CM Omar orders monthly reviews, warns of penalties for delays in public services
Srinagar, Jul 24: Cracking the whip on slack public service delivery, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah directed all Administrative Secretaries to hold mandatory monthly review meetings to monitor the implementation of the Jammu and Kashmir Public Services Guarantee Act (PSGA), 2011.
He warned that delays in services without valid justification must attract penalties as mandated under the law.
Chairing a high-level review meeting attended by Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo, top bureaucrats and all Administrative Secretaries, the Chief Minister expressed concern over the lack of consistent monitoring of PSGA timelines and misuse of discretionary powers by officials.
“The spirit of this Act lies in delivering services on time, without exceptions. Where timelines are violated, penalties must be imposed without leniency. Don’t be soft,” Omar Abdullah told officers.
While departments flagged budgetary constraints and digital portal glitches, the Chief Minister said such issues would be reviewed separately, but laxity in service delivery would not be tolerated. He also directed that rejected service applications must cite clear reasons to preserve citizens’ right to appeal.
To strengthen enforcement, he announced that PSGA performance will now be reviewed at his level every quarter based on reports submitted to the Chief Secretary’s office.
Administrative Secretaries made detailed presentations on the status of PSGA implementation, which mandates the timely delivery of notified public services, defines the responsibilities of designated officers, and sets a clear appellate process with punitive provisions for delays.
So far, 493 services have been brought under the PSGA framework. These include 98 services from the Power Development Department, 58 each from Revenue and Finance, 47 each from Transport and Housing & Urban Development, 40 from Industries & Commerce, and others from Health, Education, Agriculture, and Forest departments.
Enacted in April 2011 and operationalised through SRO 223 in July of the same year, the PSGA remains a key legislative tool to promote transparency, accountability, and timely public service delivery in J&K.
