Indian government officials will be penalised if they fail to provide timely public services
NEW DELHI (TrustLaw) - Indian government officials will be penalised if they fail to provide timely public services thanks to a new law aimed at promoting better governance in the capital, the Times of India reported on Tuesday.
"The Right of Citizens to Time-Bound Delivery of Services Bill, 2011" was passed by legislators in New Delhi's parliament on Monday and will be applicable to all departments in the city.
"It (the Bill) aims to sensitise the public servant towards citizens and to enhance and imbibe a culture to deliver time-bound services to citizens," Sheila Dixit, New Delhi's chief minister was quoted as saying by the daily.
"It will bring a positive change in the work culture and enhance transparency," she said.
According to the newspaper, officials which are liable to pay a fine under the Bill include those responsible for issuing of passports and birth certificates, ration cards for poor households as well as those working on the renewal of temporary and permanent driving licenses.
If officials fail to honour the deadlines to provide such services to the public, they will be fined 10 rupees per day, according to the Bill, said the paper, adding that the government would take "administrative action against habitual defaulters".
The report added that those who incurred no default throughout the year would be rewarded a cash incentive of up to 5,000 rupees ($110).
Anti-graft campaigners say ordinary Indians are forced daily to deal with bureaucracy and inefficiency to avail basic services, with many under duress to pay bribes for services which should not only be free, but on time.
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