Sukhbir Puts 2nd Generation Reforms On Fast Track

Implementation Of Rts Act To Be Expedited By Digitization Of All Services

5 Dariya News

Chandigarh 30-Jul-2012

Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal issued directions to put 2nd Generation Governance Reforms on fast track after a comprehensive review of the first generation administrative reforms here today.  Accompanied Bhagat Chuni Lal, Local Government Minister and Bikram Singh Majithia, Revenue Minister, Sukhbir Singh Badal reviewed the implementation of Governance Reforms in various departments in a meeting with the Chairperson of Governance Reforms Commission Dr. Pramod Kumar and Right to Service Commission Chairman S.C. Agrawal and members of the Commissions.The Deputy Chief Minister said that for effective implementation of Right to Service Act, we have to put in place an automatic grievance redressal system for hassle-free implementation of Act. He called for expediting the process of digitization of 69 services and thereafter delivery time of these services should be revised and reduced. He was of opinion that the additional 41 services recommended by the Right to Service Commission be referred to the Governance Commission for procedure simplification and after simplification of procedures the concerned department would take immediate steps to computerize these services and after that these services would be effectively covered under RTS Act. Subodh Aggarwal informed that more than 15 lakh people have availed services under this Act and only 176 went for appeal for delay or non-availability of services.Focusing on Service Delivery of citizen services in Urban Areas, it was also decided to setup Urban Service Delivery Centres by 31st December, 2013 to provide services like registration of birth and death, issuance of birth and death certificate, new water and sewerage connections, payment of water, sewerage and electricity bills, sanction of building plans, issuance of completion certificate, sanction of change of land use, payment of rent and lease, approval for hoardings and verification services under one roof. He said that these centres would also provide services related to other departments including 61 services covered under Right to Service Act.Issuing instructions to expedite the implementation of reforms like authorization of registered architects to approve building plans and authorization of empanelled structural engineers to issue safety certificates, Badal said that it was imperative to reduce harassment as the earlier procedure which required procurement of occupation as well as completion certificates needed to be amended. It was also decided that only completion certificate was required and would be issued without post-construction inspections in case of third party certification. It was also reiterated to issue water and sewerage connections on the day of application.The Deputy Chief Minister stressed upon rationalization of security of privileged few and VIPs and setting up a robust system like Security Board, a new system to provide security to common rural people. He approached setting up of a Rapid Rural Police Response System on the pattern of urban areas. He issued directions to Finance Department to provide resources from modernization and other sources at the earliest for this purpose. S.K. Sharma, ADGP (Human Resource) was made the nodal officer for this project and was instructed to finalise this proposal in consultation with Sumedh Saini, DGP, Punjab. He said that eHHPunjab would be the first state in the country to have police on call system in rural areas also.Badal said that Rapid Rural Police Response System would reduce police response time to distress calls in rural areas by providing state-of-the-art networking of GPS-fitted fully equipped and manned vehicles with the district control rooms. He said that the main objectives of the Rapid Rural Police Response System include immediate and timely response of police to any situation, especially crime, law & order, women in distress, emergency needs of senior citizens, maintaining high visibility of police force and providing comprehensive and round-the-clock security cover in rural areas by strengthening area security.Reviewing the working of Saanjh Kendras, he said that a Community Affairs pision at Police Headquarters at Chandigarh needed to be strengthened with additional human resource and technology. It was decided that a dedicated wing for community policing Saanjh Kendras will be set up and the police personnel opting for this would be given additional allowances and promotional avenues.Badal also suggested that a decentralized police complaint system should be set up. He said that any complaint received from public should be investigated by the police and action taken report should be submitted to the citizen committees at the district level. He said that these committees are empowered to refer to action taken report (if not satisfied) to State Complaint Authority set up for this purpose. This will provide transparency and make citizens’ stakeholder in decision-making process. The purpose was accepted in principle.Prominent amongst others who were present in the meeting included N.S. Kang, Financial Commissioner Revenue, Suresh Kumar, Principal Secretary Local Government, Anirudh Tiwari, Secretary Power, G. Vajralingam, DG MGSIPA, Manvesh Singh Sidhu, Special Principal Secretary to Deputy Chief Minister.