Sri Vijaya Puram, Aug. 3: Concerns over delays in public service delivery and administrative accountability have prompted a call for stricter enforcement of the Citizen Charter across government departments in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. T.S.G. Bhasker, Chairman of the Campaign Committee of the Andaman and Nicobar Territorial Congress Committee (ANTCC), has written to the Chief Secretary of the Andaman and Nicobar Administration, urging immediate implementation of the Citizen Charter to ensure transparency, accountability and time-bound delivery of government services.
In his representation, Bhasker stated that members of the public have increasingly complained about delays in obtaining routine government services, lack of accountability and opportunities for corruption in several departments. He specifically referred to the Revenue Department, stating that citizens are often required to make repeated visits to government offices while files remain pending for months without valid justification, resulting in hardship for applicants.
The representation stated that although Citizen Charters have been notified and displayed in most government offices, their implementation has remained largely procedural rather than effective. Bhasker argued that proper enforcement of the Citizen Charter would enable citizens to know the prescribed timelines for different public services, thereby helping reduce delays, improve transparency and minimise opportunities for corrupt practices.
Seeking administrative intervention, Bhasker urged the Chief Secretary to issue directions to all Heads of Departments for strict implementation of the Citizen Charter in every government office across the Union Territory.
He also recommended that timelines for public services should be displayed prominently so that citizens are aware of the period within which applications are expected to be processed. The representation further proposed regular monitoring of compliance with the Citizen Charter and accountability for officials responsible for unjustified delays in service delivery.
In addition, Bhasker suggested establishing an effective grievance redressal mechanism that would enable citizens to report violations of the Citizen Charter and obtain timely resolution of their complaints.
The representation centres on strengthening transparency and accountability in public administration by ensuring that notified service standards are implemented in practice, with mechanisms for monitoring compliance and addressing delays in the delivery of government service
