Bhubaneswar, Sept. 12: Providing public services to citizens within a stipulated time will be made mandatory from January 1 next year.

Officials failing to provide such services within the specified time frame will be liable to fine up to Rs 5,000. In case of delay in delivery of the service, a maximum fine of Rs 250 per day will be imposed on the erring officer. To begin with, the government has identified “25 to 30 such services”.

Chief minister Naveen Patnaik today took the decision to launch the public service delivery mechanism from January 1 at a meeting. The move follows passage of the Odisha Right to Public Services Bill in the Assembly during its recently concluded monsoon session.

Naveen asked the officials to frame the relevant rules and work out detailed modalities for implementation of the new legislation by January 1, official sources said.

It was decided that “25 to 30 types of services will be notified for implementation in the first phase”. Officials were asked to prepare a list of such types of services. The time limit for providing service would be decided at the time of framing of rules, said a senior officer.

Citizens will be granted right to have as many as 75 types of services. These services include issuance of caste, legal heir, income, residence, nativity certificates, land patta (record of rights), transfer of land title, vehicle registration, issuance of driving licence, vehicle fitness certificate, route permit, issuance of ration card, payment of various taxes, holding tax assessment and issuance of school and college certificates death, birth certificates and marriage certificates.

Provision of services such as giving electricity, water connection, reconnection, replacement of meters, correction of bills, sifting of lines, approval of building plans and issue of occupation certificates will also come under the purview of public service law.

Besides, the services under the law and order machinery such as supply of FIRs to the complainants, issuance and renewal of arms licence, passport verification, character and antecedent verification, disposal of applications for use of loud speakers and giving permission for holding fairs and exhibitions, establishment of petrol pumps, cinema hall, factories and explosive godowns are likely to be covered.

The list of services and the prescribed time limit will be displayed at public places and on the official website.

As per the provisions of law, the state government will notify declaring the services from time to time and specifying the time limit within which the services shall be provided. The government will designate the officers for providing services.

Any eligible person will have to make an application to the designated officers for obtaining any service. The designated officer will have to dispose of the application within the prescribed time limit and if he rejects the application, he has to ascribe the reasons.

The aggrieved applicant can go for an appeal before an appellate authority within 30 days from the date of receipt of rejection order or date of expiry of the given time limit. The appellate authority may dispose the appeal within 30 days and direct the designated officer to provide the service.

In case of rejection or non-disposal of the appeal, the applicant can file a revision petition before the revisional authority within 30 days. The revisional authority may impose a penalty against the designated officer not exceeding Rs 5,000 in case of failure in providing the service sought for.

The revisional authority is also empowered to impose a penalty up to Rs 250 per day for the delay in providing the service. He may also impose a fine up to Rs 5,000 on the appellate authority for failure to decide the appeal within the stipulated time limit.

Non-compliance of orders of the revisional authority on part of errant officials shall amount to misconduct and attract disciplinary action under the service rules.