate offices and autonomous organizations of Government of India.
The system takes a comprehensive view of the department performance by measuring all projects, iconic and non-iconic, and all relevant aspects of department deliverable.
Dr. Prajapati Trivedi worked as a senior economist at the World Bank for 14 years. He also teaches in some of the best universities in the world including Harvard. He has written various books on economics. One of the books he has written is used as a textbook at Harvard.
Dr. Prajapati Trivedi said implementation is more important than simply planning. He also said the beauty of the system is that it cuts across political parties, as it is not a political ideology but a system that improves governance. “A system like that would ensure continuity in implementing government plans.”
He said politicians will come and go after every five years, “if we have a good system for our bureaucrats, who implement the plans, the end users, our people would benefit from such a system.”
Dr. Trivedi also spoke about the distinction between monitoring and evaluation. He said most of the time these two are confused as being hand in hand. “That mistake should not be made. When you separate the two then you cannot complain about biases when employees are evaluated.”
Dr. Trivedi also said there is a need for proper incentive packages for employees who preform well. He said with proper incentives people would work to their optimum.
“The success of any organization worldwide is 80 percent its system and 20 percent its employees. If a system is good then it will provide a platform for even average people to accomplish great things.”
Another thing that is integral in the success of any government is teamwork, Dr. Trivedi said. He highlighted the importance of different ministries, departments, all working together. “This system would take care of the teamwork aspect because when evaluations of departments or ministries are done it will also take in to account how well the different government bodies are working together”
The GPMS is expected to start in Bhutan this year.
