The field units of Turkish central administration

Abstract

The striking feature of Turkish public administration is its centralized structure. Almost all public services in education, health, construction, agriculture etc., are taken to people by the central administration. In order to provide these services Turkish central administration has an extensive field organization throughout the country. In terms of the organization of field units there are, on the one hand, multiple-function provincial units, and, on the other hand, single-function regional units serving in the very same geographical areas. The provision of public services in an effective and efficient manner is directly related to the scale of operations of the field units, and to the coordination of activities among different public organizations operating within the same geographical area or region. Our objective here is to evaluate critically the structure and functioning of the field units of central administration and try to answer the following questions: to what extent are the field units able to function efficiently? To what extent is the size of the field units suitable for providing public services in an efficient manner? To what extent are different field units able to coordinate their activities in the localities? To what extent does the nature of relationships between the center and field units affect service provision? Field Units of Central Administration. According to the Turkish Constitution 'In terms of central administration structure, Turkey is divided into provinces on the basis of geographical location and economic conditions, and public service requirements; provinces are further divided into subordinate administrative districts. The administration of provinces is based on the principle of decentralization. Central administrative organizations comprising several provinces may be established to ensure the efficiency and coordination of public services.' This article on the Turkish Constitution draws the framework of the organization and functioning of the field units of the central administration. Ministries and other units of the central administration establish their field units or local branches on the basis of the provincial division of the country. Generally speaking the organic laws