Public Service Act comes to force from today

Citizens in Odisha can expect prompt delivery of a wide gamut of government services as the state plans to implement the much touted Right to Public Services Act from Wednesday.

To begin with, 34 services of seven administrative departments- commerce & transport, revenue & disaster management, health & family welfare, finance, home, rural development and women & child development will come under the purview of the Act. The Act will cover 75 services in all with the remaining services to be offered to the people subsequently.

Some of the common public services which are to be provided within the fixed time frame as a right under this legislation include issuing caste, birth, marriage and domicile certificates, driving license, electric connections, voter identity card, ration cards, copies of land records etc.

The erring officials, who do not stick to the time frame in providing the services to the citizens, will draw penalties according to the Act.Odisha is the 12th state in the country to implement the Act. Similar Acts are already in vogue in states like Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab and Uttarakhand.