Odisha plans to introduce ‘Right to Public Service Bill’ to help improve its interface with the citizens and provide them prompt and hassle free services. The bill is aimed at fixing greater accountability on officers responsible for providing timely services with penalty provisions and scope for action against erring officers.
The proposed bill will bring within its ambit key government departments that have frequent interface with the people like energy, water resources, health & family welfare and housing & urban development to name a few.
“Once the law is enacted by the members of the Odisha Legislative Assembly, the citizens of the state will be entitled to public services within prescribed time limits. In case of any deviation, the citizens can file complaint and action will be initiated against the erring officers,” Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik told reporters after a meeting with departmental secretaries.
It may be noted that states like Delhi, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Jammu & Kashmir, Kerala, Karnataka and Chhattisgarh have already enacted such bills. Such legislations guarantee time bound delivery of services for various public services rendered by the government to citizens and provide mechanism for punishing the errant public servant who is deficient in providing the service stipulated under the statute.
Other objectives of the public service legislations include reducing corruption in bureaucratic ranks and elevating transparency and public accountability. Some of the common public services which are to be provided within the fixed time frame as a right under such legislation include issuing caste, birth, marriage and domicile certificates, electric connections, voter’s card, ration cards, copies of land records.