Exploring Participatory Governance: A Study on Village Councils in KP and Their Impact on Service Delivery

• Habib Ullah

  Author

This paper discusses how participatory government functions and influences service delivery in the case of the Village Councils in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Pakistan. Based on decentralization model as introduced by the Local Government Acts of 2013 and 2019, Village Councils are the first level of local governance and are charged with the responsibility of providing simple services like sanitation, water, education and the first level of healthcare. The study examines the effects of various types of citizen participation, such as elections, community meetings, budget consultations and grievance redress mechanisms, in determining the service outcome in different districts, such as Peshawar, Swat and Buner. The study, which utilizes a case study approach, relies on interviews, focus group discussions, government records, and citizen surveys to discuss the functionality and inclusivity of participatory mechanisms. It is an important aspect of local leaders, women, youth, and marginalized groups in local decision-making, as well as the identification of the bottlenecks, which include elite capture, low literacy, and institutional bottlenecks. The results indicate that councils that have higher levels of community engagement experience relatively good service delivery results and transparency. The paper concludes by making specific policy recommendations in regard to the promotion of local fiscal autonomy, equitable participation, institutional reforms and promotion of the culture of civil responsibility. These reflections will target not only the policymakers of the province but also the local stakeholders with the intent to teach them what a great impact grassroots governance can have on enhancing delivery of public services and strengthening democratic accountability in KP.

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