How many times does a citizen need to visit a Government office to obtain a birth or income-tax or caste certificate or any other utility serviceIJ At least five to six rounds to the offices: first to submit documents, then to follow-up on the progress of the application and collect the certificate. But, from December 1, getting caste, income, marriage and domicile certificates will be “hassle-free” with the Delhi Government reducing timeline of these 12 services.
Besides, the AAP Gover-nment is amending a law, under which officials are liable to pay penalty for delay in providing services included in the citizens charter, ensuring “automatic and mandatory” compensation for people, doing away with the need to separately apply for it.
The other certificates, which one will get hassle free from the next month, include disability card, solvency, surviving, death order, date of birth and lal dora certificates. At present, there is 60-day timeline for OBC and SC/ST certificate, but Govern-ment has proposed to introduce 14-day timeline for the services.
The Government has simplified procedure for 12 services by doing away with requirement for filing affidavit, accepting the document with only self attestation and introduction of stringent law for making misuse of the facility.
Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said at present for getting OBC certificate, applicant has to give proof of verification in Delhi since 1993 required in every case, but from December 1, no proof will be required if a certificate has been issued to any relative from parental side. Besides, no field verification will be required for OBC, SC/ST certificates and for Income Certificate, no attestation will be required from Gazetted officer and instead, only self attestation will be enough. The Government has decided to come down heavily on applicants who make false declaration. It proposes to make false declaration a cognizable office. At present, this act is non-cognisable offence and offender can face an imprisonment of upto six months or a fine of Rs1,000 or both.
A senior officer said that to curb misuse of the facility, the Government will propose amendments in Sections 177 and 199 of IPC under which making false information will be cognizable offence. “It is a state subject of amending Section 177 and 199 of IPC. Government will bring this amendment in the upcoming Assembly Session,” the official also said.
Meanwhile, the AAP Government is going to amend the ‘Delhi (Right of Citizen to Time Bound Delivery of Services) Act 2011’, under which officials are liable to pay penalty for delay in providing services included in the citizens charter, ensuring “automatic and mandatory” compensation for people, doing away with the need to separately apply for it.
Kejriwal said that the amount will have to be recovered from someone’s salary. From whose account the money is to be recovered is to be decided by the competent authority within three months. “And if the authority fails to decide then he amount will be recovered from his account.”
There are a total of 371 services that cover almost all departments, under the ambit of the legislation that was enacted during the tenure of Sheila Dikshit. Kejriwal claimed that due to its “wrong design”, no claim for compensation has been filed in the last three years. “Under the amended law, if you are promised delivery of a certificate within 15 days and don’t get it, then from the 16th day the clock of compensation will start ticking automatically.
