The Second Administrative Reforms Commission (ARC) was established to propose measures to achieve a proactive, responsive, accountable, sustainable, and efficient administration at all levels of government. Here are the key recommendations across various domains:

Ethics in Governance

1. Lokpal and Lokayuktas:
   • Establishment of a Lokpal at the Union level and Lokayuktas at the State level to address complaints of corruption against public functionaries, including Ministers.
   • These bodies should be empowered to act independently and have the authority to prosecute offenders
2. Whistleblower Protection:
   • Enactment of a Whistleblowers’ Protection Act to safeguard individuals who expose corruption or maladministration.
   • Mechanisms should be in place to protect the identity of the whistleblowers and provide them security from retribution

Public Order

3. Police Reforms:
   • Establishment of a State Security Commission in each state to ensure that the police act according to the law of the land and the Constitution of India.
   • Introduction of a fixed tenure of two years for key police functionaries to ensure continuity and stability in leadership
4. Separation of Investigation and Law and Order:
   • Separate the investigation wing from the law and order wing to enhance professional efficiency and improve the quality of investigations

Public Service Delivery

5. Citizen's Charters:
   • Implementation of Citizen’s Charters to ensure accountability in public service delivery.
   • These charters should clearly specify the services provided, the standards of service, the time frame within which services will be delivered, and the remedies available if standards are not met
6. Right to Information:
   • Strengthening the Right to Information Act to enhance transparency and accountability in government functioning.
   • Ensuring that public authorities proactively disclose information in a user-friendly manner

Decentralization

7. Empowerment of Local Governments:
   • Devolution of funds, functions, and functionaries to local bodies to enable them to function effectively.
   • Ensuring that local bodies have the necessary financial resources and administrative autonomy
8. District Councils:
   • Formation of District Councils to manage local development functions.
   • District Collectors to act as the chief officers of these councils, accountable to both the District Council and the State Government for their respective domains

e-Governance

9. Promotion of e-Governance:
   • Adoption of e-governance to streamline processes, reduce corruption, and improve service delivery.
   • Each government department should develop a comprehensive plan to leverage Information Technology to improve governance

Personnel Administration

10. Human Resource Development:
    • States should formulate comprehensive Human Resource Development policies focusing on training and capacity building.
    • Administrative Training Institutes (ATIs) should be equipped to provide continuous training and embed Centers of Good Governance within them
11. Merit-Based Appointments:
    • Recruitment for public service positions should be based on merit, with a transparent and fair selection process.
    • The role of the State Public Service Commissions should be confined to recruitment for higher-level posts and establishing broad norms and standards for other recruitments

Transparency and Accountability

12. Performance Management:
    • Introduction of a Performance Management System (PMS) in government to evaluate and enhance the performance of public servants.
    • Linking promotions and incentives to performance to encourage efficiency and effectiveness in public service​
13. Grievance Redressal:
    • Establishment of effective grievance redressal mechanisms to address public complaints efficiently.
    • Each organization should designate an appellate authority and analyze grievance-prone areas to take proactive measures

Legal and Institutional Framework

14. Legal Reforms:
    • Review and amend outdated laws to remove inefficiencies and ambiguities in the legal framework.
    • Simplification of procedures and reduction of administrative layers to minimize delays and enhance transparency​
15. Strengthening Institutions:
    • Institutions like the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) should be strengthened to ensure they can effectively protect and promote human rights.
    • Establish norms for dealing with complaints and ensure proactive steps by the Union and State Governments in addressing serious offenses like custodial deaths

Promoting Competition

16. Dismantling Monopolies:
    • Ending government monopolies in non-essential service sectors to promote competition and reduce corruption.
    • Allowing private players to compete in service delivery can enhance efficiency and reduce the scope for corruption
17. Simplification of Transactions:
    • Streamlining and simplifying administrative procedures to reduce the scope for corruption and improve service delivery.
    • Reviewing and simplifying departmental manuals and codes to remove unnecessary complexities and delays

These recommendations from the Second Administrative Reforms Commission aim to create a more responsive, transparent, and accountable administrative framework in India, addressing various aspects from ethics in governance to the promotion of e-governance and decentralization​