Ramadoss, founder of BAMA, said that the Tamil Nadu government should ensure that all services are available to the people on time.
In a statement issued by him in this regard, the people in Tamil Nadu have alleged that they have to provide a large amount of subsidies to get the government services including the necessary certificates. Public accusations have confirmed that the Tamil Nadu government has failed miserably even in fulfilling its basic duty of providing public service to the people who have voted.
To provide services to the people of Tamil Nadu like Caste Certificate, Birth Certificate, Death Certificate, Residence Certificate, Income Certificate, Inheritance Certificate, Change of Patta, Marriage Registration Certificate, Voter ID Card, Family Card, Copies of Land Documents, Electricity Connection, Drinking Water and Sewerage Connection. What is required is the work of the Tamil Nadu government departments including the revenue department and the local government department.
But there have been allegations that Tamil Nadu government departments are not providing even these unavoidable services on time. The public has openly accused that they have to give at least Rs.500 to Rs.10,000 as subsidy to get basic services including essential certificates in various departments of Tamil Nadu government and even if they give subsidy, they do not get the certificates on time.
Many certificates required by the public can be applied for and obtained through the Public Service Centre; Government rules state that there is no need to visit government offices in person.
But people also say that even if they apply through the Public Service Centre, they have to go to the government offices in person to give assistance. It is a shame for the government that the service is available only by giving subsidies.
Tamil Nadu government cannot claim that all the services to the people in the government offices are provided on time without any assistance. A few months ago, according to the program called ‘Chief Minister in Field Study’, the Chief Minister, who participated in the study meeting held in the districts of Iranipet, Tirupattur, Tiruvannamalai and Vellore, said, “Change of title, getting certificate and benefiting from government welfare schemes should be done easily. There are also reports that people are being made to wander in some places for this.
The district governors should monitor and prevent this” he had decreed. But, after several months, there was no change in the situation. The order of the Chief Minister has no value; Corruption in government offices shows that the government of Tamil Nadu has failed to provide corruption-free and efficient administration to the people of Tamil Nadu. Caste certificate, residence certificate, income certificate etc. are basic requirements for people and students. All of them should be delivered within a few days. But the fact that people have to give huge help to get them and even if they do not get those certificates are betrayals done to the people.
These betrayals must be stopped immediately. It is the duty of Tamil Nadu Government. To ensure timely delivery of government services to the public, the only solution is to pass the Right to Public Service Act. If the Public Service Act is enacted in Tamil Nadu, the time frame for providing various services to the people including caste certificate, birth certificate, death certificate, marriage registration certificate, voter ID card, family card, copies of land documents will be fixed. The law will also provide compensation of up to Rs.10,000 to people who do not get government services within the specified period. So, government officials will provide service on time.
The Right to Public Service Act is in force in 20 states including the neighboring states of Kerala and Karnataka. The need to implement this Act is more in Tamil Nadu than in those 20 states. However, the Tamil Nadu government is refusing to implement this law. DMK had promised that if they come to power during the Lok Sabha elections in 2021, they will bring the Right to Public Service Act.
After that, in the Governor’s speech in the Legislative Assembly, it was said that the Right to Service Act would be brought soon. But nothing happened. Government of Tamil Nadu should ensure that all services are available to the people on time. For that, the Tamil Nadu government should bring and pass the Right to Service Act in the session of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly, which will be held at the end of next month.