Patna, Feb. 21: The right to service bill, to be tabled in the state legislature’s budget session commencing from tomorrow, would be armed with punitive action against the government officials for their failure to provide the required service to people.

“The officials might be penalised or charged with misconduct in the event of their failure to give the legitimately demanded service to citizens within the stipulated time period,” chief minister Nitish Kumar said today on the sidelines of the janata darbar.

The draft of the bill, which would take the shape of an act, is nearly ready. Nitish said: “I have conducted two rounds of meeting on the draft with the officials concerned. The bill is almost ready to be tabled in the House.”

Already being described as a “historic” bill, it promises to enhance the chief minister’s clout among people, particularly in the hinterland, who have been complaining against the block, transport, police and other local-level officials for asking bribe for doing their necessary work.

Nitish also welcomed the central government’s decision to constitute the joint parliamentary committee on 2G spectrum scam. He, however, said had the government done it earlier the precious time of the Parliament would not have been wasted during the previous session.

Airport issue

Chief minister Nitish Kumar passed the buck on the Union civil aviation ministry and the Airports Authority of India (AAI) for the delay in shifting the Patna airport or expanding it. The civil aviation ministry and AAI have shown interest in setting up an airport between Nalanda and Pawapur, about 60km from here. “It is now up to their experts to take a call,” Nitish said.