By H D Shourie

Times of  India, April 10, 1998

The concept of "Citizens' Charters" which was initiated for propagation by COMMON CAUSE in 1994 has attracted satisfying notice and is steadily gathering momentum.  The concept has gained wide acceptanace in many countries, particularly the UK, and aims at demanding from the government and service organisations the fundamentals of accountability, transparency, quality and choice of services provided by them to the people.  Charters of citizens' rights formulated by government departments and agencies have necessarily to be translated into action, and there is need for stimulating public opinion to this end.

Services exist for the people and not people for the services.  It is necessary should spread far and wide; people should demand that they will not put up with inadequate and unsatisfactory services.  Redressal machinery under the consumer protection statute has opened the doors for them to seek compensation.  Functionaries of government departments, institutions and municipalities etc.  should be made to realise that they cannot any longer continue to take people for granted.

This concept of of citizen's Charter was picked up and pushed forward by the Consumer Coordination Council with which COMMON CAUSE has been associated.  IT was taken up by the Cabinet secretariat which, with the approval accorded in a conference of chief ministers, has taken the initiative for promulgation of charters by all service providers.  Field surveys were undertaken by the Consumer Coordination Council in the five areas of health care, electricity, banking, telecommunication and municipal services.  Assistance of consumer organisations was taken in developing and supporting this effort.

Since the initial field surveys were launched and basic foundation laid, as many as 33 Charters have been published by the respective service agencies.  These Citizens' Charters have been printed by the concerned organisations and institutions.  Copies of these are freely available.  Names of the institutions and organisations which have brought out these Charters appear in the box alongside.

A Charter aims at affirming the commitment of an organisation to the people that it will deliver its particular services promptly, maintain quality and that redressal machinery will be available where this service is not of the standard it is committed to maintain.

As an instance, the Charter which has been promulgated and publicised by Delhi Development Authority (DDA) embodies in clear terms its commitment to the people to provide every allottee/purchaser of its property: "efficient prompt and courteous service with delication to integrity and fairness; quality product at reasonable cost; time-bound and transparency services in all transactions; a periodic independent scrutiny report of its performance; information including reasons for adopting a policy and basis for accepting or rejecting any request in comparable cases."

In its Charter, the DDA states that it will give possession letter within 60 days of completion of all formalities; possession of plot within 15 days of receipt of full premium and submission of documents; sanction of building plan within 60 days from the date of receipt of notice of completion of the building.

The Charter which has been published by New Delhi Municipal Council specifies the timings during which its respective departments wil lperform the tasks expected of them and that "sanction of building plan will be communicated within 60 days; decision on revalidation of plan will be communicated within 30 days;  potholes on any roads will be filled within one day; any missing manhole cover will be replaced within one day; defective water meter will be replaced  within 15 days from the date of request; leakage in main water supply line shall be attended within 48 hours; complaint of contaminated water shall be attended within one hour etc.

Likewise hospitals, banks, insurance companies, Central Board of Direct Taxes, Central Borad of Excise and Customs, ministry of petroleum and natural gas, department of industrial policy and promotion, ministry of petroleum and natural gas, department of industrial policy and promotion, ministry of urban affairs and many othrs have issued and published their Charters.  Through the publication of these Charters the departments and institutions etc have committed themselves to become accountable to the pople.

While the work of formulation and publicising of Charters by instituions departments and organisations continue expand, it is important that people should get acquainted with the provisions made in thse and the commitments made by the service providers.

At present there is no specific provision available in the various Charters about the action that can be taken by an individual who feels that the commitments made by an organisation have not been fulfilled, and that as a consequence hurt or loss has been caused which needs to be compensated.  It is desirable that service providers should become conscious of the need for action to compensate for any default on the part of their functionaries resulting in delay or loss in the provision of service.

In any case, the citizen who suffers loss or hurt on account of te non-provision of service of the standard that was stipulated, has the option to take the matter to the consumer court for award of compensation.

It is necessary that functionaries in the service providers should remain conscious of the need of giving full satisfaction to the citizens and not remain complacent after the issue of Charters by organisations.

On hopes that this concept will be carried forward by all institutions and organisations as well as the government departments all the Centre as well as the government departments at the Centre as well a states; and that they will be made to commit themselves to the provision of services of the QUALITY that is required in accordance with the CHOICE, on the basis of the STANDARD which is prescribed, and in consonance with the VALUE assuring the citizen that he gets the value for the money he spends for the service.

Ministries, departments and institutions which have formulated Citizens' Charters
Minsitry of petroleum and natural gas  Ministry of urban affairs &  employment,
New Delhi Municipal Council   Government of India land &
Delhi Development Authority   development office
Central Public Works Department   Allahabad Bank Limited
Central Board of Excise & Customs  Andhra Bank
Central Borad of Direct Taxes   Bank of Baroda
Life Insurance Corporation     Bank of India
General Insurance Corporation of India   Central Bank of India
Public Distribution System, ministry of civil
Supplies      Canara Bank
Ministry of external affairs, passport division   Corporation Bank
Indian Railways, ministry of railways  Indian Bank
Department of industrial policy & promotion State Bank of India
United Indian Insurance Co. Ltd   Bank of India
The Oriental Insurance Company Ltd.   Union Bank of India
The New Indian Assurance Co. Ltd.   State Bank of Saurashtra
National Insurance Company    Oriental Bank of Commerce
Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital    Dena Bank