Delhi L-G Baijal clears proposal for doorstep delivery of 40 govt services, Kejriwal says ‘thanks’

The L-G’s green signal assumes significance as the proposal was stuck for nearly two months because of difference of opinion between Baijal and the Kejriwal government.

The Delhi government’s ambitious proposal for doorstep delivery of public services was approved by Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal on Monday.

The Delhi government’s ambitious proposal for doorstep delivery of public services was approved by Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal on Monday. (PTI)

This means that in about two months from now, residents will be able to avail 40 services across government’s eight departments without stepping out of their homes. The services will include certificates such as caste, new water connection, income, driving licence, ration card, domicile, marriage registration, duplicate RC and change of address in RC.

The government will hire ‘mobile sahyaks’ (facilitators) through private agencies, who would pick documents and deliver the certificates at one’s doorstep.

The L-G’s green signal assumes significance as the proposal was stuck for nearly two months because of difference of opinion between Baijal and the Kejriwal government.

While the scheme was cleared by the Cabinet on November 16, it was only on Thursday (January 11) that the government had resent the proposal to Baijal, assuring him that it will simultaneously strengthen the online mechanism.

Returning the file in December, Baijal had advised the government to reconsider the proposal and focus on digital delivery of services, “as 35 out of 40 services listed in the scheme are already available online.” He had also asked the government to set up kiosks by unemployed youth for those who are unable to access the internet.

However, the statement from L-G’s office that came on Monday made it clear that Baijal approved the proposal only after Kejriwal’s assurance that the government will simultaneously strengthen the online mechanism.

“On the assurance that both the systems will function as complementary to each other, the L-G approved the proposal and advised the administrative department to finalise the proposal for setting up ‘internet kiosks’ within a month,” the statement read.

It further stated that Kejriwal has also assured that a suitable financial model will be worked out to provide soft loan, if needed, to the educated unemployed to set up these ‘kiosks’.

While the L-G’s office issued a statement announcing the decision, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal took to Twitter to thank Baijal for approving the scheme.

“Hon’ble @LtGovDelhi approves Delhi govt’s scheme for ‘Doorstep delivery of services’. All citizens of Delhi are grateful to u sir. Thank u,” he tweeted.