Neeraj Rohmetra
Jammu, June 23: Determined to infuse sense of accountability among Government employees, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has given instructions for constitution of special teams to monitor the status of implementation of Public Service Guarantee Act (PSGA) at various Government offices across the State.
Besides, directions have been issued for initiating disciplinary action against officials, who have failed to adhere to the guidelines defined under various provisions of the Act in letter and spirit.
Reliable sources said the State Government is working on twin strategy for ensuring accountability among the officials working at different levels in the administration. “During the first round, the officials shall be sanitized about various provisions of the Act and in the second round and disciplinary action shall be taken against the officials, who fail to provide services to people as demanded by the Act”.
“As part of this exercise, senior officials of the General Administration Department (GAD) had been assigned the task to cover Kashmir province first and hold parleys with officials. Subsequently, the team will cover Leh, Kargil district and then move to Jammu province”, sources said, adding, “presently, several senior incumbents of GAD have been holding interactions with officials”.
Sources said the first program has been named as Program Capacity Building for Designated Officials and First Appellate Authority as specified under various provisions of the Act.
Presently, around 70 services provide by the Government Departments and agencies have been brought under the ambit of the PSGA. The Act provides for time bound delivery of services on receiving a complaint and the functionaries failing to comply with the rules of the Act are liable to be penalized.
Sources said the team of officials have been inspecting various Departments in several districts of Kashmir Valley and have also issued warning letter to some incumbents, who have deliberately ‘ignored’ the provision of the Act. “They have been advised to implement the PSGA in true spirit as failure to do so would also invite disciplinary action”, sources asserted.
Source said, “the Government is vigorously working for the implementation ever since its enactment in the year 2011. The Rules pertaining to the provisions of the Act were also framed within the shortest possible time by July, 2011 and now efforts are being made to make them work on ground”.
The State Government had on July 26, 2011 issued notification under SRO 223 and 224 identifying the public services, designated officers, stipulated timeframe for providing the services, first appellate authority and second appellate authority besides notifying rules to make the Act operational with immediate effect.
The Act, sources stated, was aimed at empowering general public to enforce upon the administration their right of receiving prompt delivery of public services on various fronts of day-to-day life importance.
“The Act provides for right to public service to every eligible person within the specified time limit in a transparent manner. An eligible person can demand performance of duties and functions in accordance with the Act. He is empowered under the Act to hold the concerned designated officer accountable for any service deficiency. Beside, the complainant can seek compensation with respect to non-providing of service or deficiency in service”, sources added.
“After covering various Departments in Kashmir province, the teams of officials have been instructed to cover Jammu provinces by July end”, sources asserted.
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