 Early Times Report
JAMMU, Oct 9: National Conference Additional General Secretary and former Minister Mr Ajay Kumar Sadhotra today hailed the streamlining of building permissions across Jammu and Kashmir as a step in the right direction, saying hassle-free and time- bound public services can go a long way in easing the difficulties faced by ordinary people.
Interacting with the women folk at Indra Vihar Ward No. 35 in Jammu North Assembly Constituency, Mr Sadhotra said the government's efforts to simplify and streamline building permission procedures would help reduce unnecessary delays and make the system more transparent and citizen-friendly.
He said building permission was among the many services where people often had to make repeated visits to offices and wait for prolonged periods. A transparent, technology-driven and time-bound mechanism, he added, would save people time, money and inconvenience.
Mr Sadhotra recalled that the Public Services Guarantee Act (PSGA), pioneered during Jenab Omar Abdullah's government in 2011, was conceived with precisely this objective: to empower citizens by guaranteeing delivery of identified public services within stipulated time limits.
"The basic philosophy behind the Public Services Guarantee Act was simple and people-centric. A citizen should not have to run from one office to another for a service that the government is duty-bound to provide. There should be a fixed timeline, a designated officer and accountability for delay," he said. He said effective implementation of the Act could prove a game changer in public service delivery, particularly when combined with digital platforms and simplified procedures. |
