JOIN US'Sakaala' guarantees service to people
One of the most ambitious projects of the State government to offer guarantee of services to citizens in a time bound manner, the Karnataka Guarantee of Services to Citizens Act-2011 was launched on a pilot basis in Puttur on Thursday.
The project which has been named as “Sakaala” with an apt slogan “Indu Nale Innilla, Helida Dina Thappolla,” was launched at a taluk each in five districts namely Dakshina Kannada, Jayanagar (Bangalore), Bidar, Dharwad and Chitradurga.
The Act would prove useful to the common man who is otherwise forced to run from pillar to post waiting to receive the services from the bureaucrats. With the Service Act in force, the citizens of Karnataka will be provided the guarantee of services within the stipulated time limit, failing which the officers concerned could be questioned and penalised.
151 State services
As many as 151 of the State services under 11 government departments including local authority, transport, revenue, food and civil supplies, rural and panchayat raj, home, education, health and family welfare services, labour, women and child welfare and finance have been brought under the Act and it would ensure timely service and is intended to help end corruption.
What is Act all about?
According to the Karnataka Guarantee of Services to Citizens Act-2011, every service has been allotted with a deadline prior to which the service has to be delivered to the citizens. If there is any delay in delivering the service by the officers, then citizens have the right to question the designated officer.
The public servant or the designated officer who fails to deliver citizen related services to a citizen within the stipulated time (only if the applications are duly filled), shall be liable to pay compensatory cost at the rate of Rs 20 per day for the period of delay subject to maximum of Rs 500 per application.
If the officer fails to deliver the service even then, the citizen can approach the competent officer notified by the government who can examine and impose penalty against the designated officer or his subordinate public servant who has defaulted. In any employee is found guilt of not providing timely services for over 25 times in a year, steps would be taken against him. The citizens can also know the status of their application by dialling 080-44554455 or by visiting www.kgsc.kar.nic.in
Some of the important services that come under the act are FIR copy, age certificate, caste certificate, birth/death certificate, ID card for senior citizens, driving licence, answer sheet revaluation, ration card etc.
Accountability
Speaking after the inauguration, Deputy Speaker N Yogish Bhat said that the Act would bring in accountability and transparency in the system. “A citizen who has filed an application seeking a particular service under any of the 11 departments is entitled to get his work done prior to the deadline as specified in the Act, failing which he can question the authorities. As the Act has been kept out of the judicial purview, nobody can approach the court or bring a stay,” he said.
Further, he informed that the Act which has been implemented on a pilot basis in five districts, will be implemented state-wide from April 1. This Act is one step forward in strengthening the e-governance, he said.
Additional DC K A Dayananda informed that the Act has been formed based on Bihar model where 85 lakh applications have been disposed in two years. On the very first day, before the inaugural programme came to an end, as many as six people filed applications seeking the gurantee of service.
MP Nalin Kumar Kateel unveiled the logo of the ‘Sakaala’. Puttur MLA Mallika Prasad presided over.
All about the Act
* The Act offers guarantee of services to citizens in a time bound manner ・
* 150 services under 11 State departments are included in the Act
* The officers will have to offer the service within stipulated time failing which they are penalised
* Five districts have been chosen in the State for pilot project
* The Act will be implemented across the State from April 1
* The citizens can know the status of their applications by visiting www.kgsc.kar.nic.in
* For more information dial 080-44554455 or visit www.dpar.kar.nic.in
Puttur 11th hour choice
Puttur, the home town of Chief Minister Sadananda Gowda was chosen for the pilot project in a last minute decision.
Initially, it was Kundapur along with three other taluks that was chosen for the pilot project. In fact, a month long training programmes were conducted for the officers in Kundapur as preparative steps for implementing the Act.
It was only five days ago that Kundapur was removed from the list and Puttur replaced it. With the three days training and preparation and in the absence of any logistic support, the officers have launched the project in the taluk. The two-day training programme will be held for the officers at Zilla Panchayat on Friday and Saturday, informed ADC K A Dayananda.