Ambedkar Action Alert: Discussion on Karnataka Guarantee of Services to CitizensBill

Monday, November 28, 2011

Discussion on Karnataka Guarantee of Services to CitizensBill - Sat, 3rd Dec11, 3 to 5.30 PM

from Kathyayini Chamaraj included below]

CIVIC Bangalore

has great pleasure in inviting you to a panel discussion and public consultation on

The Karnataka Guarantee of Services to Citizens Bill

Mr. Lukose Vallatharai, IAS (Retd.)

Founder-Convenor, Forum for Good Governance

will preside

Chief Guest

Dr. Shalini Rajneesh, IAS

Principal Secretary, DPAR (AR), GoK

Panelists

Dr. S. N. Sangita

Professor & Head,

Centre for Political Institutions, Governance and Development Institute

Institute for Social & Economic Change (ISEC)

Dr. Ashok R. Patil

Associate Professor of Law

Chair on Consumer Law & Practice

National Law School of India University (NLSIU)

Mr. Y. G. Muralidharan

Managing Trustee

Consumer Rights Education & Awareness Trust (CREAT)

Date: 3^rd December 2011

Time: 3.00 PM to 5.30 PM

Venue: Senate Hall, Central College Campus

Behind Jnana Jyothi Auditorium, Entrance from Palace Road, Bangalore 560001

All are welcome

PTO
Programme schedule

3.00 PM Tea and Registration

3.30 PM Welcome & objectives – CIVIC

3.40 PM Presentation on Right to Public Service Delivery Bills – Mr. Y.G.
Muralidharan

4.00 PM Remarks by Panelists: Dr. Sangita and Dr. Ashok R. Patil

4.30 PM Open discussion

5.00 PM Remarks by Chief Guest – Dr. Shalini Rajneesh
5.15 PM Chairperson's remarks – Mr. Lukose Vallatharai

5.30 PM Vote of Thanks

The greatest bane suffered by citizens is that they do not receive public services within specified or reasonable time-frames. All the running from pillar to post suffered by citizens may become a thing of the past if the Karnataka Guarantee of Services to Citizens Bill, 2011, is passed. As many as 11 departments will render services under the Bill, which will be implemented within the next three months. The State Cabinet has decided to promulgate an ordinance to implement the Act. Delhi, Jharkhand, Bihar, Jammu & Kashmir and Madhya Pradesh have already implemented a similar legislation and Karnataka's Act is designed on the lines of the Delhi legislation.

The aim is to bring in transparency in administration by stipulating time-bound services to the citizens. The Bill fixes responsibility on officers at various levels to deliver the goods to the people failing which penalty will be levied. At present 90 services have been listed under 11 departments. Officials against whom there are no complaints (zero default officials) will be given incentives. A minimum of Rs 20 to a maximum of Rs 250 will be the compensatory cost to be collected as penalty from officials who fail to comply with the rules.

Each department will have a common pool of funds to compensate the aggrieved citizen. If there is failure on the part of the system, then the government would pay. The draft bill says that default on the time-bound delivery of citizen-related services as defined in the Act will not be considered as "misconduct" by the official as the purpose and object is to sensitise the public servant towards the citizen and to enhance a culture of delivering time-bound services to citizens. The programme aims to see how effective the Bill will be in fulfilling its objectives.

CIVIC Bangalore

(Citizens' Voluntary Initiative for the City of Bangalore)

# 6, Kasturi Apartments, 35/23 Langford Road Cross, Shanthinagar, Bengaluru 560025

Tel: 22110584/Telefax: 41144126, (M) 97318 17177 Web: www.civicspace.in /

Email: info@civicspace.in