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| Govt introduces public service bill in LA | | | EARLY TIMES REPORT
Jammu, Mar 24 : The State government introduced a bill in the Assembly that seeks to provide better delivery of public services to the people within a specified time limit.
The bill was introduced yesterday by Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah in the Assembly.
Omar said that the bill would provide relief to general public in getting their ration cards, electricity and water connections, driving licenses and other public services from the government functionaries.
The Bill provides for right to public services making every persons eligible in the State to have a right to public services which shall include the right to receive public service in a transparent manner, demand preference of duties and functions in accordance with the Act, hold the concerned designated officer accountable for any service deficiency and seek compensation with respect to non providing of services or deficiency in service.
The Bill thus empowers general public to make administration accountable to people at all levels.
Talk of good governance, accountability and prompt public service delivery has been on focus in the politico-intelligentsia spectrum for quite some time during recent years, though its relevance and necessity in a progressive society has been always underlined as an important ingredient for all round development.
However, any legislation specifically to make public service delivery prompt and empower public to make administration accountable for omission or commission in this regard is unheard of so far, even as we have fundamental rights guaranteed in the constitution and there are directive principles to conduct the Government business.
The introduction of the Bill which is likely to be passed by the legislature in the current session would be of course an innovative measure to curb the red-tape in administrative functioning and make public service prompt.
The Bill makes obligatory on the designated officer to provide public service to the eligible persons within the time specified and the specified time limit shall start from the date when an application is submitted by the eligible persons for providing of notified service to the designated officer or to a person sub-ordinate to him authorized to receive the application.
The applicant can go for an appeal if his application is rejected by the designated officer. If he is not satisfied with the decision on first appeal, he can go for second appeal.
The Section 10 of the Bill provides for penalty for non-compliance of orders. If the designated officer does not comply with the orders or directions given to him under Sub-Section 3 of Section 6 or Sub-Section 2 of Section 7, related to the first and second appeal, the first and second appellate authorities shall service show cause to the officer on the complaint of the aggrieved person.
The Section 11 of the Bill provides for fine ₹250 for each day of delay in the delivery of public service to the aggrieved person or a fine amounting to ₹5000 whichever is less in case of non-providing of service or delay in providing the same. The Section also provides for fine of ₹2000 on the official in case of deficiency in service delivery.
The Bill also provides for imposition of fine from ₹500 to ₹5000 on the first appellate authority if it has failed to decide the appeal of the aggrieved person without any sufficient and reasonable cause.
The Section 13 of the Bill provides for compensation in the shape of a portion of fine to the aggrieved appellant.
The Section 14 of the Bill provides for disciplinary action against the designated officer or the first appellate authority in case their failure to discharge their duties assigned to them under the Act without sufficient and reasonable cause.
In the statement of the objects and reasons, the Government states in the Bill that the State Government has considered it necessary that the people of the State be delivered public services within the stipulated time limit. In order to achieve the said objective the Bill envisages a comprehensive mechanism including notification of designated officers and appellate authorities, also specifying the time frame for delivery of public service to the people of the State.
Referring to the Bill in his address in the Legislative Assembly on Wednesday, the Chief Minister said that the Bill would give great relief to general public in getting their ration cards, electric and water connections, driving licenses, registration certificates, revenue papers and scores of similar public services from the Government functionaries within the prescribed time limit and empowered the people to enforce their right through this legislation. He described the Bill a path breaking and meaningful effort in the direction of giving transparent administration and good governance to the people.
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