Better Services Act to roll out from April 2013 in Assam

Guwahati, Dec. 5: Dispur will be rolling out the Assam Right to Public Services Act, 2012, which was passed in the last budget session, from April next year.

A decision to this effect was taken at a meeting chaired by chief minister Tarun Gogoi before leaving for Calcutta on his way to Ho Chi Minh city on Monday.

Rajiv Kumar Bora, principal secretary of personnel, administrative reforms and training and IT, who is co-ordinating the efforts for the smooth launch of the services, told The Telegraph this evening that 47 services covering 13 departments have been identified for the launch from Bohag Bihu.

"More services will be added in subsequent phases. Administrative reforms are a key focus area of the government and almost everything is in place for a smooth roll out.

The whole idea is to ensure government services within a stipulated timeframe. Officials not meeting the deadline despite everything being in order from the applicants' side will be penalised," Bora said.

Sources said the government has been gearing up the departments involved in the roll out since April. The act was notified in May and the rules governing it were passed in October.

They also said the administrative reforms department was ready for the rollout from January but for the ensuing panchayat elections, which is likely to be held between January-February.

The public faces a lot of trouble in availing these services and in most cases they have to bribe their way to get the work done in time, the sources said.

The services, proposed, to be notified initially include land holding certificate, certified copy of jamabandi, land valuation certificate, certified copy of mutation order, land partition, duplicate marksheet, duplicate pass certificate, migration certificate, valuation certificate of animal/bird for insurance.

Other services include birth and death certificates, building construction permission, trade licence, municipal holding certificate/holding mutation, driving licence and a host of other essential public services.

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