Right to Service Act raises hope in Bihar

Aug 18, 2011 |

With the ambitious Right to Public Service Act having been made operational in Bihar from August 15 and already evoking huge expectant responses from the people, the real test has begun for the state's bureaucracy and the Nitish Kumar-led government's commitments to deliver essential public services faster.
In just two-working days after the much-hyped law guaranteeing time-bound delivery of several public utility services was enforced, at least 40,000 applications were reportedly received at the district and block headquarters across Bihar by large crowds seeking mostly certificates for caste, residence, income, ration cards and social security pension. Seeing the public enthusiasm in the swelling throngs of applicants, special counters were opened in several districts on Wednesday, said officials.
The law, a brainchild of the chief minister, was envisioned and drafted as a major anti-corruption tool and passed without even a debate in the state Assembly in March and the rules were framed in May. Prescribed forms were issued on Tuesday for making applications and applicants were issued receipts. Termed as "yet another revolutionary step" in Bihar's journey towards becoming a corruption-free state, the law provides penal action against officials failing to provide the certificates within the stipulated timeframe.
There is also a provision for dismissal of officials from service for such failure.
At the district magistrate's office in capital Patna, many people were on Wednesday seen to be returning after being told by officials that their applications did not have complete documents required for the certificates they sought.
However, the closure of "May I Help You" counters for unknown reasons on the Independence Day itself put off many applicants.
Even though this law is touted as a cure-all for the perennial blight of bureaucratic bottlenecks in Bihar, a large number of touts were still seen in action at the government offices.
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