Chandigarh – The State of Punjab today scripted a new history in the independent India as Punjab Legislative Assembly today unanimously passed “ The Punjab Right to Service Bill-2011”,the most comprehensive bill ensuring time bound delivery of 67 citizen services.
Introducing the bill in the assembly Mr. Sukhbir Singh Badal Deputy Chief Minister, who is brain behind this historic lagislation, sought opposition’s cooperation to become party of this historic moment, to empower the ordinary citizens of the state. He said that this bill should have been introduced immediately after the independence, as time bound delivery of the citizen services was right of every citizen. He said that since last three years the state government was working overtime on the concept of this bill and streamlining the process of various services to ensure the success of this lagislation. He said that this lagislation could not have been successful if it was not in synergy with official procedures and Acts and reforms in the governance initiated during last three years are set to ensure success of this piece of legislation. He said that this was the first step to make bureaucracy answerable and accountable who would be now legally bound to deliver citizen services within the stipulated time or they would have to face penalty besides departmental action.
Listing out the steps taken by the SAD-BJP government in the Governance reforms area Mr. Badal said that he was happy to inform the House that with the help of bureaucracy it was able to computerise 90 percent of land record, computerise transport department to ensure registration certificates by the vehicle dealers besides opening 150 police Sanjh Kendra to provide time bound delivery of service in the most transparent manner. He said that the purpose of whole exercise was to reduce the interaction of citizens with the government authorities, keep procedures transparent besides reducing the discretionary powers of government officers that lead to delay and corruption.
Welcoming the suggestions of Opposition for time bound dealing of police complaints Mr. Badal said that SAD-BJP government was open to all suggestions as this bill was a learning process for the government. He said that he is not offering a miracle wand by introducing this bill as it will take some time to stabilize the procedures.
Allaying the apprehensions of Opposition party Mr. Badal said that Chairman of the Commission would be appointed in consultation with the leader of the opposition and Commission would be independent statutory body that can initiate the complaints even suo moto. He said that any citizen submitting a complaint before Suvidha Kendra has right to get service within stipulated time and on failing to receive the service he can approach to first appellate authority and second appellate authority and then to Commission in a most transparent and citizen centric way.
Expressing happiness on the massive response Mr. Badal said that this Bill was the real success of reform process and thanked the bureaucracy for drafting this historic bill. He said that he was working out a procedure for online filing of police complaints with a singular aim that people should get the justice.
Mr. Badal said that neighbouring state of Haryana and other states were evincing great interest in this bill and seeking copies of this act from Punjab to replicate this in their own states. He said that this bill was striking at the root cause of corruption whereas Centre government was only looking to punish people they have committed the corruption.
Later the Punjab Legislative Assembly passed the bill unanimously scripting a new chapter in the history of country.
