Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances has prepared a Draft Bill called “Citizens Right to Grievance Redress Bill, 2011”. This is a comprehensive rights based bill for the citizens of the country, providing statutory backing for getting timely services and goods specified in citizens charters of public authorities from Gram Panchayat, Block, District, State up to Central Level. Any violation of the citizens charter will be dealt as a grievance and institutional mechanism has been provided for time-bound grievance redressal and malafide action on the part of responsible officers will lead to penalty / disciplinary action.
Key recommendations in the Draft Bill are:
- There will be a Citizens Charter, and a protocol will be put in place.
- Bill can be enacted as a central legislation under the concurrent list Item 8 (actionable wrongs) and can cover:
- Central Schemes and Central Government Departments
- Provide a Platform to States to make this a Grievance Redressal Mechanism for State Schemes and Departments
- Bill will incorporate the institution of Information and Facilitation Centre in all public authorities to ensure that Citizens can be facilitated and grievances are systematically recorded and tracked using telephone, sms, web etc.
- First level Redress should be within concerned department as proposed. This should be done through a Grievance Redress Officer in each department
- The second level redress/ appeal will be at the level of Head of the Department of the public authority.
- State Grievance Commissions should be set up as second level appellate authorities.
These documents are placed in the public domain for inviting comments and suggestions which can be forwarded at the following email address by 23.11.2011:
THE DRAFT OVERVIEW AND THE BILL
