Public Service Rights Act Revolutionary in the State: Governor
By Mewati Sitaram
The Governor of Maharashtra, CP Radhakrishnan praised the Public Service Rights Act passed by the state of Maharashtra, highlighting its revolutionary approach to providing transparent and efficient services to the public. He emphasized that Maharashtra’s implementation of this law surpasses expectations and stands out even among states with similar legislation.
During a goodwill meeting held at Raj Bhavan Mumbai on August 26, 2024, Governor Radhakrishnan assured that discussions would be held with the government regarding updates to the ‘Aaple Sarkar’ portal, which was launched to enhance public service delivery. The Governor’s comments came in the presence of Chief Public Service Rights Commissioner Manukumar Srivastava and all Divisional State Public Service Rights Commissioners.
During the meeting, Governor CP Radhakrishnan indicated that he would instruct the government to implement provisions that honor officers for their exceptional service in effectively implementing the Public Service Rights Act. This recognition aims to encourage and reward those who contribute significantly to the law’s success.
The Public Service Rights Act, recently passed by the state of Maharashtra, provides 770 services across various departments, including domicile and caste certificates. Chief Public Service Rights Commissioner Manukumar Srivastava noted that the commission is dedicated to ensuring the effective implementation of this law. While many states have enacted Right to Service Acts, only a few have established Public Service Rights Commissions. Srivastava emphasized that the commission addresses grievances when the public does not receive services within the stipulated time and takes appropriate action against negligent officials.
Srivastava also highlighted that the government portal, created in 2015, is under review for updates to improve service delivery. The portal allows individuals to track their applications via mobile phones. He mentioned that the Government of India is working on similar legislation to ensure timely delivery of central government services.
Since its establishment, the commission has processed approximately 16 crore applications, with 95 percent of these disposed of. The commission receives around 2 crore applications annually, reflecting the scale and importance of its role in public service.
On this occasion, Srivastava presented a copy to the Governor of the Commission’s report, which was submitted to the Legislature for the year 2022-23. The event was attended by State Commissioners of the Public Service Rights Commission, including Dilip Shinde (Pune), Baldev Singh (Kokan), Abhay Yawalkar (Nagpur), Dr. Kiran Jadhav (Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar), Dr. Narukula Rambabu (Amravati), and Chitra Kulkarni (Nashik), along with senior officials of the Service Rights Commission.
On this occasion, Chief Public Service Rights Commissioner Manukumar Srivastava presented a copy of the Commission’s report for the year 2022-23 to the Governor. The event was attended by State Commissioners of the Public Service Rights Commission, including Dilip Shinde (Pune), Baldev Singh (Kokan), Abhay Yawalkar (Nagpur), Dr. Kiran Jadhav (Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar), Dr. Narukula Rambabu (Amravati), and Chitra Kulkarni (Nashik), as well as senior officials from the Service Rights Commission.
Editor in Chief : Mewati SItaram
