New Delhi, December 20
Even as the government is mulling and deliberating the contours of the proposed Lokpal Bill, it took the first step in this direction by introducing the Citizens’ Charter Bill in the Lok Sabha today.

The Bill called the ‘Right of Citizens for Time-bound Delivery of Goods and Services and Redressal of their Grievances Bill, 2011,” was introduced by Minister of State for Personnel V Narayansamy.

It envisages the Right to Service under which every individual citizen shall have the right to time-bound delivery of goods and provision of services and redress of grievances.

It also provides for publication of the Citizens’ Charter and Grievances Redressal Officer by Public Authorities whereby:

Every public authority shall publish, within six months of the commencement of this Act, a Citizens’ Charter specifying therein all the category of goods supplied and services rendered by it, the time within which such goods shall be supplied or services rendered.

The details of all the goods supplied and services rendered by the public authority and the name of person or agency through which such goods are supplied or services rendered and timings during which such goods are supplied or services rendered.

And the conditions under which a person becomes entitled to goods or services and the class of persons who are entitled to receive such goods and avail services.

The complaint redress mechanism including the time within which the complaint should be disposed of and the officer of the public authority to whom such complaint may be made.

The names and addresses of individuals responsible for the delivery of goods or rendering of services.