During the fag end of the year 2011 the Central government tabled a Bill in the Lok Sabha that seeks to provide for electronic delivery of public services by the government to all persons to ensure transparency efficiency, accountability, accessibility and reliability in delivery of such services. The Electronic Delivery of Services Bill, 2011 was tabled by the Information Technology and Communications Minister Kapil Sibal. As per the provisions of the Bill, the Centre, the States and all public authorities under them shall deliver all public services by electronic mode, except such services which cannot be delivered electronically, within five years from the date of coming into force of the Act. The Bill allows for “delivery of public services through electronic mode including the receipt of forms and applications, issue or grant of licence, permit, certificate, sanction or approval and the receipt and payment of money.” The Bill seeks that all government departments concerned should review and verify the date by which each such services shall be made available. The Bill proposes penalties of up to Rs. 5,000 for officials if they fail to adhere to the norms. In case of persistent default, the penalty may extend up to Rs. 20,000. It is becoming very clear that the government is waking up to reforming the way it functions after years of inertia and corruption.
For those in Nagaland, we cannot remain ignorant or aloof of the positive changes taking place around us and as such the political establishment and the government machinery headed respectively by the Chief Minister and Chief Secretary must prepare a road map to implement reform measures, which is anyway inevitable and only a matter of time. The issue of corruption is no more about just a news item, rejoinder or something to be dismissed and brushed under the carpet. Today the fight against corruption is becoming a people’s movement and at least in theory everyone including politicians and law makers are talking about putting people first. How to reduce corruption and improve quality of our public service is at the top of the agenda. Some governments at the State level having the political will have already embarked on reform measures in right earnest. Still many others remain unwilling to bring about the changes needed to cleanse the system. For instance, in order to ensure legal guarantees of prompt and efficient public services Madhya Pradesh and Bihar have come out with legislations on public services.
At another level we need a more enlightened public who can remain vigilant and active participants in the working of our democracy and government. Even if any number of reforms is brought about, an indolent public will not be able to safeguard the rights and other guarantees. There is a need to create awareness among citizens about their right to a timely service. Such awareness will make the government system responsive and alert at the same time. Then off course basic level of literacy including computer knowledge is needed to deal with day to day functioning of our government system. In this time and modern age of democracy merely to be vigilant alone is not going to be sufficient if we want to demand transparency, accountable, efficient and citizen-centric governance. So as government systems seek to improve and reform the way it functions, public knowledge and skill must also improve correspondingly.
