Chandigarh: People in Chandigarh will no longer need to make repeated visits to government offices for various official works. Under the Right to Service Act, the Chandigarh Administration has made it mandatory for notified government services to be provided within a stipulated timeframe.
Currently, 556 services are listed on the Chandigarh Right to Service Commission’s website. The latest orders came into effect on October 4.
These services cover several departments, including the Municipal Corporation, Police, Estate Office, Electricity, Education and Health.
Administrator Gulab Chand Kataria said the public should take full advantage of the system. If a government official fails to provide a service within the prescribed timeframe, the official can be held accountable.
Negligence in providing services within the stipulated period could lead to the imposition of a fine as well as disciplinary action against the concerned official.
1. Which government services will be completed within a fixed timeframe?
The system covers several public services, including electricity connections, electricity billing-related complaints, fire safety certificates, building plan approvals, birth and death registration services, police services and other services provided by different departments.
A specific deadline has been prescribed for each notified service, allowing citizens to know how long their application or request should take to be processed.
2. Fixed deadlines have been set for services
A specific timeframe has been prescribed for each notified service.
For example, the deadline for action on an electricity bill complaint is 7 days, while obtaining a fire safety certificate takes 30 days.
The stipulated timeframe for building plan approval is 40 days.
For a new electricity connection, the timeframe varies depending on the type of connection and the area.
3. What can citizens do if work is not completed on time?
If the concerned official fails to provide a service within the prescribed timeframe or rejects an application without a valid reason, citizens have the option to appeal.
Applicants can approach the First Appellate Authority and Second Appellate Authority. If relief is not obtained at these levels, a final appeal or revision petition can be filed before the Right to Service Commission.
4. Government officials can be held accountable
Designated officers, First Appellate Authorities and Second Appellate Authorities have been appointed for each notified service.
This means citizens can find out the status of their application and identify the concerned official or authority to whom an appeal or complaint should be addressed.
Failure to provide a notified service within the prescribed timeframe can result in accountability, including a possible fine and disciplinary action for negligence.
5. Where can citizens check the complete information?
The complete list of notified services is available on the Chandigarh Right to Service Commission’s website.
The list provides details including the name of the service, the stipulated timeframe and the concerned officials.
For example, action on an electricity bill complaint has a deadline of 7 days, while a fire safety certificate takes 30 days and building plan approval takes 40 days.
For a new electricity connection, the timeframe depends on the type of connection and the area.
The system is aimed at making government services more time-bound, transparent and accountable, while reducing the need for citizens to repeatedly visit government offices for official work.