The Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms (DPAR), nodal department responsible for improving governance, has written to three key departments – Revenue, Food and Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs, and Transport – to take swift actions to implement the key reforms recommended by Karnataka Administrative Reforms Commission-2 (KARC-2), headed by former Chief Secretary T.M. Vijay Bhaskar.
Mr. Bhaskar on Wednesday called on Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai and discussed recommendations made in the interim report and sought the latter’s suggestions on improving the quality of administration from the public perspective.
In the interim report, which was submitted to the government on July 3 when B.S. Yediyurappa was the Chief Minister, the commission strongly recommended e-delivery of nearly 800 citizen-centric services for improving ease of living for citizens by adopting technology.
Study recommendations
Sources told The Hindu that DPAR has asked heads of Revenue, Food and Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs, and Transport Departments to study recommendations and commence the process of implementing them.
The commission has recommended transformation of Atalji Jana Snehi Kendras (AJSKs) as the single-window agency for citizens for providing online services of all departments, abolition of offices of four Regional Commissioners, and option for citizens to go to any RTO office in Bengaluru city for availing the services, as in the case of registration of documents in sub-registrar offices.
In total, the commission has made 856 recommendations in three key departments, which accounted for nearly 80% of all applications for citizen-centric services.
Mr. Bhaskar said the commission has taken up seven more departments for study and made recommendations for the government on improving delivery of services. The departments are: Urban Development, Rural Development, Home, Energy, Social Welfare, Backward Classes, and Minorities.
Efficiency in delivery
Reforms in these departments would bring in efficiency in the delivery of services in more than 225 urban local bodies, nearly 6,000 rural local bodies, and ensure proper selection of beneficiaries for scholarships, housing, and other subsidy schemes being implemented by these departments.
Mr. Bhaskar said the commission is expected to submit a comprehensive report on all major departments by November end.
