Odisha to implement Right to Public Service Act from 2013

Under the act, citizens would be able to get their land records, driving licenses, electricity and water connections and other services within a stipulated time and officials could not keep them waiting for long, the sources said.

"People of Odisha will be provided services in time. All the 75 services will be under the purview of the new act," Chief Secretary B K Patnaik said.

To start with people would be offered at least 25 services under the purview of the Odisha Right to Public Service Act, 2012, the sources said, after the decision was taken at a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.

To ensure early implementation of the law, the state government ensured passage of a Bill in the recently concluded session of the assembly.

According to the provision of the new act, the people were entitled to get any particular service within a stipulated time. The officials who failed in meeting the deadline would have to pay penalty to the applicant for delay.

Initially, the departments of revenue and transport would be added under the new act, the sources said.

The Chief Minister has issued instructions to departments to train officials to avoid penalty and to provide better service to the people.

All the government offices will display a timeframe for particular services.

Odisha would be the 12th state in the country to implement the law.

The states which have so far implemented it included Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Jammu and Kashmir, Bihar, Rajasthan, Utarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Jharkhand and Chhattishgarh.