Over 7.21 Crore Citizens Availed Notified Services Under Right To Service Act Upto February, 2016

Chandigarh, April 8, 2016: Punjab has created record in the novel governance reform initiative with over 7.21 crore citizens availing services under Right To Service act since its inception.
A spokesman of Punjab Government said that 28,37,866 applicants have availed the notified services during February, 2016 under Right to Service Act. He said that till now more than 7.21 crore applicants have been provided notified services since the inception of Punjab Right to Service Act, 2011.
Divulging the details, He said that only 14,160 applications are pending beyond time line. The concerned departments have been asked to clear all the pending applications immediately.
He further said that on the basis of reports received from various districts, the Commission took suo-moto notice in groups of cases where service was delayed beyond time lines without sufficient cause. With the intervention of the Commission 21750 cases have been disposed of which includes 926 during January, 2016. Apart from this, suo-moto action was initiated by the Commission in 650 individual cases received from the public out of which 622 cases services have delivered by the concerned authorities, he added.
Out of 1230 and 253 appeals filed before the 1st and 2nd Appellate Authorities 1193 and 220 have been disposed of by the concerned authorities. Similarly 39 Revisions out of 38 have been disposed of by the Commission, added the spokesman.
He said that in all 85 officers/officials have been penalized by Commission as well as 2nd Appellate Authorities for not providing services within timeline notified by the State Govt. under Punjab Right to Service Act, 2011. During February, 2016 the Commission has been imposed penalty on the civil surgeon Amritsar for not delivering the services of late registration of birth certificate.
He further said that Help Desk with telephone No. 0172-2790182 has been set-up in the office of Commission for providing information to General Public regarding the services being rendered by the Commission, procedure for obtaining these services and other queries relating to the complaints/requests made to the Commission.
He said that the Commission had so far referred 584 complaints including complaints received during February, 2016 to various authorities for sympathetic consideration which were not covered under the services notified by the Punjab Govt. under Punjab Right to Service Act, 2011.