If Sakala was launched to guarantee services to the public, some officials seem to have found ways of sidestepping it, evolving their own ‘token system’ to postpone delivery of services.
For instance, an applicant seeking income certificate from the tahsildar’s office in K.R. Puram was given a ‘token’ fixing an appointment for a later date to submit the application. This defeats the very purpose of Sakala that guarantees delivery of services within a stipulated time, some social activists argued. They said the tokens circumvented the initiative’s provisions, they told Sakala Mission officials during a programme, organised by CIVIC (Citizens’ Voluntary Initiative for the City) Bangalore here Tuesday.
Sakala has provisions to impose a Rs. 20 fine daily on officials delaying services, besides remarks in the annual confidential report.
After four months
Another case, where the medical officer asked a citizen who had applied for age certificate to come after 120 days, was also brought to Sakala officials’ notice.
There were also complaints that the unique Sakala number could not be generated in the newly added areas in the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) region.
Services relating to pension, cards, power and water utilities, mostly benefitting the urban poor, have not been brought under Sakala’s ambit.
Promising to look into these specific issues, Subramanian Srilal, management consultant of Sakala Mission, said: “We encourage people to seek compensation for delay in delivery of services. There are also genuine reasons such as vacancies in the department that are causing some delay.”
Sridhar Pabbichetty, chief operating officer, Centre for Public Policy, Indian Institute of Management, who is involved in the Sakala Mission, said that citizens should come forward seeking additional services that could be added to Sakala.
