ANNOUNCEMENTS
The study aims to find out the role of corruption in undermining the quality and accessibility of public service delivery. The study encompasses three aspects namely health, education and water supply in a decentralized governance setting. Primary survey was conducted for the households and semi-structured interviews were used to understand the service providers perspective in Rajgarh district of Madhya Pradesh. A logit regression model was used to understand the impact of corruption on public service delivery. It found that there is persistent form of petty corruption: informal payments for essential services, absenteeism among staff, and discrimination based on influence. These practices erode public trust, reduce service quality, and affect the weaker sections of society.
The study contributes to governance and development research by offering empirical evidence on the mechanisms through which micro-level corruption is sustained in public service systems. By incorporating both user experiences and the perspectives of service providers, it highlights the complexity of accountability failures i.e., not only due to individual misconduct, but also because of systemic issues such as resource shortages, political interference, and weak monitoring structures. To reduce corruption and improve services, the study suggests that stronger local monitoring, better transparency, and more involvement of citizens in service should be taken into account.
Keywords: Corruption, Public service delivery, Accountability, Governance, Transparency.
