Fine for Sakala delay should be raised to Rs 250 per day

Services that are covered under the Sakala Scheme that can be fined Rs 20 per day for delay must be increased to Rs 250. To make it more effective said former joint secretary, Central Rural Development and Panchayath Raj T R Raghunandan. Around 700 services are brought under Sakala. The Act has made a provision to fine Rs 20 to Rs 500 fine for delays in providing the services. To file complaints regarding Sakala services a board at district level and an information center at gram panchayth level must be set up.

Services that are covered under the Sakala Scheme that can be fined Rs 20 per day for delay must be increased to Rs 250 to make it more effective said former joint secretary, Central Rural Development and Panchayath Raj T R Raghunandan, reported Kannada Prabha.

He was speaking at a debate on Sakala Plus – a draft bill for Karnataka, at Jnanajyothi Auditorium, Central College, on Sunday, organised by National Campiagn for People’s Right to Information (NCPRI), Civic, Namma Bengaluru Foundation and other organisations.

Around 700 services are brought under Sakala. The Act has made a provision to fine Rs 20 to Rs 500 fine for delays in providing the services. He said to make it more effective the minimum fine should be Rs 250 per day and maximum Rs 5000 per day.  From this perspective, the recommendations in the draft prepared by NCPRI is appropriate, he said.

He also suggested that to file complaints regarding Sakala services a board at district level and an information center at gram panchayth level must be set up. Information about which officer will cater to which service must be provided. Action must be taken against officials who neglect implementation of Sakala services, he suggested.

Bengaluru University chancellor Prof S Jaffat, Nikhil Dev of NCPRI, Katyayini Chamaraj of Civic and Sridhar Pubbisetty, CEO of Namma Bengaluru Foundation were present.