Haryana following Bihar in delivering essential services

Time-bound delivery of essential services by the government will become a reality now. Haryana seems to be following the footsteps of Bihar and Punjab by promising prompt delivery of services, but without the backing of a legislation. Starting June 21, you will get a learner’s driving licence within

five working days and a permanent driving licence within seven working days. A light motor vehicle can also be registered in just seven days. Even new electricity connection will be allotted within a month of approval, and water and sewer connection can be had in 12 days. You will get a new ration card in just a fortnight.
Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda made these promises on Wednesday. The state government will use a ‘monitoring software’ developed by its own IT department or by an external agency. This will help make erring officials more accountable.

Currently, most government officials are unaccountable to applicants when it comes to delivery of various essential services. While Gurgaon enjoys time-bound delivery of certain services, other areas in the state suffer. Even land registration can be done in a day in the Millennium City but not in other districts.

Hooda said at least 15 essential services will be promptly delivered in a time-bound manner. The phase one of the project will start on June 21. He said the deputy commissioners of all districts will monitor performance regularly.

Hooda said new ration cards will take 15 days to be issued, and other processes such as taking receipt of surrender certificate, application for duplicate ration card and inclusion or deletion of family members will be done within seven working days.

“Request for change of address within the same jurisdiction will be done in three days. The food and supplies inspector will be responsible for these services. The officer will also hear related complaints and address them, while the district food and supplies controller will oversee the work,” said Hooda.

According to the chief minister, the tehsildar concerned will issue certificates of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes within seven working days. If applicants don’t get the documents on time, complaints will be heard by the sub-divisional officer (civil).

The same officer will also issue learner’s driving licence within five days and register light vehicles within seven days. If there is any complaint regarding non-delivery of these documents, additional deputy commissioner VS Hooda will look into the matter.

The chief minister promised that new electricity connection will be allotted by the sub-divisional officer (Discom) within a month. Land registration will be issued by the tehsildar on the same day.

All building plans will be approved by the estate officer (MC) of Huda within 25 days. The CM said a checklist of documents to apply for these 15 services will be available in English, Hindi and Punjabi.