'Diligent officials to be rewarded'

The much-talked about service level agreement, which ensures time-bound service to city residents, came into effect at various Delhi government offices on Thursday.

The much-talked about service level agreement, which ensures time-bound service to city residents, came into effect at various Delhi government offices on Thursday.

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According to senior information technology (IT) department officials, initially 32 services such as issuance of driving licence, the birth and death registration certificates and issuance of domicile, nationality, solvency and OBC/SC/ST certificates are being covered under the SLA.

"Forty more services will be added soon," an IT department official said.

Though the service has been available in several departments for the past few months, it is only now that the Delhi (Right of Citizen to Time Bound Delivery of Services) Act, 2011 has become a law.

This means that the government will "officially" penalise officials who fail to deliver service in time.

"We had penalised 200 officials and collected more than

R10,000 in the past. Now, we will also reward officials who will work diligently," said an official.

Meanwhile, Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) claimed its officials enthusiastically provided almost 100% of the services demanded by citizens on the second day of the launch of e-SLA in MCD.

At the Citizen Service Bureau situated in 12 zones of the civic body, 1997 of the 2003 people who had applied for a birth certificates were obliged. "Six applicants for birth and two for death certificates were requested to give complete information," a release from the MCD said.