Recently, while addressing IAS trainees and civil servants,Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh, reiterated the “Whole-of-Government” and “Whole-of-Nation” approach, referencing Operation Sindoor as an example of national unity and coordination.

About Whole-of-Government (WoG) Approach

• A collaborative effort where multiple government departments coordinate across horizontal (inter-ministerial) and vertical (centre-state-local) levels to deliver integrated solutions to complex public challenges.
• Objective: Enhance policy coherence, optimize resource utilization, and address complex issues requiring inter-agency coordination.

Key Features of the Whole-of-Government (WoG) Approach

• Integrated and Collaborative Governance: Breaks down silos among departments and ensures horizontal and vertical coordination.
  • Example: Ministries of Health, Education, and Women & Child Development collaborating on child nutrition.
• Unified Institutional Mechanisms: Establishes common platforms like Empowered Group of Secretaries (EGoS), Network Planning Groups (NPG).
  • Ensures shared mandates, co-ownership, and streamlined policy execution.
  • Example: PM GatiShakti’s cross-ministerial governance structure.
• Digital and Data-Driven Integration: Leverages technology (GIS, dashboards, e-Governance) for real-time, transparent, and coordinated implementation.
  • Example: CPGRAMS, UMANG, SDG India Index dashboard.
• Citizen-Centric Service Delivery: Designs policies with a user-first approach to improve accessibility, inclusion, and trust.
  • Example: One-Nation One-Ration Card, Digital Life Certificate for pensioners.
• Outcome-Oriented Monitoring and Accountability: Focuses on outcomes, not just outputs, through tools like dashboards, indexes, KPIs.
  • Enhances transparency and adaptive governance.
  • Example: State Health Index, SDG rankings by NITI Aayog.
• Legal-Administrative Coherence and Capacity Building: Supported by legal frameworks, standardized procedures, and continuous training.
  • Ensures consistency, scalability, and responsiveness in governance.

About Whole-of-Nation (WoN) Approach

• A broader framework involving government, private sector, civil society, academia, and citizens to collectively pursue national priorities—particularly in national security, health, infrastructure, and disaster management.
• Objective: Mobilize collective national efforts for inclusive, sustainable, and resilient development.

Key Features of the Whole-of-Nation (WoN) Approach

• Multistakeholder Collaboration: Involves government, private sector, civil society, media, academia, and citizens.
  • Ensures national priorities are co-designed and co-implemented across diverse actors.
  • Example: COVID-19 vaccine rollout included government agencies, pharma industries, NGOs, and volunteers.
• Shared Vision and National Commitment: Anchored in common national goals, such as Viksit Bharat@2047, TB Mukt Bharat, or SDG targets.
  • Fosters collective responsibility and Jan Bhagidari (people’s participation).
  • Example: Swachh Bharat Mission leveraged citizen engagement, religious institutions, schools, etc.
• Integrated Communication and Mobilization: Uses mass campaigns, social media, and community outreach to mobilize behavior change and participation.
  • Example: Beti Bachao Beti Padhao leveraged media, local champions, schools, and panchayats for mindset shifts.
• Institutional Mechanisms for Cross-Sectoral Engagement: Formal platforms to coordinate government with non-government stakeholders.
  • Example: NITI Aayog partnerships with UNDP, industries, civil society in SDG localization.
• Localized and Context-Specific Implementation: Recognizes diversity across regions and communities, empowering panchayats, local bodies, NGOs, SHGs to adapt interventions.
  • Example: Aspirational Districts Programme’s convergence model.
• Resilience through Distributed Ownership: Builds long-term sustainability by embedding responsibility across the nation—not just within the state.
  • Reduces over-centralization, enhances grassroots resilience, and promotes public trust.

Applications of Whole-of-Government and Whole-of-Nation Approaches in India

Applications of Whole-of-Government (WoG)

• PM GatiShakti – Multimodal Infrastructure Development: 36 ministries coordinated through a GIS-backed National Master Plan.
  • Uses an Empowered Group of Secretaries (EGoS) and Network Planning Groups (NPGs) for synchronised implementation.
  • Outcome: Seamless planning, reduced delays, last-mile connectivity.
• Digital India: Integrates Aadhaar, UPI, Digilocker, UMANG, and more to deliver unified digital services.
  • Ministries of IT, Finance, Rural Development, Education collaborate.
  • Outcome: India’s rise as the second-largest digital public infrastructure ecosystem.
• SDG India Index by NITI Aayog: Maps SDG goals with schemes across all ministries and states.
  • Enables monitoring and ranking to drive competitive and cooperative federalism.
• Integrated Grievance Redressal: CPGRAMS: Ministry of Personnel integrates state/district portals with central systems.
  • Outcome: Drastically reduced grievance disposal time; citizen satisfaction of over 90% during COVID.
• National Disaster Response Mechanism: NDMA integrates inputs from IMD, NDRF, Defence Forces, State Governments.
  • Example: Unified cyclone or flood response using GIS, telecom alerts, and inter-agency coordination.
• National TB Elimination Programme: India targets TB elimination by 2025, five years ahead of the global SDG target (2030).
  • The approach draws from WHO’s End TB Strategy, but is being adapted to India’s socio-economic realities through domestic innovations.

Applications of Whole-of-Nation (WoN)

• Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM): Mobilized citizens, NGOs, religious bodies, media, private sector, alongside local governments.
  • Used behavioral campaigns (e.g., Darwaza Band) to change sanitation practices.
  • Outcome: Over 100 million toilets built, significant reduction in open defecation.
• COVID-19 Management: Involved scientists (vaccine R&D), civil society (food & oxygen support), IT companies (Aarogya Setu, CoWIN).
  • Community kitchens, NGOs, Resident Welfare Associations all played critical roles.
  • Outcome: Massive vaccination drive with public-private synergy.
• Aspirational Districts Programme: Central, state and district administration work with private sector (CSR), NGOs, academic institutions.
  • Convergence on key sectors: education, health, agriculture, financial inclusion.
  • Example: NITI Aayog dashboard monitoring real-time data to trigger field-level interventions.
• Har Ghar Tiranga Campaign (Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav): Mobilized schools, RWAs, corporates, SHGs, and citizens to fly the tricolour.
  • Integration of cultural identity with civic participation.

Global Examples of WoG and WoN Approaches

• Singapore – Education & Skills Ecosystem: Adopted an integrated WoG model across Ministries of Education, Manpower, Trade, and public R&D institutions.
  • Created the Institute of Technical Education (ITE) to align vocational training with market demands.
• Ireland – Linking Jobs and Higher Education: Expert Group on Future Skills Needs coordinated education and industry ministries.
  • Created government-funded, industry-led training networks.
• Republic of Korea – Digital Government & Green New Deal: Integrated ministries (Environment, Industry, Science, Finance) under the Korea Green New Deal (2020).
  • Objectives: green economy, digital transformation, job creation (1.9 million jobs).
  • Uses a central planning body for cross-sectoral implementation.
• Peru – Stunting Reduction via Crecer Strategy: Unified health, education, water, sanitation ministries AND engaged local governments, NGOs, private sector.
  • Used results-based financing and mass awareness campaigns.
• Australia – Digital Transformation Agency (DTA): Supports all government agencies to shift to citizen-first digital services.
  • Provides guidelines, funding, and benchmarks for inter-agency collaboration.
  • A good example of WoG driving service reform with external user feedback loops.

Challenges in Implementing WoG and WoN Approaches

Challenges in Implementing Whole-of-Government (WoG)

• Siloed Bureaucratic Structures: Ministries and departments often work in isolation, lacking horizontal coordination.
  • PM GatiShakti required institutional creation of Network Planning Groups (NPGs) to overcome such silos.
• Poor Interoperability and Data Sharing: Technical systems across ministries lack standardized data architecture.
  • The UN E-Government Survey noted limited electronic identity management and tracking systems in many countries.
• Limited Digital Capacity at Lower Levels: District and local bodies lack the capacity to operationalise integrated digital governance.
  • The SDG localisation framework observed that many states lacked dashboard-linked SDG Cells.
• Accountability Diffusion in Joint Projects: Shared ownership often leads to unclear responsibility and blame-shifting.
  • In TB Mukt Bharat, multiple departments are involved, making accountability harder to trace.
• Resistance to Administrative Reforms: Civil servants may resist shifting to digital platforms or cross-department collaboration.
  • e-Office adoption during COVID-19 varied significantly across ministries.
• Short-Termism Due to Political Cycles: Long-term projects are vulnerable to leadership changes or political shifts.
  • United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA) highlights difficulty in sustaining WoG reforms across administrations unless legally institutionalised.

Challenges in Implementing Whole-of-Nation (WoN)

• Weak Public Awareness and Engagement: Citizens may not understand or participate meaningfully in public programmes.
  • Despite Jan Bhagidari in TB Mukt Bharat, sustaining long-term citizen involvement remains a challenge.
• Uneven Capacity Among Civil Society Actors: NGOs, SHGs, and local bodies have varying ability to contribute effectively.
  • SDG localisation report noted varying NGO-state engagement across regions.
• Lack of Trust Between State and Society: Historical mistrust or lack of transparency can reduce public cooperation.
  • Feedback mechanisms in CPGRAMS were crucial for restoring trust through grievance redressal.
• Difficulty in Coordinating Diverse Stakeholders: Multiple non-state actors (corporates, NGOs, citizens) require careful alignment of goals.
  • In Peru’s Crecer strategy, strong vertical and horizontal alignment was key to stunting reduction, but rare to replicate.
• Dependence on Volunteerism or CSR Funding: Over-reliance on non-government support (e.g., Nikshay Mitras) can lead to unpredictability.
  • TB support initiatives face sustainability issues when volunteer enthusiasm or corporate funds decline.
• Social and Cultural Barriers: Resistance to behavioural change can hinder campaigns.
  • Swachh Bharat required long-term mindset shifts, especially in rural areas, to end open defecation.

Way Forward for Strengthening WoG and WoN Approaches in India

• Institutionalize Coordinating Mechanisms: Strengthen apex coordination bodies like EGoS, NPG, and SDG Cells at all levels (central, state, district).
  • Ensures continuity and clarity of roles in multi-departmental and multi-sectoral missions.
• Invest in Capacity Building at Local Levels: Train district collectors, panchayat officials, and frontline workers in integrated governance.
  • Effective implementation depends on last-mile convergence of services and accountability.
• Create Interoperable Digital Infrastructure: Develop standardised data-sharing protocols and interoperable systems across ministries and states.
  • Real-time monitoring, service delivery, and citizen feedback depend on integrated digital platforms.
• Make Jan Bhagidari a Continuous Process: Move beyond campaign-mode and institutionalise citizen engagement through platforms like Nikshay Mitras, SHGs, and RWAs.
  • Sustained public participation is crucial for success in behavioural, environmental, and health outcomes.
• Align Incentives and Recognition Systems: Use tools like SDG India Index, NeSDA, PM’s Awards for Excellence to reward inter-agency collaboration and innovation.
  • Motivation, not just mandates, drive cooperation across departments.
• Strengthen Legal and Regulatory Frameworks: Embed WoG/WoN principles in national policy guidelines and state administrative rules.
  • Legal backing ensures continuity across political cycles and enhances accountability.
• Develop Real-Time Monitoring and Feedback Systems: Use dashboards, mobile apps, and AI tools for transparent, participatory governance.
  • Responsive policy-making requires citizen input and adaptive data use.

Conclusion

The Whole-of-Government and Whole-of-Nation approaches are pivotal for India’s transformative governance, fostering inter-agency synergy and societal collaboration to achieve inclusive, sustainable development. By addressing challenges like bureaucratic silos and limited local capacity through institutional reforms, digital integration, and sustained public engagement, India can realize the vision of Viksit Bharat by 2047.

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