GUWAHATI, Dec 1: As part of the initiative to ensure greater accountability in the provision of public services, Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday (Nov 30) dedicated the Assam State Commission for Right to Public Services at Srimanta Sankardev Kalakshetra in Guwahati. Chief Minister Sarma also launched a comprehensive manual detailing the appeal process for public service rights, and the official website of the Commission.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr Sarma underscored the transformative role technology plays in advancing accountability. He asserted that good governance cannot be achieved if the citizens remain unaware of their rights. Acknowledging that the public stands to gain from numerous services, he emphasized that it is the government’s primary duty to ensure these services are delivered in an efficient and timely manner. Reflecting on the pioneering step taken by Madhya Pradesh in 2010, when it became the first state in India to introduce the Right to Public Service Act, he highlighted that Assam followed suit by enacting its own law in 2012, with subsequent amendments in 2019 and 2024. He noted that the Assam government, through the Seva Setu platform, has already recognized 725 subjects as citizen rights, encompassing 64 government departments and three autonomous councils under the Sixth Schedule. He added that the portal provides a clear service delivery timeline, specifying the maximum time frame within which each service should be provided.
Chief Minister Sarma shared that since the launch of the Seva Setu platform, over 1.56 crore applications have been received, with more than 90% of these applications successfully resolved.
He also noted that the Right to Public Service Act is now enforced across 34 states in the country, ensuring that citizens’; rights are safeguarded. Citizens now have access to crucial information through the Right to Information (RTI) Act. Dr Sarma remarked that the Assam government’s decision to establish the State Commission for the Right to Public Services last year is a decisive step in transforming public service rights into genuine entitlements.
The CM announced the appointment of Dr. Sujoy Lal Thaosen, retired IPS officer, as the Chief Commissioner of the Assam State Commission for the Right to Public Services, with Ranjan Kumar Chakraborty and Bimal C Oswal appointed as members. He emphasized that if the public is properly empowered with their rights and services are delivered efficiently, Assam can set a benchmark for exemplary governance.
He called on officials and civil servants to be proactive in implementing these reforms and also stressed the need to raise public awareness regarding the rights available through the Assam State Commission for the Right to Public Services. He commended the accountable agencies for their dedicated work in fulfilling their responsibilities.
The event was attended by the Speaker of the Assam Legislative Assembly, Biswajit Daimary; Environment & Forest Minister Chandra Mohan Patowary; Panchayat & Rural Development Minister Ranjeet Dass; Housing & Urban Development Minister Ashok Singhal; Water Resources & Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pijush Hazarika; Public Health Engineering Minister Jayanta Mallabaruah; Minister of Tea Tribes Sanjoy Kishan; Power Minister Nandita Gorlosa; Chief Secretary Dr Ravi Kota; and other senior officials of the Assam government.
