Serving people at doorstep, govt mulls roping in unemployed youth
Long queues, dealing with middlemen could be a thing of past if plan becomes reality
The Bharatiya Janata Party government in Haryana is toying with the idea of introducing citizen services at doorstep, a move envisaged with an eye on the impending Lok Sabha and assembly polls in the state.
Taking a cue from a similar project implemented by the Aam Aadmi Party in neighbouring Delhi where home delivery of services has become a big hit, the Haryana government is studying different models of implementation.
Standing in long queues and dealing with the middlemen could be a thing of the past if the home delivery idea comes through.
Citizen services such as issuing of driving license, ration card, registration of vehicles, transfer of ownership of vehicles, residence certificate, caste certificate, birth certificate, application for a new electricity connection, social security pensions, scholarship for students, addition of name in the voter
list, would become hassle-free and make life easier for public.
HOW IT WOULD WORK
Citizens would just need to pick up the phone and call a toll-free number to make a request.
A courier would visit the applicant’s home, complete the paperwork and submit them to the relevant public authority through the common services centre (CSC).
The CSC will upload the documents in their system, get them approved, printed and delivered back to the applicant. Thus, within a stipulated period, the requested certificate or document will be delivered at the applicant’s doorstep.
A week ago, Dinesh Tyagi, the
chief executive officer of the common services centre e-Governance Services India Ltd, a special purpose vehicle promoted by the Union Ministry of electronics and information technology, held a meeting with Haryana officials to discuss various home-delivery models.
“This would be a unique initiative. Haryana is the only state in the country providing 450 citizen services, including payment of government taxes through common service centre. The government wants further extension of this programme. Many people in the rural areas may not be aware of these services. So the delivery boys can visit households asking every family whether they need a public service. For urban areas where people prefer privacy, citizens can make a call or make an online request for a particular service,’’ Tyagi told Hindustan Times.
He said that delivery boys would carry the relevant forms along and get the formalities completed.
Tyagi said Haryana government has a number of young unemployed voluntary associates, called Saksham Yuva, who can be trained to deliver citizen services at home.
They have to be trained in improving their communication skills and how to complete the paperwork.
“We are contemplating on roping in educated unemployed youngsters who are paid a monthly unemployment allowance by the state government. They can act as couriers in delivering citizen services at people’s doorsteps,” said an official.
Another official said that entrepreneurs selected for manning and managing the operations of the common services centres (CSC) in the state can also be deployed.
The CSCs are mandated to provide delivery of citizen services in electronic mode.
ASSUAGING THE UNEMPLOYED YOUTH
The state government is also looking at providing employment opportunities to youth through this project.
The state government provides a monthly unemployment allowance of ₹3,000 for postgraduates and ₹1,500 for graduates. Besides, the graduate and postgraduate unemployed youth are paid up to ₹6,000 per month as honorarium if they hired for up to 100 hours of work in various government departments, boards, corporations as well as in private companies.
“If they are hired as couriers for home delivery of citizen services, they can get better remuneration,’’ said an official who attended a meeting on the subject.
Top officials said the home delivery idea is in a nascent stage and needs more discussion and evaluation.