Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Aug 25: Buoyant over the response, which the Public Services Guarantee Act (PSGA) has been receiving from the common masses, the State Government is going to bring vital services of three more key departments under the ambit of the Act besides increasing the number of services of one important department in order to mitigate the problems being faced by the common masses in accessing the same.
Authoritative sources told EXCELSIOR that Chief Secretary, Madhav Lal, who has been reviewing the implementation of Public Services Guarantee Act ever since its coming into effect from August 10, 2011, recently found the necessity of bringing public services of more departments under the ambit of Act and accordingly he invited proposals from different departments.
“The proposals of Forest, Public Works and Health Departments are presently being examined in the General Administration Department and very shortly the proposals would be placed before the Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah, for his approval”, sources said, adding “even a proposal has been received from the Transport Department for bringing two more services under the ambit of PSGA”.
Following the Chief Minister’s approval, the number of departments, whose identified services would be available to the common masses under the ambit of PSGA, would go up to 11. At present, 52 vital services of eight key departments are available for the common masses under the Act, which provides for the delivery of public services by the designated officers to the eligible persons of the State within the specified time limit.
The service of Forest Department, which is being brought under the purview of PSGA is issuance of No Objection Certificate to industrial units by the Pollution Control Board. As far as Public Works Department is concerned, issuance of contractors card, assessment of structures and damages due to natural calamity would be available under the Act, sources said, adding the Health Department would provide numerous services which include issuance of drug licenses and for setting up of laboratories. Similarly, Transport Department has agreed to make available renewal of driving licenses and issuance of vehicle fitness certificates under the Act.
In response to a question, sources said, “barring some queries raised by General Administration Department regarding a few services of Health Department, exercise vis-à-vis major proposed services of Health, Forest and Public Works Departments has already been completed and Chief Secretary, Madhav Lal, will shortly convene meetings of Administrative Secretaries of these departments for final discussion”.
It is pertinent to mention here that following the enactment of Act, 45 services of Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution, Power Development, Public Health Engineering, Irrigation and Flood Control, Revenue, Transport and Housing and Urban Development Departments were brought under the PSGA ambit.
Later, in the month of July this year, seven services of two more departments-Industries and Labour and Employment were included in the list of services available under PSGA to mitigate the problems being faced by the common people in accessing basic public services.
“Since widening the ambit of Act is a continuous process, the possibility of Government bringing services of more departments and increasing the number of services of existing departments cannot be ruled out”, sources said.
To carry out the implementation of the Act, the State Government has notified the rules, time-limit for providing the notified services, particulars of the designated officers, first appellate authorities and second appellate authorities.
The Act provides for imposition of fine on the designated officers for their failure to provide service to the eligible person or delay in providing the service or service provided is deficient in any manner. There is also a provision to impose fine on the first appellate authorities in case they fail to decide the appeal within the specified time without any plausible reason.
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