The Pioneer          18.07.2013

Jan Seva Kendras for quality BMC governance

As part of the qualitative city governance initiative, the State Government on Wednesday asked the Bhubaneswar Municipal Commissioner and the Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA) to start citizen centric single window Jan Seva Kendras (JSKs) within their limits to provide essential services and ensure effective garbage clearance.

In the first phase, as many as 30 JSKs would be set up in the capital city and the BDA authorities have been asked to provide permissive possession of the lands for the centers within three months.

While reviewing the implementation of city governance services at the Secretariat, Chief Secretary Jugal Kishore Mohapatra told the BDA to locate the JSKs in the core areas of the city and make them visible to people with quick response system. Besides, he asked the BDA to work out the details of fund requirement and commission the services within three months time, official sources said.

Since citizens need information about essential services for the upkeep and maintenance of their houses and need easily approachable centers to ay the Government dues and taxes and get different types of certificates and approvals, Mohapatra emphasized on designated and dependable centers as only alternative to lodge the complaints and get them redressed.

“All the citizen centric services can be brought under one roof in the Jana Seva Kendras to which people can walk in and register their needs and grievances,” the Chief Secretary said.

Development Commissioner Injeti Srinivas also directed the BDA authorities to identify locations in market and other public places to which people generally go frequently.

Emphasizing on effective garbage clearance inside the city, the Chief Secretary advised BMC Commissioner Sanjeeb Kumar Mishra to work out proper monitoring and supervision system for looking into service delivery of agencies awarded with outsourcing contract.

Sources said that the BMC Commissioner had been instructed to designate one ward officer in each ward and publicize his  mobile number to the residents of that ward so that people can directly contact him to submit their complains and suggestions. The designated ward officer should be visible on streets from 7am to 9am so that people can directly interact with him, he said.

It was decided at the meeting to construct 19 more vending zones. The Chief Secretary asked the Urban Development Department authorities to find out strategies for construction and management of public toilets and night shelters.