Govt clears to bring water supply, sewerage under Right to Service Act
Wednesday, 08/08/2012
http://epaper.dailypostindia.com/Details.aspx?id=44520&boxid=58801&uid=&dat=2012-08-08
Chandigarh:Broadening the ambit of the time-bound public delivery system introduced in November last year, Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal has approved to bring three more services of water supply and sewerage under the ambit of the Right to Service (RTS) Act, which entails delivery of specified services within a stipulated timeframe.
This will take the total number of time-bound services in Punjab to 72. Presently, 69 citizen-centric services are covered under the RTS Act, which was conceived in 2011.
Moreover, the government is also in the process of adding 41 more services in the “right” regime. These additional 41 services recommended by the Right to Service Commission were referred to the Governance Reforms Commission for procedure simplification. After simplification of procedures, the concerned department shall take immediate steps to computerise these services.
Accepting the recommendation of the Water Supply and Sanitation department, the CM has given his nod to remove leakage in water supply pipeline within four days, restore disruption of water supply due to breakdown of pipeline or mechanical fault within seven days and sewerage connection in feasible areas within seven days.
Confirming the development, Secretary, Water Supply and Sanitation Sanjay Kumar told Daily Post that the initiative would go a long way in facilitating the public at large and bringing more accountability, transparency and responsiveness in the public delivery system.
Earlier, a single service of the department to provide water supply connection within seven days was covered under the RTS Act.
The more services to be made time-bound pertain to the departments of Health, Local government, Housing and Urban Development, Colonisation, Cooperation and Punjab Small Industries and Export Corporation.
According to official data, over 15 lakh citizens have so far availed themselves of various services under the RTS Act since its inception.
