The concept of the governance is used in different contexts and it should be noted that the meaning of governance depends on the context in which it is being used. Different contextual explanations of the term governance are as follows:

• Governance as the Minimal StateIn this perspective, governance redefines the extent and nature of public intervention. The governance in this context imparts a major role to the private sector in delivering services to the citizens. The role of the government is redefined to be an enabler or a facilitator rather than an all-encompassing entity. The size of the government is reduced due to greater thrust on privatisation.
• Governance as Corporate governance: In this framework, governance pertains to the system through which organizations are directed and managed. The purpose of governance extends beyond merely operating a company; it also involves providing overall guidance to the organization, supervising and regulating the actions of management, and ensuring appropriate accountability and a regulatory framework.
• Governance as New Public Management: In this regard, governance seeks to transform public administration into a market-oriented system focused on three primary objectives: Efficiency, Economy, and Effectiveness (the 3E’s).
• Governance as Social-Cybernetics System: 
  • Governance in this context is the pattern or structure that emerges in a socio-political system as a ‘common’ result or outcome of the interacting intervention efforts of all involved actors. This pattern cannot be reduced to one actor or group of actors in particular.    
  • Here, governance describes the pattern or structure that arises in a socio-political framework as a ‘common’ result of the cooperative intervention of all involved participants. This structure cannot be attributed to one specific actor or group alone. 
  • The outcomes of policies do not solely stem from the actions of the central government. The government may pass a law but subsequently it interacts with local government, health authorities, the voluntary sector, the private sector and, in turn, they interact with one another. 
  • The socio-cybernetic approach views governance as the result of interactive social- political forms of governing. The approach highlights the limits to governing by a central actor and claims there is no longer a single sovereign authority. Instead, a diverse array of actors specific to each policy area is involved. An interdependence among these social-political-administrative actors blurred boundaries between public, private and voluntary sectors.
• Governance as Self-Organising networks: In this approach, governance is aligned with services offered through a collaboration of government, the private sector, and non-profit organizations. This model emphasizes networks and collaborative governance rather than hierarchical structures and highlights the importance of horizontal connections among the three players: the State, market, and civil society. Networks are a prevalent means of social coordination and managing inter-organizational relationships, essential for both public and private sector administration.

A report on human development in South Asia, 1999 visualises three dimensions of governance which brings about human development. These dimensions are-

• Political Governance: The features of political governance include the following: 
  • Regular, free and fair elections, with participation in the form of multi-party democracy
  • An unbiased judiciary safeguarded by the constitutional division of powers. 
  • A constitution that is difficult to amend by any government branch. 
  • Responsibility of elected officials and public representatives. 
  • Full access of all citizens to justice that is prompt and affordable
  • Elimination of all forms of discrimination against women and minorities
  • The eradication of all types of discrimination against women and minority groups. 
  • Maintenance of peace and social cohesion within and between states

• Economic Governance: It aims for fair results in economic processes. The government must choose those economic policies which would foster competition and would be most beneficial to the poorest sections of the society. The characteristics of economic governance are as follows-
  • Macroeconomic stability characterised by balanced budget, low inflation, and stable exchange rate with the help of an independent central bank
  • Guaranteed property rights for the people
  • Progressive taxes and subsidies 
  • Sufficient budgetary allocation to social priority areas, such as basic education, primary healthcare, safe drinking water, adequate nutrition, family planning services, and micro-credit schemes for the poor
  • Adequate job creation
  • Efficient and well-targeted subsidies for the poor sections
  • Equitable access to credit and land

• Civil Governance: At the core of the civil governance is the determination and self-initiation of people to improve their capacity to govern their lives, by creating informal structure and processes to address the following basic concerns-
  • Protecting basic human rights, particularly the rights of the disadvantaged sections of the society
  • Securing fundamental, political, economic and human rights for all.

From the above explanations, it is clear that the concept of governance is very dynamic and evolving in nature. It implies the following-

• Taking care of functioning of the state for the well-being of citizens 
• Securing the citizens the fundamental rights guaranteed in the constitution 
• Enhance and improve the political, social, and economic existence of all citizens.
• Institutionalising the system of governance

Aspects of governance 

From the previous discussion, it is clear that governance is a multi-faceted and dynamic concept which gets its meaning from the context in which it is used. As discussed earlier, Governance refers to the processes, systems and structures that influence decision-making and administration within a society, organization or community. It encompasses all the mechanisms through which power and authority are exercised, from political and legal institutions to the role of citizens and stakeholders. Effective governance is critical to ensuring accountability, transparency, and the delivery of essential services to citizens. It also plays a crucial role in promoting economic growth, reducing poverty, and protecting human rights.

Key elements of governance encompass good governance, accountability, transparency, citizen-focused governance, citizen charters, mechanisms for addressing grievances, the role of the media in governance, the role of citizens in governance, and electronic governance. These elements are elaborated upon in the subsequent sections.