Kohima, July 30 (MExN): Kohima Law College conducted its awareness campaign on Citizen Rights & Duties at Jakhama Baptist Church (JBC) on July 29, 2017. The team was led by the college Professor-in-charge Kezhokhoto Savi.
Several topics such as Consumer Rights, Clean Election, National Food Security Act, Environment, Lokayukta, RTI, Food Safety & Standard, Human Rights, and Public Service Delivery were presented by Helen Tungoe, Xavior Kent, Liethovi-u Yhome, Toka H. Chophy, Mennyu W. Konyak, Laknyei Phom, Nongoseno Richa, and Nisuka Chishi.
The resource persons stated that of all the topics, the Public Service Delivery System is yet to be introduced in Nagaland. The Nagaland Voluntary Consumers’ Organization (NVCO) had launched the Public Service Delivery campaign during the 2016 Vigilance Awareness Week with an appeal to the State government to introduce similar legislation for effective public services delivery to its citizens in the State and also to curb corruption in the State government functionaries.
Dwelling on its importance, the resource persons said the public service delivery Act/Law aims to reduce corruption among the government officials and to increase transparency and public accountability. “Currently, public officials and civil servants are considered as one of the troubled sections of our society due to their slow and painful process in performing their duties. As a result, the common man, who is entitled to avail hassle-free public services and information thereof, has to face a lot of problems and pay bribes to avail the needed public services,” it was pointed out, according to a press release from Kezhokhoto Savi, Professor-in-charge.
It is one of the Parliament Acts which guarantees ‘time-bound’ delivery of various public services rendered to citizens and provides mechanism for punishing the errant public servant if they are deficient in providing the stipulated services.
The resource persons highlighted Madhya Pradesh became the first state in India to enact the Right to Services Act on August 18, 2010 and many other states have also enacted similar Act. In Bihar, services include police verification report for passport (seven days), post-mortem report (three days), caste certificate (within a fortnight), education, road transport, driving license, banking services, kisan credit card, ration card, FIR enquiry, health, food and civil supplies, social welfare and power, etc, it was stated.
“Now people will no longer need to run around offices and grease the palms of employees to get their work done after this act. Thus, this Act makes government officials accountable and help the government weed out corruption from the grassroots level to the top.”
The programme was chaired by Vimeko Sophie, Asst. Pastor (JBFK) and a word of encouragement and appreciation was delivered by Pastor Rev. Zapovil Sophie (JBC).
