Greater accountability: Chief commissioner notifies time limit for service delivery

Says government departments obligated to ensure prompt facilitation.

PESHAWAR: Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Right to Public Services Commission Chief Commissioner Azmat Hanif Orakzai on Thursday stated the K-P Right to Public Services Act, 2014 will ensure prompt delivery of services to the public in addition to holding officials accountable for any deficiency.

Flanked by Special Assistant to Chief Minister on Law Arif Yousaf, Chief Commissioner Orakzai briefed journalists at Peshawar Press Club about the legislation and explained that under the Constitution, citizens have an individual and collective right to provision of services by the state.



He said the K-P government promulgated the right to public services (RTS) act in January 2014 in order to fulfil this constitutional obligation.

He explained as per the law, the government will designate officers and specify the time limit which shall be displayed in the relevant public office. He said that in the first phase, the following services have been notified by the government:

Registration of FIRs – the designated officer will be the station house officer (SHO) and the appellate authority will be district police officer (DPO).

Domicile certificates – the given time limit will be 10 days and the designated officer will be the additional deputy commissioner while the appellate authority will be the deputy commissioner.

Birth and death certificates – the time limit will be two days and the designated authority will be the union council secretary while the appellate authority will be the local government assistant director.

Approval of building plans (residential) – the given time will be 30 days and the designated authority for this will be the assistant municipal officer (planning) while the appellate authority will be the chief municipal officer.

According to Orakzai, if a citizen is not provided the desired service within the stipulated time, he/she can file an appeal with the appellate authority who shall then decide the same within 30 days. He said any appeal against the decision of the appellate authority shall be taken up with the commission which would decide the case within 30 days.

He further informed that if the responsible officer fails to provide the required services within the stipulated time, a fine of Rs500 to Rs 2,500 shall be imposed. He added the RTS Commission can impose a penalty of Rs1,000 to Rs2,500 on the appellate authority if it fails to decide an appeal within the prescribed time. The commissioner can also recommend disciplinary action against defaulting civil servants.

About the scope of this law, the chief commissioner said it shall be applicable on all government departments and other bodies responsible for providing services to the public. He said details of officers responsible for providing services shall be displayed locally in the concerned office and on a website.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 27^th, 2014.