Arvind Kejriwal announces doorstep delivery of govt services in Delhi from 10 Sept, terms it 'revolution in governance'

New Delhi: The people of Delhi will get doorstep delivery of various government services, including driving license, marriage certificate and ration cards from 10 September, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Friday. The chief minister made the announcement on Twitter, terming it as “revolution in governance” which would be “big blow to corruption”. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government had proposed doorstep delivery of services earlier this year and had accused Lieutenant Governor (L-G) Anil Baijal of stalling it. However, a five-judge Constitution Bench had on 4 July laid down broad parameters for the governance of the national capital, paving the way for the government to proceed with the scheme. Kejriwal tweeted:

As per the plan, the AAP government will provide 100 services such as caste certificate, driving license, ration card at the doorstep of people. The services will be provided for an extra fee of Rs 50. Last month, the government had approved the administrative reforms proposal to give the work to a firm, which will be an intermediary agency, to execute the project in the national capital. The government has claimed that no citizen of Delhi would have to stand in queues for the services listed under the scheme. [caption id=“attachment_5093281” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal. PTI[/caption] According to the plan, mobile sahayaks (facilitators) will be hired through the agency that would set up call centres. Various certificates such as caste, new water connection, income, driving license, ration card, domicile, marriage registration, duplicate RC and change of address in RC, among others, will be covered under the scheme. If a person wants to apply for driving license, he or she would have to call a designated call centre and give the details. Thereafter, the agency would assign a mobile sahayak, who will visit the applicant’s residence and get the required details and documents. The applicant will have to visit the MLO office once for a driving test. In November last year, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia had said that the mobile sahayak would be equipped with all necessary equipment such as biometric devices and a camera, adding that for doorstep delivery of services, the applicant would be charged a nominal fee. Delhi has witnessed a power struggle between the Centre and the Delhi government since the AAP came to power in 2014. The AAP has often accused the L-G of stalling its work at the behest of the Centre. The apex court in its landmark judgement unanimously held that Delhi cannot be accorded the status of a state but clipped the powers of the L-G, saying he has no “independent decision making power” and has to act on the aid and advice of the elected government.