TEAM HERALD
PANJIM: Goa People’s Forum has demanded that a neutral Commission that would be empowered to take notice of failure to deliver services guaranteed under the Goa (Right of Citizens To Time-Bound Delivery of Public Services) Bill. The commission – as envisioned in the Uttarkand act – can carry out inspection of offices entrusted with delivery of services and offices of appellate authority and also to recommended departmental action against any officers and employees who have failed in due discharge of the function. In the just passed Act, the chief minister is the final authority for any grievances.
GPF also wants that a mechanism for two appeals and one revision should be provided in the Goa Bill to make it citizen-friendly.
According to GPF convenor S Sonak, a provision for second appeal and revisions exists in most of the States, but Goans have been deprived of these opportunities and consequently wrong orders of the first appellate authority could go unchallenged, thus affecting the efficacy of the Act.
Saying that it has observed a number of enacted legislations have remained only on paper, because notifications to make them effective were never issued, the GPF has demanded that a Proviso from the proposed Central legislation should be incorporated in the Goa Bill, to provide that the Government shall appoint such date within six months from the day the Bill gets the assent of the governor.
