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Jharkhand set to get Right to Service, Karnataka next?

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silkboard - 24 August, 2011 | governance | law and order | Corruption | Citizen Reports | Karnataka | Right to Services

Jharkhand is the latest state all set to pass a Right to Service Bill. Quoting from Jagran Post:

Under this Act, all the government department will be bound to provide citizen centric services within stipulated time period, as a matter of right. Also, the Act fixes the accountability of the concerned government officers in case of delay. The Act provides for punishment of the government employees as well.

The list of citizen services is not available in any news report. However, there seems to be a mechanism to take in complaints:

To take action on the complaint filed by the denizens, first Appellate and second Appellate officers will be appointed in different services. Officers and employees found guilty will have to pay penalty and can face stern legal action as well.

Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab and now Jharkhand. All NDA ruled states? Would Karnataka be next? Imagine a guarantee by BBMP to either hand over your Khata, or tell you why they can't with a written reply in 3 days or less. And if you don't get the Khata or written response in 3 days, some BBMP officer gets fined! Right to Service act can perhaps enable such things.

 

 

COMMENTS

And if you don't get the

idontspam - 25 August, 2011 - 08:43

And if you don't get the Khata or written response in 3 days, some BBMP officer gets fined! 

Fined by who? Police is the govt? Appalete officers are ombudsmen within the govt themselves appointed by the govt. WIll tey make the appelate process also transparent and put data online? 

Union govt also has to pass a RTS act to cover central govt depts. Income tax, passport offices etc. Its a good idea to have state wise RTS defining various state services but doesnt obviate the need to have them policed by neutral ombudsmen. 

question - why state level bill?

silkboard - 24 August, 2011 - 19:53

Had a question myself - why is this a state level bill? Perhaps because a central government Right to Service Act can only make promises regarding services it provides. Most citizen services we get are from state government.

Citizen's charter planned at Karnataka

silkboard - 3 November, 2011 - 17:58

There were some reports last month about GoK announcing that they will implement a state level citizen's charter. Most likely, that would end up being a Right to Service bill by the same or another name. Can't find any drafts around. Does anyone know more or better?

There should be some public consultation and sharing of drafts done while the proposal is in the works. Better, no?

here is the full bill proposed by the GoK

Public Agenda - 4 November, 2011 - 15:46

here is the full bill proposed by the GoK 

[This comment has been promoted to a post - here]

thanks PA sir

silkboard - 5 November, 2011 - 02:13

Where did you get this from sir? Any email id to send comments on this?

This needs to be put up prominently as a separate post.

There is a version here also

sanjayv - 5 November, 2011 - 04:37

I found a version at this location also, dated Oct 27.  Not sure if this is an official version where feedback is being sought. According to this news report in TOI today, the cabinet approved the bill yesterday and the plan is to introduce it as an ordinance first.  Wonder why they cannot get feedback, debate and improve before implementing?  Maybe part of a move to show that the BJP is not corrupt?

more details, only from news reports

silkboard - 6 November, 2011 - 04:26

What an irony. Citizens can't find the original draft of the bill, can't even see the full ordinance in text. And we thought we had right to information, for get citizen's charter.

So the stattus so far, all gathered from newspaper reports, no links on any GoK website yet that I can find.

From this DNA newspaper Report:

The ordinance would cover 90 services provided by 10 departments, including rural development and panchayat raj, urban development, revenue, energy, finance and health.

The Citizens’ Charter makes it mandatory for all departments to appoint a Grievance Redressal Officer. Citizens can file complaints to the officer if listed services are not delivered within the stipulated time-frame. Erring officials would have to submit a written explanation or risk penal action if they fail to give a convincing reply for the delay. The fine of `20 for every day of delay of rendering the service will also be imposed on that official.

Notice:

  • Erring personnel will have to pay a fine of (Rs) 20 for every day of delay in rendering the service.
  • Erring officials would have to submit a written explanation or risk penal action if they fail to give a convincing reply for the delay.

Who do they have to submit the "convincing reply" to? How much time as allowed for this "convincing reply"? Depending on who decides on the convincing nature of this reply, we may mostly be doomed on this bill.

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