Right to Public Services (RTPS) Act to be launched in Bihar today-14 Aug 2011

Right to Public Services (RTPS) Act to be launched today

Posted: 14 Aug 2011 09:23 PM PDT

PATNA: Madhya Pradesh government, along with a few other states, might have been among the firsts to introduce and implement Right to Public Services (RTPS) Act, but the Bihar government would rank as the first in the country to put into place a well laid out arrangement using its own specially made ‘adhikaar’ software to provide mandated timely services asked for by the Bihar citizenry from officials down to the block level under the Bihar RTPS Act.

Initially, the Bihar RTPS Act would cover 10 departments to provide 50 services sought by the people. Nitish would formally announce the implementation of this Act from Gandhi Maidan here on Monday during his Independence Day address to the state. It would come into operation from Tuesday in two modes — the online mode through computerized set up put in place in most of the blocks and at sub-divisional and district headquarters level, and the manual mode in places, including high schools, where full computerization has not yet been done.

“Bihar should be rated as first in the country to make such an elaborate computerized arrangement for the purpose,” said general administration department (GAD) principal secretary Deepak Kumar on Sunday, adding: “Once the system is fully computerized, the manual arrangement, which is temporary, would be done away with.”

As GAD principal secretary said, it is being believed that informed citizens would come to know about Act through advertisements and other modes of publicity resorted to officially. However, Nitish, along with other ministers and officials, would also announce its formal launch on Monday in 28,799 tolas in the state, inhabited mainly by people of Mahadalit castes, after the conclusion of main Independence Day functions.

Of the 22 traditional Dalit castes in the state, the Nitish government has designated 21 of them as Mahadalit in view of the low level of social, educational and economic growth in these sections. The oldest person in the Mahadalit tola would hoist the flag, but officials would inform the people present about the Act and other benefits being provided by the government. The CM himself would be present at the functions at Balapur Mushahari and Abupur Lodipur villages under Phulwari block in Patna district on Monday. The services rendered under the Act would be fully computerized and online by January 26 next year.