March 8, 2013 2:45:02 am
The Cabinet on Thursday gave its approval to a draft Bill that will ensure delivery of services such as passports,birth and death certificates,and pensions in a time-bound manner.
In case of delay,officials responsible for delivering the services can be fined Rs 250 per day,upto a maximum of Rs 50,000.
The Rights of Citizens for Time-Bound Delivery of Goods and Services and Redressal of their Grievances Bill,2011,part of the legislative measures proposed to check corruption,is likely to be brought before parliament soon.
Sources said the Bill,through a citizens charter that will be set up for each department,will specify the goods and services supplied,with a time frame for providing them. The names of designated officials responsible for delivery of the services will also be listed.
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In case of non-compliance by officials,provisions have been included to initiate criminal and administrative proceedings against them. Such appeals will have to be made before the Lokpal at the Centre and the Lokayukta in the states.
Every public authority will also have to designate grievance redressal officers at all levels. There will also be state and central public grievance redressal commissions.
The inclusion of NRIs in the ambit of the Bill will be dealt with separately by the Personnel,Public Grievances and Pensions ministry and the Law ministry.
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